The ice and snow of the north was revealed to all who had went deeper past the border and the cold winds hit the skin of those that were not inside of a carriage.
Beautiful mountains which had layers of snow on them came into view in the distance and there were a couple of pieces of land by the mountains that had people living within.
On the path to the Northern Warlord Sect, Ki and the others slowly made their way there while taking a moment to appreciate the scenery and the state of the villages.
The land which had been purchased was still fertile and could easily be managed by people to grow certain herbs and vegetables.
The harvests each time had shown that Ki's investment had been paying off and the couple of villages had many people settle within them.
With the Bombyx family being close to the border and having the Northern Warlord Sect controlling the fortress and pass, it was difficult for others to interfere with the villages development.
There were often cases that fertile land would be robbed by others the moment it was found and there would be many fighting over it until the area became inhabitable.
Any village near the Northern Warlord Sect was under the direct protection of the sect and they gained some of the crops for their efforts.
The relationship between the sect and the Bombyx family had become closer over the time that had passed because there was a lot of business and tasks to be distributed in the north which allowed the sect to have many opportunities to earn money and keep themselves busy.
While most of the people staying within the villages were ordinary farmers and people who had been left homeless during the flood, many were given a second chance in life by the Bombyx family.
Not everyone could gain the chance to turn their lives around and many had been left homeless or starving but Ki had made several preparations in advance to recruit knowledgeable and capable people to manage those lands.
Mixed within them were some of the assigned spies and protectors that had been training in the Divine Ice Sect's martial arts so they were able to train in an environment that suited them best.
There were some mixed among them that had ice, snow and cold wind mystical techniques so they would be safe from any unexpected bandit attacks but they had rarely happened unless they had come directly through the border from the central lands.
Time passed slowly as Ki and the others had continued on their journey until they found themselves in front of a large wall and gate which had been locked shut.
Ki raised a metal medallion with the symbol of a mulberry tree carved into it which was followed by the gates opening right away.
The relationship with the Northern Warlord Sect had allowed the villages to produce a lot of crops without suffering any major losses while they had played a role in blocking off the entry of the Bombyx families competitors who had been trying to enter the north and steal the business away.
All it took was an official medallion or document to allow entry for anyone working with the Bombyx family so the Bombyx family controlled who could and could not enter or do business in the north.
The sect leader was seen on the other side of the gate who had been waiting for the arrival of their visitors and he stepped forward while being followed by several of the elders of the sect.
Ever since Ki took action against the sect to take it under her control while eliminating anyone that was against the sect leader, the sect leader had a long time to build up the sect's power once again and gained many loyal people by his side. "Young lady Bombyx."
Ki got off the dog sled and walked towards him. "Sect Leader, have you been well? How was the medicine I sent you?"
The sect leader showed a smile. "I am feeling much better thank you. I am very grateful."
Ki nodded. "Hm. That is good."
The sect leader had become very sick and it was a very common illness which could be cured in the central lands.
The problem was that the herbs needed could not survive in the cold north and would need to be delivered to those that needed them.
His health was deteriorating quickly and that was a problem because if his situation was known to others, it could cause division among the sect once again so he contacted Ki in secret to tell her what was wrong.
He hoped that she would take care of the sect in his place while choosing the next sect leader who would succeed him and would be under her direct control just like him.
If he died then a replacement was needed to keep the sect stable and upon learning the situation, Ki visited him and checked over his health personally.
She already knew how to treat it so when she returned to her home, she collected the needed herbs together and made the medicine for him.
It was better for the current sect leader to maintain his position and he needed to be in good health to keep his control over the others within the sect so Ki had sent him the medicine along with some instructions.
He had been cured after taking the medicine as instructed and any kind of internal conflicts over the succession were halted for the time being.
The incident had helped Ki to solidify her hold over the sect and gain the gratitude of the sect leader with a single medicine prescription so she profited a lot.
The sect leader motioned her to follow so she stepped forward to join him as they went on a short walk. "Young lady, how many people do you need this time?"
Ki placed her hand on her chin while thinking. "We will be making a journey to the capital this time which is much deeper than Slate City. We should stop over in Slate City on the way to rest up a little before setting off towards the capital. I will need a small armed guard which should be capable of dealing with any unexpected situations."
Although it was quite safe to travel with her current guards, there was always a need to be careful since there were many unpredictable things which could happen.
There was not just dangers from the environment but also from the various influences in the north which had been made aware of her planned arrival to the capital.
The coming of age for her had quickly spread among the northern nobility, royals and sects.
Some would welcome her because of the many high quality goods that had arrived at the capital from Slate City then the small businesses which had later been established within the capital so many were happy with the changes she brought.
Not everyone was the same though and there were those that did not like a central lander gaining so much recognition and popularity.
Even if they did nothing to her, there were still many unknown variables on the road which could cause problems so she had to be careful to keep her family safe.
Ki had not killed anyone with her sword since the day she began training with the Sound Clan head and she still had not broke through to the next stage in her martial arts.
She could sense that her time was coming soon and that she needed to keep her mind in the best state so Ki left the battles to the others temporarily.
The sect leader bowed a little. "I will arrange for some of my most trusted men to accompany you."
Ki nodded in response then asked. "Is there anything else to report?"
The sect leader frowned slightly. "There have been some groups attacking the fortress lately from both sides but they are only small groups who fled after failing to break through."
Ki looked over thoughtfully. "Be careful. Perhaps they are checking for any weaknesses and are working with others. Have your people on guard during this time so that you are ready for anything."
The Divine Ice Sect had been destroyed by others within the same fortress that the Northern Warlord Sect was occupying so they could be destroyed just the same.
Even a small group could be a threat if they found some weaknesses in the defence of the fortress then passed that information onto others.