'Wait a moment, System, can you please elaborate on those Realms and Stages you keep mentioning. I understand that it has to do with Cultivation, but it's hard to understand without a basic frame.'
# Certainly, Host. For simplicity's sake, I shall limit the information flow to the first 3 Superior Realms.
First, you should know that every Cultivation Stage consists of 10 Layers, which are counted from 1-9, with the last one being called the Peak.
The 1st Superior Realm is called the Mortal Realm, with a total of 5 Stages.
Mortal Stage
Mortal King Stage, which is also commonly referred to as the Adamant Stage and widely considered the true start of a cultivator's journey.
Mortal Monarch Stage
Mortal Overlord Stage
Mortal Emperor Stage, with its peak often called the Mortal God Stage.
The 2nd Superior Realm is called the Immortal Realm, with a total of 7 Stages.
Immortal Stage
Immortal Lord Stage
Immortal King Stage
Immortal Monarch Stage
Immortal Overlord Stage
Immortal Emperor Stage
Eternal Immortal Stage, with its peak often called the Supreme Immortal Stage
The 3rd Superior Realm is called the Imperial Realm. It has 6 Stages.
Imperial Guard Stage
Imperial Lord Stage
Imperial King Stage
Imperial Monarch Stage
Imperial Overlord Stage
Imperial Emperor Stage
The 4th Superior Realm is called the Emperor Realm, but judging by the fluctuations in your brain, you seem to struggle to get a good grasp on the first three. It seems wiser to tell you more once you reach a higher Cultivation Realm. Currently, your most important job should be to survive without having to hide in Galatris' territory. #
'I agree, let us get back to it once I have a better grasp on this whole Cultivation Realm thing. For now, I pick the Knight Pack, the Knight Commander Pack, together with the Emperor Mount Pack.'
# Gladly, Host, your remaining balance is 1,000 SP. Please take note that you will not gain SP for opening packs. #
'I figured as much, would have been great, though. Alright, please open the Emperor Mount Pack first.'
# Opening Emperor Mount Pack #
A horizontal rift appeared in the space before Ken and 2 black Griffon cubs walked out of it.
"Uh, how cute!" Shyla exclaimed after seeing the two griffon cubs who had appeared from the rift which had woken her up.
"I'm glad you like them, but I was hoping they would be bigger. I was expecting a mount, not a pet." Ken grumbled lightly in frustration.
"Well, if you don't want them, I'll gladly take them," Shyla suggested with a mischiveous smile.
"You get one, not both. Since they were called Griffon Mounts, I'm sure that in a few years they will be big enough to actually warrant that name," Ken protested as he playfully shook his head. Meanwhile, the two cubs just looked at the humans with curiosity.
"Meanie. I'll take the female then, and I will call her V–"
"No!" Shyla began, but Keiren cut her off before she could finish.
"Under no circumstances are you to call her Vera. You can give her the name of anyone of your other friends if you can't come up with something good, but not her. I don't want Kerum and David to go crazy because you named your mount after her."
"...you are right, that would be a huge mistake." Shyla let out a deep sigh. "I already miss her, but I'm sure it has to be far worse for my brother."
Ken embraced her in a hug: "I would be lying to myself if I say I could understand your bond, but I just know if I were to lose David all of a sudden in such a crazy way, I would be devastated as well."
"I can deal with it as long as I have you," Shyla whispered and snuggled herself into Kens' hug.
"As long as I breathe, I will return to you, even if the earth tries to swallow me and Heaven tries to incinerate me with Heavenly Lightning. I will return to your side! If I have to fight the Devils in hell, the Angels in Heaven, or the humans on earth, if someone prevents me from returning to your side I will kill them! Even in Death, I will return to your side as long as I have any form of conciseness left. I swear it by the Heavens, by the Earth, by my Name, and by the Blood that runs through my veins, because I love you."
After Ken finished speaking, the sky began to rumble with thunder and lightning.
"I will remember your words, young one, do not disappoint me because your blood is also my blood, so honor this oath, or I will hunt you down." A booming voice echoed through the land, scaring everything in a 100 trillion km radius.
Most of all, Ken felt a tingle in his blood, like a reflexive submission to a senior in your family.
—
Meanwhile, in the outside world.
"Someone made a Blood Oath!!! Holy Nemesis, how many centuries has it been since there was a Blood Oath?! What's more, just what kind of person would willingly make a Blood Oath that could trigger this kind of reaction?"
"Where was it coming from? I just felt that it was far, far away…"
"Far, far away is good, I bet everyone in a 100 billion km diameter has heard it!"
"It came from the direction of the Eternal Summit!"
"Yeah, the Eternal Summit is in that Direction but is 150 Billion km to get there no way it came from there maybe somewhere along the way in a small tribe"
"How strong would that person be? What kind of Realm do you have to reach, that a single sentence of you scares everyone in 100 billion km?"
"Do you think… it could be someone at the Imperial Realm?!"
"Do you really think that it was an Ancestor at the Imperial Realm?"
"No way, I thought that was a Legend."
"Yes, because you are ignorant. If the Imperial Realm is a Legend, what Realm did you think the Eternal Emperor would have reached?"
Chaos, just Chaos. The appearance of this Blood Oath set off a storm that was bound to consume everything, as the fires of war started to burn sky high all over the 'peaceful' world that Chaosia once was. The fight for the Eternal Emperor's Throne intensified once more.
—
However, all this happened without the knowledge of Ken who was the reason for all of this.
Galatris rushed into the room. "What happened?" he asked anxiously. He had been asleep up until the Blood Oath had awoken him. He had a dream about finding a Seedling of his own, and that he had brought friends along… yet it wasn't a dream. Yesterday was real, and it could be summed up in two words. 'holy shit'.
Ken held Shyla in his arms still trying to comfort her while Kerum, Richard, and David were staring at them and the two little black Griffon cubs.
"Nothing," Ken answered immediately.
"Nothing?" Galatris asked in shock. This ripped him out of his thoughts and
"Yes, nothing," Ken reassured him.
'As if I would tell you that my wife is in an emotional crisis because she lost her best friend. It would just make things difficult.' Ken thought as he stood up and walked over to Galatris.
"Galatris can you tell me where I can find a courtyard to practice my summoning?"
"Yes, of course, I have already arranged for a few servants to be allocated to you, Master."
"Good, then let's go. I will be back soon," Ken said and shot David a meaningful glance. 'You are better suited for this type of talk. She was your lover after all. ' his glance slid to Kerum and then back to David 'and Kerum's sister'.
Ken and Galatris walked out of the hall. David walked over to his sister and tried to comfort her, with much more success than Ken.
"This is a small courtyard inside the Immortal Palace," Galatris explained as they arrived in a 1000 square meters big courtyard.
"Great, it should be enough."
'System, please open the Knight Pack and summon the Knight Commander.'
# Opening Knight Pack and summoning Knight Commander. #
To make the summoning more epic, Ken stretched out his hand in front of him. The next moment, space ripples began to form in front of him. Only… instead of 100 battle-hardened soldiers, Ken was greeted by a bunch of teens, each one leading a strange-looking horse. As most of them checked out their new surroundings, one of them walked up to him.
Like the rest, this girl seemed to be around 14-15 years of age, yet she was already a real beauty with delicate features and a good body proportion. On her back were two snow-white wings, her golden hair falling down to her chest. As she took a knee, the other Knights followed suit.
"WE GREET THE EMPEROR!" They all shouted in unison, yet Ken was too busy asking his System one simple question.
'System, is this a scam?!'