Chapter 780: Arrival at Longquan Bay
In the Eastern Continent, at the Luo Capital.
“I want to go to the Western Continent with Elder Sister Lolan too!”
Inside the Ye Mansion, Ye Ling excitedly told everyone, her large eyes resembling beautiful light red gems, staring intently at her brother.
“This…” Ye Zhen looked at his free-spirited and capricious sister, hesitating momentarily.
Currently, Ye Ling was the highest combat force in the family. According to several elders’ tests, she could compete with a Sequence 7 Extraordinary Being after transforming. Letting her leave would undoubtedly be a significant loss for the family, especially during this vulnerable period for the Ye family.
“Is it not possible?”
Seeing her brother’s prolonged silence, Ye Ling lowered her head sadly, her fingers tapping together in front of her, even the small dragon wings behind her drooping.
“It is indeed somewhat difficult,” Ye Zhen slowly said. Although he cared deeply for his sister, he now had to consider many things as he handled all matters within the family, a responsibility that weighed on him.
“Guh…”
Ye Ling continued to make pitiful sounds. She wasn’t a naive child anymore; sometimes she understood the current situation at home.
“Haha, Brother Ye, why so troubled?” With a hearty laugh, Gu Lie stepped into the hall from outside, followed by Lolan Hill, a blue-black crow perched on her shoulder.
“Let Ye Ling go out and explore this vast world. It wouldn’t hurt, a dragon shouldn’t be confined to a small pond.”
“As for your concerns, I believe our Xiangyu Sect can offer some assistance.” Gu Lie changed his attitude this time, openly seeking friendship with the Ye family.
With the support of the Xiangyu Sect, a massive force, the Ye family would find it easier to get through their current vulnerable period. The Xiangyu Sect was currently highly renowned, with two Sequence 7 experts stationed there and a Golden Sparrow Witch appointed by the Dynasty. Such honors were hard to match by other factions, with only the Qinglian Xijian Palace being able to rival them.
As the top sword sect in the world, the Qinglian Xijian Palace had numerous branches and high prestige. With their recent victory in the Sword Duel Championship, they were at the peak of their fame.
Ye Zhen glanced at Gu Lie, then shifted his gaze to the beautiful girl behind him, understanding dawning in his heart. Perhaps this was also due to the influence of Miss Lolan.
The three contemporary leaders of the Xiangyu Sect had good relations. If Lolan Hill supported the Ye family, the others would not oppose.
With his worries easing, Ye Zhen gently patted Ye Ling’s head.
“You must listen to Elder Sister Lolan when you go west. Don’t cause any trouble. I know you’ve always been playful since childhood, but now you’re growing up and can’t be too willful.”
“I know~” Ye Ling backed away, holding her head, stretching her voice in a slightly petulant manner.
Seeing her like this, Ye Zhen helplessly shook his head, knowing he couldn’t discipline her now.
After some more conversation, they shared lunch together before parting ways in the afternoon.
After bidding farewell to the Xiangyu Sect members, Ye Zhen instructed Ye Ling further.
“After this, I’ll take you to the family’s secret vault to pick out some treasures for self-defense. You might not return for several years.”
“More treasures? Thank you, Brother!” Ye Ling happily called out to her brother again.
—
A week later, by the shore of Mirror Lake.
A huge gray-blue airship slowly descended from the sky, floating on the lake surface.
This massive airship, resembling a giant whale, was crafted by the Yanhang Gate, now ready to transport guests to the western port of the Dynasty, Longquan Bay.
“Jialan, Ye Ling, over here~” An elf girl waved from the boarding dock, calling out to her two companions in the distance.
“We should go. Erin is over there,” Lolan Hill led Ye Ling through the crowd, approaching the two elves.
Beside Aitexi stood Erin, the elf maid Lolan Hill had met at the elf shop in Leixiaze. However, judging from her appearance and demeanor, she seemed to come from a noble background.
“Let’s go up. The rooms are already reserved. It’s a very large and luxurious suite, comfortable for four people,” Aitexi led the way, guiding the three onto the airship floating on the lake.
While this was technically a passenger airship, the experience felt more akin to a large cruise liner, with various rooms and activity halls inside.
Using an ivory-like engraved key to open the door, a large Western-style palace-themed suite appeared before them.
In her eyes.
”Because there are often guests from the West, this floating giant ship has prepared two suites in the style of the Western Continent,” Aitexi explained simply, then happily opened each room to take a look.
The overall style of the suite leaned towards white, decorated with gold and red ornaments, and adorned with tender green vines and creepers, giving it an elfin touch that Aitexi found very appealing.
The light blue soft bed was where the elf lady lay, rolling around to experience the comfort of the bedding before finally sitting up after a while.
Lolan Hill and Night Ling carefully inspected the interior and appearance of the giant ship. Compared to the ‘Great Eastern’ they had boarded several years ago, this ship offered more spaciousness, but some facilities were not as advanced. The cruise liner they had once traveled on was equipped with a complete alchemical system that provided hot water, temperature control, and even a simple washing machine—a testament to the technological achievements of the Frost Alliance.
Although this Eastern ship also had some extraordinary artifacts achieving similar effects, it was generally less convenient overall.
After the young lady finished her tour, she returned to the central hall and sat down, while Night Ling curiously opened the metal food box on the tea table.
”Oh, there are candies. Let me see.” She happily looked at the colorful candies, picked out a few, peeled off the wrappers, and tasted them.
”They’re quite good.” The white-haired dragon maiden closed her eyes, sat on the sofa, and pleasantly swung her legs.
”Would you like some tea?”
Another elf, Erin, was much more composed. She had ice-blue hair and wore a white dress that gradually faded into light blue. Standing by the table, she skillfully poured the freshly brewed tea into cups.
The silver-haired girl nodded, and the elf placed several cups on the tea table, then sat on the white sofa opposite.
”Is Erin an Ice Elf?” Lolan Hill asked curiously, looking at her icy blue hair.
”Yes, I come from another continent in the North.” Although she seemed cold, the Ice Elf girl wasn’t hard to get along with; she just didn’t talk much.
If we were to describe their appearances, Night Ling would probably be the youngest, with a height and build that almost seemed fixed at 15 years old. Next was Lolan Hill, whose appearance hovered between 16 and 17, showing a youthful innocence but also a serene purity. Aitexi, the elf, appeared to be around 18 or 19, with golden hair like the sun and a well-proportioned figure. Finally, there was Erin, the Ice Elf, who looked about 24, with a very attractive figure and ample chest, complemented by her milky-white skin, which easily attracted male attention.
Though their appearances suggested these ages, elves aged and matured very slowly. Perhaps Aitexi was older than Night Ling’s mother, yet she still maintained a youthful spirit.
”Everyone’s here,” Aitexi seemed relaxed, coming out of the room and happily picking up a teacup to sit on the sofa.
”Hmm,” the elf lady then remembered the matter at hand.
”Right, let me explain the arrangements for this journey.”
”Firstly, we will head to Longquan Bay. Three years ago, I entrusted a reliable shipyard there to build a long-distance sea vessel, and I sent over many high-quality woods during that time.”
”The Endless Sea is no safe place; now it is filled with whirlpools and sea beasts, so the requirements for the ships are very high.”
”After arriving at Longquan Bay, we will meet up with some friends, most of whom are elves, and then recruit a batch of sailors to familiarize themselves with the ship, test sail for a few days, and then head toward the Pearl Islands in the eastern part of the Endless Sea.”
”The islands in the Pearl Islands aren’t large, but they have many ports and supply points, which makes our initial journey less stressful. Afterward, we will enter the vast, endless heart of the Endless Sea.”
”There, deep in the ocean, there are hardly any islands to replenish supplies, so we need to prepare everything in advance. Then, following the sea winds, we will sail west until we reach Dragonwatch Port in the east of the Verdant Empire, which is the shortest route.”
Listening to Aitexi’s explanation, Lolan Hill nodded in agreement, having no objections. Night Ling, unperturbed, continued eating her candy, only thinking of playing around with Lolan Hill and not much else.
”Then it’s settled. We’ll spend a few days on the floating ship, and then head to Longquan Bay,” Aitexi clapped her hands.
Thus, the group comfortably traveled aboard the floating giant ship, occasionally going up to the deck to admire the magnificent landscapes below.
Another day passed, and Lolan Hill, dressed in a light white dress, stood with Aitexi in a triangular area of the deck observation platform, both leaning on the railing to gaze at the distant scenery.
The gradually appearing sea level was marked by waves constantly crashing at the horizon, like white lines.
The breeze by her ear seemed much softer and more humid, unlike the cold and dry air in the north of the Dynasty.
“Etherxi, the fruit you asked me to cultivate has ripened.”
Lolan Hill seemed to recall something and took out a red, translucent fruit.
[Mos Red Berry Fruit] (Rare Pearl Grade): The fruit of the Holy Tree of the Elves, essential for advancing to certain special Extraordinary Professions. Even ordinary consumption can improve one’s constitution, making the body more agile and light, accelerating cultivation.
“This, thank you, Lolan!” Etherxi exclaimed in pleasant surprise when she saw the fruit, then held it carefully in her hands to examine it closely.
“I originally thought I would have to wait several years before obtaining the fruit.” She had been stuck at Sequence 5 for a long time because she lacked this key advancement item.
After receiving the fruit, Lolan Hill also became curious and asked.
“Why are you in such a hurry to return to the West Continent, Etherxi? Is there something urgent?”
“It’s like this,” Etherxi explained slowly.
This all began over a decade ago when Etherxi, as the princess of the Forest Elves, visited the distant Northern Continent. There, she met Erin.
“Erin is the legitimate daughter of Duke Ruffia and the fourth heir to the title, but she dislikes the unchanging life in the palace.”
“So I brought her along with me.” This Forest Elf princess seemed quite willful.
“Afterward, when I traveled to the East, she accompanied me, and naturally, we remained in the East.”
“But the Ice Elves are too unique, easily drawing attention. Last year, I heard that the Kingdom of Elves in the North sent envoys to the Eastern Dynasty, including members of the Ruffia family. They were probably searching for Erin.”
“I feel that we cannot hide this for long. If they discover us, the envoy team might request extradition from the Dynasty, which could cause trouble. So I want to leave early and return to the West Continent. In the Verdant Empire, we Forest Elves are at least considered semi-hosts, and since I am a princess, protecting Erin shouldn’t be a problem.”
Although Etherxi was younger than Erin, she was the one protecting her, Lolan Hill thought.
“What is the world of Ice Elves like?” She rarely learned about that country from books or rumors.
“It’s a very cold world, but also a beautiful one,” Etherxi recalled the past.
“The buildings are all made of ice crystals, carved with intricate designs. The crystal forests, where ice flowers hang, emit a faint glow at night, creating a dreamy atmosphere when walking through them.”
“Ice Elves love planting a small flower in their streets and courtyards. These little white-petaled, yellow-stamened flowers are incredibly resilient and can adapt to extremely cold weather, growing on snow and cliffs. In the Northern Continent, you can often see vast fields of pure white and light yellow flowers, known as Fairy Wood flowers.”
“There is little meat in the Northern Continent, so its residents mostly eat light grains, occasionally pairing them with a translucent sea fish. They slice the transparent fish meat and place it on ice shavings in a dish, adding a bit of perilla or dipping sauce.”
“Ice Elves still maintain a matriarchal society, with no supreme ruler currently. Major decisions are made by three dukes and the council.”
“Why is there no Ice Elf queen? It’s simple. Because the Saint Ingol family, who once ruled the Ice Elves, has no heirs. Other families do not have such prestige, and with the three dukes checking each other, no one can dominate. Thus, the position has remained vacant.”
“Now, the lives of Ice Elves are very stable, with no conflicts within the country. This order has been passed down. To be honest, only Ice Elves can adapt to such a cold and icy land. If it were orcs or us Forest Elves, we definitely couldn’t endure it. Visiting occasionally is fine, but settling large numbers of our people would be too difficult.”
Etherxi raised her finger, describing the distant northern snowy kingdom.
“Look, Lolan! We’ve arrived at Longquan Bay.”
As she spoke, Etherxi suddenly wrapped her arm around Lolan Hill and pointed to the distance.
Behind the tall and continuous mountain range, a vast expanse of azure sea appeared.
The thousand-mile sea waves, water surging, revealed a huge crescent-shaped bay dozens of kilometers wide. Within the bay, numerous Eastern treasure ships were coming and going.
Masts with long sails swayed gently with the ship’s movement in the sea waves. Many workers were busy at the dock, constantly loading and unloading cargo. Even though the eastern route was now cut off, this place remained the commercial center of the western part of the Dynasty, gathering ships from all directions.
“Now, let’s go down, the lovely Miss Lacy,” Etherxi turned around.
“In the future, you will lead everyone,”
(End of Chapter)
