Everyone Is Prepared

The Neverthought phase of the Soul is mandatory for creating any weapon, armor, or tool. It was the most basic and embryonic state of one's Soul, but those capable enough could create Mortal weapons. It's only in the Origincloak where one can definitely craft them. The Blooming phase is when one should be able to construct Earth weapons and armor, depending on how decent they are in Craftsmaking. On the other hand, the Geist phase allows anyone to build them. Their quality depends on the Craftsmaker. It is also where cultivators can start trying Artifacts.

Going with such general knowledge, it was only natural Heian Ciemnosc had to have a Soul above the Blooming phase. Otherwise, it couldn’t make sense he can create Artifacts already. Or, at the very least, he was an insane Gifted in the Blooming Soul phase. It wasn’t the same with his apprentice, who was already treated like a disciple but was still just a student and teacher. Ishikyy’s Soul grew at its own slow pace while he was already many phases above others. But Heian Ciemnosc couldn’t know how to compare, other than knowing the ‘limits’ of each thanks to the Soul-exalting Old World parchment.

However, whether he knew it or not didn’t matter. All Heian Ciemnosc cared about was continuing to test himself and see if he could do things others in higher Soul cultivation should. Only that could help him discover more about himself. However, he could only do so slowly, as he was still in the Spirit Magna realm and far from attempting to crate Sky weaponry.

While Heian Ciemnosc cultivated arduously through this unfair cultivation realm, the world of the sea Regions in the Blackotia Kingdom’s east continued to live at their own pace. One thing that should’ve worried him occurred, and that was the fact that 3 of the remaining neighboring Regions decided to start building massive sea defenses. They were for defending, mostly. Not really for giving some firepower back, but they were just that enormous and quite efficient…

However, Heian Ciemnosc was too busy cultivating to the peak of the Spirit Magna realm while Shuna was in the midst of finding a moment to break through. The Blossoming realm wasn’t a simple step for cultivators, and they had to use their Souls a lot. Thus, after cultivating fast and more than half the realm’s stages in less than half a decade, Shuna was using her knowledge of the Soul-exalting Old World parchment to prepare.

Meanwhile, the royal princess of the rising Blauw Empire was already at the peak of the Neutral Encephalon realm. While she had always been fast, and this was practically nothing, Ishikyy finally found her limits as the Blackotia Kingdom and the Empire’s resources couldn’t compare to what she had when she was still in the First Step. Furthermore, although the pure energy around the Far East Region had improved a lot, it just wasn’t enough.

The Far East Region had gained many new cultivators coming there. If the Blauw Empire was already an attractive place to migrate before, even for those in other Universal Land. Then, now that it had soared to never-before-seen heights, it had become the brightest star compared to many other places. Its previous heavy toll during the wars, still minimal compared to the others, increased the amount of new Blauw Empire’s people.

Those from other places had to vow and seal their Soul, or Sou-to-be, to the Empire and its rulers. It was only for them, and their children wouldn’t have it, but it was mandatory for anyone who wasn’t from the Far East Region or its vassal Regions. Many of the families whose children were lost gained new flames as time passed, and more people stepped into their homes. Meanwhile, the civilian lifestyle was brimming in the Blauw Empire, turning the stagnant livelihood into an improved stage.

While Heian Ciemnosc didn’t think too highly of these changes, it could already be compared to a Fourth Step organization’s Godly Space Station. As for citizens, they now had much more to fight for and risk their lives as a soldier unit from the Empire. Besides, wearing the uniform, armor, and that bellic emblem was the sign of great honor for every person in the Blauw Empire. Becoming a special force personnel was even more remarkable, and the entire Empire would see oneself differently depending on an officer’s rank.

Besides luxury and securing their future generations’ livelihood, they could now risk their lives for benefits. As long as one of their descendants or family members showed a talent for cultivation, it was like getting a scholarship or a free pass to become part of the Empire’s well-cared personnel. It wasn’t something overly exotic or beneficial. It only allowed those talented few to not waste their time or belongings trying to support their descendants.

The Blauw Empire promoted stability in the lives of civilians and citizens. The latter was a soldier unit who participated alongside cultivators, while the former were their families. However, even if one was from a cultivator family but one was a citizen, they would receive the same treatment. The only thing that could change is if a citizen ranked up to become a Rear Admiral or higher. The same could be said if they became a General or Field Marshal.

These ranks weren’t a new thing in the world, of course, but they were just so rare to utilize nowadays. As for the pride one had when they were rising through them after the war against the northern Regions— this spread everywhere, not only in the Blauw Empire. However, while all this was known, it didn’t mean the other sea Regions were interested and started copying them. No, they had their pride and haughtiness.

However, the Phoenix Cry’s Region did start implementing some of these peculiarities.

On the other hand, after the Blauw Empire’s conquest in the north of the sea Regions and annexing them to the Far East Region, their Powerful and Neutral Stones’ mining operations brought them a vast richness they hadn’t had since immemorial times. Thus, the cultivators experienced the greatest boom from other people in the Empire.

The pure energy in the Far East Region increased slightly more, and more so after the Lightglassed Region became part of the Blauw Empire. This helped them even more, especially as they neared and after stepping into the Second Step. The overall cultivation proficiency in the Blauw Empire increased. It was only a matter of time before the Blauw Empire became an advanced Second Step organization, although it was already in that process.

Nonetheless, while the Blauw Empire implemented new changes and will continue to do so as it expands, its vassal Regions followed suit and implemented them besides the previous reforms the Blauw Empire went through before and while warring against the top 5 organizations. It was foolish to simply not do it, especially when they showed such a blatant increase in might overall. It would be utterly not to Pastor Miguel, Head Mo Liao, and the Sect Master’s benefit to ignore these and try making their own little paradise. They wouldn’t have been chosen by Heian Ciemnosc if they were to become like that.

Their Undermudmusk Region, managed by the vassal organization, the Feathered Valley Pavilion, brought a kit and incredible changes to the land. Meanwhile, its ocean started building Fleets with the Blauw Empire’s help as they sent Craftspeople to help instruct the new Craftspeople joining these vassal Regions under the Blauw Empire.

The Undermudmusk Region’s land started changing with the Pavilion Head, the King, spreading its people everywhere, and already a Second Step organization after spending a couple years cultivating in the Far East Region with Heian Ciemnosc’s knowledge. While Head Mo Liao remained within the latter, he went to the former to check on things, even when they were simple matters. On the other hand, the Pavilion’s gray clothed and obscure purple clothed remained in the Far East Region and cultivated as crazily as possible.

Only like this could they rush to become the Second Step organization they had to be in order to truly take over an entire Region filled with many more Second Step organizations. With the Blauw Empire’s backing, they wouldn’t worry about a rebellion, but if they remained a First Step organization over the peak, still a First Step, it would have been unfitting and embarrassing.

In any case, the Undermudmusk Region’s King began communications with the Fauna in the Region. They weren’t as advanced as the little jungle in the Far East Region, but at least they could establish a direct alliance with them, especially after receiving a few blows from the Empire when the war in the Region continued. Already being submissive, the Fauna cooperated quickly with one of the forces that scared them the most, at least instinctively.

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Like this, the Undermudmusk Region was guaranteed to have at least started on its path of building a whole ‘cavalry’ army for the Blauw Empire. Not the only ones to focus on such, but the ones to do it the most. It was a good opportunity, and their strength was always exceptional, even in Godly powerhouses, where Heian Ciemnosc knew the line had to be drawn. Even though billions of Fourth Step cultivators could be used in wars that he couldn’t even think of now, there weren’t enough beings to make a small army out of in the entire world or in several Changes.

King Mo Liao had his Pavilion's people introduce the lifestyle of beast-taming. For that, he needed the Empire’s help again to bring many Caretakers from the Far East Region and instruct the ones who hadn’t had enough training under the Empire’s people while the rest were too busy working with millions of Fauna. The Craftsmaker popularity among cultivators is sometimes 1 in 10, so they each had to take care of a hundred or few hundred Fauna.

Like this, in the first 3 months. The Undermudmusk Region became a Region that reared Fauna and was all about beast taming. While this didn’t seem like much, and the Region’s people were unconvinced at first, even the other sea Regions tried spying in their methods after 7 months. By then, virtually every cultivator was a beast tamer, especially the prisoners of the previous wars who understood very well what it meant to ride your own mount into battle, one that could comprehend oneself with just the beating of your heart.

It wasn’t surprising to see that, in 10 months, the Undermudmusk Region sprouted wings and became a Region to take notice of under the King’s management and the changes he brought to the Region. The Blauw Empire supported every one of these changes, from those unique to the new Undermudmusk Region to those that the Far East Region always implemented and thought first.

In the first year under the King’s rule, the Undermudmusk Region had gained shape and reconstructed, and its people were of a different mind. Besides, with the influx of new people coming to the Far East Region, the Feathered Valley Pavilion’s soldier units returned to the Pavilion definitively and became elder apprentice brothers and sisters of the new guys, even those they had fought before.

The last time Heian Ciemnosc visited there was to check on the soldier units the Undermudmusk Region had brought to the Empire after they returned from the Far East Region, and he was pleased to scan over a hundred million strong and capable troops within the Empire’s standards. After all, they also studied in the core of the Blauw Empire.

Then was the Eyeseeking Region. The Clashing Dust Cult’s beginning was slow but sure. In the first 5 weeks, they spread the news that any person with, hidden or not, Elemental affinity to the Light and/or Wind element would be given some of those ‘scholarships’ that citizens’ descendants received for both— immediate and long-lasting benefits.

A plethora of cultivators and civilians flooded in, letting the recently reconstructed Small City become filled with liveliness again. But only about a fourth of the people who presented themselves as possible candidates had any possibility of having any of these Elements’ affinity. Thus, after the examinations, King Miguel started involving himself in bringing the entirety of the Region under the same thoughts and desires.

For once and foremost, he showed the Empire’s history and significance in the world and what it really meant. Although most of this knowledge came from learning under Heian Ciemnosc, what he caught and could share confidently was spilled out, not keeping any of it to himself. Meanwhile, as he became more engrossed in teaching and showing the Cult’s new blood the reason for his belief, Preacher Alex remained in the Far East Region to cultivate fast and accompany her people’s harsh cultivation session.

As time passed and the Cult’s soldier units finally moved into their new individual territory, they were welcomed by millions of junior apprentice sisters and brothers. The Clashing Dust Cult’s old soldier units immediately started sparring, sharing insights, and exchanging moves they learned during the wars. The juniors would need it.

Little by little, 4 months passed by like this, and tens of millions of believers were crafted out of the population in the Eyeseeking Region. However, King Miguel didn’t make it a religion of sorts and didn’t force or make propaganda for it. That was left to the Blauw Empire’s united heart. Although there were some troubles here and there from people— who not only did they dislike a Cult’s modus operandi but also wanted it outside ‘their’ Region, Preacher Alex cleaned up a few times, and that was enough to keep things peaceful.

By then, the Region was already distributed, with nearly 40% becoming believers, 30% remaining as soldier units without the Clashing Dust Cult’s beliefs, and the rest didn’t care about it. Nevertheless, the might of the Eyeseeking Region couldn’t be denied, and it grew just as much as the Undermudmusk Region, only without the cool mounts and accompanying pets whose battle capabilities were increasing overall.

For as difficult as it seemed previously, the Clashing Dust Cult let go of the flashy techniques and adopted more conventional, efficient ones. Their Art was polished, even more so with Heian Ciemnosc’s active help. At the same time, they discovered new ways to pour their Wind and/or Light element into array formations, weapon techniques, and even Spirit Sense in order to be faster, undetectable to a certain degree, and even to weapons and armor!

They could basically form mini-array formations that enhanced everyone’s capabilities a little during a battle, with dozens to hundreds fighting beside them. It was a truly magical discovery, but it was only the first year since the vassal organization Clashing Dust Cult and its King ruled the Eyeseeking Region. Who knew what the future held?

Finally, the Lightglassed Region was handled spectacularly. While the Undermudmusk Region changed a lot, and the Eyeseeking Region slowly became a formidable Region where everyone knew the immense importance of order and the Blauw Empire’s rulership. The Door’s Expiring Death Sect rapidly moved in, not wasting another day, and started sending notices everywhere of the skies changing and their ownership moving to their hands to the whole Lightglassed Region.

It was simple, effective, and merely shortened any unnecessary situations. After a week of settling in, the Sect Master arranged a meeting of all other organizations, Second Step or not, where everyone sent enough people to attend it. After the Blauw Empire beat the crap out of their Region, the inhabitants could be considered chill compared to the other Regions. They listened to the Sect Master and met in due time.

In that meeting, the Sect Master beat everyone without sweating a bullet, with an impassive face, and holding no contempt or polite praising for his defeated opponents. The Lightglassed Region became aware of what they didn’t know that well before. Although puppeteering organizations were everywhere, as were sword-based others, they were pretty negligent in the sea Regions, with only the Clashing Dust Cult having some knowledge in the matter that further increased only with Heian Ciemnosc’s guidance.

After the Second Step cultivators knew who was boss, crushing their thoughts of slowly gaining the Empire’s trust in their favor, their First Step cultivators took the stage. Slowly, they were defeated by the Sect’s disciples and even servants. The realization of this Door’s Expiring Death Sect made everyone apprehensive towards the end of the meeting, and taking advantage of that, the Sect Master established a solid foothold in the Lightglassed Region.

From that week forwards, the Sect started attracting cultivators, implementing the same changes the Empire had in its core Region, and also started building another fleet. Since they now had a sea territory, it was no longer an empty investment for whenever their boss wanted them to work with it. Now, they could make use of their navy and keep training however they could without needing to move through Regions before reaching the sea.

The Clashing Dust Cult was the same, but they were barely building their first fleet, while the Sect had not only their second fleet in mind but a third one, too.

The way they attracted more cultivators and divided them was exactly as the Sect Master had spoken to Heian Ciemnosc. The Door’s Expiring Breath Sect, focused on puppeteering Arts, could use cultivators who would take the front and protect them in battles. While it didn’t have much purpose in fights or duels and could only be trained during exercises or sparring sessions, it was definite for the future of a puppeteering Art-based organization.

Those who joined the Blauw Empire wouldn’t be thinking of their organizations on how to make them stronger but prepare them for the future. Instead of using their resources to keep their might at the peak and saving some for emergencies, they planned for when they surpassed even the Third Step. It might be delusional and too much, but the strongest organizations in the world have always been like this.

It was just that few believed they could either succeed or that it was no longer efficient with the current times, but such were the thoughts in every generation for Changes now.

All 3 new and first vassal Regions were deeply connected to the Empire. Whenever a batch of cultivators was ready, had learned enough, and had enough cultivation base, they would be sent to the core of the Empire. After a month in the military college, they would go to the army unless they somehow failed, and would become Imperial Guards at their own pace. As for citizens, since the new Regions were still lacking in that department, an Imperial Prosector had to go and examine the new non-cultivator recruits and select those that could become a soldier unit in the future.

But it wasn’t just the Blauw Empire that was moving…

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