Chapter 398: Section 185: But I’m in high spirits!
Seeing the silent Sha Ji, the Holy Temple Knight continued, “The Empire uses martial power that is unrivaled in the Main World to conquer their enemies. At the same time, they also have clever political tactics to deal with their allies.”
“Once, the Red Earth Plateau was your home, almost all of it your territory.”
“But over the course of a few hundred years, the Empire has used various pretexts and clever methods to divide the Red Earth Plateau. How much of those rich mineral deposits do the nobles now possess?”
Sha Ji sneered coldly, staring at the Holy Temple Knight, “Are you trying to incite my clan against the Empire?”
The Holy Temple Knight hurriedly shook his head, “I’m merely stating the facts.”
“Even if we don’t mention your people or the Red Earth Plateau, let’s talk about those southern nobles in recent centuries.”
“In the Empire’s final battle to unify the Holy Bright Continent, they recruited many southern nobles. How did the Empire treat those who surrendered and pledged loyalty?”
“Look around, not a single house is in a good situation.”
“Take the Hundred Needle Family, for example.”
“They were once one of the leaders among the southern nobles, prominent for a time. Now what? They can barely hold onto their remaining territories, and not long ago, the only heir to the family even suffered a shipwreck.”
“Ironic, isn’t it?”
“According to intelligence, this heir had supposedly joined the Holy Temple Knights and became a follower of the Holy Emperor.”
“If the Empire treats the Human Race this way, what about us giants?”
Sha Ji’s questions made Sha Ji’s face grow even darker.
He then shifted the conversation to praise the Fire City Lord, “To be honest, I truly admire the City Lord.”
“Years ago, when the Demon Army emerged from Hell and wreaked havoc in the Main World, various races united to fight back.”
“As the waves of counter-attack surged on a grand scale, pushing the demons into disarray, the City Lord volunteered to sacrifice herself, traveling to Fire Island to guard the spatial weak point here.”
“It was by seizing this opportunity that you were able to leap out of the trap of the Red Earth Plateau.”
“Under immense pressure, the City Lord led her people to survive on Fire Island, thriving and multiplying to this day.”
“If the situation had been left to develop, your entire clan might have perished on the Red Earth Plateau. The Empire’s tactics and dark conspiracies are endless.”
“It’s ridiculous that at the beginning, many giants in your clan opposed her, thinking she had become the Empire’s lackey. Many giants preferred to stay on the Red Earth Plateau.”
“Now what?”
“Where have the giants who stayed on the Red Earth Plateau gone?”
“Everything has proven just how visionary the City Lord is!”
“She is of Legendary Level strength, an alchemy master, but at the same time, she is an excellent leader with foresight.”
“With her presence, the nobles can temporarily consider Fire Island as an external sanctuary. Otherwise, your situation might be even more tragic than that of the Hundred Needle Family.”
Sha Ji remained silent.
The Fire City Lord was the person she respected the most, Sha Ji’s praises resonated with her, but the dangers and crises he depicted weighed heavily on her heart.
Though Sha Ji had devoted almost all of her energy to alchemy, she was intelligent and not dull, and her understanding of the situation was not uninformed.
“So,” Sha Ji took a deep breath, his expression extremely sincere, “even if you don’t wish to enter into a marriage alliance with me, I would be very regretful, but I would not insist. I also don’t have the power to compel you.”
“But, as a fellow giant, I must sincerely advise you, Miss Sha Ji.”
“Please take the idea of a marriage alliance seriously!”
“Even if you find it repulsive, even loathsome, please think of your clan.”
“Even if you don’t consider your clan, think of the City Lord.”
“Doesn’t the City Lord know of your resistance to the marriage? So why has she organized it time and again?”
“She has always led the giant clan on Fire Island, this is the last spark of the giants from the Red Earth Plateau! Please trust her more, believe in your leader.”
His words struck Sha Ji’s heart like a heavy hammer.
Sha Ji couldn’t help but turn pale, her expression visibly shaken.
The Holy Temple Knight pressed on while the iron was hot, “As I mentioned before, the situation for Fire City is dire, this is not idle talk, nor is it alarmist.”
“The Holy Emperor has stirred up an era’s tempest!”
“He controls the entire Holy Bright Empire and has positioned troops at the throat of the Beastmen.”
“The Holy Bright Continent’s invasion of the Wilderness Continent, the Human Race’s incursion into the Beast Race, will inevitably be a massive confrontation.”
“Both sides are preparing for a monumental battle. Such a battle of the ages will not be just one, it could be two or three.”
“The Holy Bright Continent is launching an expedition, while the Beast Race fights on their home ground.”
“The Empire must ensure the security of its seaborne supply lines! The Empire needs it to continuously ferry troops and supply. This is the Empire’s lifeline!”
“And Fire Island’s strategic location is too important. It is not near the Wilderness Continent, but it is also far from the Holy Bright Continent. It is the most critical pillar of the sea transport route!”
“The Beast Race, wanting to defeat the Empire, will try every means to attack here, to destroy Fire Island!”
“And the Holy Bright Empire?”
“Would those high and mighty Dukes—the living gods—not know the importance of the supply lines?”
“Will they leave Fire Island under the care of giants? Would they entrust the entire Empire’s lifeline to a foreign race?”
“So, they will undoubtedly make a move on Fire Island as well!”
“I don’t know what means the Empire will use, but I am sure they have been brewing something for a long time,” he said.
“The Empire will make a move earlier than the Beast Race.”
“Once they take action, what will become of Fire Island? Can you defend it?”
Qi Ya’s face turned pale.
She stared into Sha Ji’s eyes and bit her lip, “So, after all that you’ve said, are you reminding me that this marriage alliance is probably the City Lord’s way of seeking an escape route for our kin?”
“So, is my marriage to you mandatory?”
Sha Ji let out a long sigh, “Miss Qi Ya, please don’t be angry with me.”
“It’s not me who is forcing you.”
“The essence and truth of the matter is that the Empire is forcing your entire race, even pressing down on all the Beastmen of the Wilderness Continent!”
“At this moment, as we sit here, face to face, having our first conversation.”
“It wasn’t you or me that catalyzed this.”
“We are geniuses, of the Holy Domain, strong beings, yet in front of the Empire, we are still so insignificant. We can only be swept away by the hurricane of the era, against our will!”
Qi Ya lowered her head, sinking into a long silence.
After a while, she finally spoke, her voice somewhat hoarse.
“What about you then?” she asked back.
“What you’ve said is correct.”
“For a long time, I’ve immersed myself in the domain of alchemy, paying little attention to the outside world.”
“Even when I had a bad feeling about what the future held, I did not investigate deeply. At every moment of worry, I would think of my teacher, the City Lord.”
“Today, I thank you for your guidance.”
“However, all that you’ve said, is just to achieve your goal of marrying.”
“As a member of Fire City, a descendant of the giants of the Red Earth Plateau, we are indeed in a dangerous position. What about you then?”
“Why did you come all this way from the Frost Continent, seeking an alliance with us?”
Sha Ji burst into laughter, “Hahahaha.”
His eyes sparkled with brilliance, “Miss Qi Ya, do you know when a Sand Boat is fastest?”
Without waiting for Qi Ya to respond, he continued, “It’s during a gale!”
“Dangers often contain opportunities that are not present in normal times.”
“Only in a ferocious sandstorm can one catch the highest-quality Shuttle Dragon Fish.”
“When the hurricane strikes and the sand flies into the sky, dunes collapsing, the underground colonies of Shuttle Dragon Fish are startled and begin to scurry in all directions.”
“They’re extremely fast, squeezing out every ounce of strength in their bodies to shine the brightest in the face of natural disasters.”
“In order to survive, they twist their bodies and can even leap into the air, piercing the violent wind and sand curtains sharply like arrows, soaring with the wind!”
“If I want to catch the best Shuttle Dragon Fish, I just need to grab those that jump the highest.”
As he spoke, Sha Ji paused for a moment, his eyes revealing a look of yearning.
“Do you know?”
“I love watching those Shuttle Dragon Fish leap through the sandstorm as if they were flying.”
“Shuttle Dragon Fish are only of Silver Level at most. They simply cannot fly; their body structure does not allow it. In the desert’s food chain, they are only in the middle or lower levels.”
“Yet, at that critical moment, when the heavens and the earth are vast and imposing, they leap as if flying, refusing to accept their destined bloodline, unwilling to face the fate of death, they make a desperate jump.”
“I believe, at that moment, they surpass themselves, surpass the limitations of their race, and even destiny!”
At this point, Sha Ji covered his heart, not looking at Qi Ya in front of him, but turned towards the window, gazing at the distant sky and sea.
His voice also became a bit hoarse.
“Although I carry the excellent bloodline of the Sha Huang, I have reached my limit now.”
“Countless times, I have tossed and turned in my sleep, lying alone in the desert, staring at the starry night sky. My cultivation has not progressed, and I am practically at a standstill.”
“Genius? It’s just to a certain degree.”
“Qi Ya, you must feel the same. You have the domain of alchemy to explore, but can your power still advance?”
“The Holy Domain is our limit! This is the concentration of our bloodlines, unchangeable.”
“And the Sha Huang clan, although dominant in the region and possessing many resources, has also reached its limit. This is the limit for the entire clan.”
“Just like the Shuttle Dragon Fish cannot fly.”
“But I am not willing to accept this.”
“Even the Shuttle Dragon Fish strive to leap, and so I must struggle with all my might to seize the opportunity! The tempest stirred up by the Holy Bright Empire is my wind. Even if I ultimately perish in the vast sands, I am content.”
“Because I have struggled, leapt with all my strength, and laughed heartily.”
“Indeed.”
“Laughing wildly in the sandstorm, grains of sand pouring into one’s mouth, but I… I feel exhilarated.”