~~~

“What did you think of it? Entertaining, was it not?”

Lord Feng Gui cuts his roasted lamb with a smile. It is only he and Liu Jin in the room, but a full banquet has been served for them. There is pork, venison, duck, and other meats, all seasoned with enough spices to make one’s mouth water and accompanied with vegetables, rice, and copious amounts of wine.

It is a far more expensive meal than the one Lord Feng Shang shared with Liu Jin, and not just because of its flavor. Every single item used to prepare this feast is a high-quality ingredient intended for cultivation. Even some of the Inner Disciples would have trouble handling more than one bite.

“At the very least, it was certainly surprising, Lord Feng Gui,” Liu Jin replies.

Lord Feng Gui looks at him over his cup of wine. “Truly? Elder Xue did not warn you of Elder Fa’s fate beforehand?”

“It seems she thought it best to surprise me,” Liu Jin says dryly.

“Women enjoy testing men, so men must be ready to be tested,” Lord Feng Gui says, smiling as he serves himself more meat. “It is safe to say you were.”

"Patriarch Feng Zhang once told me that he allowed Elder Fa to exist as a traitor because he did not want to invite the Death Fashioning Scripture to grow subtle," Liu Jin says. "I see Lord Feng Gui has different ideas."

Liu Jin does not ask, "Are you sure that is wise?" but they both hear the implication. It is more brusque than Liu Jin would typically be, but anything related to those on the other side of the Dead Plains has to be treated with a great sense of urgency.

"We no longer live in my father's time," Lord Feng Gui says after a tense moment of silence. His fork skewers the meat and lets its juice flow into the plate. "His ascension has caused him to become detached from the rest of the world. You, of all people, should understand that. After all, you have experienced what it is to be a Divinity."

The roar of thunder.

The flash of lightning.

The howl of wind.

Liu Jin looks away.

"I prefer not to think about that."

"Nevertheless, I ask you to," Lord Feng Gui says, and Liu Jin feels as his eyes are brought back to Lord Feng Gui's face. The man leans forward. His eyes burn with an intensity that wasn't there a few seconds ago. "When I reached the Emperor Realm, I became like a god to those beneath me, yet even I do not know what your eyes have seen. What did it feel like to be a Divinity? Tell me."

It is not a request. The sheer hunger emanating from Lord Feng Gui has complete hold of the room, and the feast cannot hope to sate it.

Liu Jin sighs.

"I am afraid you will find yourself disappointed, Lord Fen Gui," Liu Jin says. "My eyes saw. My ears heard. My soul experienced. And yet, my mind still struggles to comprehend. All I can say with certainty is that it felt like the world around me was a lie."

Lord Feng Gui leans back. His brow is furrowed. "A lie?"

"Not real," Liu Jin clarifies. "How can reality be anything but a lie when I could change it with a single word? Everything around me existed only because I allowed it to. That is how it felt, Lord Feng Gui. It was terrifying."

"I see," Lord Feng Gui says, looking graver than Liu Jin has ever seen him. "If so, that explains why those in the Divine Realms need to seclude themselves for so long. It certainly explains a few things about my father."

He begins eating again, his curiosity sated for now.

Liu Jin's is not.

“What exactly are the Divine Realms, Lord Feng Gui?” Liu Jin asks. “I might have experienced it, but it seems you might know more about Divinity than I.”

And that cannot remain that way. Not with the Wandering Wind and those on the other side of the Dead Plains in his path.

“The first thing you must understand,” Lord Feng Gui says after taking a moment to consider how to best answer, “is that the Divine Realms aren’t.”

Liu Jin blinks. “What?”

“We are used to thinking of cultivation as a straightforward, structured process,” Lord Feng Gui says. “Foundational Realm. Inner Realm. Nascent Realm. Spirit Realm. True Realm. Earth Realm. Heaven Realm. Renegade Realm. Emperor Realm. Nine cultivation realms divided into nine levels. However, the Divine Realm has no such divisions. At least, none that I know of.”

“Yet, we call them Divine Realms,” Liu Jin points out. “That implies there are stages.”

“In a sense,” Lord Feng Gui says. “You, more than I, must understand the differences in power between Divinities. However, while a man in the Inner Realm will never believe himself to be in the Nascent Realm, Divinity has no convenient markers to identify one’s progress. From my own observations and research, I prefer to think of the stages of the Divine Realms as Depths of Divinity.”

“Depths?” Liu Jin blinks. “Most people would use words related to elevation or ascension.”

“Would you?”

Liu Jin thinks back to his experiences and shivers.

“No,” he says. “Depth works surprisingly well.”

“I have been in contact with a fragment of Divine power for most of my life,” Lord Feng Gui says, letting wisps of gold appear between his fingers. “The Eternal Flame is a great power, but I have seen what happens to those who lose control. They drown in flames. Those in the Divine Realms seek to go even beyond that. In the shallowest depths, they seclude themselves. Once they have discerned the difference between themselves and the world, they begin their journey. If there is more after that, I do not know. Perhaps those on the other side of the Dead Plains do.”

"And yet, you intend to challenge those on the other side of the Dead Plains."

"It is they who challenge us," Lord Feng Gui counters. "Those on the other side of the Dead Plains are no longer some ill omen in the night's sky. They are here, and they must be dealt with accordingly. I would think what happened to your country would make you inclined to agree with me, Emperor Qing Jin."

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Liu Jin looks down at his food, unable to deny Lord Feng Gui's words. The Death Fashioning Scripture and Peerless Heavenly Sword Peak collaborated in secret to the detriment of the Storm Dragon Empire. It was they who helped turn the country into the utter mess it was before the end of the civil war.

Who knows what else they will do if they keep ignoring them?

"There is no reason to look so disheartened," Lord Feng Gui says. "Remember that we are not without leverage. You are aware of our lineage, are you not?"

"The blood of the 108," Liu Jin says.

"Correct," Lord Feng Gui says. "The preservation of the barrier is of utmost importance, which means our existence is of utmost importance. There is only so much those on the other side of the Dead Plains can risk because of that, especially with the ceremony so close at hand."

"They tried to kidnap Feng Hao," Liu Jin points out.

“They did,” Lord Feng Gui admits, “but I am not entirely sure that was because of his blood. Not in that sense, at least. If one of the three powers tried to monopolize the blood of the 108, it would draw the ire of the other two. Something like that might even turn them against themselves. It is because the issue is so delicate that we have room to act. Besides, we have more than blood at our disposal. The Eternal Flame has yet to show its true power.”

Liu Jin knows what Lord Feng Gui is talking about. It is something Elder Xun told him a long time ago. Unlike other Inheritances, the Eternal Flame is split in half. One lies with the Eternal Flame Clan, the other with the Imperial Family of the Crimson Cloud Empire. One of the biggest points of contention between Lord Feng Gui and Lord Feng Shang was the former’s desire to rejoin the halves.

"As I understand it, the Imperial Family possesses the mind of the Eternal Flame,” Liu Jin says. "I feel obligated to mention that there is no guarantee that mind will choose you once it has been reunited with its power."

"If it doesn't, so be it," Lord Feng says, much to Liu Jin's surprise. "I refuse to live in fear of what might be, and I refuse to suffer stagnation any longer. This flimsy status quo of ours will be destroyed, and something new will be established in place."

Destruction for the sake of creation. Doing away with the old for the sake of the new. Lord Feng Gui’s words are no mere platitudes. They come from the very core of his being. It is the reason why, despite his many objectionable qualities, he is the most qualified person for Liu Jin to side with.

“Of course, this future is only possible if we work together,” Lord Feng Gui adds, his golden eyes glowing. “I am still not sure if we can.”

Liu Jin does not quail under Lord Feng Gui’s suddenly predatory gaze, but it is a close thing. The public hearing was for the benefit of the masses of the Eternal Flame Clan.

The real thing begins now.

"When Elder Xue brought the Storm Dragon Empire to my attention, I merely thought of it as another way to upstage my brother. If I could end the civil war and bring the entire Storm Dragon Empire under the influence of the Eternal Flame Clan, that would prove how badly my brother mishandled things, further solidifying my position."

Lord Feng Gui serves himself some mutton, his knife easily cutting the bone apart.

"I was not expecting one of our disciples to claim the throne from under everyone's nose."

"It was necessary," Liu Jin says.

"For whom? Without a legitimate Emperor, it would have been easier for us to justify our control."

"Like I said, it was necessary," Liu Jin says, meeting Lord Feng Gui's gaze without flinching. "The people of the Storm Dragon Empire have been abused for too long. It is my duty and my desire to put a stop to that, even if that puts me at odds with others."

"You sound like my brother," Lord Feng Gui notes. "I am not sure I like that."

Liu Jin feels the sudden pressure bearing down on him. If Lord Feng Gui wanted to, he could pin him to the floor using nothing but his Qi. He doesn't. This is a knife brushing against his neck. An abyss nipping at his heels.

It is dread.

"If you wish to kill me after everything you said in front of the entire Eternal Flame Clan, do it now," Liu Jin says with far more courage than he feels. He takes his cup of wine and drinks it all before continuing. "However, doing so might reflect poorly on you. People tend to not trust a leader who says one thing one day and does another the next. Besides, I am not asking for anything outrageous, merely that you respect our autonomy. All the current treaties will be respected. Most of your Elders approve of this already."

"You mean you bribed my Elders into supporting you," Lord Feng Gui notes dryly.

"That is how one gets approval, is it not?" Liu Jin asks, tilting his head to the side. "I apologize if I have broken protocol somehow. I am still new to this."

Lord Feng Gui chuckles. His pressure leaves Liu Jin's neck. "And if I don't respect your terms, you will go to the Divine Frozen Palace. Is that it?"

"I am merely trying to be upfront about my goals.”

"If you wish to be upfront, now will be a good time to explain your relationship with them."

“What I said during the hearing was no lie, Lord Feng Gui,” Liu Jin says, smiling at the odd tale his life has become. “It is as I told Elder Fa, and as I told your brother, and as I told Elder Xue, and as I am sure she has told you already. My betrothed happened to be scouted by Lady Meng Yue. The day Lady Meng Yue came to pick her up was the last time I was in contact with anyone from the Divine Frozen Palace until I met Lady Bai Wen in the Storm Dragon Empire.”

“If not for Elder Xue, I probably wouldn’t believe you,” Lord Feng Gui says. “However, it’s very hard to lie to her. Still, the Divine Frozen Palace, huh? There are men who’d give up their arms and legs to be as blessed as you are. Did you know there are people who camp at the foot of the Divine Frozen Peak just to get a glimpse of them? It’s hilarious. Generational talents turned into callow youths. However, that is exactly why the Divine Frozen Palace is so dangerous.”

“You are not the first person to warn me of that,” Liu Jin says.

"But you have yet to make up your mind on the issue," Lord Feng Gui deduces. "That is understandable. Meng Yue was your first impression, and she is an oddity among oddities. However, consider this: Lady Shao Zhilan has been in the capital for years now, and the influence she wields in the court is considerable, all because her disciple seduced the Crown Prince."

He drinks deeply from his cup.

"Everyone warned him. Everyone still warns him. However, his mind cannot be swayed. That is how strong their hold over him is. Had you not chosen to become Emperor, your marriage would have never mattered to them. Now, you can be sure they will use any means necessary to sway you to their side. When they do, you will see that I am right."

The crown prince. A man so besotted by a woman that he ignores all common sense. It is honestly hard for someone like Liu Jin to imagine. It is also hard for him to reconcile people like Lady Meng Yue and Lady Bai Wen with the sort of women who could do that. Not because they aren't beautiful, but because deceit and manipulation of that sort does not fit their nature.

Of course, it is likely Lord Feng Gui is right. They could very well be outliers.

If so, Liu Jin hopes Xiao Shuang is an outlier as well.

"Before that happens, it would reassure me if you were to formalize things with someone else," Lord Feng Gui continues, "From what I understand, you are close to a young lady who wields the Eternal Flame."

Liu Jin wonders if Lord Feng Gui would be saying the same thing if he knew that Lu Mei is Lord Feng Shang's illegitimate daughter.

"I am touched that Lord Feng Gui would pay attention to my romantic life," Liu Jin says.

"Don't be. One's romantic life is the most interesting of all, and children are a more binding agreement than words written on paper." Lord Feng Gui says. "You should expect more people to push their daughters on you as you grow older, and you will not always have the luxury of declining."

"How does one handle it?" Liu Jin asks, well aware that someone of Lord Feng Gui's reputation is somehow the least and most qualified person to answer this question.

"Keep them far away from each other," Lord Feng Gui tells him bluntly. "Ideally, you want everyone to get along, but all the women around you will be competing for your favor, and competition breeds contempt. I keep Ling with me because I like her best. The rest of my lovers, I keep far away. Occasionally, I will visit them and show them some favor, obviously, but they cannot be the focus of my attention."

"That sounds far too detached," Liu Jin says, looking down at his food.

Is he meant to start thinking of Lu Mei and Xiao Shuang as bitter rivals that will grow to hate each other? He doesn't want an outcome like that, but if he lets the Sects push them against each other, that might very well be what happens.

A servant breaks into the room.

"Patriarch Feng Gui! Emperor Qing Jin!" the servant yells. "Lady Dai Jie of the Divine Frozen Palace requests an audience!"

Lord Feng Gui looks at Liu Jin with a smug smile on his face.

"Did you plan this?" Liu Jin asks.

"Not at all, but one thing you must learn is that all Emperors have impeccable timing."

~~~