Becoming a True Leader: A LitRPG Wuxia Series (The Heavenly Throne Book 9), page 1
The Heavenly Throne
Becoming a True Leader
Yuri Ajin
Lit Orange
Copyright © 2022 Yuri Ajin
All rights reserved
The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.
Introduced by Lit Orange
Translated by Nevena Markovich
Edited by Sanja Gajin
Edited by Marina Zikic
Becoming a True Leader
Prove your strength and cultivators from all corners of the Ecumene will follow you to learn the ways of true mastery.
The Trial Worlds do not forgive mistakes, and Kai will learn this through firsthand experience. He escaped death, but he lost a part of himself along the way. To get it back, he will have to overcome pain and suffering. But he knows it will be worth it.
He is no longer a pawn in the world of cultivation. So far, he has been but one of the many participants in the unfolding events, but now it is time for him to become the ringleader. The only question is: will he be able to endure these ordeals or will he become another lost name, erased from the annals of history, gone without leaving his mark in this cruel world? His will alone is not enough anymore. Just like in the rest of the Ecumene, strength and skill rule in the Trial Worlds, too.
More precisely, the laws of cultivation!
FOREWORD
Dear reader, this is the first time I’ve decided to start a book with an author’s introduction. And the reason for that is quite serious.
The ninth book has a difficult task in front of it. First, this isn’t just a continuation of the story of Nikrim and Belteise, but the beginning of a new independent era. This time, Kai finds himself in a completely new place, about which neither the readers nor he knows practically anything. Second, Kai has changed dramatically. One and a half years of training with a deity haven’t gone unnoticed, and we’re yet to find out just how much our hero has improved. And third, starting with this book, the approach to storytelling also changes. Kai is like a child whom we have seen through kindergarten, school, university, and he has finally grown up. All this time, he has been going forward without looking back, chasing strength. But now it’s time to slow down a little and look around. Build a life. Kai’s no longer a beginner on the path of development, but an experienced and rather dangerous cultivator. No matter how much he wants to, he can’t move on alone or in a small group of friends. His presence is too big now.
As a result, these three things put serious pressure on the ninth book. This isn’t just another story of Kai’s adventures. There’s no set and costumes, the stage mechanisms don’t work, and most of the characters are bare mannequins. Naturally, this isn’t the way to start a play. That’s why, to a greater extent, I have to dedicate this book to presenting the Trial Worlds, their mechanics and conventions, revealing various factions and important new characters, as well as explaining Kai’s new powers and abilities that he has gained. All this will result in frequent descriptions, which, as far as I know, may not be of interest to all readers. Especially those who love adrenaline and dislike tediousness. Unfortunately, without the latter, this book isn’t going anywhere, as there would be too many plot holes and confusing moments without them. And explaining everything at the very beginning is the best way out that I’ve found.
Thus, the ninth book is for the most part a preparation (although there will be cool moments in it) for the upcoming large-scale events. Here we carefully place the dominoes, in order to eventually push the first one and set them off. Therefore, if you go through this section of the plot steadfastly, which is needed for a complete understanding of the whole picture — all these descriptions and scenes, which may seem absolutely unnecessary — then, I promise, you won’t be disappointed in the future.
Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it!
PROLOGUE
Seven exhausted Holy Lords were sitting by a fire, listening to its crackle and peering into the flames. They were all in desperate need of a break.
Twenty minutes later, the silence was finally broken.
“What do we do now?” Guts asked without taking his eyes off the fire.
“We’ve made it pretty far. I think we have about half a day’s head start,” An’na replied.
“I’m not talking about that... What will happen now, in general? What about the Wanderers? What about Lady Acilla?”
This time, An’na didn’t have an answer.
“I can’t believe she and elder brother lost...” Ailenx muttered.
“No one would’ve survived that attack,” Lily added.
“The System oaths are still there,” Shacks said suddenly, looking down at his feet. He was sitting on a fallen tree.
“You know they don’t disappear right away,” Guts reminded him.
“It’s been three days. That should be enough, don’t you think? And did anyone see the body? I doubt that there was nothing left of him at all... Perhaps he managed to escape.”
“Do you really believe that?” Ivsim asked honestly.
“It’s easier for me to believe that. Someone like him can’t die. Anyone else, yes, but definitely not him...”
“I agree.” Malvur nodded.
“Where did he go then?” Ailenx asked.
“He definitely didn’t stay with the Vinari Clan, I’m certain of that. It makes no sense for them to put on a performance just for us. I think he teleported somewhere very far away at the last moment. Who knows what artifacts Sawan might’ve given him...”
“We must find him!” Ailenx jumped up.
“We must. What are the Wanderers without their leader?” Shacks chuckled.
***
“It was about time.” Smiling contentedly, Regis Glian Vinari, a broad-shouldered blue-haired man, stroked Acilla’s delicate skin. “Finally, you’re mine... You’ll become an ideal vessel... A gift from Heaven... It’s a pity that you resisted so much that I had to use the power of Runes. Ah, when will you wake up?”
Suddenly, he frowned and turned around. A second later, there was a knock on the door.
“Come in,” he said imperiously.
Without straightening his back, a gray-haired old man entered the room. His strength, like that of all the Divine Stage cultivators, was limited in this world. Same was true for Regis, the patriarch of the Vinari Clan, a peak-level Divine Stage cultivator, a Master of Seven Big Stars, and the third in the ranking of Ferox’s Contenders.
“Patriarch Vinari, the ambassador of the Heavenly Exaltation Cult will arrive soon,” he announced and, still bowing, held out a golden scroll to his master.
Regis appeared in front of his subordinate in an instant, snatched the scroll, and plunged his consciousness into it.
Now is not the right time! He grimaced. Why the hell did she decide to come now? I can’t let her find Acilla!
“Transport her to my northern hideout immediately,” he ordered.
The old man seemed to bow even more deeply.
“As you wish, sir.”
“Gather all the resources. And be quick about it. How long am I supposed to walk around without an arm?!” he asked, raising the stump of his right shoulder.
Kai Arnhard... The leader of the Wanderers, a group of mercenaries that appeared six months ago... I underestimated him. Who knew that Acilla was hiding such a talented cultivator? With his potential, he would’ve been a serious threat to all the Trial Worlds in a couple of centuries. It’s good that I nipped this problem in the bud... If it weren’t for the Runes, I might’ve lost the Contenders Duel, and he would’ve... Bastard! What kind of power was that? I had to kill him twelve times before he finally died. Was it a Divine Gift? But why would someone like him agree to accept it if he had the chance to become a God? Not that it matters anymore...
Casting one last glance at Acilla, Regis left the room. He needed time to recover the arm he had lost to Kai in the Duel. It would be improper to meet the Cult’s ambassador in such a state.
***
On top of one of the highest mountains on Bellum, there was a small temple. Only one path led to its snow-white walls — a staircase several miles long, which had to be overcome step by step. Divine forces separated it from the outside world, preventing visitors from flying or teleporting to it.
However, not all who came here were able to overcome the seemingly endless number of steps. On the stairs, everyone was subjected to pressure that corresponded to their level of development which intensified with each step, and made the journey to the top rather difficult.
This was the final test for those who wished to become disciples of the great master who lived in the temple. During the thousands of years that the trial had been carried out, only a few managed to climb the entire staircase on their first attempt.
The three Divine Stage cultivators who were now approaching the top were among them.
Without breaking a sweat, they made their way toward the temple. Usually, they came here of their own accord, but today the master himself had summoned them.
Stopping in front of the massive temple gates, the trio kneeled, resting their foreheads on the floor.
“Greetings, master!” they shouted in unison.
For a while, there was no answer. But the three, who were all One Step away from Divinity (the final level of the Divine Stage), and one of the strongest Contenders in all the Trial Worlds, waited dutifully, not daring to move. In the end, their patience was rewarded.
“On the world of Insulaii, eleven months from now, there’ll be a release of Runes,” a deep male voice informed them, seemingly coming from everywhere. “The cataclysm will affect the eastern part of Tyr. The Purity Order should be the first to prepare for this event and make the best of it. We’re already close enough to the Exodus.”
“Master.” The strongest of the trio, the head of the Order, raised his gaze. “The Cult will know about the release in advance, won’t it?”
“Yes. But not for another month. You have the advantage. Operate in secret. Use our servants and occupy the area first. Don’t worry about the war. We’re strong enough. Go.”
“Yes, master,” the trio replied, after which they got up and descended the mountain.
***
Having finally opened his eyes, a young man wrapped in bandages gazed at the bundles of dried herbs above him. A sweet scent mixed with dust lingered in the air. For some reason, this scene seemed vaguely familiar to him.
“Where am I?” he asked, wanting to hear his own voice, but he received no answer.
His mind was blank. He couldn’t remember anything. But worse than not knowing where he was and how he ended up here was the fact that he didn’t seem to recollect anything at all.
“Who am I?”
Chapter 1
THE AWAKENING
Who am I?
Having thrown off the skin of some animal, which someone had carefully covered him with, he got up. Sitting up in the bed, he examined himself, studying what seemed to be a completely unfamiliar body. It seemed unfamiliar not only because he had no memories of it, but also because it had recently gone through many changes. It was wounded, mended, and bandaged, in no hurry to heal. The alien force that penetrated the wounds weakened the body, sucking the vitality out of it.
Looking up, he saw a large mirror mounted on the wall and his reflection in it — he was tall with shaggy dark hair. He was also an incredibly thin young man with sunken cheeks.
“Is this me?” he asked into the void, doubtful of what he saw. “My voice...”
He noticed the hoarseness in it just before he started coughing up blood. He couldn’t stop for a whole minute.
When the fit ended, he managed to take a deep breath. His lungs, just like his other internal organs, responded with pain. A fair share of damage had been done on the inside.
Then his gaze fell on a strange dark crystal sticking right out from the area of the solar plexus. A strong and unusual glow of power emanated from it.
What’s this? he thought, and realized that he could see this “glow” only thanks to his energy vision. Closing his eyes, he tried to collect his thoughts. I remember nothing. No. I remember some things... I remember that I lived on Earth. And that... And that I was reborn after dying there... That I came a long way since then. But I don’t remember the details of my new life... Only my powers.
A couple of feet away from him, two medium Spheres opened up: Sword and Space. After a couple of seconds, they abruptly disappeared.
Just as I thought. For some reason, I don’t remember any events, names, or places, but I’m well aware of my powers and of how to use them. I also remember cultivation and the Ecumene. Hundreds of thousands of types of weavings, alchemy recipes, array formulas, the basics of artifact making, styles of hand-to-hand combat, swordsmanship... All that is still here. How strange... Is that how amnesia works? Selectively...? But why? Shouldn’t I have perfect spirit memory?
Closing his eyes, he focused his spirit perception on his soul. A moment later, his consciousness took him to an endless space in front of a giant dark purple sphere, on the surface of which a huge crack stretched.
But how? he wondered. Doesn’t my soul have a unique defense? I’m not afraid of being punished by pseudo-Divine spirit contracts... What could harm me? A Divine-rank attack? Divine power? Was this my limit? Or was I attacked by something even stronger? Though, he looked closely, it seems that the crack is slowly closing. This is reassuring. Not everything is lost yet. No wonder I’m feeling so weak. Due to the soul damage, passive energy recovery was reduced to a minimum. Without it, my bloodline couldn’t properly deal with the physical damage... Let’s see what’s going on with my Astral Body.
Concentrating on it, he realized that it had been mutilated and covered with a considerable number of wounds. Usually, this guaranteed the end of one’s cultivation, but he wasn’t concerned. He knew that even the highest degree of damage inflicted on the Astral Body could be restored with the help of Yin and Yang. He had already proved this once with Elea, although he only remembered the results of the treatment, and not the girl.
Having returned to reality, he created two dense clusters of Yin and Yang particles and then combined them with a method he had once invented. He did it with difficulty, but he succeeded on the first attempt. The newly created energy was then directed into his Spark. Soon, soul energy began to flow in large quantities. Feeling it colliding with the inner walls of his Shell, he prevented it from being absorbed prematurely and began to conduct it through the Shell. As expected, the power directed toward the Astral Body, which poured out directly from the Spark and passed through the Shell, began to restore the spirit “flesh.”
Unfortunately, he couldn’t heal his soul with the same method. In the Cloud Abode, he had once conducted similar experiments on animals and himself. The results of these studies helped him figure out that the soul energy pouring out of the Spark could only increase the quality of the Shell, but not restore it. And although he didn’t remember these experiments, their findings still remained with him. That was how he knew that there was nothing he could do about the spirit pain that occurred during treatment. He had to endure.
The process lasted an hour and a half when he ran out of steam. The crack in the Shell had forced him to spend much more spirit stamina to restore the Astral Body than it’d be required under normal circumstances.
Hmmm... Only one-tenth. I feel like I’ll have to stay in this vulnerable state for another day or so, he thought. Good thing that my soul has self-healing properties. Otherwise, I’d have to look for a deity and ask for help. I don’t think that even a Divine Stage Soul Master would be able to handle this kind of damage... Judging by how I’m feeling, my soul will need at least a month to heal. A pretty long time...
Finally opening his eyes, he saw three people in front of him — all representatives of the most common race in the Ecumene. The initial-level Exorcists were on their knees with their heads down.
“Grandmaster!” they greeted him in chorus, having felt his eyelids opening.
Grandmaster? I think this is the first time anyone called me like that... He chuckled to himself. However, considering their four-point foundation, and the fact that they’re the only True Masters within a radius of several miles, this isn’t that surprising. They probably can’t sense my stage and overall strength level even though I’m not hiding them.
“Raise your heads and stand up.”
“But grandmaster...”
“That’s an order!” The mighty Master’s Will appeared in his voice. He wasn’t going to waste time on politeness.
The trio jumped up, but their heads remained bowed. They didn’t dare to look at the grandmaster, whose presence was like that of a divine being in their eyes.
“Where am I, and who are you?”
“Grandmaster, you’re in my home,” the old man who stood in the center spoke up. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Tobitum, chief of the Naivagga tribe. This is the leader of our hunters, Liash.” He pointed to his right, at a scarred, muscular man who bowed. “He and his men found you. And this is my daughter, Merritt, head of the Healing Pavilion. She was the one who took care of your wounds this whole time.” He nodded to his left, toward a beautiful ash-haired girl, who also bowed.
