Chapter 913: Chapter 478: 10 Years and a Surprise

“Old Hong, after this delivery, you should have enough to exchange for a few blue components for your kid, right?”

“Almost, but blue components are still a bit unsatisfactory. I still want to get a piece of purple ship armor.”

“Purple ship armor? Where did you get so many merits?”

…

In the pitch-black starry sky, a fleet composed of hundreds of ordinary starships and ten escort ships is speeding through space.

In the magnetic wave communication linked by the ten escort ships, the ten Guardian Ship Captains are chatting intermittently.

When it comes to merit, a faint hint of pride suddenly surfaced on the face of the leading captain, known as Old Hong.

However, he still maintained a calm tone.

“Most of you were transferred here from the family’s colonial star domains and didn’t take part in the previous pioneering wars. When the main family forces were scavenging the Robber Star Race’s lair, there were too many great treasures. Even though I didn’t get much due to contribution issues, what I got is still worth more than one purple component.”

“Hmm… Before this, I already exchanged a purple main cannon for my kid…”

Hearing Old Hong’s calm words, the other Guardian Ship Captains couldn’t help but feel envious.

To have already prepared two purple components for his own son, one could imagine that the purple components on Old Hong’s own flagship must be even more numerous.

It was said that the previous pioneering war was a festivity for all Torch Ship Captains in the entire Heavenly Disk Galaxy, but no one expected the gains to be this immense.

This made the captains regret deeply. Before the pioneering war, the family did issue a call to arms, but it was not mandatory, and the clan members could choose to refuse, which is what these few had done.

After sighing, the Guardian Ship Captains quickly regained their spirits, their faces once again showing full enthusiasm.

Although they missed the previous pioneering war, the family’s current development was very good, with lots of opportunities in front of them. As long as they are willing to work hard, their future prospects are still very bright.

Take, for example, the current escort mission. They only needed to safely escort the family’s transport fleet to the nearest mid-distance Teleportation Star Gate. In the past, the rewards for such missions would have been very limited, but now, the reward had tripled.

“Big Hong…”

The group chat in the communication system sounded again, but this time it was immediately interrupted by Old Hong.

“No, the Sky Patrol Radar is giving a warning–there’s trouble. Everyone, pay attention and enter first-level combat alert!”

Hearing his words, although the other Guardian Ship Captains hadn’t received any alerts from their own flagships, they chose to trust Fleet Captain Old Hong without any hesitation.

Because everyone was well aware that Old Hong’s flagship was equipped with a purple-quality Sky Patrol Radar, which offered a detection range and precision far beyond their blue or even white radars.

Ssssh–

The hatch of Captain Old Hong’s flagship opened up, and an alloy mech just ten meters tall shot out from it.

Upon leaving the warship, the volume of the alloy mech began to expand at high speed, eventually ballooning to a height of one hundred meters.

“The Hellfire Mech; I’ve heard that each squad is equipped with a Fourth Rank Level Hellfire Mech, but I never saw Big Hong use it before. I didn’t expect it to be true!”

Seeing the hundred-meter alloy mech, one of the Guardian Ship Captains revealed a look of pleasant surprise. This Hellfire Mech possessed Fourth Rank Combat Power and was said to have played an irreplaceable role for the family in the pioneering wars.

However, before people had time to reflect more, figures began to appear from all directions.

“Careful, it’s the Metal Splitter Heavenly Spiders. Keep the formation tight, fire at will!”

“I’ve heard rumors of spider-like star creatures roaming in this star domain. I didn’t expect them to really be the Metal Splitter Heavenly Spider race that fled from the Chaotic Star Field!”

Boom Boom Boom!

The pitch-black starry sky soon lit up with streaks of energy beams, resembling continuously blossoming brilliant fireworks.

The battle lasted for about half an hour. With a Hellfire Mech at the helm, the Metal Splitter Heavenly Spiders were mostly wiped out, leaving only a few stragglers fleeing in the same direction.

“Big Hong, we’ve lost twelve ordinary starships, but our squad has no damages.”

“What should we do? Continue towards Dinghai 18 Star Gate, or go back?”

…

The faces of the group of Guardian Ship Captains did not look good in the group chat.

Although the territory newly occupied by their family was vast, it had usually been the Zhulu Warship Captains leading the missions, and Hellfire Mechs had cleared everything. Although there had been attacks over the years, they were infrequent, and this was the first time they had encountered an attack during their missions.

Compared to the vague urgency in the other team members’ voices, Song Hong appeared much calmer, obviously having been through the great pioneering wars. The sight of a Third Rank Metal Splitter Heavenly Spider barely made him blink.

After pondering for a while, Song Hong quickly said:

“Calm down, everyone. Old Yu, first use the Torch Network to contact the nearest communication point and report this incident. Also, immediately lead the transport fleet back the way we came. These Metal Splitter Heavenly Spiders wouldn’t attack for no reason; if we continue forward, it’s very likely we’ll encounter a second attack from them.”

“Big Hong, what about you?”

Song Hong’s gaze shifted towards the direction where the surviving Metal Splitter Heavenly Spiders had fled.

“I have a bad feeling about this. These spiders have been spotted by passersby before but never initiated an attack, which is why the family has never bothered to deal with them. Their sudden attack this time is really abnormal. I have to check it out!”

“But it’s too dangerous!”

Some members of the squad objected, not in favor of Song Hong going alone to investigate.

Despite Song Hong’s flagship being equipped with multiple purple components, it was after all just a Second Rank Escort Ship. According to the information provided by the family’s External Affairs Hall, among the Metal Splitter Heavenly Spider race that had escaped from the Chaotic Star Field, there were spiders at the Fifth Rank Level.

However, Song Hong’s expression remained firm, and he insisted on his decision.

“It’s all right. My warship is equipped with a [Void Membrane], already enhanced to lv39. Under the guise of the void, a far survey should not pose any big problems!”

Seeing his determination, the other squad members did not continue to argue. Instead, they began to command the transport fleet to turn around and head back at full speed.

The Metal Splitter Heavenly Spiders might come back again, and they didn’t have time to linger here any longer.

…

After separating from the team, Song Hong controlled the flagship and pursued the previously encountered Split Gold Sky Spiders.

With the help of the purple Sky Patrol Radar, he did not lose the location of the Split Gold Sky Spiders and followed them cautiously.

Under his deliberate control, the warship maintained a suitable distance from the Split Gold Sky Spiders ahead, neither easily detectable nor at risk of losing their trail.

Flying for several hours, Song Hong’s spiritual force was constantly tense. His carefulness and alertness were the primary reasons he had survived the major pioneering wars in the past.

Fortunately, he was not disappointed. After several hours, the Split Gold Sky Spiders began to slow down, and it wasn’t long before Song Hong’s flagship radar displayed a large number of figures.

“There are so many Split Gold Sky Spiders, and judging by their size, there is a Fourth Rank Level Split Gold Sky Spider!”

Song Hong’s pupils contracted sharply, daring not to let the flagship advance an inch further. After regaining composure, his gaze sharpened as he saw the familiar vortex of a spatial channel in front of the Fourth Rank Split Gold Sky Spider.

“Is this… an entrance to a Secret Realm?”

“It’s actually a Secret Realm. No wonder that Split Gold Sky Spider took the initiative to attack. It was afraid that the Family Fleet advancing would discover the existence of this Secret Realm.”

With this thought, Song Hong’s heart was filled with joy.

The value of a Starry Sea Secret Realm was immeasurable, and thus, reporting it to the Family would definitely yield a considerable reward.

While carefully controlling the flagship to turn around, Song Hong also used his Fivefold Mind Utilization spiritual force to connect to the Torch Network at the fastest speed.

Although this Star Domain was not highly developed, over the years, the Song Family had naturally constructed a basic Torch Network. Although very rudimentary, it at least allowed him to notify the nearest Family communication point immediately.

Dozens of light-years away, at the Song Family’s temporary Torch Network communication node.

“What, a Secret Realm?”

The Clan member responsible for this communication node was also a Second Rank Captain. The communication point had already received the news about the Split Gold Sky Spider attack, but since there was only one Third Rank Level Split Gold Sky Spider and it had been killed, the priority of this news was not high.

Normally, it would take nearly ten days to be reported step by step to the Four Rank Clan Elder in charge of this Star Domain, not to mention the Dragon Spine Continent External Affairs Hall headquarters.

However, now with the words “Secret Realm” mentioned, the priority was completely different.

In just a few tens of minutes, the message was reported layer by layer to the Four Rank Clan Elder of the Song Family in this Star Domain.

…

Dragon Spine Continent, Dragon Spine Sacred Mountain, Clan Ancestral Hall.

Looking at Song Chi, whose body was already emitting the life breath of a Fifth Rank, Song Wujiang nodded his head.

“Not bad, breaking through to the Fifth Rank in the Guidance Technique within ten years. Being a formal Battleship Captain at the age of one hundred and ninety, in the three thousand years of the Song Family’s legacy, that is enough to rank among the top three.”

Song Chi: ???

A Battleship Captain under two hundred years old, only in the top three?

Although puzzled, Song Chi didn’t show it. Of course, Song Wujiang still caught the fleeting look of surprise in Song Chi’s eyes, but he just smiled and did not respond directly.

During these ten years, he also signed the Chongming Blood Contract with the Fifth Rank Peak Zhuque Divine Bird, evident from the lingering shadow of the Double Pupils in his eyes.

Of course, now it should be called a Sixth Rank Zhuque Divine Bird. After Song Wujiang took out some good things from his hands, the Fifth Rank Peak Zhuque Divine Bird recently advanced to the Sixth Rank, even faster than Zhong Yu ascending to the Fifth Rank.

Song Wujiang didn’t dwell on this matter further, and changed the subject:

“As for dealing with the Black Devourer King Beast, we need to wait a bit longer. At least we need to wait for Miss Ru to break through in her Guidance Technique. If you wish to go out during this time, it’s naturally possible.

However, the precondition is that you can return immediately for subsequent Family actions. Dealing with that Black Devourer King Beast, we cannot do without your Strange Object related to the Time Domain. Moreover, you need to strengthen it to the Seventh Rank quickly, Sixth Rank is not enough!”

“No problem!”

Song Chi nodded quickly. His reason for wanting to go out was to search for what he suspected to be the second piece of the Time Chess Component. If he wanted to return to the Dragon Spine Continent, it was just a matter of saying the word.

“Hmm?”

Just as the matter was settled and Song Chi was about to leave, the bronze chair above the Ancestral Hall suddenly flickered with light.

Both looked up, and after a moment, the projection of a Clan Elder appeared on the bronze chair.

Before Song Wujiang could ask, the Clan Elder’s projection spoke urgently.

“Prime Ancestor, a Secret Realm has emerged in the Tribulation Spirit Star Domain. For now, the Secret Realm is occupied by Split Gold Sky Spiders. I previously clashed with the Fourth Rank Split Gold Sky Spider occupying it and discovered that this Secret Realm is quite special; it prohibits the entry of entities above the Fourth Rank.”

Hearing this, Song Chi asked.

“Did the Clan Elder dispatch someone to explore it? Can you confirm what Rank the Secret Realm is?”

Upon hearing the question, the projection replied:

“If the judgments of our clan members down there are correct, it is highly likely to be a Primordial Secret Realm!”

The word ‘Primordial’ caused both in the Ancestral Hall to flash a look of realization.

However, at this moment, the Clan Elder’s projection was still anxious.

“Prime Ancestor, I do not know how, but a Sixth Rank Split Gold Sky Spider suddenly emerged. There are severe casualties among our clan members below, and we urgently request support from the Family!”

Hearing this, the Sixth Rank life breath around Song Wujiang uncontrollably seeped out.

Upon hearing of the severe casualties among clan members, he was clearly angered.

Yet in the end, his gaze turned towards Song Chi beside him.

Understanding the implication, Song Chi nodded slightly.