novelraw Chapter 249 - 248 - Evaluations
Chapter 249 - 248 - Evaluations
Stories spread in the week since Lind's first fight. While many doubted the extent of his body's strength, there were others who had heard of the story of his emergence from a Relic and surviving a conjured Gold Tier attack with just his body. The many young men and women were excited and several tried to get into the Divine Sword Sect camp to challenge him, but the rules forbid it.
What happened within a camp was a power's choice, but outsiders were not allowed to spar until after the tournament if they wished. The obvious avoidance of gathering intel on competitors or confirming exactly who had slots from what power was part of this separation.
Allies could of course share information if they wished but it was all up to each individual power.
Elder Quin had watched the fight and felt her desire to battle the boy rise. Such strength clearly exceeded normal Iron Tier power. How far he exceeded it was hard to say but like every member of her sect, she loved to fight.
Tolan had immediately tried to say that Lind Frey exceeded the limits of the tournament but anyone could confirm his aura was mid Iron Tier, although it was close to high Iron Tier. Even other disciples confirmed Lind Frey really was what he appeared to be.
The contradiction of his strength versus his aura was a mystery no one could solve without the man himself sharing his secrets. As that was taboo in the cultivation world, it would not be solved.
Lind was not the only monster in the tournament though.
Much like him, there were men and women in each of the great powers that were able to fight a tier above them in some capacity.
How Lind fared against them was difficult to say without a battle to truly say. Thankfully, the odds of him facing such monsters were quite high as the tournament entered its final round.
"I do not recall allowing your visit." Quin was in her tent speaking to the air but then it seemed to be sliced apart as a slim man emerged. His sword was quite unremarkable but his newly achieved Diamond Tier status marked him as an elder of the sect.
"Am I not allowed to visit a friend before the tournament starts?" The arrogance of the pale eyes framed in the deeply tanned skin marked Solon. His aura was still a little unstable but Quin noted the finesse of his sword Qi was easily on par or above his cultivation foundation.
"The rules are quite clear on how many elders are allowed and we are at our quota. As to visiting friends, even less are such things allowed or many powerful figures would have a long line of 'friends' bringing how many tips or gifts to assist them in the tournament." Quin was having none of this boy's foolishness but she respected him as a warrior.
Her personal opinion on his faction was not her concern as she remained outside of the rumblings between the new faction and the old ones. Still, Tolan had already been sending messages so she had expected someone to come along.
"The Vice-Sect Master Milan is looking to resolve the contention of how Lind Frey won the slot." Solon became serious which made Quin nod slowly as she felt a vein throb in her forehead. She had once worked for the Par Clan and knew the clan head was a fairly reasonable man, but his sons were generally a nuisance.
They felt entitled and while they served their clan with honor, they expected commensurate rewards regardless if they deserved such rewards or not. The clan head had hoped his youngest, the worst of the bunch, would be humbled by being in the sect but instead the boy had a gift for the blade and was spoiled by the new faction fairly quickly.
There were times Quin wished she had gone to join the Heavenly Maiden Sect but her desire for battle was not exactly encouraged in that sect.
"The boy has more than proven himself to the members of this camp and his fellow slot holders. I should also point out your former master was the one who opened this particular barrel of snakes." Solon nodded but then pulled out a jade slip he passed to Quin. She sunk her senses into it and a harsh frown crossed her face.
"Don't kill the messenger. I am merely relaying what was given. I was chosen as it is known I am irreverent but my power is without question." Solon was not as wild as he once was but he maintained the image for its uses. Many enemies had underestimated him because they believed he was one of the biggest battle maniacs as he had been in his youth.
Lind Frey 'dying' had changed him. The young boy had worked so hard and never complained about the difficulties he had, yet when the time came, he chose to stand between harm and his loved ones. He did not flinch or even pause.
It inspired Solon to buckle down and focus which made his cultivation explode.
The wedding and his return had lifted a weight from his heart to allow a more relaxed Solon return.
"I assume this…evaluation…will not take long since only 3 weeks are left before the tournament begins?" Solon nodded and bowed with respect. Quin waved him off as she shattered the jade slip she had been given.
Solon sliced the air once more and seemed to vanish as if he had never been there. Quin found the technique interesting but she favored more direct combat rather than such sneaky techniques.
The words in the slip made her rage flare but she returned to her scrolls on the desk.
[Elder Solon will evaluate the validity of the slots assigned. Your judgment has been dismissed by Grand Elder Voight.]
Quin was aware that Voight was the leader of the new faction that Tolan was a part of but she had not realized they could make such a nuisance of themselves to that extent. Her hands shook as she had to bring her rage under control.
She doubted the Grand Elder knew Solon had been sent but no one could challenge him as his training classes were notorious for being unforgiving even to close friends. Further, he had been known to fail disciples of his own faction without any favoritism at all.
Still, she knew Tolan would object, but she was curious to know how Solon would evaluate all 10 slot holders.
⬧⬧⬧⬧
Cara was incensed. She was the nominal leader of the Divine Sword Sect slots but now her place was under evaluation with the 9 others. All of it due to a petty boy who could not accept reality!
"How was Elder Solon pulled into this farce?" A handsome young man with nearly golden hair spoke to her. He was Pol. He was next in line after her to lead the members of their sect but now all 10 of them stood before Solon.
His meteoric rise to Diamond Tier was near legendary over the last 20 years. The last decade had seen the most growth but even as a Soul Realm, he was known for his skill in battle. If not for his playful personality, he might have risen sooner.
Even so, the pale eyes now looked solemn as they seemed to judge all in front of him were wanting. She hated the feeling but the smug look of Tolan nearly made her want to gouge his eyes out. A nobleman should act more mature than that!
"I was not pulled into anything, I was ordered, so I am here." Many flinched as Solon was too far away to normally hear them but his wind Qi likely carried all sorts of noises to him. It basically gave him eyes in all directions.
"Pardon my rudeness, honored Elder, but with only a few weeks left, how can all the slots be dismissed?" The question was valid and even Solon nodded as he planned to speak on it but a Gold Tier aura flared suddenly across the disciples.
Two more joined it but all did not need to look far to see a demoness and 2 Maidens causing the ruckus. Solon looked pained as even Voight would not willingly cross the Heavenly Maidens.
"I believe we should talk to the coward behind you. Or do you plan to get in our way, Little Solon?" Many blanched at a Gold Tier belittling a Diamond Tier but Shoti was known for such boldness. Further, the 2 with her were far from pushovers.
"Keep your wenches in line! Or are you that useless, outsider?" Tolan's words were insulting on many levels and Solon seemed on the verge of punishing the idiot when all felt a pressure like nothing they had ever felt before!
It was Gold Tier, but weird. It was profound and disrupted all their Qi flow within and without their bodies. Emerald sparkles began to fill the air yet Cara noted that the pressure was finessed to maximum effect.
"I am a patient man, in fact I have no need to tell my wives a thing as they have my complete trust and faith. However, insults are not something I will let pass by. Not anymore." A tiny roar came from Lind Frey and all turned as fast as they could to see a prismatic dragon unfurl itself from his neck.
Shock flooded all as it flew without wings and all 6 elements could be felt from it! How?!
"Solon, I understand why you are here and while I respect you greatly, I think I can resolve this issue. You are here to evaluate us? Then let us be evaluated." Artifacts began to appear around Lind Frey which were quickly picked up by the little dragon and his wives.
Before anyone could try to combat what Lind was doing to them, the pressure of Qi suddenly skyrocketed. Gold Tier did not seem bothered, nor did Solon obviously, but Iron Tier and below all felt like their bodies were made of jello.
Annabelle and Ethry were protected by Qing while Solon looked shocked at the whole sea of disciples. He could not protect so many at once even if he wanted to! Further, he could tell those artifacts were high grade 3!
Shock flooded his veins as that fact made him realize Lind had raised his Forging ability once more. The artifacts were condensing the Qi in the air to near Sky Realm levels but moderating the effects to only apply to Iron Tier and below.
It was a way some sects and clans used to teach disciples to control their Qi under the influence of a more powerful enemy. It was better to learn such techniques under controlled conditions.
Now, it was being used to test each and every person around Solon. He looked back and saw that Tolan had collapsed with no hope of rising. His sword skills were excellent but his cultivation was hollow.
Further, many others in the audience were barely standing if not kneeling. There were only about 15 exceptions still standing. Solon saw all 10 slots were swearing, even Lind, but they were moving their Qi to stand tall. Lind's dark green eyes were fierce but blood was starting to trickle from his lips.
"ENOUGH! STOP!" Lind looked to his wives who quickly dispersed the activated arrays made by Annabelle. The pressure vanished and many stumbled but Cara looked triumphant as the many kneeling and laid out disciples.
"For the trouble I have caused." Elixirs appeared at Lind's words in front of Solon. His eyes bulged as there were tempering, recovery, and various other excellent grade 3 and 4 elixirs presented.
Solon also saw Lind present tempering elixirs to each of his fellow slot holders. He shook his head at the absurdity of it all. It was a brute force way compared to the combat he was ordered to do, but before he could speak a word, another voice spoke up.
"I like this boy more and more. You are satisfied, Solon?" Elder Quin had come up during the commotion floating in the sky and laughed at Lind Frey's antics. It was effective, however.
"Yes, the evaluation is done. These 10 are our representatives. There will be no more contention." Solon's words drove a stake through Tolan's heart but he could barely stand to complain about it.
"You should feel lucky, boy, that my husband is honorable. I would have slit your throat for your actions." A dark female voice reached his ears and he looked up to see the virulent green eyes of the demoness staring at him. No one else had heard but Tolan felt a wound in his Dao heart.
He understood he had lost and his self worth crumbled due to it. He would never advance from the low Iron Tier. The evaluation had been completed on both sides. Lind had final approval and Tolan was left broken.