Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 803 - 802 - Predator and Prey

Even in the middle of the day, the forest around the Xera Village was nearly swallowed in the shadows.  The few beams of sunlight pierce through the canopy towering in the sky of massive green leaves.  The various beasts could be as small as a hand or just as towering as the mightiest master of their domain.

Only Sky Realm beasts were nearby as the Fiends had killed or driven out the rest but even so, those beasts' numbers far exceeded what even a Heaven Realm could deal with.

In the shadow of a dark willow tree, a voluptuous demoness hid herself as her glittering eyes took in the life around her.  She had been spending the last month getting a feel for all that lived in various wilds past the villages but the current one was odd.

The beasts were very docile and subdued.  Nothing was hunting them and she had noticed a few predators skirt around their normal prey of herbivores to fight each other.

The only way such a change could occur was if a supremely powerful beast took up residence but the normal purge of previous leaders of packs did not occur.  There was hardly any bloodshed at all.

Gel was currently in leather and chainmail armor but she made not a sound as she slipped from one shadow to the next.  She finally felt like she had found her target!

For the last 2 years, chaos and wasted resources were unleashed with the threat of possible beast tides that never happened.

Her leaders were idiots as they ignored her suggestion that someone was leading them around by the nose, not just a beast.  It had to be a Heaven Realm beast but they were so rare and the characteristics of them taking over an area were generally similar.

A more powerful beast moving in would devour or beat bloody any rivals until they could lord over the area they moved to.  It was so normal that even the cultivators agreed with the Fiends on that pattern.

Yet, there was no such events and even more strange, the potential beast tides encircled their Empire slowly but surely.  Even her immediate patrol leader found her idea more likely as the last 6 months made it clear something was moving around them.

She moved carefully and her dark pink hair was revealed by a flicker of sunlight yet her body was barely noticed by anything living in the forest.  It was her specialty at the Nightfall Realm tier 3 to have mastered Shadowslip Art.

She only had shadow and blue fire elements but she used them highly effectively.  The shadow element not only helped her mobility but she had offenses that could kill remotely.  Her cold fire was actually better at defense and detection.

She paused inside the shadow towering oaks, willows, and a few ash trees as she moved deeper into the forest.

It was only after a week that she noticed the shift back to a normal forest activity that told her she had passed her target area.  She circled back and took another weak to figure out the massive area that was unusually calm compared to what it should be.

Further, she found a few signs of something humanoid moving through the area but she was confused.

The markings were too small.  It would be only a child or possibly stunted human from what she could tell.

The other odd thing was that the marks were not easy to see which meant the child was a cultivator!  Why were they so close to the Empire?

She never found a cave or lair but formations might hide it from her senses.  She tried a few detection techniques but did not find the telltale fluctuation of Qi anywhere.  That meant they were extremely well made formations!

Her suspicion that a cultivator was nearby was solidified.

Gel did not push her luck as she went to head back to report in.  Even if she could not find her target, she had found enough to narrow what to look for.

She jumped from shadow to shadow for a few days before she frowned.  Why was she passing the same trees over and over?

She pulled out a dagger that glittered with poison Qi and it made most small beasts scatter to the wind.  The silence fell for a few breaths.

She felt real pressure and sweat began to gather on her forehead.  She had been found!

She uses her senses as best she could to see what she could when a little girl suddenly appeared.

She was in austere pale robes and held a staff in her hands.  She could be no more than 13 to 15 years old with how small she was, but her skin color was disturbing.  Gel knew what she was!

"A Broken child?"  Her voice whispered out and made the little girl frown deeply.

"Master cannot be interrupted."  An aura flared.  Gel could tell she was only in the peak of the Soul Realm but despite being so weak, she felt fear!

Gel felt an instinctive need to kneel to the child!  Her Qi would not circulate nor could she run away!

[You should not have revealed yourself, Hope.]

A voice boomed in her head and Gel felt panic grip her heart.  Heaven Realm!  It was a Heaven Realm beast!

She tried to move towards the child but a piercing aura slammed into her at that moment.

[Unless you wish to die immediately, do not move.]  The voice left Gel with no options as the pressure was immense.  She had faced Heaven Realms before but they felt like ants compared to the current strength!

It couldn't be!

She held still as the child circled her but it was not malicious.  It was more like she was being studied!  As she looked on, the glow of Qi suddenly covered the child!  Her aura grew right in front of Gel's eyes!

The girl could cultivate!  How?!

"How has this happened?  I thought all the Broken could not cultivate despite all efforts to do so."  Gel spoke out loud hoping the other presence would answer.

[Irrelevant.]  Gel felt the cold indifference and knew she had stepped on a line they did not want her to.

"Senior, it is clear that–"  An increase in pressure followed quickly as she tried to speak.

[Try to activate that artifact one more time, and you will die.]  Blood drained from her face as the little girl looked irritated.

"Master, please stop interfering.  She is helping me."  The pressure lifted slightly before the girl continued to circle Gel.  Once more Qi began to gather but it was only at that moment that Gel frowned.

The Fiends made her feel disgusted and vile when they used their abilities, but this girl left her only in awe!

Suddenly, the aura changed on the girl and she became a Sand Tier as if it was as easy as breathing!  The small face broke into a smile that made Gel nearly stumble.

[She is done with you.  You understand what I must do?]  The coldness was still there but now a lingering regret or sadness as well.

Gel felt her heartbeat skyrocket and she became incredibly aware of her body.  Every breath became precious but the girl looked confused before anger flashed.

"No!  She did nothing wrong!"  Clearly she had been told what was about to happen.  "Master, you taught me to judge based on individuals, not groups!  Why do we have to kill her?!"

Gel felt some gratitude but the girl did not understand.  Her master clearly had not come to it yet.

"It is because I am your enemy.  If I go back and they learn you are out here, the Inquisitors will come and bring the Overlords with them.  The Fiends will never let you go if the Broken can be made useful."  Gel did not want to die but she was not so far gone not to help a child understand.

Children were precious and it was ingrained into her to educate them especially where the harsh reality of life was concerned.

A sudden increase in pressure covered her head to toe.  Fear flashed through her but nothing happened.  Her dantian was intact and no damage to her body.

[You can never return.  I have marked your soul and can kill you at any time.  If you harm either of us, you will be obliterated.]  A cold sweat broke out.

Only one kind of being could do that particular threat.

An Immortal!  Why was there an Immortal near them?!

The air quietly rippled as a man with bright emerald hair appeared.  His tanned skin and gray robes looked simple but Gel felt terror looking at his vertically slit eyes!

An Immortal aether beast!

"So far as you are concerned, I am only called Master.  You will follow my orders without question and one other thing."  His eyes glowed before confusion crossed his face.

[Why have you not awakened your Akashic Physique?]  His words in her head exploded as she felt terror flash in her heart.  How did he know about that?

"I–I–I do not want to."  He narrowed his eyes but let it go at that.  He then waved his hand and she felt her soul tremble.  A weaver!  How could there be a beast like that and an Immortal to boot so close to them?!

Gel had questions expand more and more but could only follow the pair deeper into the woods.  She glanced back only once and finally saw the village she could not reach in the distance.

She would never go home again and a part of her was surprised to learn that the thought was not as terrible as she expected it to be.