Another year was spent by Pef continuing the fast advancement for his crew and guardians, picking up an entire garrison of Practitioners and Core Guardians, then taking them on a secret month long trip, and returning them at Earth or Sky ranks, and utterly too horrified to ever disclose how that happened.

However, Pef Empire and the Saint continent became a medium power on the planet, despite the pitiful qi at their disposal.

The Emperor airship got upgraded with Emperor wings from various birds, and Tyrant ranked rudders and stoves and was now able to fly like a jet airliner, made of boron alloyed diamond. Perhaps more durable than that.

It was all because of Pef, who wasn't a patient man. His recruits will hurt and complain and puke their guts out, but it beat having to wait a thousand years for a decent Guardian.

And with the powerful new ranks, the construction of the canal and the fortifications along it was going much faster.

Lara took it on herself to build an Emperor worthy mansion, still in the fortified triangle, but away from the town by some 30 kilometers. Still meant a commute to the capital or the canal took mere minutes if you were able to fly.

Lady Si gained fire as a qi spirit, and was very happy with it, since it made cooking or forging much easier.

She hovered at the peak of Spirit rank though, even after a flock hunting trips with her husband.

Combat and love were good, but she needed more Practice, and only had a week of Awakening.

By the end of the year, Aria and Xie crossed into Emperor rank, one after another.

And now Aria had become a true powerhouse, with her wood qi able to mold and shape buildings or ships, water mills or nearly any form.But only dead wood, for now.

Pef hugged her waist, as they flew along the canal, inspecting the progress. "See, my dear. We're building the future." he said softly, while his eyes measured ranges and approach venues, calculating response times for the Guardians of the Wall.

One kilometer of deforested perimeter wasn't enough, not when big and fast beasts would appear. But that won't be soon.

Whoever was boosting the qi rates of the beasts to spawn wave after wave, had to work with local resources, and qi was thin here. For as long as that Rock Worm remained in the Tian Mountains.

'So at my next rank, will I be able to extend sword qi from the neo knife?' he asked his glove, curious.

The glove waited a moment. 'It took Deng 30 thousands years. But you're smart, you'll figure it out'

"I know Gaia won't like it. Cutting down trees. What if she'll hate me?" Aria asked with worry.

"You're not a small girl, chased out in the forest for your hair. Not anymore. Gaia helped you then, but it wasn't only goodwill. You drained those trees of many years, and sent them towards her. Those beasts that you healed, they would be sent against the Empire now. What will you do, when you'll surpass Gaia in cultivation level?" Pef asked gently, caressing her beautiful green hair.

Nobody will mock or chase this green haired Empress. Her fists could shatter mountains, now.

"You think I will? Ascend higher than Gaia?" Aria asked a bit amazed.

"Yes, that's certain. I'll poke out a god's eyes with your fingers, and pull you after me into divinity, if you don't succeed by yourself. But Gaia did ascend, with her poor method she invented herself. You have the Legion method, and you have me." Pef answered confidently.

"She sounded just like you. Powerful and confident. But Gaia still made plenty of mistakes, didn't she?" the former druid mused, holding a stick in her hand and making it twirl and snake around.

"Ecology is a complicated problem. And when you're changing things too strongly, or on a wide scale, some results are unpredictable. Make a nut too hard, all squirrels starve. And then the seed cannot grow, and the oak disappears as a species. And so on. And since Gaia is still scattered and dissipated as a Loose Divinity..." The Tyrant said in a thoughtful manner, waving his arm and creating a thin water mist around them.

"She has to work through druids, I know. I was one, for 200 years. But even if I do, I won't leave her behind. My debt will be paid, and I will set her free. Somehow!" Aria said resolutely, the stick folding itself into a ring around her finger.

'That's not a bad idea, Aspirant. We'll need to find one of her messengers, and indoctrinate her by proxy. Having another tier 7 on our side would be beneficial, even if...' The glove added as an advice.

"Okay love. We'll rescue Gaia, one day, somehow. The first perimeter safe seems fine. Let's check the second one, and then we can relax in the pool." Pef whispered gently, pulsing some qi to chase away the strange shadow following them, just outside the water mist.

The stronger he grew, the more the gods will become wary of him. But it was almost too late.

Another rank, and he'd be mostly invincible on the mortal plane, just like Deng Xi. And after the next rank..

Well, too soon to speculate.

The pair flew to the new perimeter, where a hundred Guardsmen dug the next canal section, and a hundred more were constructing a huge stone fort, the large stone blocks drilled into with carefully placed bone reinforcements, as extra security.

He finally found a use for his melted hand, forging stone drills from it. The Emperor ranked drills would never wear out on stone, and would secure the safety of millions. Quite a fair trade in his view, if not immediately heroical.

Leader Zhong flew up to meet them, a bit dusty for working stone. "Hey, boss. Good afternoon, honored Empress. Taking a look at the new fort?" the man asked in a matter-of-fact tone.

"You're an Emperor too, Zhong. Why is Aria honored?" Pef asked annoyed.

"Because my wife says so. So, you're staying or not?" the man replied curtly.

Best to send the crazy Tyrant away, as fast as possible, before he grabbed you by the feet, to beat up beasts, and rank you up, willy nilly. But Aria was the only one who endured two years of Awakening.

She was worthy of respect and honor, more than Pef, his boss.

At least that's what his wife Jena, said. And poor Jena wouldn't talk to Pef anymore, even though he boosted her from Core to Sky rank in a month.

Zhong himself wasn't that upset, since he had actually bit necks or headbutted beasts in the heat of combat. Especially when he was younger. He grew out of it, but the boss was only 20.

Whirled by a leg was uncomfortable, but Pef was strong and skilled enough to use the technique proficiently.

And nobody died during the fast ranking, which was another thing Pef was renowned for. Kill your enemy and get stronger, no matter the means.

When his whole musing was over, Zhong looked around but the Tyrant was gone.

He sighed in relief and went back to the easy job of chopping stone and building forts. He didn't even get tired!

Pef dove into the pool and stored his armor and clothes, emerging in his shorts and floating on the surface.

Aria went back to her room and came out a minute later in a green swimsuit, which went great with her green eyes.

Another Empress emerged next to him, wearing a purple swimsuit, but also silver eyes.

"We should go, Pef. The Empire is quite safe now." the other wife whispered in her special voice, and holding a hand over his glove.

'Black Magma she says. That's a harsh place.' the glove said, somehow reading Xia intentions through a touch.

The neo knife poked out, like a curious groundhog, took a thin cut from Xia's hand then dove back inside the glove. "Sorry love. The puppy is eager for combat" Pef said with a not-so-sorry face.

"It's your fault, idiot! Teaching it to nip people, for blood" Xia exclaimed not quite amused, although her eyes twinkled.

"I hope you're proud of me, dear lady. I couldn't do much better than this, and I'm already 20." Pef said raising some water to form a shezlong, while in a pool.

"You still have a month to amaze me, husband of mine!" the other wife and Empress said in a soft chuckle.

This husband was indeed amusing. She didn't regret dying now, since it meant this new life was so fun.

The nice days won't last though. They will soon tangle with the real monsters, and the childhood will come to an end.

Aria floated next to them and rested on Pef's leg, glancing around for a second.

"I'm coming as well. Or you'll come back much stronger, again."

"There will be attacks, while I'm gone" Pef said softly, not needing to be an oracle to guess that.

"And there's Remi and Wu and Zhong, even Lara" the green swimsuited wife argued with some worth.

The Tyrant calculated for a while then nodded. He wouldn't risk Lara, and she wasn't ready anyway.

This will need detective work. "I need to see Ching, and get here to come too. Madam Ling will do fine, as a Sky ranked oracle."

"One last beatdown, huh? You better have a Tyrant rank sword, for your beloved oracle" Aria whispered and kissed her husband.

Next day, Pef arrived over the oracle's courtyard, to see Ching spar with her apprentice. They were both Sky rank, and both oracles, but there was no contest. Miss Ching flowed through the sword moves and stances, hitting Ling 5 times every second, for an hour.

Then they both bowed and glanced at him with a smile, Ling a bit wider and Ching tight and upset.

"Most lovely and delicate oracles! Ah, if I wasn't married..." Pef proclaimed in an imperial manner, making the guards around the house spit in their sleeves.

Madam Ling waved a friendly hand and ran off, afraid she'd be taken for a moonsighting again. Shredding beasts with your face wasn't moonsighting!

"You! What was your name again?" Ching asked measuring the hero with some doubt.

"Beloved husband?" he asked in a light voice.

The oracle lifted a finger, like a prophecy was inbound. "Indeed. It's what says on your grave. The question mark as well."

Pef chuckled and sped up, to grab her into a hug. "I'll have it made, and planted in your garden then, most devious lady. Then no man would dare look at you, with hungry, lusty, perverted eyes." he whispered while squeezing the softer bits with each word.

"Yes, yes. You need anything?" Ching asked politely.

"A week without sex, and a cup of tea. So I'm perfectly fine, right here!" the young man explained cogently.

"Let me see it first." Miss Ching asked, raising a hand and having all her guards turn around.

The Tyrant ruler of the Saint continent took out his best work, a Tyrant ranked sword, with a Blue Mountain Goat foot for handle and a Azure Victorious Seagull talon as a blade, riveted and bound in Tyrant ranked goat skin, and having a lock of Tyrant ranked human hair tied to the end, like tassels.

It also had two formations on it, for magic defense and piercing. Not strong formations, but magic was hard.

The pretty oracle held a finger and balanced the sword on it, examining it with her skill, and knowledge and sword qi.

Pretty much the strongest weapon on the continent, and a work of art. Signed by Pef!

"Hmpf! Not bad for your first try. Bit too much, your personalization, but all young smiths are like that. Fine. You get a first kiss then. 10 seconds!" she demanded as she stored the precious weapon.

Pef leaned in, to take his reward, and it was sweet and glorious. It wasn't 10 seconds though, as there was no one to keep count. But sometime later, they came out for air, a bit flushed and blushing.

"I liked it! We should do this again sometime. But now, we have to bathe you in blood and guts." Pef said with a glance at the sky.

The oracle blinked and was thus kidnapped, and taken far and fast away, high above clouds.

"Don't you dare..." she tried saying, but the wind was too fast, so nobody heard her.

A few hours later, the flying pair encountered another random flock of birds, and stopped to wonder. Majestic white and yellow creatures were changing their location, as part of the yearly migration.

These were Bronze Singing Cranes, with a dozen of Emperors among them and various lower ranks.

Keep in mind nobody had found tin on this planet yet, so bronze was a mythical substance, believed stronger than Core ranked bones.

"Pef, if you abuse me, like you did with Ling..." Miss Ching said as Pef armored her head with an Emperor ranked helmet.

"It's not what you heard, my sweet lady. The Dance of the Swans is meant as an expression of grace and synergy, between a man and his wife. The strong man is anchoring the fragile woman, while she uses the terrible sword, to reap through those who would harm their children" He proclaimed in a honorable if tyrannical voice.

"You mean this sword?" the oracle asked confused, drawing out her new sword.

The Tyrant was so fast, the poor woman only noticed the kill after the crane's head flew by her.

In a minute, he sped up and weaved through the crane flock, decapitating the defenceless beasts while channeling sword qi, though Ching and her sword.

His glove approved, noting the increase in speed and precision. 33 Sky ranks and 12 Emperor ranks in 51 moves. Not perfect moves, nothing like the older Tyrants, but good enough.

When Pef came to a stop, he hugged the oracle while she was receiving her reward as an instrument of beast destruction, the qi climbing for every kill, until she crossed over into early Emperor rank.

Lady Ching gasped for air, then drew back. She could float perfectly now, without needing to train for years. And her visor only had a dozen blood drops on it, nothing like the bloodbath she had imagined.

"Not quite the Dance of Swans, Emperor Pef. But quite close." she admitted, after realizing the implications of her new rank.

Pef bowed a bit and tried to show some respect, as she did teach him the sword. "I still only have a minute of sword qi. But you trained me well. I am grateful, Lady Ching."

"Idiot! I never had more than a second. A minute is enough for any fight!" the woman yelled, storing her sword and flying away in a huff.

Pef sped after her and hugged her waist. "You'd need a year to reach our continent that way. Let me drive." he explained then boosted off at speed, towards Lacrimosa.

And so, Oracle Ching became an Emperor rank, and got dragged into the next adventure. Once she finishes making that tea already.