The Great Mortal War was coming to an end as the three siege units of The Night Parade cleaned up their targets and made their way to the Red Horn Capital City. Besides the two secured Temples, the Twin Kingdom, and the Red Horn Capital, the world is in utter chaos.
I was sitting in my tent as QingQing managed our people. The energy around the tent was fluctuating as three forms of energy made it nearly impossible to approach my tent. I was preparing to break through to the first stage of martial foundation, but the further I progressed, the more body and essence cultivation conflicted with each other.
I exhaled, and a combination of nature, yin, and yang energy made my breath visible. At that moment, the fermented energy within me was released. Ejecting the energy from the body, a denser fog was produced.
My mind then swept over the yin yang skeletons taken from Dove City. One by one, they burst into clouds of dust, and my march to Martial Foundation began. Reciting the Nature Sutra, Nature and pure Qi entered my body and tempered my marrow. The last stretch produces a searing pain as my bone acquired hairline fractures that needed imidate repairing.
Splitting my mind to manage, I kept my body healthy as my blood thickened, becoming a denser green with brighter golden specks. Impurities oozed from pores as marrow was completely tempered.
Holding myself back from breaking through, I used all of my 2000 acupoints to swallow the Yin Yan energy in one big gulp, drowning my marrow.
Puff!
My bones turned hallow as my marrow was destroyed. I then moved the energy according to the Ecliptic Battle Body Technique. It didn't take long for the Yin Yang energy to reconstruct my marrow, increasing my strength by leaps in bounds.
Boom!
Energy erupted from me like rolling thunder as the three energy intensified, aligning my meridians, connecting them, attaching them to my dantian. The energies penetrated my meridians, flowing directly to my dantian to be stored.
My hands went through a few hand signs, grasping my internal energy. I then spent the rest of my time solidifying my cultivation to ensure a sturdy foundation. Fore without a sturdy foundation, the next two stages of Martial Foundation could be hazardous.
Bloodline Awakening and Physique Establishment are known to be two of the hardest steps of the mortal realm of cultivation. With another deep breath, my energy settled, and I rose to my feet then used my qi to rid my body of the expelled impurities.
I dressed and made my out of my tent to prepare a bath for myself when I was met by the elders of four clans, Shane, QingQing, Alessia, and Nimue.
Each of them had their own expressions as I didn't know how wild my aura had become. The two physiques that were in the process of creation were already starting to take form. My aura was evidence of that. It also showed that the quality of my cultivation techniques.
My father shook his head as he pulled out a bracelet. The moment I put it on, my aura vanished.
"Who died?" I asked.
"No one died?" QingQing replied.
"Then why is everyone standing outside of my tent? I broke through to Martial Foundation, not the Earth Realm."
"Martial Foundation is still good. Especially since you're well under twenty years old." Said Grandma Xiong.
"Hold on," My father spoke, "We're not here for that."
I raised an eyebrow.
My father continued. " The Envoys from the Twin Kingdom are here."
"Then lets through a party." I replied, " I don't believe in allowing my enemies to grow. But everyone's been fighting hard, and the lunar temples belong to us. With that being said, the Twin Kingdom can submit or die."
"So that's how it's?" Situ Ren asked.
"Hmm." I replied, "Let's head to the Hall. I actually have something I want to say privately. Nimue, Can you have Xiao Wu and prepare a banquet? Elders, It's time to bring back our clans."
I then walk through the crowd, making my way to the palace. Along the way, I saw the heads of the men I sentenced to death. The natives also looked unphased, and some at peace with the new change of regime.
I had to admit, QingQing did a good job managing the city as the only signs of war were destroyed properties. A simple look at the people, and no one could guess that the Night Parade were conquerors.
Near the steps of the palace, A familiar face was practicing the spear with Fei Rong. One of the first orders that QingQing gave was the destruction of noble families. The girl I saved the day the kingdom was conquered was the young Miss of the Astoria Family, Cousins of the Red Horn Royal Family. Without status, the girl's family used the 'life debt' card, and I assigned the girl to Fei Rong to be trained.
As I passed, I noticed the girl's form rapidly improving. But I also was hit with a sudden thought. 'Miss Astoria will naturally serve me. Xiao Wu is my attendant. And if Fei Rong wasn't promoted to a person of status, who would she serve? Lines must be drawn, ranks established. It seems I must introduce a bit of modernism.'
"Aunt Rong, send the little miss home and join us," I spoke lightly while entering the palace.
With Fei Rong's cultivation, she received every word. A few moments later, I sat on the broken throne, and all of the clans were grouped and seated as well.
"Dad." I called out, "Are we ready?"
He gave me a nodded, signifying the formation was erected. I twiddled my thumbs for a moment and gathered my thoughts. In my past life, I ran an exodus program that saved humanity, but the management was of that program was nowhere near the scale of responsibility I was about to take on.
I took a deep breath then began.
"During our visit to the Dark Water Kingdom, I had a breakthrough in the Guqin. Taking it as a threat, the old king and queen lashed out and were killed by Aunt Rong. I didn't want it to go down this way because it carried certain risks. However, I adapted and sped up our timeline. Now our goal is accomplished, and here we all sit...
During that time, Aunt Rong explained something fundamental to me. She said, 'in the mortal world, trees fall over with a subtle breeze. In the cultivation world, sticks seem to be unbreakable.' I was not born to be a subtle breeze. I was born to break the unbreakable and completely annihilate the feeble no matter how much strength I withhold. Because we share life as one family, none of you are born to be a subtle breeze."
My words began to make everyone's blood boil as smiles appeared on their faces.
"This mortal world is feeble. Its kingdoms are feeble, but the Lunar Temples are not... The cultivation world is not... Unfortunately, we're pressed for time. The family members of the kingdoms that reside in the cultivation world may return. Those eligible to enter the temples may bring geniuses to help them loot the temples now that their families and backers are gone. After the banquet, the capital will be locked down, mandatory training, and I will take a unit to the temples."
"What do you want us to do?" Lord Ironwood asked.
"I want the elders to be tyrannical and shameless. I want you to hunt those coming from the cultivation world. If they come to our Night Empire or even look at the Lunar Temples, they have to be dealt with."
Grandma Xiong began to laugh along with the Primrose elders. "This is great." She said, " Don't worry, everything will be handled."
I smiled as this world was really meant to be my home. "Good. Then to maintain structure. Situ Ren, Gellis Vamoria, Lord Ironwood, 1st elder primrose. Four General, Four clans. QingQing and I will be the young Imperials. Shane and Alessia will be the Imperial Siblings. Nimue, you're the Imperial Princess." I declared.
"Designations?" Situ Ren asked.
"Primrose clan handles the clandestine operations. Situ Clan will be the Martial House, the Ironwood Clan will be Internal Affairs, Vamoria Clan will be the overseers and Support." I replied.
"Support?" my father asked.
"Alchemy and Formations. Distribution and tracking of resources. Support."
"Hmm. The way you said it made it sound meager and unappealing." My father mumbled.
"Haa, such a child." I mocked.
"Fight me," he growled.
Pah! My mother smacked his head then glared at me. I audibly cleared my throat.
"Anyway. We have a banquet to attend. Everyone wash up and dress nice. This hall stinks, and we all look like shit."
The hall was filled with laughter and no shame. It had been a while since everyone had a good break, and everyone could smell each other's hard work.
Sometime later, the hall filled with commanders was replaced with servants and various decorations, tables of food and drink. Music played, and any reincarnate would know that the band played modern music on an entirely different scale than music native to the land, one of my many changes during my time before the war.
In groups, the clan elders appeared, then the generals, Shane and Alessia, the Twin Kingdom Envoys, and finally QingQing and I.
Instead of a stiff setting, I made rounds and mingled. I even met the envoys and chatted for a bit. They were anxious to discuss the relationship between our two powers. But I would have none of it and stayed in the party mood.
The night went on, and eventually, the envoys began to enjoy themselves and left politics alone for the night.
The majority was nice and drunk as we played games. Jubilant. Then I noticed a longing gaze on Situ Ren's face as he downed a cup of wine. I looked to my father and squinted. He immediately looked in my direction.
Gesturing over to Situ Ren, my father gave me a nod, and we made our way over as I pulled Shane along.
Once we took our seats, I filled everyone's cups, and my father asked, "What's wrong, old man? There's a big party happening, and you look as if someone died."
"A lot of people died. But the one I'm thinking of is my wife. Look at Qing'er. She's happy. The Situ Clan is prosperous with a bright future. My duties as a Night Parade General are half of what they were when I was under the command of the Dark Water Empire. In turn, my wife would be happy too."
I felt a pang in my heart as I could relate to Situ Ren's state of mind. I thought the same thing after Chen Suyin was taken from me. The regret of everything that I should have done and the guilt of feeling that you wronged your loved one and gave them less than what they deserved, needed, and or wanted.
Haiz! What does it take to truly mend a broken heart? A thought then came to mind. It wasn't a cure, but it could be a treatment.
"Father-in-law. QingQing had helped me greatly when it comes to soothing an aching heart. I also know that you won't take the initiative to do what I've done. So for the benefit of the Night Empire and future growth, I want you to marry the Twin Queen of the Twin Kingdom. It breaks their traditions and sends a message that the kingdom is ours now."
My father and Situ Ren looked at me with wide eyes.
"The Twin Queen never marries or has kids. Only the Twin King," said Situ Ren.
"Why is that?" Shane asked.
"Because Twins are a part of their legacy. Each of them will give birth to twins. A boy and a girl. To keep the kingdom from internal strife. The Twins are both named King and Queen. The King will marry and give way to a new generation of twins. When that happens, the Queen will train her heir, but she will remain unwed and untouched to ensure that family only has one set of twins every generation." Situ Ren explained.
"If they want peace. Those are my terms. And hopefully, you can do everything in this marriage that you failed to do in the last." I said. "Alright! Let's drink some more. Tomorrow we'll readdress these matters."