Eternal Cultivation Of Alchemy

“ALL HAIL THE SUN GOD!”

The chant continued on, unaware that Alex’s attention was no longer outside his own body at all. All of his senses were turned inward, staring at the newly added energy in his dantian.

It was nothing more than a new drop in a space that could hold an ocean, but that drop alone was proof of something far more important.

Alex had a way to regain the unique energy.

While that was surprising, it also scared him. What did it mean? Why had the change come so suddenly?

“Sun God!” the Patriarch called out in a loud voice that stopped all other chants. “Do you have any demands of us?”

Alex was brought out of his stupor and focused back on the situation outside. As he took in the Patriarch’s question, he looked around the place for a moment before shaking his head slightly.

“I have no demands to make for now,” he said. “Just continue doing what you’ve been doing.”

The Patriarch nodded. “You all heard it,” he said. “Return to your stations. Leave the Sun God be.”

The thousands of beasts hesitated at first, but as it was a command from the Sun God, they obeyed immediately and returned to their homes and palaces. The guards returned to their work as well, leaving behind a small group in the gardens.

Alex turned toward Yueming and Wanzhen as well. “You two should leave as well.”

“As you say, Sun God,” the two beasts said and quickly vanished, leaving behind just Bai Jingshen’s guests at the farewell celebration.

At that point, Alex wasn’t sure if he wanted to stay there anymore. He looked toward Pearl and Bai Jingshen. “Enjoy the celebration. I will return for now.”

“You’re leaving?” the Patriarch asked.

“It’s better if I do. My presence won’t let them enjoy their time here anyway,” he said.

“Fulin!” the Patriarch quickly called for the female White Tiger. “Have the best guest room prepared for the Sun God. He wishes to rest.”

“Right away!” Bai Fulin said, bowing toward both the Patriarch and Alex.

“No,” Alex quickly stopped either of them from doing something he didn’t want them to. “I’ll just return to Pearl’s place. I don’t need a new place, not when I’m going to leave in just two more days.”

Bai Fulin paused, looking toward the Patriarch. Only after the Patriarch nodded did she understand that the command was to be taken back.

Alex couldn’t help but find that a little funny. While she believed him to be the Sun God, she still looked to the Patriarch for commands.

“May I accompany you back to your quarters then?” the Patriarch asked.

Alex had no reason to refuse, so he and the Patriarch left the gardens, walking back out of the west gate.

Whether because the Patriarch had done something, or because everyone had legitimately left the area, Alex found almost nobody along the way back to the palace.

There were a few guards posted all around, but those beasts didn’t dare move away from their spots or even look in Alex’s direction.

“If I may be so bold as to speak the truth, I did not believe you were the Sun God before today,” the Patriarch said, speaking to Alex through their senses.

“Really?” Alex asked with a surprised look. “Even after what happened in our first meeting?”

The Sun God himself had been involved in that event, so Alex found it hard to believe that the Patriarch hadn’t thought of him as the Sun God before today.

“No, I did believe you had the potential. There is no doubt there, but you have to see that you didn’t carry the same aura as the Moon Goddess did. It made it hard to believe that you had successfully become one.”

“I see,” Alex said. “And you believe me now.”

The Patriarch laughed out loud. “I would be stupid to doubt you after that.”

Alex nodded slowly, walking along.

“If you don’t mind me asking, however, why did you refuse to prove to them that you were the Sun God? You had to do it in the end anyway. Did you just not want to do something the others told you to?”

Alex walked along in silence for a while, not knowing how he should answer the Patriarch. Given everything the White Tiger had done for him, he felt that he needed to at least explain himself.

“When I took in the inheritance left behind by the Sun God, something went wrong, forcing me to use most of the power I gained from there. I was then left with just a small portion of it, which I didn’t want to use unless necessary,” Alex said. “I’m still far too weak to truly be a god, which was why I had hoped to continue anonymously for a while. But it seems that possibility has gone out the window now.”

“That’s…” the Patriarch hesitated. “Unless I force everyone here to swear an oath, the truth is going to spread throughout this world in a matter of days, I believe. Everyone will know about you soon enough.”

Alex shrugged. “I can’t help it, I suppose. What’s done is done.”

They walked out of the west gate, making their way toward the outer palace.

“I’m sorry you were forced to make use of your reserve of power,” the Patriarch said. “I hadn’t realized my little brother would have created such a situation out there.”

Alex nodded. “You should quickly stop the division in the family,” he said. “Don’t let this rift go on for much longer.”

“I’ll do my best. I have a few ideas,” the Patriarch said.

Alex thought for a moment. “Have you heard about what I’ve done for the Black Tortoises?” he asked.

The Patriarch was confused. “What have you done for them?”

Alex quickly explained everything regarding the bloodline improvements that were happening in the other three families.

“That’s… possible?” the Patriarch asked.

“Bai Jingshen knows the method. Once he’s done helping everyone in his immediate family, he should move on to everyone else,” Alex said. “Use that to solidify yourself as the Patriarch so no one may dare take it away from you again.”