The Ocean Fleet first followed the coast of the Spirit Ice Continent from south to west, arriving at Xinluo City.
Xinluo City had been the empire's first port of landing on this continent during the "Migration Era," and had also served as its temporary capital for a long time.
The empire's task now was to redevelop this port city so it could establish a foothold in the western Spirit Ice Continent.
After bidding farewell to several migrant ships that had shared their route, the Ocean Fleet continued its voyage.
The White Tiger and the Spirit Ice were fully equipped, spacious, and comfortable, with enough room on their decks for people to enjoy the sunshine and breathe fresh air.
Even an inland landlubber like Long Yue hardly suffered from seasickness aboard such large ships.
People who had spent their lives on land could easily feel their own insignificance once they were at sea.
This was Long Yue's first time seeing the ocean. Gazing into the distance from the ship, he saw the sky form a narrow arc, with the horizon seemingly right before his eyes and sea and sky merging into one.
On another day, while delivering a meal to Qilin Douluo Tong Yu, Long Yue took the opportunity to voice his question:
"Aren't there too few Sea Soul Beasts?"
"Huh?" Tong Yu thought, Weren't you asking about my childhood sweetheart the last few times? How did you suddenly jump to Sea Soul Beasts?
"In this era, the Sea Soul Beasts near the coast haven't been slaughtered by Soul Guidance Mecha yet, right?" Long Yue rubbed his chin. "Shouldn't they be curious when they see a soul guidance fleet?"
"I don't understand what goes on in the sea. Maybe we've just been lucky." Tong Yu offered a perfunctory explanation. What he really wanted to ask was how Long Yue intended to clear his name.
Unfortunately, Long Yue gave Tong Yu no such opportunity. He picked up the bowl and chopsticks and left the room.
A month passed in the blink of an eye, and their good fortune lasted until the fleet's radar "saw" a stretch of land.
"Have we reached the Douluo Continent?" Excitement swept through the fleet, and some people even began cheering.
Whatever the emperor and his august dignitaries might have thought of this oceangoing expedition, to the fleet's ordinary workers, it was a history-making adventure.
Now that adventure was finally about to reach a perfect conclusion, and they, too, would be remembered in the annals of history as heroes.
Long Yue had asked the fleet's second officer about it. Before the transmigration, the journey from the empire to the Douluo Continent had taken a month, and the fleet could determine its position using nautical charts or various navigational Soul Tools.
Judging by the elapsed time and their latitude and longitude, the fleet should indeed have reached the Douluo Continent.
Whoosh-
The Titled Douluo aboard the ship flew toward the land, unable to wait any longer. Just over ten minutes later, however, he returned with disappointment written across his face. "It's only a small island. There's no one on it, not even natives."
A full month of drifting at sea had left quite a few people uncomfortable. Even the Soul Masters had had enough of life on the open ocean.
Thus, the fleet unanimously decided to stop at the island, look for fresh water, and rest for a few days.
The Titled Douluo who had first scouted the island gave it a name: East Sea Island.
Judging by their direction, they would certainly arrive on the eastern coast of the Douluo Continent. This island therefore lay in the East Sea, hence its name.
The Spirit Ice anchored roughly thirty-six meters off East Sea Island's southeastern corner. The crew went to survey the island and write their voyage logs, while Foreign Affairs Minister Sima Lanxiao decided it was a good spot and planted the Divine Realm Empire's flag.
"From now on, this place is imperial territory. No one from the Douluo Continent has landed here anyway." Sima Lanxiao saw no problem with that.
Given the Douluo Continent's pitiful seafaring technology, along with the strength and sheer numbers of Sea Soul Beasts, its people could not even venture beyond coastal waters.
Qilin Douluo Tong Yu remained aboard the ship the entire time. While Long Yue joined the crew for a beach bonfire party, drinking and talking big, he meditated in his cabin with his eyes closed.
The next day, good news arrived.
"I think I've spotted the Douluo Continent."
The Black Level Soul Guidance Mecha that had flown off to scout the surrounding area returned to the ground and discussed the matter with Sima Lanxiao. "Another towering mountain range has appeared to the northwest."
Only later did Long Yue learn that the people of the Douluo Continent called this range the Hekemu Mountains.
The good news lifted everyone's spirits. Once they had finished resting, the fleet set out again, sailing toward the mainland.
Throughout the journey, the imperial fleet had not encountered a single Sea Soul Beast attack.
Coincidence could no longer explain this, and Long Yue could not help entertaining a suspicion.
Could the one who said "You and I shall perish together" when the city transmigrated have been Sea God Tang San himself?
But during the era of the Legend of the Dragon King, shouldn't Tang San have been off playing Traveling Frog in the Great God Realm? The only god-level powerhouses left on the continent were the Silver Dragon King, Tang Hao and his wife...
Year 2638 of the Douluo Calendar, year 4 of the Divine Realm Calendar.
After their long journey, the warships of the Divine Realm Empire's "Ocean Fleet" finally appeared on the waters of Skyfrost Bay.
The residents of Skyfrost City, the duchy's capital, rushed about spreading the news, throwing the city into chaos.
Alarm bells rang out in unison. Women took their children and hid inside their homes, the duke's standing army sharpened its blades for battle, and still more people poured into the main hall of Spirit Hall, praying for the Soul Masters' protection.
Clearly, the people were more willing to trust the honored Soul Masters of Spirit Hall than the lord duke of Skyfrost City.
The Heaven Frost Grand Duke was fifty-nine that year, with a Cultivation Level of sixty-eight, making him a Soul Emperor. He could rightly be called a man in his prime.
As the monarch who had ruled this frontier coastal duchy for thirty-seven years, he had experienced rebellion, famine, and invasions from neighboring countries, yet he had never faced such a wholly unknown threat.
"What in the world is that? Does the Star Luo Empire have ships that big?"
The Heaven Frost Grand Duke stood atop his castle, his fingers tightly gripping the cold railing. The sea breeze carried a salty, fishy tang as it blew his gray braid into disarray.
In all fifty-nine years of his life, he had never seen such a terrifying sight.
Steel behemoths cleaved through the waves. They had neither sails nor oars, yet they approached Skyfrost City's prized natural harbor at astonishing speed.
Beneath the sunlight, the three warships reflected a cold, hard metallic sheen. They were more than three times the size of the largest warships currently on the Douluo Continent.
"Your Highness," an attendant said as he approached. "The garrison has been assembled, and our fleet is ready. Spirit Hall has also been notified."
"Have you ever seen ships like these?" A barely perceptible note of uncertainty crept into the Heaven Frost Grand Duke's voice.
The attendant shook his head. "Never, Your Highness."
The Heaven Frost Grand Duke drew a deep breath, the salty, damp air piercing his lungs. Just then, he noticed the flags fluttering atop those steel behemoths-white tigers.
"It really is the Star Luo Empire's fleet! Does the Star Luo Empire intend to invade our country by sea?"
At the sight of those white tiger flags, the Heaven Frost Grand Duke's eyes widened in disbelief.
[History]
"The people of the Spirit Ice Continent came across the sea, as though kindling a raging fire in the hearts of the people of the Douluo Continent. Once that fire began to burn, it would never be extinguished."
-Enlightenment of the Two Continents, Ning Fengzhi, Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
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