The elder of the foreign race was puzzled by the situation. From what the three individuals had told him, the Huaxia Empire was a human power, ruled by a young emperor, a supreme figure among emperors and kings.
Yet, the sea creatures before him were of various different races, and from their words, it seemed that they were also part of the Huaxia Empire.
A human empire that included sea creatures?
"Father, could we have come to the wrong place? Is there another place called the Huaxia Empire among the sea tribes?" The middle-aged foreigner was equally bewildered, struggling to make sense of the situation. "Or perhaps those three lied to us?"
The elder of the foreign race, Mu Houde, shook his head slowly, signaling his son to stay calm. He took a step forward on the ship's deck. "I am Mu Houde, the patriarch of the Wood Spirit Clan. Our clan has suffered great calamities and was driven out of the Western Continent. We saved three humans, and they directed us here, telling us to seek the Huaxia Empire in hopes of finding a land to survive."
"This token was given to us by them." As Mu Houde spoke, he tossed an object toward Zhang Zide.
Zhang Zide caught it and, upon closer inspection, found it to be a broken golden token, covered in cracks, with the characters for "Huaxia" engraved on it.
"This token…" Zhang Zide's heart tightened. He immediately took out an item from his own belongings, which was also a golden token.
This token was given to him by Lin Qian himself, a direct means to contact the emperor.
Zhang Zide, a close confidant of Lin Qian, was one of the few who could address him as a peer in private, but in matters of state, they were ruler and subject.
Zhang Zide remained silent, causing Mu Houde to grow increasingly nervous. Looking back at his people, he could see the fear and confusion in their eyes.
The vast army of sea creatures atop the towering waves added to the overwhelming pressure they were feeling.
"Wait here. I've already reported the situation to the Emperor. Remember, do not advance another step, or don't blame us if things turn violent." As Zhang Zide spoke, the waves beneath the Treading Waves Army dissipated, leaving them standing calmly atop the sea.
However, as the waves receded, several Soul Cannons with a metallic gleam emerged from beneath the water, charged with soul force and aimed directly at the Wood Spirit Clan.
"Make a reckless move, and you'll be reduced to ash," Zhang Zide warned, sending a chill down Mu Houde's spine.
Just from looking at the Soul Cannons, Mu Houde could tell how terrifying their power was.
Though he didn't fully understand what these Soul Cannons were, he trusted that Zhang Zide's threat was not to be taken lightly.
"We will wait, General. Please do not be angry," Mu Houde quickly responded, bowing to Zhang Zide and retreating with his son to the rear of the ship.
"Grandfather, have we found a new home?" At that moment, a young child with light green skin from the Wood Spirit Clan ran up to Mu Houde with wide eyes. "The ships have stopped—are we at our new home? Does this mean no one else will die?"
Looking down at the small child, Mu Houde's face filled with sorrow. Whether this Huaxia Empire, ruled by the sea creatures, was the same one mentioned by those three humans, he didn't know. But from the strong stance of the sea creatures, he could already sense that life under the Huaxia Empire's protection might not be easy.
"We're not there yet. It's my fault for being injured and unable to use my full strength," Mu Houde said apologetically, squatting down to stroke the child's head. "But remember, no matter what kind of life we face in the future, you must stay strong and live on."
"Don't worry, Grandfather. I will," the Wood Spirit child replied earnestly, nodding to show that he would remember Mu Houde's words.
Meanwhile, far away in the Central Domain, Lin Qian was still in discussion with Zhuge Ming when his eyes suddenly glowed with a golden light.
The system framework appeared before him, displaying incoming messages. People close to him, such as Lei Qian, Gao Benli, Fang Ziqian, and Zhang Zide, could all contact him directly through the special tokens he had given them.
"Old Zhang must have found something interesting again," Lin Qian mused with a smile as he saw the name of the message's sender. He opened the message.
"Your Majesty…"
The opening address caused Lin Qian to immediately shift from his relaxed demeanor. While he and Zhang Zide were close like brothers in private, in official matters, Zhang Zide addressed him with the proper title.
If Zhang Zide was addressing him as "Your Majesty," then the message was of serious importance, not just casual talk.
"Your Majesty, this is Zhang Zide. I have intercepted a fleet of 2,624 ships at the maritime border. Onboard are approximately 10 million members of a foreign race calling themselves the Wood Spirit Clan. Their patriarch, Mu Houde, has presented a token identical to the Golden Dragon Huaxia Messaging Token, though it is broken."
"The matter is of great importance, and I dare not make any decisions without consulting you."
Attached to the message was an image of the broken token.
Upon seeing the broken token, Lin Qian's expression turned grave, and a thought arose in his mind: "Could it be…?"
"General Zhang, maintain the current situation. I'm returning immediately!" Lin Qian sent the reply and quickly set off to find his grandparents.
"What? Are you saying it could be Fang Shuiwen, Zhou Yian, and Yang Guixiang?" Upon hearing Lin Qian's words, Yun Fan couldn't contain his excitement. He stood up and rushed toward Lin Qian, unable to believe what he was hearing.
In truth, the fates of his three old comrades had always been a thorn in Yun Fan's heart.
Now that Lin Qian had told him there might be news about them, how could he not be overjoyed?
"However, we may need to head back to the Southern Domain. I believe that this area is still too barren. How about you come with me, and we can return here once the 190 states have been rebuilt?"
Lin Qian's suggestion caused Yun Fan to ponder for a moment. After exchanging a glance with Yun Rong, they both understood each other's thoughts.
"Very well. We'll go with you to the Southern Domain and take a look at this Huaxia Empire you've built."
"The Huaxia Empire changes year by year. Though it's still being perfected, once you arrive in the Southern Domain, you'll see an entirely new world," Lin Qian said with a smile as his grandfather agreed.