The Queen

'To make any breakthrough, I will need to find pure energy. although I can break through using other people's lives that's too risky. I don't want to pointless kill and get unneeded karma.' Sora sighed softly while sitting down and scrolling through information on the Iron rank dungeon.

the dungeon was called the Valoino Dungeon. it was an island, and in the middle of the island was a Valcano which birthed countless monsters. form the information Sora could find online, there is a total of 50 million monsters, most of the monsters were at the first stage of the cultivation system, and only 5 million monsters were at the second stage of the cultivation system.

the dungeon boss was the volcano, and to defeat it, one needed to defeat the volcano, which was at the 3rd stage of the cultivation system. it had a powerful area of effect damage, capable of covering the whole island. once it senses them, it would shoot the island into the sky, which will cover the whole island in ash, making it dangours to even breathe in.

the strategy for clearing the dungeon was simple, everyone who enter must wear items that hide their aura, this would allow them to clear as many monsters as they could before the Valoino senses them.

second, water or ice-type cultivators are needed, they would do the most damage to the lifeforms within the dungeon. attacks like cutting the monsters within the dungeon are pointless, as the monsters could put themselves back together, split apart, and become new monsters.

3rd, a wind-type cultivator is also effective as it can clear the air and make it clean for everyone to breathe. it is also important to note that when Water and Wind type cultivators work together, they could form ice

4th, the volcano can't move. its most weak spot its the spot. freezing it or blocking it is like covering someone's mouth, they would be unable to breathe or speak. note that the top of the volcano is about 50 feet wide, and can burn to as hot as 100,000 ° F.

Creating something to withstand that heat and big enough to block the top is highly recommended.

5th, Heat Blocking lotion is also recommended. although pointless against some monsters, it would avoid many deaths and injuries.

the list went on until the 10th, the volcano was at level 1 silver rank, and level 1 core formations realm. it cultivated two systems, which made it far stronger than the normal cultivator who would cultivate just one system.

Sora was not foolish enough to enter the dungeon alone. he thought about it, but he was not foolish enough to do so. 2 things made it so he couldn't enter. one was the number of monsters, with so many monsters coming at him, at some point he would get tried, he didn't know if he could absorb lava monsters' life, so it was best not to risk it.

second, he wasn't sure if his attack were strong enough to affect the volcano. he was strong, but there were different types of attacks against which one could lash out. area effect damage, and forced attack.

area effect damage does less damage compared to forced attack, but they cause more destruction. Focus attacks do more damage, but at the cost, their range is limited heavily.

Sora didn't have any technique, he didn't dare to even try and make technique due to his deathly Qi. if he tried, he was sure to catch many eyes. so for now, he was more like a focused attack, without all of that overpowered damage.

Sora of course knew that Death Qi had a both focused attack and an area of effect. although he never tried it, he could guess if he spread his Qi out, many lives would be taken, but those should be the weaker people. if he focuses his Qi on one point, then even the stronger people would die.

Most likely, His Death Qi might be able to bypass most types of durability, but what would be the limit of that? How would death Qi react when it comes into contact with another person QI? these were all questions Sora didn't know just yet.

Sora also had a few techniques he wanted to try but didn't have the chance to try, techniques such as Shadow Puppet and the Undead. these two abilities were something he wanted to try badly, but they seemed demonic. how could he the prince be seen using a demonic ability? he would be seeking death,

"Prince, the king is currently on his way. it's expected that he would be here in 2 minutes. Your siblings are also coming over." Teacher Mo said respectfully, making Sora freeze on the spot. he didn't care about his siblings, what mattered was the king.

'...' Sora frowned deeply, he wanted to find a way to dodge this incoming danger, but there was nothing he could think of. after some thought, he sighed helplessly. at most, his father would beat him stupidly,

his relationship with his father was unique... unlike his other siblings, his father didn't bother to hide the fact he hated him. Sora guessed it had something to do with his mother or the fact he was a cripple. even so, his father never once treated him with much love. He went as far as beating him when Sora did something which greatly displeased him, or throwing Sora in his room.

He didn't care that Sora only slept around all the time, at least he was spreading the bloodline... although Sora did a trash jump, as to this, no one has become pregnant. another reason to dislike Sora,

"well... I'm fucked." Sora said softly, he had nothing he could do to avoid this, he could jump into his room and begin cultivating, but he wasn't sure if his father would care about such a thing and forcefully snap him out of it. Sora could only sigh and head outside to greet the king.

soon, a golden vehicle could be seen shooting through the air, leaving a golden trail behind it. the vehicle landed on the floating castle, and slowly the driver came out and went on to open the door for the king.

slowly, the king stepped out, and his eyes instantly landed on Sora. His eyes glowed slightly as he used a technique to scene Sora, and quickly got Sora information about Sora. his eyes narrowed slightly seeing that Sora was indeed a cultivator, but unlike the report, he was gotten, Sora was not at level 8 within any of the Stage 2 cultivation systems.

instead, Sora was at level 5 within all of them. something which shocked him greatly, the energy level Sora gave off reached a shocking 390, and with all 3 systems together, that would allow Sora to be able to fight those at the 3rd stage of cultivation.

there were of course ways to measure people's strength, and by reading the aura and energy a person gives off, a person could labor them with a number that speaks of their combat level.

for the first stage of cultivation, such as Qi refinement, Copper rank, and Soul refinement, the power measurement is 10 to 40.

lvl 1- 10

lvl 2- 12

lvl 3- 14

lvl 4- 16

lvl 5- 19

lvl 6- 21

lvl 7- 25

lvl 8- 30

lvl 9- 34

lvl 10- 40

the second stage of cultivation, such as Energy condensation, Iron Rank, and Soul condensation, the power measurement is 60 to 350

lvl 1- 60

lvl 2- 75

lvl 3- 90

lvl 4- 110

lvl 5- 135

lvl 6- 150

lvl 7- 200

lvl 8- 240

lvl 9- 280

lvl 10- 350

the 3rd cultivation stage, such as Core formation, Silver rank, and Nascent Soul Stage. the measurement is 500 to 3,750

lvl 1- 500

lvl 2- 650

lvl 3- 800

lvl 4- 1,050

lvl 5- 1,250

lvl 6- 1,550

lvl 7- 2,000

lvl 8- 2,400

lvl 9- 2,900

lvl 10- 3,750

of course, these measurements were taken using the everyday person. not everyone was the same, some strengths could fall under, while others were above these measurements. just look at Sora, he was more than twice as strong as those of the same level, and thats looking at one cultivation system.

with all of them working together, he believed that Sora could show power at around 900. of the 3 systems keeping their balance, this would be the outcome, but Sora would need to handle using all of them at once. if the power is too much, the more burden he shall suffer, and the more energy he shall waste.

As king, he had ears and eyes everywhere. so he knew everything that took place ever since Sora arrived. so he knew the steps leading to Sora cultivation,

"... you shouldn't be cultivating." He said coldly, making Sora feel slightly uneasy. for a moment, he felt like his father might just cripple him. and by the look of the hesitating look in his father's eyes, that seems to be the very thought going through his head.

Sora couldn't say anything, he simply waited for his father to speak. but his father never said a thing, he simply turned and returned to his vehicle, and after some time, it flew off. Sora was left confused before he looked at the guards and servants around him who were on their knees

"Yalan... do you know what that was all about?" Sora asked softly, making Yalan sigh softly as she slowly got up. she looked deeply at the king before backing at Sora.

"I'm guessing the rumors might be true... let's go inside." She said softly, confusing Sora slightly. what rumors? following her back inside, they were to Sora's office, and Yalan went to tell Sora what she guessed.

"Some say that your mother suddenly went crazy before crippling you. that mark on your stomach... I believe it was left behind by your mother." She said making Sora lift his shirt to see his stomach, where a birthmark was at.

"On the day of your birth, storms, and clouds filled the sky. I still remember your mother's mad laughs. I don't know what happened, but it's said that she and a few other experts within the kingdom fought, and in the end, she died at the hands of the emperor. although I never saw her body." Yalan said softly, Sora already knew how his mother died, the birthmark thing was heard but he took it as another rumor.

"I don't believe it... your mother was so kind and gentle. she saved me when I lost everything, took me in, and gave me a chance to change my fate. she wouldn't do something like that." Yalan said softly, to which Sora had nothing to say.

"you know, your mother was the queen. the king saved her one day, she had lost her memories and he took her in. they soon fell in love and married. I guess the rumors hold some weight, with how much the king loved the queen, it might explain why he always treats you harshly." Yalan said making Sora eye brow tighten. his father was lashing out at him because he fought with his mother 18 years ago? there must be more to the story.

why would his father want to cripple him? why did his mother cripple him? or was it his father who crippled him back then, but pointed the blame at his mother?

'system, what happened with my father to hate me so much?' Sora asked the system,

{host, that knowledge would cost 1,000 years worth of your lifespan.} the system said, to which Sora nodded, Sora suddenly felt his lifespan drop, and just as he blinked, he found himself standing in a room, looking at a woman holding a child with tears running down her face. next to her was the king,

"Wife, what's the matter?" the king asked softly seeing as the tears were not normal, they have tried for years to have a child, but at least she gave birth.

"you're a fool..." the king's wife said as her tears slowly stopped. she rubbed the face of the child for a moment before she poked the child's stomach, the child suddenly let out a pained cry, making her flinch slightly.

"what are you doing?" the king was horrified at the sight, he wanted to take the child away but found that he couldn't move even by an inch.

"why? I had lost my memories... now I have to do something like this." She said before she slowly began laughing, she put the baby to the side after knocking it out. before she slowly floated up into the sky, while she held her head

"you see what you made me do? You forced me to cripple my own son, why couldn't you just leave me there. I don't even know what to do..." She said her body shaking from the conflicting emotions and the two sets of memories.

her aura exploded out, destroying the whole room, yet it didn't harm the child or the king. she shot into the sky while her mad laugh filled the kingdom, causing many experts to come out, only for them to easily be defeated with her not even bothering to look at them.

She looked at the sky for some time, before looking down, her eyes landing on the child before looking at the king. the king could only look at her, never in his life did he think the poor helpless woman helped that day was so powerful.

Looking into her eyes, those were not the same eyes she once looked at him with. the eyes once filled with love, warmth, and care were now filled with other things, hatred, disgust, confusion, and fear. so many emotions filled into one look,

"you should have left me alone... he is not to cultivate or else they would find him, and this whole planet would be in danger." the king read her lips before she disappeared, leaving him frozen on the spot for some time, only snapping out of it when a few soldiers rushed over.

the king slowly turned to look at the child, complex emotions filling his eyes, but through it all, it was the regret of having a child. if he never did, then she would not have to leave...

'fuck him. he hates me because I was born?' Sora found himself sitting back on the chair, and after looking around, he couldn't help but curse within his mind.

{yes, host. the one person he ever truly loved was your mother, but seeing the regret of ever meeting him, fear, and many others. it was a deep blow, making him reject you. if not for the fear of your mother one day returning, he would have killed you, so he could move on.} the system answered

'why did he not cripple me then?' Sora asked with a frown,

{he couldn't bring himself to do it, even after knowing that you cultivating might mean great danger, deep down he still wishes to see your mother. So, if that means you cultivating, he is willing to face all dangers that come with it.} the system said stunning Sora slightly

'what about my mother, why did she cripple me?' Sora asked with a deep frown

{one billion years worth of lifespan is needed. the host doesn't have enough,} the system said making Sora stunning by such a huge amount of lifespan needed

'does the lifespan need equal strength of the matter or cultivation?' Sora asked with a deep frown, the system was quiet for a moment before answering

'there are many things that go into it, host. normally the question about your father should have been more, but the prince has lowered thanks to the karma you had with it, and because you were there when it all went down. adding that someone like your mother was there, the price would have been at least 100,000.' the system said stunning Sora for some time, but he nodded in understanding

"Price?" Yalan called out in confusion seeing Sora within his world, Sora snapped back to reality upon hearing for voice. sighing softly, Sora got up, his siblings should be here at any moment. they would be a pain in the ass, he, of course, could just right their name down in the death book, but he didn't know all of their true names. out of his siblings, they usually went by nice names, such as the first prince, crown prince, or something like that.

he never bothered to look for their true name, and he was never close enough for them to tell it to him. but he didn't want to kill them, Sora would admit he wasn't the smartest person alive, his siblings were trained from birth to be scheming and clever. He would rather have them support him than kill them, they were like resources, why kill them off when you can use them?