Jia Ma Holy City.
Inside the Imperial Family's spacious great hall.
"So, a Dou Zong with dark attribute Dou Qi gave you pills and helped you break through?"
Fan Tian stretched, an unreadable expression on his face.
Two old men stood below him.
One wore hemp robes and had white hair but a youthful face. His once slightly stooped frame now seemed considerably straighter. He was Jia Xingtian, guardian of the Jia Ma Imperial Family, now a One-Star Dou Zong.
The other wore purple alchemist robes, with a fifth-tier alchemist's badge on his chest. He was short, his face as dry as tree bark, but keen flashes continually shone in his cloudy eyes. His aura was steady, and he, too, was a One-Star Dou Zong.
He was Fa Ma, president of the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Guild.
"Yes, my lord. Not just me, but Fa Ma and Yun Shan of the Misty Cloud Sect as well."
Fan Tian tapped his fingers lightly against the table, producing a series of clicks. "And the conditions?"
Jia Xingtian bowed slightly and cupped his hands. "My lord, the condition was that the Misty Cloud Sect, the Imperial Family, and the Alchemist Guild launch an all-out assault on the Snake-People Tribe in half a month and kill Queen Medusa."
"I don't quite understand. Why attack the Snake-People Tribe?" Fan Tian asked slowly, frowning.
Jia Xingtian hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward. "My lord, I suspect attacking the Snake-People Tribe is merely a pretense. You are their true target. After all, a mere Queen Medusa hardly warrants such a massive mobilization."
As the ruler of the Jia Ma Empire, Jia Xingtian had his own unique grasp of the situation.
Fan Tian fixed Jia Xingtian with a sharp gaze. "Explain."
Jia Xingtian hurriedly cleared his throat,