The formal session convened at midmorning, when the summer heat had already begun to press against the City Lord's great hall.
Wang Ben sat with his family in the positions designated for major clans, their placement neither prominently close nor insultingly distant from the raised dais where Senior Investigator Qin Hualing presided. Every detail of the seating arrangement carried meaning, and Wang Ben had spent the walk from the manor's guest wing cataloging the implications.
[SPATIAL ANALYSIS: Seating arrangement]
[Wang Clan position: Fourth row, center-left. Indicates acknowledgment of status while maintaining investigative distance]
[Notable observations: Dao Clan positioned near Wang Clan. Minor cultivation families positioned throughout. City Lord's household arranged behind delegation, suggesting subordinate role]
[Interpretation: Bastion delegation asserting authority over local power structures]
Patriarch Wang Tiexin sat with the stillness of centuries, his core formation cultivation a steady presence that anchored the Wang contingent. Wang Tian was positioned to his right, and Wang Ben to his left, the three-generation display making a statement about family unity that required no words.
"They've spent the morning interviewing minor witnesses," Wang Tian murmured. "Merchants who attended the auction. City guards who were on duty during the conflict."
"Building a foundation," Wang Ben replied. "They want to understand what everyone saw before they talk to us."
"Or they want us to wonder what everyone else has said."
Both interpretations were probably accurate. Qin Hualing had demonstrated yesterday that she understood psychological pressure as well as any cultivator understood qi manipulation.
The murmur of conversation died as the Senior Investigator rose from her position. Her mortal shedding presence filled the hall with subtle weight, and even the most powerful cultivators present found their attention drawn inexorably toward her.
"This session will address the formal grievances of the Crimson Bastion against parties within Redstone City," Qin Hualing announced. "All present are expected to provide truthful testimony when called upon. Evasion or deception will be treated as obstruction of domain authority."
The words were formal, ritualistic. But the threat beneath them was entirely real.
"The grievances are as follows." Qin Hualing's voice carried without apparent effort. "First: Five delegates of the domain capital were killed on the road after departing Redstone City, following the annual auction. Senior Envoy Luo Tianming, Assessor Feng Huiran, Guard Captain Zhou Wenjun, and two attendants. Their bodies were never recovered."
Wang Ben kept his expression neutral. He had known the names would be spoken eventually. Making the dead real, giving them identities and positions, served to remind everyone that actual people had died.
"Second: Investments totaling two thousand four hundred mid-grade spirit stones were made through official channels to support the Xue Clan's business ventures. These investments were lost when the Xue Clan's operations collapsed following the demonic incursion."
The figure landed like a stone in still water. Two thousand four hundred mid-grade spirit stones was more than the Wang Clan's annual income. It was more than most frontier clans saw in a decade.
"Third: The domain's authority was undermined by the involvement of external parties who acted without consultation or approval from the Domain Lord's court."
External parties. Shen Wuyan and Shen Ruoxi. The Phantom Gate. Everyone in the room understood the reference.
"Based on these grievances, the Crimson Bastion presents the following demands."
[ALERT: Formal demands incoming]
[Recommendation: Document precisely. Analysis to follow]
Qin Hualing paused, letting the tension build. When she spoke again, her voice carried the weight of domain authority.
"First option: Surrender the individual or individuals responsible for the deaths of our delegates for trial and punishment under domain law."
Impossible. Wang Ben felt the absurdity of the demand settle into his thoughts. Shen Wuyan had killed those delegates. Shen Wuyan was a nascent soul cultivator of Phantom Gate, beyond the reach of domain law and certainly beyond anyone's ability to surrender.
But the delegation was making this demand anyway. Which meant either they didn't truly believe the nascent soul reports, or they were gambling that cultivators of that level wouldn't involve themselves in what they considered "minor frontier politics." Wang Ben watched Qin Hualing's expression as she delivered the impossible ultimatum. She was confident. Too confident for someone who should be facing the possibility of nascent soul intervention.
The Domain Lord had sent warnings. But warnings without conviction were easily dismissed.
"Second option: Pay reparations of fifteen thousand mid-grade spirit stones to compensate for the loss of personnel and investments."
The number drew a sharp intake of breath from several of the assembled cultivators. Fifteen thousand mid-grade spirit stones was an impossible sum for a frontier city. It would bankrupt half the clans in Redstone combined.
"Third option: Grant the Crimson Bastion exclusive hunting rights within the Blackwood Forest for a period of twenty years, with all materials and beast cores to be taxed at preferential rates."
This demand was more practical, but equally devastating. The Blackwood Forest was the economic backbone of Redstone City. Losing exclusive access to its resources would cripple the local economy for a generation.
Wang Ben waited for the fourth option. There had to be a fourth option. Qin Hualing had not mentioned formation services, but the Prince's conversation last night had implied...
"Fourth option."
Qin Hualing's expression shifted almost imperceptibly, and Wang Ben caught something that might have been reluctance in her mortal shedding composure.
"The Wang Clan, as the faction that benefited most from the collapse of the Xue Clan, will provide formation services to the domain capital and affiliated interests. This arrangement will include annual consultation, priority access to defensive array development, and participation in strategic projects as designated by domain authority."
[PATTERN RECOGNITION: Demands structure analysis]
[First three demands: Impossible, punitive, economically devastating]
[Fourth demand: Practical, sustainable, creates ongoing relationship]
[Assessment: Demands structured to guide toward fourth option]
[Query: Who inserted the fourth option? Delegation appears conflicted about its inclusion]
Wang Ben studied Qin Hualing's face as she delivered the fourth demand. There was something there, a tension that hadn't been present for the first three. As if this option had been added against her preference.
"These are the formal demands of the Crimson Bastion," Qin Hualing concluded. "The parties involved have three days to consider their response and prepare their position. At the end of that period, a final session will be convened to determine the resolution."
Three days. Not enough time to do anything except accept or refuse.
City Lord Huo Zhenyang rose from his position behind the delegation, his face carefully composed but his core formation signature betraying subtle agitation.
"The city thanks the delegation for presenting these demands clearly," he said. "We will, of course, provide all necessary cooperation in reaching a resolution that satisfies domain authority while preserving the stability of our community."
It was diplomatic language for "we have no idea how to respond to this."
"The first three options require no further discussion," Qin Hualing said. "The fourth option, however, requires clarification of terms. The Wang Clan patriarch may step forward to hear the specific requirements."
Wang Tiexin rose with the dignity of his seven hundred years. He moved to a position before the dais, his core formation cultivation steady and unperturbed.
"I am prepared to hear the terms," the patriarch said.
"The formation services arrangement would require the following commitments." Qin Hualing's voice had become more businesslike, less ritualistic. "First: The Wang Clan's primary formation specialist will provide a minimum of sixty days per year of consultation services to the Crimson Bastion and its affiliated noble houses. Second: Priority development rights for any new defensive array designs, with the Bastion having first refusal on exclusive licensing. Third: Participation in strategic projects at the domain level, including but not limited to fortification work, resource extraction formations, and security installations."
Wang Ben felt the implications cascade through his thoughts. Sixty days per year. Priority access to their designs. Strategic projects that could pull their formation masters away for extended periods.
They weren't just demanding services. They were demanding the clan's future.
"The terms are extensive," Wang Tiexin said neutrally. "They would place significant burden on our clan's resources."
"The alternative terms are more extensive still."
The patriarch inclined his head, acknowledging the point without conceding it. "We will consider all options and provide our response within the designated period."
"That is acceptable."
Wang Tiexin returned to his seat, and for a moment the formal session seemed complete. But before the assembled cultivators could begin to disperse, a new voice cut through the murmur of conversation.
"If I may address the delegation."
Prince Huo Zhanlong rose from his position among the observers, his core formation cultivation announcing itself with casual authority. The royal seal on his robes caught the light, and Qin Hualing's expression shifted to something more guarded.
"Your Highness," she acknowledged. "The floor recognizes the representative of the royal family."
"I appreciate the recognition." The prince moved to a position where he could address both the delegation and the assembled clans. "I've been observing these proceedings with interest. The grievances of the Crimson Bastion are legitimate and worthy of resolution. However, I find myself concerned about certain aspects of the proposed terms."
Qin Hualing's eyes narrowed slightly. "The terms were approved by Domain Lord Tie Wushan."
"I don't doubt that they were. But the Domain Lord's interests, while important, are not the only interests at stake." The prince's voice carried the easy confidence of someone accustomed to having his words taken seriously. "The kingdom is at war. The Azure Dragon Fortress on our western border faces constant pressure from Frozen Moon forces. And that fortress desperately needs the kind of defensive formation work that the Wang Clan has demonstrated they can provide."
Wang Ben felt the political dynamics shift around him. This was what the prince had hinted at last night, the complication he had promised to introduce.
"The royal court's needs are noted," Qin Hualing said carefully. "But this is a domain matter, not a kingdom matter."
"With respect, Senior Investigator, the distinction becomes somewhat blurred when the kingdom's strategic interests are involved." The prince smiled, but there was no humor in it. "If the Wang Clan's formation services are to be committed to any party, the royal court believes those services should serve the kingdom's defense, not merely domain administration."
The tension in the hall ratcheted up several degrees. This was no longer just an investigation into dead delegates. This was a confrontation between domain authority and kingdom authority, playing out in a frontier city that had never asked to be the battleground.
"The kingdom's needs can be addressed through normal channels," Qin Hualing said.
"Normal channels have proven inadequate. The Azure Dragon Fortress has been requesting formation support for two years, and every request has been buried in domain bureaucracy." The prince's voice hardened. "I'm here to cut through that bureaucracy."
[ANALYSIS UPDATE: Political dynamics]
[Conflict detected: Crimson Bastion (domain authority) vs. Prince Huo Zhanlong (kingdom authority)]
[Wang Clan position: Object of competing demands, not primary antagonist]
[Strategic implication: Resolution may depend on which authority Wang Clan aligns with]
[Note: This conflict was not visible yesterday. Prince's intervention appears calculated to disrupt Bastion's negotiating position]
Wang Ben watched the confrontation unfold with growing understanding. The clan wasn't being punished. They were being recruited. The question wasn't whether the Wang Clan would face consequences, but which power would claim their services.
"Perhaps a compromise is possible," City Lord Huo Zhenyang interjected, his diplomatic instincts asserting themselves. "The formation services arrangement could be structured to serve both domain and kingdom interests."
"That would require the Wang Clan's consent," Qin Hualing pointed out.
"And appropriate compensation," the prince added. "If the Wang Clan is to serve multiple masters, the terms should reflect the additional burden."
Every eye in the hall turned toward the Wang Clan contingent. Wang Ben felt the weight of attention like physical pressure, cultivation signatures from dozens of cultivators pressing against his senses.
"I believe," Wang Tiexin said, his voice carrying the calm of centuries, "that my clan would prefer to consult internally before making any commitments. The three-day period allows for such consultation."
"Of course." Qin Hualing's expression suggested she was not pleased with how the session had developed, but she was too experienced to let that displeasure show fully. "The Wang Clan will provide their response at the designated time. All parties are encouraged to consider the various options carefully."
She gestured, and the formal session dissolved into clusters of conversation. Cultivators began moving toward exits or gathering in groups to discuss what they had witnessed.
Wang Ben rose with his family, but before they could withdraw, Qin Hualing's voice reached them.
"Patriarch Wang. A word, if you please."
Wang Tiexin nodded to his son and grandson. "Wait for me outside."
Wang Ben wanted to stay, to hear what the Senior Investigator would say in private. But arguing with his grandfather in public would only weaken their position. He followed Wang Tian toward the exit, his thoughts churning with implications.
The courtyard outside the great hall had become a gathering place for those waiting on the formal session's aftermath.
Wang Ben stood with his father near the entrance, watching the other factions navigate the political currents that had been stirred by the morning's developments. A merchant patriarch was in deep conversation with a Bastion delegate. Representatives from a minor cultivation family were making their way toward the exit as quickly as dignity allowed.
"The prince changed everything," Wang Tian observed quietly. "Yesterday they were deciding how to punish us. Today they're deciding who gets to claim us."
"Is that better?"
"I'm not sure. Being punished is straightforward. Being claimed means obligations that might never end."
Wang Ben considered this. His father had a point. The formation services arrangement, whether it served the Bastion or the kingdom or both, would bind the Wang Clan to powers far beyond their own strength. They would gain protection, but they would also lose independence.
Dao Zhen approached from across the courtyard, his expression carefully neutral. The Dao Clan heir had witnessed the entire session, and his presence now carried the weight of implications.
"Young Master Wang," he said. "An interesting morning."
"That's one word for it."
"The Dao Clan's support remains unwavering." Dao Zhen's voice was pitched low enough that only Wang Ben and Wang Tian could hear. "Regardless of which option the Wang Clan chooses, our vassalage obligations remain in effect."
It was a statement of loyalty, carefully phrased to avoid committing to any particular outcome while making clear that the Dao Clan would not abandon their overlords.
"The Dao Clan's loyalty is appreciated," Wang Tian said. "Your grandmother and father would be proud of you, Patriarch Dao."
Dao Zhen nodded and withdrew, leaving Wang Ben to contemplate the strange position his family now occupied. Threatened by one power, courted by another, supported by a vassal clan that had every reason to resent their subordinate status.
"The fourth option," Wang Ben said. "Did you notice how Qin Hualing reacted when she announced it?"
"She didn't want to include it."
"Someone made her include it. Someone with enough authority to override a mortal shedding investigator."
Wang Tian's eyes narrowed. "The prince?"
"Or someone above him who wants the same thing he wants." Wang Ben's thoughts were racing now, connecting patterns that had been invisible yesterday. "The demands weren't designed to punish us. They were designed to make the fourth option look like a mercy. Accept formation services, avoid impossible reparations. But the fourth option itself was the goal all along."
"Then who inserted it? And why?"
"I don't know yet. But I intend to find out."
Wang Tiexin emerged from the great hall some time later, his expression giving nothing away.
He gestured for his family to follow, and they walked in silence through the manor's corridors until they reached a private garden where privacy formations had been established. Only when the formations hummed to life around them did the patriarch speak.
"Senior Investigator Qin is not pleased with the prince's intervention."
"We noticed," Wang Tian said.
"She made it clear that the Bastion's preference is for option four to benefit the domain exclusively. Any arrangement that divides our services between domain and kingdom would be viewed as a compromise forced upon them, not a cooperative solution."
Wang Ben absorbed this. "She's warning us that choosing the prince's side will make enemies of the Bastion."
"Yes. But she also acknowledged that the prince's position has merit from the kingdom's perspective." Wang Tiexin's ancient eyes held a complexity that came from centuries of navigating political currents. "The Domain Lord's brother-in-law status with the king complicates matters. Tie Wushan cannot openly oppose royal interests without creating family conflict at the highest levels."
"So we have leverage," Wang Tian said.
"We have the appearance of leverage. Whether it's real depends on how the various powers choose to respond." Wang Tiexin turned to Wang Ben directly. "The fourth option was not part of the original demands. Senior Investigator Qin confirmed that it was added at the Domain Lord's insistence, after representations were made by parties connected to the royal court."
"The prince lobbied for it."
"Or someone in the prince's faction did. The result is the same." Wang Tiexin's expression grew more serious. "You understand what this means, Ben'er?"
Wang Ben nodded slowly. "They're not trying to punish us for what happened to the delegates. They're trying to acquire the clan's skills for their own purposes. The investigation is just the mechanism."
"Correct. And now we must decide how to respond."
"What are our actual options?"
Wang Tiexin was quiet for a moment. "We cannot surrender Shen Wuyan. We cannot pay fifteen thousand spirit stones. We cannot give away Blackwood Forest access without destroying the city's economy. Those options were never real."
"So we accept formation services."
"We accept some form of formation services. The question is whether we serve the Bastion exclusively, the kingdom exclusively, or attempt some arrangement that satisfies both." The patriarch's voice dropped. "And whether we involve other parties who might have opinions on the matter."
Other parties. Shen Wuyan. The Phantom Gate.
Wang Ben felt the weight of the two remaining favors settle more heavily onto his shoulders. Shen Wuyan had killed the delegates whose deaths had triggered this entire situation. If anyone could resolve the political crisis, it was the ancient cultivator who had created it.
But asking for Shen Wuyan's help would cost another favor. And Wang Ben had no idea what the terms of such a favor might be.
"We have three days," Wang Tian said. "What do we do with them?"
"We gather information," Wang Tiexin replied. "We consult with allies. We consider our options." He paused. "And we prepare for the possibility that none of our choices will be good ones."
The privacy formation hummed around them, a reminder that even in their own city, the Wang Clan could no longer assume their conversations were private.
Three days to decide their future. Three days to navigate between powers that could crush them without effort.
Wang Ben looked up at the summer sky, where clouds were beginning to gather on the horizon.
"Then we'd better start now."
END OF CHAPTER 88