Sage’s Cultivation: Mage in Cultivation World - Chapter 161

[A month after Lucas’s seclusion training before the InterSect Competition.]

As Lia (Ruby Sun) became the representative of the Xiao family while Yuna was in her seclusion cultivation, she strengthened their relationship with the Heavenly Demon Sect. As she thought it would be a great move to link the forsaken dark sect in history to the Xiao family, the authority of the Xiao family had spread all throughout the northern half of the Northern Region.

In a meeting hall, Lia sat on a throne on a platform. In front of her were the council members, standing firmly with their heads lowered.

“We should start cleaning the whole Northern Region. There are still dark sects that don’t abide by our authority. We will seize them.” Lia nonchalantly uttered.

The council composed of different ages lowered their heads more and responded, “Please think of it twice.”

With that reply, Lia smirked as she realized that her influence over the family had already been accepted. Back then, when Yuna introduced her, she held an image of her replacement. But as she instilled cruelty in them, they all surrendered to her power.

“Why should I think of it twice? It is not like our power over the Northern Region is limited.” Lia retorted, annoyingly.

“It is not like that, Lady Lia. Our relationship with the Heavenly Demon Sect was still starting to get firm. If we try to overpower them and display our hostility towards other sects in the Northern Region, we won’t be able to reply to their hostility.”

“Elaborate.” Lia retorted.

“Su family was slow in their seize of the Northern Region because of the two powerhouse sects, Flower Dark Sect and Heavenly Demon Sect. Hence, the authority is divided into three parts. But, if we try to invade the other dark sects that didn’t submit to the Five Great Families, we might accidentally offend the other two powerhouses.”

After hearing that, Lia just scoffed and ridiculed the person who said it.

“Who are you to tell me about offending the two sects? Why? Do you know them? Have you seen them up close? Are you them?” Lia sent a barrage of grumblings, then stood up from her throne. “No. You don’t know them, so don’t speak like you know them all well.”

Lia knew that they were only trying to be careful, but it was an act of cowardice for her. Thus, if that even happens, she could just retaliate on her own. No one stupid would try to put the lives of their people before the main war.

“Enough with your complaints. We will invade them. By a week, be sure to give me a report, a map, and a list of all independent dark sects that oppose our authority.”

Then, totally, Lia left her throne and climbed off the platform of her throne. She then went to the Heavenly Demon Sect to meet with Jeric.

***

The Northern Continent is a continent in the Mortal Heaven’s most northern region, occupying Heaven’s northern half. The Northern Continent is made up of mountains and uplands divided by deep and narrow valleys. The Northern Continent has a command economy, in which the central government regulates the economy regarding the production and distribution of goods. The government system is a communist state one-man dictatorship; the chief of state is the “emperor.”

Apart from these, a huge portion of their government’s funds was focused on military strengthening. Trading with other small islands was all put into their military strengthening, which involves weaponry creation and military training.

The total population of the continent reached 5 million and the people were all fanatics of their emperor, which made the continent formidable to invade or trick.

The Western Continent is a continent in the most western region of the Mortal Heaven. Consisting of a flexible government, they use their resources to their most reachable potential.

However, these were not just their assets; they also had a flexible military strength that could turn an assassin into a warrior that faces battle forward.

The total population of the continent reached 4 million, and the inhabitants also traded with the other nuisance territories or small islands.

Despite all of the names of the other continents, the Southern Continent is the most secretive among the other continents. Because of their secretive lifestyle, it is said that their continent is nothing but a tall forest of rain forests.

***

Lia is the target of the other continents to win the legacy of being the new Ambassador of the Mortal Heaven. But why? It is because of her blood, most commonly known as the Sacred Blood of Taulo, that she is a Vermillion Phoenix race from the Upper Heavens.

But it is not important. The legacy stated that to become the ambassador, at least, this person owns half of the land of the whole Mortal Heaven and has cultivation that reaches the peak of the Emperor Spirit Realm before ten years of ascension.

It shows how important Lia’s presence is to other continents, as her blood is what’s most needed. Even so, the other exempted divine beasts have their own powers to support, which means they were also targeting her.

“Sect Leader Jeric Long, I came here with another proposal mission,” Lia said, in front of Jeric, with a wide smile.

Jeric only raised his eyebrows as he was piqued by this notion. Thus, he stood up from his seat and offered Lia.

“Please have a seat first.”

Lia nodded sweetly, then took a seat just to the side of Jeric. Then, she looked at him with a firm smile and continued what she had been saying earlier.

“A land seizure under our name would bring a huge benefit to our goals. We are preparing for a war against the Northern Continent, and we know how bad the Northern Region’s system is. So, I propose attacking the remaining dark sects in the Northern Region.”

Jeric gave it some thought and began to ponder. He didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he made a quick assessment of the things that Lia had offered. He knew it was kind of contradictory with what he knew, but he didn’t disregard the idea.

“We have pacts with the other dark sects that will last for 10 years by now. So, I may not be able to have a strong view of seizing their lands.” Jeric reasonably said.

“But, it is because your sect is under the pact between sects. This isn’t only about sects, but alliances. They don’t have an alliance, which makes their stand in negotiations small. So, using our alliance, we will be able to seize them.”

Jeric didn’t ignore the idea and tried to reason with it. “But, isn’t that contradicting with what we are focusing on? Taking land is the equivalent of killing. Our sect doesn’t fight for measly reasons; we fight for revenge and retaliation.”

Lia let out a sigh, then honestly looked at Jeric in his eyes. “Can you see what my eyes say?” she asked.

“Nothing, actually. They were just forced to be dedicated eyes. I don’t know how to explain it further.”

Lia snorted, then retracted herself and firmly went back to her seat. She took her gaze away from Jeric and closed her eyes, sweetly pronouncing the next words she had.

“You don’t understand my stance, do you? If we get their lands, we will be able to trade more with the nuisance small islands. Do you know how important they are?”

Jeric took a pause, then responded. “I do, but they don’t have much help if we look at them in a different way. They are weak islands. They won’t be able to stand against us if we attack them.” Jeric explained.

Lia only shook her head, then opened her eyes. “You don’t understand it? Or maybe you don’t know why these small islands still exist these days.”

When Jeric realized it, he was speechless and confused at the same time. It was true that he didn’t think of it. Putting it into his curiosity expanded his pondering.

“Do they have any other reasons for remaining unbothered by the legacy?” Jeric asked.

“Well, it is only because these islands were protected by the rules of the Mortal Heavens. They are the sources of the resources that every huge continent needs. So, the previous ambassador before the Great World War implemented a rule with the huge continents as the subjects to not have any ill-intent of seizing these small islands.”

Lia looked at Jeric with intrigued eyes and smirked.

“Do you know why?”

Jeric shook his head.

“Well, it is because these small lands have the strongest cultivators. To protect the vast continents, any wars with them are prohibited. Hence, making the military strength of these small islands recognized as a nuisance.”

Jeric was stunned at first. He didn’t believe it at first, but when he gave it a thought, he then realized and connected the logic into one solid conclusion.

These nuisance small islands might be restricted from leaving their islands. They may have a strong connection to the Spiritual Roots.

“I can’t believe that in this wide world, I am only seeing a small picture of it,” Jeric mumbled.

Lia only smirked inwardly and then thought, ‘Perks of living a thousand years.’