Volume VI: The God-Monarch Returns to the Shattered Continent Chapter 12: Setting Out Once More

Although it was already May, the temperature in the West Qi Continent remained pleasant. A breeze drifted in from the vast grasslands, carrying the refreshing fragrance of green grass.

On the main imperial road, three carriages moved in a single file, advancing at a steady, unhurried pace. In the spacious carriage in the middle, three people were engaged in a lively and cheerful conversation.

"I saw you shedding tears when we said our goodbyes outside Tianshui City just now," Su Mengling said as she poured freshly boiled spring water into a teapot filled with pre-Ming tea leaves. Instantly, the refreshing aroma of tea rose with the steam, filling the entire carriage.

"What are you talking about? It was just that the wind was too strong, and some sand got into my eyes!" Yu Changsheng insisted stubbornly.

"Don't deny it; I saw it clearly," Su Mengling replied, placing a cup of freshly brewed tea on the low table beside Zhuohua.

Yu Changsheng stretched out his hand and gestured toward Su Mengling, signaling for a cup as well.

*Snap!* A fan used for the tea stove struck him squarely on the face.

"If you want tea, brew it yourself. Do you expect me, a young lady, to wait on you?" Su Mengling’s stern glare made Yu Changsheng shrink his neck involuntarily.

"Fine, fine! Poor Changsheng, with no father or mother to love him, can only rely on himself for everything!" With that, he crawled over to the tea table and poured himself a cup.

"Tell me, what exactly are you going to the Cloud Top Celestial Palace for?" Su Mengling asked.

"To take the entrance exam for the academy."

"The academy? You mean the Cloud Sky Academy at the Cloud Top Celestial Palace?" Su Mengling asked, somewhat surprised.

"That's right! The Yuanjun said my aptitude is decent. Having read many books and gained experience in battle, I should try my luck at the academy. If I’m admitted, at the very least, I could join the Cloud, Rain, Wind, and Snow guards."

"The Twelve Guards of the Cloud Palace! That’s already quite an accomplishment." Su Mengling felt a twinge of envy, perhaps even jealousy. "To join the Twelve Guards of the Cloud Palace is a wonderful fate for those of the lower three clans. Unfortunately, we Pu people don't even have the qualifications to enter the academy."

"How can there be a distinction between high and low among the seven clans of the Immortal Descendants?" Zhuohua, who had been reading quietly to the side, spoke up.

Yu Changsheng and Su Mengling exchanged glances, wanting to speak but not daring to.

"Speak freely," Zhuohua said, having seen through their thoughts.

Yu Changsheng asked tentatively, "Does the Yuanjun truly not know about the division between the upper four clans and the lower three clans among the Immortal Descendants?"

"Should I speak or not?" Zhuohua set aside his book and looked at him seriously.

"The Blue Clan and the Tian Clan have been intermarrying for generations, standing together through thick and thin. Everyone knows this. They have many talented individuals and strong influence; by constantly annexing the small nations around them, they have formed a massive alliance that no one dares to provoke."

At this point, Yu Changsheng looked up at Zhuohua. Seeing no reaction, he continued, "The rise of the Sun Clan and the Warm Clan only happened about four or five hundred years ago. It is said they found backing within the Cloud Palace, and their strength has grown daily. However, they cannot yet contend with the Blue-Tian alliance, and the Blue and Tian clans are unwilling to clash head-on with them either. Thus, the four clans struck a deal, forming a new alliance to deter the small nations of the world externally while balancing each other internally."

Seeing Zhuohua nod slightly, Yu Changsheng continued, "But the other three clans haven't been as lucky. Since the creation of the world, the Yu Clan has mostly consisted of ingenious craftsmen, but few possess high cultivation levels. The cost of becoming such a master craftsman is enormous—only a monarch or a world-class tycoon could afford it. Since they couldn't compete in territorial expansion, more and more people in the Yu Clan turned to business. Over time, it became said that 'the Yu Clan merchants circulate the world's wealth.' However, ever since Senior Yu Heishi took charge of the White Tiger Palace, the Yu Clan's situation has improved, and more people in the clan are undergoing the Heavenly Tribulation."

Su Mengling chimed in, "Even in the remote little city in our West Qi Continent, everyone knows of your South Flame Continent’s Yu Clan merchant caravans, which are famous throughout the world."

"And the Sheng Clan and the Yan Clan?" Zhuohua asked.

Yu Changsheng cleared his throat, picked up his teacup, and drained it in one gulp. "Those two clans have guarded the bitter, cold lands for generations. It's a vast, sparsely populated area, and they have no choice but to battle demons, ghosts, fierce beasts, and barbarians. They live on the edge of a blade. Compared to the people of the Central Divine Continent, they are quite impoverished."

"Absurd! My Xuanhuang Immortal Descendants have always been united. Since when have they become a scattered heap of sand?" Zhuohua said indignantly, throwing his book onto the floor.

Su Mengling quietly crawled over to pick it up, wiped the slightly creased cover with her palm, and placed it carefully back on the low table. When she returned, she gave Yu Changsheng a meaningful look.

Yu Changsheng nodded hurriedly and consoled, "Yuanjun, please do not be angry. As the saying goes, 'In a large forest, there are all sorts of birds.' Among the seven clans, there are still loyal and brave souls like General Yan Congxu and City Lord Yan Donglai. Those who play politics and form cliques are, after all, in the minority."

Zhuohua let out a long sigh. "The fault lies with me. As the Yuanjun of the Seven Immortal Clans, my negligence in governing has led to this state of affairs. I have failed the Seven Sages, the Seven Worthies, and our ancestors."

Seeing the sorrow on Zhuohua's face, Su Mengling felt troubled as well. Wanting to change the subject, she asked Yu Changsheng, "Changsheng, which subject are you planning to test for at the academy?"

Yu Changsheng looked at Su Mengling, who was blinking rapidly at him, and immediately understood. "I plan to test for the Ingenious Craftsman program."

Su Mengling was surprised. "Didn't you just say your clan has started turning toward cultivation? Why still study craftsmanship?"

Yu Changsheng nudged his chin toward Zhuohua and replied, "This subject is profound and vast. Since I was small, I’ve been obsessed with all kinds of magical devices and special potions. Plus, this course is taught personally by the Yuanjun himself!"

Upon hearing this, Zhuohua's mood improved slightly, and he picked up the book again, flipping through it leisurely.

After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, "Why can the 'Thousand-Mile Mechanical Beast' travel day and night without rest?"

Yu Changsheng was startled for a moment before his spirit ignited. He answered immediately, "Because inside the mechanical beast, a Kunpeng Sea Pearl constantly provides energy to a sealed steel furnace. Outside the furnace is a ventilation valve connected to an air-wood piston. The energy drives the piston to move up and down, which in turn drives a lever connected to the piston. The lever transmits the power to the axle, driving the wheels forward. The driver controls the speed by adjusting the valve under his feet to regulate the energy output."

Su Mengling was enthralled and couldn't help but ask, "How fast can this carriage go? Does it not need to be fed fodder?"

Yu Changsheng laughed heartily. "It's not a beast; why would it need fodder? This Thousand-Mile Mechanical Beast is fueled by Sun Essence Jade. By grinding the jade into powder and sprinkling it into the furnace, the Kunpeng Sea Pearl absorbs the golden light emitted by the jade, providing an endless supply of power. It can run day and night without stopping, covering a thousand miles in a single day and night."

"A thousand miles in a day and night! How is that possible? And who can drive it?" Su Mengling was shocked and suddenly eager to know more.

"Usually, there are two drivers, sometimes three, working in shifts. Actually, it's quite simple to control—much like driving an ordinary carriage; any average driver can handle it," Yu Changsheng explained.

"I wish I had a carriage like that! Every time we went on a long journey before, my father refused to take a carriage, always saying it was a waste of fodder. If I had this mechanical beast, I could take my father to travel all over the world." As she spoke, Su Mengling thought of her father, Su Kuang, whose fate was unknown, and tears fell uncontrollably.

"What is difficult about that? When we reach the Cloud Palace, I will give you one," Zhuohua said, looking at the tearful Su Mengling. He comforted her, "My carriage is crafted from a top-tier Water-Avoiding Mist Cloud Beast. It has a soul of its own, unlike ordinary mechanical beasts. I have also linked a small Xuanhuang Mirror to it. Mountains, rivers, cities, and towns—wherever you want to go, you just need to speak to the mirror, and the carriage will travel there by itself without a driver."

"A Water-Avoiding Mist Cloud Beast?" Yu Changsheng exclaimed.

"What? Is it very precious?" Su Mengling asked, her eyes wide.

"It is rare—extremely, incredibly rare. I heard the Yuanjun’s own flying mount is a top-tier Water-Avoiding Mist Cloud Beast, with four white clouds under its feet, capable of traveling to the heavens and plunging into the seas," Yu Changsheng said, growing more excited as he rubbed his hands together. "I would love to see a mechanical beast made from such a creature! The inner mechanisms must be exquisite."

Su Mengling felt flustered and waved her hands. "Such a precious gift, I cannot accept it."

Zhuohua sat up and asked with a smile, "You don't want a carriage that can fly to the heavens, dive into the seas, and requires no fodder?"

"It's too precious! I cannot afford such a favor!" She shook her fair hands repeatedly, her head swaying like a rattle.

"If you don't want it, I do! Hehe, Yuanjun, could you lend me this carriage to observe? Just let me study it for ten days or a fortnight," Yu Changsheng said, squeezing toward Zhuohua with a goofy grin, trying to beg for the carriage.

Seeing Yu Changsheng’s shamelessness, Su Mengling pushed him away in a hurry. "Why should he give it to you! This is a gift from Big Brother; even if I don't accept it, it shouldn't go to someone shameless like you."

Zhuohua waved his hand, smiling. "Enough, enough! Stop arguing. How about this? Changsheng, since you are determined to apply to the academy, if you successfully obtain the qualification for the Ingenious Craftsman program, I will provide you with the materials to help you build your own mechanical beast. How about that?"

"Is that true?"

"A gentleman never breaks his word!"

Yu Changsheng was so happy he danced with joy, and the carriage filled with the laughter of the young man and woman.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the group had arrived within the borders of the Yan State in the Beilun Continent.

Zhuohua stood outside the carriage, gazing blankly at the towering walls of Xunyang City. He remembered when he first came here, accompanied by Lin Bo, Qin Ying, Su Xin, and Little Fish—the journey had been so lively. But now, things had changed, and the people were gone. Zhuohua worried for their safety. With his heart yearning to return, he had traveled without rest, and now, the Cloud Top Celestial Palace was within reach.