Chapter 62 - Return to the World Part 1

Six years had passed since Shu began training under the Dragon Fox. He reached the eighth stage in a little over a year and the ninth stage about five years after. A month had passed and he was currently in meditation, two blood dragons coiling around his body. Upon reaching the ninth stage, Shu began to question about why he could not manipulate blood. When he attempted it before the ninth stage, he always failed to even sense the spirit energy within the blood. All of a sudden, he was able to manipulate blood in his body and elsewhere.

He asked Laozi why, before the Old God entered a slumber. The Old God told him it was because his body was fused to an Old God. Once reaching an adequate level of cultivation, those who made a Pact with the Great Spirits would be able to manipulate the elements, regardless of what state it was in. An example would be fire and earth element Practitioners being able to manipulate and create lava.

Shu was a Practitioner of the ninth stage and condensed his soul to the seventh level. Supaiku and Bahamut reached the first stage of the Spirit Knight tier due to being Saint level magical beasts, devouring high quality magical beast meat provided by the Amila tribe, and devouring the liquid pearl elixirs created by the talisman Shu bought.

"Done hunting?" Shu asked. Supaiku and Bahamut, now at the Spirit Knight tier, were able to communicate mentally now.

"Hey, boss! Hunting live prey in the sands outside...it takes a while. It's not fun if the prey can't hide and cower in fear," Supaiku grinned, revealing a mouthful of bloody tiger teeth.

"Are we heading back into the world soon, master?" Bahamut asked.

"Yeah. Supaiku, Bahamut, and Wraith. Listen up. We are heading back to the Yan Dynasty once we leave. I already inquired and the chief of the Amila tribe is sending us to the capital through a teleportation array back at the Jakkom palace," Shu began as everyone gave him their utmost attention. "Spook, report on what happened during my six year training."

"Yes, master. Empress Lu Rong has given birth to a daughter, named Lu Kui. Princess Lu Kui will be turning six soon. The Hyperion have conquered another nation. Their invasion is heading south as the Jakkom Empire proved too difficult for them at this time. The empress wishes for master to return home. From there, Shu will have to do his duties as prince," Spook reported.

"In other words, we go from a game of blood to a game of words. I'll have to duties expected of the prince. Now, let's get ready. I must retrieve the three objects I chose and we will head out. The chief has arranged a teleportation circle from the entrance to this place, back at Jakkom, and the courtyard of the palace. They are expecting us," Shu said, leaving them to pick up the three items he chose.

Shu stared down at the first item. It was as a white silver headband. He wore it around his head, the headband covering the center of his forehead. The head band hid the cultivation level of the wearer, if he chose to conceal it; and emitted a frosty aura. The head band kind of looked like one he pictures of the gold headband the Monkey King wore. It was worthy of an item worn by a prince and would not look out of the ordinary. The second item was a complete set of black leather armor made from magical beast furs and metals from the Immortal Realms. In the center of the chest armor was an image of a snake's skull which was made from the bones of an actual snake magical beast of the Immortal Realms!

Shu mastered the Eclipse Indestructible Body to the point that it fused into his skin. Why pick armor? You can never have too much defense. His technique could only block Mortal weapons, but he could still be affected by magic spells, soul-targeting techniques, and other attacks mortals can't use. He had no fear of those weaker than him unless they possessed a Divine Weapon or used a powerful attack of his level or higher. While wearing the armor, he was immune to poisons. He didn't mind the image of the skull snake as his Armored Ocean Tiger God spirit had a snake with dragon scales and teeth instead of a tiger's tail.

The last item was one that startled even Wraith. The item was a blank painting. However, the owner could trap magical beasts, demons, humans, and even Hyperion within. Whatever was trapped once would remain utterly loyal to the owner and unable to harm him or free themselves. If the owner died, the painting would kill anyone who had been trapped within. With it, Shu could capture and create his very own army.

"Who knew it had such an effect," Wraith gasped. "An item such as that will certainly serve you well. The possibilities are limitless. How did you know it had such an amazing ability?[/color]"

"Sometimes, it is an ordinary object, or junk, that is the greatest treasure of all," Shu answered, thinking about the many books and novels he read that contained a mystical copper mirror. "Let's go. We already said our goodbyes yesterday. I can finally spend time with my family."

"You seem to care a great deal about them, master" Wraith said.

"Do I?" Shu laughed and led the way, a solemn look on his face. As some memories returned, he remembered random things he had done in his life, but had no memories of having a family. No childhood memories returned either. They looked back at the white sands as they exited the Vault of Kings. Shu waited a while as Zhenji stared at the statues and they left when she had come to terms with herself. They returned out of the door to the right of the throne and walked into another teleportation circle. At last, after Shu didn't know how long, he had returned home and would stay this time.

"We've finally returned, master," Bahamut said as it stared at the royal palace. The red pavilions and majestic pagodas really had a mystical and majestic appearance.

"Yeah. It's great. Supaiku, you must stay in your cat-sized form when in the hallways and the palace. Outside, you may return to your true size. You were a gift to me from Lu Feng. No one will dare deny the magical beast given by the Lu Clan's Spirit Sages. Sorry Bahamut. Unfortunately, you can't fit through the doors and most hallways. You'll have to stay in your tiny form. You will stay within my room to guard against trespassers. The palace knows that an Emerald Steel Dragon is my magical beast. If any try to enter my room, you have my permission to eat them if the trespasser is not my family. Wraith, as usual, will guard my back and keep on eye on all spirit energy signatures around me," Shu ordered.

"Yes, master" Bahamut, Wraith, and Supaiku shouted.

"General Song Dian greets Second Prince Lu Shu," a general clad in black and gold armor bowed, seeing his magical beasts and realizing his true identity.

"I will be heading to my room and getting changed into my imperial robe. Is the morning court meeting over?" Shu asked.

"I suspect it will continue for a little over another hour. This is because delegates from foreign nations are expected to arrive tonight for a grand feast. The reason, this lowly general knows not, Prince Shu," the general answered without hesitation.

"I see. Tell my father I will be there shortly," Shu ordered and headed to his room with his magical beasts, a dozen male and female servants quickly appearing and following them in lines of two.

"He's reached the ninth stage?. Even his magical beasts must be at the Spirit Knight tier, as I can't sense their cultivation," the general thought as he observed the magical beasts. He had heard that the second prince had Saint level magical beasts. Truly, their potential was amazing. He was also surprised to see the prince had even reached the ninth stage of the Spirit Shaman tier. The general was only at the eighth stage and he was sure the six great generals, all of them at the ninth stage, would also be surprised to see someone so young at their cultivation stage.

"I better report to His Imperial Majesty. Ah, better inform Her Imperial Highness. She is not at the meeting. If I disturb the emperor at the wrong time, I might lose my head," the general said and quickly rushed towards the pavilion where the emperor and empress lived.

"The clothes make the man, master. Good luck. I will guard your room. Rest assured, the only mess you will see is the remains of the dead who dared to enter," Bahamut observed as Shu changed into a gold and white imperial robe. It was made with the fur of magical beasts and had a shoulder pad on his right shoulder with the fur of a gold tiger's head over the metal shoulder pad. Freezing Tail was strapped to his right hip while a gourd containing lion wine was on his left.

"Let's go see my father," Shu said, patting Bahamut before leaving with Supaiku walking behind him.

"I hate being a cat. I feel so....small. Even my physique changes. I look like a fat cat," Supaiku grunted, Shu chuckling as the servants and maids followed them.

"Wait until we meet my new little sister. She might even want to play with you. Should I have a servant fetch a yarn ball?" Shu smirked.

"No, master! Not that. I will behave," Supaiku cried.

They arrived at the front of two sets of white marble stairs leading to the largest building in the palace. Without a doubt, this building contained the throne room of the Yan Dynasty. Gold armored guards at the Spirit Knight tier stood all along the sides of the stairs. The bottom of the first set was ten thousand feet from the emperor's throne. The gap between the first and second set of stairs were five thousand feet away from the throne, with the outside of the building being one thousand feet away. It was truly an intimidating sight as the royal guards within the building were at the Spirit Master tier.

The Gold Yan Guards is the largest and most powerful sect in the empire, none came close to its might. All the guards had to be at the Spirit Knight tier and were charged with protecting the nation from Practitioners, mages, and magical beasts. If the army could not defeat the foe, then the Gold Yan Guards finished the task themselves. The Gold Yan Guards also excepted Elite Mages and Arch Mages. Adept Mages, even though equivalent to a Spirit Knight between the first and third stage, were considered too weak for the emperor's standards. The reigning emperor was always the head of the sect as he ruled the nation. Lu Xing, Shu's older brother would become the next head once Emperor Lu Yi reached the Spirit Sage tier and retires from mortal affairs.

While the emperor rules from the front, the empress guards from the shadows. She was the nation's spy master and the one in charge of espionage, assassinations, and other stealth operations. The nobles feared her more than the emperor and her spies were known as the Blackened Skulls. If you did something the empress didn't like, you would receive a card with a black skull with blood and ash pouring from the jaws and eye sockets. Before dusk you received the card, and after dawn you lost your head. No one ever escaped the judgment and people would not be surprised to see a traitor's head stuck on a pike above the entrance of the capital's gates.

"Presenting, Lord Lu Shu, second prince of the Yan Dynasty and verified God Eater. Accompanying Prince Shu is a magical beast...oh, it has a name....is that right? Ahem. Accompanying Prince Shu is Supaiku, the Gold-Eyed Lightning Tiger magical beast. Given to Prince Shu by Ancestor Lu Feng and magical beast of the Spirit Knight tier," a servant shouted as Shu entered the building. Shu nodded as the ministers and nobles bowed on his right while military personnel and members of the Lu Clan bowed on his left.

"You've returned at last. It has been too long, my son," Emperor Lu Yi smiled, Shu shocked as his father seemed to be at the ninth stage of the Spirit Master tier. In order to reach the Spirit Sage tier, his father would have to go through the Nine Tribulations, the nine strikes of judgment from the heavens. Spirit Masters who choose to go to the Immortal Realms won't undergo the Nine Tribulations, but they would be bullied and less than dirt if they ascended to the Immortal Realms at such a weak cultivation.