Eternal Emerald Dragon

Lind had been bounced around but now he needed to start the real work. It started with bringing both trios together.

The Eternal Realm cultivators had pride like anyone else but the current situation made them much more pliable than the details he had been given. Rather than be vindictive for Thunder Child carting him off, they actually were excited to learn what he had discovered.

What he needed from them was to learn what they already knew. It was critical because what he sensed in his harmony told him it was not as simple as using it by itself. It had changed and he had to separate the forces that tried to move with it.

That was the hard part. While he struggled to just do anything before, now he had to refine his control to the point that his mind and Path would not respond. It was far harder than he had imagined.

It was like his dantian and mind were intrinsically built to respond once he figured out how. If not for his lifelong experience with his harmony, he doubted he would be able to figure out what they had not.

Still, it did not bring all the answers, just a new path he had to figure out. To do that, he had to master the current knowledge they possessed. Once he compared what did not work to what did, he could begin to test.

The sword at his neck was still there too. The Bastard had been pushed out for the moment but he did not doubt for a second the Fiend had been working on his weakness. His harmony had not consumed him regardless of contact despite being on the same level.

That told him there was something the Fiend had figured out to protect himself. It was not perfect as he had one the last confrontation but it meant he had to go for the kill up close and personal.

He had to understand what the Fiend had figured out.

Intent was actually still mingled with the aether children. It was just severely reduced. It was like they took a spark and the rest was picked up by the path power they called on. Still, once that spark was done, they were far faster with path power than the 2 parts combined.

It was likely because intent required conscious effort and so did path power. The double strain was not a small thing. Even as he saw Lightning Fist spar against Worldblood Child, it was clear she was tiring faster than the aether child.

They were far up in the sky and the others were maintaining a barrier to keep the hold safe. The strain on them was not insignificant either. Even though it was split by 4 other Eternal Realm cultivators, the barrier was draining 3 of them far faster than anything he had seen.

It had been erected by Thunder Child and while Tempest Child was theoretically compatible, she was struggling just as much as the demon and Elemental.

It was the incompatibility issue. It was the one piece that nagged at him the most.

Eternal Realm cultivators could not make items for others to use. They could not share pills or other skills. Violet Cloud using her skills on him took an immense effort on her part, yet his existence allowed it where others would fail.

Even her daughter, raised nearly in the same path as her mother, was not immune to it. Their familial bond did allow some Arts and creations to work, yet only to a point.

If they made anything below grade 9, there were no issues. However, resources like that did not exist in any meaningful way. The other holds were essentially isolated homes molded by their owner.

It was an extension of themselves which was not what his hold had become. He still hid that truth as no one seemed aware. He felt it would be key to his tests to come.

"Lind Frey, you have been having fun without me?" Goldthorn suddenly snapped into existence but his words contradicted the seriousness of his face. Lind made a few more notes in the jade slip before waving to stop the spar.

"I have had several interesting experiences but now I need to see nuance and control to test what I can do." Everything true yet holding back on his actual goal. The old man was friendly but Lind knew he had to play very close to his vest.

The 6 with him knew he might defeat the Fiend and allow them to grow stronger yet accepted he was still learning. It was unwise to have too many cooks.

The head wreathed in white hair nodded but then seemed to ponder something.

"We may have a problem if you don't show progress soon." Lind sighed but casually thought of what could go wrong. Before either of them could continue, harmonic flames appeared around Lind!

He had accidentally used his powers! Intent was of the mind and his newly acquired understanding had opened the floodgates of his Path!

Goldthorn smirked but then became slack jawed as various views of the hold appeared.

Lind was less surprised at first yet he then joined Goldthorn. It was not random views!

He saw groups meeting in secret and some discussing betraying the others to live if Lind did not show his potential. He saw others plotting to claim his hold for themselves, admittedly because they believed they could find a way to flee back into a Divine World to buy time for themselves.

There were some being practical and not hiding at all what they were doing, usually demons, with humans being the most common to be plotting against them all.

His eyes narrowed as a group of Elementals were digging deep into the hold. Of all the groups, that one made him suspicious. They were the living embodiment of Qi, there was no way they had not noticed the oddities of his hold.

The only groups they did not see were aether children and beasts. The former was not surprising. They would flee or abandon people for survival but they would not align with humans or demons due to the difficult history between the races.

"How–how are you doing this?" Lind wished he could answer. He closed his eyes and tried to picture clearly the dismissal of the floating images. When he opened them, the emerald screens were still there.

"Sadly, I have no idea." Goldthorn blinked and then seemed to study the floating screens intently. The old man's eyes lit up with a gold white glow. His gaze narrowed dangerously and Lind felt something twinge in his dantian.

What was that?

Lind quickly traced the feeling and realized he was connected to the floating displays. His eyes narrowed as a thought came to him.

{Bare the Heart.} The words whispered in his mind and he realized what he was actually doing. His Tapestry and Possibility powers were being utilized by his harmony. He was not simply spying but seeing exactly what Goldthorn warned him against.

It made him refocus on the Elementals. Compared to the rest, they were exploring, so why were they being treated as a threat?

His eyes glowed and Goldthorn paled before backing away.

{Return.}

The word reverberated and every group disappeared from the screens. Beams shot down and all of them appeared in midair below them. The Eternal Realm cultivators were shocked but then went saucer eyed as they saw who was above them.

They knew of Goldthorn of old. His powers were horrifying in battle yet he had no ability to forcefully teleport them across space!

Of all the groups, the Elementals were the most frustrated.

Lind looked at them in frustration and recalled a similar scene. The Fiends were waging an extinction level war on them and the Master Tiers had been just as foolish!

{Reveal desire.} He blinked as he had not even realized what he was considering as glowing threads appeared. He recognized them from his power of Tapestry and then all the conversations were laid bare.

More than that, he knew others across the hold were feeling and seeing what he did. Everything was laid bare!

He felt a bit light headed so he knew he was reaching his limits quickly yet he did not show any sign of weakness.

[To ascend, the Bastard needs to consume everything. There are no deals or bargains left. We are just food to him. We are resources to be consumed and used to increase his strength. He will leave nothing to chance after being frustrated for so long.]

His words shook the entire hold. Only those from his Divine Lands were unbothered. They had known the truth long ago.

The Final Fiend War had left no doubts of how the Bastard viewed all life aside from himself. They were nothing to him.

A human male tried to speak but then Goldthorn glared at him.

{Sever.} The old man's intent and Path power flared before anyone realized. Lind could not stop it even if he wanted to as the human was crippled instantly. Shock and anger flared on all the other humans present.

Lind frowned. It was so easy for Goldthorn to do that? His harmony flared and the falling man was caught. His pale face regained its hue and his clammy features regained health.

Yet, no aura was restored.

Lind saw it then. Goldthorn had found a flaw in the foundation. It was simply a matter of force at that point.

He then looked at the rest.

[I am the last one. When I fall, there are no more chances. We are at the end. Train my followers and increase our numbers. My wives had ascended before, so help them do it again. They will help us more than me alone.] Many blinked at him but had no argument.

The unique situation of Lind Frey was legendary to all of them at that point. He then raised his hands and the hold responded.

His aura shot up and his exhaustion vanished.

{Seal the Temptation.} A wave of emerald energy shot out and all their auras vanished! He had sealed them.

Lind just barely stayed steady. All the troublemakers had been rounded up and punished. They had their marching orders so they were lowered to the surface where his family awaited them.

The only group exempted were the Elementals. They remained floating in place and locked down. He turned to them and asked the question he needed an answer to.

[Why are you digging into my hold?]

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