Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 881 - 880 - Standing of a True Lord

Valkyrie was tired. She had been through so many ups and downs in the last few thousand years compared to the hundreds of thousands that came before. Further, the brutal losses suffered were hard to overcome as it kept happening.

She had begun to understand how the elders had pulled back from the war actively as they just could not take it anymore.

Her blond hair was tied back into a braid down her back as her pristine white battle dress was straightened by the acolytes preparing her for her next audience.

It had only been a week since his return but it was like Lind Frey was a tidal wave. He was inexorable and would not stop crashing into the beach.

Just as dark patterns were settling, he came along and blasted it all away as if it was footprints in the sands!

She was grateful but then he requested an audience despite how busy she was. The Fiends had pulled back but no one remotely believed it was permanent. Their fear of Lind was limited.

Further, he was leaving once more! A lot of Immortals were going with him too!

He was leaving some impressive ones behind but it was a drop in the bucket compared to when he came out of that Law Binding!

"Lady Valkyrie, Emperor Frey is here." A Sky Realm Heavenly Maiden announced his arrival but she sounded odd. She looked and the girl seemed confused.

"Is there a problem?" The young girl seemed to contemplate how to phrase something when a bright pink haired woman breezed past her.

"Out, everyone out right now." Romana had high standing but she was rarely serious. Even the newest acolyte knew of the frivolous and teasing nature of Elder Romana.

A grim face from her was so rare that even Valkyrie did not object until they were alone.

Wards were erected quickly when Romana finally breathed a moment of relief before looking at Valkyrie.

"Lind has changed again, but it is something fundamental. He seems the same personality but every Immortal that meets him has almost a compulsion to kneel! He was never like that before!" The sect master was not sure such an observation was serious until she saw Romana did not even blink.

"Some kind of Art?" She shook her head at the question.

"If that was all it was, he would have turned it off but instead he seemed to simply sigh and move on as if he was used to such a reaction. That was not all! Time moves funny around him, like it is afraid of him!" That last part made Valkyrie narrow her eyes.

Romana was an odd existence. She had 'died' once and been reborn as the pink haired woman before her. Based on Lind's own assessment, Romana would likely reach a roadblock in her cultivation and have to 'die' again to progress. She would no doubt chance once more.

Her perspective on Time was unique compared to all others, even Immortals that had grasped the Laws of Time in some way.

It was like she was both beyond and above Time as she described it. So if she said Time was acting strangely, it was not a metaphor.

"Anything else?" It did not give a focus for Valkyrie to narrow what was going on but Romana nodded and then frowned.

"Some of the aether beasts are acting strangely. They seemed in awe of him, not just wanting to kneel. It was like he was a God to them." That was not entirely odd. Lind was an admitted Divine Dragon Progenitor. He was born by becoming a dragon soul too so in the aether beast world that was a massive deal.

Such beings were honored, but by Romana's description, the current reaction went above even that.

She tried to recall anything that met all that criteria but nothing came to her mind. She had no reference for such a reaction from Immortals and beasts.

Their relationship was not so close as for him to reveal things to her either. They had famously fallen out and only towards the end of his tenure as Emperor did they mend the fences between them.

It was never as close as before, but they were at least amicable in nature.

"There was one last thing but I am not sure how to describe it." Valkyrie looked up and could tell it was the final item that brought Romana to her. "The Laws I could perceive seemed to grow stronger around him. It was like he could make them more complete by just being in sight!"

Shock flooded Valkyrie. That description she had read before! It was one of the more ancient texts but it referred to a certain class of being related to aether beasts. It was not a title simply given but had to be earned.

It had to also be acknowledged by Heaven and Earth!

"By the spirits, Lind Frey is a True Lord!" Whatever plans and maneuvers she had prepared in her head were shattered. The dynamic had shifted drastically!

Romana looked confused so she brought her up to speed on all she knew which was not much. There was one key mandate from the ancestors, though.

"The Heavenly Maiden Sect does not cross a True Lord if they can help it. Unlike other powerful beings, even Divine Bloodlines, Heaven and Earth will actively obey or protect them. They could wipe out a kingdom with a word!" It was not an exaggeration.

The very records Valkyrie read about were related to how Fiends had tried to capture some rocs to become their mounts or be turned into them by breeding. There had been a True Lord of their race that merely swept in and said the word 'Destroy,' and all the Fiends involved died!

Very few knew the limits of True Lords but the few public aspects were extremely long lives and power that would terrify most sane beings. Some idiots always tested them and the cycle would start all over again!

True Lords were damned rare but she could not think of the odds that a Divine Progenitor would also become a True Lord that started as a dragon soul of all things! Just how much did Fate need Lind Frey for to let such a thing happen?!

She took a breath and calmed herself. She had faced death so many times that one more trial was not a big deal but then she recalled one facet Romana had brought up before. Immortals were sensitive to True Lords!

Laws, Qi, and all factors of cultivation were magnified at their whim! Lind's harmony already had such an effect and now it was layered on top of being a True Lord! How would she feel in front of him?

"Thank you for bringing me this information. I will see you in the hall." Romana bowed and left. She was still friends with Lind but her role as mediator meant she had prioritized preparing Valkyrie.

It also showed how rattled she was just seeing Lind.

The Sect Master of the Heavenly Maiden Sect then set out to meet a True Lord in the flesh.

⬧⬧⬧⬧

"Peek-a-boo!" Of all the things she expected, seeing the powerful dragon playing with a small child was not even on her list. Vice-Sect Master Melody was smiling as her young daughter was laughing in her hands.

"Tickle attack!" The sounds of a child laughing and screaming were heard but they did not run from him. The soul shattering smile on his face only enhanced his attractiveness but the power of his will was clear to her.

How could Melody simply stand there?!

"Don't scare her, Lord Frey. She also does not need to be spoiled so much by you." He looked up and actually pouted.

"You said you would never have a child but then you did and named her Lanbao. How could I not spoil her?" It was a bit of a legend as Melody had famously stayed away from relationships but all the death wears on the soul.

She had met a man that saved a village. He was only a World Realm and fighting as hard as he could. They had been trapped for months behind a dangerous contingent of Fiends but were able to escape.

At some point in that journey, she had clearly given in to the desire to connect but he had died not long after trying to save yet another village.

Those Fiends died horrible deaths afterwards. Melody became something close to Lady Fey after that but had to withdraw due to being pregnant.

The name had been entirely her idea but the Empresses of the Sanctuary Empire had heartily approved.

"Even so, you have your position–" He tilted his head back in laughter at her words.

"A child cares not what my position is, only that they have fun!" He then whirled slowly around making sounds like air was whistling in flight around her. The laughter and smile of the child touched all but Valkyrie noticed his eyes narrowed at her.

He gave a tired sigh before making a dramatic bow to the child.

"It has been a pleasure meeting you. Be good to your mom and take care of yourself. You have family out there you have yet to meet, I made damned sure of it!" His words became a little serious at the end before Melody picked her up and stepped back.

The air changed as he turned to Valkyrie and the doting figure was replaced with an oppressive aura. Any doubt about his status vanished as she had to focus on not kneeling.

"It would seem Immortals of the Heaven Realm lands are more susceptible to me. I apologize for that. I am happy to meet you once again, Sect Master of the Heavenly Maidens." He then gave a polite bow to her that she returned.

"I welcome you to my sect. Please, come with me." She could not hold the meeting in the hall as planned. His pressure was too much! He nodded and they left the massive hall behind for a more secluded courtyard.

A steaming pair of tea cups awaited them as the meeting finally began.