Improving The Soul

“Let's go in. Don't put such a dumb face,” Heian Ciemnosc lightly said before walking towards the tower. The Fairies followed behind him, like last time, and Xue Yoler watched them enter before sobering up and entering the meeting tower last. A few minutes ago, with a rapid lift, the 3 of them were standing in the meeting room, with Heian Ciemnosc's Fairies peacefully cultivating in a lodging of their choosing, waiting for their cultivation motor, also known as Heian Ciemnosc.

“…” - “…” - “…” The 3 of them stood in silence, near the table, without finding the smoothest way to speak to each other. It had been quite the rodeo with Heian Ciemnosc managing the south. Even if they wanted to be polite still, or if any of the other representatives was a saint, his actions were too infuriating that it became awkward to just share the same meeting room again.

“… Well, let me start with how unfair this is for me,” Heian Ciemnosc started, releasing his crossed arms, which he copied from Ogork’s stance. Xue Yoler’s eyebrows went up, helplessly used to his shenanigans. Ogork, on the other hand, frowned a little. After all the trouble he’s made, the black monster dares to speak first and not wait for others?

“I’m only assuring the south will be protected. Besides, it’s not like I hid it. This time, your people immediately focused on my projects when the movement of resources was set in motion. But you should really stop trying to recruit some of my people as your spies… It’s awkward to see the numbers growing. I may even have to act in response, heh-heh.”

“…” Xue Yoler’s fully open eyes observed Heian Ciemnosc, upturned. There he was, doing it again. Down leveling them before explaining himself. However, no matter how repetitive the black monster was with this method, and how many times he repeated it during their previous meetings, it always worked.

Ogork put his arms down and stared at Heian Ciemnosc, not convinced, but also waiting for the black monster to convince him… Heian Ciemnosc didn’t disappoint and added with a calm voice, “I’m aware my operation’s forces were a lot, and very violent. I am keeping the south’s coasts clear from any possible intervention. I know it sounds a little hypocritical, but because I invaded this place, I know how easy it is to repeat it.”

“The coasts are too big. That’s just how the south was chosen. If it wasn’t the largest half of the Region, the Heraxle Clan wouldn’t have picked it as their territory. Although they are at the highest, they still dream ‘big’ when they already own something completely. A bit absurd…”

“Ahem,” Heian Ciemnosc faked a cough and continued, walking towards a chair and pulling it back but remaining standing beside it. “Once again, I have nothing to hide from my actions. I wouldn’t be stupid enough to think I can hide such structures from being discovered before they are finished. You know to ask, and that I’ll answer.”

“…” - “…” Ogork and Xue Yoler were a little speechless. With her arms now crossed, she exchanged glances with her cousin before staring back at the black monster. Then, both walked to the table and picked a chair in front of Heian Ciemnosc, 2 seats apart from each other.

… The meeting began like that. After a quick semi-interrogation session, protocol of protocols, Heian Ciemnosc was finally questioned about the forts he was building. He let it all out, hid nothing, and even revealed the estimated warship space for each of the 4 ports he was building.

During the questioning, the 2 representatives became more and more calm, albeit little by little, until they were at ease from knowing everything about these forts. The arsenal they would hold was enormous, but so would the personnel needed to operate it will be. In truth, this correlated with Heian Ciemnosc’s compromise to arm the Region to the teeth.

Thus, their attention drifted to the ports, each backed up by a fort. What’s more, Xue Yoler was ruthless and asked a little about the fortress. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t need to hide anything, directly claiming the Turtle Fortress as the command post of the Region, where the Crimsonbreaking Faction will manage their territory from.

After being reminded they were all working for their Existential Sixth step organization, Heian Ciemnosc explained the simple and rather decent requirements this Turtle Fortress would employ. Of course, he was also questioned about Medium Cities and the large watchtowers built towards the north of the Turtle Hiding Region’s south.

If seen from a high view from the sky, those watchtowers would form a cone-shaped barricade with the Turtle Fortress. When things arrived to this point it was already getting late, so Heian Ciemnosc delayed a little, feeling tired, and wanting to leave it for tomorrow.

“Well, we can keep the things like: how did you know I was moving resources there for the future? After all, those watchtowers' construction aren’t supposed to begin until after a few years. You’re getting a little too ahead of yourselves. Don’t abuse my goodwill. Anyway, we should continue tomorrow. Mister Ogork, may I steal your cousin from your watchful eyes for the rest of the night? Mn, we won’t leave the room together, I promise you that.”

“…” Ogork stood up after hearing the tone in which Heian Ciemnosc spoke, already too aware of what he would do. However, the black monster’s words brought him some speechlessness. Nevertheless, he replied a few seconds after, and walked out of the meeting room. “As you wish.”

“…!” Xue Yoler, whose head was working its gears crazier than she had ever tried to understand another person’s thinking with anyone else in her life, even her most important ancestor, jolted in surprise after hearing their exchange. She watched Ogork’s back disappear as Ogork once again didn’t bother looking back. The door closed with his back obstructed by it, closing and leaving black monster alone with her again.

However, she didn’t seem to think much of it this time. She moved her eyes to Heian Ciemnosc, who looked at her from his seat with a light smile. Xue Yoler stood up and waited a few seats from where he sat, wearing an indifferent expression.

“Sir black monster, if you have something to say, go ahead.”

Thud. Heian Ciemnosc picked his chair up, standing up, and softly let it down before immediately walking to Xue Yoler. She remained calm as he approached, slowly lifting her chin without a fear of his handsy acts from the previous meeting. Heian Ciemnosc stopped 2 steps from her and looked down at the stubborn gal.

“Just a few things,” Heian Ciemnosc grinned and held her chin with his left thumb and index finger. Her eyelashes flinched slightly, but she remained calm, and her lips danced a little before calming down. Heian Ciemnosc tilted his head to the right and added, “Don’t worry, they aren’t ‘work’ related. We aren’t conspiring behind my ally’s back. Nor am I hoping you are used by me how others expect you to be used.”

“…” Heian Ciemnosc’s words were on point, but Xue Yoler wouldn’t suddenly defect and live happily on Heian Ciemnosc’s side just because of a few words, or a million. Without further ado, Heian Ciemnosc commenced. His voice was a little authoritarian, and he kept her chin up, facing his visage. “First, I’d like to know. How has the citizen training regimen methods worked for you?”

“… They are successful, to say the least,” Xue Yoler said, keeping her eyes indifferent. She also wasn’t shy to breathe on his face like he did to her before. Then, she slightly knitted her eyebrows, “But I am still missing on a few things. And I’ve realized the information isn’t complete. There must be other things you haven’t put in that device.”

“Do tell,” Heian Ciemnosc kept his darkest eyes down on her as Xue Yoler breathed deeply in from her nostrils. She let a gentle, delicate sigh out from them before starting, “Huu… When I tried to recruit them, I found trouble everywhere. Although the prospects are already known, I can’t even amount to 20 million recruited citizens a year. I have more troops and ability than you and your south, sir black monster, but I don’t have a good method to attract people’s… hearts.”

“…” Heian Ciemnosc caressed Xue Yoler’s left side of her jaw with his pinky before softly elaborating, looking at her face. “Oh. Yes. You have to appeal to their needs. They don’t need cultivation resources, but they should have the opportunity to exchange for them in case their family sprouts a cultivator, or they grow a family after becoming a citizen. It is an enviable position, but also a bright one. Especially after my doings, no?”

“Mhm,” Xue Yoler obediently nodded lightly. Her eyes blinked, and she darted her eyes to the left before returning to Heian Ciemnosc’s face as soon as he resumed his explaining. His voice remained soft, as if teaching her, “Universal coins are a must. Their civilian market must never be related to the cultivation world. It is the least we, as cultivators, can do to those who birth the powerhouses that are slowly created or strengthened.”

Xue Yoler kept looking at Heian Ciemnosc, her head and neck slightly twisted to look upwards. His image seemed to interchange between his overly pale countenance and that of her ancestor. But more than that, it seemed to gain a spot that she had never seen since she was adopted and protected by her family, not leaving her out. Although Xue Yoler wanted to keep the image of her ancestor vying for her strong in her heart, Heian Ciemnosc’s image seemed to take a special place… She fought the notion as Heian Ciemnosc continued.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

“You can offer them gold, and commodities, such as organizing a Caretaker group or structure that will rear livestock for them. With more meat, healthier, and abundance. What’s most especial is to procure them the feeling of belonging. You can only start by giving them the fruits of joining you. The remaining will be handled by their struggle to remain or climb the ladder to a higher position.”

“I see,” Xue Yoler drew her neck back before saying in a soft and low tone, “No wonder. I tried giving them some extra gold from their mines and assuring their safety during their civilian strife, but they were bothered. Even now, I can’t seem to come to an agreement with them.”

“Indeed,” Heian Ciemnosc nodded, letting go of her chin and pressing his left thumb on her forehead, flicked her head to position with her drew-back neck. “If you try to take something from their hands and tell them you’re only doing so to give them more, don’t you think it’s a bit silly? You weren’t forceful before, and that’s fine, but you have little authority over their livelihoods.”

“In their minds, you’re just their generation’s caretaker, and the next. Oh. They are no cultivator. You can’t show them force at this point, only the best opportunity,” Heian Ciemnosc softly grabbed her arms and said while softly spinning around. Xue Yoler asked with a light frown and inquiring tone, “How do I create one?”

“First, you are not listening to them. You may think the cultivators you sent were too unruly, so the citizens you sent to speak with them would have been fine. But, wasn’t it the same? Meet them yourself. Then, you’ll know whether your people listened to them or not. You will know what to do from then on, not just towards the civilians.” Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes didn’t shine, but they seemed to glow dangerously.

“I… understand…” Xue Yoler muttered softly, her chin still up despite not feeling his fingers. She slowly became conscious of their closeness. But all she felt was a newfound layer of warmth, nothing else. She lowered her head. Her eyelashes trembled as she looked at his hands around her arms. They powerfully locked them, but she could free herself with a wisp of Vigor Energy.

“What… was the second thing you wanted to talk about?” Asked Xue Yoler, hesitatingly, as she felt an iota vulnerable. Heian Ciemnosc smiled and rubbed the sides of her arms before letting go. “We can talk about that tomorrow. This might not even last 4 days.”

Step, step, step, step…

“…” Xue Yoler followed his back with fallen eyelashes. He didn’t close the door, leaving it ajar. She could see him until he turned around a corner. Then, as she was left to her thoughts, Xue Yoler’s expressions changed to startled, anger, embarrassment, confusion, intrigue, pensive, and finally, furiously embarrassed.

… The next day. Heian Ciemnosc entered the room, only to meet Ogork with his crossed arms, sitting on a chair with his eyes closed, alone. Heian Ciemnosc and Ogork waited a few minutes before the lady appeared. The Snow Fox looked calm and serious, but her tail’s tip waggled a bit more than usual. Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes seemed to form invisible smiles, but none of them were good-natured.

“Okay, let’s start,” Xue Yoler said as she closed the door and went to a table on the opposite side of Ogork. Like this, they were in a triangular position, with Heian Ciemnosc still slightly in front of them. However, seeing the difference between the spaces they sat from, Ogork frowned.

“About the Turtle For-” Ogork recomposed and commenced the day, when Heian Ciemnosc interrupted and spoke without leaving them any chance to interrupt him.

“The south will build Medium Cities around the center, the reason is simple. In the future, a few hundred years from now, after the population increases exponentially. Any villager can obtain a free spot in the City, but only to a certain number. Afterwards, with the previous achievement my Crimsonbreaking Faction achieved, we will receive a steady influx of new cultivators who seek adventure, riches, and possibly join us, or the Region’s forces.”

“Each Medium City will oversee the safety between villages. They have already been spread, so even their supreme versions won’t inflict upon each other’s territory. But only 1 of them every century can become a town. From then on, they can become as large as they want… If they can. Other than that, the watchtowers are immediate responses to any situation within the center.” Heian Ciemnosc momentarily paused, clearly letting them inquire before continuing.

“You seem to care for the center a lot,” Xue Yoler started. She questioned with a lighthearted tone, “Is there something happening with that Turtle Fortress and the villagers that we should be aware of?”

“Nope,” Heian Ciemnosc casually answered. Ogork frowned and halted the words he wanted to question Heian Ciemnosc with. Thus, Heian Ciemnosc continued with his elaboration.

… For the rest of the day, Heian Ciemnosc explained multiple reasons why his Medium Cities were being constructed, and the use of the Small Cities surrounding the center with the towns and cities. It wasn’t a huge surprise that Heian Ciemnosc used the method of using civilian structures to slow down any invasion. Besides, the Small Cities would proportionate safety to the civilians and flee to the villages if the time came.

There were many villages, but still not enough to keep everyone from outside the center. Many of them would have to move into either the Turtle Fortress or the Medium Cities. The large watchtowers were for military personnel only, be it garrison, soldier, or auxiliary units.

Heian Ciemnosc explained a bit about the subterranean tunnels that the civilians were instructed to know about, at least for their village head, town’s mayor, and city governor. The 2 representatives were somewhat engrossed with Heian Ciemnosc’s choice of using tunnels that spanned for over a few hundred thousand kilometers before facing the surface.

Late afternoon swiftly arrived. The Est Soul Empire representative took the initiative to leave both Heian Ciemnosc and Xue Yoler alone this time. Although it surprised the latter, Heian Ciemnosc stood up and gestured in a gentlemanly manner towards the Snow Fox to look through a window together.

Step, step, step… Xue Yoler wordlessly complied and stood beside Heian Ciemnosc. They watched the prairies and green hue wrapping everything under the sky. The mountains made beautiful, obsessive shadows around the meeting tower and whole Mountain Pass. After a couple of minutes, Xue Yoler’s calm and relaxed words sounded.

“What is the second thing sir black monster wants to speak with me?”

Heian Ciemnosc turned to look at her right profile before facing her with his body’s full front. Xue Yoler returned the gesture and calmly looked at him. Heian Ciemnosc let a chuckle escape his lips before stepping forth to stand 1 step before her and quietly voiced, “Have you thought about it?”

“About what?” Xue Yoler’s body trembled slightly, but she still said stubbornly. Heian Ciemnosc tilted his head to the left before opening his overly pale red lips, “Join me. You can do that if you want to. Don’t forget this will be the second meeting. If you haven’t made your mind by the next time we meet… Then, I’ll be uncomfortable.”

Xue Yoler didn’t respond and continued looking through the window. They were looking at the south, which has been changing ever since Heian Ciemnosc came to it. Just like her… Anything he grows close to starts changing, she could testify to that.

“Sir has no interest in getting into my pants, as some would have said it,” Xue Yoler turned her head to stare through the window. Her voice was like steel, but the emotion behind it was a strong curiosity and bafflement. “So, why is sir black monster so adamant in attracting me? I am not special, like sir. My family protected me, but I can stand on my own now. Which is why I’m here now, and will continue until I feel my Godly Soul forming, and I can achieve my own goals.”

“If I was even ‘useful’… Then, I wouldn’t have been left semi-abandoned here after I spent a couple tens of thousands of years without breaking into the Godhood Step. I wouldn’t be so low in the Flora-Sweet White-Heavens Dynasty. Is… sir black monster trying to pick up the scraps others leave behind? That your treasure of man?”

“…” Heian Ciemnosc looked at her, growing perplexed the more she spoke. He shook his head disapprovingly before saying in a light tone, as if he was the one suffering. “I suddenly feel the impulse to spank you.”

Xue Yoler: (¤﹏¤)?

Ponk!

Xue Yoler felt a can-breaking-like sound as she shut her beautiful eyes. When she opened them again, carefully, she saw Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes like pools of nothingness that could consume her with just a thought’s worth of time passing. But his words echoed in her head, calm, quiet, soft, and with a pair of lifeless eyes. Their foreheads were stuck to each other.

“So…” Xue Yoler added with a slightly trembling voice after gulping down a little, “Why are you so good to me?”

“Your poor talent is something to take notice of, but your attitude interests me. Or else, I wouldn’t bother so much with any of you. Remember well, this is our second meeting since my countdown started. Think for yourself, and what you can achieve. Not what you should think, do, and sacrifice for a lifeless concept. It’s us who are alive, not names, titles, or status.”

Step, step, step, step.

With that, Heian Ciemnosc walked away and exited the meeting room. Xue Yoler’s eyes followed his back. This time, it was different. When he left her naked eyesight, she returned to the window. It had already become dark outside. However, after seeing the black monster’s eyes up-close, the sky seemed diminutive and bright.

… The meeting’s third day commenced, but this one was meant to be the last. Thus, the process was quick and efficient. They didn’t stay in the meeting room for long and were prepared to leave. As such, it came as a surprise when Heian Ciemnosc invited the other 2 representatives out to bid them farewell.

After accepting, they walked out with Heian Ciemnosc in the middle, and Xue Yoler on his left. However, once they walked outside the gates, they realized what Heian Ciemnosc was planning. First, they were shocked, as Heian Ciemnosc built a concealment array formation to cloud their Spirit Sense. Secondly, they were amazed by the boxes littered before the meeting tower’s entrance.

“Bribery?” Ogork said with a hint of a joke. Heian Ciemnosc walked forth and took the array formation down as his Fairies moved about. They had moved everything here from Evans’s Covert Space bags before the meeting concluded. Heian Ciemnosc turned around and faced the representatives, throwing a jar towards Xue Yoler while a few boxes several meters long and half a square meter big towards Ogork.

“These are for you. My apology for being ‘so’ secretive,” Heian Ciemnosc smiled thinly before turning around and nodding at his Fairies. He walked away with his 3 Fairy lovers clinging to him as if they hadn’t spent all nights here together.

“…” - “…” Ogork and Xue Yoler were baffled. Xue Yoler wore an astounded expression as she checked the jar’s contents. Ogork frowned as he saw the jar. Not even his Soul could break through it and observe what was hidden inside.

After exchanging a glance, Xue Yoler shrugged her shoulders before her body turned into a white light dashing around the tower before heading northeast. Ogork was left behind this time, becoming thoughtful as a few boxes disappeared, previously taken by Xue Yoler. He remained there for a couple of minutes before taking his share and turning into an ethereal form before dashing into the northwestern sky.

…