When the Kingdom learned of the reason surrounding the destruction of the Natural Order Sect, the three women who had been with Ryu when he said those ill-fated words nearly died of shock. To think that even the words Little Ryu said in jest could still be so bone chillingly insightful.
According to spies hidden with the Opes Kingdom, the wreckage of the Sect only included the destruction of their Sect's entrance stone. It had stood for thousands of years, yet now it was nothing more than ash.
Although normal humans couldn't cross the barrier to the Sect, reports stated that the inner structures were completely untouched. However, dead bodies of experts filled the paved roads with blood and a terrible stench.
Still, the ones who took this news the worst were the Noble Clans of Opes Kingdom and the Opes Royal Clan themselves. To have lost their backer in such a way and for such a frivolous reason… How heart wrenching was that? The worst part was that until their current King crossed into the Spiritual Severing Realm, access to the Sect and the treasures they left behind were completely barred to them. As a result of this, several greedy eyes trained toward the East, each with various thoughts of their own.
However, there were too many barriers to satisfying this greed. For one, only those of the Opes Clan and the descendants of the Natural Order Sect knew how to breach the barrier to the Sect. Secondly, even if they were able to pry such information out of King Opes, it would require war with the Opes Kingdom. Thirdly, if one assumed that this war ended swiftly and didn't raise the ire of the Immortal Plane experts who built their system of balance, how would the treasures of the Natural Order Sect be split?
For now, peace was kept. The fear of breaking ancient rules set by the Immortal Plane Clans and Sects weighed heavily on their minds, wiping out whatever greed they might have had. That said… Who knew how long such peace would last? Even in the face of danger, humans always found a way to justify their actions for the sake of wealth.
**
"Grandpa!" Two adorable five-year-old children sprinted into the arms of King Tor, the little boy monopolizing his right arm while the little girl took over his left. A rare smile graced the King's face, the likes of which hadn't been seen in public for decades.
Behind the two children, Princess Isla and Dahlia walked into the King's Study, neither of them surprised by this side of their father. Whenever it came to matters not pertaining to succession or the betterment of the Kingdom, he left such Kingly matters behind. Since their children would never be in line for the throne, King Tor had no reservations toward them.
"Okay, okay, you two little mushrooms. Go off to the garden and play, grandpa has something to speak with your mothers about."
The two toddlers ran out without a worry in the world. Soon, with how powerful their fathers were, they'd be given their own awakening ceremonies and soar into the skies. The best resources of the Mortal Plane would be funneled into them and they'd soon become pillars of the Sect themselves. Even with how tumultuous the times had suddenly become, it was doubtful that they'd ever be affected. They deserved to be the envy of many.
"How are Adorjan and Cato?" The King asked absentmindedly, taking a seat.
"Our husbands are doing well, father." First Princess Dahlia responded, a light smile on her face.
At first, her and her younger sister hadn't been too excited to be married off into the Sect, but their husbands were good men who treated them well. Just like there were Clans to manage in Tor Kingdom, the Heavenly Body Sect also had various Clans that had grown over the years. The ancestors of such Clans had once come from nothing, but due to their cultivation talent, were accepted into the fold by the upper echelons of the Sect. Over time, they gave birth to their own factions that had grown to this point today.
Back then, two Princesses had no choice but to marry into these factions in order to consolidate the Tor Clan's power in the Sect. Of course, this was well before Third Prince Cayden's birth. If Cayden had been born earlier, their sacrifice wouldn't have been needed at all simply by virtue of his talent. With three Earth Grade experts, the Tor Clan would be unshakeable. That said, although this matter was slightly unfortunate, it couldn't be said that the two Princesses were unhappy.
"That's good. Has the Sect done anything special in response to the Natural Order Sect's destruction?"
"If you want to ask us how Little Ryu thinks you should respond, then just be straight forward." Second Princess Isla responded. Her voice didn't have any odd fluctuations to it. In fact, it sounded just as light and playful as it usually did. But the weight of her words was fairly clear.
King Tor shrugged. "If he can predict the reason for its destruction without ever taking a step outside, then his insight really is frightening."
"That's why us monitoring him is useless. If we waste even a single word trying to lead the conversation, he will realize it. The Agnes Clan has already forever earned his bad side, even his foolish mother is no exception. I don't know how you could expect us to help you." The First Princess interjected.
"That's where you're wrong." King Tor shook his head. "No matter how intelligence the Fourth Prince is, he is still only a child. Every child is the most susceptible to manipulation at this age and not a single one is indifferent to living a life without warmth. His IQ is irrelevant to the matter at hand."
"You haven't interacted with him much. Speaking with that child is like walking into a lion's den." Dahlia's eyes flashed with a complicated light. Why were they tasked with treating their little brother like an enemy?
For years now, these two Princesses would visit their fourth brother only to bring news of their interactions to their father. Who knew how many Kingdom matters Ryu had unknowingly consulted on? While others assigned the rise of Tor Kingdom to his three elder brothers, these three here knew exactly who should be thanked… A boy who hadn't experienced a sliver of true familial love in his pitiful life.
"My asks of you two are simple. It's okay if he believes that I sabotaged his meridian awakening ceremony, but it isn't okay that he confirms it or finds proof. You must also ensure that the Agnes Clan cannot make a secret attempt of their own to redo the ceremony. The best-case scenario is that he trusts you two enough to ask for help. In that case, you know what you must do…" King Tor said softly.
After a moment of complicated silence, the two sisters nodded. For the good of the Kingdom, they had already sacrificed themselves. They didn't find it odd for it to be their younger brother's turn.