Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 466 - 465 - Hunter & Prey

Severis Island was once a hub of trade and production but was now being traversed by tier 7 to 9 Sky Realms looking for Fiend facilities.

After a month, while many traces were found that the location was correct, the actual lair was still not found.

Normally, they would start digging beneath some likely prospects but when dealing with Fiends, that kind of action was suicide.  All it would take is a trap to spring and death would be the best outcome.

The fact it was also so widespread led to a question no one could answer either.

Where did all those corpses come from?  While cultivators die often, their corpses were usually recovered or at least confirmed dead by beast or other method in some way.  The sheer number of corpses found could not simply be explained away but long term planning.

Wild Heart Isle alone had close to 10,000 corpses overall in less than 30 years.

While there were nearly 2 billion cultivators at any given time on the Floating Isles, it was still not a small thing for so many to die in such a short time.

Without any wars or other excuse for such mass death, no one could figure out where so many corpses had come from.  The other caches found had far more numbers depending on where they were located but the sheer numbers meant someone should have been recognized but there was not a single positive identification.

It was not possible that none were known missing members of other powers after so many dug up.

Steel gray robes currently occupied the main structures.  The Divine Sword Sect had been scouring outer fringes and teleportation arrays for any signs of false basements or anything.

There were a few strange items here or there that were proven to be Fiend in origin but they were just laying around as if the owners had fled something.

The mass of people that evacuated had been checked over severely but many had been sent originally to hone their craft where they could.  It still had harsh examinations by many powers but the vast majority were fine.

A few had questionable objects but nothing related to Fiends.

"Senior Solon, do we think they abandoned this place due to Lind Frey revealing their presence?"  A young woman with ruby colored hair scrutinized the empty streets around them as a lithe young man turned to look back at her.

His long dark hair was tied back but his cool eyes were just as carefully looking at their surroundings.

"I do not.  I have not fought them as much as others but if I have learned anything about monsters, they do not run and hide."  Solon glanced at his sword with a small smile.

It was Forged peak Heaven grade 4, but it was the last blade gifted to him from Lind.  It still worked but was reaching the end of its durability to his aura.  Even a Heaven grade had limits and Divine Sword Sect kept him busy over the centuries but it had been with him a long time.

Lind could fix it, no doubt, but it would only buy time.

Still, it made him summon his earth and air to dance around them in a strange way.  Unlike many residents of the Floating Isles, Solon had taken Lind Frey's lessons to heart.  He had found creative ways to use his elements over the centuries since.

Rather than use offensively or defensively, he infused his sword intent into each element and let them flow across the city.

He simply felt his Qi flow with his intent to see what it could find.  It was no danger as he gave it no power but it was attuned to his soul.

Several artifacts had been found by him with that method but now his face twisted.

"Come, I found something."  The dozen warriors moved cautiously down the main street.  The silence would be oppressive if not for the same kind of thing found everywhere on Severis.  It did not take long for many cultivators to conclude something happened to the residents as they were unaccounted for.

No blood or battles only made it more terrifying to some but Solon was focusing on what his air Qi was telling him.

His Sky Core felt a twist ahead but they only saw an open intersection just outside the main facilities of the core city.

"Sheila, condense a cloud at that point a few meters in front of us."  The ruby haired woman nodded as water and air quickly combined to make a fluffy cloud.  The expected simple mist was disrupted by something about 3 meters from them.

It was as if there was an edge in midair.

"Contact the elders, now!"  Solon went on alert while messages were sent.  No issues were found but they received their orders.

"We are to explore it with half our numbers but to not move far in until a core Elder arrives."  The core elders of the Divine Sword Sect were all low Star Tiers but only 2 were sent out of the 4 at the sect.

Still, there were 12 Star Tiers at Severis alone which was a staggering amount of power.

"All right, I will take–"  Solon was about to take the point but Sheila's aura flared.

"It is inappropriate for you to take the lead at this time, senior.  I will take the lead and be back before an incense stick burns."  Solon looked harshly at her but he saw all the others agreed with her.

Solon was highly respected in his sect and his achievements were widely spread across the Floating Isle as time passed.

"Half that time or I will personally assign you all to mucking the stalls of the wyverns."  All the warriors smiled but knew he was serious.  "Squad 1, form up behind Sheila.  If you so much as see a flicker of Fiend Qi, get back here immediately."

They all saluted with their swords to their chests before 6 of them including Sheila carefully advanced on the strange cut in the air.  It was only when they were all on the left side of it that something odd occurred.

Solon saw Sheila's eyes widen before poking at the cut with her sword.  The tip vanished and did not appear where it should.  A portal!  Why couldn't they feel it?

Solon felt all his instincts scream at him but he had to know what would happen.  He nodded at Sheila and she smiled at him before the 6 of them advanced.  They disappeared as the cloud also evaporated.

"I am giving them a 10 count and then we are getting them back."  The other 5 men nodded firmly as they readied their swords.

The next 10 moments were an eternity when something shifted.  Solon had a dark feeling when he rushed forward only to find no obstruction at all anymore.  His Qi found nothing!

"Spirits above!"  Solon cursed as he crushed an emergency talisman.  It worked as the sky was torn open instantly.  An aged man came through.  His wiry body looked frail but the power in his moves were palpable.

"What happened?"  His voice was but a whisper as all bowed save Solon who stared where the portal had been.  He swiftly related what they had experienced.

"Elder Halcyon, can you feel anything here?"  Solon asked.  The ancient man put pressure on the area but frowned.

"Something but too faint to follow it.  It could not be a portal as space would be disrupted still.  Yet the description matches such a thing.  Strange."  The Star Tier human was waving a sword aura of a strength that made all 6 Sky Realms feel tiny.

"Was it a trap?"  One of the men asked the question but Solon shook his head.

"A trap would have taken us all.  It was also randomly placed where more could be distributed, but all I sensed was one entrance."  Solon's eyes narrowed as he wondered about something.

"You have an idea, little Solon?"  Being a tier 8, Solon had few that called him little but he nodded and closed his eyes.

"Lind, please guide me one more time."  Earth and air Qi began to condense into his sword which hummed.  Solon began to sweat but no one dared disturb him.  The serious face of Sheila flashed in his mind when a change occurred.

The Qi began to glow faintly with emerald light.  Shock flooded Halcyon as he doubted anyone but a Star Tier could feel the nascent spirit in the sword.  It should not be possible but a Heaven grade 4 item had a weapon spirit no matter how crude, it was there!

Halcyon narrowed his milky vision until he saw a faint sinuous dragon stare at the air ahead of it before the sharpness increased exponentially.

The air screamed as the aura released.

Unlike when Halcyon explored it, the air seemed to fracture like glass!  The sword shattered into pieces but it died honorably!

Halcyon acted quickly and pushed on the broken space that caved inward.  It was a portal but it could be covered up!

No wonder he could not find it as the seal hid it even from his eyes.  That was very bad!

Solon was pale and sweating as one of his comrades held him up.  They all looked in to see 3 people fighting monstrosities but all froze as an aura continued into the room!

It was faint but the twisted creatures with cracked skin screamed in pain as it touched them.  Sheila was missing an arm but pulled out a corpse with her as the other 2 did the same.  It had only been a short time but they had nearly been killed once the portal closed!

"I will take it from here, all of you fall back, now!"  Halcyon crushed a talisman in his hand to let the other Star Tier know of the danger.  The power to hide from a Star Tier was on par with them!  It was very bad!

Hunter and prey had swapped but who knew what was inside the true lair of the Fiends?