Chapter 820
Chapter 820
After returning to the royal palace, the Medusa Queen said to Shen Lang.
"Father of my child, is your purpose in seeking me out to invade the Eastern world and exact your revenge?"
"It is."
"Then what is it that you want?"
"A powerful army. An army of unparalleled strength."
"You intend to destroy the Great Yan Dynasty and the Six Transcendent Powers, do you not?"
"I do."
"Then the army you need must be far stronger than you imagine. Mine, at least, will not suffice. Even with me included, destroying them is impossible."
Shen Lang was stunned.
"Am I powerful in martial arts?"
"Extremely so."
"And yet, my current martial skill is inferior to that of Prince Jiang Li and his wife. In the Eastern world today, there are three whose skills surpass mine, and five who are my equals."
Shen Lang found her words impossible to believe.
"My strength lies in my aura, not my martial arts. Within the existing rules, at least, even the most powerful martial arts have their limits. Therefore, commanding an invincible legion is the most crucial task for you to destroy the Great Yan Dynasty. Even the mighty Prince Jiang Li failed. If you are to succeed, you must become stronger than he was."
"Your Majesty, are you still human?"
"Me? I likely belong to the ancient humans. 'Medusa' is merely a title others call me. They say I resemble the beautiful serpent of legend, do they not?"
Shen Lang nodded.
"You did while you slept, and even more so now that you are awake."
"The ancient humans consist of many races. I just happen to belong to this one."
Mulan, too, had transformed to resemble an ancient human after her metamorphosis, but she had not become as powerful as the Medusa Queen.
"One-tenth of my being belongs to Qiu Yao'er. Besides, you are not only her master but also the father of my daughter. So you may speak frankly with me. What are your goals and direction?"
"Do you have a map?"
A map appeared before Shen Lang. It depicted the entire New Continent. Shen Lang was unexpectedly overjoyed. This was the most precise map he had ever seen of the New Continent. All the previous maps he had seen were vague in many areas, their scales completely wrong. With this map, his perspective instantly broadened. He quickly located Lode Island, where he had briefly stayed.
"What are you looking for?"
"An island. It's desolate and barren, but it has a great many white stones."
"That is the Island for Seeking Seeds."
*Ugh? Why does that name sound familiar?*
Shen Lang quickly wracked his brain and soon remembered. It was *that* island of the Amazon tribe. The tribe of Amazon warriors raised only women for generations, all of whom became powerful fighters, just like the mystical race from Greek legend.
*Heavens, don't mock me.*
Shen Lang had thought it was a deserted, uninhabited island, a land with no owner. But it belonged to the Amazon tribe. A tribe that even the Seirun Empire could not conquer. For Shen Lang to claim that island—was that not like trying to pull a tooth from a tiger's mouth?
"I want that island. It is incredibly important to me. With this island, I can have an invincible fleet and a mighty legion."
"Then you must accomplish one thing: conquer the Amazon Queen."
Ugh!
"Conquer the Amazon Queen, and you will not only gain the island but also the strongest of armies. Of course, no one has ever succeeded. The Seirun Dynasty tried it more than once. The heads of probably over a hundred handsome men who attempted to use their charms were likely cut off and made into wine cups."
"Then where is the Amazon Queen's kingdom? It isn't marked on the map."
"Because no one has ever set foot in the Amazon Queen's territory, there are no markings on the map. Still, it is likely not far from this Island for Seeking Seeds."
Shen Lang's gaze fell to the east of Lode Island. There was another large island there.
"What is this place?"
"The Island of Raging Fire. It was named so because there is a volcano on it."
"Is this island flat? Is it suitable for survival?"
"The volcano has not erupted for a very long time. However, the entire island is made of basalt, making it unsuitable for survival."
Shen Lang began to study the map again. Then, he discovered a peninsula roughly three thousand li away, the closest landmass to Lode Island.
To return to the Great Yan Dynasty, he needed three major things: an invincible fleet, cannons, and a powerful army. The Medusa Queen's fleet was too small to be of use; he needed a fleet like that of the Goulou Gang. He needed the world's greatest pirate legion, numbering over a hundred thousand strong.
He also needed a mighty legion, and the Amazon tribe would likely be suitable for that. Of course, the most crucial element was cannons. Shen Lang not only had to obtain Lode Island but also build a base nearby—or even on Lode Island itself, if necessary.
"Where is a place sufficiently close to Lode Island that also possesses large iron ore deposits? It must also be suitable for building a fortress."
"Here, the Jade Tide Peninsula."
Shen Lang looked where the Medusa Queen pointed, and indeed, it was the peninsula about three thousand li from Lode Island. The name 'Jade Tide Peninsula' sounded somewhat similar to Jade Wave Province. Upon closer inspection, the Jade Tide Peninsula was indeed near Jade Wave Province, located in the south of the New Continent, less than a thousand li from Duke Dipas's Jade Gold City. Shen Lang desperately needed that city now. It was essential for him to secretly manufacture cannons, produce large quantities of explosives, and modify his ships.
If he were to build new ships, he would need a large shipyard. To do that, he had to capture Jade Gold City. The city was as wealthy as a nation and possessed two massive shipyards. Moreover, he had a grudge with Duke Dipas, so in any case, Shen Lang had to eliminate that powerful family.
***
"Your Majesty, how much do you know about the Goulou Gang's pirate legion? Did they truly venture into the Devil's Great Triangle?"
"No. Exploring the Devil's Great Triangle does not require over a hundred thousand men. They went south."
Shen Lang asked in surprise.
"South? What is in the south?"
"Shen Lang, this world is full of unknown places. The so-called Ten Thousand Li Desert, the far northern lands, the Devil's Great Triangle—these are merely the known unknowns. They are mysterious, but at least people are aware of their existence. However, there remain forbidden zones that humanity has never seen or even heard of."
"If—and I stress 'if'—I obtain the Amazon Queen's army and the Goulou Gang's pirate legion, will that be enough to crush the Great Yan Dynasty?"
"Prince Jiang Li held the hearts of the people in the Great Yan Dynasty. Your true grand army is not in the West, but in the East."
Shen Lang nodded. He was, of course, aware of this. Countless people in the Great Yan Dynasty had their hearts with Jiang Li, so even when Shen Lang left, he was revered by many. If he could demonstrate immense power, a force capable of challenging the Great Yan Dynasty, countless people would pledge their loyalty to him, and he could easily raise an army of a million.
"What you truly need is an invincible fleet, so a pirate legion like the Goulou Gang might not be enough. However, if your secret weapons are powerful enough, that will suffice."
He would have a navy of over a hundred thousand, with all his numerous ships armed with cannons. Then, he could roam the seas of this world freely. Shen Lang was confident that even the Great Yan Dynasty's fleet would be no match for him.
"The Amazon tribe is a small nation that has never been conquered. Is the reason all their women are so strong because their bloodline is close to that of the ancient humans?"
The Medusa Queen nodded.
"Yes."
"In that case, have you ever met the queen of the Amazon tribe?"
"I have not. She would intentionally avoid me, and I would avoid her. This is because we have no conflict between us; we are not enemies. However, we are both very arrogant, so we choose not to meet."
"But... why is Yaoyao's body like this? She can only stay awake for a quarter of an hour each day. I have a twin sister who, like Yaoyao, was incredibly frail and afflicted with dozens of illnesses. For some reason, the Six Transcendent Powers used every method to keep her alive."
"Something inside that child is madly devouring her power and life force, forcing her into a deep sleep every day. Yet, despite such long periods of sleep, her life force continues to wither. I have used every method to keep her alive until now."
"What exactly is devouring her life force?"
"Her life itself. Her soul."
Shen Lang asked with a trembling voice.
"Is it because she is your child that her own body cannot withstand her soul and life force?"
"It is because she is not only my child, but yours as well. However, your assessment is correct."
Shen Lang finally understood. Yaoyao was too brilliant, too intelligent, far beyond the scope of human cognition. It meant that Yaoyao possessed the wisdom and soul of an ancient human, but the body of an ordinary one. That was why being awake consumed her life force, causing her to gradually wither.
"Is there a way to save her? Any way at all."
"We must find a body suitable for her soul and life force. To be precise, her body must undergo a nirvanic transformation so that it can sustain her soul and life."
Shen Lang looked up at the Medusa Queen. For the first time since meeting her, Shen Lang looked directly at her face.
"Am I a very special person?"
"Of course. You are one of the only three emperors under Heaven."
"Is Qiu Yao'er, both in body and soul, currently one-tenth of you?"
"Yes. And she is utterly fearless. Even before you, an emperor, she would likely feel no fear. Her ideal is to live freely, drifting across the world and exploring all its unknown realms."
"Then, Your Majesty, what about you?"
"Me? My only goal is merely to stay alive."
Hearing this, Shen Lang's heart pounded.
"Your Majesty, is it that you cannot abandon the Queen's City, and you cannot abandon the people you protect?"
"If you have something to say, just say it. What do you wish to gain from here, Your Majesty Shen Lang, one of the three emperors?"
"Can I ask you to take all your armies, leave the Queen's City, and help me in my great cause?"
The Medusa Queen gave a captivating smile. It was a beauty so alluring that it made it impossible to look directly at her, for it felt as if one's heart would stop at that moment. With a smile, the Medusa Queen spoke softly to Shen Lang.
"You finally said it, father of my child. Do you remember what I said just now? My only goal is to stay alive. Only by staying alive can I protect our daughter, and protect the people I wish to protect."
Shen Lang's heart trembled. What did the Medusa Queen's words mean? She smiled and asked again.
"Shen Lang, am I powerful?"
She repeated the same question she had asked before.
"Unsurpassingly so."
"When you heard about the Witch Empire, and when you saw it, what did you feel?"
"It felt dreamlike, unreal, like a beautiful soap bubble."
"Correct. You are indeed full of talent. That must be why you could write such an interesting book. A soap bubble, or perhaps a mirage. When sailing the seas or crossing a desert, one sometimes sees a mirage. For a fleeting moment, it feels like a paradise, but when you walk towards it, you find nothing but emptiness. Not only the Witch Empire, but I, the Medusa Queen, am the same! Emperor of the future! My time is short. Perhaps I will die soon."
As soon as she finished speaking, she forcefully spat out a mouthful of crimson blood. Within the bright red blood, golden threads were clearly visible. A golden bloodline. She possessed a golden bloodline even more astonishing than Qiu Yao'er's.
"Pfft!"
She then spat out another mouthful of crimson blood, and her seemingly magical body immediately collapsed. Shen Lang rushed forward and caught her in an instant. The Medusa Queen looked at Shen Lang and spoke in a trembling voice.
"Father of my child and emperor of the future, why did you take so long? I truly thought I wouldn't be able to hold on until you arrived."