Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1801 - 1800 - Familiar Tale

Deep in an ice field far to the west, Lind found his target. Actually, Ryl did.

The Dusk Grypwolf had been stalking several Moon Deer across a small mountain of ice and snow. The deer were only World Realms but their meat was very tasty. Even Lind could not deny the appeal.

If they got to the Sky Realm, their antlers could become very dangerous and were highly sought after as weapon or artifact materials.

Ryl just wanted a good meal.

Lind had been keeping an eye on the trap caravan at the same time when he noticed a moment before Ryl struck the deer. He held him back as a black arrow silently pierced the neck of one of the deer.

The rest scattered yet 3 more black arrows followed. Rather, a single arrow split into 3. Shadow Strike Art was a simple but effective weapon Art. It was also, obviously, a demonic Art.

Lind saw a hooded figure emerge with several following them to quickly retrieve the dead deer and arrows. His emerald eyes tracked them and was impressed.

To sneak up on him, even as distracted as he was, showed they were well prepared to hide from Divine Realm aura. His harmony should have negated such preparations and yet they still got that close without his notice.

Ryl was wagging his tail in a desire to head out but Lind bopped him on the nose.

[Don’t be greedy. We will get our own.] A whimper followed but Lind was not being tricked. They were not so hard up for food.

The figures were efficient and used storage treasures as the corpses were flashing away in the ice and snow. They looked around and then moved northwest.

Lind picked up Ryl and flew after them. He used a harmonic ward to be safe. Ryl was now happy again. He could not fly so anytime Lind took him up was a lot of fun for him.

The group moved carefully while wiping all traces completely behind them. Even Lind, watching above, lost all hints after their work was done.

Such skill was not some ragtag band but true experts.

Royal guard? They had called her a princess yet why would a demonic princess have human guards?

His nose told him at that range only one was a demon. The rest were human. They did not seem desperate either to his eyes.

Finally, they seemed to vanish from the surface. He smiled as he knew what had happened.

[Do not make a noise, do you understand?] He looked hard at Ryl and the wolf head nodded up and down as spittle flew only to freeze in the howling winds.

He lowered them until a distortion shimmered to his eyes. It was at least a peak grade 7 barrier but it had to be more. A Divine Realm would easily shatter it otherwise.

It only took a breath for him to detect the Dao Grade formations waiting to ensnare the foolish Divine Realm that tried to break through. It only took a wave of his hair to allow them to slip inside after that.

A single wagon was revealed but no beasts to draw it. He swept the area and confirmed a dozen life forms. All but 2 were human.

None of them were Divine Realms either. He detected mostly Immortals with 1 Heaven Realm behind several more defenses.

"Thank the spirits you got some meat. I was getting tired of not eating anything after these last few years." A young man with a narrow face but broad shoulders was happily carving up the deer.

Ryl was looking intently at the meat but kept silent.

"We took a risk for Lady Bryth. She still needs to eat." The other young man, covered still in some frost, calmly worked on his own deer. The pair became solemn but quickly began to banter about how they would cook up the meat and preserve it.

The rest of the camp was calm and most of them were cultivating.

Immortals did not need food yet even Lind would assert that eating was preferred rather than never having it.

Life was about enjoyment or what was the point?

The wagon was actually an artifact now that he got a chance to examine it. It needed no beasts as it could fly all on its own. Space was inverted as well.

The group could all fit inside he was sure while a single person controlled it from the outside.

It was not as good as his ships as the cultivator was the source of flight power.

Lind moved towards the back of the camp to the pair of demons.

He found 2 demonesses inside a practical tent. It was not an artifact but it was inscribed with decent demonic formations.

"Highness, we have meat. Just hold on and it will be ready soon." The cloaked figure was a powerfully built demoness. Her face had a scar across her left cheek and her eyes were bright pink in her pale lavender skin face. Her hair was tied back and a mix of black and red.

The power in her muscles was no joke. She was only a Sliver Tier yet Lind had no doubt she had a body cultivation path that would allow her to take on a Crystal Tier.

The other demoness was not some wallflower either. She was lithe but she had a powerful and ancient halberd near her. Lind recognized the craftsmanship of that weapon. Afterall, he had made it!

It was from when he was hiding after he arrived in the Divine Lands! He sunk his memory back and confirmed he had made it on commission via an agent.

It was how he stayed safe back then. The commission had been for a halberd able to be used by a demon with blue fire, dark light, and poison elements. It had been a powerful combination but Lind never settled for that.

He incorporated all 6 demonic elements with a trial. The owner had to unlock those functions by overcoming the hidden triggers in the weapon. The demoness was clearly the original owner and had succeeded.

He was firmly impressed as that was not easy.

Now the halberd was a true peak grade 6 weapon. She had clearly cared for it as well.

"Mother sacrificed herself so I could escape. How long will they keep chasing us?" The demoness lifted her head and her dark violet hair revealed a dark lavender face with piercing cobalt eyes.

Her features were very beautiful and her words made Lind sigh. An old story it seemed.

"Your father is only chasing his own prestige and nothing else. He should have never agreed to give you up to the empire’s whelp." The words stirred something in Lind. He recalled a chase in a massive desert and the rescue at the last moment.

His heart was pained briefly but he pushed it aside. He was hardly the first to have such a life and this woman would not be the last.

He was about to leave when certain words froze him in place.

"That bastard just wants to get ahold of the treasure that can save his life! He just wants to live forever no matter the price! We both know what that altar is for!" The tent isolated their words from the guards but not Lind.

His aura changed. Ryl actually whimpered and it broke the weaving. The sudden appearance of the pair caused panic but Lind ignored them as he walked slowly to the entrance of the tent.

The Immortal Demoness appeared with a sword but froze upon seeing him.

"Move." Lind said nothing else but she stepped aside as if it had been a command. He stepped in and found the princess brandishing the halbert.

Its blade was a palm long and sharp enough to cut his scales if he allowed it. He casually raised his free hand and it snapped into it.

Shock flared in both their faces but it was then transformed into slack jawed awe as the minor issues were repaired right in front of them.

"You took good care of it. I see the spirit is almost about to awaken too. Well done, Lady Bryth." Understanding flared and both demons knelt on the floor. Ryl was staying put as he could sense the mood for once.

"Princess! We are–!" The men froze as they saw their 2 leaders kneeling. Seeing the halberd looking brand new in Lind’s hands made many put things together with his look before they all knelt.

"You understand why I have shown myself?" Princess Bryth nodded emphatically.

"You heard me mention the altar?" He nodded as he returned her weapon. She looked very happy briefly before she became grim. "An ancient manual was found long ago and my father became obsessed with it."

She described exactly what he feared.

A Fiend artifact! The thrice cursed beings were gone but their knowledge endured. It was actively hunted and reviled, yet he was not so naive to believe others would not try to use it for their own advantage.

The demon king had seemingly hidden what he found and also pursued a way to get it to work in the modern era. Fiend Qi was gone, yet stealing souls was not the sole purview of the vile creatures.

It would just take more work.

If the demon was truly obsessed with living forever, he would never let his daughter go. Whatever it was he needed her for was essential.

"I will be right back. Ryl, stay here with them." Ryl whined but Lind only looked at him. The Dusk Grypwolf had never been afraid of him before, yet now, Lind saw it. A trace of fear.

He left the camp and went directly to the caravan. He was going to get all the answers he needed.