According to the instruction manual, this was a top-secret project researched by the Imperial Military for over a decade. The resources poured into it were enough to sustain a province for three years and represented the pinnacle of the Empire’s achievements in force-driven warships. The engine appeared small, yet it alone was more than sufficient to power the highest-ranking floating battleship of the Empire.
However, what left Qian Ye and Carol speechless was that such a powerful engine required equally potent fuel. Astonishingly, the fuel it needed was none other than the blood of an earth dragon!
A single drop of earth dragon’s blood would spark fierce competition among many factions, and three drops could give Carol a chance to break through to the next level. Such a precious resource, used as fuel? Although the manual stated that a single drop of earth dragon’s blood could keep the engine running for three years, it was still unreasonable to use such a valuable treasure in this way. What kind of warship could possibly deserve such an engine?
Carol and Qian Ye both fell into deep thought. Old Wei would not be unaware of the value of earth dragon’s blood, and the Imperial Military was filled with talent; they wouldn’t do something foolish. The fact that they had spent so much time and resources to create this engine, specifying the use of earth dragon’s blood, and transported it to the Neutral Grounds, surely meant there was a significant benefit.
As Qian Ye continued to flip through the manual, a piece of paper suddenly slipped out, sketched with a simple drawing of a colossal beast, with a mark on its abdomen and accompanying notes. One note caught Qian Ye’s attention: “Engine exclusive for Valhalla, fuel should be sought in the homeland.”
Valhalla? Homeland?
Neither Qian Ye nor Carol knew what these codenames meant, but based on the manual and the illustration, Qian Ye suddenly thought of a possibility. Could it be that this engine was intended for the husk of the earth dragon? And Valhalla was the name of the earth dragon warship?
The more Qian Ye thought about it, the more he believed it. Carol, who did not inherit the will of the Pole Star King and was unaware of the earth dragon’s death, naturally did not think of this.
Regardless of where it was to be used, it was clear that the value of this engine far exceeded a few drops of earth dragon’s blood. So, the distribution became a significant issue. Carol, after all, was a divine general. If she turned against him, even if Qian Ye unleashed all his trump cards, they would only end up mutually annihilated. Neither Carol nor Qian Ye could accept such an outcome.
Gently stroking the engine, Carol said, “It seems that if we return this to the Empire, securing a fiefdom wouldn’t be a problem. I’m thinking of changing my mind. What should I do? Or maybe you can give me all the earth dragon’s blood?”
Qian Ye remained silent for a moment, then said, “This thing was originally unclaimed. But even eight drops of earth dragon’s blood might not match the value of this engine.”
Carol smiled faintly. “I’ll take your word for it. Alright, let me add one more thing: it’s not so easy to secure a fiefdom for me in the Empire. You may not know, but I have werewolf blood. If I go to the Empire, it won’t be hidden for long.”
“Half-blood?” Qian Ye felt a bit surprised.
It was well known that the dark races had stronger bloodlines than humans, and the result of mixed blood often produced dark race offspring or ended in miscarriage, with very few human-dominant descendants. The combination of dark races could produce more unpredictable results, occasionally leading to mixed offspring that surpassed their parents, but this was extremely rare.
If Carol hadn’t mentioned it, Qian Ye would never have guessed she had werewolf blood. Moreover, her ascension to a divine general indicated the strength of her human bloodline. This situation was almost unheard of in the Empire.
Carol nodded. “It was from my grandfather’s generation. Mixed blood is common in the Neutral Grounds, and almost no racial bloodlines here are pure.”
After further inquiry, Qian Ye learned that the Neutral Grounds was a melting pot of various races, resulting in numerous mixed-blood offspring between humans, vampires, and werewolves. Perhaps due to the chaotic original force, in mixed-blood cases, human bloodlines were not at a disadvantage, thus producing a large number of mixed-blood descendants.
However, the Empire’s ennoblement process required bloodline verification, and only pure humans could receive titles, to prevent infiltration by dark races. For most people, this check was just a formality, but for Carol, it would likely be a major obstacle if she wanted to secure a fiefdom and title. This changed the nature of the matter.
Qian Ye frowned, remaining silent. Carol said, “My previous proposal still stands. I’ll let you go this time, along with this engine, in exchange for a fiefdom.”
Qian Ye sighed, “But this must be an independent fiefdom.”
“Of course, it has to be independent. Otherwise, I could simply defect to the Empire, couldn’t I?”
Qian Ye took a deep breath and made up his mind. “Alright, I agree. But it will take time.”
Carol nodded, “Of course. But how long are you planning to make me wait? Ten years, twenty years, or even longer?”
After a moment’s thought, Qian Ye said, “Ten years.”
Carol whistled, “Not bad. I thought you’d make me wait thirty years. Seems like you’re pretty confident!”
She looked at Qian Ye meaningfully. Qian Ye was quite frank, saying, “I’m confident in myself, and I trust you too.”
Weighing the earth dragon’s blood, Carol said, “Three drops of earth dragon’s blood only give me a chance to advance to the next level.”
“The difference between Level 19 and Level 20 is the difference between a lower and middle-level divine general.”
Qian Ye’s words made Carol pause. “You can see that?”
Qian Ye nodded. Carol had the urge to ask more but restrained herself. Since Qian Ye didn’t want to elaborate, it was better to refrain from prying into such personal matters.
After a moment’s thought, Carol said, “I have some confidence in you now, but not enough. The strength of a divine general lies not only in their ability to harness the original force in a wide area but also in their crystallized force nodes, which allow them to materialize weapons. Most divine generals choose to materialize shields or armor. My specialty is the Mystic Thunder Shield. Attack it with your strongest move, and let me see your combat power.”
With that, Carol raised her hand and traced several marks in the air, each leaving a crystal of original force. Several crystals connected, forming a shield shimmering with lightning.
“Be careful, my thunder shield will release lightning to counterattack the attacker,” Carol warned.
Qian Ye had never seen a materialized weapon of a divine general before. During his encounter with the Imperial Military, he had escaped using Void Flash after deflecting a single attack. In the battle with Old Wei, Old Wei’s original force was already depleted, unable to materialize any weapons. Besides, Old Wei’s own strength was mediocre, with most of his abilities stemming from ancient scrolls and the Chapter of Saints.
With capable subordinates, Old Wei could be formidable, but when he fought Qian Ye, he was already a tiger without claws, with Carol watching closely, ultimately leading to his downfall.
Carol’s Mystic Thunder Shield now floated in front of her, semi-transparent like a phantom. When she advanced to a middle-level divine general, the shield would solidify, indistinguishable from a real weapon.
The shield was formed by Carol’s original force. To break it, one had to consider not only its defense but also the quality of Carol’s original force. If the original force’s rank was lower, breaking the shield would require more energy.
“Come, give it your all. I’ll control my power, so I won’t hurt you,” Carol said.
Qian Ye’s expression was calm. He summoned Dongyue and teleported to Carol’s side, striking with all his might, unleashing four consecutive slashes, each hitting the Mystic Thunder Shield!
A golden light surged into the sky, and Qian Ye stepped back three paces. In Carol’s stunned gaze, the Mystic Thunder Shield suddenly cracked, then shattered explosively!
“Watch out!” Carol never expected the Mystic Thunder Shield to be shattered in one blow. She lost control of the raging original force, watching helplessly as the fragments turned into thick bolts of lightning, striking Qian Ye fiercely!
Carol felt a chill. Knowing the shield’s counterstrike power, she flashed to Qian Ye’s side, ready to intervene.
As the lightning struck, Qian Ye’s face and body were scorched, covered in tiny electric sparks. However, he only took three steps back, steadied himself, and the golden light of his original force immediately extinguished the remaining sparks.
“You actually…” Carol could hardly finish her sentence.
This was a direct confrontation of original forces, and her Frost Thunder Force had been completely defeated by Qian Ye’s Dawnlight. Despite knowing the legendary power of Dawnlight, she still felt a pang of loss.
After extinguishing the sparks, Qian Ye shook, and his charred skin peeled off, quickly regenerating. Only the deepest wounds were still slowly healing. After recovering, he asked, “Well, do you have confidence now?”
Carol gave Qian Ye a deep look. “You’re truly a monster! The Empire letting someone like you go, I wonder what they were thinking.”
Qian Ye smiled. “The stronger I become, the more uneasy some people feel. No matter which side I’m on, it will always be this way.”
Carol shrugged. “I don’t care about politics. Alright, I think I can trust you.”
Qian Ye laughed bitterly. “Actually, I’m not that confident.”
Carol’s desired semi-independent fiefdom was similar to Zheng, nominally loyal to the Empire and paying symbolic tributes, but in reality, it was independent. Unlike noble families, the Empire did not include them in its territory. Historically, the establishment of small states like Zheng was the result of fierce competition, their foundations soaked in blood.
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