Qian Ye stood motionless, only moving once the initial enhancement of his internal organs was complete. He then slowly made his way toward the forest, constantly scanning his surroundings with his True Vision Eyes to guard against any unexpected danger.
The abnormally high gravity alone made this world perilous. It brought hidden threats; even the strongest humans needed to protect their internal organs with primal force at all times, for their bodies were far from as robust as Qian Ye’s. This was particularly unfavorable for humans, as their primal force consumption would significantly exceed that of the dark races.
There was nothing unusual at the edge of the forest—bare soil and moss under the ancient trees, occasionally interspersed with low grass. It seemed no different from the forests in the Empire or Evernight, except for one thing: Qian Ye recognized almost none of the species here.
Entering the Great Vortex, the most important goal was naturally to enhance one’s own strength, followed by finding rare resources. The first point didn’t worry Qian Ye, but the second was a bit troublesome. There were countless rare resources in the Great Vortex, but most documented ones were located near the entrance. In an environment like this, with such high gravity, how was he to distinguish what had great value and what was worthless without any information?
After walking for a while, something caught Qian Ye’s eye.
He immediately turned to look, and whatever it was quickly vanished. But now that it had piqued his interest, there was no hiding from him. Qian Ye cautiously approached, stepping carefully. Moments later, he circled an ancient tree and peered behind it.
Amidst the tangled roots, a seemingly ordinary stone was entwined. About half a meter in diameter, its shape was unremarkable, covered with a layer of dirt and moss. It looked as if it had been there for ages. If not for the recent anomaly, even Qian Ye might have overlooked it.
Qian Ye’s eyes glowed blue as he activated his True Vision Eyes, focusing intently on the stone.
Soon, he realized that the source of the primal force disturbance wasn’t the stone itself, but the moss growing on it. He carefully scraped off a small piece of moss, and his vision instantly brightened. The gap where the moss was removed shimmered like burning flame, dazzling in the dim forest. Of course, it wasn’t truly on fire; the strong primal force reaction created this effect.
A small patch of moss contained such dense primal force, unimaginably so. The glow in Qian Ye’s vision quickly faded as the moss repaired itself, ceasing to leak primal force.
Though he did not yet know the nature of the primal force, both the peculiar moss and the stone were clearly extraordinary. Qian Ye carefully extracted the stone from the roots and stored it in Anduia’s space. Regrettably, when he deliberately cut a root, he found no abnormalities, at least in terms of primal force.
Still, Qian Ye had gained much. At least he now had a method for discovering unknown rare resources. Moreover, these ancient trees were not entirely useless. Perhaps due to the high gravity, the wood was extremely hard. Even with Dong Yue, Qian Ye had to exert considerable effort. If transported to the Empire, this wood would be the finest material for shipbuilding, surpassing all known timber, rivaling the top alloys in performance. But those alloys were expensive, and the Empire could only afford to use them sparingly, in the most critical parts and devices. If an airship were built entirely from this wood, its performance might be unmatched, inferior only to the old vessels of the elite.
Sadly, the wood was too heavy, and Anduia’s space was limited. Qian Ye couldn’t afford to fill his precious space with just wood.
Just as Qian Ye was about to continue exploring the forest, he sensed something and immediately scaled a nearby ancient tree. In moments, he stood atop it, gazing into the sky.
The world inside the Great Vortex was very peculiar, with a deep, high sky filled with floating clouds but no sun or other celestial bodies. It was a mystery where the light came from.
At that moment, a dark light sphere appeared in the sky, surrounded by streaks of lightning. A figure suddenly emerged from the sphere and paused mid-air.
That wasn’t actually a light sphere but a portal into this world. Someone else had arrived after Qian Ye, though it was unclear whether they were from Evernight or the Empire, and whether Qian Ye knew them.
As soon as the figure left, the dark sphere gradually vanished, indicating that the portal could only accommodate one person at a time.
Unlike the unprepared Qian Ye, this newcomer was clearly ready, surrounded by a primal force shield. While this protection could handle most harsh conditions, it was useless against the high gravity. The figure hadn’t expected the gravity to be so intense and, with a startled cry, plummeted towards the ground like a meteor.
Unlike Qian Ye, who had fallen into a lake, this person had no such luck, crashing into a hard, rocky shore. A muffled thud echoed as the figure slammed into the ground, making Qian Ye flinch instinctively, feeling the pain.
Far in the distance, another faint flash of light. With his keen eyesight, Qian Ye recognized it as another portal. Another figure emerged and, like the first, plummeted to the ground. This one, however, was more adept, managing to stabilize and take flight again, disappearing into the distance.
Qian Ye paused, concealing his presence, then leapt down from the tree and stealthily moved towards the impact site. If the arrival was from the Empire, they might need assistance. But if it was an Evernight strongman, it would be the perfect opportunity to strike while they were weakened, eliminating a future threat.
The skies within the Great Vortex grew increasingly turbulent, and Tidesound City was far from calm.
The collapse of Sacred Mountain had ended, transforming it into a flat plain. The dark sphere hovering in the air, which had already shrunk to half its original size, became even more indistinct, intermittently shooting out bolts of dark lightning. Seasoned strongmen recognized this as a sign of the spatial passage becoming unstable.
If the entry into the Great Vortex was unstable, the risks of passing through it would skyrocket. The neutral region’s passage had existed for centuries, untouched because it was too volatile, attempting to traverse it was akin to suicide.
Now, a man in his early thirties stood before the portal, sweat on his brow, visibly tense. He was clad in multiple layers of armor, carrying several defensive items, wrapped up like a turtle’s shell.
An elder patted his shoulder, sternly advising, “Stay calm. Remember to stay focused inside. This is an opportunity your family has fought for fifty years to secure, don’t let it slip away.”
The man nodded, his tension slightly easing, replaced by resolve.
“Alright, go! I’ll give you a boost!” The elder pushed him, enveloping him in a gentle surge of primal force, sending him into the portal.
But the instant he entered, the portal’s mouth violently fluctuated, and the dark lightning increased. The man nearly cried out, frantically activating his primal force and nearly all his defensive items.
The elder hesitated briefly but then gritted his teeth, applying more force, propelling the man fully into the portal. The fluctuations intensified, and the dark lightning surged like a tide, forming a web of lightning inside the portal. The man hit the web in despair, his image vanishing. A scream of anguish echoed from the portal.
The elder’s face was grim, his hands trembling. Anyone could tell the outcome was dire. The others stood in silence, unable to offer comfort. Any consolation would be like salt on a wound.
The elder turned abruptly, ordering, “Come, we’re going to Song Zining!”
Moments later, in the reception room of Song Zining’s flagship, the elder sat angrily, his sharp, eagle-like eyes fixed on Song Zining. The room was not empty; representatives from various factions, including noble families and the Imperial House, were present. Even Yan Ding was there, sitting in a corner, having accepted his minor role.
The first to speak was not the noble elder but an older member of the Imperial House. Stroking his smooth chin, he spoke in a soft, menacing tone, “Young Master, we are not the only ones here today. Many have come, all with the same question. As a low-ranking servant, I will speak for everyone. Is that acceptable?”
Song Zining smiled, saying, “Speak freely, Eunuch Zhang.”
Eunuch Zhang continued, “Very well, I’ll be direct. The quotas and order for entering the Great Vortex were agreed upon, and Young Master, you were there. I distinctly remember Qian Ye wasn’t on the list, not even for the second batch. Why did you send him first? If the portal had remained stable, it wouldn’t matter, but as the old prince predicted, each person who enters makes it more dangerous. Now the portal is highly unstable, and no one else can enter. We still have two people on our list who haven’t gone in. What do you have to say about this, Young Master?”
Before Song Zining could reply, the noble elder slapped the table, roaring, “My nephew just entered the portal, and his chances of survival are slim! Not to mention the resources my Lu family has amassed over the years, but my nephew was the greatest talent of the past fifty years! You must provide us with an explanation, or the Lu family won’t stand idly by!”
Song Zining coolly fanned himself, responding, “You want an explanation?”
“Exactly!”
“Hmm, not giving one wouldn’t be reasonable, would it?”
“Lives are at stake; this isn’t something to be brushed aside.”
Song Zining replied calmly, “I told you the portal was unstable and couldn’t handle more entries. Your Lu family insisted on taking the risk. Who can you blame now?”
Lu Elder, furious, retorted, “If you hadn’t sent Qian Ye in first, taking up a spot, none of this would have happened!”
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