https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-747-Return-to-Demon-Snake-Floating-Land/13463309/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-749-The-Final-Transformation-of-Neutron-Star-Core-Armor/13463311/
Chapter 748: The Ancient Empress and the Celestial Star Grass
Chapter 748: The Ancient Empress and the Celestial Star Grass
"Truly sorry to have kept you waiting, Sir!"
Song Chi's concerns ultimately didn't materialize. The Tianzhu Ying Clan, one of the four major pillars of the Ember Human Civilization, wouldn't dare engage in such despicable acts, even if it was just a branch of the clan.
Upon returning, the elder tapped a few times on a special terminal in his hand, and a projection screen immediately appeared before Song Chi.
"An endless insect sea, an Ancient Empress who has just ascended to the Ninth Rank, with over ten Eighth-Rank Overlord Insects and more than a hundred Seventh-Rank Overlord Insects. What is this?"
Glancing over the information on the screen, Song Chi's pupils dilated slightly, and he looked back at the elder with a puzzled expression.
In response to his questioning gaze, the venerable leader of the Qin Yue Commercial Tower calmly explained:
"This Ancient Empress has been personally verified by one of our Galactic Ancestors. The information is absolutely genuine. Moreover, she has only ascended to the Ninth Rank within the last ten thousand years, and it's highly likely she hasn't yet cultivated a Ninth-Rank Guardian Overlord Insect."
"Of course, the key point is that our branch has been planning this for a long time. Currently, three Galactic Vessel Captains and over thirty Star Annihilator Captains have confirmed their participation. The Seventh-Rank combatants, including enslaved creatures, star gods' mechs, and Ship Clones, total no less than fifty."
"You can rest assured that this operation is not a spur-of-the-moment decision. Our two Galactic Ancestors have been plotting this for thousands of years. You are not the last person we've invited. The operation will only officially begin once the number of participating Star Annihilator Captains exceeds fifty. I can guarantee that the success rate will be no less than seventy percent."
Despite the elder's confident words, Song Chi's doubts and caution remained.
"Putting aside other factors, your branch belongs to the Tianzhu Ying Clan. It should be easy to secure the assistance of enough Star Annihilator Captains. Why go through the trouble of recruiting here in the Public Open Area? Not only are they harder to manage, but you also have to be wary of those with ulterior motives. How do you explain this?"
"Ha ha, so that's what you're worried about."
Seeing Song Chi's concerns, the elder quickly explained with a smile.
"There might be some with ulterior motives, but you can rest assured. Our Ancestor's flagship has a Level 99 reinforced Confidential Contract Component, which has sufficient binding power."
"As for why we don't seek help from other branches, it's actually quite simple."
A hint of bitterness flashed across the face of the elderly Star Annihilator Captain.
"Our branch has limited influence within the clan. Even this commercial tower was obtained with great difficulty by our two Ancestors using their own resources..."
Due to certain reservations, the elderly Star Annihilator Captain didn't elaborate too much, but Song Chi, who was nearly two thousand five hundred years old, easily understood the underlying meaning.
In essence, while they bore the name "Ying Clan", they were merely a branch that barely ranked among the upper echelons. They could claim to be of the Tianzhu nobility in front of outsiders, but their influence within the Ying Clan was limited. If they actively collaborated with other branches, it would be difficult to ensure the subsequent benefits.
Perhaps sensing Song Chi's thoughts, the elder quickly added:
"Don't worry, our branch has only one requirement. If the Ancient Empress hasn't yet conceived an Energy Core, the top-tier and special Energy Crystals from the other Seventh-Rank and Eighth-Rank Overlord Insects will be up for grabs. The Captain who delivers the final blow will have the first pick!"
Hearing this, Song Chi's doubts finally dissipated.
The Energy Core, as the elder mentioned, was a special, attribute-less energy entity that was a step above Energy Crystals. Apart from rare special environments, it could only be found in the bodies of Ninth-Rank Star Sea insects. According to his knowledge, the Energy Core could be used during the Ascension of a Galactic Vessel to a Hyperdimensional Mothership, increasing the success rate by 4%, or during the Ascension of a Star Annihilator to a Galactic Vessel, increasing the success rate by 12%.
If their goal was this, it made sense why they were hesitant to cooperate with other branches of the Ying Clan.
Even so, his caution wasn't completely dispelled.
A Level 99 reinforced Confidential Contract Component did have sufficient binding power, but it was in their hands, and they could always nullify the contract at any time.
"How can we ensure that you won't renege on the agreement after the operation?"
Clearly, Song Chi wasn't the only Captain to raise this concern. In response to his question, the elderly Captain, Ying Yu, quickly projected another screen.
War King Hall · Third Notary Hall · Contract Book
The screen displayed only these eleven words, but Song Chi had no further doubts.
The War King Hall was a force he knew well.
On par with the Beidou Seven Star Hall, Xian Qin Heavy Industries Group, Lángyá Wang Clan, and Lángyá Meng Clan, the War King Hall was founded 140,000 years ago by a Captain who topped both the Xian Qin Star Destroyer King List and the Flame-Ember Starship Leaderboard before Ascending to a Galactic Vessel Captain.
Over the years, the War King Hall has publicly revealed three Galactic Vessels. The former top Captain had already stepped into the Ultimate Galactic Vessel stage nearly a hundred thousand years ago.
Recently, Song Chi received a secret message from the Shadow Department of his clan. It suggested that the first-generation War King of the War King Hall's flagship had successfully advanced to a Hyperdimensional Mothership. When this figure reappears, they will likely be a great hyperspace admiral.
Even if this news isn't true, Song Chi still believes in the War King Hall.
Eighty thousand years ago, a royal prince from the Tianzhu Ying Clan once commissioned the War King Hall to conduct a notarization. Later, something unknown happened, and the Ying prince tried to unilaterally revoke the notarization, but the War King Hall didn't back down.
That time, the Ying Galactic Prince caused a commotion at the War King Hall, making it known to the entire Ember Human Civilization. Despite this, the first-generation War King personally returned from the Imperial City to support the matter.
In the end, the Ying Emperor stepped in, personally restraining the Ying prince, stripping his royal title, and ordering him to guard the Imperial City for ten thousand years.
Because of this incident, the War King Hall's reputation soared. Since then, not only the forces under the Xian Qin Divine Dynasty but also those from the other three empires have preferred to seek notarization from the War King Hall. The War King Hall has lived up to its reputation, maintaining fairness and integrity for thousands of years without a single exception.
"May I take some time to consider this?"
Though he no longer doubted it, Song Chi did not easily agree.
A swarm controlled by an Ancient Empress of the Ninth Rank is undeniably dangerous. If he could obtain similar resources through other means, he would prefer not to take this path.
Fortunately, the Qin Yue Commercial Tower's attitude was positive.
"Of course. The invitation process will continue, and it will likely take at least another ten years. Here's the plan: within the next ten years, if you are willing to participate in this mission, please inform us using this communication disk. If we receive no response after ten years, we will assume your refusal."
"Very well, regardless, I will give your tower a definite answer within ten years!"
...
An Eighth Rank Overlord Insect harbors a super-grade energy crystal, which is even more valuable than a top-grade energy crystal. It would be impossible not to want it.
However, for an Annihilator Ship to ascend to a Galactic Vessel, the success rate provided by this crystal is only 6%, which is even lower than that of chaotic blood organs. Song Chi was not willing to take such a significant risk.
After leaving the Qin Yue Commercial Tower, Song Chi visited several shops operated by other branches of the Ying Clan.
The results were as expected—no gains.
He then visited trading cities like Beidou City and Mechanical City, but the outcomes were equally disappointing.
In the outer starry sky, at the fifth fragment transfer base.
Following the spatial wormhole corridor, Song Chi returned to the Dragon Spine Kingdom. However, he immediately took another wormhole to the Demon God Floating Continent.
Similar to the Demon Snake Floating Continent, numerous transfer bases have been constructed in the starry sky around the Demon God Floating Continent. Countless Flame-Ember Starships converge here through these bases.
Compared to the Demon Snake Floating Continent, the Song Family has developed better on the Demon God Floating Continent. This is not only due to the larger population but also because the Song Family owns two plots of land in the Demon God Public Open Area.
One plot, like on the Demon Snake Floating Continent, hosts a Dragon Spine Trading City, which handles more Flame-Ember Starships daily than its counterpart on the Demon Snake Floating Continent.
The other plot, however, has not been used to build a trading city. Instead, it has been developed into a super cultivation base.
Joking aside, this is the Demon God Floating Continent, the ancestral land of the Eight-Armed Serpent Demon civilization. With the continuous integration of Floating Continent Source Core from the four Flame-Ember Empires, it is on the verge of transforming into a true stellar continent. When that happens, the energy tides generated across the entire Floating Continent will be unimaginable.
Over the past three hundred years, the Song Family has planted a batch of Celestial Star Grass in this Super Cultivation Base every year. By now, the number of Celestial Star Grass plants in the base has become astonishing.
According to the Song Family's estimates, once the Demon God Floating Continent ascends, the energy tide of the tenth rank will significantly accelerate the growth of the Celestial Star Grass in the cultivation base. By then, not only the initial batch of three-hundred-year-old Celestial Star Grass, but even the recently planted grass will rapidly mature under the nourishment of the energy tide.
Combined with the super-high status of the Celestial Star Grass on the Floating Continent, the family has a high chance of cultivating Celestial Star Grass that exceeds three thousand years in age with this single cultivation base.
In the past, the Song Family's resources were limited, and they could only cultivate Celestial Star Grass up to three thousand years old, which they used as the primary material to formulate Ultra Celestial Star Body Forging Elixir.
However, this does not mean that Ultra Celestial Star Grass is the limit. In fact, above Ultra Celestial Star Grass, there is a Celestial Star Plant, which is the ultimate form of Celestial Star Grass. Using it as the primary material, they can formulate the Celestial Star Body Forging Liquid.
Compared to the Ultra Celestial Star Body Forging Elixir, which has limited assistance for Guiding Techniques above the seventh rank, the Celestial Star Body Forging Liquid greatly enhances the effects of eighth-rank Guiding Techniques.
However, Celestial Star Plants can only be cultivated on Floating Continents of the ninth rank or higher, and the Song Family has never had the opportunity to do so.
As for their own Dragon Spine Floating Continent, it would take at least ten thousand years to reach the ninth rank, which is too distant.
"Be careful, each plant must receive a drop of Clear Jade Spring. This is crucial for increasing their chances of surviving to five hundred years."
"Ordinary Celestial Star Grass has limited value. Only the three-hundred-year-old Superior Celestial Star Grass, one-thousand-year-old Premium Celestial Star Grass, and three-thousand-year-old Ultra Celestial Star Grass are the true goals of the family in building this multi-layered cultivation base, and even more..."
On the second-to-last level of the cultivation base, Song Bei, who has been in charge of this base for a hundred years, loudly instructed his subordinates.
Upon hearing this, the hundreds of Song Family members working on the second-to-last level responded in unison.
The cultivation base covers an enormous area, with each level comparable in size to a low-level Floating Continent. This is why hundreds of Song Family members are required to work here.
On this second-to-last level alone, ten batches of Celestial Star Grass are planted. Considering the fifty levels of the cultivation base, it is now about thirty layers full. Once the Floating Continent ascends, the entire cultivation base will be completely filled.
After giving his instructions, Song Bei did not linger. He walked alone through a special alloy security door deep in the second-to-last level.
As the alloy door closed behind him, the scene of the deepest underground level came into view.
A massive crater, several hundred kilometers in diameter, stood at the center of this level, resembling a gigantic abyssal mouth.
Buzzing!
Intense energy storms continuously surged from the crater, violently rising toward the sky.
This was not just any phenomenon; it was a Core Eruption of the Demon God Floating Continent, and it was at the eighth-rank limit.
When the Song Family gained the freedom to choose two plots of land on the Demon God Floating Continent, Song Chi and his team had already considered this.
To cultivate Ultra Celestial Star Grass and even Celestial Star Plants more quickly and effectively, the amount of Floating Continent Core energy required is immense. Where else could one find a denser concentration of Floating Continent Core energy than at a Core Eruption?
However, due to the family's limited resources, the Song Family could only choose an eighth-rank Core Eruption.
There was no choice; the Song Family's resources were insufficient to control a ninth-rank Core Eruption. At the moment, a Star Sea Ape, several hundred meters tall, was seated directly above the crater. When the intense energy from the Core Eruption touched the Star Sea Ape's body, it immediately became gentle.
Despite its relatively small size, the Star Sea Ape's true strength was at the eighth rank, but it had voluntarily reduced its size.
Thanks to its presence, the energy from the Core Eruption is transformed into the gentlest form, continuously supplying the Celestial Star Grass in the upper layers of the cultivation base, accelerating their growth.
The first batch of Celestial Star Grass has only been planted for a little over three hundred years, but their actual age is already close to five hundred years. This is the most direct benefit of the massive supply of Floating Continent Core energy.
(End of Chapter)
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