Immortality: Starting with a grave, I'm invincible when burying corpses.

Tianqi Domain, Qishan Mountain Range.

The sea of ​​clouds rolled and the white mist was hazy.

Three warships pierced through the sea of ​​clouds and sailed into the vast, unobservable formation.

Those who frequently sail long distances know that human senses are affected by various factors.

In most cases, it is difficult for people to accurately judge their situation in complex environments.

Surrounded by a sea of ​​clouds, all you can see are rolling clouds and mist.

After sailing in such an environment for a long time, the five senses will lose their function.

The soldiers could only rely on the instruments on the ship.

Within a hundred miles of the Qishan Mountains, the fog between heaven and earth becomes thick.

Within minutes, the churning clouds, like a gaping maw, swallowed the three "Chenglong-class" warships.

Standing on the deck of the warship, one could initially see the mountains below.

The dark green mountain peaks are scattered among the sea of ​​clouds, like isolated islands floating on the sea, giving it a somewhat celestial and sacred feel.

Deep within the Qishan Mountains lie numerous sects. In the eyes of the people living near Qing'an Prefecture, the Qishan Mountains are the abode of immortals. Countless stories of immortals and gods circulate in this mountain range, which is full of mystery.

The hazy mountain peaks and the surging clouds, combined, further evoked people's imaginations.

As the warships ventured deeper into the fog, the fog thickened, and soon the entire fleet was enveloped in a white mist.

Even though the commanders of the three warships ordered the energy barriers to be activated immediately, wisps of water mist still seeped in and spread across the decks of the warships.

The Five Spirits Fleet's energy barrier is centered around an array and features automatic detection capabilities, primarily designed to withstand powerful energy impacts.

Because its focus is on preventing large-scale energy attacks, it is less effective at blocking ordinary clouds and fog than ordinary merchant ships.

At that moment, several soldiers from the Great Spirit Empire stood at the edge of the deck. They huddled together and tentatively made a small hole in the edge of the barrier, passing out an orange-yellow lantern.

The lantern disappeared from sight as soon as it left the barrier, within ten seconds. By the time the soldier retrieved the lantern, its surface was covered with a thick layer of water vapor.

"My goodness! It's so thick, is this still fog?"

"I've lived for decades and I've never seen such thick fog!"

"You know what, maybe we've hit the jackpot today. This fog might be a once-in-a-century spectacle!"

The soldiers were talking amongst themselves, pointing and gesturing at the thick fog outside the warship.

They spoke casually and looked calm, without the slightest unease, only marveling at the natural wonder.

No one felt afraid, nor did anyone associate it with anything dangerous.

This is because the place beneath their feet is called the Qishan Mountain Range.

In the empire's enlightenment books, the empire's grand scholars wrote the following words.

The heartland of the empire, a land favored by the gods, a treasure bestowed upon the empire by the Great True Lord, and a natural barrier for Qing'an Prefecture...

In the Great Ling Empire, where six-year compulsory education has long been widespread, every citizen of the empire has learned about the Qishan Mountains in their childhood.

As the birthplace of the Great Ling Empire, entering the Qishan Mountains means entering the heartland of the Great Ling Empire and the territory of Qing'an Prefecture.

How could there be any danger in such a sacred place, in the heart of the empire?

As members of the Great Spirit Empire, the soldiers of the Great Spirit Empire often complained and cursed over various things.

Rising prices, counterfeit goods, increased taxes, educational inequality, family discord...

All of these things could become the subject of complaints from Imperial soldiers.

For hundreds of years, generations of soldiers have come and gone, but their complaints have never ceased.

The master of the Five Spirits Academy personally compiled the teaching materials and wrote the following words in the book.

Officials in the court should humbly accept criticism from the people!

but……

Complaints aside, glory aside.

As citizens of the empire, it's perfectly normal to criticize it on a regular basis.

But if anyone dares to say that the empire is not strong, that's another matter.

No one knew better than these soldiers just how powerful the Empire truly was!

Of all the nine regions, only the Empire can be called the Celestial Empire.

Glory to the Empire!

This is an eternal truth!

No one can penetrate the heart of the empire. Wherever Qing'an Prefecture is, that is the safest place in the world!

……

"Chief Li, we've been flying through Qishan for about half an hour now, haven't we? Why haven't we seen Qing'an Prefecture yet?"

"What's the rush? Can't you feel the warship slowing down? The Qishan Mountains are hundreds of miles wide, and the fog is so thick today. What's wrong with slowing down a bit?"

"What the boss says is true. I haven't been back for too long, and I'm a little homesick..."

"What have I been teaching you all? It's normal for us soldiers to not go home for years. Don't be so coy!"

At the edge of the deck, a young soldier stood up straight, gazing into the vast expanse of white fog.

He looked to be only in his early twenties, with a hint of excitement and eagerness on his face.

A meter away from him was the leader of a 30-person squad.

Noticing the young soldier's slightly trembling hands, the squad leader shook his head slightly and uttered words of reprimand.

But upon closer inspection, one can see a subtle smile playing on his seemingly calm face.

Seeing the young soldier's anxious expression, the squad leader was reminded of his own past.

That happened many years ago.

The squad leader, who came from a common background, wanted to make a name for himself and climb to a higher position in the Five Spirits Fleet.

To achieve this goal, the squad leader, who was then a young soldier, volunteered to be transferred to the Starfall Continent and became a member of the Starfall Continent garrison.

They stayed on the Starfall Continent for ten years.

When the squad leader left, he was just an ordinary soldier.

His eldest son was just two years old and was always making a ruckus, which often drove his pregnant wife to her wits' end.

That day, his wife, who was newly pregnant, carried his son and escorted him all the way to the military camp.

When the squad leader returned, his rank had been promoted several times, and he was now in charge of thirty soldiers, becoming a member of the imperial bureaucracy.

He told no one and hurriedly returned to his long-lost hometown alone.

A little girl opened the door for him and greeted him with a smile.

The little girl hid behind the door, only peeking out her head, her tilted head making her look especially adorable.

The squad leader knew it the moment he saw the girl.

This is his daughter.

Overjoyed, the squad leader picked up his daughter and tried to lift her up high, just like the other fathers.

Before the scene in the squad leader's mind could become reality, the girl burst into tears, kicking him repeatedly with her dangling little feet, and uttering words that made the squad leader's vision go black.

"Help!"

"Child traffickers have kidnapped children!"

After making a series of funny mistakes, the father and daughter stared at each other for a moment, and then burst out laughing together.

Recalling what happened back then, the squad leader couldn't contain his joy, and his dark face broke into a particularly bright smile.

"Captain, why are you smiling so happily? Is something good happening?"

"Judging by the time we get back, your captain should be able to hold his grandson by now!"

Congratulations! Congratulations!

"You'll have to treat the brothers to a drink when the time comes!"