Chương 36: Chapter 35

Right on cue, a secretary obligingly marched in, bringing news. It was the fifth among the group of twelve she had taken into her direct service. Men and women of long and proved service in the Sect's stringy government. Most came from the main branch's household retainers, but a few were civil servants who had climbed the ranks through skill and grit. … or were they thirteen? It didn't matter. Wu Zetian inclined her head, and the secretary started his own litany. Victory from the Borderlands.

Five fortresses, among which two main strongholds of the demonic Sects, had been shattered and their resources seized. The Zinwu Star, filled to the brim with spirit stones, demonic artifacts and mystic weapons, was already on its way back to the Plateau. The Spear of Yan Luo and Xin Tu Rock followed, their holds just as overflowing. With people this time. Sect Slaves, rejected aspirants, disciples not too far gone down the demonic path yet.

A stinking, aching humanity lifted from the pits and now sent to swell the Night's ranks. Many had received the food and medical care as though sent by the Gods themselves, people who had never asked to live under the demonic ones' tyranny and welcomed the change. Others just moved, gazes vacant or even filled with hatred for those who had killed their "rightful" masters. Broken children of violence and madness. There will be troublemakers, Wu Zetian thought, listening to the reports.

Chen Liwei couldn't possibly make a hard selection, and she was very clear about it in her report. She lacked both time and manpower. The people she sent were the result of a ballpark estimation, and that left the chance for demonic ones to sneak in. Not to mention powerful cultivators who could have escaped her notice, or simply very good liars. Didn't matter. She would take care of it, personally. No demon would escape her gaze. +3000 Cultivators (Qi Condensation, Foundation Estabilishment, Core Formation) +15.

000 Mortals How pleasing it was to see an investment making its promised returns? It was one of the greatest feelings in her previous life, and this one hadn't changed her. Little gave her the same satisfaction as sitting back and watching the numbers rise. Ah, results. Just like that, she had more manpower. Most would be employed in the Hefei Mines, with human living and working conditions and a proper wage, and that may set the Sect's balance sheet back on track. Possibly, she thought with amusement.

Of course, it meant a new cut into the food and water situation, but a solved problem creating new problems was just ordinary business. More pressingly, the demonic treasures. The General had sent a Major Treasure as a personal gift to the Founder. The Ten-Thousand Swarm Spike was a thing best left undescribed, so packed with demonic Qi that even keeping it near cultivators beneath Core Formation was a recipe for disaster. It would have to be destroyed. It wouldn't be a waste.

Artifacts of that level made for good fuel if you knew how to burn them, and the flame was Qi that could be harnessed and reused safely. Alongside the Major Treasure, Chen Liwei sent the Sect ten Minor Treasures, dozens of Major Artifacts and hundreds of Minor ones. The vast majority would be burned up, and the Qi would be harnessed for the benefit of the Sect. Which gave her leeway to play with some new toys.

Humming pleasantly, Wu Zetian opened the mental equivalent of a drawer, where a list of the Sect's artifacts and treasures awaited. Treasures and Artifacts were, quite simply, objects and places imbued with powers and Qi that made them valuable. They were divided in ranks that followed the Cultivation Realms, and then divided into seven Grades for each.

Unlike Cultivators, who could punch above or beneath their Realm depending from the quality of their tecnique, talent and foundation, the more intricate ranking made them easier to pinpoint and quantify. Still, for the purpose of ruling over a Sect, a different type of ranking was often used: Mythical, Major and Minor Treasures; Major and Minor Artifacts. Mythical Treasures were the kind that could change a land, and around which massive Sects and whole nations sprang up.

Immortals fought over them, and Nascent Soul thought long and hard before trying to lay claim to one. Only Divine Treasures stood above them in influence, power and in how coveted they were. The meteorite that had created the Shadow Dragon Vein and provided the foundation for her Abyssal Iron Blossom was the Godless Night's Mythical Treasure, and one of the main reasons for the Sect's existence. Beneath them, Major Treasures shaped regions, moulded Sects and decided masters among equals.

They could swathe mountains in their influence, or crack them open, dramatically increase Cultivation speed, or improve any Formation connected to them; trick the passage of time, or skew perceptions and reality. Minor Treasures did the same, but on a reduced scale. Major Artifacts were masterpieces handed over from father to son and that gave family lines their name and honor. Some could add or take from a Bloodline, or provide clans with the edge needed to surge above their peers.

Minor Artifacts, someone preferred to just call them Artifacts for pride's sake, were what an accomplished cultivator may wield. A weapon, a piece of armor, a shield, or an ornament; these were the bread and butter of the cultivation world, and their everyday use distinguished a Rogue Cultivator, from one affiliated with a powerful Sect. All Godless Night Disciples wore and used Artifacts daily.

The half-armor worn by every Sect soldier was an Artifact, and so were the Qi-infused obsidian pieces wielded by the Stonemancers. It spoke volumes about the value of organization that they could. Demonic Sects couldn't match the same quantity, or quality. One of them possessing a Major Treasure was rare. And it was the Twisted Flame. Again. First an Immortal-Rank Treasure, then this. Wu Zetian had conserved the doll. Without its twin, it was an inert mass of stitches and straw, but its value remained.

Not quite a Mythical Treasure, but very close. Powerful enough to freeze the whole Sect in its tracks and to slow her down. A demonic one shouldn't have been able to get a hold of such a thing. Their chaotic, cut-throat lifestyle meant that craftsmanship was difficult to sustain for the periods needed to create such things, let alone to give time to the natural environment to accrue the focus for one to emerge spontaneously.

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it. A great demonic Sect, ruled by an all-powerful demon? Maybe. But the Borderlands had been a land in chaos, with dozens of factions fighting for scraps. Mmh… It may have been a coincidence. Two didn't make for a pattern. And yet… she would remember this, and look for more. Setting the thought aside, she unrolled the Sect's list of Major Treasures she kept in her mind.

Yi Revolving Fountainhead Built around a fragment of Yi Qi carved from the meteorite resting at the bottom of the Yan Luo, this artifact is composed by a wide pool as a base and a statue looming above it. The statue is connected to the pool with a column of basalt and resembles a headless torso, which impresses a feeling of silent watchfulness upon the viewer. Black water streams constantly from the sculpture, filling the pool but never overflowing.

Cultivators who soak beneath the waterfall for a full day and then drink the waters for a month found their Qi naturally shifting toward the Yi Element, until it has fully become Night Qi. Carved by the Founder herself after her arrival from the East, this fountainhead stands in the great plaza before Sable Lotus Palace, and it's used to welcome new converts into the Godless Night Sect, so that they can enter its teachings. Young practitioners receive the best results.

The older the cultivator is, the greater the chance that the transition will weaken their foundation and weaken their cultivation. An interesting choice. With the new arrivals, it felt almost obvious. And yet, Wu Zetian remained unconvinced. Auxiliary forces could be formed, and the chance of entering the Sect's ranks could be dangled over the heads of the newcomers to spur their loyalty. And if she showed herself so ready to introduce new blood, what stopped the Nightborn from feeling threatened?

After all, taking the black was supposed to be an honor, like her grandson so helpfully pointed out. To think about it. She was just glad she didn't strictly need it for the same process to work. Her blood, properly refined and concentrated, could work the same and infinitely better. The Walk Beneath Carved in the Yan Luo's walls, this path traces a spiral path that is said to have been walked by the Ancestor in her descent to the bottom of the Abyss.

Used by all Disciples to refine their Qi through meditation and training. Its length, spiralling from the top of the crater to its lowest level, means that it svarious sections are bathed in different qualities of Night Qi, and that made it useful for any Disciple up to early-grade Core Condensation. Any Disciple who cultivates in the Walk will find the speed and quality of their Cultivation vastly improved, allowing for a smoother and more effective growth. No single Treasure powers the Walk.

Rather, it's the crystalline lattice of Night Qi that innervates the Crater that does it. The Sect stimulates it with a controlled inflow of Qi to activate its properties. Starless Pagoda Hanging upside down as a colossal stalactite, this elegant, three-pronged building stands in the Gate Underworld, towering over all. Divided in six tiers, the pagoda is a shadowy quasi-dimension where the best and brightest of the Sect train in refined Night and battle shadow creatures.

Its capacity to offer both training and a heightened ability for cultivation is difficult to match, even east of the Umbral Basin. The Guardian Beast of the Sect dwelled at its top once, in a separate dimension called the Crysanthemum Room. Since its inhabitant has been sacrificed by the Founder to fuel the experiment that created the Monster, it stands empty. The Guardian would control the Pagoda's properties, adjusting difficulty and Qi flows. Without it, its role can be taken by a group of Elders.

The Starless Pagoda is a Treasure by itself. Its elegant architecture has been moulded by the Ancestor and refined across tens of millennia by generations of master artisans and the Night that breathes from the bottom of the abyss. Thin Mirror Crack Jabbed in the dimensional layer, this mundane training hall is the closest point a Cultivator may reach to the bottom of the abyss.

Considering the richness of the Night Qi wafting here, and how dangerous even for a Nascent Soul is to pass the Still-Death Gate, the value of this space cannot be overstated. Essentially, it allows even a Foundation Establishment to cultivate using almost pure True Night Qi, with all the advantages that brought. Connected to the Thin Mirror Key held by the Ancestor, it was used by her to show her favor to certain cultivators over others. Three other choices that caught her fancy. What to do, what to do.

Thing was, the current generation had sharpened its teeth over the Siege. The constant fighting made them into hardbitten warriors, but it didn't help their Cultivation. They were good, skilled, but not as good as they could be. The next generations, hopefully, would lack even that. Except if they were given this. The Walk was for the majority of the Disciples. The Pagoda was for Core Disciples and Elders. The Crack was for the best of the best, or those she wished to see rise quickly. Mmh…

Library of Samadhi Knowledge A venerable site that defies all laws of physics, the Library is a massive, squat building situated at the center of the Middle Grey Underworld. In here, stewarded by the preserved shadows of Elders long passed away, all the knowledge of the Godless Night is preserved in eight layers of increasing complexity, depth and, sometimes, danger. The shadow of Sect Elder Dianwu powers and controls the whole building.

Without its input, the Library goes into automatic lockdown, with the Shadows turning into feral guardians who attack any bodied being who walk their halls. Once powered with the proper Qi flows, the Library resumes its intended purpose: an oasis of knowledge filled with manuals, books and studies about almost all known topics beneath the heavens, where both students and Elders can come to study and perfect their expertise.

If the former three Treasures covered the practical side, this one did the same with the theoretical one. Elders could still cover what was needed in their lessons, with their own knowledge and with the smaller archives dotting the layers, but the Library was unmatched. Without it, much was lost, and much was taken from the Disciples' learning chances.

Roads of Shifting Steps Woven through the currents of Night Qi, these ornate gates allow direct and immediate passage between the various layers of the Yan Luo Crater. Ranging from person-sized doors to colossal gateways, the Roads form a tight network that encompasses the surface and the depths, and makes transportation of people and goods trivial. The Roads are powered by the Dark Shifting Pearl, a Treasure that supplies them with their space-warping ability.

An understated thing to be sure, but a transportation network could not be underestimated. Wu Zetian would acknowledge the ingenuity of her subjects: airships held aloft by a mix of balloons and Night Qi currents made for a good way to move things from above and otherwise, but… it wasn't what she'd call dignified. Yet again, there were priorities. Hall of Sending Marks A deceptively humble-looking building, this three-story office is a hub of activity for all the Sect.

Wider than its appearance suggested, it's in its offices that Disciples receive duties to fulfill in the Sect's ordinary administration. Bounties, requests and missions can be issued from any department, but it's only in the Hall that a Disciple may receive instructions by Dotta the Wise, Guardian Beast of the Godless Night, and receive from him the Marks, glyphs bestowing all kinds of useful blessings on all who come asking for them.

Dotta is not only a helpful assistant, but he's also a millennia-old spirit beast, and his Marks are known to help any Cultivator, no matter their Realm. The Hall's power is sustained by a clay figurine resembling Dotta, which is kept under lock and key in its basement. And that was it, seven choices and only one possible. Of course, it was what the Loyalists couldn't rip out of the ground. The Ghost Tree. The Taiji Diagram. The original of her Seal. The armories overflowing with superior arms and weapons.

The many lesser Treasures and priceless artifacts that had once crowded the Sect's treasuries. All gone, looted and brought who knew where, or destroyed. Still, the biggest loss was on the Astronomer's island that had once floated above the Palace. Two Treasures were conserved in their many towers, one to control and stabilize the Plateau's climate and one to contact with the higher creatures who dwelled far above. The loss stung. She could make do with her own skills, but that was no excuse.

Wu Zetian rested a cheek against her fist, using her not-inconsiderable will to keep the rage from rising. Truth was, if watching the numbers rise was her greatest pleasure, having her things stolen was how she lost her composure. Good thing she wasn't there to see it, or, well... Wisps of dark energy danced across her fingers before she reasserted control. Putting the thought aside, she played with the various possibilities. She would find the best option. That is, if news didn't come to change the playing field…

"A report from Lord Haoran, Founder!" … or not. +2000 Cultivators (Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment) +10. 000 Mortals People from Qinghai. Faithful, starry-eyed with legends of the Dark Ones, eager to prove themselves, with their Qi perfectly attuned to the Shadow Arts and with nothing to look back to. The perfect addition to her realm, and quite the opposite of the batch from the Borderlands, no matter the lesser numbers or skill. That put her back to square one in the decision-making.

Wu Zetian sighed, rolling her eyes a bit. Suffering from success, as they said. But it did wonders to soothe any bad mood.