Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 628 - 627 - Modest Home

The preparations for the festival were nearly as lively as the festival would be later in the day, but Lind enjoyed the feeling of peace.  He heard the happiness in their voices and knew he had changed far more than he had planned to when he agreed to lead the current powers.

He had thought with designating the leaders of the Wards, he could go back to a more Sect Master role he was used to but the people in that place had never truly had freedom before.  They also did not know anything but the oppressive rule of the Soulmancers.

He had to build the foundation himself that was already started in the Two Rivers Empire for them all.  As time passed, he realized he really had become an Emperor.  He enjoyed seeing his people thrive and felt even more anger at those that simply ignored their subjects.

People are not objects.  It was his core belief and the result was clear.  It was far from a utopia but it was as fair as he could make it.  Aether children were very rare since they still could not condense naturally under the Law Binding but the few that had ascended were enjoying their lives once more.

Demons and humans still had conflicts but they were in arenas and not to the death unless severe.  It was hardly a smooth unity between the 3 wards but the other 2 felt the ward of peace deserved its namesake.

The true horror of Orwellia Empire had left even the most hardline demon slack jawed.  The first generation that had been freed had severe mental issues as they did not even know what was reality for a long time.

If not for his wife, Qing, teaching him so much over the centuries, he would have been lost on how to help them.  In a very real sense, it was like they awoke from being possessed by heart demons.

Lind now saw smiles and felt the happy energy in his people.  He did not only go out on the festival days but just occasionally to see how they are doing.  It had prevented abuses from even forming as none could hide from his Eyes.

His Emerald Souls also did similar actions because he was very busy and some powerful people thought he would not know during those times of any shortcuts they might be taking.

He slowed as he came to the main square that was already being heavily controlled to allow the building of a few platforms for the upcoming feast.  He saw men and women easily lifting huge wood pillars like toothpicks.

They were aether beast Heaven Realms that were subordinate to Lind now.  They still retained their territories in the Hinterlands and were not required to do much more than recognize the Two Rivers Empire's power.

However, over the last century, their followers and descendents had come to the new academies built by Lind's order which included accommodation for aether beasts of sufficient intelligence.

His experience in the Floating Isles became invaluable to build relationships with them.

As such, the anniversary festival became a big deal for them as well as they had benefitted massively.  Thus they used their power to help set up the feast that they also contributed to.

A massive party always brings the neighbors after all.

Lind smiled but made sure to stay downwind from them as they could smell his presence if he was too close.  His own sense of smell was overpowered by food so it hardly bothered him to smell the beasts mixed in.

He moved on and eventually made his way out of the former city of Celestia.  It was now renamed Allura.  It was the citizens that had chosen it after 10 years.  Essentially all the old names and places of Orwellia were gone.

All the work of that man had been erased and thanks to Lind burning out the records, only Lind retained any piece of that knowledge.

The area near the city was now open fields but the glow of Qi showed formations protecting them from wild beasts or the occasional thief.

Farms were very rich in Peace and Hope Wards.  Requera had always imported its food due to its focus on martial power.  So the Ward of War did so as well in the present.  Unlike the past, however, food was distributed to all lands as a matter of course.  The Two Rivers Empire bought it outright as its production professions trounced all 3 wards so it was always flush with resources.

Rather than hoard it, Lind made sure to circulate it.  In the future, food trade would become normal but the current state was too fragile to use it.  There were already contracts being drawn up now to begin to shift the farming over to the mercantile councils of their local power.

Lind ensured harsh protections to avoid someone trying to maximize profit at the cost of the farmers as he had seen it far too often in his life.  As he moved through the fields he was glad to see people working happily.

It was a simple life but some preferred it to the cruel world of cultivation.  It was another change Lind had brought about, free choice to cultivate.

Previously, every mortal was forced to cultivate everywhere.  The stronger the cultivation, the stronger the soul.  It was quite literally raising people to slaughter.

Now, a mere century later, there were many mortals living their own lives.  Lind still recommended them to get through the Body Refining Realm.

Resources were not infinite but Lind had shown them how to create Seeding Caverns to produce resources.  It was necessary for demonic resources currently but as demons spread around, natural treasures would return.

The Seeds would help offset consumption in the future for the Wards so they could raise more powerhouses on top of what could be found in the wider world.

Lind left the fields behind before looking around carefully.  He found no one watching before he summoned a simple circular dark metal platform.  It hovered as it expanded before his 2 guards appeared on it.

"Let's go."  Lind sighed tiredly before they took to the skies.  Flying was still restricted on cultivators but artifacts had no such issue.  They simply had not been allowed by the rules of the empires to prevent any rogue cultivators from threatening those in power.

Flight was a massive advantage inside the Law Binding.

Lind knew Xing had no idea of his capabilities and the new offensive would not be what she expected.

The aether beasts had spied on the remaining 3 empires and found fortified positions on their side of the Hinterlands.

In other words, Xing and her empires expected the already proven ground war Lind had waged before.  He would rather not.

As the 3 flew high into the air, they saw several other artifacts flying overhead that simply kept an eye out for issues below or an aether beast running wild that would need to be put down.

The festival day was actually the most peaceful day for that as the Heaven Realms kept them docile even if they did not serve them previously.

None saw them as Lind had Forged the illusion ability on par with Annabelle's best he had known.  Even though it was a full grade lower, it still fooled Heaven Realms easily.

They swiftly sped past the 3 Wards and returned to the Two Rivers Empire.  It was still a massive city with only a small area cultivated like farmland but a few villages had grown into towns recently.

Compared to the auspicious and towering structures they had left, the Two Rivers was very humble, but it was home.

Allie became excited as she was having a little brother soon so she wanted to see her family while Veren simply had a woman waiting for him he would flatly deny he was excited to reunite with.

Lind smirked but guided them to the fortress he had refused to change.  The city was big enough for him and its defenses were terrifying.  Compared to the Wards, a peak Sun Tier could not even put a scratch in the walls of their capital.

Lind had learned a lot and was now a peak Heaven grade 6 in all 3 of his professions.  It was helpful with a comparison so his weaving had led the way for the first time.

Elixirs were at a hard bottle neck now for some reason but Forging and weaving felt like they could advance at any time.  It was an odd feeling that elixirs were stuck with the harder 2 professions hardly restrained.

The balcony came into view as they appeared and hopped down.

"Welcome back, Emperor Frey."  A servant bowed but Lind sighed as he saw his pile of missives had increased.  Festival day was a joy but it was also a bureaucratic headache.

"Thank you, I will go over these."  The servant bowed as his 2 guards left.  The Emerald Souls in the fortress were already assigned upon his return so they were free to go.

The day swiftly became twilight when Lind was finally free.  He flew up to the roof and looked towards the south.  Any moment it would happen.

As if his thought summoned them, a sharp whistle filled the air before light bloomed in the sky.  At some point, he had found a version of fireworks cultivators liked to use.  They were simple artifacts, of course, that used Qi instead of gunpowder, but the result was just as stunning.

Light flowers of all colors bloomed after the sound of thunder to the cheers of the crowd.  Lind took in all the peace he could at that moment as the next day would be the final meeting before war would resume.

Xing would not just let him cross unhindered but he had spent a century studying the Law Binding and what she could do.  The anchors had been modified to keep supporting it in the Peace and War Wards as he knew he could not simply let it collapse.

The tendrils holding Lanbao also held another Immortal Realm beast.  It was an ancient bird with pale white feathers.  Lind felt the faint fluctuation of profound fire and air Qi.  Glenda also had refused to stand up fully in their presence.

It had entered the long sleep before death but was still alive.  It made him sad he could not save it.

"Peace brought me enough time, Xing.  I know you have recovered as well, but we are coming for you."  Lind hopped down from the roof as the festival continued well into the night.  The people were celebrating when their elites were about to go to war.

It was the last thing Lind could give them as very likely many would not come back from it.