The elements seemed like the obvious choice. The four classical ones were easy to understand. I have seen more than a few TV shows, movies, games, and other things describing them but is that what I wanted? The image of myself wielding fire, water, lightning, earth, and wind flickered through my mind. Even more esoteric concepts like light and darkness would be amazing. Yet I couldn't help but feel like I was moving too fast. I hadn't even been a cultivator for a year, so I didn't need more strands. I couldn't even be sure that my class wouldn't provide me with another vision. I thought about it for another thirty minutes before I left it alone. I still had a few more things I wanted to take care of. I picked up the pearl and let its energy flow into me.

I made it nearly fifteen minutes this time before I was forced to stop. For lack of a better descriptor, the pearl's energy was like sugar. It tasted great and made me want more but I couldn't. It would eventually become painful and I would have to stop. Once I reached my limit I placed the pearl down and checked my status screen. There was still no hint of whatever the pearl was doing. I wasn't completely clueless though. I could feel my soul or psyche getting stronger. Unfortunately, I had no idea what that meant. I placed the pearl back in its spot and turned my attention to the egg. I unleashed my tao fields one after the other. My tao caused the room to shimmer as if I were stuck in a heat haze. It took me another five minutes of practice before I got the hang of using the strand of lucidity. It was a bit like a cross between offensive and defensive. It made me confused the more I looked at it, kind of like staring at an MC Escher painting. Of course that was taking into effect that my Wisdom attribute was sky-high at this point and my psyche was even better. Part of me wanted to run out and test my new toy but that would be irresponsible.

I was technically the ruler of this place so I needed to do ruler things. I took another half an hour to cultivate and meditate before I left. I was about to leave my apartment when I caught sight of myself in the mirror. My appearance had once again improved. My eyes were for lack of a better weird clearer. Not in the sense that they were easier to see but they seemed more aware. I didn't feel any differently so it was cosmetic but I liked it. The effect reminded me of those people with piercing blue eyes in movies. Like they or rather I could see straight through you. Second, my features were sharper. It was like before my features were in 4k and now they were in 8k. This confirmed or further supported my decision not to grab another strand. If I picked darkness would my appearance become darker? Would I look evil? If I picked light would I look lighter? The image of myself with bleached skin and golden locs passed through my mind. The hair I could deal with but skin? Not.

Of course, I might have been overthinking things. One thing that I did know was that I looked damn good. I was somewhere around supermodel levels of beauty. There were so many things I didn't know and each of them seemed important. I pulled my focus from the mirror and back to the tasks at hand.

"I knew you were vain but checking yourself out in the mirror as soon as you get back seems low." Aaliyah's said from behind me.

I turned around and smiled at her. "I am pretty sure you aren't supposed to enter without permission. I feel like that's a standard rule."

"You have very few rules. I am just the only person willing to drag your ass out of here. Well me and Christopher but he is busy."

"Is everything alright?" I checked her face for any signs of worry but she seemed just as I remembered.

"No, just a hundred small issues. People are debating who should move into which houses and what kind of contribution should count to the whole thing. Between Christopher and Keshaun they have the situation under control. How did things go with your hunt."

I sighed and gestured for her to follow me. I waited until we were headed down the hallway before I explained what had happened. When I finished my story she let out a low whistle and shook her head. "Damn so not even you can win everything? Do you think he will come here?"

"I doubt it. Just in case activate the arrays whenever I leave. I doubt that he will be up to a straight fight with me again. If I assume that his madness wasn't for show I don't think he has a problem with me. Nor do I think he has a problem with the top 100. He hates people who aren't trying that being said Masquerade might have some trouble. Since he is working for the UWG."

"I am shocked someone managed to survive a direct hit from you."

I shrugged. "I hadn't hit him with everything and nothing is absolute. I want to know more about that treasure. I could use something like that."

"Do you think it was a reward from a quest or something from the tutorial?"

"That's a good question. No way to know not for sure anyway. Do you all need help cleaning out the area?"

"We could use more people to do the work but we don't need you."

I nodded. "Either way I will see what I can do. I will stop by once I finish checking in with everyone. Let me know if you all need anything then." We stepped off the elevator and then went our separate ways. I made my way to the academy where I found the usual suspect only this time Trey sported a black eye.

"Damn. Who fuck you up?" I asked. When he glared at me I decided to bite back my laugh.

Desbera handed him a healing pill before turning to me. "One of the guards with some hand-to-hand combat training decided to show him a few things. Your world had a few pugilist heritages before the System?"

I paused at that before slowly nodding. I guess the fighting styles of the world's militaries would count as a heritage. I would need to see if any of it could be used now that everyone had super strength and speed. "If I brought you some books do you think you could update fighting styles from—" She held up a hand and shook her head.

"No, I am not allowed to help like that but you should be able to. You aren't focused on the art but if you had a follower that was they could spend time training and revising it. With any luck one or two of them would gain an epiphany." I stared at her for several seconds in expectation before she continued. "Epiphanies are hard to describe but the best I could say is a momentary enlightenment. They are notoriously difficult to force but they are known to cause miracles in some cases. Blacksmiths finally understand how to make the sword that had been stumping them for generations, musicians finish their perfect song, and warriors grow in power as they master techniques they couldn't before."

"Are there treasures that could force one?"

She nodded. "Yes, in short, there are many treasures that can though relying on a treasure is not as good as if it happened on its own. It would be cultivating diluted energy."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Interesting. Very interesting. What does it feel like? When it happens I mean?"

"I well I don't know personally. Everyone describes it differently as far as I understand. I have never felt it myself. Some people describe it as the Heavens showering them with knowledge others it's like a light had been shined on an obvious answer. Others declare it like the great Tao pushes them to the correct answer."

"Uh huh, fascinating very fascinating. So you want to learn how to fight with your hands?" I shifted my focus back to Trey. "I thought you were pretty sold on the fire and Ice mage."

"I am but I was reading some of the stones and it can't hurt to be able to fight with your hands. I won't be as good as someone who is devoted to it but I should be able to surprise someone with it."

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I have enjoyed giving someone a good punch in the face. Regardless you have plenty of time to decide what you want to do. I still want to gather a few more things for you."

"No offense big dog but why? I mean I am thankful but you don't have to keep giving me things."

I took a moment to process the question. Searching my mind for any explanation that wouldn't make me seem crazy and I couldn't come up with one. "I guess we are both orphans. I do want you to spend some time thinking about what you want to do. I am going to leave this place and I would like to have some people follow but it's up to you."

"Is that what Aaliyah said no to?" I nodded. "In that case, I'll think about it."

I grinned and patted him on the back. "No need to get too serious about it. You have time and who knows I might get too strong. I might have to leave before you are ready."

"Desbera what do you know about escape treasures?" I quickly went over the details of my battle with the Herald. When I was done she didn't look anywhere near as interested as I was.

"Well yes, there are plenty of treasures that can do that. Most fights between cultivators are just forcing your opponent to use all their hidden aces. The tutorial would be the most likely place to get such things. Trial grounds would be another."

"So I should go back into the battlefield?"

"Well if what you described is even half accurate I would say yes. I can't say how many of the items would be usable after this long but it would be a good place."

I nodded."What about flight?"

"Yes, there are flying treasures as well. They can be hard to purchase especially ones that would work in an area like this. An area with subpar energy I mean."

I rubbed my beard and nodded. "Do you like a submersible treasure would that be possible? Something that would let me explore the deep sea?"

"Of course, there are countless water worlds in the multiverse. Azariah should be able to find something. I would imagine it would depend on when you needed it."

"Great. I am going to let you both get back to it then. I have a few more stops before the day is over." I left them and made a quick trip to the Emporium where I found Azariah seated at her desk. Dozens of paper scattered around her while the rest of her workers brought items in and out of the back rooms.

"You don't look like you're having fun."

She looked up at me and the look on her face made me wonder if she could spit fire. Thankfully she took a breath and visibly relaxed. "Hello Young Master. Is there something I can help you with?"

"Well I wanted to know if you could find me a certain kind of treasure but I feel like I should be asking if you need anything. Is the business world not treating you well?"

"It's not that or well it is. I am just barely keeping us even and I am not sure what to do about it."

I raised an eyebrow at the mountain of papers and shook my head. "Math isn't my thing but if I can make a suggestion. You should try to branch out to other places. We shouldn't have enough people to fund a business on our own. Even if I buy the vast majority."

Her eyes beamed as she turned back to me. "I had thought or assumed that you wouldn't want that. I can arrange an expedition if you can provide a group of guards. Our ability to interfere in domestic matters on a new planet is limited."

I nodded. "Get with Christopher and have him build a group for you. You can take five people. Be careful not to let anyone take advantage of you. We had some tough negotiators before everything happened. Oh, feel free to use my name if you have to."

She smiled as her tail wagged and knocked over a table filled with glass cases. Strangely enough, the cases bounced off the ground instead of shattering. None of them had sigils which only made them more interesting. "I think I can handle some..." She looked at me and whatever word she was about to say died on her lips.

"Uh huh, well regardless I would like to know if you can find me a submersible ship. Also, any defensive treasures would be nice." I pulled up my status screen and sent her just about all the credits I had. "Spend those to do it. The ship takes priority though you don't need to rush it. I don't plan on using it until I am level 50."

"Alright, do you need it to have any specific features?"

I stared at her for several seconds before I got the feeling that this conversation was going to be much longer than I originally thought. I grabbed a seat and asked her to explain. The conversation took nearly half an hour before I got a bit annoyed at all the options. The weapons alone could be based around any tao which didn't make sense initially since the tao of fire being used underwater seemed pointless. It was then that she explained that there were worlds that would submerge you in all kinds of shit. Oceans of fire, darkness, light, and just about anything else. Eventually, I just told her to find the best she could that would let me go underwater and store the thing. Which was a whole new can of worms. When we finally finished I felt like I had escaped a battlefield. I practically sprinted for the door.

With my pockets mostly empty I decided it was time to go and see my workers. A quick sprint brought me to an area North of the main entrance that was in the middle of being demolished. Several blocks had already been destroyed and flags representing where new housing would go stood tall. It was enough to take my breath away, it wasn't anything impressive by old-world standards but this was because of me. I told them to do it and the world was being shaped. While I admired the scene and myself I felt a presence walking up behind me. I smiled when I heard the familiar voice.

"I was wondering if you were going to stop by," Christopher asked.

I turned around and raised an eyebrow at the man. He had gone through a mini-transformation in the last few days. The old football gear that was his armor was gone. In its place was a decent set of robes in dark earthy colors. I didn't sense any spirituality from them so I figured they were just sturdy clothes which should be pretty good for now. "Well, I couldn't just leave you all to do all the work. The last thing I need is a worker's revolution. I don't want to find out if Guillotine could remove my head." I half laughed at the thought.

"So Aaliyah says that you guys didn't catch the killer?"

I nodded. "Yeah, he was a crazy son of a bitch." I recounted everything that happened including the cultivator liaison program. Something that I was considering putting together.

"Hmm, do you think you would beat him if you fight again? If you fought for real I mean?"

I nodded. "He was pretty fast and my guess is he will focus on that attribute. If he got some powerful titles things might get dicey but I think I stole most of the good ones already. I am pretty sure I would win."

He laughed and stepped up next to me. "Well, I fear the day we have to deal with something that will make you humble." I scoffed and he ignored me. "Still it's nice. The people are starting to look up to you. There is still fear but they like you to King Arthur than a Tyrant."

"Hmmm, so what you're saying is I need to get a dragon or two? Oh, and I nice round table. Should I start recruiting some knights? Of course, Lancelot wasn't the best choice if I remember right." I flashed the man a cheeky grin before I turned back to the workers. "So where would you like me? I ate my spinach and I am ready to work."

My arrival sent a wave of murmurs and hushed conversation through the workers. I wasn't sure if they were happy that I was there until I started lifting walls into the air like Superman. The feats of strength earned me their thanks but it was my utter lack of handyman skills that made them start warming up to me. After an hour Christopher demoted me to heavy thing mover and I slowly became one of the guys. I didn't think it would solve all of our problems and there were still a few nervous glances as if they expected me to stop playing the game. I devoted five hours to construction crew duties before I left.