By this time, all the merchant houses held nothing back, and a torrent of gold coins flowed like a river, pouring into Nan Qing. Whether it was workshops, armies, or towers, they were being built at a staggering pace. The value of skyships was something every leader knew well. There was never a shortage of buyers for such things; as soon as one was built, it would be sold.
The heads of major families and merchants from all over the Eastern Sea rushed to the city of Nan Qing, eager to secure an order for one or two skyships. Once the skyship was in hand, the price no longer mattered. Just as within the city of Ting Chao, if the Xue family acquired a skyship, the second and third-ranked families would do everything in their power to get one as well, lest they be crushed by the Xue family and lose any chance of rising again.
Song Zi Ning had already released word that the ships to be built in Nan Qing City would be genuine war skyships, absolutely military-grade, only slightly inferior to the Empire’s most advanced vessels. Compared to the outdated second-hand skyships in the Neutral Lands, these were not even in the same league. Only the great powers could possess second-hand skyships, while ordinary families and small forces could mostly only afford armed cargo ships modified from freighters.
Compared to real military warships, armed cargo ships were like children who had not yet grown up—whether in speed, protection, or firepower, they were not on the same level.
In the eyes of the truly powerful, this was also the hope for the Neutral Lands to truly become a neutral land. Without a formidable fleet, there was no real security. Even the Blood Throne or Zhang Bu Zhou, when compared to the great figures of the Evernight Empire, lacked a flagship to match. This meant that they could only reign in the Neutral Lands, unable to compete with dukes and princes with flagships in the far-off void deep away from the continent.
Thus, in Song Zi Ning, they saw the hope for future flagships. This was also why, despite the grand shipbuilding efforts in Nan Qing City, the major powers behind the scenes remained silent.
As for the minor forces wishing to take a bite out of this rich prize, either they were intimidated by the increasingly mighty military strength of Nan Qing City, or they had been crippled by Qian Ye, leaving them powerless.
During this period, Qian Ye devoted himself entirely to the cultivation of Dawnforce. At his current pace, he would advance another level in just a few months. This cultivation speed would be considered extraordinary in the Empire. But Qian Ye knew that because of the Divine Skill of Vitality Theft, combined with the Song Ancient Scroll and the Book of Darkness, once the great war began, his blood energy would no longer be suppressed, and breaking through to the next level would be imminent. However, for the Dawnforce, there was no quick method; he could only proceed step by step, slowly and steadily.
The Hall of Heroes returned to the Northern Continent, where it underwent modifications. After the battle with Lin Jia Er, the Hall of Heroes was no longer a secret. The only thing that could surprise her now was the progress of the modifications. According to Song Zi Ning, Lin Jia Er would never have imagined that her main cannon could be installed on the Hall of Heroes and used. In fleet battles, a single mistake could result in the destruction of a capital ship by that main cannon.
In many past battles, the gain or loss of a capital ship in the early stages often determined the final outcome of the battle.
With the addition of the main cannon, the Hall of Heroes was like a tiger with wings. With a long range and powerful damage, and the Hall of Heroes’ robustness, it had an overwhelming advantage in long-range combat. And in close combat, the Hall of Heroes was nearly invincible, as evidenced by Lin Jia Er’s flagship.
During this time, Ning Yuan Heavy Industries sent two more waves of fleets to the Northern Continent, each bringing a large number of skilled craftsmen and critical supplies. By now, Song Zi Ning had moved half of Ning Yuan Heavy Industries to the Neutral Lands, with core and reliable personnel almost entirely relocated to the Northern Continent, effectively staking everything on this venture.
Among the busy crowd, Qing Yue seemed notably worried. She repeatedly convened secret meetings with her clan members, and soon after, another group of Gao Hu people arrived in the Northern Continent. Though the Northern Continent was still a secret, the Gao Hu people who came had to undergo oaths and other rituals to be accepted. And once they arrived, they could not leave. Nevertheless, Qing Yue persisted in bringing more of her clan members.
On the Northern Continent, the human population from Ning Yuan Heavy Industries had far surpassed the Gao Hu, and they possessed advanced technology from the Empire, surpassing the Gao Hu in various fields. Although the Gao Hu were natural craftsmen and warriors, as a nomadic tribe, they could not compare to the technical accumulation of the thousand-year-old Empire.
Qing Yue’s meetings also manifested in another way: a mercenary company composed entirely of Gao Hu had secretly joined Dark Flame, under the command of Song Zi Ning.
The days of prosperity and peace continued, but those who were privy to some information gradually began to worry. In their eyes, beneath the calm surface, there was a turbulent undercurrent, and the longer the peace lasted, the more dangerous it became.
The Crimson Hall of the Blood Throne was a legendary name in both the Neutral Lands and the Evernight Empire. This was where the young vampire first established his home in the Neutral Lands. The two humble stone huts of yesteryear had now transformed into a majestic and imposing hall, just as the lowly-born vampire had grown into one of the masters of the Neutral Lands.
At this moment, three figures knelt in the center of the hall. They were actually quite tall, but in the vast hall towering nearly a hundred meters high, they appeared as insignificant as ants.
Suddenly, one of the young women swayed and fell to the ground. Another figure hurried over to check, but the leader remained prostrate, immovable, like a rock.
After a brief period of frantic activity, the man who was treating her suddenly burst into tears, indicating that the young woman’s fate was beyond saving. Overwhelmed with grief and anger, he rose abruptly, intending to rush towards the end of the hall. There was no one at the end of the hall, only a high throne, its glaring crimson color declaring its identity: the Blood Throne.
The young man took only a few steps before being forced to stop. His ankle was firmly grasped by the leader. It was an elderly man with a weathered face but resolute expression, his skin as dry as rotting wood, yet possessing an irresistible strength. Despite the young man’s desperate struggles, he could not break free from the old man’s grip.
Angry and shocked, the young man shouted, “You, you clearly have so much power, why won’t you help her!”
The old man’s voice was deep and hoarse, “This is her fate, destined from the day she joined us.”
“Go to hell with your fate! If fate is truly like this, I will not accept it, never!”
The old man did not raise his head, but his voice carried a note of sorrow, “This will be your fate and mine. We can only accept it, there is no other way.”
The young man’s voice rose by several octaves, “No! You are all liars! There is no inevitable fate, there isn’t! They killed her, and I will avenge her!”
The old man sighed, speaking slowly, “It is futile. In the face of fate, any struggle cannot change the ultimate outcome. Have you not seen it yet?”
The young man suddenly felt a sharp pain in his foot. Looking down, he realized the old man had released him. The dark red floor seemed to come alive, transforming into thick, viscous blood, like growing vines, tightly wrapping around his ankle and piercing deeply. Horrified, the young man tried to break free, but it was too late. Life and power drained from his wounds like a tide, and he grew weaker and weaker, falling to the ground, swiftly covered by the blood.
The blood cocoon writhed for a moment before settling, returning to the cold, hard floor. The young couple seemed as if they had never existed.
At this moment, a figure in black robes emerged from a side door at the end of the hall, approaching the old man and saying, “Return. No matter how strong you are, you cannot hold out here for long. When you arrived, there were seven of you, now only you remain. Even if you die here, the master will not see you.”
“Why, is our sacrifice not enough?”
“No, your weight is not sufficient.”
The old man remained silent for a long time before sighing heavily, speaking slowly, “We carry a heavy fate, how can we have enough weight? Each of our lives must be carefully hidden, always at risk of being cut short. And we lack resources, barely enough to survive. Every person here has grown on the bones of their brothers and sisters.”
The man in black robes said indifferently, “The master has no interest in your story. If you do not leave now, you will not be able to leave.”
The old man remained motionless, saying, “Perhaps we do not have enough power, but we share a common enemy.”
The man in black robes sneered, “That is true, but you do not qualify to fight alongside the master.”
The old man sighed again, saying, “We do not expect to be comrades with His Highness, but we bring a message and a suggestion. We hope that through our sacrifice, the suggestion will be adopted.”
The man in black robes showed a slight reaction, saying, “Speak. Everything that happens here cannot escape the master’s perception. If your suggestion is truly useful, the master will consider it.”
The old man said, “We have received news that the major races of the Evernight are forming a joint fleet, heading for the Neutral Lands. Their target is the passage to the Great Vortex.”
The man in black robes remained calm, asking, “And what is your suggestion?”
“His Highness should ally with Zhang Bu Zhou and do everything possible to prevent the Evernight fleet from seizing the passage to the Great Vortex.”
The man in black robes’ voice carried a chill, “Did you just say that the master should ally with Zhang Bu Zhou, to ally with him?”
“Yes, only then can we stop the Evernight. A small sacrifice and effort are worth it.”
Before the man in black robes could speak, a clear and pure voice, like crystal, resonated in the hall, “To have me ally with Zhang Bu Zhou, you really think outside the box. Then, what is the reason?”
The old man, suddenly overcome with emotion, asked, “Is that you, Your Highness?”
“Reason?” The voice seemed impatient.
The old man hastily replied, “Our great prophet saw a terrifying future. If the Evernight seizes the passage, the sky will be filled with endless blood and fire, and countless lives will perish.”
The voice merely snorted.
The old man cried out, “Your Highness, the great prophet sacrificed his life to see this prophecy. We also offer our lives as proof!”
“Since you prostrators love sacrifice so much, then I will fulfill you.”
A surge of blood rose from the dark red floor, engulfing the old man.
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