Chapter Two: Nether Float

Eyes in pain, and heart in pain, this was a direct feeling. This strong pain was so heavy that Li Yunrui was not able to breathe at all.

He and Bai Shanshui were not normal people. He had been one of the Chu Emperor’s most trusted death warriors while she had spent her life fighting against the experts and armies of the Qin Dynasty. So her knowledge of the Qin Dynasty was likely above the ordinary officials in court.

**

There were celestial mountains overseas, and there were celestial medicines. For many years, the power of Jiaodong Commandery came from the rich produce overseas. The many spirit medicines of the Qin DynastyAnd some of the medicines which let the cultivators of the Qin progress quickly were closely related to the overseas business.

Back when the Qin reformation started, the Qin Dynasty had used their metal ships to conquer the territories around Jiaodong Commandery, defeating many island countries. After that, the Qin Dynasty fleets were able to travel to regions that other dynasties did not know of, and travel more months without returning.

The metal fleets of the Qin Dynasty were unique to the Qin Dynasty. Supposedly, the blueprints came from the You Dynasties in the past, and were inscribed on eight metal statues. Such giant ships were called “Nether Floats” during the time of the You Dynasty.

In the records and rumors, after Yuanwu ascended the throne, he increased exploration of unknown waters in hopes of obtaining more spirit medicines. Before the Deer Mountain Conference, the exploration may have been thought to be out of a desire for a realm eight breakthrough.

But after the Deer Mountain Conference, everyone in the world knew that Yuanwu had reached realm eight. After that, many people thought that Yuanwu kept on using up his country’s strength and sent larger fleets to explore because he wanted to live longer.

A strong body, strong energies, and a long lifespan were very important to a cultivator. When a cultivator got old, their energies would be exhausted. Even if they had a lot of cultivation experience, their energies would slowly decrease, and they could not advance to higher levels. After realm eight was naturally the legendary realm nine.

When one possessed a dynasty of unprecedented strength, they would want to have a longer reign. So everyone thought that Yuanwu was seeking eternal life.

The “Nether Float” fleet general was Xu Fu. He was a cultivator who had grown up with Yuanwu and been his classmate. He had originally been one of Yuanwu’s most trusted confidants. He had led almost all of the “Nether Float” fleets of the Qin Dynasty to unknown waters, and opened new territories for the Qin in search of medicines.

As the river water shook and moved, what were the savage metal ships that were forced to reveal themselves if not “Nether Floats”?

“Why are they here?”

Bai Shanshui was used to seeing spectacular things. Even when she had been found on the streets of Changling and fought her way out of the city, she had not felt much fear. But now, her hands were ice cold and stiff. Because she knew what it meant to Li Yunrui for such a large fleet to be here, so close to a capital.

But she still could not understand many things. It was a miracle and mysterious thing for such large and heavy ships to be able to travel so quickly on the water, and there had never been any records for these Nether Floats to be able to travel under the water. If they had been able to, then Ye Celeng would have told her.

Because she had lived for a long time with Ye Celeng in Changling. Other than learning each other’s cultivation methods, they had exchanged many secrets about the Qin. Ye Celeng had been in close contact with these fleets back then, and she could not be ignorant of the structure of these metal ships. So these Nether Floats had been secretly modified after going out to the water this time into monsters that could travel under the water!

But even so…this fleet was too large.

When hundreds of such metal ships were passing under the water, they could not avoid creating unique energy vibrations. Such energy vibrations could not escape her perception, and naturally the perceptions of the cultivators who had special methods along the way. From the ocean to the harbor and through this river to here, they had to travel through large parts of the Qi and Yan dynasties.

The Qi and Yan dynasties all had many experts. How could they have kept this a secret from the entire world?

**

Li Yunrui was in such pain he could not breathe. Most of the armies and experts of the Chu Dynasty were on the battlefields of the Yin Mountain and Yangshan Commandery. Even the true mistress of the dynasty was fighting on the battlefield. The strength of such a fleet suddenly coming here meant the end of the world.

He finally took a deep breath after a long time, and then drained the medicine in the bowl. He put down the bowl, jumped out of the window, stepped onto the river and walked to Bai Shanshui’s side.

These giant ships jumped out of the water like beasts and then smashed on the surface, creating giant waves before steadily floating on the surface. All of these giant ships were low in the water, and carried great weight.

He narrowed his eyes and through the mist, he saw that these ships were inscribed with seal scripts that looked like large skeletons. He even seemed to see the black grey yin energy which filled the scripts and even covered the entire ship.

He took a deep breath again and said bitterly, “The Qi Emperor betrayed us.”

Bai Shanshui also took a deep breath. The gentleness on her face disappeared into a cold light. She did not respond and held Li Yunrui’s hand.

Even if they could not understand, they had to face the truth. These giant ships clearly gained the ability to travel secretly through the Qi Dynasty’s ghostly methods. These ships likely hid in a harbor in the name of going out to sea. There, there likely had been a workshop of many of the Qi Dynasty’s strongest cultivators and crafters.

Only if the Qi Emperor was on Zheng Xiu’s side could these giant ships silently pass through the Qi Dynasty. As to the Yan Dynasty, after the rebellion, the Qi had done their best to help stamp out the rebellion. Just because of this, the Qi Emperor had the trust of the Yan Emperor. The Yan Emperor may not know, and let an enormous army of the Qin Dynasty silently pass and get close to the Chu capital.

This Chu capital became the sacrifice of a conspiracy!

Regardless of who won the battles at Yin Mountain and Yangshan Commandery, when this enormous Qin army appeared here, the fate of the Chu Dynasty was set. So now, she did not need to worry about the result, just what Li Yunrui would do.

“What will you do?” she gripped Li Yunrui’s hand and asked.

Li Yunrui was silent for a moment and looked at her. He said, “I hope you will live… I hope that when all the wars in the world end, you will be living happily in peace.”