The strategy council convened within an hour of Lin Feng discovering the Crimson Empress's letter. Patriarch Cloud Heaven sat at the head of the chamber, his expression grave as he read the elegant calligraphy for the third time. Grand Elder Bingxin stood to his right, her Immortal Emperor Level 5 cultivation radiating controlled power. Elder Wei, Mei She, and three other senior elders completed Celestial Dawn's representation.
Yun Qingxue remained at Lin Feng's side, their dao companion bond humming with shared tactical awareness. Through their connection, he felt her mixture of concern and analytical focus—she understood why this meeting might be valuable, but she also recognized the extreme danger it represented.
"This is sophisticated manipulation," Grand Elder Bingxin said after reading the letter. "The Crimson Empress is offering exactly what our intelligence suggested—personal recruitment attempt before resorting to elimination. But she's framing it as mutual respect between exceptional cultivators rather than predator approaching prey."
"The guarantee of safety is worthless," Elder Wei observed. "We have no mechanism to enforce it, and her word means nothing given her history of corrupting talents."
"Actually, the guarantee has value," Mei She said quietly. Everyone turned to look at her. "If the Crimson Empress violates a personally given guarantee, it damages her recruitment credibility with future targets. The seventy percent success rate depends on people believing she offers genuine opportunities rather than just sophisticated traps. Breaking her word to Lin Feng would undermine that carefully maintained reputation."
Lin Feng's consciousness processed this insight, finding it strategically sound. The Crimson Empress's power came not just from her cultivation level but from her ability to convert exceptional talents into loyal subordinates. That conversion required them to trust her enough to listen to recruitment offers. Betraying that trust, even once, could damage her entire operational model.
"So you believe the safety guarantee is genuine?" Patriarch Cloud Heaven asked Mei She.
"I believe she'll honor it during the meeting itself," Mei She clarified. "But I make no predictions about what happens afterward if Lin Feng refuses recruitment. The guarantee covers conversation, not consequences of rejection."
"Which means attending the meeting provides intelligence opportunity with managed risk," Lin Feng said. "I learn about her methods, capabilities, and strategic thinking through direct interaction. She learns about my psychology and vulnerabilities through our conversation. We both gain information, and then we both decide next moves based on what we learned."
"You're actually considering accepting this invitation," Yun Qingxue said through their bond, her consciousness conveying controlled alarm.
"I'm considering the tactical value," Lin Feng responded. "Every piece of intelligence about the Crimson Empress improves our strategic position. And meeting her personally, in a context where she's trying to recruit rather than eliminate, provides intelligence no other source can offer."
"It also provides her with detailed psychological profile of you," Grand Elder Bingxin said. "Everything you say, every reaction you show, every question you ask—she'll analyze all of it to identify manipulation vectors. Even if you resist recruitment, she'll learn exactly how to corrupt you if she decides to try again later."
"True," Lin Feng acknowledged. "But I'll be learning the same about her. Conversation is bidirectional intelligence exchange. She might have more experience at this kind of interaction, but I have void cultivation's natural resistance to external influence and consciousness division that allows parallel analysis while maintaining conversation."
The council fell silent as everyone considered the proposal. Lin Feng could see the tactical calculation happening behind multiple expressions—weighing potential intelligence gains against personal risk, evaluating whether his unique capabilities made this gamble worthwhile.
"If you attend this meeting," Patriarch Cloud Heaven said finally, "what precautions would you take?"
"Backup forces positioned within strike range but not visible distance," Lin Feng said immediately, his consciousness having already worked through this scenario. "Yun Qingxue maintains dao companion bond anchor—if I'm captured or corrupted, she pulls me back forcibly. Grand Elder Bingxin provides secondary anchor as backup. Azure Sky's rapid response force stands ready for emergency extraction if the Crimson Empress violates her guarantee. And I maintain consciousness division throughout conversation, with at least three streams dedicated to detecting manipulation attempts while six handle actual dialogue."
"You've thought about this extensively," Elder Wei observed.
"I've been thinking about it since reading the letter three hours ago," Lin Feng confirmed.
Grand Elder Bingxin exchanged glances with Patriarch Cloud Heaven, some silent communication passing between them. After several seconds, she spoke. "This decision cannot be made by council vote. The risk is primarily yours, Lin Feng. We can provide our assessment and recommendations, but ultimately you must decide whether the intelligence value justifies personal danger."
"Then I'll need additional information before deciding," Lin Feng said. "First: Can Azure Sky provide intelligence about the meeting location? Terrain analysis, spiritual energy patterns, any previous significance that might indicate why she chose that specific mountain peak?"
"I can have that analysis completed within six hours," Patriarch Cloud Heaven said.
"Second: Can Grand Elder Bingxin and Yun Qingxue establish the dao companion bond anchor across seventeen kilometers? That distance exceeds anything we've tested."
"We can establish it," Grand Elder Bingxin said. "The anchor will be weaker than optimal, and emergency extraction will take longer, but it's viable. However, the Crimson Empress will certainly detect the anchor's presence. She'll know you have escape mechanism prepared."
"Good," Lin Feng said. "I want her to know. It communicates that I'm willing to meet but not willing to surrender protective measures. That frames the conversation as negotiation between cautious equals rather than predator and prey."
"Third question?" Mei She prompted.
"What is Azure Sky's assessment of the Crimson Empress's probable response if I attend versus if I decline?"
Patriarch Cloud Heaven considered this carefully before responding. "If you decline, she'll likely proceed with her planned operation on the accelerated timeline we've been anticipating. You remain a target—either for future recruitment or elimination depending on how the operation develops. If you attend and refuse recruitment during conversation, similar outcome but with the added factor that she's gained detailed psychological intelligence about you."
"And if I attend and she successfully recruits me?" Lin Feng asked.
The chamber fell silent. Nobody wanted to articulate that possibility explicitly.
"Then Celestial Dawn loses its most valuable tactical asset," Grand Elder Bingxin said quietly, "and the Crimson Empress gains a subordinate with capabilities she's been specifically seeking. Void cultivation, consciousness division, spatial manipulation, formation disruption—everything you've developed would become available to her organization."
"Which makes your psychological defenses critical," Patriarch Cloud Heaven added. "The self-awareness exercises you've been practicing aren't just philosophical development—they're tactical preparation for exactly this kind of confrontation."
Lin Feng nodded slowly. His consciousness streams had completed the analysis, weighing intelligence value against personal risk, evaluating his confidence in resisting manipulation, calculating the strategic implications of each decision path.
"I'll attend the meeting," he said finally. "With all the precautions I described, and with explicit understanding that I reserve right to request emergency extraction if the situation develops beyond managed risk parameters."
"I oppose this decision," Yun Qingxue said aloud, though through their bond Lin Feng felt her acceptance that he had made his choice. "But I'll maintain the anchor and support however needed."
"I also oppose," Grand Elder Bingxin said. "But I acknowledge the tactical logic and will provide secondary anchor support."
"Then we have three days to prepare," Patriarch Cloud Heaven said. "Azure Sky will provide terrain analysis and position rapid response forces. Grand Elder Bingxin and Yun Qingxue will practice anchor establishment at increasing distances. Lin Feng will continue consolidating his Level 7 breakthrough while reinforcing psychological defenses. And we'll develop contingency plans for every scenario we can anticipate."
The council continued for another two hours, working through operational details and backup scenarios. By the time it concluded, they had a comprehensive plan that maximized intelligence gathering while maintaining extraction capability if things went wrong.
As participants departed, Yun Qingxue remained with Lin Feng, her expression carrying the weight of suppressed worry.
"You're doing the thing again," she said quietly once they were alone. "The impossible-made-possible calculation where you decide the potential benefit outweighs probable risk."
"Because it does," Lin Feng said. "The Crimson Empress is our primary strategic threat. Every piece of intelligence about her methods, psychology, and capabilities improves our defensive position. And meeting her in a context where she's trying to recruit me provides insights we cannot obtain any other way."
"Unless she successfully recruits you, in which case we've lost you and gained nothing."
"She won't recruit me," Lin Feng said with quiet confidence. "My core values are clear, my self-awareness is well-developed, and my consciousness division allows me to monitor my own thinking patterns for signs of manipulation. I'll attend this meeting, learn what I can, refuse her recruitment offer, and return with intelligence that makes the entire alliance stronger."
Through their dao companion bond, Qingxue felt the absolute certainty behind his words. He genuinely believed he could resist the Crimson Empress's manipulation—not through arrogance but through systematic preparation and clear understanding of his own psychology.
"Then I'll be your anchor," she said. "Every second of that conversation, I'll maintain our connection. If I sense anything wrong through our bond—any change in your emotional patterns, any corruption of your thinking—I'm pulling you back immediately, regardless of intelligence value."
"Agreed," Lin Feng said. "That's exactly what I need you to do."
They spent the evening in synchronized cultivation, not to advance their cultivation levels but to deepen their dao companion bond. The stronger their connection, the more reliably Qingxue could detect subtle changes in Lin Feng's consciousness that might indicate manipulation success.
By midnight, their bond had deepened to the point where they could share not just emotions and tactical thoughts but underlying psychological patterns. Qingxue could feel Lin Feng's value structure, his decision-making frameworks, his fundamental approach to problems. Any deviation from these baseline patterns would be immediately obvious through their connection.
It was intimate in a way that transcended physical or even emotional intimacy—two consciousnesses understanding each other at the deepest possible level.
"If she corrupts you," Qingxue said through their bond as they concluded cultivation, "I'll know within seconds. And I'll bring you back, even if it means forcibly disrupting your consciousness to break whatever manipulation she's employed."
"I know," Lin Feng responded. "That's why I can attend this meeting with confidence. Not because I'm certain of resisting on my own, but because I know you'll pull me back if I fail."
The next three days passed in intensive preparation. Azure Sky's terrain analysis identified the mountain peak as spiritually neutral ground—no significant formations, no historical significance that might suggest trap preparation. Just an isolated location where private conversation could occur without interruption.
Grand Elder Bingxin and Yun Qingxue practiced anchor establishment at increasing distances, eventually confirming they could maintain stable connection across seventeen kilometers. The anchor would be weaker than normal, and emergency extraction would take approximately thirty seconds rather than instantaneous, but it was viable.
Lin Feng continued his psychological reinforcement exercises, repeatedly examining his core values and decision frameworks to ensure absolute clarity. What did he truly want? What principles were non-negotiable? What goals mattered enough to sacrifice for?
By the time sunset approached on the third day, he could answer those questions with perfect clarity:
Core Values:
Personal autonomy and freedom from external control Loyalty to those who had supported him (Celestial Dawn, Frozen Sky, his friends) Protection of the innocent against predatory corruption Advancement through earned achievement rather than borrowed power The Inverse Void Dao philosophy of liberation over domination
Non-Negotiable Principles:
Never betray those who trusted him Never surrender consciousness or free will to external influence Never sacrifice long-term integrity for short-term advantage Never accept power that requires abandoning fundamental values
Primary Goals:
Advance cultivation to highest possible levels through his own effort Eliminate threats to his sect and allies Develop his unique capabilities to their full potential Maintain his relationship with Yun Qingxue Eventually establish his own sect based on Inverse Void Dao principles
With these foundations absolutely clear, Lin Feng felt confident he could recognize manipulation attempts immediately. Anything the Crimson Empress offered that conflicted with these values would be obviously false, regardless of how appealing the offer appeared.
As sunset approached, Lin Feng prepared for departure. He wore simple robes rather than formal cultivation attire—projecting confidence without arrogance. He carried no visible weapons, though his void techniques were always available. His spiritual energy was at full capacity, his consciousness division ready to deploy at any moment.
Yun Qingxue embraced him before he left, their dao companion bond conveying everything words couldn't express—love, fear, trust, determination to bring him back safely.
"Remember," she said aloud. "I'll be monitoring through our bond every second. Any sign of trouble, any sense that you're compromised, and I'm pulling you back."
"I'm counting on it," Lin Feng said.
Grand Elder Bingxin placed one hand on his shoulder, her secondary anchor beginning to establish. "The Crimson Empress is sophisticated and dangerous. Don't underestimate her simply because you've prepared well. Preparation reduces risk but doesn't eliminate it."
"Understood," Lin Feng confirmed.
With his anchors established and backup forces positioned within strike range, Lin Feng began the seventeen-kilometer journey to the designated mountain peak. He traveled on foot rather than using flight techniques—maintaining low profile while conserving spiritual energy for the meeting itself.
The journey took approximately ninety minutes of steady movement through cultivated land and wilderness. As he traveled, Lin Feng's consciousness remained divided—three streams monitoring his surroundings for ambush, three analyzing his psychological state for any subtle manipulation that might have been deployed preemptively, two maintaining tactical awareness of backup forces' positions, and one unified perspective coordinating everything.
The mountain peak came into view as sunset painted the sky in shades of orange and red. It was exactly as Azure Sky's analysis had described—isolated, spiritually neutral, with clear sight lines in all directions. No obvious places for hidden forces to stage ambush.
The Crimson Empress was already there.
She stood at the peak's highest point, silhouetted against the sunset, her presence radiating controlled power that made the air itself feel heavier. Even at a distance, Lin Feng could sense her cultivation level—Sovereign Monarch, definitely Level 6 or higher, possibly concealing even greater strength.
She was beautiful in the way mythological figures were beautiful—not merely attractive but carrying an aura of perfection that seemed almost supernatural. Her robes were deep crimson, shifting colors in the fading light. Her expression was serene, confident, welcoming.
Everything about her presence was calculated to put observers at ease while simultaneously demonstrating her overwhelming superiority.
Lin Feng approached carefully, his consciousness division monitoring not just her obvious presence but also the spatial structure around them, searching for hidden formations or concealed allies. He detected nothing—the area appeared genuinely empty except for the two of them.
"Lin Feng," the Crimson Empress said, her voice carrying warmth that felt genuine despite his awareness of manipulation techniques. "Thank you for accepting my invitation. I know you must have considerable reservations about meeting me."
"I have substantial reservations," Lin Feng confirmed, stopping approximately ten meters away—close enough for conversation but far enough to provide reaction time if she attacked. "But I also recognize the intelligence value of direct conversation."
"Honest and tactical," the Crimson Empress said with apparent approval. "I appreciate directness. It saves time that would otherwise be wasted on diplomatic maneuvering." She gestured to a flat section of rock nearby. "Shall we sit? This conversation may take some time."
Lin Feng considered the offer, his consciousness streams analyzing from multiple angles. Sitting would place them on more equal ground physically while potentially creating psychological vulnerability through casual positioning. But refusing would appear overly defensive, possibly surrendering psychological advantage through obvious fear.
He sat, maintaining tactical awareness and ready to move instantly if necessary.
The Crimson Empress settled across from him with fluid grace, her spiritual energy creating a subtle pressure that reminded Lin Feng constantly of their cultivation level difference. Not threatening, but present—a reminder that she could crush him effortlessly if she chose violence over conversation.
"I imagine you've been warned extensively about my manipulation techniques," the Crimson Empress said, her tone carrying amusement rather than offense. "Told that I exploit desires and vulnerabilities, that my seventy percent recruitment success rate comes from sophisticated psychological corruption."
"Azure Sky's intelligence suggested something along those lines," Lin Feng confirmed carefully.
"All true," she said with surprising candor. "I do identify what people want most and offer them paths to achieving those desires. But here's what your intelligence sources may not have explained: I only recruit people whose desires align with goals that benefit them genuinely. I don't corrupt people into betraying their interests. I help them recognize that their perceived interests conflict with their actual wellbeing."
Lin Feng's consciousness streams processed this framing, identifying the manipulation immediately. She was redefining recruitment as revelation—suggesting that people who joined her hadn't been corrupted but enlightened to their true desires.
"That's sophisticated rationalization," Lin Feng said. "Claiming that corruption is actually liberation."
"Is it?" The Crimson Empress leaned forward slightly, her expression shifting to genuine curiosity. "Tell me, Lin Feng—what do you want most? Not what you think you should want, not what others expect you to want. What does your deepest self actually desire?"
Lin Feng felt the weight of her spiritual perception focusing on him, analyzing his reaction to the question. His consciousness division immediately deployed three streams to monitor his own psychological state while six engaged the conversation.
"I want to advance my cultivation to the highest possible levels," Lin Feng said honestly. "I want to develop the Inverse Void Dao to its full potential. I want to protect those I care about and establish my own sect eventually."
"All reasonable desires," the Crimson Empress said. "Now let me ask: How effectively can you pursue those goals while constrained by sect loyalty to Celestial Dawn, political obligations to Frozen Sky, and strategic alliance with Azure Sky? How much of your potential development is limited by needing to serve others' agendas rather than your own advancement?"
There it was—the manipulation vector. She was framing his current relationships as constraints rather than support structures, suggesting that loyalty limited rather than enabled his development.
"My relationships with those sects aren't constraints," Lin Feng said firmly. "They're foundations that allow me to develop safely while I'm still relatively weak. Celestial Dawn gave me resources and protection when I was a servant with no status. Frozen Sky provided elite training and military support. Azure Sky offers intelligence and alliance backing. Without those foundations, I would be vulnerable to threats I cannot yet handle alone."
"True for now," the Crimson Empress acknowledged. "But you're advancing rapidly—Divine Domain Level 7 already, with clear path toward Level 8 and beyond. How long before those 'foundations' become limitations? How long before sect politics interfere with your cultivation choices, before alliance obligations force you into conflicts that don't serve your interests, before the price of protection becomes surrender of autonomy?"
Lin Feng felt the psychological pressure of her argument—not because it was true, but because it contained just enough truth to be difficult to dismiss entirely. Sect relationships did create obligations. Alliance politics did sometimes conflict with personal interests. These were real considerations.
But they didn't outweigh the fundamental value of loyalty and mutual support.
"You're framing interdependence as weakness," Lin Feng said. "But the Inverse Void Dao teaches that true strength comes from liberation, not isolation. Being free to act doesn't mean acting alone. It means having the capacity to choose cooperation rather than being forced into either dependence or solitude."
The Crimson Empress's expression shifted—not defeat but recognition that her initial approach wasn't achieving the desired effect. She adjusted her strategy seamlessly.
"Interesting philosophical position," she said. "Let me approach from a different angle. You destroyed Elder Shadow's pocket dimension—a subordinate I had invested considerable resources in training. That action cost me significant operational capability. Yet I'm not angry. Do you know why?"
"Because you recognized that someone capable of accomplishing what I did is more valuable as potential subordinate than Elder Shadow was," Lin Feng said, his consciousness streams having already calculated this logic.
"Exactly. But more than that—I recognized that someone who could infiltrate and destroy a pocket dimension at Divine Domain Level 6 is exactly the kind of tactical genius my organization needs. Your capabilities aren't just powerful, Lin Feng. They're unique. And uniqueness has value that transcends raw cultivation level."
She paused, allowing her words to settle before continuing.
"I'm not offering you a subordinate position in my organization. I'm offering partnership. You would retain complete autonomy over your cultivation methods, your philosophical development, your personal relationships. In exchange for occasional tactical operations where your unique capabilities provide advantage, I would provide resources, protection, and access to knowledge that even Frozen Sky and Azure Sky cannot offer."
"What knowledge?" Lin Feng asked, genuinely curious despite his awareness that curiosity itself might be part of her manipulation strategy.
"Pocket dimension construction at levels beyond what you've currently achieved. Consciousness expansion techniques that could take you beyond nine streams to truly unified awareness. Spatial manipulation methods that allow continent-level teleportation. Formation creation principles that synthesize void cultivation with traditional theory in ways no current sect has explored."
She was offering exactly what would appeal to him—advanced development of his unique capabilities, knowledge that aligned perfectly with his goals, opportunities to grow beyond current limitations.
It was sophisticated bait, carefully calibrated to his specific desires.
"And in exchange?" Lin Feng asked.
"Occasional operations where your capabilities provide tactical advantage. Similar to the Elder Shadow infiltration, but with my support and resources rather than working against me. Perhaps three to five operations per year, each one advancing your capabilities while serving strategic objectives we both benefit from."
Lin Feng's consciousness streams analyzed the offer from every angle. On the surface, it seemed almost reasonable—partnership rather than subordination, autonomy rather than control, mutual benefit rather than exploitation.
But the fundamental problem remained: accepting meant aligning with someone who commanded demonic cultivators, corrupted unique talents, and pursued goals that conflicted with his core values.
"Your offer is sophisticated," Lin Feng said carefully. "And the knowledge you're offering would definitely accelerate my development. But there's a fundamental incompatibility you're not addressing."
"Which is?"
"You employ demonic cultivation methods. You corrupt people who resist recruitment. You pursue power through domination rather than liberation. Everything about your organization contradicts the Inverse Void Dao philosophy that guides my cultivation. Accepting partnership with you would mean abandoning the very principles that make my capabilities possible."
The Crimson Empress studied him for several long seconds, her expression unreadable. Through their dao companion bond, Lin Feng felt Yun Qingxue's constant monitoring—she was tracking his psychological state, ready to pull him back if she detected any sign of corruption.
"You genuinely believe that," the Crimson Empress said finally. "You're not just giving me diplomatic refusal—you actually see philosophical incompatibility as insurmountable obstacle."
"I do," Lin Feng confirmed.
"Then let me address it directly." She leaned forward, her tone shifting to absolute seriousness. "Demonic cultivation is a tool, not a philosophy. Some of my subordinates use those techniques because they're effective for their capabilities. But I don't require it—void cultivation, traditional methods, experimental approaches are all acceptable if they produce results. What matters is capability and loyalty, not the specific path to achieving them."
"And the corruption?" Lin Feng pressed. "The people who resist recruitment and mysteriously become demonic cultivators anyway?"
"Those are the ones who forced that outcome through their own choices," the Crimson Empress said. "I always offer genuine partnership first. Only when people choose to become active enemies—not mere refusals but actual opposition—does elimination or corruption become necessary. It's self-defense, not predation."
More sophisticated rationalization, reframing aggression as defensive response.
"That's still fundamentally incompatible with my values," Lin Feng said. "The Inverse Void Dao teaches that liberation must be chosen freely, never imposed. Corrupting people who oppose you, even if you frame it as self-defense, violates that principle absolutely."
The Crimson Empress sat back, her expression showing what might have been genuine respect mixed with regret.
"Then we have reached the limit of what conversation can achieve," she said quietly. "I've offered partnership, resources, and knowledge. You've refused based on philosophical incompatibility that you genuinely believe is insurmountable. I respect that, even as I disagree with your assessment."
She stood smoothly, her spiritual energy creating subtle pressure that reminded Lin Feng of their cultivation difference.
"I will honor my guarantee of safety," the Crimson Empress continued. "You are free to leave now, and I will make no attempt to stop or harm you during your departure. However, I want you to understand the consequences of your refusal."
"I'm listening," Lin Feng said, standing as well while maintaining tactical awareness.
"You have made yourself my enemy," she said with calm finality. "Not through this refusal—refusal alone would simply make you neutral. But through your destruction of Elder Shadow's pocket dimension, your alliance with forces opposing my operations, and your demonstrated capability to disrupt my strategic objectives. You are now a priority target for elimination, not recruitment."
"I understood that risk when I destroyed the pocket dimension," Lin Feng said.
"Perhaps. But understanding intellectually and experiencing personally are different things. Within two weeks, I will launch a major operation on the Eastern Continent. Multiple targets, significant force deployment, strategic objectives that cannot succeed while you remain free to interfere. You will be specifically targeted during that operation—not captured for future recruitment, but eliminated as threat to my plans."
"Why tell me this?" Lin Feng asked. "Tactical advantage suggests keeping your timeline secret."
"Because I want you to understand what you've chosen," the Crimson Empress said. "You could have accepted partnership and gained resources, knowledge, and my protection. Instead, you've chosen continued struggle against overwhelming opposition, probable death within weeks, and the knowledge that everyone you're trying to protect will suffer because you weren't strong enough to defend them."
It was a final manipulation attempt—trying to create guilt and regret about his decision by emphasizing the consequences. But Lin Feng's consciousness streams recognized it immediately as psychological pressure rather than tactical truth.
"I've chosen to maintain my integrity rather than surrender it for borrowed power," Lin Feng said firmly. "If that leads to my death, at least I'll die as myself rather than as someone you've molded into serving your purposes."
The Crimson Empress studied him for a long moment, her expression showing what might have been genuine curiosity mixed with something that could have been sadness.
"You remind me of someone I knew long ago," she said quietly. "Someone who also believed that principles mattered more than survival, that philosophical purity was worth dying for. He's dead now, killed by someone less principled but more pragmatic than himself. I hope you have better fortune, Lin Feng. But I doubt you will."
She turned away, her spiritual energy beginning to gather in preparation for departure.
"One final question," Lin Feng said. "If your recruitment methods are as benign as you claim, why do they result in demonic corruption so consistently? Why do people who join you abandon their previous values and adopt methods they once opposed?"
The Crimson Empress looked back at him, and for just a moment, her serene mask cracked. Behind it, Lin Feng saw something ancient and weary—not evil in the simple sense, but worn down by centuries of choices that had gradually eroded whatever principles she might once have held.
"Because power changes people," she said simply. "They think they're making tactical compromises while maintaining their core values. But each compromise makes the next one easier, until they've compromised everything they once believed in and convinced themselves it was necessary evolution rather than corruption. By the time they realize what they've become, it's too late to return to what they were."
It was the most honest thing she had said during their entire conversation—not manipulation or rationalization, but genuine insight into the process that had created her organization.
"Thank you for that honesty," Lin Feng said.
"Consider it a parting gift," the Crimson Empress said. "You've proven you cannot be recruited through desire or manipulation. That makes you rare, valuable, and extremely dangerous to me. When we meet again—and we will meet again during my operation—there will be no conversation, no offers, no mercy. Only the question of whether you've become strong enough to survive what I send against you."
"I understand," Lin Feng said.
"Do you? I hope so. Because I'm sending everything I have available. Not just demonic cultivators or corrupted talents. I'm personally leading the operation that targets you. Sovereign Monarch Level 6, with subordinates ranging up to Cloud Transformation Level 3. If you survive that assault, Lin Feng, I will genuinely respect you as an equal rather than merely an interesting prospect."
She vanished then, not through teleportation but through spatial manipulation so sophisticated that she simply ceased being present in one location and began being present elsewhere. No disturbance, no residual energy signature, just absolute spatial transition.
Lin Feng stood alone on the mountain peak as darkness settled over the landscape, processing everything he had learned.
Are you alright? Yun Qingxue's consciousness touched his through their dao companion bond, her concern immediate and profound.
I'm fine, Lin Feng responded. No corruption detected, no manipulation successful, no psychological damage. But I have considerable intelligence to report.
Then return immediately. Everyone is waiting.
Lin Feng began the journey back to Celestial Dawn, his consciousness divided between monitoring his surroundings and analyzing the conversation he'd just concluded. The Crimson Empress had revealed more than she probably intended—her manipulation methods, her psychological vulnerabilities, her operational timeline, and most importantly, her genuine assessment of him as significant threat rather than potential asset.
That assessment was both flattering and terrifying. Being considered dangerous enough to warrant personal attention from a Sovereign Monarch Level 6 cultivator meant his survival probability had decreased dramatically.
But it also meant he had successfully resisted recruitment, maintained his principles under sophisticated pressure, and gained intelligence about the coming operation that would prove tactically valuable.
By the time he reached Celestial Dawn's outer boundary, the full strategy council had assembled in Patriarch Cloud Heaven's chambers. Lin Feng entered to find everyone waiting with expressions ranging from relief to intense curiosity.
"Report," Patriarch Cloud Heaven said simply.
Lin Feng spent the next hour providing complete account of the conversation—every manipulation attempt, every offer made, every psychological pressure applied, and every piece of intelligence gained about the Crimson Empress's operation.
When he concluded, the chamber sat in silence for several seconds.
"Two weeks until major assault," Grand Elder Bingxin said finally. "Led personally by the Crimson Empress. Multiple targets including specific elimination operation against Lin Feng. This accelerates our timeline considerably."
"But we gained valuable intelligence," Patriarch Cloud Heaven said. "We know she's committed to personal participation, which means her forces elsewhere will be weaker. We know the timeline. We know Lin Feng is priority target, which means we can use him as tactical bait to draw her into prepared defensive positions."
"Using me as bait against Sovereign Monarch Level 6 cultivator seems optimistic," Lin Feng observed.
"You've survived worse odds," Mei She said quietly. "And you have two weeks to advance closer to Divine Domain Level 8. The gap between you and the Crimson Empress is still massive, but it's not as insurmountable as it was before your Level 7 breakthrough."
"We need to accelerate preparations," Patriarch Zhang Tian said. He had apparently arrived during Lin Feng's return journey, alerted by Azure Sky's monitoring network. "Two weeks to fortify five locations against coordinated assault, prepare specific defenses against Sovereign Monarch level cultivator, and advance our key defenders to maximum possible cultivation levels."
The council continued for another two hours, refining defensive strategies and resource allocation. By the time it concluded, they had comprehensive plan that acknowledged the overwhelming odds while maximizing their tactical advantages.
As participants departed, Yun Qingxue remained with Lin Feng, her expression showing the emotional toll of maintaining anchor awareness throughout his meeting with the Crimson Empress.
"You were amazing," she said quietly. "Every manipulation attempt, you recognized and countered immediately. Your psychological defenses held perfectly. I'm so proud of you."
"And terrified for me," Lin Feng added, feeling her emotions through their bond.
"Yes," she admitted. "She's going to come for you personally, Lin Feng. Not through subordinates or tactical operations. She's going to try to kill you herself because she recognizes you're too dangerous to allow continued development."
"I know," Lin Feng said. "Which means the next two weeks are critical. I need to advance as close to Level 8 as possible, develop new tactical capabilities specifically for fighting opponents multiple cultivation levels higher, and prepare for the reality that I might not survive the coming confrontation."
"You'll survive," Qingxue said fiercely through their bond. "Because I won't let you die. Because you're too tactical to make fatal mistakes. And because you've made impossible things possible repeatedly. This will be the same."
Lin Feng pulled her close, their dao companion bond deepening through physical contact. "Then we begin preparation immediately. Two weeks until the Crimson Empress comes for me personally. Two weeks to become strong enough to survive what she sends."
"Together," Qingxue said.
"Always together," Lin Feng agreed.
As they returned to their cultivation chamber to begin intensive preparation, Lin Feng felt the weight of what was coming settling onto him. In two weeks, he would face a Sovereign Monarch Level 6 cultivator who had personally committed to his elimination. The odds were overwhelming, the danger extreme, the probability of survival low.
But he had faced impossible odds before and emerged victorious through preparation, tactical intelligence, and the support of those who believed in him.
This would be the same.
It had to be.
Because the alternative was unacceptable.
End of Chapter 67
Next: Chapter 68 - Preparation for War