7: Welcome Me...

"Want to know more about it?"

"Um, actually no, I'd rather not-"

"The Immortal Spirit Cultivation Technique, it was made by someone who is now either dead or in the top of the heavens.

That person was my grandfather, so for you, he is your great grandfather."

"....."

"Is that all?"

"Oh yeah, the Immortal Spirit Cultivation Technique is also unique because it was made with the help of several other deities from the heavens, the helped him because they all owed him a favor. The technique allows someone on the lower heavens to have their spirit cultivation over the Culminated Earthly Realm. And, that's all, that's why it's so special,"

"Hm, so, who has it now?"

The emperor's face remained stoic, "We don't know. However, we believe one of the other empires have it,"

"How's the political situation?"

"Not the best. The Shei Empire and the Misa Empire are currently allied. The Seb Empire and the Sun Empire are staying quiet for now. The atmosphere is tense, a war could break out soon,"

Shen nodded, "Does our empire have any allies?"

Laughter echoed in the throne room, "Our empire is strong enough to go against the Seb, Misa, and the Shei Empires, only the Sun empire is capable of defeating us, and that's only if they work with another empire!"

"H-how is our empire that strong?"

The emperor puffed his chest, "Haha, I was kidding about... some of that... Our empire IS the strongest, but at most, it would be able to defend against 2 empires. It's mainly because of me we're that strong."

"You're at the Emperor Spirit realm, right? What's your body cultivation realm?"

"Hmph, right now, I have a Solid-Body, however, in maybe 10 years, I'll reach the potent body realm!"

"Wow, so fast!" Shen exclaimed. But, in his head, Shen thought that 10 years was a little too long.

"Haha, I know,"

An awkward silence.

"Uhm, I'll take my leave now,"

"Alright," The emperor handed over the last book to Shen, who politely accepted it.

"Wait, Wen, before you go, I need to tell you something,"

Wen stopped and nodded.

"Right now you're 16, right? Before you lost your memories, you were a great swordsman and a strong cultivator, when you regain your memories, tell me, because I'll have something to request from you,"

* * *

[ 3 days later... ]

Shen was peacefully walking through the palace garden in the dark night, something that had become a habit for him. He examined the flowers and trees which were plentiful and vibrant in colors. Though, there was a flower he liked the most. It was a dark red flower, one that he'd seen a lot back on earth.

Roses. Although he had no kids nor a lover, he liked looking at roses, just because they reminded him of his family.

~~~~~(whoosh)~~~~~

Shen was only 8 years old when he last saw his dad and he never saw his mother.

In the front of a small house, a strong handsome figure was standing at the front door in a soldier's uniform.

"Shen, please remember, what I am doing is my choice, not yours. I-if I never return, nothing is your fault."

"B-b-b-but, it's all because of me mommy is dead!"

A young Shen started bawling while hugging his father.

The young dad hesitated before speaking again. "I-its too late to change my route, Shen. The government forces us to,"

Shen was too young at that time to understand what his dad was talking about, but whatever it was, he knew that the government was bad.

"Why can't you just kill the government!"

"Shh, Shen, you know you can't be saying stuff like that!"

"B-but it's true!"

"Sigh, Shen, I don't want you to grow up too clingy or too lonely. I'm sorry I couldn't be a better father for you,"

Shen's father then walked to the front of the house while Shen clung onto his legs.

The young soldier bent down in front of the house, picked up a dark red rose, and smiled.

"When I first asked your mother out, I gave her the same type of roses I'm holding right now. She rejected me at first but later succumbed to my great looks." Shen's father smirked.

"I want you to always keep a few roses somewhere. Even if it's dead, if at least you kept it somewhere, that'd be great. Just to remember us."

"D-dad, a-a-are you going now?"

Shen's dad smiled down at him. "Remember, even if I never come back, remember and engrave in your heart and soul - that we always loved you,"

"Mr. Li! Your 5 minutes are up! You're lucky enough we gave you this much time!"

"Shen, please remember what I just said..."

"D-dad..."

* * *

"Sigh," and just like that, Shen's flashback ended, and Shen never saw his father again.

Shen picked up a few roses, with the roots still intact. Shen walked to his room and found a small gardening pot, something he saved for a later time. Walking back to the garden, he also brought back a handheld shovel.

Shen quietly stabbed the ground with the small shovel and picked up the soil. After placing the soil in the gardening pot, Shen repeated the process until the pot was three-fourths full. Shen dug out a small hole in his pot and planted his roses in it.

"Sigh, this is the least I could do to keep my un-said promise,"

Unbeknownst to Shen, a few small tears slid down his cheeks.

"Hah, I guess I still miss him,"

* * *

[ 2 weeks later... ]

-DING

[ Welcome back, Host! Update Complete! (100%) ]

Shen was waking up from his sleep after training for the whole night. He rubbed his eyes as the sun penetrated his eyelids.

'What?'

[ Welcome me back! For I am; Mastery System! (DDCI) ]

[ Auto Function Activated; Regaining Memories... ]