The Magistrate: Chapter 73 (Patreon)

Chapter 73

The Divine Council

There are no winners in war, only survivors. In the weeks that followed, Tobias watched from atop the fortress gatehouse as 150,000 officers and soldiers of what had once been a million-strong imperial armies marched toward the Shattered Fortress. The strongest among them were only in the foundation realm.

When it was clear the battle was lost, the 3rd Emperor had powered up the 1st Emperor’s flying fortress and fled with his field marshals, strongest generals and clan, heading out to sea for their ancestral homeland. They had cut a path through the Great Clans and sects frontlines, killing 1st Patriarch Lee and 2nd Patriarch Shen, both nascent soul realm cultivators, during their escape. Other powerful figures had also fallen throughout the battle, leaving The Three Kingdoms weakened, but only the Lee Clan had lost their patriarch.

From what Field Marshal Kang’s spies had gathered, the Great Clans had lost a third of their elders and nearly half of their armies. The 3rd Emperor’s imperial guards had been secretly training to counter the Great Clans’ techniques, using the information the 3rd Emperor’s spy network had stolen. His efforts to steal the sect’s secrets hadn’t gone as well, and only Blue Mountain Sect had received heavy losses. The others had only lost a fifth of their disciples and elders.

Field Marshal Kang gripped the edge of the parapet, watching those who had arrived at the gate begin to form ranks outside. Tobias’s friend, Patriarch Lee, along with many elders from his clan, floated in the air above the army, watching them through his massive aura to make sure none tried to escape. The Great Clans and sects chose not to execute the survivors because they couldn’t afford the loss. Instead, they would spend the rest of their days guarding the border of The Three Kingdoms under Field Marshal Kang.

They would never receive more cultivation resources, nor would they return to their families.

Field Marshal Kang scowled. “More than half of these foundation realm officers have been permanently crippled, along with a third in the initiate realm. You’re certain your disciples can train them for other duties?”

The 3rd Emperor had taken his most skilled subjects with him when he fled. These were the alchemists, blacksmiths, gatherers, array masters, and formation experts. The backbone of the imperial army. Without their skills, the imperial army couldn’t reequip itself.

That wasn’t an immediate concern. Cultivator weapons and armour were extremely durable, and Field Marshal Kang’s men hadn’t fought in the war, so they were well supplied, but it would eventually be a problem.

Tobias cupped his hands behind his back. “So long as the Imperial Archives remain untouched, my disciples will be able to teach your men the skills they need to rebuild the imperial army. Have you received word if they survived yet?”

“No. I received word this morning that the 1st Emperor’s hidden realm was plundered by the Great Clans and sects to destroy its alignment. The imperial gardens likely received a similar treatment. I’ve been told they were used to stabilise its chi alignment.”

Tobias didn’t consider the destruction of a hidden realm's chi alignment something to be concerned about. It was only truly valuable to those who practiced metal chi cultivation. It wasn’t helpful to any of the other families or sects, and it gave the 3rd Emperor one less reason to return.

Someone would have to stabilise the realm before it deteriorated below the nascent soul realm, though. Losing such a valuable resource was beyond wasteful. However, Tobias wasn’t sure it would be possible. The Great Clans and sects had all been plundering their own reserves of higher realm spirit herbs for the war, so there likely weren’t enough higher realm spirit herbs to do so.

The two men fell silent, watching the soldiers slowly fall into formation. Once they were all finally in place, the soldiers dropped to their knees and kowtowed, shouting in one voice, “We greet Field Marshal Kang.”

Field Marshal Kang projected his voice across the desert. “Patriarch Lee, do you release these prisoners into my custody?”

Patriarch Lee remained floating in the air. “I release these prisoners into your custody, Field Marshal Kang.”

It was a simple statement. However, it placed more trust in Field Marshal Kang as a man and a leader than mere words could convey. Patriarch Lee was giving him not only more strength to defend The Three Kingdoms' borders, but the power to threaten them.

Field Marshal Kang turned his attention to the prisoners. “Loyalty is shown, and trust is earned. Your ranks and previous accomplishments mean nothing from this moment forth. Those who are found to have overstepped the bounds of decency while performing their duties for the 3rd Emperor will be executed. The rest of you will join my army as new recruits, your past loyalties forgotten along with your accomplishments. Those who can earn my trust will rise, and those who cannot will remain as nothing but a foot soldier, irrelevant of their cultivation.”

This was a big break from tradition, and Tobias approved. Usually in these circumstances, those with greater cultivation would maintain their positions, which was complete idiocy in Tobias’s opinion, but that was how the cultivation world worked. Might made right, and the powerful received special privileges whether or not they deserved them.

Field Marsh Kang continued. “If this is too much for you or you fear your transgressions being discovered or wish to show you loyalty to the Imperial Family, you have my permission to take your life.”

Tobias watched as one, then thousands, of officers spontaneously combusted through their own chi. Tens of thousands of foot soldiers removed their breastplates and drew their swords, placing the tip in line with their hearts before falling onto them. It was a violent and bloody scene, and what many of those who had survived were waiting for.

Those who were loyal to the end shouted, “For the Emperor,” before taking their life.

Those who were hiding from their actions or the loss of station did not or lied and did.

No one reacted until the last mortal soldier finally perished. He’d fumbled his death and received a slow and painful end. No one stepped in to end his suffering.

The entire time, Tobias studied the changes in the local chi saturation. Never had so much cultivation been returned to the world so quickly or in a place where the effects would be so noticeable. His disciples were down below doing the same. Everything had to be recorded so they could get a clear picture of what was happening.

The spirit gardens his family had sent here had been growing abnormally quickly. Tobias had been studying their growth with his disciples. He concluded that the ratio of cultivators to spirit herbs was the cause. Chi purity was not the only factor in how quickly spirit herbs developed. The number of contaminated chi sources also mattered.

Field Marshal Kang stood at attention. “From this moment forward, you are prisoner conscripts of the Fifth Imperial Army. Officers, see to your recruits.”

Officers began marching through the gate as Patriarch Lee flew to the top of the fortress and landed beside them. The elders of his family remained behind, waiting for his return.

Tobias cupped his hands and bowed, choosing his words carefully. “Patriarch Finch greets 1st Patriarch Lee.”

Patriarch Lee turned to Field Marshal Kang. “The Divine Council would like to know where your loyalty lies?”

The Divine Council was an interim council composed of the heads of the Great Clans and the leaders of the sects. Tobias had been receiving news about it, but didn’t know how much of that news he could trust.

“My loyalty is to the people of The Three Kingdoms,” Field Marshal Kang replied. “I do not recognise the Divine Council’s authority. However, I have no interest in raising arms against them unless they harm the people of The Three Kingdoms. I intend to stay here and guard The Three Kingdoms border until an authority I deem worthy of my loyalty appears.”

“If you will not submit-”

Tobias stepped in. “My friend, I have personally trained Field Marshal Kang’s generals, so they can hunt the khans should they appear. If you commit to this path, you and all the elders you brought with you will not leave this place.”

Patriarch Lee paused, and then he smiled. “So, we are still friends.”

Tobias cupped his hands behind his back. “There should never have been a doubt in your mind.”

“Young people change with time. You more than most.”

“My understanding of cultivation may grow with each passing year, but I am still the same man who shared tea in your garden while excitedly discussing the history of Cloud City and The Three Kingdoms.”

“I see that now.”

“Are you going to turn back from this foolishness?”

Patriarch Lee paused. “Are you exaggerating the threat? My position on the Divine Council will be compromised if you are.”

“No. Should you raise arms against Field Marshal Kang and his army with only those you brought with you, you will be struck down. There is no chance of your survival or success.”

“I agreed to remove the threat Field Marshal Kang posed to the Divine Council if it was within my power. It would appear that it is not.”

Tobias stepped aside.

Patriarch Lee turned to Field Marshal Kang. “Does your loyalty lie with Sage Knowledge?”

“Sage Knowledge has made it clear that he has no interest in becoming the next emperor, Patriarch Lee. All he wishes to do is see The Three Kingdoms flourish. All I wish to do is shelter The Three Kingdoms so that it can experience this prosperity.”

Patriarch Lee nodded and then flexed his aura so others could not overhear the rest of their conversation. He turned to Tobias. “I’ve convinced the Divine Council that it needs your services. The Three Kingdoms bureaucracy is currently without oversight. We wish for you to return to what’s left of the Capitol and become the 1st Minister, overseeing the management of The Three Kingdoms.”

Tobias wasn’t against the idea. It would help him change The Three Kingdoms for the better, but he needed to understand what he was getting into.

“Why me?”

“Your reputation for integrity is unblemished, and you are the youngest royal scholar in the history of The Three Kingdoms with the most effective state assignment magistrate record. As a core realm cultivator, you will quickly master the skills you do not have.”

“The Divine Council must have upper magistrates they can trust to fill the position.”

“Those upper magistrates can’t be trusted by the other council members, and the ones loyal to the 2nd and 3rd emperors can be trusted even less. You were considered the most agreeable option.”

“I take it this is a condition of my banishment being rescinded?”

“No. You are free to return. Without your techniques and spells, the Great Clans would have lost two-thirds of their elders. Many of these elders, who once openly opposed your actions, now owe their lives to you. There is very little opposition to your return.”

“What is the Divine Council? I’ve received news, but I don’t trust it.”

“The Divine Council is made up of the Great Clans’ clan heads and sect leaders. It will govern The Three Kingdoms until we unanimously appoint a new emperor.”

Tobias hadn’t heard anything about appointing a new emperor, but he wasn’t surprised that was what they wanted to do. “Does it require a unanimous or majority vote to make changes to The Three Kingdoms?”

“Unanimous.”

Tobias could work with that. Nascent soul realm cultivators had little interest in worldly affairs. They cared about progressing this cultivation. They also cared about putting their clans first, so they would never agree to anything unless it was in the best interest of all.

They would quickly lose interest in the day-to-day running of The Three Kingdoms. Once that happened, they would only meet once a season. As time went on, they would meet even less.

Tobias suppressed the urge to smile. The Divine Council was offering him the authority he needed to make the changes he wanted. “I take it I’m to reestablish the laws and tax codes from the 1st Emperor’s reign.”

“Yes.”

Part of becoming a royal scholar was studying these older laws and tax codes. Tobias had to know them inside and out because many of them were connected to the laws governing the Imperial Family, despite those laws no longer being enforced.

“Many of those tax codes no longer apply. Will the Divine Council listen to my requests for changes to laws and tax codes to suit The Three Kingdom’s current situation?”

“We sacrificed our clans to restore The Three Kingdoms to its former glory. The battle is over, but we understand the true work begins now. The Divine Council will listen to any request you make.”

“Then I accept the position.”