Ogre Tyrant

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 74 – Power and privilege – Part One

Ogre Tyrant: Chapter 74 – Power and privilege – Part OneOgre Tyrant: Chapter 74 - Power and privilege - Part One

Just as Hana had predicted, most of the plants were too weak or were just outright unfortunate and failed to survive the Tribulation. Turned to ash and swept away by the wind despite the presence of the lightning rods. However, those that remained carried varying levels of Thunder-aligned energy.

While Zhu Min sought privacy to change her blackened and singed clothing behind a boulder, I took the opportunity to inspect the surviving plants more closely.

Compared to the hybrid plants grown within The Grove, these plants seemed to contain between five to ten times their counterparts' energy. Although it was somewhat difficult to calculate due to the surrounding stone radiating the same energy.

Intended as a general experiment, I located a portion of surviving moss and used the Plant Growth Spell to trigger new growth and spread the moss over the recently abandoned rocks nearby.

More or less as I had expected, the Thunder-aligned energy within had been diluted as it spread throughout the newly increased mass of the plant.

I decided to perform the same experiment with the peach tree Hana had planted in the centre of the Arrays.

Lacking Hana and the Daemons’ natural ability to ‘see’ the flows of mana and other energies, I simply allowed the tree to grow wild.

Minute by minute, the sapling grew into a young tree, forking a large branch toward each of the massive jade pillars that formed the anchor for the Arrays.

When my MP began running low, I decided to experiment with feeding Chi into the tree instead. Contrary to my experience with Lurr, the tree drew in Chi like a sponge. Furthermore, it continued to grow at a rate roughly half as fast as it had when targeted by the Plant Growth Spell.

Carried away contributing to the explosive growth of the tree, I came within a few breaths of depleting my available Chi before cancelling the transfer.

Against my expectations, I felt a vague sense of disappointment, longing and regret emanate from the tree. This strongly suggests that the tree had some form of sentience that was otherwise absent in the plant life outside of the Arrays.

I was drawn away from my thoughts upon noticing I had kept Zhu Min waiting. She had made no attempts at actively seeking my attention, but the intense eagerness in her tense frame made it abundantly clear that it had taken a considerable degree of effort.

“You have decided on your reward?” I guessed, smiling slightly in amusement despite myself.

“Yes, Patriarch!” Zhu Min nodded emphatically while bowing slightly at the waist.

I motioned for her to continue.

“If the Patriarch will allow it...” Zhu Min momentarily lost her nerve but pushed through with grim determination. As if she was facing down a powerful foe on the battlefield. “I would humbly ask for the guidance of a martial arts master!” Zhu Min bowed stiffly to the exact degree bordering on what I had forbidden, pressing her fists together so tightly that the cartilage in her joints popped like cracking bones.

Reflecting upon my established expectations, I realised that I had made a fundamental miscalculation in assuming a Cultivator’s requests would fall in line with a regular person’s.

Regardless, I had made a promise and intended to keep it.

“It may take some time,” I cautioned, tempering her expectations. “However, I will keep to my word and find you a suitable teacher.”

Zhu Min raised her head slightly and I could see she was positively beaming with gratitude.

“Thank you, Patriarch!” Zhu Min exclaimed fervently.

Studying Zhu Min’s face, the absence of anger and doubt in her response was rather confusing. After reflecting on my own behaviour leading up to my Tribulation, I had thought I had gained some insight into identifying signs of Heart Demons. Yet, I couldn’t see or sense any signs of their presence within Zhu Min.

Exercising my authority, I relocated us both to the otherwise isolated shrine.

“Zhu Min, are you familiar with the Ritual method of removing Heart Demons?” I asked while directing her attention toward the entrance of the shrine.

Zhu Min nodded somewhat uncertainly.

“As a precaution, I would like you to perform the Ritual before returning to your grandfather,” I explained bluntly. “I have witnessed your control over the Gluttonous Soul and am impressed by your measure of mastery. However, pushing your Cultivation to the point of generating a Tribulation may have subtly altered your emotional receptivity, and by extension, your control. So please, allow me this indulgence.” I motioned to the Shrine again, this time more insistently.

Zhu Min nervously bowed her head, “I will do as you ask, Patriarch.”

Entering the shrine, I was pleased to find that Gric or Sebet had made another incense delivery during my absence.

Theoretically, Zhu Min would only require a handful of sticks at most, but having more on hand was reassuring.

After referencing the manual for instructions, Zhu Min set about placing the incense bowls round about herself with meticulous care. After fussing for fifteen minutes, she carefully lit the incense sticks and settled into a meditative pose on the floor.

Standing outside of the shrine, the extreme contrast in the lighting made it difficult to see what was happening within. Or rather, it did, until I cast the Keen Senses Spell on myself.

With my sight magically augmented, the sunlight was reduced considerably, allowing me to see the inside of the shrine in great detail. However, it took several moments for me to properly understand what I was looking at.

Zhu Min appeared to be sweating a dark ink-like liquid which stained her clothes before slowly pooling on the floor.

Without warning, Zhu Min leaned forward and violently expelled a torrent of black liquid across the floor.

Unlike the comparatively thin substance shed from her skin, the black vomit had a thick tar-like consistency. Furthermore, it appeared to be moving of its own accord.

Little by little, the tar drew itself together and began taking on a vaguely humanoid form. After completing its transformation, it bore a rough resemblance to Zhu Min herself. Albeit, naked and bearing fangs, claws and a thin whip-like tail.

As if sensing my presence, the creature spun about and charged toward the entrance of the shrine.

The instant it crossed the threshold, its body collapsed into inert material and began rapidly disintegrating.

The creature, as short-lived as it had proven to be, reminded me of the dark reflection I had faced when performing the Ritual. Except the battle that had followed had taken place entirely within my mind. Furthermore, if a creature had appeared in the shrine, Gric would have told me.

Knowing full well I was jumping to conclusions, I suspected the creature was probably created due to Zhu Min being a Daemonic Cultivator. Besides the shared naming scheme with Heart Demons, there had been a decidedly demonic appearance to the creature.

In the handful of minutes I spent thinking about the problem, the thinner ink-like substance had evaporated and Zhu Min had begun to stir.

Opening her eyes, Zhu Min smiled happily and appeared pleasantly surprised and refreshed. Rising to her feet and smiling all the while, she spent a few minutes stretching her arms and legs. Throwing an experimental punch, Zhu Min quickly followed it up with a rising kick, upsetting one of the incense bowls in the process.

Squeaking in alarm and surprise, Zhu Min leapt after the bowl, diving and intercepting it before it could crash into the wall. Incidentally, she covered herself in the disturbed ash and sand in the process.

Objectively, I could understand her cause for alarm. While the bowls were entirely replaceable, they were made from high-purity jade. Which made them incredibly valuable. The fact that Gric, or Ochram could effortlessly repair or outright reform the bowl was largely beside the point. Especially since Zhu Min was not privy to those particular facts.

Zhu Min Seemed determined to ignore my presence until all five bowls were returned to the storage alcove and the floor was meticulously swept clean.

“I am sorry for my clumsiness, Patriarch...” Zhu Min apologised, blushing intensely with embarrassment.

“It’s fine,” I reassured her. “When you return to your grandfather, inform him that I require a dedicated staff to maintain the shrine and ensure the Ritual is conducted correctly.”

“Of course! Patriarch!” Zhu Min agreed hurriedly, only too eager to obey.

“Thank you, Zhu Min. I will send for you when I have found a suitable instructor,” I promised and then used my authority to send her home.

Returning to the mountaintop, I used my authority to transport Lurr from the hospital and then laid him down beneath the peach tree at the centre of the Arrays.

Drawing on the ambient Thunder-aligned energy, I took Lurr’s hand and began the gruelling cycle of injecting Chi into his body.

After an hour of cycling, Lurr began to stir and I felt a great weight lift off of my shoulders. Even if he required my direct intervention, Lurr would live.

Sometime later, Lurr opened his eyes and stiffly rose off of the ground. “Where?” His one remaining eye darted inquisitively over our surroundings.

“We are within my realm,” I replied, regretting the unintentional vagueness almost immediately. “A large tract of territories currently held separate from Sanctuary,” I added for necessary context.

Lurr slowly nodded in understanding, accepting the situation at face value.

“You don’t have any other questions?” I asked, somewhat perturbed by how readily Lurr’s curiosity had been quenched.

Lurr shook his head.

“How do you feel?” I pressed, shifting the subject to what I hoped would prove to be more fertile ground.

Lurr frowned and grew contemplative. Without warning, electricity arced over his hands and forearms. “This is?...” He looked up at me in what I could best interpret as a ‘mild sense of alarm’.

“Electricity...but that’s not what you wanted to know...” I sat myself down next to him and willed the same electrical discharge to play over my hands as well. “The new energy inside of you, It’s like mana...Except it has ‘this’ connected to it.”

“Mana,” Lurr’s mild concern evaporated and was replaced with one of undeserved confidence.

I wasn’t sure how to break the news, so I decided to go with my tried and true method of just blundering straight through it. “Your old mana is gone, replaced by, this-” I wiggled my fingers for emphasis, causing the electricity to crackle ominously. “-and unfortunately, this mana isn’t regenerating on its own...”

Lurr nodded sombrely, showing he had followed everything thus far and appreciated the danger he was in.

“I created this place to gather the special mana you need,” I motioned to the pillars and the peach tree. “You can probably feel it?” I asked optimistically.

Lurr nodded and glanced at the tree.

“That’s good,” I insisted, feeling a profound sense of relief. “We can work with that.”

“Can’t leave?” Lurr asked, catching me off guard.

“I...I don’t know yet,” I admitted honestly. “This is new ground, Lurr. Frankly, I’m surprised you're even alive...”

Lurr lowered his eyes and nodded. “Was dead...” He grunted quietly.

“You remember?” I asked, surprised at the implications.

Lurr shook his head, “No...Hear voices. Voices say, was dead...” He stared up at me with near fanatical devotion, “Say, Tyrant, bring back.”

“That's...Not entirely wrong...” I couldn’t deny my involvement but wasn’t comfortable with what Lurr was implying.

“This-” Lurr motioned to the surrounding area, “-good. Am alive. Different, not bad,” the wrinkles around his eyes gathered as his lips were drawn into a wide smile. “Am old, life changes,” he shrugged.

“You’re taking it all far better than I would have,” I commented with a deep sigh. “I’ll make arrangements so you can have visitors,” I promised. “Just, make sure not to touch anyone or immerse yourself in water just yet, alright?”

Lurr nodded obediently, “Will obey.”

Offering my forearm, I recruited Lurr for the second time. After conjuring some basic supplies, I left Lurr alone so he could acclimate to his new life.

Reviewing Lurr’s information while sitting at the bottom of the lake, I felt a rising sense of confidence that Lurr would be able to live a relatively normal life. That is, according to Orc standards.

So far as I could tell, Lurr’s stats and Species were the same as they had been before his untimely demise. He had lost his Class and Racial Abilities, but had taken on the Thunder Affinity and gained a handful of ranks in the Eternal Tao instead.

Lurr had also gained a Cultivation Inheritance. However, I strongly suspected that it was at least partially responsible for his underlying condition.

Storm Heart.

An Inheritance that would make him immensely powerful so long as he had Thunder-aligned Chi in the tank. However, he would need to chase the storms to stay alive. Or, have the storms brought to him. Just as I had feared, Lurr would die if he was deprived of Thunder-aligned energy. On the upside, he would be allowed to leave the mountain. Just not for long periods of time.

Of course, this meant that Lurr would need to learn a breathing Technique so he could accelerate his recovery. That, and extend the time he could spend away from the mountain before falling into a coma.

Of course, now that I had confirmed Lurr was under the banner of the Cultivation system, there was a possibility that Gric or Sebet could artificially apply a second Inheritance.

I didn’t have enough of a comparison to know if Daemonic Veins would be of any benefit. But it was worth looking into.

On that train of thought, I had a promise to keep and needed to contact Yi Gim.

As distasteful as it was, I needed to inquire about the going rate of buying a human being...

It came as little surprise that Yi Gim was far less squeamish than I was. While he was by no means particularly enthusiastic, he was open to discussion.

I repeated,

Yi Gim interjected, repeating the most demanding of my conditions. There was a lengthy pause.

I replied sincerely while suppressing my hesitation.

Yi Gim replied happily. He suggested somewhat slyly.

I replied after considering the potential risks. I took care not to make the question an outright demand. As allies, it would only serve to sour our relationship if one of us attempted to dominate the other. Inequalities in trade were one thing. The value being entirely subjective in nature. Outright treating the other as subordinate in what was intended as a partnership, was just asking for trouble and resentment.

Yi Gim answered somewhat distractedly, no doubt relaying an estimate from one of his subordinates.

“Then please, raise your concerns and I shall do my best to lay them to rest,” the recruiter insisted eagerly, motioning toward the Winehouse.

Despite his outward demeanour, the recruiter quickly proved that there were certain aspects of the notice that he was forbidden to discuss in greater detail. Most notably, who would be the recipient of said instruction.

Testing the waters to determine how many of the clan would be allowed to accompany each instructor, Oba Shoji was taken aback when the recruiter insisted that there was no limit. So long as they were members of the clan, the agreement between the Monarchs had no upper limits.

Similar to the topic regarding the intended patron, the subject of compensation was blunt, but also unexpectedly intriguing. While the recruiter apologised for not being at liberty to discuss the particulars, beyond a guaranteed plot of land, there was an unexpected glint of what Oba Shoji could only interpret as envy in the recruiter’s eyes.

This told Oba Shoji two things. First, that he was almost certainly sworn to silence, and second, that the compensation was sufficient to not only warrant special precautions, but it also made a third rank Cultivator desire the opportunity for themself.

The desires of first and even early second rank Cultivators were often firmly focused on the mundane. A desperate scramble to accumulate wealth as a means of acquiring power. Third rank Cultivators were another breed entirely.

Powerful enough to take what they wanted from first and second rank Cultivators, they had little need for such small levels of wealth. Third rank Cultivators had the greed of dragons in their hearts and wouldn’t show such overt envy and desire for anything less than a merchant’s life savings or a hidden cache of ancient herbs.

Becoming increasingly convinced that it was precisely the opportunity his clan needed to not only survive but perhaps even thrive. Oba Shoji’s inquiries were cut short as a fat balding pig in expensive silks threw open the door to the Winehouse.

“OBA FILTH! YOU DARE TEST OUR XIAO CLAN’S MERCY AND LEAVE YOUR RAT HOLE?!” The quintuple-chinned man demanded, sweat already beading his brow from the mere effort required to open the door. He pulled a heavy cudgel from his belt and leapt forward with incredible speed.

In his battered condition, Oba Shoji barely rose from the table before the fat man’s head was sent tumbling to the floor.

The lead recruiter, now standing behind the headless corpse, cleaned his sword with a swatch of cloth and then returned it to its sheath.

A handful of heartbeats later, five of the observers stationed outside rushed into the Winehouse and surrounded the lead recruiter.

“Apologies, honoured guides, but it appears that a stray boar has entered the city and I was forced to put it down,” he bowed respectfully, and carefully withdrew a pouch from within the confines of his formal robes. “For your troubles,” he tossed the bag to one of the observers and then withdrew another, slightly larger pouch, “For the inconvenience such a mess will no doubt cause your superiors.” he tossed the bag to the same man, forcing the recipient to sheath their sword or lose out on what was obviously intended as a bribe. “And lastly, to wet your throats. As I am certain chasing this beast and disposing of its remains will prove quite tiring,” a third and considerably larger pouch quickly joined the others.

Peeking quickly inside each pouch, the observer very nearly dropped them in surprise.

Despite not being able to see the contents, with the pouches open and their concealment Arrays compromised, Oba Shoji’s spiritual senses were more than adequate to discern what lay within. However, he simply couldn’t bring himself to believe it. The pouches were packed to bursting with what could only be the highest-grade of Spirit Stones!

The observers exchanged furtive looks with one another and nodded almost imperceptibly in agreement.

A spokesman stepped forward for the group and bowed his head slightly in polite greeting. “As a representative of his most majestic Golden Dragon, I thank you stranger for preventing further damage to public and private properties of the city.” He bowed again, and this time was joined by his fellows.

Without saying another word, the spokesman waved his hand over the corpse, absorbing it into a Spatial Ring, and then left with his compatriots in tow.

Oba Shoji couldn’t help but stare at the broken door. “That was a small fortune...” He breathed incredulously. Unable to comprehend how even a Monarch’s representative could cast such a thing away without so much as a second thought.

“Several fortunes,” the lead recruiter corrected good-naturedly as he returned to their table. “Such trifles lose their lustre when compared to true treasures,” he commented with the unmistakable hunger and desire returning to his eyes as he gazed upon something Oba Shoji could only guess at. “Provided you accept my magnanimous Monarch’s offer, I have no doubts that you will come to share our point of view.

Looking at the rest of the group, Oba Shoji could see the same greed burning just as fiercely in their eyes and knew that if he passed up this opportunity, it would be no different to spitting in the face of the heavens themselves. “When can we leave?”