"That Third Brother!" Grand Chief Jian Qiu exclaimed, "No matter how fast, we have to wait until he masters the fourth level of the Dragon Shadow Sword Style. Rushing things now is practically advertising our ultimate trump card to those Morro scoundrels." "This..." Jian Chu hesitated slightly. "Fourth Brother has a point. Let's wait another two years then. I trust the boy will manage." "Exactly." Jian Li quietly wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead. "Forcing the issue now will only distract him. Remember, until the fourth level of the Dragon Shadow Sword Style, he absolutely must preserve his virginity!"

It was already midnight when we returned to the detached residence. Yan Luo was still awake, sitting in the courtyard. "You're back." "Mmm." "Did you see him?" "Not only did I see him, but he also accepted me as an inner disciple." I had no intention of hiding anything from Yan Luo. "Congratulations," Yan Luo beamed. "Having the Sword God as your master! I’m truly envious." "You’re not doing too badly either," I laughed. "The Moon Sect is still considered one of the premier great sects today." "Still quite a bit behind Dragon Shadow Manor," Yan Luo sighed. "Forget it, let's not talk about that. Are you planning to stay here and cultivate?" "No." I shook my head. "Master wants me to cultivate my Dou Qi to the peak of the Crimson Moon first." "So you won't be staying at the Manor for long then," a flicker of delight crossed Yan Luo's eyes. "I leave first thing tomorrow morning," I said. "To the Zuma Temple in Mengzhong." As I spoke, I subconsciously asked, "What about you? What are your plans?" "Me? I have nothing else to do, so I might as well accompany you to the Zuma Temple," Yan Luo replied. "..." I was momentarily stunned. Thinking it over carefully, the distance and awkwardness between Yan Luo and me seemed to have dissolved, unlike before. Furthermore, starting from that time in the inn, I had distinctly felt that Yan Luo had grown much closer to me. Could she possibly have feelings for me? Thinking this, I couldn't help but scrutinize Yan Luo. Undeniably, Yan Luo was beautiful. Although her appearance had changed significantly due to the disguise, even so, she was in no way inferior to my mother. If only she didn't maintain that perpetually ice-cold demeanor, I believed many people would be drawn to her. If this were truly the case, would my twenty-four years of lonely solitude across two lifetimes finally come to an end? "Hey! What are you spacing out about?" "Ah." Snapping back to reality, I saw Yan Luo observing me with a curious expression. "What were you thinking about just now?" Yan Luo asked. "Nothing, nothing at all." "Did you learn the Dragon Shadow Sword Style?" Yan Luo inquired. "Of course," I nodded. "After all, I am an inner disciple." "If I'm not mistaken, Senior Sword God must have asked you to keep your identity hidden, right?" Yan Luo guessed. "How did you know?" "Just a guess." Yan Luo said, turning toward her room, "Alright, time to rest." ........................ The next day! Early morning! Yan Luo and I were up early.

The Biqi Great City Guard Headquarters was located near the West Gate of Biqi Great City. From the outside, it truly resembled a massive military fortress, with high walls surrounding it. From a distance, a towering structure, resembling an altar or platform, stood in the center. It reminded me of the iconic bell tower in the Pig Cave of the Earth City. Near the main gate, several squads of armored guards patrolled ceaselessly. Not a single civilian could be seen nearby. I discreetly tucked the Royal Crest away and approached the main gate. Damn it, today I'll finally test if this Royal Crest actually works. "Halt! This is a military restricted area. Unauthorized personnel must not approach." As soon as we got close, a pair of heavily armored Purgatory Warriors immediately stopped us. "Take me to the veteran soldier," I displayed the Royal Crest. Although my heart was tense, I managed to adopt a stern expression. Master couldn't be playing a trick on me, could he? If they turned hostile, it would be disastrous, I thought to myself. "Ah!" The expression of the leading squad captain changed drastically. "Forgive our negligence in not greeting the esteemed emissary upon arrival!" The captain instantly became respectful, though a probing look remained on his face, as if trying to decipher my identity and origins. "Mmm." I merely nodded slightly, secretly relieved. Judging by the situation, the Royal Crest was effective. However, I didn't want them to see my relief, so I responded with a slight, cold snort. "Esteemed Emissary! Please follow me." The captain dared not delay and immediately led the way.

Before long, the captain led us up onto the tower platform, an open rooftop the size of a basketball court. There were four huge thatched sheds, each labeled with names like Mengzhong, Jincheng, Dancheng, and Nanling. Within each shed lay several enormous birds, their appearance identical to the Golden Eagles of Earth, yet their frames were much larger—as tall as a warhorse. I knew these were the unique, swift mode of transportation on the Marfa Continent: Thunder Eagles. An adult Thunder Eagle weighs a full two tons, boasts a terrifying wingspan of fifty-five meters, and can fly at a speed of 500 kilometers per hour, with a top sprint speed reaching an astonishing 820 kilometers per hour. On Earth, such a creature is almost unimaginable. Even more incredible is the fact that an adult Thunder Eagle can carry a load of one thousand kilograms, making it an absolute behemoth—an aerial fortress! This meant that with their carrying capacity, a Thunder Eagle could easily ferry both Yan Luo and me into the skies. Yet, even so, the Thunder Eagle was not the largest flying bird on the Marfa Continent; it wouldn't even rank in the top ten.

On the Marfa Continent, the largest avian species is a giant called the Dragon Hawk. Legends say the Dragon Hawk weighs around two tons, with a terrifying eighty-meter wingspan. When flying high, it truly deserves the description of blocking out the sun and sky. These massive birds are only found on the Demon Dragon Continent and are never seen on the Biqi Continent. Of course, all this information came from the Ranger's Handbook. However, the only avian species tamed for human transport is the gentle-natured Thunder Eagle. The domestication of Thunder Eagles on the continent spans over two millennia, resulting in a complete, systematic breeding structure. Trained Thunder Eagles adapt perfectly to human needs, much like warhorses. This is essentially the aviation transport of the Marfa world!

The various nations of the Marfa Continent even maintain an aerial cavalry mounted on Thunder Eagles, known as the Thunder Eagle Knights—equivalent to modern air forces. Though, this is all information I’ve heard; I haven't seen it myself yet.

Furthermore, Thunder Eagles are not common; the privilege of using them as mounts belongs exclusively to royalty. Ordinary citizens and nobles are forbidden from privately training Thunder Eagles or other avian mounts. Avian mounts like the Thunder Eagle are akin to controlled firearms in modern China; any discovery of private training results in extremely severe punishment.

"My Lords, which city are you heading to?" Before us stood a middle-aged man, about forty, clad head-to-toe in tight, light leather armor. Without a helmet, he was the veteran soldier of the Guard Headquarters. "Mengzhong Zuma Temple," I replied while admiring the Thunder Eagle. It had black-gray feathers and a massive body; even resting, it stood three meters tall. When the Thunder Eagle was led out, it towered five meters high. "The closest Thunder Eagle station to Mengzhong Zuma Temple is in Zuma Town," the veteran said, leading the bird off the turf. Only then did Yan Luo and I see the Thunder Eagle’s true form clearly. "It's so huge!" Yan Luo and I couldn't help but exclaim. Its appearance was that of a Golden Eagle magnified countless times. The golden-yellow beak was curved, nearly half a meter long. Its massive eyes, larger than two human fists, gleamed with sharp light, giving one a chilling sensation. The talons resembled those of a Golden Eagle but were much thicker, easily thicker than my thigh, gripping the ground firmly with razor-sharp claws. This thing is definitely a carnivore, I analyzed internally. Its striking power must be astonishing.

On the Thunder Eagle's back was a semi-circular, ring-shaped compartment, similar to an airplane cockpit, seemingly crafted from transparent crystal material. The interior was clearly visible from the outside, showing two rows of seats, with two people able to sit in each row. The front-left seat had ropes resembling reins. It seemed the standard capacity for a Thunder Eagle was four people. "How long does it take this giant to fly to Zuma City in Mengzhong?" I asked. "It takes three days to reach Zuma City in Mengzhong," the veteran replied respectfully. Seeing our astonished expressions, he added courteously, "Are the two esteemed emissaries riding a Thunder Eagle for the first time?" "Mmm," I nodded slightly. "This giant can fly very, very high, right?" Yan Luo was now as excited as a little girl who had received her favorite toy. "Yes," the veteran responded respectfully. "It can fly right into the clouds." "Doesn't that mean an altitude of 4,000 meters?" I was shocked. "The reason the Thunder Eagle is called a Thunder Eagle is because it can fly normally even during thunderstorms. It achieves this by ascending above the thundercloud layers, where the storm cannot affect its flight," the veteran explained respectfully. "The Thunder Eagle can fly as high as twelve thousand meters." Good heavens, higher than Earth’s vultures and swans, I mumbled to myself. "So high," Yan Luo was also struck dumb. "People on the ground wouldn't even be able to see us, would they?" "Indeed," the veteran replied respectfully. "The flight altitude of the Thunder Eagle is above the clouds; under normal circumstances, it is very difficult to spot." "Um, can you guarantee safety?" I asked guiltily. "If we fall from such a height, wouldn't we instantly die?" "Esteemed Emissary, please rest assured," the veteran stated. "There are few avian predators on this continent capable of harming a Thunder Eagle; they are rare on the Biqi Continent, so riding a Thunder Eagle is generally very safe."

The squad captain beside him kept looking at Yan Luo and me with a strange expression, a look that brought a term to my mind: "bumpkin." "We're ashamed," Yan Luo and I both felt a little awkward. "Additionally, I will be leading the flight," the veteran added. "So the two esteemed emissaries need not worry." "Thank you for your trouble," I said sheepishly. "Not at all. It is my honor to guide the emissaries." The veteran quickly climbed onto the Thunder Eagle's back and opened the enormous circular crystal canopy. "Esteemed Emissaries, please come aboard."

Though feeling a bit nervous, Yan Luo and I braced ourselves and climbed onto the Thunder Eagle's back, sitting together in the rear row of seats. With a thud, the veteran closed the circular canopy and then took the front-left seat. "Old fellow, let's go," the veteran pulled sharply on the reins. "Whooo!" With a piercing, loud cry, the giant Thunder Eagle abruptly pushed off with its legs. Whoosh! A fierce sound of tearing through the air erupted. I felt a violent shaking, and Yan Luo and I nearly fell off our seats. Before we could steady ourselves, we felt the white clouds approaching us at incredible speed, accompanied by a violent roar. We couldn't see any other scenery, only blurry, constantly shifting gray shapes, though Yan Luo and I recognized them as the Thunder Eagle's massive wings flapping rapidly. "Esteemed Emissaries, the Thunder Eagle is ascending!" the veteran shouted from the front. "It will calm down once we reach high altitude." "Mmm," Yan Luo and I could only tightly grip the armrests and nod. Damn, this thing's ascent is quite dramatic—completely different from modern aircraft. Airplanes need a runway, but this creature just took off from a flat surface with a push of its legs!

Swoosh! After about four minutes, the violent shaking subsided. The surroundings above us were bright. Yan Luo and I joyfully looked around at the scene. "Wow! It's so high!" Yan Luo grabbed my arm and pointed to the white, clustered objects on the right. "Those are clouds! They're actual clouds!" I was also stunned by the sight before me. Due to the angle, I couldn't see directly beneath the Thunder Eagle, but the distant ground was perfectly clear. Through the ethereal cloud layer, the earth looked like a green ribbon, stretching diagonally towards the horizon—truly pleasing to the eye. I had never flown on a plane in modern times; to think that the dream of flying in the blue sky, unfulfilled in my previous life, was realized in the Marfa world—honestly, my feelings right now were tremendously excited and complex. Beyond the green earth was nothing but vast, azure sky, with the massive, dazzling sun right in the center. I imagined the view from an airplane would be similar—looking down on the ground from high altitude, soaring between the clouds.

Wide seas for fish to leap, high heavens for birds to soar. This was exhilarating! Thanks to the effect of the circular canopy, I couldn't feel the intense wind speed, but watching the white clouds speed by beneath us, I clearly sensed the Thunder Eagle's astonishing velocity. The amplitude and angle of the Thunder Eagle’s wing flaps were much smaller now than during the ascent; one could barely see them moving. "That's strange, why aren't its wings flapping anymore?" Yan Luo soon noticed that the Thunder Eagle’s wings were simply outstretched, no longer moving. "Heh heh, esteemed emissaries," the veteran chuckled, turning around. "The Thunder Eagle is now at an altitude of ten thousand meters. In this layer, the Thunder Eagle only needs to flap its wings occasionally; it remains in a gliding state most of the time." "Ah, so it's the stratosphere," I muttered to myself. "Stratosphere?" Both the veteran and Yan Luo looked at me with confusion. "Heh heh, the so-called stratosphere is an altitude above the ground of about ten thousand meters. The airflow is more stable at this height, and it's more suitable for large birds like the Thunder Eagle to fly." Actually, modern commercial airliners fly at this altitude too. Although I don't know the precise reasons, I assumed there must be a logical basis for commercial jets choosing this height. "I didn't expect the esteemed emissary to be so knowledgeable about the Thunder Eagle's flight habits," the veteran said before turning back to concentrate on guiding the flight. The agitated excitement of Yan Luo and me lasted less than half an hour before calming down.

After ascending, the Thunder Eagle entered a stable flight phase, feeling much like being on a boat. Yan Luo gradually settled down and even began to sit cross-legged on her seat in a meditative posture. Interesting, a mage meditating at high altitude? The veteran looked at Yan Luo with surprise but said nothing, only smiling at me.

When boredom set in, I moved to the front seats to sit alongside the veteran, enjoying the rare high-altitude scenery while chatting with him.

The veteran's name was Jiegao. He had been an exclusive Thunder Eagle tamer for the Royal Family since childhood. He claimed his family had been training Thunder Eagles for two thousand years, giving him unparalleled knowledge of them. Many of the Thunder Eagle Knights in the Royal Family came from the same lineage as Jiegao. He had been flying the route between Mengzhong and Biqi since he was sixteen, making him intimately familiar with it.

To my surprise, the endurance of the Thunder Eagle was equally astonishing. Jiegao told me that a Thunder Eagle could fly continuously for a week without stopping. Some mutated breeds could even fly for half a month without landing, provided they were thoroughly fed beforehand.

The high altitude under the moonlit sky was breathtakingly beautiful—a deep blue canvas dotted with a crescent moon and countless glittering, silver stars, an exquisite sight.

After flying for three days at high altitude, we finally reached our destination: Zuma City in Mengzhong. "The two esteemed emissaries must be heading to the Zuma Temple to cultivate, I presume?" As we parted ways, the veteran Jiegao was reluctant to leave. Although we had only spent three days together, Jiegao and I had become close friends who could talk about anything. To me, Jiegao was a well-traveled, experienced traveler from whom I learned many unknown continental anecdotes and local customs. I believed this knowledge would be invaluable for my future cultivation.

To Jiegao, I was a gentle, approachable noble without any airs. Even though I wasn't remotely noble, if I had told him so, he likely wouldn't have believed it. Therefore, Jiegao was extremely diligent in trying to curry favor with me, this supposed noble. In short, he told me everything he knew. If not for the strict regulations of the Guard Headquarters, Jiegao would have loved to escort Yan Luo and me directly to the grounds of the Zuma Temple.

According to hints from the Ranger's Handbook, Zuma City in Mengzhong was one of the closest cities to the Zuma Temple. Other nearby cities included Sabak, Gongcheng, and Lanshui.

The Zuma Temple was located roughly five hundred li directly north of Zuma City. However, this route required crossing a vast, desolate desert. Thus, Yan Luo and I bought two camels in Zuma City, stocked up on sufficient water and dry rations, and then set off into the depths of the desert.