Heaven's Laws - Book 3 - Chapter 1

They floated outside the Divine Spire near its peak. Chao admired the silver specks covering its glassy black surface. It was made of a divine marble not found on Lifestone. Its durability allowed for intergalactic travel. That wasn’t something they’d be needing it for anytime soon.

Expert Ji, the artificial tower spirit, had given them several options that would allow them to transport the tower as they wished. The one they had chosen wasn’t possible for most in this lower realm. Not even Overlords. It was only because the spatial ring Father Zan had given him and its divine realm origins that his ring had the space to house such a massive structure. It required a couple of things. The first was that every living creature had to exit the spire. The second was that Chao had to be the recognized owner by Ji. As for the tower spirit, it wasn’t a living entity, so it wouldn’t have any problems entering his spatial ring.

Glancing down at the crowd that was gathered below, he couldn’t shake the feeling of unfairness toward these sects in the northern part of the Monolith Continent. He was taking from them what had been a cultivation wonderland for thousands of years.

Chao looked at his Huifen. She had reached large success and the eighth small realm during their months here in the spire. Soon enough she would breakthrough the Overlord Realm and reach the Tribulation. Her progression was extreme even for the divine realm. That was thanks to the Divine Spire, but also her cultivation with her husband. They’d refined so many pills that Chao had almost lost count. She too looked contemplative.

They’d discussed this at length. When they arrived at the Ice Phoenix Palace, they’d take many of the rarest resources and give them to the joint sect to cultivate. There were hundreds if not thousands of natural treasures that the spire no longer gave out as prizes because it was down to a handful of each. It would only be a matter of years, decades in some cases, before there would be enough to share. The plan was that the Joint Sect would start holding a continent-wide competition and give off a decent portion of the resources as prizes. Rogue cultivators would be welcome. Longterm, it would benefit far more cultivators than leaving the spire at its current state.

There would also be an added benefit. If they could grow these natural resources on Monolith Continent, overtime, it would increase the qi density. The difficulty was that divine realm vegetation required a divine realm supply of qi. It wasn’t just qi plants needed through. Water, soil, sun… Such vegetation could produce far more qi than they took in. Once they were established, and if there were enough of them, Lifestone could categorically change. Such a project would take centuries if not millennia, however.

Seeing that he was still struggling, Huifen grasped his arm at the elbow and rested her head on his shoulder. They remained for a few long moments as he retraced the benefits in his head.

“I’m ready,” he said with finality.

Placing his hand on the spire’s surface, something miraculous happened. The spire disappeared. He checked inside his ring and found everything as it should be. The space was something he couldn’t imagine ever filling up. Even if he started collecting buildings.

They flew down to stand next to Sage Pangfua. The Ice and Fire Phoenix Sect members were lined up behind her. Brother Shoi-ming was at the head of the Fire Phoenix disciples.

Elder Alfori of the Night Pearl Sect was there with the fairies of her sect to wish them farewell. They weren’t alone. After the tragedy Elder Harnish had caused, things had been quite in the spire ever since. The Morning Mist Village left entirely. That gave room for more cultivators mostly of the rogue variety. Some of which they’d befriended or would be joining the joint sect.

Chao spotted Dvora and Baros who had been married in the spire. They would be joining the joint sect. A water and moon cultivator wouldn’t fit directly, but both of their cultivations had were close enough for them to gain benefits. With Huifen pushing the training of laws to all students, Baros would fit in well with the ice cultivators. The same would go for Dvora with the fire cultivators. He hoped that with a little training, they could help the sect expand into other, related laws.

Elder Alfori gave Sage Pangfua one last martial bow. The woman’s face was shrouded by her veil.

Something flew out of Pangfua’s hand that Alfori caught. Without even looking at it, the Night Pearl Sect Elder tilted her head in question.

“For the help you’ve given my joint sect,” Pangfua announced. “At first, I didn’t trust you. I still don’t.” The Sage gave one of her rare room-brightening smiles. “You’ve been a friend to us, Alfori.”

“This,” the elder began, but couldn’t find the words so she bowed deeply. “This one will not forget your kindness,” she said.

“Don’t mention it. I hope to see you in a few years when the Joint Sect holds our first continent wide martial tournament.”

“I’ll be there,” she swore.

Turning her attention to the rest of the crowd, Pangfua lifted her voice and said, “Safe travels.”

Turning back to them, the Sage gave them a nod.

With Mother-in-law Sya, brother Shoi-ming, and several other sky realm elders, they lifted the disciples of the joint sect and those that would be traveling with them into the air. They began flying toward the joint sect.

It had taken Chao and Huifen weeks to reach the monoliths, but that’s because they’d been seeing the sights as they traveled. This time they were heading there directly. It would take two to three days.

There was a reason Chao and Huifen weren’t carrying the others. Huifen’s internal injuries had healed long ago. She was to be one of the vanguards during their travels. As an overlord, she had the best chance of protecting them with Sage Pangfua at her side.

Chao would also help defend them if it came to it, but his circumstances were also special. He was at the peak of the sky realm and ready to breakthrough at any time. It was the reason they left now instead of waiting a few days for the Divine Envoys from the Divine Sects to arrive. Father Zan and Mother Quinyuan would be meeting them at the Ice Phoenix Palace.

The breakthrough to the overlord realm was perhaps the most foundational one in all of cultivation. It was the creation of one’s inner world—their first planet. Chao could’ve already broken through, but his father had told him to wait if at all possible. His old man wanted to be there to help. It seemed foolish to do it without him.

Seeing that their trip would take days and that there were so many of them, Chao removed his pipa, Breath of Windblown Reeds, a genuine overlord instrument, and flew back to join their discipleship group.

His tawny skinned friend Li Qiang tried to say something, but the speed of the wind stole his words.

Chao quickly fixed that by surrounding the entire traveling party in a sound barrier that would allow them to converse. He announced it to everyone.

“You’re going to play, Brother Chao?” Li Qiang asked.

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t get a little laws practice in while we travel,” he replied.

His friend gave him a sharp nod before turning to the others and getting things started. Qiang and Eu-meh always took the initiative to get things organized.

He gave the young woman whose face had been scarred a warm smile. She now wore a veil even if she was still undeniably beautiful in her unique way in large part because of her dimples. He didn’t believe for a moment that her scar hindered her cultivation.

As he’d once promised, Chao would provide the resources she needed to breakthrough to the sky realm as long as she reached it before they left the spire. She was currently at the peak of the earth realm and readying to breakthrough at any time so he counted it. The reason she’d waited was because the Ice Phoenix Palace was better for ice cultivator breakthroughs. It simply housed the largest supply of ice qi on the planet.

The elder carrying them with her qi rearranged the group so that they might cultivate. Fairy Zhu, the blond friend of his wife, was only a few small realms from the sky realm herself. Fair Diu, the library clerk who had inadvertently joined their discipleship group at the beginning was right behind her in cultivation. Dvora and Baros would also be joining their practice as they had often in the past months. Fairy Genji, Sage Pangfua’s personal disciple, was also there. Right now this was their core group, but the other sect disciples with them new the borrow game well enough. Many were preparing to practice as soon as Chao made the announcement.

Seeing how things were going, a mischievous smile came to his face. He put away his pipa and pulled out his flute. The flute itself was a mighty instrument nearly as high quality as his pipa. He was the one at fault for not being able to play it.

The moment it appeared in his hands, Eu-meh and Zhu cried out as one. “Brother Chao, no!”

His wife’s hand found his arm, but he couldn’t help it. Shaping his mouth over the mouthpiece, he blew. To everyone’s surprise, it was an actual note. A shrill, ugly thing, but a note all the same.

It drew the eye of almost everyone.

Eu-meh’s sharp tongue was still fully functional as she proved by calling out, “That almost sounded decent, Sage Chao.”

Zhu, Eu-meh, Diu, Genji, and his own wife all laughed.

His friend Qiang grimaced before adding, “I think I just regressed an entire realm.”

There was more laughter.

He grinned as he observed. To keep his title as the Silly Sage, it took work. The darker side of himself came much more naturally.

Pulling out his pipa, he began to play in earnest.