Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 211 - 210 - Dancing Flame Sect

Lind moved east from the village.  The children had waved to him as he left but the adults only looked on.  The men and women stayed far apart from each other as well but the children were the only common thread between them.

He hoped they could start to heal but that path was out of his hands.  He used the carriage to carry him as it would draw the least attention.  He let his high Stone Tier aura flare so no one would obstruct him.

He passed several more villages and their status was just as bad as the one he left.  He wanted to stop but he could not do it at that time.  Every village he helped would only delay him and draw attention from the capital that would work to undo his efforts.  A single village was saved but he swore to save them all when he ascended the throne.

He hoped he could.  He also berated himself for calling it saving as he at best could simply put a stop to the current actions.  He prayed to any God listening for that to be enough.

The carriage was an interesting artifact.  His Eyes showed the flow of Qi was flying back towards something to the east and he could make out a few more streams of Qi moving on the horizon.  He assumed that it indicated other carriages.

He wondered why a Relic would have such transports but without its Inheritance perhaps the creator wanted to teach like the Relic in the Silver Peaks wanted to teach cooperation on primal elements between cultivators.

Lind was beginning to see patterns to some of the Ruins and Relics.  It was not only about passing on a legacy but trying to make the next generations stronger.  It struck him as odd.  While there could be cultivators like him that wanted to see how far they could push their elements, surely it would not be to the point of creating Inheritances simply to strengthen anyone they could.

Why?

What reason could there be for cultivators to worry about the following generations so much?

A flash of a dark gate under Cimmeria suddenly came back to Lind and he had a dark suspicion.  No one wanted to talk about it but those creatures were something terrible and very powerful.  They were clearly against not just humans, but all other cultivators.

How powerful were they that Immortals were trying to improve the generations behind them?  Lind wondered at it but he would find no answers.  Yet a lingering question remained.  If such Inheritances existed, why were so many Relics or Ruins left behind?  Why wouldn't powerful cultivators try to maintain their full effects inside an Inheritance?

Lind could only push the questions aside as he finally closed in on the place the hovering carriage took him to.  It was as if a massive blade had cut into the rocky terrain.  A sharp cleft that was as black as night inside gave it an appropriate name.  Obsidian Cliff.

It was a decent city on the western edge of the Kingdom of Altair.  The carriage slowed until Lind stepped off and it sped off into the distance far faster than before.  According to his deceased prisoner, the carriage had been sent every year to send and retrieve the swap of overseers for the villages.

It would return next year to replace another overseer at another village.  He had not known how it worked but as Lind examined the carriage he saw a directional array that dedicated that very thing.  A distance array was logical in such an artifact as well.

Lind was wearing the somewhat repaired gray robes.  He blended right into the line of cultivators looking to enter the Obsidian Cliff.  He felt several auras wash over him but no one lingered.  The line led up to an entrance that led down the cliff into the chasm.

Lind spent most of the day waiting in line but despite seeing many Soul Realms, the only World Realms were deeper along the cliff.  Only peak Soul Realm guards stood at the entrance processing them in without any interest.

A few stones changed hands at times that Lind knew were bribes.  Altair's security was weak at the border cities to the point that spying was useless.  Anyone would say whatever you want for the right amount of stones.  Intelligence would be compromised far too easily.

"A woman!"  Two words brought Lind's attention to the right and he saw a figure running away from Obsidian Cliff.  She wore very little and Lind could sense she was at tier 8 of the Soul Realm.  Fairly powerful for the city he was in.

Lind had to resist reacting as he felt a powerful aura sweep the line before stone shifted beneath her feet as gravity was increased on her.  He could see low Iron Tier World Art being used and looked to the wall to see a young man emerge.

He had fine silver robes and a leering smile as he walked slowly across the open ground.

The blonde hair was too bright to be natural.  Lind had found his former prisoner was like that.  It was as if the lower echelons worked hard to dye their hair to stand out like that.  His own dirty blonde hair was uncommon from the sandy blonde to dark gold hair he saw around him.

The functionaries were trying to show how much higher they were by imitating, not too closely, the blonde hair of the royal family.

"My dear girl.  Why are you running away?  Surely you understood that coming to Altair subjected you to our laws?"  Lind narrowed his eyes at those words.  He took a closer look at the girl but she did not seem to be a Maiden he knew.  Her lack of robes was not an issue, each Maiden was issued a brand to carry on them that any elder could find.

It was one way the sect made sure no one tried to claim they held a Maiden nor that they even thought to.  Altair had always given Maidens a wide berth due to that problem alone.  Lind quickly went through her features but her auburn hair and pale blue eyes did not ring any bells for him.

"I am not a citizen of this cursed Kingdom!  My sect will make you pay!"  She tried to resist the gravity art being used on her but it was useless.  She was only a Soul Realm while the Iron Tier was barely flexing his Qi to hold her.

Lind sighed and made a choice.  He was already in the Kingdom and he had no need to hide.  Those trying to find him were at the capital already so it was no longer important to hide his trek across Altair.

He stripped the robes from his body to expose his muscled chest and dark pants.  Some looked at him in confusion but then their eyes went wide as fine crimson robes were donned that had black outlining them with the emblem of a flying bird on his back.

A staff extended in his arms and he stretched it out towards the woman.  Before anyone could react, the stone rumbled far more than before and covered over the woman entirely from the man approaching.

"Who dares?!"  Stone spears formed as dark tendrils supported them in midair.  Lind smirked and stepped forward without fear.  His aura was Stone Tier but he flexed his full power and the Iron Tier was forced to stumble back as his spears disintegrated.

"Dare?  Does a royal family member need to dare to do anything in their own lands?"  Lind put the haughty attitude on thick as he arrogantly strode forward.  He let the person see him but there was no recognition, only a sneer at a fool.

"You claim to be royal with such hair?  Don't be absurd!  Guards, kill him!"  Two more World Realms came that were at the mid-Iron Tier.  Lind smirked as emerald flames rose from his body as all 6 elements answered his command.

Very swiftly, herbs and stones appeared to float in midair as an elixir was created.  Not just any elixir, but a Tempering Elixir at the peak of grade 3.  Even the Body Refining Realm cultivators exclaimed in awe of recognition.

While elixir masters had started to appear more than before, only 1 could use all 6 elements with an emerald flame.  Only 1 could create an elixir as easy as breathing at the peak of grade 3.  Two badges appeared on Lind's right breast that made the guards freeze in place.

The swiftly knelt while the functionary had all the blood drained from his face.

"Y-y-your royal highness!  Forgive me, I did not expect to receive you today!"  Most still in line rolled their eyes internally at the clear back tracking of the man but Lind only looked on grimly.  The elixir glowed with blue, brown, and green which clearly was not for the functionary.

"You have till the count of 3 to explain what is going on or I will simply kill you and find out anyway."  Lind realized he was not entirely bluffing.  It was clear the man before him was a pill raised World Realm as his foundation was reaching the end of its potential due to strain and lack of solid cultivation.

There was also the ease with which his art was disrupted.  It was clear this man did not truly dedicate himself to his cultivation or his potential was low to start and had pushed on with the help of pills.

"One–"  Lind only got to one when the skinny man knelt down in fear.

"Your Highness, I was simply exercising my rights to a woman in our territory!"  Lind frowned deeply as the man was not entirely wrong.  The insane rule of law in Altair actually did allow more powerful cultivators to lay claim to a woman that caught their eye at their whim.  There were some rules, however.

"She mentioned a sect.  Explain and do not lie."  His harsh tones were no longer a bluff as Lind slowly approached and his full strength made the kneeling man stumble.  His bright blonde hair began to run as it was clearly a cheap dye.

It was sad that the last fact made the man panic more than anything else.

"She is simply a member of the Dancing Flame Sect!  They are nothing to us!"  Lind looked in disbelief at the man.  How stupid could he be?!  Lind had been busy with his plans and coming home but he had caught up on the rise and fall of various powers.  Some of which he was directly responsible for on his return.

"The Dancing Flame Sect is a new sect founded by former members of the Alchemy Guild that had learned they could make elixirs.  Do you understand what you have done?"  Sudden tension filled the air as even the lowest of the low knew the hard rule of not to cross the Alchemy Guild.

It was a strong power in the Darkmoor Kingdom.  It was their main pillar of alchemy obvious by its name.  Rather than try to force elixir masters under the guild, however, it was encouraged for sects to raise them.  The nature of elixir masters made that much more productive.

"She can't be an elixir master with her elements!  So she is an open target, Highness."  Lind felt a vein twitch on his forehead.  It was not entirely his fault, but Lind had only recently taught at the Lotus Academy how to make elixirs with elements one would normally not associate with alchemy or elixirs.

"IDIOT!"  Lind waved his hand and the stone retracted.  The woman had dirt all over her and her nails were broken from trying to claw her way out of the dome.  She was surprised to see a Stone Tier standing over her but she saw the 2 guards and lost all hope.

"Identify yourself, please."  The gentle words from Lind were the first he had spoken since the incident started but none of the kneeling people dared look up.  Their position in relation to Lind gave the woman hope.

"I am Marie, a grade 1 elixir master.  I was sent on a sect mission and was taken prisoner in this place my lord.  I am an inner disciple of the Dancing Flame Sect."  If more blood could drain from the funcitonary's face, it would.  Lind sighed deeply before he summoned a new set of robes.

"This will be a bit large for you, but please take it and this."  Lind then handed her the elixir and she froze.  She recognized what it was but tempering elixirs were unique to one person.  She slowly looked up and noted the dark green eyes and dirty blonde hair with crimson robes.

"My Lord Lind Frey!  I live to serve you!"  Lind jumped as he glanced at the functionary but the man could not see him.  What the hell did that mean she served him?  Why was she staring at him as if he was a rock star found in public?

"Ahem, put the robes on and I will redress any complaint you have."  Lind retracted his aura and the functionary rose but did not look at Marie anymore.  He was sweating buckets clearly but the guards simply stood at attention until Lind gave more orders.

He swept Marie up in his wake and walked into the gate without issue.  Word would spread that Lind Frey was now on his way to the capital at last!