Today was proving to be a headache. The last few months had been busy developing the communication tokens, completing construction on the Dojo, and rebuilding Xiwang.

The Hindel had helped with testing. We had been able to prove that distance was immaterial when using the tokens and that no matter how deep the Hindel dived or what might obstruct them, the device still worked.

Construction of the Dojo had finished soon after that eventful meeting, and except for a few tweaks, the Architectural design and proven to be as effective as imagined. One of those tweaks had been to have a tunnel dug, a passage from the estuary where the river emptied to allow the Hindel access.

I’d also had the environmental arrays added to every part of the completed arena.

Xiwang was almost unrecognizable from when I’d first visited. All the crumbling and rotten construction had been torn down. Bob, the chief architect, used the opportunity of demolishing old buildings to transform the town into something more aesthetically pleasing and market-friendly.

The new footprint allowed for expansion, the perimeter wall moved outward, and new land was cleared and set aside for residential growth. He had maintained the partitions the eight-trigram formation required but changed zoning so that business and residential worked together in greater harmony.

An open market for each residential area was created. New storefronts were made available for rent or purchase. As merchants and artisans took advantage of the new buildings, local business increased. Their excitement helped to boost and stimulate the local economy. People bought more when it was easier to find what you wanted near where you lived.

I had a meeting with Elder Shadow and Patriarch Umbra once I was happy with the communication tokens, and the features for the first iteration had been decided on. I used the new product to explain what I had discovered concerning the missives that Clan Velize produced. I never mentioned Daniel in my conversation. Instead, I explained that I had stumbled upon the information by accident - a byproduct of research when creating the tokens.

Patriarch Umbra had purchased several dozen of the ‘deluxe’ models I would introduce to the market. A version that allowed her to save and store messages on the device. She used the event the Sect was hosting as an excuse to send a few of the Sect’s Beast Tamers with fast-flying mounts to the mainland.

The people she sent were tasked with coordinating transportation for those interested in attending. One of the people she had sent had been charged with hand-delivering a dozen of the devices to the Emperor. One of those tokens earmarked for him was a device that contained a message explaining what I had discovered.

The new Beast Tamers that I had recruited had all bonded successfully with the animal companions I provided. It would still take a year or so before they could fly trade routes, but with the communication tokens, some of the immediacies of that endeavor were assuaged.

I had made sure to send the leader of each town and village within my Fief the first-generation device. It had required adding more employees to my personal staff to deal with the mounting demands for my attention as each of my towns became more closely connected.

There were days I wanted to throw my device in the ocean with the unending number of calls I received. But the ability to communicate instantly with my vassals was worth the bother, especially when I found talented people to join my government staff.

Today was so frantic because I had decided to take advantage of the social event Four Element Sect was hosting. The gathering where I was supposed to ‘network’ and find a potential groom. I had decided to open the arena for cultivators, now seemed like the right time to unveil the communication tokens and their practicality while staging my first tournament.

“What was I thinking?” I asked no one in particular, not expecting an answer.

“You thought this would be a good way to showcase the versatility and usefulness of the communication tokens. We tried to warn you that this was a bad idea and that you should wait until you weren’t competing with the Sect’s event,” Ja Fiat answered brazenly.

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Ja was one of the people I had found after we began producing and distributing the communication tokens. She came from a small village with barely five hundred people living in it. Like most villages of that size, the village was always teetering on the brink of disaster. She had been stifled in that setting. Her talents were being wasted.

Ja was an outspoken, no-nonsense type of Elf. She refused to sugarcoat her words, and her village Elder had practically begged Gwen to find a place for her on my staff.

It hadn’t taken Gwen long to realize how talented the Elf was and even less time to install her as my aid. Her refusal to temper her words, no matter who she spoke with, made her ideal for the position.

The tournament that was the cause of today’s frenzy would begin next week. That would give those arriving at the Sect enough time to learn of the event and sign up if the visiting cultivators had any interest. It meant more work for everyone, as I was forced to create two divisions for this first tournament—one for Body Refinement Realm cultivators one for Qi Condensing Realm.

I couldn’t hold events for any Realm higher than Qi Condensing. The arrays I had installed wouldn’t hold up to the kind of power that might be unleashed as those higher realms battled.

Things might not have been so frantic if I had been on-site and available to oversee what was going on, but I had spent the morning flying to the Sect with Ja. I was still a member of the Sect. Still, my status as a roaming member meant that I didn’t have my apartment to use, and I needed to arrive early enough to check in, get settled, and be available to help the Sect deal with the influx of cultivators the Sect was expecting.

The Sect had built a series of suites and apartments that visiting cultivators and dignitaries could use and a host of single rooms with an attached bath. I was slotted into one of those relatively spartan rooms. One that Ja would have to share with me.

The Sect had anticipated hundreds of cultivators attending, and their expectations had been realized. Once word that one of the Princes of the Empire was planning to attend, the clamor for an invitation had begun.

I didn’t mind the room I had been lodged in; I didn’t anticipate using it long. I was only going to stay in the Sect for today’s events. Once the welcoming dinner ended, I would retreat to Xiwang. My skills with flight had progressed well enough that I could reach the Sect in less than an hour, so there was no reason for me to take up space when I could commute easily enough.

“The Patriarch was gracious enough to have suitable clothing commissioned for today’s events,” a young Elf said. She was an Outer Sect member and not staff. The Sect was making a statement using Outer and Inner Sect members in areas that staff would typically serve. The guests would understand that the Patriarch was demonstrating the importance of each guest and the honor the Sect held for their participation.

“There are three outfits available, one for the meet and greet event, one for dinner, and one for this evening’s entertainment. The Patriarch asked me to remind you that a Prince of the Empire will be in attendance and that you will be required to meet certain expectations.”

I hadn’t gone out of my way to have that many new robes fashioned for this event, something the Patriarch must have been aware of, but I had had my people create something.

The spiders that I had discovered were safely moved and contained to an area where their silk production could be farmed. The silk was as luxurious as the most delicate silk while maintaining the tensile strength of the webbing.

Additionally, the strands of spider web could absorb and hold water particles, the entire gown saturated with enough water to make it unnecessary for me to condense water vapor from the air if I needed to attack or defend. It also had an interesting stealth ability, a way to refract light.

The effect of water particles glistening across the threads of spider webbing made the garment appear to be seeded with millions of crystals or diamonds. It shimmered and reflected the light as I moved and put the expensive evening gown the Patriarch had commissioned to shame.

I would wear the gown my people had crafted. It was another chance to advertise some of the products that I was hoping to use to create trade ties. I had no intention of looking for a mate today. Still, I expected to find people interested in hosting distribution chains for the communication tokens, the new silk, and a few other innovations my people had come up with in the last five months.

“Any word from Elder Shadow?” I asked. I knew it was fruitless to argue against the Patriarch over this and that making an appointment to meet with her was a waste of time, but I hoped Elder Shadow might have a few moments to spare.

“He won’t be available for a few weeks,” the escort replied, “he and a few others are speeding to the Capital to speak with the Emperor. The Patriarch asked me to inform you that he was part of the delegation that had been sent with gifts of communication tokens for the Emperor to consider.”

I had known the Patriarch was sending people with the tokens to see the Emperor. I hadn’t known that Elder Shadow was a member of those sent. It made sense. He was a Sect Elder, part of her House, and talented enough to have reached the Nihility Realm.

Elder Shadow would be able to answer any questions the Emperor might have, and his relationship to House Penumbra would send a signal as well. House Penumbra would stand with the Emperor against Clan Velize.