Qian Ye felt a heavy burden in his heart. If the situation truly escalated into a national war, not only would it last a long time, but the area beneath and beyond the “Slumber of the Leviathan” would turn into a perilous battlefield where the dark races and humans would fight to the death.
At this moment, Zhao Xuanji added, “This time, not only will Jun Du from our Zhao Clan enter the Slumber of the Leviathan, but also Jun Yi, our eldest, has been summoned. The second and third, who were wounded in a fierce battle, will remain on the surface to join the fight.”
The Duke of You then named several others. Although Qian Ye didn’t know who they were, they must be outstanding members of the Zhao Clan, on par with the Four Young Masters of the Duke of Cheng’en. Finally, Zhao Xuanji said, “Yuying’s injuries will heal in ten days, and she will also go.”
Qian Ye finally couldn’t hold back and said, “I heard that the Slumber of the Leviathan suppresses the power of those who enter. If we send everyone, what if something goes wrong?”
Zhao Xuanji proudly replied, “With the ancient essence surfacing, and the upcoming battle that will determine the fate of the empire for centuries, how could the Zhao Clan of Yanyun retreat? Though this journey is perilous, it’s not a guaranteed death. Under the suppression of the leviathan’s will, the gap between strong and weak is narrowed. If we don’t dare to go, how can we improve, and how can such people take over the Zhao Clan in the future?”
Qian Ye took a deep breath, feeling a profound respect. Only now did he fully understand what Zhao Yuying meant when she said that the status of the Zhao Clan’s members was earned through combat.
The Zhao Clan had stood for a thousand years for a reason. Even geniuses like Zhao Jun Du and Zhao Yuying, who possessed both lineage and talent, were not given special treatment and were pushed into battle. Other clan members didn’t need to be mentioned. Even if some fell in the Slumber of the Leviathan, others would rise from the bloodbath. Such a martial spirit in the Zhao Clan ensured that anyone with talent could advance, and the leaders were all battle-hardened. How could such a clan not thrive?
Zhao Xuanji looked at Qian Ye and said solemnly, “Qian Ye, I am telling you this so you understand the situation and think carefully. I know your background, so I cannot force you to fight. Though under the leviathan’s will, someone with a combat strength beyond their rank like you would have an advantage, high-ranking generals and even divine generals can still enter, and their remaining power after suppression may still far exceed yours. Moreover, according to Jun Du’s report, some special abilities or powerful equipment are not suppressed, making such opponents very difficult to deal with.”
Qian Ye listened quietly without hesitation and said, “I will go.”
Zhao Xuanji did not immediately agree but said, “This battle is different from a mere bloodbath. We only know about the outer periphery of the Slumber of the Leviathan. What dangers lie in the depths and what the fated land looks like, no one knows. Think carefully about these things.”
Qian Ye said, “I understand.”
Zhao Xuanji nodded, “Good. I will make arrangements for you to go to the Slumber of the Leviathan. In three days, when the army arrives, I will also go. Perhaps I’ll encounter some old enemies from the Eternal Night Council, hehe.”
Qian Ye did not linger and left the reception hall, heading to the base’s supply office for provisions before going to the airship landing field to board a high-speed vessel ready for departure.
A moment later, the airship slowly ascended, adjusted its course, and soon vanished into the distance.
Qian Ye sat in the airship, lost in thought. The information provided by the Duke of You was extremely important. Beyond the level of a general, most people would have one or more secret techniques that could temporarily boost their combat power. A viscount-level opponent would not be a problem, but against a count, marquis, or even a duke, using a secret technique, even for a brief moment, would restore their full strength, making them formidable opponents for Qian Ye.
The airship took only half a day to reach the outer edge of the Slumber of the Leviathan. The Empire had already established a large base here, with three smaller bases surrounding it.
Even though Qian Ye had seen the headquarters of elite special forces like the Red Scorpion, he was still awed by the sight. The Empire had mobilized and built a fully functional base in just under three days in the Evernight, not in the homeland.
The Empire’s determination and resources were evident. Just transporting the materials for the base construction required at least two main air fleets.
Moreover, it was said that on the opposite side of the canyon, the Evernight Council had established a base larger and more numerous than the Empire’s. Many dark race elites were rushing day and night from the upper continent, and there had already been several clashes in the void.
Before Qian Ye entered the Slumber of the Leviathan, he was summoned to the base’s command center. The command center was filled with dozens of the Empire’s best talents, and Qian Ye, the youngest and lowest-ranked, attracted attention. However, none showed any surprise, as those present were not shallow.
Not long after, an Imperial Major General entered the command center, his sharp gaze sweeping the room. He spoke with forceful authority, “The significance of this battle is clear. This campaign is akin to a revival for the Empire. I won’t waste words. The Empire promises that whoever secures the ancient essence, whether for personal use or to give to the Empire, will have one wish granted. This includes the highest military honors, such as a pardon or a viscount’s title. Of course, if the ancient essence is offered to the Empire, the rewards will be even greater, including hereditary titles! Rest assured, the Empire’s rewards will be bountiful compared to the value of the ancient essence!”
This promise caused a stir, and many were visibly excited.
After the briefing, Qian Ye and the others set out for the Slumber of the Leviathan.
Even after witnessing the great battle of the Sky Demons, standing at the edge of the Slumber of the Leviathan, Qian Ye still felt the grandeur of the land. With his extraordinary vision, he could barely see the opposite shore, where the dark race’s base stretched.
The canyon extended endlessly, and the “Rainbow Chaos Currents” were now thin, like mountain mist, slowly flowing within hundreds of kilometers, giving the illusion that this was the edge of the land.
Qian Ye had no time for reflection. After listening to the major general’s introduction of the exploration findings, he leaped a hundred meters and plunged into the canyon, quickly disappearing into the mist.
The major general leading the group was stunned and speechless for a moment. After a while, he turned to the others and said, “Everyone, you… don’t have to be so rash. Climbing down the stone wall… is much safer.”
In the “Rainbow Chaos Currents,” Qian Ye seemed to fall straight down, but he had activated his true vision, seeing gaps in the swirling currents, adjusting his body slightly, and falling safely. As the mist thinned almost to transparency, he suddenly felt a darkness and a vast, ancient will slowly awakening, focusing on him.
Qian Ye felt a sudden weight, as if carrying a thousand stones, and even his primeval force was sluggish. His descent accelerated, like a falling rock.
This overwhelmingly terrifying will felt familiar to Qian Ye. He remembered! It was the vast will he had felt during the Sky Demon battle, the remnant will of the void leviathan. Fortunately, it passed over him, as it had before, without noticing him.
But even that brief moment required Qian Ye’s full effort. The Great Mystical Art slowly summoned a pure tide of dawn primordial force, resisting the pressure. Once the void leviathan’s will shifted, Qian Ye breathed a sigh of relief, and his blood surged, with the golden blood from his core combining with the dawn primordial force to resist the space’s pressure, reducing the weight by nearly half.
Falling further, Qian Ye spread his light wings, and the pressure diminished to less than a third.
Now, Qian Ye could sense his surroundings. The “Rainbow Chaos Currents” swirled above, and the black mist was growing distant. Around him, it was a vast emptiness, like being lost in a fog. His eyes turned blue, and his true vision revealed nothing within tens of meters.
Qian Ye, unalarmed, decided to accelerate. He folded his arms, spread his wings, and dived headfirst, like a cannonball, deeper into the chasm.
Soon, Qian Ye sensed something was wrong. He was falling at great speed, nearly ten thousand meters, yet he saw no sign of the canyon bottom.
Qian Ye didn’t panic. He stopped and waited, hoping to sense others who might have jumped. After half an hour, he felt no primordial force fluctuations.
His heart sank, and after a moment’s thought, he began to fly in circles, expanding outward. Even after a radius of a kilometer, he saw nothing.
Qian Ye felt like he had entered another world, surrounded by endless mist. But he could still feel gravity and the constant pressure, confirming he was under the leviathan’s will.
He continued diving towards the canyon bottom. Suddenly, he felt like he broke through an invisible membrane, and his senses returned. The wind, ground, and sky reappeared.
The ground?
Qian Ye realized the ground was only ten meters away!
Reacting too late, he crashed into the ground, creating a large crater.
Dazed, Qian Ye lay there for a while before slowly getting up. His vampiric constitution and strength saved him. Had he hit stone, the stone would have shattered. Now, hitting a soft grassy slope, he merely passed out, causing soil and grass to fly.
Qian Ye retracted his wings, dusted off, and climbed out of the pit. Standing on the ground, he looked around.
He landed on a small hill, covered in lush green grass. The view was excellent, revealing the surroundings.
Endless grasslands on two sides, a dense forest on another, and a towering stone forest on the last. The stone pillars disappeared into the mist, like a fairyland.
Seeing the stone forest, Qian Ye’s eyes were drawn to a mysterious, sometimes hidden, mountain deep within. Several steep peaks, like writing brushes, arranged in a row, were a stunning sight.
But Qian Ye’s heart jolted. Upon closer inspection, he realized they weren’t mountains but the spine of some unknown, colossal beast.
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