Lind was not disappointed in his hunt. He found at least 3 more groups waiting to ensnare him but they were far weaker with a similar artifact. Now that he had studied the first one, the others were easily disabled and quick defeats followed.
He also found 2 more thralls.
A re 50 cultivators from the Shard Tier up to the Journeyman Tier had been able to bring Shadow Seal Cove to its knees which numbered in the thousands.
The majority of the hostages were natives but travelers had been taken not only in the city but also on the roads leading to it! They cut off any chance of word getting out!
After 3 days, he finally cleaned out the caverns and healed the wounded as best he could. So long as they were only Immortals, his skills were beyond sufficient but Divine Realm injuries could only be attempted with his Art of Defiance.
It was during such a healing that he had a shocking experience.
A faint trace ca from sowhere far away and unified with the man he was working on! It was the sa as when he attacked those other Journeyman Tiers but the effects of his healing magnified after the unification.
The man had stared at him in shock before quickly bowing and scraping his head on the stone floor.
Lind sighed and simply moved on. The small children that had a parent with them were reunited but so were alone. The shadow seals protected them and comforted them.
Karu also was able to help calm many of them down. Her fluffy ears and tails were endlessly soothing to them.
So of the older kids also ca out of their shells with her help.
There were also the dead.
At least a dozen people had been 'played' to death before he arrived including 1 Apprentice Tier shadow seal.
Their once robust figure was so heavily damaged he had only known by scent what they were!
He carefully preserved the body as if they had a separate piece sowhere preserved, they could revive.
The old man he saved originally beca a kind of leader and organized the group until they were all able to start heading out. The shadow seals were the vast majority but mostly Sliver Tiers that were massive in size.
Lind was only ever able to look up at them despite his only tall stature.
They also carried anyone too weak to move or needed to heal without moving under their own power.
Lind took the lead with Karu but his aura covered the entire group. He also conjured several floating balls of light to guide those behind.
Eventually they ca back to the surface to find a large group from Shadow Seal Cove ready and waiting with weapons drawn. Yet, the instant they saw their loved ones, a touching scene followed.
Lind waited for the inevitable question when so began to panic as the last hostage trickled out.
The old man, Misham, guided them to him. Lind then led them away and summoned the now restored bodies to their families.
They thanked him for bringing the bodies back but it felt hollow to him. No matter the sincerity the fact remained he was the cause of the tragedy.
The bounty hunters absolutely killed them, but their presence was brought about by his arrival. He could not run from that contribution no matter what.
The final body was the shadow seal Apprentice Tier. Misham finally freed up and brought over an old woman carrying a crystalline artifact held in between 2 tal plates. His harmony flared in recognition of what he sensed.
"Bring out poor Bodo." Lind felt proud he did not flinch at that na. The dead shadow seal was laid out gently and the artifact imdiately reacted.
A beam of powerful energy he recognized as Mystery energy, fused with the body until the artifact went dark. Nothing happened at first but then slowly, signs of life returned!
The missing soul, Qi, and all other power flowed in him once more. He blinked his large dark eyes slowly before tears fell.
"I coul–couldn't save them!" The thick voice made Lind smile gently before patting the man's back.
"I heard what you did, Bodo. You made them target you and took abuse that should have broken anyone. You let them do all that to you to buy ti. Not everyone was saved but far more were saved thanks to you and Misham here." Bodo looked up as his face was now covered in snot and tears.
"Senior! What did they do to your foundation?!" Lind snapped up at that and looked at Misham wince.
"This old fool had them shatter my Mysteries. I was stuck anyway and it bought more ti." The man scratched the back of his head but Lind felt true shock. He had not detected in the slightest the old man had been a Divine Realm!
How?!
[Master, crippling a Divine Realm does not just stop their progress, it also dissolves their foundation back to the Immortal Realm. Depending on their age, it could lead to True Death instantly. Being a healthy Radiant Tier is actually not a bad result and he could regain his cultivation if he commits to it.] Lind knew life was not that kind.
Likely, while possible, the old man would face far harsher tribulations. His karma might help given how he lost his foundation but Lind was unsure by how much that help would co.
Lind bowed low to both n.
"Thank you for buying ti until I could arrive. I wish I could have co sooner." He ant it but both beast n waved him off.
A round of denial followed by swift hits from the old woman to simply accept they all did well before leaving them behind.
Lind glanced between her and Bodo only to confirm he was likely her mother or so other relative.
"Let's get everyone back to the city." Misham nodded at his words before he roared and beca a massive walrus! The kids quickly ran to him and hopped on board as the older shadow seals did the sa.
Lind collected Karu and they made their way back but he noticed how Misham was not just a leader of the hostages but highly respected by the locals. He suspected he was actually in charge of the whole cove!
The trip back took more than half a day as they were not rushing things but the closer they got the louder the cheers.
More people stread out of the imposing wooden gate. The power from that gate was no less than grade 8!
Lind used so skills to reduce his presence slowly until he pulled Karu out of the ss as well. It beca bright chaos very quickly.
He floated up and re-entered the city. The previously distraught feelings of the city were gone and a jubilant one now rose in it but he pulled back.
"Senior, what is–" Karu froze as he nearly collapsed. He had pushed himself well beyond his limits and only his draconic stamina had kept him going. The sheer power needed to break the artifacts inscriptions was almost beyond him, never mind the constant use of his Art.
It was only now, in an extended battle, that he grasped how little efficiency he had with it combined with his Mystery energy.
He had few injuries thanks to both his regeneration and Life Layer flowing through his ridians but he still needed rest badly.
They quickly found an inn but the proprietor was out. Lind casually dropped a bag with enough Qi stones and crystals to cover any ti he felt like asking for while taking 2 jade tokens.
They imprinted them and found the rooms they matched to before he collapsed.
He could not even cultivate, he was so drained!
Lind recalled the battles and knew his ambush tactics were a short term solution. He needed to both get stronger and get more experience. His seclusion for the last few centuries had let him advance but he had crap control of everything.
Even the brief battles from the invaders had only been won mostly by wit not strength. He had tricked them or revealed their position to the King Kraken as he could not see well above the Void Ocean.
Lind had no pills nor elixirs to help him recover either. He had to simply let his body naturally absorb the energies around him and hope the owner did not mind his brazen claims on rooms!
As darkness closed in, Lind felt like he had forgotten sothing but could not be bothered to rember it.
????????
A mountain hidden by illusions and darkness was littered with cultivation caves. There were no grand resources nor trade, however, to supply those that lived there. Ash gray skin, white hair and disturbing beauty marked their numbers.
In several caves, however, screams had recently resounded and erald light had flared before going out.
The leaders there knew the source if not the cause. ssages flew and the Fiends slowly narrowed in on Lind Frey. They would find him and they would refine him for the Great One no matter what!
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