novelraw Chapter 448 - 447 - Meeting of the Alphas
Chapter 448 - 447 - Meeting of the Alphas
The Wild Heart Isle did not have the concept of neutral territory. Territory was carved out by beasts with their own strength. Some made large swaths of land theirs while others pulled back and simply held a place for their chosen descendents to grow stronger.
The only exception to such territories was the single cultivator city that had the teleportation array and entrance to the bridge tunnel.
That city, however, was basically ignored as it could never challenge the beasts.
While the Sky Realm and below beasts often fought amongst each other for progress or simple survival, the Star Tiers and some tier 9 Sky Realms had a kind of understanding.
Star Tiers, by definition, could not openly fight at the surface level. Their power would render any other fight near them pointless. The island would crack open like an egg if 2 Star Tiers truly unleashed their power on the surface.
As such, it was normal for Star Tiers to fly well above and a little out so they could fight freely. There would still be some damage but it would be superficial at best. Uninvolved Star Tiers would protect most of the island while keeping an eye out for a chance to get their own chance at progress.
Like the cultivation world, however, there were some of them that knew they were close to a breakthrough and could leave voluntarily. When that happened, the leaders would gather at the center of the island.
At the center was a blasted area where nothing grew. There were no plants, no ores, and nothing of any use to anyone there.
It was not a natural void but a place where Star Tiers sterilized the spot forever. It was made as a gathering spot but it was not enforced as a neutral place. Any Star Tier and powerful tier 9 Sky Realms could go there.
It signified a call to the others or the start of a battle.
It had rents on the surface where such battles had started before heading into the skies. Now, all gathered as Lady Frostfang stood solemnly to the side. She was already putting out a pressure few could stand up to. It meant she was leaving.
There was also a newcomer next to her as well as something unexpected. A human!
A few recognized Zhudao with her sleek black fur but many did not know why a human of all things was at their meeting! He was also only a tier 4 Sky Realm!
Many sneered but a few looked in solemness at him. Those that had witnessed the war knew the tier was not the whole story of that human while others could sense something powerful on the human. He was more than he appeared!
"Explain the snack you brought with you Frostfang. He is too small for us all, so is he a parting gift for Zhudao?" A massive boar with crimson fur and 6 black tusks spoke. He was Dalia, the Star Tier Lord of a massive forest on the far northern slopes of Wild Heart Isle.
He was one of the oldest but had awakened an Immortal bloodline that extended his life thousands of years. He was likely to outlive all still present at the current gathering.
"Senior Dalia, this is Lord Lind Frey of the Mengcong and now the Singing Mountains. He defeated Lira of the Light Ravens personally." The boar noted several nodding in confirmation so he had little else to say.
"Impossible! Such a weakling killed a Lord?!" A king cobra at least a kilometer long popped up from his coiled position. His black and gold scales shone with profound power but Lind felt earth and light Qi only from him.
"Lord Huan, not only did I witness it, so did a Warder and several others." Lady Frostfang tossed out a jade slip that Huan caught and his dark eyes narrowed before the slip was shattered.
"Obvious lies! A Lord cannot be defeated by such a weakling!" It was understandable but many of the neighbors of Lind looked insulted as their word was being challenged.
A sudden oppressive aura slammed into Huan. He lost all strength in his body as the very human mentioned slowly advanced. Dalia's eyes narrowed as he only felt a sliver of the aura but his bloodline recoiled in fear.
A mere tier 4 could make them feel so small?!
"This will go faster if you accept you did not see the war. I know even as we speak there are many battles of similar nature occurring across the island. I will not claim I did not get lucky but many died under my commands. Do not belittle their sacrifice ever again." The gentle words slowly became cold.
Dalia noted that snakes, birds, and a few other related races shivered in unison.
"Still, a human with a beast bloodline cannot be a leader of a territory. Little Gua's eccentricity to let you live there was her choice but coming here is different." Dalia was not stupid but something was wrong. No matter how powerful the bloodline awakened, a human should not affect so many beasts.
Lind bowed with respect to Dalia but then he began to transform. It was not something unusual with awakened bloodlines but the feeling coming from him was not human at all!
"DRAGON!" Many voices yelled the word but Dalia felt his race memory stir. A shock flooded his mind before a shift occurred.
"Honored Dragon Soul, welcome to our Isle." Shock flooded the gathered beasts as Dalia, who gave little respect to anyone, bowed by lowering his forelegs and put his face on the ground!
The now over 3 meter tall dragon humanoid put a claw to his snout as if considering something before sigils appeared in midair. The few beasts that knew about weaving were not pleased but since Lind was using his own soul, they could not object.
"You know about the dragon soul?" The question made some race memories finally trigger as Lind repeated the words Dalia spoke. Huan looked terrified then.
He had insulted a dragon soul!
In the world of aether beasts, a human that was transformed at the soul level was one of them and honored as such a thing was only possible by the acknowledgement of Heaven and Earth. It also meant they nearly died in great service to an aether beast race but only certain races could have such a possibility.
The 4 Guardian Bloodlines were obvious and Lind had one of them!
"We can now continue?" Lind saw no objections and bowed to all before returning to the side of Lady Frostfang. He returned to his human form but none disrespected him any further.
"Ahem, I have received permission to use the Ascension Pools of the Wilds." Lind had heard several terms for the supreme beast sect but each race seemed to call the highest members the Wilds.
They were the ones that controlled the sect and were horrifyingly powerful. As cultivation progressed for anyone, the quality varied, but those beasts were able to jump tiers to the peak of the Heaven Realm while being Star Tiers!
Lind saw several beasts rumble but few made any objection. The path of progress was an individual one and they had no objection. Lady Frostfang was actually highly respected but some had greed bloomed until Zhudao stepped forward.
"I will lead the charge to ascend her place!" Despite being only a tier 9 Sky Realm, many beasts backed off. She was not to be trifled with. She could fight Star Tiers! She had not beaten them but they could not defeat her either!
A sudden glint entered Dalia's eyes.
"There is an issue?" It was more a statement but Frostfang nodded.
"I have requested Lord Frey to take my son into his sect. He had accepted." An uproar followed. It was not entirely unusual for an ascending beast to take very young pups with them. There was some desire to protect the youngest but Frostfang's son was a Sky Realm.
He no longer qualified at all!
"You are too safe, my Lady." Zhudao spoke respectfully despite clear rage in her eyes. Lind smirked suddenly which brought ire down upon him.
"You have something to say?!" Zhudao's anger was clear but she still held back. Even she had felt that aura and knew if Lind had the strength he could slow her down enough to kill her!
"You seem to misunderstand. I have accepted for her son to apply to my sect. He has been given a test and has a few weeks to complete it. If he fails, his fate is his own." A strange feeling passed over the crowd. A test? What was going on?
"I established my sect in the Mengcong and Lady Gua passed it on to me. It was her choice and I take it no one objects?" All nodded but some were wary. "I acquired the Singing Mountains by winning the war against the Light Ravens and their forces. Yet I will not expand my sect there."
A bit of relief filled them all.
"They are, however, still under my protection. Those 2 areas I will defend as I have proven already. My sect, however, welcomes all who wish to join it." Confusion now flooded them all.
Beasts join a human sect?!
"We are not cultivators. Those that join sects or other places are because of their need for stronger foes. The Voracious Jungle Island is like us, we believe in the way of beasts!" Lind had heard of that island plenty from his wives and Lady Gua.
The Illusion Pythons had a higher grade bloodline that basically ran that island from what they claimed. He also was sure such a subtle beast likely knew where he was but had not used it against him.
"I am aware of that but I am also aware that beasts have similar issues cultivators run into. For instance," Lind tossed out a jade stone that flared and projected a display of all 6 elements and a beast core at the center!
After an incense stick worth of time, it shifted to demonic Qi!
All the beasts at the meeting were extremely intelligent but all of them felt a shift in their cores just reading the few lines Lind presented! It was incredible and helped many Star Tiers form ideas on how to progress!
The image stopped working and Lind collected his artifact.
"I had the opportunity to study many experts and asked detailed questions. While beasts have it far easier than cultivators, your bottlenecks are far more vicious. I can help with filling in the gaps or at least starting your young on the path." Lind then floated up into the sky.
"While all are welcome and will be protected as my disciples, I understand what my actions with Lady Frostfang represent. Senior Zhudao, I will await your decision once the prince has decided his." Lind then vanished!
It was not a camouflage or other deceit, the feeling of space slightly rippled which meant that human had a teleportation artifact! The beasts turned to each other and the meeting now took on more importance as the future of Wild Heart Isle would be decided at that moment.