Chapter 31: The Tempestuous Wave

At the other end of the “Sleep of the Behemoth,” the empire’s strong warriors were also descending one by one. In the farthest corner, Xu Lang, dressed in his battle attire, checked his equipment for the last time. This was his second descent, and he appeared much more composed compared to the others. He then took out a piece of paper from his coat pocket and slowly unfolded it.

It was a list of names, with Zhao Jundu at the top, followed by Qian Ye, and most of the rest were well-known prodigies of the empire. These were the elite members of the empire who had already entered the “Sleep of the Behemoth.” Xu Lang’s gaze swept over the names from bottom to top, and a flame of combat intent gradually ignited in his eyes.

He crumpled the paper into a ball and walked to the edge of the cliff. With a leap, he disappeared into the thick mist.

In the Imperial Capital of the Qin Land, within the chambers of the Empress, it was just the beginning of the evening.

Maidens filed in, lighting the massive candles one by one. The flickering candlelight illuminated the opulent and dreamlike hall, making it seem like a fairyland.

Behind a curtain of glass beads, a woman reclined on a luxurious bed. Her raven hair, left unbound, cascaded like a silk ribbon over her left shoulder, nearly touching the ground.

She was a sight to behold, and no matter how splendid the decorations around her, none could overshadow her radiance. Yet, her face, beautiful beyond compare, bore a faint cloud of sorrow, and her eyes held a shimmering depth that seemed to hide a deep, unspoken grief.

On her lap lay a large, snow-white cat, its golden eyes rolling as they followed the bustling maids and eunuchs.

The cat’s fur was as white as snow, but the woman’s hands were even paler, her long, mesmerizing fingers gently stroking the cat, creating an almost irresistible urge to scratch.

Her eyes were downcast, focusing solely on the cat on her lap, as if nothing else in the world could distract her.

The cat stretched and nuzzled her hand, then closed its eyes in contentment.

Candelabras, disguised as various ornamental pieces, were placed in every corner of the chamber. The eunuchs and maids spent a long time lighting them all, and the entire process was carried out in utter silence. So quiet that when the cat meowed, it sounded incredibly loud.

Everyone knew that this ethereal beauty cherished silence and detested noise. No one questioned the extravagance and intricate rules of the Empress’s chambers, for she was the Queen, the sovereign of the Great Qin Empire’s harem.

As the sky darkened, the chamber was bathed in a radiant light, as bright as day. The ancient lighting design was so exquisite that not a single shadow could be found in the room.

This was also her heartache: she couldn’t bear the dark.

At that moment, soft footsteps sounded outside the chamber. An elderly eunuch, moving as if gliding on water, approached the curtain and, in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s buzz, said, “Your Majesty, Mr. Yan requests an audience.”

Empress Li finally raised her head and looked at the eunuch through the curtain. “Is it only Mr. Yan?”

The eunuch instantly broke out in a cold sweat, falling to his knees and trembling. “Y-Your Majesty, Prince Kuanglan is here as well. Your loyal servant did not intend to deceive you; it was Prince Kuanglan who threatened to cut off my head if I revealed his presence!”

Empress Li chuckled softly. “Then do you not fear that I will cut off your head?”

The eunuch immediately kowtowed, saying desperately, “Your servant is loyal and dedicated, and Your Majesty is kind-hearted and would not take my life.”

Empress Li laughed. “You, loyal and dedicated? Go now, and bring them both in.”

Moments later, Mr. Yan and a young man entered the chamber. Normally calm and unperturbed, Mr. Yan, however, looked uncomfortable and awkward, avoiding Empress Li’s gaze.

Ignoring the young man, Empress Li gazed at Mr. Yan, asking softly, “Mr. Yan, it is late. What urgent matter brings you here?”

At this, Mr. Yan stammered, unable to speak.

The young man beside him, however, laughed. “I forced him to bring me. It’s not his fault; he dare not disobey me.”

As he spoke, all the light in the chamber seemed to gather on him. He was tall, even taller than Mr. Yan, with long limbs and slender fingers.

His face was exquisitely handsome, almost bewitching, especially his captivating eyes, which bore a striking resemblance to Empress Li’s. However, while hers were shrouded in a mist of melancholy, his were sharp and piercing, filled with a keen, sword-like spirit.

In terms of appearance, this young man could rival Zhao Jundu. But while Zhao Jundu was noble and majestic, with the grandeur of nature, this young man was a seductive and alluring creature that could sway the hearts of countless beings.

Empress Li frowned, displeased. “A-Lan, have you threatened his family again? Mr. Yan is very important to me. Haven’t I told you before not to act recklessly with such people? Now, even my words are disregarded?”

Mr. Yan’s face showed both gratitude and shame.

Li Kuanglan, unfazed, flashed a smile that outshone the candles. “What’s the big deal? I just scared him. I wouldn’t actually do it. Sister, I know my limits. If he didn’t cooperate, it wouldn’t be my fault.”

Empress Li sighed, somewhat resigned. “Since you’re here, tell me, what do you want? Let me warn you, if it’s about the Evernight Continent, forget it.”

The young man laughed. “Sister, I’m going to the Sleep of the Behemoth.”

Empress Li seemed to have a headache, rubbing her temples. “Why go there? It’s a battlefield, a place of great peril. Lin Xitian was bedridden after his divination, and even the Emperor opened the royal pharmacy to provide him with medicine. Do you think your meager skills can let you roam freely there?”

“Ha, the art of divination is ultimately a shortcut. Good fortune and misfortune can be turned by strength. Marshal Boqian once said, ‘The path of the great lies straight ahead.’ I, Li Kuanglan, find these eight words particularly appealing. Moreover, at this crucial moment, the mighty Tang Li should also take action. Otherwise, the world might think that the only heroes in our great empire are Zhao Jundu and Song Zining.”

Empress Li remained silent, finally asking, “What does Mr. Yan think?”

Mr. Yan smiled bitterly. “Even if Your Majesty forbids it, Prince Kuanglan will still go. It would be better to give him the sword, increasing his chances of success.”

Empress Li sighed. “The ancient essence, I should have a share. A-Lan, why must you be so stubborn?”

Li Kuanglan’s seductive eyes gleamed with sharpness. “A share is only one part. Seizing it myself will give me more, and it will be more satisfying.”

In the depths of the Sleep of the Behemoth, in the Evernight Continent.

With his extraordinary vision, Qian Ye saw the true form of the distant stone forest and peaks. The vertebrae of the unknown beast were so enormous that each segment reached the sky, towering over the stone pillars, and were mistaken for the peaks.

Qian Ye drew a sharp breath. If a single segment was this massive, how enormous must the beast have been in life?

At that size, it could only exist in the void. Stepping onto the continent, it would likely crack the earth and tear the void, causing a catastrophic leak of primal energy.

Staring at the stone forest, Qian Ye suddenly saw a flash of light, a fragment of the ancient essence he had seen before!

Perhaps due to the proximity, he could now sense a faint aura of the ancient essence. Just this hint of aura made Qian Ye’s primal energy fluctuate, as if revealing a glimpse of the secrets of the universe.

Taking a deep breath, Qian Ye suppressed his astonishment. If just a hint of the aura was so powerful, what would happen if he obtained the fragment? No wonder the complete ancient essence was sought after even by the Sky Ghosts.

Suddenly, a fire lit up in the distant sky, and a meteor fell to the ground. As it landed, a powerful aura erupted, quickly weakening and vanishing from Qian Ye’s perception. In the distance, a pillar of fire rose and then dissipated.

This was likely a powerful figure from the Evernight side entering the realm, but their luck and strength were insufficient. They could not withstand the pressure of the behemoth’s will and the impact of the fall, and perished after exhausting their final primal energy.

From the burning golden blood, this was at least a Marquis-level power, a being who could command a fiefdom in the vast darkness. Yet, he met his end here, without even reaching the ancient essence.

Qian Ye gained a new appreciation for the dangers of this realm.

Thinking about this, Qian Ye looked up at the sky. Above him was a deep, starry expanse, and in the distance, he saw several large shadows moving slowly.

This was not an isolated space but a floating land in the void, like the twenty-seven continents. Could it be that his leap had taken him directly through the Sleep of the Behemoth to this place?

Recalling his journey through the mist, he found no answers and decided to observe his surroundings. From here on, the information gathered by both sides was useless, and he would need to explore on his own.

Activating his True Vision, he scanned the area, confirming that the sky above was not an illusion. This was indeed a piece of land in the void. Based on the shape of the asteroid belt in his field of vision, he deduced that it was not a continent but a large island.

In the void, there were countless such fragmented lands, most of which were too small to support life. However, this land, perhaps due to the presence of the behemoth’s will, had plants and beasts. The will, omnipresent, attacked every intelligent life on the land, making survival here a daunting task.

The dark Marquis who had just perished proved that, in the presence of the behemoth, the so-called strong ones from both sides were mere jokes. Even a remnant of the will could easily eliminate a Marquis.

Since a dark Marquis had entered, others would follow, and someone might already be exploring the stone forest. Qian Ye wasted no more time and hastened his pace, heading forward.