New Calendar May 41.
Holden Empire, Sky City.
This giant city suspended above the sea of clouds is the pride of Holden and the most magnificent wonder in the entire Atlant.
The base is made of magic alloy and glows with silver-gray luster in the sunlight. Each piece of alloy is engraved with complex runes. The runes are layered and densely packed. On top of the base, there are countless gorgeous buildings lined up one after another.
On the periphery of the city, circles of suspended defense platforms are like the rings of a planet, slowly rotating.
There are battleships moored on the platform, with slender hulls and sharp lines, looming in the sea of clouds. Further away, countless small floating structures shuttle back and forth, like a group of tireless worker bees, maintaining every corner of this giant city.
The clouds rolled under my feet, like white Ocean, boundless.
The sun poured down from above and fell on every corner of the city. The entire city was coated with a dazzling light, like the legendary Divine Kingdom.
This is the royal city of Holden, the heart of the empire.
Sky City, Royal Court.
It is like a three-dimensional platinum giant sword, majestic and straight, inserted in the center of the city. The sword grid is the main entrance of Royal Court, and the sword body is made of layers of the Palace.
At the same time.
Inside Royal Court, the king of Holden walked into a sealed secret room.
He was wearing an imperial dress, a white robe with golden piping, and the emblem of the empire embroidered on his chest. There was a city suspended in the clouds, and there were two stars above the city, one bright and one dark.
Holden King stares ahead.
This secret room is located in the deepest place of Royal Court. The walls are engraved with dense runes, and the light moves along the tracks of the runes, like rivers of light flowing on the walls.
In the center of the secret room is a pool of water.
The water is transparent, without any ripples, but it has a certain deep texture, as if it can swallow up all light. Standing on the edge of the pool and looking down, you can't see the bottom, there is only endless depth.
And in the center of the pool is a huge crystal.
It presents an irregular polyhedron, each side is as smooth as a mirror, there is faint light flowing inside, and a figure can be vaguely seen in the crystal.
Human figure, sitting cross-legged, eyes closed, posture peaceful.
Immortal One of Holden.
For countless years, the true patron saint of the empire, the ancestor of the successive Holden kings, single-handedly created the great existence of the Holden Empire's prosperous age.
People in the royal family call it "Immortal Dawn".
Meaning: The empire rose in a chaotic and turbulent era, and he was the first light.
"Ancestor, the empire's situation is improving."
Holden King whispered.
The figure in the crystal did not respond.
The King of Holden continued, "The spread of Abyss erosion has been gradually contained in recent decades. Our battleships carry the bravest warriors of the empire, and with the determination to defend the empire, they sail to Abyss without hesitation, guarding one Abyssal Roots after another with their flesh and blood and Iron Will."
Abyssal Roots, Cloudpiercer Engine are connected to Abyss, and the root-like area formed when Abyssal Energy is extracted.
Those areas were originally channels of energy, but now they have become the most dangerous battlefields.
Due to the corruption of Abyss, the connection between the engine and Abyss was difficult to disconnect. The Abyssal Roots used by the empire to extract Abyssal Energy turned into a channel for Abyss to in turn corrode the empire.
Countless Demon attacked one after another, and the strong men of Holden mainly fought around Abyssal Roots.
"In recent decades, only seven cities have experienced signs of engine runaway."
"Except for the first two that were destroyed, we discovered the following ones in advance and successfully suppressed them. Finally, the situation was not worsened."
He paused and then said, "Alchemist are studying ways to eliminate Abyss corrosion."
"News came from the front line some time ago. They have created a new purification rune. The effect is better than we expected. It can remove the Abyss aura from the engine. Although it cannot completely eradicate the source of erosion, it can effectively reduce the concentration. At least it can make Floating City no longer lose control so easily."
"Even if the corresponding Abyssal Roots is lost, this rune can buy us a lot of time.
As he spoke, King Holden had a hint of relief in his tone.
"According to the current progress, in a few decades, or at the latest within a hundred years, all Fifth-Generation Cloudpiercer Engine should be able to resume normal operation. By then----"
He looked at the figure in the crystal and said, "The empire will turn the corner."
Silence.
A few seconds later, a voice came from the crystal.
"Demon How is it over there?"
The voice was very soft, as if it was coming from a very far distance, but it fell clearly into the ears of King Holden. It also carried a sense of depression, as if it was bearing some kind of burden, and every word seemed heavy.
The King of Holden knows that this is because the ancestor of Dawn is in poor condition.
"There is no large-scale action at the moment."
The king of Holden said, "After Aura's Red Emperor destroyed two out-of-control Floating City, Demon has restrained himself a lot."
"According to the frontline battle report, the intensity of the Demon's attack on the Abyssal Roots has weakened a lot. The Demon in some areas even took the initiative to retreat a certain distance. However, we have not taken it lightly. They may be readjusting their deployment."
Mentioning Red Emperor, the king of Holden smiled slightly.
"Speaking of which, that Red Emperor is really an unexpected gain."
He said, "At first we just thought about asking him to help deal with the out-of-control city, but we didn't expect that he did better than we expected."
A very light laugh came from the crystal.
"Interesting." Immortal One said, "A dragon that is not even as big as Destiny Rank can perform like this."
"Yes." The King of Holden responded, "It's indeed interesting. He's not even Crown Rank."
"As an adult, Legendary Realm, in his prime, he is stronger than Crown Rank---- He has the appearance of the Immortal Realm, and may pose a danger to us in the future, but now, he has relieved us a lot of pressure, which we must admit."
Didn't say much on this topic.
Holden King's eyes became solemn. He hesitated for a moment and then spoke, "Ancestor, there is one more thing - I need to report to you. This matter is of great importance."
"Say."
"About the erosion problem of Fifth-Generation Cloudpiercer Engine."
The king of Holden considered his words, weighed every word repeatedly, and then said, "Alchemists, after repeated inspections and repeated deductions, came up with an unusual conclusion."
"They couldn't believe this conclusion at first, but after repeated verifications, the evidence became more and more abundant, and they finally submitted it to me.
After a pause, he continued, "They believe that there are hidden loopholes in the fifth-generation engine from the beginning of its design."
"This flaw is so small that it cannot be seen at all during normal operation, but it prevents the engine from completely blocking the corrosion of Abyss when extracting Abyssal Energy, giving Abyss a chance to corrupt us."
"It's like a very fine crack, usually invisible."
"But when the pressure is high enough, it will become an ant nest that breaks the bank."
After a pause, his voice became deeper. "In other words, this vulnerability already existed before the empire developed Abyss on a large scale and before the fifth-generation engine was put into mass production. It did not appear later."
The atmosphere in the secret room suddenly became stagnant.
The flowing runes also paused for a moment, and then continued to rotate slowly.
After a long time, the voice sounded from the crystal again, "What do you want to say?"
The King of Holden took a deep breath and said sternly, "Ancestor, I suspect that Imperial Core has high-level rebellion."
"When the fifth-generation engine was being designed, when Abyss Development Project was just started, someone -
In other words, there is power driving all of this."
"It is impossible for an ordinary person to be able to do this."
"This requires the ability to bury this hidden danger without knowing it under the gaze of countless pairs of eyes."
The silence lasted for a long time.
It took so long that Holden King thought that the other party would not respond.
He stood there, motionless, waiting, the light of those runes flowing on his face, reflecting his solemn expression, and then, the voice of Immortal One sounded again.
"Who do you suspect?"
he asked.
Holden King did not answer immediately.
His eyes fell on the figure in the crystal, then moved away, looking at the flowing runes, and finally returned to the crystal. His lips moved slightly, and after hesitating for a few seconds, he slowly uttered three words: "----Another one."
There are two stars on the emblem of the Holden Empire, one bright and one dark.
The brighter one represents Immortal Realm, the royal family in front of him; and the other star represents another one, Immortal Realm, who is not of royal blood.
Holden's People calls it "Immortal Dark Star".
Meaning: The second star of the empire, although not as bright as the morning sun, is equally important and irreplaceable.
Abyss Development Project, mainly this Dark Star is taking the lead.
It was he who proposed the original idea, promoted the implementation of the plan, and supervised the design and construction of the engine.
Holden King continued, "He is responsible for the advancement of the entire plan and understands the structure of the engine better than anyone else."
"From the initial theoretical deduction, to the mid-term experimental verification, to the final mass production, he participated in and supervised the entire process. He had access to all core secrets during the design stage. No one knows every detail of the engine better than him."
"If someone was tampering with the engine, they couldn't be unaware."
"And——" He paused and said in a deep voice, "Since you were injured, he has been on the front line and near Abyssal Roots in these years."
"His reason is to personally supervise the battle, lead by example, and personally fight against Abyss."
"This is indeed reasonable and cannot be questioned, but looking back now, is it possible that he and the Demons have reached some kind of agreement and that he needs to be on the front line so that he can keep track of changes in the situation and adjust his plans at any time?"
Silence.
A long silence.
Holden King stood there, motionless, waiting for a response.
He could feel his own heartbeat.
He knew what his words meant.
Doubting a Immortal One, doubting the second star of the empire, is a dangerous move in itself. Although he is the contemporary ruler of the empire and the person sitting on the throne, leaders like him change from generation to generation, but Immortal One will last forever, just like Deity.
Finally, the voice sounded again.
"----Stop talking."
The Holden King raised his head.
"Ancestor----"
"I said, stop talking."
The voice interrupted him. Although it was soft, it carried unquestionable power, "Now Holden needs to unite as one. No matter what the truth is, now is not the time to pursue it."
"Abyss is in front, Demon is in front, we need all the forces to fight together."
"Any internal division will cost the empire an unbearable price."
Holden King whispered, "But, ancestor, if it is really him, the consequences--"
"If it were him, it wouldn't be the right time."
Immortal One said with a hint of fatigue in his voice, "If he betrays, you should know what it means. Besides, you have no concrete evidence, just speculation. I am more inclined to believe that he was just ignorant and was deceived by the real betrayer."
"Perhaps there is a third person with power we don't know who is secretly manipulating all of this."
Holden King nodded slowly.
"I hope so."
"Don't spread the word about the engine defect." Immortal One continued, "Business as usual, don't investigate, don't test, don't reveal your suspicions to anyone, just pretend you've never discovered it."
"Your mission is to stabilize the empire and to concentrate all efforts to solve the immediate crisis."
Holden King lowered his head slightly. "I understand."
"The top priority right now is to concentrate on solving the engine problem. We'll talk about other things later."
A faint response came from the crystal. "Well, go ahead."
Holden King saluted again, then turned around and walked towards the secret room.
When he reached the entrance, he paused and looked back at the figure in the crystal. The figure was still sitting cross-legged, with his eyes closed, and his posture was peaceful, as if the conversation just now had never happened.
Immediately, King Holden resigned and left the secret room.
The light in the crystal gradually calmed down, the surging mist also returned to silence, and the secret room returned to its former tranquility.
New Calendar May 43.
Central Continent, Southern Domain.
Crossing the vast and desolate Sarud Desert and continuing southward, the air gradually becomes humid.
The wind carries the smell of water vapor, plants, and the smell of Ocean in the distance.
This is the territory that belongs to the Latona Kingdom, and at the southernmost end of Ratona is a coastal city.
It is located on the bank of the most prosperous harbor in Southern Domain. There are many towers in the city, waterways are crisscrossed, and ships come and go.
The sun shines on the sea, making the waves sparkle and complement each other with the crystals on the magic towers in the city. It seems that the whole city is shining, and everything looks peaceful and peaceful.
At the same time, in a secret living room.
Two figures sat opposite each other.
One of them is Crown of Three Aspects, Varta of the Farrell Kingdom.
He still has a strong appearance, but there are a few more wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and a few more strands of white hair on the temples. His aura is still the same as before, deep and concentrated, like a bottomless pool. On the surface, it is calm, but underneath there is power that can sweep everything away.
He sat on the floor with a relaxed posture and an aura of calmness and authority.
Opposite are Crown of Magic, Afra of Ratona.
She was wearing a deep Blue Dragon robe, with complicated incantations embroidered on the edges. She had her hands folded on her knees, with a faint magical light lingering around her body, and her eyes showed deep thought.
"How are you thinking about it?"
Varta spoke calmly, as if he was asking about a trivial matter.
Afra picked up the crystal cup in front of her, took a sip, and then put it down. The liquid in the cup was light golden with a faint halo. It was her favorite drink.
"Do you know what you're talking about?"
she asked.
"I know." Varta nodded, looked directly at her, and said, "I have thought very clearly, and it is inevitable that I will win. I have thought about this matter countless times, and I am sure that this is the only choice."
Afra's brows frowned slightly.
Three-Aspect Crown Rank came here in person to discuss cooperation with her.
The content of the cooperation was to attack and behead Red Emperor of Aura while he was sleeping.
"It's calm now Atlant, but that doesn't mean the storm has dissipated."
Afra said, "Demons may come back one day, and we need the strength of Red Emperor to resist. It seems inappropriate for us to fight internally and weaken each other at this time."
Varta's expression did not change at all.
"Inappropriate, but necessary."
he said.
Afra looked at him, his eyes became sharp. "Necessary? Tell me what you think."
Varta took a deep breath and leaned forward slightly.
This gesture indicates that he is about to say something important and hopes that the other party will listen carefully.
"Afra, Spellcaster like you are only smarter than me and better at analyzing the pros and cons. I won't beat around the bush with you, nor will I say those high-sounding words."
He said, "We are sitting here today just to talk about business, the real benefits and risks."
"Demon is dangerous. I admit that. They are indeed terrifying and threaten the entire continent. However, the real force against Demon is not you and me, nor Red Emperor. He is just standing in front of the stage."
"Where we can't see, the one at the front is Holden."
"They caused this disaster and they should be held responsible. What about us? We are in the rear, guarding our own land and solving some surface troubles. We have done enough."
Afra's brows moved slightly, but he didn't speak.
Opposite, Three-Aspect Crown Rank's eyes lit up, flashing with the unique sharpness of Monk.
"The most important thing is that you know very well that Red Emperor is a more imminent danger to us than Demon."
He said solemnly, "The giant dragon gets stronger as it gets older, let alone a monster like him."
"When he wakes up, his power will be stronger than it is now. This is inevitable. There is no suspense. Red Emperor will most likely directly reach Crown Rank, and when he is not even Crown Rank, he is already incredibly powerful."
When the time comes----"
He paused and said, "Who else is his opponent? You? Me? We are tied together and it is difficult to resist."
Afra shook his head slightly.
She said, "Red Emperor doesn't look like the violent Evil Dragon."
"Are you sure that he will target us after he wakes up? Judging from his past behavior, although he has expansion ambitions, he has never taken the initiative to tear up the alliance."
"I don't know."
Varta said with a frank voice, "I don't know if he will regard us as an obstacle, but I know one thing. I can't pin my fate on what I don't know."
He looked at Afra and asked, "Are you willing to bet the future of Southern Domain on the thought of this giant dragon?"
"Are you willing to let your people, all of Ratona, live in such uncertainty?
Every day when I wake up, I have to worry about whether the giant dragon will suddenly turn against us today, or whether it will find us an eyesore.
Afra was silent.
In fact, she doesn't have much ill intentions towards Red Emperor.
On the contrary, she even felt that this dragon emperor was special. He had a different temperament from other dragons, a possibility that he could live in harmony with.
However, she has also considered what Varta said.
She can't gamble on the other person's kindness.
Because she is not alone. Behind her is the entire kingdom and countless people. It is too risky to depend on the goodwill of a giant dragon.
Liangqi, Afra spoke up and asked, "Where is Lord of Thunder? Lamorien, have you contacted him?"
"Although they are both giant dragons, he and Emperor Yu are not of the same mind, and may be trying to take advantage of the conflicts between them. The internal fighting between the giant dragons may be used to our advantage.
Varta shook his head slightly.
"This Primordial Dragon is very deep and good at disguise."
"However, my intuition tells me that deep down he does not look down on us humans, or in other words, does not look down on all creatures except giant dragons. He may agree to cooperate on the surface, but secretly aim his claws at us and give us a fatal blow at the critical moment."
"Those who are not of my kind cannot be trusted."
Varta Trust your intuition.
Monk's intuition is so precise that it has surpassed many magical perceptions.
He considered his words and continued, "We don't need to worry that Lord of Thunder will attack us."
"You should also have received the news. Raging Tide Dragon Realm has taken action against the Braketon Kingdom. The dragons are fighting among themselves. The countries that were originally frightened by Lord of Thunder cannot bear to tolerate its oppression and take this opportunity to rebel."
"Internal and external conflicts broke out at the same time, and he now has too much time to take care of himself."
Afra nodded slightly, obviously knowing this.
"I've received news from the north."
"So, do you think now is the best time to deal with Emperor Yu?"
she asked.
"Yes."
Varta nodded, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes.
He adjusted his sitting position to make himself more comfortable, and then elaborated.
"Not long after, Emperor Yu will have been sleeping for about fifty years."
"This is the most delicate time point. At this time, he has no breakthrough position, no qualitative change in the waiting cross, and has not crossed the decisive threshold. However, because of his long-term sleep for several ten years, his body is in a state of deficit."
He looked at Afra and said, "You should know this better than me."
Afra nodded. "The dragon has been sleeping for too long, and the energy in the body will gradually become empty, and there will be a period of weakness when it first wakes up."
"That's right."
Varta said in a deep voice, "His body is in a state of depletion and his strength has not fully recovered. And we, after several years of careful preparation, gathered the two parties Legendary Realm, elite soldiers and generals, and various means of restraint - all of which are numerous.
1
"If we don't want to surrender to the dragon, this is our only chance, our best chance."
"If we miss this opportunity, when he wakes up naturally and fully recovers, we will no longer be able to do anything. At that time, whether we are willing or not, we will have to accept this cruel reality."
Qi Yan, Afra's expression did not change.
She said, "What you said is very good, but I have a question."
"Please say."
"What are you doing for?"
Varta was slightly startled.
Afra looked at him and said, "You have said so much, why you are not of my race, why Emperor Yu is more dangerous than Demon, and why you cannot crawl under the dragon's wings - but these are all too false.
"Would you take risks just because of this?"
She paused and said bluntly, "In the final analysis, you just want Tear of No Regret. This is your real purpose, and everything else is secondary."
Varta nodded slowly.
"You're right."
He said calmly without any excuse, "That drop of Tear of No Regret is my chance to make a contribution. If I am tired, I would rather use my own strength to achieve Destiny Rank. I have also tried it, but it failed."
"Now, my body is aging."
"I can feel that I am getting older every day and every moment. I can't wait any longer."
Afra looked at him, a hint of complexity flashed in his own light.
She can relieve his inner unwillingness and longing, which is the resonance of the same human beings.
Destiny Domain is right in front of you, but you are tired of looking forward to it. As time goes by, the distance becomes farther and farther, and the hope becomes more and more bleak. It is like seeing a mirage in the desert, chasing after it desperately, but never being able to catch up.
Today's Varta may be her in the future.
"You are here for Tear of No Regret, but what can I get?"
Afra gathered his thoughts and asked.
Hearing this, Varta was slightly shaken and immediately said, "Red Emperor's whole body belongs to you, complete, every scale and every claw. I only want Tear of No Regret."
"You can study it however you want, and dissect it however you want."
"A special individual with great potential like Emperor Yu is worth more than a drop of Tear of No Regret like you Spellcaster. There are countless secrets hidden in that body."
Afra's eyes flickered slightly.
Indeed. Such a special dragon, a dragon that can hold its position even if it is not in place, a dragon with an attitude of no regrets... His body is a coveted research material for any Spellcaster.
The source of those secrets, talents, and powers may be hidden in his flesh and blood.
After thinking about it, she asked again, "After you take Tear of Immortality and become Destiny Rank, how can you guarantee that you won't fall out with me?"
"I am willing to conclude a contract with you Magic Contract."
Varta answered without hesitation, obviously he had thought about this well.
"The contract is yours."
"You are Spellcaster, you know those things better than me. You can set up any mechanism, any constraints, any restrictions that you think can ensure safety. I believe that you will definitely have a way to prevent me from doing the opposite.
"Spell lock, soul mark... it's up to you."
He said seriously, "After I break through Destiny Rank, I will not harm your interests, and I will do three things for you."
"As long as it doesn't violate my principles, as long as it doesn't harm my fundamental interests, I will do it for you, whether it's fighting, guarding, or anything else.
Afra had a look of deep thought in his eyes.
Destiny Rank is essentially Legendary Realm.
Since they are all Legendary Realm and have not yet reached the level of no regrets, then Magic Contract, which was concluded under her leadership, she can indeed guarantee that it will be difficult for Varta to violate it.
Afra fell into silence, weighing in his mind.
After Varta Destiny Rank, it will replace the ecological niche of Red Emperor.
He can also clear large cracks on the surface of the earth and become a force against Demon.
The key is that she can guarantee that this Monk Destiny Rank will not harm her in the future. After signing the contract, it will benefit herself. A strong Destiny Rank who owes her three favors, what a help it is.
As for Emperor Yu----
Afra Although he felt that he was a little different, deep down deep down he still couldn't fully believe in the dragon's kindness.
To allow him to wake up normally from his deep sleep means to completely depend on his future life and death in one thought.
She can't bet like that.
Varta didn't urge her, but sat quietly, waiting for her answer.
Good luck, Afra spoke.
"Okay."
With a simple word, Varta's eyes lit up slightly and he breathed a sigh of relief.
The role Spellcaster can play in the battle of the Legendary Realm is unmatched by other positions. Her role is very important, even more important than him.
Afra looked at him and said, "I need to know your plan."
Varta didn't hesitate.
"It should."
"The first is positioning, determining the specific location where Emperor Yu sleeps."
He looked into Afra's eyes and said, "Through some of the broken scales and body tissue that Emperor Yu dropped during the battle, Eastern Alliance's Spellcasters have locked the big attack range, which is Lain Plateau."
"But that's all."
"Emperor Yu's magic resistance is very high, and it is difficult to locate it with a medium. Eastern Alliance and Spellcaster have tried many times, but they can only determine the approximate area and cannot accurately locate it."
After a slight pause in his voice, Varta continued, "However, if you cast the spell, the situation would be different."
"You are the master of magic, the pinnacle of magic. You can do things that other Spellcaster cannot do. You can lock his exact location. This is the first and most critical step of the entire plan."
Afra nodded gently.
"I can do this. With his body tissue as a medium, I can use Source-Tracing Locator Technique. As long as he is still alive, I can find him."
"Then, do it while he is still asleep." Varta took over and continued.
"You first deploy a large Magic Array to cover the area where he sleeps, and launch a devastating blow when he is at his weakest.
"There is no need to kill him directly, that would be unrealistic."
"However, as long as we can severely injure him, make him injured and fall into deeper weakness, the next thing will be easier to handle."
"Aura is a country built entirely on the back of Emperor Yu. The other Legendary Realm are just icing on the cake and nothing to worry about. As long as Emperor Yu falls, they will be in pieces.
He paused and emphasized his tone. "All the Legendary Realm on both sides of us are waiting for work, using more to attack the few. Against Emperor Yu who is weak and was injured by the surprise attack, the chance of winning will be more than 70%."
Afra stood low, walked to the window, and opened the window.
The sea blew in, bringing with it the salty and moist breath, and the sound of distant waves. In the distance, seagulls were circling, and ships were coming and going.
She looked out the window, Xu Kui said nothing.
Varta walked to her side and looked out the window as well.
The two sub-level experts stood side by side, looking at the city below them and the sea in the distance.
"What are you thinking about?" Varta asked.
Afra did not look back, and said in a calm voice, "I'm thinking about whether the decision we made is right or wrong, and how future generations will evaluate us many years later.
"Will they say we are determined warriors, or will they say we are stupid and overestimate our capabilities?"
"There is no absolute right or wrong."
Varta said, "Only the necessary choices."
Afra nodded slightly.
"Yes, a necessary choice."
She repeated it softly, then turned around and looked at Varta: "Then it's settled."
The two looked at each other and said nothing.
Outside the window, the sea continued to blow, and the waves continued to hit the shore. However, this Prosperous City, busy crowd, they did not know that just now, a conversation that decided their future had just come to an end.