Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 962 - 961 - Soul Slate

Far across the current layer Lind and Delenn had come to, a mountainous region had ornate towers lit up brightly at the peaks covering a massive area. Some of the towers looked newer than others but all of them created a powerful ward that was stronger than the common Law Bindings protecting the various roads.

Unlike them, the Law Binding reduced the taint of Fiend Qi by nearly 94%!

Inside the massive area that would take centuries to cross on foot or at least 50 years by the best flight artifact possible.

Grand cities covered the valleys to the open plans inside the mountain ranges. While the ancient aura was clear, there were also clear scars in all the cities save one at the heart of it.

Those areas had newer buildings and repairs from devastating attacks. The single exception was the massive city at the heart of it.

Only the large outer wall of an alloy few could create let alone build to the extent there then had some areas that were newer than the rest.

It was the Fionan Empire's capital city of Herodatus. It was clear that it had never fallen during their civil strife but that did not extend to the massive palace that loomed over all.

It had many towers and elevated gardens visible to the naked eye yet few knew of what happened inside the palace.

Inside another massive wall, a garden held a maze made up of bushes and flowers. It had a pavilion at its heart where supposedly any lovers could be left alone if they desired but at the moment a young man with pale blue hair and silver eyes was reading.

He was at the peak of the Sun Tier but unlike anyone outside the palace, he had no loss of his aura compared to his foundation. He sipped at the Veridian Gold Tea as his ornate robes of sky blue and gold made him look like a living god to mortals.

The picturesque scene was well complimented by the various colors of the blooming flowers around him but he frowned as he heard footsteps approach.

"I have nothing further to say to that man, Mother." The steps belonged to an older woman who shared his hair but hers was luxuriously long and framed her pleasantly round face. She was slim but not in any way androgynous as some women of their empire chose to be.

It was the current fashion choice to see if admirers could tell if they were a man or woman for some reason but he knew part of it was boredom.

Ever since the civil war and the Corruption, things had become very boring.

She had a form fitting dress on to further illustrate she was not partaking in the current trend but unlike his colors, she had on pale violet and black with the design of vines encircling her bodice.

It looked very becoming on her as her makeup made her face rosy as well.

"His Majesty is a hard man but he only has your interests at heart." He scoffed at her words but noticed something off about his mother. She was fidgeting.

She did not do that unless really bothered by something.

He closed the book he was reading and really looked at her. The steel frame of his chair scraped the stone a bit as he stood up but she was not looking at him as he approached.

"What is wrong, Mother?" She jumped when he spoke and her eyes looked misty! She was almost crying! Why?! "What did he do to you?!"

He did not care if his Father was the Emperor, no one hurt his Mother!

"It was not him, it was the Soul Keepers. They came for us last night." He froze.

After the civil war, the vast Fionan family had lost quite a few members but also many had run from the danger. They were alive but a few were still important enough that teams were out hunting for them.

While a handful had been found, some had died too.

"Whose Soul Slate was it?" The various methods powers used to track their living members remotely took many forms. The most popular was a life candle but storing flames at those numbers if your power had a lot of Immortals became impractical.

The wax for life candles was not easy to make either.

A lantern or other lit version had similar issues. A token, on the other hand, could be far more easily stored. They also broke when they died so it was the more likely option for a power like theirs.

The slates were imprinted at birth with blood, hair, and Qi all at once. So long as the person lived, their imprint would endure. The slates also had the ability to detect if the person had left the current layer which was damned rare.

Ever since the Corruption started, however, the slates had become very difficult to make. His was one of the last premade ones that he knew of.

"Delenn's." A single name passed her lips but he frowned. Had she finally died wherever she had gone?

"My older sister that Father obsesses over is dead?" She snapped up her head at his whispered words but shook her head violently.

"She is not dead! She is here!" Shock flooded his body. "I never want to hear you glad she is dead! She would have loved to spend time with you, Petryn!"

He sighed but nodded. Ever since he could remember, his parents and others had gone on about the prodigy that was his missing older sister.

The whole reason he was born was due to her disappearance and the loss of several other older brothers in the imperial family.

"So, where is she and when will I meet her?" He understood his mother was happy and he was actually curious. No one would tell him why she disappeared over a million years ago but then he saw her whither a bit.

"The slate only told us she had returned to the layer but not where she is." He was confused. It was a basic function and since she had not been involved in the civil war, the function should be intact.

"Interference?" She shook her head before she looked around and leaned in closer.

"She changed it before she disappeared. There had been an incident when she was in seclusion and that bastard found her anyway!" Petryn was even more confused. He had never seen his Mother that upset before but true hatred was on her face.

"Who?" He had never heard of any danger to his sister. He simply assumed she got sick of dealing with Father, having personal experience himself, but the pride of the man would not let him admit it.

"The current Sect Master of that damned Eternal Flame Sect!" Petryn gained a dark look himself now. The sect had once been a close ally but after his sister vanished and the Corruption came, the sect revealed a dark underbelly.

The current version traded in slaves openly while openly using living cauldrons to keep their power up. It was proven that refining souls avoided the tainted Qi somehow but few would do it due to the vicious backlash from Heaven and Earth.

Nevermind it was a vile method regardless.

The Eternal Flame Sect stayed in power due to its enduring ability to create excellent grade 7 refined items and Forging as well.

Only the Fionan Empire could truly rival them but he knew the reason his empire hated them was the fact that the civil war could be traced back to the sect too!

He had never heard that the current sect master had gone after his older sister. Why had that been withheld when all the rest was known?

"Why was she hiding from him back then? Did he do something?" His Mother shrugged.

"Delenn was always stubborn but she was also reclusive. Prince Kantos was a close friend but nothing more. They enjoyed talking about Forging or refining from dawn till dusk." Petryn actually perked up.

His legendary sister was a Forging fanatic? He had always been told she was blessed by the spirits and could create miracles before she even reached Immortality.

He had very few personal stories.

"Will we go hunting for her?" His Mother then frowned before shaking her head.

"Your Father sealed the news away. I do not know why but I suspect the Eternal Flame Sect is the reason. If he learns she has returned, he will send out his damned disciples to tear apart the land." Petryn frowned but could only nod.

If his empire wanted, they could rampage all too easily due to the restricted style all were forced to live in the current times. He have never known anything else but a few illusion formations for training revealed how the world had once been.

The resources to keep a power safe were very steep and they were one of the few to be fortunate enough to be able to afford it. Conversely, breaking the Law Bindings was not difficult in most places.

The Fionan Empire would not act so brazenly, but the Eternal Flame Sect had long proven the would. Entire villages had been wiped out and roads busted open to weaken them before it happened.

"Is there nothing we can do?" She shook her head but both knew the networks of information were already looking for family members. It would be safer if she was reported that way but at least now they were on the lookout for her.

"Prepare for your breakthrough. Do not tell anyone when it is upon you. It is too dangerous but once you are an Immortal, perhaps you could go find her." He nodded but knew he could be centuries away from such a breakthrough.

Even with all the resources of his empire, it was very difficult to take that step.

He looked up and wondered if he would get the chance to see his older sister soon or not.

"Stay safe, sister. I hope we meet soon." His words were almost a prayer that made his Mother smile. The pair took seats in the pavilion and enjoyed the rest of the tea as she relayed more embarrassing stories Petryn had never heard about Delenn. The bright garden was full of chirping birds and warmth.

Most of all, it was full of hope.