Upon receiving the news, the purple-robed noble and Amaru also sensed the gravity of the situation.
The High Priestess held an unshakeable position in the hearts of the First People. Her stance represented the position of the priesthood; if she turned against them, they would have no choice but to admit defeat unless they broke the deadlock with violence.
Over the past decade or so, many priests had already begun leaning toward them under their influence. But who could have foreseen that she would take back the position from her dying grandson?
Her prestige was incomparable to that incompetent grandson of hers. One word from her, and most commoners in Kawatua would follow her lead—to say nothing of her ability to commune with Ikus.
The purple-robed noble said, "Amaru, it seems we have no choice but to take that step."
Amaru said without hesitation, "It should have been this way all along."
A resolute look entered the purple-robed noble's eyes. "I will go see the High Priestess."
He knew there was no time to lose. If they did not act decisively, public sentiment would shift before long, and he held no illusions about the spinelessness of the other nobles.
He left at dusk and did not return until night had fallen. Amaru had been waiting the entire time. Seeing a trace of delight on the noble's face, he stepped forward to ask, "Did the High Priestess agree?"
The purple-robed noble said, "The High Priestess did not refuse."
Amaru echoed, "Did not refuse?"
The purple-robed noble said, "Someone like the High Priestess would never give us a clear answer. But rest assured, Amaru. I told her that Great Shun's attempt to persuade us relies on nothing more than force, but the Federation possesses equal might. Right now, the Federation is still willing to accept us and offer us a way forward. But if we refuse, our only remaining path will be armed resistance to the bitter end—and by then, none of the First People will have any way out. Great Shun lies far across the sea; military support could never reach us in time. And even if it could, would they truly go to war against the Federation on our behalf?"
Amaru nodded. "That is true. Only if the Federation is willing to accept us do we have any hope of survival."
The purple-robed noble said, "Exactly. We are not doing this for ourselves, but to find a path forward for all our people. We are doing what is right."
Amaru said, "Now we just await the arrival of the Federation's people."
"I already sent someone ahead to make contact, though word has not come back yet. As for the High Priestess, I promised to give her an answer within three days at the latest."
Amaru frowned. "Three days—is that enough time?"
The purple-robed noble said, "That is why I must stall for as much time as possible. Over the next few days, I will try to lobby the priesthood and increase the offerings we previously promised." He looked at Amaru. "Do not worry. To deal with a demigod, they will surely send another demigod. They will make it in time."
Amaru said, "Yes. If they do not come, we will have no choice but to throw ourselves completely into Great Shun's arms—something they would never want to see."
"Precisely." Growing more confident by the moment, the purple-robed noble smiled. "Perhaps this is the opportunity granted to us by our ancestral spirits."
"Hm? Is it raining? Such heavy rain." Amaru looked outside. Kawatua's climate was entirely regulated by Ikus, remaining warm and pleasant throughout the year; such heavy downpours were rare.
The purple-robed noble mused, "Perhaps it is the ancestors answering us. Such heavy rain can wash away all that has been set in stone."
Inside the Royal Manor, Deputy Delegation Leader Lu watched the rain fall outside. Turning back, he poured some water into Chen Chuan's cup, set the pitcher down, and remarked, "The First People nobles nowadays have always dreaded martial might, and by extension, they fear the Federation. Little do they realize that their present ease and comfort exist only because their ancestors fought relentlessly. Now, for the sake of preserving that comfort, they actually want to surrender. One wonders what their ancestors would think if they knew."
Chen Chuan said, "Times have changed. They can only read about that past in old books without any firsthand experience of it. They might empathize, but they will not risk life and limb for it."
From what he understood, the people who had resisted the most fiercely in those days were precisely the forebears of these very nobles, which was why their descendants held such immense influence today.
Yet all they saw was Kawatua rotting away day by day, with no way forward. They only wanted to maintain their comfortable, affluent lives, having no desire to struggle.
He raised his cup. "I heard from the High Priestess that the Federation might be hinting to them that we plan to abandon them, claiming this is part of our current negotiations."
Deputy Delegation Leader Lu froze for a moment, then frowned. "We would never abandon Kawatua. Otherwise, there would be no need for any of this."
"Whether true or not, even if we deny it, they will not believe us," Chen Chuan said. "They have always feared that we will take back what we gave them. This rumor plays directly into that apprehension."
Deputy Delegation Leader Lu shook his head. "It's not that we haven't offered them technical support, but they failed to establish their own factories and never trained enough technicians."
Chen Chuan said, "An antiquated class hierarchy, a sparse population, coupled with the unique nature of this region—all of these became chains binding them. In truth, they took the wrong path, even though they knew full well what the right one was."
At these words, Deputy Delegation Leader Lu could not help glancing toward the sky.
Chen Chuan took a sip of tea. "Only with martial might would they possess the leverage to negotiate terms with the Federation—and with us. Without force, they can only pin their hopes on the other party keeping their word."
This was not without precedent. For instance, the Origin Corporation, or the Tianji Sect. As long as a top-tier power stood behind them, the Federation would show ample tolerance.
Deputy Delegation Leader Lu said nothing. While that was indeed an effective method, it was also something Great Shun would rather not see. If you had such power, would you still remain obedient? Thus, keeping things as they were remained preferable.
To Chen Chuan, none of that mattered. The Great Collision was drawing near; even if such power could not be fully utilized, having them stand on their side would still serve to tie down the Federation in the short term.
If Great Shun and the Federation were to vie for global supremacy, the First People were actually more likely to support Shun. Kawatua was closer to the Federation and felt greater pressure from it, creating an inherent aversion toward them.
For now, however, since Kawatua could not find the right path on its own, he would make the choice on their behalf.
Almost overnight, the people of Kawatua learned that the representatives of Great Shun and the Federation would engage in a fair contest within the holy land, under the witness of the ancestral spirits and Ikus. The loser would cease intervening in Kawatua's decisions.
Hearing this news, many people in Kawatua breathed an inexplicable sigh of relief. It meant both sides took them seriously, proving Kawatua still held value. Furthermore, a clash between the Federation and Great Shun was far better than having to fight among themselves.
On the morning of the third day, a blond man wearing a Federation military uniform entered Kawatua aboard an airship, escorted by a Sacred Land Warrior.
He met with no one. After resting there for the night, at daybreak, he boarded a carriage prepared for him by the purple-robed noble and drove toward the Hatikan Grand Sacrificial Altar under the eyes of the watching crowd.
The purple-robed noble and Amaru sat inside a carriage as well, following at a distance behind him.
The former asked, "Who do you think will win between the two?"
Amaru said, "Hard to say."
The purple-robed noble gave him a surprised look. "Can't you sense everyone's strength?"
Amaru said, "I can perceive their strength from the outside, but strength merely reflects absolute power. Many factors truly decide the outcome of a fight—combat experience, state of mind, weapons used, the environment of the clash. Any of these could influence them. So until the official outcome is decided, I cannot accurately predict the result."
"Then is he stronger than that one?"
Amaru looked at the figure ahead. "Of that, I am certain."
"That is good." The purple-robed noble felt considerably more at ease. Since the Federation had sent someone, they had to be confident, right?
Amaru said, "He is here."
The purple-robed noble looked over and saw that on another road, the golden carriage carrying Chen Chuan was also approaching. The two vehicles were traveling toward each other.
Sitting in his carriage, Chen Chuan spotted the man dressed as a Federation officer. At a single glance, he recognized him as the person who had spied on him earlier. However, as a martial artist of the Visage of the Divine, this outward appearance was clearly not his true form.
The man also saw Chen Chuan and offered a polite smile.
Chen Chuan nodded slightly in return.
Upon reaching the intersection of the avenues, both carriages turned north almost simultaneously, proceeding toward the Hatikan Temple at the end of the Avenue of All Spirits.
The Federation officer glanced outside. The temples flanking both sides of the avenue were packed densely with people; today, nearly all of Kawatua's nobles had crowded here.
If all these people were killed, the upper echelon of the First People would be thoroughly wiped out.
Yet that would actually run counter to the Federation's interests. These nobles served as the skeleton, but also the decaying flesh. Were they excised, the First People might be reborn with Great Shun's aid, which was the last thing the Federation wanted to see.
Before long, the carriages drew up to the steps before the temple. An elderly priest stepped out, flanked by two Sacred Land Warriors. He said courteously, "Gentlemen, please follow me."
He spoke in the language of the First People, but the Sacred Land Warriors on either side translated his words into the Great Shun and Federation tongues, respectively.
Having spoken, he turned and walked up the steps.
Chen Chuan and the Federation officer followed behind.
Watching them head toward the temple, many nobles grew nervous, and some even began to regret their choices.
"Was our decision perhaps a bit too hasty?"
"Indeed. Great Shun's demigod appears formidable—and he looks much better than the Federation's demigod, too. If the Federation's demigod loses, what will become of us..."
The purple-robed noble had long since planted people among them. Voices immediately spoke up to reassure the crowd, asserting that the Federation was far more likely to prevail in this battle.
What none of them noticed, however, was a person tucked away in a corner, diligently recording every single statement they made in exhaustive detail.
Chapter 1229