Won stared at a map.
His eyes surveyed the landscape, Ozaris who laid at the side commented, "Master as you said with the aid of the locals we managed to use the topography to our advantage. We put up the dam and began to hunt near the camps of Suzaku. Now they are starving and will die, should we not attack."
Won waved his hand, "No need. Let them waste themselves away. Furthermore what I am waiting for has not arrived."
Ozaris tilted his head, "What are you expecting master."
Won said, "As you've seen Suzaku is very resourceful. Don't think they put a few soldiers and called it a day. They have a trump card. They wouldn't want to waste it, but because of this method they'll be forced to use it or it'll be wasted. Yet they won't easily do such a thing, hence we must stand still and wait."
"A trump card? What could it be."
Won said, "Consider what Suzaku is known for and you will retrieve the answer."
Ozaris scratched his head, "Well Suzaku is well known for supposedly being blessed by a Vermillion bird, yet that is unlikely considered how the Vermillion bird is the Origin beast of fire and it's very blessing would make the Empire much greater than it is, able to stand in Heaven with not much trouble. So most likely if what they say is true they were instead blessed by a common Fire Pheonix and mistook it for the similar looking Vermillion bird. Anyway supposedly they are blessed with special fire that makes them excellent alchemists... Master you don't mean to say."
Won nodded, he pulled out a file and passed it.
"According to my data analysis on their battles over numerous years, they are unlikely to produce those results unless they had some special medicine. Furthermore if you look into the information leaks and those they have issued bounties for, the only possibility is that they've produced some special medicine."
Won continued, "The final clue is from an extract of a book I had read in the Royal library once. From about two hundred years ago some battle between two Immortal Cultivators. An man bathed in strange yellow flames ate a pill and suddenly combusted with 10x their Original strength, eventually he won the battle. He then turned to dust and many speculated it was some medicine meant to incite the potential within another.
Although such medicines exist, to such a degree it was remarkable. Anyway seeing the how expressive the writer was of the flames, I guessed it was very specific. Thus I stumbled upon the flames of Suzaku. I did think something might come up. So I checked."
Won finished, "You see these Potential extracting medicines although they vary in danger and effectivity, they all have a few essential and common ingredients needed for the production of it. So I simply cross referenced the medicinal ingredients most abundantly grown or bought by Suzaku. I just happened to check and it turned out there are farms just with those specific ingredients."
Ozaris asked, "Are those ingredients just common?"
Won shook his head, "No they have limited use and the quantity is too much for how much they have."
Ozaris asked, "Master are you planning to find a way to extract the medicine to use for Ito's soldiers?"
Won shook his head, "No. It's far too barbaric, furthermore my reputation would plummet and I could never take the Throne. I simply want to observe the changes, evaluate and then find a solution to it. No need to waste the soldiers lives unnecessarily. I need a time limit or a degree of effect, or perhaps some kind of weakness the drug brings. Something to empower our people with."
Won then said, "Well let us stop here. I will be going to have a drink call me if something happens."
Ozaris nodded, yet he wondered, "Our Empire?"
...
Won raised his brows, he raised his hand and Aoi who was standing a bit away bowed and came to his side.
Won said, "Prepare some tea we have a guest."
Aoi nodded and retreated.
Won said, "Come down will you, or perhaps are you trying to intimidate me by flying. I am not an ordinary mortal worry not."
A man with grey hair and a small mustache fell down. Upon his back rested a large broadsword. His muscles exploded out of the robe he wore and a certain ferociousness was apparent on his face.
Won leaned his head on his hand, "Really for your sect to send a Golden core stage expert, isn't your new sword princess really sucking you dry. From what I know there are only 4 golden core experts."
The man laughed, "Young man that issue is not one for you to care about."
Won snickered, "No of course it is! Don't you know I'm trying to destroy Suzaku after all, if I don't try to breed some internal conflict I'd be pretty foolish."
The man explained with a sigh, "The New Sword Princess is the most talented one we've had in countless years. No matter how I may feel the Sword Patriarch will not care and remain deaf to our concerns. Even I feel this is foolish, us a great sect interfering in a secular matter. Our Ancestors would laugh at us."
Won said, "Then I suppose some people have to die. Yet shouldn't you choose who the most capable side is before you use your sword?"
The man hurrumphed and True Qi spat out towards like millions of arrows.
Won waved his band and thick Blood Qi fluttered out.
Like two waves slapping into each other, they faded.
Won said, "Hey now shouldn't you listen to what I say before you do that! How rude!"
The man frowned.
Won sighed and said, "You can't kill me. My Blood Qi might be weaker than True Qi, but my control over Qi is more. Let's simple talk. Don't you know what the sages say? An enemy is just a misunderstood friend."
Won tapped his hands and continued, "And a friend is a hidden knife."
Won looked up and said, "What I can give you is much more than the Sword Princess can give you."
The old man asked, "What could you give me?"
Won said, "The ability to protect your sect. The Sword Princess is important because of two things. The medicine they are supplying you and because of the battle in 10 years..."
The old man said, "Everyone knows about the battle in ten years, and of the medicine, it seems you know more than we originally thought."
Won explained, "Now will you trust me? First of all you can't defeat me yet I am telling you so much. I am sure with this you can trust me."
The old man said, "Perhaps..."
Won said, "The old patriarch is too far into his ways, and he is too blinded by hate and jealousy. It's understandable for what he does, but in the end he manages the lives of over 2000 disciples. He should be open minded and realize that brute strength isn't always the solution. In ten years the battle between you sects under the Rainbow fell Sect will happen, and he insists on working the disciples to the bone. How many have already fallen to Qi deviation, due to the absurd burden placed upon them. How many will die using the medicine Suzaku is giving you. How much of the lineage of The Seventy Sword sect is going to be wasted because of the mindless actions of your sect leader. Far too many people is power are indifferent towards the lives of others, and many countless children, men and women are not spared by their inescapable greed and hunger! Do you not feel that these people who are meant to catch the sky and allow those under them to grow smoothly, are instead poking the sky full of holes and allowing damming tribulation after tribulation to strike them. Hasn't your Grand Elder and Great Elder spoken to the Patriarch to rethink his decisions?"
This made the old man stop.
Won continued, "Bet your chances on me, not some out of ways old man! Don't let the young talents of your sect suffer needlessly! I promise you that I will ensure the protection of your sect and if you are interested in working alongside Ito, I can bring you to the skies! You may rest shoulder to shoulder upon the Seven righteous sects!"
Won reclined, "Of course the final decision comes to you. I won't pester you for an answer. You can wait and look as I devour Suzaku and then give me your answer."
Aoi then came in with the cups of tea.
Won said, "Drink it. It's made of Spring Flower tea leaves soaked in spirit wine for twenty days."
The old man sent his spiritual sense into the tea and nodded. He drank it and sighed out, "Very well. I shall reconsider the sects stance after evaluating your battles from now on. Me and the Elders will remain neutral and block the Patriarchs assistance. Show to us your capabilities. I will leave now."
Won nodded as he sipped his tea.
The old man dissapeared in a blur.
Won waited thirty minutes and spat, "How bloody cliched. Another fellow uncaringly doing as he likes. It seems like something from a novel or the like."
Ozaris walked from the shadows and said, "Master how did you know the Seventy sword Sects situation? Any information of sects is incredibly hard to stumble onto. We only have basic information about them."
Won picked the teapot and poured it.
"I just used the information available like the sect battle in ten years and then made some comparisons with their behavior and actions, especially their treatment of the sword princess. I understood that something was amiss and strange and just guessed."
Ozaris asked, "Guessed?"
Won laughed, "Ozaris don't you know in a battle of wit Isn't like a battle of fists. A battle of wits is ten percent knowing and ninthy percent guessing."
Ozaris laughed, "How would I know master. I am not a General type of man like you are. I simply obey your commands."
Won nodded, "Speak however you wish. Dare you speak the truth?"
Ozaris chuckled, "Master why bully me... Anyway I could never defeat you. I am one who works with concise figures and fixed variables, I do not guess. I look at a situation and do my best to prepare, while you control the situation, change the variables and dance in chaos."
Won smirked, "Who knows I may blunder one day, that's why someone like you should be by my side using your nature to hold me up."
Won stood up and handed Ozaris a cup of tea.
He then patted him on the back, "I'll ask you to look after my back."
Ozaris stilled.
Won left the room.
Eventually he bowed deeply and silently swore, "Of course master. I Ozaris swear on my soul to protect you for all of Eternity, to be your unbreakable shield and guard you from all extremes and pains."