In the Imperial Gardens of Yongtein, there was a large scenic pond filled with lilies and lotuses. They floated around the water surface, while tree leaves fluttered in the breeze, creating a beautiful sight. Every tree was delicately trimmed, and every weed was plucked clean, while drooping wisteria and towering cypress trees circled intricate rock gardens and statues. Everything harmonized with each other perfectly in according the five elements! Even the positions of the suns and moon were carefully considered and incorporated into the garden's design. People around the empire dreamed of entering the Imperial Gardens just once for the otherworldly experience. It was regarded as the greatest garden in all the Xingyuu Empire!
Inside a wooden pavilion, which overlooked the pond, there were two men sitting face-to-face with a large board filled with black and white stones between them. It was a classical Xingyuu game called Weiqi. At first glance, the two sides were evenly matched, and it appeared like a close game was inevitable. A man casually picked up a piece and dropped it in place. The sound of cranes flying overhead made the scene particularly peaceful, complimenting his smiling face. He looked completely calm, as if the world was in his grasp. Nothing could shake him! Prime Minister Pon-Wai Jian gestured at his opponent to start their turn.
Minister Keigon Jun picked up a black stone and twirled it in his fingers. "Do you think we'll catch those two pheasants in time for dinner?"
"I doubt it. They're deep in the woods, so our hunters will struggle. At the most, they'll give them a bit of a scare."
"What a shame," the man said, placing down his piece.
"It's not a shame. Two pheasants are hardly enough for a dinner. It's important to look for another dish, isn't it?"
"Oh? You think the pheasants will call for help?"
"I think so. They know they're not in a safe place, so they'll have to cry for help," the Prime Minister explained while playing. "That's what pheasants do."
Minister Keigon pondered deeply before saying, "If they call more pheasants over, then it'll be troublesome. Since our hunters are limited in number, we would have to call the dinner off."
"The other pheasants wouldn't answer those two's calls," the Prime Minister sneered. "Their calls are ugly and unsightly, sounding nothing like a normal pheasant, so you don't have to worry about that."
"You don't think they would attract the wolves over, right?"
"I think they would."
Minister Keigon frowned. "The hunters we have right now aren't enough to deal with a pack of wolves. We would have too many enemies to deal with."
"They might both be animals, but they won't work together."
"For the wolves, a few pheasants should be easier to catch compared to our hunters, I agree, but I worry about the problems after. Those weak wolves would grow strong and healthy. In time, they would attack our hunters. This doesn't bode well for us either."
"I don't intend for the wolves to eat the pheasants," Prime Minister's eyes glimmered. "We'll set a trap so when the wolves come for the pheasants, we'll catch them both."
"That's greedy, don't you think? We might not have the stomach to finish it."
The Prime Minister said nonchalantly, "We can try. If it doesn't work for us, no matter. There are no consequences to trying."
Knocking on the table gently, Minister Keigon looked over the board, while replying, "We should send out the dogs then. They might be a bit unruly, but their combat power isn't something we can ignore. They should do well here."
"You said it yourself, Minister Keigon… The dogs are young and unruly. Do you think we should trust them then?" Prime Minister Pon-Wai widened his smile.
"Who said anything about trust? A good dog knows when to wag its tail and lay low."
"Either way, I don't want them meeting the wolves. Push them too hard, and they might team up against us. That would be our loss then. We have to play strategically."
"In that case, I'll send out the new hunters. The three hunters we spoke about before should be in position. When the trap is sprung, they'll be ready."
"Yes, let's do that then."
After finishing the game, the scores were slightly tipped in Minister Keigon's favor, earning him a close victory. Prime Minister Pon-Wai clapped and said, "As expected of our Minister of the Military, your strategic skills are as sharp as ever. Reversing the Dragon was a bold move, but it paid off brilliantly in the end. I hadn't seen it at all."
The man gave a light snort. "I don't believe that you didn't see it. Coiling the Heavens was the perfect counterplay to my Reversing the Dragon, and you were three moves from completing it, but you stopped yourself from playing it. You intentionally played this game to draw it as close as possible."
"You overestimate my abilities," the Prime Minister laughed. "My Weiqi abilities are dreadfully bad, so you defeated me soundly."
Minister Keigon glared at the Prime Minister before speaking, "Let's get down to business. No more speaking in riddles. That is why you called me here, isn't it?"
"And here I was, beginning to enjoy myself. Very well, I do have some business to discuss."
"Is this place safe?"
"Despite its appearances, the Imperial Gardens is one of the safest places in the empire," the Prime Minister explained. "I have also assigned close to a hundred Imperial Sentinels, including Cardinal Loujin and Yongyu, to the perimeter, and although we are lacking in Arcania, what meager Arcanists we have are also at the ready. There shouldn't be any problem discussing things here."
"A hundred Perception Realms?" Minister Keigon narrowed his eyes. "What an excessive sight, but I agree, that is the bare minimum necessary."
"Yes, when we're talking about them, it's important to be cautious… What are your honest opinions about the Featherwind Sect?"
"Their wealth of knowledge and techniques is invaluable. By incorporating Martial Energy into our military's training regimes, we pushed the upper limit of our military's strength to another level. Furthermore, their individual battle strength is immense. From Admiral Kang's reports about the battle over the Maelstrom Gulf, two of them were enough to contend against the Alzar vanguard fleet of twenty thousand. Their strategic value is many times greater than what the Ten Dawns could offer. In ideal circumstances, I would have preferred to integrate them under our chain of command. They might be the key to winning the Second Great Kingdom War."
"I agree. Their performance in the Maelstrom Gulf exceeded my expectations. Although the circumstances were questionable, the simple fact that Elder Ludin and Crus could repel the Alzar's fleet speaks for itself. However, it's also precisely because their individual battle strength is too great that they're a danger to the empire. The risks have outgrown the benefits, and they are beyond our ability to control."
"But the problem still remains. We are bound by their spell, Nine Regrets Reincarnation vow. As long as that exists, we are prohibited from making a move against them," Minister Keigon frowned. "Not to mention, there is the problem of the Featherwind Sect itself. You've spoken with their acting Sect Master Argo before. What do you think of their story?"
"Their story, huh?" Prime Minister smirked. "You mean the one where they came as an emissary of the 'great and powerful' Featherwind Sect? And that was why they decided to establish a branch sect here in the Xingyuu Empire? Of course, it is pure nonsense. When I first met them, I do admit that I felt pressured by their otherworldliness. After all, a talking sentient bird is a first, even for me, and because of that, I overlooked some key details. However, there were various clues that their story was falsified. For example, the battle scars on their flying ship, their lack of servants or subordinates, and their nonsensical objectives. It became clearer as I conversed with their acting Sect Master that their goals were something else entirely."
"They must have negotiated with us to secure a place for themselves. If that were the case, then either they've been exiled, they're criminals, or their home doesn't exist anymore. Judging the current evidence, I would wager that the last possibility is the most likely."
"I agree. For whatever reason, they have nowhere to go. The fact that there hasn't been any news regarding the Featherwind Sect, despite those five being here for more than half of a year, lends more credibility to our theory."
"In that case, then they're nothing but abandoned chicks," Minister Keigon sneered. "Although their individual combat prowess is considerable, what can they do against an army? We have them completely outnumbered."
"I was worried about the potential for retaliation, since I wasn't too sure about what a 'Rank 3 King' entailed, so I erred on the side of caution before," Prime Minister Pon-Wai sipped his tea calmly. "Rank 3 King… It took us time to decipher what they meant, but we're confident that we figured it out. Fundamental Realm and Gaseous Fog are Rank 1 Mortal. Perception Realm and Condensed Drop are Rank 2 Lord. Instinct Realm and Blue Depth are Rank 3 King!"