MTLNOVEL Chapter 236 We have discovered the former Imperial City!_2
The yellow sand grains twinkled with a light of despair, as if narrating a world of death unreachable.
"That is our village, our homeland..."
"This time, we are really leaving."
The workers standing by the large propeller looked on with a touch of melancholy.
Twenty villages, nearly a hundred thousand people, dwindled to just ten thousand, what a tragedy.
The low houses were gradually buried by the sandstorm.
The slight greenery that once was had vanished.
That was their homeland, now devoid of any life.
The Well had dried up, the cacti had died.
What remained was nothing but a ruin of civilization.
A faint sadness lingered in their hearts.
The feast had ended.
The village had fallen.
And I, high in the sky, flew towards the distant coastlines.
The sandstorm was boundless,
We shall meet no more.
...
About a month later, the speed of Sky City had increased to 6 kilometers per hour, roughly the normal walking speed of humans.
A twenty-four-hour journey would cover around 140 kilometers, which wasn't too slow actually.
Then came the process of gradually slowing down, as the city's mass was great and it required early deceleration.
Several small to medium safety incidents occurred in the meantime; Lu Yuan remained constantly anxious, dreading the day when the city might plummet in his dreams, mashing everyone into a pulp.
Two months later, the damned yellow sands gradually receded, revealing drought-stricken land, with occasional puddles found.
The enthusiasm among the people soared even higher.
Especially for the patrol team, the delightful mood was unspeakable—every day calculating the distance and when they might arrive at the destination.
This patrol team led by Sha Kan'er was mainly responsible for the city's security, sanitation, and maintenance, totaling about five hundred people.
Three Worm Kings also served in the patrol team. Although intelligent, they didn't understand human social customs, so they could only do some simple odd jobs.
"Level Three now! Congratulations, Sha Team!"
That day, cheers erupted from the team because, with greatly improved nutrition and cultivation conditions, Captain Sha Kan'er finally advanced to become a Level Three Expert.
He exhaled a long breath, his face flushed with excitement.
Lu Yuan was nearby, offering his blessings, "Congratulations! Our Green Grass Town finally has a Level Three Expert."
Sha Kan'er's complexion was ruddy as he stretched his limbs and laughed, "Where, my aptitude is just one in ten thousand. In the past, it would have taken ten more years of hard work to advance." Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire
"If it weren't for Captain Lu providing the cultivation resources, how could it have been so fast?"
These words were also sincerely meant; Lu Yuan still had a few Inferior Grade Spirit Crystals and provided Pomegranate Fruits, which were not easily accessible to poor people like them.
"Lu Da, let's have a match."
"Yes!"
One man and one insect, the fight began.
The Worm King was Level Four, the Militia Captain was Level Three.
The previously one-sided situation now lasted for quite some time.
Lu Yuan said to the surrounding soldiers, "According to the Imperial archives, a Level Three Expert lives for three hundred years and is a forceful presence in the military."
"A Level Four Powerhouse is a rarity in the Empire with a lifespan of five hundred years!"
"You all should also strive, whether for yourselves or for the whole of Green Grass Town... I hope everyone lives for a thousand years!"
The soldiers all laughed and their faces were full of hope.
The most promising in the military were two individuals possessing 'Divine Skills.'
One was named Liu Mu, who possessed the 'Heavenly Eye' ability, emitting an invisible light and conducting high-class soul attacks.
The second was called Li Dayin, who had Shadow Control, meaning he could materialize shadows to fight enemies.
These two men had great potential and their cultivation rate was faster than that of ordinary people.
However, cultivation relies mostly on resources.
Without the resources provided by Lu Yuan, one would remain utterly ordinary for a lifetime.
Then, just the next second, exclamations came from afar, "Quick, look to the south!"
"We...seem to have reached our destination!!"
Everyone looked in unison, their faces a mix of surprise, exhilaration, and fervor.
This was followed by loud cheers!
High in the sky, they saw...
An endless coastline!!
The surging waves, each surpassing the next.
Near the coastline, there were hills, forests, lakes, thickets...
And...
A rather large city?!
Lu Yuan rubbed his eyes. He really saw a city and neat patches of farmland.
He even spotted sparse crowds of people?
"What kind of civilization is this? It seems to be an Empire?"
"That round structure..." A few soldiers recognized the Imperial Arena from the capital they had mingled in for years, their hearts pounding.
"We've discovered the former Imperial City?!"
...
This matter soon received the highest level of attention.
Not only was there an abundance of resources here, but there was also a neighbor?
Everyone was extremely excited.
Soon, Lu Yuan gathered everyone at the edge of Sky City and carefully observed using the "Far-sighted Cornea."
The city's level of technology wasn't very high; there were no railways or automobiles—it was indeed feudal times.
But perhaps because the average combat power was higher, just the city walls were six meters tall, and the buildings in the city brimmed with a Gothic architectural elegance.
The Empire, officially the "Mandala Empire," presumably had a Level Six Innate Grandmaster, and possibly even a Level 7 Great Grandmaster. It was definitely the pinnacle of martial power in a feudal civilization.
"The streets seem sparsely populated, and there are traces of blood. Has there been a riot?"
"The farmland has also been abandoned somewhat..."
Lu Yuan sighed, realizing that what could kill a civilization wasn't just external disasters but also internal strife.
"King, the last time I explored here, I didn't find this human city." The petite Worm King · Lu Xiao reported, heads bowed.
The sudden appearance of this city made it feel very guilty, deeply feeling that it had failed to fulfill its task.
"No need to blame yourself, it must be a new Safe Zone opened in the last year or two."
"It's quite normal that you didn't discover it." Lu Yuan looked at the surrounding geography, "Ancient civilizations like this require more land to support a large population, often opening up Safe Zones faster than technological civilizations."
"Their geographical location is much better than The Sha Li Clan."
"Nestled by mountains and water, there's plenty to eat and drink, and a desert to block enemies—a solid farming base indeed."
"Not necessarily so." Old Cat shook his head and said, "Sky City, great risks, great rewards. Look, isn't everyone flying in the sky?"
"That's true, maybe we are now even more prosperous than the Empire!" Sha Kan'er clenched his fists, pounding them together, proud as a ready-made Level Three Master.
We are now in the era of technology, and the mysterious veil of the Mandala Empire had long been lifted.
Given enough time, not too much, just thirty to fifty years, they believed that the Empire would have to revere them.
Discussion reached this point, many intellectuals and engineers around the large round table nodded in agreement.
"The Empire, after so many years, still hasn't researched engravings, what a waste of talent." Guo Weiqiang, not exactly an expert himself, began to boast, "Maybe we should completely absorb their talents."
"Many of their Rune Readers haven't tapped into their potential at all."
Lu Yuan couldn't help shaking his head, "If we recruit them, who will teach? Will you?"
"When you can independently engrave 'Solid Rune,' then you can teach others."
The laughter of his comrades rang in his ears, and Guo Weiqiang's face turned red. He patted his chest and made a bold claim, "Next year! No, in half a year, I can teach!"
Laughter erupted once more.
This was a culture of confidence!