novelraw Chapter 410 - 409 - Tidao Syndicate
Chapter 410 - 409 - Tidao Syndicate
Central City was aptly named in Yinande. It was located almost exactly at the center of the island and was one of a handful of cities that could exist on it. It was built into the heart of a range of mountains that had a picturesque lake in grassy plains leading up to it.
Whatever the founders may have hoped, it had become the main city for the Tidao Syndicate on Yinande. Their forces ran almost all the business of importance and regulated many enterprises other powers would frown at.
Slave markets actually were banned but slave auctions were held regularly. The money was not in quantity, but quality for cultivators. There was also the simple fact that mass transit was too expensive.
The Syndicate ran the entire island and while they were the undisputed power there, they were ants to even the most lackluster backwater power. Those, at least, had far more open trade and the possibility of rising if an opportunity came along.
The Syndicate well knew if an Inheritance or Ruin was discovered, the larger powers would wipe them out fairly easily. The problem was numbers.
The Tidao Syndicate had existed for millions of years but the highest any of their members ever reached was Tier 5 of the Sky Realm. It was powerful, but average for the Floating Isles.
Advancing to the latter stages was difficult for even the supreme powers, so how could the lowly Tidao Syndicate hope to match them?
The streets were clean in Central City but the murmur of gambling, brothels, and general drinkards singing in the night filled the air. The gentle yellow light of fire lamps were what appeared at the areas near the large walls.
It was only about half way to the center that more familiar businesses and light crystals lit the streets. It was brighter but only a higher class of indulgence. The faint smoke from a few buildings could make a cultivator unsteady but happy if they got too close.
The sounds were still raucous but much more intelligible. It was as if the people wanted it clear they still had control of themselves, even if they were relaxing!
Finally, another wall loomed and it was a stark difference from the rest of the city.
There were no parties, drug dens, or other activity, but stern guards in black robes walking the top and street side of the walls. Inside was a neat arrangement of buildings for animals, alchemy, and so forth.
The tools and materials fluctuated between mid to high grade 5. The smattering of peak grade 5 could be counted on 1 hand.
At the heart of it all was a palatial structure. It had peaked roofs that swept outward elegantly with reds, golds, and black expertly used to make it hard to see within. It was not a formation nor any kind of special material, it was the use of the physical world to draw the eye away from whatever was within.
Someone clever knew cultivators assumed things and used it against them!
Still, only a fool would assume there were no formations or traps for the unwary. It was heavily defended by them. The layout of polished stone paths lead to a golden staircase to the black lacquered double doors.
They were massive and made of darkheart wood. It was naturally infused wood of darkness but had an extremely dense structure. It took at least a tier 5 Sky Realm to cut them down and a high grade 5 refiner to even make them into anything.
It was one of the few resources Yinande exported for profit that was totally legal!
Inside were more guards with stern faces but hidden were many assassins waiting to strike should any intruder try to sneak their way in. The rule of Central City was to always assume the shadows were watching.
Deep inside, an ornate room was being occupied by a man and a demoness. For all that some humans would assume Yinande would draw them, demons were rare.
There were some hired for jobs but even the most vile of demons did not hide what they did. They proudly proclaimed what they were and saw no need to linger in the shadows. Thus, a demon of any kind was quite rare.
The room had a warmly burning fire in a dark fireplace. There were incense sticks burning to give a pleasant aroma to the room as the 2 faced each other over a table of golden wood.
Each chair was plush and very comfortable as the darker stain shone under the firelight. The decorations of the room were simple but still clear. A massive saber hung on the wall against a black wood base. It was a peak grade 5 weapon but was clearly an heirloom.
There were also several artifacts that seemed to light and assist in cultivation but the positions also put them in range of anyone entering the room. Given the source, they likely were offensive artifacts disguised as more mundane ones.
The servants knelt to one side by the golden doorway to the rest of the palace but none could look away as the old human and young demoness played a game. Cultivation was always about tempering the body, spirit, and mind.
The first 2 were naturally done by the very process, but the time between breakthroughs could be tedious and allow degradation of the mind, thus many cultivators enjoyed challenging games.
The board was familiar to many as a simple 16 x 16 size and several pieces were used. They were chips of wood finely polished and marked with their ranking. It was the King's Game. The object, of course, was to take the king of the other side.
There were many variations under several names, but the goal was always the same. Some pieces changed how they moved between variations but it was always about trying to out think the opponent.
Masters of the game were fairly common, but Grandmasters were as rare as Ruins.
The tray of tea and biscuits had nearly cooled but the demoness grasped her cup with her pale lavender hand and smiled at the old man across from her. Her dark green eyes were amused as the wrinkled old man held his chin looking at the board.
He had claimed a third of her pieces but now he saw the shape of the trap he had fallen into. He was wily, though, and she enjoyed engaging with him. The pale blue eyes seemed lost in thought but she was not fooled.
She ran a hand through her shoulder length ruby hair which told the old man she was laughing at him! He sneered internally but freely admitted she was a more than worthy opponent.
Her ministers had cornered his Queen while the legates had narrowed in on his King. Her pawns had been mostly wiped out but one was poised for promotion to kill his King if he did nothing. What was he willing to sacrifice? Would it lead to victory or drawn out defeat?
"I understand your friend suffered another defeat?" Her voice snapped him out of several moves but he frowned deeply as he smoothed out his pale gray robes. Despite his age, he was quite hale but he had pulled back from the day to day of the Syndicate.
"I simply let him have his moment, but it revealed a few troubling things. Not the least of which was the lack of warning of who was with Master Frey." The demoness nodded.
"Still, Old Gao, I would think you would be more upset at the disturbance of the most wanted man being on your island." The man now sneered openly. He then touched his own minister piece and moved it diagonally across the dark squares.
He enjoyed seeing the frown mar Lady Xin. She was clever, and absolutely dangerous, but she had weaknesses like anyone else. Gao truly enjoyed her visits but she never came without a reason.
"I forget how long you have survived your dangerous circumstances. Such a person will not bow to the inevitable until it is too late." She then moved a cultivator piece straight to one of his pawns.
Gao almost cursed! He had missed it! The arrangement now left him only 1 move and then defeat!
"Is there a reason you enjoy trampling me like that?" It was a rather brutal way to play the game but victory was victory. It had been far more enjoyment than he had had in some time. The headache of Baihu's men being slaughtered by a tier 2 and tier 4 cultivator had only made things troublesome.
He was the martial brother to the White Tiger, a fact that had only elevated his status in the Syndicate for centuries. Now, many wondered if the Tiger had become toothless. Failure bred doubt which bred dismissal of reputation.
Gao was safe, no loss had been incurred to the Syndicate. In fact, they had profited nicely, but now Baihu wanted to bring official members of his sect to Yinande but Gao had said no.
The key to success was to be humble at times and Baihu had never learned how to be humble. He had progressed but the price had been very high. The man refused to see it was time to cut his losses.
Gao's eyes lit up with understanding.
"You have come to take the problem off my hands?" Lady Xin smiled in pleasure at him. Gao sipped his tea and almost spit it out. So bitter!
"You are the most amenable human I know. I will be sad at the news of your passing." She almost seemed sincere but Gao knew far better than most how devious this demoness could be. She was the leader of a clan that practiced fairly horrifying techniques.
She needed constant fresh blood of cultivators for her clan to practice their technique and the Tidao Syndicate had a quiet supply chain to them. No one traced it back to her and her clan was happy.
The efficiency was quite high so a single cultivator worked for several demons at once. Gao knew the details and had warned several of his juniors from trying to get closer to Lady Xin. They were never seen again and he covered it up.
Business was business. So long as profits kept up, no one would care.
"I am not only willing to take him off your hands, I want the girl. She has some…history…with my clan." Gao narrowed his eyes. So it was not Lind Frey but his companion she was after? Still, it worked in his favor.
"And what are you willing to give for passage?" Gao expected some good resources or other payment but then he felt his heart race as Lady Xin carefully undid the black silk belt wrap and let her violet robes fall to the floor!
She sat there, quite contentedly as her gorgeous body was on display, but Gao was not a young fool. His eyes were clear and not clouded. Lady Xin smiled more.
"Truly, I like you. My clan techniques don't only benefit the user, we can share a part of it. There is a catch, of course." Her eyes glanced at a rather hardy male servant. Gao did not accept right away.
"Why?" Instead of being insulted, Lady Xin approved.
"I truly would be sad at your passing. Why not add a century or 2 of youth? It cannot be done again but you have cultivated well and never took a shortcut. I made sure. I want a free hand to take the Fierce Fairy." Gao was now curious but despite the offer, it was a large price.
"Personal gain is not enough, the Syndicate needs something too." Lady Xin now stood up and even Gao felt his mouth go dry. He was only human!
"I think this will cover their concerns." She bent over to her robes and even the servants leaned with her! She did it on purpose!
Gao was the only one not distracted as he grasped a dagger within his own robes. Anything too good to be true was dangerous. Still, she simply handed him a mid grade 5 bracelet.
He examined it and his eyes went wide! Peak Sky Stones, metals and jewels of peak grade 5, and finally pills of the best quality for cultivation! Some of the younger generation could actually reach tier 6 or maybe 7!
Gao closed his eyes and then motioned to the only female servant.
"Take this to Takei and do not return for the rest of the night." A glint of understanding was in her eyes as she bowed and nearly ran from the room. "All but Bao, leave. Now!" They all bowed as Bao looked on in burning interest. He almost felt sad for the boy.
"You agree?" The smile on her face was like a predator looking at prey but Gao only nodded. While Gao enjoyed the night, he would never forget the stark terror on Bao's face when Xin consumed his blood.