Chapter 1361: Chapter 1361: Northern Borderlands, First News of the Different Race

A Prince engaged in the stone trade? This is actually one of the unique practices of the Great Tang Empire, because in the Empire except for imperial family members, all other official titles and ranks can be bought with money. Of course, the prerequisite for purchase is that you must have a corresponding powerful figure under your command.

Delivery? Naturally, it’s something Ye Luo had to do himself.

With the dangers of the road set for carriages, Ye Luo urgently started work within the carriage. He needed to finish processing all the Spirit Stones before reaching the Royal Mansion.

With the presence of a Storage Ring, the transaction wouldn’t be overly cumbersome.

Although Ye Luo employed the teleportation ability of the carriage, it still took him a solid half a month to reach the Royal Mansion.

Because the Royal Mansion was extremely remote.

Surprisingly, he had reached the frontiers of the Great Tang Empire, and it was only then that Ye Luo discovered the one trading with him was the Northern Border Defense Envoy of the Empire!

The Northern Border is mountainous and its specialty is stone; it’s not at all strange that the Border Defense Envoy would sell stones.

"Stop, this is an important place of the Royal Mansion, unrelated persons should keep away!"

As Ye Luo approached the Royal Mansion, he was stopped by someone.

"Go and report to your Prince that our Family Head has sent me to deliver Spirit Mother stones to the Prince. Your Prince should naturally understand what this is about!"

That’s right, Ye Luo is both the master and the servant, because this deal was solely operated by him alone.

"Alright, you wait here. I’ll go and report this immediately!"

The guard naturally knew that their Prince was in business, so there was no doubt on his part.

Ye Luo waited outside the Royal Mansion, bored, for news.

All of a sudden, a troop of soldiers descended from the sky.

"Urgent border report, urgent border report!"

As soon as these soldiers landed, they rushed towards the Royal Mansion with the banners in their hands.

And the guards of the Royal Mansion dared not to stop them but instead let them in through the gates.

An urgent border report? Could it be that the Great Tang Empire is involved in a war?

Ye Luo didn’t pay much attention to it, as in his mind, this matter had nothing to do with him.

After roughly fifteen minutes, a cavalry troop dashed out, and without any hesitation, they headed straight forward. Ye Luo watched the knights leaving for the city, noting that the border combat must be urgent from the look of things!

Suddenly, a knight approached Ye Luo.

"The Prince has ordered that you immediately follow us to the border to collect stones!"

What? Ye Luo was momentarily startled. He was just here to do business, so why was he now being sent to the border?

But upon hearing that it was about collecting stones, Ye Luo could only nod in agreement. Besides, seeing the fierce-looking soldiers, if Ye Luo didn’t consent, they might probably enforce it by might.

"Mount Sumeru, transform into a warhorse!"

Upon Ye Luo’s command, his carriage immediately shifted its appearance, transforming into a steed of battle!

The biggest difference between a warhorse and an ordinary carriage horse lies in that the warhorse possesses complete offensive and defensive means!

And transforming is one of the special techniques of Ye Luo’s Space Shuttle.

Mounting the warhorse, Ye Luo followed behind the cavalry, speeding directly to the stone quarry.

"Young man, the Prince has decreed that you may take away ten thousand cubic meters of stone from the quarry, not one more!"

This business deal made by the Northern Border Defense Commander is rather interesting—directly bringing people to the stone quarry and even allowing them to pick and choose freely.

However, at this moment, what Ye Luo is concerned about is not the stone, but those who are extracting it! Or rather, they should be called beasts!

"Eh? Who are those people? Why do they look so bizarre?"

With a puzzled heart, Ye Luo asked the soldier next to him.

"You’re talking about them? You’d better stay away from them. They are armored people specific to the Great Mountain Range, uncivilized and therefore very barbaric, even resorting to cannibalism. The Prince has captured these people, but had the heart not to execute them all, so they were simply left around the Spirit Vein to mine stone in exchange for food. However, these armored people have an untamable wildness; when satiated, they’re fine, but when hungry, they’ll eat whatever they catch!"

There are such people?

Ye Luo was slightly stunned, yet considering that beyond the Martial Realm there are three thousand minor worlds, it’s not strange to have different races within the Martial Realm itself.

These armored people have scales all over their bodies, eyes that emit red light, and teeth that are exceedingly sharp. The mere sight of them is enough to give one chills.

"Could it be that the so-called emergency at the border refers to these armored people causing trouble?"

Ye Luo asked subconsciously.

Who knew that the soldier would laugh and say, "Them? They don’t have the qualifications to be our enemies. The armored people are mere servants of the savage-tooth fiends, our true enemies. By the way, since you’re here in the Northern Border, I must remind you to never go out alone. The Northern Border is nothing like the heartlands of the Empire. Not only are there reclusive experts with queer habits here, but also many different races!"

Reclusive experts? This was not something Ye Luo doubted—after all, even within the Martial Realm, there are individuals who prefer to cultivate alone.

But different races?

This still came as a surprise to Ye Luo. Though he had been prepared mentally, he did not expect to encounter different races so soon.

"So, are these savage-tooth fiends also considered a different race?"

Ye Luo inquired.

The soldier smiled and replied, "Right, the savage-tooth fiends are one of the most common different races in the Great Mountain Range. This race is characterized by their immense strength and their aptitude for sinister witchcraft. Alright, just be cautious on your own. Still, with us here, these different races can’t get in!"

Ye Luo nodded and said no more.

The main reason the Northern Border Defense Commander conducts business is to forge weapons and armor for the soldiers. Although the Great Tang Empire appears prosperous on the surface, in reality, undercurrents are stirring—as one can tell from the hundred-meter-high walls surrounding every city.

Having collected the stone he needed, Ye Luo headed back to the Nalan Family, not giving the Northern Border much thought.

After all, the Northern Border Defense Commander has been stationed here for countless years; one would think that nothing chaotic could happen.

But is that really the case?

If the Northern Border Defense Commander truly had a firm grip on the situation, why then would selling stone be used as a means to raise military funds?

Of course, Ye Luo didn’t dwell on it at the moment.

The return trip was noticeably faster than the journey there. After just seven days, Ye Luo had already returned to Nan Zhou City.

However, just as Ye Luo set foot into Nan Zhou City, he heard the surrounding chatter.

"Have you heard? The Nalan Family is set to enter into a marriage alliance with the City Lord’s Mansion. It’s said that the date might be set in the next few days!"

"Is that true? Isn’t the Nalan Family going to be on the up and up then? If I remember correctly, the City Lord only has one son, the future Junior City Lord! If the Nalan Family is entering into a marriage alliance with the City Lord’s Mansion, it must be that the Junior City Lord is to marry the young Miss of the Nalan Family!"

"Exactly, who knows what stroke of luck the Nalan Family had to secure an alliance with the City Lord’s Mansion. I’ll tell you, this news came right from the City Lord’s Mansion itself; how could it be false?"