Chapter 71: Progress and War
Chapter 71: Progress and War
Word count = 1516 on 8/27/2023
The meeting with the 2 ancient figures is adjourned and they move on ahead. Xue Tie first makes a pit stop at his bedroom which houses another figure who is just finishing their meditation upon his entrance.
"Have you stabilized your newest level Bibi?" He asks his wife, the Queen of the Empyrean Kingdom, Bibi Dong.
She nods in response and says. "After you gave me the tiger bone and helped me get my newest rings. My spirit power has reached level 89. I'm just a step away from becoming a Titled Douluo.
Xue Tie nods at her words and says. "When you reach that, ill strengthen your body again and then we will start on your spirit rings. If you reach a similar level to mine then you will get your 3rd core early.
Bibi Dong smiles at the thought of getting the soul core so early. Afterall, 3 cores is necessary to even reach the Limit Douluo rank of Titled Douluo.
"Ill need to continue the trials for the rakshasa god soon. I fear it is getting suspicious of me holding off so long." Bibi Dong states with a worried expression that quickly vanishes in her resolve.
"Don't worry. Just do what you feel is right." He reassures her as during the past 6 months, he had introduced the Mohgwyn history to her as she has a right to know. This has caused her to trust the Rakshasa god less but he told her to continue with the trials as he still wants her to hold the title of Rakshasa god in the future.
As they finish their conversation and prepare to head out. Xue Tie feels out his own progress and acknowledges that his spirit power is at level 85 now as he rose 2 levels by himself and Xia Wei's bond ability as well as subsuming the scorpion leg bone he got long ago that gave his tridents first ring. He found the bone was very compatible with him and strengthened his bloodline quite a bit that Nihil and Death both got a boost from it. As such, he didn't bother changing it out in the last case scenario that it was a useless bone.
Due to this, he gave the 170k year old tiger bone to Bibi Dong and that gave her 2 levels along with hunting down a few of her Soul Devouring Spider Emperor's spirit rings. She got 2 black rings at around 80-90k which he upgraded to red 100k year old rings before she absorbed them. This helped her rise a few more levels, surpassing him. Granted 2 titled douluos at 20 years old is still impressive throughout the continent, once they reach it.
Xue Tie followed by Bibi Dong arrive at a massive clearing that holds a few thousand spirit masters that make up Xue Tie's army. After the first war, He had strengthened his entire army and even his organization to the point that pretty much everyone had black rings for their first 4.
What their power becomes after that is up to that person's talent and potential. The cost of upgrading the later rings is naturally higher as more often than not the later rings are higher level. But he had established fair and proper boundaries to the cost of each ring color and the steps to upgrade it.
At the very least it would have been everyone who had their first 4 rings black, if there wasn't a surplus of people who joined the kingdom and his organization once outsiders considered the war against the Balak Kingdom over and tried to monopolize on the moment.
These greedy people did not get this benefit and thus he has 2 small armies of strengthened soldiers which he calls his elites and then the new members which he refers to as 'normal' soldiers, but to most, they are cannon fodder until they show their worth. Luckily, they will have this chance not too long now.
Strangely enough, there seems to be a big chunk of the original soldiers and members of the Blood hall missing. In a normal situation, they would have just been part of their own group but they aren't here at all. Who knows what they are up to or where they are.
Xue Tie stands before his troops and they all quiet down. The few months of training given to the newbies had at least provided them the discipline to not be rambunctious but that means in battle they are a little bit more careless. He looks towards his soldiers and says.
"Hear me, my people. Today we embark upon the second coming out of the future. The second step that shall memorialize you all into the annals of history. Today, we strike out at Star Luo and establish the Empyrean Kingdom into a true and proper EMPIRE."
He slams his trident onto the stone floor which cracks it but the experienced troops begin to cheer while the newbies have nervous expressions while a few brave ones amongst them. He makes note of these braver folks and plans to check to see if they are actually brave or complete and utter buffoons who only know how to pander to others while possessing the absolute lowest combat capabilities.
Of course he isn't wishing death on them as they are HIS soldiers. He has built up a reputation of having a low death count which is infinitely close to no deaths at all. A greater estimate than any other kingdom or empire before him.
"BEGIN MARCH" his commanders yell out as they begin to move through the south gate of the capital city. A carriage which Bibi Dong steps into follows behind them. Xue Tie plans to catch up later.
"Let me know when they reach the marked location. Or if they are attacked by the Star Luo soldiers. Try to keep them from dying early by simple pressure, redirecting attacks or holding off the titled douluos if any appear." He gives a command and 2 shadowy figures move out to follow the army.
Xue Tie himself returns to the palace once more and sits down to meditate. He brings out a flower into his hands as he gazes at it. This is the infernal delicate apricot he had gotten from the volcanic region. He had replanted it some time ago at the Ice Fire Yin Yang Well but had recently taken it back. It's age has not risen by much since it has only been at most a year that it was there but it still faced some growth due to the boosting effect of the Well. As such, it has broken through to 20 thousand years.
He had thought about using it along with the Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass and then hop into the yin yang pool but he decided against it since he has already refined his body quite a bit and having some resistance or affinity with ice would not help him at all when he already has destined death and powerful fire abilities. He feared that the ice would instead just explode inside him once it got into contact with his bloodfire aspect of his bloodline.
With the possibility of being crippled. He naturally avoided such a situation and focused on instead elevating his fire abilities further if he can. Or just to increase his spirit power. He isn't a fool to underestimate Star Luo even if he beat a half assed Heaven Dou and it's bulwark the Balak Kingdom.
He eats the flower and begins to revolve it's energy through his body. He feels his body heat up and inflamed but he doesnt even move or whimper as his body is burned by the fire of the herb. He instead channels his own fire to combat the herbs fire. His fires naturally win this encounter and begin to siphon the new fire to strengthen itself.
The bloodfire begins to finally change. It is no longer the creepy red blood fire but a pleasant looking blue fire. Xue Tie can manipulate it so that it can change between the two states but without testing he doesnt know the full effect except he can feel the blue fire is hotter. As such for a preliminary through process. He has designated the blue flame and a pure fire ability with no blood related aspect while the bloodflame has the bleed proc.
It is possible the blue fire still retains the blood effect but he retained his pessimism on this aspect until he can use it in combat.
While he is in deep thought and absorbing the herb. His spirit power stabilizes at 86 now. A minor difference but with how the energy cost between each level increases. This is already a big boost to his strength. Xue Tie breaks his meditation and looks up. He finds a shadow figure before him.
"My lord, they have arrived at the destination, uninterrupted."
"Very well. Then it's time for me head out now"