Mage And Wolf
Chapter 157

Chapter 157: Chapter 157

Now that everyone is raving about how good the Sect’s hospitality is, it’s time for Sect Master Sun to put on the charm.

"Welcome everyone to the ascendancy party for the Divine Elder Song. We’re very glad you could make it, despite the absolute lack of warning. The Tribulation was unexpected, the result of an experiment to repair his damaged cultivation base." The Sect Master starts, laying it on thick.

I share an amused glance with Elder Ming who comes over to stand with me and watch the speech.

"The Shadowed Blade has long been misunderstood. While we welcome a wide variety of techniques and personalities, we’re not a Devil Cultivator Sect, but in fact a neutral Sect with a particular aptitude I’m sure you’re all aware of." Yes, we have a very wide variety of personalities. But there’s a solid argument to be made that we might all be crazy.

"I hope you enjoyed the meal, it was prepared by our very own Young Miss, a Culinary Specialist training here at the Shadowed Blade."

While all those words were true, why did it feel so much like a lie? I giggle at his depiction and wave at all the people now watching me.

He goes on a while about the variety of skills we teach before bringing Elder Song forward to say a few words to the assembled cultivators.

"First, I’ll address the elephant in the room. No, the Shadowed Blade isn’t going to war now that they’ve got an Elder in the Divine Realm. We’re very much hoping you’ll accept us as a Neutral Sect and put aside old misconceptions." Not a bad speech for Elder Song, who dislikes public speaking.

The speeches ended, everyone wants to congratulate Elder Song and get on his good side, so I lean back to watch the show. Quite a few are coming my way too, likely because of the cooking. Elder Han is definitely because of the food, and he’s got his young wife with him now, looking happy and heavily pregnant.

"Congratulations to you too, Elder Han." I greet him, nodding at the former Forbidden Treasure Sect member whose name I’ve long forgotten.

"Thanks, the doctor says triplets." he laughs. That makes me think of the fertility ritual fiasco in the other world. So many babies.

"You’ll have your hands full for sure. You look like you need something though." Karl smiles.

"Could you teach me the the recipe for the cream puffs? We never could get them right after you left, and my wife here has been craving them." Dang, I was hoping he’d name drop and refresh my memory.

"Sure, can you hang around a few days? With the Tribulation we expect to be extremely busy for a while." I ask, knowing the cream puffs will be a daily thing, but we’re using magic, not making them from scratch.

Having Elder Han around is a blessing. He’s put great amounts of work into the study of spiced magical beast meat since they last met, and his assistance adds variety to the meals over the next 5 days of festivities.

I do eventually teach him the recipes for cream puffs again, with better instructions, and a couple of cobbler and cake recipes. I think the Divine Fist must just need some decent snacks to help them relax and remove the stick from their backside. Elder Han is such a great guy, and he’s the one most enamored of sweets in the entire Sect.

Their Sect Master is just as insufferable as always, and even uglier than I remember him being. He’s got such a sad story you almost have to feel sorry for him, at least until you meet him.

They’re all set to go home tomorrow though. One last day of feasts and we’re finally back to normal. Tonight, after an early dinner is a closing ball. Royal Court Formal. Elder Song got the idea from talking with Mica while waiting for us to finish cultivating after my breakthrough to Core Formation and thought it was a good bit of fun.

It’s been well received, these insular and isolated cultivators don’t often get a good excuse to dress up, and they don’t want to be seen as vain or distracted from their cultivation, so this is the perfect outlet for them to let loose and dress up in their very best.

Even Sect Master Sun’s brother has come for the final day with a few of his Elders. He didn’t say what he used the pill he snatched from the competition judging station for, but he did say it was a great success. The theft went off easier than expected with the portal opening in the middle of the arena just after we left and everyone freaking out trying to close it.

I finally see Nanny Vitale again, and she’s looking both sad and hopeful. "How is the recovery of the High River Sect going Nanny? I heard mention that you’d had some of your girls withdrawn by their families after the attack."

"More than a few, we’re down to half of the strength we used to command, and we lost a lot of Elders. Between you and me, we’ve also had to start facing raids from other Sects, looking to take in our girls as part of their own Sect. There’s a lot of powerful families represented, and they want leverage over the girls marriages." She says softly so we’re not overheard.

"I’ve got a meeting with Sect Master Sun about an alliance to keep the girls safe, but I’m not sure we’ll be able to afford the price."

"How about the three of us accompany you? Me, my disciple Karl and the Young Miss? I think we could find some favorable terms with Sect Master Sun." Elder Song startles us both, sneaking up like that to give a suggestion. I wonder what he’s up to? It’s going to be something to help the Shadowed Blade Sect attain Neutral Sect status, I can tell that already, but how does he think the beleaguered High River Sect can help?

The meeting is soon, so we all start heading towards the Sect Master’s residence, Nanny Vitale looking more nervous by the step.

"Welcome Elder Vitale. I see you’ve made friends, that’s always a good thing. Come in, come in." The Sect Master greets us.

"We’ll all be sitting in on the meeting. I’ve got a proposal that might benefit both Sects." Elder Song informs him happily.

"Well, out with it then, let’s get the unexpected part out of the way first." Our Sect Master releases a long suffering sigh.

"The High River Sect is almost entirely of Noble young ladies, many with significant backgrounds in their home countries. As things currently stand, they’re prepared for marriage, and their cultivation strengthened, then they’re sent out to meet their fate, is that correct?" Nanny Vitale nods her agreement, that’s what they do, they release the girls to their husbands when it comes time for marriage.

"But they’re still influential people, their husbands are high nobility, business leaders, merchants, politicians and sons of influential cultivating families. So perhaps the girls would do well with a personal assistant?" I think we all see where Elder Song is going with this.

"If we sent a selection of our outer court female disciples to High River Sect, they could get to know the ladies, form a bond, and move into a career utilizing their skills. While we might view Condensation Realm as barely acceptable for the Sect, our Outer Court disciples are still among the finest guards and assassins in the world."

Sect Master Sun thinks a moment, pondering the benefits of this proposal, beyond embedding his disciples all over the world near positions of power.

"The families could compensate you as well, perhaps with talented female retainers to train in place of the disciples sent?" Nanny Vitale suggests hopefully. This would be of great benefit, not just to her Sect, but to her girls who would gain a loyal retainer and confidant.

"Excellent point Madam Vitale." Sect Master Sun finally agrees. "With retainers for the future assignments replacing the ones sent, we would suffer no major loss, and any found unsuitable for personal guard duty would find a home here in the Shadowed Blade Sect."

The High River Elder spends a while talking to someone through a mental link, holding a Sect token, then asks a question. "Might those coming to your Sect also be trained as household staff? Not just personal guards, but well trained, cultivating household staff are in short supply everywhere. Butlers, carriage men, Maids."

That’s a radical proposal. Taking in disciples with the intention of letting them go to work for others? That’s practically unheard of in the cultivation world. But while many of these Noble families have powerful experts, they don’t all have the resources or desire to train members of their commoner staff as cultivators and combatants, even if it would be a benefit to their safety.

"As long as they’re sent young, with the talent to reach at least Condensation before their sixteenth birthday when they’d normally be assigned, I don’t see that being a problem. I understand that High River is a ladies only facility, so we can make accommodations here." Sect Master Sun agrees carefully.

A decade to train and indoctrinate children to be loyal to both the Sect and the families they will work for? That sounds plausible, even if they’re never going to become full disciples. And as an unspoken fact, I’m certain the Sect Master intends to keep the very best for himself, deeming them unsuitable for the role they were sent to fulfill.

A formal agreement is made, and Sect Master Sun sends the mission notifications out. There’s certainly a few female cultivators who would rather live the life of a Noble Lady’s guard than a sheltered Devil Cultivator. In fact, many are only here because they were so poorly treated in other Sects that they felt the need to flee somewhere safe. A life as a Lady’s guard would be a relief.