“Describe the woman. What’s her reason for challenging the Spider Emperor?”
The general replied, “She is said to be very young, always dressed in a white gown, and her weapon of choice is a large saber. As for why she opposes the Spider Emperor, rumor has it that it’s because of the saber she wields. It seems to be made from the limbs of a powerful spider demon, an extremely potent natural material. Perhaps this is what sparked the enmity.”
The Wolf King narrowed his eyes, recognizing the mysterious girl in the white dress he had encountered. She was enigmatic, with unknown origins, and although her power seemed mediocre, her grasp of battle timing was unparalleled. In the moment of striking, she always found her opponent’s weakness, unleashing terrifying lethality. The Wolf King held a certain fear for her, only surpassed by the dreadful power of Qian Ye’s luminous feathers.
Such an adversary entering the Spider Emperor’s territory could be both good and bad.
The positive aspect was that the Wolf King would not have to worry about her for the time being. In his current state, if they met in the wilderness, he might not be her match. Her sudden, unexpected attacks were frighteningly lethal. If she struck his weak spot, he could be severely wounded. None of the generals in the hall, except for him, could stand against her. Sending more men would be a one-way ticket, as the Spider Emperor was discovering.
The downside was that he feared she might grow too powerful if allowed to continue her rampage. She had a mysterious temperament, cold and bloodthirsty, yet also seemingly greedy. To rob the Wolf King, she took great risks, even if it meant severe injury.
With her formidable combat talent and enough resources, her potential future was chilling. Fortunately, during their brief encounters, the Wolf King sensed her chaotic and impure force. Her cultivation talent seemed subpar. With such a quality, ascending to the level of a divine general was nearly impossible. As long as she didn’t reach that level, there were ways to deal with her.
At this thought, the Wolf King felt a little better.
“Order our men not to provoke her. If they encounter her, they should retreat immediately.”
The Wolf King’s order surprised the generals. Some, like Tiefeng, looked grave, treating her as a major threat. Others dismissed her, even showing some resentment. In their view, what could a human girl do? The Spider Emperor’s repeated defeats only proved his incompetence. The Wolf King’s actions now seemed weaker, a sign of capitulation.
Wolves revered strength, and only those who could dominate others could be the Great Chieftain. Some ambitious generals began to think of replacing him.
The Wolf King sneered, his gaze filled with killing intent, baring his fangs. This was a challenge, but none of the wolf generals dared to meet it. Despite his weakened state, he still outmatched any single general, though he might not prevail against a united front.
Tiefeng stepped forward, kneeling on one knee. “We need a Great Chieftain, and no one can replace you. Without a chieftain, our tribe would be lost. Therefore, I, Tiefeng, will remain loyal to you.”
Even the most bellicose wolf generals understood. In the Neutral Grounds, everything depended on strength. The tribe’s High Priest, second only to the Wolf King, had perished without a successor. If the Wolf King left, the tribe would lack a duke-level warrior, and the strongest would be mere marquises, unworthy of the Ancient Totem Fortress. Thus, removing the Wolf King would harm the tribe’s foundation.
Tiefeng’s loyalty was a surprise. The Wolf King regarded him, the most intelligent and threatening of his commanders, and said, “Good. You consider the tribe. As kin, I won’t mistreat you. From tomorrow, you may share the Ancestral Power, and I welcome your challenges.”
Tiefeng lowered his head, saying, “I will not challenge your position within ten years.”
The wolf generals stirred. Tiefeng’s words implied he was confident of reaching the rank of Honorable Marquis within ten years, equivalent to a divine general. No one had realized he had advanced so far.
Another general asked, “Great Chieftain, should we continue our trade with the cities and merchant caravans?”
The Wolf King growled, “Everything remains as it is!”
This question was crucial. The Wolf King had been severely injured and later avoided mention of reclaiming South Azure City. Later, there was the incident of Luobingfeng demanding Song Zining.
The Ancient Totem Fortress was in a difficult state. The Wolf King was wounded, and the army heavily damaged, unable to protect the caravans across the vast region. Contraction was inevitable, or else repeated interceptions by Qian Ye would ruin the Wolf King’s reputation.
But the Wolf King insisted, so the generals said no more.
In the Neutral Grounds, merchants were quick to react. South Azure City’s rise was immediate. Within days, the number of airships doubled, including large cargo airships.
Much of South Azure City became a construction site. Many new workshops were moved outside the city to avoid congestion. With Darkflame’s reputation, no bandits dared to attack.
Song Zining’s firearms production chain was taking shape. When the three land-to-land cargo airships from Ningyuan Heavy Industry arrived, it caused a stir. An expert recognized that the equipment was for producing large airship engines!
This meant that, with the workshop’s completion, the Neutral Grounds would have the capability to build large, cross-continental cargo airships, which, with modifications, could become destroyers.
To limit the war potential of the Neutral Grounds, both the Empire and Evernight controlled key components: engines and main cannons. Limited supplies were given to maintain fleet strength.
A balanced Neutral Grounds was necessary for both the Empire and Evernight, at least ensuring neither side could easily overrun the other.
Now, that balance was broken. As Ningyuan Heavy Industry produced engines, the Neutral Grounds would have unlimited war potential. Merchants foresaw a formidable fleet rising from South Azure City, capable of dominating the East Sea and even the entire Neutral Grounds.
Under Song Zining’s overt plan, ordinary armies couldn’t resist Darkflame. Only true powerhouses could stop them.
Yet, despite Song Zining’s bold moves, strong figures like the Wolf King, Luobingfeng, the Spider Emperor, and the Masked One remained ambiguous. No one stepped up to suppress South Azure City, at least openly. South Azure City still lacked the strength to resist a true divine general.
The Wolf King’s injuries were due to underestimating his enemies. His second defeat, a solo mission, was a trap. He suffered a devastating blow from Qian Ye, weakened by Li Kuanglan’s earlier attack. The outcome was partly due to Qian Ye’s group, but mostly due to the Wolf King’s foolishness.
After the Wolf King’s second injury, all sides collected and analyzed the battle, reconstructing the events. Such a scenario was unlikely to repeat, and many believed that once the Wolf King recovered, South Azure City would fall.
But even the vengeful Wolf King kept silent about attacking, which was unusual.
Rumors spread that a powerful figure hid in South Azure City, deterring others from action. This was quickly believed, as figures like Song Zining, Li Kuanglan, and Ji Tianqing had influential backers. Ignoring multiple factions would be unwise.
Thus, investments in South Azure City increased. Daily, dozens of workshop applications landed on Song Zining’s desk. At this rate, complete airships could be built within half a month, lacking only steel plates.
In the chaos, many merchants envisioned the future fleet. Unbeknownst to them, these resources, enough for a squadron, would be concentrated into a single, unique battleship.
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