Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 560, Section 21: When the Mist Dissipates - Dick's Holy Light Greatsword is About to Pierce the Dragon Islands!

"So, if we assume that the legacy of another human empire truly exists in the world, then its only possible hiding place is in the 'Storm Sea'?"

In the wetlands, outside Menethil Harbor, in the town carried by the Great Turtle God, Lothar had just finished a conversation with the Pandaren scholars and the elders of the Wandering Isle.

A huge world map was laid out in front of them.

That was the world as seen by the Pandaren of the Lost Isle, drawn up through thousands of years of wandering the world. It's no exaggeration to say that this map is the most perfect world map Lothar has ever seen.

All known and unknown continents and archipelagos are marked on this giant map.

Even so, in thousands of years of wandering and exploration, there are still some places in this world that the Pandaren have never been to, such as the vicinity of the Maelstrom.

The Lost Island relies on "Shinji's power," while the giant tortoise obviously cannot withstand the terrifying tides of the whirlpool on its own. Therefore, Shinji never goes near the waters around the whirlpool.

The "Stormy Sea" that Lothar mentioned is located at the "other end" of the Great Whirlpool, or, in Diakum's words, in the endless sea frontier "on the other side of the world".

In response to the human emperor's question, the eldest elder of the Pandaren on the Wandering Isle, leaning on his peachwood cane, stroking his flowing beard, squinted and nodded, saying:
"Yes, that's the only place that Master Shenzhenzi doesn't go, besides the Great Whirlpool. It's a very strange place. Not only are the winds and waves high all year round, but the biggest problem is that the climate in that sea area is very abnormal."

We and our ancestors passed through there many times, and each time the record is filled with storms.

You can hardly imagine how exaggerated the scene is when a storm covers an entire sea area. I can only tell you that it is a dead end that no fleet can approach.

However, the Pandaren are certain that a continent does exist within that almost insurmountable storm!

Because there are strange 'thunderbirds' there, shrouded in storms and thunder, traversing the storm seas. Without land, these legendary creatures could not thrive for long.

Isolated from the world, it must have its own unique ecosystem.

Theoretically speaking, humans could survive there.

But how your blood brothers will get through the terrifying climate of the Storm Sea is a big problem, I think.”

The old panda hesitated for a moment, then held up his finger and made a "tiny" gesture, shaking his head as he lamented the loss of a certain country's market:

"The probability of them being there is very small."

"But it's not nonexistent!"

Losa, however, is quite optimistic about this.

He believed that Saint Diakum would not speak without reason, and that it might be a prophecy.

For Lothar himself, learning that a branch of human civilization still exists in this world is indeed a very gratifying thing.

While this will visibly bring many diplomatic problems, the prosperity of the human race is undoubtedly a good thing.

"Are you going to send explorers to the Storm Sea?"

The traveling scholar Zhou Zhuo rubbed his hands together and asked:

Can I participate in this?

"what?"

Lothar's proactive request to join a dangerous adventure gave him a completely new understanding of the Pandaren's thirst for exploration.

He looked at Zhou Zhuo with surprise, thinking that the Lightforgers had a rather complicated opinion of this guy, and thus considered refusing to let him join the Imperial expedition.

After pretending to think for a moment, he said:

"But you are a member of the Pandaria diplomatic mission, Lord Zhou Zhuo. You have just completed your visit to Khaz Modan and are about to go to Stormwind to present your credentials."

I heard that you will then travel along the South China Sea to the Zandalari Empire.

Is it really okay to just abandon your responsibilities like this?

"I am not the only envoy."

Zhou Zhuo shrugged, grinned, and said:
"Elder Stonestep behaves much more politely than I do in diplomatic situations, and Stormwind and Zandalar Island are still there. They won't suddenly disappear, and I have plenty of time to visit these places in the future to seek new experiences and knowledge."

However, the stormy sea...
That's a place that even the sage Liu Lang couldn't set foot in!
For wandering scholars, it was the last piece of the world's mystery, and no ambitious explorer should miss this adventure.

And I'm not looking down on you human historians. They make too many mistakes in their historical records. Such an important moment must have professional historians on hand to record it, right?
Please let me go!

I know what you're worried about, and I promise I won't touch anything I don't understand this time.

Yes, I swear on the Zhou family name!

"Your grandfather and father have long since squandered the reputation of your Zhou family."

The traveling scholar next to him joked:

“Even when we were trapped in Pandaria, your Zhou family was known for causing trouble. They’re going on an expedition to find a branch of civilization, a major event concerning the continuation of their heritage. Zhou Zhuo, you shouldn’t get involved.”

Zhou Zhuo's eyes immediately turned red, and he began to say things like "exploration is not a hoax" and "how can the affairs of a traveling scholar be called a hoax", filling the whole room with a cheerful atmosphere.

Losa was amused as well.

But he did sense Zhou Zhuo's longing for a long journey. In addition, this guy was indeed quite powerful, with outstanding qualities in all aspects. He was proficient in healing, astrology, and navigation, and could even use the wandering scholar's scroll to act as a spellcaster in critical moments.

Such explorers are hard to find, so Losa thought for a moment and said to Zhou Zhuo:
"If you really want to participate in this adventure, go to the dock and find Dalene. She's leading the voyage to the Storm Sea, but don't get your hopes up too high."

Because he only goes there to scout and then comes back; he doesn't risk venturing deep into the stormy sea.

Preparations for the war against Kul Tiras have already begun. Once Daelin returns, we will launch a rescue operation against the human territories occupied by the Void.

"Oh, Dale, is that the libertine old sailor?"

Zhou Zhuo blinked and said:
"I saw him drinking and bragging outside last night, and he was dragged back home by the ear by a very powerful noblewoman. I heard it was Queen Catherine?"

"Yes, Lady Catherine is one of the most formidable among all human queens."

Losa sighed helplessly.

He felt that after his official marriage, Daenerys would most likely replace Queen Catherine as the symbol of "valor" in the queen's profession.

But he didn't come to Menethil Harbor just to ask the Pandaren about the Storm Sea; as an imperial reserve officer, he wasn't so leisurely.

The purpose of this visit was actually to inspect the construction progress of the Imperial Fleet's home port on Tolbard Island.

This island is located in the outer sea of ​​Khaz Modan, separated from the mainland by only a strait. There are also a series of small islands nearby, such as Tidefall Island, which can serve as supply points.

Tolbard can be considered the perfect anchorage for a fleet.

For a long time, this large island was an exclave of Kul Tiras, but due to political reasons, the Kul Tiras navy was unable to build a proper naval port on Tol Barad, so it could only be used as a place to exile prisoners.

It wasn't just Kul Tiras that exiled prisoners here; the kingdoms of the northern frontier all had this "tradition," throwing prisoners onto the desolate and swampy island of Tol Barad to fend for themselves. Kings and lords would even call this act "mercy."

There are several towns along the coast of this island, which are quite prosperous as they do business with merchant ships traveling between the north and south.

During the plague and demon invasion, many people in Hillsbrad Foothills fled to Tol Barad for refuge, and during the Worgen Plague, it also became a refuge for the Gilneans.

Although the dangerous "biting reefs" off the coast of Gilneas do not allow large fleets to pass, small merchant ships can still pass without any problems.

Not long ago, after Drake returned from his reconnaissance mission in Kul Tiras, he easily captured Tol Barad with the First Fleet and began formally constructing the fleet's home port in the name of the Sdomka Empire.

The Kul Tirans are professionals at this; in less than half a month, their home port has already shown signs of improvement.

Lothar came specifically to inspect the situation and, incidentally, to provide guidance on the reorganization of the Imperial fleet.

Drake's fleet is currently in disarray. It includes not only the first fleet of Kul Tiras, but also half of the Stormwind fleet, a portion of the Lordaeron fleet that surrendered, and some pirate ships that were captured after being defeated.

Such a chaotic system is clearly incapable of waging war.

Therefore, Lothar decided to spend some time in Tol Barad to complete the reorganization of the fleet. Unfortunately, although the Eastern Continent also has its own shipyard, it is far behind the Stormsong Shipyard in Kul Tiras in terms of both technology and scale.

In terms of warship performance alone, the main warships of the continental countries are at least one generation behind those of Kul Tiras. This performance gap, coupled with the despairing difference in combat power between the two navies, means that for the Empire to fight against Kul Tiras in naval warfare is basically like throwing an egg against a rock.

Therefore, this battle must not turn into a war of attrition, otherwise the Empire will not even be able to keep up with the most basic replenishment of warships.

The core strategy of this war was the "decisive battle on Kul Tiras' home soil," with Lothar determined to use the Empire's advantages to offset his own disadvantages.

Leaving aside the emperor's inspection tour, Zhou Zhuo, having received permission, happily boarded a ship and headed to Menethil Harbor to report to Dale. His thoughts were always simple; he was eager to participate in this adventure.

As soon as he found out where Daelin lived in Menethil Harbor, he ran to the manor and before he could even knock on the door, he saw Daelin, dressed in "pirate attire" and sporting dark circles under her eyes, sneaking out of the door.

Zhou Zhuo, the real Pandaman, stared dumbfounded at Dai Lin, who had panda eyes, scratches all over her neck, and an elven magic dagger stuck in her head, bleeding profusely.

"You... just escaped from the battlefield?"

The traveling scholar asked cautiously, making Dai Lin feel somewhat embarrassed.

The old sailor coughed a few times, about to explain, when suddenly, with a loud bang, a huge fireball smashed through the main hall of the manor and flew out, followed by Queen Catherine's shouts and gunshots echoing through it.

"Go! Run! Those two crazy women are about to start a fight!" Dai Lin grabbed Zhou Zhuo and they ran away. The tough old sailor ran all the way to the vicinity of the tavern before stopping.

He was a strong and energetic soldier, but Old Zhou, the "scholar," was already panting.

"No, let me rest for a while."

Zhou Zhuo leaned against the wall, panting. Watching Dai Lin nonchalantly pull the magic dagger from her head and then nonchalantly heal her wounds with the legendary warrior's "breathing health regeneration," he couldn't help but ask:
"What exactly happened? How did your wife and lover end up like this? I've heard that in your human kingdoms, it's not shameful for noble families to have multiple lovers, but rather it's a tacit rule?"
Those who don't have it will be ridiculed by the other nobles.

"Yes, that's the rule, but generally speaking, wives and mistresses don't meet. It's like kings not meeting kings. Look how awkward this situation is now."

The carefree old sailor, Dale, pulled out a bottle of wine, twisted off the cap, took a few gulps, and laughed as she said:
"I drank too much last night and suddenly thought of mediating the relationship between Catherine and Gina, so I got Catherine drunk first, and then got Gina drunk, so that the two still charming ladies could become friends."
Anyway, this is a lesson learned. Never do this again when you have a wife.

He sighed and complained:
"We were 'helping each other' in bed just last night, but when I opened my eyes today, there was a knife on my head, and Catherine was going crazy and trying to shoot me."

I really don't understand.

"Ah, it's a real shame that you weren't beaten to death. I feel like I should summon Master Mi to breathe fire on you after what you did."

Zhou Zhuo said with a look of disdain:
"But in any case, I'm here to join your expedition. His Majesty Lothar said that I can do so if you agree."

"Oh! An expedition team!"

Dai Lin's eyes lit up, he stroked his beard and laughed, saying:
"How could I forget that there is still an expedition team waiting to set off? Now we can perfectly avoid the 'world war' between the two women. However, we are still short of a navigator. All the Empire's outstanding navigators have been conscripted by my eldest son, and I can't find a suitable person for the time being."

You, Panda Man!
Can you navigate?

"Uh, I don't know how."

Zhou Zhuo blinked and said:
"But I can learn, and I learn things very quickly."

"Hmph, that's best."

Dai Lin pulled a badge stained with wine from her pocket, tossed it to Zhou Zhuo, and snapped her fingers, saying:
"Get on board now! We'll depart in thirty minutes, no, fifteen minutes!"

"You're running away!"

Zhou Zhuo said with great sorrow:

"I feel that it's normal for married couples to have little to say to each other."

"Look at this carefully! Then, tell me with righteous indignation that this matter can be resolved through language."

Dai Lin turned Zhou Zhuo's head to look in the direction of his manor, where the water towers had already begun to burn, like torches outside the harbor.

This scene made Zhou Zhuo shudder. He chuckled dryly twice and whispered:

"But you can't stay away forever. There are some things you have to face eventually."

"Hmph, I'd rather die in the storm sea."

The old sailor grinned and said rather carefree:

"It would be best to die there, making two women sad and heartbroken for me, and maybe they'll become friends. Then I can suddenly jump out at my own funeral and give them a fright."

Let's go, let's go.

Let's take it one step at a time and deal with the rest later.

A true hero who braves the seas cannot be confined by the comforts of the land; a stable life is indeed a harbor for the soul.

unfortunately
I've always loved the sea more.

------

Diakum has once again seen the light.

The vigilant could not perceive how long he had been in the darkness, or how long he had endured the terrifying void's encroachment. He only knew that his first reaction when the light arrived was to "stretch" his spirit, letting the warm light illuminate and cleanse all the darkness in his mind.

This can't go on!

This is Diakum's conclusion.

Although he could ignite the power of faith to sustain his perseverance during the eclipse, simply persevering was not enough to quickly take over Anser's divine body, let alone achieve subsequent fusion and rebirth.

These are three stages that must be completed.

Saratas said she would bear the pain of Anser, expressing doubt about her own abilities. Dick initially wanted to argue, but after actually experiencing the pain of the eclipse, the Vigilant realized he had been too optimistic.

If we can fight, if we can resist, then no darkness is worth fearing.

But he was unable to fight or resist.

Just like Anser, who is currently in a state of "high-level paraplegia and waiting to die in the ICU," he cannot jump up and spin around to give the void a big, warm hug. He is simply willing but unable to do so.

Therefore, I must find a more effective way to persevere under this "suffering of the true god".

Fortunately, Diakum had already been researching this area before.

During the Void God War, the body of the Devourer of All Realms was shattered by the Void Gods, but it did not immediately fall into the abyss forever. Instead, it was pulled by several dark golden "chains" to survive, which is the advanced attempt of "Twin of Light and Shadow".

The interplay of light and shadow represents a state of balance, but there is clearly a higher realm beyond that.

The coexistence of light and shadow, or "the symbiosis of light and shadow".

This is not Dick's fantasy, but has a real theological basis.

When Diakum sought guidance from Lady Isana in the world of Argus, she said that "light cannot exist alone without shadow," so the concept of "light" does indeed need "shadow" to complement it.

The form of light is complete only when both light and shadow exist simultaneously.

Previously, the Vigilant had only made superficial attempts at advancing the concept of this path, but now he had to devote all his energy to it, otherwise he would not be able to sustain himself for long in this conceptual transformation of light and darkness.

However, now that we've survived the "first night" and regained consciousness, we need to take advantage of the limited time to quickly arrange everything that needs to be arranged.

The light and shadow transformations of this holy crystal are completely unpredictable, and it's impossible to say when the next night will arrive.

But Diakum, who had just woken up, was still a bit slow to react.

He sensed the power of faith throughout the world within the sunlight, those invisible forces merging into the light to quickly restore his energy. But having spent so long in the inescapable, unavoidable encroachment of darkness, this sudden return to the light made Diakum somewhat uneasy.

He had a sense of unreality, and there was something more in his perception. It seemed that after surviving the night, some of the powers possessed by Anser's divine body had been "opened" to him.

This is the process of "occupying" something; it has to be done little by little.

Even if only a trace of the true god's power remained, it would still be difficult for Diakum to understand and utilize it in a short period of time.

As he tried to merge with the radiant sun, Diakum was astonished to find that his perspective had shifted to an "overlooking" view, as if he were a star suspended in a sea of ​​stars, radiating light and heat, with the planet Azeroth clearly visible as it revolved around him.

"Have I really become the sun?"

Dick nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

He said wanting to become the sun doesn't mean that in a physical sense! And he certainly doesn't plan to abandon his family affairs to go eat "Cantonese food" right now.

But then the vigilant realized that this was actually part of Anser’s power as the sun god, and that all the stars that could be called “suns” were under His control.

"The Radiance of Ten Thousand Suns" is not just a sentimental description, just like Lady Elune's "The Radiance of a Thousand Moons".

Wherever the sun shines, that is the domain of the sun god.

Diakum experienced this novel perspective and tried to mobilize the power of the star, only to find that it was completely unmoved. It seemed that the power of the sun god that he had unlocked was too weak to affect the star's operation.

However, as Diakum attempted to create solar storms, they did indeed rise in the corona layer on the star's surface, and in his attempts, which were akin to "molding clay," they transformed into a burst of intense energy.

But where should we throw this thing?
The vigilant hesitated for a moment. He couldn't just destroy the asteroid because he wanted to test Kamui, could he?
Creating space debris is not something a Warrior of Light should do.

and many more!

It seems there is indeed a place that needs to be given a good "slap on the wrist".

How long have these guardian dragons been calling for their return to Dragon Island? Why is there still no sign of it? Aren't the Titan Guardians who remained in Valdraken being extremely negligent?
It's been so long and the seal still hasn't been broken, damn it! Everyone's getting impatient.

Since the internal seal cannot be opened from the outside, let's try the "equivalent opening method".

With this thought in mind, Diakum began to channel his will, aiming the "Sun Arrow" in his hand at the sealing mist of the Dragon Isles. Before throwing this "Apollo's Arrow," he also reminded the Azerothian world-soul:
"I'm about to unleash the 'Fist of the Sun' from the sea of ​​stars onto the Dragon Islands, Lord! Can you hold on?"

"what?"

The Supreme Star Soul, who was soundly asleep, paused for a moment, then asked in return:
"Wait! Are you going to throw sunlight at me? What did I ever do to you?!"

(End of this chapter)