Vermilion Capital — Celestial Mourning Hall
The king was dead.
The great hall smelled of incense and despair. Nobles wept with practiced grace. Ministers whispered behind fans and sleeves. But Li Tianming—the Seventh Prince—sat still as stone on the far edge of the dais, his too-knowing eyes betraying nothing. No one suspected the boy's body housed a soul twice-lived; that the quiet prince remembered dying gasping under smog-choked skyscrapers in another world before awakening to this one's golden cruelty. The System's first words still echoed in his bones.
His bronze eyes scanned the room like a hawk watching carrion crows circle.
They think the throne is theirs for the taking. He smirked, silent.
They don't realize I'm already gathering the ashes.
⸻
[SYSTEM ONLINE: ETERNAL SUMMONING SYSTEM]
Host: Li Tianming — Sole Heir
Rank: Copper Tier
Kill Points: 0
Summoning Status: Conditional — Sacrifice Required (Blood, Treasure, or Lifespan)
"Welcome back, Your Majesty. Sorry for the wait. The afterlife's Wi-Fi is spotty."
Tianming raised an eyebrow.
"You had me waiting while the king croaked. Thanks for the punctuality."
"Cynical Strategist detected. Noted for future snark."
Ready for your first summon?
⸻
The Hidden Altar — Beneath the Palace
Tianming descended to the catacombs. The air was thick with dust and forgotten power.
In his hand:
• A vial of Phoenix blood, stolen before the old king's funeral.
• A cracked Nascent Soul Core, a relic from a battlefield long past.
He knelt before a cold stone altar.
"Take ten years of my life," he whispered. "If I'm going to save this dying kingdom, I'll bleed for it."
Sacrifice accepted: 10 lifespan years + Phoenix blood + Nascent Soul Core.
Kill Points spent: 0.
Summoning Copper Tier — Manual Override activated.
He smiled.
"Kisuke Urahara. Time to turn chaos into order."
⸻
Arrival of the Sandal-Wearing Genius
A gust of wind tore through the chamber. Crimson and green sigils flared along the walls.From a spiraling vortex stepped a man in a striped bucket hat, wooden sandals, and a green cloak.
He spun his cane lazily.
"Hmm, interesting décor. Damp, but manageable." He grinned.
Tianming said, "You don't look surprised."
"Time and space are just polite suggestions," Kisuke replied. "Now, who bled for me?"
Tianming smirked. "I did. Regrets?"
Kisuke chuckled. "On the contrary. Desperate clients make the best stories."
⸻
System Notification
Summon complete: Kisuke Urahara (Copper Tier).
Purpose: Formation Master, Kingdom Defense Architect.
Status: Permanent Resident.
Loyalty: Conditional — intellectual freedom required.
Synergy Unlocked: Spatial Wards + Cultivation Arrays.
Warning: Will not follow orders blindly. Convince with wit or shared interest.
⸻
The War Room:
Tianming spread out a tattered map of the Eastern Desolate Lands.
"Three enemy kingdoms circle us. Generals mutter retreat. Nobles spy and scheme. The capital hasn't seen a cultivator above Gold Core in decades."
Kisuke tapped his cane.
"Your main gate formation? Three centuries outdated? What a fixer-upper."
Tianming's grin returned.
"Build me a trap so deep the Black Tortoise Empire won't know what hit them."
Kisuke spun his cane.
"Consider it done, boy-king."