The minister that waited in the next room was not a good man either.
Tundra walked in and immediately realized that he was dealing with someone that dabbled with one of the other darker powers of the cultivation world. Zuja was not just the only dark force in the world.
The minister that awaited them was a demonic cultivator.
There were no obvious traces, but again, Tundra was a man with enough lived experience to tell the clues. It was the faint ripples in his energy, the way ambient energy interacted with the man’s presence. Someone who consumed the spiritual core of other cultivators to augment their own. It’s the way demonic cultivators enslave lesser spiritual cores of cultivators and chained them to their own.
Demonic cultivators were the Zuja’s rivals, and in the great political games, some factions would find themselves collaborating with demonic cultivators.
“Ah, Sect Master Fox, what a coincidence, I am Minister Whein, I am a minister that serves as a member of Prince Yaorl retinue, and I oversee the great royal city of Yaorlia.” The Minister was a slim, slender man that looked like he was like a mortal man that was a hundred years old, and yet, he was also well into the peak of the fifth realm.
Demonic cultivators, like Zuja, are also capable of intense bursts of power rivaling those a realm or two above them, but often at the price of burning their own soul, or the enslaved souls held within their spirit realm.
In Tundra’s first life, it was Prince Yaorl that became emperor, so this was the winning ship.
Tundra knew that the Zuja were also in Prince Yaorl’s service, and they didn’t care enough about who won, so long as brutal wars were fought.
That meant on a surface level, there was some alignment of interests between the Zuja and the demonic cultivators. “Greetings, Minister Whein.” Tundra said, doing his best to mask his knowledge. It would be a fairly tense trip back home, as he’d have to brief his friends on the return trip. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“So, it seems you’ve found yourself in quite a pickle, isn’t it?” Minister Whein smirked. “I hear you are in the eyes of Princess Luharl.”
Tundra quickly downplayed it. “Ah, nothing like that at all..”
“Oh? We are no fools, Master Fox, we can see that you intend to remain mostly neutral in this conflict, which is why you are here.” Minister Whein said, as Tundra could feel the slight wavering in the energies. Demonic cultivators’ interactions with their environment often results in tiny, often imperceptible rejections. The ambient energies refuse to be associated with demonic cultivators, and often have to be forced. He could feel these tiny motes of energy shift ever so slightly away from the minister.
He wondered which demonic cultivator he was with. There were a few different clans of demonic cultivators, some of the more beastly kind, some others that made bargains with ancient demonic monstrosities not too different from the primordial beasts.
Tundra faked a laugh. “Ah. It’s nothing like that. We merely realize we need to improve our relationships with the various princes. We could not exist without repaying the favor of the royal family.”
“Then let me speak freely, Master Fox. Prince Yaorl heard of your recent accomplishments at Luharl’s summons, and wishes to offer you a simple deal. You stop making pills for the Princess, and we will cover you for whatever you wish to do.”
Tundra frowned. This minister just directly wants to cut them off, and yet, did he really speak for the Prince? Many ministers often claim to speak on the Prince’s name, but it was not the Prince’s wish after all. Or maybe, the Prince would happily throw them under the bus and claim that the ministers did so without his direct approval. In either case, it’s hard to know whether it truly is the Prince’s desire without meeting the Prince.
Severian glanced nervously at Tundra, and Tundra merely sighed. “I understand the Prince’s intention, however, we are but humble servants of the royal family. We will heed requests of all royal family members, whoever they are. We are not so arrogant to believe that we can refuse requests of other royal family members.”
“Even with Prince Yaorl’s backing?” Minister Whein stared into Tundra’s eyes, clearly taking offense from Tundra’s rejection. In most cases it would be laughable that a fifth realm dared to speak this way to a stronger seventh realm, but such is the weight of royal backing.
“It would not be impolite for me to rely on Prince Yaorl’s good name to refuse the other royal members. However, if Prince Yaorl requires any pills, I would be happy to assist with the process, together with Prince Yaorl’s highly talented retinue of alchemists.” Tundra answered. He wasn’t even sure if Prince Yaorl would actually back him up.
It would be a terrible outcome if he rejected a royal family, and Prince Yaorl just threw him under the bus and claimed he gave no such order. That would only invite vultures who would tear them apart.
Minister Whein’s glare continued, and Tundra clasped his hand. “Oh?”
Prince Yaorl was supported by the Snow Dragon Temple and Patriarch Whitedragon himself, but in the end, Emperor Yaorl was also defeated by the Zuja’s avatars.
All horses are the wrong horses, but Agnia had a point. Not playing would mean Zuja wins by default. “Although I may not be able to oblige with the Prince’s request, I would still love to visit Prince Yaorl, should he desire my presence. It would be a great honor to finally meet a powerful member of the royal family, and offer my services in other ways.”
“Hmph.” Minister Whein didn’t seem interested in the conversation anymore. “I think there’s nothing more to say to each other. You may leave.”
***
The Minister and Wilber Blackpetals didn’t make things difficult for them. After Tundra left the room, Wilber Blackpetals escorted them to a dining room, where they had lunch together. Though high-leveled cultivators rarely required food, the social and political aspects of dining made it such a regular feature that cultivators still participated in them frequently.
“It seems my sister was impressed with your work.” Wilber said frankly, as they sat for a meal. There were four from the Crimson Lotus Spire. Wilber Blackpetals as the Branch Leader, two elders who supported him, and a core disciple. On Tundra’s side it was Tundra, Severian, Agnia and Celestia. “She spoke highly of your- advice.”
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Ah. I did nothing of that sort. It was a simple conversation.” Tundra smiled, as he picked up the wine. It wasn’t spiked. “She deserved her win with her fantastic pill. I was merely commenting about certain other aspects of the competition.”
“Oh.” Wilber smiled. “That is so. It’s such an irritation, isn’t it? But I heard all is well with Princess Luharl, and my sister claims she is strong, too.”
“As expected.” Tundra nodded, this part of the story was now different, and he couldn’t rely on his past knowledge to guide his way. “The Royal family is truly blessed with overflowing talent.”
“So it is. So, Lord Tundra Fox, I had my men look up some of your past endeavors, and you had a period of fairly aggressive expansion. Then you stopped. What made you change your mind?”
The regressor smiled. “Oh, nothing much into it. Just a change in strategy. We felt a need to consolidate our resources.”
“You know, such an abrupt change seems to suggest you’ve found some kind of heavenly treasure, that the outside world no longer interests you.” Wilber probed, and Tundra was amused by how simultaneously close and wrong he was. “Would you be keen to share your fortune?”
Tundra chuckled. “Nothing of that sort, Lord Blackpetals. It truly is just a change of heart. We’re a fairly lean sect, and we were beginning to feel the strains of controlling our holdings for all the various nagging things that gnaw at our edges.”
“Ah. The spirit beasts? Or demonic cultivators?”
“Spirit beasts, and perhaps the rogue cultivators.”
“Well, I heard you’ve promoted three new elders. Do you plan to resume your long-postponed expansion?”
Tundra smiled at Wilber’s attempt to poke into their internal workings. “Ah, that is still up for discussion. The elders will come together and then we’ll decide.”
“Oh? I had the impression it was you who made the call.”
“It is.” The regressor answered.
“Would you have us in your sights, Lord Fox?” Wilber Blackpetals asked playfully.
“Oh? Should we?” Tundra smiled, and decided to go along with Lord Blackpetals’ dangerous train of thought.
“Well, since my sister speaks highly of you, it wouldn’t even be hard. Take my sister as your wife, and the Blackpetals family will support you instead. I think the children of two talented alchemists would be the kind of geniuses the world would fight for, and I’m starting to doubt the Blackpetals family’s place in the Crimson Lotus Spire.” Wilber Blackpetals said, much to the horror of the two other Crimson Lotus Spire’s elders.
The two Crimson Lotus elders immediately tried to intervene. “Lord Blackpetals-”
Wilber laughed. “It’s a joke, my fellow elders. Can’t you see Lord Fox is a little defensive? Besides, Lord Fox’s wife is here, how would I dare make such a serious proposition in his wife’s presence?”
Tundra chuckled, though he somehow knew the man wasn’t exactly joking. “That’s a very scandalous suggestion, Lord Blackpetals.”
“Oh, is my sister not good enough?” Wilber glared angrily, but it was a playful kind of anger.
“Ah. One dares not to comment in such a manner, it should not be much of a problem to find a suitable partner for one of Lady Blackpetals’ talents.”
“On the contrary, good mates get exceptionally hard to find at our levels of power. We are all aiming for swan’s meat, and swans are getting harder to find the higher up you go. If I may, I think swans are extinct in the higher realms.”
Tundra couldn’t help but find that image hilarious. Since the host was playing a joke, Tundra decided to add one to the mix. “Well, then perhaps you should set up a swan farm.”
“I would, but I fear I may end up breeding a farm of flaming phoenixes that would just burn their partners instead.”
“Lord Blackpetals! We shouldn’t disparage-” One of Crimson Lotus’s elders tried to control WIlber’s jokes.
“It’s a joke, elders. How many times do I have to say it.” Wilber Blackpetals laughed. “But all jokes have a kernel of truth, and who would dare take someone from the Flaming Phoenix as a wife?”
Tundra chuckled. It wasn’t that bad. They just happened to have a dangerous reputation, but he knew of many who did have disciples or even elders of the Flaming Phoenix as their partners, and the ladies of the Flaming Phoenix are strong willed, but not monsters. “Would you be interested in one yourself, Lord Blackpetals?”
“Me?” Lord Blackpetals laughed and seemed to almost choke from it. “Me?! Hah! The day my sister gets a partner is the day I’ll start looking for one.”
At that point, one of the Crimson Lotus’s elders intervened. “We apologize for the Branch Leader’s words, Master Fox. He has a tendency of rambling incoherently, and do not take him seriously-”
“Oh? You are brave to speak badly of your Branch leader to a guest, elder.” Lord Blackpetals glared at his elder, and yet, Tundra didn’t see malice in it. All he felt was genuine amusement.
The elder said nothing. Celestia, Agnia and Severian decided the conversation was so awkward that they focused on their meals. Tundra decided to just focus on his own food as well, and took a sip of the rice wine. A few servants quickly rushed over to refill his drink.
“Now, now, has my sister invited you and your disciples for a visit? I suppose we should start by building some connections.”
“I believe she must’ve forgotten to do so.” Tundra said. “We would be happy to host the Crimson Lotus as well, if your disciples would want to visit a modest sect like ours.”
“Eh. Even if the Crimson Lotus Spire doesn’t, the Blackpetals family will send some over.” Wilber answered sternly, much to the annoyance of the elders. Tundra wondered whether there’s actually real tension between the core families of the Crimson Lotus Spire, or whether this sort of posturing by the Branch leader was merely to remind the other factions within their Sect of their value.
“Ah. We certainly don’t wish to make enemies of the Crimson Lotus Spire.” Tundra answered instead, and decided to add something a little more provocative. “Not without the right motivations and spoils, that is.”
“Ah. Now that’s more the kind of words I’d like to hear.” Wilber clapped. “Now, what would be worth it?”
“That’s up for discussion, Lord Blackpetals, but as of now, and this is also for your fellow elders, the Verdant Snow has no intention of making enemies of the Crimson Lotus, so, it would take quite the divine treasure to make us change our mind. Now, let’s move on from such treasonous thoughts. It would be bad if the Sect Master of the Crimson Lotus saw it fit to punish us for such things.”
Wilber grinned, and then his eyes studied Tundra’s entourage. After a moment, he asked. “So, Severian, how does it feel to finally be in the sixth realm?”
Severian shrugged. “Not much difference. I have more powers, but my duties remain. If anything, our responsibilities grow faster than our capabilities.”
“Well, that is the weight of power. I’ve heard of your travels, moving from town to town to get in touch with the various lords and sects, but I was fairly surprised you didn’t come to see me.” Wilber poked.
That placed Severian in a spot. “Ah. I had some help organizing such a last minute meet with the Minister, and that occupied most of my time. We did intend to make a visit once that was over. My personal apologies if that slighted you.”
“Everyone slights me.” Wilber said. “Now, what’s your stance on Minister Whein’s offer?”
“I’m afraid he offers more than what we dare to take responsibility for.” Severian answered, since the question was directed at him. Right now, they had to play themselves off as a harmless, friendly sect, while they built up their abilities. “Our ambitions are modest, and we dare not offend the rest of the royal family.”
Wilber chuckled. “It amuses me to think he made the same offer to you too. Such a foolish man.”
Severian decided to attack. “Please forgive me if I seem impolite, but Branch Leader Blackpetals, what is your view of the upcoming royal struggles?”
“None of them are worth supporting. This is a foolish thing. The princes and princesses should just all come together and fight it out, and tell the rest of us who won. This whole courtship affair and proxy warfare weakens us all. It is ridiculous to think the rest of us should have a say in who inherits the Golden Dragon’s Throne.”
“And I’ll toast to that.” Tundra interjected, as he raised his cup of rice wine. Everyone raised their cups in response and drank their wine. Servants once more rushed in to refill the cups.