Chapter 9: The Chosen One

Qian Ye’s massive fleet sailed out of the neutral zone, adjusting its course in the void, heading towards the lower layers of the world, far from the sun.

The Valhalla was at the center, with the Empire’s new and formidable battle cruisers leading the way. The escort ships were dispersed for vigilance, while the high-speed transports closely followed the Valhalla. From afar, the Valhalla’s back seemed to bristle with raised energy sails, their surfaces rippling like those of a true void beast, slowly gliding through the void.

If this fleet were compared to a school of fish, the Valhalla would be the giant whale, the battle cruisers the small sharks, and everything else, regardless of size, could be categorized as mere minnows. In truth, the Valhalla could easily accommodate two thousand people, or even twenty thousand, but as this unit had just been formed, many within it were unfamiliar faces to Qian Ye, so he didn’t wish for them to know too much about the Valhalla’s internal affairs.

After several days of travel in the void, a faint outline of a continent appeared ahead.

Qian Ye stood in the command room, facing a large map of the Continent of Yong hung on the wall, densely covered with marks. According to the annotations, this was the latest version completed last December. Additionally, there was a conspicuous skull warning sign, marking it as an ultra-secret document of the Imperial Military, punishable by death for unauthorized possession.

Military maps were naturally the best, with unparalleled accuracy and completeness that black market versions could not match. This map of the Continent of Yong had been obtained by Song Zining through his connections and sent along with the military supplies to the neutral zone. For someone of Song Zining’s status and means, obtaining such top-secret documents was not overly difficult.

Qian Ye scrutinized the map inch by inch, finally locating the position of the State of Zheng, then expanded his search outward from there.

If viewed from outer space, the Continent of Yong resembled a massive maple leaf, divided into three upper segments, with a thin, short stem at the bottom. Around the Continent of Yong, there were countless small floating islands, remnants from the formation of the continent. Most of these islands were uninhabited, with only a few close enough to the main landmass being included in the protective sphere, allowing for habitation.

The State of Zheng was situated at the tip of one of the maple leaves, encompassing territory on the main land and numerous smaller islands, with over a dozen inhabited. The details about the State of Zheng were particularly thorough, indicating that Song Zining had put considerable effort into it. However, the map itself contained limited information, requiring further investigation.

From a geographical standpoint, the State of Zheng was a suitable stepping stone. Its size was equivalent to three Imperial provinces, with all the surrounding islands adding up to another province.

In terms of area, it was quite substantial. The Zhao Clan currently controlled only two provinces and was actively developing a third. Even though the lower and middle layers of the continent differed, conquering such a large territory was a testament to the bravery of the ancestors of the State of Zheng.

Across the entire Continent of Yong, the State of Zheng was a mid-sized power, neither too big nor too small. Situated in a remote corner, it struggled to expand into the interior, but its limited neighbors also made it relatively safe from enemies.

The Continent of Yong was home to a mixed population, with the most powerful entity being the Engulfing Empire, located in the central region. This empire was composed of various tribes, with the elder council holding significant power alongside the emperor.

Qian Ye became intrigued by the Engulfing Empire. Based on his experience, the major tribes forming the empire were likely lupine, meaning that apart from their own primary mainland, they held a dominant position on the Continent of Yong.

Qian Ye stroked his chin, muttering to himself, “A continent ruled by lupines? Now that’s intriguing!”

Over the past millennium, the influence of lupines among the dark races had waned. The Great Qin Empire had thoroughly studied this and concluded that their primitive combat methods and innate abilities were no match against demonic or bloodline races. Their stubborn nature and reluctance to adapt to new things exacerbated this weakness, especially after losing their sacred mountain, which meant the absence of absolute authority.

Even today, the ancient traditionalist faction, which advocates for a return to the oldest customs, still wielded significant influence among the lupines, something even the Peak of Many Peaks found hard to counter.

Lupines favored tribal systems, and even when forming a nation, it was essentially a collection of tribes, making it fundamentally disunited. In terms of national mobilization, lupines couldn’t compare to bloodline or demonic races.

The backwardness of the tribal system was well-known to anyone who had studied orthodox history in the Great Qin. The twelve ancient bloodline clans had undergone significant changes in recent years, but the lupines still clung to their most ancient ways.

Given this, the fact that lupines could dominate the Continent of Yong was particularly interesting.

Qian Ye began to ponder what resources or environmental factors might be particularly valuable to lupines but of little use to other races. Perhaps there was something on the Continent of Yong that was crucial for the lupines, explaining why they settled there so firmly.

As he was lost in thought, a knock came at the command room door. A servant entered, saying, “Lord Qian Ye, the initial liaison officer has returned and is waiting outside. When would you like to see him?”

“Already back? Excellent, take him to the conference room; I’ll be there shortly.” After giving the order, Qian Ye glanced at the map once more before heading to the conference room.

Several people were seated in the conference room, including a young man with gray hair, visibly nervous and distracted. When Qian Ye entered, he remained seated, oblivious until someone nudged him. He then quickly rose and bowed, stammering, “Junior Nan Ruo Huai, greeting Lord Qian Ye!”

Qian Ye couldn’t help but laugh. It was the first time in his life he had been called ‘senior.’ He touched his smooth, youthful face, puzzled why he was perceived as so old.

After another nudge and a whispered explanation, Nan Ruo Huai realized his mistake, blushed, and bowed deeply, apologizing, “I’m sorry, Lord Qian Ye. I was in a state of panic and spoke without thinking. Please forgive me. I…”

Nan Ruo Huai, in his distress, nearly shed tears and fell to the ground, attempting to kneel.

Amused, Qian Ye used his origin power to lift Nan Ruo Huai, smiling, “Relax, speak clearly.”

Nan Ruo Huai finally calmed down, returning to his seat, head lowered, clutching his robe. He now realized how poorly he had acted, but unsure how to make amends, he decided to say as little as possible to avoid further mistakes.

Qian Ye inwardly shook his head. Even the young nobles he had met in the Great Qin, like Song Ziming, maintained a dignified demeanor. He had never seen anyone like Nan Ruo Huai.

He softened his tone, asking, “Tell me, who are you, and why have you come to see me?”

“I… my father is the King of Zheng, and I am the thirty-first son, with nine younger brothers. However, I am a concubine-born child…” Nan Ruo Huai’s voice grew softer as he spoke.

Qian Ye looked at the intelligence officer accompanying Nan Ruo Huai, approvingly.

Nan Ruo Huai had decent talent and a fair amount of cultivation, but his timid nature and lack of experience, coupled with his concubine-born status, made him a less-than-ideal candidate. The political system of the State of Zheng was largely modeled after the Great Qin, with royal succession being of utmost importance.

In the Great Qin’s succession laws, children born to women below the rank of concubine had no claim to the throne unless their mother was later elevated. The status in the harem mirrored that of the front court, relying on family or personal strength. Without either, how could one gain acceptance? Emperor Hao’s ascension was met with much criticism due to this, despite the abdication of Emperor Su and his regency. Even after ascending, Emperor Hao had to work for years to fully consolidate power.

The smaller the state, the more they valued tradition. Nan Ruo Huai’s timidity suggested years of mistreatment.

Without a powerful maternal clan and lacking assertiveness, but still a son of the King of Zheng with decent talent, becoming a war general was within reach, and his longevity wasn’t a concern. For Qian Ye, Nan Ruo Huai was the perfect candidate, and he marveled at how the intelligence department had found such a suitable person in such a short time.

After a brief conversation, Qian Ye inquired about Nan Ruo Huai’s maternal clan and dismissed him, turning to the intelligence officer.

The officer, in his early thirties, had an unremarkable appearance, with narrow eyes and thin lips, the kind of person who would blend into a crowd.

Qian Ye’s pupils turned blue, clearly reflecting the officer. The officer tensed, then gradually relaxed.

Qian Ye nodded, his eyes reverting to normal, “Impressive cultivation and promising future. What’s your name?”

“Your humble servant is Song Lun, orphaned since childhood. I served under the Seventh Young Master and was granted the surname Song. Recently, I accompanied Young Master Zining to the neutral zone and began working for Dark Flame.”

Qian Ye nodded. Being granted the Song surname indicated Song Lun was a trusted confidant, and he was indeed capable.

“You did well with Nan Ruo Huai. How did you manage to get him to meet me so quickly?”

Song Lun explained, “It was easy. For a sheltered young master, a little coercion goes a long way.”

Song Lun detailed the process. He had captured Nan Ruo Huai during a hunting trip. Nan Ruo Huai was completely ignored, with only a single attendant. The King of Zheng’s illness and the ensuing power struggle had not affected him. No princes harassed him, no ministers approached him, and no one even bothered to test him. Nan Ruo Huai was simply disregarded.

With a little intimidation, Nan Ruo Huai readily agreed, acknowledging the consequences of leading troops into the State of Zheng. He even joked, “No one will notice if I don’t return from a hunting trip. What’s a few days?”

Qian Ye laughed, “This young man is quite perceptive.”

Song Lun added, “He had no choice. If he didn’t comply, we’d find someone else. The King of Zheng may not be strong, but he has many children. There are always alternatives. Even if the princes are unsuitable, there are princesses and their husbands.”

“True,” Qian Ye nodded, pondering, “For now, stay with Nan Ruo Huai and teach him. We can’t let a good State of Zheng fall apart if he becomes the king.”

Song Lun, surprised, asked, “You don’t intend to take the land of the State of Zheng?”

Qian Ye replied, “Take some, enough for our needs. The Continent of Yong is vast, why confine ourselves to this corner?”