Little Mar saw the arriving Ye Cang and wrapped an arm around him while laughing heartily. “Not bad! Kid, you’re leading Black Rock City to prosperity. Supplies, transportation, commerce, will all bloom with this as foundation; especially transportation and commerce.”
“I’m currently extremely poor…” Ye Cang’s words made Little Mar freeze.
Little Mar changed to a look of contempt, “Are you messing with me?”
“The construction costs are too great, especially the plans for the new goddess city. The early phase already has me questioning the profits.” Ye Cang smiled bitterly.
“Once the goddesses’ city is established, the profits…” Little Mar continued to look down on him.
“True, let’s not talk about this. About me establishing a city, has the empire shown any reaction?” Ye Cang was a bit worried about this. Although Azshara didn’t stop him, he wasn’t sure about the government’s policy.
“Don’t worry, they won’t oppose it. In fact, they will happily support you taking on this tough task. Black Peaks has been sitting idle for more than just a few years. The empire’s funds and supplies are almost all sent to the front lines. This natural barrier has always been a secret concern of theirs. If someone can restore the three goddesses past glory, it will be a great help to the empire’s rear defences. Although we haven’t interacted with the Isca Fanda of the desert for hundreds of years, there are still the occasional merchants who visit. They are currently undergoing civil unrest which has been ongoing for hundreds of years. The latest news tells of their divided power and politics, becoming countless tribes. With Prosperity Hill being taken over by bugs, they were too busy to come and we were too busy to go.” Little Mar talked about the construction of the goddesses city as well as the situation of the Isca Fanda Empire in the desert wasteland to the north.
“Even a religious city, as long as it isn’t an evil cult, there will be no objections.” Little Mar continued.
“Then I can be relieved. Oh right, do you know about Thousand Peaks Mountain…” Ye Cang nodded, then recalled something he wanted to ask.
Before he could even finish, Little Mar interrupted him, “Don’t mess with that place. It’s not worth the trouble. It’s not like the empire never considered it but it really isn’t worth the cost. The price in order to suppress that place is enormous. It would take at least a power equivalent to a few military legions.”
“So difficult!?” Ye Cang knew what a power equivalent to a military legion was, for example Maru Naya.
“Mm, in other words, don’t even think about it for now. Let’s discuss it again when the time is right. Exterminating that big guy is inevitable but not now. Let’s first stabilize our current resources without delay.” Little Mar’s words helped ground Ye Cang’s heart.
Together, they chatted and laughed for a while. Ye Cang left the sinkhole and arrived at the entrance to the Dark Cave. He gathered his party. Their instance had refreshed by now. NalanPureSoul once again joined them, then everyone quickly completed it once more, obtaining a dark gold item and countless gold equipment.
“Brother PureSoul, how about joining our party? I’ll double your bonus!” Ye Cang grinned.
The others all broke out in cold sweat. He is one of the leaders of China’s greatest guilds, what would he join your little party for? He should be inviting you. You think you can take their boss after a bit of success?
“Brother PaleSnow, as charming as always…” NalanPureSoul laughed lovably, then took his leave.
“Bro, where should we go next?” Zhang ZhengXiong felt like these few days had all been spent on internal affairs, there hadn’t been any fighting and killing. They had finally come to the instance, but it wasn’t a challenge anymore. They had completely steamrolled it.
Ye Cang opened Little Ye Tian’s map, then looked around the basin. All the noteworthy areas had been explored. Thousand Peaks Mountains wasn’t something they could touch right now. According to Little Mar, if someone went to Thousand Peaks Mountains, then they would surely die.
Ye Cang saw that Northwest of the lake was another stretch of mountains. Pondering for a moment, he said, “Let’s go that way and see.”
Everyone set off and began overcoming mountain after mountain. The process took them another week. Zhang ZhengXiong’s axe hacked through a huge Moon-Bellied Bear and saw that past it was another mountain. He said gloomily, “Bro, it’s already been a week, yet we haven’t even seen an instance or anything. Even though we got quite a few materials, this can’t go on.”
“Victory comes to those who persevere. I don’t believe we won’t find anything. Onwards. We’ll talk once we comb through that mountain.” Ye Cang said angrily as he shot down a Steel-Feathered Eagle, plucked it clean and threw it into the cart.
And just like that, they spent more weeks overcoming mountains; travelling across arduous terrain and climbing up deadly rock-faces. ThornyRose watched as their experience rose rapidly on the level rankings, not falling behind. Not bad, those guys have been pretty diligent this past month.
CloudDragon looked at the one suppressing him on the level rankings, in other words, the unrelenting Ye Cang. This guy is so hard working? He’s been training in the mountains for half a month straight.
NalanPureSoul was also suspicious. There had been no news of them recently.
As for Ye Cang’s group, they stood dishevelled on a mountain peak, looking at even more mountains ahead. There wasn’t even a lake or something to be seen. Besides trees, there were only mountains and those increasingly difficult monsters.
“Team Leader, let’s go back. It’ll take us at least half a month to rush back from here…” FrozenCloud suggested. Actually, their gains this half a month weren’t bad. They fought many wild mini-bosses, both of the flying and crawling variety, but the thought of continuing was sickening. She looked beside her to the three meter tall, giant white toad. The little tadpole had already become a big toad. Its color also changed from grey to white and it even learned a light-type crowd-control skill.
“No! Onwards! I have to see what is over there!!” Ye Cang was going mad.
Another half a month passed. Ye Cang’s group looked even more messed up as they viewed the barren wasteland beneath them. Beyond the wasteland was a vast ocean. Ocean, desert, mountains. FrozenCloud and SpyingBlade actually felt some admiration for Ye Cang. He really stubbornly brought them to the most western part of the Black Peaks.
SpyingBlade turned and looked towards Little Ye Tian’s perfect, up-to-date map. This was one of their greatest harvests this trip.
Hearing an eagle cry, Ye Cang raised his brows and activated Eagle Eyes. Through Little Blue Feather’s field of view, he saw a village. It was by the shore, with its back to the mountains. Outside the village was the wasteland. More importantly, the village had a dock. They could even see little fishing boats.
“There’s a village! Let’s go look.” Ye Cang happily brought everyone down the mountain, rushing towards the village. Arriving outside the village, the villagers saw Ye Cang’s group and were startled. They directly called the village chief over.
“I’m Sand Sea Village’s Chief – Mocha. How may I address you?” The chief looked like a middle-aged mediterranean. He wore a linen robe and spoke respectfully.
“I’m from the Planetary Empire. Black Rock City’s Earl, PaleSnow.” Ye Cang announced his identity.
The chief looked a the earl medal on Ye Cang’s chest and sighed in relief. “So you’re a traveller from the Planetary Empire. However, we’re in a remote region, there is hardly anyone who comes here. It has been over a hundred years since a visitor from the Planetary Empire has come…”