While Ki went back to her room and removed the layers of clothes that weighed down her body, she sat down with her eyes closed in contemplation.
She had several things to think about, some of them involved herself while others involved her realisations on the world, on fate and what was her place in the world.
All she had done for years was build up forces to become a shield for herself but when doing so she also helped people choose a new life for themselves and helped them to shape that life.
Would she use her power to take down the many forces in the world?
Or would she just use it to protect what she holds dear?
Would she use her power to benefit the masses and improve their lives?
Different choices lead to different paths that lead to one's destination that the supposed fate dictates in the end.
If she didn't get a chance to stop and contemplate then she felt as if she was walking straight down the path designed for her as probability and fate point her to the most probable direction.
Some choices could lead her to a path of becoming a conqueror, a villain, a saviour or something else entirely.
In her previous life there was only one thing that lead her forwards and that was the path of an avenger.
After her purpose was completed her time came and she was set on a course straight for death.
As she contemplated she became closer and closer to the vision of what she wished to become.. all she needed was time to realise her true form and transform into that.
Embracing her past, living in the present and fighting for the future to become a reality.
She could have taken the path of a hero, a saint or even a regular martial artist but in the end she had made use of what she had to build herself up from scratch.
Was it because she believed in the core philosophy of the evil sects?
No she just needed their methods to grow quick enough to fight back against any unknown variables.
She could have used her knowledge of future events to get ahold of an inheritance and take that path instead but she did not.
Instead she embraced her previous life, the sin, the evil, the madness and the pain that came with it and continued to carry it around with her because even if she tried to discard it there would be a day when her past would come back to haunt her or remind her that the person she is trying to become is just a figment of what she wishes she could be and not what she truly can become.
Living in the darkness for so long she wishes to see the light but it was not there for her, once her family returned to her she was bathed in that light for a while but she knew that she could not hold onto it for long if she did not embrace her true self.
She was no longer the innocent girl of the Bombyx family but the person who lost her family and endured a great many things and committed many sins but somehow was given another chance to change things but even after she has done so… what is after that?
Just when she achieves her goals and reaches a state of happiness she knows that not everything can go perfectly according to plan.
Perhaps if she overthrew the martial alliance and became an empress of the world then she may be able to stand tall and protect what is hers but it would come at a cost and nothing is permanent.
Back then she called the martial alliance hypocrites and mocked them but if she was in their position she may end up doing similar things as them in order to remain at the top of the power structure.
Even now she has already bent the laws that she had built for her own purposes to achieve further power to protect what was hers.
She had used the laws to convict criminals, those who are destined to die are used to increase her evil path martial artists strength so how could she say that she could be trusted once in a high position.
Her brows tightened as she came to a realisation.
The place where she was born is the place of her origin.
It is her beginning and the place where her family are and will continue to be generation after generation.
One day she would have to say goodbye to her grandmother, mother and father no matter how hard she tries to protect them so she might as well just watch over them while letting them live out their lives naturally.
Then she would have to welcome in the next generation that are birthed from the Bombyx family blood.
Like her grandmother had said in the past, the Bombyx family gave up the pursuit of riches and glory in order to preserve its bloodline before anything else.
She wished to be someone who would be her families biggest support and defence in order to do what she could not do as in her previous life her bloodline lasted along with and died with her.
Just like the ancient city that stood tall and sturdy to protect the people inside for a long time another blurry image began to appear in her mind.
A figure of something tall, sturdy and full of life began to appear but it was greatly blurred and she had difficulty making it out.
The closer she was to reaching clarity on what it was the closer she knew of what she was to become and what her true purpose is in life.
Meanwhile Lumi and Rayleigh sat within their rooms and immediately entered a state of cultivation.
Originally Rayleigh had been a genius and had high comprehension even higher that that of Lumi so she did not have much difficulty to enter a state of enlightenment on herself and her martial path.
However ever since Lumi had her memories removed so long as she had something available to her she would be able to absorb it quickly like a sponge.
Perhaps the missing part of her previous self left a part inside herself that was hollow and needed to be filled but would not be satisfied with what it took in so it just kept taking what was given.
This helped her to learn and comprehend what she had seen, heard and felt at a much faster speed than she had previously been capable of without being distracted by thoughts or emotions, after she completely removed her emotions she became even more focussed on her task.
Once she received the proper teacher she was able to learn at a faster rate and even Rayleigh who was a genius had to work harder to keep up with her rate of progress.
If Ki was a monster in terms of talent and growth then Lumi and Rayleigh would be called super geniuses and be directly given many resources and support by any large sect but under Ki's influence they were beginning to become something more with the help of the beast contract, qi boosting pill and her direct training.
Each of them sat on a practice mat and the icy air was being breathed in and out of their bodies as they gained a greater realisation on their martial arts and their qi art which began to increase in speed.