“Prince, everything about this new world might just be fake, we can’t trust the information entirely. I did some investigation and found that the rumors originated from the Evernight side or people closely related to them,” said the aide.
Zhang Boqian nodded. “Finding out this much in a short time, you’ve actually improved. Although news of the new world came from the dark races, it’s definitely not fabricated. I’ve been going into a trance these days, sensing an enormous world somewhere.”
This was a peak expert’s awareness of the grand origins, the same reason why the Evernight powerhouses were able to confirm this matter. What they had added while spreading the news, however, was unknown.
The aide’s doubt turned into joy. “Prince, did you break through again?”
“How can it be that easy? I just opened up some possibilities. If I can go and take a look at the new world, I might be able to take a step forward.”
“What can I do for you? I won’t hesitate even if I have to go through raging waters or tread on fire!”
“We just need to wait and see. What I fear…”
“What is that?”
Zhang Boqian hesitated for a moment. “I fear the dark races will use this as bait, tricking people from our side to do certain things in the name of the greater good.”
“We must take precautions. Rest assured, I’ll let you know once there’s any movement in the Empire.”
Zhang Boqian nodded. “Pay attention to the neutral lands.”
“Is it because of Qianye?”
“He’s only part of the reason. The neutral lands is a special place. It is not without reason that the Void Valley Star fell there. That place might be the weakest point in our world, so it makes sense that the path to the new world will appear in the neutral lands.”
“I understand. Please rest assured, I’ve already finished setting up channels there. We’ll receive every little bit of news.”
After ordering the aide to withdraw, Zhang Boqian stepped onto the roof of the vessel and into the void. He walked through the nothingness as though it were flat land, as though he were strolling through his back yard, vanishing into the depths of the void in mere moments.
…
A small boat was drifting through the void.
Like a willow leaf, it was so small that it looked like a fishing boat in a river. It just didn’t look like it could remain intact in the void.
There was an old man on this boat, fishing with a rod in his hand.
Zhang Boqian’s figure arrived behind the old man in just a few steps. He glanced at the rod, saying, “Which big fish did you want to catch?”
The old man replied, “Just seeing which fish would take the bait.”
It was weird because the fishing rod was slightly bent, with the string stretching into the depths of the void. It looked as though he had hooked something.
Zhang Boqian said calmly, “Some of the fish are too big, and catching them might not be a good thing. Your skills, on the other hand, have improved quite a bit.”
Zhang Boqian had noticed the moment he stepped onto the boat that this was just an ordinary vessel. There really was nothing special about it, and even the wood was civilian-grade. The only reason it could exist in the void was because of the old man. This didn’t seem like a great feat, but to fish here for several days like this would take an ability on par with Zhang Boqian’s void traversal.
Such shocking ability meant that this was naturally the number one expert of the Empire, the Pointer Monarch.
The man smiled. “Just an insignificant trick referenced from you and the Black-Wing inheritance. The older one gets, the more afraid of death one becomes, so I ended up inventing this.”
Zhang Boqian sensed the origin power fluctuations on the boat with a serious expression. He bowed a while later, saying, “Thank you for the pointers.”
“It’s not worth mentioning.”
The Pointer Monarch did nothing to hide the origin power flow of the boat. With Zhang Boqian’s ability, he could naturally understand all the workings of the power. This was akin to the monarch teaching Zhang Boqian the secret art, allowing him to comprehend everything after just a while.
This secret art could—for an extremely small cost—keep things afloat in the void or have them advance at a slow pace. It wasn’t as fast as void traversal, but it could last much longer and the consumption was low, a perfect complement to the former.
The Pointer Monarch sighed. “Even the addition of my secret art can’t compare to Spatial Flash. It’s quite a pity, that Black-Wing.”
“What’s there to pity? Our race will have one more enemy to face if he were alive.”
“Black-Wing held no enmity for our race in the beginning. He later changed because of those greedy and insatiable lowlifes. We’re actually the one at fault.”
“Not being hostile in the beginning doesn’t mean he won’t be hostile in the future. His descendants will be on the battlefield sooner or later, and they’ll inevitably die to human hands. That is how vendettas form between factions, races, and even families.”
The Pointer Monarch sighed but didn’t retort.
“Well, you managed to hook this small fish, what else are you fishing for?”
“A live fish.”
While speaking, the fishing rod moved all of a sudden. The Pointer Monarch swung the rod backward, pulling out a flailing fish.
He casually assembled a pot and rack, under which he lit the flames with a flick of his fingers. He then tossed the fish into the pot, which was somehow filled with enough boiling water to cook the fish.
The Pointer Monarch fished out a bottle of wine, poured half for himself, and tossed the remainder to Zhang Boqian.
The latter didn’t hold back, either, and took a deep swig. “White fruit wine?”
“It doesn’t taste great, but the effects are great. This is a present from our little Tianqing.” At the mention of Ji Tianqing, the monarch’s eyes almost disappeared from smiling.
“Then I won’t hold back.” Zhang Boqian emptied the bottle in one go before reaching down to scoop the fish out. Just like that, the two men dug into the food without any utensils and soon finished the entire fish. Zhang Boqian even drank the soup up.
Having had his fill of food and drink, Zhang Boqian sighed. “Good wine, good fish!”
“I waited three entire days to catch a fish from between that Eastern Sea bastard’s hands. How can it not taste good?”
Zhang Boqian closed his eyes to cultivate for a while. A flash of lightning flickered through his eyes when he finally opened them. “So it comes from the Eastern Sea. You really do have some tricks!”
The Pointer Monarch smiled. “I’m old. My cultivation won’t progress, so I have to learn some tricks to pass the time.”
“I ate your fish, drank your wine, and received some pointers. Just tell me if there’s anything you want me to do. Do you want me to take care of Tianqing, or that little fellow who received half your inheritance?”
The Pointer Monarch said, “I was a hothead like you when I was young, but I’ve become quite fearful and talkative now that I’m old. What do you make of those people from the military?”
Zhang Boqian said, “I’ll kill whoever interferes with my business!”
“Is that all? Those people are getting more and more excessive.”
“Someone is shielding them from above. Naturally, they’re not afraid.”
The Pointer Monarch sighed. “The Longevity Monarch is two generations my senior. I really have no idea whether I should hope he lives on, or if I should wish him dead.”
“That’s your Ji family’s business, I don’t think I need to interfere.”
“Of course not. I called you here because I wanted to ask you for two favors.”
“Pray tell.”
“The first one is about Tianqing and her child. I hope you’ll take care of them when needed.”
“Naturally.”
“Secondly, I want you to go meet someone with me, or should I say intercept them, so that they can’t reach the neutral lands.”
Zhang Boqian was curious. “If it’s just a single person, there’s really no one you can’t stop.”
“This person has a supreme supporting him, they might attack from afar at the critical juncture.”
Zhang Boqian frowned. “Even so, that’s nothing you can’t handle alone.”
The Pointer Monarch laughed. “I’m old, and I’m afraid of dying. I’ll feel more at ease with you around.”
“Fine, when do we go?” Zhang Boqian stopped asking.
“Since you’ve agreed, let’s go now.” The Pointer Monarch put away his fishing rod and drove his boat into the depths of the void.
Zhang Boqian stood at the front of the boat. “I thought you would ask me to take care of that boy in the Eastern Sea.”
The Pointer Monarch slapped his forehead. “Oh my! How could I have forgotten? Thanks for reminding me. Let’s add him into the deal as well, consider it three favors!”
“…”
The boat sped off in a flash.
Atop the Martyr’s Palace, Qianye slowly opened his eyes. This cultivation session lasted an entire month. The month-long tempering had once again pushed his cultivation forward—his eighth origin node was now full and shrouded in faint mist.
Qianye sighed. “This is much slower than in the Great Maelstrom.”
Zhuji was curled up like a ball beside him, snoring loudly as she slept. Her clothes were now a little tight as she had grown quite a bit during this month’s time. Now, she looked just like a thirteen-year-old child and was gradually turning into a young lady.
Although Qianye had been cultivating for the entire month, his perception had been linked to the Martyr’s Palace and knew everything that was going on inside. At this point, the installation of the main cannons had been completed. Combined with the smaller artillery pieces, the Martyr’s Palace now boasted firepower equal to seven cruisers—and that was without the Landsinker.
Additionally, the Martyr’s Palace was so big that Qianye had installed all the main cannons on one side. That would allow the warship to unleash its maximum firepower potential in battle. As for one side being empty, the void colossus’ body was so much more flexible than man-made airships.
Warships circling over to the other side will find, to their dismay, that the cannons would turn over with a flip of the Earth Dragon’s body.
They were most lacking in cannoneers at the moment, those capable of operating powerful main cannons.
The newly installed engines were undergoing their final calibrations. Qianye drove the Martyr’s Palace to the Eastern Sea, stopped just outside of the continent, and flew down toward Southern Blue.
One month had passed, and Qianye’s desk at the headquarters was now piled full of documents that required his attention. He felt a headache as he glanced at the pile of paper but ultimately went through them one after the other. Only when he had cleared away all the work did he see Song Zining’s letter.
Qianye’s expression turned serious after reading the letter. “Duchess An has passed and Zining is going back to the clan? Is he going to fight for the clan lord position?”
Song Zining had only sent him an ordinary letter regarding such important news. That was why Dark Flame had placed the correspondence on his table, along with other official documents. The manner in which the letter was sent proved certain things, but nonetheless, Qianye couldn’t help but pace about restlessly.
He read the letter again from head to toe, combing through the uniquely ordered font. Finally, he slammed the letter onto the table and summoned Manager Song.
Qianye went right to the point. “Do you think Zining will fight for the clan lord position?”
The manager said, “There’s no way people like us can know about something that important, unless the seventh young master announces it himself. All he instructed me to do was hand you the letter.”
Qianye nodded. “Prepare a channel into the Empire for me. I’m heading to the Song clan.”
The manager was shocked. “You…”
“Whether or not Zining wants the clan lord position, I can’t allow him to be disadvantaged in a fight.” Qianye’s calm words contained a hint of killing intent.
