Chapter 1000
: Tier 4 Skyship
Bearing the heavy expectations of the two True Lords, Song Changsheng stepped out of the main hall of the Myriad Manifestations Palace. The gains from this trip far exceeded his previous expectations.
Not only did they obtain the consent of the Myriad Phenomena Palace, but they also received several pieces of information from the Celestial Phenomena True Lord that were very favorable to the battle, causing the scales of victory to tip slightly in their favor.
Unfortunately, even after the conversation, Yi Tianzheng did not reveal the layout and arrangements of Wanxiang Palace, and this feeling of being out of control made him feel insecure.
However, with True Monarch Lei Xiang, a Nascent Soul cultivator at the Great Perfection stage, as long as the ancient covenant remains, the outcome of this battle, no matter how bad, can't be too bad, which is quite reassuring.
"Fellow Daoist Jianxin, have Fellow Daoist Lingxiao and the others been in the palace during this time?"
"Yes, they should be interrogating the person you brought right now. Is there anything you need me to relay, fellow Daoist?"
"No, it's been many years since we last met. I just wanted to catch up with them. Also, I will be leading a Southwest Alliance Conference at Cangmang Peak in a while. I will invite Golden Core cultivators from all over the Southwest to participate. If you have time, you are welcome to come to Daqi to attend the ceremony." Song Changsheng took out a gold-embossed invitation from his pocket and handed it to Sword Heart True Person.
"The Southwest Alliance? Fellow Daoist, are you planning to use this method to consolidate the forces of the Southwest in preparation for the upcoming great war?"
"After thinking it over, this approach is still the most moderate. We can't really go and challenge them one by one, can we?" Song Changsheng shrugged.
Sword Heart Master smiled slightly and said, "I think you think this is more efficient, right?"
"That's one of the considerations. If it's inconvenient for Fellow Daoist Lingxiao and the others, please pass these invitations on my behalf. They can come and get together when they have time."
“No problem, we’ll definitely go and cheer you on when we have free time,” Sword Heart Master readily agreed.
"By the way, has there been any news about the Treasure Bottle Sect recently? I've had the Embroidered Banner search for years, but without any results. I wonder if the Myriad Manifestations Palace has made any progress?"
Sword Heart Master shook his head and said, "We have made some discoveries before, and we can basically determine the direction of the Treasure Bottle Sect ruins. However, the East Sea is vast and we cannot find it for the time being. Perhaps after this battle, the Supreme Elder will personally go to the East Sea to search for it."
"I hope it will have a good result," Song Changsheng replied casually, then left Wanxiang Mountain with his heavy harvest and headed to Tenglong Islands.
The purpose of this trip is twofold: first, to spend some time with Zhuang Yuechan and create the next generation that everyone is eagerly anticipating; and second, to inspect and improve the Song family's defenses in the East China Sea.
The battle in the East Sea will definitely precede the battle in the Great Qi cultivation world. Only after the Myriad Manifestations Palace's attention is diverted in the East Sea will the demon race be able to take action.
The ocean serves as both an outer barrier and a major battlefield in the future. The Song Clan's territory in the East China Sea is vast, encompassing two large archipelagos. In terms of area, it ranks only below the Myriad Manifestations Palace and Ghost King Valley in the Great Qian Cultivation World.
As the saying goes, with great power comes great responsibility.
As for the current situation of the Song family in the East China Sea, they bear a great responsibility, but their capabilities remain an unknown quantity.
Although they have made every effort to prepare for this impending war over the years, no one knows the final outcome until it is truly tested in actual combat.
After all, the two island groups belong to two different "families," and coordination between them is a major issue.
He needed to resolve these issues before the war began.
Currently, the Song family, or rather the entire East China Sea Alliance, has the following configuration in the East China Sea: Zhuang Yuechan, Zhan Tianxia, and Li Chengming, three Golden Core cultivators, plus a fourth-tier puppet. Strictly speaking, there is also Xiong Da, the demon king.
That adds up to five Golden Core level combatants, which is actually quite good on paper. However, the one with the highest cultivation level is Li Chengming, who is at the late Golden Core stage. The lack of a Golden Core Perfection cultivator to oversee the team is a significant weakness.
Of course, they were not the only ones facing this problem. He had asked the two True Lords about this issue when he was at the Wanxiang Palace before, and the reply he received was that, just like last time, the Wanxiang Palace would send its guardians to assist them.
While it was described as assistance, Song Changsheng felt it was more like being a "military supervisor."
But thinking about it, it makes sense. The matter is of great importance, and no one wants to lose the battle because of a few "bad teammates." Appropriate supervision is necessary.
Moreover, it also solved the problem of insufficient combat power among the other top-tier forces.
The battle lines are too long, leaving no room for any obvious weak points. Once a point is breached, the sea tribe army can advance unimpeded, and that would be troublesome.
"Husband, what brings you here?"
Upon seeing Song Changsheng's sudden arrival, Zhuang Yuechan was both delighted and somewhat surprised.
"I went to the Myriad Manifestations Palace. You probably already know what happened in the Suzhou cultivation world. That's why I came here. The process went fairly smoothly, and I just wanted to come and see you."
Has Qingxing returned to his clan?
Upon hearing this, Song Changsheng's eyes revealed a hint of apology as he said, "You're back. I originally planned to have him come and guard the Tenglong Islands for you, but... some things happened, so I decided to have him hide for the time being and wait for a critical moment to make a surprise attack. In the future, we'll still have to rely on you here."
“It’s alright. We should always prioritize the greater good. We should have to choose between the greater love of the family and our own personal love. Besides, Qingxing has only just returned to the clan. Even if he comes here, he won’t have time to get used to the environment. It’s the best solution for me to stay here, both emotionally and logically.”
"Thank you for your hard work." Song Changsheng pulled Zhuang Yuechan into his arms.
After a brief moment of tenderness, his hands began to wander, roaming over her stunning curves. His breathing grew heavier, and the atmosphere became increasingly intimate.
"Don't go here... go inside." Zhuang Yuechan's voice unconsciously carried a slight panting tone.
Upon receiving instructions, Song Changsheng scooped her up in his arms and strode towards the soft couch in the inner room. An invisible barrier immediately enveloped the room...
"I'm going to do a thorough inspection to see if there's anything I've overlooked. You should get some rest these next few days," Song Changsheng said softly, looking down at Zhuang Yuechan who was carefully adjusting his clothes.
With their combined cultivation levels, the past few days had been no less than a major battle, resulting in significant depletion. Even with Zhuang Yuechan's mid-stage Golden Core cultivation, she was somewhat overwhelmed by the battle, and her movements were somewhat affected.
He said these were his heartfelt words, genuinely feeling that she needed a rest, but they seemed to have a different meaning in Zhuang Yuechan's ears, earning him a big eye roll.
Having found himself out of the loop, Song Changsheng didn't press the matter further. After quickly tidying up, he began to inspect the vast maritime territory of the East China Sea Alliance.
The [Brocade Banner] has ample experience in dealing with the sea creatures. After a thorough inspection, the defensive line was found to be very well-organized, with no loopholes found, and the morale of the fleet was also good.
As long as they don't harbor any disloyalty, there shouldn't be any major problems during the war. The next step is to see how well the Twin Islands are prepared.
Compared to the Tenglong Islands and the surrounding waters, the islands surrounding the Twin Islands are much more dispersed and have a more complex composition, making them much more difficult to defend.
"Chieftain, what brings you here?"
Song Youlin hurriedly led a group of elders from the East Sea Garrison to pay their respects.
"Come and see if Elder Li is here?" "Elder Li has been working on building the [Splendid Banner], the fourth-tier celestial warship that was still under construction. It should be at the Tian-class shipyard now."
"Alright, you don't need to come with me, I'll go and see for myself."
The Tianzi Shipyard is the largest shipyard in the East China Sea Alliance, capable of building ten ocean-going warships simultaneously. Only a shipyard of this scale can undertake the construction of such behemoths as fourth-tier celestial ships.
When Song Changsheng arrived, hundreds of celestial craftsmen, array masters, and weapon refiners were busy inside. As soon as he stepped in, a wave of scorching heat hit him. Even cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage found it extremely difficult to withstand the high temperature here.
Without disturbing the busy crowd, he walked into the depths of the underground. In the boiling lava pool, there lay a colossal creature, about a hundred feet long and several tens of feet wide, its entire body pitch black and its surface gleaming with a metallic sheen.
This was a celestial warship armed to the teeth, its armor thicker than any celestial warship he had ever seen before. Even a full-force attack from a Purple Mansion cultivator would probably only leave a crater on it.
In terms of weight, it is probably comparable to a mountain.
Sending such a "fat guy" into the sky, and having him possess a speed comparable to or even surpassing that of a Golden Core cultivator, sounds unbelievable.
Even Song Changsheng couldn't help but marvel at the wisdom of his predecessors whenever he thought about it.
The Sky Ship can be said to be the culmination of several eras of human craftsmen's work. It is also a unique human skill, and these creations played a vital role in the rise of the human race.
However, in recent years, the development of the art of crafting seems to have stagnated, especially for the celestial warships, which can be described as behemoths of battlefield slaughter, where the fourth tier is almost the peak.
It seems that only the legendary Craftsmanship Pavilion, the highest hall of the Celestial Craftsmen, has successfully built a five-tiered celestial warship, which is said to be able to tear through space, escape through the void, and confront a Nascent Soul True Monarch head-on.
A fifth-tier celestial warship holds a status in this world comparable to a nuclear bomb. If one could possess one, it could protect a force for at least ten thousand years, and its deterrent power far surpasses that of a Nascent Soul True Monarch.
"The clan chief has come in person, and Anmin has not been able to greet him from afar. Please forgive him."
At this moment, a calm voice interrupted Song Changsheng's thoughts.
He looked in the direction of the sound and saw a middle-aged man with a short beard and a somewhat haggard expression.
"Elder Li, I know everything. I am ashamed before the late Master Lu. Please accept my condolences."
Upon hearing this, a trace of sadness flashed in Li Anmin's eyes. He shook his head and said, "Clan leader, you are too kind. The clan has never mistreated my wife and me over the years. Yuxiu was buried under the calamity of the demonic body and soul. It is because she was not blessed enough."
"I heard that Li Ban is already preparing to break through to the Purple Mansion stage?"
"Yes, Chieftain."
“Li Ban has made significant contributions to the family over the years, and there are still a few pieces of [Amethyst Jade] in the treasury. Let him go and collect one when he has time, and also take a [Breakthrough Pill] while he’s at it. Using them together will enhance the effect.”
“Anmin thanks the clan chief for his kindness on behalf of his son.”
"No need for such formalities. Now that you're here, please introduce this celestial warship to me."
"Yes, sir." Li Anmin responded and walked to the edge of the lava pool, saying, "Thanks to the tireless efforts of all my colleagues in the hall, the construction of this spaceship has entered the final stage. In at most another ten years, it will be able to conduct its first test flight."
Its outer shell is made of a fusion of various fourth-order spiritual materials, which gives it the most solid defense. A metal plate one inch thick can only leave a dent even if a cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Purple Mansion attacks with all their might.
Without considering certain special factors, only a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator could break through it in one strike.
Even the weakest point of this celestial warship's hull has a foot-thick armor, enough to withstand attacks from a late-stage Golden Core cultivator; this is its first layer of protection.
The value of these spiritual materials used is enough to build five Tier 3 celestial ships.
Its second and most crucial layer comes from the fourth-order grand array placed on top.
The spaceship was equipped with four fourth-tier formations from start to finish, each serving a purpose of defense, attack, concealment, and levitation.
In terms of defense, it can withstand a late-stage Golden Core cultivator without much problem; its speed is somewhat lacking, only reaching the level of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator.
However, when it is at full power, a single saturation attack is enough to make even a late-stage Golden Core cultivator avoid its edge.
If the family wanted to replicate such a celestial warship, it would take at least a hundred years, require a construction team of over a hundred people, and consume spiritual materials worth nearly a hundred million.
"With such immense power, how many resources would a single saturation attack require?" Song Changsheng frowned slightly, but he wasn't worried about the cost.
One ship every hundred years is something the Song family can afford with their current economy, and more than half of this ship was built by the [Jinxiuqi].
The biggest problem with the Ketian Ship lies in its use and maintenance.
Every attack is built with resources; you may be able to build them, but you may not be able to maintain or use them.
"A single saturation attack would cost approximately five million low-grade spirit stones."
"hiss……"
Song Changsheng couldn't help but gasp. It really was a money-devouring behemoth. Wouldn't a large-scale battle cost it at least 100 million?
Seeing this, Li Anmin quickly explained, "Theoretically, the Sky Ship is powered by a third-order spiritual vein, and the projectiles are made by the family itself, so the actual cost is not that high."
"It's just that there are enough third-tier spiritual veins in the East Sea. In the Great Qi, there wouldn't be so many third-tier spiritual veins to consume." Song Changsheng sighed and didn't say anything more.
All power comes at a price, but it's currently within our acceptable range.
"Speed up the pace. I want to see it on the battlefield before the next sea creature invasion."
In addition, Song Changsheng patted him on the shoulder and said, "After this one is completed, the construction of the second Sky Ship should also be put on the agenda. At least two ships are needed to form the greatest deterrent force."
"Tiangong Hall will absolutely not let the clan leader down!"
...(End of this chapter)