Chapter 2352: Chapter 2352 Warship
Lately, whenever Stygian members crossed paths within the secret realm, their conversations revolved around a single subject—the mission targeting Mu Tianyang.
Her bounty had already climbed to fifty points.
Yet, with the rising reward came a growing number of casualties among Stygian operatives.
Ye Liuyun had also investigated Mu Tianyang’s situation, but concluded there was no current window of opportunity. Even if he managed to stealthily approach her and strike a fatal blow, escaping from the garrison’s retaliation would be nearly impossible.
The garrison commander wasn’t a fool. Upon learning of the threats, he had significantly strengthened both the Formations and the presence of expert guardians.
The Formations were so formidable that even Liu Jing believed it would be impossible to flee quickly. Once trapped inside one, survival was uncertain and escape would come at a grievous cost.
Therefore, Ye Liuyun chose not to act rashly. Instead, he continued taking on routine missions to stay under the radar.
Meanwhile, Ton Xin’s warship project had made major strides. Killing targets was never his true priority. His focus remained on the Sanctuary Dynasty.
Thanks to the combined efforts of Liu Jing and Mystic Fox, many technical issues of the warship had been resolved.
For example, the vessel’s size had been improved. It evolved from its original eagle-shaped frame into a more compact design. It was now classed as a micro warship.
This micro warship had no deck or side railings. All unnecessary structures had been removed, significantly increasing its speed. It could even surpass Ye Liuyun’s flying vessel.
Moreover, the ship only required a crew of two: one to pilot and manage frontal assaults, and the other to monitor the flanks and rear.
The offensive capabilities had been entirely concentrated at the front. While the number of energy cannons was reduced, their destructive power had been enhanced.
Its defenses were also fortified. The ship could withstand bombardment from a large warship for up to two hours.
And in critical moments, it could even be used to ram enemy vessels. Thanks to its streamlined form and reinforced materials, it was capable of piercing through a large warship’s defenses with relative ease.
Previously, all the issues that had troubled Ton Xin were finally resolved.
He even gave the warship a name—Riftblade. Ton Xin intended to mass-produce Riftblade and equip them across various military divisions.
Ye Liuyun readily agreed with this plan. Not only did he support the deployment, but he also insisted on maintaining a numerical advantage. Therefore, he made another trip to the Devil Clan and brought back a large quantity of black gold ore. He then tasked Ton Xin and the team of weapon-refining masters with the manufacturing process.
Ye Liuyun held high expectations for these micro warships. Once equipped, his forces would be able to draw even closer to the Sanctuary Dynasty.
A fleet of just over ten Riftblade could completely destroy a massive warship carrying one hundred thousand soldiers. And in terms of cost, the expense of producing the Riftblade was practically negligible compared to such a colossal vessel.
Moreover, once these micro warships targeted a battleship, there would be no escape. Pursuit was futile, and counterattacks ineffective. Their small size, enhanced speed, and high defensive capability rendered them nearly untouchable. The only outcome for their targets would be annihilation.
This innovation gave Ye Liuyun a distinct edge over the Sanctuary Dynasty.
Although his ground forces were limited and lacked sufficient strength, the Riftblades would allow him to dominate the space. He could thus avoid land combat, preventing the Sanctuary Dynasty from effectively attacking him. Instead, he could intercept and destroy their forces from space.
However, Ye Liuyun did not intend to use this advantage to destroy the Sanctuary Dynasty. Rather, he hoped to use it as a safeguard and a bargaining chip for forging alliances.
Even if their current strength seemed insignificant to the Sanctuary Dynasty, growth was always possible over time.
After wrapping up the warship affairs, preparations were underway for the upcoming selection tournament in Valorcrest.
Ye Liuyun initially didn’t want the Songstress to participate in the competition. However, the Songstress suddenly received an invitation from Yonglie Mansion. It turned out that the mansion wanted to invite all the contestants before the competition began, allowing them to meet each other and receive Wan Weihou’s blessings.
Ye Liuyun pondered for a moment. He realized that this might be his opportunity to strike at Mu Tianyang while also meeting with Wan Weihou. Thus, he decided to accompany the Songstress as her bodyguard and attend the banquet together.
The banquet would bring together over three thousand young contestants from more than a hundred subordinate cities. Besides, Mu Tianyang would certainly be among them. The event was bound to be chaotic.
Each martial practitioner attending the banquet could bring two escorts. Ye Liuyun planned to take Yu Yao along. Including the Songstress, the three of them would then be able to wait for the perfect moment to act against Mu Tianyang.
Clearly, Yonglie Mansion had considered the scale of the event, so they decided to hold the banquet at the parade grounds.
They divided the grounds into several large areas: one for temporary kitchens, another for the martial practitioners, soldiers, and maids on guard duty to rest.
The main venue was a vast space. There was even a designated area for the bodyguards of the participating martial practitioners to rest.
When Ye Liuyun and the others arrived, they found that the place wasn’t chaotic. Moreover, he and Yu Yao couldn’t stay with the Songstress the entire time.
The martial practitioners and soldiers stationed here were all highly skilled. Yonglie Mansion had mobilized tens of thousands of soldiers to maintain order.
Their strength was comparable to the Galeocerdo Legion. So even if Ye Liuyun used the Blade Legion, it would be hard to break through.
Seeing this, Ye Liuyun could only advise the Songstress to act based on the situation and not force a move if the opportunity didn’t present itself.
After parting ways with Ye Liuyun and Yu Yao, the Songstress tried to move forward, getting closer to Mu Tianyang.
Mu Tianyan sat in the front row, reserved for the heirs of powerful factions. Unfortunately, the Songstress did not have the privilege to sit beside him.
At the same times, Ye Liuyun and Yu Yao casually found a spot and sat down to rest.
They were seated at a table meant for two, with some food and drinks served, though not as extravagant as what the participants had.
While Ye Liuyun and Yu Yao ate, they scanned the surroundings. Meanwhile, the Songstress started eating and drinking without hesitation.
Due to the Songstress’s high cultivation level, Mu Tianyan used his Divine Sense to probe her.
He had been increasingly cautious lately and remained alert whenever a powerful individual approached.
Noticing the Songstress was young and preoccupied with eating, he assumed she was an innocent girl from a small town. This led him to let his guard down.
The Songstress had already broken through to the Omnipotent Level. She was one of the youngest participants, only thirteen years old.
This made her stand out, drawing the attention of many. Some of the girls even took the initiative to speak to her, inquiring about her background.
Songstress handled these conversations with ease. Having spent the past few years with Orchid, her personality had become much brighter and more open. It was easier for her to connect with others.
Mu Tianyan, in particular, turned around and asked her how old she was.
The purpose of the banquet, hosted by the Yonglie Mansion, was to establish connections with future talents. They hoped these individuals would serve the mansion in the future.
Other powerful factions had similar goals. Mu Tianyan’s father, Mu Yuantang, shared the same intention of pulling in potential allies.
Noticing the Songstress’s exceptional talent at such a young age, Mu Tianyan decided to make the first move. He invited her to join him and sit with him.
