Advanced Cultivation Civilization

       ACC Chapter 33 The Bill

Lily(POV)

The world had started to go through one of its changes. We had already been on the cusp of entering a new era, one of interstellar travel, yet an upset had happened. We would still enter that era, but a wrinkle had appeared. Though whether it would simply remain a wrinkle was to be seen in the future.

A sigh escaped my lips with my gaze outside the window of the shuttle, looking at the sprawling megapolis below, whose boundary was demarcated by tall trees which stretched far into the distance. Cities could now house millions of people, even billions, making it so that our population was still too small to take over the entire planet, leaving large pieces of land unclaimed by humans.

The Demon Empire took over this land even though its numbers were even lesser than those of humans. Yet any attempt at reclaiming it was riddled with battles against hordes of beasts. Though lesser in strength and intelligence, they could be commanded by those with higher intelligence into truly deadly armies. That was before the advent of array technology. Now days, no human would even be needed to tussle with those lesser beasts. Instead, cannons of attuned spiritual energy were all that was needed to get rid of such weak trash.

Those musings were put to the side as my thoughts once again gravitated to the matter at hand.

Livia had just bared her fangs. And what was surprising, though mildly, was the fact that those in her cross hairs were the sects and clans. Going against such powerful organisations required strength.

As far as I could conjecture, there was absolutely no way she would win in a straight up confrontation. So, what was her next course of action? That question brought me to the upcoming summit. Was she going to enlist the help of tycoons?

Since the clans too, were getting in the way of her fire, my clan too, had become swept up. Why?

Because she had just proposed a bill to the Senate that would allow the Federation, the rights to every single piece of land across multiple planets. That would mean that she was thoroughly preparing herself for the upcoming interstellar age, where she was going to stop sects, clans and legitimate businesses from staking claim to entire planets. It was a good move, except for the sour taste in my mouth due to the fact that this was one of the steps she was taking to dismantle the clans and sects.

The shuttle dropped me off on a nearby hill from the megapolis. The dropoff point was a narrow dirt path that led to a gate seemingly woven from straw. A few people, the elders in the clan, were already awaiting me. Their appearances ranged from youth barely beyond the teenage years, to middle aged.

I took in a breath of clean air, filled with pure spirit energy almost absent of any attunement. For those below Core Formation, attuned spiritual energy at normal levels was okay, but for those of us above, it was mildly unbearable since our systems and cores treated such as polluted.

Racing up the hill would have appeared undignified... Plus, there was a joy in walking that I had missed for so long. So I took in the sights, like the natural beauty of Lake Toba.

My native state, Indonesia was a really beautiful place. Though my work was exciting, there were still times I missed this place. But relaxation wasn't something a cultivator could indulge themselves in for a period of time. Maybe if I ascended to the Nascent Soul stage would I have additional free time. Of course that was lying to myself. I had thought the same thing within the Foundation Establishment stage.

"Bakunggggggg!!!"

I should have known that she would be here. With sheer will, I resisted the urge to facepalm.

A cloud of dust was stirred up as she refused to take flight, racing down on those two legs of hers clad in jeans. The mountains within her tank top still attracted my ire with their bouncing.

With an abrupt stop, the dust that followed blinded me as I elected a ward to prevent myself from being covered.

"Haven't I been clear enough? I am now Lily."

"Hehehehehehe... What? Why do you reject the traditional?"

"Am not rejecting anything, Mawar. Besides, I am here on limited time. I will have to return soon." I explained while resuming my trek, with Mawar stepping in beside me.

"I watched the news. Your boss is now super rich. How lucky! He's handsome, rich and most of all, strong! Can I have him?!"

"He's mine!"

I paused at those words, with the next step eluding my foot. What had just happened? That was the question that echoed within my mind. The answer to the question... The rebuttal to my sister's ridiculous request had been more heated than usual. It had possessed emotion.

"Have you fallen for him?!" Mawar's bewilderment entered my ears, awakening me from my musings.

"Why would I fall for him?" I asked calmly while resuming my steps.

Though I appeared unfazed outwardly, turbulent waves were warring within me.

If I was starting to fall, that would be detrimental to my plans. It couldn't be allowed under any circumstances!

Though I had requested a small contingent, the crowd waiting by the gates was still a tad bigger than I had envisioned. There were the elders and some kids.

"Auntie!!!"

For the first time since my return, a smile graced my lips as I picked up the overly energetic boy and twirled him around, coaxing giggles out of him.

"Clan Leader!"

The group greeted me with the traditional ceremonies, which I returned, taking the moment to scrutinize them. There were no visible changes since they were cultivators and all, but I could sense the growth of their energies and auras. Some had broken through a minor realm, and others had finally crossed over into the Core Formation stage. This was satisfying in a way. After all, these were my anchors, the people I was working so hard for.

-----

As far as I could see, green terraced paddies greeted my gaze, with the beauty alone taking the breath out of my lungs for a moment.

The setting sun only enhanced the view further, not taking away from it.

"Our farm has grown." I spoke after a few minutes. Robots and humans alike, were tending to the growing rice below me.

"...yet, Livia wants to take it all away." Mawar spoke. I could hear the grinding of teeth.

"You called me here to discuss countermeasures...but unless we come up with a new business model, there is nothing even I, can do to stop this." I had to be blunt. They would push me if I didn't make this clear at this point in time.

"But, does she really have the power to go against everyone? Apart from us clans and those sects...there have been many independent small families that have managed to secure pieces of land for themselves, especially those with Core Formation or Nascent Soul beings. Not to mention the fact that there are organisations and large group businesses, like the Golden Merchant group..."

"I have met the woman a few times. She's...hard to read."

"Sister, why that grimacing face? Did you somehow offend her?" The question brought my attention towards the clan members behind me, where some of their auras had flickered with worry.

"No... I just don't like her entire existence. How has the farm been? Have there been anything amiss about the Demon beasts?"

"Nothing in particular." Mawar's narrowed gaze, clearly having caught on to the fact that there was more to the matter was entirely ignored.

"I heard that your boss has joined the trillionaire club. Perhaps his word, coupled with the others could stop this?"

Someone asked. I lacked the answer to that. I still hadn't gauged his position on the matter even when I had departed. Bringing up Livia in conversation was a hard task. It wasn't his fault. I was the one hesitating. Why?

-----

"Bakung, do you remember the time when you first brought me here? It had been a wilderness then. You had stood at the top of that hill, now a mountain, and said, 'Mawar! One day everything that your eyes can see will be ours!'"

The words were vivid, not to mention the breeze that day. The sun had been setting and I had been full of ambition then. A young lady who had wanted to show the world that she could do it. She could raise a clan!

Now...now she was burdened. Livia's bill, if passed, could change the entire world. Everyone could see what it really entailed. She wanted to end the rule of the sects and clans. If the bill passed, she would have the authority of deciding what the land could be done with, or even deciding whom it would be given.

"We have spent a lot of money and lives to reclaim this land from the Demons. Isn't it our right to be the ones with all the authority? How could she even propose such a bill?!" Shouted out Mawar.

Exposing this bratty side of hers was only possible when we were alone, just the two of us.

Her words though, were not entirely unfounded, not to mention the heavy emotion within. I could still remember the first field I had planted, which I could even detect in my divine sensory range. The times had been hectic and the clan, weak. Yet I had taken the time to get into the mud and plant rice. It had been exhilarating when I had stood beyond the boundaries of the field and gazed upon the seedlings that I had sown.

The sense of accomplishment had been overwhelming, even greater than that brought on by the rise of the clan.

"The times do change. Not everything can stay unchanging." Subconsciously, those words spilled out of my mouth.

"Why did the President not take countermeasures?"

"Mawar! What have you heard? Have you been visiting those shady sites again?"

"But their information is the truth! Didn't that woman take the chance of the President's lengthy seclusion to seize power?"

I turned away from those glaring eyes that sought clarification from me.

"...so it is true." She mumbled out. I had already given my answer upon turning away.