(Author: Hello! So many midterms. Well, Lu Shu learns of the Hyperion takeover over the rest of the islands of Giant's Chain. Even the strongest magical beast under the Spirit Knight tier became their underling. Lu Shu, concerned with his task to slay that magical beast, asks Rian about information on spirit reactors. More news arrives and Lu Shu must make a choice. Enjoy.)

-------------Chapter 7: Spiritual Journey----------------

"So that was what happened? Ha. You've suffered quite a lot during your training," Lu Shu laughed as Rian poured him another cup of wine. "So about spirit reactors..."

"Alright, but Ivy needs to leave. We are from separate clans and her clan might know as much as mine and will increase in power," Rian said.

"Alright. Ivy, please leave," Lu Shu said.

"This!" Ivy began, rising to her feet as she glared at Rian. However, she noticed the stare from Lu Shu and stormed out the tent.

"You just let her leave, like that?" Rian asked.

"I am dining with you for knowledge on spirit reactors. If you think I can be seduced so easily, you have another thing coming," Lu Shu smirked.

"What if I want to stay the night?" Rian teased.

"Why not?" Lu Shu grinned. "However, I've no plans to marry so young. In this world, you must be even stronger if you wish to marry and have a child. Otherwise, your relationships are a weakness. I may be a general under my father, but I will leave and go on my own path."

"One of them is gone. Good," Bakura noted as it passed Ivy on the way inside.

"Bakura, I did not summon you. Well, stand guard outside. I want no interruptions," Lu Shu said.

"You wish to slay the female? Good. She is trouble, master," Bakura said.

"No, she is a beauty with much knowledge in the world. Now stand guard outside," Lu Shu ordered as Rian stared at the samurai.

"This...yes, Lord Shu," the puppet bowed and left the tent. "No, no. Master won't be tempted by those vixens. Master is not an adult yet. Yes, master won't succumb to seduction yet. I must ensure any future interactions with other female humans does not include aphrodisiac. Yes. I will not fail Lord Shu."

"Now, you know the giant cores of the spirit reactors are from Spirit Beasts, yes? There are three kinds: chaos, ancient, and holy. How many spirit reactors do you have and what kind are they?" Rian asked as the two sat down and got to business.

"I have four spirit reactors from Ancient and Chaos Spirit Beasts, two of each. I also have one spirit reactor from a Holy Spirit Beast. I have a total of five spirit reactors," Lu Shu answered.

"Five? You even have a spirit reactor from a Hoy Spirit Beast? Good. You must need one if you walk the Sword Immortal path," Rian said. "Seeing Little Hao, you must have made a totem and gone to Spirit Road. This is good. You must be familiar with spirits. Now, you must take the next step."

"I'm to go back there?" Lu Shu asked.

"No. You will be going to a different pocket dimension. There are many ancient temples with a specific reason to exist: communion with the spirits. It is much harder for a fake Archon to awaken their power at the Spirit Master stage, but true Archons have an easier time during the tenth stage of the Spirit Shaman tier. Some specific temples are the only ones to awaken those who cultivate a particulate true Archon body technique, like our [Titan Creator] technique," Rian began.

"I knew you would ask me about it again as the book I gave you only talked about how spirit reactors were made, not awakened. In the ancient clans, we safeguard one of the Temples of the Titan just to awaken our spirit reactors. I, myself, need to awaken my own spirit reactors, for which I have two. There is a temple on Giant's Chain. It is to the north, in the lower Spirit Knight tier islands. You must make a choice: leave the army and go there to awaken your spirit reactors, or remain here and go to my clan to do it," Rian said.

"Why? The area should be secure along the way," Lu Shu said.

"Yes, for now it is. However, the more powerful magical beasts will start to withdraw if sects and academies establish themselves here. They will discover the temple and hoard it, or the temple will house all those magical beasts and truly be forever lost. You don't have much time. As soon as the heart of the Giant's Chain, for magical beasts below the Spirit Knight tier, is lost; you will lose the chance to awaken your spirit reactor," Rian answered.

"I cannot just leave. I am a general," Lu Shu sighed and shook his head.

"But you are also a prince. You can order Great General Meng Ce to take charge of the Tiger Army, giving him a personal army to control instead of relying on his sister. Also, I conferred with Ancestor Lu Feng. He has already permitted it as well as notified Great General Meng Ce. You only need to say the word," Rian said. "Will you tie yourself down, to mortal affairs? Do you not wish to ascend to the Immortal Realms?"

"I was visited by a Keeper of the Dead. My circumstances are not that simple. I must kill the magical beast leader that defected to the Hyperion forces," Lu Shu said.

"Then we will tell your army that you and I will assassinate the magical beast as they engage the Hyperion forces. We can give a cover that you will stay in Giant's Chain to recuperate while they proceed onward. You can take control of your own destiny then," Rian said.

"Why go so far for me?" Lu Shu asked.

"I felt a sort of connection between you and I as we dined last time, back in the Jakkom Empire. I am also your marriage candidate, a choice I made willingly," Rian answered.

"I'm not ready for that kind of commitment, yet. What I pursue is power. Are you willing to wait and follow me?" Lu Shu asked.

"I would not be here if I wasn't," Rian answered.

"Then I choose to take control of my own fate. We leave to assassinate the magical beast before dawn," Lu Shu said. "Oh, and be wary of Ivy. I know her enough that she is not willing to be denied, just as she persistently tried to give me a makeover once before."

"Don't worry. She won't be a problem," Rian grinned and entered his arms and kissed his cheek. "However, I don't she will be a problem for us tonight. After all, I am staying here.

"She tainted you master," Bakura said, drawing its katana as it entered and saw a mark on his cheek. "I will be back after slaying her."

"No, it is alright. We have other affairs. We must plan how to kill that magical beast," Lu Shu waved.

"We will not slay it with the army? Good. They hold master back and steal all Lord Shu's kills and magical beast cores," Bakura nodded.

"Alert Wraith and Little Hao. We will leave before dawn," Lu Shu ordered.

"Yes, Lord Shu," Bakura knelt on one knee and rushed out the tent.

"He doesn't like me, does he?" Rian asked as Lu Shu leaned over her as a bed appeared from his storage bag, Lu Shu putting Spook in it.

"We can deal with both of them tomorrow," Lu Shu grinned as he toyed with her clothes.

An hour later, Lu Shu walked out of the war tent and entered his personal tent, rinsing his body before entering the blood pool. Wraith and Bakura bowed as they saw their master. In a moment, Great General Meng Ce arrived.

"Greetings, Prince Lu Shu," Meng Ce said. "You summoned me?"

"Yes. I will leave the Tiger Army to you while leaving for my assassination. I trust you will handle the cover story while I recuperate here?" Lu Shu asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will do as you command," Meng Ce bowed.

"Keep an eye on Li Jiro. He owns a strange bead with what seems to be a vermillion head inside. It cannot be bond by blood, as he is a mage and cannot make a spirit reactor. During your travel to the Hyperion encampment, I want him to lose that bead among the chaos. I don't want him dead, just the bead," Lu Shu ordered.

"Understood. I will ensure no traces will be left behind," Meng Ce bowed and left as Lu Shu gestured to the exit.

"That takes care of that. Now, I want you two to be on full alert tomorrow. Our mission is to infiltrate to the lair, not force our way through," Lu Shu said as he gazed on his wraith puppets.

"It seems we will finally break away from the army," Spook said as it was worn on his finger once more. "As if to celebrate, you became a man."

"I admit I am unused to cooperating and leaving the fight to others, but are you mocking me right now?" Lu Shu laughed. "Is it true, what Rian said about temples?"

"Yes. Information about one in Giant's Chain? I cannot say for it is not in my database of memories of the Great Ancestor. However, I agree with the choice you made. You walk the path of spiritual cultivation. This spiritual journey is one you need, like a pilgrimage on Spirit Road. You must break through to the Archon Phoenix tier before the opening of the Pantheon of Devils," Spook answered. "Otherwise, you must trail behind those more powerful than you and watch them take all the treasures."

"Are you done making the Phoenix Rebirth pills?" Lu Shu asked.

"Yes, all nine have been made. You only need to reach the peak of the tenth stage and find a safe place to cultivate," Spook answered.

"Heh. Finally, I will be one step closer to reaching the Immortal Realms," Lu Shu said, lifting his hand up high as if to grab the very Heavens into his grasp.

When Great General Meng Ce told the lieutenant generals the plan, Lu Gong and Cao Wei received the news that the general and second prince would go on a secret mission to assassinate the magical beast leader. They would be under the temporary command of Great General Meng Ce while Lu Shu and Rian would sneak to the enemy stronghold to kill the beast. Li Jiro and Matsuda Ken exchanged gold coins as they learned that Rian and Lu Shu had a passionate night, thanking nearby soldiers who patrolled near the war tent.

Ivy Shao was the least pleased by the news, furious that Rian was able to get closer to Lu Shu. Her plan was to come and win his heart by following him to war. She did not expect Rian to come. Nor did she suspect that Rian would prove her usefulness before her. Rian's success even displayed that she knew Lu Shu more than her.

"I can't let that vixen get Lu Shu. When they return, I must prove my worth and his affection," Ivy grumbled as she was one of the few in the Tiger Army's encampment that slept restlessly after hearing the news.

"So his current choice is Hong Rian. How unexpected," the emperor said as he received the report from Meng Ce through magical mirrors, Meng Ce bowing on one knee on the other side. "He didn't impregnate her, did he?"

"I...can't possibly find that out, Imperial Majesty," Meng Ce answered uncomfortably. "I do not believe so as it is difficult for those who cultivate to bear children."

"Indeed. It took dozens of years for my wife's body to adapt and gain the ability to bear children. Such is the price of cultivation. So my son wishes to take hold of his own path. Good. I suspected nothing less. Keep me informed on the progress of the invasion of Giant's Chain," the emperor said.

"Yes, Imperial Majesty," Meng Ce said as the mirror's image of the emperor returned to reflect Meng Ce's own image.

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(Author: Hello! The next release is October 17. I honestly did not expect to write this chapter in time. Good luck on midterms and research papers. I know I'm busy with those. I love writing but reality bites.)