At the sight of the shadow, Zhang Boqian’s expression turned grave as he halted.
The shadow in front drew closer, gradually taking shape into a colossal spider. Its body alone was larger than the largest floating warship. The void usually felt so vast and empty that it seemed like a blank sheet of paper, but this shadow was overwhelmingly present, as if it were about to cover the sky and earth, a truly mysterious feeling in the void.
Facing this gargantuan spider, whose length alone exceeded a thousand meters, Zhang Boqian appeared even smaller than a grain of sand. Yet, he showed no fear, only seriousness and solemnity.
“Your Majesty, the arrival of the Spider Queen is indeed an honor. You must have been waiting here for quite some time, I presume?”
It was one of the dark sacred mountains, the sovereign of the Spider Demon clan, the Spider Queen! If she left the “Crystal Heaven,” it would be a major event in the Evernight world. Therefore, what was before him might be either her avatar or projection.
A woman’s face appeared on the head of the giant spider, a face of exquisite beauty. However, upon reflection, it became impossible to describe or praise her with any words; only the shock that left one breathless remained in one’s mind.
Next, a black robe with purple borders appeared, adorned with many platinum or crystal emblems, all in the shape of spiders, each with a different posture. The robe wrapped around her ankles, yet strangely, one could still clearly sense every perfect line of her beautiful form.
Her voice was cold and hoarse, with a strange sticky, wet sensation that made one feel an inexplicable itch from the inside out.
“I’ve waited for two days.”
“For someone of your stature to wait here for two days is indeed rare.”
“For the Green Sun King of the Great Qin, a few more days are worth it.”
“If I hadn’t shown up, wouldn’t you have waited in vain?”
“If you hadn’t shown up, the matter would have been settled. How could it be in vain?”
Zhang Boqian’s gaze gradually turned icy, “But now, I am here!”
The Spider Queen did not seem angered. With a light wave of her left hand, a tea table and two cushions appeared between them.
“I heard that the strong among your human race enjoy tea. I happen to have a pot of fine tea, preserved in the still valley of time for hundreds of years, said to be left by your martial ancestor. As for the tea set, it is carved from the skull of a void beast, fitting for the identity of the Green Sun King. Shall we sit down, have a cup of tea, and discuss things thoroughly?”
“Discuss what?” Zhang Boqian did not explode.
The Spider Queen stepped out from the giant spider and sat down at the tea table first. Her attire, which should have clashed with the human-style tea table and seating, appeared perfectly harmonious. Her demeanor was casual and relaxed, showing none of the imposing presence of the dark sacred mountain.
“There is much to discuss. A new world is about to open, and who knows what will happen. Although the parliament has decided to halt the holy war, the millennia-old blood feuds between the four races can only be temporarily put aside, not forgotten. Thus, there is room for cooperation between us, just as many among you are already doing.”
“Who exactly?” Zhang Boqian asked. He detected at least two layers of meaning in the Spider Queen’s words: one, the Evernight side was also not very clear about the new world, and two, the internal tensions within the Evernight had not lessened but had become more guarded.
The Spider Queen smiled gently, “I can’t possibly say, but it’s those clever ones, always looking to gain an advantage. Especially the descendants of Lilith and Cain, who think they are the favored of darkness. Otherwise, how could you humans have spread to this extent in just a millennium? Perhaps in another thousand years, there will be a place for you on the Sacred Mountain!”
“You mean using us as pawns…” Zhang Boqian chuckled grimly.
The Spider Queen didn’t understand his reaction, “Pawns, a term from your human race. If the Green Sun King wants to play, I can join in, as long as it’s not my people.”
“Such a clearly disadvantageous thing, you would do it?”
The Spider Queen laughed lightly, “Why not? The demon race and blood race have done this often, even using my descendants as favors. In this floating land battle, they went too far, even touching the foundation of my Crystal Legion. Now that the holy war has stopped, I don’t want to openly offend Lilith and the others. If I want to retaliate, I can only turn to you. Who is better for cooperation than the Green Sun King?”
Zhang Boqian raised his eyebrows, “In what way am I better?”
“Many ways! For instance, if I provide accurate information, no one in the void can stand against you. Or, I might be able to provide something you urgently need, so you won’t regret it. And… “
“No need to continue, I will not cooperate with the dark races.” Zhang Boqian’s answer was firm, unchanged by the fact that he was facing a dark sacred mountain. Yet, while he didn’t show it, he wondered silently, what urgent need?
The Spider Queen’s appearance from start to finish was full of intrigue, unlike the rough and solid style typical of the Spider Demons. If the Spider Queen felt a serious sense of crisis due to the internal changes in the Evernight, who persuaded her and who could instigate her?
Zhang Boqian’s refusal did not discourage the Spider Queen. She changed her sitting posture, resting her elbow on her knee and supporting her delicate chin, smiling at Zhang Boqian, “Green Sun King, think about it. This is beneficial for your race, why not do it? Don’t you humans say, ‘only look at the results, not the process?'”
“There are things to do and things not to do. How can one only seek results without regard for the means? If that were the case, what would differentiate me, Zhang Boqian, from those base individuals?”
“From the human perspective, it’s not really base, is it? It’s for the greater good of the race. A little personal gain in the process seems acceptable.”
Zhang Boqian said coolly, “This matter is not to be discussed. It’s impossible.”
The Spider Queen, unfazed, said, “Very well, let’s talk about the next thing. If the Green Sun King is willing to sit with me for half a day and drink this cup of tea, I will offer a fleet led by a Duke of the demon race. Given the Green Sun King’s abilities, if you know the exact location of this fleet, it would be in your grasp, right?”
“Such favorable conditions?”
“It’s merely to reclaim some interest for my children. Of course, if you prefer a blood race fleet, that can be arranged too, though their active lords seem to have increased recently. What do you think? Can you consider it? Besides, we’ve chatted for so long, a little more time is just a blink of an eye.”
Zhang Boqian said coolly, “We both know why I’m here and why you’re here. Though I did not expect a sacred mountain sovereign to intervene from afar, I’ve chatted with you for so long only to recover my primal force, so that I can ask the Spider Queen to step aside. Thank you for the tea, but I prefer wine.”
The Spider Queen’s smile faded, “The Green Sun King is determined to go?”
“What else?” Zhang Boqian sneered.
The Spider Queen made a regretful expression, “The Green Sun King, though powerful, is still young. Even if I am just a projection, the possibility of defeating me in half a day is virtually nil. I’ll see how you get past!”
Zhang Boqian said sternly, “Then, don’t blame me for being impolite!”
He rose, stepped forward, and held his palm like a knife, ready to strike the Spider Queen. As his palm moved, a bright light shone at his fingertips, leaving a scorching trail in the void. When the trail fully stretched, it revealed a long blade composed entirely of light, seemingly real yet ephemeral.
Just as the strike was about to be unleashed, a strange whistling sound filled the void. The invisible waves spread so quickly that the shadowy giant spider almost trembled in unison.
The Spider Queen’s eyes narrowed slightly, as Zhang Boqian’s move was an all-or-nothing attack.
This blow, if it connected, would result in his death, if it didn’t, the projection of the Spider Queen would be destroyed, with no third possibility!
No, there was a third possibility.
The Spider Queen’s expression remained largely unchanged, but her mind raced through countless thoughts. Finally, she rose gracefully and slowly from the tea table.
As she moved, it seemed as if space itself shifted, and suddenly, there was no obstacle in Zhang Boqian’s path.
Zhang Boqian casually retracted his palm, the whistling sound ceased, and the primal force waves expanding in the void disappeared without a trace.
This control caught the Spider Queen’s attention.
As he was about to leave, the Spider Queen couldn’t help but say, “Zhang Boqian, are you risking your life?”
Zhang Boqian smiled faintly, not turning back, “Of course not, you’re just more valuable.”
The Spider Queen finally showed a hint of anger, but she would never bet a projection against Zhang Boqian. At this critical juncture, she could not risk any loss of power.
Standing in the void, the Spider Queen watched Zhang Boqian depart, then sighed softly. With the sigh, all her exposed emotions vanished, and her beautiful body, wrapped in the robe, resembled a lifeless doll.
In the void, a high-speed floating warship quietly emerged, and ahead of it, a small but formidable fleet was stationed at the predetermined location.
On the warship’s bridge, the captain stared at the enormous, somewhat terrifying shadow behind the fleet for a long time before lowering his telescope, “Send the signal, request to approach.”
This was a frigate-level warship, and after sending the signal, the sleek battle cruiser in the fleet ahead lit up, indicating that they could approach.
The captain, with a tinge of regret, glanced at the Valhalla in the distance. Although there were only three battle cruisers in the Empire, most officers had never been on one. Still, he preferred to see the legendary Valhalla.
In the battle outside the floating continent, Qian Ye and his Valhalla almost single-handedly turned the tide. Even when the Right Prime Minister was ready to admit defeat, the Valhalla appeared, destroying two Duke-class ships and forcing back the entire Evernight aid fleet.
After the victory, the Right Prime Minister divided the credit, giving forty percent to the vanguard fleet and sixty percent to Qian Ye and Song Zining’s Dark Flame. Some believed that giving Dark Flame eighty percent of the credit would be justified, but the Right Prime Minister was politically astute. He knew the vanguard fleet had suffered heavily, and the reported disparity would not look good for the court. A forty-sixty split was perfect, ensuring the court and the Fleet Elders would not object.
Though the credit was divided, every officer who fought in that battle knew the truth. They understood how difficult it was to destroy a Duke-class ship. The vanguard fleet, with a numerical advantage, struggled to take down two Duke-class ships, nearly losing to the enemy, which illustrated the difficulty.
After the battle, the Valhalla became the de facto first warship of the Empire, rumored to be even stronger than the Emperor’s ship.
Thus, every crew member yearned to board the Valhalla to see it for themselves.
However, such a legendary warship would not easily allow visitors, so the captain was prepared for disappointment. After docking, he handed a sealed briefcase to Song Zining.
After checking the seal, Song Zining was about to send the captain away when one of the captain’s aides suddenly said, “Seventh Young Master, I will stay to assist you.”
Song Zining was taken aback, and the captain was shocked, “Are you mad? You have no place to speak here!”
The aide ignored him and gestured to Song Zining.
Song Zining paused, then instructed, “Bring Commander Liu to rest. His men are also tired, so send them to rest. Have some of the escort ship’s men take over the ship Commander Liu brought.”
Commander Liu, surnamed Liu, was even more shocked, shouting and cursing as he was dragged away and confined.
Next, Song Zining dismissed everyone, leaving only the aide. He said slowly, “Detaining an Imperial warship cannot be hidden for long. Why do this?”
The aide smiled, “This is a small matter. Others can’t handle it, but surely the Seventh Young Master can. Besides, the void is vast, and the battle is chaotic. By the time the Fleet confirms the ship’s disappearance, the floating land may already be captured. What’s the big deal?”
Song Zining studied the aide for a long moment, sighed, and said, “Alright, no more idle talk. Since you’re here, tell me, what does Her Majesty instruct?”
“Her Majesty said nothing, only that I should come and watch.”
“Come and watch?”
“Yes.”
“Those were her exact words?”
“Exactly, nothing more.” The aide shrugged.
Song Zining paced, pondering, repeatedly mulling over the four words.
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