Chapter 709: Song Chi's Plans and the Dragon Spine Continent's Ascension

Chapter 709: Song Chi’s Plans and the Dragon Spine Continent’s Ascension (Vote Request)

Star Annihilation Ship Passenger Certificate lv0

Quality: Silver

...

{Seal Release: Consumes 20,000 points of Spiritual Energy to remove the energy seal on all living beings inside the ship, restoring their full combat power, with a cooldown time of ten years.}

{Good and Evil Recognition: The captain of the ship gains a special ability to accurately discern the good and evil intentions of any living beings boarding the ship.}

This component isn’t of particularly high quality, but its functions are undeniable. The "Seal Release" feature can free the passengers from a 24-hour energy seal in emergencies, though the long cooldown is a drawback. However, for Song Chi, who possesses the [Chronal Chessboard] and the [Bodhimanda Samadhi Seal], ten years isn’t a long wait.

In reality, it’s just about five months, making it a useful component for regular troop transportation or collective actions.

The "Good and Evil Recognition" feature ensures maximum safety when the Skygale of Tianxu is open to the public.

Moreover, this is just its initial attribute. Song Chi quickly enhanced the [Annihilator Ship Passenger Certificate] to level 70.

The most significant change was the maximum passenger capacity, which increased from 5,000 to 100,000.

One hundred thousand isn’t a huge number, but it’s enough to form a small Azure Dragon Fleet.

In addition, Song Chi received seven Ninth-Rank Sovereign True Spirits, three strands of Tenth-Rank Floating Continent Essence, 500,000 titanium crystals, various Seventh- and Eighth-Rank Floating Continent Essences, and several Seventh- and Eighth-Rank Sovereign True Spirits.

As for the rest, most of it was divided among the clan’s core members, with the remaining portion stored in the Sumeru Space within the [Swallowing Sky Python Shed] for future clan members to exchange.

Of course, this wasn’t all. The resources accumulated in the clan’s multiple treasuries were also moved into the "Sumeru Python Belly", a perfect family treasury that the Song Family wouldn’t hesitate to utilize to its fullest.

Furthermore, the clan’s leadership connected the Sumeru Space with the clan’s Merit System, placing a red-level intelligent artifact in the Sumeru Space and linking it completely with the [Swallowing Sky Python Shed]. Any items extracted by clan members using "Sumeru Extraction" would be meticulously recorded, and the corresponding merit points deducted.

This made the clan’s Merit System more convenient and precise, greatly improving the efficiency of the Merit Hall.

...

After handling these matters, the dozen or so people in the grand hall didn’t leave but quickly shifted the topic.

"Originally, only the [Dragon Whale Hall] was enough, but now with the addition of the [Swallowing Sky Python Shed], the Seventh-Rank peak Dragon Spine Continent is really holding us back..."

Song Wujian initiated the conversation, and the core members of the clan began to voice their opinions one by one.

"To be honest, I’ve had this feeling for a while. The fusion of the [Swallowing Sky Python Shed] has only exacerbated this trend. The advancement of the Dragon Spine Continent is indeed urgent!"

"Agreed. The Civilization War has been ongoing for over 1,500 years, and the three Advance Fleets are now just a stone’s throw away from the Demon God Floating Continent. The intensity of the battlefield will skyrocket. Under these circumstances, every bit of power our two Mythical Artifacts can unleash will enhance our safety. So, if possible, we must make the Dragon Spine Continent Ascend, even at a significant cost!"

"I won’t comment on this matter, but I must point out that the Dragon Spine Continent has only just reached Seventh-Rank peak. Ascending to Eighth-Rank in a short time is nearly impossible. More importantly, we currently have no clan members capable of challenging the Annihilator Ship. Even if the Dragon Spine Continent successfully Ascends to Eighth-Rank, it would be a waste of the rare Eighth-Rank Energy Tide."

"Instead, we should wait a bit longer. When Xiaochi is fully prepared to challenge the Galactic Ship, we can consider this matter. At that time, we can provide additional support, maximizing the value of the Dragon Spine Continent’s Ascension, wouldn’t that be perfect?"

……

After a round of discussion, just like when they deliberated on the specific use of the Mythical Transformation, each of the high-ranking members had their own opinions. However, most of them agreed that the primary goal should be to accelerate the Dragon Spine Continent Ascension process as much as possible.

What surprised Song Chi the most was that the one who seemed most opposed to this idea was actually Xingzu.

His reasoning was straightforward. Although the Song Family appeared to be flourishing, it was more like a castle in the air. Only by officially producing a Galactic Ship Captain could the Song Family solidify its current, rather superficial, foundation, allowing it to truly stand firm in the Flame Human Civilization and even the vast, fragmented Star Sea.

Upon hearing this, Song Wujian casually glanced over.

Understanding his gaze, Song Chi quickly explained:

"Xingzu, your concerns are valid, but the most critical issue right now is how to ensure the family's survival in the upcoming, increasingly intense cultural battlefield. If the entire family is destroyed, how can we even talk about achieving the rank of Galactic Ship Captain in the future?"

"But—"

As Song Shixing was about to say more, Song Chi continued:

"Furthermore, the energy tide after the Dragon Spine Continent Ascension is not without its plans. I will use this energy tide to help the Asura Emperor attempt to reach the peak of the Eighth Rank. Additionally, more than 60% of the energy will be used to cleanse the origins of the two Sixth-Rank Shining Eye Birds, Zhongguang and Zhongying, to replenish the missing laws within their bodies and restore their full potential."

"Besides that, the Asura Emperor's Ascension is also crucial. It is closely tied to the use of the Mythical Transformation and a significant plan I have in mind. Once this plan is completed, the success rate of Ascension will not be less than that of an energy tide from an Eighth-Rank Floating Continent."

After this detailed explanation, Song Shixing finally stopped insisting on his previous stance and instead asked curiously:

"By having the Asura Emperor attempt to reach the peak of the Eighth Rank, plus the effect of the Mythical Transformation, are you planning to elevate the Celestial Pivot Ring to black quality and then try to give the Asura Emperor temporary Ninth-Rank combat power after he undergoes Rage?"

Song Shixing, having lived for over five thousand years, immediately had a vague idea of Song Chi's subsequent plan.

Seeing him nod, Song Shixing instantly panicked.

"Wanting the Asura Emperor to temporarily gain Ninth-Rank combat power, you're planning to challenge a Ninth-Rank Sovereign. Chi, I must warn you, the temporary Ninth-Rank combat power gained through Rage is far from comparable to that of a true Ninth-Rank Sovereign..."

For a moment, Song Shixing repeated everything that Song Wujian, Song Shiyuan, and others had said recently.

Without any impatience, Song Chi continued:

"Xingzu, rest assured. I have my own judgment. I've had this idea for a long time, but I've held back due to the lack of absolute certainty. If the Asura Emperor can Ascend to the peak of the Eighth Rank, the success rate will significantly increase..."

Hearing Song Chi's confident response, the other family members did not try to dissuade him further.

They all knew Song Chi's character well. Given his current confidence and the assistance of the Pantheon Market projection, the risk should not be too high.

However, if they knew that Song Chi's target was a mechanical race ruler who had been at the peak of the Eighth Rank for hundreds of thousands of years and was likely one of the strongest Ninth-Rank Sovereigns, they would think differently.

Indeed, Song Chi's recent target was the Patriarch of Veritas, whose information he obtained during a transaction at the Market of All Heavens.

His past experiences had proven that the Heavenly Eye was no longer sufficient as a sky-scanning radar. Song Chi had long considered replacing it, and the Patriarch of Veritas possessed a high-tier, multicolored Eye of Veritas.

According to the information he had, this Eye of Veritas was a high-tier, multicolored sky-scanning radar with a unique data visualization ability, making it the perfect choice for an excellent radar.

However, since he did not know the exact situation of the Patriarch of Veritas, it was impossible to gather information in advance without alerting him, even with the real-time monitoring of a high-tier, multicolored radar.

Therefore, Song Chi's plan was simple: prepare as many trump cards as possible.

Relying on just an Eighth-Rank peak Asura Emperor was far from enough.

However, he had more than just the Asura Emperor as a trump card, but even that was not enough.

In the following period, the Song Family, which appeared to have only a five-thousand-year history but in reality had already surpassed many ten-thousand-year-old immortal clans, quickly set their family machinery in full motion. For a time, the entire core territory of the Red Disk Galaxy was bustling with activity.

Collecting asteroids and Floating Continent fragments, traveling to various star domains to extract Floating Continent Source Cores, organizing the migration of Life Forms of the Floating Continent around the Ring Dragon Spine Continent... In short, the entire Song Family was busy during this period.

However, these tasks were only for the middle and lower ranks of the Song Family. The true upper echelons were plotting more critical matters.

Forty-two years after successfully seizing the Swallowing Sky Python Shed, the Song Family, through the hands of the Pan Family fleet in the Ninth Advance Fleet, managed to purchase a silver-grade Ship Clone component at a high price.

Eighty-five years after seizing the Swallowing Sky Python Shed, the third batch of Golden Apples matured.

After evolving the Crimson Sky Warp Device and the Life Restoration Chamber to golden sanctum quality and enhancing them to level 80, Song Chi gave the last Golden Apple to the Primordial Ancestor.

With this, the silver-grade Ship Clone component on the Immovable Vidyaraja evolved to golden quality, and the summoned Ship Clone, although it could only barely possess seven-tenths of the Immovable Vidyaraja's combat power, was now barely usable.

After this, the covert scavenging team composed of four Annihilator Ship avatars set out again. This time, however, their target was not the central territory but the distant northern region of the Eight-Armed Serpent Demon Galactic Cluster.

The northern region of the Eight-Armed Serpent Demon Galactic Cluster, being the farthest from the Xinfu Human Galactic Cluster, had not yet been affected by the war.

Although it was one of the poorer regions of the Eight-Armed Serpent Demon Galactic Cluster, with fewer than a hundred star systems in the entire northern area, it did not mean that there were no high-level Floating Continents.

Song Chi and his team had chosen as their target a star system called Scalesnake, more specifically, the capital Floating Continent of the Scalesnake Galaxy.

The Scalesnake Galaxy was not large, with a diameter of just over a million light-years. However, its capital, the Scalesnake Galaxy, had, due to certain reasons, Ascended to an eighth-level Floating Continent early on. Now, with a diameter of 220,000 light-years, it was considered quite substantial even among eighth-level Floating Continents.

At this moment, over 100,000 light-years away from the Scalesnake Galaxy, four Annihilator Ships were hidden deep in the void, like silent hunters, carefully observing their next prey.

"Based on the information gathered over the past few decades, the Scalesnake Galaxy is entirely controlled by a powerful clan of the Eight-Armed Serpent Demon called the Black Tooth Clan. This Black Tooth Clan once produced a Ninth-Rank Serpent Demon and has a legacy of nearly a million years. Although that Ninth-Rank Serpent Demon fell unexpectedly, the Black Tooth Clan still has a significant number of Eighth-Rank Serpent Demons, reportedly no fewer than twenty..."

"Due to this formidable strength, the Black Tooth Clan long ago pooled the resources of the entire star system to Ascend their ancestral Floating Continent, Scalesnake, to an eighth-level Floating Continent..."

In the communication group, Song Yan's voice paused abruptly before continuing:

"Of course, under the strong summons of several Ninth-Rank Serpent Demons from the Demon God Floating Continent, more than half of the Eighth-Rank Serpent Demons from the Black Tooth Clan have been dispatched. According to the information gathered by the Shadow Department, only two Eighth-Rank Serpent Demons remain on the Scalesnake Floating Continent. This is the reason I strongly advocate choosing the Scalesnake Floating Continent as our target!"

After hearing Song Yan's words, Song Chi and the others nodded.

They were well aware that the information provided by the Shadow Department couldn't be entirely trusted and could only be used as a reference. After all, in front of a seasoned eighth-level Floating Continent, the Shadow Department's resources were still far from sufficient to fully infiltrate the Scalesnake Floating Continent.

Although the information can't be entirely trusted, it shouldn't be too far off the mark. If the report mentioned two statues, even if there's an error, it would likely only be three or four at most. The Song Family is confident they can handle this lineup.

Soon, the four of them reached a consensus and formally decided to take action against the Scalesnake Floating Continent.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

After several jumps, the four Annihilator Ship clones, hidden in the void, simultaneously began charging their ship cannons. Once the four of them nodded in agreement, they focused their thoughts, and the four Annihilator Ship clones roared in unison from their bows.

Four beams of light tore through the void, striking the same point on the Scalesnake Floating Continent's shield with swift and decisive force.

The four Annihilator Ship clones, equipped with four different levels of shield-piercing components, three black star-destroying cannons, one golden star-destroying cannon, five golden super main cannons, and three silver super main cannons, launched a joint attack that was nothing short of luxurious. However, the result was somewhat disappointing.

Even though Song Chi and the others had planned their attack to focus on a single point, aiming to inflict maximum damage to the Floating Continent's shield, they still failed to create even a tiny crack. The shield merely dimmed in the targeted area, with faint, fine cracks barely visible.

Seeing this, the four of them sighed inwardly, but they weren't particularly surprised.

In fact, they had been mentally prepared for this. Based on past experience, breaking through the shield of a veteran Eighth-Rank Floating Continent typically required tens of millions of warships to chip away at it over several decades. Even with their luxurious setup, how could they possibly break through an Eighth-Rank Floating Continent's shield so easily?

So, they quickly made their next move. The cabin doors of the Skygale of Tianxu mirror warship suddenly opened, and Asura Emperor, who had recovered and fortunately reached the Eighth-Rank Peak, rushed out.

As its blood-red body rapidly expanded, a vast Eighth-Rank Peak aura spread throughout the entire starfield.

This wasn't the end. With Song Chi's mental command, the Celestial Pivot Ring component on the main body of the Skygale of Tianxu, located billions of light-years away, was activated.

The activation of the "Enslavement Seal" characteristic, even across such a vast distance, caused Asura Emperor's blood-red steam to surge rapidly, and its aura continued to intensify.

Eighth-Rank Limit

Half-Step Ninth-Rank

...

Finally, its aura completely transcended into the Ninth-Rank realm.

This time, it encountered no resistance and successfully attained official Ninth-Rank Combat Power.

The reason was clear: the Celestial Pivot Ring had been upgraded to black zenith quality through the "Mythical Transformation" attribute and had been enhanced to level 90.

Previously, due to its complete fusion with the core of the Dragon Spine Continent, the cooldown time of the "Mythical Transformation" attribute had been significantly reduced, including the cooldown time for the Eight-Armed Serpent Demon's use. After over eighty years, this attribute had finally completed its cooldown, and Song Chi immediately used it on the Celestial Pivot Ring.

After Asura Emperor's aura broke through the Ninth-Rank barrier, it raised its blood-red long knife. In the next second, a blood-red blade of light slashed out, targeting the same point that had been previously activated.

Swish!

Carrying the power of the Ninth-Rank, the blade of light cut through, and this time, the Scalesnake Floating Continent's shield could no longer hold. The fine cracks rapidly expanded, eventually forming a relatively small crack.

This scene not only filled the two Eighth-Rank Serpent Demon Sovereigns who had rushed out from inside the Floating Continent with terror but also surprised Song Wujian and the others.

Although Song Chi had long informed them that he had a way to temporarily break through the Eighth-Rank Floating Continent's shield, they truly hadn't expected it to be done this way.

"Xiao Chi, Asura Emperor just recovered, and you're making Him rage again?"

"Didn't you say we still need to plan for a Ninth-Rank Sovereign? Or has your golden-quality medical chamber component already solved the problem of replenishing the vitality of Eighth-Rank enslaved beings after they rage?"

As expected, the group chat soon filled with their inquiries.

"The golden-quality Life Restoration Chamber is one reason, but the key is that the remaining effects of the Greenwood Elixir, combined with the Life Restoration Chamber, are enough to ensure Asura Emperor's well-being."

While explaining, the four Annihilator Ship clones didn't stop their actions. Using the crack they had created, they sequentially charged into the Scalesnake Floating Continent's interior.

With the temporary ninth-rank combat power of the Asura Emperor, once they had charged into the interior of the Floating Continent, the subsequent outcome was predictable.

Before the effects of the "Enslavement Seal" ended, the Asura Emperor successively dealt with all the Eighth-Rank Serpent Demon overlords within the Floating Continent.

As the four of them had expected, the Shadow Department's information was not entirely accurate. There were three Eighth-Rank Serpent Demons guarding the Floating Continent, but in the presence of the ninth-rank Asura Emperor, even with the Floating Continent's intrinsic support, all three Eighth-Rank Serpent Demons were annihilated.

A small interlude worth mentioning is that because Song Chi could actively summon the Skygale of Tianxu's main body, all three Eighth-Rank Serpent Demons ultimately met their end at the hands of the Skygale of Tianxu, adding three strands of Eighth-Rank Holy Blood to the cloned Blood Chalice.

After completing these tasks, Song Chi urgently recalled the Asura Emperor, fed him several Eternal Life Pills, and once again sent him into the Life Restoration Chamber.

As for the four Annihilator Ship clones, they split into two groups. One group, consisting of the Skygale of Tianxu and Dinghai Longxiang, headed straight for the core of the Floating Continent. They then activated the golden Essence Core Stealer that had been temporarily installed before the Ship Clone's summoning, initiating a comprehensive theft of the Floating Continent's Source Core.

This time, the Song Family did not opt for the usual method of stealing sixty percent and leaving forty percent; instead, they chose to directly steal eighty percent.

This decision was not due to a complete lack of restraint or concern, but because the Dragon Spine Continent had just entered the peak of the seventh level. A sixty percent share of an Eighth-Rank Floating Continent Source Core alone would not be enough to ensure its rapid advancement to the Eighth Rank.

By taking an additional twenty percent, the chances of the Dragon Spine Continent's Ascension would significantly increase.

Regarding the issue of restraint, if they truly had no limits, they would have taken one hundred percent.

If they had taken a full one hundred percent of the Eighth-Rank Floating Continent's Source Core, the probability of the Dragon Spine Continent's rapid Ascension to the Eighth Rank would have skyrocketed to over eighty-five percent. However, they did not choose that path.

By taking eighty percent of the Floating Continent Source Core, they risked rendering the Eighth-Rank Floating Continent incapable of further advancement and requiring at least a hundred thousand years to restore its resource production and intrinsic output to normal levels. But at least it would not be completely destroyed.

While Song Chi and his companion were fully engaged in extracting the Floating Continent's Source Core, Song Shiyuan and Song Yan were busy plundering the vast resources on the Floating Continent.

As the ancestral land of the Black Tooth Clan, which had been passed down for nearly a million years, even though over eighty percent of the clan's elders had been dispatched to the Galactic Cluster's central region, taking with them much of the clan's heritage, the resources remaining on the entire Floating Continent were still astronomical.

The two Annihilator Ship clones continuously collected large quantities of resources, and due to the urgency of time, they had to abandon resources of ordinary value and only plunder the more precious ones. Even so, time was still insufficient.

Inside each Ship Clone, multiple enslaved creatures holding Heavenly Market Passes worked tirelessly, packing batches of resources into top-tier Storage Capsules and sending them to the Pantheon Market. This continuous process made it impossible for Song Shiyuan and Song Yan to keep track of how much they had collected; they only knew their speed was far from sufficient.

In the end, they had no choice but to follow the pre-determined hierarchy of the Black Tooth Clan's treasure vaults, starting from the highest level and working their way down, seizing the most valuable resources from each vault as much as possible.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end