Night fell, and the city of Ranhuo remained brightly lit. The streets were filled with a steady stream of vehicles, urgently transporting war supplies to the defensive perimeter of the city walls.
Watching the transport workers hurry by, several influential mercenary group leaders reconvened.
“Do you think the catastrophe is nearing its end?”
“Is it?”
“Haven’t you noticed that the Empress has been intervening less frequently these past few days? The defenses don’t seem as perilous.”
“No…”
The leader who had organized the gathering spoke.
His eyes were bloodshot, his hair disheveled and dry. His eye sockets were sunken, yet he had tirelessly recorded numerous data points, filling a stack of sheepskin scrolls.
“Look, yesterday, there were 37 occurrences of aberrant tide outbreaks exceeding a thousand in scale. Comparing this to the day before yesterday, the day before that, and data from a week or two ago, you’ll find that the severity of the catastrophe has not only failed to decline but is slowly and steadily increasing.”
“Messages from other oases and great territories corroborate this point; the disaster continues, and it's growing fiercer.”
Data explained everything!
This mercenary leader, who championed data, presented sufficient evidence.
The others believed him.
“It’s just that, if the catastrophe is intensifying, then why do the defenses of the Ranhuo Merchant Association… seem to be getting easier to maintain?”
“Even if the intensity were the same, after defending for so many days, they should be growing more fatigued.”
This question…
The mercenary leader, who championed data and yet was nameless for now, could not answer. Otherwise, why would he have stayed up all night, his eyes red and swollen, appearing as if his soul was about to depart his body?
He was a Sixth Sense!
But he was even more perplexed as to why!
Boleizaimeng, far away at the Star Radiance Fortress, also didn’t understand!
He glanced at the city walls of his own fortress. Many sections were already cracked with thick fissures, or bore terrifying indentations from impacts by colossal creatures.
Scarred and battered!
During the lulls between large-scale attacks by the aberrant, the workers at Star Radiance Fortress were rushing to repair them, mending what they could.
As for the walls of Ranhuo City, the last time Boleizaimeng saw them, there were some signs of damage. But this time, the majestic walls were like a dragon lying across the land, its scales shimmering with a magnificent luster, radiating brilliance under the sun.
Forget any damaged sections of the wall; Boleizaimeng looked left and right, but couldn’t find a single crack!
Why!
Clearly, the city defense construction of the Ranhuo Oasis was inferior to theirs;
Clearly, the number of soldiers in the Ranhuo Merchant Association was far fewer than theirs;
Clearly, the Ranhuo Oasis was enduring much fiercer aberrant tides than them, yet…
Why were they suffering more severe damage?
“Where exactly… has something gone wrong?”
…
…
Whether the cataclysmic tide had weakened or not, the teams who had attempted to venture out of the oasis and were struck down were most certain.
Not weaker, but stronger!
These merchant and mercenary groups had been stranded in the Ranhuo Oasis for over two months.
Some powerful individuals, worried about the situation in their hometowns, often stood by the city gates, gazing out at the surging gray mist, motionless like stones yearning for home. Some powerful individuals from super oases, unconcerned about their own cities, simply relaxed once the situation in the Ranhuo Oasis gradually stabilized.
Unable to go outside, and with the Ranhuo Merchant Association not hiring them for defense, what else could they do? They could only eat and drink.
Not to mention, the Ranhuo Oasis, despite its small size, had all the facilities one could need. Beyond its most renowned culinary industry, there were also many entertainment options that even experienced powerhouses hadn’t heard of.
Although, the most abundant facilities here were training grounds, diverse and extremely high-end.
However, for these merchant bosses and mercenary leaders, their lives had essentially reached their peak. Training was out of the question. What was the point of painstakingly cultivating for decades if not to reach a high position and indulge in enjoyment?
Thus, with the exception of the mercenary leader whose eyes were bloodshot and still striving, all other leaders had become idle. Their meeting places had shifted from rented outposts to a certain indoor chess and card room.
“Pair of Aces!”
“Pass!”
“What do you mean, ‘Master of Big Cards’!”
The sound of artillery fire raged outside the city, while inside, music, cheers, and the clatter of cards were incessant. The outside and inside seemed like two entirely unrelated worlds.
But since they had started to relax, no longer living in fear or pushing themselves, the complexions of the leaders had visibly improved, and even their figures seemed to have become a bit… fuller.
Their lives were going exceedingly well.
“It’s just that, the Ranhuo Merchant Association’s soldiers are still struggling to resist the aberrant tide outside. Is it too much for us to be enjoying ourselves like this…?”
“Hey, what’s there to worry about? Yesterday, while soaking in the hot springs, I even saw some elites from the Ranhuo Merchant Association. I must say, these people are truly amazing, having time to have fun even after battles.”
“Besides, even though we’re playing cards and feasting, we’ve paid for it. In the words of a certain executive from the Ranhuo Merchant Association, we’re stimulating the economy and contributing to the resistance against the disaster. What I'm more concerned about is whether the Ranhuo Merchant Association’s food reserves are still sufficient after being sealed for over two months.”
“Yes, especially since the Ranhuo Merchant Association is now supporting tens of thousands more people.”
This was the second concern, following the worry about the city being breached.
However, these wealthy individuals were soon reassured. They found that the variety of dishes in the restaurants had not decreased, nor had the prices increased due to the disaster and lockdown.
The food in the Ranhuo Merchant Association was already expensive. But since it hadn’t increased in price during the disaster, it was equivalent to a price reduction, which, rounded up, meant they were getting a good deal.
“Come, let’s toast, and let us… enjoy life!”
The room was filled with a joyous atmosphere.
…
…
Within the grand hall, threads of sorrow wafted through the air. Some were silent, some sighed. At this moment, the prevailing sentiment was this.
In the northwest corner of the vast and magnificent hall, streaks of resplendent starlight rapidly spread across the polished floor, forming an arcane and magnificent star chart.
Within the star chart, several vaguely discernible, yet ethereal and divine figures gradually emerged.
They stood at specific positions on the star chart, but more positions remained empty, with no noble figures present.
The figure at the sixth main seat gradually became clearer.
He was handsome, with chiseled features like carved blades, surrounded by faint blue flowing clouds. He wore a star-shaped crown and held a scepter adorned with countless black pearls. He looked towards the northeast and sighed,
“We deeply regret the fall of Ketarei. We wish to offer half a day of remembrance to commemorate Lord Ketarei’s sacrifice for the Shattered Sea.”
“The fearless need no remembrance; only the timid do!”
In the northeast corner of the hall, a burly figure with hair like blazing flames, a small firebird perched on his shoulder, snorted coldly.
He was “Asphos,” the mythology of the Red Lotus Empire, who advocated for burning all enemies with fire!
“You must understand what we need!
“This is not just for us, but for you as well!”
“The fall of Lord Ketarei is regrettable. Regarding the source of the calamity hidden deep within the Sea of Filth, we do not take it lightly, but… we must approach it rationally and cautiously.”
From the southeast corner of the hall, an alluring figure emerged from moon-silver radiance cascading like a waterfall.
Her coiffed hair was as pure as moonlight, and she wore a white fur coat, her hands clasped together in front of her. Surrounded by the bright moonlight, “Madam Gong,” who resembled a beautiful middle-aged woman, appeared ethereal and dreamlike.
Finally, from the southwest corner, the spokesperson from the Great Chaos City, vaguely discernible as the shorter “Neriyide,” glanced at the three parties and expressed agreement.
Outside the palace, gray waves of the Shattered Sea crashed against the oasis land in wave after wave.
From the filthy seawater, monstrous and hideous creatures crawled out, extending the gray tide until it reached the majestic city walls.
Splash—
Splash—
Splash—
The tide was incessant, and the city walls collapsed.
The gray tide surged into the city filled with screams, engulfing green, blue, white, and azure colors, assimilating the sky and the land into an ultimate gray.
The fall of a mythological being, and one from one of the Four Human Hegemonic Powers, caused lamentations and shock among countless factions.
But the impact of the catastrophe was not limited to the tragedy of mythology.
Star Luo Bay wept, Great Chaos City bled, Ancient Forest Fort was half destroyed, and the Red Lotus drifted on gray currents.
This calamity was the greatest in three thousand years.
Under the leadership of several mythologies from the Red Lotus Empire, a meeting encompassing the Four Human Hegemons was slowly convened.
…
…
With two catastrophes overlapping, the Shattered Sea suffered severe damage, but it was far from the only region affected.
Small oases, like flickering candle flames in the wind, vanished in an instant under the surging gray tide. Even large oases were not at ease. They had larger populations and faced more ferocious tides.
Black Stone Alliance.
As a great oasis faction established only sixty years ago, the Black Stone Alliance’s rapid development was remarkable. However, it was undeniable that the Black Stone Alliance was too young among the great oasis factions.
Young meant weaker strength and less foundation.
A powerful being once predicted that if the Black Stone Alliance’s First Tower Lord’s lifespan ended, the entire alliance might decline. It was unexpected that while the Black Stone Alliance was struggling, this First Tower Lord managed to extend her lifespan and live a second life.
Those with foresight predicted that the Black Stone Alliance was about to truly rise.
However, at this moment, the catastrophe struck. It swept across the entire great territory and grew stronger with each passing day. Small oases were annihilated in the tides, and the Black Stone Alliance lost its opportunity for development.
Now, few factions paid attention to the Black Stone Alliance; everyone was preoccupied with their own survival.
The Black Stone Alliance, in particular.
This great oasis, approximately Level 4 to just under Level 5, had an area basking in sunlight only slightly larger than Starfire Oasis. This oasis, once teeming with hundreds of thousands of people, was dotted with buildings that were black, simple in appearance, but sturdy and durable.
However, at this moment, the buildings, resembling upright black stone pillars, were either cut down, collapsed, or cracked with countless fissures. The entire western side of the oasis was shrouded in smoke, and occasional weak, low moans could be heard.
Warriors in black robes moved through the ruins, rescuing the injured and eliminating any remaining wandering aberrations.
Despite all this, the entire oasis was permeated with sorrow and despair.
Inside the First Tower at the center of the city, seven Tower Lords were seated.
Some were bandaged, some looked pale. The First Tower Lord, seated in the main position, whose aged face had shown considerable health and vitality only a few months prior, now resembled her appearance before consuming the longevity fruit: so withered that her skin, like tree bark, was cracked in multiple places, revealing a hint of crimson and wriggling flesh.
The Second Tower Lord, with a hooked nose, also bore two scars on his face. His once neatly combed brown hair was messy, with strands of noticeable gray.
Yi Yueluxi sat in the fifth seat.
She was originally the Seventh Tower Lord, occupying the last seat. However, during the recent resistance against the disaster, two Tower Lords had perished. New individuals had filled their positions, and she had been promoted to the fifth seat.
Yet, the maiden’s once delicate and flawless complexion now appeared somewhat sallow, and her cascading silver hair looked dry.
Her left arm was wrapped in layer upon layer of bandages, beneath which were strange bulges that seemed to squirm and writhe like living creatures.
“The City of Falling Stars has refused our plea for help… *cough*.”
A hoarse voice emanated from the old woman in the main seat. The few Tower Lords who still held a sliver of hope saw the faint light in their eyes instantly dim.
Bernigen, the Second Tower Lord, spoke, “What if we paid a greater price?”
The old woman still shook her head.
“The City of Falling Stars responded that their resources are limited and they cannot attend to too many requests.”
“Then what about the Ranhuo Merchant Association? The Ranhuo Merchant Association also has two mythologies presiding over them. Why don’t we seek help from the Ranhuo Merchant Association!”
Another Tower Lord spoke.
However, the words had barely left his lips before another replied,
“The Ranhuo Merchant Association faces a more severe disaster than the City of Falling Stars. Furthermore, they have too few elites to spare any to support us, no matter the price we are willing to pay.”
“Wait, what about Blue Star? If we could get the powerhouses of Blue Star to act.”
“That is also impossible. Although Blue Star is not within the scope of the disaster’s impact, their situation is not necessarily better than ours. Moreover, the entire Blue Star world is sealed off. They have no way to enter the Aberrant Realm. Otherwise, with Blue Star’s power, they would have already developed an oasis in the Fallen Star Grotto.”
The dim tower fell silent again, a faint despair pervading the air, much like the ruins beneath the sunlight that couldn't reach them.
The old woman broke the silence.
“We can only rely on ourselves.”
Yi Yueluxi looked out the window.
The drifting clouds obscured the sunlight, and wisps of smoke lingered in her vision. She clenched her fist, thinking that perhaps she had to attempt to break through to the Sixth Sense.
Otherwise, given the current situation of the oasis…
…
…
“The situation of our oasis is dire.”
“The pressure comes not only from the aberrant disaster but also from… that faction.”
Within a rented space in Ranhuo City, serving as the Merchant Association’s outpost, Princess Yunji of the Court of Silent Night frowned deeply as she looked at a peculiar device letter. She picked up the treasure sword on the table and put it down again, her eyes fixed on the sharp blade, lost in thought for a long time.
The Court of Silent Night was far from regaining its former glory; there were only a handful of Sixth Sense powerhouses in the entire oasis.
However, with nearly half of their strength trapped in the Ranhuo Oasis, how could she not worry about her homeland? She had also attempted to traverse the inter-domain region, but no matter how she tried, she failed, being forced to return after not going very far. She saw no glimmer of hope.
“It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t failed my breakthrough… I should have given you the chance instead.”
A stern-faced middle-aged man blamed himself.
He was Yunji’s third uncle and also a mythological seed cultivated by the Court of Silent Night, an veteran Sixth Sense. Compared to younger individuals like Yunji, who had only accumulated a few years in the Sixth Sense, her uncle had a greater chance of breaking through.
After failing to deliver the treasure back to their homeland, Yunji no longer left the Ranhuo Oasis, but instead sent for her uncle.
She was gambling, betting on the credibility of the Ranhuo Merchant Association and the safety of the city.
She had gambled successfully, yet she had also failed.
The pure divine radiance was indeed miraculous; her uncle had no lingering side effects after his failed breakthrough. However, failure was failure. What was even more anxious was that the three of them, mythologies, were trapped here, helpless to watch their oasis being ravaged by aberrant tides.
Today, the situation of the Court of Silent Night was even more critical.
“I’ll seek help from the Ranhuo Merchant Association. Since they can rescue those refugees, perhaps they can also…”
“It’s impossible. The risk of traversing the inter-domain region is far greater than within a great territory.”
“The hope may be slim, but how can we know if it’s feasible without trying! No matter the price, as long as it helps our homeland overcome this hardship, it’s worth it!”
Watching Yunji push the door open and walk away quickly, her uncle opened his mouth, and finally let out a sigh of self-reproach and dejection.
…
Yunji felt fortunate to have met a mythology from the Ranhuo Merchant Association without much difficulty.
But, huh?
Wasn’t it that Empress Mythology? Why was it a blonde… blonde Empress?
She was surprised, astonished, and dumbfounded. A myriad of thoughts flashed through her mind, and it took several seconds for her to recover. She forced herself not to overthink and then stated her request.
“…We, the Court of Silent Night, can offer various treasures, as long as your esteemed association can escort us back to the Tawny Ruin Great Territory.”
The stakes Yunji offered were so high that Xidina herself was surprised.
She had been the heir to the Island of the North Wind, yet many of the offerings from this ‘small Court of Silent Night’ were things her Island of the North Wind could not provide.
No wonder they could afford the final auction item at such a high price.
This Court of Silent Night oasis must hold great secrets. However, Xidina had no desire to probe into these secrets. She merely considered the request, or rather, the transaction, from her position as a guardian.
Then, she shook her head.
“Traversing the inter-domain region at this time… no one knows what might happen. The risk is too high. I cannot agree.”
Yunji’s face turned pale in an instant.
Although this outcome was within her expectations, she felt as if her soul had been lost, her last sliver of hope extinguished.
She walked unsteadily towards the door, which seemed to waver in her vision.
Bang—
The swaying door was suddenly pushed open.
A red-haired girl, wearing loose robes and a towel on her head, walked in. Faint traces of water droplets could still be seen on her soft, burgundy hair.
But how could this girl look… so familiar?
Was it that Red-Haired Empress?!
Yunji couldn’t immediately connect the domineering Red-Haired Empress with the girl standing before her, who looked like she had just come from a bath, very down-to-earth.
She soon had no time to ponder this. Her mind was filled with the words the Empress spoke.
“I… I, this Empress, do have a plan.”
“Please, Your Excellency, guide me!”
Yiluo Xi surveyed Yunji, who was bowing.
Her expression was somewhat haggard, but it was still discernible that she was a beauty, though perhaps not as stunning as Empress Yiluo Xi herself. Still, she was not bad.
Most importantly, she seemed to be a Sixth Sense and an important figure from a major power in an outer territory.
Yiluo Xi spoke, “Are you willing to sell yourself?”
Yunji: “???”
Yiluo Xi chuckled a few times. “My plan is, if you are willing to sell yourself, you will have an opportunity to redeem your homeland. Such an opportunity is not given to everyone.”
She then looked Yunji up and down again.
“Opportunity knocks but once. You wouldn’t want your homeland to be destroyed, would you?”
Yunji fell into hesitation.
This Empress seemed unreliable, but she was a mythology, and Yunji felt she wouldn’t speak without reason.
However, after selling herself, what would she have to do?
But if it truly meant saving her homeland, it would be worth it!
Xidina was confused for a moment, then realized, “Could it be…”
“Bingo, that’s exactly it…”
“But have you sought the opinion of the… the Chairman?”
“Oh, right.”
Yiluo Xi mentally pinged her mentor a few times, and soon, she received a reply.
Along with it came a contract document materialized before her.
A contract that had already been drafted.
How was the mentor so fast?
She picked up the document and glanced at it. Good heavens, I just wanted her to sell herself, but my mentor wants both her and the money! I can only say, how wicked you are, mentor, truly worthy of your reputation!
“Here!”
She slammed it down in front of Yunji. “Two choices: sign or don’t sign. Young lady, this is your last chance.”
The contract document contained several hundred characters.
In the presence of a mythology, Yunji dared not examine it too closely, but she quickly scanned it and found that the contract was not as harsh as she had imagined, at least, there were no strange clauses about selling oneself.
The most frequently mentioned terms were about work and earnings.
She truly had no other choice, so she bit her thumb until it bled and pressed it down firmly.
Xidina’s words, “No need to bleed,” were left unspoken.
“Now you are one of us. Next, the great and black-hearted mentor will bestow a baptism upon you, helping you break through to the mythological realm. Once you have ascended to mythology, you should be able to traverse the inter-domain region yourself, right?”
Without time to ponder why the Red-Haired Empress spoke of advancing to mythology as casually as eating and drinking water, Yunji assumed that there were still some ‘pure divine radiance’ and ‘root water’ remaining.
The Ranhuo Merchant Association was indeed very generous.
And according to the contract, she would also provide some treasures and ritualistic techniques.
With this thought, she felt that some secrets could no longer be hidden, so she might as well reveal them to avoid future rifts.
“We… the predecessor of our Court of Silent Night was actually the hegemonic power ‘Land of Midnight,’ but to avoid pursuit from the Eternal Night faction, we had to flee to the Tawny Ruin Great Territory and change our names.”
She had her concerns.
According to the contract, she was already an employee of the Ranhuo Merchant Association, but they were still being hunted by the claws of evil gods. And the terror of the evil god faction was immeasurably greater than this disaster.
Revealing this might lead to cold treatment and exclusion in the future, but it was better than hiding it. The contract also included clauses about not concealing important secrets.
Yunji’s heart pounded; she was anxious.
To her surprise, Yiluo Xi tilted her head and said, “That’s it? This Empress thought it was a big deal. Isn’t it just about stopping the evil god faction from devouring worlds beyond this realm? We’ve even killed their servants many times.”
Yunji: “???”