The Empire’s ennoblement system is rigidly structured. Titles below the rank of Baron, though available for purchase through military contributions, are nominal and lack actual fiefs or inheritance rights. Any title related to land, even at the level of a Viscount, is subject to stringent regulations regarding bestowal, succession, and exercise of authority.
Particularly, the title of Marquess of the Frontier, which is hereditary and non-diminishing, carries profound significance in every word. These titles are never carelessly granted. Each Marquess of the Frontier originally earned their title through territorial expansion, with the strict condition that any loss of their initial territory would result in demotion and reassignment of the title. Thus, Song Zining’s current request for the title, without specifying a particular region, hints at a rather ambitious scheme.
Song Zining intends to establish a new elite family with his own power. If Song Zining is so, then what about Qian Ye? Suddenly, Lan Xincheng had an idea, his heart skipping a beat: Could Qian Ye be aiming to claim a kingdom? The human race had established more than just the Great Qin Empire.
Lan Xincheng glanced at Qian Ye and Song Zining, feeling a chill. He immediately dismissed this thought, as it was not explicitly stated. Given the complex and sensitive nature of Qian Ye’s ties to various factions, and Lan Xincheng being a soldier rather than a politician, he wisely decided to remain cautious.
As for Song Zining’s three conditions, there were many intricate details to consider. Qian Ye had made it clear that he would not be under the Empire’s jurisdiction in the future, while Song Zining seemed to intend to remain within the Imperial system.
The Marquess of the Frontier holds a unique position. If Song Zining obtains this title, he will officially enter the upper echelons of the Empire, at least in terms of status and eligibility to partake in confidential matters. Additionally, during territorial expansion, a Marquess of the Frontier can almost unrestrictedly develop a private army and expand their territory, with the potential to seek support from the Imperial military when necessary.
Song Zining’s demand for this title is indeed astute. Though it may seem that the Empire offers no tangible benefits, if we consider it from another angle, when Song Zining makes this title substantive, it implies that the Empire will recognize his territorial gains. Even for the sake of its own face, the Imperial House would not easily allow other forces within the Empire to encroach upon Song Zining’s territories.
Thus, the value of the title is entirely dependent on Song Zining himself. The seventh young master, once considered the future military god of the Empire, has already demonstrated his capabilities through several miraculous victories on the Evernight Continent.
Upon realizing this, Lan Xincheng understood that Song Zining’s three conditions were interlinked, leaving little room for negotiation.
However, one point remained unclear: what did Song Zining need the escort ships for? These ships, though fast and agile, have significant drawbacks, such as weak defense and limited range, making them dependent on the fleet for operations. In long-range expeditions, escort ships are particularly constrained due to their poor endurance. Therefore, in space fleets, the main combatants are generally destroyers and above.
This is why, even with a major space battle looming, Lan Xincheng was confident in delivering the escort ships. In the decisive battle outside the floating continent, there was hardly any role for escort ships.
Nonetheless, since Song Zining insisted, Lan Xincheng viewed these as acceptable terms and readily agreed. As a high-ranking military official, Lan Xincheng had access to detailed records and thoroughly studied Qian Ye and Song Zining’s combat records. The series of near-impossible victories suggested that their true combat strength far exceeded their documented data.
With this in mind, Lan Xincheng gritted his teeth and agreed to all of Song Zining’s conditions. The next step was to handle the transfer of the warships, which would be managed by Fang Zhan and Darkflame. Lan Xincheng himself would rush back to the Empire to submit Song Zining’s request to participate in the war.
The following day, Song Zining selected a group of experienced mercenaries from the Darkflame Mercenary Corps to crew the ships. Qian Ye also dispatched a group of ship crew members and Gao Hu people from the Temple of Eternity, accompanying Fang Zhan to take over the warships.
As the airship carrying Fang Zhan ascended, Qian Ye suddenly asked Song Zining, “Are we really going to participate in this war?”
“Didn’t you make up your mind a long time ago?”
Qian Ye paused for a moment before saying, “I’m still hesitant. I’m not sure if this plan is really… General Lin’s work.”
“There’s no mistake. Such a meticulously calculated plan, taking into account all factors and balancing the various Imperial forces, could only be crafted by Commander Xitan. If it were Prince Qingyang, he would have long lost patience and challenged the dark power lords on the floating continent. Others might come up with similar plans, but none would have such a broad vision and perfect execution. This plan has a perfect balance of beauty. Yes, war is an art, and Teacher Zhang Jing was right.”
While Song Zining’s analysis was quite serious, his last sentence caused Qian Ye’s furrowed brows to ease slightly.
Looking at Qian Ye, Song Zining said solemnly, “You don’t have to participate in this war. You owe the Empire nothing; it’s the Empire that owes you. If you felt the need to make amends for anything in the Empire, you’ve already done so in the Great Vortex. You don’t know what your actions in the Great Vortex mean to the Empire.”
Qian Ye smiled faintly, “I don’t act out of a sense of obligation or compensation. I do what I think is right, or simply what I want to do.”
Song Zining remained silent.
“Will you join the war?” Qian Ye asked.
“Of course, I’ll join. The Marquess of the Frontier isn’t something you can easily get. I have to show my intentions. After the great era of territorial expansion, this rank, second only to a Duke, has hardly been bestowed. Even someone like General Lin, with the title of National Guardian, didn’t reach the same level.” Talking about this, Song Zining was quite enthusiastic.
Qian Ye shook his head, seeing Song Zining’s love for power and wealth, and the shadow that had been lingering on his face dissipated somewhat.
Song Zining continued, “Not to mention, if I command one of the routes, it should save many lives.”
Qian Ye nodded, “If that’s the case, why shouldn’t I join, too?”
Song Zining glanced at Qian Ye, then switched the topic, asking, “There’s a critical point here. Do you plan to have the Temple of Eternity join the war?”
Qian Ye replied, “The first battle is crucial, so we must use the Temple of Eternity. Now it has gradually become one with me, and it’s almost impossible for others to take it away.”
Song Zining’s brows slightly furrowed, then relaxed, saying, “Alright, let it reveal itself to the world. If we lose, it’s over. If we win, our contributions will prevent the Empire from forcibly taking your things. Moreover, even if someone tries, they won’t succeed. There are many in the Empire who are willing to help you now.”
Qian Ye found the last few words somewhat confusing. Of course, there were people in the Empire willing to help, but it depended on the situation and how. Anything involving major interests often had many complications. What was the point of discussing this now?
But Song Zining always spoke in riddles, and Qian Ye was too lazy to pursue it further.
With the decision to join the war, the focus of Darkflame shifted. Song Zining began recruiting ship crew and gunners throughout the Neutral Zone, while also continuing to attract experienced mercenaries. On the other hand, the Empire had left behind a large amount of weaponry and equipment, which Song Zining brought out to arm the Darkflame Mercenaries.
After securing the outpost on the other end of the floating continent, they would need to hold the ground, making the ground troops vital. The individual combat power of the Neutral Zone mercenaries was formidable, but they lacked the organizational structure and overall equipment compared to the dark races.
On the floating continent, both sides fielded elite units, and in individual combat, the mercenaries were not inferior. However, in terms of command, discipline, and tactical coordination, the mercenaries were no match for the untrained masses. If they met in the open, even with twice the numbers, the mercenaries would be easily defeated.
Song Zining needed to bridge the equipment gap and strengthen the mercenaries’ discipline and tactical skills. The latter had been trained before the assault on the City of Tide, and many veterans had survived. Song Zining used these veterans as the foundation to continuously expand and train the Darkflame Mercenaries around the clock.
Meanwhile, Qian Ye received a special task from Song Zining: to visit the Frost Thunder Temple.
Carol from the Frost Thunder Temple had a connection with Qian Ye, and her support had been crucial in several key battles. For this expedition, the greatest weakness of Darkflame was the lack of a divine general. Although Qian Ye was powerful enough to match a divine general, he was not one yet. A direct confrontation with a divine general would still be very dangerous.
Qian Ye had promised Carol that he would secure a fief for her. This upcoming war, pivotal to the Empire’s fate, provided the best opportunity. At the very least, with a cooperative deal, the Empire would not obstruct them in the future when claiming territories beyond. Otherwise, using the Empire’s usual tactics, even a small country could be worn down by proxy wars.
Given this relationship, Song Zining sent Qian Ye to visit the Frost Thunder Temple to persuade Carol to assist.
The Frost Thunder Temple was not just Carol. It was said that the strongest member was actually her brother, far surpassing Carol in power. If they could gain the support of the Frost Thunder Temple, it would ensure the safety of Nanqing City during their absence.
Qian Ye took off from the Darkflame headquarters, ascending into the clouds, and entered the Temple of Eternity, which was waiting in the void.
The vast body of the turtle ship slowly turned, its tail moving rhythmically, like a giant whale entering the water, heading into the depths of the void.
Half a day later, a silver-wrapped landmass appeared ahead of the turtle ship. This landmass was much smaller than the East Sea, barely maintaining its protective layer. Due to its tilted position towards the sun, the climate was harsh, covered entirely in ice and snow.
Qian Ye halted the Temple of Eternity above the icy land and leaped out, plummeting like a meteor towards the land.
The land was covered in ice and snow, with biting winds that felt like knives, and fist-sized snowballs whizzing past, hitting like stones. An ordinary person would not withstand it.
Through the wind and snow, Qian Ye saw a tall mountain in the center of the land, with steep cliffs and swirling gusts around its peaks.
He adjusted his body and rode the wind towards the mountain. According to legend, the mysterious and powerful Frost Thunder Temple should be atop the mountain.
The strong, icy wind propelled Qian Ye like a cannonball towards the mountain. Adjusting his stance mid-air, he spread his limbs and stuck to the cliff face like a spider.
A winding path covered in thick snow was nearby, almost invisible.
Qian Ye did not bother with the path and climbed directly up the cliff. The storms around the mountain were deadly to most, but to Qian Ye, with his ancient bloodline, they were insignificant. Like a long-limbed spider, he climbed swiftly, reaching the summit in moments.
At the summit, it was a different world.
There were no swirling snowballs, only ancient blue ice. Qian Ye stood on it, his reflection refracted multiple times by the ice columns, making it seem like there were a dozen of him.
It was a breathtakingly beautiful but bitterly cold world. Even Qian Ye felt a chill. The temperature at the summit was likely below minus 150 degrees, making even steel brittle and impossible for ordinary life to survive.
Occasionally, vibrant bands of light would streak across the sky, turning half the ice peak into a kaleidoscope. But these beautiful lights were extremely dangerous, formed by the thinning of space, capable of transforming into devastating spatial rifts without warning.
In the middle of this beautiful yet perilous ice peak, stood a temple of ice, its twelve towering pillars gleaming in the sunlight. The main body of the ice temple was nearly a hundred meters high, with a three-sided ice spire on top, exuding an ancient, sacred aura.
This was the Frost Thunder Temple.
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