An old man with a bald head, white fu manchu, and a violet robe kneeled on the ground next to a black haired man wearing a black robe. The two of them were nearly prostrating themselves in the center of what could only be described as a throne room. To either side of them were rows of the most powerful and important people they knew. In front of them were 108 steps leading up to a dais where a pair of golden thrones were placed.

The thrones weren’t much larger than normal chairs, but they were each extravagantly detailed. A normal person would only be able to identify them as a sort of textured metal, but for the powerful vision of a cultivator they could see that the ‘texture’ was actually extremely small carvings. The entire history of the Dou Kingdom and the Royal Family was depicted on those tiny carvings in the form of thousands of murals.

A woman standing on a lower stair than the pair of thrones stepped forward, she wore a decorative suit of armor with a pair of short curved blades on her hips and a flowing green cape on her back. Currently, the thrones were both empty, showing that the King and Queen didn’t even bother to show themselves for these proceedings.

“The Lai Clan Head and the Violet Light Sect ‘Ancestor’ should be an example to all of you. There are many things that are beyond your station and you shouldn’t be trying to force a success for the sake of your own benefits.”

The woman gazed over the gathered leaders and nodded when she saw the sober looks on their faces, “They were smart enough to only waste a few months on their own before bringing the matter to their superiors.”

She then glared at the group to her left and right, the division not only positional but political. The Eastern and Western Coalition, two political groups that aimed to split the Kingdom in half for their own benefits. That said, each of the two halves of the group was also split into two groups: those that had joined a coalition, and those that were neutral. The division of the room was supposed to be geographical, but it had evolved into two large political alliances.

“The Kingdom has the Chong Clan to thank for immediately bringing this matter to our attention. They shall be receiving a reward for their loyalty to the country and not allowing themselves to be distracted by… other interests.”

The Chong Clan representative was standing among the neutral powers on the eastern side, and the woman was berating the two coalitions. The two kneeling on the ground were dismissed, their presence merely a way to appease the masses. They both received rich rewards and were summoned to the capital to encourage others to do the same in the future. The matter wasn’t discussed any further in the court, as the specific details were being kept secret, but they merely used the situation as an example to the two coalitions.

Much later, the armored woman met with a regal looking man in a luxurious office. He sat behind a large desk carved of Demonic Beast bones, the power of the long deceased beasts still shining through and applying pressure to those who entered the office. The woman collapsed into a chair, slumping with no more sign of her previously imposing demeanor.

“You’re so mean, cousin. You keep skipping court and making me deal with that gang of sycophants.”

The man chuckled, “Sorry, but that’s the easiest way for me to magnify my influence and yours as well. You’ll just have to deal with it. They’re many times more scared of Tieh Tieh, ‘The Iron Butterfly’ now after just a few years.”

“Ugh, don’t call me that! My name is Tiantieh, not Tieh Tieh!”

“Fine, fine. Back to business then, have you caught him yet?”

She rolled her eyes and waved her fingers at the man, “Bah, it’s only been a few weeks since we took over. Just give me some more time, alright?”

His playful attitude disappeared and he stared at the woman, “Catching an early core formation cultivator without any support should have only taken a few days.”

“He entered the Great Wilderness soon after we learned of his existence. Our closest relay point was still quite some distance away and now we can’t use anything too flashy or it might incite a war.”

The man slammed his fist onto his desk, “Dammit! Why wasn’t I informed of this? We can’t let him slip through our grasp.”

At that point, Tiantieh rose back to her feet and bowed to her cousin, “Forgive me, your Majesty. I am incompetant, I should have immediately used precious treasures to ensure a quick capture.”

“Forget it. You didn’t know there wasn’t much time, nor how important the target was at the time.”

“I will send some precious items out to the search team to speed this up. The deeper he gets into the Great Wilderness the more dangerous our actions become.”

At the same time, tens of thousands of miles away, a garishly decorated room was filled with thousands of small birds. No two of the birds seemed the same, creating a rainbow of colors. In the center of this room stood a lone woman with her eyes closed and a look of concentration on her face. Then her eyes snapped open and she frowned. A jade talisman appeared in her hand and she sent her consciousness inside for a moment. That only lasted a moment before her frown grew deeper.

She couldn’t help thinking of the big changes that had been happening within the Sect in the last few years and their instigator. He had helped found a secret weapons facility that had only been marginally successful so far, but his other invention, the Airship, had truly taken off. She chuckled at her own mental joke, and thought it would be a shame to lose such a useful member of the Holy Flame Sect. He wasn’t one of their high level professionals, their priceless assets, but she wanted to see what other unusual things he would come up with in the future.

One of her many birds suddenly alerted her to a guest and she commanded the bird to bring them in. A few minutes later the doors to the chamber opened and a burly man in a leather apron walked in, “Peak Master Zhen! What is it that you called me for in person? You know I’m busy, why didn’t you just send a message?”

The woman bowed to the man, “Greetings Sect Leader. Please forgive me, the news is somewhat sensitive. It’s also related to that disciple you were curious about.”

“The little dragon polymath? Where is he?”

“I had him building up a spy network in the Dou Kingdom, but he wasn’t careful enough. One of his subordinates usurped his organization and blew his cover. I want to send a rescue mission, but I don’t think we have enough time. My agent in the royal court says he’s already fled to the Great Wilderness.”

The barrel chested blacksmith smashed one of his ham-sized fists to his chest, “Hah! A perfect place for him to hide in as long as he keeps his head down. Hmm, even my most powerful flying tool can’t reach the Great Wilderness before the Dou Royal Family… but maybe we don’t have to.”

“You mean, slow them down? Hmm, I’ll see what I can do.”