Azure Dragon's Bloodline's Project

"... From now on, you might get to train with someone else," Heian Ciemnosc said. It had been several hours since their intensive study session started. As it finally ended, Heian Ciemnosc looked at his little pupil and said, bringing her neck to crack as she looked up towards him on a corner of her bed. She looked up, creased her little eyebrows, and asked with a curious tone. "What does Imperial Teacher mean? Is it because of this? And this?"

As Little Ish spoke, she lifted her hands and conjured a Water technique with a flick of her left wrist, summoning a thin water screen and a trembling water ball above her right palm. Heian Ciemnosc looked at her, tilted his head to the right, and nodded. Little Ish giggled before nodding at him and speaking with a light, cute tone. “Okay, Imperial Teacher. Whoever that is, I will be better than that person and learn faster and more efficiently under you. Mhm, mhm!”

“Okay, you can rest now. I recommend you take a breather. You’ll need it from now on.” Heian Ciemnosc stood up to pat her head and speak calmly. Little Ish tilted her head to the left and blinked twice before asking, “Imperial Teacher, what do you mean? Will we have these kinds of lessons every day from now on? I wasn’t being that serious…Ah! Wait! Don’t spank me- GWAAHH!”

After administering some light slapping, Heian Ciemnosc sat the pouty girl beside his left and resumed their talking. His voice was calm and collected, as if he hadn’t violated a little girl’s bum and left it aching and slightly red. “There’s someone who I have struck an extra little job to do. I will be teaching her disciple, and you will, more or less, learn about the Water element together. Although I will still give you ‘private’ lessons about it, you will mostly learn together.”

“Okay, Imperial Teacher. I get it… can you get out now? I need to apply cream my Mother bought just for this, aoweee…” The little girl said as she rubbed her lower back, not daring to touch the affected area lest she felt twinges of pain again. Heian Ciemnosc flashed a light grin before standing up, patting the top of her head, and saying before turning around. “Don’t mess around while I’m not here anymore. Try to learn ways to focus your self-healing abilities on yourself harder and methods to engross yourself into meditation.”

“Eh?? But my innate Art’s healing is tooooo weak! Not even Mother can heal fast if she just cuts any tip of her fingers open! Why would it matter to me?” Little Ish looked up, didn’t mind the pat, and questioned her Imperial Teacher righteously. Heian Ciemnosc tilted his head to the left and flicked her head slightly down from the top of her head before saying, “It’s not a recommendation this time. You will want to learn how to heal just a little faster from what is about to make you go through. Every moment you are injured or exhausted will be another moment where you could die. Don’t be stupid and go back and forth with me. Listen to me.”

“Mmm… Okay. Sorry, Imperial Teacher.” Little Ish blinked a few times before speaking. Heian Ciemnosc looked down at the little rat before turning around and exiting her residence. A minute after he was gone, Little Ish started wincing in pain and writhing about in her bed. After 5 minutes of going through the pain, she faced her tummy down, pulled her pajamas down, and put ointment on her tiny bums with a dull pair of eyes and pouty eyes. They were still incredibly bright, though.

… The next day, Heian Ciemnosc and the little royal princess traveled back inland after Heian Ciemnosc discussed the numbers to go towards the northernmost part of the Far East Region’s inland territory. More than 80,000,000 workers were sent there. Additionally, the southern sections of the northernmost inland was added another 10,000,000 workers, making for 160,000,000 active workers from the Empire alone.

That was a number which no Third Step Sects and Factions could achieve— unless they were going to do something intensely immense, be it a battle or massive construction. Yet, Clan, Empire, Dynasty, and Nation could achieve such results if they did their job well. Nevertheless, as Heian Ciemnosc and Little Ish flew in the Ornament, the Blauw Empire dispatched a huge enterprise fleet that would only be the first of many to bring the new 90,000,000 workers inland.

After landing near the southern borders between the Feathered Valley Pavillion and the Blue Emirate Grotto in the neutral zone, Heian Ciemnosc and Little Ish got off the Ornament as it followed them up in the air, flying in automatic. The place they were close to was a little jungle that Heian Ciemnosc ordered the workers to avoid at all costs despite all those rich resources and materials in it. They could get ample supplies for generations in the Empire alone, but it was naturally heavily dangerous.

The Ornament stopped traveling at maximum speed once it reached inland, opting for a smooth and gradual speed as its cabin window was opened, and Little Ish looked at the magnificent ‘cities’ in movements. There were walls, buildings, and even recreational spaces everywhere for these workers. Those with business here, such as brothels, bars, restaurants, and beauty salons, weren’t part of the workers Heian Ciemnosc and Empress Shuna assigned to gather supplies inland, but volunteers who traveled here got a permit and started making a living.

Little Ish’s presence was always welcomed and hadn’t become a ‘usual’ thing everyone just got used to. That time, Heian Ciemnosc let her directly be seen as she sat at the cabin’s borders with her crossed legs hanging outside. With the little royal princess looking at them from the unique Fighter, the workers became incensed and kept working in their Empire’s name and for their family’s sake. It was a good pay, after all.

Now that Little Ish descended near the jungle and saw a few gigantic apes and some flying Fauna observing them from within the jungle, not caring to hide themselves, she became excited and remembered her personal Imperial Teacher’s words. She turned to look at him and asked, in a good mood, “Imperial Teacher, am I gonna start training now? Here?! Great! You go ahead and watch. I will become the jungle’s queen and start my road to the throne with this little place! Bwaaah!”

Heian Ciemnosc saw the little Azure Dragon’s Bloodline bare her transformation teeth at the jungle while her arms were sent backwards, her chest sticking out and upwards. They were at least 2 fingertips longer than her white teeth. They made her suddenly look savage, feral, and born to massacre. However, the notion disappeared as soon as she kept her fangs in. Heian Ciemnosc looked at her slight manipulation level and felt slightly proud.

“You still need more practice. From today onwards, this will be your training grounds, for that matter, and more.” Heian Ciemnosc said as he walked into the jungle, but before the joyful little girl, who was trying to stick her fangs out again and keep them outside but failed to even bring them to light again, now walking behind him, to stop and look at his back with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. Heian Ciemnosc said, “But you got one thing wrong. I’m not gonna be there for you. You will be on your own.”

“... But… Imperial Teacher… I… Imperial Teacher! I!...” Suddenly, the little royal princess felt totally alone and insecure. Looking at her personal Imperial Teacher, slightly turning backwards to look at her, she started tearing up before Heian Ciemnosc calmly and softly spoke again. “I will first teach you about survival. You’ve been home for a long time, and there’s nothing wrong with it. But you are also my little apprentice, and that means you must know more than others and experience things others think they don’t need but actually lack.”

“Imperial Teacher…” Already sobbing, the little girl picked her hands up to her collarbone, and her little shoulder shrank. Heian Ciemnosc stared at her for several seconds, his darkest eyes showering her with nothing in silence, before he walked to her, picked her up by the arms, and softly said. “Since I said I will teach you first, then I will. If I could survive nature with a lesser cultivation base and age than you… then you can do it too. Besides, I couldn’t transform all of me partially like you do.”

“I’m still scared, boohoo! Imperial Teacher… booo…” She felt her body smoothly picked up, and her face was on the same level as Heian Ciemnosc, but she didn’t want to, and more than anything, she didn’t want her Imperial Teacher to leave her alone. Heian Ciemnosc looked through her cutest, brightest aquamarine, azure eyes and understood her thoughts and emotions, but he continued.

“You are no simple royal princess next to the throne of an Empire. You are the Azure Dragon’s Bloodline’s inheritor, as many others. But your future isn’t to fight or live like one. It is to rule and guide everyone else, like you, and like those who choose to follow your people. Loneliness might be eternal for you, as it is with your mother. And trouble won’t be lacking as someone in your position. Your mother only had her father, but he left her too soon. Now, I’m your teacher, and before I leave your side, you will know how to live.”

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“Now, come.” Heian Ciemnosc said, letting her down and walking towards the little jungle. Blauw Ishikyy, still sobbing and gasping for air in between her muffled cries, looked at him and turned around. His back appeared in her eyes and mind before she finally walked onwards with her face staring straight down at the ground. Tears kept falling down like rain, and she felt hurt.

… Step, step, step… step, step, step, step…

“... Let’s stop here, sit down and close your eyes. Relax your senses,” after walking for a long time, Heian Ciemnosc stopped and said. Little Ish’s big, cute eyes were dull as she followed his instructions. Sitting cross-legged on her spot, she became relaxed, albeit somber. However, just as she placed her forearms on her thighs, she felt a gush in front of her, and before she knew it, a pair of fresh, cold, yet warm hands grabbed behind her elbows.

“Hm?” She opened her eyes and twisted her neck. Heian Ciemnosc sat behind her as a strange sensation coursed through her body, originating from her elbows! She felt clear-headed and felt her cultivation base, which she had accumulated and meditated on for weeks, finally breaking into the 3rd stage. She returned to her previous state and focused, cultivating as harshly as she could while her personal Imperial Teacher kept giving her this opportunity.

“Ooof!” After a couple minutes, Little Ish heaved a sigh of relief. Just as Little Ish wanted to start stabilizing her body before getting up to train her innate Art, she felt the strange sensation coursing her body do that for her, but felt this was about her limit and that she would have to do the rest for herself. Finally, when her cultivation base stabilized to her Imperial Teacher’s standards for her, Little Ish heard him calmly say, “Open your eyes, sit down, and listen to me.”

“Imperial Teacher! Before that… can I ask you… how long will I be alone?” Little Ish suddenly asked, looking back at Heian Ciemnosc. He looked up as if to search for an answer before indifferently staring back at her to say, “Every day, I will let you 8 hours in the jungle after your daily session. I won’t be here for you in our first year, but afterwards, I will accompany and test you by teaching you as you move, fight, and struggle. Still without helping you. Do you understand?”

“That’s if I’m even alive at that time,” Little Ish spoke begrudgingly and looked down. Heian Ciemnosc tilted his head to the right, hanging his head a little, and continued. “I can’t revive people, but with what I will teach you next, it would be as if I’m right next to you. Don’t worry, you won’t go too far into the jungle. This place will be your limits. There are only a few Spirit Formation realm Fauna around, and a few tens of kilometers further in are the Spirit Rebirth realm Fauna. All you will do is survive and harvest. Nothing else…”

“Hmmf,” Little Ish heavily sighed through her nostrils, crossed her arms, and her eyes went upturned to look at Heian Ciemnosc. Seeing this fiery, grumpy look, Heian Ciemnosc booped her nose before adding, “I will rest and accompany you this night, but only tonight. There are some things you ought to do to survive in the wild, and the night isn’t a safe time to think you’ll be alright. Even more, you might achieve successive breakthroughs in one trip. Do you think it’s that easy to breakthrough in the middle of a cage for any living being?”

“Mmm, no.” Little Ish responded after mulling a little. Heian Ciemnosc nodded at her and let her lean her tired back against him. His little apprentice pouted as she felt his formidable body and finally became a little soft. Heian Ciemnosc added, “That other person will arrive in a bit. They’re still a bit too slow, so we have about 2 hours before they come. Listen well, every word I say might be your salvation from now on during inland days, alright?”

“Mn!” Now, more content than she ever thought she would be like after her personal Imperial Teacher’s words that he’d stay with her and not let her spend her first day in the jungle alone, Little Ish became slightly confident. Then, she said, “Imperial Teacher, since I am your, hehe, ‘little’ apprentice, I want to learn more than that other person! Show me a thing or two before they arrive, can you?”

“Of course, you are in charge of me. How would I teach someone else more than you? Besides, your mother would go after me if I embarrassed you in front of an outsider.” Heian Ciemnosc knocked the back of her head and made her cutely shake it off before rubbing it with her little palms. Little Ish then turned around and sat cross-legged before him. Since she indicated she was ready, Heian Ciemnosc didn’t waste her time and started the lesson.

“The Elements can be seen as just any other type of energy, but only the first steps towards understanding an Element. Do you know the different classifications towards an Art or piece of knowledge?” Heian Ciemnosc then asked the little girl, who nodded and promptly responded, “Mn! First, one starts understanding. Even an ordinary person can understand the concept of energy, its improvement, and employment if exposed to it far too much.”

“After that comes comprehension. It is like… a stalemate!” Little Ish frowned a little and said after remembering well and feeling this was the answer. Heian Ciemnosc nodded, which prompted her to continue. “Comprehending something isn’t the same as understanding it. When one starts understanding something, an Element, for example, they can begin using its properties and form techniques, like any other cultivator in the Spirit Birth realm.”

“But when one understands it at its peak, one can add its power, property, and effect of that Element to one’s other power sources except the Soul. However, when one comprehends it, one can devise means to deviate or neutralize another person’s attacks from the same source without suffering any damage or losing its might. This can vary depending on one’s cultivation base and Soul cultivation if both have comprehended the same thing.”

“And the last one?” Heian Ciemnosc asked, his eyebrows slowly shot up to embolden the little girl. Little Ish put on an ‘expert’s’ face and nodded before continuing, “Yes. That is the ‘mastering a level’ phase. According to what Imperial Teacher and Momm- ahem, Mother have taught me. When one masters an Element or the like, they can diffuse any attack from the enemy, or even an ally, without harming them. That’s all I know about it. I can’t understand it.”

“Mn, me neither.” Heian Ciemnosc blinked his eyes and nodded. Little Ish opened her eyes, slightly widening them, and excitedly asked as if she had found a treasure. “Really? Imperial Teacher? You also don’t understand it?!”

“Of course, I can’t. Only beings and existences have that opportunity, nothing that Defiants and Mortals like us can compare to.” Heian Ciemnosc grinned and patted her upper back heavily with a dark Neutral Energy palm, making her lean forwards cutely. She pouted before positioning her hands in Heian Ciemnosc’s meditative posture. Heian Ciemnosc blinked before starting again, “The Water element’s affinity within you is pretty decent, but nowhere like your cultivation talent.”

“To understand this, you will need practice, more knowledge, and hard work for long or short periods of time. However, unlike others, you might get to evolve the Water elemental manipulation and might you can muster with it. As for how, it is in your Bloodline, little royal princess. The Azure Dragon’s Bloodline is the best innate ‘capability’ I have ever seen in my life, and I doubt I will find more like these outside the Blackotia Kingdom…”

Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes turned slightly dull as he reminisced, but he continued under his little apprentice’s tilted head and curious eyes. “The Water element is always flowing, and it can never be contained. Even in the air itself, some with complete understanding of it can conjure waterfalls and torrents the size of the sky… with the corresponding cultivation base to support those actions.”

“Aahhh, like you, Imperial Teacher!” Little Ish’s eyes became big as she started feeling a whiff of understanding. Seeing her little brain click onto something this good, Heian Ciemnosc smirked from both corners of his mouth, and continued. “When you effectuate your techniques, you don’t feel the Water element much, other than its typical properties. Cold, wet, fresh, and humid. But when those with affinity do it, they can grasp a little sense of their-”

“Particles!” Little Ish’s eyes widened to a full. Heian Ciemnosc grinned and nodded before continuing. It was bound to be an entertaining first day teaching her the Water element and not just the basic knowledge of the Elements…

. . .

Fwush- rustle~, rustle~, step, step…

Approximate 2 hours later, just as Heian Ciemnosc finished the last bit of knowledge he wanted to pass onto the little girl, and over 20 minutes have passed since then, they heard movement from the sides. The bushes moved and a few, tiny steps were heard as Little Ish opened her eyes and looked at the source of those sounds with confidence shining in her eyes as Heian Ciemnosc casually turned his head.

“!” - “...” From the bushes, a young lady came out, exposing her visage and her beautiful, tall, short haired, curly blonde hair and moon-like skin. She wore an incredibly light armor, so thin it nearly looked like leather, but Heian Ciemnosc identified it as metal. Her breasts weren’t big, but they were mounds and were comfortably covered by her armor, while her legs had a more flexible clothing, but were still resistant and nearly an Earth grade piece of equipment.

Thud!

“Greetings, tutor. I am Preacher Alex’s disciple, Pou. Forgive my lateness, I had never come to this jungle. It’s an honor to finally meet you, and I am thankful for your future guidance.” Just as Heian Ciemnosc’s eyebrows went up upon noticing the quality of her armor set, and before he could utter an exclamation, the young lady fell to her left knee and placed her palm on the upper section of her left chest. She faced the ground as her blonde eyebrows slightly knitted and spoke in a heavy, low voice. However, it couldn’t hide the smoothness of her natural voice.

…