Chapter 71: Gathering Storms of War

For a very long time, the volcano gradually ceased its eruption. The two lay side by side on the bed, utterly exhausted from their prolonged and intense engagement. Night Pupil rested her head in Qian Ye’s arm, tracing his sculpted chest with her fingers, her eyes soft and warm.

The full moon hung high in the night sky, its light filtering through the swaying leaves and pouring through the window, casting a serene and cozy glow upon them. Qian Ye felt an indescribable peace and relaxation, with drowsiness creeping in, his eyelids heavy as if weighed down by a thousand pounds, lulling him into slumber.

Night Pupil, however, was not at all sleepy. She softly called out, “Qian Ye.”

“Hmm?”

“Do we have a home now, don’t we?”

“Of course.”

“…Hmm.”

Qian Ye could no longer hold on, drifting off into a daze. A smile tugged at the corner of Night Pupil’s lips as she adjusted her position, nestling herself more comfortably, lost in her thoughts.

In the early morning hours of the Empire, the Evernight Continent remained dim, with several upper continents blocking the sunlight, only a sliver of dawn visible at the horizon.

However, the human-occupied territories always followed the schedule of the Imperial capital of the upper continents. So, it was already time for the Seventh Young Noble to pay a visit.

Night Pupil went downstairs first, opening the courtyard gate and letting Song Zining into the parlor. Song Zining wasn’t alone; he was accompanied by Nan Hua. Before descending, Night Pupil had donned Lu Ju’s mask and concealed her aura, appearing as a young girl of ordinary strength.

Nan Hua, without any attempt to hide her curiosity, stared intently at Night Pupil, examining her from every angle.

She was close to Song Zining and had some knowledge of Qian Ye, even having fought alongside him. But the more she knew, the more mysterious he seemed.

Qian Ye’s combat prowess increased rapidly, reaching new realms almost every period, even surpassing the admiration and respect Nan Hua held for Song Zining. On the other hand, Qian Ye’s appearance already bore the unique, handsome beauty of a high-ranking blood clan, combining ruggedness and grace, making most so-called beauties pale in comparison.

Apart from his lack of eloquence and social skills, Qian Ye was nearly flawless in Nan Hua’s eyes. She occasionally wondered what kind of girl such a man would choose to be by his side.

Nan Hua had exceptional sisters and had mentioned to Song Zining that she wanted them to come and try to get along with Qian Ye. However, her request was politely declined by Song Zining, indicating that Qian Ye already had someone in mind. At the time, she was curious about what kind of extraordinary woman it might be.

Now that Qian Ye had returned, there was suddenly a young girl by his side, and they were living together openly. It would be strange if Nan Hua wasn’t curious. So, as soon as she heard that Song Zining was coming to Qian Ye’s place for breakfast, she immediately tagged along.

When she saw Night Pupil, Nan Hua’s curiosity only grew. From her aura, this black-haired, black-eyed girl’s combat power was extremely limited, at best around level eight or nine. Although for the millions of cultivators in the Empire, most would never break through to become battle generals, reaching level eight or nine was already the peak for ordinary people. But Qian Ye was not ordinary.

In this world where power was paramount, young and rising strong figures like Qian Ye and Song Zining, who had made a name for themselves in the Empire, could only stand by those with either an impressive lineage or substantial strength. Otherwise, it would feel mismatched.

Night Pupil’s current appearance was just fair and endearing. After all, Qian Ye and she both intended to keep a low profile. An excessively stunning, or even recognizable, appearance would only bring trouble and serve no purpose.

Yet, Night Pupil had a peculiar presence. Her eyes were calm and profound, as if they contained an entire world. For some reason, Nan Hua felt a sense of inferiority, sitting up straight and becoming inexplicably nervous, unable to ask any of the questions swirling in her mind.

Song Zining, however, was at ease, behaving as if he were at home, chatting with Night Pupil about recent events in the Empire. Soon, they were engaged in an enthusiastic conversation. Nan Hua found it strange because whenever Song Zining faced a beautiful woman, he usually talked about trivial matters. With his immense talent, he could converse brilliantly on any topic.

But now, he discussed military and state affairs, especially the battles of Blood War and the Sleep of the Colossus, providing detailed accounts that could be written down as a comprehensive report. Night Pupil showed clear interest in these topics, occasionally interjecting with pertinent questions. In just a few queries, Nan Hua was astonished by her strategic acumen.

Moreover, Nan Hua was puzzled by the way Song Zining interacted with Night Pupil, treating her as an equal partner, which was unlike his usual attitude towards women.

At this moment, Qian Ye descended the stairs. Song Zining immediately called out, “Qian Ye! Go make breakfast, we’re all hungry!”

Qian Ye was taken aback and then glared fiercely at Song Zining, “Didn’t you bring a whole team of cooks from the Empire? Why are you here to mooch off me so early in the morning?”

Song Zining responded matter-of-factly, “None of the cooks can match your cooking! Get to work!”

Qian Ye refused, “You’ve never even tasted my cooking, how do you know it’s good?”

“I smelled your cooking last night and refrained from disturbing you. Coming here for breakfast in the morning is doing you a favor! Now, go where you belong and stop being idle!”

As he spoke, Song Zining leapt up, shoving Qian Ye into the kitchen.

Qian Ye suddenly remembered something and called out, “Wait! You said you smelled my cooking last night? How is that possible?”

“Where there are trees, there are leaves.” With that, Song Zining slammed the kitchen door shut, trapping Qian Ye inside.

Soon, Qian Ye prepared a sumptuous breakfast, but his gaze, fixed on Song Zining, was sharp and menacing. Song Zining, unafraid, simply ignored it.

Smelling the aroma, Nan Hua cheered, bouncing out of the sofa and rushing into the dining room. Song Zining followed closely, sitting himself at the table, ready for the feast.

The four of them devoured the food in a flash, even Night Pupil showing no restraint. All were strong, quick, and fierce, leaving nothing behind.

After breakfast, Song Zining couldn’t escape his fate and was dragged off by Qian Ye to wash the dishes, leaving Night Pupil and Nan Hua in the parlor, chatting idly.

Two figures who had once been at the center of the Blood War were not so adept at handling a pile of dishes. While working, Song Zining asked, “Qian Ye, what do you plan to do next? Continue earning military merits?”

“Yeah, I heard that accumulating enough military merits can earn an Imperial pardon.”

Song Zining, knowing why Qian Ye wanted the pardon, paused before asking, “Do you plan to continue fighting for the Zhao Clan?”

“I haven’t decided yet. It depends on the situation and opportunities. When I came to Blackflow City, Duke You told me to return in ten days.”

Song Zining hesitated and said, “If you want military merits, there is an opportunity. I just received news that the Empire plans to engage in a major battle with the Evernight Parliament at the Sleep of the Colossus.”

Qian Ye was surprised, “A major battle? The competition for the ancient essence fragments has ended. What more is there to fight for?”

“To contest the entrance to the Sleep of the Colossus. Haven’t you been there? What was the environment like?”

Recalling, Qian Ye said, “At the end of the Sleep of the Colossus, there’s a void passage leading to another world, resembling a floating land in the void. It’s vast and uniquely strange, with a forest of trees containing valuable primordial liquid. Is the Empire starting a war just to claim this forest?”

Song Zining shook his head, “I’m not sure, but the war is related to the location of that floating land. And the mobilization level is very high.” He put down the bowl and looked at Qian Ye, frowning, “The military merits for this battle will be generous, but it’s also very dangerous. In fact, I don’t recommend you get too involved.”

Qian Ye calmly replied, “I’ve thought it through. I need enough military merits to secure the Imperial pardon, which concerns Night Pupil’s safety. Otherwise, I won’t be at ease. No matter what, I will continue to fight.”

Song Zining fell silent again, saying, “Pardon…” but did not continue, only nodding, “Alright, we’ll head back to the Imperial camp in a couple of days. Take care of yourself, don’t die.”

Qian Ye glanced into the parlor, “Rest assured.”

It was a lull in the conflict, and the exploration of the Sleep of the Colossus had not yet concluded. Both sides still had some people who had not returned. They needed time to assess the gains from the exploration and the value of the passage through the Sleep of the Colossus. Therefore, the battlefield remained quiet.

On the Evernight side, tribes were beginning to withdraw, following the usual pattern after such exploratory wars. With the ancient essence divided, the war was essentially over. As for territory, the Evernight Continent’s resources were scarce, with both dark and dawn origin power being thinner than in the upper continents. Both sides used it as a temporary battlefield with no intention of long-term occupation.

However, the Empire’s movements were the opposite. When Qian Ye and Song Zining returned to the Imperial camp, the atmosphere was tense. The camp was filled with a grim air, with fresh troops arriving continuously and a fleet of floating warships approaching in the distance.

Seeing this, Qian Ye knew, as Song Zining had said, the Empire was not withdrawing but reinforcing, preparing for a major battle.

Still, Qian Ye had doubts. The Empire already had a numerical advantage, with reinforcements still arriving. Yet, the outcome of large-scale battles did not depend on ordinary soldiers, especially with the presence of Overlords and Great Lords. The result would depend on the battles of those at the pinnacle of power.

Currently, the Sleep of the Colossus was guarded by Great Lords Medanzo and Rocksa. Even if Zhang Boqian, a newly ascended Overlord, was exceptionally talented, he would struggle against two. Moreover, the origin of this war was special. The Queen of the Night and the Eternal Flame, though battling the Heavenly Specters in the void, were still considered participants. If Zhang Boqian could defeat the two dark lords, the Queen of the Night would return from the void. What then?

Song Zining also couldn’t figure this out. However, he believed the Empire, having invested heavily, must have a plan. The specifics were a top-secret.

Back in the Imperial camp, Song Zining went to his command post, while Qian Ye returned to the Zhao Clan’s camp, finding that the Zhao Clan had also sent additional forces from the Western Continent, indicating the Empire’s determination to win the upcoming battle.

Across the Sleep of the Colossus, in the majestic castle at the center of the Evernight frontline, Medanzo and Rocksa temporarily set aside their differences, standing side by side, gazing at the Imperial camp.