The gates of the outer palace swung open, and the Four-Armed Demons cohort marched out. The beggar sect's lookout was stationed at the closest point accessible to the public, disguised as a beggar.
The Four-Armed Demons cohort, led by the Heavenly Demon's First Guard, comprised the sect's most elite soldiers and did not move without reason. A man in a crimson cloak, wielding a long, curved sword, led the procession. He was Dongfang Dubai, commander of the Four-Armed Demons—warriors skilled simultaneously in sword, blade, long spear, and short spear.
Within an hour, soldiers of the Four-Armed Demons were stationed throughout Tai'an, with Dongfang Dubai standing before the city's main entrance.
An envoy from the Murim Alliance had arrived with his retinue to meet the sect leader. In the inn closest to Tai'an's entrance, a servant from the Hao merchant faction watched the waiting party. Both the beggar sect and the Hao faction knew the dangers of drawing closer.
The Murim Alliance envoy approached Dongfang Dubai. In a show of respect, he slightly bent his waist and gently pressed his palms together near his chin.
Dongfang Dubai returned a cold greeting. "I will escort you to the inner palace."
A few steps past the city gate, the Murim Alliance members felt the heavy gaze of the citizens—and the even heavier stares of the Four-Armed Demons, as if waiting for a misstep to draw their swords.
The envoy was a thirty-year-old man at the initial peak stage. He knew they stood no chance against Dongfang Dubai in a conflict.
As they proceeded toward the palace, citizens quietly followed. Seeing a high-ranking sect member like Dongfang Dubai was not an everyday occurrence. Among the crowd, children ran with smiles—every child's dream was to become a warrior and enter the palace. Yet, even among those children, members of the Hao faction were present; their dinner tonight depended on the money earned from this intelligence.
At the entrance to the outer palace, Dongfang Dubai told the envoy, "Only you may proceed now. Your companions must wait outside."
The Murim Alliance members could not accept this—entering the enemy's territory alone. But for the envoy himself, it did not matter. He knew all of them together would be insufficient against a single cohort of the Heavenly Demon's forces. Reluctantly, he said, "I understand the conditions." At that moment, the Four-Armed Demons tightened their circle around the palace entrance.
The beggar sect member watching the scene prayed the alliance members would not make a fatal mistake.
In the outer palace courtyard, the Second Guard and a spear cohort stood ready. Dongfang Dubai parted ways with the envoy at the entrance, and the envoy continued his path with the Second Guard.
The envoy's internal tension was extreme; he constantly felt killing intent from all sides.
After entering the inner palace and passing through the grounds of twelve mansions, they reached the Heavenly Demon's audience hall—where the sect's important decisions and political meetings were held. Few Murim Alliance members had ever reached this place.
Upon entering the jade hall, he saw an old man seated upon the Heavenly Demon's chair. It was the First Steward.
Without showing fear, the envoy respectfully asked, "When will the great Kang Long arrive?"
The envoy knew his every action represented the Alliance's pride, so he addressed him as "Kang Long" without using the title "Heavenly Demon."
The First Steward understood his intent and respected his pride. "A routine agreement to reaffirm a non-aggression pact is nothing that requires the Heavenly Demon's personal involvement. But perhaps if the Alliance Leader himself were to come next time, the Heavenly Demon might step forward to negotiate."
The envoy knew well this meant he was not in a position to demand an audience. He stated the condition for extending the non-aggression pact: "Henceforth, monks and worshippers of the Mount Tai temple must have free passage within Tai'an, and the armed escort groups of the True Murim merchants must be able to come to the city center unimpeded."
The First Steward opened his closed eyes, rested his chin on his hand, and said to the envoy, "We can arrange for worshippers to have more peace in the city. But armed individuals passing through the city gates? If I didn't know you were an Alliance envoy, I would think the Emperor was making a request."
With a calm smile, the envoy said, "This decision rests with the great Kang Long. I can await his answer."
This was met with laughter from the First Steward, whose reply was brief: "Heavenly Demon, do you deem this appropriate?"
The envoy froze in place. Beside a pillar, a man with long hair, dressed in black, was looking at him. He hadn't even noticed his presence until now.
The black-clad man took a step and stood behind the envoy. The envoy didn't even have time to turn his head, merely uttering, "Hail to the great Kang Long." The envoy was filled with terror but had to maintain the Alliance's pride.
The Heavenly Demon slightly bowed his head and said, "What do you offer in exchange for your escorts entering my city? If your escorts come to my city, does it mean mine can also go to the Alliance headquarters?"
The envoy had prepared answers in advance, but reasoning is difficult when your head is in a tiger's mouth.
The envoy saluted the Heavenly Demon and said, "I will convey your words to the Alliance. Thank you for your decision to grant more comfort to the worshippers."
The envoy was still unsettled by being within half a step of the Heavenly Demon. But in the space of a breath, the Heavenly Demon vanished from before him. A person at the initial peak stage could not even follow him with his eyes.
The First Steward gently clapped his hands, and the envoy turned. With closed eyes and a mild smile, the Steward said, "Now is the time to leave or to rest! Which do you choose?"
The envoy stated that his group members were waiting outside the outer palace and he must rejoin them promptly.
At the palace entrance, the Alliance members stood ready to draw their swords. In this highly tense atmosphere, Dongfang Dubai stood with utter calm atop the gate tower.
When the palace doors opened and the envoy appeared, the Four-Armed Demons loosened their circle. One of them stepped forward and offered to escort the envoy out of the city.
The beggar sect member and the Hao faction members knew this meant everything had gone smoothly. Today was a good day for the Murim Alliance—they had managed to gain something from the Heavenly Demon.