……

At dusk.

A massive vortex connected the sky and the earth, stretching across the sea and sky like a natural barrier.

As the vortex spun, terrifying energy storms spread out in waves, transforming into sweeping hurricanes and dreadful energy tides.

On the sea, the storm raged, and huge waves surged. Even the sky appeared dark and gloomy, with barely any sunlight visible, making it seem like the end of the world.

This vortex was naturally the Shenwu Heavenly Abyss.

For the vast majority of creatures, this place was an absolute death zone. Even the Immortal Emperor and Demon Emperor could not truly venture deep into it.

Fortunately, for the past hundred thousand years, the situation at Shenwu Heavenly Abyss had remained relatively stable. Apart from occasional large energy tides, most of the time, as long as one took a detour, safety could be more or less guaranteed.

At this moment.

In the clouds at the edge of the Shenwu Heavenly Abyss, a blue Yun Yao flying boat was swiftly shuttling through.

Compared to the gigantic Shenwu Heavenly Abyss, it seemed as insignificant as a drop in the ocean, yet it had its own way of survival.

Its massive wings moved slowly, appearing leisurely, yet it resisted the chaotic winds at high altitude in a special way. It navigated through the storm like a ray swimming in the deep sea, exuding a sense of effortless grace.

This Yun Yao flying boat had set off from Muyue Prefecture a while ago, heading for Xinping Town in Changning Garrison. Besides being loaded with goods, the flying boat also carried numerous passengers.

At this moment.

Inside the captain's cabin of the flying boat.

"Captain, ahead is the Shenwu Heavenly Abyss." The middle-aged man in the Purple Mansion Realm sitting in the vice-captain's seat looked grave. "The situation at the Shenwu Heavenly Abyss has been unstable in recent years. I just confirmed that the nearby energy reactions are quite intense and unstable. Are we sure we want to proceed?"

He was the vice-captain of this Yun Yao flying boat, named Yao Xinyi, a direct descendant of the Han Yue Yao Clan.

Originally, he was the captain of another Yun Yao flying boat. Due to his steady work and the fact that the flying boat he piloted had never encountered any accidents, he was appreciated by his superiors and transferred to this Yun Yao flying boat.

Although he had been demoted from captain to vice-captain, he had no complaints. The reason being, this Yun Yao flying boat was heading to the Changning Wang's Clan.

The Changning Wang's Clan was a major client of the Yao Clan, with a massive amount of goods exchanged every year.

And this flying boat, previously managed by Young Master Cheng Chao, had its passenger cabins remodeled multiple times, making it more comfortable and luxurious than a typical Yun Yao flying boat, with higher safety standards. Thus, it often carried important figures from the Immortal Dynasty, and occasionally, direct descendants of the Wang Clan, which were valuable connections.

For instance, on this trip, the passengers included King of the South, Lanxin King, and Hundred Refinements True Monarch, three prominent figures. Even just getting familiar with them could bring considerable benefits.

Moreover, the captain of this flying boat was the experienced veteran captain, Ancestor Baiquan. Following him was a rare opportunity to learn a lot, which was also a valuable chance for him.

"Energy reactions are unstable?" Yao Baiquan glanced sideways, then relaxed. "No worries. This level of instability is normal. The last few times we passed by, the fluctuations at Shenwu Heavenly Abyss were unstable, but nothing happened. We can't just avoid this route because of the instability at Shenwu Heavenly Abyss, can we?"

"That's true." Yao Xinyi nodded.

Flying a Yun Yao flying boat consumed a lot of resources. If they really turned back or took a detour, not only would the spiritual stones consumed on the extra journey be considerable, but the Yao Clan would also have to pay a hefty penalty for the delayed delivery of the cargo.

However, he still felt a bit uneasy.

He couldn't explain why, but he had a bad feeling.

"Don't be too tense." Seeing his unease, Yao Baiquan smiled and reassured him, "I've flown this route countless times, and the chance of an accident is less than one in ten thousand. Besides, even if something unexpected happens, I'm here, aren't I?"

"The last time there was an energy outbreak at Shenwu Heavenly Abyss, I managed to navigate the Yun Yao flying boat out. This time, with me here, there will definitely be no problem."

Unexpectedly.

Just as he finished speaking.

The previously slightly unstable Shenwu Heavenly Abyss suddenly erupted with a terrifying energy wave.

The deep black energy seemed to come from an abyss, carrying a strong aura of annihilation.

It was like a beast trapped for a long time, finally breaking free from its cage, surging skyward with unparalleled terrifying might, piercing through the clouds and reaching the heavens.

In an instant, the chaotic hurricanes around Shenwu Heavenly Abyss were dispersed.

Even the fierce winds at high altitude were violently disturbed by the terrifying energy, as if an apocalyptic storm had descended.

Amidst the fierce winds, the Yun Yao flying boat began to shake violently.

Inside the flying boat, Yao Baiquan's smile froze on his face.

Even Yao Xinyi's expression turned peculiar, unsure whether to blame the captain's jinx or just bad luck.

A probability of less than one in ten thousand, and yet the captain encountered it again. What kind of luck was this?

Fortunately, Yao Baiquan, after all, was an extremely experienced veteran captain. In just a moment, he adjusted his emotions, trying to stabilize the Yun Yao flying boat while ordering, "Vice-captain, report the energy detection status."

"Captain, the energy reaction has exceeded the threshold by ten times!" Yao Xinyi's face turned extremely serious. "This level of energy impact is enough to cause severe damage to the flying boat's wings within half an hour. If we can't escape the energy riot zone in time, our flying boat might..."

"Alright, I know the rest."

Yao Baiquan interrupted him, then raised his hand to activate a magical tool beside him.

Instantly, his steady and serious voice echoed throughout the flying boat, "Dear passengers, I am Yao Baiquan, the captain of Yao's Air Transport No. 131 flying boat. I have an announcement to make..."

Meanwhile.

Inside the flying boat's cabin, the dignified King of the South, Yuntai An, along with Lanxin King and Hundred Refinements True Monarch, immediately realized the urgency of the situation.

"Hundred Refinements, go to the cockpit and check the situation, in case those two youngsters lose their composure. If there's a problem with the flying boat, help with temporary repairs." Lanxin King, worthy of being a princess, made a decisive decision almost instantly. "I'll go out with Yuntai."

"The energy anomaly at Shenwu Heavenly Abyss is still unclear, be careful." Hundred Refinements True Monarch was a bit worried.

But as a Lingxu Realm expert, he knew that in such a critical moment, they had to stand up without hesitation. Especially Lanxin King, as a former princess, naturally represented the credibility of the Immortal Dynasty's royal family and could not hide in the back at such a time.

So, despite his concerns, he only gave a reminder before flying to the cockpit to assist Yao Baiquan in protecting the Yun Yao flying boat.

Meanwhile, King of the South, Yuntai An, and Lanxin King had already torn open the space, appearing in the chaotic wind layer outside the Yun Yao flying boat.

The divine sense of Lingxu Realm experts was indeed formidable, but using it to probe the surroundings consumed a lot of energy. Under normal circumstances, no one would keep their divine sense active all the time. Not to mention that outside the Yun Yao flying boat, there was usually nothing but fierce winds, making probing unnecessary.

At this moment, when the two of them extended their divine sense to investigate, their expressions changed instantly.

The chaotic deep black energy was raging in the high sky, covering the heavens, so vast that even the visibility around the Yun Yao flying boat was rapidly decreasing.

The scene was like the apocalypse descending.

"It's demonic energy!" Lanxin King's eyes were grave. "It might be the remnant soul of a demon god or a demonic artifact breaking out from Shenwu Heavenly Abyss. Be careful! These ancient demon gods and demonic artifacts are not easy to deal with. I'll try to disperse the demonic energy in front of the Yun Yao flying boat."

For the Yun Yao flying boat, visibility was of utmost importance.

Flying blindly at high altitude without visibility, if they accidentally hit something, the entire ship would be doomed. Not to mention the cargo, there were hundreds of passengers and crew on this flying boat.

Lingxu Realm experts could take people flying, but the number they could carry was limited. A Lingxu expert would struggle to carry even a few dozen people, let alone hundreds.

Therefore, the most important thing at the moment was to ensure the Yun Yao flying boat could safely pass through the area ravaged by demonic energy. Everything else could be dealt with later.

As Lanxin King spoke, she summoned her natal spiritual plant.

It was a peony tree with spiritual aura flowing all over it.

The tree was enormous, with verdant leaves and large white peony flowers blooming on its branches. At a glance, the entire tree was full of splendor, luxurious and noble, with a touch of purity that made one feel refreshed and delighted at first sight.

"Hiss! Such dense demonic energy!"

As soon as it appeared, the peony tree let out a surprised exclamation. Without waiting for Lanxin King's command, it understood what it needed to do.

It flew directly above the Yun Yao flying boat, its roots gripping the top of the flying boat. At the same time, pure white peony flowers bloomed on the branches, and the petals scattered with the fierce winds, eventually transforming into streams of clear spiritual energy, cleansing the surrounding demonic energy.

Instantly, the visibility around the Yun Yao flying boat improved significantly.

The previously hesitant Yun Yao flying boat immediately changed course, beginning to speed away from the source of the demonic energy under the protection of the peony tree.

King of the South, Yuntai An, drew his Daoist long sword, guarding the other side just in case.

What the two Lingxu experts didn't know was that while they were protecting the Yun Yao flying boat's retreat, not far away in the high sky, at the area where the demonic energy was most concentrated, a vague black shadow was laughing maniacally.

"Jie jie jie jie jie~! I'm finally free!" The black shadow, entirely composed of black smoke, was so excited that its form became distorted and blurred. "Damn Holy Emperor old dog! Trapped me for so many years, and in the end, couldn't hold on? Jie jie jie jie jie~! Serves you right! To think you could perish together with my master, such arrogance!"

After laughing wildly for a long time, venting emotions pent up for countless millennia, the black shadow suddenly noticed the Yun Yao flying boat retreating from the demonic energy-ravaged area, along with the two Lingxu experts, Lanxin King and King of the South, guarding it.

"Hmm, almost forgot, the most important thing now is to find a suitable body..."

"Not the woman... the man is okay, his physical strength is well-trained. Although only at the Demon King level and a human, in this situation, I can't be too picky, it'll have to do..."

The black shadow muttered to itself for a moment, then suddenly vanished.

In the next instant.

The space beside King of the South, Yuntai An, rippled slightly, and a mass of black smoke shot out like lightning, directly attacking King of the South's head.

The black smoke emitted a strong aura of misfortune, causing King of the South's heart to skip a beat. Without thinking, he swung his Daoist long sword, slashing out a sword light.

However, the black smoke seemed to anticipate this, and the sword imbued with the essence of swordsmanship struck nothing but air.

In the blink of an eye, the black smoke had already reached King of the South, enveloping his head, and then flowed into his forehead like water, heading straight for the Lingtai Purple Mansion.

King of the South lost consciousness in an instant, his body plummeting downward.

"Yuntai!"

Lanxin King was right beside him, but couldn't stop it in time, feeling both shocked and furious.

She made a decisive move, tearing through space to reach the sky below, intending to catch the falling person.

However.

At that very moment.

The raging demonic energy, the fierce winds raging in the high sky, and the constantly tearing and damaging space finally reached a tipping point.

A spatial vortex suddenly formed, rapidly expanding from small to large, swallowing King of the South, Yuntai An, who was in mid-fall.

Watching King of the South disappear into the spatial vortex, Lanxin King was dumbfounded, momentarily stunned.

How did they suddenly encounter a spatial vortex?

Wasn't Yuntai's luck just too terrible?

Inside the Yun Yao flying boat, sensing the spatial vortex's fluctuations, Hundred Refinements True Monarch rushed out immediately. Upon witnessing the scene, he was also left at a loss for words.

The two Lingxu experts exchanged glances for a long time, until Lanxin King finally sighed, "There's nothing we can do, notify His Majesty and have her order a full-scale search~"

With that, she took out an emergency communication jade talisman she had brought along and sent a message to the Immortal Dynasty.

This spatial vortex was somewhat similar to a tornado, constantly moving and sucking in things from the surrounding space, but after a while, it would also spit these things out.

Of course, whether they would be intact when spat out was another matter.

With King of the South's strength, even if caught in a spatial vortex, he could protect himself, at most being repeatedly battered within the vortex, getting dizzy and sustaining minor injuries.

The problem was, his state before being sucked in was not normal, and where he would be spat out by the spatial vortex was also unknown. If he ended up on the Demon Dynasty's side, that would be a major issue.

"This matter can't be rushed, we should head to the Wang's Clan first." Hundred Refinements True Monarch suggested, "Currently, Ningxi and Fugui are at the Wang's Clan, they're full of ideas, maybe they can come up with something."

"That's all we can do."

The jade talisman shattered, the message had been sent back to the Immortal Dynasty, Lanxin King had done all she could, the rest depended on Yuntai An's fate and how swiftly the Immortal Dynasty acted.

With that, the two experts avoided the spatial vortex and continued to escort the Yun Yao flying boat out.

With their protection, the Yun Yao flying boat's journey was smooth sailing, encountering no further issues.

Only Yao Baiquan suffered.

After the flying boat landed, he finally learned the thunderous news of "King of the South's disappearance" after a nerve-wracking journey.

He was struck as if by lightning, utterly devastated.

On a trip to the Wang's Clan, he managed to lose King of the South? This was far more serious than losing cargo!

What kind of luck was this, encountering the anomaly at Shenwu Heavenly Abyss twice in such a short time, something others wouldn't encounter in centuries?!

Wuwuwu~~ This captain's job is impossible!

Whoever wants it, take it! He couldn't do it anymore!

……

Due to King of the South's attack and sudden disappearance, the Immortal Dynasty was naturally thrown into turmoil upon receiving the news. The Immortal Emperor, upon learning of it, immediately employed various means to search for King of the South's whereabouts.

But let's set that aside for now.

Around the same time.

In the Great Qian, Longyuan Commandery, Qingluo Garrison, and the northern part of Longzuo Commandery formed a large triangle, enclosing a vast sea area.

This vast sea area was once chaotic and backward due to rampant "piracy," with trade routes nearly severed.

However, with the Wang's Clan and the Great Qian government jointly developing Qingluo Garrison and completely eradicating the pirates, this sea area entered a period of great development.

The coastal areas of Longyuan Commandery and the northern part of Longzuo Commandery were infused with new vitality, gradually escaping poverty, and forming a series of industrial chains centered around the ocean and maritime trade.

Although this vast region was still far from being as developed as Changning County and its surrounding areas, it was relatively advanced in the context of the entire Great Qian.

The Changning United Headquarters was a conglomerate of joint industries based on the Changning Wang's Clan and some allied families, representing the interests of various families and clans.

After more than a hundred years of development, it had become a behemoth, with important clan members and elites from allied families developing within the headquarters, including members of the Wang's Clan. The financial authority of this United Headquarters was in the hands of Wang Shouzhe's stepmother, Gongsun Hui.

Gongsun Hui had already demonstrated her business acumen and ability when she managed the finances of Shouda Trading Company, accumulating enough prestige. Coupled with her status as the stepmother of the Wang's Clan head, Wang Shouzhe, she naturally gained high recognition and trust from the allied families upon joining the Changning United Headquarters.

Even among allied families, cooperation required clear accounting, hence the financial authority was crucial. Without someone like Gongsun Hui, who combined status, prestige, and ability, it would be challenging to maintain order.

On this day.

The sky was clear, and the sea was a deep blue.

A transport fleet flying the flag of the United Headquarters sailed through the cold waters on the outskirts of Longyuan Commandery, riding the waves.

On the bridge of the leading transport flagship, Wang Luomiao sat comfortably in a leather chair with a wide view, enjoying the blue sky and white clouds outside the porthole, as well as the agile figures of the Dragon Whale subspecies, the small dragon porpoises, frolicking in the distant sea.

In her hand, she held a steaming cup of coffee.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling porthole, illuminating her graceful face. Her neat and tidy outfit shimmered with light and shadow in the sunlight, exuding a sense of leisure and tranquility.

As Wang Shouzhe's direct sister, Wang Luomiao was now nearly two hundred years old, yet she still dressed like an unmarried maiden, with only her increasingly steady and profound eyes revealing the storms she had weathered over the years.

Over the years, she had overseen the construction and maintenance of the near-sea transport fleet network for the United Headquarters in Longyuan Commandery, Longzuo Commandery, and Qingluo Garrison, and was responsible for maintaining and expanding business with related families, shouldering part of the family's business burden.

By rights, as the deputy director of the Changning United Headquarters, Wang Luomiao no longer needed to personally oversee the transport of large shipments. But this time was different; she had to personally escort a shipment of iron ore from Longyuan Commandery to the Yan Clan of Longzuo Commandery because this batch of iron ore was too important.

This batch of ore came from the Fang Clan of Longyuan.

The Fang Clan of Longyuan had always maintained close cooperation with the United Headquarters, and riding the wave of the United Headquarters' growth, the Fang Clan had also entered a fast track of upward development.

Now, the Fang Clan had cultivated a second Purple Mansion seed who had also entered the Purple Mansion Realm. Including Fang You'an from the academy's Purple Mansion, they could barely be considered a fourth-grade family. The Fang Clan was now almost the dominant force in Longyuan Commandery.

Typically, when a fourth-grade family emerged in a commandery, they would try to squeeze out other families' living space, thereby growing stronger themselves. This was because the resources within a commandery were limited, and the number of Purple Mansion Realms it could support was also limited.

The Zuoqiu Clan of Qing'an Commandery did just that.

Fortunately, with the "big brother" Changning Wang's Clan leading the way, the Fang Clan of Longyuan learned a new development path of "common prosperity" and outward expansion.

As a result, the Fang Clan engaged in extensive intermarriage, uniting many potential families in Longyuan Commandery, sharing wealth together, which significantly increased the Fang Clan's prestige in Longyuan Commandery in just two hundred years.

This batch of iron ore was related to an allied family of the Fang Clan of Longyuan.

In the extreme north of Longyuan Commandery, there was a remote garrison town called Binghu Garrison.

This place was already quite close to the Northern Ice Wasteland, with a climate like winter all year round, and only about a month of thawing period each year. It was also frequently impacted by fierce beasts migrating from the Northern Ice Wasteland.

It was a bitterly cold and impoverished land, vast but sparsely populated, with only a seventh-grade Beigong Clan and a group of small families struggling to hold on. Without occasional support from Longyuan Commandery's city, Binghu Garrison would have long since fallen.

However, after the Beigong Clan married their direct daughter to a direct descendant of the Fang Clan of Longyuan, their fortunes changed. With the support of the Fang Clan, the Beigong Clan expanded their territory in Binghu Garrison.

In the past decade or so, the Beigong Clan had incredible luck, discovering a giant vein at the edge of the Northern Ice Wasteland. Besides a large amount of high-purity iron ore, the vein also produced sporadic cold crystal iron ore.

Knowing they couldn't handle it alone, the Beigong Clan decisively invited the Fang Clan to share in the venture. The two clans explored, developed, and mined the giant vein together, and built ice roads to transport the mined minerals to the Unfrozen Harbor.

The large transport fleet Wang Luomiao was leading was loaded with the output from that giant vein. This was just the first batch, with more ore to follow.

Iron ore.

This was a raw material the Wang's Clan was perpetually short of. Though it seemed ordinary, with the Great Qian undergoing extensive construction everywhere, iron was indispensable in many aspects.

Cold crystal iron was even rarer and more precious. Besides being used in crafting and array construction for "refrigerators" and "cold storage," it was also a primary material for ice-type spiritual tools, priced higher than the attribute-less black iron.

"I'm sure brother will be very pleased." Wang Luomiao took a sip of coffee, a small, proud smile appearing on her face.

As the direct sister of the famous Wang family head, Wang Shouzhe, the pressure on her was indeed immense.

Originally, she only intended to share some of her brother Wang Shouzhe's burden and marry when the family's conditions improved a bit. But unexpectedly, the family soared to great heights in a short time.

As her experience and skills grew, and with the new knowledge she occasionally learned during her clan school studies, her horizons expanded. Now, if she wanted to marry, the situation would be quite awkward.

With her status, if she were willing to marry, even the Great Qian royal family would be eager to have her. But there were no "young talents" in the royal family that caught her eye. As for other families in the Great Qian, she was even less inclined to settle. Such a marriage of convenience wouldn't be happy.

"Sister is lucky, having met her true love early on, living a life full of love and happiness, with a bunch of grandchildren and great-grandchildren." Wang Luomiao muttered to herself, feeling a bit self-pitying, "If the ancestors of the Wang's Clan are watching over us, please bless me with a suitable husband~"

Unexpectedly.

Just as she finished speaking.

Suddenly.

The space in the sky twisted.

A figure was suddenly "thrown" out of the rippling space, plummeting like a meteor and crashing into the sea with a "clang."

The commotion was quite significant, scaring the distant frolicking small dragon porpoises away.

"Uh... is this real?"

The scene left Wang Luomiao dumbfounded.

After a long silence, she suddenly reacted, "Someone, quickly rescue that person."

The guards received the order and immediately dove into the sea to rescue the person.

Wang Luomiao, however, was still in a daze.

Was it her imagination? Could it be a side effect of reading too many romance novels?

She was just joking earlier, could it really have thrown a "suitable husband" down for her?

In just a moment, several Lingtai Realm guards had already dragged the person onto the deck.

With a thousand apprehensions and speculations in her heart, Wang Luomiao approached under the escort of the guards, and upon seeing the person, she was almost infuriated.

The person, though dressed in what appeared to be luxurious brocade, had the face of a "middle-aged man," far from the young talent she had imagined.

Moreover, his complexion and lips were deathly pale, and his forehead was somewhat dark, looking like someone who had overindulged in wine and women.

Disappointed, utterly disappointed~

This was far from the male protagonist she had imagined.

However, despite the shattered fantasy, encountering a person in distress, she still had to help.

With little interest, Wang Luomiao casually instructed the guards to assist in the rescue, then returned to the bridge to continue sipping her coffee, while also pulling out a well-bound romance novel to read with relish.

This was the latest popular romance novel, titled "The Daily Life of a Domineering Princess."

Though the novel used straightforward language, it was written with flair, mixing palace intrigue, war, and power struggles, making it quite interesting.

She had already followed two volumes and wondered when the third volume would be released.

……