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墨書 Inktalez
From the fragments of the Heaven and Earth Wisdom Book, Fang Lin Kong's mood had turned quite sour.
There are certain things in life that money, power, strength, or even immortality can change.
Emotions, however, are ethereal; they can drive a person to madness for a beloved one, leading to the downfall of vast empires. They can cause a promising youth to forget the hardships endured by their parents. They can make two impoverished individuals feel that sharing a bowl of instant noodles is the greatest happiness in the world. They can even empower a timid person to confront dozens of thugs for the sake of love, forgetting that fear exists in this world.
Yet now, Fang Lin Kong had forgotten what emotions truly meant! He was becoming increasingly unaccustomed to considering problems from the perspective of an ordinary person.
This troubled him greatly!
Armed with the information obtained from the Heaven and Earth Wisdom Book, Fang Lin Kong disregarded all objections from the geologists and immediately halted the exploration of the Bagua Mountain Range.
He took his subordinates to the second largest river on the Northern Continent, where it flowed into the sea. On their way there, they encountered the Fourth Guard Brigade, which had been ordered to make contact with the intelligent life on the Northern Continent. Although Yamata no Orochi held a slightly higher position than Fang Lin Kong, this cunning old monster showed no opinion on any of Fang Lin Kong's decisions. Often, Fang Lin Kong completely ignored his presence.
Excavating at the river mouth was an arduous task. The mineral veins here were quite deep, and the interference from energy magnetic fields was significant. Although the geologists believed that this area should contain rich and peculiar mineral crystals, the ancient mirror provided by Fang Lin Kong could not penetrate the layers of earth here.
Fang Lin Kong did not want to be troubled by such perplexing matters. He simply assigned tasks for who would take turns doing the laborious work of digging stones from the seabed and then leisurely followed along with the already established Fourth Guard Brigade to enjoy the vibrant world outside. However, unnoticed by others, Yuan Tiankong slipped away from the group...
The Fourth Guard Brigade opened an inn in Meiluo City, the most prosperous city on the Northern Continent.
What would China look like if it had not been invaded by nomadic tribes after the Tang and Song dynasties and had not faced Western powers' cannons and warships? Many military historians would generate endless speculations. Yet no one could know which speculation would come closest to this unrealized future.
However, in Fang Lin Kong's mind, if China had continued to develop uninterruptedly, it might resemble Gou Li World as it is on the Northern Continent today.
The northern tribes of Gou Li Continent are incredibly diverse, with over two hundred subspecies having established more than a hundred states throughout history. Now they have unified into a centralized empire known as the Lihan Empire. The Lihan Empire boasts thousands of large cities and countless small towns, with villages as numerous as stars. Although members of the Fourth Guard Brigade may appear strange compared to those from Gou Li Continent, they are free to come and go without being regarded as monsters.
The political structure of Lihan Empire differs from any country in Earth's history. It operates under a system of four capitals, each governed by an emperor and three royal "kings" related by blood. The entire empire is divided into over two hundred eighty Duke Provinces ruled by hereditary landlords.
In such a vast empire, control is firmly established in the Four Great Capitals. Each capital is not merely a city but encompasses tens or hundreds of thousands of square kilometers filled with hundreds or thousands of cities. However, in most of the other two hundred eighty Duke Provinces, imperial commands have become nearly irrelevant. Aside from some taxation duties, Duke Provinces operate almost autonomously; wars between them do not require notification to the emperor.
Based on Fang Lin Kong's limited historical knowledge, he judged that this era in Northern Continent of Gou Li is comparable to the chaos during the late Eastern Han dynasty. The introduction of superior weapons from the south has given this peculiar world a flavor reminiscent of a Three Kingdoms-style struggle with gunpowder weapons.
Although these "humans" differ greatly in appearance from Earthlings, they share similarities in upright walking and possessing four limbs and facial features. Moreover, some races possess looks that align closely with Earth's aesthetic standards—especially some tall and alluring women who catch the attention of certain members of the Fourth Guard Brigade. Additionally, martial arts are quite advanced on Gou Li Continent; ordinary civilians have spiritual power indices reaching several hundred. High-level warriors often exceed ten thousand in combat power. However, perhaps due to everyone on Gou Li Continent being innately stronger than humans on Earth and living several times longer—averaging around three hundred years—they tend to be slow in cultivating their skills. Although legendary Celestial Warriors and Celestial Mages exist who can create worlds and soar through skies, such individuals are so rare that no one has ever seen one.
Fang Lin Kong left his subordinates at the underwater entrance to dig for stones, while he himself, rather stealthily, established the "Four Seas" inn created by the Fourth Guard Brigade. After spending a few days familiarizing himself with the situation on this continent, Fang Lin Kong finally gained the confidence that his identity would not be exposed. Using a secret Kunlun spell, he transformed into a common Shetan and disguised himself as a storyteller, setting out to explore the world.
The Fourth Guard Brigade had several business talents who had long discovered that aside from crude gunpowder weapons, the Gouli Continent also possessed advanced products known as Magic Lightsabers and Magic Guns.
The structure of the Magic Lightsaber was not complicated; the metallic hilt itself served as a launcher. It contained high-purity crystals and some battery-like substance as its main energy source. The purity of the High Purity Crystal was crucial, as it concentrated and released the battery energy into a narrow beam of energy. This beam emitted from the positive energy lens at the center of the hilt and then folded back into a high-energy circulation hole filled with negative energy, recharging the lightsaber's battery through superconductors. As a result, the lightsaber only consumed energy when cutting through objects, and its blade did not release heat when not in contact with anything. The powerful energy of the lightsaber was sufficient to cut through almost any material but could be blocked by another lightsaber or any sufficiently strong energy field. Warriors on Gouli Continent could channel their internal "Qi" through the lightsaber to unleash immense power.
The color of the lightsaber blade depended on the type of High Purity Crystal used; while there were minor differences in power, they varied in adaptability to a warrior's Qi. The length of the blade could be adjusted in some lightsabers with multiple energy crystals, while others with a single crystal had a fixed length.
The Magic Gun, on the other hand, was vastly different from Earth’s Psycho Gun and resembled a toy known as a replica gun. Depending on its firing mechanism, Magic Guns could be categorized into pneumatic guns powered by Wind Element, which were relatively common and affordable. These Wind Element pneumatic guns had decent power and stability, making them usable by ordinary people. Explosive guns powered by Fire Element were rarely manufactured due to their danger and tendency to self-destruct; however, their power far exceeded that of Wind Element pneumatic guns. Additionally, there were electromagnetic guns powered by Electric Element, which were quite rare and expensive—one high-quality electromagnetic Magic Gun could cost as much as a medium-sized city.
Magic Gun ammunition included ordinary steel balls, Magic Bullets, and various other types… with prices increasing according to quality and power.
Psycho Guns modified by hand could easily masquerade as electromagnetic Magic Guns. Although the Fourth Guard Brigade had not stooped to using flashlights to impersonate Magic Lightsabers, some rather crude handmade products were being sold under the guise of Magic Lightsabers.
Such dark commercial practices, combined with income from the inn, allowed the Fourth Guard Brigade to rapidly rise in Meiluo City's commercial district within a short time. Disguised as a storyteller, Fang Lin Kong did not have to worry about meals and benefited greatly from these unscrupulous business activities that provided him with ample funds.
Meiluo City was quite large and commercially prosperous. Today seemed to host an enormous celebratory event. As Fang Lin Kong inquired along his way, he learned that Meiluo City's lord was marrying off his only son. Preparations had begun six months prior for this union with the eldest daughter of the Wang Family from near Quebec Duke Province; this alliance would significantly enhance both parties' strength and pose a great threat to several nearby Duke Provinces.
The Duke Provinces of Lihan Empire had a peculiar administrative structure; although governors could oversee all cities within their Duke Province, real power lay with the family heads of wealthy landowners. A single Duke Province might contain several powerful landowner families whose interests dictated that governors often rotated among them. Some influential landowner families wielded enough power to control multiple Duke Provinces; such super-rich clans could even disregard the royal family of Lihan Empire.
Meiluo City served as the capital of Silvermoon Duchy, where its lord belonged to one of the largest families in this Duke Province—the Wind Family. By marrying into Quebec Duke Province's Wang Family, he aimed to seize control over the next clan leader position.
This scheme was so obvious that anyone familiar with "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms," known for its strategic insights, would dismiss it with a remark like "Sima Zhao's Intent Is Known to All!" The lord's plan for Melora City was hardly brilliant; all Fang Lin Kong could do was hope that this lord's opponent was even more foolish.
As noon approached, celebrations erupted at Meiluo City's east gate with drums and music. Colorful floating lanterns unique to Northern Continent were released one after another into the sky; these flying lanterns produced crisp sounds before bursting mid-air and showering colorful ribbons down below. Countless colorful ribbons filled the air as residents eagerly awaited this moment. These ribbons were exquisite silks sourced from their capital city; it would be strange if people didn’t rush to grab them as they fell.
After transforming into Shetan, Fang Lin Kong appeared short and plump with stubby limbs—his height reduced to half of what it usually was. Unable to use any spells for fear of exposure, he found it impossible to compete with normal-sized individuals for those falling ribbons. The primary residents of Meiluo City belonged to Kua Fu Clan—one of Jiu Li—who were renowned for their towering stature across the continent. A single arm could be thicker than Fang Lin Kong's waist; even children around seven or eight years old averaged over three meters tall while adults often exceeded nine meters in height.
Often caught off guard by their towering figures, Fang Lin Kong would find himself crushed underfoot by someone much taller than him. The Kua Fu Clan members were robust yet agile—a naturally graceful race on Gouli Continent. Legends spoke of an ancient Kua Fu Clan ancestor who ran thousands of miles at night and soared from sunrise to sunset across Gouli Continent—a figure revered in Lihan Empire myths. The Kua Fu Clan also possessed a martial arts manual known as "Chasing Sun Technique," which had circulated hundreds of versions from ancient times until now and could be found readily available throughout Meiluo City's neighborhoods.
Without turning back, the wedding procession had already appeared not far from the city gates. Although most of the residents of Melora City belonged to the Kua Fu Clan, the lord of Melora City was a member of the Wind Speaker tribe, whose appearance was quite similar to that of ordinary humans from Earth. Sixteen burly Kua Fu men, with arms as thick as iron pillars, raised a massive platform high above their heads. Sitting atop it was none other than the son of the Lord of Melora City.
The seemingly youthful and handsome son of the Lord of Melora City was said to be a direct disciple of the Beast Clan Blade Saint, possessing extraordinary martial skills. Fang Lin Kong discreetly scanned him with a detector and found that this young man sitting on the platform had a spiritual power index exceeding eight thousand. The ancient long knife he held in his arms emitted an intense energy response, as if it contained a ferocious beast eager to break free from its sheath.
While most experts preferred using Magic Lightsabers, those who wielded real weapons were by no means incompetent. Some real weapons forged through secret techniques possessed power that even surpassed that of ordinary Magic Lightsabers.
Behind the sixteen Kua Fu men carrying the platform was a wedding procession consisting of over a thousand people. Not only were there musicians playing various ancient instruments from Gouli Continent, but some performers also showcased almost magical skills, such as conjuring fireballs and expelling golden light and white mist from their eyes and nostrils.
At the center of the procession was a gigantic Xuanlu Beast. This type of crawling creature resembled a snail found on Earth but was significantly larger. A Xuanlu Beast would grow an additional shell on its back every fifty years; thus, an ancient Xuanlu Beast could have dozens of shells. With slight adjustments, a Xuanlu Beast made for an excellent transport tool due to its heavy load capacity, good endurance, and decent speed. Moreover, its tough skin and flesh made it resilient against wind and rain, with an exceptionally strong life force. Wealthy families often raised these massive Xuanlu Beasts for generations. In Gouli Continent, one could tell how long-standing a noble family was simply by counting the number of shells on their Xuanlu Beast's back—a well-known dark joke.
This particular Xuanlu Beast had five shells on its back, which was already considered a rare antique. The central shell had been partially carved out, leaving half as a canopy to shield against wind and rain. At this moment, this shell was lavishly decorated with flowers and surrounded by a large red tent, clearly indicating that the bride was inside.
As the wedding procession appeared, people like Fang Lin Kong were naturally pushed aside. A group of city guards armed with sharp weapons cleared the streets to allow the procession to pass.
Fang Lin Kong was experiencing this exotic continental atmosphere for the first time and was thoroughly enjoying it when suddenly an unexpected event occurred...
Yuan Tiankong strolled through a desolate garden in the southern corner of Melora City, feeling quite sentimental. He seemed very familiar with every blade of grass and every tree in this garden, clearly not his first visit.
"The snow-soaked remnants of mountains have driven away all crows! Only an old crane remains to guard the cold city."
"This garden has been abandoned for so long; it seems that those who once lived here are no longer in this world! I wonder how A Yue is faring in heaven?"
A sigh filled with self-pity escaped Yuan Tiankong's lips when suddenly a disruptive shout echoed in his mind.
"You old monkey came to see your old flame only to find she has long since married Yama; isn't that quite poignant? Do you need me to lend a hand and help you snatch her back?"
Yuan Tiankong seemed to have anticipated the arrival of this voice behind him; thus, no surprise crossed his face. However, his previously gentle and unyielding demonic power suddenly transformed into an overwhelming force that radiated strength.
If someone from the International Demon Alliance were observing Yuan Tiankong's demonic power levels with a detector at that moment, they would undoubtedly be astonished because they would detect nothing at all. It was as if Yuan Tiankong had vanished from this world; his demonic power surged like crashing waves against cliffs—fierce and tumultuous—yet possessed an unfathomable depth that did not belong to this realm.
"Impressive! Elder Monkey, your abilities are unmatched on Earth. Even I wouldn't dare take you on alone. With your understanding of spatial coordinates allowing you to traverse worlds at will, why do you choose to disguise yourself as if sealed in Alternate Dimension Space?"
"Gannilam! You're not too shabby either! This is my first time feeling I've encountered a true rival. In our previous encounters, I couldn't gain any advantage over you. But given your capabilities, you shouldn't belong to this world; why do you linger here?"
"Hmph!" The Future Seer fell silent for a moment before speaking. "I have my own purposes, Elder Monkey, and you have your dreams. We are unrelated in this matter. However, if it's not necessary, keep your distance from that boy!"
"Hehe! I'm quite interested in that boy who resembles you so much. Don't worry, I won't go so far as to harm him. It's just that soon, a full-scale war should begin on Earth. The conflict between the demon race and humanity is inevitable, and whether that boy can protect himself is very uncertain."
"Hmph! You don't need to concern yourself with such matters. Elder Monkey, focus instead on how to regain control of the International Demon Alliance!"
"You know my identity, yet I continue to call you by this strange false name. It seems quite odd, doesn't it? As for the International Demon Alliance, you needn't worry. As long as I wish, I can reclaim it at any time. However, if Zhou Qingzhe can do better than me, I don't necessarily have to take action myself. Isn't it better to let capable people contribute their efforts?"
...
A gentle breeze passed by, and there was no longer any sound behind Yuan Tiankong.
This seemingly refined man murmured to himself, "I can deceive anyone, but I cannot hide from this fellow. Moreover, during several encounters while wandering in the Alternate Dimension Space, it seems his understanding of spatial dimensions far surpasses mine! However, using such a crude name to deceive me—don't you think that's a form of disrespect?"
With a bitter smile, Yuan Qian Kun brushed his sleeve, and a gust of wind blew away the dust from a piece of bluestone as he gently sat down.
Yuan Tiankong was none other than the Demon Realm's Number One—Yuan Qian Kun—who had long since returned to Earth and had been watching coldly from the sidelines.
This secret has yet to be known by a third party.
(To be continued)
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