The rich only continue getting richer. A constant that never changed from the past, unlike the upper class’s taste in how big their homes needed to be.

For example, my current home which was built well before shit hit the fan way back 53 years ago on Judgment Day as the religious folk liked to call it, would have proudly worn the name of a MegaMansion.

With an estimated 35,000 Sq. Ft. area, it was the type of home that had once separated the rich between those who could afford a solid gold toilet and those that had to shit like the rest of us peasants.

Though I couldn’t blame them, at least if I were that ridiculously rich I’d install one in. What use is having vast quantities of wealth and to not use it for frivolous purposes?

Unfortunately, my homes golden days had long passed despite its well-maintained condition (excluding the extensive damage it received today from a particular brute). At best it's now considered modest because an average Mansion these days easily dwarfed the Rivan Estate, their dimensions reaching upwards of 70,000 Sq. Ft.

Just why the hell does someone even need that much room for? At times I feel like I get lost in my own home due to its sheer size yet its nothing compared to the modern standard.

I couldn’t even picture living in the largest home in the state which was owned by the Vigilante Corps Northeastern Branch Manager, whose home was rumored to encapsulate an area covering 500,000 Sq. Ft.

Now, why is this information relevant?

Well because I was annoyed I’d just had to spend the last 30 minutes trudging along my home in search of Xue who had instantly disappeared the moment she’d confirmed Lucia’s little tussle with Alsha had concluded.

If Alice hadn’t begrudgingly healed me, I’d likely have also been bedridden with Lucia as well.

Going through various rooms and entertainment facilities in my home, some which looked like they had been gutted for all their electronics leading to exposed wires and circuitry I eventually found Xue within the attached greenhouse connected to the right wing of my home.

Opening the door, the humid heat rolled over me forcing my already salt encrusted self to produce another layer of sweat.

“How are you just sitting there like that. It must be at least 120F* in here.” Xue who I’d spotted sitting between the wild growth of unmaintained vegetation, ignored me her eyes closed in self-meditation.

“Hello there?” Still, she disregarded me choosing instead to continue her meditative state.

Now I didn’t want to be an ass, but this was my home, so a little bit of respect should at least be expected. So still irritated after the manhunt I grabbed a tiny pebble from one of the various pots and lightly tossed it at her, hoping to get a reaction.

I got one.

Quicker than my eyes mortal capabilities could even track the pebble was returned back at me, shattering into dust as it left a small crater on the floor between my feet.

“Next time you carelessly disturb my cultivation, I won’t miss.” Her thinly conceal threat exuded authority that promised pain. Like compulsion, my body shifted to sit on its own despite how hard I tried to resist.

Fuming I could only quietly sit and wait until Xue was done with her stupid Cultivation.

Time ticked by, sweat pouring off me continuously, a fountain of salt water producing a small puddle beneath my cross-legged self. With nothing better to do, I focused in on examining Xue instead.

Just like the rest of the girls I’d summoned she was a work of art comparable to world-class master sculptors magnum-opus.

Midnight black hair flowed down her back, its texture smoother than the worlds most luxurious silk as it pooled around the floor, a white canvass preventing it from being dirtied by the ground she sat on.

With a snow-white complexion that made even Eva look tanned, she exuded purity and virtue that the rest of the girls openly lack. The only bump on her flawless skin being this lovely small beauty mark just below her left eye.

Parched, sticky with sweat, and greatly annoyed I was just about to get up and leave when Xue finally opened her domineering golden eyes, their gaze rooting me to my spot.

“So what is it you seek of me that is important enough to disturb my meditative state.” Words ringing clear, I subconsciously gulped.

“Winstone told me I’ve got something called Ruler of the Nine Heavens floating around in my head, considering how you're the Immortal Cultivator I assumed you could help me.”

My words caused the hollow gaze Xue was giving me to sharpen. With a singular motion, she stood up and practically glided over to me, her movements not even making the scantiest of sounds. Reaching me, I felt my body respond as it rose to follow some unspoken command.

“The only existing location of that technique is in the deepest reaches of my mind. How exactly did you, a minor mortal with withered Essence Veins, and a dilapidated Zhang Fu, acquire this knowledge?” Could this girl’s voice get any deadlier, the pins and pricks I felt on my skull warning me that if my answer wasn't something she liked I wasn’t going to have a very good time.

Choosing my words carefully I explained exaxtly how I acquired it.

“Well during the summon every single one of you maidens gave me an ability of sorts, such as the petit lass with the glowing pink hair. Summoning her bestowed me with increased reaction time and memory retention. As for you, I acquired this technique as you call it.”

Pulling out that polite speech I disliked using I made my case as to why she shouldn’t make me go poof like the pebble from earlier.

“I see…”

Well if you see then stop looking at me with those eyes! I felt like someone was trying to peel away at the layers of my mind. This girl made me nervous like none of the others did, her very presence making me feel like I was less than the dirt in the housing the plants around me. I might have even started to hate Xue for her suppressive personality if it weren't because something within me told me she wasn’t even doing it on purpose.

“So can you help me, please? I’m pathetically inadequate, and even just standing near you seems to induce weakness within me. I want to be able to protect the girl of my heart, but with my current ability I’d only be a nuisance to her.” I let the thoughts that had been plaguing me out for the world to see. I only hoped she’d show some understanding and help because after the summoning, the fight, and now just trying to talk to Xue my confidence in my self was destroyed.

I was supposed to be carefree and indifferent. The guy who would crack a joke regardless of the situation.

But now I just felt like a punching bag.

I don’t know if I’d struck a chord in her heart or if it was the pity of seeing a man beg so shamelessly, but Xue’s gaze softened.

“Are you sure you wish to walk down this path?”

It wasn’t until this moment that I realized I was a prideful bastard. I didn't want to remain weak, I didn’t want people to trample over me like Alsha had. I wanted to be free to do whatever the hell I wanted, even if that meant being a good for nothing lazy fuck or just being with my childhood sweetheart.

“No pain No gain as the greats always say.”

“These greats must be the wisest of your people because as they said, cultivation is a path filled with loss, misery, and ruin yet what you can gain from it is worth all the pain you must endure.

Leave me for now, tomorrow we begin the purification process. Your body's still too full of impurities to cultivate, but once they are cleansed your physical capabilities will immediately increase tremendously. As my first disciple, I hope you don’t disappoint me, Lucas.” With the swish of her robe, she dismissed me and the strange oppression she had been emitting reduced to barely a fraction of what it was before.

“Thank you, Xue.” I don’t know why but I gave her a light bow, which caused the faintest’s traces of a smile to bloom on her face though she immediately prevented it from growing any further.

Maybe she's not as bad as I thought.

Xue

I watched the man who had pulled me from the Heavens Domain walk out of the garden. The sullen overcast, and hidden anger he held in his heart dissipating into the air as my promise worked as a proclamation of salvation for his shattered pride.

The truth of the matter was much darker than I presented on the surface. Here I was taking a disciple, my first one in fact despite my 119 years of life with barely any qualifications to enact on my promise.

It might have been different if it had been before the journey from my home realm. But now I was without a cultivation base. From my once lofty seat as a true Immortal, I’d fallen to Essence Condensation, lost my immortality, and had to restart my cultivation from the origin once again.

Were it not for having the ‘Snow Lotus Blooms an Empress’ natural constitution Id be no stronger than any mortal girl.

If there was one shining light in the darkness from all this, It was the fact that I could now cultivate ‘Ruler of the Nine Heavens’, instead of my previous technique of ‘Blooming White Lotus’.

While my dominant yin energy had allowed me steadily cultivate ‘Blooming White Lotus’ without pause thus enabling me to reach immortality as the youngest in history at 19, my natural constitution would have made Ruler of the Nine Heavens my ideal choice since my body is that of a natural Empress.

This summoning had somehow unlocked the encrypted technique I encountered during one the countless days I spent trapped in the Tower of Fate, and while it copied it and gave it to Lucas, it also gave me access.

“The Heavens are absent, yet essence still thrives albeit more chaotic than the smooth and calm Heavenly essence I learned to use my entire life.” The habit of talking to myself that I had acquired from my many years at the Tower leaking during my moment of weakness.

My thoughts turned back to Lucas. Oh, how miserable the state of his organs and essence veins were. Even an ordinary mortal from my world wouldn't have been in such a sorry state.

If it weren’t for his thriving Yang energy that rivaled my own Yin, I would have thought him to be a talentless individual. Instead now to properly help him I need to reach Lower Essence Condesation this evening otherwise I won't be able to assist him during the purification process the following day.

Considering I had taken him as my disciple, it would be a disgrace as his master to fail him on his first day.

For himself and his love, he starts his path down Cultivation. I hope the heavens treat him well.