Lind walked back with Chu to the palace. Piercer of the Veil Immortal followed behind them at a respectful distance.
"Just what did you do to her, Husband?" He looked harshly at Chu and she had the decency to flinch.
"Nothing compared to you! We will be having a very LONG discussion once this is over." She began to fluster a bit but they marched on as soldiers ca running up in a panic.
"My Lady! Are you all right?!" A captain ca running up but was halted by her aura.
"I am quite all right, Captain. Inform his Highness that–" Lind held up his hand and pointed up the stone path.
"He already knows." Dark red hair flew in the air as the prince ca running at them using his Qi to assist. Marquis Song was also not far behind!
Lind pulled Chu aside as the prince barreled by and hugged Piercer of the Veil Immortal.
She was totally caught off guard but Lind could only smirk at even the Marquis coughed before all the soldiers and he did an about face.
"Thank the spirits you are ok! Are you hurt in any way?! What happened to you?!" The 5th Prince did not let her speak but she was crimson which made her look far younger than normal to his eyes.
"High–Highness! Calm yourself! We are in public!" Her words snapped him out of his fenzy and now he was the one to blush deeply.
It was only then the Prince seed to notice Lind and Chu. The forr he ignored but he drew a sword from his storage ring on Chu.
All froze as Lind slamd her into the ground.
"Don't you dare! You ca to apologize!" No one else noticed but her tail had begun to shimr with scales. His display of strength took all of them off guard but the prince paused at least.
"I would demand an explanation of your wife's actions, Erald Immortal!" Lind looked tired as he looked around and waved his hand. His intention made the prince nod in understanding. "Follow ."
Chu stood up and was totally unhard but pouting.
"You brought it on yourself. You have had far better control before now but you should not obsess over a single mistake. We will face it together." He took her hand and now she was the one blushing!
They were taken to far less kind quarters but it was not a prison at least. Lind did note a troubling formation but would pity the 5th Prince if he tried to use it against him or Chu.
The greatest power in Song City could not stop him because fundantally they were flawed applications he could rip apart with ease.
Still, it would take ti where he would be vulnerable so Chu being there made it a snap to accomplish it.
"Lord Erald Immortal. I believed we were friends, or at least not enemies, so why was your wife spying on us and further, why did she kidnap my most important person?" His wording made the subject blush but Lind sighed as he held up a hand to his wife.
"Due to experience on the way here, we have learned to not assu we are safe. My wife was only supposed to observe for any allies of the Minister of Finances and the orphanage while I trained Junior Mills, but she can be a bit proactive. Further, you were the ones to ntion my ultimate goal of the inverted mountain." The tension beca thick at that last part but a glance at Piercer of the Veil Immortal saw she had no reaction.
Confusion was on the prince and marquis but Lind understood it.
"I have so information and sothing to reveal. The seers of your kingdom saw in large part the coming of the Corruption and by extension the inverted mountain. Anything related to it, however, led to the end of all. That was the cause of her reaction previously." Both the 5th Prince and Marquis Song whipped their heads to her at that.
Her nod made both n pale but then Lind coughed to bring them back to him.
"The one you know as Maester Taren Cord and I have the sa master. We also have the sa enemy. The Fiends. I have confird with the Piercer of the Veil Immortal that she cannot see either of us with her skills and thus, we have a chance." The 2 n suddenly looked at him in a new light until the 5th Prince shot to his feet.
"The bestial aura! It was Maester Cord?!" Lind nodded as it was his normal aura.
"He and I planned to et up elsewhere but my selfish change of plans led to an unexpected clue. We had no idea the inverted mountain was where we were looking for. When your king offered information, it was a pleasant surprise." A half truth hidden in the rest slipped by them.
Piercer of the Veil Immortal swore to keep his secret as she admitted agents of Fiends could avoid her sight as well. Their effect could be seen but not until they chose to act.
"I have revealed that Erald Immortal is opaque to
but Maester Taren Cord…he is like a storm." She shivered as she recalled a glimpse of his harmony fla. She had asked how he blocked her sight as a human but he truly did not know.
His only theory was his unique origin. A dragon soul was rare enough that he doubted records were preserved or even known about whether peering into their Fate was impossible or not.
The group beca calr but Lind knew the budding trust between them was gone. Marquis Song seed amicable still but the 5th Prince was now cold.
Chu's eyes revealed her sha that she realized she had gone about things incorrectly. She should have noted the bizarre reaction of the Piercer of the Veil Immortal and reported to him before acting.
She could not bla her instincts that ti either. It was pure emotion driving her. The fact soone tried to defy her beloved had made her incensed.
[So long as you know, then you can learn from it. We are all fallible but must accept the consequences.] Her actions had forced his hand a bit to reveal a connection to 'Taren Cord' he was trying to avoid but it let them diffuse the current situation.
"While I can accept the report, your actions, Lady Chu, remain inexcusable." The 5th Prince was calr but not even Piercer of the Veil Immortal could dissuade him at the mont. Despite her higher cultivation, she was a servant of the royal family.
Chu fidgeted guiltily which belied her usual grace.
"May I state sothing pertinent." Lind raised his hand and the 5th Prince frowned at him but since he had brought back his beloved intact and with apologies, he nodded for him to continue.
"I received permission to explain so things that do not excuse Chu's actions but may give so context. Do you know of the Jade Dream Sect?" A dark look flashed over all their faces but none missed the flinch of Chu.
Lind relayed how he ca across both Chu and her daughter. He made it seem like he had been trying to find Taren Cord who was known to have been lost in the Divine Ruin for close to a decade.
Again, truth and half truth danced in his words but no lie passed his lips.
As he explained the deplorable condition and treatnt from their tribe and how humans in general had used their village for slavery or resources, the 5th Prince softened a bit.
"So no wonder you acted to save the orphans. You also, knowing our governnt and nobles were enemies, lost faith in us. When we had soone declare to deny you the very thing you ca for, you reacted harshly." He stood up and paced with his arms behind his back.
The calr face and aura made it clear he was contemplative. The silence was not comfortable as Chu was crying as she leaned into Lind. They were not pleasant mories but the feeling of his arms assured her the darkness was behind her.
"Your Highness, all he said is true. I have seen it. The Jade Dream Sect suffered heavy losses but I cannot see who did that, only that they were nearly wiped out in a single day." Lind had not given that detail and it made his narrowing eyes give away his surprise.
"So, we are at a bit of an impasse. No one has been hard but trust has been broken. Lord Erald Immortal, can you have Maester Taren Cord co to us?" Lind had anticipated that very question and shook his head.
"In terms you would understand, I am the scholar and he is the warrior. Though we are both skilled, he far surpasses . I was just a struggling human until our Master taught
how to advance properly. If not for a fortuitous encounter, I would not be here at all." Lind danced a fine line but he did it.
The actions of 'Taren Cord' also matched his description. The man was credited with fighting against several armies, claiming the Divine Ruin, reclaiming Crescent City, and finally removing the bloodline array.
Taken all together, it was a lot of fighting and near miraculous things. In contrast, no one had heard of the Erald Immortal although having a supporter made perfect sense and explained how so many elixirs were made in such a short ti.
Even his Dao title made more sense if he was the subordinate to such a powerful Triple Maester.
"In other words, he moves as he wills and you follow behind?" Lind nodded at Marquis Song's interpretation of events.
The 5th Prince was frustrated but not as much as before. They decided to end the eting and to let heads cool off. Chu would not be punished, at least not by them, but Lind stared hard at her on the way ho. He was not going to be so lenient!
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