Chapter 9: Corruptions, Corruptions Everywhere

In the study room of the Patriarch, An Shan was reading one of the reports.

An Hong was sitting beside him, waiting anxiously by his side. Leaving the sleeping Xiao Mei in her room, they came here. The study room was large, with multiple records arranged neatly based on their respective criteria and time. There were layers of documents under each the criteria, and currently An Shan was taking a look at the continent’s overall demographic.

“Estimated population, 20 billions…?”

To him, it was rather amazing.

Within 2000 years, the population of Dragon Mountain Continent expanded ten times of what it used to be. There were still six empires in the continent, each empire had an average population of two billion. The rest of eight billions belonged to the other 200 vassal states and sects.

‘The states increased by a hundred? Divisions, still, this boom…’

The population boom did not come from cultivators.

Cultivators had higher difficultly conceiving a child the higher their cultivation. Often, a pair would only have one or two. Those who had more children usually would find it hard to advance in cultivation, it was true for both male and female cultivators. For what reason, there were many theories, yet none was proven. Due to this, many avoided having more children until they reached their cultivation target. Even when they reached their target, many stopped with having just two or at most, three. Afterall, conceiving a child was a life and death trial for female cultivators.

Thus, it was not cultivators who contributed to this population boom. Rather, it was non-cultivators, those below Purification stage. They were people who did not dedicate themselves to cultivating Qi into their body, thus they reached only the basic Qi Discovery and Qi Circulation stage. Usually, they were people of the lowest social strata, what cultivators called normal people.

This meant that after the terrible war and the formation of the Alliance, normal people’s living condition improved a lot more than it used to be. Thus, people’s confidence in having multiple children increased, leading to the population boom.

He turned to An Hong.

“I expected this when I formed the Alliance, but seriously, this is too much. What did you youngsters do everyday, copulation?”

“An, ancestor! Definitely not, no!”

“You refusing too much, really suspicious,”

Then again, it had been 2000 years.

For cultivators, it might only been seven to ten generations. But to simple farmers and non-cultivators, it was ten times, and even more than that. So achieving ten times the population in 2000 years, while unexpected, it was not ridiculous. While he read, he noticed the ratio of cultivators and non-cultivators in the continent.

It was a 50:50 ratio. Seeing this, he raised his eyebrows.

Much of that ratio of cultivators was from those who were born from a family of non-cultivators. This meant that normal people were really interested in cultivation. However, cultivation could not be said to be easy, it was not simply sitting on your butt inside a cave for years. That was beyond stupid. Cultivation required insights, and for this, people needed to possess a certain level of intellect in order to achieve breakthrough. Those who cultivated needed to train the basic of their body, be disciplined and then journeyed out into the world to experience things.

The ratio also meant that over the years, the overall education level had increased. Still, 50:50 ratio was too strange for him.

“Hong-er, the ratio here. What are the factors?”

“Ah, this…”

He saw the ratios, then recalled what factors he knew leading to it.

Hearing the factors, one of them caught An Shan’s attention. It was the spread of Dan Pills, around 1200 years ago. They started to become commonplace since 500 years ago. Starting from around 300 years ago, even not-so-rich people could afford it. This change allowed many to reach Purification stage and thus stepped into the world of cultivators.

This struck him as weird. Back in his days, Dan Pills were rare and expensive. Not to mention average cultivators, even those in expert levels, Sub-Stars and Main-Stars, of whom had their clan backings, faced difficulty procuring one every year.

For them to be commonplace now, and not expensive?

You’re freaking kidding me!

“The heck! Then, how come our sect has only eight Titan-Stars, no Soul-Titan, you-tell-me!”

“An, ancestor! I only tell you what I know—”

“That was rhetorical question! I was not mad at you, no need to be alarmed!”

“Y-yes, Ancestor!”

There was something wrong with this, An Shan felt it.

However, he was sleepy, and there were many things to cover. Thus, he had to delay investigating it further. He flipped open the documents on recent war and conflict. He read the situational report from back then, the summary of them.

He had heard from An Hong, that there was a war a little over fifty years ago.

Wars used to be frequent in the continent, but after An Shan achieved unification, it almost disappeared entirely. However, wars resurfaced again after a thousand years of peace. The most recent, involved Absolute Aegis and several other powers. Hearing the war report and reading it, his heart almost torn to pieces.

That was because the opponents were two Imperial Clans, supported by several large sects including two of the eight super sects. The Imperial Clans were the White Tiger Imperial Clan and Fiery Phoenix Imperial Clan, his sworn brothers’ and sisters’ clan. The two clans controlled the two closest empires to Absolute Aegis, situated in the West and East, respectively.

“Why, why the hate… Why so much hatred? Or is it simply greed, no,”

He wondered in all honesty. There was too much he did not know, too many things unclear. Especially so for the White Tiger Imperial Clan, from the war report, they were not hesitating at all. For the Fiery Phoenix, at the very least, many elders and disciples hesitated, and were rather inclined to surrender or accept their ‘enemy’ surrendering. Most battles ended with just a few casualties.

Thus, for An Shan, he knew the main problem lied with the White Tiger Imperial Clan. He turned to An Hong, eyes inquiring. His stare was clear, ‘Give me the answer!’

“Ah, Ancestor… Please quell your anger, your descendant was not quite sure himself. B-but,”

“Continue!”

“Yes! While I’m not quite sure if it was the decisive factor, the ill feelings all started from a brawl our disciples had, in a border town, 70 years ago,”

“A brawl? A mere brawl… The result?”

“Err, if memory serves, three of our inner disciples were killed, while the White Tiger Imperial Clan lost five. From then on…”

Everything turned sour from then on.

No side accepted the blame, no side were willing to back down. In years to come, there were rumors and provocations happening all throughout their territories. Being neighbours and sharing borders, these things happened often. While it started from disciples, things turned worse. When more disciples and junior members from each side were harmed, it started to influence the elders as well. They joined in the fight.

Things escalated.

Listening to An Hong’s explanation, An Shan understood. The twenty years period was the time when their relationship turned out like this. While their relationship had deteriorated before, it was never this bad. This short 20-year time period was when all the good will, evaporated into the air.

“Provocation,”

“Yes?”

“For twenty years, a clear provocation, destabilization. Some people want us, at each other’s throat,”

“…That’s certainly a possibility,”

“That much is certain, not possibility!”

“Y-yes, Ancestor!”

So when their relationship turned belligerent, a very suspicious incident happened.

In a border town belonging to Absolute Aegis, an elder and several disciples from White Tiger Clan were murdered. In retaliation, they massacred the whole town, leaving none but below ten-year olds alive. However, this report was Absolute Aegis’ version of the event.

Both sides blamed each other afterward.

As for An Shan, he refused to accept it at face value. There was always possibility that his own side made mistake, and not just that, there ought to be something else. Could there be a third party? Things that led to war, were never so simple. To him, that was almost a Law.

“Then war happen,eh? How convenient.”

“Yes! The White Tiger Imperial Clan clearly wished for this, there was almost no objection from their elders,”

“Hong-er, war doesn’t happen just like that. There are always hands pulling the strings, for cultivators are human too. They could’ve been misled. Have you investigated third party’s involvement?”

“Y-yes! We did investigate, for many years, yet the result turned out to be vague. It’s a bit hard to investigate further, since our relation was quite tense… Many territories fell onto their hands,”

“Even now?”

“Unfortunately, even now,”

“…Prepare the investigation result for me later. For now, show me the map of our sect!”

“Yes!”

An Hong opened a curtain behind his study, revealing a map of a large area of land. The land was surrounded by mighty mountains in the north and west, wide ocean in the east and south.

Absolute Aegis was situated in the southern territory, along a large river connected to the ocean. The sect had lost a lot of territory, including their most prized port city, the massive Tranquil Dragon City. The overall territory lost after the war reduced the population under their direct control from 200 million down to a mere 100 million. That was half the population!

It was a true disaster. While the other four Imperial Clans in the Alliance did protest against the war, they did not lend the sect any help. Absolute Aegis had lost half of the ancestors, including An Hong’s parents… An Shan’s descendant and in-law.

Hearing this, An Shan turned to look carefully at An Hong, trying to see the boy whose childhood he never even witness.

“Heroes, I didn’t even get to meet them,”

“Ancestor…”

“Lead me to their tomb later, I’ll at least pay my respect to them!”

“Un, An Hong thanked Ancestor!”

Reading on, he shook his head. The three-year war was really a war of annihilation, if not for one particular intervention.

‘…Ancestor of Fiery Phoenix, woke up in time,’

Feng Huang Zhi, the most senior ancestor of Fiery Phoenix Imperial Clan, woke up from her long Soul Severing. She was the leader of the clan, and before she went into isolation, she had given all power to her husband, the Emperor of Karmanic Fire Empire.

‘Great granddaughter of third sister…’

Different than other ancestors, she had lived a longer life.

And An Shan’s third sister, Feng Huang Yu, had extended her life with Soul Severing for as long as she could. She kept on waiting, waiting for An Shan to wake up on his own. In the end, even a powerful Soul-Titan like her, still could not deny Heaven’s Will.

However, before she met the Creator, she spent some years with her great granddaughter. In the report, apparently she spent more time with Feng Huang Zhi than any other descendants. While she was around, apparently she told her a lot of stories about An Shan and her other sworn siblings.

Perhaps, due to that, Feng Huang Zhi had deep respect for An Shan and Absolute Aegis Sect. When she got the news that her clan and empire had declared war with Absolute Aegis, she rallied fellow ancestors and elders, confronting her own husband. She demanded him to stop the war, yet he and his faction were stubborn.

In the end, she clashed with him.

A battle between husband and wife, Soul-Titan against Soul-Titan. It was a terrible battle, etched in history as one of the most heart-breaking battle ever. While they truly loved each other, they could not back down from their own position.

Regarding the war, they truly were in direct conflict.

‘So she sealed him,’

Before she sealed him, she divorced him right then and there.

As he read on, tears flowed down a little. An Hong, witnessing this, took a deep breathe.

An Shan realized just how great the sacrifice she made, in order to honor the long friendship and the memory left behind by her great grandmother. More importantly, for a Soul-Titan to seal another Soul-Titan, was something extremely hard to do.

She could not have done it had she hesitated.

The end of the battle allowed her to regain power in the empire. Afterward, she commanded immediate ceasefire and return of any conquered territory and prisoners to Absolute Aegis. With her doing so, Absolute Aegis reciprocated by releasing all prisoners of war from Fiery Phoenix clan and Karmanic Fire Empire.

However, under pressure from the other ancestors, she was only able to return half the territories taken from Absolute Aegis. However, even that much, no one could deny her sacrifice. It was to the point that other ancestors in the clan could not fully understand her.

An Shan truly admired the lady. He could not hold back, commenting about her to An Hong.

“Feng Huang Zhi… Such loyalty, I will surely return this favor.”

“Ah, regarding the half territory still under her empire…”

“What of it?”

“She wanted to return them after 55 years. That would be around five more years.”

“I see, good to know,”

Later, there were several knocks on the study’s door.

“…Patriarch?”

It was a maid, inquiring the Patriarch if he would like the breakfast to be delivered to the study. Seeing An Shan nodded, he instructed her to bring two portions.

After awhile, he received them.

Two portions, each with hot steaming buns and a bowl of rice filled with meat fillets and a small bowl of sauce along with hot tea and goat’s milk. An Hong served him a cup of tea, respectfully handing him the cup. He took it, slowly relishing the taste, then drank a little of the milk. When he reached for the meal and saw the meat, he shook his head. It was pork, so he declined. He could still eat its fat on occasion, but meat? No thanks. He took a bun of red bean paste, dividing it and placing one into his mouth.

Ah, good stuff.

The bread and paste were soft, melting in his mouth while complementing each other. He had not eaten for a long time, and due to Soul Severing there was little need for it. While in isolation, his body continued to absorb lingering energy from nature. His underground chamber had mechanism which allowed wind flowing on top, and water flowing below. In addition, the turtle shell ensured a good concentration of life-force for him all through the years, forcefully regressing his body’s natural age.

As he reached out for the second bun, he noticed An Hong’s portion. An Hong did not eat yet out of respect, but there was a steaming hot soup on his plate. An Shan frowned. Soup? How could there be soup for breakfast? How unusual.

Seeing his expression, An Hong knew what he meant.

“Ah, haha… I really love soup, Ancestor. I just have cravings for it, so I instruct the kitchen to prepare either chicken or bird soup just for me every meal. This one’s chicken soup, would you like some?”

“Hm, just bring it over. I’ll have some taste,”

An Shan took the spoon, tasting some. After the first spoon, he took another two. Pausing for awhile, he held his forehead, frowning. Seeing him staring at the soup, An Hong grew anxious. Could he be thinking of finishing my soup, he wondered.

“…Ancestor, is it to your liking?”

“No, it’s too delicious,”

“Eh, that’s good right?”

“No… This, is poison!”

He said, eyes still on the soup. Hearing this, An Hong had his eyes widened. He trembled.

“W-what, how! The fucker, who! I’ll hunt the culprit right—”

“No,”

An Shan raised his hand, telling him to hold his horses.

“It’s too little, don’t make a fuss,”

“Eh, is that so?”

In fact, it was so little even he could barely detect it.

Even for Titan-stars cultivators, it was more than likely they would ignore it. This little poison would not be dangerous to a cultivator’s life, as they would just cleanse their system every now and then. His tongue however, could feel some burning sensation. For a moment, he thought it was the spice. However, he realized the taste was foreign to him. Certainly, it made the soup delicious, yet… He felt rather appalled by it. It was akin to having a beautiful prostitute baring her jade-skin body to you out in the street. Ah, the sight… Wait! While as a man, you certainly loved a nice body, but as a moral being, you detested her action, for putting so little value on herself.

Ah, what a shame, what a waste. Lady, value yourself more!

After awhile, his forehead vibrated. For a moment, he felt uneasy.

“It’s little, but better investigates this. This is not normal. Ask the kitchen what makes the soup so delicious, compare what makes it different from one many years back. It’s likely something they considered a norm, don’t lose sight of it,”

“Y-yes, Ancestor!”

“Just do it secretly. Don’t make it obvious,”

“Yes, I will do as you command!”

“Hm, there should be a Grand Elder responsible for herbs and provisions?”

“Yes, its Lady Su Min,”

“…What a coincidence, call her over next morning!”

“Yes, Ancestor!”

Then, on social issue. He swore this would be the last. While he wanted to read about foreign policy, he really craved sleeping right now!

As he flipped through the social issues, massive amount of information entered his mind. He did not bother thinking too much about them. All he cared was just to get the gist of what had happened. As he was flipping thorough, a certain issue stopped him. It was the issue of religious conflict happening all throughout Absolute Aegis’ domain.

Specifically, it centered on the so-called An Shan’s followers. It was a religion which started around 1200 years ago, along with the spread of Dan Pills. Well, it was more of a cult than religion.

“My followers? Since when did I establish a religion of me? Did I sleep walk or something?”

“Eh, this…”

An Shan did establish a certain doctrine from the Divine Scripture.

However, it was never centered on him. It did not even care about him! The doctrine was simply, ‘We acknowledge The One in Heaven and his judgment day, so let us all live well.’

By living well, he meant following the natural law. If anyone did not believe the same, he left them alone. It was that simple. As long as they did not breach the law, and he did not know, he did not bother them. However, this ‘new’ religion seemed to be using his name in order to gain followers, and imposed a lot of ridiculous rules at that. For those who did not believe the same, they ridiculed, and some with power, acted belligerently. They were as if people high on drugs, extreme in their conduct.

Right now, it even crossed borders, with over one billion followers in the continent.

“This is annoying… Just what were their teachings, anyway? Using my name like this, hmph!”

“Err, it’s not from you, Ancestor?”

“What do you mean it’s not from me?”

“W-well, there are these books about your sayings and Way of Life…”

“Show me!”

“Y-yes!”

An Hong took several thick books on top of the shelves. Receiving the books, An Shan quickly flipped through them. As he did, he went into silent, complete silent.

His hands turned the pages even faster. His eyes rarely blinked. His speed turned fast, and faster. His Qi revolved around him as he focused his full attention reading the books. As he flipped through them till the end, he closed the last of the books.

Turning to An Hong, he seemed to be calm, moving slowly.

“Hong-er, assemble such books all over our the territory, all of them,”

“Err, that might be a little hard, it will take some time. Perhaps even several months… But why, Ancestor?”

“Well, I’m thinking of making a bonfire festival…”

“…!!”

Chapter 9 ‘Corruptions, Corruptions Everywhere’ End