A Fortune for a Horse's Bones

In one corner of the Feng Qiya Continent.

Seven or eight members of the Counselors' Pavilion had come in person. Grim-faced, they looked up at the dozens of Flying Boats hovering not far from the continent.

They pondered how to respond.

There were men and women among them.

There were elders in their seventies and eighties, their temples gone white.

There were also beautiful women in their thirties and forties.

All were sages chosen through rigorous screening by the Feng Qiya Continent. When the continent faced a major decision, they offered their advice.

They had no power to decide, but they did have the right to propose.

The people of the Feng Qiya Continent also took their advice seriously.

Just then—

An elder spoke slowly, his voice hoarse and his expression unruffled. "The Punishment Hall was only heavy-handed with the first batch of captives. It went easier on the rest, and no one died. There's plenty of room to maneuver."

"Let's see what stance the Mortal Domain takes first."

"If they're willing to offer terms in exchange for the hostages, agree at once. Resolve this peacefully if at all possible. No continent wants to start a war lightly. They surely don't want one either."

"Besides."

"We have some idea of the Mortal Domain's strength, but to them, we're an unknown. No one wants to provoke an unknown power."

His words trailed off.

The other counselors nodded.

At the level of a Second-Level Continent,

things were no longer as they had been on an ununified First-Level Continent. Once war began, burning through tens of billions, even a hundred billion Eerie Stones was perfectly normal, and most wars could never recoup their cost.

Even if they won,

the continent's reserves would have been drained dry.

There would be little to gain.

So,