The Laws of Cultivation: Qi = MC^2

I took a moment to inspect myself before I left the chamber. I’d changed, and in many more ways than just one. But the most distinct had been the physical changes. My skin had turned pale, but there was a distinct undercurrent of life and power running through it. My body had changed itself a hundred different small ways, adjusting imbalances. I was perfect, a bit too perfect, and it was unsettling to feel like this, it created an inhuman quality. Chi moved through me as easily as if I was within my own spirit. All resistance was lost and I could create anything by simply willing it into existence. And so I did, I called for water as water formed with ease in front of me and I looked at my face.

The first thing were my eyes, three silvery rings were beset within my eyes, a faded glow in the back that’d burn with power should I ever wish to channel my Chi through my spirit rings. My hair had also just grown longer and become far more lustrous than before. Every little flaw on my body had seemingly been wiped and I looked like a heavenly fairy, more than an actual human.

I tried not to sigh. I imagined most people would love changes like this. As far as beauty standards went, I was quite attractive now, far more than before, but I found myself a bit put off by the in-humanness of it all.

I got up from where I stood, walked to the entrance and then, gave the chamber a deep bow. With one last look at the place as the doors began to close shut behind me, I made my way up the stairs and into the royal palace.

I took note that it took me less than five minutes to make my way back up, and I hadn’t intentionally been moving any faster. I wondered just how long I’d been down here, as I felt the dust fly around by my movement. A day? Two days? I’d be really surprised if it was more than three days.

As I stepped out of the chamber, making my way up and moving through multiple secretive passages, I finally arrived into one of the halls and found a group of people waiting for me. A group of rather familiar people.

All the nobles and lords from the capital, the three divinities, and other prominent figures all were present in the chamber. Upon noticing my arrival, they all bowed deeply in front of me, taking me by surprise. The three divinities, who were all present in flesh as well gave me bows as well. Not as deep as the rest, but much more than respect or courtesy dictated.

I knew I was supposed to be the emperor now, but it hadn’t quite really hit me just yet that, that was what I was. I stared in silence, uncomfortable and unsure of what to do or say till I finally noticed the Shie Matriarch glance up at me, before I felt her Qi reach out and whisper to me.

“You’re supposed to respond and release us,” she helpfully added as I snapped back to reality.

“R-rise,” I said, stammering and pretended that hadn’t just happened as the group of people all rose. I stared, feeling like I had to say something, but not sure what I should be saying.

This wasn’t my thing. These rules and etiquettes and courtesies, and in a moment of insight, I decided that just wasn’t the kind of empire I wanted either.

“No need to be so formal,” I said, and paused. “I am aware of my role. Aware of this position, but let us not forget why we are here. This is war. We are fighting a war for the existence of this empire. Perhaps not the same one that all of you were born and grew up in, but the continuation of that anyway. And we cannot do that if we do not win. So please, return to your stations, and I will meet and discuss with you as time avails itself,” I said, and apparently, I did not butcher this entirely as the Shie matriarch gave me the barest of nods as the lords all bowed again and then began to dissipate.

I stepped forward, standing next to the Divinities. “How did you prepare for this?” I asked.

“Well, there was a storm over Azure City for the last month and so when the storm clouds faded, we figured you survived,” she said.

“Wait- a month?!” I almost shouted at her, though iron will held my voice under manageable levels. I still noticed some of the cultivators working around the palace flinch just from the impact of my voice even then. I had to pause and take note of that. The strength of my spirit… was possibly even stronger than the previous emperor now. With two divine beasts in my soul, I would have to be careful about how I speak and with how much force.

“Yes, a month. To be precise, thirty seven days. It’s the longest tribulation I’ve ever heard of,” the Shie matriarch said.

“There is a lot, your majesty has to catch up on,” the Huo patriarch said, eyeing me.

“None of that your majesty please. Lu Jie is just fine. I can worry about that if we can get through this war,” I said.

The man bowed. “As you say, your majesty.”

I had a feeling the man was having fun at my expense, but I did not pursue it any further.

“I’ll catch you up,” the Yue patriarch said. The man was the most straightforward out of all the three Divinities, and so by default I liked him the most out of them too. I gave the man a nod.

“Your tribulation riled up the heavens and they began shooting at some of the demons. The lords reinforce their positions. Your friends threw a very big fuss that we kidnapped you and threatened to topple the capital to get you back, it took a visit from that snake over there to calm them down,” he said, pointing at the Shie matriarch who hissed quietly at his remark.

“The divinity from their side appeared once, a woman who controls poisonous vines and such. Wood aspect. Huo dealt with her. The weapons and so on you were making started to be taken up by more and more people and become wide spread. The fourth peak fell regardless after a little more resistance, none of us could’ve held it, but the people got enough time to retreat because of your actions and took up residence mostly in the seventh peak. The demons was forced to move through the fourth peak and head inwards but we gave them hell. Many mortals from the seventh peak joined in, many more began awakening, I’m not even gonna get into all the mess that caused but war being war, any extra hands were welcome and so things mostly held together.”

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“Yang Shen appeared every so often when his army was being pushed too far, but most of his strikes were minimal. He seemed to have been hunting for a replacement hand and finally got one the last time he appeared from the looks of it, a bone arm of some sort, it looks cursed. The demons have managed to make their way near Azure city, but the damage has been highly limited and they were forced to head straight here, and are being flanked on all sides by cultivators and mortals alike and so if they fail to capture the city, they’ll get eaten from all sides. One the core of their army is dead, the rest will scatter and get taken out over time,” the man said, and I nodded at all of that.

That was quite a lot that had happened in what felt like a relatively short period of time. I took note of that, quickly making a mental map of events as I digested all the information.

“There’s also some people who’d like to see you,” the Huo patriarch said. It took me a moment and then I realized who those people were.

“Yes, I’d like to see them as well,” I said and the man nodded, glancing towards where they were. “We’ll discuss strategy in a bit, there will be time still. Though not a lot,” I nodded to the man, partly in thanks and then stepped towards the chamber opening it.

Inside, I saw my friends. Labby perked up as she saw me, rushing towards me and leaping into my arms.

“Great Master!” she shouted as I caught her and let her embrace me tightly for a long moment.

“You vanished. Labby was scared,” Labby said, and I gently pat her head.

“I’m sorry. I hadn’t expected it’d take this long, but it was necessary,” I replied, and she gave me a nod, accepting my words as truth like always.

“You look a little different,” she said a moment later. I smiled at her. “A little bit.”

And then I glanced up at the rest of my friends who looked at me with uncertain eyes that swirled with multiple emotions that I tell warred between concern for a friend and hesitation at who I was now, given my recent jump in status.

“Have you guys been well? Sorry about disappearing like that, had a little something come up,” I said.

That seemed to stir them out of their stupour. Yan Yun was the first to react. “Hmph, only you’d call something like that a little something.

Do you know how worried we were?!” she shouted, walked up to me, punched me in the shoulder, and then promptly grabbed her hand cuz she’d hurt herself.

Turns out I was a lot more physically durable now.

“Sorry, my bad. I won’t do it next time,” I said, and then laughed as she punched me again, though more lightly this time.

“Brother, I’m glad you’re okay,” Zhang said, walking up to me, and then he bowed deeply. “It will be an honor to serve the new emperor.”

I nodded, put my hand on his shoulder and then said. “You still just serve Lu Jie. We’re brothers first, everything else second.”

Zhang paused, as if processing that, and then he gave me a nod.

The turned to face the old man next, alongside Granny Lang who both regarded me with mixed expression.

“You’ve come far, Lu Jie,” the old man said, stroking his beard proudly. “Though this old man can do little to aid you in his current state, but it makes my heart proud to see you get here nonetheless,” he said and I smiled. “You’ll always be able to aid me through your words and wisdom.”

“All he was ever good for anyway,” Granny Lang said with a mean spirit look that she clearly did not feel. “Don’t get too used to ordering people around either as well. You may be emperor now, but that means little to me. You’ll forever just be a young boy to this old woman,” Granny Lang said and I smiled at her words.

“Of course, granny,” I said giving her a deep bow as she nodded satisfactorily.

“Good good, it is good to see you be a filial grandson,” she said and I chuckled at that.

“We must congratulate you as well. Though these are difficult times, the world will remember this feat forever,” Liuxiang said, smiling at me as well.

“I’m not so sure about forever, but thank you Liuxiang,” I replied. There were a lot more words I could’ve shared, a lot more thoughts to be said but my time was limited and so for a while, I simply just remained there, amidst the people I loved, a reminder of why I was fighting so hard, and who I’d done all this for.

Not everybody was here, Sheldon and Twilight had stayed behind. Even Zhang had almost stayed, but Lord Zeng Shanyuan, the lord of the fourth peak had taken residence and said he owned a life debt to Lord Zhou and had helped defend the place, alleviating some of the responsibilities from Zhang’s shoulder, letting him come here.

I could feel it now, the roots of the tree that extended outwards from me, connecting all those people to me, and to the path I had begun walking upon. But now, it was not just them, it was everyone else in the empire as well, everyone I was now responsible for, and everyone who was under my care.

And so I left my friends, and went outside the castle and into the skies, and watched the city in front of me.

It was quite the sight. Spring had begun restoring itself, though eternal spring would no longer exist in this place. Winter was still here, but life had ever so briefly started to return in small pieces. It would not be enough, especially not till this war was over, but it was a start.

I noted the many advancement on all sorts of different technologies that had been made. Too many to even count and a good chunk that I noted had not been things I had directly instructed people to make or had a hand in. The pieces I’d left, the path I had shown, people had began walking on them on their own and the seeds of knowledge that had been sown were starting to sprout already, and were growing rapidly.

The entire city had adjust, it was subtle but also not so subtle. The walls were reinforced, there were cannons. Trebuchets had been built, multiple forges ran complex techniques to create precise equipment. Guns now seemed slung on the shoulder of almost every soldier that patrolled, many of whom were mortals on the bring of something greater. Spikes ran across the city walls and gates, multiple defense formations had been lined across the walls, people were still surviving but there was an undercurrent of hope that had not been there before.

I felt that hope, I basked and soaked in it, and found myself invigorated. I could feel it, in a literal sense, their hope connected to me, flowing in, feeding my soul. I almost felt an epiphany of some kind, as if I was about to figure something out but the moment passed as my eyes travelled across the walls, and there, I saw the cause of it all.

In the distance, beyond the walls, a dark looming army moved, marching with death behind their backs, promising a future none of us wanted. And in front of them all, leading the march was the demon that had caused this all.

For a brief moment, I felt as if our eyes met, and Yang Shen smiled.

But now was not the moment, our meeting would be in not so distant future, and to prepare for it, I descended back to the castle and headed inside to prepare.

War had come to Azure City, one that would change the very world.