Green Hill City, Cai Palace, Count Cai Shuren's Private Quarters Hallway.
The noble Count received Ding Song's letter from Xia Qui and examined its seals. He was no stranger to the Eternal Rain Palace coat of arms, but this one carried an extra seal, the seal of the Rain Banshee with a clear written indication that it is meant for his eyes only.
The Count was a towering well-built, middle-aged man with short, wavy, dark brown hair. A beard enhanced his face and helped hide away his long-life struggles, which were etched on his facial skin from all the stress, worry, and anxiety when he was but a nobody carrying a prized Ether core in his heart.
Quietly, the powerful Count broke the seals on the letter's envelope and took out the letter Ding Song wrote on multiple paper sheets. The message started with a short greeting followed by the Rain Banshee explaining that she knows about the hidden world more than anyone else from an old secret document her sect founder left for the future generations.
Count Cai did not stop at that, nor did he suspect Ding Song claim since it is well known that The Eternal Rain Palace is an old sect with a rich history, and their founder was a legendary figure who brought the entire continent and its Holy Lands to their knees before they disappeared long ago.
He only had doubts about why she would share anything with him since they are not allies, nor were they clear of any frictions between them as neighbors. He continued and read the information Ding Song summarized from what Amon told her. His eyebrow rose as he contemplated what was written, while it is valuable; he still did not see Ding Song motive or why she is sharing it with him.
He placed the page he finished reading behind the next ones. The next page contained a summary of Ding Song conjectures, how she interpreted the information summarized in the previous page, and her inconclusive evidence to support her theories. One particular point had the Count gloss over just for him to return to it and read it multiple times.
He sat down in his hallway and placed the two pages next to each other on the cold ceramic floor, Amon information's summary page, and Ding Song speculations page. He immediately took out the last page and read it. The final page laid down a plan Ding Song devised based on that one point that caught the Count's attention previously. He was reading it with a shaking hand. He could not believe the Rain Banshee's audacity, viciousness, and the aberration she laid down in writing.
The Palace's first lady saw her beloved husband stand up then pace around back and forth lost in his own thoughts. She grasped his arm and smashed her lips on his, kissing him deeply, invading his mouth with her tongue. After the long kiss, she cupped his face between her soft hands. "Have you calmed down yet?"
"I'm calm...I just can't do it..." Said Count Cai softly while holding his wife's right hand that was cupping his face.
"Can't do what, beloved?" Asked Cai Yimu, the Count's wife.
He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, he felt Xia Qui's Source flare-up.
"Insignia of Hushed Whispers." Said Xia Qui before water droplets appeared around them floating then expanded to enclose on the four of them, Shuren, Yimu, Yan, and Qui.
"I don't know what master wrote to you, but I doubt she would want unwanted eyes and ears to know based on her instructions to me." Explained Xia Qui.
The Count nodded then proceeded to explain to the other three what the Rain Banshee wrote and her plans based on her speculations.
The mother-daughter pair were shocked by what Ding Song wanted to do while Xia Qui's eyes glistened with pride and joy over her master's plan. Cai Yimu collected the letter's pages and read it with her own eyes to make sure her husband did not miss anything.
"Shuren, we do not have much time; you must immediately get the clans in our nation in line." Urged his wife.
"What? No! According to Ding Song, I won't be there for it, who will take command?" Refused the Count fervently.
"I will, of course." Said Yimu confidently.
"Out of the question! How will you even ensure your orders are followed in there? The clans in our nation only lower their heads to us out of fear of my nobility. If I'm not there, there are no guarantees. I don't trust them one bit. Besides the Banshee said that her plan is based on educated speculation, what if she is wrong?" Said the Count.
Yimu held Shuren's hands tightly with her own. "Ding Song already had that covered in her letter. We basically do nothing and forget about the whole thing if she is wrong, but if she is right then, it is our chance, beloved. We can't let it slip by; we need this, YOU need it to happen. It may never repeat itself. What you need to do now is remind this nation why you are its sole sovereign! Go now, flaunt your might over their hearts and make sure if I ask them to bark at the clouds, they will bark whether you are there or not."
Gradually the doubt in the Count's eyes receded, to be replaced by a sovereign's ruthlessness. "I will kill them all, their wives, children, servants, and their damn dogs. I will hold them all as my hostages and make sure their men follow your every whim inside the hidden world, leaving them no other choice."
"You don't plan to enter the hidden world with us?" Asked Xia Qui.
"No, that part of your master's plan, I must ignore. The only way that I can make sure no mishaps happens to my wife and daughter is if I hold the entire nation hostage, awaiting their safe return." Explained the Count.
Xia Qui shook her head. "No! You are a vital part of the plan. If you don't do your part inside the hidden world, then my master's plan won't be as encompassing. We will leave a potential hole in the plan that might swallow us all in the aftermath." Qui was truly her master's eldest disciple. She only heard the plan once to grasp all its necessary keys to ensure long term success.
"She is right, father. You can't stay out to hold the nation hostage. We have to use a different tactic to convince the County's clans that they must follow my mother's commands while we are inside. Mix fear with enticement. I think they will find the prospect of having their influence on the continent expand is akin to a sweet candy they can swallow with the sour one." Implored Yan.
***
Yao Gui's Mansion, Ding Song Room.
"Master, I bring news from your old allies, the Moon Sanctum sect. As you have suspected, they immediately agreed." Informed Nuan while slightly bowing.
"Of course, they would. More than anyone on the entire continent, they hate the Holy Lands vehemently. The only females only sect in the continent has been turned to cultivation cauldron kidnaping stop for the loathsome fiends. If my plan goes smoothly, they will finally be able to free their long-lost sisters." Divulged Ding Song.
Nuan stayed silent with her lips pressed.
"What is it, child? Speak freely. I have always taught you to think for yourself instead of following my commands blindly." Lectured Ding Song.
"How could you possibly know the nature of the seal that will be placed on all of us when we enter the hidden world that Amon informed us about? Even if you nailed it and your speculation is correct, there is still one more factor completely out of your and anyone else's control." Commented Nuan.
Ding Song faintly smiled. She has always been proud of her students, and Nuan laying out the weaknesses in her plan made her even more satisfied.
"Remember when I asked Amon about what I read in an old parchment from our sect? If all creatures stop giving birth and instead only lay eggs from mating at high cultivation level?" Asked Ding Song.
"Yes, and he confirmed it." Answered Nuan.
"I was never interested in that." Said Ding Song.
"Eh? Why ask him about it then?" Asked Nuan with a confused look on her face.
"Think about it, if that absurdity is true, then what about the rest of the information laid down in the old parchments in our sect closed founder's library?" Hinted Ding Song while drumming a finger on her table.
"It will probably be all true…Wait, did it have anything about the seal Amon mentioned which will be placed on all of us, but he did not know its purpose?" Asked Nuan.
"Not directly, no. It only spoke about how the ancients test potential successors and what kind of seals they usually use to ensure fair competition within their proving grounds. As for Amon not knowing, he probably had an inclination and just did not want to speculate and stuck to providing accurate information." Explained Ding Song.
Nuan felt light-headed and sat down. "Then, what about the factor that you can't control?"
"Alexios? He may be able to vaporize us all with a sneeze, but he is a male, and from his interactions with Amon, I'm sure I can use him to our advantage. Men and their useless pride can likely be effortlessly manipulated. We only have to massage his balls gently and indirectly, and he will purr like a good little kitty. This is, of course, only if he interferes with my plan and does not choose to stand aside to enjoy the show." Revealed Ding Song.
***
The Desolate Capital.
Amon laid down on the ground panting heavily. The deranged mummy acted like she wanted him dead and kept sending more gargoyles after him. She only stopped after the fourth round when Amon could no longer stand on his feet. He did not get injured or get hit even once, but his body could not keep up fighting Source construct a realm and four levels above his own. He fought like a noble when he is not one yet, being only at the sixth level of the Nascent Realm.
Grunting, he pulled himself up. He could not afford long rests. He had to keep going and acquire what Quetzalcoatl sent him for before Alexios opens the portals for the rest of the continent.
With steady steps, Amon marched forward through the only semi surviving paved path towards the ancient cursed city center. While walking, he kept observing the city's blocks he was passing. From the numbers of petrified victims and their attire, the city used to be bustling and lively.
He once again questioned the absence of these events from the annals of history. Ancient events like these should have been recorded down by the survivors for the following generations to learn from, not hidden away for who knows why. A King's capital city of any race doesn't just get erased without a single mention anywhere in his ancestral mother's archives.
'Perhaps it is there, and I just never came across it? It is not like I read every single document and rolled parchment there. No, that can't be; both my mothers made sure I was aware of all the significant events that happened in the past when I was young no matter how ancient.
Wait..what if they kept these events hidden and never mentioned them to me on purpose. I'm a male, therefore not in line to succeed either of my mothers, maybe based on that I was not taught or informed about everything. If this is the reason, I'm throwing an epic temper tantrum when I'm reunited with them.'
Amon stopped at the ancient city square, right in front of the bleak and mostly destroyed castle. The square was filled with more petrified corpses. Their numbers are in the thousands, if not more, buried under the destroyed surrounding structures.
"Hehehehe...do you perhaps pity them?" Asked the mummy behind Amon.
"No. I reserve that only for the helpless children who have suffered the same fate as everyone else here." Answered Amon.
"Oh! A bleeding heart for the little ones? Hehehehe...maybe if you inherit my son, I will let you put an egg inside me, wouldn't that be wonderful?"
Amon swiftly turned around and slashed at where he thought the mummy was standing, only for him to cut nothing.
"A feisty one! Ummm, how exciting." The shrill woman's voice faded away while she moaned disgustingly.
Amon turned around and headed for the ancient castle. His skin felt like it had thousands of little spiders crawling on it; he wanted to get out of here as soon as possible then soak inside a lava stream to rid himself of the nastiness of this place and its guardian.