novelraw Chapter 269 - 268 - Divine Authority
Chapter 269 - 268 - Divine Authority
Lind was exhausted. He had hoped to be in the top 10 but getting number 1 was an unexpected boon. He sat to cultivate and recover but his peace was short lived.
"LIND FREY!" Athan was looking insane. His eyes were bloodshot and he stood alone as Lind's wives moved to interfere, but a dragon beat them to the punch. Ethry was only in the Soul Realm, Lind confirmed her growth was impressive, but she was still firmly there.
Even so, he was shocked by her strength at that moment.
An Iron Tier was repelled like he was nothing. All 6 elements flared around her and the pressure she put off was still Soul Realm but her authority seemed impossible to deny. Lind wondered how the realm spirit would respond but there was a stunning flash that showed the spirit kneeling.
"Please calm yourself, my Lady." Shock flooded the crowd. What was going on?! Why was that pet being treated so highly by the spirit?!
"ROOOAAARRR!" Ethry was enraged and frustrated. Lind could feel it in the bond but he was as confused as everyone else. How could a Soul Realm toss an Iron Tier like they were a mortal? Why was the spirit treating Ethry so differently?
"Ethry, I am fine. It is all ok. I promise." Lind came up to her and petted her silver mane. The spirit flinched when he did that but Lind never felt fear regarding Ethry before. He felt none now.
She slowly calmed down as she nuzzled him.
"How did she do that?" Shoti had been ready to defend Lind out of instinct but they knew the moment Athan attacked, the spirit would eject him like before. Yet, Ethry was simply asked to calm down?
"Realm spirit, may I know why Ethry is treated differently?" The spirit flinched once more. It glanced around before a dome appeared around his wives and isolated the crowd from them.
"A Divine Dragon is beyond my authority." It gave no further explanation but with what Lind recalled from the creator of the jade container, it meant the spirit viewed Ethry as a resident of the Celestial Fields.
"You mean to say that Immortals or their descendents are outside the rules and conditions?" The spirit shook his head.
"Divine beasts are an authority humans cannot restrain by treaty. Even a realm like this is built in with recognition of a Divine Bloodline." Lind felt floored. He had never heard a word of it from Delenn even though he told her the truth about Ethry.
"So there will be no punishment against her? How will you explain that?" Lind knew he likely could not delve too deeply into the subject but the other powers would rightfully want answers. Once Ethry's status was revealed, it would cause many headaches he was not able to fully fight.
Most organizations were fine with the status quo of respecting his status as a grade 4 elixir master and now grade 3 Forger. It would provide enough leeway for him to keep his family safe as it was wiser to stay on his good side.
A Divine Beast, a dragon to boot, would be a prize many strong powers would fight over no matter his status. While drakes or wyverns could look more like a dragon depending on their bloodline purity, it was hard to identify them without a close examination.
Ethry, thus far, did not stand out too much. She was also far too young and weak in aura to be of interest to anyone. The current situation was already sticky but some might dismiss it due to the special rules of the realm.
"I cannot reveal her status without her permission but this realm could allow her to cultivate through the Sky Realm if she wished and such a set of tribulations would devastate the realm." Lind swiftly looked at Ethry's cultivation and noticed she had advanced into the higher tiers of the Soul Realm.
"What exactly did she do? I did not sense any Qi when she attacked." The realm spirit seemed troubled but Lind had the prerequisites to ask.
"As I said, Divine Beasts have authority. Depending on the race, it varies, but for a dragon, as one might expect, it is dominance. She can make any being in any realm bow to her will if she so desires. The greater the difference, the more effort needed, but the difference between a Soul Realm and a World Realm is nothing." The words shocked Lind to his core.
He patted Ethry on the head as she finally calmed down and purred in joy at his touch.
"She wanted to come with me and I kept her back. I apologize for the trouble." The spirit's eyes widened as it shook its head.
"On the contrary, you made the correct choice. If she was with you, you would have won by default." Lind winced at that possibility. It would have been a far worse situation than what they had now.
"Is there anything we can do to rectify the questions to come?" Lind was worried about what was to come. The spirit could only shrug but then looked between Ethry and Lind.
"There is something I can do, but it requires her permission." The spirit looked at Ethry who looked at Lind. He sighed and simply sent reassurance to her before she flew over to the spirit.
Lind saw them seem to communicate because he felt surprise and joy from Ethry. What was going on between them?
The bond suddenly increased in intensity. Lind even felt like something was changing inside him but then warmth spread. Happiness washed over him and he started to laugh.
"Concentrate, Lind Frey. Those are not your emotions. Focus on yourself." The booming voice shook his mind and Lind remembered the pain. He remembered learning about his father and his siblings. The pain that forged his current life built a wall in his mind and heart until he was Lind again.
There was a difference now. In the place where his emerald iron flowed in his dantian, there was now a silvery glow. What was that?
"Concentrate. Do not focus on what is new, only focus on yourself." Lind realized he had become fuzzy again and firmed up the wall he had just built. He stared at the spirit who at least had the decency to look away.
"What did you do to me?!" Lind was enraged. He then felt a fear so visceral it shocked him. He looked right at Ethry and saw her pale eyes were looking at him afraid. Lind realized what he was feeling.
"Lind?" Annabelle could see his anger evaporate so quickly into worry and the others looked on concerned as well.
"Ethry, is this you?" Lind clamped down on his emotions but he still felt a powerful level of fear and guilt flood his heart. Compared to before it was almost like he and Ethry were one. It would mean that even with his control, she still felt his anger.
"She is still a baby. She is dependent on her bonded to guide her but she held back. Now that I have corrected the issue, she can be with you. It still requires your permission." Lind listened to the spirit but then he suddenly had an idea.
"Dragon parents monitor their children like that?!" The spirit looked confused so Lind tried to reword it. "You are telling me that when dragons are born, their mother or father bond their children to the point they are almost one?"
"The bond between you is not a parental bond. That is a natural bond a human and dragon can never have. Her race memory knows her parents. She chose you, Lind Frey. It was an instinct but it cannot be undone. She will be your wife in the future." Shock flooded Lind's mind. He had no problem knowing it was him that time.
"She is a baby!!!" How can a baby choose a mate?!
"She is a dragon. They are creatures of unstoppable power and instinct. I am not saying that she wants you that way now. For now, she wants to be close to you and be with you as much as possible." Lind did not understand but he felt it then.
Sadness. Terrible sadness and guilt that broke his heart.
Lind moved and embraced Ethry. He petted her and focused on her. The feelings changed to serenity and joy. He smiled and looked at her.
"It will take time and getting used to our new closeness. Just give me some time." Warmth flooded the newly intense bond but then Ethry seemed to blend into him! A burning sensation was across his shoulders and chest.
Lind quickly opened his robes to see what looked a lot like a tattoo in the shape of Ethry. How was that possible?!
"Now that the bond is more balanced, she can become a part of your skin. It will protect her and you. She can be with you without issue going forward." The spirit then dismissed the shield.
"I am sorry, Lind Frey, but that was my final compromise. Your dragon will await you in a safe place until the end of the tournament." Lind quickly understood and looked frustrated.
"You still won't explain what you meant by your actions earlier! I am not done with this topic." Lind stormed off, not entirely acting with his rage. He was not happy to be not consulted about what happened from the spirit but he sent consoling thoughts to Ethry.
Her emotions would best be described as bliss and full of smugness that he realized she had wanted to be like this before. Lind had many, many questions but now the final 50 had to face their next round.
The stares were harsh but Lind was able to brush them off with his anger at whatever the spirit did. His wives consoled him, again, not really acting. They could see he was upset and Cyntilla knew a bit more than anyone but Qing. They stayed near him while Annabelle and Shoti simply gave comfort.
"Now, the final 50 have been chosen. The final round will now begin." The booming spirit voice drew them all as the display settled. Surprisingly, it was not Lind in first place. It was Rathi.