Crown of the Starry Sky: Book 11 of Painting the Mists

by Patrick Laplante

  There was also a storybook. It had been placed neatly on the table with a note. He picked up the note but didn’t read it right away, choosing instead to lay down on the bed and close his eyes to rest. As he did, he thought of the past couple of weeks. Many things had happened. Cha Ming had bailed him out. Again. He was irked about that on many different levels, but such was life. You couldn’t win every battle.

  Then again, Silver Fish felt Cha Ming owed him that. He was partially responsible for the deaths of Candle Flame and the others. But he knew now that it wasn’t entirely Cha Ming’s fault. He was also to blame. He hadn’t been strong enough. And now, Cha Ming would need to fight two prefecture lords to the death. That wasn’t fair either. So, being the good friend but terrible orator that he was, he would do what he could to lessen his burden. Demons were dying, and he would help them. He had a mission—a literal demon mission that involved that—and it would allow him to grow stronger. Progeny of Ink. A mission among missions.

  The reward for completing this last leg had been enormous. It came in addition to his reward from the Kingfisher Guard. Silver Fish had used the many greater-demon-essence endowments to break through to the late initiation realm. And when he had, his Dao had evolved. He’d gained instant enlightenment and carved his core. Though he didn’t feel like he deserved it, he would take it regardless. Demons were dying, and he would protect them. For that was the essence of his quest. It had become the meaning of his existence. He was the champion of his people. The channel for their rage.

  He lay there for a long time. Hours or days, he wasn’t sure. Eventually, he decided he had to face what was in that letter. He opened, read it, then sighed. It was official. His teacher was gone now. He’d left him a valuable storybook full of pictures. No other treasures or resources, though the book alone was far more than Silver Fish deserved. After all, his teacher had given him a third chance at life. It was Cha Ming who’d given him his second. Now, he had the power to change the fate of others. To alter their stories.

  Mr. Mao Mao was gone too. That was unfortunate. He’d always liked the cat, and the cat had liked him as well. He’d worked hard to make that happen, of course. Mostly through tribute of fresh fish. Moreover, Silver Fish felt the small demon was also good for his master’s mental health. He’d definitely suffered some deep trauma given the way he behaved, and Mr. Mao Mao was a protector unlike any other.

  “Cao Wenluan, huh?” Silver Fish muttered as he put away the note. That name had come at the end of the letter. It was a warning from his teacher instructing him not to tangle with this person. He was a karmic anomaly, and a powerful one at that. Most importantly, he had a powerful master. The South Sea Guardian, his master’s rival. He’s reached half-step rune gathering and muscle empowering? His Dao is much stronger than normal? According to Elder Ling, Silver Fish had no chance at beating him as he was. It was best to avoid any direct confrontation.

  If only it were so simple, Silver Fish thought. He’d already made his decision. He had already accepted the mission. He needed to protect the demons, and Cao Wenluan was leading the charge against them. That being said, he didn’t have to fight head on. He was of the Silver Koi Clan and of the Inkwell Turtle Clan. Neither of them believed in fighting fairly.

  “Good luck, Clear Sky,” Silver Fish said. “You’re going to need it.”

  And so would he. They were both in grave danger. But that was what being good friends was all about, wasn’t it?

  – End Book 11 –

  A Note to Readers

  If you enjoyed this book, I would greatly appreciate it if you left a rating and/or review on the site where you purchased it. Ratings lead to credibility in this competitive marketplace, and by leaving one, you signal to the world that this book is worth reading.

  Want to support me directly? Join my Patreon, where I post third-draft chapters of the next book while they are still with my editor. Patrons are always the first to get the next book!

  I send out updates to readers from time to time, such as writing progress, release announcements, and the like. If you’re interested in receiving these updates, subscribe to the Painting the Mists newsletter at http://eepurl.com/dymvO1. You can also find a link to the newsletter at www.paintingthemists.com. Also, if you check out the new website, you’ll find that there are nifty progress bars keeping you up to date on what I’m working on.

  You can also get updates from me on social media:

  Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/PatrickGLaplante/

  Facebook Reader Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PaintingTheMists

  Discord Server: https://discord.gg/5Ua62GN

  Twitter: @PatGLaplante

  About the Author

  Nothing is more satisfying than that moment when a novel takes your heart and heals it. You walk into the book wanting an escape from reality. You find something that broke and remade you.

  That's what I look for when I read. It's also what I strive for when I write. Every piece of my life is something I weave into my stories, trying to take you and my characters beyond just another cultivation or fantasy novel and into something that touches your heart and soul.

  In my stories, you will see my past. You will see my seven years as an engineer and my experience as part of a soul-sucking corporation. You'll see true love. You'll see true heartbreak. You'll see my time as a marital artist. You'll see moments that boil your blood and make you want to pound a wall in frustration. You’ll also see the actions of people who are just trying to do the right thing. Because that’s what most people do in the end—and nothing in the world can make me believe otherwise.

  —Patrick Laplante

  Further Reading

  If you enjoy litRPG and xianxia, make sure to check out Endless Online, as well as Silver Fox & the Western Hero. Both are written by M. H. Johnson. The first is a fantastic blend of sword, sorcery, and science fiction. The second is a xianxia novel with a litRPG twist.

  If you’re interested in joining a community of likeminded readers, I suggest the following Facebook groups:

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/WesternWuxia/

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/cultivationnovels/

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPGsociety/

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPG.books

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/LitRPGReleases

  https://www.facebook.com/groups/wrgph (Wuxia Readers Group)

  The Cultivation Systems

  This record is a summary of the cultivation systems on the Inkwell Plane. Note that cultivation systems can change depending on the type of plane or the stability of the plane.

  Qi Cultivation (Human Path: Transcendent)

  Rune Carving Realm – Carve your core with runes of enlightenment. Form a base with which to gain enlightenment on the Dao. Transcendent cultivators gain a domain, which lets them mobilize heaven and earth energy. Opposing domains compete for energy, and the battle depends on the strength and concepts of each cultivator.

  Rune Gathering Realm – Gather the power of law runes and enforce your will upon the world. From now on, the Dao is everything – the strength of a cultivator’s runes varies greatly. Rune Gathering cultivators now control a small world projection, in which they can teleport at will and lock down opponents in a spatial cage.

  Law Stitching Realm – ???

  Body Cultivation (Human Path: Demigod)

  Blood awakening Realm – Demigods awaken the divinity in their blood. By exhausting their stored divine power, they can use divine abilities. The heavens respect demigods, so they gain certain innate resistances to elements.

  Muscle Empowering Realm – ???

  Shell Marking Realm – ???

  Soul Cultivation (Human, Secondary Path)

  Human soul cultivation is flexible. It is divided into initial, middle, and upper transcendent soul realms. Angels advance by deepening their virtues and acquiring merit. Devils by pursuing their vices and acquiring sin. Buddhists strive to sever
karma. Evil spirits by increasing their karmic ties to the world.

  To deepen a vice, one must cultivate their soul and absorb soul energy until it reaches a critical point. Neutrally, it would then break through. Angels and devils have shackles, the requirement for a deepening of their virtue, growing more wings. Lower transcendent gives a pair of wings, middle a second pair, and upper a third. To break through to the heavenly soul realm or infernal soul, or immortal soul, one needs sufficient energy and an immortal reason: an ideal or a goal. Angels and devils gain three more wings, for a total of six.

  Demonic Cultivation

  Initiation Realm – Gain the acknowledgment of your demonic alignment and create your demon weapon. Fight for the glory of your faction! Demons collect demonic energy via consumption and quests. They exert power over natural energies in their dominions.

  Initiation Realm demons have strong bodies and powerful natural weapons. They are strengthened and weakened by their surroundings. Being part of nature, demons must continuously consume, or their strength will waste away.

  Investiture Realm – A demon’s alignment further invests in their champion and bestows upon them a set of demon armor. Investiture realm demons are better, faster, and stronger. Also, they can now invest nature, changing the very terrain to better suit them and their faction.

  Fusion Realm – ???

  Terminology:

  Rune Carving Cultivators are known as Daoists. Cultivators who are both Daoists and demigods are known as Dao Gods. Demonic cultivators are referred to as lords and ladies. Humans and demons who manage the difficult feat of cultivating Daoist and demonic paths are known as Dao Lords.