Three months passed. The Ironmaw Range, once a name spoken with fear and dread, was now a symbol of prosperity and opportunity. The transformation was absolute. The grim, black-stone fortress was gone, its bones now serving as the foundation for a thriving, vibrant town that was a testament to Kui's commercial genius.
Traveler's Rest was a roaring success. The new, wide road that carved through the mountain pass was constantly filled with a river of caravans. Merchants from the Iron Heart Sect brought carts laden with high-grade ore, trading them for the unique demonic herbs and beasts supplied by their new partners, the Asura Demon Clan.
The Golden Shell Guild's northern headquarters, under the surprisingly effective management of Vice Guild Master Fat Pig, had become one of the new upcoming profitable non-military enterprises in the entire northern demonic territory.
The White Paw Company, under Xylia's brutal tutelage, had also grown. The thirty former bandits were now the hardened core of a fifty-strong mercenary force, their ranks swelled by new recruits drawn to their fearsome reputation. They were the undisputed law in the mountains, their patrols ensuring the safety of the trade routes with a lethal efficiency.
From the quiet solitude of the highest tower, Li Yu had watched it all unfold. For three months, he had remained in seclusion. His cultivation, however, was anything but stagnant. The sheer volume of new and diverse aquatic life flowing through his business hubs, combined with the ever-growing population within his Koi's Sanctuary, provided him with a constant, rich stream of life-force and spiritual energy.
His inner sea of abyss-black energy grew deeper and more profound with each passing day. He had delved further into the mysteries of his nascent soul, his practice with the «Leviathan Heart Sutra» forging a connection that was becoming more intuitive. He had achieved a state of profound peace, the world outside developing exactly as he had hoped.
His work here was done. The northern foundation was a thriving, unshakeable reality. It was time to return to his valley.
He sent out a summons. That evening, his three retainers gathered in his private chambers. Xylia stood with her arms crossed, her presence a silent, imposing weight. Kui standing next to her, cheerful as always. Fat Pig, the Vice Guild Master, stood beside her, his expression a perfect imitation of Kui's cheerful sycophancy.
"Excellent," Li Yu nodded, gesturing for them to be seated. He looked at his three powerful subordinates, the pillars of his growing, hidden empire. He had a master of commerce, a grandmaster of war, and a greedy vice manager now. Li Yu was building wealth and power. But he also had a vulnerability.
"We have built a strong house," Li Yu said, his expression turning serious. "Our walls are high, our guards are strong. But our eyes are blind, and our ears are deaf."
The three of them looked at him, their expressions turning serious as well.
"Our recent successes," Li Yu continued, "have been largely reactive. We were attacked, and we responded. A problem arose, and we dealt with it. We have been successful because our strength has been overwhelming. But a truly peaceful life cannot be lived if one is constantly waiting for the next fire to break out."
He looked at them, his gaze sharp and clear. "To be truly secure, we need to be proactive. We need to know where the next fire might start, before the first spark is even lit. We have a hand to gather wealth, and a fist to crush our enemies. We are missing the most important part: the eyes and ears."
He let his words sink in. "I wish to establish a third branch of our organization. An intelligence network. A web of spies and informants that will stretch across the continent, a silent, invisible presence that will see everything, hear everything, and report it back to us."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Kui, Xylia, and Fat Pig all understood the idea.
"A brilliant, and terrifying, idea, Wise Host," Kui said, his voice still full of cheerfulness. "But… who would lead such a thing? My talents are in the open market, in deals and logistics. The subtle, shadowy world of espionage is not my field."
"My pack fights in the open," Xylia stated, her voice a low, rough rumble. "We are bears who crush our enemies with strength, not spiders who weave webs. I am a commander, not a spymaster."
Fat Pig simply shook his head, looking completely out of his depth. "Big Brother, I just learned how to stop robbing people. I don't think I'm ready to start stealing their secrets."
"And I," Li Yu said with a faint, wry smile, "wish to remain in my valley and cultivate. Managing a continental spy network is the very definition of a troublesome affair."
This was the core of the problem. They had the resources and the power, but they lacked the single, crucial element: a leader with the unique skills and temperament to build and command such an organization.
It was Kui who broke the silence, a strange, distant, and thoughtful look on his face. "There was… one other," he said, his voice a low, rumbling murmur. "In our corner of the old wilderness, there were many great powers. We were not the only ones. There was another sovereign. A being who answered to no one, who allied with no one."
"The Sky-Watcher," Xylia's rough voice rumbled, a grudging respect in her tone. "He sits on his peak and watches the world like it's his own damn forest."
"Indeed," Kui nodded. "He was a Roc King, but his bloodline was unique. A Zephyr-Tide Roc King, a creature of both the highest winds and the deepest oceans. He could soar into the heavens and see everything for a thousand miles. And he could dive into the deepest ocean trenches and hear the secrets the water carried."
A new, intense light began to shine in Li Yu's eyes. A creature of both wind and water. A natural-born intelligence gatherer.
"He was the unofficial spymaster of the entire wilderness," Kui explained. "He saw every border dispute, knew every hidden lair, heard every whispered plot. He traded information as his primary currency. He was aloof, proud, and utterly neutral. He dealt with everyone, but his loyalty was only to himself."
"What is his name?" Li Yu asked, his voice quiet but firm.
"We called him Fengliu," Kui said. "The Wandering Wind. He is a sovereign, Wise Host. He will not bend his knee easily."
Li Yu stood up and walked to the balcony, looking out at the dark, star-filled sky. His northern foundation was secure. His southern foundation was secure. His power was greater than ever, his resources were growing by the day. But he was still blind.
"We do not need to find him, then?" Li Yu asked.
"Oh no, Wise Host," Kui said with a wry smile. "We know exactly where he lives. His nest is on the highest peak of the Whispering Mountains, a place no normal cultivator can reach. The problem is not finding him. The problem is getting him to even speak to you."
"Why is that?"
"He hates humans," Xylia stated flatly. "Like most of the old sovereigns who remember the ancient wars. To him, humans are either food or a nuisance. A human walking into his domain would be seen as a pest to be swatted or a meal to be eaten. He doesn't bargain with lesser creatures."
Li Yu looked up at the vast, endless sky, and a slow, determined smile spread across his face. He finally had his next great project. His next grand adventure.
"Then we will have to approach him not as a human seeking a favor," he said, his voice full of a new, quiet purpose. "But as an equal making an offer he cannot possibly refuse."
He turned to face them, his eyes gleaming with the light of a new quest. He had to at least try, he needed someone to run this branch of operations and this beast seemed perfect for the job. If he couldn't convince him, he would have to look elsewhere.
"It is time our empire found its eyes."