“She has every right to enter the Mystic Realm,” Clement argued. “That you failed to warn her that a Mystic Realm would be forming falls to you. That she informed you of the realm opening at all, considering your actions, speaks well of her.”

Clement had spoken to Zui for a good part of the morning about the recent events and the decision of his client to act before the Sect could tie her down in bureaucracy. Sect and Empire red tape that might have her tied up in meetings and bargaining until the Mystic Realm closed.

He was beginning to think of Jai Myche as family, not a daughter, but certainly a favored niece. He hadn’t known her long, but she always presented him with such interesting problems. The chance to tweak the nose of the Empire and a high-tier Sect was something worthy of his skills. Plus, it was satisfying, he thought as he rubbed his metaphysical hands together in glee.

He had been furious when he found out that the Sect had known a Mystic Realm was likely to open and had hidden that information. Now that he was engaged in bargaining, his fury had been tempered by his savagery.

For some, the martial arts were the path forward for cultivation. For Clement, it was contracts, legalese, and bargaining.

“I am not suggesting she didn’t have the right,” Patriarch Umbra responded, “I’m suggesting that it might not have been the most intelligent decision.

“There is no telling what she is going to find. She conducted no tests to determine what stage of cultivation the Realm would allow. If this Mystic Realm is geared toward Nascent Soul cultivators or above, she might have just committed suicide.”

“Something she might have considered if you had informed her beforehand,” Clement almost hissed in anger. “The Hindel informed her months ago that this was going to happen. They explained that they had traded the island to the Empire because they preferred tangible resources over the possibility of rewards from delving.

“The Hindel gave her that information. Not the Sect that she was a member of. A Sect that she has contributed significantly towards. One where she has risked her life helping.

“That she felt she couldn’t trust the Sect to treat her and her claims to this pocket dimension says more about you and the Sect than it does her, don’t you think?”

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Most people might have missed the flash of embarrassment that crossed the Patriarch’s face, but Clement had trained himself to observe even the slightest deviation in body language. His accusation had bothered Patriarch Umbra because it was true.

“What are you suggesting we do?” The Patriarch sighed in defeat. Clement had Baroness Jai’s full support; she had left him to negotiate, only offering a few requirements to amend the agreement already in place. One that had been crafted concerning the Rift that had closed. He was intimately familiar with the original deal since he had been the person to negotiate it.

“The Baroness has agreed to allow you to test the Mystic Realm and establish what level the highest rank cultivator can enter.

“Once you have ascertained that level, she agrees to one hundred spots for Four Element Sect and one hundred spots for the visiting dignitaries. If the realm is tested and allows cultivators of the Body Refinement Realm to enter with a chance of living, she has instructed her people to offer fifty spots to House Myche.

“Make sure that anyone who enters the rift knows that any attacks on House Myche within the Mystic Realm will be known and that Baroness Myche expects the Sect to act on that knowledge.

“If the Sect and Empire fail to hold those dealing in death accountable, neither entity will be awarded entry slots the next time the Mystic Realm opens.

“The CT devices her people are equipped with will have a distress beacon that can be broadcast. The House will know if someone attacks their people, and Elder Zui has informed me that they will be able to determine who that person is.

“Another feature of her comm devices?” The Patriarch wondered.

“If the rift allows anyone above Nascent Soul Realm to enter, then the Baroness will sell the fifty spots she has reserved,” Clement replied, ignoring her question.

“What will each cultivator be expected to pay?”

“Nothing, for this first rift opening,” Clement replied. “It is impossible to tell what will be found and what rarity of treasures or inheritances might exist. The Baroness has decided that since so many uncertainties exist, it would be unfair to charge.”

“That will go a long way in creating favorable opinions of Jai,” Umbra mused.

“She will have her people stationed at the rift opening with CT devices. Each of those comm units will be programmed to broadcast emergency signals and emit a beacon that can be traced by anyone interested.

“Those devices she will charge for.

“Five spirit stones each,” Clement said, his body language making it clear that the price was not negotiable.

“And if they happen to be useful in saving the lives of some young prodigy that bites off more than they can chew, even better,” the Patriarch pointed out.

“I agree with everything you’ve outlined. Prepare the contract, and I will send a Sect Elder to test the Mystic Realm.”