The spirit boat cut through the high-altitude winds and the protective barrier was shimmering as it deflected the biting cold. Below them the geography of the Eastern Continent began to change. It was shifting from the chaotic untamed wilds into a domain of rigid and imposing order.

  Elder Feng stood at the helm of the ship with his hands clasped behind his back. The slight lingering fear that he had for Li Yu was still there, it was too much of a shock.

  ‘It was my own fault for not showing proper respect for people that came to our aid. I was merely surprised by the small numbers, did he really have to be so heavy handed?! Just what is he anyway?! He’s so damn young, yet so terrifying. And no respect for his elders!.’ Elder Feng thought to himself as he stood there.

  However, there was a larger part of him that really liked Li Yu. So young yet so strong. In a culture where the strong were considered gods what could be better than a freak that went against understanding.

  ‘I might not be able to be their friend but I should definitely not be their enemy. I will play the role of a thankful host from now on.’ He thought to himself and because of that, he gathered them and began to play the role of host.

  He gestured to the horizon where five distinct mountain ranges seemed to converge toward a central flattened highland.

  "We are entering the heart of this continent. Not locationwise but the place where a lot of the major decisions affecting it are made," Elder Feng said with some pride. "These ranges are the domains of the Five Great Mountain Sects. They do not reside in a single spot but their influence converges here, at the Five Alliance Headquarters."

  Li Yu stepped up beside him and was looking down at the sprawling landscape. "Jian Xuan has spoken of them before but never in great detail. Can you tell me more about everyone?"

  "They are the pillars of this continent," Elder Feng explained. He then was pointed toward a range to the west that was shrouded in perpetual storm clouds. "To the West lies the Violet Thunder Pavilion. They guard the metallic veins of the earth and cultivate lightning arts to purge impurities. To the South," he pointed to a range that glowed with a dull subterranean heat, "is the Vermilion Crucible Sect. They are the smiths and alchemists, masters of the subterranean fires."

  Elder Feng turned and was nodding toward a series of floating peaks in the distance to the East. They looked like they were tethered to the ground by massive iron chains. "The Drifting Cloud Palace. They oversee the winds and the trade routes. And to the North," he pointed to a stark, grey range that looked like a wall of iron, "the Iron Sovereign Sect. They believe in the perfection of the body and absolute defense."

  "And the center?" Li Yu asked while looking at the colossal peak they were approaching. It dwarfed the others. It was so tall that it looked like a single spire piercing the heavens.

  "The Celestial Summit," Elder Feng said with a hint of pride. "My sect. We maintain the balance. The Headquarters is built upon our lower slopes and is a neutral ground for all."

  The boat began its descent toward a massive stone platform jutting out from the mountainside. The architecture was imposing, made of black stone and gold trim. It was radiating an ancient and heavy pressure just from the sight. It did not look like it was a place of comfort; it was a fortress designed to withstand sieges.

  As they docked, the group gathered on the deck.

  "The Council is already in session," Elder Feng stated. "However, not everyone can enter the Hall of Meeting as that would be too numerous."

  He looked over at Kael and Sylvia. It was clear what his intentions were. Those below Soul Formation are not allowed to be a part of such a meeting.

  Kael’s jaw and fist tightened as it was clear as day what the elder meant. He was a 9th-stage Core Formation expert, powerful in his own right but he knew his power wasn’t enough. More importantly, he knew who was likely inside. The House of the Crimson Fang would surely have a member at this meeting.

  If he went in now, he might lose control and that would jeopardize the common goal right now. Li Yu promised him that they would settle things once this war was over or if the Crimson Fang were foolish enough to try and attack them now.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "I understand," Kael rumbled as his hand rested on the hilt of his Tidal Cleaver. "I will wait in the Guest Pavilion."

  "I will stay with him," Sylvia said softly. As Caelia’s disciple, she too was strong but she also knew her limits. She wasn’t strong enough to be a part of a meeting of this level. Not yet ready for the heavy politics of the high table.

  "Keep a low profile," Li Yu advised Kael quietly. "We are here to form an alliance, not start a war inside their base. Yet."

  Kael nodded grimly. "I know. Just... watch your back in there. Be careful of schemes."

  Elder Feng signaled for a disciple of the Celestial Summit to escort Kael and Sylvia away. He made sure to remind them of what happened earlier and how it is in everyone’s best interest to treat the guests with care. Then, he turned to the core group: Li Yu, Jian Xuan, Krell, and Caelia.

  "Come," Feng said. " I have already told them we were on the way and they are waiting."

  The Hall of Meeting, a terrible name Li Yu thought to himself when it was revealed, was a cavernous amphitheater carved directly into the mountain's rock. The ceiling was lost in shadows and the floor was a polished map of the continent. Tiered seating rose on all sides, filled with some elders but mostly representatives of other forces.

  The fighting was ongoing afterall and the main fighting forces couldn’t just stop and come here. They told their representatives what they cared about and what to say on their behalf. With so many weaker representatives present, the true power sat at the massive stone table in the center.

  As Li Yu and his group entered the room, the heavy doors boomed shut behind them. The heavy doors sealed behind them and the room was thick with spiritual pressure. Tension was also naturally high and many of the members were on edge.

  At the head of the table sat Alliance Leader Shen Tu. He surprisingly did not look like a warrior like what Li Yu had expected from the leader of such a continent. He looked more like a scholar and was dressed in simple grey robes. However, his eyes seemed to hold the weight of centuries and the space around him seemed to warp slightly. It was almost like he was bending to his will.

  "Elder Feng," Shen Tu said, his voice soft yet resonant. "You return and you have brought the reinforcements from the Southern Continent. On behalf of everyone here, thank you for coming to our aid, friends from the south."

  "I have returned, Alliance Leader. It is as you say, these are the forces from the south. They are still recovering from their own recent war as you all know. There are a total of 7 of them but they are all exceptionally powerful warriors." Feng bowed deeply to the leader.

  He also sent him a mental communication as he was walking towards the seat that was reserved for the leader from the south. ‘Alliance Leader, this boy here is incredibly powerful and should not be looked down upon. He is absolutely terrifying.’

  ‘Absolutely terrifying? Coming from you it must be serious… Thank you for letting me know Elder Feng.’ Shen Tu replied.

  Li Yu, Jian Xuan, Caelia, and Krell all walked in behind Elder Feng and gave the Alliance Leader a slight bow, respect warranted by his position. To Elder Feng’s and the Shen Tu’s surprise it was Jian Xuan that took the seat of the leader of the southern forces and not Li Yu. Li Yu and the others went to sit with the representatives. Shen Tu then began to speak.

  "We are under attack like we never have been before as most of you are aware," Shen Tu said as his gaze swept over everyone. "Our enemies have gotten stronger and are more aggressive. The Beast Rifts have torn the land asunder like never before. Regions, Sects, towns and more have already fallen. We have retreated and are holding key areas but even this is not going to hold.”

  “There are five key things that we need to deal with first if we are to have any chance of surviving this.

  One: We need to finish forming a defensive perimeter to prevent the beasts from the rifts at the Shattered Coast from leaking out anywhere. They are causing too much damage to the surrounding area. Boxing them in will help to stabilize the region there.

  Two: We need to form an attack group to strike the Whispering Weald. A massive beast tide is gathering there and I am sure everyone has heard of what we are calling the Sky-Iron Dreadnought. From the reports it is stronger than a 7th Soul Formation expert and nothing that we have done can damage it.

  Three: Start pushing back the defensive line back to its original position. All that has happened so far after the attacks is we have been pushed back. Our people are suffering because of this. We need to move everything back at least to the original line that separates the Humans from the Beasts.

  Four: Teams created to sweep our side of rifts and set up guard stations at each rift discovered. We have fallen victim to rifts we did not know existed causing the loss of countless lives. Things are a bit more stable now than when the war first started and this task needs to be done.

  Five: The least important but something that should be done. Bury all of the dead, mortals and cultivators alike. There are bodies everywhere in the war zones. We must honor those that have sacrificed for us or the mortals that were unlucky to be caught up in all this. It is the least we can do.

  Now let’s hear everyone’s ideas, proposals or thoughts on this.” Shen Tu concluded and left it open for discussions now.