Chapter 7: Divine Barrier

Sailing on the sea, time flew by. On the second morning after Mels parted from Mika, which was also the ninth day since leaving the mainland, fog began to roll in across the waters around the Wind Ship.

As the Wind Ship advanced, the fog grew thicker. If the Wind Ship couldn't navigate on its own, they would have been hopelessly lost long ago, even if they hadn't collided with any reefs.

Another day passed, and the Wind Ship was completely surrounded by dense fog. Visibility was less than three meters. Whether due to the influence of the Divine Barrier or not, the Wind Ship's speed gradually decreased, now moving no faster than a small sampan. In such conditions, it was no wonder that the ship Kaslo had boarded back then refused to proceed further.

Gazing at the thick fog around them, Mels and the others grew more and more discouraged. Although the Wind Ship wouldn't crash into reefs, at this pace, who knew how long it would take to reach the so-called Divine Barrier.

Sha Luo had taken out the Divine Crystal many times, attempting to activate the Divine Barrier, but to no avail. Not only did the surrounding fog grow thicker, but the moisture in the air also increased, making everyone feel clammy and uncomfortable.

"Boss, if this goes on, we'll probably grow moldy before we even see the Divine Barrier," Sol complained. "It can't be helped. If I had known the environment here was so harsh, I should have asked Mika how to break through the Divine Barrier," Mels said.

"Boss, why not try this?" Just as Mels and Sol were filled with worry, Kaslo came over lugging an assortment of bundles. He pulled out a thick hemp rope from one of the bundles and tossed it to Mels.

"You brought all this junk on board instead of gold and treasures?" Sol exclaimed in surprise, seeing that the items Kaslo had brought from the Elven Clan were nothing but hemp ropes and wooden planks.

"Gold and treasures? What good are those? You think we're merchants?" Kaslo retorted while unpacking his things.

Kaslo then took out a long oar made from several wooden planks and threw it to Sol, saying, "Take this. I figured the ship would slow down, so I prepared these things.

Boss and Akafir are stronger, so they can use the hemp ropes to pull the ship forward by tying them to nearby reefs. You and I will row with the wooden oars on either side. It won't be much faster, but at least it's better than sitting around growing moldy." After saying this, Kaslo headed to the left side of the ship's bow.

"Hmm, that's a good idea. It's better than doing nothing," Mels nodded and walked toward the bow.

Sol, who hated hard work, initially wanted to object. But seeing that Mels had already agreed, he knew it was no use arguing. He could only pick up the oar, muttering to himself as he walked to the right side of the bow.

With everyone working together, the Wind Ship did pick up speed. However, the fog bank still seemed endless. Moreover, because of their manual efforts, the Wind Ship struggled to avoid collisions with reefs, and the ride grew rougher.

Another three days passed like this. Just as Mels and the others were about to collapse from exhaustion, the Wind Ship suddenly seemed to hit something with a dull *thud* before coming to a halt.

At first, Mels and the others thought they had hit another reef and hurried to investigate. But after inspecting the ship's surroundings, they found nothing but seawater—no reefs in sight. To ensure there were no hidden reefs underwater, Mels tied a rope around his own waist, preparing to jump into the sea from the bow to investigate.

"Boss, be careful. You're not a strong swimmer. If you're in danger, just tug the rope, and we'll come down to save you," Sol said, cinching the rope tight around Mels' waist.

"Don't worry. As long as you don't cut the rope, I'll be fine," Mels said with a smile.

Once everything was ready, Mels stood on the bow, preparing to leap into the sea. Sol and Akafir held the rope tightly, while the others watched anxiously from the side.

*Thud!* Suddenly, as Mels jumped down, a sound like a meteor hitting the ground echoed from where he had leaped. Those waiting on the ship quickly looked down, only to see Mels spread-eagled in mid-air.

"Boss, what happened?" Sol shouted at the top of his lungs.

"N-nothing!" Mels struggled to move his feet, getting to his feet with a grimace. "I don't know if this is the edge of the Divine Barrier, but it's like there's solid, transparent ground up here."

Seeing Mels standing in mid-air at about half the height of the Wind Ship, everyone finally understood what he meant. It seemed the Wind Ship hadn't hit an underwater reef but the Divine Barrier itself!

Realizing what had happened, the youths were both excited and nervous. After hauling Mels back onto the deck, they tied all the hemp ropes Kaslo had brought into one long line, planning to use it as a guide rope to feel their way across the floating ground toward the edge of the Divine Barrier.

After nearly an hour of preparation, they moored the Wind Ship to a nearby reef, powered it down completely, and holding hands, they cautiously stepped onto the miraculous ground, beginning their advance toward the edge of the Divine Barrier. Perhaps because the surrounding fog was too thick, they lost sight of the Wind Ship within twenty meters. From then on, all their movements relied on the hemp rope in their hands; otherwise, finding their way back to the ship would be impossible. They felt their way forward for what felt like miles, they used up all the rope, but they were still shrouded in fog, with no sign of the legendary Divine Barrier. At this point, whether to press forward or return to the Wind Ship to rethink their strategy became the focus of their discussion.

In the end, Mels and Kaslo won the argument to press on. The group resolutely abandoned their only lifeline and began their journey into the unknown.

They continued groping and moving forward, unsure how much time had passed. Finally, Mels, walking at the front, let out a muffled groan as he walked headlong into a solid wall of air.

"It's here! This is the edge!" Mels excitedly called out to the others behind him.

Hearing Mels' call, Sha Luo quickly took out the Divine Crystal she had prepared earlier. In the all-encompassing whiteness, the light emitted by the Divine Crystal appeared beautifully colorful. However, when Mels took the Divine Crystal with both hands and tried to bring it close to the invisible air wall ahead, their faces immediately fell in disappointment.

The surroundings remained quiet, nothing happened, and none of the anticipated events occurred.

Refusing to believe it, Mels reached out to touch the wall he had bumped into, but all he found was disappointment. Aside from the hard wall, nothing had changed. Everything around them remained exactly as it was.

"Boss, give up. We can't get through!" Sol said dejectedly to Mels.

No matter how stubborn Mels was or how unwilling he was to admit defeat, it was useless. The evidence was right in front of him: the Divine Barrier was an impassable barrier that couldn't be breached by individual strength.

After one last glance at the invisible wall, Mels turned around and slowly said to the others, "Let's go. We've failed."

"B-boss, look!" Just as everyone was resigned to facing reality and searching for the way back, Kaslo suddenly rubbed his eyes, pointing past Mels, his face a mask of astonishment and shouting in surprise.

Following his direction, everyone turned around abruptly. In an instant, their eyes were captivated by the strange sight before them.

The once-transparent wall now displayed brilliant, glazed colors. Like a stain, the colors spread from a small initial area, quickly expanding. Soon, across the visible space, more and more iridescent light appeared. As this light spread, the thick fog around them began to melt away. Only then did everyone realize they were standing right before a massive gate made of what looked like colored glass.

"The Divine Barrier!" Mels murmured softly.

As his words fell, the group erupted into excited cheers. After a long and arduous search, risking getting lost in the thick fog, they had finally found what they were looking for.

"Please insert the titanium alloy. Please insert the titanium alloy." A mechanical voice suddenly echoed from all around, similar to the one Mels and the others had heard in the ruins of the ship's cabin.

Under normal circumstances, Mels and the others would have been greatly surprised. But at this moment, the voice was music to their ears. Whether the Divine Crystal in her hand was the so-called titanium alloy or not, at least Mels and the others now knew the method to open the Divine Barrier. For them, this alone was reason enough to celebrate.

"Boss, go try it," Sol excitedly urged Mels.

Hearing Sol's suggestion and seeing the hopeful looks in everyone's eyes, Mels slowly walked forward, holding the Divine Crystal. When he approached within about a meter of the glazed gate, a small slot appeared on its surface. Seeing that the slot was almost the same size as the Divine Crystal, Mels' heart beat even faster.

Mels couldn't remember how he completed the next action. He moved as if in a trance. By the time he regained awareness, the Divine Crystal in his hand had completely merged with the slot.

"Titanium alloy analysis complete. Energy replenishment in progress. Please wait..." After repeating this several times, the surroundings fell silent again.

At this moment, everyone's hearts were in their throats until the voice returned: "Energy replenishment complete. The Fourth Passage of the Defense Barrier is opening shortly. Please return to the ship." As the voice ended, a rainbow-hued path materialized at their feet, that seemed to lead straight back to the Wind Ship. Moments later, the surrounding fog parted to form a clear passage, and the outline of the distant Wind Ship came into view.

"Boss, let's go back. It must be waiting for us to return to the Wind Ship before opening the gate," Sol suddenly said. Hearing Sol's reminder, everyone realized why the gate hadn't opened yet and remembered what they needed to do next.

Brimming with excitement, it didn't take long for everyone to reach the Wind Ship. As Kaslo, the last one aboard, found his footing on the deck, the glassy 'ground' in the sky suddenly split apart on both sides. A beam of light shone through the gap in the distant glazed gate, illuminating Mels and the others.

Sunlight, unseen for days, finally appeared. The Wind Ship was now free of the Divine Barrier and could sail toward the fabled continent overseas!

As the glazed passage gradually opened, the Wind Ship began to move forward. Sol, overjoyed, fired up the ship's engines, allowing it to advance slowly. About ten minutes later, once the Wind Ship had completely passed through the glazed gate, the mechanical voice rang out again: "Welcome. Defense passage activated. Have a safe journey." With that, the Divine Barrier gradually closed again, as if nothing had ever happened.

An endless expanse of azure sea and sky unfolded before Mels and the others. Schools of flying fish danced joyfully alongside the waves stirred by the Wind Ship. Seagulls in the sky sometimes flew alongside the ship, occasionally letting out cheerful cries, letting them feel the true wonder of the open sea.

"Boss, what do we do now?" Sol asked Mels after stepping out of the control room.

"We have the nautical chart Divak gave us, right? Let's follow that direction," Mels said with a smile.

"I know, but I'm worried the Federation will spot us too soon. Besides Divak, I doubt anyone would welcome our sudden visit," Sol said with a worried expression.

Mels fell silent as well. Indeed, not only would Divak harbor no goodwill toward Mels, but Mika had also mentioned the Federation's attitude toward land-dwellers. If they recklessly charged toward the Federation, they'd likely be attacked on sight.

"Sol, do you know how long it will take us to reach the Federation?" Mels suddenly asked.

"I checked the Wind Ship's records. Based on the voyage, it should take about a hundred to a hundred and twenty days," Sol replied.

"Then let's do this. Keep the Wind Ship on its current course, but when we're about twenty days away from the Federation continent, we'll look for a new island nearby and observe the situation from there. After all, the Wind Ship's speed gives us plenty of leeway. As long as we can reach the Federation continent within half a year, we should be fine," Mels said.

"Alright, let's do that," Sol nodded and headed back to the control room.

Originally, everyone thought they would have to spend over three boring months at sea. However, after more than twenty days, an unexpected situation suddenly arose.

Since leaving the Divine Barrier, Mels and the others had spent twenty-eight days at sea. In recent days, the Wind Ship seemed to be circling a continent. Perhaps this continent was just too vast—even at the Wind Ship's speed, it had taken seven days and they still hadn't rounded it to continue on their way.

Although Mels and the others were eager to explore the continent so close at hand, considering their mission, they ultimately had to give up the idea. However, they never expected that vigilant eyes had long been watching them, as if waiting for them to let their guard down.

On the morning of the twenty-ninth day, as Mels and the others finished breakfast and stepped onto the deck, they were suddenly startled by the bizarre change around them. At this moment, the Wind Ship was no longer cutting through the waves on the sea but was flying in the air!

Although the green glowing wings on the Wind Ship were still spread open, they were no longer of any use. The entire ship was being pulled by countless long ropes, and a group of strange creatures with wings, bird heads, and human bodies were straining to carry the whole ship forward through the air.

"B-Boss, what are these things?" Sol asked in alarm, looking at these beings that were neither human nor bird.

Mels couldn't answer either. After a moment, he finally shouted up at the sky, "You... what exactly are you? Why are you taking our ship away?"

"Hehe, they're asking us what we are? Are we even human? Haha..." a strange voice came from among the birdmen, causing all of them to burst into laughter.

The birdmen's laughter immediately angered Sol, who said furiously, "I don't care what you are! If you don't put our ship back in the sea right now, watch out or I'll turn you all into roasted little birds!" As he spoke, Sol casually conjured a Fireball, waving it threateningly at the birdmen.

However, Sol's threat seemed to have no effect. After the group of birdmen laughed loudly, one of them taunted in a weird, mocking voice, "Sure, I'll wait for you to turn me into a roasted little bird. But remember, roasted little birds can't fly. If we fall from here, who knows if you'll turn into meat paste first or... we'll become roasted little birds first!"

"You..." Enraged, Sol was about to hurl the Fireball in his hand when Mels grabbed him.

Mels held him back, saying, "Calm down. Even if we won't die, we still need the Wind Ship! If the Wind Ship really gets smashed, I'm afraid we'll never reach the Federation continent."

It seemed the birdman who had spoken earlier had overheard Mels and Sol's conversation, as he called out to Sol, "Listen, the human beside you is more sensible. Don't worry, we mean you no harm. In fact, you could say we saved you. The Snake Clan guys have had their eyes on you for a while now. If you'd fallen into their hands, you might have been eaten alive by now."

"If you mean us no harm, why are you taking our ship away? If you just wanted to save us, you could have just notified us," Mels suddenly softened his tone and looked up to converse with the birdman.

"Hehe, we didn't intentionally save you. Actually, our king really likes beautiful wings. Since your ship has such beautiful things, we naturally have to take it back to the king," the birdman said proudly.

Hearing the birdman's words, Mels knew they could no longer get away from the birdmen. He could only reluctantly say, "If that's the case, can you tell me, where is this place? What race are you, and which country do you belong to?"

"Of course. This is the Faqi continent. We are the Birdmen Clan, the masters of the north. We come from the Maomao Kingdom," the birdman said proudly to Mels.

From the birdman's tone, it was clear that the Birdmen Clan must be a large group on this continent; otherwise, they wouldn't rule the north. Next, Mels asked a few more questions about the Faqi continent, then took his leave of the birdmen and led his companions back into the Wind Ship's cabin.

Once inside the cabin, everyone immediately began discussing the current situation.

"Boss, those birdmen are too outrageous! Once the Wind Ship is set down, let me teach them a lesson!" Sol said angrily.

"Don't act impulsively yet. From the current situation, they really don't seem to have much ill will toward us. If we really attack, regardless of who wins or loses, just think about this huge Wind Ship—how much time and effort would it take for just a few of us to bring it back to the sea?" Mels stopped Sol's anger and calmly analyzed.

"Then... Brother Mels, what do you think we should do? If their king insists on keeping the Wind Ship, how will we get to the Federation continent?" Sha Luo asked worriedly after hearing Mels' words.

"That is indeed a big problem. Anyway, for now, we can only wait to meet their king first. If we really can't get him to let us go, then we'll have to use force to threaten him into returning the Wind Ship to us," Mels said.

Although Mels' words didn't solve the practical problem, it was the only option at the moment.

After everyone nodded in agreement, Mels suddenly grabbed Akafir and said, "Akafir, once we reach the destination, hide in the warehouse and don't come out. First, you haven't appeared in their sight yet, so hiding here can ensure the Wind Ship's safety. Second, if we really have to use force, you can serve as a surprise force. Third, if they try to imprison us, having you stay here means you can find a way to rescue us, so we won't be completely wiped out. Do you understand what I mean?"

"Yeah, don't worry, boss. I definitely won't show myself easily!" Although Akafir usually seemed a bit foolish, he was still a trustworthy companion in critical moments, which was why Mels entrusted him with such an important task.

Next, they discussed some specific details of their plan, and then Sol and the other two followed Mels back onto the deck.

By now, the birdmen had brought the Wind Ship close to their territory. Looking out from the air, they could see a huge rocky mountain peak towering not far away. Countless birdmen were flying in and out like a swarm of locusts covering the sky. Mels knew that must be the Maomao Kingdom the birdman had mentioned—their main base.

Sure enough, the birdmen in the air gradually approached the mountain peak, slowing down and descending. As they got closer, Mels could clearly see that the mountain was covered with hundreds of thousands of caves, like a giant piece of cheese. The birdmen flew in and out of these caves, suggesting that must be their homes.

At the top of the mountain was a huge oval-shaped flat area. On such a vast ground, only a two-story-high stone house stood in the center. It seemed that must be where the emperor of the Maomao Kingdom lived.

"Wow, so many birdmen! If we really fight, we'd probably have to kill them for a lifetime to finish them all!" Sol whispered in shock, looking at the millions of birdmen.

This was exactly what Mels was worried about. With such a huge number of birdmen, force alone wouldn't be enough to subdue them. It seemed that the only way was to take the birdman emperor hostage when they met him.

As the huge Wind Ship slowly descended, many birdmen who had never seen such a ship gathered around, chattering and discussing. Meanwhile, Mels and the others kept an eye on the birdmen around them, trying to distinguish their professions based on the different tools they carried.

Since the birdmen didn't wear clothes, the only way to tell their professions was by their tools. Those carrying swords or knives must be soldiers or warriors, while those holding fishing nets, funnels, and the like were likely fishermen. Others carrying large amounts of goods were probably vendors or merchants. In short, the birdmen's social development seemed similar to human society, likely at the same stage.

As the Wind Ship gradually descended, more than ten larger birdmen flew out from the mountain. After they drove away the birdmen gathered around, the Wind Ship was able to land smoothly.

With a slight tremor from the huge ship, the exhausted birdmen released the ropes they had been carrying and scattered back to their homes. Only the large birdman who had spoken with Mels earlier, along with a few tall birdmen, walked toward the central stone house.

Just as Mels and the others were about to see what the emperor of the Maomao Kingdom looked like, a loud shout came from behind them: "Humans, all of you, get down! This ship is now the king's property." Following the voice, they saw a tall birdman with three colorful feathers on his head, leading over thirty birdmen armed with bows, arrows, and other weapons toward them.

Although everyone was very dissatisfied with the birdmen's attitude, under Mels' restraint, no one resisted. They followed behind Mels and, as instructed by the birdman commander, descended from the gangway on both sides of the Wind Ship.

"Follow me. The king may want to summon you," another few dozen soldiers were already waiting for Mels and the others below the Wind Ship.

After confiscating the weapons Mels and the others were carrying, the commander led ten soldiers to escort Mels and the other four toward the central stone house.

Although Mels didn't take these birdman soldiers seriously, he knew that if they acted now, they would lose their only chance to take the birdman emperor hostage. So he obediently followed the commander's instructions. However, Mels didn't expect his plan to go so smoothly.

When they reached about a hundred meters from the stone house, the birdman commander ordered everyone to stop and wait for the emperor's summons. Mels originally thought he would be taken into the stone house shortly, but he didn't expect to wait for three hours.

It was nearly noon, and the sun on the mountain peak was scorching. Mels, who hadn't had a drop of water, could still endure, but Sol was already struggling. Seeing Sol swaying unsteadily, Mels had no choice but to bravely say to the commander, "Sir, my friend really can't hold on any longer. Could we sit down and rest for a bit?"

"Nonsense! You're waiting for His Majesty's summons. How improper would it be for you to sit casually? Stand properly!" the commander flatly refused Mels' request.

Such an unreasonable response made Mels furious. If not for his greater goal, Mels might have torn the birdman commander to pieces right then.

Suppressing his anger with great difficulty, Mels forced himself to look up and put on a smile again, saying to the birdman commander, "Yes, yes, I understand. But could you give my friend some water and food? I think if he really has nothing to eat now and collapses from hunger when meeting His Majesty, it would also reflect poorly on you."

After hearing Mels' words, the birdman commander thought for a moment and said, "Alright, but only some water and fruit. Hurry up, or if His Majesty summons you now, none of us will have an easy time."

"Thank you, thank you," Mels said repeatedly. After all, being able to let his brother replenish some energy was the greatest reward for Mels' humility.

Unfortunately, just as the birdman commander was about to order the soldiers beside him to fetch food and water, a birdman suddenly emerged from the stone house.

He opened his throat and let out a sharp voice, "His Majesty summons the human travelers." Hearing the birdman's words, the commander immediately perked up, while Mels inwardly cursed the birdman emperor's ancestors eighteen generations.

Because of this bastard emperor summoning them at just the wrong time, they now had to face battle on an empty stomach!

Chapter 8: The Bird-Snake Feud

Following the messenger birdman into the stone house, Mels realized that the birdmen's architectural skills were truly incomparable to humans'.

This building, which ruled over millions of birdmen, was simply constructed from huge limestone blocks. Although the exterior had been smoothed and processed to some extent, the interior had no decoration at all—not even the edges of some rocks had been smoothed. It seemed that the birdman emperor living here was also a shallow figure who cared only about appearances, not substance.

The stone house looked large, but the interior wasn't very spacious, likely because the rocks chosen for construction were quite massive. After following the attendant for about a hundred meters, Mels and the others were ordered to wait outside a stone door. This time, however, Mels didn't have to wait another three hours. Shortly after, the attendant called out in a shrill voice, demanding that Mels and the others enter to pay their respects to the birdman emperor.

In Mels' imagination, the birdman emperor must be an especially robust or particularly aged large bird. But when they actually met, he was greatly surprised. Sitting on the throne at the northern end of the hall was not a robust birdman at all—it wasn't even a birdman in the strict sense. At best, it was a macaw the size of an eagle!

"Why don't you kneel when you see your king?" the macaw demanded of the astonished Mels. His tone and demeanor indeed had the air of an emperor.

"Wow, what a cute parrot! He speaks human language so well," it seemed women naturally liked beautiful and cute things. For a moment, Sha Luo forgot they were in the presence of an emperor ruling millions, excitedly rushing forward as if to hug the parrot.

"Hmph, what's so surprising about this emperor speaking human language? Even snake language, this emperor can speak it," the Parrot Emperor seemed quite pleased with Sha Luo's praise and didn't blame her for the impulsive act of rushing toward him without regard for etiquette.

"So cute! Let me take a closer look," Sha Luo still didn't seem to realize her impropriety and continued rushing forward.

Only when Sha Luo was within three meters of the Parrot Emperor did the surrounding birdman soldiers finally lose patience, preparing to grab her and move her aside to prevent her from actually hugging the Parrot Emperor.

However, the birdmen soldiers reacted too slowly. Sha Luo shot forward like an arrow, and before anyone could react, she grabbed the Parrot Emperor. Then, out of nowhere, she produced a cold, glinting dagger and swiftly pressed it against the Parrot Emperor's neck.

"Everyone stay where you are! If anyone dares to move, I'll kill your emperor right here!" Sha Luo's sharp cry instantly froze all the Birdmen Clan soldiers.

Only then did Mels realize that Sha Luo had intended to kidnap the Parrot Emperor from the start. Her earlier actions were merely a cover for her sudden attack.

"Well done, Sha Luo!" Mels exclaimed excitedly, then pulled Sol along as he rushed to Sha Luo's side.

Birdmen soldiers, having heard the commotion, filled the hall. However, seeing their emperor captured, they could only glare angrily at Mels and the others, not daring to take any real action for fear of harming their ruler.

"Beauty, you smell so fragrant. You can keep holding me like this," the captured Parrot Emperor showed no fear. Instead, he leaned his head toward Sha Luo's chest, greedily sniffing a few times. Hearing this, Sha Luo's cheeks flushed crimson. *Thwack!* She punched the Parrot Emperor, her face red with embarrassment, and shouted, "You lecherous bird! If you dare speak nonsense again, I'll cut your head off!"

"You humans have a saying: 'To die under the peony is to be a romantic ghost.' I, the emperor, just love being with beauties, and I'll certainly obey a beauty's words. If you don't want me to speak, then I won't speak," said the Parrot Emperor, raising his wings to cover his mouth, indicating he would remain silent.

Watching the odd parrot's behavior, Mels and the others found it both amusing and puzzling. They couldn't understand why the Birdmen Clan would choose this parrot as their emperor.

"Tell them all to leave! No one is allowed to stay here!" Seeing that the birdmen soldiers showed no sign of retreating, Sha Luo tightened her grip on the Parrot Emperor and shouted at him.

Sha Luo's words were indeed effective. The Parrot Emperor immediately waved his wings, ordering the birdmen soldiers to leave the hall and even commanding them to close the stone door.

"I ask you, why can you be the emperor of this country?" Mels asked, seeing that no one else was around.

However, the Parrot Emperor showed no reaction, as if he couldn't understand Mels's words at all.

Sha Luo understood that the Parrot Emperor was playing tricks, so she shouted, "You can speak now, but only to answer our questions! Whoever asks, you must answer honestly."

Sha Luo's words proved far more effective than Mels's. The Parrot Emperor immediately lowered his wings from his mouth and said loudly, "Actually, it's nothing special. It's just that these birdmen are very stupid, and I'm the smartest bird among them, so naturally, I became their emperor. I'm not afraid to tell you, I also founded this Feathery Country!"

"Then why did you seize our Wind Ship?" Sol continued to press.

"Wind Ship? What's that? Oh... I remember now. This morning, a birdman reported discovering a ship with wings. I didn't believe it, so they captured the ship. That must be your ship," the Parrot Emperor said.

"Since our Wind Ship is useless to you, please return it to us," Mels said, seeing that the Parrot Emperor wasn't a greedy bird and hoping to resolve the conflict. As long as they could get the Wind Ship back, there was no need for them to stay.

"Of course, that broken ship is parked outside. You can take it yourselves," the Parrot Emperor agreed readily. Just as Mels and the others secretly rejoiced, Sha Luo saw an issue. She said, "Such a large ship—we can't possibly carry it to the sea. We need you to order the birdmen to return our ship to the sea."

"That won't do. I've already returned the ship to you. If you want me to help you send it back to the sea, that's asking me to do you a favor. How can you ask someone for a favor while holding them captive and acting all high and mighty?" The Parrot Emperor was no fool. With just a few words, he began to counterattack, suppressing Mels and the others' momentum.

"You... you dead parrot, be careful or I'll really chop you into pieces!" Sha Luo shouted angrily upon hearing the parrot's words.

"Hah, beauty, do you think I'm a child? I've lived for over ten thousand years. Is there anything in this world I haven't seen? I guarantee you don't dare kill me! Want me to give you a few reasons?

First, there are too few of you. Right now, there are at least tens of thousands of armed birdmen outside ready to take your lives. If you kill me, it's suicide. Second, the Wind Ship is your primary objective. If you kill me, even if you could fight your way out of the birdmen's encirclement, you'd never be able to carry such a large ship back to the sea. Third, I'm so cute and clever—you, beauty, wouldn't have the heart to kill me," the parrot said.

After hearing the Parrot Emperor's words, Mels suddenly realized that this parrot was a shrewd character. Even though he was still in their hands, he had already seen through the truth: Mels and the others truly couldn't kill him!

"Alright, everyone's had enough fun. Why don't we sit down and have a proper talk?" The Parrot Emperor suddenly changed his tone and, using some unknown method, broke free from Sha Luo's grasp, flying up into the air.

Seeing this, Mels knew that even if they captured the Parrot Emperor again, it would be meaningless. So he stopped Sha Luo, who was about to take action, and turned to the Parrot Emperor, saying, "What exactly are your terms for returning our Wind Ship to the sea?"

"That depends on your purpose for coming here," the Parrot Emperor said, fluttering lightly to perch on Mels's shoulder. "If I'm not mistaken, you must be humans from the Mafa continent. Although I don't understand how you passed through the Divine Barrier to get here, I know your destination must be the Federation Continent. Am I right?"

"You're absolutely correct," Mels replied, greatly surprised but had to admit.

"That settles it. Just based on these points, I'll help you return the Wind Ship to the sea. However, I have a condition: you must take me to the Federation Continent with you, and you can't ask why. Additionally, before leaving here, you must also do something for the birdmen. Otherwise, I wouldn't feel at ease leaving this place," the Parrot Emperor declared loudly.

"You dead bird certainly have a lot of demands," Sol said discontentedly to the Parrot Emperor.

Hearing Sol's words, the Parrot Emperor wasn't angered. He simply circled in the air a few times before saying to Mels and the others, "Don't worry, the conditions I'm setting won't put you at a disadvantage. I guarantee that with me joining you, you'll definitely reach the Federation Continent smoothly."

Watching the Parrot Emperor gradually fly toward the door, Mels suddenly felt that they were completely under his control. Only now did he understand why the tall birdmen were ruled by this small parrot.

"Did you want us to take you to the Federation Continent from the start? Is that why you brought the Wind Ship here?" Mels suddenly realized something and pressed the Parrot Emperor, who was flying toward the door.

The Parrot Emperor chuckled lightly, then said noncommittally, "I'll leave that for you to figure out." After speaking, he opened the door to reassure the anxious birdmen soldiers waiting outside, then ordered them to take Mels and the others to a guest room to rest, saying he would summon them again the next day.

Only after seeing that the Parrot Emperor was unharmed did the soldiers relax. However, they still harbored some hostility toward Mels and the others. It seemed the Parrot Emperor held significant weight in their hearts. Sha Luo's sudden attack had already provoked the birdmen's anger.

Early the next morning, while Mels and the others were still asleep, birdmen warriors brought the Parrot Emperor's command for them to appear. After hastily washing up, Mels and the others quickly re-entered the stone house. This time, Mels knew the Parrot Emperor would surely present his real terms in exchange for returning the Wind Ship.

As expected, the Parrot Emperor was already waiting for Mels and the others in the hall, examining a crude map on a stone table.

After Mels and the others entered, the Parrot Emperor waved his wings, dismissing the surrounding soldiers, then got straight to the point: "Three thousand years ago, ever since I arrived here, the birdmen have had a natural enemy. During the thousand years I've been emperor, although I've defeated them many times, I haven't been able to eliminate this threat. Now that I'm about to leave, I hope to use your strength to eradicate the age-old threat to the Birdmen Clan."

"You mean you want us to help you fight a war?" Mels glanced at the Parrot Emperor, asking rhetorically.

"Exactly. Because my plan must rely on your strength to succeed. The birdmen can't accomplish such a task," the Parrot Emperor said to Mels without any pretense.

"What exactly is the threat to the birdmen? And what do you want us to do?" Mels asked directly.

"I find talking to you really saves time. If the birdmen outside had even half your intelligence, my life would be much easier," the Parrot Emperor said, spouting a bit of nonsense before flying to the map and beckoning Mels and the others with his wing. "Come and look. This is our Birdmen Clan's territory, and that over there is the Snake Clan's territory. The area where the two clans meet is the most fertile forest on this continent. For this land, we've been attacking each other for thousands of years. But I recently discovered that this forest's area and resources are actually enough to support all the people of both clans, so I hope to develop it jointly with the Snake Clan.

The fighting has never really stopped, and both sides have had their victories and defeats. Since the populations of the two clans are similar and each holds different advantages, completely destroying the other is just a pipe dream. The best solution now is to reconcile the two clans, but this requires a mediator. And I believe you are the best candidates. I hope you can go to the Snake Clan on my behalf to convey the message of wanting peace talks."

"Do you think thousands of years of enmity can be resolved with just one peace talk?" Mels asked incredulously.

"Of course not. But given the current situation, both sides are already weary of fighting. If we can make the Snake Clan understand that peace is more beneficial than war, then peace isn't just a dream. As for whether the two clans will go to war again in the future, that's a matter for later, and not something we can predict or control. Right now, I only hope to create a brief period of peace, at least letting both clans experience what a world without war is like," the Parrot Emperor said meaningfully.

Listening to his words, Mels fell silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Since you've made up your mind, I'm willing to give it a try. But whether the other side is willing to come to peace talks remains to be seen."

"Excellent! As long as you do your best, even if you fail, I will still return the Wind Ship to the sea as promised!" the Parrot Emperor immediately pledged upon hearing Mels's agreement.

As Mels prepared to take the map from the table and leave, the Parrot Emperor suddenly flew onto his shoulder and said gravely, "Before you set off, I must tell you: the Snake Clan isn't as easy to talk to as our Birdmen Clan. They highly value martial prowess and are very hostile toward unfamiliar things.

If you suddenly appear before them, they will definitely attack en masse. But you must not surrender without a fight. Even if the enemy outnumbers you a hundredfold, you must fight to the end. Because those uncivilized brutes only respect beings stronger than themselves and will never show mercy to the weak. That's the only way for you to penetrate the Snake Clan and meet their emperor!"

"Thank you for the advice. We never intended to meet their emperor as captives anyway," Mels said, picking up the map from the table and motioning to his companions to head toward the door.

Outside the stone palace, four strong birdmen warriors were already waiting for Mels and the others. It seemed they had received the Parrot Emperor's orders to escort Mels and the others near the Snake Clan's territory.

Sure enough, as soon as Mels came into their sight, the four birdmen simultaneously lowered their bodies, as if waiting for Mels and the others to mount them.

However, Mels summoned his Little One, and everyone clambered onto Little One's shoulders. "Just lead the way for us. Once we reach the general area, you can return," Mels called out. Compared to these birdmen who still resented them for yesterday's attack on the Parrot Emperor, Mels trusted his own Little One more.

Seeing the massive and majestic Little One, the birdmen seemed greatly surprised, but these honest birdmen quickly regained their composure. They soared into the sky one after another, swiftly flying toward the western continent. Little One, of course, didn't linger either. With a long cry, he shot into the sky, following the birdmen's figures.

Little One flew steadily. Taking advantage of this free time, Mels took out the map obtained from the Parrot Emperor and began studying the terrain near the Snake Clan's settlement, discussing attack and retreat routes with his companions. After all, they knew nothing about what kind of race the Snake Clan was. If the situation exceeded the Parrot Emperor's expectations, Mels and the others would have to face the threat on their own.

Just as they finished their discussion, Little One began circling in the air. It turned out the birdmen warriors had stopped flying forward and were hovering in place.

"Is this the destination?" Mels asked, puzzled, seeing the ground below covered in dense jungle.

"Beyond here is Snake Clan territory. We can only escort you this far. You can continue flying forward until you cross the Tagu River, then land. That's the Snake Clan's main base," a birdman loudly replied.

After hearing the birdman's answer, Mels waved to indicate he understood, then ordered Little One to continue flying forward.

As Little One flew over the jungle, a swamp appeared before Mels and the others. According to the map, this was the area where the Snake Clan was most active. However, Mels didn't see a single Snake Clan member moving on the ground, which gave him an ominous feeling.

"Little One, land right after crossing the swamp," Mels said, gently patting Little One. "Boss, isn't it a bit early to land here? There's still a long way to go ahead," Sol said, slightly surprised.

"It's better to land here. This should be the area where the Snake Clan is most active, but now we can't even see a single shadow. Doesn't that strike you as odd?" Mels scanned the ground as he spoke to the group. "Could they all be hiding?" Sol also looked down at the ground, muttering to himself.

"That's impossible. Little One flies very fast. If they were scrambling to hide, we'd at least see them running around in panic, but there's nothing at all. It's really strange." Mels shook his head in response.

"I think there are only two possibilities. First, the Snake Clan already knew we were coming, so they're hiding all around, waiting to ambush us after we land. Second, something unexpected happened at their main camp, which is why they haven't come out to work. Either way, the Boss is right.

If the Snake Clan is planning to ambush us, then there must be a traitor among the Birdmen Clan. They'd have an ambush waiting at our planned landing site. By landing here now, Boss can avoid their surprise attack.

If something unexpected happened at the Snake Clan's main camp, their defenses nearby would be extremely tight. If we rush over recklessly, we'd only raise their alertness and unease. We might be attacked before we even have a chance to speak. So landing early and approaching on foot lets us scout things out." After a brief moment of thought, Kaslo immediately understood Mels's intention for landing here and softly explained his reasoning.

Only after hearing Kaslo's words did Sol finally understand why Mels wanted to land here, and he no longer objected. Soon after, Mels found a patch of dry, firm ground and ordered Little One to circle three times in the air to make sure the coast was clear before finally landing on that spot.

"Look, there are traces of the Snake Clan passing through here earlier, but now not a trace of them can be seen. It seems something unusual must have happened at their main camp, causing them to rush back." After carefully inspecting the surroundings, Kaslo pointed to the crisscrossing trails on the ground and spoke to Mels and the others.

"Alright, let's follow their tracks toward the Snake Clan's main camp." After putting Little One back into the Summoning Gem, Mels led the way. Sol and the others quickly got ready and followed closely behind.

They had only advanced a few hundred meters when Mels suddenly heard a faint rustling from the grass around them. Getting a bad feeling, Mels was about to raise his arm to summon Little One when dozens of shadowy figures shot out like lightning from the surrounding grass, instantly surrounding Mels and his companions. "What are you things, daring to trespass on Snake Clan territory?" an angry shout came from among the dozens of shadows encircling them.

When he got a good look, Mels realized that the ones surrounding them were about twenty strange creatures, roughly one meter tall, holding spears, with green bodies, human-like upper halves, and snake-like lower halves.

"You are the Snake Clan? We are envoys sent by the Birdmen Clan to have an audience with your emperor." Mels stated calmly.

"Birdmen Clan? Well, well, we just killed a few Birdmen assassins, and now you dare send more people. Brothers, kill them all and take their heads back for a reward!" The leading Snake Clan warrior shouted, and the dozens of Snake Clan soldiers simultaneously hissed and clamored, slowly advancing toward Mels and the others with their spears.

"Listen to me—" Mels tried to explain but saw nothing but hatred in the enemies' eyes. He knew there was no choice now but to fight.

Facing the Snake Clan warriors' provocation, Mels and the others quickly spread out into their prearranged combat formation. Mels and Sha Luo guarded the front and back, protecting Sol and Kaslo in the middle, while Kaslo was responsible for ensuring Sol's safety.

Sol, the only non-martial artist among them, quickly cast a protective barrier around himself to enhance his defense against sudden attacks. He also brandished his magic staff, ready to show these short Snake Clan warriors his formidable power with magic.

The Snake Clan warriors' slithering speed on the ground wasn't particularly fast—even slower than the Birdmen Clan walking on land. But when Mels actually engaged them, he realized he had judged too soon. These formidable Snake Clan warriors not only naturally possessed impenetrable scale armor but, more terrifyingly, could propel themselves forward with lightning speed in an instant, using their spears to attack Mels and the others.

"Sha Luo, don't hold back, use sword energy to kill directly!" Mels shouted to Sha Luo while channeling Qi energy into his longsword.

In truth, Sha Luo had already gathered her Qi energy, waiting for Mels's command. She had initially hoped Mels could negotiate successfully with these Snake Clan warriors to avoid a bloody battle, but given the current situation, that possibility no longer existed. So the moment Mels gave the order, Sha Luo immediately unleashed a powerful technique from the Celestial Sword Sect, sending a wave of sword energy toward the nearest Snake Clan warrior.

Perhaps they had never fought advanced human warriors before and didn't understand the power of sword energy. Those Snake Clan warriors showed no fear when faced with Sha Luo's sword energy attack from seven meters away, even brandishing their spears arrogantly.

However, when the surging sword energy sliced the two leading Snake Clan warriors in half, the others finally realized the severity of the situation. They retreated in fear, unwilling to confront Sha Luo head-on.

On the other hand, although Mels couldn't use sword energy as flexibly as Sha Luo to launch attacks, the power of his formidable Qi energy combined with his weapon was absolutely not to be underestimated. Moreover, he was already engaged in close-quarters combat with the Snake Clan warriors. With his agile sword techniques and Qi energy working in tandem, five Snake Clan warriors had already fallen to his sword in a short time.

The Snake Clan warrior who first spoke with Mels realized that their current strength was no match for Mels and the others. He suddenly leaped backward, grabbed a small blade of grass from the ground, and stuffed it into his mouth. Watching this Snake Clan warrior's actions, Mels suddenly realized something and urgently shouted to Sol, "Sol, kill him with a Fireball! Stop him from calling for backup!"

Unfortunately, Mels's warning came half a beat too late. A melodious sound from a grass whistle had already emerged from that Snake Clan warrior's mouth. Moments later, countless grass whistle sounds echoed from near to far.

Hearing these whistles, Mels knew the Snake Clan's army would arrive soon, and they would soon be surrounded by the enemy!