Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 413 - 412 - Wool Over the Eyes

It was far more difficult to fight the weaving illusion than Lind expected.  His clawed hands may be able to pass through it but the conflict between what his mind told him was real and what his claw actually felt produced a pounding headache.

It was not like when Delenn or Annabelle used formations.  The Qi in illusion formations used the elements to reproduce what the user wanted to be projected.  Annabelle in particular used water and light Qi to extremely versatile effects that even Delenn had trouble telling the difference.

Lind's Heaven Eyes could see the illusion formations easily but not what was behind them unless his Heaven Touch broke up the flow of Qi.  Weaving illusions seemed to be more invasive.

It was not as simple as a projection, but actually affecting the target mentally and in the current case, by cultivation realm.  No formation could ever pull off such an effect but what bothered Lind was how many people had traveled to East End on business or randomly and were now 'residents' of the city.

The weaving also did not change reality.  The food was real, the people were real, but the hovels he could perceive under the weaving were destitute.  Only cultivators could survive in such conditions.

It still begged the question of why.  Why would someone make such a blatant illusion that would only draw more eyes, not less?

The questions helped to distract from the pain but only for a bit.

While the quality of buildings improved towards the far end of the city, it was not by much.  There was another key change, however.  Most of the things Lind could perceive showed signs of living in them, but the more complete buildings were empty.

Dust was everywhere and no sign of anyone living there for months to years.  Furniture, such as chairs and tables, that were poor but clearly used in the outer city, were crumbled in the more up class residences.

A few business buildings were also damaged but with only the passage of time.  There was a complete lack of formations or any arrays to strengthen materials as if they were never there.

Lind suddenly felt a spike in his headache as he stepped into what would be the main administration building.  He could barely tell what was real and what was not at that point but then he fully transformed.

He had no choice or he would be snared into the play being enacted back at the Spirit Lord Festival.  The weaving was much stronger in that place.

Oddly, the illusion and reality were very close.

A pale stone 3 storey structure had a dark tile roof and a modest guard wall.  The place guards would be were empty like everywhere else but he finally saw inscribed arrays!  Formations are connecting arrays together to perform functions so it showed signs he had reached the heart of East End at least.

Lind no longer needed to use his claws as his vertically slit eyes could work just as well.  There was still a dull pain but his draconic body could handle it far better.  He finally found what he was looking for.

Sigils.

They blazed with Qi.  Compared to the floating piece of profound fine lines in Cimmeria, they looked very primitive, but Lind's own attempts looked like a toddler's drawing.  It showed the vast chasm in skills between the users.

Elixirs and Forging seemed to focus more on quality and control of elements or aspects depending on how much the cultivator could comprehend, but Lind began to see that weaving was about far more than soul strength.

It was about refining the very creation of sigils with more profound intent and combining to pull off complex effects.  The more finely a sigil could be made, the more connections that could be made.

Lind's sigils required a lot of space to pull off what he wanted but the Delenn's alley weaving could be easily held in the open arms of anyone.  The one in front of him took up an entire wall of the building.

"From simple to complex and back to simple.  Just like all cultivation."  Lind murmured but he began to try and pick apart what the weaving was actually doing.  The illusion was complex and the cultivation being sealed without being noticed was of great interest to him.

Still, while he could not directly tie each effect to the whole weaving, he recognized a few sigils from his studies.  It made him realize the weaving was doing a lot more than just what he had experienced.

"So my headache was not just multitasking but a defense?  Effective."  If not for his ability to transform, Lind may not have been able to get close to the weaving.  His eyes darkened as he found sigils related to souls.

He could not tell what it was doing but very few things could be good.  It was why weaving was so reviled in general.  The soul was able to be reincarnated and go on, but not if it was consumed or destroyed.

The desire to smash the wall came to him but it would not do any good.  He tilted his head and confirmed the weaving was essentially just hanging in midair.  It simply was a convenient place to put it so no one accidentally saw it from above.

Lind's mind froze.

He slowly looked up and realized what was missing from the structures.  Despite being without a wall, no city in the Floating Isles would be without a way to defend from the sky.

None of those defenses existed there.  They were gone!

"This is not a real city, this is a distraction built to protect something else."  Lind began to understand the aether beast's words.  East End was a riddle.  People had come from there with accurate memories of the reality but what if they were given those memories?

What if he left the city for any reason?  What would happen?

Lind examined the sigil once more and his previous concern melted away.

"So they strip away the false memories and leave only the truth.  The soul is not damaged then."  In a way, it was very clever.

Anyone that came to East End would have a blast as a native but then leave when they were supposed to.  It was not a trade city but did have a few services people used.  The false memories were wiped and only the reality of East End was left.

It left one problem, how did those that left take away what they wanted?

"Someone must be coming to check the weaving.  It has a few functions I do not understand but to pull off that effect it must be related to analyzing new arrivals."  Lind realized he would be found out if he had not come to the source of it all.

Whoever or whatever had taken over the city used it as a waiting room and made sure nothing happened that would draw more eyes nor reveal truths that would be inconvenient to the owner of the weaving.

It meant Lind had only to wait.

Little Fey was in no danger, so he waited in a dark corner so no light would reflect off of his scales.

Nearly a week passed before another figure entered the walls of the structure.  They were heavily hooded but Lind never moved as he observed how they interacted with the weaving.

He felt inspired to see the pale soul energy flow between the weaving and the owner.  The figure suddenly froze and slowly turned exactly to Lind.

"So, you did have a tracking function as part of it.  I wondered."  Lind slowly emerged and the figure stumbled backwards.  He would have bought the act if not for a few facts.

Number one, he was inside their weaving.  Shattering an illusion did not make him immune to more offensive features.  Number two, he sensed another person outside the wall looking at him as well now.  And number three, they were both stronger than him at tier 3.

"Seniors can relax, I am here to learn from you as should be apparent by how you can hear me."  Lind could not speak in his draconic form but he used his weaving to give voice to his thoughts.

The fallen figure suddenly rose back up easily and looked at the floating sigils with interest.

"Fascinating.  Are you unable to speak at all?"  A woman's voice came from the hood but Lind simply pointed at his head.  It took a moment before a male laugh pulled both of them to the wall.

"The aversion tactic was set for humans, demons, and aether children.  We never thought a beast would care to come here with the Spirit Lord here."  Lind agreed.  Most aether beasts would run in terror of a Black Shelled Tortoise.

The woman then tilted her hood in confusion.

"He is Lind Frey.  I told you I saw an amazing fight between tier 1 Sky Realms in the lower world.  I doubt there are any other beings that look exactly like him."  The woman's head whipped back and 2 badges were now floating in front of Lind.

She seemed to touch a few sigils and the headache finally stopped!

Lind released his transformation and felt fatigue from maintaining it for so long.  Outside of battle it was not so draining but it still affected him.

"Thank you, may I assume seniors are either part of the Circle or at least are weavers of some group?"  Surprise seemed clear as both figures froze as his question.

"That is not a name many ask openly.  Then again, I can see why you looked for us.  Your sigils are barely functional.  Low grade 1 would be generous."  The man was not cold but Lind flinched as he thought he had done fairly well.

"That is not fair Aon!  He had no one to guide him and you know how backwards the rest of the world views us!  To get this far on his own is really good!"  The girl defended him but it did not feel much better.  Lind felt like he was being praised like he was a little boy!

"Fey, they are not enemies."  His words made both flinch as a tier 4 aura suddenly flared as Fey emerged on top of the wall.  Her cold gaze made it clear she was not happy about being tricked still.

"S-senior, there was no harm, we promise.  East End is a real city but we use it to keep prying eyes away!"  Now it made sense.  Weaving being accessible was one thing but practicing it could bring unwanted attention regardless.

If the city associated was under their control and served the purpose to keep the peace, no one would care.  Death brought attention but lack of it did nothing.

"Never mess with my head again!"  Her words were ice and made both figures shiver.

"Seniors, please guide me, I wish to learn as it seems my cultivation is stuck."  Lind did not hide his reasons and both figures nodded.  Some sigils were manipulated and a dull throb was coming back but the pair led them away.

Once they left the city they headed for the misty countryside.  Now that he knew what to look for, Lind realized the mist was another weaving.  Like in the city, however, he heard the shattering of glass the moment he entered.

Shock froze the pair and then the girl slapped her head.

"I forgot to ward you, but how did you shatter it?  That sound is used to let us know a weaving failed."  Lind looked to Fey and saw her eyes were fierce as ever.

"Ah, I think we should arrive first as it will be a long conversion with many questions on both sides."  The pair agreed and they continued into the mist.  Lind hoped he would find answers to his questions or he would have to find out what else could be holding him back.  He would not stop, he would advance!  He swore it.