(Author

-----------Chapter 15: Return to the World--------------

Six years had passed since Shu began training under the Dragon Fox. He reached the eighth stage in a little over a year and the ninth stage about five years after. A month had passed and he was currently in meditation, two blood dragons coiling around his body. Upon reaching the ninth stage, Shu began to question about why he could not manipulate blood. When he attempted it before the ninth stage, he always failed to even sense the spirit energy within the blood. All of a sudden, he was able to manipulate blood in his body and elsewhere.

He asked Laozi why, before the Old God entered a slumber. The Old God told him it was because his body was fused to an Old God. Once reaching an adequate level of cultivation, those who made a Pact with the Great Spirits would be able to manipulate the elements, regardless of what state it was in. An example would be fire and earth element Practitioners being able to manipulate and create lava.

Shu was a Practitioner of the ninth stage and condensed his soul to the seventh level. Supaiku and Bahamut reached the first stage of the Spirit Knight tier due to being Saint level magical beasts, devouring high quality magical beast meat provided by the Amila tribe, and devouring the liquid pearl elixirs created by the talisman Shu bought.

"Done hunting?" Shu asked. Supaiku and Bahamut, now at the Spirit Knight tier, were able to communicate mentally now.

"Hey, boss! Hunting live prey in the sands outside...it takes a while. It's not fun if the prey can't hide and cower in fear," Supaiku grinned, revealing a mouthful of bloody tiger teeth.

"Are we heading back into the world soon, master?" Bahamut asked.

"Yeah. Supaiku, Bahamut, and Wraith. Listen up. We are heading back to the Yan Dynasty once we leave. I already inquired and the chief of the Amila tribe is sending us to the capital through a teleportation array back at the Jakkom palace," Shu began as everyone gave him their utmost attention. "Spook, report on what happened during my six year training."

"Yes, master. Empress Lu Rong has given birth to a daughter, named Lu Kui. Princess Lu Kui will be turning six soon. The Hyperion have conquered another nation. Their invasion is heading south as the Jakkom Empire proved too difficult for them at this time. The empress wishes for master to return home. From there, Shu will have to do his duties as prince," Spook reported.

"In other words, we go from a game of blood to a game of words. I'll have to duties expected of the prince. Now, let's get ready. I must retrieve the three objects I chose and we will head out. The chief has arranged a teleportation circle from the entrance to this place, back at Jakkom, and the courtyard of the palace. They are expecting us," Shu said, leaving them to pick up the three items he chose.

Shu stared down at the first item. It was as a white silver headband. He wore it around his head, the headband covering the center of his forehead. The head band hid the cultivation level of the wearer, if he chose to conceal it; and emitted a frosty aura. The head band kind of looked like one he pictures of the gold headband the Monkey King wore. It was worthy of an item worn by a prince and would not look out of the ordinary. The second item was a complete set of black leather armor made from magical beast furs and metals from the Immortal Realms. In the center of the chest armor was an image of a snake's skull which was made from the bones of an actual snake magical beast of the Immortal Realms!

Shu mastered the Eclipse Indestructible Body to the point that it fused into his skin. Why pick armor? You can never have too much defense. His technique could only block Mortal weapons, but he could still be affected by magic spells, soul-targeting techniques, and other attacks mortals can't use. He had no fear of those weaker than him unless they possessed a Divine Weapon or used a powerful attack of his level or higher. While wearing the armor, he was immune to poisons. He didn't mind the image of the skull snake as his Armored Ocean Tiger God spirit had a snake with dragon scales and teeth instead of a tiger's tail.

The last item was one that startled even Wraith. The item was a blank painting. However, the owner could trap magical beasts, demons, humans, and even Hyperion within. Whatever was trapped once would remain utterly loyal to the owner and unable to harm him or free themselves. If the owner died, the painting would kill anyone who had been trapped within. With it, Shu could capture and create his very own army.

"Who knew it had such an effect," Wraith gasped. "An item such as that will certainly serve you well. The possibilities are limitless. How did you know it had such an amazing ability?[/color]"

"Sometimes, it is an ordinary object, or junk, that is the greatest treasure of all," Shu answered, thinking about the many books and novels he read that contained a mystical copper mirror. "Let's go. We already said our goodbyes yesterday. I can finally spend time with my family."

"You seem to care a great deal about them, master" Wraith said.

"Do I?" Shu laughed and led the way, a solemn look on his face. As some memories returned, he remembered random things he had done in his life, but had no memories of having a family. No childhood memories returned either. They looked back at the white sands as they exited the Vault of Kings. Shu waited a while as Zhenji stared at the statues and they left when she had come to terms with herself. They returned out of the door to the right of the throne and walked into another teleportation circle. At last, after Shu didn't know how long, he had returned home and would stay this time.

"We've finally returned, master," Bahamut said as it stared at the royal palace. The red pavilions and majestic pagodas really had a mystical and majestic appearance.

"Yeah. It's great. Supaiku, you must stay in your cat-sized form when in the hallways and the palace. Outside, you may return to your true size. You were a gift to me from Lu Feng. No one will dare deny the magical beast given by the Lu Clan's Spirit Sages. Sorry Bahamut. Unfortunately, you can't fit through the doors and most hallways. You'll have to stay in your tiny form. You will stay within my room to guard against trespassers. The palace knows that an Emerald Steel Dragon is my magical beast. If any try to enter my room, you have my permission to eat them if the trespasser is not my family. Wraith, as usual, will guard my back and keep on eye on all spirit energy signatures around me," Shu ordered.

"Yes, master" Bahamut, Wraith, and Supaiku shouted.

"General Song Dian greets Second Prince Lu Shu," a general clad in black and gold armor bowed, seeing his magical beasts and realizing his true identity.

"I will be heading to my room and getting changed into my imperial robe. Is the morning court meeting over?" Shu asked.

"I suspect it will continue for a little over another hour. This is because delegates from foreign nations are expected to arrive tonight for a grand feast. The reason, this lowly general knows not, Prince Shu," the general answered without hesitation.

"I see. Tell my father I will be there shortly," Shu ordered and headed to his room with his magical beasts, a dozen male and female servants quickly appearing and following them in lines of two.

"He's reached the ninth stage?. Even his magical beasts must be at the Spirit Knight tier, as I can't sense their cultivation," the general thought as he observed the magical beasts. He had heard that the second prince had Saint level magical beasts. Truly, their potential was amazing. He was also surprised to see the prince had even reached the ninth stage of the Spirit Shaman tier. The general was only at the eighth stage and he was sure the six great generals, all of them at the ninth stage, would also be surprised to see someone so young at their cultivation stage.

"I better report to His Imperial Majesty. Ah, better inform Her Imperial Highness. She is not at the meeting. If I disturb the emperor at the wrong time, I might lose my head," the general said and quickly rushed towards the pavilion where the emperor and empress lived.

"The clothes make the man, master. Good luck. I will guard your room. Rest assured, the only mess you will see is the remains of the dead who dared to enter," Bahamut observed as Shu changed into a gold and white imperial robe. It was made with the fur of magical beasts and had a shoulder pad on his right shoulder with the fur of a gold tiger's head over the metal shoulder pad. Freezing Tail was strapped to his right hip while a gourd containing lion wine was on his left.

"Let's go see my father," Shu said, patting Bahamut before leaving with Supaiku walking behind him.

"I hate being a cat. I feel so....small. Even my physique changes. I look like a fat cat," Supaiku grunted, Shu chuckling as the servants and maids followed them.

"Wait until we meet my new little sister. She might even want to play with you. Should I have a servant fetch a yarn ball?" Shu smirked.

"No, master! Not that. I will behave," Supaiku cried.

They arrived at the front of two sets of white marble stairs leading to the largest building in the palace. Without a doubt, this building contained the throne room of the Yan Dynasty. Gold armored guards at the Spirit Knight tier stood all along the sides of the stairs. The bottom of the first set was ten thousand feet from the emperor's throne. The gap between the first and second set of stairs were five thousand feet away from the throne, with the outside of the building being one thousand feet away. It was truly an intimidating sight as the royal guards within the building were at the Spirit Master tier.

The Gold Yan Guards is the largest and most powerful sect in the empire, none came close to its might. All the guards had to be at the Spirit Knight tier and were charged with protecting the nation from Practitioners, mages, and magical beasts. If the army could not defeat the foe, then the Gold Yan Guards finished the task themselves. The Gold Yan Guards also excepted Elite Mages and Arch Mages. Adept Mages, even though equivalent to a Spirit Knight between the first and third stage, were considered too weak for the emperor's standards. The reigning emperor was always the head of the sect as he ruled the nation. Lu Xing, Shu's older brother would become the next head once Emperor Lu Yi reached the Spirit Sage tier and retires from mortal affairs.

While the emperor rules from the front, the empress guards from the shadows. She was the nation's spy master and the one in charge of espionage, assassinations, and other stealth operations. The nobles feared her more than the emperor and her spies were known as the Blackened Skulls. If you did something the empress didn't like, you would receive a card with a black skull with blood and ash pouring from the jaws and eye sockets. Before dusk you received the card, and after dawn you lost your head. No one ever escaped the judgment and people would not be surprised to see a traitor's head stuck on a pike above the entrance of the capital's gates.

"Presenting, Lord Lu Shu, second prince of the Yan Dynasty and verified God Eater. Accompanying Prince Shu is a magical beast...oh, it has a name....is that right? Ahem. Accompanying Prince Shu is Supaiku, the Gold-Eyed Lightning Tiger magical beast. Given to Prince Shu by Ancestor Lu Feng and magical beast of the Spirit Knight tier," a servant shouted as Shu entered the building. Shu nodded as the ministers and nobles bowed on his right while military personnel and members of the Lu Clan bowed on his left.

"You've returned at last. It has been too long, my son," Emperor Lu Yi smiled, Shu shocked as his father seemed to be at the ninth stage of the Spirit Master tier. In order to reach the Spirit Sage tier, his father would have to go through the Nine Tribulations, the nine strikes of judgment from the heavens. Spirit Masters who choose to go to the Immortal Realms won't undergo the Nine Tribulations, but they would be bullied and less than dirt if they ascended to the Immortal Realms at such a weak cultivation.

"You are at the ninth stage, and so soon! HAHAHAHA! Wonderful. I heard the report, but I still doubted it," the emperor laughed as the ministers, generals, delegates, and nobles looked at him in shock. "Show me your Practitioner weapon."

"Yes, father," Shu said and bowed on one knee as he drew Freezing Tail and presented it with both hands, on holding the blade as the other held the grip. Freezing Tail did not change and still had a celestial aura capable of paralyzing others with fear. The only difference was that whatever the blade cut, a green poison would seep into the wounds. If the poisoned foe died, the green poison would turn into a mist around the body, poisoning the air and all it touched within five feet of the corpse in all directions.

"Interesting. Armored Ocean Tiger God with a snake covered in dragon scales with dragon teeth for a tail. What level is your soul condensation?" the emperor asked.

"I have reached the seventh level of soul condensation," Shu answered, sheathing his sword as all present gasped in shock. His cultivation abnormally high, for someone not of the ancient clans, already shocked them. Now they learned he had condensed his soul to such a high level. Most people condensed their soul to the second level and bought a soul-protecting artifact as it was easier and had high levels of defense. In the long run, it was inferior, but a great substitute for those of weaker cultivations below the Spirit Sage tier. At the Spirit Sage and immortal cultivations, it was much harder and rarer to obtain an adequate soul-protecting artifact.

"Excellent. HAHAHA! Genius mage son and genius Practitioner son. If only your older sister was as dedicated to studying magic like Lu Xing. She is still an Adept Mage and Lu Xing, beyond expectations, already became an Arch Mage," the emperor sighed with both disappointment and pride. "You should be exceptional in the Pantheon of Devils once you reach the tenth stage. No need to worry about becoming an Archon Phoenix. For now, you will do your princely duties. Your brother is currently fighting with the expedition of various countries into Hyperion lands. Lu Kui is too young and Lu Mei must learn as much magic as she can. I can only hope her being an Elite Mage will be enough for her to survive most floors in the Pantheon of Devils in less than four years' time. For now, go to your mother and meet your new sister. I will be there when my meeting is over."

"I will do as you ask, father," Shu bowed, also bowing to the delegates from other countries. Lu Ce and Lu Fei both paled as they stared at the son of their brother. Lu Tian was at the seventh stage and Lu Qing was at the sixth stage. They were both tremendously powerful for their age, but Lu Shu easily surpassed them.

'Prince Shu has gotten so strong," Lu Fei murmured.

"I know. The heavens have blessed our brother's sons," Lu Ce agreed silently. "Lu Tian and Lu Qing, you must not make an enemy of your cousin. I'm afraid at his stage of cultivation, he could kill you and legitimately claim it as an accident using both his status and difference in cultivation."

"Yes, father," Lu Tian nodded, Qing also agreeing with her uncle silently. Truthfully, they had changed their arrogant ways after losing to Lu Shu. It was only their parents' sibling rivalry that made them jealous of Shu at first.

"So this is the second prince," one of the delegates muttered as Shu began heading out. "How does that brat have such power? He's a problem. I must have him assassinated as soon as he leaves the empire. I should have some men watch the borders."

"This little shit," Shu roared, raising his hand at the delegate's directions. Everyone watched, wide-eyed, as the delegate was grabbed by an invisible force and thrown into the center of the throne room. The young man was clearly terrified as he screamed, saying how he could not control his body. They saw Prince Shu smirk as the young man bowed on his head and knees five times, his head bleeding as it slammed on the floor. The young man was then lifted into the air through an invisible force, all four limbs stretching out. It was as if the young man was being pulled apart by four horses, the most painful of public executions in the Yan Dynasty.

"You dare call me a brat? You dare have thoughts to kill me? Who do you think you are? Did you think I cannot hear you whisper behind me?" Shu roared and the body of the delegate slammed into the ground. "Bastard, have you ever seen your own blood? Allow me to enlighten you."

Shu roared as he pulled back his hand, blood pouring out of the pores, forming a tiger made out of blood. It seemed so life like, the people present could hear it breathe and growl as it paced around the delegate. Shu sneered at the man and the tiger pounced, biting of the limbs of the delegate. The pervert screamed as his hands and feet were eaten first. Then his shins and forearms were eaten. Finally, before he fainted from the pain and blood loss, the blood tiger bit off his head.

"The bastard's a mage," Shu spat as he did not sense any Mystic Stone in the man's body. "Every delegate in this room, listen up. I don't care who the fuck you are. This is the Yan Dynasty. My father may tolerate your actions, but I won't. This is your only warning. If you dare consider otherwise, well, let's just say that the Blackened Skulls will pay you a visit under my orders."

"Why stop there? I can easily send the Gold Yan Guards to destroy their nations. They're not part of my army. It won't defy Heaven's Will," Lu Yi laughed, all the delegates silencing any thoughts of revenge or retaliation. It was a joke, but they knew it could very well happen. "Normally I wouldn't threaten our guests, but this one, gentlemen, insulted my son. You know the Lu Clan takes care of its own. Even if a branch member is targeted, we will all slaughter everyone related to the incident. Please do not be alarmed. Tonight is the grand feast. I would like you all to remind yourselves to watch your tongues. It seems my son has very sensitive hearing."

"I know I'm a monster," Shu shrugged as he pointed at his horn and snow white fox ears, an evil grin on his face before bowing to the Lu Clan members as he left. Supaiku leaped out, expanding to its full size of a tiger fifteen feet high. Everyone paled as the tiger fed on the corpse of the dead man before slurping the blood tiger whole. Shu whistled from outside to summon Supaiku back and it hesitantly returned to its fat cat size, smacking its lips as it loved the taste of blood and flesh. The tiger did a mock bow, apologizing on Shu's behalf and quickly left.

"I would have stopped its feast, but he was given to Lu Shu by Ancestor Lu Feng," Lu Yi sighed, apologetically to the people in attendance.

"Brother, how did Lu Shu control the man's blood?" Lu Ce asked. "What elements does he use?"

"Shu is a true Archon who has control over the elements of water, darkness, and lightning. As for how he can control another man's body and blood, I suspect it has to do with the element of water. However, I've never seen anyone capable of controlling blood either. His affinity for the water element must be on unheard of proportions," Lu Yi sighed with praise. "I don't how he does it. Honestly, even I was disturbed. I also wonder to what degree his control over lightning and shadow has gone. Anyway, let us proceed with the meeting."

"Did you have to eat in front of them? Well, it better serves the purpose of establishing myself. There will be less people inclined to antagonize me," Shu laughed.

"Mages taste funny. This mana in there body tastes....strange. I prefer eating magical beasts and Practitioners," Supaiku purred.

"Let us go find mother. I imagine she must be very eager to see me," Shu grinned, leading the way to the grand pavilion to the right. Before heading inside, Shu waved his hand, the blood disappearing from Supaiku's face and teeth. He breathed deeply before walking inside.

"Hello Shu," Lu Rong smiled, as Shu entered the pavilion. "This is Lu Kui. Lu Kui, this is your second older brother, Lu Shu."

"Hi!" a young girl grinned, her black hair and sky blue eyes brightening as she hugged her brother. "You have funny ears. I wanna touch them. Please."

Shu sighed and sat down, allowing Lu Kui to feel his ears. He narrowed his eyes as he saw a familiar ring on her hand. It looked exactly like the Crimson Ring he used to wear. He suspected it was to seal her ability to use demon magic as she was not a Practitioner.

"She is like me," Shu said to his mother mentally. "How is this possible? Lu Xing and Lu Mei are like father, their levels of purity are too low to affect their human bodies."

"I don't know. For now, we have sealed her demon magic. Once she knows enough spells, and is a little wiser, we will allow her to use demon magic again," Lu Rong answered telepathically.

"Okay Lu Kui. Go and play with Supaiku. Mother and I need to talk, okay?" Shu asked, Lu Kui smiling as she saw Supaiku.

"How do I break into the tenth stage of Spirit Shaman cultivation?" Shu asked, not knowing how as he was not one of the ancient clan members.

"Tell me, how does a Spirit Shaman become a Spirit Knight?" Lu Rong asked.

"Through cultivation. I've read that Practitioners, so long as they are of human lineage somewhere, must refine their spirit energy to walk one of three immortal paths. The three types of human immortals are Devil Immortals, Sword Immortals, and Celestial Immortals. It usually requires a special item to help break out of the Spirit Shaman tier," Shu said.

"Indeed. Furthermore, the Archon Phoenix tier is the second tier for true Archons. I'm afraid it is very difficult for beast and weapon spirit type Practitioners of the water element to become an Archon Phoenix. Why? It is because phoenixes are creatures of fire," the empress began.

"I have mastered my ice attribute of my water affinity to the point that my ice's chill is so cold, it burns," Shu said as a white and cerulean flame appeared around his fingertips before disappearing. "Laozi the Undying warned me about it as I trained under the Old God. He's been sleeping for a long time. I don't know when he will awaken."

"I have heard about your fusing with the Dragon Fox through Ancestor Lu Feng. Right now, your task is to reach the tenth stage It is very difficult and most struggle and lose their lives," Lu Rong warned. "Your body, as well as your Practitioner weapon, will undergo a final transformation. You must also bind your soul to an object of the highest power you can find. It is imperative you find an item that has a close connection to you in some fashion. My brother was a Practitioner who chose to follow the path of a Devil Immortal when he tried to become a Spirit Knight. The item he chose was too weak and he died. You can't pick just any item, even if it is the most powerful in the world. There is something else you must master as a Spirit Shaman."

"Something I must master?" Shu wondered as his mother looked at him seriously.