Nobunaga Oda's Isekai Cultivation Experience

"Mmnngh....what the fuck...?"Waking with one of the worst hangovers he had ever experienced, the only preventing Nobu from staying in bed was the absence of Yui at his side.Taking a few deep breaths, Nobu attempted to recall what happened the previous night. He could remember talking with his old man and grandfather, but, after that, everything was a blur."I didn't expect that watery shit to kick like a donkey..."As this was far from the first time he had gotten blackout drunk, the first thing Nobu checked was his bedding. One of the first things to go when you clocked out from excessive alcohol was bladder control."At least I didn't piss myself..."Taking some small comfort in the fact his futon was dry, Nobu didn't even bother to question how he had changed into the relatively thin yukata he was currently wearing. He was far more concerned with the absence of Yui, so, after massaging his temples for a bit, he called out, "Anyone there...?"Though it was a bit slower than he was used to, Nobu was unsurprised when a soft and feminine voice answered, "Excuse me..." before sliding open the door to his room.Squinting at the petite figure through slightly blurry eyes, Nobu was able to make out that she had dark-purple hair loosely tied up in a bun, rose-pink eyes, and a dainty frame wrapped in a modest, highly constrictive purple kimono.Compared to the Kunoichi he had interacted with, the girl didn't really stand out. She gave off a kind of 'childhood friend' vibe. It was kind of like the feeling Nobu would get whenever he met a girl that grew up in a small and religious town deep in the countryside.Ignoring the other questions that had entered his mind, Nobu did his best to remain focused on the most important thing, asking, "Where's Yui...?"With a slightly fretful expression on her face, the servant-girl lowered her head to the point her bangs could sweep the floor before answering, "Forgive me, Young Master. I am not familiar with anyone named Yui..."Furrowing his brows, Nobu did his best to remain composed as he asked, "Do you know who I am?" before asking, "Where is this place...?"Without raising her head, the purple-haired girl meekly replied, "Forgive me...I have not been made aware of the Young Master's esteemed designation or title. As for your second question...this is one of the rooms reserved for extraordinary guests and personal friends of the Great Lord and Lady. It is this little one's duty to preserve the state of this room and attend the people staying within..."Since it was virtually impossible for anyone to penetrate this deep into the primary estate of one of the Great Noble Clans, the servant girl didn't bother to question Nobu's license to be there. All she knew was that the room was occupied when she came by to complete her morning chores, so, with no other servants posted outside, she gently closed the door before sitting down and awaiting the occupant's summons.Feeling his headache worsen, Nobu pulled out the stone tablet to confirm that Yui wasn't injured or under the influence before running his hand through his hair, exhaling a sigh, and asking, "What's your name, kid...?""This lowly one's name is F-Fuwa Kaede..."Raising his brows, Nobu asked, "What kind of family name is Fufuwa...?" before shaking his head and adding, "Whatever. It doesn't really matter. You can raise your head."Though she wanted to correct the misunderstanding, Kaede's instincts were telling her that the person in front of her wasn't someone she should offend. He gave off a similar impression to the Great Lord, and, now that she was able to get a better look at him, there were a number of obvious similarities between the man seated before her and the more prestigious members of the Oda Clan.Seeing the fretful look on the girl's face as she kept her head slightly bowed, Nobu nearly shook his head a second time before his brain pulsed in protest. This was a tell-tale sign that he was severely dehydrated, so, before anything else, he said, "Right...Kaede...san? Mind getting me a glass of water and something to eat?"Without any hesitation whatsoever, Kaede bowed her head in a respectful manner, answering, "As you will." before backing out of the room on her hands and knees. This caused Nobu's left brow to twitch, but, having learned a bit about Noble society, he wasn't too surprised by Kaede's behavior.According to what Nobu had learned from Kumiko, a single mistake could cost a servant their life or their job. As a result, the more inexperienced maidservants went about their daily routine as if they were treading on shards of glass. Since Kaeda appeared to be around 14-15 years old, it was safe to assume she had only recently begun working as a domestic servant.If Nobu had used the stone tablet to scan her, he would have been surprised to learn that Kaede was actually twenty-three years old. She was a daughter of the Fuwa Clan, one of the Oda Clan's many retainers, so, while her cultivation base wasn't particularly impressive, it had helped to slow her aging and preserve her youthful appearance.Inexperienced attendants would never be allowed to work in the Inner Sanctum of the Inuyama Castle.Unaware that he had addressed a woman four years his senior as 'kid', Nobu decided to lay back down and focus on his breathing. Circulating Aura could drastically decrease aches and pains, so, while waiting for his water, he did his best to address his growing migraine."You're pretty shit at that, ain'tcha...?"Recognizing the voice as his grandfather's, Nobu just grunted before forcing himself to a seated position and glowering at the middle-aged man standing in the doorway. In response, Senichi just returned a cheeky grin that didn't suit his age before saying, "Once the servant gets back with your meal, have her escort you to the Dragon's Chamber. If she refuses, just show her this."Catching the thumb-sized stamp his grandfather had thrown him, Nobu's brows perked up as he asked, "Isn't this the Oda Clan's Family Seal? I don't recall agreeing to become the next Patriarch..."Snorting through his nose, Senichi quipped, "Considering you fell into an alcohol-induced coma, I don't imagine you remember much, brat."Furrowing his brows, Nobu was about to retort when Senichi just shook his head, adding, "Relax. That particular seal is known as the Lesser Mark of the Dragon. It was supposed to be entrusted to you on your eighth birthday. Unless you intend to officially disclaim your inheritance, you'll need to keep it safe. That thing is just about as important as your own life so don't lose it."Without waiting for Nobu's response, Senichi ceased leaning against the frame of the door before promptly shutting it with a loud 'tok'.Though he was briefly tempted to throw the surprisingly heavy stamp through the bamboo door, Nobu ultimately just clicked his tongue before motioning to place it into the sleeve of his yukata. Before he could, however, the stone tablet that had fallen off the side of the futon began vibrating with an intensity that couldn't be ignored."Who the fuck would message me at four in the morning...?"To Nobu's surprise, the notification on the tablet wasn't a message. When he saw what it said, his heart began pumping with increasing vigor. This caused his headache to become worse, but, no longer paying attention to that, an excited grin spread across Nobu's face as he navigated back to the home page."Hell. Fucking. Yes...!"While the icon was a little strange, resembling a vault door with a complex seal carved into it, Nobu didn't have to be a genius to understand what the app was used for. What he didn't expect was for the screen to display an empty room that appeared to be constructed from brown clay. It also had a window and a door, but, like the rest of the room, they were also pretty shitty. The window lacked a pane, and, as far as he could tell, the door was literally made from some kind of thatch material that had been woven together to produce an entrance flap..."The fuck...?"Ignoring his misgivings about the room's appearance, Nobu thumbed the screen with the hope of opening some kind of menu. Instead, he felt a wave of heat spread through his body as his stomach proceeded to perform an acrobatic routine that would make an Olympic gymnast blush.Landing, hard, on a dirty brown floor, Nobu expelled the contents of his stomach in one fell swoop. Then, despite having a pretty good idea regarding what just happened, he looked around with a stupefied expression on his face as he found himself in the same room that had appeared on the stone tablet's display...Shifting his attention to the ceiling, Nobu's expression paled as he found a massive, greyed-out version of himself staring down at him through what he assumed to be the tablet's display. There was a literal rectangular hole floating in the middle of the air, almost like someone had cut a piece out of the fabric of space-time or some other fantastical shit."Is this what I look like from below...?"Though he didn't have a double-chin or anything, Nobu couldn't help grimacing as he saw his stubble-covered face from the perspective of an ant. He wasn't exactly unpleasant to look at, far from it, but it clearly wasn't his most flattering angle.Shaking such pointless thoughts from his mind, the first thing Nobu noticed was that his migraine had magically disappeared. When he looked down, even the vomit he had ejected was nowhere to be seen. In fact, now that he was looking more closely, his body was literally fucking transparent. If he looked even closer, he could literally see his fucking veins, bones, and all kinds of other shit he couldn't even begin to describe."Well, that's fucking creepy..."Ignoring the morbid curiosity that pretty much demanded he inspect his junk, Nobu did his best to make sense of the situation. He could deduce from the persistent and somewhat stupid-looking grin on his larger self's face that time had basically stopped while he was inside the strange room. The real question was, what was the point of coming inside? He couldn't even sense his Aura, and, despite trying to call it to him multiple times, the stone tablet had yet to manifest.With nothing better to do, Nobu decided to take a look through the window rather than trying to pass through the door. This ended up being the correct decision, as, even after leaning his head through to look around, the clay chamber seemed to be floating in a white void. There was clearly some kind of oxygen present, but, when he tried to extend his hand outside the foot of the door, he could reach around to the underside of the clay room without issue."Hmmm...if this is anything like those gimmicks that appear in cultivation novels, I should be able to expand this place using my Aura or some kind of Heavenly Treasure. At the very least, I doubt it will remain a clay room..."Since there was nothing else for him to do within the room, Nobu took a moment to inspect his junk. He immediately regretted it, but, after the initial disgust, he just shook his head, accepted that his body was ugly as fuck on the inside, and moved on. More specifically, he jumped up to smack the screen that had been hovering over him even as he moved around to inspect the window and door.Experiencing another lurching sensation, Nobu expelled the contents of his stomach a second time. Fortunately, he had anticipated something like this might happen. As a result, he willed himself to hold it down before pressing the seal his grandfather had given him to the screen. It immediately disappeared into motes of bluish-white light, which, upon fading away, revealed that the seal was now sitting in the exact center of the room..."Noice..."......(A/N: He said the thing! Roll credits...!)

After a few minutes of experimentation, Nobu was able to learn quite a bit about his personalized storage dimension. First and foremost, anything pressed against the screen whenever the app was opened would be placed at the exact center of the room. Furthermore, by holding onto the items he placed within, he was able to enter alongside them in order to reorganize things. As for taking them out, he simply needed to be touching them when he ejected his consciousness from within the storage dimension.As important as these discoveries were, it was what came after that made Nobu the most excited.Shortly after unlocking the Storage App, Nobu opened his Cultivation App to find that his Units and Upgrades list had updated to include a Vault tab. By investing the requisite amount of materials, he could upgrade both the size and structure of his storage dimension. More importantly, he could use his Aura to accelerate or slow the passage of time within. The cost was a little exorbitant, but, once he reached the Sixth or Seventh Realm, he could drastically accelerate or even stop the flow of time on the inside...Imagining the possibilities his storage dimension had opened up, Nobu didn't notice when a light knock emanated from outside the sliding bamboo door. It was only when a soft voice reached his ears that he came back to his senses, answering, "Come in." in a commanding tone.Orienting the stone tablet so that the display was facing the entrance, Nobu waited until Kadea was about to enter the room before tapping against the screen. This allowed him to confirm something pretty important, as, despite greying out, he could still make out that the girl was moving from the interior of the storage dimension. In other words, time didn't simply stop while he was inside.Emerging from the storage dimension in less time than it took the servant girl to take a single step forward, Nobu offered a practiced smile as he watched Kaede set out the food before him. Though he had asked for something light, there was salmon, rice, miso soup, steamed vegetables, and quite a number of other foods present on the marbled serving tray. The portions were a bit small but she had clearly covered all the bases so as not to upset him."Thanks. I really appreciate it."Blinking her pristine pink eyes in surprise, Kaede found herself at a momentary loss. People rarely thanked servants. This was especially true among Nobles, so, for a brief moment, she couldn't help wondering if the person seated across from her really was an intruder...Though he was a little taken aback by the petite girl's reaction, Nobu just shook his head before pulling out the Lesser Mark of the Dragon and saying, "I was told to ask you to escort me to the Dragon's Chamber once I've finished eating. This-"Seeing the intricately carved piece of jade and gold in Nobu's hands, Kaede's eyes briefly became full circles. Then, before Nobu could finish speaking, she practically leaped away from him before prostrating with such intensity that the tatami mat beneath her was visibly dented from the impact."I am prepared to receive my punishment...!"With a look of abject stupefaction on his face, Nobu stared at the prostrate girl for several seconds before closing his agape mouth and stating, "I'm not going to punish you. I mean, seriously, I just thanked you for bringing me food. Why the fuck would I punish you?"Understanding the significance of the Lesser Mark of the Dragon, Kaede kept her head pressed to the ground as she answered, "The person who carries the Lesser Mark of the Dragon possesses a status on par with the Great Lord. As I have failed to recognize Waka-sama's status, it is only right that I am to be punished. Such an egregious offense cannot be overlooked...""..."Though he had already been warned that something like this might happen, Nobu hadn't taken it seriously. The Four-Tiered Class System was such an antiquated concept that it hadn't hit him just how seriously people took it. His parents and grandfather obviously didn't care about such things so it was strange to hear someone practically begging for a punishment despite the fact they had been nothing but polite and respectful towards him..."Wanna see something cool...?"Confused by Nobu's question, Kaede remained silent for several tense moments before meekly replying, "It would be my honor..."Waiting until the girl had tentatively turned her eyes toward him, Nobu raised his hand in a casual manner as if he was about to slice downward. This caused Kaede's body to tense until he stated, "I, Oda Nobunaga, absolve you of any wrongdoings you may have perpetrated towards me. Now, stop overreacting. I'm not particularly fond of staring at the top of people's heads."Though her pupils shrank to the size of pinholes when she heard Nobu introduce himself, Kaede's training allowed her to appear calm and composed as she promptly raised her head. Then, despite feeling as though she was trapped in a room with a lion-like Aura Beast, she managed a courteous smile as she replied, "Waka-sama's mercy is without limit. This little one thanks the Young Lord for his clemency..."Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Nobu decided to focus on finish his meal before it got cold. He wasn't good with situations like this. He also had no personal feelings towards Kaede, so, while he was tempted to make conversation, a much larger part of him wanted to just finish his meal, meet up with Yui, and get the hell out of the castle. It was cool and all, but he wasn't exactly enthused by the notion of encountering hundreds of people with similar sentiments as the young servant girl.........After finishing his meal and waiting for Kaede to return his tray to the kitchen, Nobu was guided by the youthful-looking servant via word of mouth as she was unable to walk in front of him. This was more than a little annoying but it was nothing compared to the looks he received from the random people they passed along the way.With the Inner Sanctum of Inuyama Castle being among the most heavily restricted areas in the entire province, very few people were allowed to trespass its interior. Most of the people inside were female servants or monk-like Eunuchs with completely shaven heads. Thus, the moment they saw him walking ahead of Kaede, everyone Nobu encountered along the way promptly prostrated themselves.It was extremely uncomfortable.Fortunately, as Kaede's directions took him deeper and deeper into the Inner Sanctum's structure, fewer people began to appear. By the time they descended a spiral staircase connecting to a large underground hall, completely bereft of traditional Nianese elements, the only people in sight were emaciated monks with hazy white eyes reminiscent of someone with extreme cataracts.Though he was tempted to ask why there were so many monks located in the ruins beneath the castle, Nobu managed to suppress his curiosity. He hated speaking with people walking behind him. Not only was it extremely awkward, but, without Yui at his side, Nobu knew he needed to be aware of his surroundings. Even Kaede was a potential assailant, so, for the duration of the thirty-minute journey, Nobu did his best to remain hyper-focused until he saw his grandfather standing outside a set of doors even larger than the archways present in the ruins beneath Yumegakure."It's about time you showed up, brat."While Kaede bowed low enough that even a feather would send her stumbling forward, Nobu just snorted in response to Senichi's words before asking, "What is this place?"After a snort of his own, Senichi smacked his palm against the strange metallic door. In response, a pattern reminiscent of a coiling easter dragon manifested on its surface, its majestic form wreathed in golden flames."As the heir to the Oda Clan, there are certain things about us that you need to be made aware of. Before that, however, the little lass needs to go..."Confused by Senichi's words, Nobu looked behind him to find Kaede shivering nervously with her head lowered. It was only after a few seconds had passed that he realized that she was, technically, in his charge right now. In other words, his grandfather was unable to dismiss her as it was beyond rude to address someone else's attendants."You can go ahead and return. Also, thanks for showing me the way."Though she was, once again, surprised by the fact Nobu had thanked her, Kaede bowed her head multiple times, replying, "It was the greatest honor of this little one's life...!" before hastily backing away. Then, upon reaching ten meters from their position, she promptly spun on her heels before power-walking away at a speed that would have easily crushed a few records in Nobu's previous world.Returning his attention to his grandfather, Nobu asked, "What's the deal with the whole 'little one' thing...?"Ignoring Nobu's question, Senichi pushed open the massive door with one hand as he said, "Your father is waiting inside. Come.""..."Resisting the urge to turn around and follow Kaede's example, Nobu made his way through the massive set of doors to find himself in what appeared to be a large antechamber. There were a number of pillars within, each running more than 50m from floor to ceiling. At a glance, it kind of reminded him of Tokyo's underground discharge chambers, a popular tourist attraction that many believed to be J. R. R. Tolkien's inspiration for the Mines of Moria. The only difference was, rather than stone or concrete, the pillars here were comprised of the same metallic material that made up the massive doors.As if to reinforce the idea they were connected, each of the pillars erupted to life with a pattern reminiscent of a golden dragon coiling around their length. It was quite the sight to behold, but, without Yui at his side, Nobu found it hard to appreciate the chamber's beauty. It might sound a little trite, but, ever since he had professed his love for the raven-haired woman, the world around him seemed to lose its luster whenever they were apart."..."Mistaking Nobu's silence as awe, Senichi gave him a firm clap on the shoulders as he said, "This is one of the most important places in the entirety of Nian. The Imperial Family entrusted us with its protection after the great war more than six thousand years prior..."Pushing Nobu forward, a smile developed across Senichi's face as he explained, "While there are currently more than sixty Provinces, Owari has always been special as it was among the first eight formed when the Imperial Family was divvying up land and power. Put simply, Owari is one of the eight original strongholds that represented the Imperial Family's power across Nian. As for why they would entrust us with such an honor..."Stopping Nobu in his tracks, a vicious smile developed across Senichi's face as he cupped both of the former's shoulders and stated, "It's because, long before we became known as the Oda Clan, our Ancestors were known by a different name...Taira...!"Believing that Nobu had no idea who the Taira were, Senichi went on to explain, "The Taira Clan, along with the Fujiwara, Tachibana, and Minamoto Clans were the four most influential Clans prior to the war between Nian and Onigashima. However, what made us truly special is the fact that we, along with the Minamoto Clan, were descended directly from the Imperial Family. In other words, while your claim to the throne is minuscule at best, there is still a chance that you could one day become the Emperor of Nian...!"Clenching his teeth in an effort to resist the intensifying pain in his shoulders, Nobu's expression became increasingly dour in the face of Senichi's fervor. Then, in spite of his better judgment, he said, "So? Do I look like I give a fuck about being Emperor?" before following up with, "You might want to lay off the sake in the future, old man. You're starting to lose your fucking mind..."......(A/N: Bruh...)

Located just under 1300km away from the Capital City of Owari-Shuto was the Ancestral Capital of the Nianese Archipelago, Kyoto.Founded approximately fourteen thousand years after the Age of Gods, Kyoto was among the most ancient and populous cities in all of Nian. It served as the seat of power for the Imperial Family, and, thanks to the protection of the Four Heavenly Guardians, it was considered the safest region in the Nianese Archipelago.While most major cities struggled to maintain a population in the hundreds of thousands, Kyoto's median population generally hovered around 4.5 million people. With the second-largest city being the nearby port of Osaka, population 2.5 million, it wasn't an exaggeration to say that Kyoto and its surrounding cities represented the very heart of Nianese society.Unfortunately, despite having the largest population, the economy of Kyoto had been in shambles ever since the previous war between the people of Nian and the Onigashima in the North. The city had nearly been destroyed during the conflict, and, after exhausting the majority of their resources, the Imperial Family had little choice but to sell the surrounding land and divvy up the Archipelago to their most loyal vassal in order to avoid a civil war. This was the start of Kyoto's expansion, and, as a result of their mismanagement, the precursor to the Imperial Family's decline.By establishing a system where individuals could be awarded merits and titles based on monetary contributions, the Imperial Family had hoped to recoup some of their losses. This worked in their favor at the beginning, but, after selling countless court ranks to anyone who could afford them, the titles began to lose their meaning as anything more than trade permits.With the Imperial Court possessing more opportunistic merchants than statesmen and scholars, it wasn't long before Kyoto became a veritable cesspool of corruption. It was a place filled to the brim with individuals whose singular focus was increasing their wealth while the Imperial Family suffered due to limited resources, a distinct lack of competent personnel, and an ever-increasing population.Due to the current Emperor's inability to produce a male heir, tensions within Kyoto were at an all-time high as everyone was biding their time in anticipation of the power struggle that would follow his death. The Emperor, fully aware of this, had spent the last sixty years closing off the country and restricting trade between Provinces. This had earned him an enormous amount of criticism, but, as a result of his controversial decision, most of the weaker merchant groups had fallen into ruin while the various Daimyos focused on consolidating their power.Though many thought the Emperor had gone mad, those with greater foresight understood what he was trying to do. He didn't want Nian to fall into the hands of opportunistic individuals who had taken advantage of the Imperial Family's waning strength to accrue wealth at the country's expense. By pitting the Noble Clans against one another, he could reduce their strength while simultaneously weakening the various merchant groups and associations.Every time war broke out, trespassing the borders between Provinces became nigh-impossible. No Daimyo was foolish enough to let foreign merchants freely traverse their lands. Instead, they relied on their own caravans to move resources around their territory while forcing merchants to part with their goods at heavily discounted prices.Since most merchant caravans relied on transporting goods between Provinces to turn a profit, war was their worst nightmare. It didn't help that most Warriors viewed merchants as opportunists and despots without a conscience, so, the moment conflict broke out, any group unwilling to cooperate with the Provincial Army was quickly put to death or imprisoned.The only problem with Emperor Go-Nara's plan was that it didn't change the fact he still lacked an heir. He could weaken the nation and reduce the authority of the merchants all he wanted, but, the moment he died, someone was bound to take advantage of the situation to seize power. The only question was whether or not it would be one of the families that had backed the Imperial Family for generations or one of the merchant families that had risen to power in the wake of their decline.In preparation for this inevitable conflict, Emperor Go-Nara had done something even his closest advisors couldn't help criticizing. He invested a tremendous amount of resources into empowering his daughters, Princesses Shihori, Shimako, and Utahime.Though a number of powerful women had appeared throughout the history of Nian, Emperor Go-Nara's actions all but assured that the resulting power struggle would be bloody. Even the weakest among them, Utahime, was currently sitting at Rank 9 Platinum Hero. As for the eldest, Shihori, she had managed to reach Rank 6 Mithril Lord at the relatively young age of 57. This was comparable to Senken, who, at the age of 61, had managed to ascend to Rank 7 of the same Realm.The traditions of Nian mandated that the suitors of Imperial Princesses be of a higher cultivation Rank. By helping his daughters reach the Realm of Mithril Lord, Emperor Go-Nara had effectively guaranteed that no one outside the Noble Clans would have the chance to pursue his daughters. To make matters exponentially worse, at least for those coveting the position of Emperor, he had given his daughters complete autonomy regarding the matter of their marriage. The only restriction was that the Second and Third Princesses would need to wait until Shihori had produced an heir before selecting suitors of their own.........Standing at 165cm, Princess Shihori was considered tall for a Nianese woman. This wasn't the trait that made her truly outstanding, however. Rather, it was her supple yet curvaceous figure, dazzling golden eyes, and reddish-brown hair that garnered her the attention of countless would-be suitors.Though tradition dictated she wear conservative clothing to conceal her face and figure from view, Princess Shihori elected to wear clothing more befitting of a warrior. Her favorite outfit consisted of a sleeveless white gown that was heavily adorned with accessories crafted from gold and obsidian-black jade. This included an enchanted golden pauldron, a matching bracer, and several talon-like accessories that made her right hand resemble a dragon's claw.Were it not for her ceremonial headwear and the cloak only members of the Imperial Family were allowed to wear, Princess Shihori could have been mistaken for a powerful female warrior visiting from across the seas. This was due to the fact that, long ago, the first peoples of Nian had migrated over from the relatively nearby Heavenly Kingdom. The Imperial Family had reestablished ties with a few of the more prodigious Clans several thousand years prior, so, while the appearances of most Nianese had changed drastically with the passage of time, the features of the Emperor, Shihori, and her sisters more closely resembled their Ancestors.Had Nobu been present, he would have described Shihori as half-Korean/half-European. She didn't really resemble the Chinese the Heavenly Kingdom was clearly inspired from. Her face wasn't nearly as flat, and, despite possessing distinctly Asian features, her skin was creamy and smooth. With the right clothes, she could have easily passed as a K-Pop Idol or an Actress in a Korean Drama. Instead, the talons on her right hand, combined with her largely expressionless face, gave off the impression of a ruthless, ice-cold beauty that wouldn't hesitate to gut you with her bare hands.Demonstrating how accurate this description was, Princess Shihori was currently in the process of beating down a bear-like Aura Beast using nothing but her Aura. The fact it was more than six times her size didn't intimidate her in the slightest. Rather, after receiving a number of painful blows from its comparably small opponent, the massive, four-armed bear was backpedaling as it attempted to intimidate her with a roar.Without so much as a single change within her expression, Princess Shihori's figure left behind a peculiar blue aura tinged with gold before manifesting near the four-armed bear's left flank. It did its best to try and sweep its paws at her, but, with a casual sidestep, Princess Shihori managed to evade the attack before tracing her right hand in a graceful, sweeping arc from her hip to her left shoulder.Emanating from the talons covering her index, middle, and ring fingers, three glistening blue blades of Aura cut into the Aura Beast's remarkably durable body. Unlike a traditional attack, however, the blades of energy did not immediately dissipate. Instead, the bluish Aura continued to bore into the wailing creature as if it had the properties of an extremely corrosive acid."Weak..."Speaking for the first time since the start of the battle, Princess Shihori's golden eyes glistened with an indiscernible glow as she deflected the inordinately large bear's frantic charge with a backhand to the snout. This sent its head smashing into the ground, but, due to its forward momentum, it was able to force Princess Shihori back in order to avoid a direct collision.Furrowing her brows ever so slightly, Princess Shihori stepped forward before the creature could recover. This time, however, she didn't attack using her Mithril Aura or claws. Instead, the visage of a majestic golden dragon manifested behind her as she swept her right hand forward in a thrusting motion. In response, the golden dragon opened its maw, a silent roar emanating from its throat as it charged forward to sink its teeth into the bear's neck. The unfortunate beast attempted to break free, but, due to the serpentine nature of the dragon's body, it was able to coil around the frantic creature like a snake that had captured its prey.Watching the final struggles of the massive creature, Princess Shihori's cold expression gradually softened until she telepathically commanded the dragon to finish it off. In response, a loud crunch could be heard echoing through the training space as the giant, four-armed bear broke down into a mass of blue and purple light. In its wake, a small totem resembling said bear could be seen on the ground, as, rather than an authentic Aura Beast, the creature was what people colloquially referred to as a Beast Spirit Token.Though they were quite a bit weaker than the beasts they were inspired from, Beast Spirit Tokens were extremely useful for training. The number of Aura Beasts inhabiting Nian had decreased with the passage of time so it was difficult to find any outside the various Spirit Lands managed by the Great Noble Clans. The Imperial Family had one of its own but it was primarily used to cultivate a number of rare and valuable herbs. Any formidable Aura Beasts were quickly disposed of, so if she wanted to train against powerful opponents, Princess Shihori's only options were sparring with her sisters or battling against Beast Spirit Tokens."At this rate, my strength is bound to stagnate..."Understanding better than most how precarious her situation was, Princess Shihori was desperate to increase her power. Unfortunately, her cultivation speed had decreased sharply the moment she ascended to Rank 5 Mithril Lord. Reaching Rank 6 had taken her several years more than she would have liked, and, despite her best efforts, it was highly likely that Rank 7 would be her absolute limit.Since fewer than 1% of Nianese cultivators managed to reach the Realm of Platinum Hero, it could be argued that Rank 7 Mithril Lord was remarkable. Even the current Emperor had stagnated at the pinnacle of Rank 9. In that regard, Princess Shihori was among the top one-hundred cultivators in the nation. Unfortunately, even if she was able to exceed her father and somehow enter the Realm of Adamantine, she would still fall short of the undisputed top 10.While some would consider her desire for even greater power nonsensical, Princess Shihori carried the burden of twenty-six thousand years of history on her shoulders. With eight of the top 10 being male, several of which were actively antagonistic towards the Imperial Family, Shihori was genuinely afraid that one of them would make a move the moment her father perished. She knew how much of a draw her cultivation base was, so, the moment she let her guard down, someone was bound to try and take advantage of her.Princess Shihori's goal, ever since she had learned of her father's plans, was to surpass the most powerful female warrior in Nianese history, Miyamoto Musashi. The latter, using a method no one had been able to ascertain, managed to reach the Realm of Orichalcum Emperor at the remarkably young age of 44. Now, at the age of 79, she was the third most powerful cultivator in all of Nian at the heaven-defying level of Rank 7 Orichalcum Emperor. The only cultivators even stronger than her were the Ancestor of the Orochi Sect and the Demon Lord of Onigashima, both situated at Rank 9.When you considered that the Ancestor of the Orochi Sect and the Demon Lord of Onigashima were both several thousand years old, it was easy to regard Musashi as a monster. She had even been given the designation of a humanoid natural disaster due to the power she possessed, yet, in spite of this, she was the role model for every female cultivator in Nian. Everyone aspired to be like her, yet, even with all the resources of the Imperial Family, Princess Shihori lagged far behind the legendary woman known as the Red Dragon of the East..."I must try harder..."......(A/N: I was feeling a little constipated so I decided to release a big old lore dump. Also, sorry about the lack of a chapter yesterday. I was moving all my furniture and stuff to my new apartment.)

Chapter 119: Surprise : Discovery