Chapter 106: Preparing for Battle

Thus, the group’s interest in the enigmatic engine was largely exhausted. Although they had yet to fully comprehend its capabilities, the most crucial component was, in fact, the respiratory organ of a void creature. Even if they mastered the technology of the engine, where would they find such a void creature? If this organ did not come from a mere void creature, but rather a void beast, then even finding one would be akin to courting death.

Qian Ye returned to his small courtyard and quickly packed his belongings before rushing to the armory, handing a long list to the quartermaster. In one go, Qian Ye replenished enough ammunition, supplies, and provisions for a major campaign. The upcoming battle might well be the most arduous one since he arrived in the Neutral Lands.

After everything was prepared, Qian Ye bid farewell to Song Zining.

This expedition aimed to clear out the surrounding hostile forces, but more importantly, to signal to Eaden and any possible Eternal Night mobile force that Qian Ye had re-entered the wilderness. The mysterious Qian Ye held immense deterrent power, sufficient to dissuade any Eternal Night force from acting rashly, especially without adequate protection. Just as Eaden had tormented the imperial clans in the Misty Forest, Qian Ye was almost an unsolvable enigma there. Even with Eaden bogged down, the losses inflicted by Qian Ye were still significant. Without Eaden, the Eternal Night forces might have been expelled from the Misty Forest.

Though the wilderness of the Neutral Lands was not as oppressive on perception as the Misty Forest, the frequent void currents and storms obstructed it to varying degrees. A hunter, whether from the Empire or the Eternal Night, could easily lose track of their prey in these wilds.

Once Qian Ye entered the wilderness, Eaden would undoubtedly focus on countering him. If Eaden continued to act recklessly, he might give Qian Ye an opportunity to strike during his moment of action.

In the Misty Forest, Qian Ye had gained a clear advantage. It remained to be seen how this confrontation in the Neutral Lands’ wilderness would unfold.

The current advantage lay in Nan Qingcheng, Li Kuanglan, and Ji Tianqing holding the fort, with Song Zining always on high alert. In the sky, three floating ships, each belonging to one of them, were hidden somewhere, and the Ancestral Temple loomed in the void. If the demon kin were to attack unknowingly, they would likely face a crushing defeat.

“Do your best to protect the trade routes to Guanlan City, and don’t give those families any excuse to delay,” Song Zining requested.

“No problem.”

“Wait a moment.” Song Zining stopped Qian Ye.

With a smile, Qian Ye said, “What other requirements do you have? Let’s get them all out at once.”

Song Zining’s face showed an unusual seriousness, tinged with a hint of unease. He twisted the folding fan in his hand, hesitating for a long time before slowly saying, “I’m sorry.”

“Why say that?” Qian Ye was puzzled.

Taking a deep breath, Song Zining said, “This battle is different from the previous ones. You should know how dangerous it can be.”

“Dangerous? Eaden? I feel that the Wolf King is more dangerous.”

Shaking his head, Song Zining replied, “The Wolf King is just a proud and arrogant individual, thinking only of himself. Once we teach him a lesson, he will become cautious and wary, never daring to fight us again. That is the weakness of a lone wolf—he cannot afford to be hurt. As long as he is cautious, I can deal with him. Eaden is different. This time, he is clearly the vanguard, and behind him, there might be more than just one noble family of the demon kin.”

“What are you trying to say?”

Grasping Qian Ye’s shoulder, Song Zining said gravely, “Be prepared. You might be facing an entire army of the Eternal Night, including vampires, werewolves, and arachnids.”

“And what else?”

“I hope… you won’t encounter a duke.”

Startled, Qian Ye asked, “Are you joking?”

“Of course not. Do I look like I’m joking?”

“You do. Both of us know how important a duke is to the Eternal Night. Coming to the Neutral Lands increases the likelihood of their downfall. Moreover, when a true duke arrives, they will first need to adapt to the environment, which will greatly reduce their combat effectiveness.”

Remaining serious, Song Zining tightened his grip, “That’s the general case! In reality, there is reason to believe that the Eternal Night might send a duke, perhaps even more than one!”

“What reason?”

Song Zining hesitated, forcing a smile, “I can’t say yet. This place might already be under the watchful eyes of important figures. If I speak, someone might find out. In any case, be extremely cautious. Don’t let any trivial goals distract you. Your only task is to survive. I’ll do everything possible to arm the Ancestral Temple, hoping it’s not too late.”

“You always say half of what you mean. You’ll end up without friends,” Qian Ye remarked.

“As long as I have my brother, that’s enough.”

“Brother? I think women are more important to you.”

“Qian Ye! You’re not usually this talkative.”

Qian Ye shrugged, “I learned it from you.”

Shaking his head, Song Zining said, “I’m serious. I have a very bad feeling, and I hope you understand. Also, because of Kuanglan and Tianqing’s special identities, I can’t let them join you this time. They must be safe, at least not because of us. This time, you are alone.”

Qian Ye replied, “I’m not alone. I have you.”

Song Zining seemed to want to say something but only sighed deeply.

“Alright, stop being so dramatic. I’m leaving.” Qian Ye pushed open the door and vanished into the distance.

The wilderness remained as desolate and harsh as ever, with endless yellow sand and razor-sharp winds. The sporadic void currents induced a sense of heart palpitation and weariness. Excessive exposure to void energy was unbearable even for ordinary cultivators.

Alone in the wilderness, Qian Ye saw no one around. Removing his gloves, he felt a slight sting on his skin. This was the sensation of void energy piercing his flesh, its violent nature gradually eroding life. Only exceptionally strong bodies or those protected by elemental energy could avoid harm. This was why, even among cultivators, those in the Neutral Lands, if their cultivation wasn’t sufficient, had a much shorter lifespan compared to those in the Empire and the Eternal Night.

But with a physique like Qian Ye’s, void energy was no longer harmful but beneficial. Strands of void energy fell upon him, mostly absorbed by his body.

Narrowing his eyes, Qian Ye surveyed the wilderness. This land was both familiar and alien. Beyond his normal vision, the perceived world often distorted. This was due to the influence of void energy. Gazing far into the distance, he released his perception to its maximum, attempting to find its limits.

Since his opponent was Eaden, no amount of preparation was too much.

Continuously extending his perception beyond its limits, he gradually discerned a hazy boundary. Eaden’s figure appeared in this illusory world, holding a sniper rifle, aiming at Qian Ye, and pulling the trigger steadily.

A bullet wrapped in dark magic energy shot forth, striking Qian Ye right between the eyes!

His body trembled, and he opened his eyes, the illusion vanishing. That Eaden was a reenactment of a previous assassination attempt outside Guanlan City. The distance between Eaden and Qian Ye was the same as the previous ambush. This position was still quite a distance from the edge of Qian Ye’s visual range.

Slightly relieved, Qian Ye thought that perhaps Eaden wasn’t attacking from the maximum range, but he still maintained the advantage of sight. The Neutral Lands differed from the Misty Forest; the visual range here exceeded the sniper rifle’s effective range. Therefore, the benefits weren’t as pronounced as in the Misty Forest. However, in a battle against Eaden, even the slightest advantage mattered.

Closing his eyes, Qian Ye repeatedly replayed the moment he received Eaden’s shot. The shot, even through the East Peak, had injured Qian Ye. But he had managed to block it without preparation. To hit Qian Ye, Eaden would need to close the distance, which was advantageous for Qian Ye.

In his mind, Qian Ye focused on the bullet enveloped in dark flames, piercing his forehead, disappearing, and reappearing to fly again.

Through repeated recollections, Qian Ye gradually grasped the true power of Eaden’s shot. Though incredibly powerful, it was Eaden’s well-prepared, long-stored strike, possibly enhanced with numerous abilities. If Eaden could have fired such a powerful shot in the Misty Forest, the outcome might have been different.

From this shot, it was clear that Eaden had fully unleashed the power of the Dark Hymn. Additionally, he must have had some extraordinary encounters, elevating his magic to the level of a marquis, at least a Count of Cadre.

During the Floating Land War, the Empire had collected detailed intelligence about Eaden, including data on the Dark Hymn. But this shot suggested the Dark Hymn was even more powerful than the records. Perhaps the previous Eaden had not fully harnessed its power.

Qian Ye’s Heartburial was superior in both power and ability, but a single shot could drain him, leaving him weak. Eaden, using the Dark Hymn, had at least three shots, making them evenly matched in terms of sniper rifles.

At this point, the analysis and preparation for Eaden were complete. More detailed information would only come from a real confrontation. Despite Eaden’s previous injuries from Ji Tianqing and Li Kuanglan, he was likely back in action. The timing of his next move, however, remained uncertain.

Opening his eyes slightly, Qian Ye extended his perception to the maximum, carefully observing the surroundings. Song Zining’s thoughts were one thing, but Qian Ye knew the key was to locate the potentially hidden demon kin mobile force in the wilderness.