Day 183-190 Cruelty to gain more power

"Good work." Liang Yu looked over An Xueyun on the floor. She woke up with a start and acted like a panicked a bit.

"Calm yourself brat. You were snatched up before the royals could get you. As well as that blasted female faction. Can't remember their name but doesn't matter." Liang Yu scratched his head a little thinking over what the hell was the name of the group that had all females. "Oh, the group your dumb ass mother belonged to. The Youlan Pal.."

"Don't insult my mother Liang Yu!" An Xueyun shouted. The guards in the room tensed up ready to fight. "I am grateful for you assistance but I will not tolerate my mother getting bad-mouthed!"

"More than assistance. Considering all that would happen to you and your sister, such as hame how bad of a sister you are on some points." His eyes glowed purple in malice. A slight stirring in his Flame Vortex Core as it fought against the Star Pillar still. 'How much more before this blasted thing breaks down?' The young teen in front of him was getting upset even more so under his gaze. "I mean even though your mother left the place despite the orders of that love-stricken woman, they didn't help avenge her at all or take you or your sister from that place. The Tianyin Martial Goddess is really so.. picky I guess."

*Smack!* A soundly smack was heard in the place. It was a very resounding hit across the face that was the tipping point for Liang Yu to act. The sting from the strike confirmed the increase of power from his Flame Vortex Core in fighting the Star Pillar was all he needed.

His hand raised up and thrust into her chest.

"Big sis!" An Xueyan shouted. She was restrained by the power coming off of Liang Yu like the others.

"Ungrateful wretch of a girl. Enjoy being normal, it is what you deserve besides death." Pulling his hand free, the wound was sealed up by blue-white flames. An Xueyun's entire cultivation had been abolished and she would not be able to practice Flame Martial Arts again. "If not for old Xu and your sister, death would be the only thing waiting for you if I acted as I wanted."

A sick sense of satisfaction washed over him.

"Kuk!" An Xueyun throws up onto the floor. Xia Yuning and her sister An Xueyan rushing to her side. They expected a wound on her chest, which was completely fine. In fact, her wounds and scuff marks from before slowly vanished as well. "I .. I am fine. Who are you?"

"It is your sister!" Xia Yuning explained. The change was more than enough to confuse anyone. After getting over the initial shock, her love rival seemed to come to terms with the information. "Right now, this is the Dark Moon Compound. Relatively safe here."

"Not if she takes a swing at me again." Liang Yu moves to sit down. The effects of the Heart Method allowed for stimulated growth but it still sucked. "Tomorrow, you will leave to go to the Academy with your sister. Old Xu will watch over you there and you can live your life out in peace or whatever else you want. Liang Yin looked in trouble. "You are escorting them but also going to help increase the presence of the Dark Moon Family at the school. Since that will be your cover and all."

"I see." Her voice was low as once again, her life was not in her control at all.

"You are forbidden from telling "him" who you are." Liang Yu ordered. "If I even remotely hear that Ye Xinghe is aware that your are safe and sound in the Academy, it will not be pretty. Those that "scurry" around must believe you are snatched up as well as your sister by an unknown force like the rebels or dead."

"But.."

"No buts." Liang Yu's voice weighed heavily on her. The cold look in his eyes once more. "Follow this order or the things your "father" has done to you in the past is just a small thing." Letting that sink in, he relaxed his tone and looked at the little sister. "I have made your sister almost useless to match her personality, it is up to "you" to be the strong one and protect her. Train well and study well, if not... death will be the only thing waiting for you both."

"I understand!" An Xueyan said with determination. "It is my turn to protect my sister!"

Getting dismissed, they left the room. Xia Yuning the only one unhappy with the situation overall and how it was handled.

"Did you have to destroy her cultivation?" The "princess" had that tone once again. "Make you happy to do so?"

"Absolutely, made me feel a lot better." Crossing his legs, Liang Yu thought about the Heaven Reaching Tower of God that had the full Star Martial God Technique as well the other chain-down towers that most likely had other techniques as well. 'The chance for better techniques is just waiting for me to gain ahold of. Might have something to stop what is happening here. Or maybe take a trip to the Divine Sword Family. Might be able to do something to gain their trust or something.'

"You said my father is a traitor.."

"Traitor to the people he is supposed to protect yes. Doesn't matter what is really happening overall in the capital. He is attacking those he is supposed to help and protect. The rebels are just as bad. But I am not getting into this with you. Shouldn't you be running off somewhere to do something much or another?"

"You know to much. Tell me what is going on in the capital? Why are you sowing discord?"

"I am stroking the flames.. because I want to survive. The least people alive, the less stability is needed for this place." Liang Yu rubbed his temple at the absurdity of it all. 'Countless millions will die in less than a year, and here I am not doing all it takes to stop it. Did I really just think it was a joke all this time.. or did I not even care..'

The slight moral dilemma was starting to bother him the more he thought about it. Didn't help that Liang Jian and Linlin were expecting a kid by the way they talked. Or they were planning to have one. He didn't check her over to respect the privacy of the two.

"Your father is not strong enough to win this war he helped started." Liang Yu's voice dropped an octave. His qi throbbing as it spread out over the entire city. Astral Sense allowing a small level of comfort when felt things were ok among his people. "He will be capture soon for his weakness once the "emperor" is done playing around and gets what he needs."

"You act like you are so strong!" Xia Yuning could tell he was somewhat distracted and felt the brush of qi against her. Usually, Liang Yu was more in control when using Astral Sense, but not right now.

"I am." Liang Yu pushed his 9th Heavenly Flame Martial Arts onto her. "I fight one on one with your father and I will kill him. Your grandfather, I will kill him to. I only lost to someone at the Celestial Level, that issue has been resolved. The next time I meet her.. I will kill her."

"How much do you know of the issue with your mother?" Liang Yu felt a headache rising up from the information obtain recently. "Hmm?" Liang Jian, Lin Yin, Linlin, and Ye Yue walked in. They were neither tired or bored, just looked as if they wanted to be nearby. "Hey there."

"Hey yourself." Liang Jian sat down a little grumpy. "What is going around the country? Don't hide any of it either. We are suppose to be in this togethor cousin."

"That is right." Lin Yin voiced. Linlin said nothing as she already knew something had been bothering Liang Yu lately.

"Very well, it won't hurt to divulge this anyway." Liang Yu gave them all a once over then continued to talk to Xia Yuning. "Your father shined to bright back in the day, jeasously little people in the capital didn't like that and and the "emperor" didn't as well. They were going to kill your father but that would have ruined several plans that monster the "emperor" setup."

"That can't be right."

"Battle Honors saved his life at that time. But.. punishment had to be dished out all the same for shining to bright. Lin Kuan, the father of Ye Xinghe's boyfriend Lin Hong was captured. Rumors he was killed on the spot by some but that is doubtful. Loyalty was met with punishment and a frame job for your father."

"This guy sounds like an asshole." Liang Jian muttered. 'So the rumors about a change in the palace are true. But when could this have possibly happened?'

"He is but it does get worse." Liang Yu rubbed his temple slightly annoyed. "Your father did what fools do, he charged in without a real plan. They were surrounded and he was captured. Not a smart move with any concern for you his daughter, the only thing that was important was Lin Kuan. How disrespectful as a father and husband."

"Don't you insult my father!" Xia Yuning had the same response as a An Xueyun in regard to their parents' actions. Just to defend them for no real reason.

"I insult him because he failed from my viewpoint. You should be upset more on what happened to your mother. Heard she was an alright woman but apparently just as stupid. Emotions guiding her actions instead of a plan." Liang Yu said disdainfully. The Flame Vortex Core was spinning quickly as it absorbed more of the qi in the area. The Star Pillar was starting to crumble and break apart. "Killing your father would have lead to another revolt. With fools like that blasted Rebel Sea Pavillion, or whatever it is called jumping at the opportunity would have ended this country. Considering the fights with the other countries, it would be a bad move. The "emperor" is not.. normal with what he cultivates. Then, in steps your dumb ass mother.."

"Stop insulting my family!" Xia Yuning was beside herself in rage. Her emotions running wild. Small Dragon features started to manifest. "I will give you a beating if you continue to do so!"

*Woosh!* Several runes on the floor activated. The qi throughout the entire compound increased inflow a little.

"Your mother was a disappointment." Liang Yu eyes blazed purple. "Either she was unaware of how she was viewed in the public and those who wanted to snatch her up for all the wrong things, she thought it best to head to the palace. The dumbest fucking thing in the world! She was a weak stupid woman, that made a bad situation worse!"

*Fwish!* Flames started to leave from the eyes of Liang Yu. His Dantian overflowing with qi. Only the unknown Dantian didn't spin at first. It had reformed from the smashing previously. The rich qi from teh pillar turned it into a Star Dantian.

"Tch, annoying!" Liang Yu scoffed reigning in his qi. "Now where was I, oh your mother. She "joined" him in the palace. I do not need to go into the details about what happened there. Use your imagination on that one. Offering herself up to spare your father, why she thought that would work is absolutely ridiculous."

"My mother..."

"Offered herself to him, and it did not help. But to be fair.. she couldn't have possibly guessed that would happen. It is not like the "emperor" was a stand-up individual and was willing to honor his words. Not like the nobles were not going to find a way to use that against her. That had to be what she was thinking."

"My.. mother.."

"Was stupid and allowed love to doom herself and your family." Liang Yu finally felt a little pressure leave him. The Heart method had gained so much from the interaction with both of them, he could only imagine what the full method would give. "Worse migraine ever." Looking at Xia Yuning he continued. "She killed herself afterward I heard. Something about humiliation and whatnot."

"Enough!" Xia Yuning crumbled to the floor weeping. Liang Jian and Linlin took her away to recover quickly. "Why.."

"Was it worth it?" Lin Yin asked.

"Yes." Liang Yu answered. His purple eyes finally stopped glowing as the qi settled. Under his robes, the blue-white lines of power cooled off. "I know understand a little more about this Cultivation method. Pain and Misery of a person can offer so much power. No wonder the previous Patrarichs were such.. assholes."

"Never would have done something like this before, at least I believe so anyway." Linlin felt disgusted with her hand in things but kept it to herself. "The guard rotations and training have increased, why is that? Thinking an attack is coming soon?"

"Hm, the unrest is about to kick up higher. Also, the number of refugees that will increase will be an issue. Civil Order must be maintained as well as keeping the laws enforced over all. "You need to hurry to break into the Celestial Realm, only then will you have a better chance at protecting yourself."

"You talk as if it is easy."

"It is not but... it will need to be done. The more we have at that level, the better chance we can survive."

"No rush, not like the world is coming to an end." Ye Yue said.

"But it is coming to an end. You should train like these are our last days alive." Liang Yu stood up to walk away. Feeling unbelievably tired all of a sudden. "I.. am gonna sleep for a few days.. handle everything.. carefully."

*Thump!* Two steps were taken before he collapsed. Body running hot with all three Dantian spinning at an intense speed. The Flame Vortex Core spinning to help refine the three different qi's that circulated.

"This is the second time this happened in a short time. I think..." Ye Yue picked up the unconscious Liang Yu like he was a rag doll. Tossing him unto her shoulder as they walked. "..if something is not done soon, he will do something stupid. Even more so than this."

"I think so as well. But, whatever it is, is defintely allowing him to increases his cultivation quickly. As well as allow him to provide resources for everyone." Lin Yin was understanding where she was coming from but understood the need for it. "Should we tell him about the strange occurrence in the South?"

"No..." Ye Yue answered after thinking a moment. "...just be ready for a change here like there. No one knows why sections of landmass have been vanishing. Our concern is surviving this rebellion."

Inside Liang Yu his qi increased but not his overall strength really. Considering how damaging the Star Pillar was and it's hammering process, it was for the bes he didn't really lose any power at all.