Qianye’s praise was heartfelt—he was already quite astonished when he saw the craftsmanship. After actually kneading it, however, he realized that the alloy was firm but pliable, and extremely resistant to wear—a rare specimen through and through. The value of this metal was far above its processing arts and could form some of the most important core mechanical components.

Song Zining recovered from his initial shock at this point. “Once these samples reach the families of Seagaze, they should realize that they have no chance of competing with Ningyuan for the next 50 years. It’s fine if they cooperate obediently, but if they want to cause trouble for us, we’ll decimate their entire clan once the ship is completed.”

Qianye didn’t understand the manufacture of machinery, but the Zhao clan workshops he had visited once left a deep impression on him. It also gave him a basic understanding of the process. Song Zining’s pinion was of rare craftsmanship, but the real value lay in its alloy formula.

With this type of alloy, numerous key engine components could be made smaller and lighter. One could easily imagine that an engine made from it would be one size smaller than its peers. On the other hand, this alloy would allow Ningyuan to realize numerous previously-impossible concepts. Even without novel designs, they would still be able to produce engines with greater output according to the old ones.

With the engine, they would have the foundation of an airship. The most important point was that the massive size of Martyr’s Palace was beyond the scope of any known warship. There was no telling how many auxiliary engines the palace would need—in short, the more the better. The demand for engines was higher than kinetic sails in most fields. Short bursts of acceleration depended on engines while sails were preferred for long-distance intercontinental travel.

Qianye thought about something else. “Aren’t you afraid that they’ll reverse engineer your formula?”

Song Zining laughed, “You don’t understand, a small difference in alloy formulas will produce a huge gap in performance. The products can’t be compared at all. It’s useless even if they can analyze the metals contained in this pinion. Also, I refuse to believe that they can figure out the ingredients with their meager ability. If even one component is missing, the product won’t be the metal you’re holding in your hands. Humph! There’s no way they can analyze the formula of this alloy without spending a couple of decades and resources enough to build a warship.”

“How did you get this formula, then? Don’t tell me it’s just blind luck.”

“It definitely is luck…” Song Zining had only half-finished his sentence when he saw Qianye about to attack. Only then did his flippant attitude disappear. “I helped an important person do some things, and he gave me a couple of things to choose from as a reward. I chose this formula.”

“What were the other choices?” Qianye was curious. He wanted to indirectly gauge the value of this alloy as well.

Song Zining said with a smile, “A cultivation art roughly equal to Mortal Enlightenment in grade, an origin gun at the peak of grade-eight, only slightly better than Zhao Fourth’s, or a county on the borders of the Western Continent. They say it’s a county, but there’s only a single forward settlement. The good thing is that it’s not too far from a supply base. I would need to recruit soldiers and raise money, but the land would be mine as long as I can conquer it.”

Qianye said after a while of silence, “And you chose this formula?”

“Why not?” Song Zining replied confidently.

In truth, a gun at the peak of grade-eight was completely different from an ordinary grade-eight firearm. To be considered thus, it would need to possess a powerful special ability. Some peak-grade-eight guns were even more powerful than ordinary grade-nine ones by virtue of their powerful special abilities and compatibility to the bearer.

That county, no matter what condition it was in, would give Song Zining the foundation for a high-ranking aristocratic family as long as he could conquer the land. To the seventh young noble who had broken off ties with the Song clan, a territory with potential for development was more important than anything. This was his insurance for an army and cultivation resources. Besides, taking land with the approval of the empire meant that Song Zining’s authority was recognized immediately after the conquest—he would be bestowed a noble rank and given permission to set up an official residence.

Song Zining possessed the Ningyuan Heavy Industries for resources, Dark Flame for an army, and he himself was an expert in terms of strategy. As Qianye saw it, the county would be surnamed Song in just a couple of years.

Yet, he had chosen an alloy formula over a ready-made aristocratic title. This reflected the priceless value of this metal, but Qianye felt that Song Zining was out of his mind. Even that gun would’ve increased his personal combat strength by leaps and bounds. The seventh young noble would be able to sweep through everyone below the divine champion realm, even if he couldn’t heavily injure the Wolf King as Qianye did. Naturally, that gun would also drain him in one shot.

Only the cultivation art was useless for both of them. To others, however, a powerful secret cultivation art like this one would form the only foundational pillar of their family. Comparatively, territories and weapons were just material objects.

Noticing Qianye’s doubts, Song Zining said with a laugh, “When have I taken losses in such choices? This alloy formula is one of the core secrets of the Empire. The foundation for the latest generation warships is largely dependent on this metal. With it, your dragonship can be perfected. After you’re successful one day, you can just lend me that ship for a couple of months and I’ll have any territory I want, right?”

Song Zining had played it down, but Qianye knew that wasn’t the case at all. Judging from the time he had made this decision, it was from around when he had decided to come to the neutral lands. No matter how skilled Song Zining was in divination, he couldn’t have known that Qianye possessed the Martyr’s Palace. The airship itself was an object left behind by the Pointer Monarch, constructed from the remains of the Earth-Dragon. Someone at Song Zining’s level couldn’t have divined such a powerful existence. Even Lin Xitang himself would have to pay a steep price to obtain a vague conclusion.

Hence, Song Zining’s rationale for choosing this formula was likely because he knew Qianye was in a difficult situation in the neutral lands. He must’ve planned to start from the region’s weakest link and build an airship fleet, thereby relieving Qianye of his troubles.

Perhaps Song Zining did have other long-term considerations, but it didn’t change the fact that he had given up a readily-available noble title and power upgrade. This was no different from giving up everything to start over from scratch.

Qianye could only sigh in secret and etch this favor deep in his heart. That being said, there was also something else he was worried about. “What kind of trade did you do with that major character? Such rewards can’t be easy to obtain.”

Song Zining’s expression relaxed. “It might be hard for others, but not for the seventh young master! Every major character throughout the empire wants me to work for them. On the contrary, those who want me dead are quite few in number, most of them being from the Song clan.”

These words amply described the bitterness of the aristocracy.

Noticing Qianye’s serious face, Song Zining patted his shoulders with a hearty laugh. “Actually, it’s even easier for you to obtain these things. All you need to do is consent when certain girls climb into your bed.”

“I have no interest in aristocratic marriages.”

“There’s no need for that, nor all that formality. You just need to let loose for a short while, that’s enough. No one will know.” Song Zining guided Qianye along patiently.

Qianye figured out the important message. He said with a serious expression, “Is this for breeding certain genes?”

“Don’t make it sound so vulgar! It’s not like that.” Song Zining laughed awkwardly in an attempt to gloss things over.

Qianye wasn’t about to give him that luxury, however. “Don’t even think about it.”

“It’s impossible for you and Nighteye.”

“That’s my business.”

“Look, Qianye, you can even risk life and limb to save me. This small matter isn’t that big of a deal, is it? As long as you’re willing, I can find a way to obtain a great deal of resources. I’ll be sure to scam them miserably!”

Song Zining’s high spirits left Qianye unable to know whether to laugh or to cry. “What would I want those resources for?”

“It’s to save Nighteye, of course! How are you going to reach the Sacred Mountain without the Martyr’s Palace? How long will it take to construct the airship on your own? Eight hundred years? A millennium, even! Do you want to make Nighteye wait so long? Why would you drag for a thousand years an undertaking that can be completed in three decades? Just for your laughable pride and loyalty? How long are you willing to make her wait in the darkness? Is that your so-called love?”

The barrage of questions blasted Qianye until he was dizzy. He could feel something off about Song Zining’s logic, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

“She’s already unrelated to you now, so why can’t you sacrifice a bit to help her?” Song Zining tossed out a lethal blow.

Qianye smiled wryly with an inward sigh. Song Zining’s argument seemed reasonable, but he didn’t want to do it that way.

Seeing Qianye’s expression, Song Zining gave up on pushing his case. He tossed Qianye a backpack, saying, “The things are in there, you can set out at any moment.”

Qianye nodded as he caught the bag. He had no luggage to organize, so he simply walked out to rendezvous with the caravan.

Shaking his head, Song Zining sighed as he watched Qianye’s back. A cold voice suddenly rang out beside him at this point, “You really think well for him!”

Song Zining looked sideways and found Ji Tianqing leaning against a nearby stone pillar, a clear expression of mockery on her face.

“He’s my brother, so I have to help him, of course.”

Ji Tianqing snorted coldly. “He probably won’t thank you if he finds out about your methods.”

Song Zining said in a carefree manner, “It’s fine as long as he doesn’t hate me.”

Seeing how shameless the other party was, Ji Tianqing could do nothing else but snort again. “Qianye alone won’t be enough for such an important mission, will he? You can’t have him risk his life even if his vampire regenerative powers are strong. What if some accident happens? Your meager divination powers can’t know everything, not even Marshal Lin has that kind of ability.”

Song Zining only smiled in the face of blame. “This young master naturally won’t sit by and watch him fall into danger, but since you’re back, why don’t you go?”

Ji Tianqing glared daggers, ready to retort, but Song Zining added, “I’ll let Kuanglan go if you’re busy.”

Ji Tianqing felt her words stuck in her chest. Eventually, she uttered through clenched teeth, “I’ll go!”