Ning Xiaochuan swallowed a Reconnecting Healing Pill, then slowly began refining its Pill Qi to heal his injuries.
Only the Sword Pavilion Marquis, Ning Qiancheng, and Ning Xiaochuan were in the study. They were the three strongest members of three generations of the Sword Pavilion Marquis's Mansion, and its undisputed rulers.
"Qian Cheng, go ahead. It's time Xiao Chuan learned about some of the bigger matters," the Sword Pavilion Marquis said.
Ning Qiancheng's expression turned grave. He took a dragonhide map down from a bookshelf.
It was a genuine piece of dragonhide, stripped from a vicious dragon. Dense lines were etched across it, marking the territory of the Yulan Empire's sixty-three great regions.
Ancient cities and major towns were marked with circles, garrisons and perilous passes with human figures. Red dots marked other important places.
Beyond the Yulan Empire's borders, the map also showed the surrounding dynasties, kingdoms, and federations. Some small nations were as large as one of the empire's regions; others occupied no more space on the map than a fingertip.
"To the west, forty-eight dynasties of Third-Rank Civilization are subordinate to the Yulan Empire. But not long ago, the armies of thirty of them gathered at the frontier. Seventeen million troops now eye Fan Sai Border City like tigers, with the force to swallow mountains and rivers."
"If the Allied Army of those thirty kingdoms marches east, the empire's three western regions will be plunged into endless war. The people will be driven from their homes, bones will pile up like mountains, and treasures, money, grain, and women will all be seized. Even if the empire's mighty armies go to suppress them, they won't be able to restore peace for years."
Ning Qiancheng marked thirty red dots on the map and indicated where the armies had assembled.