The Great Wilderness had maintained its established order since time immemorial—a realm where savage beasts reigned supreme while human settlements existed in constant vigilance, their survival dependent upon maintaining defensive postures and avoiding unnecessary provocation of the stronger creatures inhabiting the untamed lands. However, on this particular day, the customary balance underwent a dramatic reversal as the heavens themselves became filled with the radiant manifestation of human arrogance and military might.
Enormous bronze war chariots, each pulled by teams of Flood Dragons and Spirit Birds of considerable power, thundered across the firmament with earth-shaking momentum. Banners bearing the insignias of the Rain Clan and the Martial King's Mansion fluttered prominently in the wind, announcing the identity of this formidable force to all who possessed eyes to witness their passage. Through methods of divination and tracking techniques refined over generations, these powerful factions had successfully traced the physical location of the individuals who had humiliated them in the Void God Realm—the ones designated in their reports as the "Milk Baby" and the "Demon Su"—to what appeared to be nothing more than a desolate and insignificant settlement known as Stone Village.
The Rain Clan Elder, positioned prominently upon his golden chariot at the vanguard of this punitive expedition, issued his commands with cold authority. The settlement was to be completely leveled, reduced to rubble that would serve as a warning to others who might contemplate challenging the established order. The adult inhabitants were to be executed without exception, their lives forfeit for the crime of harboring enemies of the great clans. However, the child and the individual who had stolen the techniques and humiliated Shi Yi were to be captured alive, as their unique abilities and knowledge required extraction through whatever means proved necessary.
Below this airborne army, the villagers of Stone Village stood assembled in the central square, their bodies trembling with the instinctive fear that arose when confronting overwhelming force. They gripped their primitive bone clubs with white-knuckled desperation, yet even the bravest among them recognized the futility of such preparations. Against an army of flying cultivators numbering in the thousands, they resembled nothing so much as ants attempting to face down an approaching storm, their individual courage rendered meaningless by the vast disparity in power.
Shi Dazhuang's father, his voice reduced to a frightened whisper, addressed the Village Chief directly. He articulated what all present already understood—they faced thousands of enemies, and the spiritual pressure emanating from the Rain Clan Elder indicated he had reached the Spirit Transformation Realm, a level of cultivation that placed him far beyond anything their village could hope to counter.
Chief Shi Yunfeng directed his gaze toward the Willow Tree that had stood at the heart of their village for countless generations. The ancient tree remained seemingly inert, its single green branch swaying with deceptive gentleness in response to natural breezes, offering no indication of whether it would intervene in the crisis developing overhead. The Chief then turned his attention to Su Chen, seeking some indication of how their benefactor intended to address this existential threat.
Su Chen occupied a position on a large rock at the periphery of the square, his attention focused on the mundane task of peeling a Vermilion Fruit for Shi Hao's consumption. He had not even bothered to direct his gaze toward the threatening army assembled in the sky above. His expression conveyed nothing more urgent than mild boredom, as though the invasion constituted an inconvenience rather than a life-threatening emergency.
Shi Hao, continuing to chew the fruit Su Chen had prepared for him, offered his assessment of the situation with characteristic directness. He noted that the antagonistic individuals were producing considerable noise. Su Chen acknowledged this observation with agreement, characterizing the excessive volume as a form of noise pollution that warranted corrective action. He rose to his feet with unhurried movements and tapped the communication device positioned at his ear.
His instruction to Babata was succinct: disengage the cloaking systems and reveal their true defensive capabilities.
## The Manifestation of the Sky Fortress
Above the bronze chariots of the Rain Clan army, the cloud formations that had provided scenic backdrop suddenly underwent violent disruption as they parted with unnatural abruptness. The spatial fabric itself exhibited visible warping, reality bending in ways that violated the cultivators' understanding of natural phenomena. A shadow fell across the entire military formation, its scale so vast that it transformed day into twilight.
The Rain Clan Elder, initially assuming this darkness represented the formation of a thundercloud that might interfere with their assault, directed his gaze upward to assess the meteorological situation. His eyes widened progressively as comprehension dawned regarding the true nature of what he was observing. The shadow had not been cast by any natural weather formation.
What materialized from the previously empty sky was a City of Black Steel, a fortress of such immense proportions that it defied conventional categorization. The Black Dragon Fortress, measuring two full kilometers in length, completed its transition from cloaked invisibility to full material presence. Its hull bristled with countless turret emplacements, each one glowing with the ominous purple luminescence characteristic of the Spirit-Fusion Drive that powered this unprecedented construction. The sheer mass of the vessel displaced atmospheric air on a scale that generated hurricane-force winds as a secondary effect, these turbulent currents blowing the weaker flying beasts serving as mounts entirely off their intended courses and sending their riders into desperate struggles to maintain altitude.
The Rain Clan Elder's voice, now stripped of its previous authority and reduced to shocked stammering, questioned whether they confronted an Artifact of Palace Type classification from the Archaic Era, his experience providing no other framework for comprehending what had appeared before them.
Within the command bridge of the Black Dragon Fortress, Saya Takagi adjusted her glasses with a gesture that had become habitual during moments of anticipation. Her expression radiated manic enthusiasm as she consulted the tactical display systems, which had completed their analysis of the situation. She announced her findings in clipped professional tones: target lock had been successfully established on five thousand hostile entities, their density was categorized as high, and the overall threat level they presented had been assessed as manageable given the available countermeasures.
Albedo, her hand resting upon the handle of her battle axe in preparation for potential deployment, inquired whether the situation warranted releasing the Void Stalker troops for ground engagement. Su Chen's voice, transmitted from his ground position through the communication systems, provided clear direction. He characterized the assembled army as insufficiently threatening to justify expenditure of their elite forces, instructing instead that the main gun batteries be brought to bear.
His subsequent order, directed specifically to Saya, carried an edge of dark humor. He instructed her to demonstrate for their attackers the fundamental difference between Spirit Arrows powered by cultivation techniques and Railguns operating on principles of advanced physics.
## The Implementation of Orbital Bombardment
Babata's announcement designated the engagement protocol as Kinetic Bombardment, a classification that reflected the devastating simplicity of the approach. The underside of the massive vessel underwent segmented opening as armored plates retracted to reveal the weapons bays concealed within. Rows of Magitek Railguns, each representing a fusion of magical enhancement and technological principles, adjusted their targeting angles to aim directly downward at the formation below.
These weapon systems had not been loaded with conventional projectiles or explosive ordnance. Instead, their magazines contained Tungsten Rods of substantial mass, each one inscribed with Gravity Runes that would enhance the devastating effect of their impact. The firing sequence initiated with a series of deep, resonant sounds as the electromagnetic acceleration systems engaged. There was no dramatic flash of fire or visible energy discharge, only the distinctive sound of atmospheric air being torn apart by objects achieving velocities that exceeded conventional comprehension.
The rods accelerated to Mach 20 within a fraction of a second, their passage through the air generating plasma trails from the sheer friction of their velocity. The Rain Clan disciples arrayed below, finally recognizing that an attack was imminent, barely had sufficient time to implement defensive measures.
Commands rang out across their formation to activate protective barriers, and a massive dome of blue-tinged Spirit Qi materialized to shield the war chariots and their occupants. This barrier represented the concentrated defensive power of hundreds of cultivators working in coordination, a technique that had successfully deflected attacks from Archaic beasts and rival cultivators in countless previous engagements.
The first tungsten rod made contact with this Spirit Barrier. The fundamental principles of physics asserted themselves without regard for the metaphysical nature of the defense. Mass multiplied by acceleration produced force, and in this instance, the resulting force exceeded the barrier's capacity to disperse or absorb by several orders of magnitude. The rod punched through the Spirit Barrier with the ease of a needle penetrating wet paper, the defensive formation shattering into countless motes of dissipating light.
The projectile continued its trajectory without measurable deceleration, striking the lead war chariot directly. The bronze vehicle did not merely break or explode in conventional fashion—it vaporized instantly, the kinetic energy converting its material substance into expanding gases and plasma. The Rain Clan Elder who had been standing upon that chariot did not have opportunity to vocalize any final words; his physical form was transformed into a red mist that dispersed on the wind.
The rod completed its journey by impacting the earth below. The resulting explosion generated a shockwave that rippled outward with devastating effect, flattening ancient trees that had stood for centuries and creating fracture patterns in the bedrock that extended for considerable distances. Before the surviving cultivators could begin to process what had occurred, the second rod found its target. Then the third. Then the fourth, in relentless succession.
The bombardment resembled nothing so much as a rain of death descending from the heavens, each impact point marked by catastrophic destruction. The cultivation army, which had prided itself on possessing magical defenses refined through generations of warfare against both beasts and rival human factions, found these preparations utterly inadequate against the raw kinetic energy deployed by a civilization that had mastered technological principles.
Flying swords, treasured artifacts that had been passed down through clan lineages, snapped like brittle twigs when caught in the shockwaves. Spirit Beasts that had required years of careful nurturing to raise and train exploded when struck by the projectiles or the secondary debris they generated. The organized military formation disintegrated into chaos as survival instinct overwhelmed tactical discipline.
Those cultivators who retained sufficient presence of mind to articulate commands began screaming orders to retreat, directing their surviving mounts to reverse course and flee at maximum speed. Their panicked shouts characterized the Black Dragon Fortress in terms they could comprehend, describing it as a Demon King or an Archaic Vicious Beast that had assumed the form of a metal mountain, these explanations representing desperate attempts to fit unprecedented experience into familiar frameworks.
## The Spirit King's Wrathful Intervention
A commanding roar echoed from the rear sections of the disintegrating formation, cutting through the chaos with authority that momentarily arrested the panicked retreat. An elderly figure stepped forward from the void itself, his form materializing without need for chariot or mount. He walked upon the air as though it were solid ground, his bearing radiating the confidence that accompanied true power.
The spiritual pressure surrounding this figure manifested visibly as four distinct Cave Heavens rotating in complex patterns around his position, these apertures fusing together to generate a terrifying field of concentrated force that pressed down upon the physical world. The system identification designated this entity as the Rain Clan Ancestor, though the qualifier noted that this represented a Spirit Projection rather than his actual physical form.
His cultivation level was assessed as Array Formation Realm, a stage that transcended the Cave Heaven Realm and granted abilities that blurred the distinction between the possible and impossible. His voice, amplified by spiritual techniques to carry across vast distances, demanded to know who dared to slaughter his descendants with such casual disregard. He addressed the Black Dragon Fortress directly, commanding this "iron lump" to break apart under his authority.
He raised his hand in a gesture that channeled immense spiritual power, and in response to his will, a massive hand constructed entirely from rain and crackling lightning manifested in the sky above the fortress. This construct scaled itself appropriately to grasp the entire two-kilometer length of the vessel, its fingers positioning themselves to crush the ship as one might destroy a child's toy.
The invocation of his technique carried with it: "Rain God's Hand!" The massive construct descended and closed around the Black Dragon Fortress with crushing pressure. The vessel's Void Shields, advanced defensive systems that operated on principles incomprehensible to this world's cultivation methods, flared to brilliant purple luminescence as they engaged to counter the attack.
The sound of stressed materials echoed throughout the hull as the magical pressure exceeded normal operational parameters. Babata issued an alert notification indicating that shield integrity was degrading and the localized energy density being applied to the hull exceeded its rated capacity for sustained resistance. The implication was clear: prolonged exposure to this level of assault would eventually result in catastrophic structural failure.
Su Chen, observing this development from his ground position, acknowledged the effectiveness of the technique. He noted that an Array Formation Realm cultivator, particularly one manifesting as a Spirit Projection, represented a legitimate threat that could not be easily countered with railgun fire, as the projectiles would likely pass through the non-corporeal form without inflicting damage. He prepared to personally engage, intending to employ the Trident of Poseidon to counter this level of power.
A gentle voice, resonating directly within his consciousness, issued a simple directive: he was to remain in his current position and refrain from action. This communication originated from behind him, specifically from the Willow Tree that had stood silent throughout the preceding chaos.
Liu Shen, the Willow Deity, had awakened from her dormant state. The charred trunk that had appeared dead to casual observation began to emit a soft luminescence. The single green branch that Su Chen had observed during his previous interactions with the tree continued its gentle swaying, but alongside it, a transformation was occurring. A second branch unfurled, this one exhibiting golden coloration, its restoration and enhancement directly attributable to the True Dragon Blood that Su Chen had provided as tribute during their initial transaction.
The Willow Deity's voice, while maintaining its characteristic calm tone, now carried weight that reflected her true nature as an Immortal King, a being whose power transcended the comprehension of this era's cultivators. She acknowledged Su Chen's previous efforts in protecting her village during her period of recovery, and stated with quiet certainty that she would now reciprocate by protecting his vessel.
The Golden Branch moved with impossible speed, ascending toward the heavens. Its appearance had fundamentally changed from anything resembling ordinary plant matter—it now more closely resembled a Chain of Order, a manifestation of law itself given physical form. The branch extended upward with no apparent limitation to its length, piercing through the cloud layer and continuing toward its target.
The Rain God's Hand, that massive construct of spiritual energy that was exerting crushing pressure upon the Black Dragon Fortress, attempted to intercept or grasp this ascending branch. The Golden Branch simply passed through the giant hand as though the latter possessed no more substance than morning mist. Upon contact with the Willow Deity's power, the carefully constructed technique collapsed, its organized spiritual energy decomposing back into undifferentiated mana that dissipated harmlessly into the atmosphere.
The branch continued its trajectory without pause, reaching the position where the Rain Clan Ancestor's projection stood frozen in dawning comprehension of what he faced. His voice, now stripped of all authority and filled instead with terror, questioned what manner of Dao principle this manifestation represented. His initial assumption that he confronted a Guardian Spirit gave way to horrified recognition of something far more significant, though his ability to articulate this realization was interrupted.
The Golden Branch made contact with the Ancestor's forehead in what appeared to be a gentle tap, its movement almost casual in its execution. The Spirit Projection exploded instantly, the concentrated spiritual energy that had maintained its form scattering in all directions. However, the Willow Deity's attack had not been limited to merely destroying a remote manifestation.
The karmic connection linking the projection to its original source provided a pathway that the Golden Branch's power followed instantaneously, traversing thousands of miles to reach the Rain Clan's main hall where the Ancestor's physical body sat in meditation. That distant figure suddenly convulsed, coughing up golden blood as catastrophic internal injuries manifested without warning. His cultivation base, carefully refined over centuries of arduous practice, was severed and reduced by half in a single instant, his life's achievement crippled by a counterattack he had no means to defend against.
The Willow Deity's final word carried across the battlefield with absolute authority: the surviving forces were to leave immediately. Her voice swept across the sky, and the remaining Rain Clan army members found themselves falling from their mounts as the sheer spiritual pressure crushed their ability to maintain flight techniques. Those who survived the falls began crawling away from Stone Village, abandoning their treasures, weapons, and wounded comrades in their desperation to escape the presence of a being whose power exceeded their capacity to comprehend.
## The Systematic Looting of the Battlefield
Silence gradually returned to the airspace above Stone Village as the last of the fleeing cultivators disappeared beyond the horizon. The Black Dragon Fortress adjusted its position, descending to establish a hover pattern directly above the settlement. From this position, the massive vessel resembled nothing so much as a steel umbrella providing protective cover for the village below, its presence ensuring that no further attacks would be attempted in the immediate future.
The villagers emerged from their defensive positions and homes, their gazes alternating between Su Chen and the Willow Tree as they processed what they had witnessed. The realization that their village had survived an assault by thousands of cultivators from great clans, not merely survived but completely routed their attackers, generated an explosion of jubilant celebration. Their cheers proclaimed that with the Guardian Spirit and Uncle Su protecting them, their village had become invincible.
Su Chen approached the Willow Tree, his expression conveying genuine appreciation for the intervention. He offered direct thanks to Liu Shen for her assistance in preserving both the village and his vessel from destruction.
The Willow Deity's response characterized the intervention as nothing more than the fulfillment of a transaction rather than an act of altruism or friendship. She noted that the True Dragon Blood Su Chen had provided had accelerated her recovery by approximately ten years, restoring capabilities she had believed would remain dormant for far longer. From her perspective, she had merely eliminated an irritating fly as fair compensation for the benefits she had received. Su Chen's smile acknowledged this characterization while his subsequent comment revealed his primary focus—flies, regardless of how one chose to characterize them, inevitably carried valuable loot.
He turned his attention to the battlefield that surrounded Stone Village. Broken war chariots lay scattered across the landscape, their bronze construction glinting in the sunlight. The corpses of Spirit Beasts, creatures that would have represented formidable threats under normal circumstances, now provided potential resources. Most significantly, the ground was littered with Spatial Rings that had been dropped or abandoned during the chaotic retreat, each one potentially containing treasures and cultivation resources accumulated over years or decades.
Su Chen issued instructions to Zagara, directing her to implement complete salvage operations. All biological matter was to be processed and sent to the vats where it could be converted into useful biomass. Metal components were to be collected and transported to the forge for analysis and potential integration into their equipment. The Spatial Rings were to be collected and delivered to Su Chen personally for examination.
Zagara's response acknowledged these orders with the respectful address of "Father," and the Void Stalkers that had been held in reserve swarmed forth from the ship's deployment bays. These efficient creatures moved across the battlefield with systematic thoroughness, their specialized sensory capabilities allowing them to locate and collect every item of potential value.
Su Chen bent to retrieve a piece of bronze from one of the destroyed chariots, subjecting it to his analytical capabilities. The scan identified the material as Rain Clan Bronze, a spirit-conductive metal of high quality. He noted that this substance possessed properties that would make it ideal for upgrading the Black Dragon Fortress's internal wiring systems, potentially improving power distribution efficiency throughout the vessel.
Shi Hao ran up to Su Chen, his small hands clutching a broken fragment of what had once been a complete weapon. The piece retained a lustrous shine despite its damaged condition, and the child's excitement was evident as he displayed his discovery. Su Chen identified the fragment as originating from a Flying Sword, one of the treasured weapons that cultivators of this world devoted years to refining and personalizing. He accepted the fragment from Shi Hao, noting that such materials could serve as excellent nourishment for the ship itself, as his World Fusion capabilities permitted him to feed various substances to the Black Dragon Fortress, thereby increasing its material density and overall durability.
## Strategic Planning and the Northern Expedition
That evening, Stone Village held a feast to celebrate their survival and victory. Su Chen sat in a position of honor alongside Chief Shi Yunfeng and young Shi Hao, the three of them occupying the central location as the villagers brought forth the finest food and drink their modest resources could provide.
Su Chen addressed the assembled leadership regarding future expectations. He assessed that the Rain Clan would not attempt another assault in the immediate future, their recent catastrophic losses requiring time to recover from both materially and psychologically. However, he noted that the Great Wilderness extended across vast territories, encompassing numerous other powers and opportunities. His own cultivation required continued advancement, which necessitated seeking out additional resources and techniques.
Shi Hao's expression reflected sadness as he questioned whether Su Chen intended to depart from Stone Village permanently. Su Chen clarified that his intention was not abandonment but rather what he characterized as commuting—he would travel to distant locations to pursue specific objectives but would maintain Stone Village as his base of operations and return periodically.
He directed attention toward the north, explaining that legend spoke of a location in the North Sea where the nest of the Kun Peng could be found. This creature, which could be understood as a fusion of Leviathan and Roc characteristics, possessed one of the ultimate techniques of this world. The Kun Peng Precious Technique granted its practitioner the ability to achieve unparalleled speed while also permitting transformation between aquatic and aerial forms, these capabilities rooted in masterful control over Yin and Yang principles.
Su Chen evaluated his current movement techniques, including the Purple Cloud Wings and Storm Dragon Steps, acknowledging their utility while recognizing that they paled in comparison to what the Kun Peng technique could provide. The ability to transform into a massive fish capable of traversing ocean depths or a giant bird that could soar to the limits of the atmosphere represented capabilities he was determined to acquire.
He also mentioned, with studied casualness, that intelligence reports indicated other notable individuals would be traveling to the same location. Specifically, a Witch who might represent a descendant of Nuwa, and a Fairy known as Yue Chan, were both known to be heading toward the Kun Peng's nest for their own purposes.
Natasha, who had been performing maintenance on her rifle nearby, interjected with a question delivered in deadpan tones, inquiring whether Su Chen's interest in these individuals stemmed from romantic intentions. Su Chen corrected this characterization immediately, insisting with shameless confidence that he viewed them purely as potential recruits for his growing organization rather than targets for romantic pursuit.
He stood and addressed Chief Shi Yunfeng directly, outlining the security arrangements he would establish before departing. Albedo would remain at Stone Village along with a garrison of five thousand Skeleton Warriors, providing ground forces capable of responding to any conventional threat. Additionally, the Black Dragon Fortress would remain in orbit above the village, functioning as a satellite weapons platform capable of delivering devastating firepower should any major power attempt aggression during Su Chen's absence.
He specified that he would take only a small team for the expedition to the North Sea, prioritizing mobility and flexibility over overwhelming force. Shi Hao immediately leaped to his feet, enthusiastically requesting inclusion in the expedition. His stated motivation centered on his desire to see the legendary large fish that the Kun Peng was said to transform into.
Su Chen considered the request carefully. In the original timeline of events, Shi Hao would not journey to the Kun Peng's nest until much later in his development, after accumulating additional experience and power. However, with Su Chen's protection ensuring the child's safety, the educational value of exposing him to such experiences at an earlier age presented compelling advantages.
His decision was delivered with a grin that conveyed both approval and anticipation: they would indeed travel together to steal the bird's egg, or more accurately, to claim the Kun Peng's legacy before others could do so. The expedition to the North Sea was about to commence.