~~~

The Imperial Banquet is the last major event held before the start of the Crimson Cloud Tournament. Every delegation set to compete is invited, making it the event with the longest guest list in the Crimson Cloud Empire. However, though the guest list has well over a thousand names, the number of people who actually attend is far smaller.

Because the representatives from the Four Great Sects are guaranteed to be at the Imperial Banquet, those from the weaker Sects know better than to show their faces. Doing otherwise would mean leaving themselves open to public shame and ridicule. The disgrace of all those who overstepped their bounds is well-documented. As such, despite its intended purpose, the Imperial Banquet is only a gathering of the delegations from the Four Great Sect and those prestigious enough to be in the same room as them.

That, it must be said, is still an impressive number of people, and it is a testament to the size of the palace’s banquet hall that it can easily fit all of them. The Emperor sits at the center of the head table, overlooking the entire room. To his left and right are the head representatives of the Four Great Sects: Elder Ruan Chenshu of the Endlessly Raging Valley, Elder Xue of the Eternal Flame Clan, Elder Chen He of the Infinite Mountain Sect, and, of course, Lady Shao Zhilan of the Divine Frozen Palace.

The seat directly to the right of Emperor Xiang should have been for his son. Alas, his progeny has chosen to abandon him in favor of spending time at the lower tables with the pink girl from the Divine Frozen Palace, leaving the spot open for Shao Zhilan to take. It is far from ideal, as Shao Zhilan sits far too close to him and smells far too good for his comfort. Glancing at his son, the Emperor cannot help but feel equal parts disappointment, pride, and jealousy.

Perhaps that is the norm for fatherhood.

As Emperor Xiang contemplates such deep, philosophical questions and most definitely does not stare at Lady Shao in any manner that can be deemed improper, the pages enter to announce a new arrival. It is protocol, but most people stop paying attention once the Four Great Sects are in the room.

“Introducing! Emperor Qing Jin of the Storm Dragon Empire!”

His presence enters the room before he does. It is a ghostly chill, a creeping shadow, a hand brushing against your throat. The weaker people in the room shudder, yet the rest look on with interest. Much has been said about the Emperor of the Storm Dragon Empire, but this will be his first public appearance in the Crimson Cloud Empire.

Emperor Qing Jin enters the room dressed in black robes adorned with gold. Thin purple lines on his robes, visible only briefly as he strides with unnatural fluidity, draw the faint outlines of dragons. His skin is white jade, and his eyes are red moons. His long hair, dark like midnight, is tied in a top knot to prevent it from getting on his face while the back half of it is left free to fall down his shoulders. Tall and handsome, there is an undeniable menace that radiates from his every movement, almost like a tiger on the prowl or, in this particular case, a dragon.

It is not just Emperor Xiang’s impression. The weaker cultivators in the room immediately avert their eyes. Emperor Qing Jin’s presence should be nothing special in a room with several Emperor Realm cultivators, yet there is a dangerous weight to it that cannot be denied. People centuries his seniors look at Emperor Qing Jin with interest as do the disciples of the stronger Sects. Some of them, his friends and acquaintances, wave at him, including the pink girl from the Divine Frozen Palace, evidence that the Divine Frozen Palace had known about his presence in the city and hadn’t seen fit to warn him.

Throughout it all, Emperor Qing Jin’s countenance does not change. Emperor Xiang is reasonably sure the young Emperor means to appear stoic, but he just looks threatening. Only when the girls that, according to various rumors, are involved with him wave at him does a smile appear on his face.

“Emperor Qing Jin,” Emperor Xiang says as the young Emperor reaches the head table. “I have heard much of you. I believe the whole city has.”

“People will talk about anything,” Qing Jin says, showing great skill by making such an innocuous statement sound so ominous. “I am but a guest in your city and your empire. If anyone deserves to be talked about, it is surely you.”

“Ah, praise! I cannot say I care for it, but please, sit with us. Take Lady Shao Zhilan’s seat. I insist. She stole it.”

“Must you really be so eager to distance yourself from me, Your Majesty?” Shao Zhilan asks him. She is close enough that Emperor Xiang can make out her pouting red lips through her veil. He knows he would be quite happy if he were to kiss her, but a happy Emperor is a sure sign something is wrong.

“Surely, you can bear to be a few feet away from His Majesty?” Shao Zhilan turns to look at Elder Xue of the Eternal Flame Clan. The woman has worn an amused smirk on her face all evening, and the sudden attention of one of the Five Fairies of the Divine Frozen Palace does not diminish it. “Considering how much time you are said to spend at the palace, it is a wonder His Majesty gets anything done.”

“Oh, you’d be surprised by how much can be accomplished at court with the proper stimulation,” Shao Zhilan replies. Her body almost flows as she moves from Emperor Xiang’s side to Elder Xue’s. The Emperor does not sigh in either relief or disappointment, but only because it would be improper to do so. “Perhaps you’d know if the Eternal Flame Clan involved itself more in the matters of the court.”

“That is a mistake we are willing to correct,” Elder Xue says, meeting Shao Zhilan’s eyes. “All things must be returned to their proper place. That is our Patriarch’s dear wish.”

“Oh, everyone has wishes. Such a pity that not all come true.”

“Are you speaking from experience?”

As Lady Shao Zhilan and Elder Xue trade not-so-subtle barbs and stoke the imagination of more than one person in the room with their presence, Emperor Xiang does his best to keep his eyes on Emperor Qing Jin. Despite being close to five Emperor Realm cultivators, the young man shows no discomfort as he takes his seat among them.

That is not normal.

“You have my deepest thanks for welcoming me into your house,” Emperor Qing Jin says as though he hadn’t sneaked in like a thief the other day. “It is my wish that we can strengthen the ties between our nations during my visit.”

“Please,” Emperor Xiang says, raising a hand. “Do not speak to me about politics. I tired of them decades ago. The most complicated thing I want to think of right now is which cut of lamb I will put on my plate.”

“Do not mind him, Emperor Qing Jin,” Shao Zhilan says. “Emperor Xiang loves to avoid speaking of policy. He is quite unlike yourself. As I understand, you have been quite busy lately and will continue to be so. Is it true you will compete for the Eternal Flame Clan?”

Emperor Qing Jin turns to look at Lady Shao Zhilan. To the shock of many, his gaze never once strays from her face.

“Before being Emperor of the Storm Dragon Palace, I was a disciple of the Eternal Flame Clan. Participating as part of their delegation is the least I can do to repay the many favors they have shown me. I hope you can all understand that,” he says, speaking with perfect eloquence when others would be blushing and stuttering just from being exposed to Shao Zhilan’s aura.

‘That is quite impressive,’ Emperor Xiang says, unable to resist using Qi to send a message directly to Emperor Qing’s aura.

‘Nothing of the sort, Your Majesty,’ Qing Jin replies, using the same method, ‘I knew I’d encounter Lady Shao Zhilan here, so I merely disabled the chemical reactions in my body that her presence may evoke.’

Emperor Xiang stares at the young man.

As a cultivator grows, it becomes easier for them to control their physical bodies. Someone in the Earth Realm could, in theory, cut off their arms and walk around armless for a single night.

But who would be crazy enough to actually do that?

“We are, of course, grateful for Emperor Qing Jin’s kindness,” Elder Xue says. “It would be a great shame if we were not allowed to show off one of the greatest talents that walked in through our gates.”

“You flatter me too much, Elder Xue,” Emperor Qing Jin says.

“Nonsense,” Elder Xue says, “your successes speak for themselves far beyond any praise I could give.”

It is curious. Though Emperor Xiang considers himself an expert at detecting false praise, he senses none in Elder Xue’s words. Even the smile on Emperor Qing Jin’s face seems genuine.

“That is so precious, yet one wonders if perhaps the Eternal Flame Clan feels a little too entitled to Emperor Qing Jin,” Shao Zhilan says, bringing a glass of wine to her lips. “I could not help but learn of a certain incident that took place between our disciples. I believe your disciple said many unkind things.”

“Is that what you heard?” Elder Xue asks. “I heard the opposite. Your disciple was the one who behaved rudely.”

“Any action on our disciple’s part was merely because she felt boundaries were overstepped. The Eternal Flame Clan has a history of doing so.”

“Boundaries. What an interesting concept, but perhaps it is the Divine Frozen Palace who has erred by making your disciple’s boundaries far too narrow. Perhaps our disciple was more right than she realized,” Elder Xue counters, making Shao Zhilan’s smile grow.

“Oh, I do believe I like you more than the poor, disgraced Elder Fa. Whatever happened to him after his treachery was discovered? In the Divine Frozen Palace, we have never once had to deal with such disloyalty.”

As the two women continue to talk, people and Sects are announced one after another. They are all fairly unimportant in the grand scheme of things. Only sixty-four people will make it to the final stage of the tournament, and forty of them will belong to the Four Great Sects. That is what is usual.

Then again, things seem unusual lately.

“Introducing! Xiao Fang, Patriarch of the True Xiao Sect!’

The title is bold but nothing special. The young man who enters is perhaps a cut above most tournament participants, but only that.

Nevertheless, the reaction he causes is worth paying attention to.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

Xiao Yifan rises from her seat at one of the lower tables and strides towards the new arrival. As she does, the attention of more than one Emperor is suddenly on her.

It is probably the only thing that stops her from killing the young man on the spot.

“Dearest nephew,” Xiao Yifan says with a tight smile. “It has been so long since I last saw you. What is the meaning of this joke?”

“Joke?” Xiao Fang echoes, doing an admirable job of remaining calm in the presence of an emperor who wishes him harm. “There is no joke here, Aunt. You have made your feelings towards me and the Xiao Sect quite clear. Thus, there is no place for me there. I must forge my own path.”

“Nephew,” she says, her smile becoming tighter. “This is just theater. You can make up whatever silly name you wish, but you are of the Xiao Sect. You cannot possibly compete under another name.”

“I do not see why he can’t.”

All eyes turn to Emperor Qing Jin.

~~~

“There are no rules in the tournament against independent entries,” Liu Jin says, fulfilling one of the favors Xiao Fang asked him, his very public and very clear support. It is something he would have done without needing to be asked, but Xiao Fang just had to be a butthead. “They are incredibly common in the tournament’s history.”

“Your Majesty, be that as it may, this matter is one between family,” Xiao Yifan says.

“I speak because I am family,” Liu Jin says. “My wife is Xiao Shuang, daughter of the late Xiao Zheng, former Patriarch of the Xiao Sect. That makes Xiao Fang my brother-in-law.”

Shock ripples throughout the room after his declaration. They had all heard of the incident between Lu Mei and Xiao Shuang, yet not many knew of Xiao Shuang’s relationship with the Xiao Sect. Xiao Yifan almost certainly knew about it, but she had never expected Liu Jin to involve himself in this matter so openly.

“Even so...” Xiao Yifan says, trying to find a way to object. “The name…”

“I see no issue with it,” Liu Jin says. “My brother-in-law can name his team whatever he wishes to.”

“I agree with my husband,” Xiao Shuang says, speaking from the lower tables. As she does, Liu Jin’s eyes sweep over the room once more, trying but failing to find Su An among those gathered. “My brother does not need permission from anyone to use that name.”

“If our dear Xiao Shuang says it, how can we not support her?” Shao Zhilan says, speaking as though she were coming to the conclusion just now instead of having been prepared for it before the banquet began.

“I agree with Emperor Qing Jin,” Elder Xue says. “This matter is not worth discussing.”

The representative from the Endlessly Raging Valley remains silent. The representative from the Infinite Mountain Sect laughs.

“I see! This truly is a matter not worth discussing. Perhaps it has been discussed too much already!” Chen He says, looking at his fellow Emperor. “Lady Xiao, if you would listen to this one’s advice, I believe you have no choice but to accept this.”

Faced with multiple Emperors, Xiao Yifan can do nothing but submit and let Xiao Fang walk past her, the first of many humiliations he intends to deal on her.

Perhaps it is her good fortune that there is little time to dwell on it.

The ceiling of the banquet shifts to display the evening sky even though multiple floors separate them from it. Liu Jin closes his eyes as the crimson clouds in the night begin to swirl around the palace. The disciples open their mouths in surprise as the red clouds become solid and stretch over the palace like a tent.

The Crimson Cloud is ready. The stage is set. The stands are ready to be filled. All that is missing are the people.

The Crimson Cloud Tournament is ready to begin.

~~~