With the long breakfast finally over and all 10 carts of food being fully eaten they decided it was time to get down to the main topic at hand. With it being a secretive topic they all made there way to the emperor's office and had all the maids leave. They had wanted Caihong to leave as well but she refused to leave Chang with her elder sister and stayed attached to his chest through the whole journey across the palace to the office.
When they entered all the shadows left and Wang Zao left his father's shadow and stood silently behind him. The emperor's office was large but it was still only an office so it couldn't hold every one with just the chairs in the room. With only himself and Caihong without a chair, instead of waiting for maids to bring one he instead pulls out a weird giant soft ball from his storage ring.
One it touched the floor its shape deformed a little, showing its soft. He smiled and sat himself down on the ball, sinking into it. He stretched his body due to the comfort, and had Caihong on his lap still with her back resting against his chest.
The others were intrigued by the item and asked about it. Zang was the first to speak up. "Brother Chang what is that item you are on? It looks incredibly comfy and useful to be able to just place it anywhere."
"Big brother Zang, this is one of the items that will soon be sold at my shop. Its called a bean bag and as your said its very comfy. The outside is lined with treated beast fur while the inside is filled with a special type of material that allows for maximum comfort. If you want one, let me know the specifications and I can have one custom ordered for you."
"Sure, that would be great. Is there any limitations on my specifications like designs and materials?"
"There shouldn't be but I wouldn't be able to know unless I know what you want in the first place, so just do what you want and I can say if its too much or if its fine."
"I will have it brought to you by tonight."
His elder sister also chimed in. "Darling Chang I would also like one. I want it big enough for 2 so we can both snuggle in it."
Feng also expressed his desire for one and it to be food related in design. His father and mother didn't really care that much as they already have the best made chairs, they use many hours a day. Something so low to the ground wouldn't be useful for them.
With the discussion over the bean bags finished, well except for the silent war between Caihong and Chun over who gets to be on the bean bag with him, they started talking about the main topic.
Fen Zung looks seriously towards Zang, Feng and Chun. "So how was your time on the main continent? You don't need to worry about hiding it from Chang and Caihong. Chang found out already and Caihong it was only a matter of time so she might as well find out now."
As the oldest Zang went first. In a serious voice he started talking about the main things that has happened to him before then narrating everything else about what happened there.
"This trip to the main continent was even more enlightening than the last. I was accepted into a large sect called the Piercing Heaven Sect. although it's a large sect its power isn't quite at the top and is on the border between a mid and a top-level sect. With my current cultivation being a level 4 stage 5 I have managed to just become an inner disciple. Though unfortunately I didn't manage to catch the attention of any of the elders, so I will likely be an inner disciple for a while.
Luckily, I manged to get the attention of another person and became their disciple. My master did give me permission to tell you this but only if you can guarantee you don't spread it, but I trust everyone in this room enough to not spread it.
My master is a high-level cultivator who I presume to be around stage 8 though he doesn't definitely tell me. He used to be an emperor from thousands of years ago but got betrayed and his empire stolen by his own son. He has taken a liking to me and after finding I plan to become the emperor after my father, he took me as his disciple and taught me not only cultivation but also how to be a good emperor and is slowly imparting his thousands of years of experience to me.
After spending the past almost year with him we became very close and is not only my master but I also consider him my grandfather. He gave me the legacy of his empire which is their ultimate technique. A border heaven technique which is very powerful.
He is still injured from his fight a thousand years ago he doesn't have many resources to give me nor does he want me to get them so easily. So, it was his idea for me to go to the sect and earn some resources from them. He told me that the piercing heaven sect was one of those responsible for his empires demise as they struck a deal with his son before the coup. So, we feel nothing wrong with syphoning some resources from them as payment.
A part from that I have manged to find a few heavenly opportunities and gotten my self a few treasures. Unfortunately, lots aren't useful to me such as the low – high heaven techniques, as such I will be giving them to father to use along with everything else that's useless."
His father was taking mental notes, remembering everything and processing the information as what the others. Next was Feng who explained the main parts of his experience.
"Unlike elder brother Zang I haven't joined a sect. Instead, I am the leader of a large mercenary group over a thousand strong. Unlike brother my cultivation talent is not high at all so its only at early stage 3, instead its my body cultivation that I have talent for and have managed to just reach the peak of rank 4. I estimate it to take maybe another year or 2 before I can break through to rank 5.
Recourses for me are a lot harder to come by but because I focus on body cultivating, I only need to fight to progress. Me and my group have found many fortuitous encounters but none of them being very high level, with the best being a cultivation technique in the high heaven rank.
A part from that I haven't gotten anything like a master or anything, so there isn't much else to say unfortunately. I spend most of my time fighting, doing missions and making money. I feel embarrassed saying this after hearing elder brothers progress."
"Its fine brother Feng, I'm sure you are making just as much progress as I. Your weapon handling and battle senses has always been above mine and I'm sure the gaps grown even more now. Besides you will always be my brother, even if you were talentless and useless."
Hearing his brother Zangs voice, he couldn't help but lighten up a little and a small smile formed on his face. His father, Zung also spoke a little. "What Zang said is correct. You shouldn't feel down when comparing yourself to others. Everyone has things others are better at and things your better at than them. You have each chosen a different route in life, so comparing your progress to your brothers is unfair. Besides don't forget you cultivate your body mostly which is a lot harder than Qi cultivation, so its natural to have slower progression.
Now daughter Chun can you speak about your time there."
She finally draws her attention away from Chang and starts to speak in a colder voice about her experiences. "Similar to elder brother Zang I have also joined a sect. It is called Heavenly Snow Palace and its one of the top 8 sects of the main land.
I am currently the head disciple of the sect even though my cultivation is weaker than most inner disciples. That is because I am the direct disciple of the sect master. Apparently, I possess a special constitution called the Shattered Ice Goddess and it is one of the best, if not the best constitution for ice element cultivators.
It allows me quicker cultivation and understanding of the ice dao, absorption of ice qi at any cultivation level, Natural pure Ice Qi, increased power of ice techniques, increased comprehension of ice techniques. Those are only the direct effects, as it also has a special ability.
It's the ability to create an ice clone of myself. The clone hides within my body absorbing Qi from the surroundings which increases my natural Qi absorption but also can infinitely store Qi for itself. The stored Qi is kept until I activate the shatter ability of my physique. It makes it so the ice clone shatters, releasing all the stored Qi in a deadly blast. Unfortunately exploding the ice clone is a last resort as it takes 10 years for a new ice clone to form.
My cultivation is also currently level 4 stage 5, the same as brothers but because my Qi is pure ice Qi. It takes longer for me to cultivate as normal Qi has to first be collected in large quantities before being converted by my physique before I can absorb it into my cultivation.
I haven't left the sect much and spent most of the time either cultivating, under the guidance of my master in the ways of the dao or hunting beasts for experience. So I haven't come across any fortuitous opportunities, though I did spent a large amount of the first month traveling with my master searching for ways to cure darling Chang.
My cultivation technique is the best the sect has and is a low-immortal technique. Unfortunately, its specific for women who have an ice element constitution so I can't pass it on too little sister."
Everyone was shocked about what she said. Zang and Feng are even more shocked than the rest as they know the status of the Heavenly Ice Palace. "Sister Chun are you really part of the Heavenly Ice Palace. They are not only one of the top 8 sects with connections to the upper realm but they are ranked 3rd out of the 8. Not only that, there are rumours that even if the 1st and 2nd ranked sects teamed up, they wouldn't be able to beat the Heavenly Ice Palace if they were in the location of their sect. For you to not only be a disciple but the head disciple, your status is one of the highest, even in the main continent."
Hearing her second brothers reply she just snorted before turning to Chang with stars in her eyes, hoping to have impressed him. He sees her with the expectant look, like a pet wanting to be praised.
He beckons her to come closer and sit on the bean bag with him and Caihong. She excitedly rushes over and plops herself next to him. He then raises his arm and starts to stroke her head while whispering in her ear.
"Good job, I am very proud of you. If you are wanting a special treat then come to my room tonight. I will set something up for just the two of us."
Her face went red as she lightly blushed and her eyes showed excitement. She rested her head against his shoulder enjoying his praise. This is what she wanted and why she endured all those hardships. Here entire goal for cultivating was for her beloved brother Chang, and now that he had recognised her efforts, she feels on cloud 9.
She may have grown up and become cold and distant because of her cultivation technique, but her feelings for him have long surpassed anything else within her.