Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 217 - 216 - Relics of Death

Lind was laying on the ground as the lioness was curled up next to him sleeping.  It had been only a day but they had arrived at a profound structure nestled in a ravine but still open to the sky.  There was no life in the ravine at all but the Qi was much higher than anywhere else Lind had been in Altair.

It was still far thinner than even a mid tier power could produce in its worst area but the Relic made up for that.  It was almost like a coliseum similar to Cimmeria but there were no seats.

It was a giant circle with a raised platform he could see through a massive set of open doors.  There were old stains of blood clear not only on the platform but in the open stretch Lind could see around it.

Several nobles were already there and were confused as to why Lind arrived with just the lioness.  Even curled up, she was massive compared to a normal mountain lion.

He had given her a massive chunk of meat from his storage ring which she happily ate before cuddling up to him as he recovered from the fairly rough ride.  Lind had ridden horses before in both his lives but saddles protected the body from force of riding so now he was very sore.

"An auspicious start to my trial."  Lind was charginned as he had not anticipated such an outcome.  He had been going to insist on riding with the Regent to pressure him a bit more but instead he had been taken by the giant cat!

Lind could only guess at the distance but as he could not see the towering castle at all despite the relatively open road to the Relic told him he was more than a day away on foot for certain.

A column of dust told him the train of nobles was coming but Sky Realms began to appear in the sky as well as some flying artifacts.  Lind sighed and got up to dust himself off.  A little Qi was used but then the lioness looked up in anger at someone.

Lind recognized enough features to see the relative of the former controller.  The man was dark eyed and slim as well.  He knew food was limited in Altair but it was not that limited for World Realms like the slim man before him.

"Where is Mark?"  Lind winced as he had killed a man by proxy and not even knew his name.  He then simply looked back at the low Iron Tier in coldness flowing in his veins.  His aura stunned the man as he stumbled backwards in surprise.

The lioness seemed to chuckle at that but Lind held her back as her muscles tensed.

"We had a disagreement and now the lioness is free.  She brought me here of her own choice and will leave under her own choice."  He did not know if she understood anything but she began to push her head gently on his side in joy as her tail thumped behind them.

It detracted from his imperious voice and stance but the slim man only looked on angrily before stomping off.  A few of the nobles hid smiles behind their hands and Lind realized the beast slavers were not popular with the nobility either.

A little over half the day passed before the first carriage finally arrived but the foreign powers had been happily chatting with themselves as they looked on.  The Relic was interesting but no one could enter from above.  It was some restriction in place on the Relic itself rather than Altair using formations.

Lind was glad they did not approach him but the large lioness seemed rather possessive of him which began to worry him.  She could not follow him into the trial afterall!  The Regent came down from the dark wooden carriage but the rest were simply stone wagons and showed how rare wood was in Altair.

It also spoke to the state of how the nobility spent their limited resources.  Cultivation was the focus rather than limited use items.

Even so, their robes were fine and their servants had brought food and drink.  Lind wondered where they would be setting up as he could see no seats in the Relic but then the Regent activated a formation that made the ground shake and tables with chairs began to rise up out of the very ground.

Canopies were pulled out and stretched over the now almost cafe style layout but Lind noted that there were very finely polished stone and rough stone furniture areas.  The nobles clearly took the high quality area but the servants set up their supplies and work area in the rough one.

"As the trial takes some time, we will be out here waiting for you, your highness."  The Regent was suddenly polite and direct which likely had to do with the people above.  A strong aura crashed down on them at that time as a man descended from the sky.

It was a Sky Realm in golden robes that made flames.  Dan had grown into his role of leading the Starfire House over the near decade Lind had been gone.  He had progressed explosively to the first tier of Sky Realm in only a little under a decade.  It showed how much Lady Estelle had invested into him and his hard work.

"Master Frey.  I must insist on speaking before you do this."  The Regent dared not stop a Sky Realm but he frowned deeply at the respect a Sky Realm gave to a high Stone Tier child.

Lind bowed deeply and smiled warmly at Dan.

"I already got an earful from Lady Estelle.  Was there something more?"  Dan's lips twitched as he swiftly looked around as if he expected the old woman to start shouting but they were far from Starfire House.

"No, but unlike other powers, Starfire House had far more information on this Relic than others.  Why have you not taken it?  I would freely give it."  A jade slip appeared but Lind pushed it away with a smile.

"The Relic in the Silver Peaks was not what people thought.  I have learned that preconceptions can be as dangerous as it is for comprehending Dao.  I have to see it with my eyes open and untainted by opinion as much as possible."  Dan frowned but the argument was sound.

It was possible to follow an ancestor exactly but cultivation techniques should only be used as guides and not a verbatim approach.  Lind's theories on the relationships between the elements had proven that while a workable approach had been found, it was not the absolute answer.

Soul Realms were now far more powerful than before and 6 elementals had real hope from the man in front of them.

"Then, is there anything you wish to give me?"  Lind paused.  He had held back sharing his theories as he had only grasped the basics but there was something he felt safe sharing as it was critical.

A jade slip appeared in his hands and the tension in the air skyrocketed.  The last time Lind Frey shared information, it had rocked the cultivation world.  Would he do it again?

"I am still early in my research but there is something critical to share.  I ask nothing for this save to spread it as far as possible."  Lind handed the slip over and Dan sunk his senses into it.  The man had become known for being adaptable and a competent head of Starfire House but his aura went wild briefly after reading the slip.

"Y-you are sure?"  Lind smiled and nodded firmly.  He then glanced behind him and thought of something more to ask.

"Also, I freed this mountain lion aether beast.  If she is willing, please let her go free."  Lind cupped his hands and bowed while the lioness bumped Lind from behind as if to tell him to forget it.

Dan nodded and bowed to the lioness who simply looked back at him placidly.  It was not aggressive but any beast could tell Dan was far above them in strength.  A weight was lifted from Lind and he turned back to the Regent.

The older man now seemed to have streaks of gray in his dark blonde hair but his eyes were riveted on the jade slip in Dan's hands.  He was not alone in it.  Lind sighed but supposed it would be best to state what he had given.

"Going forward, 6 elementals will be able to break through to the World Realm with a high chance of retaining their stability."  Lind could not certify it as he had not tested it but he had relayed the information to Sheyra Gu via his mother.

He had not heard if she succeeded but he could hope.

His words made ripples in the crowd and some were more excited than others but the bottleneck of 6 elementals had been broken.  Now, others could start to replicate the feat!  Dan ascended as he began to imprint more jade slips and tossed them to allies who then instantly did the same until the entire crowd all had a copy.

Communication jade stones were lit up but Lind was now focused on the open doorway that awaited him.

"Your Highness, are you sure you want to do this?"  A noble suddenly spoke up which stunned the entire crowd once more.  Lind looked over and saw a man with fairly dark hair for Altair.  He was also one of a handful of nobles that was something of an outlier.

They were not much kinder to women but they did not actively repress them randomly.  They simply conformed to the law of the land on the face of it, but Lind had confirmed that servants were only servants while wives were kept safe inside the manors or courtyards of their family.

It was considered taboo to touch a noble's wife or mother/sister.  They were more traditional alliances by marriage usage yet the girl had no say in it at all unlike most other powers.

"I believe you are the head of Layton House?"  The dark brown eyed man was surprised but bowed in respect to Lind to show he was correct.  "I have chosen this path and I will follow it.  The Trial of Stone will not stop me."

He was not bluffing or bragging.  He had committed to resolve that thorn in his side and be done with it forever.  The only way to do that was to face the Trial of Stone and ascend the throne.

Layton looked sad but bowed more deeply and a couple more did so as well.  Many of their fellows frowned but then all saw the Sky Realms and other World Realms bow to Lind as well.

The Regent felt real fear.  He had no idea Lind Frey was a leader like that.  He had no idea of the terror of his knowledge and how much it could change the world so quickly.

"Highness, the Trial of Stone awaits.  Once you get to the center of the dias you can see, the doors will close and the trial will begin."  The Regent rode roughshod over any further distractions and wanted to get Lind inside the Relic.

"What happens after that?"  That detail was the great secret as no one had recorded it anywhere that Lind could find even in the vaguest sense.  The Regent suddenly chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

"It changes a bit depending on the challenger.  I can say, however, that sharp stone projectiles will be flying at you and you must survive until it stops."  The Regent was careful to avoid stating a time frame.  Lind did not miss it but after surviving one Relic for 6 years, he felt more confident than before.

"Very well, then I am off."  Lind bowed and then had to do a small battle with the lioness as she tried to follow him but Dan held her back.  She hissed at him but he looked on at Lind's back which seemed to calm her.

Lind crossed the doors and felt a pressure on his shoulders yet it did not impede him.  He passed many dried blood spots but there were no bones or other remains.  He then sneered in his heart as the Regent had neglected to mention the level of danger the Relic possessed.

It had another name aside from Trial of Stone.  It was called the Relic of Death.