C395 Silver Rainbow Shuttle!
The blazing sun hung high, casting its light over the vast and icy wasteland.
All was silent and still.
A sleek silver Flying Shuttle, nearly thirty meters in length and seven meters wide, soared across the sky above the barren land like a streak of arc light.
"Silver Rainbow Shuttle!"
Beneath the desolate expanse, someone gazed upward at the swiftly passing silver Sky Chariot, shrinking back uneasily.
Their body slipped quietly into an open cave mouth on the wasteland.
Deep within the subterranean cavern, a cultivator in the late period of the Veil Breaking Stage, clad in golden armor, exclaimed in surprise, "What? Silver Rainbow Shuttle!"
"Don't be nervous; it's not after us," the person who watched the Flying Shuttle depart snorted dismissively. "With our level of cultivation, why would someone on the Silver Rainbow Shuttle bother to pursue us? We're near the Forgotten Ruins, which are rumored to be quite unsettled. Tong Laoqian, Qi Hongyi, and others have all stealthily made their way there."
"Judging by the Silver Rainbow Shuttle's trajectory, it must have originated from the Forgotten Ruins and is now crossing the Sunblessed Empire to reach the sea."
The cultivator who had taken refuge in the cave, his hair a tangled mess of gray and white from lack of washing, seemed unconcerned as he sighed, "After causing trouble in the Sunblessed Empire, I thought to flee to the Forgotten Ruins. Little did I know that the place has become fraught with danger."
"What kind of danger?" asked the man in the golden armor, clearly out of the loop.
"A great many have perished. Two Spirit Walk cultivators from the Thunder Sect and Winter's Bite, along with the Silverfrost Dragon from Dragon Lake, all met their end in the Forgotten Ruins," he lamented, his face downcast. "Next to such figures, we are mere insects. I have no desire to meet an untimely end there without cause."
"What in the world has happened in the Forgotten Ruins?" the man in golden armor asked, visibly alarmed.
"Who can say? All I've heard is that numerous individuals from the seven lower sects of the Euwrea Continent have also lost their lives there. The teleportation circle, crafted by the Ethereal Void Sect, has been sabotaged and is currently inoperative," the man with knotted hair worried. "If you ask me, we'd be better off changing course and heading for the Godsblight Marsh. By comparison, it remains a sanctuary of relative calm for the time being."
"Moreover, with the Untamed presiding over this area, not even the sects from the Land of Quiescence and Euwrea would dare to cause trouble."
"Well, that settles it."
The pair conversed as they slipped into a subterranean cavern within the ice field, gradually disappearing from sight.
...
"The Silver Rainbow Shuttle! It's actually the Devil Palace's Silver Rainbow Shuttle!"
"It truly is the Silver Rainbow Shuttle!"
"How can the Silver Rainbow Shuttle flout the rules and soar through the skies of Thealone?"
In the grand city, thrice the size of Asvetaesi, many people on the streets and in the plazas craned their necks to watch the silver shuttle streak across the sky above them.
This city, bordering the Forgotten Ruins, was one of the six great cities of the Sunblessed Empire.
The most powerful family in Thealone was the Liu family, from which the King of Wraiths also hailed.
Thealone was not only the cradle of the Liu family but also the birthplace of the previous empress of the Sunblessed Empire, with the King of Wraiths being her younger brother.
It was a formidable city renowned throughout the Sunblessed Empire, teeming with hidden cultivators.
Normally, such a mighty city would not permit a Sky Chariot to flaunt itself so openly.
Apart from the Sunblessed Empire's well-known Golden Ship, other Sky Chariots would take a detour, avoiding flight over Thealone's airspace.
Yet, the Silver Rainbow Shuttle seemed to care little for Thealone's regulations, displaying such audacity.
"The Silver Rainbow Shuttle is from the Devil Palace! Even the Liu family's King of Wraiths is now a cultivator there!" someone remarked with a huff. "Who would dare object to the Devil Palace's Sky Chariot flying over Thealone? Even if the Emperor were aware, would he dare to challenge the Devil Palace?"
"Alas, the days of the empire's splendor seem to be behind us. With the Wai family supplanting the Liu family as the new sovereigns, and the Blackfang Legion nearly wiped out," another person murmured discontentedly, "how can a nation riddled with ceaseless strife ever hope to be strong?"
"That's right, the Wai family really doesn't compare to the Liu family," buzzed the chatter among the city's inhabitants.
The Silver Rainbow Shuttle soared past the Sky Might Sacred City and gradually came to a halt above a small village on the outskirts. Yu Yuan, who had been meditating quietly in a corner and channeling the energy of a soulstone, sensed the anomaly of the Sky Chariot and instinctively opened his eyes. Yan Lu's eyes snapped open as well.
With a broad grin, Yan Lu declared, "I'll go inquire."
No sooner had he spoken than he leapt to his feet and made his way toward the cabin of the Warp Spindle.
Several days had elapsed since their farewell to Zhou Cangmin and Yan Qiling. A Silver Rainbow Shuttle had arrived silently, alighting in the Forgotten Ruins before their departure. Yan Lu, perched atop the vessel, had extended the invitation.
Zhou Cangmin had ushered him aboard with an encouraging nod and a smile, assuring him that he could journey to the Embers Sea with confidence. Throughout the entire encounter, he had not glimpsed a single dark adept aboard the Silver Rainbow Shuttle, nor did he know how many others, besides himself and Yan Lu, were on board.
Yet, he was aware that the Silver Rainbow Shuttle was the Devil Palace's hallmark—a symbol that commanded respect from every sect, empire, and power as it traversed the heavens and earth. Such was the prestige of the Silver Rainbow Shuttle that it could soar with impunity across all of Aetherius, save for the territories of the Songbird Empire.
The Songbird Empire's current empress was exceptionally formidable, her significant contributions to the Everlands earning her the Devil Palace's reverence. Within her domain, the Devil Palace's Silver Rainbow Shuttle adhered to the protocols established by the Songbird Queen, never daring to overstep.
Indeed, only the Songbird Empire, only the Songbird Queen, enjoyed such a privilege.
"The Warp Spindle has stopped to pick up someone," Yan Lu reported back swiftly, his smile tinged with oddity. "It's someone we know."
"An acquaintance?" Yu Yuan inquired, intrigued.
"You'll find out momentarily," Yan Lu replied with a hearty laugh.
As his words fell, a swath of inky arc light cascaded down upon the village below. Yu Yuan rose to his feet and peered over the edge of the Flying Shuttle, eager to discover who awaited them.
In the blink of an eye, the once desolate and empty village, which had been untouched for countless years, was suddenly revealed in all its hidden splendor, as if a veil had been lifted, and it burst forth with life and vibrancy.
The ramshackle village transformed into a series of exquisite pavilions, with courtyards featuring jade-carved railings and a profusion of rare flowers and exotic plants.
From one of the pavilions emerged a striking figure, the target of the ominous black light.
The arc light descended swiftly, enveloping her and transporting her aboard the Silver Rainbow Shuttle, where she appeared before Yan Lu and Yu Yuan.
"Su Yan!"
"Yu Yuan!"
They both exclaimed in shock.
Su Yan, already privy to the news, had anticipated the arrival of the Silver Rainbow Shuttle and knew of Yan Lu's presence. However, she was unaware that Yu Yuan was also aboard.
Yu Yuan was even more in the dark, never having imagined that Su Yan would be picked up by the Silver Rainbow Shuttle and taken to the Embers Sea alongside them.
Su Yan was a newly inducted disciple, handpicked by the Abyssal Dawn Sect, her name well-known in their genealogy.
Yu Yuan was taken aback that the Silver Rainbow Shuttle from the Devil Palace had come to escort her, a move that the Abyssal Dawn Sect's networking had not prepared him for.
As they recovered from their initial surprise, the Silver Rainbow Shuttle resumed its journey, soaring through the skies once more.
"Yu Yuan, how did you end up here? After the Blackfang Legion relentlessly pursued us, what unfolded in the Forgotten Ruins?" Su Yan approached him, her green dress swaying gently as she stood before him. Her nostrils flared slightly with her excitement as she inquired, "I'm aware that the Yan family has succeeded the Lee family as the new rulers of the Shadowlight Empire. Thanks to messages from my father, I have some insight into the empire's internal affairs. But since leaving the Forgotten Ruins, I've been out of the loop regarding subsequent events."
The transformation of the Forgotten Ruins over the past half-month had been nothing short of miraculous.
The master of the village where she had stayed was a cultivator of exceptional skill, an old acquaintance of her father, Su Xiangtian, who had shared revelations that left her utterly astounded.
Thealone was situated not far from the Forgotten Ruins, and the village master had employed the Spirit Walk technique to remotely observe the area. He noticed the newfound richness of spiritual energy there and the once-barren woods now teeming with flora.
The village master, who also had a fondness for flora, attempted to harvest some but was warned off by an immense consciousness. Acknowledging his inability to contend with it, he promptly apologized and withdrew.
Upon the return of the Lunar Spirit, the village master inquired tirelessly but couldn't unravel the mystery, so he resigned himself to wait in silence.
"It's nothing major. The state preceptor of the Crimson Sun Empire, having taken on the form of a Solar Spirit, has descended upon the Lost Lands. The commander-in-chief had no choice but to flee to the Godsblight Marsh, while our empress was captured alive by the Solar Spirit," Yu Yuan bluffed. "Consequently, the empress and the commander-in-chief's scheme came to an abrupt end."
"What you're telling me is already known to me," Su Yan said with a hint of bitterness. "I'm seeking the truths that elude me. Yu Yuan, I saw quite a bit before I left, and I refuse to believe it's as straightforward as you claim."
Yu Yuan shrugged and spread his hands. "I passed out along the way, so I'm genuinely clueless about what happened."
"Let's just drop it. You're not trustworthy," Su Yan chided, giving him a playful look, and she didn't press further. "You went to the Embers Sea as well, didn't you?"
"Yeah, I wandered over there to see if I could stumble upon any fortunate encounters."
Afterward, the two of them settled into their seats aboard the Silver Rainbow Shuttle, occasionally engaging in light conversation, though they spent most of their time in cultivation.
Time flew by, and the Silver Rainbow Shuttle departed from Thealone, setting course for the Stormcrown Empire. It would occasionally dock to welcome a new passenger aboard.
Half a month later, the Silver Rainbow Shuttle had gained two more men and a woman, all of whom were in the Veil Breaking Realm.
These individuals, hailing from the Stormcrown Empire, appeared to have been preselected by the Devil Palace as disciples.
Like Yan Lu, they too would venture to the Embers Sea before proceeding directly to the Land of Quiescence.
Being from the same empire and disciples of the Devil Palace, the two men and the woman were already well-acquainted with one another.
"We've heard of Yan Lu. The Yan family, like ours, has long been a part of the sect," said a gaunt man, glancing sideways at Yu Yuan. "But the Yu family from Asvetaesi? I haven't heard of them. I wonder when they caught the sect's attention."
His gaze then turned icy as he looked at Su Yan. "The current head of the Su family seems to be quite close to the Abyssal Dawn, right?"
"Yes," Yan Lu responded nonchalantly.
"Why would someone from the Abyssal Dawn be on our Warp Spindle?" the man huffed.
With a sly grin, Yan Lu gestured towards the cabin. "If you're wondering why, feel free to go inside and pose your question to the Dark Herald."
"Dark Herald..."
The two men and the woman had previously been harboring resentment because Su Yan was aboard the Silver Rainbow Shuttle. But at Yan Lu's suggestion, they all glanced at the cabin, their expressions turning rigid, and they fell silent.
Eventually, the same man approached Yu Yuan again. "By the way, you're only at the Golden Sanctum level. You seem rather weak. What business do you have in the Embers Sea?"
"You sure do talk a lot," Yu Yuan responded with annoyance.
