The inner armor, if it came from the imperial family, would make sense. The empire has stood for a thousand years, amassing unimaginable wealth. But with its unique properties, especially its ability to withstand the pressure of the void beasts, its value is incalculable. Any supreme expert seeking to explore the depths of the void would not refuse such an inner armor. However, for ordinary experts, it holds little use; those with less strength might even struggle to carry it.
Such a treasure, if ranked among the entire imperial treasury, could easily be in the top ten. How could Song Zining obtain such a thing?
As Qian Ye tried on the armor, he casually asked, “Zining, how many years did you sell yourself to the imperial family for this?”
Song Zining grinned broadly, “What did you say? I didn’t catch that.”
Could Qian Ye be fooled by such a small act? He pressed again, “I mean, what conditions did you agree to for this inner armor?”
Song Zining sighed with relief and said, “This treasure was given to me willingly.”
Qian Ye scoffed, not believing a word, “The imperial family would give you such a thing? Even the princes and princesses wouldn’t have the authority to do so.”
“The person’s status is much higher than that of any prince or princess.”
Qian Ye was even more skeptical. In the imperial palace, although there were many ranks, those who outranked the princes and princesses were few and far between. Even noble consorts, like Zhao Fei, who had powerful clans behind them, were on par with the princes at most.
It was impossible for such a high-ranking figure to go to great lengths to curry favor with Song Zining. Neither Qian Ye nor Song Zining himself would believe it.
Without much thought, Qian Ye knew that, just like obtaining the alloy formula, either Song Zining had paid a huge price or achieved some significant merit. Then, he used his share to exchange for this treasure that he believed could save Qian Ye’s life.
Song Zining, being as clever as he was, could guess Qian Ye’s thoughts from his expression. With a chuckle, he said, “This treasure comes with a heavy price. The cost of acquiring it was not small.”
“Indeed,” Qian Ye, knowing the worth, waited for Song Zining to continue.
After smoothing out the last wrinkle in the inner armor, Song Zining nodded in satisfaction, “Perfect, it fits perfectly and won’t affect your combat. With this, your chances of survival will increase by at least thirty percent.”
“Are you that unconfident in me?”
“You’re up against Luo Bingfeng. Who dares claim to truly understand him? And who can guarantee that what we’ve seen is all of his secrets?”
Qian Ye was left speechless.
Placing a hand on Qian Ye’s shoulder, Song Zining spoke earnestly, “Thus, survival is the most important. Any price is worth paying to increase your chances of staying alive. Believe in yourself; no matter how great the cost, as long as you live, you can repay it. You are destined to ascend the Holy Mountain. How could such a price overwhelm you?”
Hearing this, Qian Ye felt something amiss and quickly asked, “Wait, are you saying I have to pay this price?”
“Of course! It’s for your life. Who else would pay if not you?” Song Zining said matter-of-factly.
“That makes sense, but…”
“There’s no but. The item is already here, and you’ve put it on. It’s too late to back out now!”
Qian Ye said, “No, I’m not backing out. I just want to know, what exactly is the price?”
Qian Ye wasn’t rigid. Facing a strong opponent like Luo Bingfeng, any preparation was necessary, and survival was the ultimate goal. No matter how high the price, he was prepared to bear it. But not knowing what he owed would be unbearable.
At this critical moment, Song Zining returned to his usual, infuriating self, smiling, “You’ll know when the time comes.”
Qian Ye grunted and decided not to ask further. If the inner armor wasn’t damaged, he could return it and pay a compensation.
However, what followed made Qian Ye lose his smile.
Song Zining opened two boxes, revealing intricate mechanisms each holding a vial that slowly rose. One vial was yellow, the other red. The yellow one glowed like rising flames, while the red one resembled boiling blood.
Seeing the vials, Qian Ye’s blood flow quickened, and his vitality slightly increased.
Song Zining only let Qian Ye glance before closing the boxes, “See that?”
Qian Ye took a deep breath, “One is a stimulant, the other a… revival agent? But this model, I’ve never seen or heard of it.”
Song Zining explained, “These are top-secret in the empire. Only a dozen or so are produced annually, and all the main ingredients come from the Great Vortex. You’ve obviously never heard of them. Did you feel their power?”
“At least a thousand times stronger than ordinary ones, and effective even on generals.”
Song Zining smirked, “These aren’t just for generals, even the Heavenly Kings can use them. Most generals can’t get even one in their lifetime. You’re fortunate, they’re all yours. Remember to use them before tomorrow’s battle.”
“Wait, these should be rationed. There are five Heavenly Kings and the emperor. Are there enough to go around?”
Song Zining shrugged, “Of course not. The Heavenly Kings need them for battles and exploring the void, and the Empress always keeps a few on hand. Only those like General Lin, who have repeatedly achieved great merits, can receive them. Here’s the usage guide, read it.”
Handing over a piece of paper, Qian Ye immediately felt a headache. These agents would lose their potency once removed from their specific origin force arrays, so they must be used before battle. The super-stimulant could greatly activate potential and enhance origin force recovery, boosting Qian Ye’s effectiveness by more than half during combat.
But the revival agent also needed to be injected pre-battle. When Qian Ye’s vitality dropped to a critical level, it would kick in, repairing and revitalizing his body. In real combat, it could bring someone on the brink of death back to full health. Used together, the effects were even better, providing a chance for even the Heavenly Kings to escape a dire situation.
The more powerful the individual, the more they valued this chance. The empire was no different, sparing no expense to save its Heavenly Kings and other powerful figures.
If Qian Ye didn’t face a life-or-death situation, the revival agent would be wasted.
While the value of these agents might not match the inner armor, using them meant losing them. How could Qian Ye repay such a favor?
“Zining, where did you get these agents from?”
“No need to ask, I won’t tell you. Just use them first, and worry about repayment later. No matter how large the debt, it can always be repaid.”
Qian Ye sighed, “Easier said than done! How do I repay such a debt? At least tell me who I owe.”
“You’ll find out in time.” Qian Ye had the urge to strangle Song Zining.
Seeing Qian Ye’s rising anger, Song Zining said, “There is one way to avoid owing a debt: don’t participate in the battle.”
Qian Ye paused, then shook his head, “Not possible.”
Even for Luo Bingfeng, Qian Ye’s original gun was a significant threat. This was the true restraint. The Yun brothers, no matter how strong their defenses, couldn’t hold off Luo Bingfeng for long. Once free, Luo Bingfeng would target Song Zining first, followed by young geniuses like Li Kuanglan and Ji Tianqing. The older generation, like the Yun brothers and Li elders, held less killing value.
Qian Ye couldn’t stand by and watch Song Zining in danger. Fortunately, the debt was on Qian Ye, which made him feel a bit better. He didn’t want Song Zining to owe anyone else.
Qian Ye put the boxes into Anduaya’s space and put on his outer robe, leaving the inner armor on to get used to its weight and properties.
Song Zining escorted Qian Ye back to his residence and resumed his busy work.
That night, Nan Qingcheng saw no sleep. Late at night, the assembled troops began to move, marching out of the city, forming a steady stream of steel.
The entire night was filled with the roar of engines, the blare of whistles, and the hoarse shouts of officers. By dawn, warships took to the skies, escorting a massive fleet of cargo ships to Tingchaosheng. These ships carried materials for fortifications and sieges.
The residents, who had been neutral, stayed up all night watching this unprecedented spectacle. In the city lord’s mansion, the nominal city lord, Ji Rui, stood on a high platform all night, staring at the distant tide of steel.
Guan Zhongliu stood beside him, his brows furrowed, his mind a tumult of emotions.
When the dawn light appeared, the troops finally stopped leaving the city. Ji Rui sighed heavily, “Only ten thousand, just ten thousand!”
In the neutral lands, battles involving tens of thousands were common, but most mercenaries were poorly equipped. Their weapons were homemade, and ammunition was unique, making resupply almost impossible. Most mercenaries had never seen the organized battles of the empire and the Evernight realm. They couldn’t imagine each mercenary traveling in heavy trucks, or the vast fleets merely transporting supplies, or the imposing sight of a fully equipped and armed army.
“Would you fight with fifty thousand men?”
Guan Zhongliu shook his head, his expression grave.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage