Chapter 255: When All Hope Fades

Ning Song and his two companions were on the fortress ramparts, awaiting news of Qian Ye. Neither Tianqing Ji nor Kuanglan Li had come as promised, but the two women weren’t particularly close to the three, so Yuying Zhao didn’t mind.

Several people exited the fortress, carrying the corpse of the four-armed warrior not far away back to the stronghold. Then, another person came before the trio, saying, “Elder Qi requests your presence.”

Elder Qi was respected and renowned for his strong combat prowess. The trio showed great respect before him, bowing first, then sitting down.

Elder Qi, though over eighty, looked no more than fifty. He was slender, with a weathered face and eyes that gleamed with vigor. If not seen with one’s own eyes, it would be hard to believe he could wield such a colossal bow, and even a casual arrow from him could match the power of an Eighth-level gun.

Elder Qi’s residence consisted of three simple rooms behind the main building. The outer living room was modest, with plain furnishings. Apart from a rather exquisite set of tea utensils, there wasn’t much to see.

Elder Qi stroked his beard and smiled, “My place is quite simple. You are all from noble families, so I hope you can make do.”

Ning Song quickly replied, “Not at all, not at all.”

Elder Qi sighed lightly, “When I first entered the Great Vortex, I was not much older than you, and my cultivation was even lower. Our Qi family was barely considered a minor aristocratic lineage, and sending me into the vortex almost bankrupted us. Now, seeing you all, I truly understand the eight characters: ‘noble lineages, eternal inheritance’—they are real and not hollow words.”

Ning Song, who knew many past events, responded, “Elder Qi, you were a hero back then, and you have guarded this fortress for decades. Your contributions and efforts will not be forgotten by the Empire.”

Elder Qi shook his head and sighed, “Back then, I was fortunate enough to obtain some resources within the vortex, allowing me to cross the Divine General threshold. But my foundation was weak, and my origin force rank is low. After becoming a Divine General, every step forward has been like climbing a mountain. Alas, it’s too late to change my cultivation method now.”

Poti Wei said, “With your military achievements, you should be able to secure a heaven-defying inheritance. Even if you can’t use it yourself, it will benefit your descendants.”

Elder Qi nodded, “That’s true. Unfortunately, the later generations in my family haven’t shown much promise, so we can only hope for future generations.”

Wei Poti had been the crown prince for many years, and his succession as the family head was almost certain. The Wei family had always focused on cultivating him, so he always considered the long-term development of his family. Elder Qi, coming from a small aristocratic family, had been the pillar of his household for decades. Therefore, he and Wei Poti shared a lot in common.

Yuying Zhao, however, was impatient and didn’t even want to participate in her own Duke of Youguo Manor affairs. She roamed the world, participating in battles everywhere. Ning Song, having founded Ningyuan Heavy Industries, was prepared to build his career through commerce and industry, abandoning the traditional family business. Therefore, the two of them had little in common with Elder Qi.

After some idle chat, Elder Qi finally got to the point, “I’ve been in the Great Vortex for decades, and lately, I’ve been having a sense of foreboding, which I’ve never experienced before. Moreover, the four-armed warriors appearing outside the fortress aren’t here without reason. Such things from the core area can’t stay here for long.”

Elder Qi’s words made sense. Ning Song said, “It is indeed strange, but the Great Vortex is undetectable, and we can only adapt. I’m ashamed to say, but when we landed in the core area, we had to escape almost non-stop to avoid the Night of Cold Solitude, so we don’t know much about the core area. As for why they came here, we’re also not clear.”

Ning Song didn’t mention that Ruo Xi Zhao, bringing Manjusha Hua, sneaked into the Great Vortex, causing a huge uproar.

Elder Qi nodded, his face showing concern as he stroked his beard, “The cause is no longer important. I’m worried about the fortress being vulnerable. If there are hundreds or thousands of four-armed warriors, we definitely won’t be able to hold our ground. Currently, there is only one small floating ship in the fortress that can return to the Empire.”

“Only one?” The faces of the three changed.

“How can one be enough? Doesn’t the fortress usually have three in reserve?” Ning Song asked, frowning.

Elder Qi smiled wryly, gesturing to the three, “Follow me, and you’ll see.”

The trio followed Elder Qi out of the main building to a secluded courtyard within the fortress. On one side of the courtyard was a row of buildings, inside which were workshops. In the open area, a floating ship’s keel was placed. The keel had just been processed, and many wooden materials were stacked nearby, ready for the next step of constructing the framework.

Ning Song, who was in the business of warships, saw the keel, the materials, and the workshops, and knew this was a workshop for building floating ships. However, the shipbuilding techniques were clearly from centuries ago, relying on power sails for propulsion and origin force arrays for levitation and defense.

Such a floating ship was basically handmade. However, the wood used was from the Great Vortex, both strong and resilient, and even now, it could be used directly as armor plating on floating ships.

Elder Qi pointed to the keel, “Do you think these floating ships just appear out of nowhere? Each one must be built here, one per year, and it takes two years to return once, with one ship for people and one for cargo. The channel of the Great Vortex just opened, and it will take several months to complete the new ship. The one we can use now is the one reserved for emergencies.”

If there was only one ship, the situation was serious. After a moment of thought, Ning Song asked, “Elder Qi, if we need to return to the Empire, must we use this floating ship?”

Elder Qi said, “This floating ship isn’t just for protection; more importantly, it can determine the direction, ensuring we return to the Empire’s homeland. Otherwise, if we end up heading towards the Eternal Night, wouldn’t that be a joke?”

Ning Song asked again, “I mean, if we don’t use this floating ship, can we survive the passage?”

Elder Qi pondered for a moment and slowly said, “You might, but Miss Zhao would be seriously injured, and it would be better if Crown Prince Wei did not try.”

Yuying Zhao immediately protested, “What do you mean? Are you saying Xiaoqi Song is stronger than me?”

Elder Qi, who had seen many of these young geniuses from noble families, was not offended and coughed, “It’s not that he is stronger. It’s just that his secret arts are more suitable for survival in the spatial passage.”

Yuying Zhao relaxed and felt pleased again. But she then thought of the real problem and changed her expression, “Wait! Elder Qi, do you mean if the four-armed warriors attack, we have to abandon Qian Ye and leave him here?”

Elder Qi slowly said, “My meaning is, if such a thing happens, we need to have a plan in advance. Otherwise, if we panic when the time comes, it will be too late.”

Ning Song frowned, having already thought about Elder Qi’s meaning. The Empire’s fortress was small, and to defend it, at most, it could accommodate a few hundred people. And now, whether the number of Imperial experts in the vortex could reach a hundred was questionable. If surrounded by a large army of four-armed warriors, the only option would be to abandon the city and retreat to the Empire. Otherwise, not only would the city be lost, but the defenders would also perish.

As he was thinking, someone suddenly rushed in, shouting, “Elder Qi, disaster! Many four-armed warriors have appeared outside the fortress!”

Elder Qi was startled and, without answering, flew up to the wall. Ning Song and the others followed, standing on the ramparts, looking into the distance. There, dust rolled, and four-armed warriors emerged, rushing in. Besides the four-armed warriors, there were countless two-armed people, with those in front wielding swords and shields, forming a battle formation. Behind them, the crowd was diverse, carrying various belongings, and even driving native beasts, laden with supplies. This was not just a war, but a move to settle.

Elder Qi, with his usual composure, had his hands slightly trembling.

Ning Song sighed lightly, “There’s nothing we can do. Let’s go.”

But Yuying Zhao wouldn’t accept it, angrily saying, “We leave, and what about Xiao Wu? Can you just abandon him here? Poti, what do you mean?”

Wei Poti’s face was grave. His recent travels had added a layer of stubble to his face, making him look more steady. He gazed into the distance, not speaking for a moment, then said in a low voice, “We have no choice.”

The four-armed warriors that arrived numbered over a hundred, and the two-armed people were as numerous as the sea. When the massive figure that seemed to pierce the sky and earth appeared, even Yuying Zhao was speechless.

A moment later, a small floating ship soared into the sky, flying towards the dark expanse.

The ship was packed with grim, silent figures. Elder Qi finally sighed, “When there was no Great Vortex, didn’t our human race still survive? Besides, we left the method of ship construction. If they are lucky, they can build another ship and return to the Empire.”

The floating ship disappeared into the darkness. Below, the fortress was filled with two-armed people, noisily dismantling everything. In a short while, the fortress became a pile of rubble, with only the empty half of the main building and a few segments of the wall telling the story of the past.

The multitudes of multi-armed people, like a flood, swept across the land, moving on to the distance.

In the Neutral Lands, the scenery along the eastern coast of the Eastern Sea remained unchanged, seemingly unaffected by external changes. The harsh winds and void storms here made every step dangerous, and no one would willingly linger here.

A figure swiftly approached, skillfully avoiding the spatial rifts, and arrived before the Duke’s warship lying flat on the ground.

“Master, the matter is done.”

With that, Jian Nan opened his backpack, revealing the little girl inside. The child, who looked around seven or eight, was beautiful beyond compare. She was curled up, sleeping soundly.

From the warship, Tiamat’s voice faintly said, “So fast, well done. No trouble, I presume?”

Jian Nan smiled wryly, “With the method you gave me, she was willing to follow. Otherwise, I might not have been able to bring her back.”

“Did the natives give you any trouble?”

“I found the entire tribe dead when I arrived.”

Tiamat made a surprised sound. The warship’s hatch opened, and a blood energy wrapped around the little girl, drawing her inside. The hatch closed.

Jian Nan didn’t enter the warship but went to a few stone houses nearby, which were his new quarters. He removed his armor, looking at the large, stubborn bruises on his body, and couldn’t help but smile wryly. If not for the timely token, he wouldn’t have been able to bring the little one back.

Jian Nan let out a long breath, feeling that the tasks assigned by his master were becoming increasingly difficult.