Negotiations
Negotiations
Her eyes softened up as she gave a melancholic look.
"I wonder how Elder Shen is doing, what has everyone been up to?"
This was all Ming Yue could think of when looking back; the thought lingered for a few moments before she looked away. Staring at the open wilderness, she held Hongyu's hand before walking down the winding path.
"Alright then, time to head back home. It shouldn't take more than a month."
The softened eyes turned somewhat icy.
"I'll need to do some hunting when I come back."
It wouldn't take long for her to return but when she did, calling it a commotion would be an understatement. But there were already ripples cascading across the continent when news of the Beast Continent reconnecting was revealed.
It was especially the case for the Beast Continent as Bai Sheng and Twelve Zodiacs returned with more than a few guests. The ship was filled to the brim with gifts and supplies, even piling onto the deck.
Having returned with such good news, it was only appropriate for celebrations to be had.
The capital city of the beast-kin or "The Den" as they called it was full of shouting, laughter, and bright lights as everyone was out drinking and cheering the night away. But the same thing could not be said for the tribe elders, who gathered in the main hall with the delegates.
It was a lengthy conversation, negotiating numerous terms and discussing conditions.
Lasting over a week, it ended with an agreement on both sides. Documents were drafted and signed, hands were shaken, and some final words were exchanged.
"It is good to finally have all three continents reconnected once more", one of them said.
"Yes, yes, this is an equally joyous event for us all and the start of a union of goodwill."
"Once the rest of the Teleportation Arrays are activated and the passage to all three Continents is stabilized, we will grow to even higher heights. We could go beyond and start a new era."
These were the kinds of words being shared, one of goodwill and hope. And once the exchange happened, the delegates were sent away to enjoy the celebrations before returning. At the same time, the elders went their separate ways, some joined in the celebrations while others quietly retired to their homes.
Among them were a select few that weren't quite as happy or joyful about these developments.
There was a loud bang as Ruishi Wang banged his table, his face was sullen as he just glared at the empty space in front of him. The lion-kin frowned in silence, thinking back on the negotiations.
"Damn it! They're just mocking us! New era? They just want access to all of our resources to fix their own shit! An investigation to make sure it's safe for merchants? Preposterous!"
He shouted alone, ridding himself of some of the anger.
"Haah, damn... I bet that fox from the Huxian Tribe is thinking the same thing."
Clicking his tongue, the lion-kin began to think, trying to see what his path was.
"The biggest thing is connections. I need connections... good ones. But the other tribes would do the same, I have to go somewhere that they wouldn't go to first."
Looking at his desk, he grabbed a stack of papers, given to him by the delegates. It was something that every elder was given, a brief overview of the history and the current situation. Ruishi Wang narrowed his eyes as he read through it word by word.
They suddenly flashed as he stopped reading and looked up.
"Hmm, it's risky but... so long as I am not caught, contacting these sort of individuals may be beneficial, very beneficial", he muttered.
Looking back down at the paper, Ruishi Wang focused on two words, the name of a place or rather, an organization as it now was.
"Redmist Sanctuary."
He then chuckled.
"Heh, they might not think to communicate with them but that will be their undoing. It won't be long before the RuishI Tribe stands at the top!"
In his mind, this move was sure to give him the edge.
But obviously, he wasn't the only one making plans.
Connections to the strong were everything and they knew that a strong figure could make the difference. But very few would think the same as him, to stoop so low as to make contact with criminals and other evils. Not to mention, there were other ways of gathering strength for the tribes.
Aside from the elders, there was another group of Elders who were keen on following such developments.
The High Council, of the seven thrones, six were filled. Each of them was seated with a hooded figure, quietly pondering in their floating stone castle. Each of them was more powerful and unfathomable than the Grand Elder, after all, they were his seniors.
Despite that power, they sat on these thrones, conserving their strength for when it truly mattered.
"The three continents have reconnected once more, all life will flourish once more."
Their voices echoed throughout the halls but their bodies showed no sign of moving. Not even their heads turned.
"And yet, there is still chaos and discord sown across the lands. There is work to be done, we must be united in the face of ruination."
"Even then, we must be prepared for the worst."
"Time is running out, Dai Mian's actions have only accelerated the next Calamity, perhaps even worsened it."
"The Heavens are quiet, I fear that the destruction will only be a side effect. There may be an even greater fate awaiting us. With nine calamities, what will come at the tenth? Will it be a cycle? Rebirth?"
"Whatever the case, the preparations are in place, all of the nation seals have been long collected. What remains of the Thirteen Messengers have been sent to monitor the formations."
They were all silent once more, pondering these thoughts of theirs. The floating stone castle merely wandered through the skies, wading through the clouds quietly. High above them, past the clouds and into the vast horizons where the Heavens were, there was a ripple in that space.
It was a single one, it was small, almost imperceptible but... it happened.
Time passed by as a group of five continued down a beaten road, it was one made of stone but not well maintained. There were cracks and chipped edges, the road was uneven, weathered by rough storms and numerous travelers.
And Ming Yue's group was just one of those many travelers.
Walking through a dense forest, it was very quiet for them, a peaceful trip even. Each night was spent camping under the night sky, sometimes there were detours, taking stops at ponds or little waterfalls.
But of course, that was just on the surface.
As night fell, they set up camp once more. After a meal involving some stew and a bit of Lao Gan's spices, Hongyu was fast asleep, resting her head on Ming Yue's lap. The young woman stroked her hair, looking at the peaceful sleeping expression on the child's face.
She then looked up, seeing the foliage ruffling as Liang Wei and the other two beasts emerged from the shadows.
Their bodies were mostly clean except for their claws and mouths, dyed with a bit of red from blood. On top of that, they had dragged a few bodies back.
"Were there a lot?" she asked them.
Xiao Yin cooed before pointing at the bodies, all of which were human.
She looked at their mangled bodies before moving a hand forward. Some wind picked up, rustling through their bodies and taking something off of them.
There were three, one for each body, a red token with the word "Redmist" etched on both sides.