King James' Conquests Chapter 30: Setting Matters Into Motion

After the coronation and following celebration, the first thing I did in my free time was check out the Throneroom. It had changed drastically, resembling a proper throneroom at last with marble white walls engraved with golden patterns of my past deeds, from my birth to my coronation. It wasn’t huge, but the upgrade was certainly far better than the ‘walls’ of before.

The summoning circle was at the bottom half, with a circular hole in the ceiling which displayed all the stars.

‘So… what is this conquest mode?’

[King’s System: It is a system which grants awards for the conquest of relevant lands and achieving certain goals. The rewards can be the likes of such rolls, buffs to one’s subjects and precious resources. It is optional but highly recommended to achieve these goals. Currently, there are three.]

[1: Asserting Dominance: Attain complete control over the majority of the Blue Wind Empire, acknowledged even by the strongest sects as their overlord. Reward: 100 rolls, +1 vassal slot.]

[2: Rising Wind: Wage war against another nation and subjugate them completely. Reward: All of the participating Blue Wind Empire soldiers would rise up to one great realm in strength depending on their contribution… unless they are above the Sky Profound Realm.]

[3: Blossoming Pillars: Raise five Thrones from the Blue Wind Empire who are under the age of twenty-five. Reward: Vassal Evolution Pellet.]

‘... Holy shit.’

All these rewards made me as giddy as a boy on the morning of Christmas Day. They all sounded more than worthwhile and not impossibly difficult. The first was practically in my grasp already, the second would require a bit more planning… and the third? I’d have to share some of the wealth (which I already planned to; there’s only so much one James can consume… I’m not the fatty Rokas)

I got out my mental notepad and started mapping out names.

1: Xia Qingyue (daughter of heaven, of course.)

2: Fen Juechen (a young master of the Burning Heaven Clan, has sworn his loyalty to me and already received quite the boost. Plus the weird Eternal Night Royal Family thing which was a bit bullshit.)

3: Xia Yuanba (Tyrannical Emperor’s Divine Veins, self explanatory)

4: Ling Jie (one of the most talented youths in the Blue Wind Empire, if not the most… barring overpowered inheritances)

5: Ling Yun

Five… five sounded just about right.

Though, before any of that, I did owe someone a good time. Several people, actually. My inner Coach John was cooking.

…

“Yo, Enderbro.” I smiled, meeting him under the stars in my inner world. “It’s time for you to be free.”

He looked sad for whatever reason. I raised an eyebrow and watched as he drew up himself with a big red cross.

“No, no… I’d never dismiss you.” I scoffed, shaking my head. “Between you and me, all the other vassals could vanish from the world, and I wouldn’t lose my cool so long as I still had you. Do you know why? It’s simple really… because you’re the best.”

I floated up to pat his shoulder (bro is way too tall).

He nodded. I’m pretty sure he smiled… though it was hard to tell.

“See, what I meant by going free… was, well, going wild. I want you to rob all the precious resources you can find, mainly targeting the Four Great Sacred Grounds. All the good profound arts and skills. Also… find me the best dual cultivation technique on this continent. One more thing; if you can, steal the Sword Master’s precious Heavenly Sin Divine Sword.” I smiled. “I know I’m asking for a bit much, but it’s only because I believe that you are more than capable of this task. Would I be wrong?”

He shook his head, giving me a thumbs-up… or his version of it.

“Take as much time as you need; there’s no rush.”

I released him into the real world and wondered what kind of chaos would ensue…

This was the greatest test of his talents so far…

~

“In spite of so much happening around you, you’re going fishing now?” Yun Wuxin raised an eyebrow as I dropped her in the middle of the ocean.

“Sure, why not?” I shrugged, smiling slightly. “Besides… what’s more important than spending time with my dearest Wuxin?”

“I could do it alone, you know. I’d even prefer it that way.”

“I’m genuinely curious as to how a menial task such as fishing transfers over to a cultivation world… do you use a bigger, stronger rod? Do you just throw yourself into the water and go hunting? The former seems rather pointless, considering the greater intelligence of most beasts. Or… do you just fish for something small?”

“Life isn’t all about gaining greater strength or working towards that goal.”

She whipped out a rod from god knows where, along with a little boat. She then sat down, took a tiny piece of meat from the Sky Poison Pearl and swung it into the ocean. I watched as she didn’t catch a thing for ten minutes.

“How impressive,” I remarked with a sarcastic tone. “You’re really good at this.”

“You wouldn’t be able to do any better.”

“Honestly, I would contest that… my charm alone would bring entire schools of fish my way.”

“Sure.”

“You doubt me?”  I whipped out my flute. Honestly, I had no idea if it would work… but it was better than sitting around and doing nothing. “Watch me cook.”

I began to blow into the flute, creating a calming and warm - almost hopeful sound. I thought of home, sweet home. An imaginary paradise that did not exist. This sound reverberated across the shimmering blue ocean, where several fish showed themselves for brief periods. Yun Wuxin glanced at me with slightly widened eyes.

“Why do you, of all people, have such a voice?” She spoke under her breath.

‘If the devil was not all that captivating… what would be the point?’ I wondered. “Don’t be shy to say that I’m charming, Wuxin. You would only be telling the truth… and being truthful is rather important.”

“You should be the last person to say that.”

“Mhm… it looks like you might’ve caught something,” I remarked.

She raised the rod and, low and behold, a decently sized fish.

“Now, I won’t say I’m the only reason you caught it, but…”

“You would strongly indicate that was the case.” She replied.

“Of course.” I smiled, standing up. “Anyway, you seem to be having fun. I’m going to train with my boy Itachi.”

“...” She didn’t say anything in reply to that for a short while. “Sure.”

“You almost sounded sad.” I chuckled.

“I was not-”

I left the scene and summoned Itachi. It was time to see how Naruto’s jutsu would fair in ATG’s cultivation world. Could I use, say, water style where my body can’t use the water laws (without blowing myself up). Itachi could use wind, fire and water, after all.

“Teach me the hand signs for that water dragon jutsu.”

“As you wish.”

He nodded, performing all forty-one hand signs a bit slower than usual. I was able to perfectly perceive each one, even without the use of my brand-new sharingan. He stopped right before the release.

“Do you remember them?”

“Who are you talking to?” I smiled, shaking my head. “Of course I do.”

He smiled slightly. “Let’s see how well you can perform the jutsu, then.”

I replicated his performance, only doing it a good bit faster. Alas, I did not feel much of a change in my body… nor did it seem like I was cooking anything.

“Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu.”

The water below me moved a little… though I’m 90% sure it was just the wind. I chuckled, shaking my head.

“Well, Itachi, did you notice a change in my profound energy?”

“A small one.” He remarked.

“... I see.”

My affinity with water was likely too lacklustre, being overshadowed by my swirling mix of fire and wind. It would seem that the best course of action would be to seek a vassal who specialises mainly in the water element.

That’s how I got my breakthrough with wind, after all.

“Never mind water, show me how to make use of these eyes.” I activated my Sharingan. “Namely, Genjutsu.”

“It’s a matter of experience, really.”

~

After a bit of training and preparations, Fen Juechen descended upon the Heaven Burning Clan under the will of his liege. Home, sweet home. He took in the air, floating high above the mountainous lands of the Burning Heaven Valley.

Without idling much longer, he descended upon his eldest brother’s palace.

“Y… young master. Did you - fly?”

He turned to the first servant, nodding.

“Where is Fen Juecheng?”

“Ah… the young master is currently occupied with his mistress.”

Fen Juechen didn’t ask anything else, knowing precisely where he was. He broke into his oldest brother’s bedroom of choice… where he lay with a rather beautiful girl who bore a deep resemblance with someone he knew.

“... Little brother, didn’t anyone teach you to knock?” Fen Juecheng raised an eyebrow as his mistress turned away in shame. “Now, for seeing my woman’s body, I will have to discipline-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Fen Juechen sliced his left arm right off. He hadn’t even seen him draw his sword.

“...” Fen Juecheng’s eyes widened as his arm slipped off his body… so simply. “What… you…”

“You are beyond shameless.” Fen Juechen frowned, glancing to the side. “You couldn’t court the Blue Wind Princess, so you found yourself a look-alike?”

“My… arm… my fucking ARM!” Fen Juecheng stood up, his anger washing away his fright.

“Sit down.”

Fen Juechen backhanded him and sent his brother back down to the bed. A couple of his teeth left him in the process. He then turned to the woman.

“Leave.”

She didn’t dare do otherwise, dressing up swiftly and running out.

“You bastard… that prince… he told you to kill me, didn’t he?! Like a good dog, you came to do his bidding… hahaha… you’re pathetic, baby brother! How dare you carry the name Fen… how dare you…”

“You mean His Imperial Majesty, Fen Juecheng. The one true overlord of the Blue Wind Empire.” Fen Juechen drew his sword. “You know… if he stood before you now, would you speak of him in the same way? If he told you to kneel, would you dare do otherwise?”

“... I’d rather die with pride than live a life as that brat’s slave.”

“Being a slave would imply that you have some value to offer…” Fen Juechen blinked. “When, frankly, you have none. You would merely be a blight upon His Imperial Majesty’s forces.”

“You… were a mistake from the very beginning.”

“And you aren’t even a quarter as clever as you think.” Fen Juechen countered. “If you had been, I would not be here.”

He cut off the rest of his limbs and set him on fire, watching him roll around helplessly before turning to crisp. He turned away, moving on to his real task. Fen Duanhun, his father, had been in secluded cultivation… which he wasn’t going to wait to end.

“Juechen… you returned.” Fen Duanhun seemed more surprised than angered.

“Indeed, father. I’ve come to place the Burning Heaven Clan under the direct rule of His Imperial Majesty, Cang Chao.”

“... What?” Fen Duanhun blinked. “My son, you must be joking. You do not have the authority to decide such matters-”

“I have no desire to harm you or the Burning Heaven Clan. I simply seek the best future for all of us. If you resist, I’ll have no choice but to use force.”

“Force?” Duanhun smiled slightly. “Boy, you would be no match for me.”

“Would you like to put that to the test, father?” Fen Juechen drew his sword.

His confidence gave Fen Duanhun some doubts. Had Cang Chao given him a resource that could push him into the late stages of the Sky Profound Realm? He couldn’t sense his son’s aura in the slightest.

They took to the skies with the entire Burning Heaven Clan barring witness.

“... The Sky Profound Realm,” Duanhun remarked, his eyes widening. “At such a young age…”

“By the grace of His Imperial Highness.”

“Perhaps being ruled by that boy might not be so terrible…” Duanhun stroked his chin.

Fen Juechen was first to strike (and last)... punching him down into a crater. When he lowered himself to see the result, Fen Duanhun was completely slumped. He was in a whole different world.

“Disciples, masters, elders…” Fen Juechen turned to the spectators, raising his voice so that the entire sect would hear him. “I, Fen Juechen, the third son of Fen Duanhun, declare myself the Clan Master of this Burning Heaven Clan and its undisputed leader! Should anyone wish to contest my authority, they are free to do so, here and now.”

There was only silence. The oldheads in their secluded cultivation coffins weren’t exactly bothered by this news. If anything, it sounded like this Fen Juechen was supremely talented to make such a statement.

“I see… not a single soul.”

“As such… my first command is for the entire Burning Heaven Clan to submit under the Blue Wind Imperial Family and serve His Imperial Majesty with absolute loyalty!”

Now they were fully awake.

What was bro talking about?

Serving some measly emperor?