(Floating Cloud City: Xia Manor)
(3rd Person Pov)
Acnologia had woken up early preparing to go hunting for his breakfast, he took his rune stone along with him just in case he needed it, and as he prepared to leave, he unexpectedly met up with Xia Qing Yue who seemed slightly surprised seeing him up so early. She was wearing an Azure long dress that highlighted her beauty as she questioned suspiciously.
"Where are you going?"
Acnologia shrugged his shoulders.
"I'm going to go hunt my breakfast obviously."
His answer earned a raised eyebrow from the young girl who answered indifferently.
"There's no need. As a guest of the Xia Clan, how could we possibly have you go hunting for food? It would be an insult to our clans image and reputation if you did, so please be a little patient. The servants will have breakfast prepared soon enough."
Acnologia nodded his head.
"Alright. I'll wait for breakfast to be served. But what about yourself? Why are" you up so early?"
Xia Qing Yue answered exactly as he would have expected. Calm, Cold, and Indifferent.
"To cultivate. After all, I have my own goals I wish to achieve. And the only way to accomplish them is to grow stronger."
Acnologia hummed. But his gaze bore into her rather intensely making Xia Qing Yue uncomfortable.
"What is it?"
She was fed up and finally decided to question what he was staring at her so intensely for.
"It's just something I noticed about yourself and your master that I'm confused about, it never mind that, I will likely have to go talk to your master for answers since you are just starting out with this cultivation thing as far as I'm aware of.
It stems from what your cultivating. But not knowing anything about how cultivation works, I think it's best I consult with someone who has a deep understanding of these cultivation practices."
Acnologia answered calmly as he waved his arm and walked away. Where he was going? He didn't even know, just roaming around the manor and exploring it since the previous day he spent much of his time exploring the City itself. Watching him leave after hearing his words made Xia Qing Yue extremely curious. She might not be as wise as her master in understanding the ways of cultivation, or the technique of the Frozen Cloud Asgard, but she certainly could try her best to answer Acnologia's question. So, she called out to the retreating figure.
"Acnologia wait one minute please."
Acnologia turned around a raised eyebrow on his face.
"Yes?"
Xia Qing Yue took a deep breath as she answered.
"I may not be educated on the techniques of the Frozen Cloud Asgard like my master, but if your question is just about cultivation in general, I do think I could answer your question."
Acnologia mulled the thought before shrugging.
"That technique of yours. From what I can see, it seems to be slowly killing yourself. That includes your master and probably everyone else who's practicing it. I'm not sure if that's how your technique is meant to work, but from my point of view, your slowly freezing your body from the inside. I had originally assumed it was a seperate energy that came from your techniques, but watching your master made me realise that wasn't correct. Your technique releases some sort of frost like energy throughout your body, and it slowly freezes what I assume are containers of your energy. I sense about 54 of them, but only 21 are actually functioning. With the rest of these containers being closed, frost develops and slowly builds itself up to the point it becomes fatal. So my question is, are you all aware of this?"
Acnologia may not be an expert at all these cultivation stuff, but his senses were far beyond Xia Qing Yue's, he could sense the slow accumulation of frost within her body's energy flow. He doesn't need to be an expert to know that whatever is happening internally will slowly kill it's practitioners like an internal frostbite that slowly freezes and kills the body over long periods of time.
He wasn't sure if this was how their technique worked, where you gain massive power in exchange for your lifespan, but at the very least this kid before him is free to do whatever she wanted with his discovery as Acnologia continued his journey exploring the manor. Soon, he was invited to have breakfast along with Xia Qing Yue, Xia Yuanba, and their father Xia Hongyi. Xia Hongyi held an amicable smile as he spoke.
"Well Sir Acnologia, how was your first night staying in the Xia Clan's manor?"
Acnologia swallowed the meat he was chewing as he answered.
"It was nice to sleep on a bed. I was so relaxed I fell asleep almost instantly."
Acnologia answered with a calm grin. His gaze landed on the rather buff looking child as he questioned.
"I take it this boy is your son?"
Xia Hongyi nodded his head proudly.
"Yes. His name is Xia Yuanba. He's about a year younger than his sister."
Acnologia nodded to the little boy.
"I am Acnologia. Nice to meet you."
Xia Yuanba smiled and cupped his fists and nodded his head.
"Nice to meet you Lord Acnologia. I heard you saved my sister yesterday, thank you very much."
Acnologia nodded in acknowledgment. And they all ate in silence. Right after finishing his meal, one of the maids came and picked his bowl to be taken and cleaned, same with everyone else who were eating at the table. Acnologia stood up and Xia Hongyi questioned.
"Are you headed somewhere?"
Acnologia nodded his head as he answered.
"I have tutors coming to this city. Hired by someone who owes me a favour. Might as well greet them."
Xia Hongyi nodded.
"If you stop by any restaurants just tell the owner to put the bill on the Xia Clan. We'll pay for it."
Acnologia said nothing as he left but inside he felt pretty amused.
'So this is what it feels like to be one of those big names clan young master who must be treated with absolute respect regardless of behaviour. Now I get why they love acting all high and mighty. Now then, it seems like I have a new visitor, best not to keep her waiting.'
Utilising his mastery of space, Acnologia vanished from the front steps of the Xia Clan manor frightening the servants.
—(Break)—
Chu Yuechan stood at the top of the eastern forest, she was an eighth step of the Sky Profound Realm master, and the first of the Seven Cloud Fairies. She was also the first after Chu Yueli her younger sister to meet this Acnologia and judge for herself what kind of "person" he was. Rather he was truly human or a profound beast. Just then she noticed a human appearing in front of her. Dark Skin, Dark Blue Hair and eyes, and tribal markings all over his body. Not to mention this feeling of existential dread that she felt in his presence.
"You are Acnologia."
Acnologia nodded his head, keeping himself a float using space magic he questioned.
"I take it you are similar to that Chu Yueli? A disciple of the Frozen Cloud Asgard?"
Chu Yuechan nodded indifferently.
"I am Chu Yuechan. First of the Seven Fairies, and future mistress to the Frozen Cloud Asgard."
Acnologia hummed as he questioned curiously.
"Are you trying to challenge me by stating your rank?"
A wide challenging and insane grin stretched across his face revealing his sharp teeth as Chu Yuechan too saw that same silhouette, a Black Dragon that promised to bring about the Apocalypse wherever it was it went.
Chu Yuechan would never admit it, but she's terrified. She understands now if only partially the terror her sister must have gone through fighting against him. However, she shook her head calmly at his question causing Acnologia to clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Fine. Then just skip all formalities and please get to the point of this conversation."
Chu Yuechan nodded her head.
"I am more than happy to get straight to the point. Chu Yueli has already hired the mentors and scholars you requested. Each one will come for 1 day only. So in total that's about 3 days for each individual classes you requested.
So today will be about the history of this planet, tomorrow will be about economics, and the day after will be about cultivation since many of these Scholars are very busy themselves.
While we at the Frozen Cloud Asgard do respect your power, we do hope you can understand that these tutors are also human with their own families and jobs they have to care for.
Since I've been told you were staying here only for a year, Chu Yueli has chosen to hire them only for a year. If after a year you move elsewhere, and you wish to further your scholarly pursuits, we at the Frozen Cloud Asgards are more than willing to aid you."
Acnologia pondered to himself.
'I don't really have a problem, since worst case scenario I still have fairly decent understanding of this world. But still…'
Acnologia looked directly at Chu Yuechan.
"Three days a week?"
Chu Yuechan nodded her head and explained.
"These Scholars are coming directly from the New Moon Empire. They are roughly about 550 Li's."
Acnologia looked puzzled.
'The hell is a Li? Is it the Chinese version of a kilometre?'
Seeing the genuine confusion on Acnologia's face Chu Yuechan thought to herself with a frown hidden behind her silk veil.
'How strange. He really doesn't know much about the world? So his amnesia isn't something he's faking. But then he looks human, he feels like a profound beast, and he has amnesia while essentially ring the strongest existence of this world.'
Chu Yuechan sighed feeling dissatisfied that someone of her status and power has to be respectful because she's standing against the pinnacle of this world. She was brought out of her thoughts as she remembers she has to explain why the short schedule.
"Essentially, New Moon City is extremely far away from the Flaoting Cloud City. It would take months to reach this isolated city by foot unless you are an expert of a high enough rank. It took quite the trouble to get them to agree to come future you.
Acnologia raised an eyebrow.
"Why so far away? Couldn't you have just hired scholars from any nearby city?"
Chu Yuechan shook her head.
"Finding Scholars is extremely difficult in small towns. Many don't even have them as they all move to big cities to make a name for themselves as scholars. So any scholars from smaller towns would already be at some big city attempting to become the next big name."
Acnologia hummed.
"And how long is each class?"
Chu Yueli pulled out a scroll and read it's contents.
"According to Chu Yueli, each class is about 12 hours. That should more than make up for the lost days."
Acnologia was pondering from the outside, but his mind was anything but calm.
'Twelve Hours!? That's wayyyyyyy to long! I already hated school, but 12 hours!? I know I asked for knowledge, but I assumed this world would follow the same curriculum concept as my world. Oh well, I'll just have to tough it out, after all, I can't bring shame to Acnologia's name just because of books and notes….'
Acnologia nodded his head.
"That's fine with me. Thank you for your help."
Both Chu Yuechan and Acnologia watched as a scholar appeared in front of the Flaoting Cloud City, after arriving upon a profound beast seemingly made of ice. And since it was still fairly early in the morning not many people even saw it. Chu Yuechan saw Acnologia prepared to leave as she questioned.
"Acnologia. Before you go, could I ask you just one question?"
Acnologia paused his movements, turning to face Chu Yuechan as he titled his head.
"Hrrm?"
Chu Yuechan's cold ice blue eyes met Acnologia's dark blue ones as she questioned.
"Just what in the world are you? And what is your ultimate goal?"
Acnologia paused thinking of her question for several minutes before he smiled. He turned away from Chu Yuechan, his back to her as he proclaimed with an excited tone of voice, stretching his arms out wide.
"I am Acnologia! The Dragon King Of Apocalypse! My Only Goal? I will hunt down every dragon and feast upon their corpse! And I will seek out the strongest fighters of the world and beat them into submission! For what is a king without any subjects!?"
A mad grin stretched across Acnologia's face as he burst out laughing before he disappeared. Leaving Chu Yuechan stunned, terrified, and confused by his statement.
—(End)—
(An: In a few more chapters there will be a timeskip of one year, and a whole lot of drama and chaos is about to unfold so look forward to that!)