The Power Cycle [Vol 2: The Aether Sword]

This is a Xianxia isekai story written by a non-Asian author, which touches on sci-fi, philosophy, and an alternate Earth-like world in which Djang Empire (styled loosely after the Chinese) has conquered much of the world.  The main protagonist (of Vol 1) is from a high-tech aetherpunk world and is brought to something worse. [Vol 1: The Power Cycle] As with every known military, the Crestan Mixed Marines expected the impossible from their members.  Sobon, a Cyborg Aether-tech specialist attached to a system defense Destroyer, was not expecting the impossible to follow him into the next life--especially not with his memories intact.  Transmigrated to a brutal world of corruption, qi, and starbeasts, Sobon must make the best of his new life--or lives.  At stake may be more than just his own life, and perhaps more than even one mere, brutal, backwards, blood-soaked world. [Vol 2: The Aether Sword] Ki'el, a young islander girl, has followed her master in search of a better life, but now finds herself struggling through a Sect, far from her master and everything she's ever known.  She has new friends, people who Sobon has gathered, but can she trust them?  Where is Sobon now, what is he doing?  What kind of future is Ki'el even hoping to build?  Does she even have any answers of her own--and is she supposed to, before she has even grown into an adult?  The world keeps turning, and much is changing, although Ki'el can only focus on what is in front of her, right now.  The Sect... and the gifts her master left her.  One spiritual assistant... and one aether-powered sword. Disclaimer: Author's circumstances are unstable and updates are currently stalled.