With a faint brush against his shoulder, Zong Shou’s face was a picture of utter helplessness. This situation had persisted for several days now.

He had practically transformed into a walking, talking electrified rod that repelled all contact; ordinary clothes disintegrated upon touching him, and he had no idea when this torment would cease. The only small comfort was that, thanks to this Tenth Grade, Saint Spirit level body refinement technique, his physical strength had leaped from an initial one hundred thousand jin to a staggering one hundred and fifty thousand jin, far surpassing that of a typical Martial Sect expert.

Moreover, when combined with the true energy circulating within him, he could now stand toe-to-toe with a Four-Vein Martial Sect master without defeat, even without relying on his Martial Intent. And at this moment, he was not the only one enduring this agonizing trial.

Glancing back, he saw Zong Yuan standing stiffly, his face pale green. Arcs of electricity visibly sparked from his body every so often, instantly vaporizing whatever objects were near him.

This fellow was even more wretched than him, completely unable to control the residual currents swirling around him. As a result, even the Dragon Horn Winged Horse could not carry him, forcing him to walk the entire way to Hong City, following Zong Shou.

Feeling a slight sense of balance in his heart, Zong Shou smiled faintly, drawing his attention back to the man before him. “Since you say it is not inferior to Taoyun City, it means it still falls short in some ways?

I wonder, if the fleet of my Qiantian Mountain were to engage Taoyun City in an all-out battle, what would be our chances of victory?” The man who had been speaking beside him was named Gu Liekong, an expert of the Eighth Vein of the Black Tortoise. He was the Grand Admiral of the Navy for Qiantian Mountain, the commander responsible for all four hundred Cloud Ships under the territory’s control.

He was generally an exceedingly intelligent individual, well-versed in the ways of the world. During the struggles for power between Zong Shi and Zong Yang, this man had remained aloof, safeguarding his own interests.

When Zong Shou returned to Qiantian Mountain City that night, after Ling Fangkong, Chai Yuan, and the others had been subdued one by one, Gu Liekong was the first to throw his unwavering support behind the new lord without hesitation. There were already few experts of the Black Tortoise lineage in Qiantian Mountain City skilled in Cloud Sea naval warfare, and with the merit of this swift allegiance, Zong Shou had no choice but to rely on him heavily and trust him implicitly.

This man was a critical asset for the upcoming Cloud Sea Hunt. At this moment, the Grand Admiral of the Navy merely furrowed his brow slightly before shaking his head without reserve.

“Not a single chance of victory! Although the previous Lord poured all his resources into building this fleet, Qiantian Mountain has risen for less than ten years; its foundation is far inferior.

Taoyun City, however, has generations of accumulated power, having stood firm in the Eastern Lin Western Region for over sixty years. The populace under its rule not only possesses a fierce martial spirit, but almost everyone can captain a vessel.

The ships anchored outside their city alone number thirty thousand; some only require minor modifications to become warships. Should a battle commence, Taoyun City’s naval strength would surpass that of Qiantian Mountain by a factor of two.

Within a few months, they could muster twice the number of Cloud Ships we possess, and with the vassal cities allied to them, Qiantian Mountain could never withstand such a force.” “If Your Lord harbors such thoughts, it is best to dismiss them immediately.” Zong Shou gasped sharply. He knew Taoyun City was situated isolated on the sea, hence its formidable navy.

However, the figures Gu Liekong was now citing were far more terrifying than the data he had pored over in the scrolls these past few days. The small flicker of ambition that had sparked in his mind vanished without a trace.

For Zong Weiran to have managed to hold his own against such a behemoth for ten years with only a newly established navy—allowing Qiantian Mountain City’s naval force to develop to its current scale—was nothing short of a miracle. Fortunately, as far as he knew, the various hidden sects within Qiantian Mountain strongly encouraged the city-states and powers to venture beneath the Cloud Sea to slay fierce beasts and demons.

They offered robust protection to all fleets participating in the hunt. Therefore, at least on the surface, Taoyun City would not move against Qiantian Mountain at this juncture.

But as for what schemes they might be employing in the shadows, that remained unknown. Ren Bo had warned that Taoyun City might collaborate with Blazing Flame Mountain City and Cloud Scar Mountain City to obstruct their Cloud Sea expedition this time.

This was likely more than mere speculation; it probably carried a significant degree of certainty. If this prediction came true, it would truly be a headache.

Having assumed the mantle of a sovereign ruler, his first priority must be ensuring that the forces under his command were well-fed and not starving, able to acquire sufficient Beast Cores to support their subordinates. If this hunt resulted in empty hands, the entire territorial structure of Qiantian Mountain would likely collapse instantly.

With a silent sigh, Zong Shou maintained his amiable smile, his tone unwavering. “I was merely asking casually; there’s no need to take it seriously.” Seeing Gu Liekong and the surrounding naval officers heave visible sighs of relief, Zong Shou’s brow furrowed slightly again.

“How many Cloud Ships and how much manpower will the cities under Qiantian Mountain’s jurisdiction contribute this time?” “The total number should be less than two hundred, and the number of combat-ready armored soldiers is only one hundred thousand.” A distinct shade of anger crossed Gu Liekong’s face. “In previous years, this number would be at least a thousand ships!

Since Your Lord ascended the throne, they haven't just rescinded agreements last minute; they have made excuses at every turn, it is truly despicable.” Zong Shou raised an eyebrow, understanding dawning instantly. The vassal cities sending less than a fifth of their usual war contingent clearly intended to conserve their strength—a classic case of fealty wavering when the ruler is new.

He couldn't help but jest self-deprecatingly, “It seems it is my fault. If it were Zong Shi, even if he couldn’t muster a thousand ships, he could likely scrape together eight hundred, correct?” Hearing this, Gu Liekong’s expression flushed with alarm, and he sank to one knee.

“Your Lord, how could you say such a thing? Liekong spoke poorly; please do not take offense, Your Lord.

We witnessed Your Lord’s wisdom and sagacity firsthand that day. Zong Shi may possess petty cleverness, but in terms of true talent, he doesn’t measure up to one ten-thousandth of Your Lord.

These people are blind to true value; they will regret it in time!” Zong Shou laughed softly, waving a sleeve to signal Gu Liekong to rise. He had long anticipated this and was therefore unconcerned, harboring no resentment toward these vassal powers.

Given his young age, coupled with the previous rumors, it was understandable that these people harbored doubts and chose to conserve their strength. However, this situation was perhaps even better, even precisely what he desired.

Fewer ships accompanying the vassals meant fewer Beast Cores and spirit stones to distribute later. With four hundred and fifty Cloud Ships, plus the fleet from Xuanshan City, they could probably gather around a thousand vessels, which should be nearly sufficient for the endeavor.

Thinking this over, Zong Shou’s mood improved, and a smile graced his face. Just then, he saw a group of people hurrying towards him from not far off.

The leader was none other than Ren Bo, whose face was a deep, angry blue for some unknown reason. Following behind him were dozens of guards, and accompanying them was a contingent whose attire suggested they were not part of Qiantian Mountain’s retinue.

Approaching Zong Shou, Ren Bo bowed before pointing to the man beside him. “This is the envoy from Taoyun City in the West Sea, sent by the City Lord of Taoyun City to pay respects to Your Lord.” Zong Shou’s eyes narrowed instantly, sharp light flashing as he looked toward the person next to Ren Bo.

This man was clad in a scarlet robe, resembling the official attire of the Central Dynasty, embroidered with a cloud-goose pattern on the chest. His expression was one of supreme arrogance.

Without offering a proper salute, he first scrutinized Zong Shou from head to toe before offering a perfunctory, shallow bow. “The foreign minister Lin Ji pays respects to City Lord Zong Shou!” The surrounding figures immediately showed anger, their eyes locking onto Lin Ji with killing intent.

Zong Yuan, clutching his sword, stepped forward, an oppressive, sharp intent subtly bearing down on the envoy. Lin Ji, however, appeared completely unbothered, exuding an air of calm composure, holding his ground perfectly against Zong Yuan’s silent pressure.

Zong Shou simply chuckled, utterly unwilling to acknowledge the man. He turned and walked away, leaving the Taoyun City delegation behind him.

Lin Ji was unconcerned at first, but as Zong Shou’s retreating figure grew distant with no sign of stopping, his gaze sharpened. He shouted loudly, “Lin Ji comes on the orders of my King, with a message for the City Lord.

Ten days prior, my Taoyun City concluded an alliance with the Blazing Flame and Cloud Scar cities, agreeing to jointly conquer the Cloud Sea in the near future. If your Qiantian Mountain wishes to join this effort, you may cede the western half of the Cloud Province for the three of us to divide!” Zong Shou’s lips twitched.

Today, he finally understood what it meant to make a monstrous demand and what it meant to overestimate one’s capabilities. This blackmail attempt was brazen, demanding half a province with nothing but empty words.

He couldn't even muster the impulse to curse or shout. He continued walking, unwavering.

But Lin Ji behind him pressed on relentlessly, letting out a cold snort. “I advise City Lord Zong Shou to reconsider carefully.

Ceding half a province is better than Qiantian Mountain City being wiped out! Is the City Lord truly prepared to watch the foundation established by Zong Weiran vanish?” Hearing this last sentence, Zong Shou finally frowned.

While the rest was infuriating, this particular comment genuinely provoked him. Gritting his teeth, Zong Shou turned back with an exceedingly brilliant smile.

Just as Lin Ji’s eyes showed a glimmer of mockery, Zong Shou’s face hardened. “Have these men stripped bare and thrown outside the city walls!

If any resist, execute them on the spot! Remember, they must be left entirely naked!” Lin Ji and the entire Taoyun City delegation immediately turned ashen.

Zong Yuan smiled, casually gripping his Purple Thunder Spear. Gu Liekong, after a moment of stunned silence, stepped forward without hesitation, killing intent blazing in his eyes.

Zong Shou paid no further mind to the events behind him, instead turning to Ren Bo, who was accompanying him. “Prime Minister, since you are here, has the material been prepared?

Can we set sail?” “I have not failed Your Lord’s trust. One hundred and thirty million crossbow bolts, provisions for two hundred thousand troops for four months, one hundred thousand sets of spare armor and weaponry, and four hundred merchant ships inscribed with Floating Spirit Formations.

Furthermore, the three-armed Spirit Crossbows you brought back can be fitted with them within five days! We also ordered eight thousand second-tier Fire Thunder Arrows and six thousand Ice Flame Arrows from the Kongqi Sect; they are being rushed here and will arrive in five days as well.

These are all large-caliber bolts suitable for the three-armed Spirit Crossbows. However, the demeanor of the outer disciple manager at the Kongqi Sect was strange—he seemed extremely hateful toward Your Lord.

I estimate the quality of these arrows may not be very good.” As Ren Bo spoke, he took out a manifest and handed it to Zong Shou. Then, choosing his words carefully, he advised, “Although the strength of Taoyun City is inferior to that of Qiantian Mountain, their Cloud Ships are countless, dominating the Cloud Sea.

Even if Your Lord dislikes them, there is no need to antagonize them too severely.” (To be continued)