The mid-day sun arched high over Kun Island, its golden light refracted through the crystal arrays embedded in the western dome of the State of Records. Inside the Grand Canteen, laughter and conversation mixed with the clinking of crystalware and the sizzling aroma of celestial spices. The air felt light, warm—not in temperature, but in mood. For once, after months of endless war, reforms, and reorganizations, the key figures of the Heavenly Spear Alliance sat together without weighty urgency.
Su Mengtian reclined slightly in his seat near the central table, a place neither too elevated nor too humble. Beside him were the ten Hallmasters, eight Department Heads, and the leading Elders. The table itself curved in an elegant crescent, sculpted from deep-golden Kun Rock veined with shifting silver, resistant to age and aura alike.
Roasted cloudscale deer, spiritfruit-infused wines, and delicately grilled sky-leaf fish adorned the tables. Ethereal spirit-servants, shaped like translucent monks and fairies, moved with quiet grace, serving dishes without disrupting conversations. Even the braziers in the canteen had been tuned to emit calming light-fragrance—a soft aroma of lightning blossom, said to clear the mind.
Rao Lin and Inara were already in the middle of one of their classic disputes, their voices rising and falling like bards in a tale.
"If you simply reinforce your flanks with Ironblood-style turtle-shell formation, your forward push suffers," Inara said firmly, folding her arms across her breastplate.
Rao Lin raised an eyebrow, a grin playing across his face. "And if you run a battlefield with endurance alone, you might win the war a month later but lose your entire command to morale collapse. It's like telling a phoenix to walk instead of fly."
"You'd rather burn bright and collapse in three days?" Inara scoffed.
Baojin, as always, sat between them, refilling his cup with spirit-root tea, uninterested in joining the fray. "If you both trained together, maybe we'd see a perfect combination of raw force and eternal stamina."
"He's not wrong," Kai Chan added from the other end of the table, humming idly as his melody made the crystal goblets tremble, eliciting quiet giggles from the apprentices nearby.
Su Leilong, silent and stern, observed the table with an unreadable gaze. His chopsticks moved methodically—he had barely touched the deer, instead favoring simple rice and steamed bittergrass. Elder Tianji sat beside him, their faces both aged by time but different in outlook. Su Leilong finally broke the silence.
"Everything moves fast. Too fast. Structure is strength, yes, but velocity can unmoor roots."
Elder Tianji nodded. "True. But there's wisdom in wind-swift change, so long as anchors remain. Mengtian is trying to be both the wind and the mountain. That's not an easy role."
At the center table, Ji Yeyan leaned closer to Su Mengtian, his voice lowered and intimate.
"There are movements outside Kun Island," Ji Yeyan said. "Not hostile—yet. But some sects question our new systems. They see standardization as a threat to autonomy. Our web catches murmurs of distant councils."
Su Mengtian remained calm, sipping from his cup. "Standardization isn't a chain—it's a ladder. But I'll be cautious. Assign Shadow Protocol Delta to our outer envoys. If any sect begins to consolidate counter-alliances, I want full trace reports."
"Already begun," Ji Yeyan replied, his tone cool. "We still dance in twilight, Mengtian."
Meanwhile, Lan Qiu and Yue Mei, radiant in their lighter robes, teased Xuan Le mercilessly.
"Astral robes again, Le? It's not the Autumn Equinox Festival," Lan Qiu said, swirling his chopsticks playfully.
"That shade of violet only looks good during astral convergence," Yue Mei chimed in. "You know, once every twelve years."
Xuan Le feigned offense, then conjured a vision above the table with a flick of his fingers. The illusion was a new commander's uniform—lined with silver astral threads, star patterns glowing faintly, defensive arrays humming subtly beneath the weave.
"Innovation. Fashion. Protection. Astral silk in battlewear—watch, in a year you'll all be wearing them."
Su Mengtian chuckled and finally raised his voice.
"For all our hierarchies, blueprints, and doctrines… it's still this—sharing a meal—that defines an alliance. Wouldn't you all agree?"
"You've said it, Sovereign," Yue Mei said, lifting her cup. "But I still vote for you to allow dessert rations for Command-level officers. Morale matters."
Laughter echoed around the table. The clink of cups followed, and the mood, however briefly, felt lighter than ever.
Soon after, the chimes rang—a gentle echo through the canteen. It was time to return to the council.
Back within the domed council hall, sunlight filtered down through the glass dome, casting geometric patterns of warm gold upon the polished floors. Everyone took their places again, with Sorin Ma stepping forward.
"Sovereign, Councilmembers," Sorin began, "I present the revised financial ledger. Payroll structures for the new military command have been integrated, funding allocations recalibrated, and merchant channels now stabilized through Crimson Sky Empire's southern branch."
His report was clear, firm. As he finished, Bael Trim rose. He did not wait for a prompt. Rao Lin quipped instantly.
"Director Bael Trim, did you forget something to explain earlier?"
"Yes, dear Rao Lin," Bael Trim smiled. "And what I forgot may be the most important part yet."
Bael Trim says, "Sovereign Su Mengtian, now that we are developing our own precision-based internal systems, I would like to present one more critical standardization framework—the Grading System for Spiritual Martial Techniques."
Su Mengtian motioned with an open palm. "Please, Director."
Bael Trim moved to the center, summoning a visual array of glowing script above him. Rows of glyphs formed systems, circles, stars, even flow diagrams.
"Gentlemen, the Library of Treasures now proposes the Grading System for Spiritual Martial Techniques—meant to unify evaluation across the realms."
He raised his hand, and symbols shifted into a nine-tier pyramid.
"Each technique is ranked across nine primary grades, subdivided into three tiers each—low, middle, and high."
Bael's voice rang clear.
"Mortal Grade—basic and foundational, suitable for civilians and young disciples.
Spirit Grade—entry-level cultivation methods. Often used for enhancing the body and basic energy circulation.
Mystic Grade—used by cultivators who cross the first threshold. Elemental channeling often begins here.
Earth Grade—capable of manipulating spiritual force or soul energy. Common in elite sects.
Heaven Grade—deeply resonant techniques, often reserved for core disciples or elders.
Saint Grade—rare and powerful. Requires exceptional comprehension.
Emperor Grade—techniques from legends. Capable of controlling laws, domains.
Divine Grade—ancient techniques forged by divine beings or discovered through great trials.
Origin Grade—mythical, reality-bending. Often one-of-a-kind."
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Each grade has tiers: Low—crude, easier to learn. Middle—complete and standardized. High—perfected, often personalized."
He raised his hand again.
"They can be divided through their Attributes as well for classification like Body, Soul, Domain, Sealing, Forbidden, Dual Cultivation, Ancient, Heavenly Law Aligned, Demonic."
And lastly, "Burden Ratings, from one to five stars. Mental and spiritual difficulty."
He summoned an example.
"Technique: Thousand Thunder Wings. Heaven Grade – High-tier. Attributes: [Movement], [Lightning]. Burden: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.
It grants thunder wings that enable instant directional shifts and movement. Residual voltage lingers in afterimages. In later mastery stages, can tear through space."
When Bael Trim ended, Director Elira Sorn of the Arena stood up.
"If I may propose—we create a ranking board. Something that charts the strongest techniques in our domain. Let our warriors aim higher."
Su Mengtian's eyes gleamed. "Director Bael Trim, how many Saint-grade techniques do we possess currently?"
Bael smiled thinly. "We hold 72 Saint Grade martial techniques, Sovereign. That is our current pinnacle."
Baojin blinked. "Seventy-two?!"
Bael nodded. "Twenty-four body-based, twenty-three soul-based, ten domain-based, two dual cultivation-based, eight sealing techniques, and five ancient ones."
Inara whispered to Lan Qiu, "Ancient Saint-grade techniques? And we never knew?"
Lan Qiu leaned toward Inara. "You ignored the old scrolls. That's why you didn't know."
Su Mengtian declared, "Then let 72 be our peak. We'll create the 'Martial Technique Ranking Board'—curated and maintained by the Library of Treasures. Techniques will rise or fall in ranking according to new discoveries, performance, and mastery outcomes."
A cheer rolled across the chamber.
Xiaoyun stood. "I propose expanding beast nurseries into Tempest Plateau. Many Sky Beasts are migrating there."
Lan Qiu nodded. "I'll reinforce weather control. Wind barriers will hold."
Baojin added, "Build defensive outposts across Kun Island's sub-isles. We're vulnerable by sea."
Su Mengtian agreed. "Library of Treasures—begin drafting a naval-exclusive hierarchy system, separate from our standard military model. Our oceans must have their own ranks, suited to the tides."
New departments were then announced.
The new ninth, Department of Heaven Forging Doctrine, their motto will be "To temper the spirit like divine steel and forge destiny upon the anvil of will." They will be responsible for all the works related to metal forging from now on. Temporarily led by the State of Records. Director to be chosen via selection.
The new tenth, Department of Ethereal Inquiry, their motto will be "Truth is hidden in the unknown; ask, and the dao shall answer." They will focus on cultivating knowledge through relentless research, innovation, and unknown spiritual sciences.
He raised his voice.
"Announce Alliance-wide recruitment for blacksmiths, refiners, and forge masters. We will also hold interviews to appoint Directors for both these Departments."
Everyone present nodded solemnly. All present agreed, fully aware these two additions may define the technological and spiritual future of the Alliance.
Ji Yeyan leaned forward again.
"The war never truly ended, Mengtian. It only changed form."
Su Mengtian looked into his eyes. "Then let us prepare—not with paranoia, but with vigilance."
Hours passed. The council dissolved slowly. Apprentices began returning to their duties. Elders disappeared into their respective towers. Divine lanterns lit the island roads as night fell.
Su Mengtian stood at the top balcony of the Council Tower, wind brushing past his dark cloak. Below him, Kun Island glowed—not with magic, but with life.
He closed his eyes.
"We build. We dream. But we do not forget. A realm reborn must remember the blood that bore it."
The stars shimmered above. The Alliance stood stronger. The foundations, laid not just in power—but in understanding.