Clement was seldom surprised anymore. He had been involved in too many negotiations, watched as even the pettiest of reasons resulted in fights breaking out and duels being issued that he had become used to the volatility of cultivators. Honestly, he wasn't so much surprised at the proceedings as he was the presence of Prince Wu Chen was being ignored.

There was no reason for someone of the Prince's rank to attend what should have been a relatively brief meeting. They were there to discuss the new Mystic Realm. He wouldn't have been privy to this discussion if those who had barged in hadn't done so without concern for the Patriarch's privacy. Or respect for whoever was already in attendance.

Clement had recognized a few of them- scions of powerful families and Sects. Powerful enough that they thought they had every right to barge into the Patriarch's conference room and interrupt a private meeting. That was what had surprised him. These people had played the game of politics long enough to know what insulting the Prince might mean.

"You advertised this event as an opportunity for our Houses to meet and get to know House Myche, the first House, House Penumbra has agreed to sponsor in over a thousand years," Lee Fi thundered.

She was a well-known personality, a social butterfly more concerned with gossip than truth. She was quick to anger, assuming even the slightest mistake or miscue in social proprieties as a direct insult. She got away with her behavior because of her Dao companion. He was powerful enough that few wished to risk dealing with him when she convinced him to respond.

"Baroness Myche has attended several events," Patriarch Umbra responded while marshaling her anger, her effort ruined as Lee Fi ignored her response and continued to complain. Her complaints interrupted.

"Forget about the girl," Wan Chin thundered, ignoring Lee Fi, causing her to sputter in disbelief. She would not take his dismissal well and would remember his insult. "What about this Mystic Realm that is supposed to have opened? Why has there been no word?

"If you have lied about the Mystic Realm to increase attendance for your event, you will regret that lie," he threatened.

That threat had gone one step too far, and the Patriarch, who had been able to control her anger, erupted. "Enough," Umbra yelled, unleashing her fury and her aura.

It had been idiotic of these people to confront Umbra in her own Sect. She was a Patriarch for a reason, and the Four Elements Sect may have been new, but it was a high-tier Sect. They didn't assign simpletons or weaklings to lead any Sect, let alone one of Four Element's standing.

Umbra may have gained her position by appointment, but the Emperor would never have allowed someone that wasn't powerful enough to protect her Sect or people. The sycophants that had stormed this meeting had forgotten where they were and who they were speaking to.

They had become complacent, too used to getting what they wanted when they wanted it, too indolent, coddled, and spoiled. These people of power and influence were used to ruling and had forgotten that the Emperor wasn't the only person they needed to be wary of.

Umbra, like most of her House, had affinities with darkness and shadow. Most would dismiss those affinities as weak, but to do so would be idiotic. People feared the dark for a reason, and Umbra had control of darkness well enough to evoke those things hidden in the darkness, creatures real and deadly that would be the nightmare of anyone foolish enough to fall victim to her anger.

Clement had seen her fight, her opponents devolving into gibbering and mewling individuals, their minds and bodies both broken from fighting whatever terror they discovered in that darkness. Clement had known Umbra and Shadow for a long time. Their rivalry had amused him, but that didn't mean he was entirely comfortable with their skills.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Hiding in shadows and ferreting out secrets was not all they were good at. A lesson those that had barged into this meeting was now finding out.

Umbra, even as angered as she was, was selective in her attacks. Her aura ignored the Prince and Clement and attacked others with differing levels of ferocity. Her Qi attacks were selective. Those that had entered but maintained at least some semblances of respect were spared the ravages of her darkness.

For the Prince and Clement, the room filled with shadow, patches of darkness in shades of black that were enough that they could differentiate the degree that each individual was forced to endure. Lee Fi and Wan Chin were engulfed in deepest black. A place where no light could enter.

Still, even as powerful an attack as they were forced to endure, it wasn't Umbra's most potent attack. They would survive this with their sanity and bodies intact. They wouldn't survive unscathed, but Umbra, as angry as she was, was in control of that anger.

She wasn't so lost to reason that she would kill people. Lee Fi's Dao companion might take umbrage at what had happened here today, but he and his House would have to acknowledge the damage to his House's honor her idiocy had placed it under. But that was up to him and his House's reputation to repair 'Mianzi.'

Umbra had acted appropriately. More importantly, Prince Wu Chun was present. He would stand as witness to today's dealings and would report them to his father. Everyone here today had taken a blow to their reputation, and it would be up to them to repair their honor and restore their 'Mianzi.'

The Patriarch's staff had failed to stop people from invading her office. Still, they were efficient in removing those intruders now that they had felt the ramification of angering a Patriarch.

Clement took a sip of his tea once the room had been cleared, gaining the Patriarch's attention. "The Mystic Realm has been tested. Any cultivator at Nascent Soul level and below may enter.

"I agree with Jai's stipulations for entrance into the Rift. One hundred from Four Element Sect members and one hundred cultivators sponsored by Four Element Sect. As well as one hundred people to be selected from across Delph Island, with those areas claimed by Barons splitting those hundred slots equally.

"Each person who enters will be required to report what they discovered and pay a tithe of ten percent of resources they harvested, the right of refusal of any equipment they found, and a copy of any professional techniques they discovered."

"Patriarch!" Prince Wu Chun exclaimed in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

Wu Chun had barely objected before the Patriarch released a sliver of Qi stretching out to connect to the draft contract Clement had drawn. That strand of energy emblazoned the document with her Qi signature, binding the agreement between Jai and Four Element Sect.

"It is done," she replied, satisfied with her actions.

"But why?" Prince Wu Chun wondered.

"It is the least that this Sect and the Empire owes the young woman. The Sect has done little to protect her. We have used her when it was expedient and become stronger because of her efforts and selflessness.

"What has she received in return?

"She has been attacked, deprived of resources, and forced to distance herself from the Sect. She is still a member but barely.

"She should have been safe within the boundary of this Sect. She should have been rewarded and given the resources to advance her knowledge of Alchemy. And she should have been free of any liability when reporting the details of Clan Velize's treason, her anonymity inviable.

"Most of her issues can be laid at the feet of the Sect and me. But the Emperor made it a point to find out who had discovered Clan Velize's treachery, and the moment he decided to investigate, he made Jai a target.

"We have failed her.

"The Sect, the Empire, and her Patriarch.

"Her expectations regarding the Mystic Realm are easy enough to endorse, and the least we can do," the Patriarch stated with a finality founded in bedrock.

Clement allowed himself to sniff in satisfaction. He had come to like this new Baroness. She was too young for the game of politics, so it was satisfying to see her win over those crafty bastards like Lee Fi and Wan Chin.

Shadow may have been using the girl in his game of one-upmanship with the Patriarch when he sent her to him, but Clement was invested now. He would continue to offer advice and support where he could.

Clement decided that Baroness Jai Myche would make a suitable grand-niece. He would have to get around to informing her at some point.