Chapter Eighteen: The Conspiracy in the Neighboring Realm

The fleet of the Cloud-Top Celestial Palace marched in a wedge formation through the boundless void, which resembled an abyss capable of devouring human souls.

Aside from the lead dragon-fang dreadnought, which sailed proudly at the vanguard, the remaining dragon-fang dreadnoughts were evenly distributed throughout the fleet, interspersed with the massive bull-class warships. Zhuo Hua's flagship was positioned near the center of the formation.

"Have the scouts from the Flying Fish Department been deployed?" Zhuo Hua asked.

"They reached the Vicinal Realm two days ago; we should receive news very soon." Qin Ying had just kindled a small brazier and, holding a long-handled silver spoon, scooped a portion of mountain spring water from one of the Cloud Palace's massive reservoirs, pouring it into the teapot.

"My mind has felt unsettled these past two days. Instruct the scouts to investigate thoroughly; no oversights are permitted. Furthermore, those dormant agents within the Vicinal Realm can also be activated." As Zhuo Hua spoke, his eyes remained on the book before him, though not a single word registered in his mind.

"You need not worry. Even if that old man Rial wished to stir up trouble, he no longer has the strength to do so. Previous reports from our scouts indicated that he has been bedridden for the past two years, and coupled with the fact that the realm is currently plunged in eternal night, the people's livelihoods are in ruins. With him barely able to manage himself, how could he possibly stir up any waves?"

The water in the teapot came to a boil, and Qin Ying deftly lifted the exquisite little vessel. The freshly brewed tea was refreshing to the soul, pouring into the teacups with a pale amber hue.

Handing over a cup of tea, Qin Ying asked, "When will this Vicinal Realm ever emerge from the eternal night?"

Zhuo Hua lowered his book. "Unknown. Three golden suns pull at and rotate around one another there, throwing the day, night, and four seasons of the Vicinal Void into utter chaos. I previously attempted to use the Xuanhuang Mirror to deduce the cycle of their seasons, but it was all in vain."

"I have heard that aside from the freezing eternal night brought by the three wandering stars, they also suffer from the brutal weather of twin suns and triple suns in the sky," Qin Ying remarked.

"Indeed! Aside from the stable seasons that occur when there is one golden sun during the day and two wandering stars at night—allowing the people to live normally—the rest of the time is a chaotic season, plagued either by scorching flames or bitter freezing."

"That place is more of a hell than hell itself! It is nothing short of a miracle that such a place can produce such abundant mineral wealth. Otherwise, I truly wonder why we went to such great lengths to conquer it."

"Minerals can be found anywhere, but those three golden suns of theirs are not something one encounters everywhere." Zhuo Hua smiled and reopened the book in his hands.

Qin Ying wished to ask more, but seeing that he looked as absorbed as if he had entered a state of meditation, she knew better than to disturb him. Sensibly tidying up her things, she withdrew from the cabin.

When the stable seasons would finally return was a question Rial was also agonizing over within the Vicinal Realm.

Outside, the cold was extreme. Three wandering stars had hung overhead for more than a decade. For over ten years, the entire Vicinal Realm had been blanketed in deep snow; the majority of the subjects as well as the surface flora and fauna had voluntarily entered a state of dehydration, turning into piles of dry fibers, awaiting the return of the seasonal cycle and the melting snow to restore their vitality.

"When on earth will those seasons return!" Rial sheltered within the subterranean palace, staring through a fist-sized aperture in the wall and letting out a sorrowful sigh.

This entire grilled aperture had been constructed by craftsmen who spared no effort to fulfill the king's demand to gaze upon the starry sky from a depth of a hundred丈 underground.

Because survival on the surface was impossible, the people of the Vicinal Realm had no choice but to utilize this natural underground cavern, expending countless human and financial resources to transform it into a subterranean palace. The geothermal energy beneath the palace maintained a comfortable temperature, keeping the members of the royal family from freezing to death.

"How much food reserves remain?" Rial asked without turning his head, his eyes fixed firmly on the three wandering stars visible through the aperture as he addressed the Minister of Internal Affairs standing behind him.

"Only enough for a little over two months," the white-bearded old man replied with a tremor.

Rial lowered his head, fell into deep contemplation, and issued a decree: "Leave one hundred men for the army, one hundred for the laborers, and let all you ministers enter dehydrated hibernation alongside the royal family."

The dozen or so ministers standing behind him all lowered their heads in silence. Some even secretly wiped away tears sliding down the corners of their eyes.

"Royal Father, this is not proper." A young woman's voice broke the silence among the crowd.

"Liya, why are you here? This is a court assembly; it is not your place to speak." Somewhat angered, Rial rebuked her sternly.

Upon seeing the young woman, the gathered ministers and generals all bowed respectfully.

"These men are the pillars and wisdom of our nation. If you make them undergo dehydrated hibernation, how can this country continue to function?" Liya did not back down; instead, she stepped forward to argue her case on the merits.

Rial let out a cold snort. "As the Third Princess of the Vicinal Realm, accustomed to luxury since childhood, what do you know of the suffering in this world? Our food is nearly exhausted. Do you even understand what it means for our food to be nearly gone?"

Taken aback by her father's roar, Liya was stunned for a moment before regaining her composure. "Royal Father, this daughter understands our current plight. The reason I oppose putting the ministers into dehydration is my fear that once dehydrated, they will never be able to recover. In times like these, how difficult is it to acquire men of talent? They are far more precious than grain!"

"Hmph! Without food to eat, what use is knowing how to farm?" Rial retorted.

"We can curtail the expenses of the royal household and weather these hardships together with the ministers and generals." Liya clenched her right hand against her chest. Due to her impassioned speech, prominent veins could be seen throbbing visibly along her fair neck. Though the lighting was dim, her striking, beautiful appearance and graceful figure, combined with her eloquent words, only endeared her further to everyone present.

Murmurs of approval rose softly among the ministers and generals. This buzzing sound served only to further inflame Rial's already volatile temper.

"If you are so capable, you figure out how to fill these people's bellies. Otherwise, get yourself banished to the wasteland."

Liya looked back at the people behind her. Some cast approving glances, others shook their heads in warning, gesturing for her not to argue further with the king, while many more resumed lowering their heads to weep.

"I have a way! I have a way to spare everyone from hibernation while granting everyone a good life," Liya said with a resolute gaze.

Rial was almost amused by her remark. "Do you mean to have everyone die with you? Once dead, one enters the heavenly kingdom and leads a good life, is that it?"

The king's laughter sounded particularly grating in the empty stone chamber. Yet, no one echoed his laughter; the great hall remained as dead and silent as a graveyard.

"I can go plead with the Sovereign. Their void realm has distinct four seasons and abundant produce, and the Sovereign is a ruler who loves his people as his own children. He will not stand by and watch us perish," Liya declared.

"Absurd!" A shrill voice rang out from behind the wind screen. Gaona wore a strapless, translucent gauze dress, her full breasts looking particularly captivating in the dim light.

"Indeed, how could one ever go crawling to someone like Zhuo Hua?" Ligen's characteristic lazy voice followed closely behind.

The two sisters emerged one after the other from behind the screen. Dressed in grand ceremonial attire and looking exceptionally healthy, they were followed by several maids carrying the long trains of their gowns, walking all the way with bowed heads and not daring to show the slightest negligence.

"Greetings, Princesses." Everyone in the hall knelt in salute.

Gaona and Ligen did not even glance at them. Gaona addressed Rial, "Royal Father, is our Vicinal Realm lacking in destroyed civilizations? When civilizations were wiped out more than two hundred times before, did we ever beg for the pity of outsiders? As long as our memories and knowledge can be passed down, and as long as we wait for the seasons to return, our civilization can always continue and flourish."

"Precisely. The seasons will return eventually anyway; rather than living in humiliation, it is better to die proudly," Ligen added unhurriedly.

This time, it was Liya's turn to laugh. "My two elder sisters speak so very nobly, but have you prepared yourselves to make the sacrifice?" She extended her right hand, gesturing up and down toward Gaona and Ligen.

"The two of you likely cannot bear to part with the worldly riches right before your eyes! That being the case, what qualification do you have to urge others to die here?" A sharp edge gleamed in Liya's eyes, causing the timid Ligen to take a step back and hide behind Gaona, exposing only half her head.

"Very well, you just said you would go plead with Zhuo Hua, but do not forget why Zhuo Hua launched an expedition against us in the first place! We are a vassal state now, required to pay annual tribute to them," Gaona mocked.

A jolt went through Liya's heart, yet she persisted, "It was the Lanling Fairy who initiated the war, not Sovereign Zhuo Hua. Ever since the Vicinal Realm entered the eternal night, the Cloud Palace has constantly provided us with grain..."

Before she could finish, Ligen darted out from behind Gaona and interrupted, "On that point, you are mistaken. Their transport ships have not docked at our ports for over a year now; how can you claim they are constantly aiding us?"

Left somewhat speechless, Liya stammered in defense, "Perhaps—perhaps something happened at the Cloud-Top Celestial Palace, and they were too consumed with their own troubles to suspend grain aid to us."

"Save it!" Gaona's shrill voice pierced the air once more. Everyone present instinctively tilted their heads and pressed their fingers against their ears.

"Save it. The Xuanhuang clan has always been notoriously profit-driven—a point on which I believe everyone here agrees. They must have realized that our realm is on the verge of collapse, making any further shipment of grain an exercise in meaningless investment, so they simply decided to let us fend for ourselves and perish."

Just as Liya opened her mouth to refute, Rial, who had been pressing his temples all along, suddenly waved his third hand and roared, "Enough! Shut your mouths and get out of my sight. Leave me in peace, get out!"