Selene's expression changed slightly.
"So the alliance..."
"It is still possible," Aksai said.
"But?"
"But it has lost most of its meaning."
The words were blunt.
Aksai lowered the teapot and placed it on the table.
"When Haitin and I first discussed cooperation, the situation was different. The Purple River Sect still possessed considerable territory. The Blackblood Demon Sect was relatively stable.
"The royal faction had not yet revealed the full extent of its ambitions, and the imperial cultivators from the Shinayin Empire had not pushed their influence this deeply into our region."
He sighed.
"We were thinking about resisting a powerful enemy."
His eyes became cold.
"Now, we're dealing with something far beyond that."
Selene remained silent.
Aksai continued.
"The royal faction is much stronger than either Haitin or I initially imagined. More importantly, it has the support of powerful imperial cultivators from the Shinayin Empire.
