With Qian Ye’s current abilities, traversing the void was a trivial matter. It didn’t take long for him to arrive at Yonglu, gazing down upon the City of Azure Waves.
Not much time had passed since Qian Ye’s last departure, but the City of Azure Waves had undergone significant changes. On the lakeside, a grand new dock had been constructed, with over a hundred ships moored there. Along the shore, several new towns had sprung up, some still in the process of being built, but each capable of housing thousands of residents.
Outside these towns, newly cultivated land stretched out, and boats on the water served as the primary mode of transportation. After all, not everyone could afford an airship.
Beyond the city, the former slums had been completely razed and rebuilt, expanding several times in size. The entire area was now a bustling construction site, with new houses and workshops rising everywhere. A large mansion with distinct werewolf characteristics stood out prominently, its vibrant colors like a scattered rainbow or a pile of turkey feathers.
As Qian Ye observed, a figure shot up from below, joining him in the sky.
“William, it’s been a long time. You’ve grown.”
William now sported a short beard, adding a sense of maturity and steadiness to his handsome features. However, he wasn’t pleased by Qian Ye’s comment. “What do you mean? I’m much older than you!”
Qian Ye didn’t argue, instead looking over the City of Azure Waves. “It seems things are going well.”
“Indeed! I never expected it to develop so quickly. Now, the three existing airship landing fields are completely insufficient. I plan to build a new one in the northeast, along with a warehouse district for cargo transportation and storage. Look, the workshop area next to the warehouses is already home to over a hundred workshops, with more being built.”
Following William’s gesture, Qian Ye saw neatly planned areas, many already under construction, with some still in the planning stages.
This new part of the city, in terms of planning, scale, and area, far surpassed the old sections. The roads alone were three times wider, and even the smaller streets could accommodate four heavy trucks side by side. The main thoroughfares could handle ten vehicles abreast.
“Did you design all this?” Qian Ye looked at William, his face filled with suspicion.
William immediately took offense. “What? Do you think we werewolves, or I, am incapable?”
“I think you’re incapable,” Qian Ye said bluntly.
William feigned anger, raising his hand to strike, then lowering it. “Forget it. I can’t beat you anyway.”
Qian Ye smiled. “Go ahead and hit me. I won’t fight back.”
“Would you really be that nice?”
“Of course. You can’t hurt me anyway.”
“I’m a duke now!”
“Even dukes are the same.”
William looked at Qian Ye suspiciously. “Is what they say true?”
“What do they say?”
“That you’re already a great lord and may ascend to the Holy Mountain in the future.”
“None of that matters. But your wolf clan must have been affected greatly. The Wolf Sovereign doesn’t hate me, does he?”
A look of shock crossed William’s face. “You killed the Wolf Ancestor and Sosa?!”
“Only half of it was me. Without the intervention of the Human King Ding Xuan, I wouldn’t have succeeded so easily. How are the werewolves faring now?”
“As soon as the Wolf Sovereign received the news, he returned to the Ancestral Land to subdue the ancestral clans and stabilize the situation, to prevent a repeat of what happened with the Blood Clan.”
“The Wolf Sovereign was here before?”
“He was staying at the Duke’s Mansion.” William pointed to the mansion, and a powerful aura surged skyward. It was the Wolf Sovereign’s way of greeting Qian Ye.
The source of the Wolf Sovereign’s aura was not the topmost residence but a guest room on the upper middle level. This was a clear indication that the werewolves had no intention of claiming dominion over Yonglu; everything here still belonged to Qian Ye.
“Why did the Wolf Sovereign come?”
“After you left, many powerful individuals came to Yonglu in secret. Some wanted to see if they could carve out their own piece of the pie, while others sought the secrets of your growth. At the time, I found it difficult to handle everything alone, so I reported to the Peak of Mountains, and the Wolf Sovereign came personally.”
Qian Ye nodded. With the Wolf Sovereign present, no one would dare cause trouble here.
Looking down at the city, Qian Ye asked, “The population has doubled, hasn’t it?”
“Who said that? It’s tripled, and more people are coming in every day, from all races.”
“How are they getting along?”
“Surprisingly well. For example, the city planning and industrial system development are handled by human clans like the Kong and Yin families. To be honest, they’re much better at it than we werewolves. Even the demon and blood races can’t compare. So now, most of the city planning and construction is taken care of by them.”
“The idea to build such large airship landing fields was theirs too?”
William nodded. “Yes. The young master of the Kong family said that the City of Azure Waves might expand four to five times in the future, reaching a million inhabitants. Therefore, the airship fields must have enough space for expansion. Otherwise, once the districts develop, it will be hard to find large, contiguous plots of land.”
Qian Ye nodded in agreement.
“How about the other regions?” Qian Ye asked.
“They’re all doing well. Many people, after arriving here, venture further to explore and seek more opportunities. The humans brought various crops and mining techniques, while the spider-demons brought a type of mushroom that gradually alters the surrounding primal force environment. The local werewolf tribes provide ample labor, and their land is becoming more valuable. As for the demon and blood races, there’s no need to worry; they can find work anywhere.”
“That sounds good. No conflicts?”
“Of course there are, almost daily. But most conflicts are between individuals or small groups, like a mercenary group and an adventurer group. Both sides have members of different races. More and more people are discovering the benefits of cross-race teams.”
Qian Ye felt a sense of pride. The thriving city he had founded, with the rules he had established, was flourishing. This sense of accomplishment was irreplaceable.
“Take a look at this.” William handed over a map.
Qian Ye examined it and saw that the map centered on the City of Azure Waves, with his current territory in Yonglu clearly marked.
At a glance, Qian Ye noticed that his territory had expanded significantly since he left.
“How did this happen?”
“It’s thanks to the Pioneer Act.”
“The Pioneer Act?”
“Yes, I implemented it on your behalf. Those who yearned for adventure and war were promised one hundred hectares of land to farm for free for thirty years if they conquered new territories. Of course, many local lords surrendered voluntarily, keeping their rights intact. Now, over twenty legions of varying sizes are advancing at the borders. It won’t be long before all of Yonglu is yours.”
“You could have established your own kingdom. Why put it under my name?”
“The Wolf Sovereign will eventually return to our own continent. Apart from you, no one can protect this foundation. In fact, even if your fate was uncertain, as long as there was no definite news of your death, many wouldn’t dare make a move. A complete continent needs a supreme ruler to protect it, and you need us to manage and operate this foundation.”
Qian Ye slowly nodded.
A supreme ruler to protect, strong ones to manage and operate, and commoners to live and prosper—this was the traditional model of the Evernight.
At least, it looked good.
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