Chapter 65: Prosperous kingdom and Strength Elevation

Chapter 65: Prosperous kingdom and Strength Elevation

Word count = 1287 on 8/15/2023

Xue Tie heads over to the entrance of the shelter that houses all the citizens of the Balak Kingdoms capital city. In the meantime, he also admires the architecture of the place. It is afterall a foreign country and has its own culture which is shown in the black dense stone that is native to the land and used for almost everything; such as housing, all types of buildings except special ones like medical or related to high level merchants and other high ranked individuals. They were allowed to paint their buildings, providing stress relief against the monogamous colors of the city.

(i made this the fuck up and focused on black since that is what google tries to correct me to, everytime i write Balak )

It's a few minutes walk to arrive at the shelter where a few hundred soldiers are positioned to do what is necessary.

"Open it" Xue Tie says as he prepares his speech for the common folk.

A resounding creaking is heard as the twin heavy doors of thick bronze are opened. There are some guards inside who are quickly subdued, and they tell all citizens to begin making their way out.

To avoid being killed, they do so. A large gathering of a few thousand is seen exiting the bunker and they all have fearful expressions. Especially since quite a few of the soldiers still have blood on them from the battle. The plaza before the shelter is rapidly filled up as a hundred thousand people are exposed.

Xue Tie takes an elevated position (like a stool or something, he did not prepare a podium) and clears his throat. This is the first actual sound other than footsteps or their neighbors whispers that is heard. Xue Tie spread his hands and speaks.

"Greetings to you all. I am the king of the Empyrean Kingdom, and my presence dictates that the Balak Kingdom has fallen. You all are now my citizens. Rejoice for prosperity is your only choice in the future."

One brave soul speaks up amongst the crowd. "What happened to all the soldiers?"

"Dead. most of it was my fault." He says matter of fact which causes plenty of people to fall to their knees and cry while many grow red with hate but they don't move as they know they will be killed. Xue Tie nods at their actions as it's within his expectations.

He provides a showcasing of him raising the strength of one of his soldiers rings and then states.

"Under my rule, it is a certainty that everyone, even the most talentless will reach level 10 but from there it is up to your own achievements."

His words seem to cause some positive atmosphere to spread amongst the older folk who wish to support their family as they come to terms with the situation.

A few clear headed younger folk or those who didn't face any loss due to the war also have glowing eyes as if starstruck.

"Now let's get you all cataloged so that you may all return to your homes and rest. Change is approaching afterall."

He says, then a long process of administering people to find their names, home, income (money, and possessions, essentially gross income and total income), and martial spirits.

During this moment, a little girl stumbles out of line in Xue Tie's direction. It looks like she was bumped out of line. She has dirty matted hair that covers most of her face and gradually stumbles forward.

Xue Tie leans forward in interest and speaks up sweetly. While waving his hands to have the guards leave her be

"What's wrong little one. The line is the other way around" he says with a cheeky smile.

"Is it true, all the soldiers are dead?"

"Yup, i didn't mean to but i wasnt in control of myself at that time. Very sad. And?"

His words seem to cause the girl to tremble and a bit of spirit power gathers into her as a horn manifests on the tip of her forehead and with a rusty little knife in hand, She stabs forward in rage.

The knife barely knicks Xue Tie's skin. The guards move to apprehend the girl but he waves them off again and says.

"I like your reference, funny angry oni girl. But you failed, what will you do now?" Her response is to just stab at him a few more times before the knife itself breaks. She just looks at the knife with a lost expression.

"How about this" his words make her look up at him once more.

"You come work for me, study, train, and do my bidding and ill let you try to keep killing me. How's that for an offer?" her only response is to hit his hand with her own tiny fist.

"Ill take that as a yes. Take her away, give her to Xia Wei, let her get her own entourage, clean her up and get her to work" he calls over a personal guard who is from his organization and provides a few small commands that they can relinquish to others as long as it's done.

The girl is brought away while Xue Tie leans back in his chair and continues watching the procession. All the regular people are allowed to return home and Xue Tie does the same. He begins his work

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2 months passed after the Balak Kingdom fell. While the empyrean kingdom has not called itself an empire, many consider it the closest to being on, at least on par with Heaven Dou. The minor villages and cities were subjugated during this time and Xue Tie introduced many businesses through his own connections to introduce greater wealth to the public. Bringing up the quality of life in the kingdom. It's still in the early stages but it's making good progress as orphans have been reduced by 50% (not dead. I repeat, not dead).

This process was done by endorsing adoption and other aspects, essentially turning regular citizens into prototype mercenaries, completing various tasks to keep cleanliness up, kids off the streets and welfare for the elderly. Granted they were the first in line to get boosted to level 10. This helped them stave off old age just a bit and continued working for their families sake.

Seeing the elderly so active started to change the heart of tons of people. This was especially helpful for many low level cultivators who were at the end of their ropes on the cultivation path who have regained their vigor and thus bolstered the power of the kingdom by joining Xue Tie's organization or at least the kingdom's army.

Xue Tie himself has not been idle. He finally decided to absorb a spirit bone. He went big by going for the evanescent frog's arm that is 230k years old. He tried to increase it's age but it reached its limit after 4k years which isn't bad but at its age. It makes little difference.

He begins to absorb the arm bone and it merges into his left hand. His spirit power which had originally been at level 75 and then later reached 77 after he used the self fusion avatar for the first time directly reaches level 79 rapidly with little distance. He admires his arm bones ability before beginning to contemplate if he should just meditate to reach level 80 and go get some more spirit rings.

He decides against it and takes out the hedonistic fire fruit he got from the volcanic region a year ago. He takes out the head sized peach and begins to dig in.