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Breaking Through-
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Leroy needed something to help act as a deterrent considering the way the Rebellion was gaining steam in certain regions. Not unusual for ambushes to take place against any Noble and he was smart enough to know the information would have leaked out regarding what happened in the Governor's Mansion no matter what eventually.
Then the little family he started that needed to be looked out for required him to be stronger. But this would bring resources directly to him for free. Saiori was just happy for more people around. As well as Kaitori and Miniori who were never bored since they were given to Leroy by their former Mistress.
Leroy's growing members and place, members of the Akademy and a few in the know of his actual level of Occupations were trying to think of a way to help him. But so far they had nothing as they too had to work on their own forces and studies. With Alchemist Oda only getting a slap on the wrist for what took place he was very grateful for Tang Ansui and Leroy getting involved.
An additional person speaking out about what took place by the North Guard helped a lot. The tale was spun in such a way, that the North King had to pay out and get more involved in the Military and political field. Which by the rumors, had Princess Jasmine quite happy at the misfortune.
Governor Oda couldn't do much in repayment at the time but he sent a letter stating his intent to rebuild the lands he had left better than before. With an investment from the Emperor himself, it wouldn't be that difficult. Why that was the case, most assumed it was because of needing to fight against the Rebels in that area. That Territory was a good place to build forces in case the North Kingdom was really under the sway of such a force or worse, behind them.
The people who were still needing a place of their own from Port Tundra were given a small portion of the land to make their own. The location of where Leroy "burned" down the entire Hamlet and Temple that may lead to the birth of the Leader of the Rebellion. This location was only a few miles from the Akademy itself.
A joint Operation by the Akademy, Governor Oda, and the Emperor cleared a road directly linking these places easier.
After going over all that information, Leroy checked to make sure everyone else was settling in and outside protection was all set up. Not a single Akademy Formation was tampered with and his own security had increased a little.
Leroy had his personal Protection set up and various Formations around the place to hide everything that was about to take place. Comprehension had increased a little while they head back from the Mansion before. Not to mention a few lectures attended by those who were already in the Foundation Establishment Realm to increase what he knew to watch out for.
He had to apply both brute force and a soft natural touch when compressing the Qi gas into liquid form to step into the Foundation Establishment Realm. All the Qi needed had already been gathered and he had access just in case.
*Boom!* The sound of Tribulation Lighting echoed in the sky. With the concealment and protection in place, it was impossible to determine who was actually breaking through. But one thing was certain is that the Phenomon covered several miles and had people hyped up thinking a treasure had been born.
For over 20 miles the sky was illuminated and strange Qi swirled about. The range matched that of Leroy's Internal Space. Dying Herbs and Plants rejuvenated slightly in a splendor. In the various areas of infertile soil, the ground returned to normal and spouted life.
The plant life that poisoned water cleared as dying Demon Beasts and people caught fire turning into ash. The ash settled into the water and created strange Qi Stones that sank to the bottom. Different people took this as a different meaning and several just wished they lived in the sphere of 20 miles of the phenomenon after finding out what happened.
As all the Qi was turned into a thick liquid and the refinement of what was thrown in was done, it was then built into Qi Pillars. The Pillars scattered all inside his Internal Space increasing the Boundaries of it. Marking the ending of the edges and then phasing into it like a Dimension Wall itself to protect him.
This was the second defense to protect one's soul according to the lectures. But for Leroy, this was the third. As his Internal Space itself was composed of his absorption of various energies to protect himself and constant refining of corpses, structures, and various Qi items.
'Expansive!' Leroy took some time to understand the range and the fact the Internal Space was more and more like it was a small independent dimension. 'How much of my cultivation affects this I do not know just yet but hopefully, the size is not a problem eventually.'
The groundwork he set months ago showed itself as the stability and protection against outside forces was stronger than cultivators several times more powerful than himself. Being able to fly was one thing he was happy about but Leroy had so many ideas floating in his head that he let himself go to be refined by his Flame Vortex itself just to get started later fully ready.
*Fwish!* Powerful flames gushed out and Refined him into something new but familiar, Leroy felt his cultivation increase even more than it usually would in depth. Concepts becoming clearer and techniques he thought about filling in more. Not to mention the techniques so ingrained in the bodies of those who died.
The Great Way entered him as a chance encounter from all those who died filtered inside from the residual souls attached to the remains crying out when they were destroyed by the flames.
What the captives that he refined knew was a drop in the bucket compared to the millions of bodies. Members of the North Kingdom that knew tidbits of information filled in mental maps for him. Repository of cultivation techniques and manuals filled in little sentences missing in others. On some occasions, full passages would be revealed inside him by a figure just like himself reciting it before disappearing into nothing.
The angry statue taken before shattered into a million pieces because of the onslaught of Fire and Lighting from the Flame Vortex. He was now qualified forcefully to use its arts.
Additional powerful energies took shape as they were conceptualized into him.
'I know what that is!' Observing it with his eyes, he understood it to be the Concept of Medicine. Then another appeared and lashed against the statue and various materials inside. 'The gap in Medicine from my modern era and that of this era is closing up! I understand mistakes and ways to improve the healing process!'
Even with it being a brief moment, countless procedures were revealed. Another concept enforced itself as waves of intangible energy echoed out. Countless bones shattered and gems cracked within.
'Sound?!' Feeling it continued and harmonize, Leroy felt the Metal Seed reshape during his refining process. 'Several chambers are forming but it is then shrinking!' With a slight pulse, everything within two miles was hit with his echo location. 'Aghh!'
The feedback, that is to say, the rush of images and details of what was in that range caused him to reel in pain.
With the backlash hitting the technique was stopped. The intangible energy dissipated in his Internal Space as well. With his Formation firmly set, the Flame Vortex spun at a frightening speed.
*Puff!* All the final traces of the material inside was destroyed and then absorbed into his various Dantians while his body reformed at the improved level. The Death Qi that was contained was forced to condense as pure Blue-White Qi shot out of the Flame Vortex.
'Ugh!' The pain wracked his very soul and his newly formed body went through its first difficulty. "Another one!" Black Qi lines traveled through his passageways and apertures.
Another Dantian formed but it was encased in Inscription Patterns so heavily it might as well not be there at all. It didn't take in Qi or move under any Cultivation method he practiced so far.
Higher forms of Martial Arts he understood seemed to be locked behind it. Not to mention something in regard to the Nature of Death and Life. Since it was Sealed, Leroy stopped worrying about it and organized his understanding.
"Let's see what happens." Producing some Qi from the Flame Vortex he changed it directly into Fire, then Lighting, then Life, then Ice, then Beast, then Wind, and finally Life Qi. "I can freely change Qi produced from there into various others, this is maddening in the Support Abilities of the thing."
The other change he found from the Flame Vortex is that he was now aware of each of those he had a Connection with. But only if they were in range could he determine who was who. There was Tang Xui, Tang Bo, Xiao Mei, Saiori, Kaitori, Miniori, Nun Clarissa, Tessei, Alchemist Oda, Ma Chong, Lin Quan, Matsumoto, Maiyuri, Jiro, Hiro, and Aoi the servant.
The mixed bunch of people came from a good mix of nationalities as he knew back on earth. But he lacked in the number of males as a ratio and African or European members.
The fact it formed with the kids and the nun didn't bother him much, but it didn't form with Aoi until just now. He thought it could be a capacity thing but that was not the case. It was those who had a bit of his Flame Vortex Qi and thought favorably of him.
Digging deeper into this, Leroy felt his body hone itself with additional weird Qi lines forming all over. His appearance was the same as before but the discharge of blue-white Qi flames from the eyes would scare anyone.
Remaining in closed-door cultivation, he went to work checking everything over again. While one of his Alchemist Flames floated in front.
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Solid Cultivation-
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Improving his armaments was the first step the last two weeks, as the countless years of experience congealed by others flowed through him like his own thoughts. The dual swords hovered directly under the Flame Vortex being bathed in his Qi directly.
Another thing he learned from his breakthrough is that the nourishment of a weapon constantly and effectively could give birth to a True Weapon. One that would be the same as a second life or a child. Considering several cultivators eventually focused so much on growing stronger they neglect having kids until it is to late for some.
With the Flame Vortex being a Support Type its benefits directly to him were slow but towards others and objects it was monstrous. No reason he couldn't just use the items themselves to grow stronger.
Inscribing Patterns for Qi Gathering Amulets, he gave one to each of his people. Only telling them it would keep them healthy and help speed up their cultivation. The Inscription Patterns were etched so small in patterns with other symbols mixed in he knew none would be able to tell what they did. Especially with the overall image just being a Blue-White tiger and the background of wings with the Rod of Asclepius in the background.
Tiger represents himself and his mother, the Rod of Asclepius that of his Medical Background. The wings, despite being part of the Medical part of his life he stated it to others as representing the Family itself. Both Demonic Beasts and the adopted members are represented by each wing.
Nun Clarissa was given a manual containing everything the statue knew gave to him after refinement. Plus a few bits of understanding he knew himself. It was not a cultivation he himself could really practice and really suited her. Both Jiro and Hiro were also suited to study it.
For Ma Chong, Lin Quan, Matsumoto, Maiyuri, and Aoi he imparted the techniques he used himself but at the upgraded version. As well as a weapon technique for each of them. Thankfully Lin Quan, the son of a woodcutter was interested in an axe. They needed some weapon diversity as Ma Chong reluctantly picked up a sword technique. She wanted to focus on fist, palm, and leg techniques mostly. The others all used various types of swords.
Spotter floated above as it broke into the Foundation Establishment Realm after Leroy fed it Fire directly from his Flame Vortex and allowed it to break through in his Internal Space. Tribulation Lighting struck from within and baptized the creature in an instant. However, when bringing it back out, the Demon Eagle flew high into the sky and fought against a different kind of Tribulation.
From the memories accumulated, it was that of Crossing Tribulation. It was not recognized as a creature native to here despite the fact it was. After five powerful strikes, the skies calmed down and returned to normal.
Leroy racked his head and could only assume this was caused mostly because the Flame Vortex itself was still in the Qi Refining Realm. The first to find out he broke through during this time was Tang Ansui. He visited to check the progress of the captives. As well as the North Kingdom ordering the return of the captives for them to question.
"About that," Leroy told him to wait as he finished instructing Mayuri on some books to read. The girl bowed to Tang Ansui and scampered off hastily. "they were reduced to ashes I am afraid. But the intel I have is quite promising."
Passing over a journal containing the information in regards to the North Kingdom "rebel" members, he would leave it in his hands to deal with. Of course, Tang Ansui was not going to after reading the first few pages that implicated the North King in working with the Rebels in a supportive capacity.
He was loyal but not that loyal he would risk his life and family with such information. Tanbg Ansui knew just who to give it to and avoid a link to himself once everything blew up.
"Haaa, this is above my pay grade and comfort level." Tang Ansui closed the journal with a frown. "While accidents happen in Interrogation, by the way, how did you learn such things?"
"My brothers and sisters." Leroy answered with a pained smile. "But the information is accurate as far as they knew it. The North Kingdom has an Internal War going on, soon it will hit a peak depending on the actions of the North Princess."
"Is that the reason why she wanted you to be a personal guard?" Tang Ansui felt a headache forming as he sat down. It was supposed to be a quick talk but this turned serious. Feeling a sense of relief, he took in that despite trouble when talking with Leroy a sense of comfort was also there. "The air is..."
His eyes zeroed in on Leroy in a scrutinizing manner. Despite the restrained breath from him, Leroy was actively cultivating and letting the air of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. The man was quite excited and forgot all about what they were supposed to talk about.