Chapter 32: The Bane

Qian Ye immediately nodded, saying, “No problem. However, the Evernight Continent is too far from the Far Eastern Province. Mobilizing troops there is impractical. How about I accompany you on this trip? After all, fighting the dark races is the same wherever we are, not much of a difference.”

Wei Potian shook his head, “No, this is much more troublesome than just fighting. The situation in the Far East has stabilized. This year’s cold wave came early, and until the permafrost thaws next spring, neither side will undertake any large-scale military actions. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have the time to come here.”

“What kind of trouble exactly?”

“You’ll know soon enough!” Wei Potian gave a cunning smile.

Qian Ye suddenly had a bad feeling. This trouble, though not life-threatening, might be worse than a matter of life and death.

Having not seen each other for a long while, they spent the evening drinking together, recounting their recent experiences.

Wei Potian’s tales were one battle after another, how he was repeatedly pummeled by the dark race viscounts across the battlefield. But when speaking of these embarrassing incidents, he was completely unperturbed, laughing heartily, relishing the excitement.

Qian Ye could only shake his head, recalling the first time he met Wei Potian at the conscription point in Xiangyang City. Though it had been just a few years, it felt like an eternity.

With Wei Potian, Qian Ye was slightly reserved, mentioning only that he occasionally met Zhao Jundu and learned that his background might be related to the Zhao family. He didn’t elaborate further, as he still wasn’t sure what had transpired back then.

Wei Potian didn’t pry; being from a prestigious family, he understood well the many secrets hidden within the walls of grand mansions. It was obvious that something was amiss with the Zhao family losing a child, and then wanting to reclaim him over a decade later.

So Wei Potian just patted Qian Ye on the shoulder, reminding him that he still had a brother, and no matter what happened in the future, as long as he was around, Qian Ye would always have a place to stand.

Qian Ye was touched but didn’t want to drag Wei Potian into his troubles.

Wei Potian was different from Song Zining. Song Zining knew almost everything about Qian Ye and had been part of the most important period of his young life. When Zhao Jundu threatened Song Zining, Qian Ye realized that if someone wanted to dig into his past, they would inevitably drag Song Zining into it. Setting aside the Red Scorpion, the Yellow Springs was still very much alive.

Though Qian Ye didn’t want his personal matters to affect his friends, he had no better solution, only hoping to grow stronger as quickly as possible. And unlike Song Zining, who was resourceful and patient, Wei Potian was better off knowing less.

Then, Wei Potian asked about the heavy sword, Dōng Yué, which left a lingering fear in his heart, and Qian Ye casually mentioned the ten-year examination of the Sòng family.

To his surprise, Wei Potian immediately flew into a rage, slamming the table and cursing Song Zining for pushing Qian Ye into a life-or-death duel.

“This effeminate man is definitely not a good person, and should not be trusted!” Prince Wei, with bloodshot eyes and spewing alcohol fumes, made his verdict.

Qian Ye rubbed his ears, which were ringing from the shock, and could only smile wryly.

Song Zining originally had no intention of competing for the rank of heir, so he didn’t need to risk his life in the martial and military exams. Inviting Qian Ye to participate in the Sòng family’s ten-year exam was, in fact, giving him access to resources—be it the library, the heavenly-level training room, or the equipment allocated to guest warriors—all of which greatly benefited Qian Ye.

As for the eventual outcome, it was entirely unexpected.

No matter how Qian Ye explained, Wei Potian remained as stubborn as a bull, endlessly berating Song Zining, exclaiming that allowing such a pretty face to rank second in succession showed that the Sòng family’s leadership was blind, and doom was imminent.

Finally, Qian Ye stopped talking, realizing that Wei Potian was already drunk, his eyes glazed over, and couldn’t hear anything clearly. The furious Prince Wei seemed to be acting on instinct, refusing to stop berating Song Zining until he had his fill.

The dawn of the Evernight Continent was perpetually dark, but the city was slowly waking up, with the ground lights brightening and forming a clear line against the somber sky.

After a night of endless chatter, Wei Potian finally collapsed, snoring loudly. By this time, Qian Ye was already awake.

Looking at the scattered empty bottles, Qian Ye shook his head helplessly, calling in a few night-duty soldiers to carry Wei Potian to a guest room to rest.

Wei Potian’s incredible recovery ability seemed to work in all aspects. He slept for only a few hours, and by mid-morning, he was wide awake, full of energy, and went to find Qian Ye.

Upon seeing Qian Ye, Wei Potian resumed his tirade against Song Zining. He had forgotten the night’s absurdity, including the punch that broke through Qiān Chóng Shān, but remembered Song Zining’s misdeeds vividly.

Qian Ye was at a loss, raising his right fist, turning his wrist, contemplating whether to knock Wei Potian down again to get some quiet time to finish the paperwork on his desk.

Suddenly, Qian Ye’s expression turned serious, and he hurried to the large window, looking out.

In the distant sky, a dense cluster of black dots appeared—entire fleets of floating airships, possibly dozens! They were heading directly towards Blackstream City.

Among the dozen or so airships in the middle, each had a unique form: some were steady and imposing, others light and graceful, some resembled mythical creatures, and others depicted ink landscapes. Each airship was both luxurious and elegant, seemingly in a subtle competition.

Surrounding these airships were numerous Imperial military gunboats, and the most prominent was a battleship. Such a large escort force was usually reserved for a high-ranking noble’s tour.

Whoever this dignitary was, and whatever business they had in Blackstream City, remained a mystery.

At that moment, a sentry in the watchtower finally spotted the approaching fleet, his face paling as he desperately sounded the alarm. The wailing horn signaling an enemy attack echoed through the sky, and Blackstream City, which hadn’t heard this sound in months, erupted into chaos, even the streets buzzing with activity.

Qian Ye, however, remained calm. At this distance, he could see the serial numbers on the military gunboats, recognizing them as the main forces stationed in the Empire’s homeland.

For a moment, he wondered if it was Dong Qifeng, but quickly dismissed the thought. The third legion, under the direct command of the Imperial Military, would not be involved. If Dong Qifeng and his family had that capability, they wouldn’t have come to the Evernight to carve out their territory. There were plenty of opportunities for expansion on the upper continent.

Qian Ye opened the door, ready to call someone, but a messenger had already rushed over to report the situation. He ordered, “Notify the airfield to prepare. They might request to land. Don’t panic yet; it’s the fleet from the Empire’s homeland.”

Several officers from the Dark Flame followed, and upon hearing Qian Ye’s words, they felt somewhat relieved, taking their orders and leaving.

Qian Ye was still puzzled. The Blackstream City battle zone shared a third of its border directly with the dark territories, with no scenic views or special natural resources. What was the Empire’s fleet doing here?

The crests on the luxurious airships were diverse, and though Qian Ye couldn’t identify them all, the ones he recognized belonged to upper and middle-class noble families.

Qian Ye suddenly remembered something and turned to Wei Potian, asking, “This isn’t the trouble you were talking about, is it?”

Wei Potian kept scratching his head, chuckling sheepishly, “This… seems to be it.”

“What’s going on?” Qian Ye frowned.

“You’ll find out soon.” Wei Potian suddenly became hesitant but remained resolute in not revealing anything.

Qian Ye glared at Wei Potian, calling for his personal guards, “Prepare the car, we’re going to the airfield.” As he spoke, he grabbed Wei Potian, who was trying to escape, and dragged him into the vehicle.

Since Qian Ye was now the de facto ruler of Blackstream City, he couldn’t ignore a fleet practically flying overhead. Moments later, as he dragged Wei Potian out of the jeep, standing on the airfield, the massive fleet was already overhead.

Looking up, the hundreds-of-meters-long battleship loomed ominously. Like a giant beast, it hovered above the Blackstream City wall, with a dozen main cannons extending from the hull, slowly adjusting their aim towards the city below.

Just as Qian Ye frowned, the airship fleet above descended into chaos. The luxurious airships, each vying to land first, began to jostle for landing space.

Blackstream City, even in the Evernight, was only a third- or fourth-tier city. Public and military airships shared the same field, and the landing area could only accommodate two airships at a time. Most of the time, the field was idle.

However, Qian Ye noticed something. The military gunboats were orderly, but the airships they protected seemed to be a temporary gathering, without unified command. They competed fiercely, resulting in a few dangerous maneuvers, and even a collision. Fortunately, the airships, made by noble families, were of high quality, otherwise, they might have crashed.

Seeing this, the battleship finally responded, sending out a dozen strongmen to board the airships. Qian Ye’s eyes widened—these were actually a dozen warlords!

Soon, the chaos in the air subsided, and the airships began to land in sequence.

At this moment, a general hovering in front of the battleship slowly landed, his epaulettes indicating he was a brigadier general, and his face quite young.

The general glanced around, spotting Wei Potian, and his stern expression relaxed as he strode over.

Ignoring Qian Ye, he addressed Wei Potian, “I am Zhang Zixing, from the third legion, tasked with protecting the noble ladies here. Since Prince Wei is here, it simplifies my duties, and I can hand over my responsibilities.”

Wei Potian’s expression remained blank, nodding slightly.

Zhang Zixing then signaled, and the fleet began to land. First, an airship in emerald green descended, bearing a crest Qian Ye recognized—the Nán Gōng family of Yí Shuǐ.

Once the airship landed, a beautiful young girl, surrounded by attendants, stepped down. She exuded elegance and grace, with a hint of charm. This was the most radiant time of her life.

Zhang Zixing bowed slightly, performing a noble social bow, saying, “Welcome, Miss Nán Gōng Líng, the second daughter of Ningyuan Marquis.”

Nán Gōng Líng was followed by a large entourage of over a dozen maids and nearly a hundred guards.

She walked straight to Wei Potian, smiling, and then looked around, sweetly asking, “Qǐ Yáng, why did you suddenly come here? Is there something interesting?”

Nán Gōng Líng’s tone was intimate, but Qian Ye could tell she and Wei Potian weren’t close, perhaps not even friends. Those who knew Wei Potian well knew he preferred to be called by his chosen nickname.

Nán Gōng Líng chatted warmly with Wei Potian, her gaze briefly lighting up when it fell on Qian Ye, but quickly returned to Wei Potian.

Another airship landed, and a girl in warrior attire stepped out. Her outfit was obviously crafted by a master, and she carried herself with a lively yet refined air, exuding both vitality and bravery.

Zhang Zixing’s voice rang out, “Welcome, the third daughter of Chóng Yáng Marquis, Sun Kāi Yán, the adopted daughter of the Defender of the State.”

“Kāi Yán, you’re here too,” Wei Potian greeted the approaching girl with evident enthusiasm, causing Nán Gōng Líng’s face to freeze.

Almost immediately, Zhang Zixing’s voice announced, “Welcome, the eldest daughter of Shùnyì Marquis, Shǐ Dōng Qǐ!”

By this time, Qian Ye had sensed something was amiss and quietly retreated several steps, distancing himself from the epicenter of trouble, Wei Potian.