Chapter 36: Restore, Beast City
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“What is that barrier of confinement above us?” Autumn Farewell asked the crucial question.
【Master, that barrier is actually a spiritual-energy force-field shield. It is the product of combining spiritual energy with Blue Star technology. The designation in this database is: the Firmament!】
“The Firmament!? A colossal force field capable of isolating an entire continent certainly deserves that name.”
【Master, the Firmament does more than isolate the land. It can separate everything—including spiritual energy and space.】
“Spiritual energy!” She suddenly remembered something. “Then is the reason this continent’s cultivators can advance only as far as the Deity Transformation stage also related to this?”
【That is possible,】 the system replied. 【I can detect severe damage to the barrier of confinement, and its energy is gradually declining. This may also be why the spiritual-energy circulation has malfunctioned, causing the total amount of spiritual energy across the continent to diminish. There is no longer enough spiritual energy to support cultivation beyond the Deity Transformation stage.】
Sure enough, the reason this world’s academic development had barely reached elementary-school level was this barrier.
“Can you repair it?”
【Certainly!】 The system replied with confidence. 【This city has a self-repair mechanism, but the relevant facilities are on the other side of the city and cannot currently be activated. Would you like to reactivate the city and return it to its original position, Master?】
“Activate it!” she said without hesitation.
【Yes, Master!】
The next moment, a thunderous rumble rolled through the surroundings. The entire city began to shake violently. The already snow-white central control hub erupted with dazzling radiance, while an immense force surged up from beneath her feet. Along the edges of the city, strings of bubbles gurgled to the surface.
The entire city was rising!
Autumn Farewell casually formed a hand seal to steady herself. As the enormous city ascended, its powered ascent was clearly much faster than its earlier descent. In less than fifteen minutes, the darkness surrounding them began to give way to a faint glow.
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When the glittering surface of the sea above finally came clearly into view, the entire city burst out of the water in a single bound. Tsunami waves surged toward the heavens and spread in every direction. Yet the central control hub let out a deep hum, sending sound waves rippling across the sea, and the newly formed tsunamis visibly subsided.
The Holy City now floated upon the sea like an island. Warm sunlight, absent for several thousand years, once again spilled over its streets. Autumn Farewell lifted her head and glanced at the sky. She had not noticed while they were beneath the sea, but it was now high noon.
Low roars and cries reached her ears, sounding almost like cheers of celebration. Turning toward the sky above the eastern side of the city, she saw countless enormous flying beasts circling overhead. They came in every shape and form: some had two wings, some four, and some even eight. Their bodies resembled leopards or lions, yet without exception, they were flapping their wings excitedly as they wheeled through the sky.
Was this… the beastfolk’s air force?
Thinking it over, there were indeed records of phoenixes and other flying creatures among the beastfolk, so it was only natural that there should be other avian beasts as well. It was simply that, before this, only sea beasts had been able to reach such depths beneath the ocean.
That volcanic-headed sea beast must have told the flying beasts about her as well. Several sharp-eyed creatures noticed her gaze and promptly lowered their heads in a gesture of respect.
They were rather polite!
(‾ʖ̫‾)
Although the city had risen to the surface, the pale-blue barrier of confinement remained in place, isolating the city from the outside world. The flying beasts could only observe from beyond it; they could not enter at all.
Autumn Farewell did not waste time. Once the city had stabilized, she directly summoned a three-dimensional miniature map of the entire city. Only then did she discover that the city as a whole resembled a diamond. The upper portion was the area she had seen before, while beneath the water hung an entirely inverted second half of the city. By now, that lower section had become a complete ruin and could hardly be called a city at all.
Autumn Farewell guessed that the lower section had originally been where the sea beasts lived, while the upper portion belonged to the land-dwellers and flying beasts. However, after the city had sunk beneath the sea because of a failure in its propulsion system, the lower half had been almost completely destroyed. Repairing it would be a massive undertaking.
【Master, I have connected to the repair facilities. Shall I activate them now?】
“Go ahead and activate them!” Autumn Farewell nodded.
The next moment, a tremendous rumble echoed through the city, as though something massive were opening. In the center of the city’s plaza, the ground suddenly split apart to either side, revealing a pitch-black opening. A series of beeps rang out within it. Then a single point of white luminescence appeared, followed by more, and more still, until countless white lights illuminated the darkness like a vast honeycomb.
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With a great rushing sound, those points of light poured forth like a surging tide. In an instant, they formed a vast white cloud that flew toward Autumn Farewell. Their numbers were immense, their flickering lights like stars filling the heavens, circling above her.
“What are these?” Autumn Farewell asked curiously, extending a hand.
At the slightest movement of her thoughts, a tiny point separated from the expanse of stars and flew into her palm. Once isolated, she discovered that this minuscule speck was not merely invisible to the naked eye—even her divine sense could not distinguish it.
【Master, these are miniature spiritual-energy aggregates, equivalent to nanobots, except that their primary substance is spiritual energy. They are extremely difficult to perceive with the naked eye. They possess remarkable malleability and can combine into any form. The city’s original self-repair system has been severely damaged. These aggregates can recombine into a new repair system, but they require your authorization.】
So that was why they had stopped before her without moving: they had been waiting for her authorization.
“Go. Repair this city.”
The moment she spoke, the vast cloud of spiritual energy scattered. Under the system’s auxiliary direction, the particles flew toward every part of the city.
The days that followed left Autumn Farewell unbearably busy. Although she did not need to repair the city with her own hands, every stage required her authorization. Moreover, apart from her, the only presence within the city was a remnant soul. Even if she wanted to delegate authority, there was no one to whom she could grant it. She could only race from place to place throughout the city like a spinning top.
The entire city visibly began to transform. Street after street lit up. Countless magical artifacts busied themselves in every corner. One formation after another flared to life, while even the walls of the ruined buildings began to restore themselves.
The half above the sea was progressing fairly well, but the submerged half changed by the day.
While she worked tirelessly within the city, not a single member of the beastfolk who had gathered around the sea departed. They watched the city day and night without rest. Whenever another section was repaired, they grew wildly excited, splashing water or blowing bubbles on the spot as a matter of routine.
The flying beasts overhead, meanwhile, could not remain airborne for long. Every day, no one knew where they found them, they carried one enormous rock after another and dropped them into the sea. If Autumn Farewell had not noticed and stopped them in time, they truly would have filled in the surrounding waters and built an island right there.
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