novelraw Chapter 197 - 196 - Threats from Altair
Chapter 197 - 196 - Threats from Altair
The Southern District was the very bottom of the Lotus Empire. It was surrounded by a stretch of modest mountains and wild forest but the thin Qi made it so mortals were a much higher part of its population than other places in the Empire.
Aether beasts barely entered the late tiers of the Soul Realm let alone a Sand Tier. It was assigned an Imperial Overlord but the big 3 clans ruled there for the most part. The Empire took tithes from the Frey, Gu, and Che Clans but left the majority of issues to them.
Over a decade ago, the Southern District was barely known to the other powers of the Sarth Continent let alone the wider world, but it all changed at the once in century Starfire House contest held in Cimmeria.
The revelation of Lind Frey as a peak grade 2 Forger and peak grade 3 elixir master had rocked the cultivation world. Further, he had shown a level of skill by creating 6 elemental staves to be given to those that were kind to him or important to him over his journey thus far in his cultivation journey.
It included, of course, the Frey Clan who turned around and gifted the staff to the Gu Clan. It was given to their daughter in law to be exact as no one was surprised it was practically made for her.
Sheyra Gu was playing with her son and daughter in her courtyard when Teylin came back. He now wore the colors of the Gu Clan rather than the reds of the Frey Clan. He was pushing near the peak of the Sand Tier but Sheyra was still in the Soul Realm.
Lind's revelations made her nearly start over on her cultivation but instead she had focused hard on resolving any issues in her foundation. It took years but she was now very powerful at the peak of the Soul Realm.
Others of her clan had benefited as well and now the Gu Clan was the dominant power in the Southern District. They were, however, very humble to the Frey Clan as their benefactor was from them.
Teylin was smiling wide as his 2 children came running up to him. Their son took after Sheyra, but their daughter had Frey Clan features strongly.
"Fain and Min, how are you today? Have you been good to your mother?" Teylin was known to dote on his children for the most part but he would be the first to reign them in if they misbehaved. So far they had been quite reasonable for children. Tantrums were unavoidable but Fain was almost 6 so he would be starting cultivation soon while Min was only 4.
"Dad! We heard about Uncle Lind again today!" They loved stories about him. They had never met but Teylin had happily told many stories. Lind would no doubt like some of them hidden but family always knew the embarrassing side of members.
"Did you?" Teylin smiled but he glanced up at Sheyra. She nodded as he picked them both up.
"It was some of the Elders being visited by those envoys again. Altair is not liking the rumors that Lind has returned." A shadow passed over Teylin's face. They had all thought the tie had been severed but it was not that easy.
Both were having mixed feelings on the rumors. They had been hopeful nearly 6 years ago when the Heavenly Jubilation had rocked the world. Anyone that had a jade stone for Lind's final message had received the 'I am alive.' message.
As time passed and there was no confirmation or other news, they began to lose hope. Teylin wanted to hold on but the world was not letting him. The Frey Clan was generally left alone but Altair suddenly came back 3 years ago to harass them.
The 2nd Prince was a cripple and essentially abandoned to live out his days as he had been left by the former 3rd Princess of the Lotus Empire. Teylin had thought all of that had been resolved with the treatment of Lind afterwards, but they returned in arrogance and insisted on seeing their 'royal' children.
After a lot of negotiations, the Lotus Empire settled with the Regent and her highness, Princess Astrella, would be marrying the Regent's son when he ascends the throne of Altair. Teylin only knew that much due to his grandfather telling him as much.
"Come on, let me tell you about how your Uncle learned he was a cultivator." They loved that story as Lind had not even known he was cultivating until he broke through to the Soul Realm. His reaction was hilarious to Teyla and Teylin everytime they talked about it.
After several demands for more stories, both children finally fell asleep.
In their own chambers, Teylin and Sheyra relaxed in a bath together. They had been feeling stress of late due to the sudden activity of the envoys from Altair.
"What did they want this time?" Teylin asked the question but Sheyra was quiet for some time as she moved over and pulled her husband into a hug. He would not like what the elders told her.
"It would seem they want to cut off any chance Lind is actually alive by marrying a direct member of the Frey Clan. The noble houses in Altair are clearly nervous because their previous plan of using Lind could backfire if he returns. His death is the sole justification of all they have done." Teylin nodded as he felt anger in his chest rise. Even in death, they harassed Lind.
Teyla had shattered a few training areas in her rage about that matter as he recalled.
"Well, my sister is safe and all my closest cousins are long married or too old to be of use. Little Shi is too young and–" Teylin noted Sheyra's reaction at their niece's name. The bath seemed to dim before Sheyra snapped him out of it.
"Are you sure?" Teylin's voice was hoarse as she nodded and hugged him close once more before he nearly picked her up as he rose. "I have to go. I will be back as soon as possible."
Teylin almost pulled his feet up when the water froze. It was not frozen in all of the bath, only around his legs to the edge and seemed to lock him in place. He nearly stumbled but caught himself with a disc of earth he pulled together from the Qi in the air around him.
"What was with that?!" Only Sheyra could stop him at the moment but she was now staring him down despite their complete lack of clothes and his higher cultivation, he felt like a giant was glaring at him.
"Calm down. You are not just a member of the Frey Clan and you need to remember that. Also, do you think I just waited for you to come home?" Teylin felt shame as he knew his wife better than that. She was devoted to her role in the Gu Clan but she had no future after the Soul Realm so she broadened her skills to cover other issues.
She was leading the training for the other 6 elementals that were born regularly in their clan. Their arts and techniques had been changed by her even before the general cultivation world adopted them.
The success of the Gu Clan was one of the key examples the Lotus Empire could point to about the effect of Lind Frey's theories. Darkmoor Kingdom had quickly adopted the new theories to all of their powers but the Lotus Empire enjoyed a lead that made Altair worry as well back then.
Now, all were essentially equal but the more 6 elementals one had, the more power one could wield in the Soul Realm. Even the lowest quality of cores were more powerful in the same tier against anyone that was not a 6 elemental.
Sheyra was uncontested as the most powerful of peak Soul Realms in Darkmoor Kingdom. She had been in tournaments at the capital and her staff had become synonymous with her as it was a clear endorsement from the man that unleashed the new theories on the cultivation world.
"Teyla and I already spoke about it and feel it is trying to get a reaction out of the Frey Clan or their allies. They are looking for excuses to do something they have repressed for decades." Teylin nodded at her words as he melted the ice slowly.
Altair had been essentially punished more than the Lotus Empire. They had threatened the benefits and resources of Darkmoor Kingdom with their tactics of razing Empire areas to the ground and killing all locals after they were 'used.'
There were many that suspected the sudden death of the former King and his 1st son were the result of nobles fed up with whatever plans the royal family had in the future. It was further confirmed that while the 2nd Prince was crippled, the Regent did not insist on the Frey Clan being punished in any way.
It would never have happened but it would have been completely expected. It was one of the many insane things higher powers did that commoners never understood.
"They want a real reason to lash out at the Frey Clan because of being embarrassed more than once by them." Teylin had learned the full truth of all the backroom deals the Alchemy Guild and Kingdom of Altair had to change the deal initially put over the Frey Clan. The Alchemy Guild was a powerhouse in Darkmoor that none could ignore.
Such a public shaming was hard to accept but then the 3rd Princess crippled their hostage they sent in the original deal with the Lotus Empire. Despite any personal feelings, the Regent was forced to swallow that as well publicly due to Darkmoor again.
Finally, the former Overlord had clearly been influenced by Altair in many ways with bribes and other resources for cultivation to push off the responsibility to the Frey Clan who was not supposed to be involved.
Compensation had been taken from both the Lotus Empire and Kingdom of Altair to be sent to the Frey Clan.
All of that had to be swallowed. Altair could not retaliate or act in any way that would seem like revenge. Darkmoor had been clear that if any member of the Frey Clan even suffered a broken arm, they would be the first suspects.
The Frey Clan, for their part, held back and stayed humble, but then the contest in Cimmeria shattered the peace once more. Lind Frey was a Forger, elixir master, backed by the Heavenly Maiden Sect, Starfire House, and had the Stardust Emporium in his debt as well.
Lind had been used as a pawn by Altair to pressure the Lotus Empire by public scorn. The heir to the throne was held in the Lotus Empire and ignored by all.
It had made several other nearby powers question the choices of the Lotus Empire and start to sympathize with the Kingdom of Altair.
Teylin sighed as he understood Sheyra's point. He could not march off and begin to plan with his family as that was exactly what Altair was looking for. If they made no move, it actually left Altair in a stalemate. Shi was too young, any power would frown heavily if they forced anything on such a young child, but only a couple of years would make the difference.
Shi was a prodigy, much like her mother and uncle, as she quickly reached the peak of the Body Refining Realm. She was only 12 but she could break through to the Soul Realm any day. When that happened would be when the threat of Altair would become a true issue.
"We need to prepare, but I assume you already started?" Teylin smiled at his wife as she looked at him as if he was an idiot.
"She will be coming here to learn from me as I know your little brother's theories better than anyone." Teylin smiled as it was a legitimate reason. The Gu Clan had not only improved their 6 elementals but the regular cultivators had suddenly exploded in number at the Soul Realm due to Sheyra holding sessions of talking about the Dao.
He pulled her close and kissed her deeply. He hoped Lind was truly alive now as the only way out was if his little brother truly came back from the dead.