Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 322 - 321 - Ring of Beasts

After parting ways with the children of Skinwalker, Lind made a course north.  It took just about a month to leave the effect of the Inheritance, but at the border he got the confirmation of the change in its status.

The distortion shield he was long used to seeing around Ruins was now present where before Lind felt no difference save the absence of lightning.  He also noticed that the border wall was being struck constantly unlike before where it was avoided.

Lind saw many gaps also forming due to the constant strikes and wondered how soon before it collapsed.

"What is wrong with this place, Papa?"  Just like in the Inheritance, Tal could assume a human shape but it was far more taxing for her.  The same was true for Kora.  It seemed that the lack of quality Qi made the technique very expensive to perform, but they practiced everyday.

"We are actually heading to the source to find out.  You both need to be careful as outside of this shield, the lightning will disrupt Arts and techniques.  It may be better to stay in your original forms to make sure you can adjust to it."  Both nodded but looked up at him in worry.

He sighed and hugged them tight until they calmed down.

Kora had been trying to be bright, but the understanding of what happened to her mother and clan made her sad.  Tal was in a bit better position but she loved Dierdra like a mother as well.

Still, her previous tragic loss helped her to overcome the current one.  She chose to remember the good times and honor the lessons she was taught.

A stone dral and a platinum roc with black tipped wings appeared next to him.  Lind, himself, looked like he was still a partially transformed beast.

He had most of his body covered in a single layer of emerald scales, larger muscles, slitted eyes, and even his dirty blonde hair was now dirty emerald hair.  His eyes were only dark green, unlike when he used his dragon soul previously.

He worried about the future when he returned to the wider world, but he was working on being able to assume a human shape as well.  He was trying to create an Art based on Annabelle's illusions but it was very hard as his draconic side seemed to resist being obscured anymore.

Since he reached the Gold Tier, it was as if his draconic tendencies were resistant to any form of control.  His emotions were fairly stable most of the time, but he had not been put into a situation where they were greatly strained.

Lind, however, was getting tired of being able to know if Tal and Kora were feeling something only by the scent of the winds!  He also worried about his eyes in the storm as intensity was not easily controlled.

He had no desire to go blind because his eyes demanded the highest quality of image!

Lind took a breath before stepping across the barrier back into the wastelands.

The expected distortion of Qi strangely did not happen, but he suspected the proximity to the Ruin still protected them as they made their way out.  He was right, after a few meters away from the barrier, Tal looked sick.

Lind swiftly used his Heavenly Eyes and examined her dantian.  As he had suspected, her elements were being put into disharmony just as the natives had been when he arrived.

She could fight it a bit, but Sand Tiers were relatively weak compared to Stone or Iron Tiers in that instance.

Kora, on the other hand, only seemed to have trouble trying to fly.  Due to the conflict of her elements, she was able to endure the disruption far better than Tal.  Lind took a few moments to help them correct their flow of Qi.

It helped that the right elements struck from the boiling black clouds. It allowed him to see how much distortion occurred and help them correct it.

Kora recovered quickly, but Tal took some time.

Once both were ready, they proceeded.  Lind had a few surprises from his body.

His eyes, thank God, did not let him go blind.  Instead, it was as if he could see the actual flow of Qi no matter how bright or thick the bolt.  He almost felt like he could slow down his vision to see the actual branches of each bolt as it raced through the air.

He refrained from exploring that option as he wanted to press forward.  The need for shelter was vital and according to the divine beasts, this area of Rakathi was empty of any such places.

It took nearly 3 weeks before a shadow of a mountain ridge came in sight, but the moment it did, all 3 of them froze.

It was a new instinct on top of his old ones, but Lind knew the area ahead was not only dangerous, but full of enemies.  Kora and Tal felt like they had not understood how powerful World Realms could be until that moment.

There were no Sky Realm nor Immortals constantly suppressing the lower realm creatures here.  Here, the World Realm was a powerhouse to be feared.

Lind felt his dantian stir his Qi in excitement.  It was another side effect of his advancement.  He seemed far more bloodthirsty than before but he was slowly controlling it thanks to senior dragon soul.

Even young dragons had to go through such training to master their instincts to work for them and not dominate them.  He felt heartened it was not an unusual lesson for him to have.

Still, at that moment, a challenge was laid before him.  He stretched his senses as far as he dared in the storm, but beasts were everywhere ahead.

It could not be a beast tide as there was nowhere for it to go.  Resources were scarce and food was only their fellow beasts or the few oases not claimed by humans.  It was clear the beasts had carved out safe passages until there was a whole complex in front of them.

Further, some packs were ever present to notice fresh meat on the horizon as Lind knew they were seen.  The power he felt was quite a few Gold Tier as well as Diamond Tier.  Normally, he would be afraid and prepare some elixirs or artifacts to help him escape such a situation.

Now, his heart raced as his fingers burned when his nails grew like claws!

The shaking of Tal kept him grounded but emerald light began to dance along his skin as his robes ripped at the seams of his shoulders.  Even thicker scales appeared as his mouth grew to accommodate his longer teeth.

"Stay here and do not interfere."  Lind's voice was distorted but he did drop off some artifacts that worked much better than his previous attempts back at the village.  Heaven grade items were hardly bothered by the lightning here but if they used their full strength it would bring a direct strike to destroy the item.

It would pain Lind, but protecting Tal and Kora was more important.

A rictus of a smile spread on his face as his legs bulged to launch him off the stony ground towards the beasts still gathering in front of him.

The wind was coming at him so they could not smell him, only see him.  They had no idea what was coming but by the time they could see the strange human coming at them, their fear had no time to set in as a roar shook the very clouds above.

Emerald flame spewed from Lind's mouth.  It still burned but it was effective in stunning all the beasts.  On an instinctual level, all beasts knew what he was using.  Despite how weak he looked, all the beasts wanted to flee!

He gave them no chance.  Aether beasts, more than humans, respect strength.  In that case, Lind would demonstrate exactly that!

A quilin with golden fur tried to dive back into an open tunnel but a whip of darkness snagged its leg while Lind used air to lighten himself to jump up with his new cargo.  Wings of light and air let him glide but that was all he could do, but it was enough.

Slitted emerald eyes narrowed as the once randomly falling lightning seemed to obey his command!  Various tunnels were lit by lightning bolts accurately frying many beasts inside as the poor quilin wailed in terror above the surface.

Lind whipped his ammo at a flying target that thought it was safe by flying above it all.  It looked a lot like a pterodactyl to him, but he did not care as the quilin's hard head tore a hold in the wings causing the beast to screech as it fell from the skies.

Flames greeted it to roast it instantly.  It had been a Diamond Tier but just like before, Lind was able to fight a tier above his cultivation.  It was even more tragic for the aether beasts as blood flew with a swipe of Lind's hands at their numbers.

He used his fingers as a guide to unleash razor thin strands of Qi.  It was literally called Finger Filament Art.  Wyndam had created it when he learned 6 elementals could attenuate Qi in such a fine fashion.

Its power was only in the Gold Tier but it sliced through scale, bone, and flesh equally as if a hot knife through butter no matter the Tier of beast.  The result stunned Lind enough to clear his bloodlust.

Irritation flooded his mind as he had nearly lost himself in the battle.  He was not an animal!  More directed attacks occurred but only Tal and Kora could notice an oddity.

Before Lind attacked, the punishment lightning bolts had fallen in a random fashion.  While he had guided an attack of sorts using the bolts, other than that attack, they stopped falling.

The 2 beasts turned to each other with the same question in their minds.

When did Lind become the punishment of Heaven?