Lind knew his sons on sight but could see a scar on Hei's face and his black hair was cut short compared to how he usually had it long. Zao seed to be favoring his left arm but the bloody cut on it was why.
The battle around them was chaotic but he saw the waterfall behind them that marked the city Hei had called ho.
Still, he cald himself before looking at the smirking Fiend woman. She had ample ti to attack but did not so there had to be a reason.
"You think to trick
with sothing so obvious? None of this is actually real. Our power does not work here." A nod actually ca from her.
"Well done. The Sifter is a rather proud creation of mine. Dao artifacts can be rather esoteric in aspects, especially when concerning the soul. The downside does limit our power considerably but only in regards to the physical. Projection is not impeded at all." Lind frowned but tested it.
His flas and muscle enhancents were indeed very limited but his ntal skills were hardly bothered. He also noticed his harmony was unaffected!
"I still doubt the veracity of this image." Lind had all the reason to doubt it but again the woman hardly seed bothered. In fact, she seed to approve.
"It is wise to be so cautious but I have no need to lie. Further, I have all the reasons to let you choose. Tell , what would happen if you had to choose between your sons or your goals? Entertain ." The arrogance and dismissal angered Lind but he was not sure how to attack or get around her.
He then spent part of his mind on the problem before he slowly began to frown. It was actually more than a thought problem of what if, it revealed a serious problem!
The smile spread as laughter that grated on his ears to hear.
"I can already tell! You heroic types never see the trap waiting for you until it is too late! I have ensnared so many this way and always surprised how easy it is!" Lind felt disturbed.
The issue was his Dao heart. He valued his family over the world but he also swore on his soul to kill the Great One and thwart his plans. Normally the 2 would be one and the sa but the current scenario presented a rather dangerous crossroads.
No matter what he chose, his Dao heart would fracture! He would lose the ability to advance!
If he chose to save his sons, his oath would backfire on him but if he chose his goals, his own integrity would have the sa effect if not more! His entire identity was about protecting his family.
The female Fiend sat lazily on a shimring throne of souls while she looked at him.
"You presented a hell of a problem but your little master gave
all I needed to consider a new attack after you rejected . It has cost
still, this body will not last much longer but it does not have to. I don't have to lift a finger to stop you!" Lind still doubted.
"You still have not proven those are my sons." The Fiend nodded and a feeling of oppression flooded the area. An spatial aperture was torn open and Lind was shocked to see down into the 1st layer!
His aura could confirm he was actually seeing them! It was not an illusion as he felt the bonds to his wives co to life in his soul!
Ethry was shocked and Kora was not far away but they were nowhere near Hei and Zao. He saw hell.
Blood flowed like rivers on stone and soil equally. Healers were torn asunder as children wailed before Fiends and demons running rampant.
"W–what happened?" The vile laugh ca from the woman and simply shifted the view to reveal a Shard Tier Fiend with an all too familiar sneer. There were several of them!
"I told you there would be a price for your defiance. Your little wonder twins can't help you here either. So, choose." The aperture closed and Lind was left shaking.
He realized he did not know how the Fiend made that opening in the weird space they were in. It was not just tearing through space like Immortals could.
It was not Laws nor even Dao. He did not recognize how it was done at all!
He also knew the Fiend would not tell him.
He racked his brain for any possible answer but there was none save cloning himself and he could not do it! He could not descend but he knew the damned monster in front of him would allow him to go if he did choose his sons.
"You expect
to believe you would let
destroy this place?" The Fiend sneered at him.
"If it ans you die here, I am willing to cut my losses. Better to stop you here and remove a future threat. I can always do it again later." The truth of that hurt.
The chaos of the 1st layer confird the Great One could undo all his progress given ti. Was it all useless? Did his actions actually matter?
The monster was annoyed with him but just like the Fiends he had faced thus far, he was patient. He had greater concerns than a asly Crystal Tier Immortal if that was all he would be.
He did not plan in results but in victory. A delay of a million or billion years did not matter if you had eternity.
All doubt left him but only cold dread filled his heart. Had he co to the end of his path? It was an impossible choice!
He could not choose between his sons and a true threat to all of reality. He grasped the overall plan of the monster to be the only living thing at the end of it all. All life would be his resource of immortality!
Lind felt all his confidence and pride fall as he slowly collapsed on the ground.
The female Fiend took dark joy in it and did nothing to sway him. The being behind her eyes was enjoying the show.
"I should warn you, your sons are on a bit of a ti limit. They are nearly at their limits so death could co soon. Don't take too long wallowing in your misery." The smile in the vile voice was not missed by Lind but he did not care.
Failure. He was staring inevitable failure in the face.
[I love you my sons, but I have to set us free.] He made the choice. He went to stand up but no strength ca to his body. His harmony was snuffed out and his Qi went stone dead.
Laughter shook the soul space as the female Fiend stood up.
"I am actually surprised but not too much. The threat of the Sifter would be of more danger to the rest so you have to break it. A pity. Such an honorable choice but it ends your path here!" It was only then that Lind grasped his dire situation.
His very foundation had just been denied by him! All his struggle was to get strength to protect his family and he just turned his back on it!
The Fiend lood over him. No Qi flowed but she would not need it. He was completely vulnerable.
"I always enjoy this part. You idiots think na??ve ideals will endure over real power. Tell
how that feels." A crunch was heard in Lind's head as he was sent flying. Blood flew as his bones, usually so strong, were now like glass to the power of a Radiant Tier Fiend.
He could not even muster strength to pick himself up as the steps echoed in his ears. Pain radiated like a fla from his jaw but he desperately tried to find a solution.
It could not just be gone! All that work and effort was for his family but the Sifter was a threat! All life was endangered by it! How could it just all be gone in the face of that threat?!
A foot shattered his ribs as he was kicked down the hallway. Vile laughter echoed as the Fiend cracked her knuckles in amusent.
"Pretty tough even without your Qi. That is dragons for you." Dragon? Right, he was a dragon!
Power flooded his body suddenly and his wounds healed as erald scales covered his body. He went to stand up but then dizziness swept over him.
"Good try but even a child beast could tell you Qi is needed to do that. You had so residual Qi in the flesh but that is all." The once robust scales were shattered with ease but his bones were protected at least as he was slamd into the ground with a fist to his backside.
"Ah, it feels good to vent. The residual dregs of this puppet are feeling grateful for this mont too. By the way, just to drive this ho–" Both his arms were broken at that mont and he could only glare at the Fiend. "Your sons are already dead. They died the mont you chose."
Laughter filled the hallway but Lind could no longer hear it. Dead? They were already dead?!
He killed his sons! Hei had been so confident and quick to leap to help his future wife after he t her. He had never been more proud when Hei stood on his own and made his own family.
Zao was more studious but could be mischievous in clever ways. He liked to be contrary when soone thought they were right but he always supported his opinions with facts that were hard to deny.
He wondered if Zao found love or just the surface level connections he had been indulging in when Lind ascended.
He knew the Great One would kill them all. No matter what choice he made, they were all going to die.
His power still did not return. He had chosen and now the consequences ant all was lost! A boot slamd into his face and blood spurted from his nose.
"I hope you find them in Hell. Feel blessed as I can't refine your soul." Lind barely heard but it was like a spark went off.
Why not? Why could he refine his soul? That was it!
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