Chapter 67: The Denouement of the Titan’s Slumber

As Qian Ye’s off-road vehicle drove out of the outermost camp gate, Zhang Boqian suddenly stood up and walked into a side door. Outside was a passage open on one side, where Lin Xitang was leaning against an iron support frame, his gaze unfocused on the ground.

Zhang Boqian approached him, his eyes resting on the increasingly prominent gray strands beneath the silver hair. He asked slowly, “Do you not wish to see him?”

“Stopping here is good enough. The outcome is still decent.”

“Why did you go to the garbage dump in Evernight all those years ago?”

“I just happened to pass by.”

“And after that?”

Lin Xitang was slightly taken aback, raising his head.

Zhang Boqian’s face remained calm, but his eyes were stubborn and determined, clearly demanding an answer and refusing to let it go.

Lin Xitang couldn’t help but smile, “Of course, it wasn’t entirely by chance afterward. There are never so many coincidences in this world.”

Zhang Boqian’s anger flared, and he said in a low, firm voice, “Lin Xitang, you should know better than me what can be involved and what cannot. What do you have to do with the squabbles among those families? Don’t think your divination techniques can calculate everything in the world. Wasn’t the lesson from getting involved with the Queen of Night enough? Do you have a death wish, meddling in these affairs, and want to make even more enemies?”

Lin Xitang was silent for a moment, then softly replied, “I admit I was wrong before, but now it’s over.”

Zhang Boqian looked at him, and his anger suddenly dissipated, “So, you do have personal motives, after all.”

Lin Xitang smiled helplessly and remained silent.

At that moment, the light around them flickered, and the force lamps in the corridor went out one by one. The daylight filtering through the courtyard dispelled some of the dark corners but cast new shadows.

The sky over the Evernight Continent brightened.

When Qian Ye returned to the Zhao camp, he felt extremely exhausted, longing only for a deep sleep. His brief encounter with Zhang Boqian, though short on words, was more tiring than a fierce battle with a formidable enemy, almost as exhausting as firing a primal gun.

However, there was still much to do. Qian Ye washed his face with cold water and went to find Zhao Xuji.

Zhao Xuji’s desk was still piled high with documents, seemingly never-ending. During this time, Qian Ye had heard many rumors about the Duke of Yu, known for his meticulous and hands-on style.

Qian Ye briefly recounted his meeting with Zhang Boqian. Zhao Xuji was quite pleased, knowing that Zhang Boqian would not waste time on trivial matters. Spending such a long time with Qian Ye indicated that he had taken a keen interest in him, which was beneficial for Qian Ye’s future. Zhao Xuji then encouraged Qian Ye with a few kind words.

Qian Ye could only sigh inwardly, and once Zhao Xuji finished, he hastily said, “Your Grace, if there are no major events, I plan to return to Blackflow City soon.”

Zhao Xuji frowned and asked, “Going back now? How are your injuries?”

“They are no longer a concern,” Qian Ye replied. “I heard that due to the ongoing war, airships cannot travel privately, so I will travel by land.”

Zhao Xuji’s eyebrows relaxed slightly, and he asked, “By the way, why did you choose to record your military achievements later? There were many valuable items in this reward, such as a customized seventh-grade gun, which is even better than the ones produced by our Zhao clan, almost as good as Jundu’s Azure Sky.”

To this, Qian Ye had already prepared an answer, “I already have a weapon that suits me. Besides, my force has been increasing rapidly, and I will need an eighth-grade weapon soon. There’s no point in spending too much on weapons now. It’s better to save up and exchange for an eighth-grade masterpiece all at once.”

Zhao Xuji nodded, saying, “It’s not a bad thing for a young man to aim high. Alright, go ahead, but remember to return within ten days, no matter what.”

Qian Ye agreed and went to find the Zhao supply officer to borrow an off-road vehicle. He then left the Imperial camp and headed towards Blackflow City.

As Qian Ye raced across the endless wilderness, the intense battle in the cave world of the Great Beast’s Slumber was nearing its end.

Bai Ao Tu stepped over the corpse of a marquis spider demon, plucked a fragment of ancient essence from the cave wall, and tossed it into a specially designed bag. In a separate compartment of the bag, she kept a crystal left by the celestial ghost, which continuously emitted heat sufficient to ignite black stone. However, her bag was made of a special material, unaffected by the heat and capable of blocking external force detection.

With no enemies around, Bai Ao Tu turned and retraced her steps. At the edge of her perception, several powerful presences lingered, all aware of her presence. However, her strength deterred them, and they left her alone.

After everyone was far away, one of the powerful presences suddenly weakened. In a cave, Aiden, drenched in sweat, leaned against the wall, slowly sliding down, unable to stand.

Opposite him, Bai Kongzhao held a fragment of ancient essence, intently studying it. The fragment emitted a gentle glow, making both Aiden and Bai Kongzhao feel comfortable under its light.

Aiden, breathing steadily, asked, “Where did you get that medicine that allowed me to mimic the aura of a marquis? It’s just… too strong.”

“This medicine stimulates potential by depleting the body and life. Because you are a viscount, it can simulate the aura of a marquis. This type of medicine is common in slums, used as a life-saving drug.”

“Life-saving?” Aiden was puzzled, unable to understand how such a potent but dangerous drug could be considered life-saving.

Bai Kongzhao glanced at him, matter-of-factly saying, “Of course, it’s for saving lives. People in the slums don’t have good weapons or cultivation methods. When it comes to survival, they rely on this. In our eyes, this medicine is for saving lives. As for the side effects, they are a problem for the future.”

Aiden was taken aback by her answer and, after a moment, asked, “Where are these slums?”

Bai Kongzhao mentioned a few names, and Aiden recognized one, a underground market in Evernight, inhabited by dark races and a few mixed-blood humans.

“Did you grow up in such a place?”

“No, the place I grew up in was worse, but…” She left the sentence unfinished.

Aiden, maintaining his noble manners, said, “Alright, I won’t ask anymore. Now that we have the item, what are you going to do? I still say, if you want to kill me, do it quickly.”

Bai Kongzhao looked at Aiden, but her focus was somewhere far beyond. After a long pause, she said, “I want your family’s secret techniques.”

“Impossible,” Aiden flatly refused.

Bai Kongzhao stood up and approached Aiden. Instead of the expected violence, she split the ancient essence fragment in half, giving Aiden a larger piece.

Aiden caught the fragment, looking at Bai Kongzhao in confusion, “This isn’t like you.”

Bai Kongzhao raised the smaller fragment, “I only need this much.”

She stuffed the fragment into her backpack and left Aiden, heading towards the exit of the cave.

Aiden shouted after her, “Hey! We’re even, don’t think I owe you anything!”

Bai Kongzhao didn’t look back, raising her hand and flipping him off, “You’re so whiny, not like a real man.”

“You!” Aiden was infuriated.

Bai Kongzhao might not need more ancient essence, but the half-fragment was incredibly important to Aiden. With this fragment, he could fully recover from the injuries sustained in the battle with Edward and even enhance his bloodline.

Aiden watched Bai Kongzhao’s retreating figure, thinking of the large backpack full of weapons in a style of the dark races, feeling a mix of emotions.

In another area, Edward, with a livid face, held two crystals left by the celestial ghost and punched the cave wall. The furious blow created a hole dozens of meters deep, almost creating a new passage.

He knew, however, that his anger was futile. Nighteye must have escaped, possibly leaving the Great Beast’s Slumber. He had not found any ancient essence fragments, but encountered the celestial ghost twice. The crystals, however, were useless to him, only suitable as rewards for his subordinates.

In Edward’s mind, his subordinates were less important than himself. Getting the two celestial ghost crystals was no different from nothing.

“Aiden!!” Edward gritted out. If it weren’t for Aiden, he would have forced Nighteye to comply long ago.

Edward’s anger grew, and a chill spread through him. Others might not know, but he saw the icy glare in Lilith’s eyes when he received the title of Holy Son from the council, almost freezing his soul.

Li Kuanglan, holding the Cold Moon Cage Sands, pointed it at the two werewolves and a spider demon. In his left hand, he held a fragment of ancient essence, and said, “If you want to take it, come at me. Stop being so hesitant!”

The nobles facing Li Kuanglan, though equal in rank, felt a sense of dread and dared not approach.

In the final stretch of the underground cave, Li Kuanglan and his sword had earned a fearsome reputation. Many famous warriors from their respective races had fallen to his blade. Though the three dark nobles had a numerical advantage, they felt no confidence.

Li Kuanglan, however, did not wait and walked towards them, the chill around him intensifying.

The spider demon, enraged and fearful, roared and led the werewolves to retreat, vanishing into the labyrinthine passages.

Li Kuanglan laughed, an arrogant and unrestrained laugh, and strode away, holding the ancient essence fragment.

In another passage leading to the surface, Zhao Jundu, carrying the Azure Sky, walked calmly. During the Great Beast’s Slumber campaign, he did not join the Zhao forces, and neither the Evernight nor the Empire seemed to have encountered him.

His beautiful, icy face showed no emotion, as if detached from the world. No one knew his actual battle record, except for a single crystal from the celestial ghost in his backpack.

In the grand castle at the center of the Evernight council’s front, King Mephisto suddenly huffed angrily, his expression dark. With his fury, the dark warriors in the vast camp felt their blood surge and their force become chaotic, causing great discomfort. The weaker warriors and cannon fodder fell in droves, some never rising again.