'Don't give away my stuff, damn Glove!' Pef grumbled inward, somewhat annoyed at the misuse of trust by his foremost advisor.
'Stop being a child, Soldier! Who else can safeguard our backs after we Ascend? The General and the Legion, nobody else.' the glove answered in careless tone, as if everything was already planned.
Knowing his glove, it probably was, a billion steps in advance.
'At least you're optimistic about my future. I can't even solve the damn Ten Element method!' Pef complained in an exasperated voice.
'There's no wonder your wisdom is ten times lower than mine, my young user. You cook and brew with beast ingredients of highest grade, you add Taotie blood to your Formations, you even promoted to Tier 10 using Blood Dao and Blood Sacrifice. You added the Eight Elements to the Legion Method, but the General is only a lotus flower, no matter her current shape. Even with her new Tier, only ants and other insects will be controlled by her original Skill.' The glove answered in a superior and smug tone.
'...I really am an idiot.' Pef discovered as he parsed through the glove's aspersions, and winced at the 978 Wisdom score on his internal screen. The glove already had 1000 when they first met in a previous life. Now it boasted a clean 10000 intellect and wisdom, as if mocking his entire cultivation.
'You're somewhat better, but without me you'd still flail around at random. Now figure out how to bind your blood into the Legion Method. I would do it for you, but as you see, I also lack blood.' the orange glove spoke in a colder voice.
Pef sighed and slashed his palm on the Heart Ruler's edge, dripping a liter of blood in mid-air, forming a globe of powerful vital energy, filled with tiny Fate strands that he could now perceive.
Time began to accelerate around Pef, as he sunk into meditation and transmutation. Millions of approaches were tried and discarded, until four major paths became more obvious. Direct bloodline infusion, like the Jade Emperor had done for Yue. Compatibility issues would restrict this method to direct descendants or convergent evolutions.
Even so, Pef constructed this method to be tested among his children and grandchildren. It would be quite powerful, especially if other traits and Skills would also pass on. They would match his own realm simply by acknowledging Pef as their Ancestor, and being loyal. If he was inspired by the works of the Legion Word Gun with the Arazmodel demon bloodline, it was no coincidence.
The next version involved Faith. Bloodlines could be changed, if one believed hard enough. Pef also crafted this method for use in his private inner multiverse, and other people that adhered to the Church of Pef, be they former Lacrima universe inhabitants or his newer Icefire Sect. Risks abounded here, as lack of Faith or distortions in dogma would derail the cultivation as well. Still, some people preferred belief, and here it would also work. As a corollary, the more believers, the more power Pef gained through Faith, thus the more power the followers would receive. It was a self-sustaining method in the end, despite the other risks involved.
The third method involved the Fate strands in his blood and thus Destiny. Link his own Fate with those cultivating this method, and as long as he didn't die completely, the Destiny River would carry the cultivators along, albeit limited by his own cultivation progress, basically stepping in his footsteps. But millions of potential Tier 10s fighting alongside wasn't bad at all. Most of the Legion would benefit from this method, including ants and other blooded creatures.
As for the fourth method, it was the hardest and least feasible to pursue. Few if any people would have the strength of Will to endure the Tribulations he had endured. Few, but not zero. Even a single successful cultivator would half the burden of his cultivation.
If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
Pef clenched his fist and inscribed the fourth method on a mind crystal. A Violet portal formed at his will and the crystal flew straight at the Silent Monk's head. The old man practically adored Tribulations, might as well provide.
Just as Pef prepared to distribute the first method to his children, his senses picked a trio of Bronze Nobles stepping out from the Cloud City Junction.
One of the Nobles flew straight towards the Sword Monument, and after examining it for a second, proceeded to demolish the Formation Array and started dragging out the giant sword, disregarding a thousand cultivators on their stone mats, and more importantly paying customers.
'Huh? Wake up old badger. Food has arrived.' Pef warned the Taotie as he appeared in front of the Thief.
Without words, Pef simply pushed the man softly, and into a veiled Violet portal.
Then he lowered the Monument back in place and restored the Formation Array. "Please continue cultivating, esteemed customers. The miscreant has been dealt with." he announced with slight amusement, then prepared to return to his Celestial Restaurant.
The pair of remaining Nobles stared in confusion for a second, before appearing above the restaurant, in blatant disregard of the no-fly zone array.
"Where is Archduke Arakasa?" one of the Nobles demanded in a not-very-polite tone. In fact, his Words strained the outer defensive formations of the restaurant, making them groan .
"You mean, the thief that tried to steal the Sword Monument? He's dead." Pef explained in a careless tone. Not quite true, yet. But it will be soon enough.
"Stop joking around, Divine Cook, or whatever you call yourself. Archduke Arakasa had reached 4th Star in Bronze Realm." the other Noble spoke in disbelief.
Pef shrugged unimpressed. "Anyway, you're causing a disturbance at my restaurant, you two. I suggest you fuck off, before you get eaten as well. We aren't picky what we eat around here." he said with a wry voice.
The first Noble exchanged at glance at his comrade, then launched himself at Pef with a glowing spear in hand. Pef allowed the strike to connect with his after-image, and the Noble to cross into the Violet Realm though the portal at his back.
'One left. This one will run.' the glove predicted with an exit vector for the Third Noble.
Pef smiled and placed another Violet Portal on that vector, allowing the panicked Noble to flee, then vanish into his Violet Realm.
'Well then. Time to gather allies and kill the aggressors.' he mused inward, while he proceeded to recall any useful combatants.
This time, the General with her peak Tier 9 cultivation was also invited, and then soon armed with Pef's Sacrifice Dagger.
Lia took the brunt of the damage alongside the Taotie and the White Tiger, being the only true immortal among everyone gathered here. Even so, she carried a Violet Companion Ring with her own Taotie Spirit now, so she could dish out damage as well.
The Silent Monk and Kalima provided support and confusion, while the General took the hidden blade role, attempting to assassinate each Noble as their back was turned.
Lady Yue provided temporal support and at one time engulfed one Noble into an Indigo cube. A minute later, she emerged alone, but with her own Tier 10 realm, and took a step back, watching the battle from the sidelines.
"Doooong!" an ear-shattering sound emerged from the Silent Monk's wooden fish. Another Noble stumbled, holding his chest in pain.
"Why do you have...?" he managed to say, before Pef took his head with a simple Dimensional Strike.