CHAPTER 175 - DON'T FORGET TO ADD A PUN HERE

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The others raised their glasses and cheered as we felt a slight jolt and the [Floating Solarium’s] maiden voyage started.

The ship steadily rose into the air until we were around eight miles above sea level, at which point I put her on the fastest speed setting. Those of us on the ship felt a slight vibration and a few lateral and vertical movements now and then, but it was no worse than flying on an airplane on Earth.

“Our estimated time of arrival is three hours and twenty-five minutes from now,” I said to Prince Baiyu.

Lari, Kharli, and Mo were at the viewing platform along with some of the maids. The kitchen staff were busy preparing our lunch, and the heavenly smells coming from their part of the ship made my mouth water.

The royal couple stayed in their rooms. Prince Baiyu confided that his mother was tired from the journey from the clan headquarters to my farm. Pregnant clan members were advised to keep their qi levels up for the sake of the child, so she needed to rest.

In half an hour, Deming sent his staff downstairs to the guest quarters with huge platters and tureens of food, enough for a small army. Lady Yuying, of course, was exempt from the ban on eating regular food since she was in the family way.

“Good grief, does your mom have an enormous appetite?” I asked Prince Baiyu.

He glanced at the nearest guards then leaned down to whisper in my ear. “It’s for everyone.”

“Oh.” I forgot that clan members liked to hide their food consumption. “Well, I guess it’s time for me to eat, too.”

I got up from the pilot’s chair and stretched before going over to the dining table where Prince Baiyu joined me.

“Shouldn’t you eat with your parents?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “I don’t need to eat.”

I covered my mouth with a hand and gave him a look of exaggerated shock. By this time, I could tell that his statement was pretty much a boast. Fluttering my lashes at him, I crooned, “You’re so strong…”

“Ha!” He smirked at me. “I could lift you over my head with one hand.”

“Really?”

“One finger, even.”

“No way! You’re too much!”

Yinuo arrived with a tray of food and we stopped talking, but Prince Baiyu took a cup and twirled it around on his forefinger as though to demonstrate what he could do with me.

I burst out laughing. “Hush, you! Behave…”

He settled down after Yinuo served the food. Everything was delicious, especially [Lion’s Mane Mushroom] stew and the Eight Treasure Dumplings made with [Purple Orchid Rice], abalone, shrimp, salted egg, caviar, roasted duck, pork belly, and scallops.

The glass wall of the dome showed us a pretty blue sky and white clouds streaming by. Though we were high above the ground, I didn’t feel scared at all since the ship was large and felt solid under my feet.

After I finished eating, I went to the edge of the wall and looked down. From this height, people looked as small as ants. I gazed down at the tapestry of forests, cultivated fields, and small villages stretched out below. The vibrant greens of deciduous trees blended with the deeper emerald hues of conifers, occasionally broken up by winding rivers that snaked across the landscape like silvery ribbons. The tiny houses and buildings that made up the scattered villages appeared like delicate toys from this lofty vantage point. Puffy white clouds drifted lazily across the sky, casting moving shadows on the land below.

Alas, I couldn’t stay to enjoy the view since I had to stay at the ship’s control center. Prince Baiyu stayed with me for a few more minutes before excusing himself to spend some time with his parents.

When we neared our destination, I sent Yinuo to tell the others that we would be landing soon.

The Great Western Mountain loomed in front of us, its rugged peaks and granite spires stretching out in every direction. The vast wilderness of the mountain range was covered in dense forests, with small mountain villages scattered here and there. Shimmering alpine lakes winked up at me from deep crevices carved by ancient glaciers.

In the distance, a massive rock face loomed, and I saw that our designated landing zone was a relatively flat shelf with sparse vegetation surrounded by soaring pinnacles.

The ship slowed gradually and we descended as daintily as a butterfly on a flower, not even disturbing the dust on the ground as we landed. I went to the main door with my apprentices and when I opened them, the escalators deployed automatically.

“We’re here!” I said.

“It’s cold!” said Mo.

Kharli and Lari nodded their agreement.

“I think we should get our jackets and cloaks before going down,” I said.

We went to our rooms and got what we needed. On the way back, Lord Yulin hailed us. I noticed that Prince Baiyu’s father was now dressed much more formally, in blue and gold silk robes.

“Lady Violet, we’re going down the mountain to meet with the Goat clan. They’re anxious to see if my wife’s zidan can fix theirs,” he said.

“I hope she can help. Was lunch to your liking?” I asked.

“It was splendid!”

We made a bit of small talk until we got to the doors, and I saw that the other clan members, including Prince Baiyu, were already waiting below at the foot of the escalators for Lord Yulin.

“Don’t wait up for us. We might have to spend the night in the Goat clan’s village,” said Lord Yulin. “I’ll send word about our plans once we find out what we need to do.”

“Good luck!” I said.

My apprentices and I bowed to him, and he went flying down without using the escalators.

Lari, Kharli, Mo, and I made our way down in a more sedate manner. Before we got to the bottom, the clan members went flying away to the east, presumably to where the Goat clan village was.

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“Teacher, there’s nothing here,” said Kharli.

The landing area was only big enough for the ship, and we couldn’t fly like the clan members, so we couldn’t explore the mountain.

I shrugged. “I know. The event hasn’t started yet.”

“What is the ‘event’ about?” asked Mo.

Putting a finger on my lips, I gave them all a mysterious smile, which only made them roll their eyes. We circled the area but found nothing interesting.

“Let’s go back up and play Connect Four,” said Lari.

Nothing much happened the rest of the day. We simply passed the time playing Connect Four and chatting inside the [Floating Solarium] while the kitchen staff kept us well provided with drinks and snacks. The open area upstairs became quite lively because everyone let their hair down in the absence of our distinguished guests. The staff brought out musical instruments and had an impromptu concert.

The sunlight streaming through the glass dome cast a soft, almost ethereal light on us. Deliciously cool and fresh mountain air wafted through the windows that I had left open, and the hanging plants and vines swayed lazily in the gentle breeze.

Also, the view outside was spectacular.

Lord Yulin sent word that they had nearly settled the Goat clan’s problem and would be back in time for dinner. I guessed that the Demon Chef’s food was much better than the food in the village.

I told the others to nap since the System countdown was showing that the event would happen at midnight, and asked Deming to prepare a late supper instead of dinner. Now that we had landed, I no longer needed to stay at the control bridge, so I went to my bedroom downstairs and settled in for some shut-eye since I wanted to be fresh and energetic for the Descent of the Demon Monarch.

By the time I woke up, it was two hours before midnight. I put on a set of casual robes and a jacket.

“Hey, are you guys ready for the event?” I asked my apprentices.

“Yes! I hope it’s fun,” said Kharli.

“Teacher, shall I fill a plate for you?” asked Mo.

“No, thanks. I’ll get my own food.”

The staff had set up three large tables full of food, and we took what we wanted ourselves, buffet style. There were soups, stews, noodles, rice, dim sum, stir-fried vegetables, roasted meats, hams, and so forth in chafing dishes. I was filling a plate when our guests returned.

“My dear, you look lovely,” said Prince Baiyu as he kissed my forehead and then sat down beside me at the dining table.

“How was the Goat clan?” I asked.

“My mother managed to soothe their zidan, but it will take time to stabilize. We’ll have to stay here for a few more days.”

“I hope everything works out for them,” I said.

Prince Baiyu gave me a searching look. Unlike Shuye and Scholar Wu, he hadn’t tried to interrogate me about my possible involvement in the Goat clan’s troubles, but that didn’t stop him from looking worriedly at me from time to time when we talked about it.

I continued eating, and, after Deming and his assistants finished sending food to the guest quarters, Prince Baiyu left to join his parents downstairs. Kharli, Mo, and I chatted while savoring our chosen desserts. Mine was sweet osmanthus soup with red beans while the girls had fried dumplings stuffed with sweet beans. Lari was off hobnobbing with the royal guards.

After the meal, I went up to the elevated viewing deck and sat down on the space that the staff had reserved for me and my apprentices. I was at the front, on the lowest level, while our guests had seats on the upper levels behind us.

As midnight neared, everyone finished whatever they were doing and sat down, ready to spectate.

I really hoped that the System was right. Otherwise, I would be left with egg on my face if nothing happened.

The royal couple, with Prince Baiyu in tow, sat down together on the topmost chairs with their retinue. I waved to them, and Prince Baiyu waved back. Scholar Wu, on the other hand, sat with us.

“Here, try these,” I said as I handed out binoculars to everyone. “It might not be near enough for us to see without help.”

Scholar Wu and I showed the kids how to use the binoculars.

“Something’s happening,” murmured someone from above us.

“How exciting!” I got popcorn from the Cash Shop and started munching on it while the others ate watermelon seeds and peanuts.

At first, I couldn’t see anything, but when I used the binoculars I could make out that the sky south of us gradually became lighter and lighter, until I could see dark clouds roiling around a certain spot. Jagged forks of lightning danced across the heavens, doubtless accompanied by the sound of thunder, though we were too far away to hear it.

I regretted that there was no sound system on the ship. I would’ve liked to play something suitably dramatic like O Fortuna or Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5.

Nine pillars of light appeared in the sky. I held my breath as a massive black object became visible in the turbulent clouds, descending slowly toward the earth. As it drew closer, I could see that it had sickly red streaks crisscrossing its surface like throbbing veins.

“It’s here!” I shrieked excitedly.

My eyes were glued to the spectacular event unfolding in front of me, and I hardly dared to blink as the demon egg, larger than the greatest mountain, made its slow descent.

Some of the staff screamed as the ground began to tremble. Brilliant arcs of crimson lightning snaked forth, both from the clouds above and the surface of the egg itself, casting an eerily flickering red glow. Soon the sheer size of the egg made the use of binoculars unnecessary.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as tendrils of black smoke billowed outwards when the egg broke through the cloud layer. I paid no attention to the murmuring around me as I waited with bated breath for the climax of the event.

[Witness an Era-defining Event:

Go to Samsara's End Peak of the Great Western Mountain to observe the Descent of the Demon Monarch.

Reward: Attack Exp]

When the demon egg touched the ground, the concussive force of the landing triggered a towering cyclone of red fire that surrounded it. The pillars of light in the sky grew brighter and pulsed like a heartbeat. The shockwave reached us seconds later, making the ship shake violently.

I clapped my hands in excitement. “Wow! What an amazing sight!”

The whole thing was very satisfying, especially when I leveled up.

[Witness an Era-defining Event: Quest Complete]

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Attack level!]

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Attack level!]

[Your Attack level is now 33.]

The exp wasn’t much, but I wasn’t one to complain when I got it quite easily.

[Violet

Level 42

HP: 4,200/4,200

MP: 35/35

Strength: 30/99

Attack: 31→33/99

Archery: 42/99

Magic: 11/99]

I thought the event was over, but just as I got the quest reward, dazzling bursts of heavenly pyrotechnics began erupting in the skies to the south of us. Coruscating auroras of emerald, violet, and gold danced and swirled amidst flashes of lighting and multicolored arcing plasma. Coronas of blinding incandescence blossomed outward, only to be swiftly devoured by encroaching swathes of absolute blackness punctuated by rivers of vermilion light.

The heavenly light show went on for a few more minutes before dying down, leaving the midnight sky as black and impenetrable as it was before the event. I leaned back on my chair and put a hand on my chest, overcome by the sheer awesomeness of the event. Viewing it in real life was a lot better than just watching a cutscene on my computer!

“We’re all going to die!” someone to my left shrieked.

As I turned towards the speaker in confusion, someone else burst into tears, which set off a chain reaction of crying, screaming, and even fainting.

I stood up and tried to calm them down. “Good grief! Why are you all freaking out? Don’t worry, it’s nothing too dangerous, I promise.”

Kharli tugged on my sleeve, and when I looked down at my apprentices, I saw that Kharli was holding on to Mo whose head was buried on Kharli’s shoulder. Lari was white-faced but otherwise appeared composed.

“Teacher, are we going to die?” asked Kharli in a trembling voice.

“No! Ha, that big demon’s just a big wussy. I'm going to fight it myself,” I said. Raising my voice, I said to the crowd, “It’s just an egg that hasn’t even hatched. It’s not dangerous.”

My words didn’t seem to reassure them, and I was at my wits end when Deming and Fengying stood up. Fengying said, “That’s enough. Come, we need to clear the supper dishes before we leave.”

I think “before we leave” was the key phrase since it triggered the staff’s need to flee, so that they realized they needed to wipe away their tears and go back to work.

Since Fengying was taking care of the staff, I did my best to calm my apprentices. “Guys, relax. I promise this is nothing much.”

Lari gave me a disbelieving look and said, “Teacher, there's a giant demon egg!”

I waved my hand dismissively. “The clan members, with a little help from me, can easily deal with that.”

Looking up, at the higher seats, I lifted my hand to beckon Prince Baiyu, but that was when I realized that I had been so busy dealing with my staff that I hadn’t noticed that all of the clan members were nowhere to be found.