The wide circular driveway was typical and expected of wealthy establishments here, a show that they had arrived and would have to entertain guests properly. The building in front of me was as much for entertainment as it was a place of business, things done in the old, mage-friendly style, as mages still ruled the roost here in China.

Non-powered were just assets and bodies doing the stuff mages couldn’t be bothered to handle, only protected because their children might grow up to be the next generation of mages.

Normally people would be arriving in expensive cars as a show of wealth and power, complete with attendants who took care of secular things for them. Mages were decision-makers and warriors, they didn’t deal with minor details. The people who worked for them did that stuff.

Alas, I had no car, and couldn’t have cared less. I was, however, carrying Noble, and the value of the Tokens on it could not be matched if this circle was filled with the most expensive cars in the world.

There was only a single person there to greet me; Mu Fuxian, Xuehua’s cousin and effectively primary underling. He was tall for a Chinese native, sharply handsome, and dressed all in a white suit, which fit him admirably. He was also a very talented mage in Ice and Plant Magic... and, I could see, Poison and Curse, as well.

He was also bearing a Compact with the Netherworld, which made me sigh when I saw it.

I was not bothered. I’d told them to keep the meeting casual and not make a show of things. This young man was not a bad man... but nor was a he a Good one. Blue-Green, a follower of the rules who had learned to utterly disregard them when it came to matters of his chosen Family, as he’d learned those who ignored the laws of society needed to be dealt with using similar lethality.

He was also the commander of the primary military force of the nearby city of Guanzhian, winning renown as the White Magistrate of Guanzhian. He’d had a rival for command of the military there, the ‘Black Magistrate’, who had been unfortunate enough to compare his Dark Magic with a much younger man bearing a Heaven-grade (Nether-grade?) Dark Compact during that recent altercation of infighting. That greedy sot had come out dead for it, leaving Mu Fuxian in firm command of the local military forces stationed here.

“Lady Fae,” he bowed cordially, and offered his hand. “I am Mu Fuxian of Cold Rice Mountain.”

I held mine up and away, startling him. “You are a powerful Dark Mage. Shaking my hand would likely cost you yours, no disrespect intended.” I returned his bow to equal depth politely, to ease the sting of the words.

He withdrew his hand, complex emotions crossing his normally-controlled expression for a moment. Prices paid to get where he had come, things he couldn’t undo, and he would continue on regardless with whatever time he had left. Rumors said he’d actually died at one time at the hands of a Black Curia assassin, and Muse Sakura had to use the Spirit of Hera to bring him back. Since dying a Dark Mage would have sent him to the Netherworld, I could only imagine there was a price for coming back.

“I am sorry if I offended you,” he nodded, only a little curtly.

“I resent those who hold the leash, not their victims,” I replied calmly. “Please, lead on.”

He turned and escorted me inside, past the honor guards who straightened proudly upon seeing me.

“I think I would have loved to have been a Typeless mage,” he confessed quietly as we swept into a beautifully done, yet still simple foyer in the classic style, absent much of the gilt and artifacts of age that would dominate an older Family.

“Your reputation for discipline and intellect precedes you. You would have excelled as one,” I judged calmly as we continued on.

“I have seen your videos, and those many have made of you. I have never seen you wield Dark Magic, but can Typeless mages do so?” he asked quietly.

“Yes, without the costs of Dark Mages... at least, if they do not accept a Compact. However, Dark Magic use still brings Dark Mana into the world, and that does not change at all.”

“I see.” His fingers worked together slowly. “How dangerous is the Dark Mana?” he inquired, as we came outside to an ornamental pool, with a pavilion in the middle set to receive us, a beautiful woman in a white dress waiting inside.

Her hair was odd, the roots and a few inches raven black, the rest of her waist-length locks as white as my own. She had a very pale complexion, something often associated with the Ice Element and sheltered mages, but it didn’t make her look sheltered or weak. Indeed, the vibes coming off her indicated that she was on the cusp of Sagehood herself, and the power of her Talent basically made it a forgone conclusion.

There were also a couple of Great Beasts with her. A great sacred White Tiger, as massive as a rhino, was also standing by the edge of the Pavilion, his golden eyes fixing instantly on the Tokens dangling from Noble.

A great and beautiful many-hued Moth, over a handspan across and moving with supernatural speed, fluttered through the air and landed on the Tiger’s head like an old friend, also obviously looking at the Tokens on Noble.

Both Beasts had Imperial-level Bloodlines, among the highest of the Beast World, but they were still regarding the Tokens on my Staff in quiet awe.

I held a finger up to them and Mu Fuxian, delaying further questions as I walked to greet the Lady of Cold Rice Mountain, Mu Xuehua.

She was a couple years physically older than me, but despite me coming to her instead of the reverse, it was plain to everyone there who held the greater power and status. Even the slightest leakage of Sage status confirmed that for everyone, and while I did not truly lead Coralost, to many I did as the most powerful mage associated with it.

“Lady Fae, welcome to Cold Rice Mountain,” Xuehua bowed gracefully.

“The hospitability has been unimpeachable,” I replied simply. “I apologize if my unwillingness to engage in pomp and ceremony has thrown off your expectations.”

She smiled slightly, noting her cousin’s quiet relief. “I believe accommodating a complete lack of catering to the egos of visiting Sages was most appreciated by all our people.”

“Truly a tragic event, to be long remembered,” I murmured with a toss of my eyes, before turning to the White Tiger and extravagant moth. “Little White and the Moon Phoenix Moth, if I am not mistaken?” I asked respectfully, pleasing both of them, who bowed themselves. “I have already cleared it with K’un’lun. If you would like to visit your ancestors and pay homage, I can send you there.”

Little White’s golden eyes got very wide, indeed, and the Moon Phoenix Moth was suddenly fluttering like a hummingbird, everywhere around us in the same second.

“Reynard.” There was a popping as the Celestial Winged Fox hopped out of nowhere and landed gracefully next to me, instantly lighting up the whole area with his shimmery hide, displayed wings... and eight Tails, despite not being in his much-larger true form.

The Moth and the White Tiger both calmed down immediately. Reynard’s Bloodline was in no way worse than theirs as a Many-Tailed Fox, and his wings and horns clearly indicated something transcendent beyond that.

“Reynard, this pair would like to pay homage to their ancestors. Could you lead them there?” I asked him calmly.

-Of course! What better guide could Healer Fae get?- he replied telepathically, head held high. He waved a golden wing, and a Portal to a misty valley beyond opened behind us. -Follow me!- he announced, and hopped on through lightly.

Little White spared a glance for Xuehua, who nodded, and he bounded on after Reynard, the Moon Phoenix Moth fluttering through excitedly.

“Thank you. That was very considerate of you,” Xuehua said to me. “They were coming to pay respects to the Envoy of the Beast Emperors. They did not expect such an honor.”

“It is nothing, and Reynard gets an audience to regale with his latest escapades. He will bring them back when they are done.” I waved it off as nothing, which it totally was. I tilted my head, and snapped my fingers.

The Mighty Turk materialized behind me, and promptly bounced through the Portal after the other three Beasts, hooting and shaking his great golden Stick in delight as the two Chinese stared after the Golden Imperial Marmoset Duke, off to visit his Great Ancestor, too.

“Was that a Monkey King?” Fuxian asked in somewhat boyish amazement as the opening collapsed into nothingness.

“That was Reynard’s favorite groom, the Mighty Turk. He could not have his Fox visiting The Monkey King without looking his best now, could he?” I asked rhetorically, and turned up my hands helplessly. They both laughed, and Xuehua waved us to our seats.

I didn’t need to eat or drink, so the drinks and refreshments there were simple, there to show the skill of the chef and taste well more than to look good.

“Fuxian here was asking how Dark Mana was dangerous as we walked here,” I continued our earlier conversation. “The answer to that is ‘I don’t know’, because the threshold where something will happen with it is up to the Realm Lords. I do know that eventually enough Dark Mana will allow random openings to the Netherworlds to form at places of death and darkness, which will rapidly lead to all-out fighting with the Nether World, but we do not have that long.

“Dark Mana is, in the end, the energy of Death. There are no beneficial long-term effects of Dark Mana, and the many deleterious effects upon the environment and people exposed to it long-term I do not think I need to relate to either of you,” I told them both, and they both nodded. “I can still sense the reverberations of the amount of Dark Mana released in the battle you had here not so long ago. It still has not fully dispersed into its surroundings.”

Xuehua was quick to lean forwards. “Due to the actions of some corrupt factions in our country, Coralost no longer sells directly to China, and few nations care to resell your Braziers, save at very high mark-ups. We were wondering if you would be willing to sell us some of them.”

I inclined my head. “Yes,” I said simply, looking at her White Aura with approval. “We can sell you as many as you like. You can either take the generic braziers we send on to you, or you can have some made yourselves out of whatever material and style you prefer, and we can ignite them.”

The two of them looked at one another, surprised at the ease of that. “How... much will this cost?” Mu Fuxian asked carefully.

“I assume you came prepared to deal with us, so you have a list of goods for potential trade, and a wishlist of things you wish to purchase. I do not sign our trade agreements, but I know the value of everything and we do not cheat those we trade with.

“My temperament is not one for haggling. I will set a fair price and stand by it. Lay your cards on the table; show me what you have, and what you desire, and I will give you a fairly accurate pricepoint.”

“How... will you arrange the trades?” Fuxian asked quickly, his brow furrowing. “Shipping is all but non-existent. Are your... Portals capable of handling a large amount of trade?”

“It would be a very, very good idea for you not to pass on my next words.” They both instantly held their breath. “Yes. Our Portals are fully capable of sustaining any amount of trade you care to make with us.”

The two of them looked at one another, both of them instantly realizing that they had stumbled onto a literal gold mine. Being the middleman for unlimited amounts of goods was a license to print money!

“We are well aware of the benefits to you and your people, do not think we aren’t,” I smiled slightly. “However, we are not the kind to gouge those we work with, either. Our partnerships are true partnerships, not feverish alliances to find weakness in the other. They will, however, require some investment on your part.”