Emperor of the Source

"Unsurprisingly, it's Yselia who is contacting us first," Asteria said, her gaze fixed on the translucent interface of her UNI-OS as streams of data scrolled before her eyes.

The message had arrived barely a few minutes after their public announcement.

Pyros, standing nearby with his arms crossed, let out a quiet breath that carried neither surprise nor concern. "Of course she would. She must have been expecting our support as mercenaries, and seeing this shift in position would certainly unsettle her expectations. You handle the communication. Inform her about the deeper clause within the contract we prepared. She will understand its value immediately."

Asteria acknowledged his words with a brief nod, her attention already returning to the interface as she began preparing the response. Her fingers danced through the air, composing a message that would walk the delicate line between reassurance and manipulation.

...

Back within the Azure Garden's inner-zone base, Adrian arrived at a conference room after receiving Hestia's message. As he stepped through the entrance, his gaze swept across the chamber, taking in the presence of those gathered. Hestia sat at the central seat, her posture composed and authoritative, her crimson robes flowing naturally around her frame.

The elders occupied the seats around her: Lara, Maelis, Torvain, Varcain, and Caelum. Alongside them, Lysandra and Selena were also present. Their positions as heads of the inscription department and their contributions to the sect had long since elevated them to the same level of influence despite the difference in raw cultivation.

However, Adrian's attention did not linger on them for long. His gaze shifted almost immediately to the holographic projection at the center of the table, where streams of text and data rotated slowly in three-dimensional space. The title displayed prominently across it read: "Peace Summit."

Adrian moved closer, his eyes scanning through the document's contents. As he read, the full context became clear. The Ashen Vortex Sect had stepped forward, presenting themselves as arbiters of peace between the Crimson Vital Sect and the Everlasting Pill Sect. They framed their intervention as a necessity for maintaining stability within the Andromeda Galaxy, citing concerns that a war between two prominent alchemy sects would disrupt the galaxy's pill supply and destabilize the broader balance of power.

The document outlined their proposal in meticulous detail: both sects would agree to a binding ceasefire, mediated and enforced by the Ashen Vortex Sect. Any violation of the terms would result in immediate intervention, with the Ashen Vortex Sect authorized to deploy their full military strength to restore order. The language was carefully constructed, every phrase polished to present the Ashen Vortex Sect as a neutral authority claiming their intent was to mediate and enforce peace for the greater good.

"Bullshit," Adrian muttered under his breath as he took his seat near Hestia, his tone carrying open disdain.

Several heads turned toward him, but no one spoke immediately. The silence stretched for a moment before Adrian continued, his gaze still fixed on the projection. "If they truly cared about the galaxy's balance, where were they when the Everlasting Pill Sect first launched the war? Where was this noble concern for stability when our disciples were dying? When our resources were being burned?"

Hestia responded, her voice calm but carrying the same underlying steel, "They are not trying to protect the galaxy's balance. This is a calculated move. Their reputation suffered after the UNI-Auction, and now they are attempting to anchor themselves to our rise. This is their way of rebuilding it, by standing above us and rewriting the narrative in their favor."

Torvain leaned forward, "They position themselves as peacemakers whilst we are cast as potential warmongers if we refuse. It frames the entire conflict around their authority."

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"It seems they view us as fools who cannot see through something this obvious," Lysandra added, her tone edged with cold amusement as she looked at the projection.

Lara, however, shook her head slowly, her analytical gaze never leaving the document. "No… it is not that simple. They are fully aware that we can see through this. That is precisely why this is dangerous."

"They believe that even with full awareness of their intentions, we will still have no choice but to agree."

For a brief moment, silence filled the chamber.

Then, one by one, the elders nodded.

Maelis exhaled slowly, her gaze steady as she spoke. "It makes sense. Even if we understand their intentions clearly, it does not change the position they have placed us in. This is not a trap built purely on deception. It is supported by their overwhelming strength."

Torvain folded his arms, his voice firm as he added, "Against the Everlasting Pill Sect, even with mercenaries involved, the war remained within a contained scale. But if we provoke the Ashen Vortex Sect into full involvement, we step into something far larger. They possess millions of disciples and multiple Peak Rule Stage cultivators. The force they can bring to bear is on an entirely different level."

Varcain nodded slowly, his expression grim. "They have constructed a scenario where refusing their mediation appears reckless. The galaxy will see us as warmongers if we reject their offer, and that perception alone could isolate us from potential allies."

"Exactly," Caelum murmured, his scholarly tone analytical. "Public opinion becomes a weapon in their hands. They frame themselves as protectors whilst positioning us as threats to stability."

The implication settled heavily within the room, yet despite the gravity of the situation, there was no trace of fear among them. Not because the threat was insignificant, but because they had already anticipated it. Everything they had built within the time formation: their systems, their discipline, their structured growth, had never been designed solely for a straightforward war. It had been constructed with the understanding that the worst possible scenario could arrive without warning.

And now, it had arrived.

Adrian leaned back slightly in his seat, his gaze lowering for a brief moment as his thoughts aligned with that reality. Initially, he had expected the Ashen Vortex Sect to become involved only as a consequence of the war, not as an opening move. In his calculations, their entry would have been triggered after he eliminated one of their Peak Rule Stage mercenaries, forcing them into retaliation and escalating the situation beyond control.

But now, they had stepped forward first, not as direct enemies, but as something far more troublesome.

A faint smile formed at the corner of Adrian's lips as that realization settled in. This was unexpected, but it was not beyond his preparations. If anything, this was precisely the kind of scenario he had been preparing for.

"It seems," Adrian said slowly, his voice calm yet carrying a subtle depth that drew everyone's attention, "they are unwilling to wait for the natural progression of events."

Lysandra let out a quiet breath that almost resembled a laugh, her eyes narrowing slightly as she studied the projection. "Or perhaps they are afraid that if they wait, they will lose the opportunity to control the outcome entirely."

"They should be," Torvain replied, his tone firm and unwavering.

Maelis's expression hardened as she added, "Regardless of their intentions, one thing does not change. The Everlasting Pill Sect must answer for what they have done. That is not something that can be negotiated away under the pretense of balance."

The memories of fallen disciples, shattered starships, desperate battles fought whilst their sect teetered on the brink, those were not abstractions that could be dismissed through political maneuvering.

Lara nodded slowly. "We lost so many dear ones. Our people were literally hunted!"

No matter what narrative was imposed, the Everlasting Pill Sect had to answer for the disciples they had taken.

Hestia finally spoke, her voice steady, grounding the discussion. "The Peace Summit is scheduled in the UNI-Hub, as it's the neutral zone, two days from now in external time. Within the time formation, that still grants us several more years to finalize everything."

Her gaze moved across the room before settling briefly on Adrian. "This is a public summons. Ignoring it is not an option without consequence. We will attend, but we will not go there as participants in their narrative."

Her eyes sharpened slightly. "We will go there as the ones who decide how this unfolds."

The original timeline had left ten more days before the war would begin in external time, but the situation had already shifted beyond those expectations. The war they had prepared for was no longer the same war that awaited them, and the stage upon which it would unfold had grown far larger than they had initially anticipated.