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Chapter 411: The Strange Cave Entrance
🕑 Added 2024-10-11 05:00:00 +0000 UTCStaring at the blood-red mist seeping out from the cracks, Lin Qian's expression grew even darker. He leaped down to the lakebed, with Ye Xin following closely behind, her steps light and graceful as she joined her fiancé.
The two Wind Scouts who had arrived first stood off to the side, kneeling on one knee to greet Lin Qian as he approached.
Lin Qian crouched near the cracks in the dried, fractured ground at the bottom of the lake, carefully examining the blood-red mist that continued to ooze from them. He extended his soul sense to probe the phenomenon further.
"This blood-red mist can siphon off spiritual energy, envelop it, and then carry it away," Lin Qian muttered through gritted teeth after sensing the mist with his soul. "No wonder the spiritual energy in the Southern Nine Provinces, especially Linhai Province, has been depleting so quickly with this thing around."
"So, the spiritual energy in Linhai Province isn't mysteriously disappearing—it's being forcibly drained by this blood-red mist!" Ye Xin's usually serene face was now frosty with anger. "Xiao Qian, I don't think this is just a natural phenomenon. Someone must be behind this."
Lin Qian nodded in agreement, a cold smile on his lips as he turned to Ye Xin. "The spiritual energy in Linhai Province started increasing significantly, and now this happens. I refuse to believe it's just a coincidence."
With that, Lin Qian patted the ground of the lakebed and stood up. He turned to the Wind Scouts and ordered, "Convey my orders—summon the Ministry of Engineering and the Ministry of Fire from Linhai Province immediately."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The two Wind Scouts bowed before transforming into streaks of green light, vanishing from sight.
Lin Qian glanced up at the blood-red lake water hovering above them, his eyes narrowing. White frost and icy soul power surged forth, transforming the blood-red water into translucent crimson ice crystals.
Golden thunder soul power roared out, taking the form of a thunder dragon that obliterated the blood-red mist and shattered the ice crystals, erasing them from existence.
Ye Xin could clearly see the rage burning in Lin Qian's eyes as he stared at the blood-red mist. She understood how much the Huaxia Empire meant to Lin Qian—he would never allow anything to threaten it.
The empire was Lin Qian's reverse scale—touch it, and he would unleash his fury.
Once Lin Qian issued his orders, the response from the Ministry of Engineering and the Ministry of Fire was swift. The teams quickly arrived and began their investigations.
Lin Qian chose not to directly summon the forces of the Huaxia Empire for this matter because he wanted the local ministries of Linhai Province to take responsibility.
After all, as the saying goes, "No rules, no order." Lin Qian had come to realize that he could no longer treat the Huaxia Empire as just a game. He had to take it seriously.
When the scholars from the Ministry of Engineering arrived, they immediately began studying the cracks at the bottom of the lake. Meanwhile, the craftsmen from the Ministry of Fire began redirecting the rivers to prevent the lake from refilling. They also started modifying the ancient structure at the lakebed to create a base for their operations.
After all, uncovering the mystery of this anomaly wouldn't be a quick task—it would likely take considerable time.
The female workers handled the cleaning and organizing, their careful work ensuring that the environment was suitable for the investigation.
Within a day, the modifications to the ancient structure were complete, and the female workers had finished their cleaning. Lin Qian and Ye Xin walked through the building, inspecting it.
Traces of the previous deactivation of the structure's defenses remained, all evidence of Lin Qian's father, the Emperor Lin's handiwork. The contents of the ruin had long since been taken by him.
Judging by the architectural style, this ruin appeared to be a treasure vault, likely used by an ancient power to store their wealth in a secluded location.
Ten days later, the Ministry of Engineering had made preliminary progress in understanding the blood-red mist emanating from the cracks.
Their findings confirmed Lin Qian's initial observations—the mist indeed siphoned off spiritual energy and transported it deep underground.
However, preventing the mist from seeping out was nearly impossible. Simply sealing the cracks in the lakebed would be futile.
The blood-red mist possessed strong corrosive and penetrative properties, seeping out from the ground across Linhai Province, often emerging from the earth or through the roots of spiritual trees.
Comparative studies by the Ministry of Engineering in the Southern Nine Provinces showed that Linhai Province was suffering the most from this mist, while the other eight provinces were faring slightly better.
The mist emerging from the lakebed in front of Lin Qian was especially severe.
Thus, the Ministry of Engineering speculated that the true source of the mist lay deep beneath this lake.
The blood-red mist was seeping up from underground, and the only way to stop it would be to seal off the entire ground.
While the Huaxia Empire had the power to do so, it would severely hinder the growth of spiritual trees in the Southern Nine Provinces.
This would cap the region's spiritual energy at a certain level, preventing it from ever reaching its full potential—something Lin Qian, a self-professed "development enthusiast," couldn't tolerate.
"Dig a tunnel straight down. I want to see who's behind this!" Lin Qian commanded as he stared at the lakebed.
Ye Xin's eyes widened in surprise at his decision. Was he really going to dig a tunnel all the way to the source? After thinking it over, she realized it might actually be a good idea.
Just as Lin Qian's order was given, a report came in that a ruin had been discovered in Lianshan Province. This ruin was highly unusual, leading straight into the depths of the earth, its bottom unseen.
Jia Gong, who found the ruin, didn't dare to act rashly, so he immediately reported it to Lin Qian for a decision.
"Keep an eye on things here," Lin Qian ordered before summoning his imperial chariot and taking to the skies with Ye Xin, heading toward Lianshan Province.
The Huaxia Empire's airspace was now divided into designated flight zones, including one specifically reserved for Lin Qian. His chariot, pulled by nine Flame-Hoofed Warhorses, soared through this zone toward Lianshan Province.
When they arrived at the location Jia Gong had mentioned, the chariot descended into a forested area that had been completely sealed off by the Imperial Army.
In the heart of the forest, a section of the mountain wall had been completely shattered, the debris cleared away to reveal an entrance.
Jia Gong and several elders from the former Eagle Mountain Sect stood near the entrance, bowing as Lin Qian and Ye Xin approached. "Greetings, Your Majesty! Greetings, Empress!"
Lin Qian, holding Ye Xin's hand, disembarked from the chariot and walked up to the entrance. As he observed the faint blood-red mist seeping from within, he frowned and asked Jia Gong, "What’s the situation?"
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