NOVEL FROG Chapter 68: Time Passes
Transmigrated back into the body of her child self, can the mighty Celestial Bing Meilu survive in a Xianxia world all the while staving off the advances of arrogant young masters and wannabe protagonists alike?
Why is life so hard for the Icy Beauty?
Any corrections or criticisms are welcome, I hope you enjoy Chapter 68: Time Passes
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"An... insult?" Li Ji was confused. "Like, on purpose?"
Having been with Bing Meilu for a while, he was a little surprised. She would insult others in a backhanded way, simply telling them how little she thought of them, but he hadn't known her to go out of her way to be offensive.
"Yes," Bing Meilu nodded serenely. "Do you not think it worthy of one? The fact we need this ship in the first place?"
"I- I don't understand. Isn't the whole point to get a good ship?"
Bing Meilu sighed.
"It's traditional for the Armada's Daoships to be given great and grand names like 'Oceanbreaker' or 'Divine Sword'. Certainly, a Daoship made by me is far more worthy of such honour than the trash the average Captain or Commodore pilots. However, If you were strong enough, let alone needing a Daoship, you'd simply turn your hand, and the Grand Expanse Sea would become yours. Merely relying on this boat is an insult to our current capabilities."
"In other words, the degrading name of the boat is a reminder for us to not become dependant on the boat over our own Daos!" Ji Hui said, eyes sparkling. "Because one day we will transcend it, so it's better to not put it in our eyes, even if it might seem impressive to us now."
'Wasn't he supposed to be an idiot? This is the second time he's grasped my words before anyone else.' Bing Meilu shook her head. 'I suppose an empty vessel can be filled with the most water- My wisdom must have rubbed off on him somehow.'
"I see," Li Ji nodded.
---
'The Soul-Bridge Connects to the Qi Converter and the Fuel Compressor- The Spiraling Comet Harpoons all seem fine...'
Bing Meilu frowned as she stared at the detailed diagrams before her, hundreds of sheets of paper each detailing the proper construction for various types of parts. There were dozens of weapons systems, including cannons, harpoons, poison and incendiary devices. Formations for defence, for communication, for scouting, for transportation, for storage. Multiple fuel converters for spiritual energy, spirit stones, beast cores and more.
As a Celestial with eternal life, Bing Meilu had, over the course of her eons, studied countless topics to occupy her time, whether alchemy or flower arrangement, item forging or a niche board game present in a random corner of the Deathless Domain.
However, aside from her mastery of Yin-related topics, she only had a dabbler's level of knowledge of these various professions. Looking at the poorly constructed formations she had designed, she could only humbly admit her own skills were lacking. Even compared to some of her old subordinates, she could tell the designs before her were not up to snuff.
'If I wasn't in the lower realms, would I have to dirty my own hands like this? Truly, the Dao of Delegation is of utmost importance to any Sect Leader!'
Until Bing Meilu ascended to the higher worlds, she would have to make do with her own lacklustre formations because.. she was, ironically, the best formation master she currently knew.
"Whatever. This should do temporarily," she folded up her diagrams.
With hundreds of detailed diagrams, Bing Meilu had completed the design of her faction's first Daoship, the Captured Slave Galley.
The Daoships of the Sky Swallowing Gulper Armada were very unique magical treasures. Assuming one cultivated the orthodox methods of the Armada, they could actually connect their cultivation to the Daoship, turning it into a Soulbound item that would grow with the master, similar to Xin Shui, the liquid metal weapon Bing Meilu had created.
Daoships could also be upgraded with better materials and more powerful formations, but their true power could only be revealed by those who practiced an Armada cultivation manual.
They were divided into ranks based on the cultivation level they were designed for.
Schooners would connect to the Inner Core of a Captain.
Galleys would connect to the Nascent Soul of a Commodore.
Frigates were commanded by Division Commanders of the Transcending Impurity Realm.
Destroyers were powered by the natural energy of the world under the control of a Saint Strike Force Commander.
Dreadnoughts connected to the Law-Domain of Great Sages, who made up the leadership of the Armada.
Lastly was the rank of Colossus, which could only be piloted by an Ancient Sage, of which, within the Bird Talon Continent, there were two. First was Hua Wuying, the Abyssal-Depths Suppressing Ancient Sage, and her Daoship, the Void-Obliteration Colossus. Second was Ming Fei, The Heaven-Merging Ancient Sage, and her Daoship, the Sky-Queen Colossus.
Bing Meilu had been good friends with the two in her first life. However, after being injured in the God-Blood Crisis, neither had been able to break through to Dao-Seeking, and they had eventually died of old age, stepping once more into the cycle of reincarnation.
The level of ship Bing Meilu was designed was a Galley, equivalent to the Nascent Soul Realm. That was because she intended for it to be piloted by Zhang, who was currently in seclusion. Once he finally converted his cultivation base to the Golden Qilin River Gate, his breaking through to the fourth realm was essentially guaranteed.
Once she had her Daoship and pilot, the waters of Ximu's Demise would open up to her and she could finally step into the real world of cultivation, out of the backwater port.
Bing Meilu left her office, a large pile of paper floating behind her. She waved her hand, dropping them at his feet.
"Here are the designs I've made. You may make use of members of the faction for construction."
Li Ji picked up one of the diagrams and froze in shock. He blinked several times before looking back up at Bing Meilu.
"Um-Boss, this seems a little advanced...Shouldn't we hire some skilled contractors to do the work instead?"
"Every spirit stone spent on construction is a spirit stone not spent on better materials."
"But the cost if we mess up-"
"Are you a cultivator or not?" Bing Meilu interrupted. "The Manyfold Good Fortune Dao-Enshrining Scripture I taught you can sense the flow of Karmic Wealth. Follow its guidance and my plan, and you should be fine. Before any mistake is made, you should be able to sense a discordance in the value of the ship."
"Ah-yes, Boss," Li Ji nodded.
He had actually never thought of using the scripture that way, but it did seem possible, now that he thought about it.
---
Xi Fu sat in a small cave, filled to the brim with swirling spiritual energy. His eyes were closed, mind focused on his Dantian.
A tiny, pulsing crystal sat within it, where his Inner Core should have been. This was the Embryonic Spear Heart, the seat of his Spear Cultivation.
Xi Fu had long been stumped on how to progress his spear heart, beyond simply advancing his cultivation base. But after exchanging pointers with Ji Longyi, he finally felt like he knew what he had to do.
His path had already begun to stray from the initial Heaven-Defying ever since what had happened in Redscale city.
'It's time to forge my path forward. I don't want to just defy others' rules. I want to impose my own. I have my own code, my own desires. I selfishly want to make the world follow my will. I will act freely, like the spearman defying Heaven. But I also want my will to rule the world like the domineering sun banishing the darkness without asking their permission.'
Rebellion, rulership, order. A will that aligned the outer world, an expanding principle of Yang. Everything in existence was the Yin that received, and Xi Fu was the sole Yang in existence, he would be the new Heavens, remake the world in his image until it satisfied him.
'Throughout all of Heaven and Earth, I alone am the Honoured One! I'll follow my heart and my Dao no matter what. No rule will block me, whether from Heaven or Earth.'
He felt his Spear Heart begin to tremble, as faint characters appeared on it, in the natural runic language of Heaven.
'Divinity Usurping'
Xi Fu let loose a screaming roar. He felt his whole body tremble and shake. Blood exploded from him, from every orifice, his eyes, ear, nose and mouth. It was like invisible spears were ripping through every one of his internal organs.
He knew what had happened.
He had given his whole being to his Spear Heart.. and been judged unworthy. There was a doubt in his heart, holding him back from truly folding his will into his Spear Heart.
Xi Fu's eyes turned in the direction of Redscale City, and he nodded to himself.
'I suppose it's time to finally put an end to this old drama.'
---
And so the BMFS Faction seemed to fall silent. Bing Meilu returned to secluded cultivation, refining her Dao-Platforms further.
Months passed, progress made quietly.
Li Ji managed the faction in her absence, devoting most of his time to the construction of the Captured Slave Galley. No longer selling the resources from the Ashen Mountains and raking in money, his cultivation slowed.
Jiang Hu, who was charismatic and had experience with managing a faction before, was put in charge of recruiting. Many new members joined, including fifteen Lieutenants and fifty-five Privates. There was a reorganization. Those who had sworn the blood oath to Bing Meilu were now the core of the faction. The original outer circle, who had all reached Lieutenant and trained extensively in the Ashen Mountains, became the Inner faction members. The untested new members became the Outer faction members.
Chang Xili finally left the Port, to live out the rest of her life in simple luxury, as a wealthy mortal. She promised to practice the method Bing Meilu taught her.
After six months, Sima Yazhu began to give birth.