Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 990 - 989 - The Proprietor

The Ra Suite was special.

It was decorated all in reds, golds, and yellows. The drapes to the fixtures followed this scheme.

It was never meant to be given to any customer as it was the home of the proprietor of the Golden Vermillion Inn.

None knew why the suites were named as they were, but the colorful names and decorations were just another appeal of the inns.

For Kun City, a middle aged woman was sipping tea as she sat in a library with the sun blazing in the ceiling high windows. Ancient texts, jade slips, and leather bound volumes filled the shelves to the brim.

The woman had light gray streaks in her hair but her eyes were a piercing silver as they looked at an old scroll.

"Nothing. Always nothing." Her voice was rich and entrancing. Her face had no sign of wrinkles but those silver eyes held a sea of experience.

For the last few months she had been diving into the ancient records of her Clan. Still, it had all been a dead end.

There was not a single sign of any dragon bloodline with emerald scales. Green, yes, but not emerald. It was a slight difference but it was not just that. She had never felt a dragon like the one currently staying in the Oberon Suite.

A knock came before a young girl poked her head in.

The older one smiled wide as her granddaughter came in.

"Felicia, how was your time at the Eternal Blossom Sect?" Felcia was ear to ear but flared her aura which was shocking!

"Grandma Tsunade, I made massive steps forward. Maester Cord is so nice!" She had talked about quite a bit of the impromptu trip but Tsunade appreciated the Maester's consideration.

Far too many idiots had thought to catch him off guard and her granddaughter had nearly been caught up in it.

The rumors coming out of the sect about his sermons had piqued even more interest in the man but he had somehow slipped back into the city with none the wiser!

She would really like to know but Felicia had been asleep when she returned!

It could not have been a coincidence!

"I miss Sorcha and I want to meet Belia too!" Now that was a surprising sentence. Felicia was an heir of their Clan. She was always being approached as a formation master or in her identity as an heir.

She had not really had friends she spoke of wanting to see or missed before!

"Oh, and why is that?" Felicia then smiled wide at her.

"They are fun! Sorcha told me stories of her village and about learning under Maester Cord…" Tsunade listened as more details were given. She was shocked to learn the Maester was able to induce enlightenment for her granddaughter. After all the struggle to advance, to have a single sermon on the basics do it was astounding.

"Well, if the Maester is amenable, you are free to visit them." Normally, the Golden Vermillion Inn left its guests alone unless otherwise specified but Maester Cord was an odd one.

He did not actively throw his status around, nor did he try to build connections with the city lord nor Midas Throne.

It was not unknown but rare to meet a humble Maester.

Maester Cord, however, seemed willing to teach without an obvious benefit from all involved. He was staying at her inn but considering he had saved Felicia's life on arrival, Tsunade had waived the costs.

Even then, he had produced elixirs and items now and again for people to take as needed! The man seemed incapable of not helping people!

All of which was confusing since he was a dragon! Their pride and arrogance was legendary for a reason.

Yet Maester Cord had none of it.

Tsunade suddenly tilted her head up and narrowed her silver eyes.

"Felicia, you may get your wish." The girl looked confused until a servant came to inform them that Maester Cord had called to see her.

She was curious and authorized it. The library was not the best place to have a meeting but an instinct told her to stay put. The 2 sipped tea and relaxed until the sound of footsteps reached them.

"Maester Cord, my lady." Tsunade smiled as the man with vibrant emerald hair came in but froze as she saw his eyes. They were no longer human! They were a dragon!

Two young human girls followed him but they were clearly peeking at the amazing sights and now the library. Felicia smiled at them but kept herself calm.

"So, you are a vermillion bird in reality. Your ancestor is a phoenix then?" Tsunade arched her eyebrow at him but felt odd. It was like she felt inclined to answer him!

"You are being a bit rude, young man. Most would politely introduce themselves and not pry into their generous host's background." She was a bit irked but a flash of shame made her curious. Why was he showing shame so openly?

"Apologies, Senior, but I am short on time and have some things to reveal that are not so kind. Sorcha and Belia, please entertain Felicia. I am sure you both want to hang out with her." Tsunade was once more irritated but then a shocking thing happened that she had not felt in over a million years.

[We need to talk.]

A telepathic message! It was clear as a bell and did not seem to strain the man at all!

"Go with them Felicia. Enjoy yourselves." Her granddaughter smiled ear to ear and the trio ran off. A ward snapped up instantly at her command. Despite being just the library, each room in the Ra Suite had incredible defenses available to them.

"You have allowed us to stay here free of charge and further, never pried into my intentions. I know you also protected us from unwanted advances from the annoying powers around Kun City. Thank you." He bowed to her but it felt like an equal or possibly a superior.

Tsunade did not like that.

She decided to teach a bit of humility to the Maester but was shocked when she felt his aura! It was pure! He had full access to his cultivation?!

"I am in need of a favor and would like to offer my conditions as well as a warning." His words shook her from her observations.

"You have a strange way of going about it. You should know the kind of person you are addressing." Tsunade asserted her authority. No matter his power, she was backed by her Clan and organization.

A single Maester, even a Triple, was not able to stand up to them.

His emerald eyes narrowed before a tired sigh came from him.

"I have no time for politics. Enemies are coming and children need a good home." His words confused her but when he looked back up at her, her heart froze.

What was that man?!

She felt like a mountain was on her chest and the air refused to move! Her Qi was frozen solid in place like it was no longer hers to command. That was not possible!

The feeling passed and she looked in horror at the Maester.

"What are you?" She had met many powerful cultivators in her time but she had never experienced anything like that even before the Corruption swept the world.

"A man with limited resources and a pile of issues that will not wait. I have to leave but I can no longer protect the children I brought with me. I refuse to abandon them and want them to be safe. I will provide the resources for them through the Heaven Realm as well." He sat across from her as his absurd words flowed from his mouth.

There were over a dozen demons and 2 humans with him. Even if they were already at the World Realm, getting to the Heaven Realm was a massive struggle.

"I am not insane and I fully understand the hurdles in front of them. I have laid the foundation but I will not let them die in the battle to come." Tsunade finally grasped what he was talking about.

She knew the Eternal Flame Sect was coming but even they would not dare assault her inn. The Fiend agents had been flushed out but they did not have the forces to assault them either.

So what battle was the Maester referring to?

"Was your home destroyed by some enemy coming for you?" It was not unheard of but the limitations under the Corruption would allow for escape when normally flying forces could encircle faster than anyone could run away.

The Maester snorted at her.

"Name me one cultivator that does not have someone after them. In my case, however, the plain truth is I am on a journey to the west. Where I am going is the worst darkness we know of but I will face it. Innocents cannot follow me there." She was confused. The west of them had many powers great and small.

She did not know of any conflic—

Shock slowly spread as she recalled an intelligence report that the roosts of the ancient dragon clans were on the move looking for their True Lord. Their aura had been detected supposedly but the timing synced to an event in Kun City!

"By the spirits! You are the True Lord?!" His eyes narrowed and the pressure returned a thousand fold!

"Never speak of that again. I have no desire to deal with them. Enemies are bad enough but petulant ancestors are not something I want to deal with." A smile cracked her face at his words.

"You really are young. Those dragons will not give up until they find you but this changes things. A True Lord's request is easily fulfilled." She saw him frown deeply but waved it off. "Do not get hung up on being all worried. You may not know but all the True Lords of this layer died long ago. Your return means hope has come back. For that alone, I will take on them as wards. My superiors will not care so long as we benefit."

She felt him retract his aura and consider her words before nodding.

A jade slip appeared on the long wooden table.

"You may find that worthwhile for your Clan. I had the opportunity to study a phoenix with their permission. It should help you a lot." She smirked and examined the slip only to have her jaw drop!

It was a detailed breakdown of improving their beast cores! How could a dragon do that?!

The Maester settled a few more conditions before leaving with the 2 human girls. Tsunade was smiling wide as the benefits were immense. She could move to the capital with the children!

"Felicia, you are getting a wish come true soon. Be prepared for intense training too!" The granddaughter and grandmother made plans for the future while enjoying the rest of their tea.