Banners approached Shadow Gorge under white flags of parley. The first diplomatic envoy since my nation's birth—fifty riders from the Huang Dynasty, led by a stern-faced ambassador named Lord Kai. Gold silk robes, spirit horses snorting mist. They came not to fight, but to test: would the "untouchable king" talk peace or crush all who dared speak?
I met them in the open plaza, Yue Zhilan at my right like a silver statue, spear gleaming. Mo Han loomed behind with Hellfire Legion shadows flickering at the edges. Crowds watched—farmers pausing ploughs, smiths wiping soot.
Lord Kai dismounted smoothly, bowing just enough for courtesy, not submission. "Sovereign Ling Chen," he said, voice smooth as polished jade, "the Huang Empress sends greetings. Your borders hold strong. Your... guardian terrifies kingdoms. We come offering trade, not war."
I smiled faintly. "Speak plainly, Lord Kai. Huang fears my growth. You test if words bend me before blades do."
He blinked, then laughed—a genuine sound. "Wise as the tales say. Yes. Alliance against Freeport raiders. Shared borders, shared watchtowers. No tribute. Mutual defence."
Yue Zhilan's eyes narrowed slightly, but I raised a hand. "Terms?"
"Equal. Our grain for your steel. Joint patrols. And..." He hesitated. "One observer in your council—for trust."
"No observers," I said calmly. "Trust builds in deeds, not eyes. Patrols, yes. Trade, yes. My Moon Shadows already watch Freeport. You'll have their reports."
Kai's face tightened, then softened. "Done." He extended a jade token. "Peace sealed."
We clasped forearms before the crowds. Cheers, Rose—not wild, but steady, like roots taking ground. The envoy left richer in spirit stones, poorer in fear.
But peace brought floodgates. Refugees poured in by the thousand—starved families from Wu borders, persecuted cultivators from Freeport slums, and even Li peasants fleeing taxes. Tents overflowed camps. Fields strained under new mouths.
"Academies first," I told Wen Zixing in the war hall. "Can't build warriors from empty bellies."
He nodded, scrolls flying. "Ironmist gets the first—basic cultivation, literacy, and smithing. Shadow Gorge the advanced: arrays, tactics, spirit refinement."
Lin Dao marked sites. "Infrastructure next. Roads linking cities. Aqueducts from mountain springs. Forges are shared among clans."
Mo Han grunted. "Train the able-bodied. Every hand swings a hammer or spear."
General Meiyin melted from the shadows. "My girls vet newcomers. No spies slip through."
Work began at dawn. Stonecutters hauled marble for the academy halls. Engineers from refugee camps mapped water channels. Children laughed in first classes, qi stones glowing in tiny palms. By month's end, three academies stood—humble but solid, lanterns burning late.
Yet amid the hammers, a shadow stirred.
It started small. Grain stores at Frostveil vanished—subtle at first, then barrels at a time. Blamed on rats. Then a forge master's tools bent wrong, ruining spirit blades. Whispers: "Bad luck follows plenty."
Wen Zixing caught it first. "My lord," he said quietly one evening, "ledgers don't lie. Someone diverts supplies to black markets. Patterns point inward."
I frowned. "Traitor?"
"From within. Refugee who knew our patrols too well."
Yue Zhilan's spear hummed faintly. "Name him."
That night, Moon Shadows struck. They dragged a wiry man—a former Li officer named Gao Ren—from a hidden cellar. Sacks of stolen grain surrounded him, alongside Freeport gold tokens.
Gao knelt in chains before the throne room, sweat beading despite the chill. "Mercy, Sovereign! The princes promised lands if I weakened you!"
"Which princes?" Lin Dao asked sharply.
Fourth and Seventh. Said you'd fall without support, crumbling inside."
I leaned forward. "You sold your new home for old grudges."
Yue Zhilan stepped closer. Moonlight coiled at her feet. Gao whimpered, eyes wide. "I... I only took a little!"
Mo Han laughed darkly. "Little theft starves children."
"Justice," I said simply. "Exile to the wastes. No death—let him beg where he betrayed."
Guards hauled him away, screaming. By dawn, whispers spread: even insiders face the truth here.
The system chimed softly.
"Ding! Internal Security Quest Complete. Traitor Purged. Loyalty +8%. Infrastructure Bonus: Academy Efficiency +20%. Reward: Hidden Spy Network Upgrade."
Weeks later, I walked the new academy halls. Children sparred in courtyards, qi sparks flying. Farmers thanked me at markets, baskets overflowing.
Lord Kai's envoy returned with Huang's waggons—grain, silks, and shared maps. "Your justice echoes south," he said. "Huang watches closer now."
"Good," I replied. "Peace tests stronger than war."
Yue Zhilan stood vigilant at my side, ever the blade. Refugees built higher walls and brighter forges. The traitor tested us—and failed.
From envoys at gates to stones in foundations, my domain proved its steel. Not in blood spilt, but hands joined.
The untouchable king didn't crush opposition. He outbuilt it.
And under those growing lights, even traitors learnt: loyalty wasn't given. It was forged.