Qian Ye placed his hand upon the control engine, merging his consciousness with Valhalla. Following the method taught by King Zhiji, he gradually activated the power of the earth dragon’s heart. Valhalla began to tremble faintly, radiant lights floating across its skeletal surface. An endless stream of void power poured ceaselessly into him, whirling together into a mighty storm of essence.
Qing Yue was greatly surprised, gazing at Qian Ye’s back, her mind unreadable.
Qian Ye double-checked the coordinates, and Valhalla surged upward rapidly, climbing straight into the high skies, then vanishing in an instant with a flash—gone.
Shortly afterward, Valhalla dropped back from the void. Qian Ye stood at the rim and gazed beyond. They had arrived upon an unfamiliar land.
This landmass stood high. Before it was the sea; on both sides arose steep, lofty peaks, stretching boundlessly outward as a natural coastline. The place approximated a high plateau, and the distant mountains bore permanent snow. Powerful gales frequently whistled through the air. More strange still, upon the mountain peaks Qian Ye faintly spied delicate streams of undulating black mist drifting slowly and sinuously along the summits.
That was concentrated void power, so thick it appeared solidly dense.
Even from Qian Ye’s high vantage and with his extraordinary visibility, his vision spanned hundreds of kilometers. Thus, it was precisely because of such extraordinary perception that one could clearly discern void essence, even over such vast distances. From this distance, their density and depth suggested an abundance of void power beyond normal limits.
Surrounding such peaks where the essence gathered so densely led to an unstable space. At any time, it could give rise to violent surges, perhaps even a whirlpool-storm of void essence. Furthermore, a forcefield shrouding the land’s perimeter might disappear momentarily without notice, suddenly immersing all present in the open void. Except for a great heavenly monarch, there was almost no soul able to withstand exposure to pure void essence unaided.
Thus, this area became lethal even to travel within. Ordinary floating intercontinental ships would dare not enter nor approach. The hazardous alpine terrain and turbulent air above, laced with chaotic flows, formed a nearly impregnable barrier sealing all this land inside and shielding the unknown from discovery. Perhaps only a mightily void-competent being like King Zhiji possessed sufficient mastery in navigating through void to have ever reached this place.
Leaping upon the peak of Valhalla, Qian Ye surveyed all four directions, and found a vast expanse—an unbroken region spanning roughly a thousand kilometers in diameter in all directions. The land was without human presence, yet abounding life. High-mountain snow melted into brooks, then streams into rivers; several rivers merged into greater ones, which in turn flowed into three mighty thundering streams emptying powerfully into the Eastern Sea. Flowing rivers brought fertile lowlanders, emerald plains, flourishing meadows and dense woodlands, and a profusion of life.
In the central uplands lay scattered lakes and basins. Toward the coast nestled one green valley where lush, subtropical sceneries were more typical of the Empire’s southern reaches. Its hub held a crescent-shaped lake wreathed in misting vapor—a dream-world shimmering like paradise.
The region, immense as it was, was enough space and resource to contain three or even four imperial provinces. By any ambitious noble’s standard, this alone marked an ideal domain to build an influential family seat.
Uniqueness also lay in its rare void energy dynamics. Though nearby areas saw wildly excessive concentrations of essence because of the volatile and wild void currents around surrounding peaks, within this territory—miraculously—atmosheric essence dropped remarkably. Here, its thickness was merely slightly denser than inside imperial core territories, tolerable barely for average human survival.
As to those gifted cultivator elites? Those desiring to draw raw vital energy from air need never fear shortages—the surrounding heights remained saturated and dripping. But absorbing this form of energy demanded extreme bodily sturdiness, a physiological endurance that could be counted among the rare elite worldwide.
Under thousands to maybe ten thousand years of gradual, slow enrichment via ceaseless saturation of raw quintessence, those mineral mountains might contain nearly inexhaustible wealth. Blackstone certainly appeared in incalcuable tonnages, implying an accompanying wealth in crystallized forms more abundant than elsewhere.
If factoring both quintessence power and the raw elemental material riches combined, this land truly stood as a throne landfit an aspirant emperor.
Piloting Valhalla, Qian Ye neared the verdantly shimmering mist valley, slowly descending. As he stepped outside the arcane safety dome surrounding the ship, a wave of surprisingly balmy, fragrant, moist warmth swept around, offering comfort and calm unlike any sensation.
“Oh, how wonderful,” came Qing Yue, emerging behind him with equal delight.
This inner-valley’s ambient microclimate varied vastly compared nearby areas—signifcantly warmer and far more humid than typical alpine surroundings. Emerald meadows carpeted the valley floor. Just a bowshot beyond the lake spread a pleasant wood thriving upon gentle slopes—altogether picturesque.
Qian Ye waked close and dipped his hand into its lake waters—it surprised him by its warmth, signaling subterrene geothermal or perhaps magmatic veins flowing underfoot. Fish swam inside, white scaled and arm-size in breadth. With graceful yet plump contours, they promised succulent culinary delights if caught.
Life itself seemed blissfully peaceful there.
Not far from inland lay towering, jagged cliffs. Distinguishable here, these cliffs rose hundreds of meters sheer above sea level—all composed of near vertical, perpendicular faces. Roaring seawaves continuously thundered upward, hurling waterfalls and sprays nearly to summit’s edge with the explosive force of celestial drums.
Thus lay one-half: the gentle grace and poetry of Jiangnan. Upon the contrasting half loomed formidable oceanic abysses against cliffs—a perfect marriage of elegance and power—perhaps the most awe-inspiring spectacle in all lands below heaven.
Still handicapped somewhat following previous battles, Qing Yue only slightly agile beyond an average human woman; most of this survey relied on Qian Ye carrying through air at great speed, so after all travel she now felt groggy from the dizzying flight. However even with this, the terrain enchanted and moved her to exaltation beyond normal restraint.
As per King Zhiji’s recorded navigational data, the sea to Qian Ye’s direct front—the immense expanse upon approach—was the Eastern Sea. This landmass lay at the northeastern corner, an anomaly of geography. The King theorized this may originally have started as an isolated tectonic section colliding during impact with starfall fragments of void-fallen Xugu planet; crashing together with coastal crustal segments formed the unique, unified, massive landscape now.
Being isolated by the vast ocean from other major mainland clusters, and also divided by deep waters from the main areas of the ocean, it caused the region to gain the King’s designated name: the Far Northland—BeiLu.
Significantly meaningful, “The Great Northland”—Bei Lu—contained profound symbolism. If established merely as a modest northern province, this region supported noble aristocracy and families. Should a dozen provinces consolidate beneath a banner, Bei Lu meant nothing less than a door to clan dynasty foundations, ascending toward Heaven itself. Within imperial jurisdiction, should an ambitious faction denounce this title to proper authorities, “the Far Northland” alone could be twisted legally into a pretense for the accusation of treasonous, concealed rebellion—sufficient cause alone to justify elimination even of such a notable magnate like Zhiji.
Yet regardless its title, Bei Lu, Bei Sheng, or other names—all were unrelated to Qian Ye.
When Qian Ye first stepped into this neutral territory years ago, the Eastern Sea became precisely his earliest landfall destination. That distant time however, with Ye Tong beside him, saw them settling upon the distant far-western end of the sea’s opposite horizon. Had that original place indeed instead been Bei Lu? Probably none of that subsequent suffering and loss would’ve occurred. Perhaps Ye Tong now still dwelled happily, ever faithful beside him. He, his beloved old guardian-teacher and little Zhuji together perhaps might’ve lived peacefully for a quiet decade, twenty years, or even a life spent tranquil upon these beautiful vistas—an acceptable, ordinary kind of dream worth holding.
But alas—that time of happiness is gone and irreplaceable—for too much was already destroyed beyond repair.
Even more painfully, to this quiet lingering question still unanswered, could Qian Ye say clearly: making Ye Tong renounce the once bright destiny toward ascension of the sacred summits, instead following and binding herself solely to his ordinary mortal life—was his decision truly love or sheer egoistical desire in disguise of comfort?
At the remembrance thought alone he sighs softly.
Suddenly Qing Yue walked up behind him, bowed properly in form—a grave gesture seldom seen from her impish demeanor recently.
“My Lord Qian, this land stands an unmatched foundation granted directly by Heaven! If the will takes you, my tribe the Gao Hu will offer our unwavering support, united, together, to raise a powerful new order right here.” A passionate glow sparked in her speech, gaining fervor. “Soon enough, you would stand peer to spider-emperor Chithaar’s and the Moon-Devil Lumiyan side alike. Someday? You may yet forge your own empire anew within these borderless terrains!”
He gently shook his head in answer.
“The grand ambitions of kingdom’s glory and worldly domination mean little to me personally. But as a residence place? A home upon this soil… yes it would be rather enjoyable to settle and remain quietly peaceful for a while.”
Qing Yue felt the cold sting internally, hastily pleading further, urging: “How dare you suggest that?! What a massive, shameless waste that would represent—also you possessing the brilliance of heaven, possessing a dragon ship. You’d throw it ALL away? You don’t seek wealth… even position… Yet, surely every traveler in their time still seeks to be immortalized for some eternal deed?!”
The young man simply stood, arms at peace, still shaking head negatively with patient amusement. For a while, Qing Yue shifted strategies, lecturing him in turns: discussing meaning, ambition, moral obligations to those who serve you willingly, the social contracts of power, and the need to defend one’s loved family against those superior and bullying ones.
At long last though, she came straight forward, stating:
“And, Lord—for those like myself already pledged to your path—who look past mere gold? Why not act? At least provide your family some hope for living safer. Perhaps your beloved brothers and close kin won’t desire fame? Yet still they deserve better than suffering tyranny from superiors who would see them downtread. For protection, reliance on your authority would prove wiser than hoping in vain, waiting endlessly upon others.
Once you climb power—your family will enjoy the shelter of rank and respect. Simultaneously, I as your humble assistant could earn some safety from such high place of dominance.”
He offered her an enigmatic smile that hovered at the edge of laughter.
“So… what you’re suggesting,” He slowly queried in tone edged with knowing tease, “Are you hoping to leave me?”
“Absolutely not! No!” The woman protested sharply and truthfully. Regaining breath, she added thoughtfully with a sincere voice: “I’m unsure what this place might represent completely—but I know, from standing so near the coast earlier, I sensed… something very wrong within the sea here. The waters exuded danger. I was unnerved merely by feeling the proximity from the edge. Transporting outside goods will need avoiding searoutes entirely. For air-approach, not even standard heavy cargo air-barges might succeed navigating the turbulent void-winds high along passes. Only someone of your caliber guiding Valhalla—only YOU can move sufficient manpower and goods in quickly to construct and defend an outpost… thus if I wanted to attempt seizing a claim here by treachery later on, I lack the capability anyway to replicate that feat.”
Her reasoning rang true. And he could see it as much—except the brief emotional conflict, a flash, hidden not fully from his perception.
Therefore, Qian Ye showed his neutrality.
“Later. For now—I’ll set all discussion for another day,” Qian Ye said calmly, stepping back toward command decks. “Remain here within the valley. Keep watch. Avoid exploring alone. I must go forth, there is an urgent personal matter requiring handling… I will return shortly.”
Qing Yue hesitated, knowing better than to protest further. He thus, entrusted her within the valley with food supplies for comfortable survival for several weeks and provided self-defense weapons and power, leaving her there, while he himself boarded the Valhalla. It departed flying high toward the mountains, tracing the coastal line.
For two full days Qian Ye guided Valhalla close along coastal edge, navigating the vast curvature of the oceanic Eastern domain. Eventually reaching Nanhua region, Qian Ye halted Valhalla mid-altitude sea hover, then disembarked and journeyed groundward.
In his earlier attempt to penetrate the Dragon’s Nest territory, there existed a time when Qian Ye sent Zhuji first on ahead—to escape into the Black Forest—a natural sanctuary best supporting her growing years. Even if Qian Ye himself hadn’t returned at all from their prior adventure, the dark woods still served a better guardian for such a uniquely gifted girl as Zhuji; in fact her terrifying, prodigious talents likely assured she would survive growing strong anyway.
Now? Not only his return stood fulfilled… he had gained great advantages. Naturally his primary purpose was to go fetch Zhuji back home.
The floating barge let vent steam. Its iron heart coughed loudly with the engine’s gruff song and shakily it came down for landing. Inside many travelers were unexpectedly slammed into one another—clumsily sprawling and swearing loudly in mutual tumble. But of course, no crewman present was the meek type; quick to retaliate with equally colorful language, clearly daring the others toward possible violence.
Fellow passengers generally consisted mostly of hardened hunters and mercs—battle-experienced tough individuals disinclined to bow to pressure from a uniform or title.
The situation escalated, and within moments erupted into a minor uproar of curses, accusations thrown in the close proximity of cramped compartments. Only the restricted quarters contained the battle impulse from becoming outright blows between parties.
Just when tension threatened to ignite, a voice burst from front quarters powerfully: “ANYONE WHO DARES START A DAMN FIGHT ON MY BOAT—WILL SEE MY BLADE REMOVING THEIR BLOODY JOHNNIES FOR SEA TURTLEEATER LUNCH MEAL TASTING!”
This was no idle curse.
It struck a physical wave through the hull that left the hearing Qian Ye blinking momentarily stunned—a ringing sensation of sound pressure inside eardrums. As for others without protective training, the results were outright worse. The entire chamber of quarrelers dropped to the ground like wheat struck by lightning—not a one unaffected, crew included. Surprisingly—or naturally—said grubby crew appeared fully aware they serve under such a uniquely brutal, gifted captain, accepting the captain’s eccentric ways with a strange sense of pride, though dazed themselves.
Right then, Qian Ye was the sole normal passenger sitting upright and calm in this otherwise chaotic scene—one lone figure amidst a sea of felled warriors still reeling from shockwaves of sheer authority unleashed from their dread commander of the iron sky-ride.
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