The Fourth Fall - Chapter 19 preview (Patreon)

The cultivators and politicans of the Kingdom of Shen gathered. Elders of the Verdant Green Waters sect and Yang Mu, the princes and generals all in the inner sanctum of the kingdom's flying pagoda. Wu Ying flicked his gazed over the group, taking in those around, many showing minor signs of exhaustion; in particular the cultivators. Days and days of celebration had exhausted the cultivators especially, many unused to the constant socialisation and rituals they were faced with.

Wu Ying could feel that exhaustion himself, the desire to return to his room and hide away, to speak not at all to others. To cultivate and read, to find solace in the silence of the night or the wilderness. Even a few hours practising his sword forms would have been a luxury, and yet, it was not one that they could afford.

Not yet.

"Congratulations once again on the Fourth Prince on his marriage," Sect Head Yan Shu Ren intoned, offering a clasped hand gesture to Prince Shen Ru Yuan.

"Thank you. But we have all suffered enough of the congratulations and rituals. Let us move on to matters of state," Prince Shen said, flicking a glance to the First Prince. "I believe my elder brother has something to say."

Wu Ying noted the slight tightening of the eyes of the First Prince at Ru Yuan's words, the subtle dig. Over twenty years older than the Fourth Prince, the First Prince was still lingering, waiting to take over from his father and had been waiting for a decade. A very long time to have held the king's favor, and yet, all that acomplishment meant nothing. A racer that always found the finish line a meter ahead, no matter how long he ran.

Nor were the pair full siblings. None of the current crop of princes in the top ten were,for the king was both prolific and had a large stable of concubines that he saw on the regular. Their presence - many who were the third or fourth daughter of nobles or wealthy commoners - offered him another piece of leverage and influence over those beneath him.

"I have been informed that the Kingdom of Wei will not only be sending the First Prince of Wei, but we will also be meeting the First Prince's Uncle and the Liar of the Western Reaches," Prince Shen Qi said, eyes flashing.

The murmurs of concern and consideration broke out at those words,Wu Ying frowning as he cudgeled his brain for details. He knew that the current King of Wei had no brothers, the old man's own relatives either having been banished on the man's ascension, crippled, imprisoned or otherwise bound by spiritual oaths that, eventually, led to their early deaths. Now, he ruled alone from his generation.

Seeing Wu Ying's well hidden confusion to all but her and Fa Yuan, Yang Mu leaned in. "The First Prince's Uncle was a peak Core Formation cultivator when the Queen had married the king. His breakthrough to Nascent Soul has safeguarded both his family, the First Prince and the aged Queen for the last few decades."

Wu Ying offered a slight nod, understanding now. A kingdom might, if pushed, discard a Core Formation cultivator. Even one at the peak or at the half-step Nascent Soul stage. After all, such individuals were still at least a couple of dozen over if not more within a kingdom. But Nascent Soul cultivators? They could be often counted on two hands.

After al, not even the king themselves were one.

"Was the Imperial Foreign Minister not banished - my apologies, I meant assigned - to another region?" Ru Yuan said, frowning. "I was under the impression that he had been ordered to the... south?"

"Initially, yes. Though he had been long on the north eastern border," Prince Shen Qi said. "It was because of this prior familiarity with the customs and mores of the Kingdom of Cai that he was able to prevail upon the King of Wei to include him. He is to be part of the embassy, though the First Prince will continue to be the main negotiator for the state."

"So, not only have they added another pair of Nascent Soul cultivators, they have added a second high-ranking member of the King's family," Sect Head Shu Ren summarised. "That alters the balance little in terms of cultivator strength. We cannot, obviously, add more powerful cultivators from our side. Not with this little notice."

Wu Ying could not help but admire how Shu Ren refused to look in his direction. Though the fact that the Kingdom of Shen was already bringing three Nascent Soul cultivators openly - the Sect Head, the Patriach Yi Lai of the Eight Stanza's and the Third General - was already a significant show of force. To expect to match that, at short notice, would be ridiculous especially considering they had less than a week to the meeting and any who came would be required to travel the distance over.

"Did they do that on purpose?" Wu Ying muttered, as the Princes and General's conferred. They were trying to decide if there was a way for the government to pull others. Or if those who could be drawn would be sufficient show of force. His eyebrow did twitch at the idea of a Nascent Soul Cultivator of Gardens. Exactly how that would aid them would be... interesting.

"Yes," Fa Yuan replied smoothly. "It places us at a disadvantage for their other cultivators match our forces before. What they have done, it is an almost expected maneuever." She rolled her eyes and Right Guardian Chang snorted.

"Don't act as though you expected it. We all thought it would be another Nascecnt Soul cultivator they brought. Not Lord Shi Mu," Guardian Chang said. "This smells of deeper politics. If only..."

"If only?" Wu Ying said.

"Too many wars. Too much distrust. Finding spies and building them up in the State of Wei has been too hard," the Right Guardian said at last. "But now we feel it. The true lack of it."

Fa Yuan could not help but nod at his words. The Fairy might have built a strong network of informers within the kingdom, and perhaps even a few outside, but the deeper politics of kingdoms bordering the Shen still were a mystery to her. And now, though they could see the shape of something deeper, swimming under the waters of actions present to them, they could not grasp it.

"Would the Shen have more knowledge?" Yang Mu asked, inclining her head to the Princes and the General's who continued to speak with the Sect Head.

The Right Guardian pursed his lips at that before he answered, softly. "If they did, they have not shared it with us. They are wary, for historical and recent reasons. The attacks of the Dark Sect continue to cast a long shadow. Better, they say, to hold back knowledge in case we are compromised." Anger sparked in Wu Ying, and Guardian Chang shook his head, cutting him off before he could express it. "It is what it is, and of no concern to the Head."

Wu Ying forced himself to relax, watched as the group broke apart.

"It seems, at this time, we are unable to match their martial and cultivation might. Be that as it may, we were always going to have less of a martial presence," Prince Shen Qi said. "However, we must at least do our best to settle the political disparity." As he spoke, he turned to fix the Fourth Prince in his gaze. "I believe we must postpone your return with your bride, younger brother."

Ru Yuan froze, straightening. Wu Ying caught the flicker of panic in the man's gazze, the way he cast a look from one side to another, as though he suddenly was trapped. His gaze landed on the wind cultivator and then, surprisingly, firmed. He looked back to Shen Qi.

"Of course. Whatever is best for the greater good of the kingdom," Ru Yuan replied, his voice sacharine sweet. "I shall, of course, inform my new wife and make arrangements for her arrival without me at the palace. My beloved mother would be happy to oversee the matter."

Sect Head Shen looked between the group, then turned his head to ensure no one else was going to break in. When the silence filled the room, he added. "Do we have any further information on the Cai negotiating team?"

The First Prince, still staring at his half-brother, turned to the Sect Head now. He looked a little disapproving, but it was the Third General, the only other Nascent Soul cultivator on the kingdom's side that spoke up. "We have confirmed the kingdom of Cai has sent the King himself to speak with us. With him are the royal bodyguards and the famed Guerilla General."

Wu Ying twitched a little at the title. Like a certain kingdom of his past - and unlike the kingdom of Shen - the Guerilla General was in-charge of a specific elite force, one that fought both on the frontlines and behind the lines in conflicts with the kingdom of Cai. More importantly, they were strong - a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator at the least from all reports.

There were numerous rumors about the man, how they'd given up their gender, their sexual desires, their humanity to become a living weapon. How they revelled in the battle and the blood, how they wielded not water, but blood; a strange sidestep elemental mixture of metal and water. Yang blood, a phoenix rising, a murderous man whose very aura boiled with their lust for violence.

Many rumors, including the fact that said Guerilla General was from the unorthodox sects, that their practices bordered on the dark sect work. Maybe even demonic. Unfortunately, little was truly known, not by the cultivators of the kingdom of Shen. Rumors and stories, and Wu Ying had to temper said stories with how easy it was to inflate such tales.

And still...

"How many Nascent Soul cultivators will they bring?" Wu Ying asked.

Because with the two kingdoms together, hidden or not, there were now eight Nascent Soul cultivators. A mighty force, equivalent easily to an entire full army of a hundred thousand men themselves. More, really, for the maneuvarability of such individuals was significantly greater than mere mortals, even though they might not have the ability to hold land, deal with the peasants or stand in a pitched battle. But to wreck city walls, to destroy large portions of an army before fleeing? That they could do.

"Three only. The King, the Guerilla General and the Commander of the Royal Guard," the First Prince Shen Qi replied.

"And that does not worry anyone?" Yang Mu said. She did not flinch when the others looked at her, angry that she would speak up. Though she had great prestige because of her connections, she was not a citizen of the kingdom of Shen after all. Even her presence was only accepted because she was an Honored Elder of the Verdant Green Waters.

The Sect Head spoke up, backing her up as he continued. "Such a disparity of forces - he risks much. It smells of deeper intrigue."

"Or arrogance," Guardian Chang offered.

"Or desperation," Shen Qi added. "As you know, the drought has affected them the most. Now this weakness has pushed their enemies in the north and east to send armies to the borders of the kingdom of Cai. Personnel that should be in the fields have been mustered to stand guard, and I do not believe the kingdom of Cai can afford to fight multiple battles."

"They have done so before," Guardian Chang muttered.

"During better times, certainly," the Third General now spoke, her voice calm and collected while she explained matters. A surprisingly small woman, for her station. Though rumors had it said that her fighting style was based upon speed above all. Much like the cavalry heavy army that she controlled in normal times. "But fielding multiple armies now, after so many years, would be difficult. Certainly, the Kingdom of Wei could fall back far, if they were willing to destroy fields and deny the Kingdom of Cai supplies. Eventually, they would have to retreat."

"Eventually," Sect Head Sheng said. Then, he shook his head before the Third General could rebutt him. "I know not armies like you. I only ask, if the peace we negotiate will last."

"Ah..." To that, Shen Qi smiled. "For that, we have assurances." A small smile then. "A Scroll of the Soul Binding has been sent with us."

Now there was gasps of surprise and shock. For they all knew such scrolls. They took oaths, soul binding oaths and emplaced them within the scrolls, tying cultivation bases and strength down. Making a promise, a soul bound promise, was a dangerous thing for any cultivator. Making one on such an artifact required a significant dedication of power, tying the cultivator to the document and their promise. It would weaken those bound within, and as such, were rarely used.

Nevermind the cost and expense of creating and sourcing such a document. For few enough cultivators had the appropriate skills and dao to enact such a thing.

"It seems that His Royal Highness has thought of all things," Sect Head Sheng replied, inclining his head. "We thank the First Prince for his sacrifice."

Now Shen Qi twitched, eyes narrowing. He glanced around, taking in those around, before he smiled. "Well, Sect Head, it was well that you said that. We shall speak of it further, later. But there are those," and now, his gaze lingered on Yang Mu and even Wu Ying, "who do not need to be here for these conversations, yes?"

The Sect head frowned and then sighed, inclining his head. "No, not at all."

And now, Wu Ying saw the trap and the demands on the Sect Head.

To rule, one must sacrifice and compromise. Or be naught more than a tyrant.