Qian Ye squatted before her, gently stroking the segment of metallic bone. Even with his true sight, he could not discern anything unusual. However, Qian Ye was far from being able to see through space, so it was normal that he couldn’t identify it as a spatial equipment at the time.
Qian Ye snapped his fingers, and a clear echo resounded, sounding just like metal, though he didn’t know what the material was.
“This is not metal, but rather a beast’s bone, taken from the skull of a void behemoth. It naturally comes with a small subsidiary space and is one of our most precious treasures,” Qingyue explained.
“Such a valuable treasure, and you kept it on your person?”
“For the sake of conveniently stealing the Earth Dragon’s blood and other possible treasures,” she replied honestly.
Qian Ye nodded and stood up.
Looking into his expressionless eyes, Qingyue couldn’t help but shiver. She suddenly remembered that when she surrendered, Qian Ye had said that if he found any sign of disobedience, he would kill her immediately. And hiding weapons and energy sources was certainly more than just being restless.
However, Qian Ye’s face, which was as cold as frost, suddenly brightened. He returned the dagger and black crystal to Qingyue and said, “The dagger is good; you can keep it. The black crystal can also be used now.”
Qingyue was stunned. Was he lifting the ban on weapons and energy? Wasn’t he afraid of her making a move behind his back?
As Qian Ye turned to leave, Qingyue was utterly confused. She couldn’t help but ask, “Why?”
“Just in a good mood,” Qian Ye replied.
This answer left Qingyue bewildered. She suddenly saw Little Zhujī nearby and her eyes lit up. She moved closer and crouched beside Zhujī, softly asking, “Did the master encounter anything during his trip?”
Little Zhujī thought for a moment and said, “He went to see his sister and then was sent back. That’s all.”
Qingyue was even more puzzled. This didn’t sound like something good enough to make Qian Ye “in a good mood.” She suddenly thought of a possibility: could Qian Ye be speaking ironically? This thought grew stronger, and there was even some evidence. Many historical records stated that some powerful ministers would smile more when they intended to kill someone.
Lost in thought, she broke out in a cold sweat. Suddenly, she heard Qian Ye’s voice, “Come here.”
“Ahh!!” Qingyue, lost in her wild thoughts, was startled by Qian Ye’s voice so close to her, and couldn’t help but let out a scream.
Qian Ye, standing by the lake, looked at Qingyue with bewilderment. “What are you shouting about? I’m not going to eat you. Bring those design drawings over.”
Qingyue steadied herself and hurried to the wooden hut, bringing out all the design drawings and placing them before Qian Ye. She then stood by, hands clasped, ready to follow any orders. This was her most critical task, the foundation of her survival, and thus she treated it with utmost importance. The design drawings before Qian Ye were thick, each a labor of love.
Qian Ye picked up one and examined it carefully, then moved on to the next. As he flipped through the drawings, Qingyue finally relaxed, feeling a sense of relief. It was no wonder she was so fragile; once she failed to muster the courage to embrace death, she became even more fearful of it the second time around.
After reviewing all the design drawings, Qian Ye still couldn’t understand them, but he hadn’t expected to. He simply wanted to check Qingyue’s work. At least on the surface, Qingyue had been busy these past few days, spending most of her time on these designs. Occasionally, she would take a break to build a bit or tend to the garden, which was only natural and, in a way, endearing.
Qian Ye put down the drawings and asked, “So, what do you think we should prioritize?”
“Engines,” Qingyue answered without hesitation.
“Engines? Why? Don’t we already have the Earth Dragon’s heart as a power source?” Qian Ye was puzzled.
“To be frank, the Valhalla is currently just a moving Earth Dragon shell. It can fly because the skeleton has natural floating ability, driven by the heart. But don’t forget, the Earth Dragon is dead, and we’re only using its residual instincts. Do you think it flies fast?”
Qian Ye nodded. He understood that the Valhalla’s speed was barely faster than a cargo ship. If not for its ability to traverse the void, a military airship could easily outpace it.
Qingyue pulled out a design drawing, pointing to a complex web-like pattern. “The power generated by the Earth Dragon’s heart is extremely precious. I believe Zhiji Wang left a series of designs to harness this power. The energy of a void behemoth is the top-tier power source. With it, we can build many devices that previously existed only on paper. Such energy cannot be wasted. For daily flights, it’s better to use standard engines. Moreover, the Valhalla is so large that we can store enough fuel for several years.”
In her area of expertise, Qingyue was extremely confident and eloquent. Though Qian Ye was left dazed by her long-winded explanation, he still didn’t fully understand. He knew nothing about the value of the Earth Dragon’s heart or how to utilize it. Furthermore, Zhiji Wang was an irresponsible fellow who had handed over a half-finished Valhalla to Qian Ye. The special designs Qingyue imagined to harness the heart’s power did not exist.
While Qian Ye silently cursed Zhiji Wang, he nodded, indicating that he was listening, though whether he understood or not was another matter. Clever as Qingyue was, she wouldn’t ask.
One thing Qian Ye did grasp, however, was the need to install conventional power engines to increase the Valhalla’s speed and maneuverability and save the void energy absorbed by the heart and bones.
For the time being, the lack of devices to harness the Earth Dragon’s power wasn’t a problem. This energy could be used to grow flesh, gradually perfecting the hull, and it wouldn’t go to waste. Besides, crossing the void required the Earth Dragon’s natural defensive field, which consumed heart power.
“And the specific plan?”
“Well…” Qingyue hesitated and then said, “There are a few feasible plans. One is temporary and will definitely need replacement. The other is a one-time solution, but… it’s a bit expensive.”
Qian Ye, having slain nearly a thousand mercenaries, hunters, and assassins, now had a mountain of treasures and black crystals in the Anduia Space, and he was feeling flush. Cost was not an issue for him. He feared nothing more than hearing “it’s a bit expensive.” With a grand gesture, he declared, “Let’s go with the one-time solution. Expense is not a problem!”
Qingyue’s spirits lifted, and she smiled. “This plan combines engines and power sails. We’ll attach a power sail to each spinal mast, saving a lot of storage space. However, the largest current power sail is too small, so we’ll have to use a composite one, with each piece made from eight of the largest standard power sails. Due to the high drive requirements, we can only use the top-tier ones. Of course, if we can custom-order a limited edition, that would be even better!”
Hearing this, Qian Ye felt a shock and his vision darkened.
The price difference between power sails of different grades was enormous, but nothing on an airship was truly cheap. As Qingyue mentioned, the highest-grade, largest single power sail would cost several thousand imperial gold coins, and even a large airship would only use five or six.
But the Valhalla needed eight single power sails for each composite one, and the ship stretched thousands of meters, with hundreds of spines. Even if only the largest dozen or so masts were equipped, it would cost several million imperial gold coins. In the Evernight, a dozen gold coins could equip an expeditionary army division.
Now, Qian Ye was effectively hanging twenty divisions’ worth of gold on the spinal masts, and this was the minimum configuration. If calculated properly, adding power sails for acceleration, deceleration, turning, and balancing would likely double the cost.
Even with Qian Ye’s wealth, such expenses were unsustainable. Most mercenaries had little money, only the high-level ones, elite killers, had any real wealth. In total, Qian Ye had amassed about a million in wealth. His true worth was much greater, but the valuable items like Zhiji Wang’s gun barrel, Dongyue, the Origin Wings, and the Black Book were not for sale.
It dawned on Qian Ye that airships were bottomless pits for gold, and the imperial fleets had been built over centuries. In Evernight, the dukes and princes’ ships, though powerful, had taken centuries to build and perfect. A Great Noble’s ship might take a millennium to construct.
Thus, in fleet battles, such ancient, game-changing ships rarely appeared. The real reason was that even the dukes, princes, and Great Nobles were reluctant to spend so much.
And the Valhalla, this unprecedented aerial war fortress, would cost astronomical sums. Just the power sails, a minor part of the power system, were already pushing the recently wealthy Qian Ye to the brink of bankruptcy. The cost of building the entire ship to perfection was beyond imagination, a number that could make a noble house despair.
Qian Ye suddenly wondered if Zhiji Wang had abandoned the Valhalla because he lacked the funds.
Regardless of Qian Ye’s suspicions, the Valhalla was now his burden, and the huge expenses were his responsibility.
Steadying himself, Qian Ye smiled and asked softly, “Qingyue, are there any other options?”
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