The story of the black silk female knight

"Is it related to that strange woman? She must have come from the mysterious Eastern Continent, right?"

“That’s right. The strange woman you mentioned is named Xiao Yu, also known as Consort Yu of the Central Continent Empire, and is the number one expert under the Dragon Emperor.”

Himika sighed and gestured for Chiba Shin to refill Valensa and Tia's teacups with water:

"This is a long story. Actually, I also come from the Eastern Continent... Would you mind if I rambled on a bit and told you a story?"

"Of course not, rather I've always been very interested in the mysterious Eastern continent."

Valensa quickly said, "Please speak slowly, I'll listen while I drink tea," and Tia echoed her agreement.

"Then I'll start from the beginning."

Himika took another sip of tea and began her story:

"To the east of the continent of Frenoia, across the endless sea, lies another new continent, which you call the Eastern Continent, while the locals refer to it as the Thirteen Provinces of Tianxuan. My hometown is Yingzhou, one of the Thirteen Provinces of Tianxuan."

The earliest Thirteen Provinces of Tianxuan had a total of fifteen national-level regimes. Although these national-level regimes fought each other for years, none of them were ever completely destroyed... because the three major cultivation sects, as extraordinary forces, were suppressing the scale of the war.

The sects of cultivators there… well, they're roughly equivalent to the Sun Church, the Council of Sages, and the Witch's Forest here. Of course, their strength isn't as great as the Sun Church, which has a true god backing it, but they're definitely no weaker than the Council of Sages and the Witch's Forest. You understand?

"Yeah." x2

Valensa and Tia nodded together.

Himika continued her story:

"Those three major sects are Sword Pavilion, Star Altar and Holy Gate. I originally came from the Holy Gate, but many locals also like to call us Demonic Gate."

The name doesn't matter. In short, apart from limiting the scale of war to prevent too many civilians from dying in the chaos, our three major sects usually focus on cultivation and slaying demons and monsters, and basically don't concern themselves with worldly affairs. The sects and the royal power keep to themselves.

More than 700 years ago, a prodigy emerged in the Central Continent Empire. Despite being a prince, he left the palace at a young age to join the Sword Pavilion for cultivation. He eventually rose to become the Pavilion Master and, with the power of the Sword Pavilion, easily slaughtered all his royal brothers, becoming the emperor of the Central Continent Empire and calling himself the Dragon Emperor.

From then on, the balance of power in the secular world was completely broken. The Dragon Emperor, who integrated the Sword Pavilion and the Central Continent Empire, began to conquer the south and the north. Wherever he went, he was like a devastating force, leaving only death or submission... The secular dynasties were no match for the Central Continent Empire, which possessed the power of the Sword Pavilion.

In order to prevent the Dragon Emperor from disrupting the order, our ancestors of the Holy Gate contacted the Star Altar, hoping to put pressure on the Dragon Emperor together and stop him from continuing to wage war.

Unexpectedly, those lunatics from the Star Altar not only rejected our Holy Sect, but also said they wanted to follow the destiny shown by the heavens—that the world, after a long period of division, will eventually unite, and that they wanted to help the Dragon Emperor unify the Thirteen Provinces of Tianxuan.

Our Holy Sect refused to join, which led to a joint attack by the Sword Pavilion and the Star Altar. They claimed that we were a demonic sect that would surely bring chaos to the world and that we should eliminate this destabilizing factor in advance.

Our Holy Sect is divided into seven factions: Yin Yang, Yin Yang, and Five Elements. Among them, the Yang, Metal, and Fire factions were wiped out by the Sword Pavilion and Star Altar in the war of conquest. Every member of our sect, young and old, male and female, was killed... Hah, and they still call us the Demonic Sect..."

Himika gritted her teeth as she spoke this part, her eyes filled with hatred.

Neither Valensa nor Tia disturbed her; such a strong person can adjust her emotions on her own.

Sure enough, after taking just a couple more sips of tea, Himika calmed down and continued her story:

"When Jianjian Pavilion and Xingtan wanted to wipe out our Holy Sect, my mother, who was the sect leader of Yin Sect at the time, made a decisive decision. She let me, who was still the young sect leader, lead the young people in the Holy Sect to escape by sea, while she herself led a group of experts to cover our retreat and buy us time."

Ultimately, my mother and the others were outnumbered. As we entered the depths of the Endless Sea, pursuers from Sword Pavilion and Star Altar closed in... Those bastards seemed determined not to let us go, and once they caught up, we had no chance of winning.

In a life-or-death situation, the brothers and sisters of the Water Sect chose self-sacrifice. They collectively used a forbidden technique at the very center of the Endless Sea, creating a super maze of immense power.

It was thanks to that super maze-like barrier, coupled with the many dangerous monsters lurking in the deep sea, that the pursuers from Sword Pavilion and Star Altar finally gave up, allowing us to continue our escape westward and eventually reach this continent.

Chapter 2 The Queen's Thanks

The Holy Sect is divided into seven branches: Yin Yang and Five Elements. Yin Yang is the supreme authority, while the Five Elements are subordinate. Among them, the Yang Branch, Fire Branch, and Metal Branch were all wiped out in the war, and the Water Branch collectively sacrificed themselves to cover the retreat during their escape. So...

"The remaining Yin Sect, Wood Sect, and Earth Sect are Your Majesty and the Three Imperial Families?"

Valensa put down her teacup and smiled as she made a guess.

"More or less, but not entirely correct."

Himika also took a sip of tea to moisten her throat after her long narration:

"Our Holy Gate's Yin and Yang sects are both passed down through a single lineage. After my mother died in battle, I became the only remaining member of the Yin sect. Therefore, only two of the three families are related to the Holy Gate. You should be able to tell from their names: Tsuchimikado and Chiba. They are descendants of the Tsuchimikado and Musashi sects, respectively."

As for the Imperial Family, they were the original rulers of Mirror Island, but they didn't have many strong individuals... At that time, Fran was still struggling with the war against the wild beasts every autumn and had no time to explore overseas. The civilization here was just beginning and there was no decent cultivation system.

After we arrived at Mirror Island, it didn't take much effort at all. We just demonstrated our power and helped clear out the monsters on the island, and the natives almost revered us as gods.

"You two can probably guess what happened next... After establishing a foothold on Mirror Island, I brought over the entire culture of my hometown, Yingzhou, teaching the locals knowledge and cultivation methods, gaining their loyalty. I then continued to develop Sword Island, Ruler Island, and Jade Island, gradually building the Four Islands Alliance we know today."

“So that’s how it is… The culture of the Four Islands Alliance is actually inherited from the Eastern Continent… No wonder it feels so different from our Fran.” Valensa said in realization.

Actually, Valencia had been curious about this before when she was studying history and other cultural subjects—how could a place like Franco, which is like a magical version of ancient Europe, have an island nation similar to Japan next to it? The geographical and cultural differences are too great. Now she finally has an answer.

"So, the Jade Consort of the Central Continent Empire in the Eastern Continent traveled thousands of miles across the Endless Sea just to hunt down His Majesty and the descendants of the Holy Gate? You should no longer be able to stop the Central Continent Empire from continuing to unify the Eastern Continent, right? Why won't she let you go?" Valensa asked curiously.

"Well, that's the main point I want to make... Xiao Yu, that madman, came all this way not just to kill us, but more importantly, to seize the Water Sect's inherited magic weapon."

Himika said solemnly:

“It has been almost 700 years since we fled here. The Eastern Continent should have been unified by the Central Continent Empire long ago, but this does not satisfy the Dragon Emperor’s ambition. He still wants to send troops on an expedition to conquer the entire Frenoia Continent and the Divine Continent!”

However, the self-sacrifice of the Water Sect brothers and sisters back then created a super maze in the center of the Endless Sea, which the army simply could not pass through... The fate of forcibly crossing through it was absolutely one in ten would not survive.

There are only two ways to reliably pass through that super maze... one is to break through to the level of a terrestrial immortal, and the other is to possess a water sect's inherited magic weapon.

"So Xiao Yu came to seize the magical artifact to pave the way for a future invasion by his army."

Valensa nodded to indicate that she understood, then asked with a strange expression:

"By the way, Your Majesty, what exactly is the level of a terrestrial immortal?"

"Huh? Oh~~ I misspoke, sorry."

Himika didn't put on any queenly airs at all. Instead, she let out a cute exclamation, then smiled shyly and explained:

"This is how cultivators are classified in the Eastern Continent. It's actually quite similar to what we do here, just with different names."

The fireflies and candlelight we see here are collectively referred to as the Acquired Realm in the Eastern Continent.

What we consider a pearl and a lighthouse is collectively referred to as the Innate Realm on the Eastern Continent.

Those above the Radiant Rank are collectively called Celestials in the Eastern Continent, without any further distinctions like Star Radiance or Moon Radiance. If a distinction must be made, it can be divided into Ordinary Celestials and Celestials at the Great Perfection.

After reaching the Great Perfection of the Celestial Realm, any further breakthrough would place one at the level of a terrestrial immortal, which is equivalent to what we would call...

"Is the sun shining?"

Valensa said thoughtfully:

"So, does this mean that the difference between the Moon and the Sun is actually a qualitative leap? The gap is so great that it's comparable to the difference between the Star and the Lighthouse?"

"More or less, anyway, I haven't been able to break through to that level, so I don't know."

Himika shrugged again, then raised her hand and pointed around the entire Jade Island:

"But as you saw, even though I was at the peak of the Moon Radiance realm, I made preparations in advance, setting up a grand formation based on the entire island, and had 31 trusted confidants of the same Radiance rank or above to help me, I still lost, and lost very badly. I was no match for Xiao Yu at all... It seems that the gap between the Moon Radiance realm and the Sun Radiance realm is quite large."

"so what should I do now?"

Valensa frowned deeply.

If Himiko had said that she had only lost by a small margin, Valensa could have accepted it, but it turned out to be a complete defeat where she was no match for Himiko.

What if Xiao Yu attacks again?

Fran also lacks powerful figures, and while its foundation is indeed stronger than that of the Four Islands Alliance, the difference is not significant.

A top expert who can easily defeat the core force of the Four Islands Alliance on Jade Island can also be unstoppable for thousands of miles in the scorched lands of Fran... And this is just Xiao Yu. Who knows how many such experts there are in the Eastern Continent?

"rest assured."

Seemingly sensing Valensa's worry, Himiko chuckled and comforted her:

"Someone like Xiao Yu, who can be considered a natural prodigy, is one of a kind in the Eastern Continent. A terrestrial immortal equivalent to the Sun God is indeed powerful, but not invincible... The Sage's Tower and the Witch's Forest should have a solution."

Many stories in adventure novels aren't entirely unfounded; spellcasters, with sufficient preparation, are indeed adept at defeating the strong with the weak… If an enemy can't be defeated, seal them; if sealing fails, banish them… there's always a way to solve the problem.

"That's true."

Valensa nodded, immediately thinking of the original witch, Friggia. This great witch was definitely stronger than Xiao Yu is now, yet she was also sealed in an underground ruin for nearly 1700 years. So Xiao Yu really isn't worth worrying about too much.

"Xiao Yu really doesn't need to worry too much. What we really need to worry about is the army of the Central Continent Empire."

Himika, however, then suppressed her smile and became serious:

“You who grew up in France probably can’t imagine how terrifying the power a highly centralized country can unleash after obtaining all the forbidden technologies of the top cultivation sects and completely abandoning morality and ethics!”

I can say this: the three great natural disasters of the Frenoia continent—whether it be the wild beasts, the Netherworld Ghosts, or the mysterious Mist Demons—are all insignificant compared to the Central Continent Empire's army when taken individually. Even if the three were combined, they would be evenly matched. And this was only the Central Continent Empire's army 700 years ago. Now, the Central Continent Empire, which should have integrated the power of the entire Eastern Continent, must be even more powerful.

Forgive my bluntness, but with the current strength of Fran, the Four Islands Alliance, and America, even with the combined aid of the Sage's Tower and the Witch's Forest, it's far from enough... In a few years, when the Central Continent Empire's army arrives, we'll only face two fates: slavery and corpses."

"What if we add the Church of the Sun to it?"

Valensa retorted, unconvinced:

"As far as I know, our Sun Church has very powerful protective artifacts that can even withstand threats from outer space. When fully unleashed, they can even destroy continental civilizations... How could such power be no match for the Central Continent Empire?"

“If the Church of the Sun were willing to exert all its strength, it could naturally defeat the Central Continent Empire, but you will not do so.”

Himika shrugged regretfully.

"Don't forget, the Central Continent Empire is not an extraterrestrial invader, not a natural disaster, not an alien species; they are also a human nation-state. And the Church of the Sun will never interfere in human civil wars unless the Central Continent Empire directly invades the Divine Continent."

The Dragon Emperor must have understood this as well, which is why he has been restraining himself from attacking the Divine Continent and instead focused on finding a way to break through the super maze of the Endless Sea and take over the Frenoia Continent first.

However, once the continent of Frenoia falls, the Central Continent Empire, having integrated the resources of both continents, will inevitably still attack the Divine Favored Continent... But the outcome at that time is uncertain, unless Her Majesty the Goddess intervenes personally.

"Well... indeed, the Church of the Sun has strict orders against interfering in human civil wars. If the Central Continent Empire really invades in the future, I might be banned from participating in the war because of my identity... tsk."

Valensa gritted her teeth in annoyance, but there was nothing she could do.

Since we've chosen to cling to the Church of the Sun as a powerful backer, we must abide by the rules... At the very least, openly participating in the war is out of the question. At most, we can secretly supply some resources to help, such as stealing more high-yield nuclear bombs from the technological civilization... A 5000-megaton Tsar Bomba wouldn't kill a terrestrial deity, would it?

"Is the Dragon Emperor out of his mind?"

However, Valensa still wanted to complain:

"He already rules the entire Eastern continent. Wouldn't it be better for him to live a life of luxury and indulgence? Why does he have to continue expanding outwards? Is it really necessary?"

"Because conquest and destruction are merely means; the sublimation of power is what he truly pursues."

Himika sighed:

"As a high-ranking clergyman of the Church of the Sun, you should know, right? Besides constantly absorbing natural energy to evolve themselves, there is another way for cultivators to become stronger—ascending to the status of a false god."

"Yes, I know. That sinful angel caused all this trouble because he wanted to ascend to the status of a false god."

Valensa nodded, then frowned and asked:

"So that Dragon Emperor also wants to ascend to the level of a false god, and therefore needs to collect more faith? Isn't the Eastern Continent enough for him?"

“No, the path the Dragon Emperor takes is different from that of the Sinful Angel. He doesn’t need to collect faith; he needs to practice his Dao and prove it through his actions.”

Himika shook her head and explained:

"The Dragon Emperor's Dao Heart is the Way of Conquest and Destruction... He must conquer or destroy all intelligent life on this planet in order to achieve the perfection of his Dao Heart and accomplish great things."

"Then he really must be mentally ill!"

Valensa complained, quite annoyed:

"Why are there always these bastards among humans who harm others for their ambition? Wouldn't it be better to just lie down, give up, and enjoy a comfortable life? Why are they all so ambitious?"

"This is probably what human diversity is all about."

Himika remained calm, after all, she had suffered greatly at the hands of the Dragon Emperor for over 700 years.

Silence fell over the pavilion; no one spoke again, only the sounds of drinking tea and refilling water could be heard.

After about five or six minutes, Valensa and Tia had processed what had happened and exchanged glances before speaking again:

“We understand Your Majesty’s meaning… It concerns our own survival and freedom, and we will absolutely not take the threat from the Eastern Continent lightly… Is there anything we can do?”

"The first thing, of course, is to let the big shots in Frenoia know about this, and then we can find a way to work together to overcome the difficulties."

Himika didn't stand on ceremony and spoke directly:

"But as you can see from my current condition, it's really not suitable for me to step forward directly. I need at least two to three months of rest to recover."

Your positions in the Kingdom of Fran need no further explanation. I've heard you have extensive connections, with friends in America, the Sage's Tower, and the Witch's Forest… Therefore, I would like to ask you two to act as messengers and invite leaders or representatives from all sides of the Frenoa continent to Jade Island for a small gathering to discuss how to deal with the threat from the Central Continent Empire in a few years.”

"Delivering the letter...no problem."

After a moment's thought, Valensa readily agreed; it was indeed not a difficult matter.

In the events in Poliland, Valensa fought alongside high-ranking officials of the Merchant Alliance military, making them practically comrades-in-arms. Coupled with her cooperative relationship with the Morgan family, sending out an invitation would be a simple matter.

The Seventh Sage, Tia's teacher, lives in the Sage's Tower... Although Tia will soon become a witch, the bond between teacher and student should still be there, so delivering a letter shouldn't be a problem.

There's no need to worry about the Witch's Forest either. The Witch of Destruction, Elanfiel, and the Witch of Harmony, Law, are both friends of Valensa and Tia. Just give them the invitations directly.