Volume Six: The Lord God's Return to the Shattered Continent Chapter Six: Success

Just as the two were deep in conversation, Yan Donglai hurriedly rushed in from outside, his face beaming with joy as he reported to Zhuo Hua, “Your Excellency, I bring good news. I led a search throughout the entire Tianshui City and finally found a merchant caravan from Beilun Continent. They were stranded here due to a sudden attack by the Anli army. They carry two full carts of Northern silkworm threads, with ten percent being the finest of the finest. Moreover, in their warehouse, we discovered a crate of exquisite Haoyue Stones, among which lay a single Wujin tail feather. This is truly cause for celebration!” As he spoke, he bowed respectfully to Zhuo Hua in congratulations.

“Such fortune? From where exactly did this caravan come?” Zhuo Hua asked, somewhat surprised. Such a lavish caravan must surely be the private treasury of some kingdom or the entire fortune of a wealthy merchant.

“At first, they claimed to be merchants from the Yan Kingdom of Beilun Continent. But I know the situation with Tian Chong; even if they moved his entire treasury, it wouldn’t amount to this much. Eventually, after my nephew used some subtle persuasion, they confessed that they were entrusted by the Beilun branch of the Sun Worship Sect to escort this cargo to Luochuan Kingdom in the Southern Yan Continent,” Yan Donglai explained.

“Where would the Sun Worship Sect get such exquisite treasures?” Zhuo Hua’s eyes flashed with a hint of menace.

“They must have pillaged them from various places. Currently, most of Central Divine Continent, the western part of Dongyi Continent, the southern region of Beilun Continent, the eastern part of Xiqi Continent, and much of Southern Yan Continent have been ravaged by them. Wherever they conquer, they loot without regard for future stability,” Yan Donglai replied.

“So this explains your desperate resistance, right?” Zhuo Hua looked at him.

“Exactly! Even if we are trapped and doomed in Tianshui City, not a single Yan clansman will surrender to the Anli bandits,” Yan Donglai declared solemnly.

“So, you confiscated all these goods?” Yu Changsheng inquired.

Yan Donglai’s face brimmed with pride. “Of course! It was effortless gain, and these are the assets of our immortal-descended nations. With war looming, there is no time to examine the details carefully.”

Zhuo Hua nodded. “Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. Bring all these goods to my residence. Also, find two skilled artisans to assist me.”

“What level of artisans do you require?” Yan Donglai asked.

“The higher the better,” Zhuo Hua replied.

Yan Donglai nodded and was about to leave when Zhuo Hua suddenly remembered something about Yan Muyun and called him back. “Yan Qingjia, wait a moment.” Turning to Yu Changsheng, he said, “Changsheng, please step aside for a moment. I have some matters to discuss with Yan Qing.”

Yu Changsheng frowned unhappily. “Your Excellency, you promised me I would be your assistant. Don’t forget so quickly.”

Zhuo Hua smiled and reassured him, “How could I forget my promises? Once everything is ready, I will summon you.”

Only then did Yu Changsheng reluctantly take his leave.

After he left, Yan Donglai bowed to Zhuo Hua and said, “Your Excellency, do you wish to speak about my fourth son, Mufeng?”

Zhuo Hua nodded. “I have already learned most of the details; Yan Muyun has told me. Regarding this matter...”

“This matter is entirely Yan Muyun’s own fault. Your Excellency need not take it to heart,” Yan Donglai said deeply, bowing so low it surprised Zhuo Hua.

“No, Yan Qing. Although Muyun’s actions were excessive, it was partly due to my own shortcomings in his post-Biling battle compensation. It is understandable that he resents me,” Zhuo Hua replied.

“Your Excellency, you are mistaken. The Heavenly Law clearly states that those who openly offend the divine authority of the ruler shall have three generations exterminated. You only executed him alone without implicating me; that is already a great mercy from heaven,” Yan Donglai said before kneeling deeply.

Zhuo Hua quickly reached out to help him up. “Since Yan Qing holds no grudges, let us turn this page and never bring up old grievances again.” With that, he raised his right palm.

Yan Donglai was momentarily stunned but then extended his right palm as well.

After three resounding claps, they sealed their pact to never mention the matter again.

Ten days later.

In a quiet courtyard north of Tianshui City, thunderous explosions had been reverberating from deep within the manor for days. The steward insisted to the inquisitive city officials that the noise was from a firecracker workshop that had flooded, refusing to allow inspections. Later, even the city lord’s government intervened to clarify the bizarre explosions, which only fueled the residents’ suspicions that some earth-shaking conspiracy was underway.

On this day, Su Mengling had just stepped out of the mansion gate when a street vendor woman stopped her. “Young miss, is your manor making some powerful device? Like something you can throw outside the city to blow up a whole bunch of Anli scum?”

Blinking her large eyes, Su Mengling put on her signature clueless expression. “Auntie, I really don’t understand what you’re talking about. I’m just here to buy things; I know nothing about the affairs of the masters in the manor.”

Despite this, the woman was not ready to let her go. “Everyone says the same. There are all kinds of rumors outside — the wildest say there are many experts hiding inside, who have crafted a firecracker as big as a building. They say if you throw it outside the city, it’ll wipe out all the scum. Hmph! You’re just lying to me.”

Playfully, Su Mengling teased, “Auntie, you’re amazing. You guessed so accurately, just a little off from the truth!” Then, pretending to have slipped up, she covered her mouth in mock regret.

The woman suddenly beamed with joy, grabbing her hand. “I guessed right? It really is a big firecracker? Haha! Now I’m relieved. I can have Sister Wang next door wash my clothes for a whole year.” She joyfully rushed off, leaving her carrying pole and baskets behind.

Watching the woman’s retreating figure, Su Mengling shook her head and muttered, “Big brother, look what you’ve done—almost driven everyone outside mad.”

Deep within the manor’s underground chamber, Zhuo Hua and Yu Changsheng both frowned as they stared at a mass of white silk threads before them. This was the ninth attempt to fuse the threads. The previous eight failures had all resulted in the Cyclone Abyss breaking free, forcing Zhuo Hua to use vast amounts of energy to contain it within the chamber. The Abyss’s sudden absorption of massive energy into the cavern below caused explosive sounds that echoed across the sky—rumored by the outside world to be giant firecrackers.

“Your Excellency, this time we’ve added a significant amount of Sun-Essence Powder to enhance the adhesion of the silkworm threads at the fusion point,” Yu Changsheng explained.

Zhuo Hua nodded. “Yes, this much Sun-Essence will not only firmly bind the two threads together but also provide a decent initial energy reservoir for the Cyclone Abyss.”

With a wave of his hand, two skilled artisans carefully pushed the silk ball toward the wildly spinning Cyclone Abyss.

“What if it fails? We have no more Sun-Essence left,” Yu Changsheng asked anxiously.

“I have a feeling this time it will succeed,” Zhuo Hua said, struggling to control the cyclone to prevent it from indiscriminately absorbing nearby objects.

Another tremendous explosion rang out; dust rained from the cavern’s ceiling.

When the dust settled, they saw the cyclone had entered the silk ball, but the powerful force was about to tear apart the already fused threads.

“Hurry! Stuff the Golden Martial tail feather in! Quickly!” Zhuo Hua yelled hysterically at Yu Changsheng.

“But!” Yu Changsheng held the long, jet-black tail feather shimmering with golden light, hesitating. “This feather is extremely rare. With it, your Stabilizing Qi Pearl—”

Before he could finish, Zhuo Hua interrupted harshly, “Stuff it in! No more talk! Hurry!”

Yu Changsheng, despite the violent winds, struggled forward. Though he had taken Wind-Stabilizing Pills beforehand, the raging cyclone still made progress difficult.

Seeing this, the other two artisans rushed over, using their top-tier spiritual tools at full power to push Yu Changsheng close to the silk ball.

With great effort, Yu Changsheng thrust the Golden Crow tail feather into the fusion point about to be torn apart. A brilliant flame flared up, followed by a black fire engulfing the whole silkworm thread mass.

The melted silk formed a perfectly encasing sphere around the Cyclone Abyss. As the fierce winds blew, the intense heat gradually diminished, the molten silk ball cooled and solidified.

Eventually, the raging winds softened into a breeze, and the Cyclone Abyss was completely sealed within the silkworm silk sphere.

“That was close! If you’d been a breath slower, we’d all have been sucked in and torn to shreds,” Zhuo Hua collapsed on the ground, panting heavily.

Yu Changsheng, drenched in sweat, slumped beside him. After a moment, he asked, “Your Excellency, how did you know the Golden Crow tail feather could melt the silkworm silk? And how did you know the melted silk would perfectly encase the Cyclone Abyss?”

“I took a gamble,” Zhuo Hua chuckled.

“What?” Yu Changsheng could hardly believe his ears. This usually calm and composed Cloud Palace Sovereign was saying he gambled.

“I didn’t know what would happen. All I knew was that we had to do something. And we only had that one feather—if not that, then what else?” Zhuo Hua panted, a broad smile on his face.

“Alright then. What shall we do next?” Yu Changsheng asked, resigned.

Zhuo Hua pushed himself up with effort, then removed the low-quality Stabilizing Qi Pearl from his abdomen.

He then approached the pulsating silkworm silk sphere—like a beating heart—and slowly, with power, pushed it into his lower abdomen.

As the sphere fully disappeared within his body, a violent gust of wind swept around.

Zhuo Hua exhaled deeply, “This feeling is finally back.”