Chapter 91: The Void

Qingyue’s brows furrowed in anxiety, and after a long moment of contemplation, she seemed to have made up her mind. “How about this,” she said, “if you are willing to help me, I can give you the King of Dream Eaters, a treasured item of our clan.”

“King of Dream Eaters? What is that?” Qian Ye’s heart was stirred, but he maintained a calm exterior.

“Since you need the Dream Eaters, you surely need the King even more. As the name suggests, the King of Dream Eaters is the ruler of its kind. While ordinary Dream Eaters enhance the soul, the King far surpasses them in this aspect and also improves one’s potential. For someone like you who has used many Dream Eaters, their effects will diminish over time. But the King of Dream Eaters does not suffer from such drawbacks.”

“Such a generous reward, it seems a bit too much to ask for my help.”

Qingyue sighed, “Because the underground labyrinth is the battlefield most suited for you.”

“Tell me more, and I might consider it.”

“The lair of the Earth Dragon is actually vast and complex, filled with all sorts of strange and bizarre creatures. They possess peculiar abilities and are numerous; being surrounded by them is a perilous situation. These monsters are all under the control of the Earth Dragon’s will. Even if it is calmed, it remains extremely sensitive to power. This means that the stronger one’s cultivation, the more likely they are to attract the Earth Dragon’s attention, and then face a sea of monsters.”

“So, someone like Commander Liudao Ming, for instance, would not be suitable to go down there?”

“They could, but it would be very dangerous. One must always be on guard. If I were them, I wouldn’t go down there.”

At this point, Qian Ye understood. Qingyue valued his twelve-level original force, which was paired with combat prowess far beyond his level. In the underground labyrinth, this was indeed a unique advantage. However, the Gaohu people had a history of being mercenaries for nearly a thousand years, and their clan was filled with powerful individuals. Why did they specifically need him?

“This reward is too generous. There are many outside who are far more powerful than I am. Why do you choose me?”

“Though they may be stronger on paper, in actual combat, they would be the ones to die.”

“Why are you so confident in me?”

Qingyue’s voice softened, “Someone who could kill hundreds of mercenaries outside the Black Forest, how could they be underestimated?”

Qian Ye’s gaze sharpened, and he spoke slowly, “You know about that.”

“Your appearance may have changed, but your fighting style and technique remain the same, especially that sword. We Gaohu people recognize people through combat.”

This answer left Qian Ye somewhat speechless, but when Qingyue offered the King of Dream Eaters, he knew he had no choice. After Yuetong’s second awakening, she had half-jokingly, half-seriously mentioned that she needed a hundred more Dream Eaters. Such a large number indicated that her soul’s trauma was still severe. After her awakening, Yuetong possessed abilities far beyond her current level and mastery of original force, as well as a series of terrifying powers. Her body, however, remained at the level of a new countess. Even so, she was already incredibly formidable, capable of sweeping away all those below the duke’s rank. If the Night Queen’s aura was reduced to the countess level, anyone below a duke would not even have the qualifications to challenge her.

Even with such capabilities, she still needed the Dream Eaters, making them irreplaceable.

Knowing the dangers and traps ahead, Qian Ye still lifted his head and said, “Alright, I agree. But there’s a condition: I need the King of Dream Eaters first.”

A flash of anger passed over the faces of the two elders, but Qingyue raised her hand to stop them, “Very well. I will deliver the King of Dream Eaters to you tomorrow at this time.”

“Agreed. When do we set out?”

Before Qingyue could answer, the entire courtyard began to shake and vibrate. Dust and fragments of roof tiles fell. The ground trembled just as Qian Ye had felt in Lijiang City.

But Nanqing City seemed unprepared for such quakes. The entire city was in chaos, with screams and cries echoing. Not far away, a building could not withstand the tremors, and a large crack appeared in its wall, causing it to collapse slowly.

“Earth Dragon?” Qian Ye’s expression changed. The tremor was similar to what he had experienced in Lijiang City, and with the shaking came a violent and aggressive intent surging from the earth’s core. Nanqing City was almost five hundred kilometers away from Lijiang City, and the quake reaching here showed how terrifying the Earth Dragon’s activities were. Lijiang City was likely now a wasteland, with only the Governor’s Mansion and the nobles’ quarters possibly surviving.

Qingyue, undisturbed, nodded, “Yes, it’s the Earth Dragon. Their appeasement rituals have begun, and the passage should appear within two days at the latest.”

After saying this, Qingyue stood up and took her leave. Qian Ye was left alone in the courtyard once again.

With his experience on the floating continent, Qian Ye knew the dangers of this journey. The remnants of the giant beasts’ will were already perilous, let alone a living void beast. Yet, for the King of Dream Eaters, Qian Ye was willing to go anywhere, as long as he could leave this courtyard.

It was empty now, without her.

Qian Ye looked up at the sky and thought silently, “Let this be the last thing I do for you.”

The night passed, and dawn broke.

In the early morning, Qingyue arrived again, bringing a wooden box to Qian Ye. The box was made of black wood, with intricate carvings of mountains, rivers, fish, and insects. These were not mere decorations but a delicate array of original force, designed to lock the force inside the box.

Following Qingyue’s instructions, Qian Ye activated the array and opened the box, revealing a palm-sized Dream Eater. It was almost transparent, with swirling mists inside. From it, Qian Ye felt a faint, tenuous life force, hovering between life and death.

“Is it alive or dead?”

“This is the King of Dream Eaters. Once it leaves the Dream Eaters, it dies quickly. Our ancestors used a secret method to seal it, allowing it to retain its potency for centuries.”

“Is there a Queen of Dream Eaters as well?”

“In a region, the Dream Eaters form a colony, led by a queen, with several kings. The kings are only responsible for mating with the queen. If we venture deep enough, we might encounter the queen.”

Qian Ye was even more intrigued. If he could get the queen, perhaps he wouldn’t need the Lotus of the Sea anymore.

After Qingyue left, Qian Ye stored the wooden box in Anduya’s mysterious space and woke up Zhujie. The little one was still drowsy, and her first question was, “Where’s Aunt Yuetong?”

Pain flashed across Qian Ye’s heart. “She had something to do and left.”

“Oh, are you leaving too?” The little one was unusually perceptive.

Qian Ye nodded, “I’m going to a very dangerous place, and I might be gone for a long time.”

Zhujie’s eyes brightened, “I’m not afraid of danger. Aunt Yuetong said that at my age, I should start fighting independently. For true spider demons, the world is our battlefield.”

Qian Ye felt a surge of darkness. “When did she tell you this?”

“Just yesterday!”

As expected! Qian Ye knew that only the newly awakened Yuetong would say such things. The old Yuetong was very protective of little Zhujie.

“What else did she do?” Qian Ye sensed that Zhujie was a bit too smart now.

“She, uh, gave me something, but I can’t quite remember what.”

Qian Ye sighed. A smarter Zhujie was a good thing. He looked into Zhujie’s eyes, “Do you remember the black forest where we fought last time?”

Zhujie nodded vigorously, “Yes! It had a special scent, and I can find it myself now.”

“Good, wait for me there. I’ll come to the black forest to find you when I return.”

“You’re going to a dangerous place, take me with you! Those people who came here recently aren’t very strong, I can handle them easily.”

“That place is too dangerous for you, and you’re still young. Go to the black forest and wait for me!”

When Qian Ye put on a stern face, he was quite imposing. Zhujie obediently nodded.

Shortly after, Qian Ye packed his belongings and sent Zhujie to the outskirts of Nanqing City. The little one carried a backpack almost as big as herself, waved goodbye to Qian Ye, and headed into the nearby forest.

Parting is always sorrowful. As Qian Ye felt both sad and worried, a joyful shout echoed from afar. Little Zhujie leaped dozens of meters, flying like a bird into the forest.

The forest immediately erupted into chaos.

Qian Ye opened his mouth but couldn’t say a word. Indeed, a creature with such strong bloodline shouldn’t be caged.

He suddenly worried. Would the little one become wild after he returned from the underground?

But would he even return?

The ground shook again, even more violently. A visible crack extended for miles, with multiple fissures appearing within sight. Nanqing City couldn’t withstand such destruction. A watchtower collapsed with a roar, and cracks appeared on the city walls, followed by a section crashing down.

Near Qian Ye, the ground suddenly collapsed, forming a deep pit. Qian Ye leaped to the edge and peered down, seeing a bottomless pit leading to a natural cave, its depths unknown. Seeing this, Qian Ye understood the meaning behind Qingyue’s words about the passage appearing soon.

However, the underground labyrinth was incredibly complex, and this passage’s destination was uncertain. Qian Ye wouldn’t risk descending rashly. He leaped into the air and gazed far off, spotting several other collapsed areas, all leading to the underground world.

Back in Nanqing City, Qian Ye bought a large amount of medicine, food, weapons, and ammunition. Despite the war-driven inflation, with the rewards from Lijiang City and the plunder from the hundreds of mercenaries, Qian Ye was wealthy and bought extensively. He purchased hundreds of original force grenades, clearing out the market’s stock.

Feeling the crates of original force grenades in Anduya’s space, Qian Ye couldn’t help but pity the enemies in the underground world. Below the divine general level, the grenades posed a significant threat, and for ordinary warriors, they were a major danger. This trip to the underground would be a nightmare for Qian Ye’s foes.