Chapter 865
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Chapter 865
Every morsel of cultivation advice from the Lower Realms Alliance was like a gemstone of great value. Precisely because of this, tons of false information was floating about, or at least information that didnt originate with them. Aputsiaq was aware of this, but he had a pretty good way to discern truth from falsity. It wasnt that he had a great insight or some deep understanding of cultivation. It was simple, and related to his job in some ways.
Contrary to popular expectations, the cultivation advice from the Lower Realms Alliance didnt cost anything. Well, that wasnt quite true. It didnt cost any money however. Instead, it was predicated on upholding their current agreements. Which meant everything that had been learned so far, just a short time into their meeting? It was all childs play. Trivial stuff.
To them, at least. To the financial officer of the city of Taron, there was one piece of information that stuck with him, a major change for him personally. It was that one could cultivate whatever they were passionate about.
For the most part, he had cultivated for the sake of health, longevity, and intellect. It was simply practical to do so. At some point, safety became involved, especially as he was assigned to his recent position. People might want to kill him. But cultivating for its own sake was something else.
As an Essence Collection cultivator, he had of course understood something about what an Essence was, but hed mistakenly believed it was relegated to the field of cultivation. Something like elements or focus on cultivation methods. Or perhaps concepts, once again related to martial strength. He wasnt the only one who had made such a mistake. It was a common conception.
But now, he had changed his understanding and it was freeing. Perhaps to others the concept of city finances flowing smoothly and efficiently was a tertiary concern at best- obviously not true of those who were embezzling from the system- but to him, it was important. He had grown up in this city, and benefited from the citys public services. Basic cultivation training was part of it, and once or twice hed had family members in and out of various healthcare facilities. People so easily forgot there were a few of those, once. But despite funding going up, several had shut down.
Now that he understood why, his energy flowed more freely through him. The system wasnt fixed, not by a long shot. Perhaps it was something he would struggle with for the rest of his life. But simply knowing about a specific flaw was freeing, and it made him feel like something more. He could hardly imagine what it felt like to have a greater version of that same feeling, but such insights could lead to Life Transformation, or even beyond.
Ascension was well known- as were the dangers. The upper realms were mysterious, strange. Dangerous. A few generations prior, cultivators from Lotren would have been ecstatic to ascend. But upon learning more about the state of the upper realms, that feeling had faded until only a very few were interested. Often those of villainous mindsets who wanted more power, and didnt care where they got it from.The initial posting of this chapter occurred via Ñøv€l-B!n.
Aputsiaq had to admit that he was still confused on the topic. Apparently, there was a sensible faction newly established in the upper realms that was not associated with invading lower realms systems, but instead was working in tandem with them- with the Lower Realms Alliance, in particular. He still had no intention to ascend, but there was an alternative that was even more tempting. One where he focused on continuing cultivation in the lower realms.
Though of course, Assimilation was a long way off for him, who hadnt even reached Life Transformation. It was less than a twinkle in his eye. But having seen it in the visitors- just their presence, not even active demonstrations of power- he knew that was where he wanted his path to lead.
-----
Aputsiaq found himself in the court of an old hag. Judge Nicosia- her given name was never to be used in the courtroom. They had previously butted heads more than a few times. Aputsiaq was a little bit more enthusiastic about things than she was, and she was strict with the law. But, despite all of that, he wasnt upset to have ended up before her. They might not always see eye to eye, but she was incorruptible. She didnt give a damn about money or cultivation resources, and more than a few idiots had gotten themselves ruined by trying to bribe her.
Is that the end of your arguments, appellant Halloran? the old hag asked.
Yes, your honor, Halloran smiled like a snake. I am sure you will agree that such unfair implementations of prosecutory loopholes and unreasonable fines will only stifle the city.
Aputsiaq had already finished his closing arguments. At this point, he was quite confident in his victory. He only wondered at what cost. The law was clearly on his side, but the old hag could neuter his punishments.
Very well, Judge Nicosia said. I have considered the arguments raised on appeal, and am ready to make my judgment. First, as already settled, Chief Financial Overseer Aputsiaq does indeed have the authority to investigate the matter at hand and to assign punishments as appropriate to the conduct involved. Halloran grimaced. I must admit that your arguments about the benefits you have provided to the city were quite intriguing. It was Aputsiaqs turn to look worried. There might be a stiff reduction in penalties coming, enough that he would have only made powerful enemies- while they still profited off of corruption. One would have thought that you would have argued that you did not commit any crimes, though perhaps you understood it was a worthless endeavor to begin with.
Nothing, the Sergeant signed unconvincingly. Nothing illegal, she clarified. Or unethical.
That didnt actually answer my question, Anishka reminded her.
I bit someone. Twice.
Just explain, please?
It was the guy who had the biggest bad number, the Sergeant said. He was trying to run away even though that one lady said he probably wouldnt run. But he did run. And then I made sure he couldnt run.
Okay, I kind of understand, Anishka said. And that fits with what I heard. But did anyone see you?
How could they? Im so tiny.
You dont think people will find a severed spinal cord and a punctured dantian suspicious? Anishka asked.
They dont know about void ants.
But they might if you keep doing things!
I have full confidence that the risks I took were worthwhile.
Alright. Fine, Anishka said. Its your people. Though don't forget that the rest of the Lower Realms Alliance will also have to deal with the consequences of an unplanned revelation of your existence.
Dont worry. Its not like others will be acting similarly. Im an exception. Thus, these are simply mysterious circumstances.
I really dont expect anyone to believe that, Anishka said. Theyre not stupid.
Ah, but you forget. Its a lot more convenient for them if its unexplainable. Problems resolved, no loose ends humans like that kind of thing.
I hate that you might be right, Anishka said. But I still disagree that it was a good idea.
Wait until you see them dumping piles of money onto the patients in that clinic. Or whatever you humans do to treat people with money.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
Chapter 865
Every morsel of cultivation advice from the Lower Realms Alliance was like a gemstone of great value. Precisely because of this, tons of false information was floating about, or at least information that didnt originate with them. Aputsiaq was aware of this, but he had a pretty good way to discern truth from falsity. It wasnt that he had a great insight or some deep understanding of cultivation. It was simple, and related to his job in some ways.
Contrary to popular expectations, the cultivation advice from the Lower Realms Alliance didnt cost anything. Well, that wasnt quite true. It didnt cost any money however. Instead, it was predicated on upholding their current agreements. Which meant everything that had been learned so far, just a short time into their meeting? It was all childs play. Trivial stuff.
To them, at least. To the financial officer of the city of Taron, there was one piece of information that stuck with him, a major change for him personally. It was that one could cultivate whatever they were passionate about.
For the most part, he had cultivated for the sake of health, longevity, and intellect. It was simply practical to do so. At some point, safety became involved, especially as he was assigned to his recent position. People might want to kill him. But cultivating for its own sake was something else.
As an Essence Collection cultivator, he had of course understood something about what an Essence was, but hed mistakenly believed it was relegated to the field of cultivation. Something like elements or focus on cultivation methods. Or perhaps concepts, once again related to martial strength. He wasnt the only one who had made such a mistake. It was a common conception.
But now, he had changed his understanding and it was freeing. Perhaps to others the concept of city finances flowing smoothly and efficiently was a tertiary concern at best- obviously not true of those who were embezzling from the system- but to him, it was important. He had grown up in this city, and benefited from the citys public services. Basic cultivation training was part of it, and once or twice hed had family members in and out of various healthcare facilities. People so easily forgot there were a few of those, once. But despite funding going up, several had shut down.
Now that he understood why, his energy flowed more freely through him. The system wasnt fixed, not by a long shot. Perhaps it was something he would struggle with for the rest of his life. But simply knowing about a specific flaw was freeing, and it made him feel like something more. He could hardly imagine what it felt like to have a greater version of that same feeling, but such insights could lead to Life Transformation, or even beyond.
Ascension was well known- as were the dangers. The upper realms were mysterious, strange. Dangerous. A few generations prior, cultivators from Lotren would have been ecstatic to ascend. But upon learning more about the state of the upper realms, that feeling had faded until only a very few were interested. Often those of villainous mindsets who wanted more power, and didnt care where they got it from.The initial posting of this chapter occurred via Ñøv€l-B!n.
Aputsiaq had to admit that he was still confused on the topic. Apparently, there was a sensible faction newly established in the upper realms that was not associated with invading lower realms systems, but instead was working in tandem with them- with the Lower Realms Alliance, in particular. He still had no intention to ascend, but there was an alternative that was even more tempting. One where he focused on continuing cultivation in the lower realms.
Though of course, Assimilation was a long way off for him, who hadnt even reached Life Transformation. It was less than a twinkle in his eye. But having seen it in the visitors- just their presence, not even active demonstrations of power- he knew that was where he wanted his path to lead.
-----
Aputsiaq found himself in the court of an old hag. Judge Nicosia- her given name was never to be used in the courtroom. They had previously butted heads more than a few times. Aputsiaq was a little bit more enthusiastic about things than she was, and she was strict with the law. But, despite all of that, he wasnt upset to have ended up before her. They might not always see eye to eye, but she was incorruptible. She didnt give a damn about money or cultivation resources, and more than a few idiots had gotten themselves ruined by trying to bribe her.
Is that the end of your arguments, appellant Halloran? the old hag asked.
Yes, your honor, Halloran smiled like a snake. I am sure you will agree that such unfair implementations of prosecutory loopholes and unreasonable fines will only stifle the city.
Aputsiaq had already finished his closing arguments. At this point, he was quite confident in his victory. He only wondered at what cost. The law was clearly on his side, but the old hag could neuter his punishments.
Very well, Judge Nicosia said. I have considered the arguments raised on appeal, and am ready to make my judgment. First, as already settled, Chief Financial Overseer Aputsiaq does indeed have the authority to investigate the matter at hand and to assign punishments as appropriate to the conduct involved. Halloran grimaced. I must admit that your arguments about the benefits you have provided to the city were quite intriguing. It was Aputsiaqs turn to look worried. There might be a stiff reduction in penalties coming, enough that he would have only made powerful enemies- while they still profited off of corruption. One would have thought that you would have argued that you did not commit any crimes, though perhaps you understood it was a worthless endeavor to begin with.
Nothing, the Sergeant signed unconvincingly. Nothing illegal, she clarified. Or unethical.
That didnt actually answer my question, Anishka reminded her.
I bit someone. Twice.
Just explain, please?
It was the guy who had the biggest bad number, the Sergeant said. He was trying to run away even though that one lady said he probably wouldnt run. But he did run. And then I made sure he couldnt run.
Okay, I kind of understand, Anishka said. And that fits with what I heard. But did anyone see you?
How could they? Im so tiny.
You dont think people will find a severed spinal cord and a punctured dantian suspicious? Anishka asked.
They dont know about void ants.
But they might if you keep doing things!
I have full confidence that the risks I took were worthwhile.
Alright. Fine, Anishka said. Its your people. Though don't forget that the rest of the Lower Realms Alliance will also have to deal with the consequences of an unplanned revelation of your existence.
Dont worry. Its not like others will be acting similarly. Im an exception. Thus, these are simply mysterious circumstances.
I really dont expect anyone to believe that, Anishka said. Theyre not stupid.
Ah, but you forget. Its a lot more convenient for them if its unexplainable. Problems resolved, no loose ends humans like that kind of thing.
I hate that you might be right, Anishka said. But I still disagree that it was a good idea.
Wait until you see them dumping piles of money onto the patients in that clinic. Or whatever you humans do to treat people with money.
Chapter 865Every morsel of cultivation advice from the Lower Realms Alliance was like a gemstone of great value. Precisely because of this, tons of false information was floating about, or at least information that didnt originate with them. Aputsiaq was aware of this, but he had a pretty good way to discern truth from falsity. It wasnt that he had a great insight or some deep understanding of cultivation. It was simple, and related to his job in some ways.Contrary to popular expectations, the cultivation advice from the Lower Realms Alliance didnt cost anything. Well, that wasnt quite true. It didnt cost any money however. Instead, it was predicated on upholding their current agreements. Which meant everything that had been learned so far, just a short time into their meeting? It was all childs play. Trivial stuff.To them, at least. To the financial officer of the city of Taron, there was one piece of information that stuck with him, a major change for him personally. It was that one could cultivate whatever they were passionate about.For the most part, he had cultivated for the sake of health, longevity, and intellect. It was simply practical to do so. At some point, safety became involved, especially as he was assigned to his recent position. People might want to kill him. But cultivating for its own sake was something else. As an Essence Collection cultivator, he had of course understood something about what an Essence was, but hed mistakenly believed it was relegated to the field of cultivation. Something like elements or focus on cultivation methods. Or perhaps concepts, once again related to martial strength. He wasnt the only one who had made such a mistake. It was a common conception.But now, he had changed his understanding and it was freeing. Perhaps to others the concept of city finances flowing smoothly and efficiently was a tertiary concern at best- obviously not true of those who were embezzling from the system- but to him, it was important. He had grown up in this city, and benefited from the citys public services. Basic cultivation training was part of it, and once or twice hed had family members in and out of various healthcare facilities. People so easily forgot there were a few of those, once. But despite funding going up, several had shut down.Now that he understood why, his energy flowed more freely through him. The system wasnt fixed, not by a long shot. Perhaps it was something he would struggle with for the rest of his life. But simply knowing about a specific flaw was freeing, and it made him feel like something more. He could hardly imagine what it felt like to have a greater version of that same feeling, but such insights could lead to Life Transformation, or even beyond.Ascension was well known- as were the dangers. The upper realms were mysterious, strange. Dangerous. A few generations prior, cultivators from Lotren would have been ecstatic to ascend. But upon learning more about the state of the upper realms, that feeling had faded until only a very few were interested. Often those of villainous mindsets who wanted more power, and didnt care where they got it from.The initial posting of this chapter occurred via Nvl-B!n.Aputsiaq had to admit that he was still confused on the topic. Apparently, there was a sensible faction newly established in the upper realms that was not associated with invading lower realms systems, but instead was working in tandem with them- with the Lower Realms Alliance, in particular. He still had no intention to ascend, but there was an alternative that was even more tempting. One where he focused on continuing cultivation in the lower realms.Though of course, Assimilation was a long way off for him, who hadnt even reached Life Transformation. It was less than a twinkle in his eye. But having seen it in the visitors- just their presence, not even active demonstrations of power- he knew that was where he wanted his path to lead.-----Aputsiaq found himself in the court of an old hag. Judge Nicosia- her given name was never to be used in the courtroom. They had previously butted heads more than a few times. Aputsiaq was a little bit more enthusiastic about things than she was, and she was strict with the law. But, despite all of that, he wasnt upset to have ended up before her. They might not always see eye to eye, but she was incorruptible. She didnt give a damn about money or cultivation resources, and more than a few idiots had gotten themselves ruined by trying to bribe her.Is that the end of your arguments, appellant Halloran? the old hag asked. Yes, your honor, Halloran smiled like a snake. I am sure you will agree that such unfair implementations of prosecutory loopholes and unreasonable fines will only stifle the city.Aputsiaq had already finished his closing arguments. At this point, he was quite confident in his victory. He only wondered at what cost. The law was clearly on his side, but the old hag could neuter his punishments. Very well, Judge Nicosia said. I have considered the arguments raised on appeal, and am ready to make my judgment. First, as already settled, Chief Financial Overseer Aputsiaq does indeed have the authority to investigate the matter at hand and to assign punishments as appropriate to the conduct involved. Halloran grimaced. I must admit that your arguments about the benefits you have provided to the city were quite intriguing. It was Aputsiaqs turn to look worried. There might be a stiff reduction in penalties coming, enough that he would have only made powerful enemies- while they still profited off of corruption. One would have thought that you would have argued that you did not commit any crimes, though perhaps you understood it was a worthless endeavor to begin with.Nothing, the Sergeant signed unconvincingly. Nothing illegal, she clarified. Or unethical.That didnt actually answer my question, Anishka reminded her.I bit someone. Twice.Just explain, please?It was the guy who had the biggest bad number, the Sergeant said. He was trying to run away even though that one lady said he probably wouldnt run. But he did run. And then I made sure he couldnt run.Okay, I kind of understand, Anishka said. And that fits with what I heard. But did anyone see you?How could they? Im so tiny.You dont think people will find a severed spinal cord and a punctured dantian suspicious? Anishka asked.They dont know about void ants.But they might if you keep doing things!I have full confidence that the risks I took were worthwhile.Alright. Fine, Anishka said. Its your people. Though don't forget that the rest of the Lower Realms Alliance will also have to deal with the consequences of an unplanned revelation of your existence.Dont worry. Its not like others will be acting similarly. Im an exception. Thus, these are simply mysterious circumstances.I really dont expect anyone to believe that, Anishka said. Theyre not stupid.Ah, but you forget. Its a lot more convenient for them if its unexplainable. Problems resolved, no loose ends humans like that kind of thing.I hate that you might be right, Anishka said. But I still disagree that it was a good idea.Wait until you see them dumping piles of money onto the patients in that clinic. Or whatever you humans do to treat people with money.
