[Last Emperor] Chapter 24 - Dragons in the Den

Azure Flames of the Dragon Ancestor was a strange cultivation technique that Tao Zi struggled with. It was very much unlike what he expected from normal manuals and circulating Qi into his core. Rather it was required its users to cultivate a flame within them. 

Tao Zi kept his eyes closed as he circulated through the indicated meridians. It took a while to clear the blocked and unused ones in preparation for the entire process before he could truly cultivate and test its worth. Something he knew from past memories of the original Tao Zi could be very dangerous if he did not take it seriously. Qi Deviation would be the least of his worries.

So, he took his time to do it right. One by one until ready.

He felt a burning sensation as soon as he started to truly cultivate the Azure Flames of the Dragon Ancestor’s method. It ran down throughout his entire body. Yet, it was not a painful experience that he would have associated with burning. 

It was a comforting feeling that surged into his core—

Tao Zi grunted as the flames that entered his core voraciously attacked the Qi already there. Destroying and burning anything with even a trace of his previous cultivation and any Qi associated with it. Drying him up within moments. 

He groaned as blood leaked out of his nostrils. Tiger perked up in attention. Tao Zi considered stopping, but he knew better. The process had already started, if he tried to stop it now he would only cripple himself and any chances he had of cultivating. 

I should have done this before reaching the Journeyman Stage. Would’ve hurt less.

Another surge of pain flashed through his entire body as the fire began to eat at his core. Forming its own to replace what it burned and ate. The process felt like red hot coals were being thrown into his stomach, sizzling and scorching him from the inside out. Except the pain was for a few seconds altogether. 

Gone quick enough that he didn’t feel the urge to break and stop the process from the sheer amount of pain. 

Tao Zi opened his eyes as he took a few weak and haggard breaths. Struggling to stop the shaking of his limbs and trembling of his mouth. He was not a masochist. There was no such thing as inducing pain on himself to get benefits and rewards. 

Maybe that was cool for other people and their systems, but not him. 

He had a pain threshold. 

One he did not intend to cross except if absolutely necessary, or in a battle situation where the alternative would be his brutal death. Otherwise, he did not intend to search for such things. He couldn’t help the burning desire to be comfortable and safe. 

Stabbing himself without proper reason did not fit into that narrative. 

Especially when he could quite literally do pushups or murder a couple chimps for a very similar amount of experience. Not that he knew if the system would even provide him any at all. It certainly did not give him anything for taking an orc fist to the dome last time. Just the battle conclusion and exceptional task rewards. 

Tao Zi finally felt the cultivation technique settle in. A transparent core replaced his older solid one that allowed him to see the fire transform into a western dragon of black and blue scales. Resting on its haunches and staring out into the void that surrounded the core. It spewed blue flames every time it exhaled. Breathing in Qi from his surroundings and releasing Azure Flames. 

He could feel something strange about the fire. A certain essence that filled it and gave it a heft he could not place his hands on. Tao Zi assumed it was the dragonic essence, as little as it was, that was mentioned by the system previously. 

Intentionally cultivating made the dragon take large deep breaths and release the fires from its mouth instead of a process of its breathing. Washing the core over and over again, staining the glass like core for a few seconds before it returned to normal. It was an intriguing process that he couldn’t help but watch for hours as it happened again and again. 

Soothing and graceful in a way that he could only explain an apex predator would be. 

Tao Zi couldn’t imagine what a dragon like that would look like in real life. How gigantic it must be for it to fill much of the core by itself. Wings folded onto itself, yet they were still prominent. The sheer power it would demand. The terror it was. 

Would he ever be strong enough to be as powerful? Defeat something like that?

Or would he die in this rift as a nobody. Forgotten, murdered by his own clansmen and family. 

The thought sent shivers down his back. He hadn’t know how much he hated the idea of dying as a nobody until he saw the dragon. Legacy was the least of his worries back in the sect. Mostly busy with the ladies and enjoying his time doing anything but cultivating as society and the environment demanded. 

Yet, now he could not help but dream of the future. Of something better. 

Not in the traditional sense of the mania that was cultivation and the homicide that took place on a daily basis. No. He would grow here. Become stronger, build his own fucking future without having to buy into the bullshit that was forced onto everyone else. 

Tao Zi let out a deep breath. 

He closed his eyes once more, this time, he was intent on advancing this cultivation technique. Channeling Qi from around him into the dragon’s domain. Flames surged as though he took a bellow to them like a blacksmith. The glass darkened to black, fighting to clear itself from the smog and burning before the next wave arrived. 

A rhythmic back and forth that put him into a trance of cultivation. Unable to tell the time that passed or how long he had been under for, only that the fires needed to be stoked. The dragon fed Qi so it could fill his core with flames that touch upon its ancient essence. 

Hours passed. Maybe days? 

Tao Zi wasn’t sure how long it had been until he opened his eyes. He found the darkness of night had arrived when it had been early morning just a few moments ago. Tiger was still laid out in his spot asleep, white belly exposed and legs sticking up in the air. 

Heron was copying him. Taking a meditative posture with its eyes closed. 

Tiny wisps of Qi were obvious inside of his dantian. Flashing and swirling within its core very reminiscent to what Tao Zi had been doing just a few moments ago. It opened its eyes blearily as though it was asleep. Then it let out a breath of dark smoke and smog from its mouth. Just like what covered the glass core and was cleaned moments later. 

Said smoke disappeared without scent or smell a moment later. 

Heron got up to its feet slowly like a clumsy, tired child. It yawned a few times, began stretching, and finally jumped off the rock outcropping and ran up to him. Climbing the bed and sitting on his lap, laying and returning back to sleep a few moments later. 

Tao Zi could feel exhaustion and a need for sleep surge through their connection. He felt fatigued as well. 

Cultivating had never been so difficult before. 

He pulled out his system notification and his status page to see where he stood overall. He had a few dozen waiting for him.

Status - 

User A009328s815hh8: Tao Zi

Clan Affiliation -

Error… Banished from Sect/Clan

Cultivation -

Qi Gathering Journeyman Stage 1 - 

Manual - 

Azure Flames of the Dragon Ancestor

Cultivation Progress - 

▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱ 6%

Body Cultivation -

Body Tempering Journeyman Stage 1

▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱ 3%

Dao - 

Unfounded

Domain - 

Locked and Unfounded

Spirit -

Un-Solidified Intent/Spirit Connection

General Tips and Hints:

The higher the rank of your cultivation technique, the more compatible, the better practiced you are, and even the environment you currently sit in all affect the amount of Qi you circulate and the amount of flames you generate

Tao Zi found a few things that were different. Mainly that he had been given a new part of his status page in a definite identification of a manual when it had not existed before. He made a mental note to find or work to get a body temping manual as well.

Finally, he started to notice the Qi he gained. 

Qi Experience Gathered through Manual Cultivation…

44 Qi Exp

Qi Experience Gathered through Modem of Avatar…

0.4 Qi Exp

He stared at that notification then down at the little avatar curled up on his lap. He gained experience from it copying him. Would it grow if it continued to push? Or was there specific ways to get it stronger so he can get more benefits out of it? Were there other advantages?

Maybe this wasn’t the system showing how unreliable it was, but rather it was actually the rank it had provided him. 

It had to be, right?

Need to start testing to learn how to make Heron grow. Spread his wings… 

Tao Zi shook his head, staving off the laughter he felt bubble in his chest, and resolved himself to a silent chuckle at his own joke. Maybe he was going stir crazy already and the loneliness was getting to him. Laughing at your own jokes had to be some type of sign, right?