42

For another week, Pef searched the Tan Ang capital for new Legion recruits, and had to resign himself with 2 women of Nascent rank and 4 men, 3 at Spirit and one at Earth rank.

To put it simply, all the great talents were missing. And while Major Ang Shian would have been great, he was on his uncle's staff.

He seemed to be a direct descendant of the Emperor, from one of his many wives.

His aura was a dark yellow though, possibly to do with his earth qi, but Pef didn't know.

Just a handful of white auras, and no silver or gold. And cliques of dark green or brown or black auras, usually segregated by companies.

Pef didn't know what it all meant, but he wasn't happy with it.

Meanwhile, he started a small school, with a dozen Guards and a dozen smiths from the city, and showed them samples of the copper or zinc minerals, how to locate them using their souls and how to melt and pour the metal.

Ang Xi visited the school a few times, listening in silence for an hour before leaving quietly.

Then Pef gathered his staff and prepared to leave for the Wall, while the Emperor began sending some Sky rankers, to survey nearby mountains for minerals.

The metal age had begun, on the Blue Xi continent as well.

Even more so than Pef knew, as the Emperors communicated secretly via qi codes and shared valuable information.

All over the continent, the Emperors sent expeditions to locate melting rocks, and equip their provinces with the new discovery.

"With your new rank, nephew, it is best to station yourself at guard post 413. It's at the border to the Han Kuang Province, and a weak part of the defense. 71 beast waves have impacted the Wall in that sector in the past thousand years" Ang Xi explained over a large map made of leather, painted with artistic depictions of beasts and towns, separated by a wall of spears.

'A five times increase of the last 100 thousand years' the glove added helpfully.

'They must have some impulse. Something pushing them?' Pef asked himself.

'Many and not all nefarious. But the Beastgod and Niruan gain if beasts kill people. Locust and Arachne support insectile beasts on principle. Gaia objects to losing trees, and Mershe and Artus benefit from rains.'

'Sigh. It will be a mess. Can't I just raze the forest, and push civilization to the other shore?' Pef muttered a bit impressed with the amount of opposition.

'The more you push, the harder the reaction. The Emperors can laze in their capitals, instead of fighting desperately at the Wall' the glove warned and then got silent.

Pef nodded to himself, a bit grimly. He was an Emperor too, and will soon fight desperately at the Wall.

"Okay Uncle. I should get to learn the procedures of the Guard then. What signals and how to request or offer support to adjacent sectors" Pef said a bit more officially.

"And that's why I let you have a staff, right? Now go, and try not to die." Ang Xi expedited him with a shoo gesture.

Two weeks later, Pef arrived at the Tan 443 garrison, and collected Erin and Dong for his staff.

Such is fate, people will remember some people but not others. And then, they would meet again.

"Hey Xie, you're back! And Pef...is now an Emperor?" Lady Erin observed with wide eyes.

"Yea, he's weird like that. So, we're going to the Wall! To kick ass and take names!" the purple haired woman exclaimed joyously while hugging her battle buddy.

Erin's face paled, and she looked around for help. From anyone. "It's dangerous! People die by the hundreds, every day..." she whispered in an alarmed tone.

"Never mind that!" Xie proclaimed with a dismissive handwave. "So, wanna hear how Pef beat up Emperor Ang Xi?"

"What! Actually, I do want to hear that..." Erin replied and walked away with her best friend. And only friend.

Major Wu scratched his chin and looked towards Pef with a raised eyebrow.

"Is this the last recruit? The one you named specifically, to Emperor Ang?"

"She's cute, right? That pixie haircut, and the green eyes. Everyone has black eyes, is boring!" Pef said with a grin.

The locals looked at each other, all having black hair and eyes, then towards the special ladies that their leader preferred.

"I'm devastated now...my Emperor will never want me, cause I'm plain and boring..." Pela Khan proclaimed in a pitiful wail, fanning herself with her sleeve. The other woman in the crew hugged her and advised her in a fake whisper: "You still have two chances Pela. Dye your hair, or pounce on him at night. Men are stupid like that"

"Sniff, sniff. You think so...I'll do that! The latter, cause I don't want to ruin my hair with some dye"

Pela sobbed in her new friends arms.

Pef shook his head in amusement, and chuckled. People here really expected him to gather a thousand women in his harem. It wasn't a bad idea...if he could keep it a secret, from his main wife back home.

Instead, he looked at the sky in deep thought and said softly: "It's sad, but my qi is too strong. I can only marry Earth ranks or higher. Wouldn't want to wake up in a bloodbath, if the sex is too pleasant"

The new female recruits perked up, eyeing the young Emperor with hopeful eyes. Earth ranks were hard to get, but not impossible. They shared a secret look, and hugged each other harder.

That evening, Pef and Erin flew up for a bit, to get Erin confirmed by the Patriarch.

"Ah, so it's really true. I am now yours...I mean on your staff." Lady Erin muttered as she recovered from the Sovereign's qi transmission.

"It's more complicated, my lady. The men I recruited will receive a minimal boost, perhaps 5 weeks of extra qi teachings. But yourself... You must wonder why your hair is pale blonde and your eyes green"

Pef said softly, staring at the stars.

"Some freak accident, like those white furred animals, or maybe a blessing or a bloodline..." Erin said in a sad voice. She had suffered enough for her freak hair.

"My wife Jian has red hair. Aria has green hair. Kira and Qin have red highlights, just like Xie has purple. For me, your hair looks normal, even beautiful" Pef answered, turning to look at the Earth rank recruit.

Erin blushed and hid behind her hands. "If my looks please you then..."

Pef smiled and waved his finger in denial. "My point is...if my looks please you, then I would be honored to live my life beside you. Anyway, you'll be in charge of Pela and the other while they Awaken. They will be in deep pain for a month, but it will let them regrow hands or legs if the Wall is that dangerous"

"Oh, the Emperor's qi method..." Erin whispered a bit shocked.

"Not quite correct. They didn't invent it. In fact, the method you use right now is the Emperor's method.

Ang Xi created this simplified method to boost the ranks of the Guard. It's not bad, but can't take you over Sky rank. That's why you still get sick, or don't heal all wounds." Pef explained in a gentle voice, then offered Erin a hand.

"Ah, now we fly down. So, you think I'll be able to reach Sky rank soon, Sector Leader?" she asked a bit curious and leaning on the Emperor while they descended.

"You can be an Empress, my lady. In a decade. Your Foundation is amazingly strong. You just need lots of combat and then love." Pef whispered in her blonde hair, then flew away, leaving her to fall the last 30 meters.

However, he didn't pay attention and clipped a tree, then a roof, then dug a furrow in the ground with his face.

Erin laughed for the first time in many years. This young Emperor was so silly sometimes.