novelraw Chapter 232 - 231 - Jade Casket
Chapter 232 - 231 - Jade Casket
Lind felt a bit of nostalgia as he stood in front of the fountain in the Gu Clan. Sheyra had let him there years ago and set him on the path that eventually led to where he was. His mid Iron Tier aura was stable and firmly flowing through his meridians.
His Sky Eyes had not advanced much despite the incredible leaps in his cultivation. If anything, it had only become easier to peel back the details on grade 4 and 5 arrays or to make out more of what Gold and Diamond Tiers were doing.
Sky Realms were still too profound for him to perceive much, but the fountain in front of him was stunning.
It was not a grade 2 item as he had initially suspected, but grade 3! Whoever made it was meticulous and had a deep understanding of the 6 elements with a harmony.
Lind had been waiting for part of the morning a few weeks after his wedding. A large smile spread involuntarily across his face as some of those days were a bit hazy due to the fact he and his brides lost track of time.
They had held back so long that Lind felt they might have tried to make up for lost time! Little Fey had nearly been scarred by trying to show off how she made it to high grade 3 pills officially when he was with them in bed!
That close call had sobered them up a bit and made them realize they had not cultivated nor actually noticed the passage of time. The lack of hunger or thirst made them miss an entire week at least!
His mother had then begun to look carefully at each of his wives and seemed disappointed none were pregnant but Lind did not have the heart to tell her they were not ready for that quite yet.
Among other things, Lind had far too much attention on him and people looking for leverage to use against him if they could. While his strength had improved, he was far from strong enough to stop a wicked Sky Realm or a highly motivated Diamond Tier from doing anything to a child of his.
Lind could not guard against them all day and night nor could his wives. They all needed to get stronger so they had agreed to put off making a family until the Sky Realm at least. Lind would be the limiting factor but he had already proven he could do a miracle once. He would not stop and nothing would deny him that dream.
"Sorry to make you wait, Master Frey." Sheyra returned with an elder of her clan. The man was only a Stone Tier but Lind bowed respectfully. He had yet to know why they insisted on giving him his wedding gift at the Gu Clan residence.
"I was indulging in a fond memory so time truly flew by. Tell me, who made this artifact?" Lind pointed at the fountain but the elder could only shrug at his question.
"It was made so long ago that even the memory of several key artifacts are lost to us. We only know they help increase the odds of stable 6 elemental cultivation and tempering." Lind nodded. He saw that whoever made this fountain was close, so very close, to the theories LInd himself had grasped.
"I never thanked you for allowing me to observe it all those years ago. Thank you." Lind bowed low but the elder waved it off fiercely. They had long benefited from Lind's kindness and had no complaint any longer about Sheyra's indulgence of the young man back then.
"We should thank you, and we will with an opportunity we present to all clan 6 elementals. I warn you, if it fails, we will find something more appropriate to gift you." Lind was now very curious as the elder led them into the complex and passed several courtyards similar to the Frey Clan.
He saw young children starting on their Body Refining Realm journey as well as courtyards where elders were teaching nascent Soul Realms the very theories Lind had sent out into the world.
He paused as he heard a few wrong words but did not interrupt. It was wrong for 6 elementals but perhaps for other cultivators it helped guide them to discover the answers themselves. Giving all the steps could be more detrimental, especially in opposing elements cases.
The left the outer areas and began to pass more important places of alchemical, refining, and other professions that helped any clan stay in power over their millenia of existence. Lind had to resist asking questions on a few he saw as it would be both rude and greedy to try and pry into their clan secrets.
It was only when they went through their equivalent of the main hall that Lind began to feel the serious nature of where they were going. Even he had only been to the Frey Clan treasury once and he knew it was behind the hall where Elders often worked.
It ensured the best guards, if needed, for the treasury.
Lind saw very dense Qi flowing through formations along a portion of corridor along the way to a massive set of doors. Lind knew that was a lethal trap that would spring if someone unauthorized came down the corridor.
The elder carried some kind of talisman that resonated with the formation and allowed them to pass safely. Lind made a note to study the one that surely existed in the Frey Clan when he had a chance.
The strangely powerful formation in the Gu Clan was like the fountain. Far more powerful than expected for such a low level power. The Frey Clan did not have such contradictions but thanks to Lind they were getting stronger.
Still, he pushed it back in his mind as 2 Iron Tier guards were posted on the doors. Their grim faces were heavily wrinkled as they clearly were nearing the end of their lives. They were former elders still with enough strength to put up a fight.
Lind's Eyes suddenly felt something odd. He looked up and shock flooded his body. It was a weaving! There were fine lines seeming engraved on the ceiling but he knew they were not. It only hung in the air and he had no idea what it did.
The Qi flowing through it was far lower in quality compared to the one in Delenn's alley, but not by much. Immortal, it was another immortal weaving.
Why was such a thing even here?
"Master Frey?" Lind snapped his head back down but none of the Gu Clan members seemed to think the weaving remarkable. He looked back up but filed away the question he desperately wanted to ask.
"Apologies, I simply saw something unexpected." Lind bowed but Sheyra looked up and scrunched up her face as if she did not understand his interest. The elders, on the other hand, seemed surprised that Lind recognized the engraving near the ceiling.
"After you attempt to unseal your gift, we may address that as well." Lind almost wanted to shout at the enigmatic words but again, it was not his place to question friends that did him no harm. Lind bowed once more as the large iron doors were unsealed and opened.
Lind's Eyes and Touch went haywire the moment that happened. A headache attacked his skull such that he completely retracted both talents. He had been in the Frey Clan treasury and several other vaults but never felt anything like that before. Perhaps he was perceiving more than he expected but it was well past his limits.
"Are you all right?" Sheyra sounded concerned but Lind smiled and waved her off. The headache passed and he followed once more into a large room. It was impressive in size but the Heavenly Maiden Sect could swallow such a room in a core disciples courtyard.
Even so, the various shelves and piles of items were intriguing but the elder led them to the far back of the room. Lind noticed once more contradictory high level artifacts and jade slips that he dared not try to examine.
Where did all these things come from? Where did the Gu Clan get all of it?
He also saw a few more weavings but they were self contained in jade stones. How was that done? Why was that done? Lind also wanted to know why no tribulation struck down on the Gu Clan but a glance at the vault walls answered that question.
The formations were profound, concealing power and also regulation of the flow of Qi. It was what allowed the door to be even opened. His estimation of the quality was very high but his attainments in formations was far below Annabelle who would be able to make a better evaluation.
"Here, the crown jewel of our treasury." Lind glanced over at the elder's words and saw a large casket made of pure white jade. It was lined in a metal Lind could not even analyze with his Eyes or Touch at all. It was far beyond the mortal realm.
He asked no questions but looked at Sheyra for an explanation.
"If one of our clan reaches the World Realm, we are to attempt to open the casket per our ancestor's wish. While many have tried, you can guess the result." Lind nodded but looked confused as Sheyra had successfully broken through. She smiled and looked back at him. "I already tried but insisted you should get a chance as well. I could not understand it."
He looked back as the elder lifted the casket to show the bottom of it. The casket was triangular in nature on the bottom and fairly small but it still took both arms to lift it. Lind was stunned once more as a far more profound weaving was revealed.
Further, it required all 6 primary elements to be used! How was such a thing possible?! From all Delenn had told him, no Immortal existed that had 6 primary elements, yet here one had to exist to make such a weaving.
Lind felt something unlock in his mind. The weaving guided him to a doorway he had net to open as his Qi seemed to hum in joy as it came under his control and left his body. Sheyra and the elder were stunned as Lind seemed to glow with emerald light. His harmony was much more profound than any they had studied.
Sheyra felt like her harmony was singing in joy inside her dantian and assumed the lotus position while the elder looked on in awe. The jade casket absorbed the Qi but Lind stopped it from flowing in the weaving yet. It was incomplete.
Lind closed his eyes and truly felt the iron metal in his dantian. It was emerald in color but Lind had not truly tried using his harmony since entering the World Realm. He had been too busy learning how to control the Qi outside his body and stabilize his fonts, but now he felt he needed it.
He moved his hands in an arcane way that left a deep impression on the elder as emerald light manifested until a solid glint of iron appeared in the space inbetween. Lind had manifested his dantian outside his body much as he used to summon his emerald flames in the Soul Realm.
The solid hunk of iron began to separate into a trail of fine dust that joined with each stream of elements. Emerald light began to glow from each stream but they retained their respective element. Lind's brow was covered in sweat but the weaving demanded Qi he could not normally give.
His harmony, however, seemed able to bridge the gap. The white jade began to glow emerald and suddenly Lind felt a piece of his soul shake. A bond had been created but it was very different from his wedding. He felt like something fragile and precious was entrusted to him in that moment but he could not tell why.
The casket began to float in the air and flames emerged that were far more powerful than anything Lind had yet encountered.
"ROOOOAAAARRRR" A bestial voice suddenly filled his mind but Lind felt great sadness and pleading. He felt like it was the last wish of whoever made the casket to please fulfill their dying dream.
THe panels fell away like a blossoming flower to reveal a large egg in the middle of a cushioned platform. The flames flowed around the egg and turned as emerald as his harmony!
"What the–" Lind did not get to finish when he felt it. A voice crying in his mind desperately for help so he sent out his Qi immediately. The connection deepened while he let instincts guide him. The egg began to glow in the flames until it cracked.
Lind did not stop but was running dry quickly. He summoned an elixir to recover his Qi and stamina. It barely took effect when he began to run dry again. Thankfully, it was enough.
He was about to get another elixir but then a small white snout poked its head out and all of them froze. It had glistening scales that seemed to shimmer all the colors of Qi. A pure white mane came from the center of its head to part way down its back.
It had gray eyes but Lind noticed that, like the scales, they seemed to have all the colors of Qi. More importantly to him, a cry went off in his mind once more.
Lind summoned the dregs of Qi left to let his aura flare and joy appeared in the bond. Shock flooded him as the beast easily flew up and wrapped around his neck to begin to rub against his cheek.
A dragon, the casket held a real dragon! Lind had read the description enough to know it was the wingless variety but they flew as easily as any dragon. What shocked him was the baby dragon was using Qi! It was in the Soul Realm!