Chapter 58 - Demon Empire
The rumor that a guest elder of Heavenly Maiden Sect was the creator of the elixirs stirred up a lot of interest but it was only on par with the strange tribulation that occurred during the auction itself. Despite massive efforts, no one discovered the truth behind the tribulation as it was not like a cultivator breaking through at all.
The Qi residue was powerful but nothing useful for investigators that came much later. The Sapphire Auction House itself also found no damage or injured people so its concerns were already addressed so far as they were worried. The Emperor of the Lotus Empire could only stew in his own rage as far too many 'guests' came not long after the auction ended.
Most of them were from local powers and were only equal to him in status but far too many envoys from higher powers had come he could not ignore nor get rid of easily. The Stardust Emporium was being hosted by the Sapphire Auction House so they were tolerable. They also developed more interest in the supposed elixir master than the tribulation as at least that had leads.
The Darkmoor Kingdom envoy had returned but he was butting heads with the other demon envoy, the one from the Demon Empire. Normally, the Demon Empire would be considered an enemy, but they only sent a single envoy with 2 aides who were at the peak of Gold Tier. The Darkmoor Kingdom could crush them with their elites if they liked but took no action physically.
Instead, the Emperor held his head as yet another report of a 'friendly' argument that had leveled a courtyard of the palace. The nobles were sympathetic in this case but their patience was wearing thin. He desperately needed to separate the envoys.
"My Emperor, the Demon Empire envoy awaits your audience." The young Soul Realm herald suddenly spoke up and the Emperor felt himself age decades. He was but an Emperor of a small power. Why did the major players have to come in and wreck his little corner of the world? His previous rage was long dispelled now and he would openly embrace the source of the tribulation as it would no longer be his problem.
He waved his hand and the murmurs came to a halt as the nobles assembled onto the sides of the aisle to receive the august visitor. Regardless of the cool relations between the Darkmoor Kingdom and the Demon Empire, currently things were at peace. It should also be noted that smaller powers had the discretion to receive envoys of opposing major powers so long as it was not military in nature.
The massive archway across from the throne rippled with the power of several elements in a defensive formation. It was essentially a light curtain that could be solidified or made to attack depending on strategic decisions. It was only at the peak of Iron Tier however as the resources for Gold Tier would drain the treasury dry.
Ripples like a stone skipping across a pond appeared as a tall, lithe deep lavender woman entered. The Darkmoor Kingdom favored leather and chainmail armor for general use as they loved to battle in head on conflict, but the Demon Empire was different. It had soldiers as any power did, but their elites like the envoy would favor clothing to their speciality. The woman wore skin tight leathers that left little to the imagination on her voluptuous shape.
This was an intentional choice on the Demon Empire's part. Anyone would be distracted just by the outfit, but her stride intentionally swayed her hips and her body swayed with full awareness of how attractive it was. The Emperor was resilient to many kinds of mental assault but even using his wives as armor, this envoy still distracted him in dangerous ways.
"Lil' Lotus Emperor, I am honored to address you once again." The soft voice was much like her body, it hit the right notes to enrapture her target. This, at least, the Emperor could resist due to his irritation at the title she gave him. The strong, however, always dictated to the weak. The Emperor was weak to the Demon Empire.
"Honored Envoy, how may I help you today?" The Emperor tried to guide this encounter to a quick solution as the power in front of him was stronger than him. Trying to dance around them was not an option, much as Darkmoor was the final say in his own Empire. His pale crimson hair was starting to gray just thinking about either envoy.
A pleasant smirk crossed her face as her bright pink eyes narrowed at the Emperor's tone yet she did not rise to his disrespect. She sauntered up the aisle and more than ⅔ of the nobles swallowed their saliva in her presence.
"I understand you have an interesting hostage under your control." The Emperor felt a vein throb on his forehead. The Altairan 2nd Prince was indeed their hostage but he was still kept in the Southern District as far from the capitol as he could be placed. It had been a terrible choice over 20 years ago to move the hostage to somewhere difficult to reach. It was a strategic move to stop any attempts from Altaira to reach their prince, but the Overseer had pawned him off to the Frey Clan with horrific claims of treaty terms.
This event was also a painful time to the Emperor as it was the start of the chain of events that claimed Jia Teng's life. What interest the Demon Empire had in this was beyond him but he narrowed his eyes as the chill that came off him seemed to touch all in the room aside from the envoy.
"We are at odds with our brethren across Shriekers Ridge to the east. Our conflict evolved to the point that the honorable Darkmoor Kingdom had to bring it to a stop as it affected their interests." This was all true. The smaller powers under Darkmoor could 'resolve disputes' so long as it did not affect the flow of resources to Darkmoor. Once that occurred, their forces would be dispatched to stop it.
A smirk flared on the envoy's face but she knew all of this already so the Emperor was unsure what she was looking for. The 2nd Prince of Altair was of no use to anyone anymore since Jia had crippled him in every sense of the word. She had done her work well as no pill could resolve the damage to him.
"I am not speaking of that useless husk in the Southern District. I am speaking of the current heir to the throne." The Emperor was now confused. He was unaware of any heir from Altaira coming to his Empire. Such a respected visitor would be–
The Emperor's thoughts froze. Technically, given the current state of affairs, there were 2 prospective heirs to the Altairan throne. However, that was all they were, prospective. There was an important watershed each of them would have to overcome and the Emperor had already given orders to restrict the most likely one to succeed. The other was of no concern. Even so, the envoy could be looking into them.
"You are mistaken, honorable envoy. Although they carry the blood of our enemies, they were born and raised in our Empire. Darkmoor, itself, made it clear to Altair that those boys are beyond their reach." The Emperor's voice was ice. In fact, the drop in temperature likely had to do with his fonts merging to make ice. His anger was clear on his aura but his face was placid still. This was not a power they could afford to offend.
The smile on the envoy did not fade. It changed from tempting to chilly on its own. Shadows seemed to darken the air around her but it did not seem like anger to those that interacted with demons, more like amusement. Dark amusement.
"Ah yes, the vaunted honor of the Darkmoor Kingdom required a sacrifice. You could not allow royal Altairans to return to their homeland so you instead allowed the murd–" The words were cut off by a sharp crack as ice formed into a sword in the Emperor's hand. His blue eyes blazed with rages and his full high Gold Tier cultivation filled the room. Most of the nobles present were in the Stone Tier, thus they felt repressed, but true fear filled their eyes looking at the unaffected envoy.
"Speak one more word about her, and I do not care if I burn my cultivation but I will end you." It was said that the nobility often cared little for the family as they advanced in their cultivation. Only talented members mattered. It was well known, however, that the Emperor cherished all of his family regardless of potential. He had several children that would never leave the Soul Realm but he spoke proudly of them regardless.
"Ah, yes, your love of family is known even in our courts. How quaint." The envoy's aura suddenly filled the room. It was peak Gold Tier and ever so close to Diamond. If that was all, the Emperor would have continued but the sudden feeling of pressure from above made his blood drain from his face. Tribulation! A real tribulation was building.
"Are you insane?!"
"You will incur horrible karmic retribution if you do that here!!"
"Mad, you are mad!"
Many voices began to call out in terror as if the envoy kept going, they would all likely die and so would half the Inner District from the chain reaction. The Emperor dispersed his elements and sank back onto his throne, but he looked smaller than before. No noble could sympathize due to the fact it was his fault the envoy was pushed to this. No one doubted an envoy of the Demon Empire would drown their backwater Empire in her tribulation.
"Wise choice lil Emperor. Now, tell me where I can find Lind Frey." Confusion filled the room. While not all nobles were fully apprised of the final acts of Jia Teng, they knew the most likely candidate to make it to the World Realm was Kor Frey, not Lind. While he did not seem too stellar of a cultivator, he was not mediocre by any measure known.
"My business with Lind Frey is my own, but you have definitely done well by hiding him from my network so effectively. Now, where is he?" The Emperor might have put up more of a fight if it was Kor, but a 6 elemental with no support at all? There was no reason to hide him.
"He is a Core Student of Lotus Academy, he is assigned to tower 3 floor 5." The Emperor had his spies keep an eye on the boy but only to ensure the edict of Darkmoor was carried out. It also kept the Head Elder in place. The Emperor expected the envoy to leave but she still stood there.
"I would not be here if he was there. He seems to be somewhere no one knows and no one can find. I presume you do. Now, where is he?" The Emperor was truly confused now. He kept tabs on the boy but not to the extent that if he left the capitol for the wilds outside. A cultivator could only rely on fate when stepping out into the world. His honest confusion seemed to carry over to the envoy.
A quick flick of his hand and a person seemed to materialize just to the right of the Emperor's throne. The envoy smirked but said nothing, indicating she had been well aware of the ants hiding in the eaves. A whispered conversation made the Emperor wrinkle his brow.
"A-ahem. My network seems to not know Lind Frey's specific location but they know the last place he was seen was the Stone Ward. Once he is inside, however, no one can find him." Everyone in the room was confused. While the spies were not above the Emperor in cultivation, the lowest was always a Sand Tier inside the capitol. There was no way a Soul Realm could hide from their senses.
A Sky Realm would have long been noticed by many treasures set up for the very purpose as such a senior should be greeted as soon as possible. The envoy looked displeased as her thoughts paralleled the humans in the room. What could hide a Soul Realm within the capital of the Lotus Empire?
"Very well, I will find him myself. Good day lil Emperor." The envoy swayed her way out of the throne room without waiting for permission. Her disrespect mattered little at this point but the Emperor was now distracted. The Stone Ward was one the shadiest places in his Inner District. While there were some uses of it, why would Lind Frey go to that ward? What was there that could protect him from the eyes of World Realms without anyone bringing it to his attention?
****
Lind laid exhausted and covered in sweat on the floor of the shop. He could barely move at this point as Younger Twin had been pushing him to replicate the breaking through realms but Lind was unable to do it. He ran out of Qi before he even came close!
The 4 glowing vials sat on a table as the Immortal Will looked at them in deep thought. A few days after the auction, Lind had come back to the shop to push himself but Younger Twin had basically commanded him to repeat what Lind had done under enlightenment.
"I think you should head back, it has been over 6 months in here already." The calm statement made Lind bolt upright. Six months?!! He had been here 6 months?! Almost a month could have passed outside! Lind took a pill to recover a bit as he preferred to recover naturally when not in mortal danger.
"Please excuse me, Master." Lind bowed and stumbled out of the shop. He came out into the middle of the night in the Stone Ward. The brothel was running rampant business but, as always, the prostitutes opened a path respectfully for Lind.
Lind was too tired to worry about things as he got his body to head back to his rooms in the Academy but on top of the buildings of the Stone Ward shadows moved as he did. Some were the very spies that had lost him once again, but others were far more powerful beings. A seductive smile spread across one of those beings.
"Found you." The Demon Empire envoy was more curious now as the young teenager moved through the night unobstructed by anyone. She could not see what was protecting him but that was just more enticing to her.