Now that the pill was out in the open, the real battle began. Normally, Masters would immediately show off their presences and make this a battle only among themselves, but it was at this time that the mayor finally decided to stop enduring their willfulness. Worried that their battle would bring unimaginable damage to the city and innocent bystanders, the mayor took action. There were members of the administration taking bribes from the alliance, but even they wouldn't disobey a direct order from the mayor. As it seemed that the alliance and others had forgotten why the city could maintain its independence despite not being under the protection of a major-level force, he wanted to remind them.
"Activate it."
The mayor ordered for the activation of the city's internal defense system. It started off with a surge of nature energy pouring into the city's arrays, something that was noticed by every cultivator. Even those that were close to the pill were stunned by this sight. They watched absentmindedly as dozens of arrays woke up, producing a chaotic mixture of light that painted the city in the colours of the rainbow. It was certainly a fascinating sight, but those who knew what would come next gulped in fear.
Once the arrays were fully activated, the next change was only experienced by the strong minority. First, everyone in the air was sent plummeting to the ground. They weren't hit by a sudden attack, they simply lost the ability to stay in flight. Next, those who had been using various spells in pursuit of the pill, suddenly found their abilities severely restricted. Finally, anyone using an artifact above special-rank discovered that they were no longer able to draw out the artifact's true power. In some cases, they couldn't use the artifact at all. Most were unaware, but a new rule had just been added to the city. All designated as dangerous now had their cultivations suppressed to the Soul Realm.
"What....?!"
"This is..."
Given a bit more time, the commotion would continue and reach a new level of ferocity, so the mayor stepped out. In the empty sky, he alone could stand above them with a cold expression. He stretched out his hand and the pill flew into it, instantly attracting the hostility of the crowd. Among them, was the elder from the Eclair clan who had just arrived on the scene after being informed of what was happening. His cultivation was also suppressed, but as he moved towards the mayor, the crowd felt a domineering presence that forced them to open a path for him.
"What is the meaning of this, mayor? Didn't you agree to keeping your hands out of this matter?"
It was too long ago since the last time that the elder was in such a weak state, but it had no effect on the firm aura that he possessed.
"That was before you all started this commotion. Do you know how many of my precious citizens have been harmed by your reckless behaviour in the past hour?"
"Mere accidents. Please don't tell me that you're going to use that as an excuse to swipe that pill for yourself."
The hostility of the crowd peaked at the elder's words, but the mayor was unflustered.
"Hmph, if I wanted to steal this pill, do you think I would need to justify myself to outsiders like you? This is my city, don't forget that."
The sharp glare that the mayor sent at them cowed some, but most continued to stare at him and the pill he held. If the mayor was serious about taking the pill then it was true that he could have found it and taken it easily with the help of the arrays and formations that they were now experiencing the power of, but that threat didn't work on those determined to obtain the pill. The mayor snorted at their defiant attitudes.
"Be grateful, I won't stoop to your level and steal this pill. Normally, I would simply auction it off again, but that wouldn't make up for all the trouble you've caused. Therefore, I'll use the same method as you people. If you want the pill, then you'll have to fight for it in the coliseum, with your cultivations still suppressed of course."
"What!"
"That's not fair!"
"Give it back!"
The crowd protested, but the mayor was stone-faced. Once they realized that they wouldn't be able to change his mind, they eventually settled down. The mayor was about to speak again, but then he stared at the pill in his hand with wide eyes. He felt a comfortable warmth just by being in contact with it, however, at the same time that the mayor noticed the warmth fading, the crowd gasped and screamed.
"Its vanishing?"
"No! I need that pill!"
"Is it defusing into the air?"
"Don't steal it!"
While a new commotion was about to begin, someone looked down at this scene with pride. It was the assassin who had managed to enter Emily's room. Along with news that someone would make a move once the Hornfrost clan arrived, he spread other pieces of news to the alliance which directed what areas they went in search of the red woman. He also made sure that the alliance was aware of what was happening by frequently reporting to the representative of the force that he served.
Although he had performed well, naturally, Shui couldn't believe this assassin was truly on his side without any proof, so he had cast a spell to capture his loyalty. The first method one usually thought of when talking about ensuring loyalty, was using a soul imprint, but the assassin already had one forced on him, and Shui wasn't sure what impact an additional soul imprint would have. Luckily, the right technique was already there, waiting in the vast archives where the knowledge that he was obtaining from the Primordial Library was stored.
It was called the Imaginary Blood Link, and by using his own blood as a catalyst, Shui cast this spell on the assassin. With this spell, a seed of admiration and obedience towards Shui was planted within him. Even soul imprints couldn't freely manipulate one's emotions, but with this spell, Shui's blood overwrote the assassin's base instincts and secured an unquestionable seat for Shui in his heart. There were various restrictions on this spell, such as the user needing to have a stronger bloodline than the one it was used on, and the lack of direct influence he had over them, but it happened to work out well in this case.
"Wow! As expected of Master! Just look at what he's caused without even revealing himself or sacrificing anything. Brilliant! I must thank the heavens that I was blessed with the opportunity of serving under him."
His personality became more, hyper, but it had no effect on his skills so it was a minor side effect.
"Oh, I can't waste time here. I must report to that inferior lord so that the finishing touches can be applied."