Chapter 717
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Chapter 717
Works DONNNNEEEEEEEEEEE!
Emerging from the closed bathing area with a victorious cry, my sweet wifey skips across the garden in a vision of pure delight. Without any need for Aura or treats, her charming presence alone is enough to entice the roving quins and thieving rabbits to follow her away, trailing behind her in a convoy of adorable floofiness. Culminating her short jaunt with a hop into my open arms, Lin-Lin hugs me ever so tightly and exclaims, Lets play, ya?!
Her eager smile and wide-eyed anticipation are made all the more adorable when paired with Blackjacks eager dance of excitement, pitter-pattering his front paws in between Lin-Lins hare ears while swinging his head side to side. Lifting her off the ground and twirling her about, I Cloud-Step ever so lightly and leap twice my height off the ground, before Lightening enough to almost drift back down to earth. Even this minor effort is enough to put a strain on my Chi system and leave me light-headed with exertion, but its totally worth it to see the look of glee on my sweet wifeys adorable face, to say nothing of sweet Blackjacks unmitigated delight. Sounds like a plan, I reply, my grin mirroring hers as we land lightly back on the ground, with so many adorable animals circling us in excitement. Reluctant as I am to release my hold on her slim, soft waist, I cant really carry her like this and walk around at the same time, so I turn around and offer my back for her to climb on. Dainty thighs are nice to hold too, and I resist the urge to squeeze too much or roam anywhere untowards as I bid farewell to Taduk before heading out of the grove with Mila, Song, and the floofs in tow.
Though I intended to leave Yan to meditate Insights, our quiet passing is enough to interrupt her trance without repercussion, and she greets us all with a smile. Hopping to her feet without so much as a word, she falls in line behind us like a graceful dancer gliding through a practiced routine, her steps weightless and bouncy as if walking on air. Our little discussion has left her in high spirits as she lifts Banjo into her arms, cradling the sizable bear like a baby in her arms before lowering him to the ground to entice three rabbits to hitch a ride on his belly. As our eyes meet, she flashes me an impish grin of smug satisfaction and smouldering passion hinting at a later reward for my help, one I look forward to with eager anticipation, but our salacious endeavours will have to wait until later as I can hardly abandon Lin-Lin after three hours of hard work.
While three hours of effort each day isnt a lot, for my fun-loving, free-spirited wifey, three hours might as well be three days. In her defence, theres a lot to pay attention to when conducting the Body Tempering baths, as it takes a lot of focus and on the fly calculation to ensure the concentration of Heavenly Energy stays at optimal levels for Body Tempering. Too much is just as bad as too little, but the requisite amount can change from minute to minute as the beneficiary of the bath acclimates to the process. Taduk tried explaining how he senses the flow of Heavenly Energy being drawn into the recipients Core, but as far as I can tell from his descriptions, its mostly intuition. Unlike with Demonstrating Purity, I can sense no palpable change in the ambient flow of Heavenly Energy, which is largely indistinguishable unless theres a disturbance taking place. Instead, Taduk is able to hone in on an individual's metaphysical circulatory system using his Divine Sense, which is what Ive taken to calling that ineffable awareness that comes from having a Core and years of experience with Chi and Heavenly Energy.
Unless youre a hidden dragon like Lin-Lin, who can somehow also utilize her Divine Sense despite her complete and utter lack of training and hard work. People call me the Mothers Chosen Son because of my talents, but there are times when it feels like everyone around me is more talented than I. I have bursts of greatness, but its unreliable at best, though I have gotten better as of late. Putting aside the things I dont understand, the skills I can utilize 100% of the time put me somewhere around Peak Expert levels of strength, though I lack the comprehension required to call myself one just yet.
Which, to be fair, is none too shabby an accomplishment if I do say so myself.
Stopping at the nearby district to pick up my sister and her beautiful family, we all head out to the river for an afternoon picnic, with refreshing tea and scrumptious snacks prepared for us all by Tali and Charok. Rakky, the bears, and the quins paddle about in the river, with the pups having a grand old time teasing the slower, clumsier tiger and climbing all over him in the process. As we take a seat by the bank to watch the show, Tali shoos the rabbits and Ping Ping aside before plopping herself down in the dirt beside me. Hauling her hefty basket into her lap, she puffs hard to get her bangs out of her eyes while carefully uncovering the goods hidden inside. I made scallion pancakes Rainy, she begins, pulling a steamer out for me to take while her braids dance in the spring wind. Start with those first, ya?
Thank you sweetling. Inwardly laughing at her grave expression, I resist the urge to tease her by taking my time to appreciate the animal antics and instead dive right in. Little Tali has been hard at work perfecting her cooking skills ever since I accidentally let slip that she succeeded in cooking Spiritual Dumplings, a secret everyone else was keeping from her so as not to skew her expectations and set her up for disappointment. If she were able to naturally figure out the process on her own, then all would be well, but if she set herself on this Path and failed to find success just like so many others before her, then it would have been tragic indeed. Luckily, I made up for my gaffe by leaning on my Brotherhood contacts and convincing one of the monks to teach Tali, as it was clear from my time at the monastery that they knew how to prepare and cook Spiritual Plants for proper consumption. The head chef, a portly, Fire-Blessed man with cheeks so wide they sometimes cover his eyes, took an interest in the matter when he heard Tali already succeeded at cooking with Spiritual Plants once before, and has since been giving her lessons each and every day. From our brief exchanges, its clear the head chef hopes Tali will one day lead the charge to establish the Sisterhood, the female counterpart of their organization which I so rightly criticized them for not having.
Exciting as all this might be, I really hope thats not what life has in store for Tali. Being a nun doesnt seem all that suitable for my carefree little niece, though it does have the added benefit of ensuring that none of the horrible men out there will ever lay their hands on her. Men are the worst. I should know, Im one of the worst of the worst when it comes to being a man. Or is it Im the best at being the worst? I dunno.
Biting into the delectable treat, I revel in the aromatic zing of the scallions mixed with the crunch of the crispy fried pancake, which is nothing like the light, fluffy, syrup lathered breakfast treats of memory. Rather than sweet, these are a savoury snack made of lightly salted, non-rising dough, and Tali has mastered the art of frying them to perfection. Delicious, I exclaim, shoving the rest of my piece into my mouth before holding one out to my wifey, who chomps down without hesitation. Sharing with my beloved wives is fine, but Tali will pout and glower if I share any with the animals, because it takes a fair amount of effort and exertion to cook with Spiritual Plants, not to mention the distinct lack of ingredients now that most of Taduks efforts are focused on growing the plants needed for the Body Tempering baths. Hugging her tight as thanks for all her hard work, I bask in the warm pride of knowing shes found her Path and the minuscule part in which I played. Thanks so much Tali. You make the best scallion pancakes.
Beaming at the praise, sweet Tali urges me to hurry up and finish so she can bring out the next dish, which plays right into my plan to have her begrudgingly allow others to help me clear my plate. Its not that I dont appreciate her hard work, but considering Ive already Refined my body into a Spiritual Heart, these Spiritual dishes are wasted on me. Mila, Yan, Lin-Lin, Song, and Tate would all benefit more from this, especially my rambunctious and too-serious little nephew who is now a full centimetre shorter than his happy-go-lucky sister. Poor little guy, he works so hard and trains all the time, but Tali still beats him in almost every measurable metric when it comes to the Martial Path. Doesnt matter though, because as long as Tate keeps it up, hell catch up in no time flat before leaving slacker Tali behind in the dust.
Unless Tali turns out to be a second Lin-Lin of course, though I dont think thats likely.
As we eat and enjoy our meal with Tali making sure I get all the good stuff, I idly wonder if I can become a Spiritual Chef too. The process is probably somewhat similar to creating Chi Tea, though Tali doesnt steep in the food she serves us. Instead, during the cooking process, Tali infuses her Chi into the meal, delivered through her strong emotions and driven by resolute Will to transform the Heavenly Energy within the Spiritual Plants into something that anyone can absorb through eating. This is only possible because her faith in the Spiritual Plants and desire to help me recover is so strong it somehow allowed her to miraculously succeed at this Spiritual Cooking, with the Energy of the Heavens driven to fulfill her Intent, in the same, autonomous manner wherein regular commoners regrow their teeth. Its even more impressive when you take into account that not only has she succeeded several times since, this is also technically a form of External use of Chi. Granted, most of the power required for the transformation process comes from the Spiritual Plants themselves, as well as the heat of the cooking fire, meaning Talis Chi expenditure is next to nothing, but its not nothing, which is something. Ten years old and already so far along the Dao, I could not be any prouder.
According to Monk Happy and the other monks Ive talked to, one benefit of eating properly cooked Spiritual Plants is that it helps with Core Formation, the same as Taduks Body Tempering baths. While both are currently limited by ingredients, this is something we can solve, unlike the latters need for an experienced Healer to supervise the process. Though Pong Pongs poop can only sustain so many plants, I now know that its possible to grow Spiritual Plants using human corpses as fertilizer, information which is considered a closely guarded secret of the Imperial Clan. Id love to know if animal corpses would work too. I assume not, since were not in the habit of cremating animals, though I would love to know why. Probably has something to do with why Spiritual Beasts turn into humans too, but thats neither here nor there. Even though using corpses to grow Spiritual Plants takes longer than using Divine Beast poop and is akin to regular farming, its probably more sustainable since I cant imagine there are too many of Pong Pongs peers lurking about who are willing to trade poop for food. Theres a process to making the good fertilizer that Ping Ping doesnt understand, as her droppings are far less effective than her tiny cousin. That being said, even if I could convince the outer provinces to stop cremating their dead, I doubt the Emperor would just sit idly by while I spread the secrets to the Imperial Clans success.
Sooner or later, Im going to have to do something about the Emperor and the Five Supreme Families supporting him. Their efforts to stymie development and progress of the human race is stupid and short-sighted, a means to keep the outer provinces under their boot by holding onto the secrets of power. Much as I would love to share the secrets of Spiritual Plants with anyone who will listen, doing so would put me firmly at odds with the Emperor as it would abolish their monopoly on Martial power. Granted, the outer provinces would likely be on my side once they realize they can even the playing field against the Imperial Clan, but Im not keen on leading the outer provinces in bloody revolution. Unfortunately, I believe conflict is inevitable given the goals I have set for myself, namely righting the balance of power in the world and helping the many stand against the few.
Regardless of the cost, I am now resolved to change this world for the better, even if I have to lead a damned rebellion to do it.
Idly glancing at the Death Corps guards patrolling the perimeter, Im reminded of yet another reason why the Emperor wont like my meddling, because I also would like to tell the world that shattering a Martial Warriors Core will free them of all Oaths. This world is built on slavery, of both the mundane and Oath-bound variety, but the latter is far more insidious and absolute, which makes it all the more heinous a crime. With easy access to Spiritual Food or Body Tempering baths, the practice of enslaving Martial Warriors through Oaths might well become a thing of the past, or at least offer hope to the hopeless once they learn that a cure exists.
Though I want nothing more than to scream this secret from the rooftops, weve kept quiet about the connection between Core shattering and Oath breaking except to tell Grandpa Du and Kyung, because we cant risk upsetting the Imperial Clan, not while we still need their financial support. That being said, Im hopefully optimistic that an alternative solution might exist, one in the form of Impartation of Heavenly Energy. During my brief bout with limited omniscience, I remember noting how my Natal Souls were able to identify and mend the imperfections in the souls of my Irregulars, thereby allowing them to Form their Cores on the spot and become Martial Warriors in truth. My Natal Souls were also able to patch the Cores of seasoned Martial Warriors allowing them to progress by leaps and bounds, which leads me to believe that I might be able to remove a slave Oath without having to shatter their Core.
Why is this important? Well, the obvious benefits of creating Martial Warriors aside, one important detail to note is that Death Corps dont have Spiritual Weapons. The ones I thought had them were simply using Domain Plating to mimic a Spiritual Weapon, which is another kettle of fish altogether, but given how the easiest way to shatter a Core is to break their Spiritual Weapon, wed be hard pressed to free even a single Death Corps guard from their Oaths. However, if I can figure out a way to break Oaths while keeping Cores and Spiritual Weapons intact, then I could free hundreds, if not thousands of slaves in a day, all at the cost of my Natal Souls, a resource I have a theoretically infinite supply of so long as Spectres and Demons exist. The Imperial Clan holds power through the superiority of their Martial Warriors, but numerically, theyre outnumbered by the outer provinces the same way were outnumbered by the Defiled, so the balance of power will undoubtedly change in my favour if I can figure out this whole Impartation business.
The biggest issue is I am sorely lacking for time. Whether it be Spiritual Cooking, Body Tempering, Oath Breaking, or Impartation inspired Core Formation, it all requires time and training to take effect, but my enemies will not sit around and wait until I am ready. Now that my personal strength and the destructive power of Runic Cannons have been revealed, I cannot imagine a world in which Zhen Shi and the Azure Emperor will sit idly by and allow me to grow unchecked, and I fear a reckoning is soon to come. Theres nothing to say about Zhen Shi, but if the Emperor comes bearing unreasonable demands, then I will stand fast against him, because I will not be chained by any Oath, not ever again. Difficult to fight a war on two fronts, but heres hoping the Emperor waits until after the Defiled threat is taken care of before acting on his avarice, though its difficult to predict a man who had has taken no direct action against me just yet. That being said, if we were ever to come into conflict, possessing the means to free the Death Corps guards from their Oaths en masse would be a great way to pull the rug out from under the Imperial Clan, assuming the Death Corps arent also brainwashed and utterly loyal to the Emperor, even without their Oaths.
Damn me, he exclaims, returning my salute with one of his own. Thought I had you there, but didnt expect you to turn on me like that.
You almost did. Grinning hard enough to strain my cheeks, I clap him on the shoulder and marvel at how far hes come in so short a time. Your offensive was near flawless, and if I hadnt seen that opening then and there, you might well have won. The little flourish you do every time you feint is clever and distracting, but you only ever use it as a feint. Mix in a little flourish on some of your real thrusts and youll really throw your opponents for a loop.
Eyes wide with surprise, Rustram steps back and delivers a rotating thrust at empty air, trying it out for himself. Its as simple as rotating his wrist as he drives his blade home, which will affect his aim, but that only matters against opponents in Runic armour. So long as the tip is pointed towards centre mass, he can hardly miss his target, as the little circles he draws in the air are barely more than a centimetre in diameter, maybe twice that once you account for the flexibility of his rapier. Im proud of his accomplishments, this second-in-command of mine, now a Domain-capable Expert of the Empire who stands upon the threshold of the Martial Peak. Though he is still a ways away from calling himself a Peak Expert, hes ready to begin tackling this penultimate hurdle of the Martial Path at an age when most of his peers are still shoring up their foundations. Much of this has to do with Moms gruelling training methods, but to say I had no part in his progress would be a lie. When I helped him Develop his Domain, I catapulted him forward along the Martial Path, but since then, hes made great strides all by himself. Unlike me, hes able to grasp his Insights and make use of them freely, and now, he is indisputably the strongest Warrior of my retinue under Peak Expert.
Once hes got the hang of his new rotating thrust and Ive recovered enough to not have to work at looking calm and collected, we go for a second round during which the mindset of water comes more easily to me. I dont have to block, parry, or Deflect every attack, as I can just allow some to flow past me uninterrupted, but the instinct to avoid danger is sometimes too strong to overcome. This becomes even more apparent as I switch partners with Yan to spar with Song, as her attacks are every bit as fast as Rustrams, yet contain far more power behind them. Though lacking a Domain, Song is a more formidable opponent than Rustram when it comes to these Chi-less spars due to her superior speed and strength, and she is far less adept at limiting herself than my second-in-command. Even overlooking how she sometimes utilizes Chi skills without really meaning to, her true strength comes as something of a surprise until I realize she was previously always holding back against me whenever we sparred. Not because she was going easy on me, but because her Oaths would never have allowed her to go full-throttle, but now she is no longer handicapped when we fight and I am struggling to keep up.
My new mindset of becoming water helps me scrape by and emerge victorious by the narrowest of margins, one a bees dick would have trouble slipping in between, but a victory nonetheless. Sharing my thoughts on her fighting style earns me a stoic, stony-faced nod, but also a warm and gracious Aura of gratitude and respect. Her love for me is not romantic in nature, but rather built upon a foundation of trust and respect, so while it was what woke me from my latest coma, Im desperately fighting to keep my expectations in check. Song is my friend and Martial Aunt, a woman I should love and cherish like a sister, nothing more, nothing less.
I mean cmon man. Keeping two wives satisfied is already exhausting enough, and soon youll have Lin-Lin too, and while she might not be the most physically active woman around, my sweet wifey is not one to exercise restraint when it comes to things she enjoys. I sense many exhausting and exhilarating nights ahead with our wedding just over the horizon, the date set once this round of Body Tempering baths are done and we head back to the Central Citadel for the festivities, so I should probably stop being greedy and focus on the women in my life who were gracious enough to marry a schmuck like me.
Yan, Chey, Dastan, Lang Yi, Wang Bao, Ulfsaar, Neera, Sai Chou, Ravil, Siyar, Jorani, and other familiar faces come out to spar with me, and though I am able to defeat each and every one of them, victory does not come easily. The Warriors of my retinue benefited much from my brief bout with limited omniscience as my Natal Souls focused on the people I knew and cared about first, over strangers Id never met. Bulat especially, who has shed all his excess flab after months of gruelling training to transform into a burly, heavy-set Warrior whose nimble movements and deceptive cunning augment his prodigious strength well, a combination which makes for a difficult foe. Yan aside, these men and women form the backbone of my retinue, the most trusted Warriors under my command and people who I am proud to fight beside, so its high time they received the recognition they deserve.
At the end of our sparring, I gather the entire retinue to bear witness to a round of past-due promotions, and there are plenty of cheers and merriment to accompany the announcement. Sai Chou, Lang Yi, Chey, Wang Bao, and Ulfsaar each receive a promotion to thousand-man commander, equivalent to a Senior Captain without the obligations of military service. Ravil, Siyar, Neera, Lang Er, and many others are also promoted to hundred-man commanders, or Captain equivalents. Though not as adept in battlefield command as I would like, I promote Jorani to the equivalent of a Major and my second-in-command, while keeping Bulat and Silva at his side to help him with the transition. As for Mister Rustram, Mom will throw a fit if I keep her Disciple in obscurity beneath me, so I promote him to a Major in the Imperial Defence forces under the Sentinels and present him with command of the Stormguard as his own personal retinue.
Once the celebrations are over and done with, I accompany my former second-in-command out of the Citadel to inspect his new retinue, who have thus far sat fallow and waiting as they trained under Akanais guidance. As we arrive at their training camp, the Stormguard file out to greet us, standing at full attention in neat and tidy formation without the need for any officers to browbeat them into line. Though theyve only been Martial Warriors for less than a full year, I have never seen more disciplined soldiers outside the Death Corps guards. Unlike the black-armoured Oath-bound Warriors however, the Stormguard are filled will eager faces and reverent gazes as far as the eye can see, these three-thousand some odd Warriors having somehow come to the conclusion that I was responsible for their unasked for and unexpectedly successful Core Formation.
I mean, theyre not wrong, but they have no proof, yet still they choose to idolize me like a hero out of legend. Cant say I enjoy it as its incredibly unnerving, especially since now I have an obligation to live up to their unrealistic expectations, but those are the pitfalls to command.
After greeting the Stormguard and introducing their new commander, I rest on my laurels and watch Mister Rustram take command. Though I offered him the pick of his officers from my retinue, he only brought Pran, Saluk, Viyan, and Birca with him, as he intends on promoting the majority of his officers from within the ranks of the Stormguards themselves. A fact he makes known before he begins his inspection, which raises their morale to staggering heights. A few months ago, these men and women were mere Irregulars, commoners who were looked down on by every Imperial Soldier in existence, and now, not only were they Martial Warriors in truth, but they also had the opportunity to become Officers themselves. A Junior Officer, but even a mere Lieutenant would have commanded great respect in any of their hometowns, so the chance to become a Captain or even Senior Captain was almost unthinkable, so they give it their all in the ensuing demonstrations.
As they all break into groups and pair off to show off their Martial skills, I note that individually, theres nothing too remarkable about the Stormguards Martial strength, which is to be expected from Warriors who only recently embarked upon the Martial Path. Whats more, these Warriors were much older than average when they Formed their Core and thus lack the lifetime of training most Martial Warriors possess. While Akanai has helped them build the beginnings of a sturdy foundation, its evident that these Stormguards are sorely lacking when it comes to experience, as their duels are largely disappointing to watch. Maybe Im expecting too much from them, but in my defence, I spent a lot of Natal Souls to make this happen and was hoping for an army of super-talented Martial Warriors.
Instead, I got what I should have expected, which is a bunch of peasants with little more than a year of training, and thus can barely manage to hold their weapons without embarrassing themselves.
In light of my disappointment, I stand far enough away from the proceedings so as not to give my thoughts away with Aura, at least not to anyone involved. To be fair, theyve come a long way in so short a time, just not long enough to become the elite fighting force Id hoped theyd be. Then again, theyre still stronger than youd expect from a group of novice Warriors, able to at least hold their own against a Defiled tribesman or three, though theyre solely outmatched by Chosen in heavy Runic Armour, yet another thing I need to study and look into. Reminded of how valuable my time is, I begin making plans to head back to the Citadel and check if Ive received word from OuYang Yuhuan regarding the Defiled Runic Armour I sent her, but then the sparring comes to an end with pitifully few stand-out talents to pick from. However, rather than announce his chosen Officers, Rustram instead has the Stormguard fall back into formation, only to arrange them into different groups of about a hundred men each. Intrigued by this new development, I stick around to watch the first clash between squads and see how they measure up against Imperial Soldiers, though this time I am careful to temper my expectations appropriately.
Only to have them all blown away.
While their individual strength is nothing to write home about, seeing the first two squads fall into formation sends chills down my spine. Standing shoulder to shoulder with almost no room in between, the Stormguard lower their blunted spears and ready to meet their opponents in combat. Rather than charge headlong at one another, they advance in coordinated fashion, moving neither quickly nor slowly as they march forward in lockstep. Though eager to prove themselves, not a single Warrior sets foot out of formation until they are within range, at which point both sides deliver a wave of synchronized thrusts with a single, unified shout. While their strict discipline falls apart in the heat of battle, both squads manage to maintain formation and even begin wrapping around one another in an effort to bring more spears to bear, utilizing tried and true tactics developed by none other than Liu Xuande himself.
It seems like such a basic thing, to fight in formation as part of a unit, but its surprisingly rare to find soldiers capable of doing so without falling apart. Ishin Ken-Shibus retinue is one such example, but he only has a hundred or so exemplary Warriors while the rest are just there to fill in the gaps. The Southern Warriors tend to do well when fighting in groups, but their tactics begin and end with the line formation, which is great for defending a static position, but of limited use out on the open field. The reason its so difficult to train soldiers like this is because Martial Warriors are literally the one percent, the elites of humanity who stand above the rest. As such, pride and ego will inevitably develop, which run counter to what is necessary when fighting in formation. Why join a retinue where youll be treated like some faceless grunt when you can lord over peasants as a City Watchman or Noble Guard? Why give up all your freedom to join the army when you can instead travel the world as a caravan guard or mercenary Warrior? There are far more glorious alternatives to joining the army, so few Martial Warriors would ever care to enlist if soldiers were subjected to the harsh and rigorous training required to fight in tight formation, but the Stormguard are still lacking those ingrained egos. Partially because theyre recently elevated peasants, but also because Akanai has kept them largely isolated from the public and limited their exposure to the adoring masses.
Resulting in this disciplined fighting force before me, ones who are novices in the ways of battle, but well-trained in the ways of war. These Stormguard will set the standard for soldiers moving forward, because with the inclusion of Irregulars and the introduction of the Runic Cannon, gone are the days of the massed melee in which every Warrior fought only for themselves and maybe the people directly beside them. Even the greatest Peak Expert of all time cant overextend on their own anymore, because theyd be targeted by every cannon and crossbow in range the moment the lines of fire are clear. While the Stormguard could benefit from a smattering of Demon Slayers and Peak Experts scattered about their ranks, they will prove to be a formidable fighting force under Rustrams command. With a million soldiers like this, I could break entire armies of berserk Defiled tribesmen with minimal casualties, granting me a force to match the Emperors Death Corps Guards, but alas, the Stormguard only number three-thousand strong.
Still, its better than nothing, which is fast becoming my rallying cry in this War against the Enemy, but for now, I still cling to hope. Falling Rain, eternal optimist, thats the new me.
Ha.
Chapter Meme
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Chapter 717
Works DONNNNEEEEEEEEEEE!
Emerging from the closed bathing area with a victorious cry, my sweet wifey skips across the garden in a vision of pure delight. Without any need for Aura or treats, her charming presence alone is enough to entice the roving quins and thieving rabbits to follow her away, trailing behind her in a convoy of adorable floofiness. Culminating her short jaunt with a hop into my open arms, Lin-Lin hugs me ever so tightly and exclaims, Lets play, ya?!
Her eager smile and wide-eyed anticipation are made all the more adorable when paired with Blackjacks eager dance of excitement, pitter-pattering his front paws in between Lin-Lins hare ears while swinging his head side to side. Lifting her off the ground and twirling her about, I Cloud-Step ever so lightly and leap twice my height off the ground, before Lightening enough to almost drift back down to earth. Even this minor effort is enough to put a strain on my Chi system and leave me light-headed with exertion, but its totally worth it to see the look of glee on my sweet wifeys adorable face, to say nothing of sweet Blackjacks unmitigated delight. Sounds like a plan, I reply, my grin mirroring hers as we land lightly back on the ground, with so many adorable animals circling us in excitement. Reluctant as I am to release my hold on her slim, soft waist, I cant really carry her like this and walk around at the same time, so I turn around and offer my back for her to climb on. Dainty thighs are nice to hold too, and I resist the urge to squeeze too much or roam anywhere untowards as I bid farewell to Taduk before heading out of the grove with Mila, Song, and the floofs in tow.
Though I intended to leave Yan to meditate Insights, our quiet passing is enough to interrupt her trance without repercussion, and she greets us all with a smile. Hopping to her feet without so much as a word, she falls in line behind us like a graceful dancer gliding through a practiced routine, her steps weightless and bouncy as if walking on air. Our little discussion has left her in high spirits as she lifts Banjo into her arms, cradling the sizable bear like a baby in her arms before lowering him to the ground to entice three rabbits to hitch a ride on his belly. As our eyes meet, she flashes me an impish grin of smug satisfaction and smouldering passion hinting at a later reward for my help, one I look forward to with eager anticipation, but our salacious endeavours will have to wait until later as I can hardly abandon Lin-Lin after three hours of hard work.
While three hours of effort each day isnt a lot, for my fun-loving, free-spirited wifey, three hours might as well be three days. In her defence, theres a lot to pay attention to when conducting the Body Tempering baths, as it takes a lot of focus and on the fly calculation to ensure the concentration of Heavenly Energy stays at optimal levels for Body Tempering. Too much is just as bad as too little, but the requisite amount can change from minute to minute as the beneficiary of the bath acclimates to the process. Taduk tried explaining how he senses the flow of Heavenly Energy being drawn into the recipients Core, but as far as I can tell from his descriptions, its mostly intuition. Unlike with Demonstrating Purity, I can sense no palpable change in the ambient flow of Heavenly Energy, which is largely indistinguishable unless theres a disturbance taking place. Instead, Taduk is able to hone in on an individual's metaphysical circulatory system using his Divine Sense, which is what Ive taken to calling that ineffable awareness that comes from having a Core and years of experience with Chi and Heavenly Energy.
Unless youre a hidden dragon like Lin-Lin, who can somehow also utilize her Divine Sense despite her complete and utter lack of training and hard work. People call me the Mothers Chosen Son because of my talents, but there are times when it feels like everyone around me is more talented than I. I have bursts of greatness, but its unreliable at best, though I have gotten better as of late. Putting aside the things I dont understand, the skills I can utilize 100% of the time put me somewhere around Peak Expert levels of strength, though I lack the comprehension required to call myself one just yet.
Which, to be fair, is none too shabby an accomplishment if I do say so myself.
Stopping at the nearby district to pick up my sister and her beautiful family, we all head out to the river for an afternoon picnic, with refreshing tea and scrumptious snacks prepared for us all by Tali and Charok. Rakky, the bears, and the quins paddle about in the river, with the pups having a grand old time teasing the slower, clumsier tiger and climbing all over him in the process. As we take a seat by the bank to watch the show, Tali shoos the rabbits and Ping Ping aside before plopping herself down in the dirt beside me. Hauling her hefty basket into her lap, she puffs hard to get her bangs out of her eyes while carefully uncovering the goods hidden inside. I made scallion pancakes Rainy, she begins, pulling a steamer out for me to take while her braids dance in the spring wind. Start with those first, ya?
Thank you sweetling. Inwardly laughing at her grave expression, I resist the urge to tease her by taking my time to appreciate the animal antics and instead dive right in. Little Tali has been hard at work perfecting her cooking skills ever since I accidentally let slip that she succeeded in cooking Spiritual Dumplings, a secret everyone else was keeping from her so as not to skew her expectations and set her up for disappointment. If she were able to naturally figure out the process on her own, then all would be well, but if she set herself on this Path and failed to find success just like so many others before her, then it would have been tragic indeed. Luckily, I made up for my gaffe by leaning on my Brotherhood contacts and convincing one of the monks to teach Tali, as it was clear from my time at the monastery that they knew how to prepare and cook Spiritual Plants for proper consumption. The head chef, a portly, Fire-Blessed man with cheeks so wide they sometimes cover his eyes, took an interest in the matter when he heard Tali already succeeded at cooking with Spiritual Plants once before, and has since been giving her lessons each and every day. From our brief exchanges, its clear the head chef hopes Tali will one day lead the charge to establish the Sisterhood, the female counterpart of their organization which I so rightly criticized them for not having.
Exciting as all this might be, I really hope thats not what life has in store for Tali. Being a nun doesnt seem all that suitable for my carefree little niece, though it does have the added benefit of ensuring that none of the horrible men out there will ever lay their hands on her. Men are the worst. I should know, Im one of the worst of the worst when it comes to being a man. Or is it Im the best at being the worst? I dunno.
Biting into the delectable treat, I revel in the aromatic zing of the scallions mixed with the crunch of the crispy fried pancake, which is nothing like the light, fluffy, syrup lathered breakfast treats of memory. Rather than sweet, these are a savoury snack made of lightly salted, non-rising dough, and Tali has mastered the art of frying them to perfection. Delicious, I exclaim, shoving the rest of my piece into my mouth before holding one out to my wifey, who chomps down without hesitation. Sharing with my beloved wives is fine, but Tali will pout and glower if I share any with the animals, because it takes a fair amount of effort and exertion to cook with Spiritual Plants, not to mention the distinct lack of ingredients now that most of Taduks efforts are focused on growing the plants needed for the Body Tempering baths. Hugging her tight as thanks for all her hard work, I bask in the warm pride of knowing shes found her Path and the minuscule part in which I played. Thanks so much Tali. You make the best scallion pancakes.
Beaming at the praise, sweet Tali urges me to hurry up and finish so she can bring out the next dish, which plays right into my plan to have her begrudgingly allow others to help me clear my plate. Its not that I dont appreciate her hard work, but considering Ive already Refined my body into a Spiritual Heart, these Spiritual dishes are wasted on me. Mila, Yan, Lin-Lin, Song, and Tate would all benefit more from this, especially my rambunctious and too-serious little nephew who is now a full centimetre shorter than his happy-go-lucky sister. Poor little guy, he works so hard and trains all the time, but Tali still beats him in almost every measurable metric when it comes to the Martial Path. Doesnt matter though, because as long as Tate keeps it up, hell catch up in no time flat before leaving slacker Tali behind in the dust.
Unless Tali turns out to be a second Lin-Lin of course, though I dont think thats likely.
As we eat and enjoy our meal with Tali making sure I get all the good stuff, I idly wonder if I can become a Spiritual Chef too. The process is probably somewhat similar to creating Chi Tea, though Tali doesnt steep in the food she serves us. Instead, during the cooking process, Tali infuses her Chi into the meal, delivered through her strong emotions and driven by resolute Will to transform the Heavenly Energy within the Spiritual Plants into something that anyone can absorb through eating. This is only possible because her faith in the Spiritual Plants and desire to help me recover is so strong it somehow allowed her to miraculously succeed at this Spiritual Cooking, with the Energy of the Heavens driven to fulfill her Intent, in the same, autonomous manner wherein regular commoners regrow their teeth. Its even more impressive when you take into account that not only has she succeeded several times since, this is also technically a form of External use of Chi. Granted, most of the power required for the transformation process comes from the Spiritual Plants themselves, as well as the heat of the cooking fire, meaning Talis Chi expenditure is next to nothing, but its not nothing, which is something. Ten years old and already so far along the Dao, I could not be any prouder.
According to Monk Happy and the other monks Ive talked to, one benefit of eating properly cooked Spiritual Plants is that it helps with Core Formation, the same as Taduks Body Tempering baths. While both are currently limited by ingredients, this is something we can solve, unlike the latters need for an experienced Healer to supervise the process. Though Pong Pongs poop can only sustain so many plants, I now know that its possible to grow Spiritual Plants using human corpses as fertilizer, information which is considered a closely guarded secret of the Imperial Clan. Id love to know if animal corpses would work too. I assume not, since were not in the habit of cremating animals, though I would love to know why. Probably has something to do with why Spiritual Beasts turn into humans too, but thats neither here nor there. Even though using corpses to grow Spiritual Plants takes longer than using Divine Beast poop and is akin to regular farming, its probably more sustainable since I cant imagine there are too many of Pong Pongs peers lurking about who are willing to trade poop for food. Theres a process to making the good fertilizer that Ping Ping doesnt understand, as her droppings are far less effective than her tiny cousin. That being said, even if I could convince the outer provinces to stop cremating their dead, I doubt the Emperor would just sit idly by while I spread the secrets to the Imperial Clans success.
Sooner or later, Im going to have to do something about the Emperor and the Five Supreme Families supporting him. Their efforts to stymie development and progress of the human race is stupid and short-sighted, a means to keep the outer provinces under their boot by holding onto the secrets of power. Much as I would love to share the secrets of Spiritual Plants with anyone who will listen, doing so would put me firmly at odds with the Emperor as it would abolish their monopoly on Martial power. Granted, the outer provinces would likely be on my side once they realize they can even the playing field against the Imperial Clan, but Im not keen on leading the outer provinces in bloody revolution. Unfortunately, I believe conflict is inevitable given the goals I have set for myself, namely righting the balance of power in the world and helping the many stand against the few.
Regardless of the cost, I am now resolved to change this world for the better, even if I have to lead a damned rebellion to do it.
Idly glancing at the Death Corps guards patrolling the perimeter, Im reminded of yet another reason why the Emperor wont like my meddling, because I also would like to tell the world that shattering a Martial Warriors Core will free them of all Oaths. This world is built on slavery, of both the mundane and Oath-bound variety, but the latter is far more insidious and absolute, which makes it all the more heinous a crime. With easy access to Spiritual Food or Body Tempering baths, the practice of enslaving Martial Warriors through Oaths might well become a thing of the past, or at least offer hope to the hopeless once they learn that a cure exists.
Though I want nothing more than to scream this secret from the rooftops, weve kept quiet about the connection between Core shattering and Oath breaking except to tell Grandpa Du and Kyung, because we cant risk upsetting the Imperial Clan, not while we still need their financial support. That being said, Im hopefully optimistic that an alternative solution might exist, one in the form of Impartation of Heavenly Energy. During my brief bout with limited omniscience, I remember noting how my Natal Souls were able to identify and mend the imperfections in the souls of my Irregulars, thereby allowing them to Form their Cores on the spot and become Martial Warriors in truth. My Natal Souls were also able to patch the Cores of seasoned Martial Warriors allowing them to progress by leaps and bounds, which leads me to believe that I might be able to remove a slave Oath without having to shatter their Core.
Why is this important? Well, the obvious benefits of creating Martial Warriors aside, one important detail to note is that Death Corps dont have Spiritual Weapons. The ones I thought had them were simply using Domain Plating to mimic a Spiritual Weapon, which is another kettle of fish altogether, but given how the easiest way to shatter a Core is to break their Spiritual Weapon, wed be hard pressed to free even a single Death Corps guard from their Oaths. However, if I can figure out a way to break Oaths while keeping Cores and Spiritual Weapons intact, then I could free hundreds, if not thousands of slaves in a day, all at the cost of my Natal Souls, a resource I have a theoretically infinite supply of so long as Spectres and Demons exist. The Imperial Clan holds power through the superiority of their Martial Warriors, but numerically, theyre outnumbered by the outer provinces the same way were outnumbered by the Defiled, so the balance of power will undoubtedly change in my favour if I can figure out this whole Impartation business.
The biggest issue is I am sorely lacking for time. Whether it be Spiritual Cooking, Body Tempering, Oath Breaking, or Impartation inspired Core Formation, it all requires time and training to take effect, but my enemies will not sit around and wait until I am ready. Now that my personal strength and the destructive power of Runic Cannons have been revealed, I cannot imagine a world in which Zhen Shi and the Azure Emperor will sit idly by and allow me to grow unchecked, and I fear a reckoning is soon to come. Theres nothing to say about Zhen Shi, but if the Emperor comes bearing unreasonable demands, then I will stand fast against him, because I will not be chained by any Oath, not ever again. Difficult to fight a war on two fronts, but heres hoping the Emperor waits until after the Defiled threat is taken care of before acting on his avarice, though its difficult to predict a man who had has taken no direct action against me just yet. That being said, if we were ever to come into conflict, possessing the means to free the Death Corps guards from their Oaths en masse would be a great way to pull the rug out from under the Imperial Clan, assuming the Death Corps arent also brainwashed and utterly loyal to the Emperor, even without their Oaths.
Damn me, he exclaims, returning my salute with one of his own. Thought I had you there, but didnt expect you to turn on me like that.
You almost did. Grinning hard enough to strain my cheeks, I clap him on the shoulder and marvel at how far hes come in so short a time. Your offensive was near flawless, and if I hadnt seen that opening then and there, you might well have won. The little flourish you do every time you feint is clever and distracting, but you only ever use it as a feint. Mix in a little flourish on some of your real thrusts and youll really throw your opponents for a loop.
Eyes wide with surprise, Rustram steps back and delivers a rotating thrust at empty air, trying it out for himself. Its as simple as rotating his wrist as he drives his blade home, which will affect his aim, but that only matters against opponents in Runic armour. So long as the tip is pointed towards centre mass, he can hardly miss his target, as the little circles he draws in the air are barely more than a centimetre in diameter, maybe twice that once you account for the flexibility of his rapier. Im proud of his accomplishments, this second-in-command of mine, now a Domain-capable Expert of the Empire who stands upon the threshold of the Martial Peak. Though he is still a ways away from calling himself a Peak Expert, hes ready to begin tackling this penultimate hurdle of the Martial Path at an age when most of his peers are still shoring up their foundations. Much of this has to do with Moms gruelling training methods, but to say I had no part in his progress would be a lie. When I helped him Develop his Domain, I catapulted him forward along the Martial Path, but since then, hes made great strides all by himself. Unlike me, hes able to grasp his Insights and make use of them freely, and now, he is indisputably the strongest Warrior of my retinue under Peak Expert.
Once hes got the hang of his new rotating thrust and Ive recovered enough to not have to work at looking calm and collected, we go for a second round during which the mindset of water comes more easily to me. I dont have to block, parry, or Deflect every attack, as I can just allow some to flow past me uninterrupted, but the instinct to avoid danger is sometimes too strong to overcome. This becomes even more apparent as I switch partners with Yan to spar with Song, as her attacks are every bit as fast as Rustrams, yet contain far more power behind them. Though lacking a Domain, Song is a more formidable opponent than Rustram when it comes to these Chi-less spars due to her superior speed and strength, and she is far less adept at limiting herself than my second-in-command. Even overlooking how she sometimes utilizes Chi skills without really meaning to, her true strength comes as something of a surprise until I realize she was previously always holding back against me whenever we sparred. Not because she was going easy on me, but because her Oaths would never have allowed her to go full-throttle, but now she is no longer handicapped when we fight and I am struggling to keep up.
My new mindset of becoming water helps me scrape by and emerge victorious by the narrowest of margins, one a bees dick would have trouble slipping in between, but a victory nonetheless. Sharing my thoughts on her fighting style earns me a stoic, stony-faced nod, but also a warm and gracious Aura of gratitude and respect. Her love for me is not romantic in nature, but rather built upon a foundation of trust and respect, so while it was what woke me from my latest coma, Im desperately fighting to keep my expectations in check. Song is my friend and Martial Aunt, a woman I should love and cherish like a sister, nothing more, nothing less.
I mean cmon man. Keeping two wives satisfied is already exhausting enough, and soon youll have Lin-Lin too, and while she might not be the most physically active woman around, my sweet wifey is not one to exercise restraint when it comes to things she enjoys. I sense many exhausting and exhilarating nights ahead with our wedding just over the horizon, the date set once this round of Body Tempering baths are done and we head back to the Central Citadel for the festivities, so I should probably stop being greedy and focus on the women in my life who were gracious enough to marry a schmuck like me.
Yan, Chey, Dastan, Lang Yi, Wang Bao, Ulfsaar, Neera, Sai Chou, Ravil, Siyar, Jorani, and other familiar faces come out to spar with me, and though I am able to defeat each and every one of them, victory does not come easily. The Warriors of my retinue benefited much from my brief bout with limited omniscience as my Natal Souls focused on the people I knew and cared about first, over strangers Id never met. Bulat especially, who has shed all his excess flab after months of gruelling training to transform into a burly, heavy-set Warrior whose nimble movements and deceptive cunning augment his prodigious strength well, a combination which makes for a difficult foe. Yan aside, these men and women form the backbone of my retinue, the most trusted Warriors under my command and people who I am proud to fight beside, so its high time they received the recognition they deserve.
At the end of our sparring, I gather the entire retinue to bear witness to a round of past-due promotions, and there are plenty of cheers and merriment to accompany the announcement. Sai Chou, Lang Yi, Chey, Wang Bao, and Ulfsaar each receive a promotion to thousand-man commander, equivalent to a Senior Captain without the obligations of military service. Ravil, Siyar, Neera, Lang Er, and many others are also promoted to hundred-man commanders, or Captain equivalents. Though not as adept in battlefield command as I would like, I promote Jorani to the equivalent of a Major and my second-in-command, while keeping Bulat and Silva at his side to help him with the transition. As for Mister Rustram, Mom will throw a fit if I keep her Disciple in obscurity beneath me, so I promote him to a Major in the Imperial Defence forces under the Sentinels and present him with command of the Stormguard as his own personal retinue.
Once the celebrations are over and done with, I accompany my former second-in-command out of the Citadel to inspect his new retinue, who have thus far sat fallow and waiting as they trained under Akanais guidance. As we arrive at their training camp, the Stormguard file out to greet us, standing at full attention in neat and tidy formation without the need for any officers to browbeat them into line. Though theyve only been Martial Warriors for less than a full year, I have never seen more disciplined soldiers outside the Death Corps guards. Unlike the black-armoured Oath-bound Warriors however, the Stormguard are filled will eager faces and reverent gazes as far as the eye can see, these three-thousand some odd Warriors having somehow come to the conclusion that I was responsible for their unasked for and unexpectedly successful Core Formation.
I mean, theyre not wrong, but they have no proof, yet still they choose to idolize me like a hero out of legend. Cant say I enjoy it as its incredibly unnerving, especially since now I have an obligation to live up to their unrealistic expectations, but those are the pitfalls to command.
After greeting the Stormguard and introducing their new commander, I rest on my laurels and watch Mister Rustram take command. Though I offered him the pick of his officers from my retinue, he only brought Pran, Saluk, Viyan, and Birca with him, as he intends on promoting the majority of his officers from within the ranks of the Stormguards themselves. A fact he makes known before he begins his inspection, which raises their morale to staggering heights. A few months ago, these men and women were mere Irregulars, commoners who were looked down on by every Imperial Soldier in existence, and now, not only were they Martial Warriors in truth, but they also had the opportunity to become Officers themselves. A Junior Officer, but even a mere Lieutenant would have commanded great respect in any of their hometowns, so the chance to become a Captain or even Senior Captain was almost unthinkable, so they give it their all in the ensuing demonstrations.
As they all break into groups and pair off to show off their Martial skills, I note that individually, theres nothing too remarkable about the Stormguards Martial strength, which is to be expected from Warriors who only recently embarked upon the Martial Path. Whats more, these Warriors were much older than average when they Formed their Core and thus lack the lifetime of training most Martial Warriors possess. While Akanai has helped them build the beginnings of a sturdy foundation, its evident that these Stormguards are sorely lacking when it comes to experience, as their duels are largely disappointing to watch. Maybe Im expecting too much from them, but in my defence, I spent a lot of Natal Souls to make this happen and was hoping for an army of super-talented Martial Warriors.
Instead, I got what I should have expected, which is a bunch of peasants with little more than a year of training, and thus can barely manage to hold their weapons without embarrassing themselves.
In light of my disappointment, I stand far enough away from the proceedings so as not to give my thoughts away with Aura, at least not to anyone involved. To be fair, theyve come a long way in so short a time, just not long enough to become the elite fighting force Id hoped theyd be. Then again, theyre still stronger than youd expect from a group of novice Warriors, able to at least hold their own against a Defiled tribesman or three, though theyre solely outmatched by Chosen in heavy Runic Armour, yet another thing I need to study and look into. Reminded of how valuable my time is, I begin making plans to head back to the Citadel and check if Ive received word from OuYang Yuhuan regarding the Defiled Runic Armour I sent her, but then the sparring comes to an end with pitifully few stand-out talents to pick from. However, rather than announce his chosen Officers, Rustram instead has the Stormguard fall back into formation, only to arrange them into different groups of about a hundred men each. Intrigued by this new development, I stick around to watch the first clash between squads and see how they measure up against Imperial Soldiers, though this time I am careful to temper my expectations appropriately.
Only to have them all blown away.
While their individual strength is nothing to write home about, seeing the first two squads fall into formation sends chills down my spine. Standing shoulder to shoulder with almost no room in between, the Stormguard lower their blunted spears and ready to meet their opponents in combat. Rather than charge headlong at one another, they advance in coordinated fashion, moving neither quickly nor slowly as they march forward in lockstep. Though eager to prove themselves, not a single Warrior sets foot out of formation until they are within range, at which point both sides deliver a wave of synchronized thrusts with a single, unified shout. While their strict discipline falls apart in the heat of battle, both squads manage to maintain formation and even begin wrapping around one another in an effort to bring more spears to bear, utilizing tried and true tactics developed by none other than Liu Xuande himself.
It seems like such a basic thing, to fight in formation as part of a unit, but its surprisingly rare to find soldiers capable of doing so without falling apart. Ishin Ken-Shibus retinue is one such example, but he only has a hundred or so exemplary Warriors while the rest are just there to fill in the gaps. The Southern Warriors tend to do well when fighting in groups, but their tactics begin and end with the line formation, which is great for defending a static position, but of limited use out on the open field. The reason its so difficult to train soldiers like this is because Martial Warriors are literally the one percent, the elites of humanity who stand above the rest. As such, pride and ego will inevitably develop, which run counter to what is necessary when fighting in formation. Why join a retinue where youll be treated like some faceless grunt when you can lord over peasants as a City Watchman or Noble Guard? Why give up all your freedom to join the army when you can instead travel the world as a caravan guard or mercenary Warrior? There are far more glorious alternatives to joining the army, so few Martial Warriors would ever care to enlist if soldiers were subjected to the harsh and rigorous training required to fight in tight formation, but the Stormguard are still lacking those ingrained egos. Partially because theyre recently elevated peasants, but also because Akanai has kept them largely isolated from the public and limited their exposure to the adoring masses.
Resulting in this disciplined fighting force before me, ones who are novices in the ways of battle, but well-trained in the ways of war. These Stormguard will set the standard for soldiers moving forward, because with the inclusion of Irregulars and the introduction of the Runic Cannon, gone are the days of the massed melee in which every Warrior fought only for themselves and maybe the people directly beside them. Even the greatest Peak Expert of all time cant overextend on their own anymore, because theyd be targeted by every cannon and crossbow in range the moment the lines of fire are clear. While the Stormguard could benefit from a smattering of Demon Slayers and Peak Experts scattered about their ranks, they will prove to be a formidable fighting force under Rustrams command. With a million soldiers like this, I could break entire armies of berserk Defiled tribesmen with minimal casualties, granting me a force to match the Emperors Death Corps Guards, but alas, the Stormguard only number three-thousand strong.
Still, its better than nothing, which is fast becoming my rallying cry in this War against the Enemy, but for now, I still cling to hope. Falling Rain, eternal optimist, thats the new me.
Ha.
Chapter Meme
Chapter 717Works DONNNNEEEEEEEEEEE!Emerging from the closed bathing area with a victorious cry, my sweet wifey skips across the garden in a vision of pure delight. Without any need for Aura or treats, her charming presence alone is enough to entice the roving quins and thieving rabbits to follow her away, trailing behind her in a convoy of adorable floofiness. Culminating her short jaunt with a hop into my open arms, Lin-Lin hugs me ever so tightly and exclaims, Lets play, ya?!Her eager smile and wide-eyed anticipation are made all the more adorable when paired with Blackjacks eager dance of excitement, pitter-pattering his front paws in between Lin-Lins hare ears while swinging his head side to side. Lifting her off the ground and twirling her about, I Cloud-Step ever so lightly and leap twice my height off the ground, before Lightening enough to almost drift back down to earth. Even this minor effort is enough to put a strain on my Chi system and leave me light-headed with exertion, but its totally worth it to see the look of glee on my sweet wifeys adorable face, to say nothing of sweet Blackjacks unmitigated delight. Sounds like a plan, I reply, my grin mirroring hers as we land lightly back on the ground, with so many adorable animals circling us in excitement. Reluctant as I am to release my hold on her slim, soft waist, I cant really carry her like this and walk around at the same time, so I turn around and offer my back for her to climb on. Dainty thighs are nice to hold too, and I resist the urge to squeeze too much or roam anywhere untowards as I bid farewell to Taduk before heading out of the grove with Mila, Song, and the floofs in tow.Though I intended to leave Yan to meditate Insights, our quiet passing is enough to interrupt her trance without repercussion, and she greets us all with a smile. Hopping to her feet without so much as a word, she falls in line behind us like a graceful dancer gliding through a practiced routine, her steps weightless and bouncy as if walking on air. Our little discussion has left her in high spirits as she lifts Banjo into her arms, cradling the sizable bear like a baby in her arms before lowering him to the ground to entice three rabbits to hitch a ride on his belly. As our eyes meet, she flashes me an impish grin of smug satisfaction and smouldering passion hinting at a later reward for my help, one I look forward to with eager anticipation, but our salacious endeavours will have to wait until later as I can hardly abandon Lin-Lin after three hours of hard work.While three hours of effort each day isnt a lot, for my fun-loving, free-spirited wifey, three hours might as well be three days. In her defence, theres a lot to pay attention to when conducting the Body Tempering baths, as it takes a lot of focus and on the fly calculation to ensure the concentration of Heavenly Energy stays at optimal levels for Body Tempering. Too much is just as bad as too little, but the requisite amount can change from minute to minute as the beneficiary of the bath acclimates to the process. Taduk tried explaining how he senses the flow of Heavenly Energy being drawn into the recipients Core, but as far as I can tell from his descriptions, its mostly intuition. Unlike with Demonstrating Purity, I can sense no palpable change in the ambient flow of Heavenly Energy, which is largely indistinguishable unless theres a disturbance taking place. Instead, Taduk is able to hone in on an individual's metaphysical circulatory system using his Divine Sense, which is what Ive taken to calling that ineffable awareness that comes from having a Core and years of experience with Chi and Heavenly Energy.Unless youre a hidden dragon like Lin-Lin, who can somehow also utilize her Divine Sense despite her complete and utter lack of training and hard work. People call me the Mothers Chosen Son because of my talents, but there are times when it feels like everyone around me is more talented than I. I have bursts of greatness, but its unreliable at best, though I have gotten better as of late. Putting aside the things I dont understand, the skills I can utilize 100% of the time put me somewhere around Peak Expert levels of strength, though I lack the comprehension required to call myself one just yet.Which, to be fair, is none too shabby an accomplishment if I do say so myself.Stopping at the nearby district to pick up my sister and her beautiful family, we all head out to the river for an afternoon picnic, with refreshing tea and scrumptious snacks prepared for us all by Tali and Charok. Rakky, the bears, and the quins paddle about in the river, with the pups having a grand old time teasing the slower, clumsier tiger and climbing all over him in the process. As we take a seat by the bank to watch the show, Tali shoos the rabbits and Ping Ping aside before plopping herself down in the dirt beside me. Hauling her hefty basket into her lap, she puffs hard to get her bangs out of her eyes while carefully uncovering the goods hidden inside. I made scallion pancakes Rainy, she begins, pulling a steamer out for me to take while her braids dance in the spring wind. Start with those first, ya?Thank you sweetling. Inwardly laughing at her grave expression, I resist the urge to tease her by taking my time to appreciate the animal antics and instead dive right in. Little Tali has been hard at work perfecting her cooking skills ever since I accidentally let slip that she succeeded in cooking Spiritual Dumplings, a secret everyone else was keeping from her so as not to skew her expectations and set her up for disappointment. If she were able to naturally figure out the process on her own, then all would be well, but if she set herself on this Path and failed to find success just like so many others before her, then it would have been tragic indeed. Luckily, I made up for my gaffe by leaning on my Brotherhood contacts and convincing one of the monks to teach Tali, as it was clear from my time at the monastery that they knew how to prepare and cook Spiritual Plants for proper consumption. The head chef, a portly, Fire-Blessed man with cheeks so wide they sometimes cover his eyes, took an interest in the matter when he heard Tali already succeeded at cooking with Spiritual Plants once before, and has since been giving her lessons each and every day. From our brief exchanges, its clear the head chef hopes Tali will one day lead the charge to establish the Sisterhood, the female counterpart of their organization which I so rightly criticized them for not having.Exciting as all this might be, I really hope thats not what life has in store for Tali. Being a nun doesnt seem all that suitable for my carefree little niece, though it does have the added benefit of ensuring that none of the horrible men out there will ever lay their hands on her. Men are the worst. I should know, Im one of the worst of the worst when it comes to being a man. Or is it Im the best at being the worst? I dunno.Biting into the delectable treat, I revel in the aromatic zing of the scallions mixed with the crunch of the crispy fried pancake, which is nothing like the light, fluffy, syrup lathered breakfast treats of memory. Rather than sweet, these are a savoury snack made of lightly salted, non-rising dough, and Tali has mastered the art of frying them to perfection. Delicious, I exclaim, shoving the rest of my piece into my mouth before holding one out to my wifey, who chomps down without hesitation. Sharing with my beloved wives is fine, but Tali will pout and glower if I share any with the animals, because it takes a fair amount of effort and exertion to cook with Spiritual Plants, not to mention the distinct lack of ingredients now that most of Taduks efforts are focused on growing the plants needed for the Body Tempering baths. Hugging her tight as thanks for all her hard work, I bask in the warm pride of knowing shes found her Path and the minuscule part in which I played. Thanks so much Tali. You make the best scallion pancakes.Beaming at the praise, sweet Tali urges me to hurry up and finish so she can bring out the next dish, which plays right into my plan to have her begrudgingly allow others to help me clear my plate. Its not that I dont appreciate her hard work, but considering Ive already Refined my body into a Spiritual Heart, these Spiritual dishes are wasted on me. Mila, Yan, Lin-Lin, Song, and Tate would all benefit more from this, especially my rambunctious and too-serious little nephew who is now a full centimetre shorter than his happy-go-lucky sister. Poor little guy, he works so hard and trains all the time, but Tali still beats him in almost every measurable metric when it comes to the Martial Path. Doesnt matter though, because as long as Tate keeps it up, hell catch up in no time flat before leaving slacker Tali behind in the dust.Unless Tali turns out to be a second Lin-Lin of course, though I dont think thats likely.As we eat and enjoy our meal with Tali making sure I get all the good stuff, I idly wonder if I can become a Spiritual Chef too. The process is probably somewhat similar to creating Chi Tea, though Tali doesnt steep in the food she serves us. Instead, during the cooking process, Tali infuses her Chi into the meal, delivered through her strong emotions and driven by resolute Will to transform the Heavenly Energy within the Spiritual Plants into something that anyone can absorb through eating. This is only possible because her faith in the Spiritual Plants and desire to help me recover is so strong it somehow allowed her to miraculously succeed at this Spiritual Cooking, with the Energy of the Heavens driven to fulfill her Intent, in the same, autonomous manner wherein regular commoners regrow their teeth. Its even more impressive when you take into account that not only has she succeeded several times since, this is also technically a form of External use of Chi. Granted, most of the power required for the transformation process comes from the Spiritual Plants themselves, as well as the heat of the cooking fire, meaning Talis Chi expenditure is next to nothing, but its not nothing, which is something. Ten years old and already so far along the Dao, I could not be any prouder.According to Monk Happy and the other monks Ive talked to, one benefit of eating properly cooked Spiritual Plants is that it helps with Core Formation, the same as Taduks Body Tempering baths. While both are currently limited by ingredients, this is something we can solve, unlike the latters need for an experienced Healer to supervise the process. Though Pong Pongs poop can only sustain so many plants, I now know that its possible to grow Spiritual Plants using human corpses as fertilizer, information which is considered a closely guarded secret of the Imperial Clan. Id love to know if animal corpses would work too. I assume not, since were not in the habit of cremating animals, though I would love to know why. Probably has something to do with why Spiritual Beasts turn into humans too, but thats neither here nor there. Even though using corpses to grow Spiritual Plants takes longer than using Divine Beast poop and is akin to regular farming, its probably more sustainable since I cant imagine there are too many of Pong Pongs peers lurking about who are willing to trade poop for food. Theres a process to making the good fertilizer that Ping Ping doesnt understand, as her droppings are far less effective than her tiny cousin. That being said, even if I could convince the outer provinces to stop cremating their dead, I doubt the Emperor would just sit idly by while I spread the secrets to the Imperial Clans success.Sooner or later, Im going to have to do something about the Emperor and the Five Supreme Families supporting him. Their efforts to stymie development and progress of the human race is stupid and short-sighted, a means to keep the outer provinces under their boot by holding onto the secrets of power. Much as I would love to share the secrets of Spiritual Plants with anyone who will listen, doing so would put me firmly at odds with the Emperor as it would abolish their monopoly on Martial power. Granted, the outer provinces would likely be on my side once they realize they can even the playing field against the Imperial Clan, but Im not keen on leading the outer provinces in bloody revolution. Unfortunately, I believe conflict is inevitable given the goals I have set for myself, namely righting the balance of power in the world and helping the many stand against the few.Regardless of the cost, I am now resolved to change this world for the better, even if I have to lead a damned rebellion to do it.Idly glancing at the Death Corps guards patrolling the perimeter, Im reminded of yet another reason why the Emperor wont like my meddling, because I also would like to tell the world that shattering a Martial Warriors Core will free them of all Oaths. This world is built on slavery, of both the mundane and Oath-bound variety, but the latter is far more insidious and absolute, which makes it all the more heinous a crime. With easy access to Spiritual Food or Body Tempering baths, the practice of enslaving Martial Warriors through Oaths might well become a thing of the past, or at least offer hope to the hopeless once they learn that a cure exists.Though I want nothing more than to scream this secret from the rooftops, weve kept quiet about the connection between Core shattering and Oath breaking except to tell Grandpa Du and Kyung, because we cant risk upsetting the Imperial Clan, not while we still need their financial support. That being said, Im hopefully optimistic that an alternative solution might exist, one in the form of Impartation of Heavenly Energy. During my brief bout with limited omniscience, I remember noting how my Natal Souls were able to identify and mend the imperfections in the souls of my Irregulars, thereby allowing them to Form their Cores on the spot and become Martial Warriors in truth. My Natal Souls were also able to patch the Cores of seasoned Martial Warriors allowing them to progress by leaps and bounds, which leads me to believe that I might be able to remove a slave Oath without having to shatter their Core.Why is this important? Well, the obvious benefits of creating Martial Warriors aside, one important detail to note is that Death Corps dont have Spiritual Weapons. The ones I thought had them were simply using Domain Plating to mimic a Spiritual Weapon, which is another kettle of fish altogether, but given how the easiest way to shatter a Core is to break their Spiritual Weapon, wed be hard pressed to free even a single Death Corps guard from their Oaths. However, if I can figure out a way to break Oaths while keeping Cores and Spiritual Weapons intact, then I could free hundreds, if not thousands of slaves in a day, all at the cost of my Natal Souls, a resource I have a theoretically infinite supply of so long as Spectres and Demons exist. The Imperial Clan holds power through the superiority of their Martial Warriors, but numerically, theyre outnumbered by the outer provinces the same way were outnumbered by the Defiled, so the balance of power will undoubtedly change in my favour if I can figure out this whole Impartation business.The biggest issue is I am sorely lacking for time. Whether it be Spiritual Cooking, Body Tempering, Oath Breaking, or Impartation inspired Core Formation, it all requires time and training to take effect, but my enemies will not sit around and wait until I am ready. Now that my personal strength and the destructive power of Runic Cannons have been revealed, I cannot imagine a world in which Zhen Shi and the Azure Emperor will sit idly by and allow me to grow unchecked, and I fear a reckoning is soon to come. Theres nothing to say about Zhen Shi, but if the Emperor comes bearing unreasonable demands, then I will stand fast against him, because I will not be chained by any Oath, not ever again. Difficult to fight a war on two fronts, but heres hoping the Emperor waits until after the Defiled threat is taken care of before acting on his avarice, though its difficult to predict a man who had has taken no direct action against me just yet. That being said, if we were ever to come into conflict, possessing the means to free the Death Corps guards from their Oaths en masse would be a great way to pull the rug out from under the Imperial Clan, assuming the Death Corps arent also brainwashed and utterly loyal to the Emperor, even without their Oaths.Damn me, he exclaims, returning my salute with one of his own. Thought I had you there, but didnt expect you to turn on me like that.You almost did. Grinning hard enough to strain my cheeks, I clap him on the shoulder and marvel at how far hes come in so short a time. Your offensive was near flawless, and if I hadnt seen that opening then and there, you might well have won. The little flourish you do every time you feint is clever and distracting, but you only ever use it as a feint. Mix in a little flourish on some of your real thrusts and youll really throw your opponents for a loop.Eyes wide with surprise, Rustram steps back and delivers a rotating thrust at empty air, trying it out for himself. Its as simple as rotating his wrist as he drives his blade home, which will affect his aim, but that only matters against opponents in Runic armour. So long as the tip is pointed towards centre mass, he can hardly miss his target, as the little circles he draws in the air are barely more than a centimetre in diameter, maybe twice that once you account for the flexibility of his rapier. Im proud of his accomplishments, this second-in-command of mine, now a Domain-capable Expert of the Empire who stands upon the threshold of the Martial Peak. Though he is still a ways away from calling himself a Peak Expert, hes ready to begin tackling this penultimate hurdle of the Martial Path at an age when most of his peers are still shoring up their foundations. Much of this has to do with Moms gruelling training methods, but to say I had no part in his progress would be a lie. When I helped him Develop his Domain, I catapulted him forward along the Martial Path, but since then, hes made great strides all by himself. Unlike me, hes able to grasp his Insights and make use of them freely, and now, he is indisputably the strongest Warrior of my retinue under Peak Expert.Once hes got the hang of his new rotating thrust and Ive recovered enough to not have to work at looking calm and collected, we go for a second round during which the mindset of water comes more easily to me. I dont have to block, parry, or Deflect every attack, as I can just allow some to flow past me uninterrupted, but the instinct to avoid danger is sometimes too strong to overcome. This becomes even more apparent as I switch partners with Yan to spar with Song, as her attacks are every bit as fast as Rustrams, yet contain far more power behind them. Though lacking a Domain, Song is a more formidable opponent than Rustram when it comes to these Chi-less spars due to her superior speed and strength, and she is far less adept at limiting herself than my second-in-command. Even overlooking how she sometimes utilizes Chi skills without really meaning to, her true strength comes as something of a surprise until I realize she was previously always holding back against me whenever we sparred. Not because she was going easy on me, but because her Oaths would never have allowed her to go full-throttle, but now she is no longer handicapped when we fight and I am struggling to keep up.My new mindset of becoming water helps me scrape by and emerge victorious by the narrowest of margins, one a bees dick would have trouble slipping in between, but a victory nonetheless. Sharing my thoughts on her fighting style earns me a stoic, stony-faced nod, but also a warm and gracious Aura of gratitude and respect. Her love for me is not romantic in nature, but rather built upon a foundation of trust and respect, so while it was what woke me from my latest coma, Im desperately fighting to keep my expectations in check. Song is my friend and Martial Aunt, a woman I should love and cherish like a sister, nothing more, nothing less.I mean cmon man. Keeping two wives satisfied is already exhausting enough, and soon youll have Lin-Lin too, and while she might not be the most physically active woman around, my sweet wifey is not one to exercise restraint when it comes to things she enjoys. I sense many exhausting and exhilarating nights ahead with our wedding just over the horizon, the date set once this round of Body Tempering baths are done and we head back to the Central Citadel for the festivities, so I should probably stop being greedy and focus on the women in my life who were gracious enough to marry a schmuck like me.Yan, Chey, Dastan, Lang Yi, Wang Bao, Ulfsaar, Neera, Sai Chou, Ravil, Siyar, Jorani, and other familiar faces come out to spar with me, and though I am able to defeat each and every one of them, victory does not come easily. The Warriors of my retinue benefited much from my brief bout with limited omniscience as my Natal Souls focused on the people I knew and cared about first, over strangers Id never met. Bulat especially, who has shed all his excess flab after months of gruelling training to transform into a burly, heavy-set Warrior whose nimble movements and deceptive cunning augment his prodigious strength well, a combination which makes for a difficult foe. Yan aside, these men and women form the backbone of my retinue, the most trusted Warriors under my command and people who I am proud to fight beside, so its high time they received the recognition they deserve.At the end of our sparring, I gather the entire retinue to bear witness to a round of past-due promotions, and there are plenty of cheers and merriment to accompany the announcement. Sai Chou, Lang Yi, Chey, Wang Bao, and Ulfsaar each receive a promotion to thousand-man commander, equivalent to a Senior Captain without the obligations of military service. Ravil, Siyar, Neera, Lang Er, and many others are also promoted to hundred-man commanders, or Captain equivalents. Though not as adept in battlefield command as I would like, I promote Jorani to the equivalent of a Major and my second-in-command, while keeping Bulat and Silva at his side to help him with the transition. As for Mister Rustram, Mom will throw a fit if I keep her Disciple in obscurity beneath me, so I promote him to a Major in the Imperial Defence forces under the Sentinels and present him with command of the Stormguard as his own personal retinue.Once the celebrations are over and done with, I accompany my former second-in-command out of the Citadel to inspect his new retinue, who have thus far sat fallow and waiting as they trained under Akanais guidance. As we arrive at their training camp, the Stormguard file out to greet us, standing at full attention in neat and tidy formation without the need for any officers to browbeat them into line. Though theyve only been Martial Warriors for less than a full year, I have never seen more disciplined soldiers outside the Death Corps guards. Unlike the black-armoured Oath-bound Warriors however, the Stormguard are filled will eager faces and reverent gazes as far as the eye can see, these three-thousand some odd Warriors having somehow come to the conclusion that I was responsible for their unasked for and unexpectedly successful Core Formation.I mean, theyre not wrong, but they have no proof, yet still they choose to idolize me like a hero out of legend. Cant say I enjoy it as its incredibly unnerving, especially since now I have an obligation to live up to their unrealistic expectations, but those are the pitfalls to command.After greeting the Stormguard and introducing their new commander, I rest on my laurels and watch Mister Rustram take command. Though I offered him the pick of his officers from my retinue, he only brought Pran, Saluk, Viyan, and Birca with him, as he intends on promoting the majority of his officers from within the ranks of the Stormguards themselves. A fact he makes known before he begins his inspection, which raises their morale to staggering heights. A few months ago, these men and women were mere Irregulars, commoners who were looked down on by every Imperial Soldier in existence, and now, not only were they Martial Warriors in truth, but they also had the opportunity to become Officers themselves. A Junior Officer, but even a mere Lieutenant would have commanded great respect in any of their hometowns, so the chance to become a Captain or even Senior Captain was almost unthinkable, so they give it their all in the ensuing demonstrations.As they all break into groups and pair off to show off their Martial skills, I note that individually, theres nothing too remarkable about the Stormguards Martial strength, which is to be expected from Warriors who only recently embarked upon the Martial Path. Whats more, these Warriors were much older than average when they Formed their Core and thus lack the lifetime of training most Martial Warriors possess. While Akanai has helped them build the beginnings of a sturdy foundation, its evident that these Stormguards are sorely lacking when it comes to experience, as their duels are largely disappointing to watch. Maybe Im expecting too much from them, but in my defence, I spent a lot of Natal Souls to make this happen and was hoping for an army of super-talented Martial Warriors.Instead, I got what I should have expected, which is a bunch of peasants with little more than a year of training, and thus can barely manage to hold their weapons without embarrassing themselves.In light of my disappointment, I stand far enough away from the proceedings so as not to give my thoughts away with Aura, at least not to anyone involved. To be fair, theyve come a long way in so short a time, just not long enough to become the elite fighting force Id hoped theyd be. Then again, theyre still stronger than youd expect from a group of novice Warriors, able to at least hold their own against a Defiled tribesman or three, though theyre solely outmatched by Chosen in heavy Runic Armour, yet another thing I need to study and look into. Reminded of how valuable my time is, I begin making plans to head back to the Citadel and check if Ive received word from OuYang Yuhuan regarding the Defiled Runic Armour I sent her, but then the sparring comes to an end with pitifully few stand-out talents to pick from. However, rather than announce his chosen Officers, Rustram instead has the Stormguard fall back into formation, only to arrange them into different groups of about a hundred men each. Intrigued by this new development, I stick around to watch the first clash between squads and see how they measure up against Imperial Soldiers, though this time I am careful to temper my expectations appropriately.Only to have them all blown away.While their individual strength is nothing to write home about, seeing the first two squads fall into formation sends chills down my spine. Standing shoulder to shoulder with almost no room in between, the Stormguard lower their blunted spears and ready to meet their opponents in combat. Rather than charge headlong at one another, they advance in coordinated fashion, moving neither quickly nor slowly as they march forward in lockstep. Though eager to prove themselves, not a single Warrior sets foot out of formation until they are within range, at which point both sides deliver a wave of synchronized thrusts with a single, unified shout. While their strict discipline falls apart in the heat of battle, both squads manage to maintain formation and even begin wrapping around one another in an effort to bring more spears to bear, utilizing tried and true tactics developed by none other than Liu Xuande himself.It seems like such a basic thing, to fight in formation as part of a unit, but its surprisingly rare to find soldiers capable of doing so without falling apart. Ishin Ken-Shibus retinue is one such example, but he only has a hundred or so exemplary Warriors while the rest are just there to fill in the gaps. The Southern Warriors tend to do well when fighting in groups, but their tactics begin and end with the line formation, which is great for defending a static position, but of limited use out on the open field. The reason its so difficult to train soldiers like this is because Martial Warriors are literally the one percent, the elites of humanity who stand above the rest. As such, pride and ego will inevitably develop, which run counter to what is necessary when fighting in formation. Why join a retinue where youll be treated like some faceless grunt when you can lord over peasants as a City Watchman or Noble Guard? Why give up all your freedom to join the army when you can instead travel the world as a caravan guard or mercenary Warrior? There are far more glorious alternatives to joining the army, so few Martial Warriors would ever care to enlist if soldiers were subjected to the harsh and rigorous training required to fight in tight formation, but the Stormguard are still lacking those ingrained egos. Partially because theyre recently elevated peasants, but also because Akanai has kept them largely isolated from the public and limited their exposure to the adoring masses.Resulting in this disciplined fighting force before me, ones who are novices in the ways of battle, but well-trained in the ways of war. These Stormguard will set the standard for soldiers moving forward, because with the inclusion of Irregulars and the introduction of the Runic Cannon, gone are the days of the massed melee in which every Warrior fought only for themselves and maybe the people directly beside them. Even the greatest Peak Expert of all time cant overextend on their own anymore, because theyd be targeted by every cannon and crossbow in range the moment the lines of fire are clear. While the Stormguard could benefit from a smattering of Demon Slayers and Peak Experts scattered about their ranks, they will prove to be a formidable fighting force under Rustrams command. With a million soldiers like this, I could break entire armies of berserk Defiled tribesmen with minimal casualties, granting me a force to match the Emperors Death Corps Guards, but alas, the Stormguard only number three-thousand strong.Still, its better than nothing, which is fast becoming my rallying cry in this War against the Enemy, but for now, I still cling to hope. Falling Rain, eternal optimist, thats the new me.Ha.Chapter Meme
