*Warning - Bit dark on this one*
Jia Teng had become the 3rd Princess of the Lotus Empire by the normal route. Her mother, the former Empress, had several children of various potential that had to survive the gauntlet of royal life and being married off or not in the case of the daughters. Jia had been the 6th of 9 princesses at the time. She vaguely remembered a few sweet years but then her baby sister was found killed.
The Kingdom of Altair had sent another assassin to get at the royal family as they had over the centuries of their feud with the Lotus Empire. The Empire did the same to them but this a distinct difference, the Empire tried to cripple their enemy, not simply kill their children. Altair was incredibly powerful but it had a perverse attitude about people.
The Altaran Royal Family treated all people as tools for their advancement or use. There was no other alternative. The dispute with the Empire stemmed from several incidents involving envoys between the 2 countries and escalating results. Insults led to duels. Duels led to fights. Fights led to formal declaration of hostilities.
The final point of no return stemmed from a peace meeting of all things. Jia had been taught it was standard practice to send a royal member with a full entourage to negotiate peace or major trade deals. She had, in fact, done so herself. Jia was unsure how much was true after that but one fact even the Altarans proudly stood by was they claimed the royal member for their own harem. It was her predecessor in title, the 3rd Princess of the Lotus Empire.
Back then it was simply the 3rd born princess, but since then it had been made into a title. It was earned by the Princess that shoulder the ugly duty of keeping the Empire in check from within to prevent corruption from turning the Empire from its foundation of freedom and loyalty to the cesspool other powers had become over time.
Cultivators lived long lives but World Realms topped out at 500 years. It was long recorded how many Kingdoms, Empires, and democratic powers fell within the single lifetime of a World Realm. The Lotus Empire had endured for thousands of years but had changed over that time. The war with Altair had actually helped keep it together after a fashion.
Jia pondered the tangled history of her Empire as she followed the leaders of the Frey Clan deep into their secretive areas. Small though a Clan could be, each had secret techniques, resource treasure house, and other things that allowed them to establish themselves within the Lotus Empire. Jia wondered what the Frey Clan had presented centuries ago, but it was not her concern. She was likely performing her last duty as the 3rd Princess of the Empire.
She had held the position far longer than others, but this next act would fall on her shoulders alone. It had to be done for the honor of the Empire, but she served the current Emperor. A flash of bright blonde hair passed her mind's eye and Jia felt sad she may never see her 'sister' again. She had such promise but Jia hoped that 'sister's' fate would be kinder than her own sisters.
"Highness, these are the reserved quarters we keep him in." Grand Master Fu motioned to gold covered doors with strong formations and 4 guards standing over all of it. Jia noted that peak Soul Realm was the highest aside from the Elders and the Grand Masters. The World Realm was too vast within a tier, thus this Clan was fairly weak compared to many others.
"Thank you, please follow me in Fu Frey." Jia saw no need to have them all come along but she did not stop Yue from following them. Silvia's report had made Jia's stomach churn in rage. She had uncovered traitors and sins that had been truly vile, but nothing compared to the monster inside these quarters.
The fine silks, gold, silver, and gems decorating even the simplest of light sources showed how high end these courtyards were. Jis suspected these were meant for someone else originally but had been co-opted due to the travesty of rules enforced on the Frey Clan. The intervention of the Alchemy Guild would be addressed by someone else as Jia could only do so much at once.
"My Lady, are you sure of this?" Silvia expressed grave concern once again. Jia smiled at the pretty lavender eyes of her closest friend. Of anyone alive left in her circle, Silvia had been there at the bloody beginning of Jia's path. She had claimed her position of 3rd Princess by battle and perseverance. Silvia had guarded her back since long before that and never abandoned her. Silvia knew her best.
"You brought me the report. You also know what the current Emperor would say once it was all revealed. I do not serve this role to bow to convenience. I am giving him a way out as well. It will be fine." The frown on Silvia's pretty face made Jia smile. This was the only way to retain honor, but Jia would be lying if she denied enjoying what was about to happen.
"Does anyone want to concede?" A rich baritone voice carried suddenly through the courtyard to the approaching group. Passing through a large area full of futons and tables lead to a garden where a pavilion was being struck by soft lights in the early evening.
A small group of men were smoking from some kind of apparatus Jia knew was native to Altair. It was a drug that dulled pain and common sense in one go in her opinion. The 3 dark haired pale men were clearly from the Frey Clan, but the dark blonde haired man facing away from them was the target of her pale green eyes.
"What is this? I smell women! Has a gift arrived?" The deep voiced blonde man turned around after laying down some cards face up. Whatever the guards saw, they slapped their cards down as they slowly became aware of unexpected guests. The slightly drugged guards sobered up instantly and knelt to their superiors. Jia felt Fu's rage flare before it was brought under control.
"Ah, a bevy of beauties could not compare to you 2. So, who will be first, or should we go at it all at once? I am somewhat out of practice but I am sure you will be happy once I begin." There was not even a pause in his evaluation to assume there was no chance to resist him. The formations outside kept him inside, but that was all. Inside the courtyards, not even Grand Master Fu could stop him.
A frown marred his darker face as his bright blue eyes seemed to remember something unpleasant.
"Just to be certain, neither of you are Frey women, correct? I am afraid I was made to sign off an agreement to that blasted Alchemic Guild. Snobbish bastards should keep their noses in their cauldrons and out of my royal duties. So, let us begin!" The man never gave them a chance to respond before the pressure of a mid-Iron Tier World Realm targeted Jia and Silvia.
Jia smirked inside but did not respond. She waited for the idiot to do the thing he was known for. His figure vanished to all but Jia and Silvia's eyes. He was clearly reaching out to tear away their robes with a leering smile before he was crushed into the ground like a hammer hit his back.
The pressure of peak Iron Tier filled the courtyard from 2 people. Only the fool felt it directly but everyone else in the garden felt cold sweat breakout on their backs. Even Fu wished fervently to never be the target of this power.
"WHAT IS THIS?! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU 2 WENCHES?!" Jia had not stopped him from yelling but now she smiled wide as she moved the cloak to the left of her chest to reveal the emblem beneath. It was quite pleasing to see the blood drain from the man's face.
"I am the 3rd Princess of the Lotus Empire, Jia Teng. Tell me, do you know your crime?" Jia stood over the sprawled man. He was powerless to resist their cultivation. It was only 2 tiny steps between mid to peak tier, but in World Realm, those were chasms. Arrogance flashed on the man's face before he sneered up at them.
"I admit I should be more cautious in this backward Empire. You let women have an opinion but this is just inviting disaster to let one have such power. Do you feel good bullying me right now?" His tone was clear of any fear or nervousness. He thought he was untouchable. Jia, frankly, was enjoying this, but the best was yet to come.
"Silvia." Jia had to follow procedure exactly. There had to be no loopholes or any weak point to attack later for what was sure to come. She sighed as her fate was sealed at this point.
"Second Prince Gaius Altair. You have been found to abused the hostage exchange to commit the heinous crime of assault on citizens of the Lotus Empire. You conspired with the Overseer of the Southern District to inflict damage on the Empire. You have been directly responsible for the death of 3 citizens. You are directly responsible for the suffering of 4 citizens of the Empire. Finally," Silvia glanced up from the scroll she was reading from and took a deep breath here, "you have attempted an assault on the 3rd Princess of the Lotus Empire and her attendant. You are guilty as charged."
Silvia looked sad as her litany ended. Jia could see it in her face but doubted anyone else would even notice any hair out of place if they could see it in her hood. Jia looked down to the prone Gaius and finally saw a crack in his confidence. Some of that list would be impossible to ignore but the Emperor would never force the issue.
The 10 years of hard won peace by appeal to the rulers of the Sarth Continent could not be jeopardized for what he would see as a minor Clan. Jia was quite disappointed with the current Emperor, but he had good wives to keep him in check. The miscellaneous thoughts were dismissed as a glint of cold steel appeared in those blue eyes.
"So what?! I am a royal Prince of Altair. There is nothing you can do to me! That spirit cursed Alchemy Guild put a stop to my rightful duty, but nothing else here can touch me! Get out of my face!" Gaius tried to get up, only to be slammed even harder into the dirt of the garden. Jia finally felt at peace.
"You clearly were not listening. I am the 3rd Princess of the Lotus Empire. Do you know who I am?" A sweet but terrifying smile appeared on Jia's face. Every man there suddenly felt a chill down their spines they could not explain while Silvia and Yue felt a stir of excitement. "I am empowered to root out all corruption from the Empire and mete out justice as I see fit. I have already informed the Emperor of such."
Gaius finally broke. His confidence was slipping away, but he refused to bend to a woman of all things! The women of the world were just convenient playthings for men and the vehicle to continue the glorious bloodline of their being. Jia could see all the thoughts in his tiny mind and just smiled wider.
"As such, I have determined the following: You are a threat to the Empire. You are also its hostage so death is not available to me. Thus, I must neutralize you in another, more fitting, way." Jia made a single gesture and wind took solid form as Gaius was strung upright once more. Silvia also flicked a hand and water encased the limbs of Gaius firmly. The man was now spread eagled in midair before the crowd here.
"I thought about what would be appropriate and decided you have done enough. By the spirits, you have done more than should have ever been allowed but I cannot change the past. By the power invested in me by the role of 3rd Princess of the Lotus Empire, I sentence you, Prince Gaius, to a change of your status as a man." The calm words took a few breaths to be absorbed before Gaius suddenly started to struggle with all his might. His cultivation tried to break free but it was to no avail.
The wind suddenly screeched like a fierce cry of vengeance as blood spattered from the groin of the Prince of Altair. While it was possible to regrow limbs in the World Realm, it required grade 5 pills to restore them fully. These pills were next to impossible to get ahold of in the Lotus Empire and Kingdom of Altair. Further, the scar on his Dao Heart could never be healed this way.
Jia noticed the tears in Yue's eyes and even Fu seemed to be watery as well. They had waited nearly 20 years for this monster to pay for his actions. The weeping sounds drew Jia back as she realized they had left the man strung up. With a glance, Silvia set him down but no one moved to help him. Gaius simply wailed like a child. All his arrogance and surety was gone.
Jia flashed back to a cheery smile missing baby teeth that had been so precious and was replaced by a broken neck and a look of terror.
"The debt is paid in full my baby sister." Jia whispered the words to herself as she turned and left the now eunuch man behind her. Death was far too good for those monsters. Instead, she took away what they valued so much.