The next day Shen Yue and the others were told about the others wanting to remain a few more days to continue searching the additional room that was uncovered by him. His response shocked them.
"I will pass." Shen Yue grabbed his belongings and passed back the storage deceives of those who gave him the Demon Beast remains. He left the treasure they had inside and took only the corpses. "I have enough to deal with anyway. Best of look on the rest of your expedition."
"Umm wait, I will come as well." Huyan Lanruo said. Those of her family doing the same. "We already received our cut so it is fine. Ny additional treasure doesn't need to come with us."
"You should head back as well Ziyun." Ye Hong said. "Tell the City Lord officials about the Dark Guild members spotted here." She nodded in agreeance. Turning to Nie Li she gave a small smile.
"We will remain to make sure nothing untoward happens to them." Yang Xin said. The other Alchemist wanting to enjoy the outdoors after talking with Shen Yue about nature and alchemy. "Have a safe journey back."
"Yup." Shen Yue waved and left. They were barely down the way, barely 10 minutes when Lanruo started asking questions. "Come again?"
"I asked how did you get so strong? Who taught you how to fight? Why do you know so much about medicine! Why did you collect the building from the ruins and are you dating Yang Xin!" Her bold words caused a few of the females to blush. The only other male had a goofy look on his face. "Well?!"
"What do I get by answering you exactly." Shen Yue turned to the side asking her with one eye open. "I mean seriously what do I get?"
"I will... give you a kiss." Lanruo batted her eyelashes at him. Her eyes glowing pink slightly. 'Let's see how you deal with this Mr tough guy.' Her technique had no real effect on him. "Huh!?"
"Yeah.. that only works on the weak will and those who are innocent." Shen Yue plucked her forehead. "It is a very useless technique really unless you plan on running a brothel or a bar. A waste of your talents."
Rubbing her forehead, Lanruo was barely embarrassed. The others were embarrassed enough for her, however. Ye Ziyun was as red as a tomato.
"Fine then, I will have my father give you a favor."
"I suppose that will work. I have witnesses to your words after all." Shen Yue told them to keep walking since their was no reason to stop already. "I became strong by doing unthinkable things and tearing my body apart and putting it back to together, literally. I learned to fight by watching others the same as everyone else and adding in what I believe I should. I know so much about medicine because I studied it for most of my life. As for the buildings in the Orchid City, the answer is why not? They were going to waste and I have much better use for them than to let them turned to nothing. Plus I save on building materials. And no I am not dating Yang Xin. I think she only wanted to date an alchemist, unfortunately."
"So you are single like me." The guy said. "I am Dian Shen by the way." Shen Yue blinked at him a few times almost unbelieving. "What is it?"
"Are you related to Dian Mu and Dian Rei by chance?" It was a long shot but he might as well ask. The young man nodded. "Why do you never visit them?"
"I didn't know where they were. Haven't seen them since we were little." Dian Shen didn't think they were even alive. Considering the servants didn't make for themselves yet it was fair enough. "Are they doing well?"
"Yeah, they are both apprentices of mine." Shen Yue looked back as the young man stood stock still. The girls moving around. "You are happy to come and visit them when we return."
"Thank you!" Dian Shen was extremely happy. He never expected to see his family members again. In fact, he expected to die during this expedition. "I am happy more than ever they failed at trying to kill you!"
"Huh!?" Shen Yue arched an eyebrow as he turned around. " Who tried to kill me?"
"Thos cloaked guys Shen Fei was talking to this morning." As he rubbed his chin in thought, Dian Shen tried to remember how many there were. "It was about 6 guys but they ran away when Ye Hong yelled for Shen Fei. He wanted to settle accounts in regards to that crossbow shot to the leg."
"Oh my... I think this guy is simple-minded." Lanruo said as she looked at Dian Shen. "But at least he looks sturdy." Seeing as he was at the 2nd Rank of Silver he had to have some skill.
"That is rude Huayn Lanruo." Ye Ziyun said.
"I don't he cares much." One of the cultivators said. Seeing the long journey back she was not to happy. It will be a long time until we make it back."
"Not really." Now in more of a rush to return, Shen Yue removed a roof from his Internal Space. "All of you get in and hold on tight." Agreeing easily enough, they held on to the sides. "Good thing you all are so light."
*Fwoosh!* A pair of Flame Wings appeared from his backside. Lifting the roof up easily enough, Shen Yue took off into the sky. His spirit energy gathered behind as he started to burst forward.
"We are going to die!" They all screamed togethor.
Dian Shen fainted after the first burst. Followed by the rest. Huyan Lanruo was the only one who stood awake. But that was because she refused to open here eyes. The longer he burst the gentler the ride turned.
What they didn't was that Shen Yue was suing the Metal Seed to cut against the wind as well as the force generated by the bursts. In front of the roof, if one listens carefully, they could hear little sounds of thunder.
A trip that would take days took 12 hours.
.
Outskirts of Glory City-
.
Shen Yue made a landing right by the west gate. After all, it put him closer to home. As for his passengers, they were not doing so well. Whether it was the puke or the urine he didn't know but they refused to leave the roof. Afraid someone would see them.
"Fine, just wait a moment." Shen Yue looked around to make sure no one was nearby. Seeing none and picking up none with his Astral Sense, he picked the roof up and flew into the Dark Moon Family compound. "There, is this better?"
Huyan Lanruo's white knuckles pulled her over the side. She plopped onto the dirt looking like a mess followed by the others. They crawled to the nearest building to hide. As well as clean up. The grumbling that left them was not nice at all.
As they did that, Shen Yue stretched his Astral Sense over every nook and cranny of the place on the surface. Checking the Rune Protection in place, then the guards to make sure none were dead or poisoned.
After that, he tracked down Shen Xue who was in his study reading and making notes. She looked a little disheveled and tire but fine overall. Dian Rei and Dian Mu were at work in their respective rooms.
Pill bottles all over the floor and various garments, armors and weapons in both rooms. What they had been up to was a bit of a mystery since the items looked new.
Moving his senses around, he spotted a few other workers taking a break. The sweat coming off their back were proof they worked hard.
The new hired workers did work on the walls. He spotted quite a few members of the Winged Dragon Family as well as the City Lord Mansion members working on the wall very hard.
A few other people from the low Aristocratic families were invovled with severla commoner families working. Even members of Lu Piao's family were involved it seemed.
"Well, that is.." Before he could finish that sentence, two streaks of light tackled him. The Scarlet Flaming Fox and the Flaming Snake. "..woah there!" Shen Yue was actually knocked onto his butt by the two. "I see you two increased your strength while I was away."
They had more shocks for him then strength increases.
"Yes, we did." The fox said. It's voice like a child but very practice in speaking. Maybe at the level of a 5 year old. "Mistress Shen Xiu went crazy while you were away!"
"That's right! She worked us to the bone! Making us practice speaking every day!" The snake cried. Literal tears came down it's face. It wiggled about as if shuddering at the memory. "Do not even get me started on the reading out loud drills!"
It was almost funny and he wante to laugh but held it back.
"Ok, settle down for now. Have some energy to help increase your strength as well as some prime demon beast meat for you to eat." Shen Yue placed them in his Internal Space. Both of them were put on top of Rune Formations to help with the process of cultivating. The small adjustments from the knowledge of those at the ruins allowed for some fine tuning already. Seeing the Black Tiger cub, the older Demon Beasts smiled before focusing on cultivating. "Might as well go directly to talk with Shen Xiu now."
*Babump!* Shen Yue almost collapsed as he felt his heart pound in his chest. It didn't take long before he realized what was happening. His body was going through a breakthrough on its own. The constant circulation of his spirit energy shooting from the Ruins to Glory City was forcing the process faster than he wanted.
Transforming with the Flame Vortex Star Dragon partially was proof the body was not ready for the burden overall. Which was one of the reasons he wanted the Giant Armed Blue Ape bodies. Their blood would help increase his skeltal structure as well as the Metal Seed!
"Gotta hurry!" Sprinting to his room, he didn't have time to close the doors. Shen Xiu having heard the commotion left from the study. But she was not the only one. A very angry Huyan Lanruo marched around trying to find him as soon as she changed and was presentable. "Gonna just make it!"
*Woom!* Sitting on the rune to help suppress the breakthrough at the last moment helped a little. Shen Yue gained control and slowed his cultivation down as he checked over his body. Cracks aligned his neuro network as well as problems in the meridians started to show.
His plan to completely refine his body anew right before stepping into the Legend Rank was in jeoprady. To have to do it now before stepping into the Black Gold Rank then again into the Legend Rank was not something he wanted.
"Suppress! Suppress damn you!" Shen Yue forcfully halted his cultivation. "Damn it!" Sticking his hands into the floor he grabbed hold of the master runes that control the various runes throughout the compound. 'Holyshit Shen Xiu has been really busy!'
All across the new land underneath were the Inscrption Patterns that were written in the plans. Shen Yue only paid attention to the Runes on top earlier since the Inscrptions would take longer to meet his standards.
Somehow, or by whoever Shen Xiu had do the Inscrptions, they were of better quality than what was needed for the base work. All that was left was the complete linking of them by him of course.
*Brrmm!* Soul Force pushed out of his body in a flood. Under the direction of Astral Sense, the runes were connected to the Master Rune one by one.
From his Internal Space and from the Spatial Ring, the bodies of the Giant Blue Armed Ape were removed. With a simple flick of the finger, cuts appeared all over the bodies as the blood was pulled around him.
*Thrum! Thrum! Thrum! Thrum! Thrum! Thrum!* The Metal Seed let out five pulses as the blood was absorbed nonstop. The bodies were then thrown into the Flame Vortex Core for refinement. Another set of beasts were pulled out as he started up again.
The various damaged pills and elixers that he thought were recoverable a little were thrown into the Flame Vortex Core that spun madly. Half the weapons and armors as well. The melted metal dripped down into the Metal Seed and was absorbed.
"Grrrr!" Shen Yue gritted his teeth in agony. His Soul Force was reeking havoc on his body. Pushing more into the Master Rune only eased some of the pain. "Need to epend more that I have stored!" With the use of Astral Sense, some was directed towards the garden in his Internal Space but he had to stop since it was already over filled from what he did in the Ruins. "Shit!"
Rembering the jewels he took from the treasurey, he pulled them out with the Soul Stone and the Abstruse Demstone. Diving into both of those, he started to copy the way both work and inscribed it on the jewels. It slowed down the process of his body breaking down just a bit more.
Shen Xiu had stop right at the door entrance and didn't know if she should laugh or cry that despite not having to open the door, she still witness something crazy done by her nephew.
"Hmm?" To the side of Shen Xiu a very angry Huyan Lanruo stomped over. "What the hell do you thnk you are doing barageing into our home!" Fire generated at her fingertips as she stared at the teen.
"Shen Yue flew us back from the ruins like a psycho! I have a bone to pick with him!" Lanruo continued to march over but froze feeling the oppressive spirit energy from the room. With a turn she almost fainted on he spot at the sight. The swirling blood as well as the oppressive spirit energy caused her to shake in fear. "He.. is.. nuts!"
*Thunk!* Lanruo bumped against the wall as she tried to scruuy away. A look to Shen Xiu and she thought today would be the day she died.
"Ugh!" Shen Yue grunted as he pulled out the various scrolls taken from the treasurey. Spirit lines down his face started to spread out like a spider web. Flesh that was to weak started to burn off or out right burst apart from him. "Send the workers home for the day! It will be to hard to make sure they are not hurt in the process!"
Shen Xiu looked at his hands that were stuck in the ground where the Master Rune was located. The contant Soul Force pumped inside was only a small indicator of what he was doing. Which was not something to be done until the safety checks were crossed off.
"Tell them come back in a week!" SHen Yue started to pull on the ecxess energu stored in the Internal Space. It was suppose to be fine tuned more to be able to work in the soil better for the Baren Lands but this was a rushing matter. "Anyone looking for me in the next month is to be.. sent away! Kuff!"
Specks of blood burned up in th blink of an eye. To accompdant he sped up the process of refining the beast blood into the metal seed as well as the breakdown of the beast flesh. Guiding Aastral Sense he started to look over the scrolls deeper.
'Not enough cultivation Manuals that I need! Dammit!' Shen Yue couldn't speak anymore as his tongue already exploded in his mouth along with his throat ripping. 'That blasted Kong Ming spirit energy! SHould have known when it threw me back it did something else!'
The small cracks in his Meridians revealed a strange spirit energy. Once it had been detected it, it was absorbed by the Flame Vortex Core and used immediately. It was not richer this energy but was capable of causing damage if left unchecked fully.
Shen Yue made a note to remeber to not just do a quick checkup when out in about but to do a thorough one as soon as he was able if something repelled his spirit energy so forcefully. The list was getting long for this month now that he thought about it.
As Shen Yue fought to establish control, the Black Star Tiger cub woke up. It blinked a few time taking in the surroundings before dozing back off. All along its back, blue-white lines started to appear.
"Come on girly!" Shen Xiu grabbed Huan Lanruo and sped outside. She made sure to tell the teen exactly what would happen if she spoke about what happened. Lanruo uusally would not be so scared but Shen Yue and Shen Xiu were defintely more powerful than the people in her family. "If you behave, not only will you survive this but we can help you become stronger."
Always playing the political field, Shen Xiu made a very tempting offer for her. Getting stronger and not dying was defintely a plus Huyan Lanruo.
The hours did not go well as he worked but after three weeks, things finally became easier. The gems were all engraved with Runes and inscrptions. Capable of speeding up the wearer by 2x and nourishing their bodies.
The scrolls finally had a little bit more information that he could use and helped bridge the gap between Cultivation in this Dimension and that of the previous one more. The Demon Beasts that were meant for the family were given to Shen Xiu to deal with. Along with the Clothes, Scrolls and some of the Gems.
Still bursting with energy, Shen Yue removed the fox, snake, and the tiger from his Internal Space. He could put it off no longer and rather they were not in his Internal Space if something went wrong.
His complete understanding of Flame Martial Arts: Celestial Realm, Star Martial Arts: Celestial Realm. and Dragon Martial Arts: Celestial Realm were brought to the surface. The Flame Vortex Core spun wildly as he jumped in and refined himself.
His body, which was on the very thread of tearing itself apart came undone. The knowledge from the corpses was renewed increasing his memory further and allowing him to pull up medical knowledge and a few other things from his original life easier.
Shen Xiu had the door completely sealed after she received the items previously. Knowing full well whatever he was doing would not be pretty. Or sane for that matter. Dealing witht he day to day of the Family wa easy for her anyway. Around her neck was a ruby that increased healing and one's cultivation speed.
It was not until two months later she felt a change in the room. But she dared not to break the seal or open the door still. Dian Shen, Dian Mu, and Dian Rei peeked around the corner but did not dare to go over.
"Achoo!" A sneeze from behind caused the three to jump. It was Lanruo who visited every few days to see if Shen Yue had come out. "Still in there?" The three nodded at her. "Humph, I swear he must be slacking off."
"Humph, stinky girl!" The Black Star Tiger cub stared at her angrily. Like the other Demon Beast that belong to the family, he was forced to join in Shen Xiu's teaching classes. "Why don'y you just leave then! My papa does not need a mate like you!"
"Yeah he does not! He has mama already!" The other Black Star Tiger cubs chimed in. Yang Xin was at the compound helping to set up, a building for the Alchemy Association to use. But it was owned and operated by the Dark Moon Family of course. "You are just a pain!"
"Why you little furballs!" Lanruo balled her fists up angrily. She wanted to skin them but the cubs were to powerful for her unfortuantley. "Wait till I get tronger, I will skin you alive!"
As they started argueing with her, Shen Xiu was getting annoyed very quickly and was about to snap. But the door opened causing her to cheer insted.
"Your out!" Shen Xiu wrapped Shen Yue in a hug. The immediate heat caused her only a little discomfort. "You said a month!" She griped.
"Well... things happened." Shen Yue hugged her back before letting go. "I kind was lost in my memories for a bit and wote some things down that needed to be written. What all happened while I was in seclusion?"
"That can wait till later. Let me examine.. you.." Her mouth hung open as she was aware her nephew defintely looked like a man in his Prime now. His clothes fit nicely and showed his muscles in all the right ways. "..are you still practicing that body technque?"
*Woom!* Shen Xiu threw up a sound barrier to isolate herself and Shen Yue.
"Hmm yeah. In fact I completely fused it all with my prime manual. So not only when I breakthrough I do so with 3x the energy, my body keeps up with the process and I don't have to do catch up with it or make it exceed the other. Which trust was a problem." Shen Yue didn't mind telling her since she already trusted him and he could feel teh Connection with his Status Board between the two. She was very loyal. "I have a lot of ways to improve your manual and that of the others. Which has come a lot sooer than I anticipated."
"I see.. how strong is your Soul Force now?" Shen Xiu bit her lip in anticiaption.
"About 2,00,000. I am at the peak of the Black Gold Rank. Also don;t have to worry about trouble when I step into the Legend Realm either. Already laid the ground work for it. Remind to do your check up and the others later. I want to make sure nothing is amiss." Shen Yue was happy with the overall results. Now he could head out and recruit a person he wanted and get those people here for his own needs. 'Have the strength to change things easier now as well as cause trouble for the Nether Master if he steps against me later. There is still that Ice bastard and those two flunkies of the Sage Emperor down here to. So many to kill and so much resources to grab for myself and my people. As long as I don't touch that blasted Temporal Book and Kong Ming I am fine.'
"Hey!" Shen Xiu grabbed his face and pulled his atention. "What are you thinking baout so seriously like that?"
"Threats to the Tiny World. Still need to get stronger to deal with them. As well as you all." Lookng around he spotted the cubs and scooped them all up. As he messed witht hem, he spoke to pinky. "What do I owe this visit Lanruo?"
"Well I talk to Shen Xiu and she agreed to take me as a student as well as estabishing trade between the Huyan Family and the Dark Moon Family. Is that ok?" Seeing how mature Shen Yue looked as well as the power she knew he had before was enough to make her a little mitten with him. "I guarntee you will not regret it."
"I don't think I will but let's move somewhere more comfortable as evryone tells me what has happened." Moving to the living room, Shen Yue used Astral Sense to check over things while attention was on those in front of him. "Let's go with the bad first then the good."
The conversation ended up longer than he thought and a lot happene while he was in close door cultivation after securing the Compound.