The Geared Immortal

The war part 1

/*unedited*/

As the sound of the war drums echoed through the battlefield, the beast-men began forming their ranks. After the fall of many beast-men cities, the beast clan empire formed a huge number of warriors to try and stop or even just delay the advance of the demons.

Many of the beast clan members are now running towards the border to the far south of the continent. Although they know that the cultivators didn't like the beast clan people, yet it's either they die in the hands of the demons or live but be under the rule of the humans. Although there is another choice, and that is to enter the Daemon forest.

But this choice is like a slow death for the beast clan people. This is because the daemon forest is a unique existence in this continent. And it is being ruled by many powerful beasts, which the beast-men didn't want to offend.

Those beast rulers in the Daemon forest are far too vicious and vile than the humans. So the beast clan would prefer to compromise with the human cultivators.

And so the long exodus of the beast clan people began. As half of the beast-men army stayed for their last-ditch of effort to try and fight back against the demon horde, their families and the rest of the beast clan people have already traveled for a few kilometers.

Long lines of caravans are traversing the rocky dry path towards the borders to the east and another group went to the west.

Those who travel to the west would be heading towards the largest walled boundary of the Empire, the kingdom of Si.

The natural wall is like a long tall cliff covering the border cliff of the Daemon forest to the east and the endless sea to the west.

This long and deep trench deterred the beat clan from invading through this area.

But the reason why there are those who would escape through this direction is because of the king in that kingdom.

Many beast clan members know that the king in that kingdom of Si is a very generous person. In the border city which stood in the middle of the path between the Empire and the Beast clan, cultivators and beast-men lived in peace.

But this is not known to the whole of cultivation land because it is something that would discredit the 2nd prince in his war efforts against the beast clan to the east valley boundary.

This place was actually erected by the crown prince of the Xi Empire along with the king of the Si kingdom.

And because of this knowledge, many of the beast clan people gambled to go in this path.

It has already been a month now since the invasion from the demons has started. Those who were able to escape the tragedy are still afraid, and many have enlisted to join the fight against the advancing demons.

The cultivation land discovers that the demons use a weird kind of power. Unlike cultivators who use Qi, the demons use another energy which also existed inside each spirit stone and beast cores. Those World nascent realm cultivators called it, the natural energy of the world.

And from the information the cultivation land gathers, there is a community and a group of people who are actually using such a power.

Right now, in the Imperial city of Xi, a weird carriage is traveling. This metallic carriage is not being pulled by any beast, yet it runs on its own.

From the side of the metallic carriage, the name SCF or Shin County Force is inscribed.

When the people saw this vehicle, everyone showed a shocked expression. This is because, in this city, Shin County which is located just outside of the city of Dis within the Daemon forest region is actually very famous for its contribution to the betterment of the lives of the people.

In the kingdom of Yi, the status of the mortals has already changed although not all, but at least many have already considered mortals to be of a higher status than low-level cultivators. Well, at least those mortals who have the ability of crafting, art, engineering, and the one they called 'science'.

Then the vehicle stopped in front of the castle entrance.

"Mam, we have arrived." The person wearing a green uniform suddenly said as he noticed that the woman at the back seems to be absent-minded.

The beautiful woman wearing the same uniform as the one driving nods her head.

The woman's white hair is her trademark and she is known as the white Fairy. This is because her beauty and ability go hand in hand. This woman is none other than Qian Li, the right-hand woman of Shin Jiao in the underground base.

"Thank you, private…" Qian Li said as she recovers her expression and donned in a serious face.

Right now, the most pressing matter is the war in the north. She was already briefed about what is happening in the border kingdoms of Si and Wu. In the information that she received she has discovered something that she hid from the others. She would not divulge this until she has proven that everything is true.

In the kingdom of Wu, as particular person is very famous and has made a name for himself as an artificer. The most famous academy in the kingdom, the Great Wu academy valued this person highly. That person's name gave her the chill and excitement at the same time when she first heard it. It was her master, Shin Jiao, the real Shin Jiao.

For the longest time, she has already discovered that the Shin Jiao who is currently lazing about inside Shin County and is trying to woo Qin Lou is actually a phony. But what's making her restless these days is Qin Lou.

She discovers that Qin Lou is actually slowly falling for that impostor. But she could not confront her because she knew of Qin Lou's already growing affection to the impostor. So she is now torn between her feeling for the real Shin Jiao and her feeling for her friend.

Qian Li knows that the real Shin Jiao has a feeling for Qin Lou. From afar, she saw it when her master took Qin Lou and gave her a kiss before sacrificing himself just to end that war between the cultivators and the powerful beast horde.

But she too loved her master, from the moment he saved her from slavery. To the time they have spent together along with the rest of her original teammate from the shadow squad. Her master has given her a new lease in life and even bestows upon her the knowledge of using mana. This is something that she could never forget and something that made her heart yearn for him.

When they were inside the time plate control while developing Shin County, she has always thought of him for that long 50 years. Though in reality it's just been a month, yet in her heart it has already been too long.

"I will see master Shin Jiao first and explain to him everything. After that, I will take him to expose that impostor." Qian Li muttered to herself as she arrived at the door of the main hall of the huge castle.

She didn't know how she reached this place while in deep thinking but now she felt a little nervous. Although this is not the first time, she has been in this place, yet she felt a little conflicted whenever she enters this place.

This is because of the power emanating from the emperor himself, coupled with those gazes from the other princes who would look at her with those admiring eyes. The emperor has already known her true background as the runaway princess of the San Kingdom.

And because of this, many of the emperor's sons and nephews have expressed their willingness to have her as their wife even though she didn't have the Qi undulation.

But everyone in the top brass of the imperial family that she is a very strong warrior, comparable to a middle-stage core-forming realm cultivator.

But, no one dares offend or forces her because she holds the second-highest position in Shin County, which is the model future of the Empire according to the emperor.

Qian Li took in a deep breath and slowly opened the huge door of the hall.

 "Here goes nothing."

When her figure appears the whole place turned silent. The current bickering of the ministers and the aristocrats of the imperial court quieted down.

As Qian Li enters the men behind her, which she actually didn't notice was left outside. Her lone petite figure walks inside the hall. The military uniform which fits her perfectly insinuates her curvy figure which made her attractive and at the same time imposing.

Her discipline steps and the sound of her boots on the tiled floor grab the attention of everyone in the large hall.

The eyes of those young men present in the room are glowing with admiration as they look at her.

Her confidence is making them want to approach her, for her icy expression is making them feel unsure of their own feelings.

"Captain Qian Li of the SCF reporting to his highness the emperor!" Qian Li said in a modulated voice while showing a military salute.

The strict discipline she is showing made the emperor smile. He knows the weird gesture of the people in Shin County and has already adapted to it. Although at first it has caused a lot of misunderstanding, but now, it is already a norm when meeting these people.

"Ah, princess Li, welcome. Umm… What was it again?" the emperor suddenly thought and turned his gaze to the beautiful woman on his side.

That woman is the empress, who showed an understanding smile.

"It's 'at ease' your majesty." The empress said with a smile.

"Ah, right…'at ease' soldier." The emperor said.

Qian Li changed her stance when she heard this. She put both of her hands behind her and waited for the emperor to talk.

"Truly a wonderful young woman. If only Hau'er can see her, I know he would like her." the emperor whispered to the empress.

"Princess Li, or captain Li, I called you here because the empire is in need of your help. We needed the communication relay to be set up on the battlefield." The emperor said with a deep concern written in his eyes.

"Your majesty, we have already taught you the technology in making the stations." Qian Li asked with confusion in her expression.

"I know… But I heard that in the Wu kingdom, a person has already found a way to do a long-range transmission. I was just asking if Shin County also has that 'technology'?" the emperor asked with expectation in his eyes.

When Qian Li heard this, her expression showed astonishment and elation because she knew who that person is.

"Even with 50 years of study we still cannot defeat master…" Qian Li chuckled to herself.