Chapter 63 - Return to the World Part 2

"You are at the ninth stage, and so soon! HAHAHAHA! Wonderful. I heard the report, but I still doubted it," the emperor laughed as the ministers, generals, delegates, and nobles looked at him in shock. "Show me your Practitioner weapon."

"Yes, father," Shu said and bowed on one knee as he drew Freezing Tail and presented it with both hands, on holding the blade as the other held the grip. Freezing Tail did not change and still had a celestial aura capable of paralyzing others with fear. The only difference was that whatever the blade cut, a green poison would seep into the wounds. If the poisoned foe died, the green poison would turn into a mist around the body, poisoning the air and all it touched within five feet of the corpse in all directions.

"Interesting. Armored Ocean Tiger God with a snake covered in dragon scales with dragon teeth for a tail. What level is your soul condensation?" the emperor asked.

"I have reached the seventh level of soul condensation," Shu answered, sheathing his sword as all present gasped in shock. His cultivation abnormally high, for someone not of the ancient clans, already shocked them. Now they learned he had condensed his soul to such a high level. Most people condensed their soul to the second level and bought a soul-protecting artifact as it was easier and had high levels of defense. In the long run, it was inferior, but a great substitute for those of weaker cultivations below the Spirit Sage tier. At the Spirit Sage and immortal cultivations, it was much harder and rarer to obtain an adequate soul-protecting artifact.

"Excellent. HAHAHA! Genius mage son and genius Practitioner son. If only your older sister was as dedicated to studying magic like Lu Xing. She is still an Adept Mage and Lu Xing, beyond expectations, already became an Arch Mage," the emperor sighed with both disappointment and pride. "You should be exceptional in the Pantheon of Devils once you reach the tenth stage. No need to worry about becoming an Archon Phoenix. For now, you will do your princely duties. Your brother is currently fighting with the expedition of various countries into Hyperion lands. Lu Kui is too young and Lu Mei must learn as much magic as she can. I can only hope her being an Elite Mage will be enough for her to survive most floors in the Pantheon of Devils in less than four years' time. For now, go to your mother and meet your new sister. I will be there when my meeting is over."

"I will do as you ask, father," Shu bowed, also bowing to the delegates from other countries. Lu Ce and Lu Fei both paled as they stared at the son of their brother. Lu Tian was at the seventh stage and Lu Qing was at the sixth stage. They were both tremendously powerful for their age, but Lu Shu easily surpassed them.

'Prince Shu has gotten so strong," Lu Fei murmured.

"I know. The heavens have blessed our brother's sons," Lu Ce agreed silently. "Lu Tian and Lu Qing, you must not make an enemy of your cousin. I'm afraid at his stage of cultivation, he could kill you and legitimately claim it as an accident using both his status and difference in cultivation."

"Yes, father," Lu Tian nodded, Qing also agreeing with her uncle silently. Truthfully, they had changed their arrogant ways after losing to Lu Shu. It was only their parents' sibling rivalry that made them jealous of Shu at first.

"So this is the second prince," one of the delegates muttered as Shu began heading out. "How does that brat have such power? He's a problem. I must have him assassinated as soon as he leaves the empire. I should have some men watch the borders."

"This little shit," Shu roared, raising his hand at the delegate's directions. Everyone watched, wide-eyed, as the delegate was grabbed by an invisible force and thrown into the center of the throne room. The young man was clearly terrified as he screamed, saying how he could not control his body. They saw Prince Shu smirk as the young man bowed on his head and knees five times, his head bleeding as it slammed on the floor. The young man was then lifted into the air through an invisible force, all four limbs stretching out. It was as if the young man was being pulled apart by four horses, the most painful of public executions in the Yan Dynasty.

"You dare call me a brat? You dare have thoughts to kill me? Who do you think you are? Did you think I cannot hear you whisper behind me?" Shu roared and the body of the delegate slammed into the ground. "Bastard, have you ever seen your own blood? Allow me to enlighten you."

Shu roared as he pulled back his hand, blood pouring out of the pores, forming a tiger made out of blood. It seemed so life like, the people present could hear it breathe and growl as it paced around the delegate. Shu sneered at the man and the tiger pounced, biting of the limbs of the delegate. The pervert screamed as his hands and feet were eaten first. Then his shins and forearms were eaten. Finally, before he fainted from the pain and blood loss, the blood tiger bit off his head.

"The bastard's a mage," Shu spat as he did not sense any Mystic Stone in the man's body. "Every delegate in this room, listen up. I don't care who the fuck you are. This is the Yan Dynasty. My father may tolerate your actions, but I won't. This is your only warning. If you dare consider otherwise, well, let's just say that the Blackened Skulls will pay you a visit under my orders."

"Why stop there? I can easily send the Gold Yan Guards to destroy their nations. They're not part of my army. It won't defy Heaven's Will," Lu Yi laughed, all the delegates silencing any thoughts of revenge or retaliation. It was a joke, but they knew it could very well happen. "Normally I wouldn't threaten our guests, but this one, gentlemen, insulted my son. You know the Lu Clan takes care of its own. Even if a branch member is targeted, we will all slaughter everyone related to the incident. Please do not be alarmed. Tonight is the grand feast. I would like you all to remind yourselves to watch your tongues. It seems my son has very sensitive hearing."

"I know I'm a monster," Shu shrugged as he pointed at his horn and snow white fox ears, an evil grin on his face before bowing to the Lu Clan members as he left. Supaiku leaped out, expanding to its full size of a tiger fifteen feet high. Everyone paled as the tiger fed on the corpse of the dead man before slurping the blood tiger whole. Shu whistled from outside to summon Supaiku back and it hesitantly returned to its fat cat size, smacking its lips as it loved the taste of blood and flesh. The tiger did a mock bow, apologizing on Shu's behalf and quickly left.

"I would have stopped its feast, but he was given to Lu Shu by Ancestor Lu Feng," Lu Yi sighed, apologetically to the people in attendance.

"Brother, how did Lu Shu control the man's blood?" Lu Ce asked. "What elements does he use?"

"Shu is a true Archon who has control over the elements of water, darkness, and lightning. As for how he can control another man's body and blood, I suspect it has to do with the element of water. However, I've never seen anyone capable of controlling blood either. His affinity for the water element must be on unheard of proportions," Lu Yi sighed with praise. "I don't how he does it. Honestly, even I was disturbed. I also wonder to what degree his control over lightning and shadow has gone. Anyway, let us proceed with the meeting."

"Did you have to eat in front of them? Well, it better serves the purpose of establishing myself. There will be less people inclined to antagonize me," Shu laughed.

"Mages taste funny. This mana in there body tastes....strange. I prefer eating magical beasts and Practitioners," Supaiku purred.

"Let us go find mother. I imagine she must be very eager to see me," Shu grinned, leading the way to the grand pavilion to the right. Before heading inside, Shu waved his hand, the blood disappearing from Supaiku's face and teeth. He breathed deeply before walking inside.

"Hello Shu," Lu Rong smiled, as Shu entered the pavilion. "This is Lu Kui. Lu Kui, this is your second older brother, Lu Shu."

"Hi!" a young girl grinned, her black hair and sky blue eyes brightening as she hugged her brother. "You have funny ears. I wanna touch them. Please."

Shu sighed and sat down, allowing Lu Kui to feel his ears. He narrowed his eyes as he saw a familiar ring on her hand. It looked exactly like the Crimson Ring he used to wear. He suspected it was to seal her ability to use demon magic as she was not a Practitioner.

"She is like me," Shu said to his mother mentally. "How is this possible? Lu Xing and Lu Mei are like father, their levels of purity are too low to affect their human bodies."

"I don't know. For now, we have sealed her demon magic. Once she knows enough spells, and is a little wiser, we will allow her to use demon magic again," Lu Rong answered telepathically.

"Okay Lu Kui. Go and play with Supaiku. Mother and I need to talk, okay?" Shu asked, Lu Kui smiling as she saw Supaiku.

"How do I break into the tenth stage of Spirit Shaman cultivation?" Shu asked, not knowing how as he was not one of the ancient clan members.

"Tell me, how does a Spirit Shaman become a Spirit Knight?" Lu Rong asked.

"Through cultivation. I've read that Practitioners, so long as they are of human lineage somewhere, must refine their spirit energy to walk one of three immortal paths. The three types of human immortals are Devil Immortals, Sword Immortals, and Celestial Immortals. It usually requires a special item to help break out of the Spirit Shaman tier," Shu said.

"Indeed. Furthermore, the Archon Phoenix tier is the second tier for true Archons. I'm afraid it is very difficult for beast and weapon spirit type Practitioners of the water element to become an Archon Phoenix. Why? It is because phoenixes are creatures of fire," the empress began.

"I have mastered my ice attribute of my water affinity to the point that my ice's chill is so cold, it burns," Shu said as a white and cerulean flame appeared around his fingertips before disappearing. "Laozi the Undying warned me about it as I trained under the Old God. He's been sleeping for a long time. I don't know when he will awaken."

"I have heard about your fusing with the Dragon Fox through Ancestor Lu Feng. Right now, your task is to reach the tenth stage It is very difficult and most struggle and lose their lives," Lu Rong warned. "Your body, as well as your Practitioner weapon, will undergo a final transformation. You must also bind your soul to an object of the highest power you can find. It is imperative you find an item that has a close connection to you in some fashion. My brother was a Practitioner who chose to follow the path of a Devil Immortal when he tried to become a Spirit Knight. The item he chose was too weak and he died. You can't pick just any item, even if it is the most powerful in the world. There is something else you must master as a Spirit Shaman."

"Something I must master?" Shu wondered as his mother looked at him seriously.