Since escaping the Luminous Central Origin, they went through many struggles to arrive here. Although there might not be a Rank 3 Beast King like Rampaging Nightmare every corner, the wilderness was still extremely inhospitable. That was why people said that the minimum strength required to traverse the wilderness was Rank 3! That was unthinkable! But in hindsight, it made sense. Rank 2s were extremely common already. In the previous battle, both the Luminous Central Origin and the Featherwind Sect had more than ten thousand Rank 2s participating! It was not as rare or difficult as humanity made it out to be. And for the wilderness, which overflowed with resources and opportunities, there were countless more Rank 2 Beast Lords lurking its depths. For these five elder birds, who dropped out of half-Rank 3, they skirted death everyday before finally reaching here.
Maintaining the illusion of steadiness and strength, the acting Sect Master communicated with his fellow birds, "Can you determine what species they are? What civilization, rank, or leader?" Through a little wind magic trickery, he could directly transmit his voice to their ears, much like what Ten Dawn Iris achieved long ago.
"I don't have any memory of this species," replied one using the same method.
"Neither do I."
"Never seen them before."
They all mentally shook their heads, prompting the acting Sect Master to ponder. In the known world, all species of well-known civilizations were recorded and detailed. For example, their bird species were the Vogel, while the Luminous Central Origin's fish species were the Aquin. Even the supreme superpower civilizations had at least their names and appearances known. Therefore, that became the problem when meeting the unknown humans. From what they could see, the scale of humanity was very, very large. If size correlated to strength, then they must be a crouching tiger or hidden dragon! At the very least, humanity could not be weak. They might even be a mid or late-Rank 3 civilization! If that were true, then the proceeding negotiations might become troublesome. Who knew what would happen next?
Thinking that way, the acting Sect Master steeled his face and heart, stepped out, and said, "I am the acting Sect Master of the Rank 3 Featherwind Sect, Argo. May I inquire what the name, rank, and leader of your civilization is?" There was neither servitude nor arrogance in his tone. It was the perfect neutral tone.
However, the exact opposite reaction played out. Obviously, the soldiers could not understand a thing. In all three human civilizations, Olden Anglo was the only language! This was the first time they heard the common tongue, much less seeing a bird bigger than them… Worse yet, Argo subconsciously released the aura and demeanor of a powerful expert! He might have dropped to peak Rank 2, but his strength was still leagues ahead of the soldiers present. It was enough to overwhelm and crush their composure, edging them closer to a total mental breakdown. Although it had yet to divulge into chaos, it was close!
Speechless, Argo used a simple magic to directly convert his thoughts into meaning and repeated his earlier statement. This time, the soldiers were thoroughly mind-blown and had their worldviews demolished! They really thought they were going insane, otherwise, how could these birds talk to them? And not just talk, but also that wisdom and intelligence too… Was that something an ordinary animal could do? Think about it. If you woke up one day and realized your dog could speak, would that not be ridiculous? Everyone felt their sanity slipping away faster than an eel as they went crazy! Some dropped to the floor and prayed to their new gods while others fled in panic. Some punched themselves to wake up while others broke down and laughed manically! It was pure madness!
The scene stupefied Argo. He had no idea what was happening at all. He said a few words and they all went crazy. If anything, he was a bit scared. Perhaps, humanity could not be reasoned with? Seeing this, another bird stepped up and wielded their magical tool. A large Magic Circle manifested above the disorganized troops and rained down a gentle light. People could not help but stop and look up. It was a spell that could suppress confusion and anxiety while enforcing calmness and relaxation. The gradual panic receded, and lucidity returned, though people remained cautious and fear toward the birds.
"Please listen to me calmly," Argo smiled wryly. "We wish to negotiate with the leader of your civilization. Could you pass the message on to your superiors?"
***
At the capital city of the Xingyuu Empire, Yongtein, was the Imperial Court! Since Emperor Lianghu's death in the final battle with Elizabeth, the right to inheritance was called into question. With the Imperial Princesses failing to receive the approval of both the Imperial Council and the public, the role of the ultimate decision-maker fell onto the Imperial Council. Right now, the council was having a heated conversation about that exact problem.
A minister sighed. "We've reached a stalemate, haven't we? How are we supposed to pull ourselves out of this one?"
"What you say is true. If we make a move against the Li Family, then the Alzar Kingdom will intervene. If we don't then the empire will eventually crumble from within. Isn't this the so-called three-way deadlock?"
The three-way deadlock was a simple term that described a simultaneous stalemate with the Imperial Council, the Li Family, and the Alzar Kingdom. The Imperial Council needed to eliminate the Li Family to establish a new dynasty, while the Li Family needed to fight back for the Imperial Princesses to become the rightful empresses. However, neither side could move since they were resisting the Alzar Kingdom together. After all, no matter what happens, if the two factions fight, then the kingdom would have a chance to sweep in and crush them. This precarious situation prevented any party from acting out and created the current ceasefire.
But the situation could not last. The Xingyuu Empire was plagued with the same problem as the Alzar Kingdom: the lack of leadership! Although the Imperial Council established itself as the replacement for the emperor, that was a temporary, made-up position. They did not have the authority nor respect of the populace. Much like a house, if the foundation was missing, then the structure would simply fall apart. Moreover, the Li Family was too dominant. It was an apex power within the empire, capable of eclipsing the three Great Nobility Families and the Imperial Council! Under such an ambiguous future, unity was an impossibility, and a civil war was destined to happen!
"How are the negotiations going with the Li Family?"
"You know better than anyone else. The Li Family only wants one condition: the Imperial Council to knowledge the Imperial Princesses' right to the throne."
"How could we agree to that?" another said bitterly. "The Li Family is already strong enough to contest us. If we give them that power, then we'll fall under their mercy."
"Why don't we assassinate them?"
"You weren't here at the last meeting, were you? There were two assassination attempts on Imperian Qiang and the princesses, but both failed miserably. It's not so easy."
"We need to tear them apart from the inside. I refuse to believe that they could be that united internally!" someone shouted.
"Even if that were true, a cornered animal is still dangerous. The Alzar Kingdom is already watching our empire very closely. Once a fight breaks out…"
"Then what are we supposed to do?" someone snapped.
Another furious round of debates erupted in the chambers, giving three people a heavy headache. The first was Minister Daiyuu Shui, patriarch of the Shui Family. He was an unimposing and weak person, and he was forced to sacrifice his daughter's engagement to placate the people present. Otherwise, they would consider him in the Li Family's camp and the mess would really spiral out of control! Saying nothing, and not even acknowledging anything, he remained neutral and passive like a statue. If it were not for the implications in leaving, he would have been long gone already.
The second was Minister Keigon Jun, patriarch of the Jun Family. As the minister overseeing all military affairs, his position resembled the Master of Strategy in the Alzar Kingdom. His authority was second only to the Prime Minister! However, his power was all but mute when considering that a single family could resist them. The Li Family was simply too extraordinary and powerful. They could be considered the fourth human civilization judging by their vast range of influence, power, economy, and industry. Furthermore, their deep history infected all levels of the government, crippling and paralyzing them when push came to shove. Minister Keigon Jun had the empire's armies under his control, but he could not use them! He felt humiliated and insulted!
The third was the Prime Minister Pon-Wai Jian! Interestingly enough, he was not the patriarch of the Jian Family, despite holding the second greatest office in the empire. Delegating that duty to his father, it allowed him to focus all his efforts on governing. And well, he was a terrifying character. He orchestrated the Ambush of Sanguis Coast, which preceded the Second Great Kingdom War, and ordered the slaughter of thousands. Emperor Lianghu gave the order, but it was the Prime Minister who executed it! The Teria Sea Campaign and the Invasion of Aereon were his handiwork too. Setting aside his military exploits, he also had a ruthlessly calculating, intelligent, and wise side. That was why he was given the illustrious title of Lynchpin of the Empire! Thus, he could see further ahead than others. A decisive factor was required to tip the scales!