On the Celestial Mechanism Institute's plaza, squads of soldiers marched in and began evacuating the people of the prefecture who had been stranded there.
The Azure Yang Upper Continent had been at war for years, and its people understood the stakes. Under the soldiers' direction, tens of thousands of people gradually left the plaza. There were no mishaps or disorder along the way.
After everyone had evacuated, even the clever Creator birds flew away with them. The plaza was suddenly left empty. The former bustle and clamor faded, leaving only chill and silence, while the solid, imposing aboveground bastions of the Celestial Mechanism Headquarters filled everyone's view.
Not long after the last civilian had left, the gates in the Celestial Mechanism Institute's still partially open bastion rumbled upward. A Creator with metal strips embedded in both cheeks walked out, raised both hands, and held a letter high above his head.
Daoist Wan Ming gave a signal, and a cultivator immediately flew down to receive the letter.
He examined it. Since it bore no seal, he opened it and took a look, then rose into the air and presented it to Zhang Yu. "Reporting to the Profound Rectifier: this appears to be a letter from Fang Yuzhong, head of the Celestial Mechanism Institute. He says he is willing to accept the Profound Residence's terms and disarm everyone inside the Institute, but he wishes to invite the Profound Rectifier in for a meeting."
Daoist Wan Ming turned to Zhang Yu. "Profound Rectifier, could this be some sort of trap?"
Zhang Yu considered the matter, then said to the cultivator, "Go back and tell the messenger that Fang Yuzhong must first disarm the Celestial Mechanism Institute and evacuate everyone inside. If he agrees, I can meet him somewhere inside the Institute that he