Kong won't wake up for some years yet and Shen is sitting on his ass doing who knows what. How exactly are they supposed to prevent the Empire's collapse? Kong was free to say that because his life doesn't actually depend on maintaining the Empire's governance. We're not so fortunate.
Not to mention that setting the goals of 'killing the Heroine' and 'helping the Empire' in opposition and being the hard man making the hard decisions risks us gettting blindsided by the Empire's collapse while we're looking for her.
I mean in grans scheme of thing the beast is just reality forming and grand sophism.
The council of elder can deal with reality forming beast just fine and like I said people will be dying because we don't take action.
Grand sophism maybe need group of grand sophism elder to deal with.
About why Empire will survive...because as long as Yong Shen still alive then no beast can destroy Yong directional province of the empire ,Same go for Kong territory.
The age end when empire that define that age is collapse and winter labyrinth is design to do that.
Directional governance like Yong or Kong territory,Center of Emperor.
You need to wipe institution of the Empire to do that.
Emperor can replace,Yong and Kong not.
That why the word " Yong and Kong survive,the empire will survive"
Do you think the fate can kill Kong in this event and made the Empire collapse?
If you believe that then I don't have anything to argue against here.
Grand sophism beast can not threaten the empire.
And if one of the sect kill the emperor then "The Emperor is dead,Long Live the Emperor".