Chapter 744

Chapter 744: Spring and Summer in a Year

Amidst the height of summer, the岚 wind swept across the wilderness.

Lolan Hill sat barefoot by the railing, gazing at the vibrant, mottled sea of trees below in the summer breeze. These trees were locally known as ‘Purple Thorns,’ with elliptical leaves that were small and tender, colored purple. When they first sprouted, the leaves were lighter in color, but as they matured, the hue deepened.

Compared to other broad-leafed trees, the Purple Thorns’ leaves weren’t as smooth to the touch. They felt softer, their color slightly muted, often leading people to mistake them for leaves of some flower rather than those of a tree.

The young lady rested one arm on the wooden planks of the railing, her chin propped up by her arm. She looked sideways at the wooden planks, gently stroking them with her other hand.

The reddish-brown surface was very smooth, clearly crafted by skilled artisans. The varnish had a pure sheen, with few bubbles, encasing the railing, tabletops, wooden frames, and wardrobes like dark amber.

This not only prevented the wooden items from rotting or being infested by insects but also made their surfaces smooth and beautiful, avoiding the risk of tiny splinters. It was a technique and art learned by the people of this land long ago. Such furniture could last for a very long time and was greatly loved.

After arriving at Zhaoye Palace, Lolan Hill was invited and persuaded by the current Grandmaster to stay temporarily. Her residence was located on a peak of Zhaoye Palace.

The wooden-like buildings seemed embedded into the mountainside. Next to the hall was a wide window overlooking the forest and the sky. The many rooms of the house were built around the mountain wall, resembling suspended walkways, quite unique.

This place wasn’t far from the library of Zhaoye Palace and was relatively quiet. Lolan Hill liked it here. Generally, no one would come to disturb her, so she enjoyed sitting by the railing and reading, listening to the occasional rustle of the wind flipping through the pages.

As a major sect, its collection of books was quite rich. Not only did it include manuals for cultivation, but there were also many records of local customs and folklore, legends, some of which could even be correlated with historical events. One could glimpse the subtle shifts in history and culture, making them quite interesting.

During the fierce battle among the mountains at dusk and the subsequent miracle, Lolan Hill accumulated enough refined magic energy required for advancement in the Necromancer Sequence. Now, she officially became a level 5 member of the Necromancer Sequence.

She hadn’t expected the Necromancer Sequence to become the sequence in which she made the most progress, and she secretly marveled at it.

One could say that experience and environment played a role. In the past two years, she had encountered too many things related to necromancy, thus gaining profound insights, leading to rapid advancement.

During her time at Zhaoye Palace, she occasionally sparred with the inner disciples (level 5 of the Necromancer Sequence) and the true disciples (level 6 of the Necromancer Sequence). With her current strength, she could easily overwhelm these inner disciples, but facing a true disciple…

Two people were still manageable, but if there were three or more, it would start to feel quite strenuous. Of course, this was when she wasn’t using any of her powers.

As for the demonic beasts and demons outside, according to what those true disciples had said, dealing with a Sequence 7 demonic beast wouldn’t be too difficult for her. After all, although demonic beasts could advance quickly, their foundations were not as solid as humans’.

Regarding the existence of Sequence 7, so far, there had been no appearance of such within Zhaoye Palace. It was said that a few true disciples had intentions to challenge it, but they needed 2-3 years of preparation. Within the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect, during her last chat with Senior Sister Jin Hua, she heard that she might break through soon herself.

No wonder she was considered the future leader of the Xiangyu Sect; her talent was indeed extraordinary. She could probably match up to Bumansa from the past. Although neither of them were witches, they were merely not as powerful as witches. For other geniuses, they would be completely overwhelmed.

Sorting through recent events in her mind, Lolan Hill looked out the window at the mountain peaks and forests, all enveloped under intense sunlight. Even though she sat in a cool spot, she could still feel the heat radiating from outside.

It was already August, and the weather had slightly cooled down, but the summer breeze persisted. After finishing the classics and techniques of Zhaoye Palace, she would occasionally read some light books to relax. However, the aftereffects of casting the Miracle of Falling Stars hadn’t fully subsided yet, so she often felt the urge to sleep. As a result, the disciples of Zhaoye Palace generally didn’t disturb her here.

Unconsciously, she had become somewhat lazy again. Lolan Hill leaned against the quiet windowsill, listening to the joyful chirping of cicadas outside, and couldn’t help but feel drowsy.

How I wish to sleep…

The young lady folded her arms on the windowsill, propping her body sideways on them, resting her head on her arm. Her eyelashes trembled gently before slowly closing, entering a steady breathing rhythm.

On this tranquil afternoon, gusts of summer wind blew over the mountains and forests from time to time. The young lady’s white gauze dress fluttered up and down, revealing her fair calves and feet underneath.

Inside the room, the other two birds weren’t very active either. The dark-crested blue jay stood motionless on a beam deep inside the room, its eyes half-closed. The other chubby bird, Dai Ju, lay on a round wooden tray, letting the gentle breeze occasionally ruffle its feathers. Perhaps it had forgotten that this wooden tray was originally meant for holding sunflower seeds and nuts, but now it served as its sleeping place.

Unfortunately, little Lolan often slept, and without anyone managing it, this Dai Ju had become increasingly bold, frequently eating all the snacks and fruits sent by Zhaoye Palace for Lolan Hill.

Time passed leisurely. While Lolan Hill was engaged in exchange and learning at Zhaoye Palace, various events were unfolding in the world.

At the beginning of the year, the Qinglian Xijian Palace announced its current Sword Master, Sudeng Lou, who was about twenty-two years old. He had reached the seventh rank and was designated as the next holder of the sword, i.e., the head of the Qinglian Xijian Palace. It was worth noting that the Qinglian Xijian Palace had been ranked first among sword sects for 278 years, and all previous Sword Masters were exceptional talents.

In late March, floods erupted in the six southern states, causing great damage.

In April, the imperial court issued golden orders to mobilize the elites from the Wanzihong Valley, the Dragon Tree Blood竭 Sect, the Heavenly Water Lotus Pavilion, and over twenty major sects from surrounding prefectures to jointly suppress the four-eared water ape.

At the end of the month, the water ape was subdued. Its bones were extracted and made into twenty-four water-suppressing spirit pillars, restraining the violent water qi and dragon veins, thus stabilizing the mountain floods.

In May, dark qi burst forth from the mountains at dusk, with black clouds covering the sky. The three continents were shrouded in darkness. That night, a star fell from the sky, with auroras cascading down, winds sweeping across the seas, dispersing the dark clouds of the heavens.

Mid-month, the leaders of the Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect and the Condensed Purple Night Illumination Palace came to the capital to plead guilty. Due to the unresolved situation, the emperor pardoned their major offenses but recorded minor punishments. The Condensed Purple Night Illumination Palace was sealed for ten years, fined ten thousand gold, to console the bereaved, and had to dispatch one hundred inner disciples to the South China Sea to develop new islands and patrol escort routes. The Scorching Sun Xiangyu Sect, however, was rewarded due to the contributions of its disciples.

In June, the Han Shan Yan Xing Sect, along with thirty-seven major sects, sent out fifty-four floating mountain boats to the North Sea, killing over one hundred and thirty ice dragons and clearing the shipping lanes.

In July, the kingdom of elf spirits dispatched a fleet southward across the sea, reportedly including an heir to a dukedom.

In August, the seven continents trembled as the dragon veins were shaken by thunderstorms lasting ten days followed by intense sunlight for over thirty days, causing the mist to rise and lakes to dry up. Subsequently, the Crimson Immortal Sect used secret techniques to summon heavy rain, moistening the cracked earth, and soon after, rainbows filled the sky, revealing a paradisiacal land in mid-air.

In September, the Crimson Immortal Sect seized this blessed land. Due to their contribution in bringing rain, the dynasty approved their petition, granting them the land and considering restoring their status as one of the major sects.

In October, on the mountain of the Yellow Sea, birds returned in droves, with about two hundred and thirty-two seventh-tier flying birds gathering here to pay homage to the remains of the Fire Paulownia tree and to honor the Seven Phoenix True Flame Lord. During this time, three eighth-tier rare birds led the way, namely the Five Crown · Mad Ripples from the Dragon Sequence 8, the Nine Phoenixes · Ghost Carriage from the Necromancer Sequence 8, and the Green Weaving · Cloud Kite from the Nature Sequence 8.

In November, snow fell continuously across the continents, with five continents receiving snowfall three zhang deep outside Beifu Mountain. Famine-stricken beasts moved southward, and the Northern Army was ordered to intercept and kill them, turning the land red with blood. A visiting envoy reported back to the court, suggesting mercy instead of slaughter and reducing military action. The emperor remained silent.

In January, spring arrived. King Huainan presented a branch bearing a seven-colored fruit, symbolizing the arrival of spring. The emperor was pleased and bestowed upon him a hundred bolts of phoenix feather silk and allowed him to use these silks to propose marriage to the Dongshan Wang Family.

In February, King Huainan and a daughter of the Dongshan Wang Family agreed to marry, the daughter being the granddaughter of Wang Yumei, one of the three elders of the Celestial Bureau. With this, the Dongshan family turned to support King Huainan in competing for the position of crown prince alongside King Dai.

In April, the head of the Celestial Bureau spoke, mentioning the imperial lineage’s external descendants. The emperor pitied and inquired further. After reviewing the records, it was found that they were descendants of the former You Wang, who had been stranded overseas in the West Continent. Now, their descendant was returning. This descendant was only one girl named Lan, who later joined the Xiangyu Sect.

Upon hearing this, the emperor was very pleased and restored her surname, renaming her Lolan, and summoned her to the capital, intending to confer upon her the title of princess of the dynasty.

(The chapter ends.)