https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-79-Energy-Crystals-New-Year-s-Eve-Bonus-Update-/12833428/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-81-The-Powerful-Effects-of-the-Queen-Larva-s-Essence/12833430/
Chapter 80: Mountain and Sea Dawn (Happy New Year)
Chapter 80: Mountain and Sea Dawn (Happy New Year)
As a rare life-sustaining floating land, and situated in the border regions of the duchy, the White Tower Floating Land is highly valued within the entire Golden Shark Star Domain. Not only does every major city have a Third-Rank Ember Fleet Captain stationed, but the capital city is even guarded by a Fourth-Rank Ember Fleet Captain.
Thanks to the deterrent power of a Fourth-Rank Ember Fleet, the White Tower Floating Land has remained unaffected by the chaos from the neighboring Chaotic Star Domain for several decades. The rampant space pirates that once terrorized the region a century ago have long since vanished, not seen for many years.
A Fourth-Rank Ember Fleet can communicate directly with the core consciousness of a floating land, allowing it to harness the land's intrinsic energy to form a protective shield. Within this shield, the Fourth-Rank Ember Warship can easily engage in battles beyond its rank.
Of course, this is also closely related to the Golden Shark 2 Battlestar Fortress, which was stationed near the Chaotic Star Domain a century ago. The Battlestar Fortress serves as the primary interstellar combat platform for the Morning Star Duchy's Golden Shark Military District. It is said that the Golden Shark Military Fleet permanently stationed at the Golden Shark 2 Battlestar Fortress exceeds one hundred thousand ships.
This formidable presence not only intimidates the various factions in the Chaotic Star Domain but also serves as a significant deterrent internally.
...
Upon arriving at the outskirts of White Tower City, Song Chi disembarked from the airship, or more accurately, he was stopped.
It wasn't by troublemakers; in broad daylight, such incidents are unlikely to occur even in the heavily guarded White Tower City, let alone the less secure Jiangyuan City. The one who stopped Song Chi was the White Tower Ember Fleet Bureau's City Guard.
According to their rules, Ember Fleet ships are not allowed to enter the city limits. They must either be stored in the Ember Ancestral Core or parked at the airship plaza in the suburbs.
Thus, Song Chi had no choice but to store the Celestial Dome in the Ember Ancestral Core and hailed a kinetic taxi from the roadside.
The taxi driver was a middle-aged man, who appeared to be at least sixty years old and was quite talkative.
"Where to, young man?"
"Looking at you, you must have just graduated recently, right? Haven't awakened your Ember Seed yet and are here in White Tower City looking for a job? Let me tell you, I know the talent market in White Tower City inside and out..."
Hearing the driver's incessant chatter, Song Chi quickly coughed to interrupt him.
"To 15 Guangyuan Road!"
"Raging Lion Manor?"
The driver clearly knew White Tower City well. Song Chi had only mentioned the address, and he immediately identified the destination.
Just as Song Chi thought his subtle hint would make the driver stop talking, the man misunderstood.
"Looking at you, you do resemble those trendy 'pretty boys' on the internet. The Raging Lion Manor has indeed been a gathering place for the elite lately, but let me give you a piece of advice: don't try to live off others. It's better to find a proper job!"
Song Chi's eyes widened, and he was momentarily speechless, feeling a thousand horses galloping in his head.
"I just wanted to take a ride, how did I become a pretty boy?"
Seeing that the driver was about to continue, Song Chi couldn't take it anymore.
"Sir, my name is Song. The person celebrating their birthday in a few days is my grandmother. Please focus on driving and don't talk, really."
It was just a casual remark made in frustration, but to the taxi driver, it was like a thunderbolt. His body trembled, his eyes filled with panic and confusion.
As a native of White Tower City, the driver knew the Song family well, a prominent Ember family that ranked among the top on the entire White Tower Floating Land.
For ordinary citizens, an Ember Fleet Captain is already a high-ranking figure, rarely seen. For ordinary Ember Fleet Captains, the Song family is like an insurmountable mountain.
Aware of the Song family's formidable reputation, the taxi driver was even more terrified.
Comparing a direct descendant of the Song family to a pretty boy who lives off others is a blatant insult in this era where the Ember is supreme. If the Song family descendant wanted to, he could legally execute the driver on the spot.
Trembling with fear, the kinetic taxi finally reached the Raging Lion Manor on Guangyuan Road in the city center.
Seeing that Song Chi paid the credit points and quickly left without further inquiry, the driver wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and slapped himself, vowing to control his mouth in the future.
...
At the entrance of the Raging Lion Manor, Song Chi stepped inside.
As the residence of a Third-Rank Ember Fleet Captain, the Raging Lion Manor is extremely luxurious, complete with a swimming pool, private docking bay, training room, screening room, and more. However, Song Chi has always found the name "Raging Lion" rather ridiculous.
However, he only dared to think it. If he dared to complain even a little in front of the old man, he would definitely get a beating. With the old man’s fiery temper, only Grandma could control him; everyone else barely dared to speak loudly in his presence.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, Song Chi's eyes caught sight of many figures. Some were familiar, but most were strangers he had never seen before.
One thing was the same, though: these people were all dressed in fine, bright clothes, with men adorned in gold and women in silver. A single glance was enough to tell that they were people of considerable status and position.
Song Chi walked along, scanning his surroundings with the corner of his eye. Soon, a sharp-eyed servant noticed him and hurried over, respectfully calling out, "Fourth Young Master!"
At this title, all eyes in the vicinity turned toward him. Anyone who could be addressed as 'Young Master' by the Song family’s servants was clearly of high standing.
Even some of the noblewomen who glanced at Song Chi had their eyes gleam with interest, their thoughts unknown. Some began to whisper among themselves.
"Who is this from the Song family? He's quite handsome."
"It seems to be Third Patriarch Song Zhao’s son, Song Chi, if I remember correctly. He moved to Jiangyuan City a few years ago."
"Judging by the surging blood qi in his body, his Guiding Technique level seems quite high. This descendant of the venerable Roaring Lion is quite impressive. They are all young, yet their cultivation is not to be underestimated. I wonder what the quality of his Flame Seed is."
"You might be disappointed. I did some research for this birthday banquet. From what I know, this fourth generation young master of the Song family, Song Chi, awakened a colorless Flame Seed. Without a major opportunity, his future achievements will likely be limited."
"Colorless, huh? Then forget it..."
"Hehe, if you’re thinking of marrying into the Song family, why not try to charm the youngest son of the Song Shan family, the third son of the Song family’s patriarch, Song You. He’s even younger than Song Chi by half a year, and he’s said to have awakened a blue Flame Seed, ranking first among the graduates of Jiangyuan City this year."
...
Song Chi, whose Guiding Technique had reached level 7, could hear some of these whispers, but he didn’t pay much attention.
Gossip was something everyone indulged in, and these people were guests of the family. Strictly speaking, he was just a young member, so as long as they weren’t too outrageous, he wouldn’t bother with them.
"Where are Grandfather, Grandmother, and my parents?"
"The Ancestor and the Ancestress are currently receiving a third-rank official from Jiangyuan City. Third Patriarch and Third Lady are out shopping for various banquet supplies."
Hearing this, Song Chi changed his tone.
"Who is in charge of the household right now? And where are my sister, my elder brother, and my second brother?"
"The First Lady is in the main hall, entertaining the early arrivals. The First Young Master, Second Young Master, and Eighth Miss are all in the screening room!"
Song Chi thought for a moment. Before finding Song Ting and the others, he decided to pay his respects to his aunt first. It would be more polite that way.
...
Roaring Lion Manor, Reception Hall.
Zhao Hongxue smiled warmly, chatting with the early arrivals. It wasn’t that the people in the hall were of higher status, but rather that their personalities and purposes varied. Some hoped to expand their social networks, while others were restless and preferred to wander around.
At this moment, Song Chi walked into the reception hall.
He wore a slight smile, walking up to Zhao Hongxue and bowing.
"Aunt!"
Zhao Hongxue’s smile grew even brighter.
"It’s you, Xiao Chi. I heard you just completed an interstellar mission yesterday. Welcome back."
As she spoke, her gaze swept around the hall before continuing.
"These are your uncles and aunts. You should greet them."
Hearing this, Song Chi quickly turned and bowed to everyone in the hall.
"Junior Song Chi greets all the elders. Thank you for coming from afar to attend my grandmother’s birthday banquet."
His words were perfectly appropriate, and the guests in the hall all nodded with smiles, their eyes showing approval.
After the brief greeting, Zhao Hongxue didn’t keep Song Chi any longer. The hall was filled with his uncles and aunts, and even though Song Chi had matured early, she didn’t want him to feel uncomfortable. So, she quickly let him leave.
After leaving the hall, Song Chi's eyes reflected a thoughtful expression.
The other guests in the living room might not have been strictly divided into different ranks, but one person's status was clearly higher than the rest.
She was a woman dressed in a palace gown, with a full figure. All the other guests were seated in the lower positions in the living room, but she sat beside the hostess, Zhao Hongxue. From the casual and friendly manner in which the two conversed when he first entered the hall, it was evident that they had a good relationship.
Of course, the most crucial factor was the aura she exuded.
Although she tried to conceal it, perhaps due to her less-than-perfect control over her own strength, he could faintly sense a pressure emanating from her when she was near the hostess.
Or perhaps it was more of a threat. He had never felt such a presence from his own father or from Chen Wenjie, a second-tier Ember Fleet captain. The only time he had a similar feeling was a few months ago, during his Ember Awakening, when Headmaster Zhu Yaokui emitted a similar pressure.
Clearly, if his perception was correct, this woman in the palace gown was a third-tier Ember Fleet captain.
This realization piqued Song Chi's curiosity about her identity.
As for her appearance, well, she was indeed stunning, with a regal and elegant bearing that would fit most men's fantasies. But as a man who had lived two lifetimes, would Song Chi be the type to think with his lower half?
Mature women, housewives, and domineering sisters? Ha, that would only slow down his sword.
...
In the underground screening room, dozens of young men and women, mostly in their late teens or early twenties, sat quietly in various spots. Among them were the Song family's direct descendants and the young heirs of the visiting guests.
Everyone was intently focused on the projection screen at the front, not just pretending, but genuinely engrossed.
The screen was not showing some sappy web drama but a vivid and realistic depiction of a starship battle in the star sea.
These were not just any scenes. They were clips from the personal flight recorders of the Song family's Ember Fleet captains, capturing every real encounter during their explorations of alien star domains.
For the young Ember Fleet captains in the room, who had only recently awakened and had limited experience in star sea exploration, watching these real exploration scenes would enrich their knowledge and help them understand the characteristics of various alien civilizations and their bizarre attack methods. This would make them more cautious and better prepared for future explorations, increasing their chances of survival.
Moreover, the Song family's Ember Fleet warships in the footage were mostly second-tier, and occasionally, there were scenes from the explorations of the elder, Song Mingsong. The opposing civilizations shown were far from ordinary, with powerful firepower and a myriad of strange attack methods, making the footage thrilling and immersive for the viewers.
This was the best way to broaden the horizons of these young Ember Fleet captains. In most families or factions, such opportunities were rare, as not every faction had as many second-tier Ember Fleet captains as the Song family.
Song Shan, Song Hai, Song Chao, and Song Yang, the four brothers, were all legitimate second-tier Ember Fleet captains. Even the old matriarch, the first and second madams, were second-tier captains, and the elder was a well-known third-tier Ember Fleet captain in the White Tower Floating Land.
Therefore, the number of real-time exploration clips the Song family could provide for their descendants to watch far exceeded what most other factions could offer.
Without disturbing anyone, Song Chi quietly entered the screening room through the back door, found where Song Ting was sitting, and sneaked over.
It wasn't until he sat down beside her that she realized he had arrived.
"Brother!"
"Shh!"
He motioned for Song Ting to keep her voice down so as not to disturb the others. At that moment, another girl sitting beside Song Ting also whispered softly.
"Fourth Brother!"
Song Chi nodded.
"Sixth Sister."
The girl was named Song Shishi, the eldest daughter of Uncle Song Yang. She was twenty-seven years old, the sixth in her generation in the Song family. She currently lived in Baihe City with her parents and attended the Baihe First Ember Academy.
Happy New Year, everyone! May you all have a prosperous year ahead.
(End of Chapter)
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