Chapter 357: Xuri Zhi Ta

After relying on the ocean waves to let the entire fleet slowly sail out of the harbor, Yin Yin revealed her true form once again, summoning gusts of fierce wind and surging waves to push the fleet to accelerate into the deep sea.

"Boom—!"

Standing on the bridge of Valaya's Gift, Sinuoli's cheeks were stung by the gale. When Yin Yin arrived, she was still five or six miles away, but now that she was right in his face, he had an intuitive sense of the Longnü's ability to summon wind and rain.

"Zhendan is really something. Their aircraft use Vermillion Bird divine birds for power—'bird-propulsion'—and their large warships require true Dragons to stir up wind and waves for 'Dragon-propulsion.' Does it cost a meal for every hundred nautical miles?"

The Dwarf King muttered to himself. If his Ironclad fleet were to make a long voyage, it would naturally face fuel issues. With Yin Yin providing the power, he simply contacted the Longnü to arrange a chain-link formation, shutting down his engines and letting the giant sailing ships tow his own vessels forward.

"The open ocean is still different from coastal waters; without reference points, there is nothing but the sea and sky merging into one. When will this ever end?"

A few days later, Sinuoli lost interest in the scenery at sea. Since many of his subordinates were struggling with seasickness, he frequently ran over to the Zhendan ships to chat with Yin Yin and her officials.

"What is our next stop? We aren't going straight to Fuzhou City, are we?" After a few more days, Sinuoli sat in the Jinluandian of the Ming Dragon, eating tea snacks as he asked.

"This, this, I do not know if I should speak of it." Yin Yin had gone out to correct the course again, and Xubo of the Jade Blood Clan was accompanying Sinuoli, pouring tea for him.

"We are our own—no, we are all on the same side, why be so polite? Just speak!" Sinuoli coughed twice. He had been pondering how to become the Dragon Emperor's son-in-law whenever he had free time on the ship, and he had accidentally let it slip.

"The fleet's next stop is indeed arriving soon. It is a colony of the High Elves in the Far East. The little ones need to replenish their food and drink, and those, um, pointed-ears also have some trinkets worth purchasing."

Knowing the deep-seated Grudge between the Dwarfs and the High Elves, Xubo had specifically adjusted his wording. This colony was a very important node on the shipping route; they had to stop.

"The Clan Princess hasn't had a chance to mention this to you yet. How do you think we should handle it?"

"Better to avoid extra trouble; I will just keep my ships out of the harbor when the time comes. However, I will have to trouble you all to bring the supplies over to me."

Sinuoli knew of the colony's existence from his clansmen who had traveled this route before. It was called Xuri Zhi Ta and was one of the only three remaining footholds of the High Elves outside of Ulthuan.

"Hmph, High Elves! How dare mere mortals claim the word 'High'!"

Just as they were speaking, Yin Yin walked in from the main entrance. The Bi Hai Nuzhu seemed to have no fondness for the pointed-ears, though that was to be expected; the ten kingdoms of Ulthuan had plenty of ocean-going fleets, and they had naturally clashed with her over dominance of the seas.

"Hahaha, the Admiral says it well. Are they worthy? Bah!"

"Back then, what was that fool's name? The oath-breaker Caledor? His head was lopped off by the great late King Gotrek. Even a rat would squeak over such a thing, yet they just drooped their ears and ran!"

"And 'High'? In my eyes, calling them 'low' is already a compliment; even Goblins are smarter than them!"

Yin Yin's words earned her a chorus of agreement. Aside from drinking, the fastest way to make friends with a Dwarf was to curse the pointed-ears.

"Report!"

Right at this noisy moment, a Celestial Dragon Guard ran in.

"Reporting to the Governor, a High Elf fleet is blocking the path ahead. Leading them is a Dragon Ship!"

"To name their vessel a 'Dragon Ship' is laughable! I am a true Dragon; do they intend to offer this boat to me?" Having just been flattered by the Dwarfs, Yin Yin's temper flared; she slapped the table, her beautiful eyes narrowing slightly.

"This..."

The reporting Dragon Guard stood stunned on the spot. He thought to himself that this was not the first time the Admiral had dealt with High Elves, so why was she suddenly bringing this up today? What this Human also failed to understand was that they had always sailed directly into Xuri Zhi Ta in the past; why such a grand display today?

Sinuoli and his subordinates kept their eyes on their noses and their noses on their hearts, burying their heads in their food and drink without a word. They knew the reason for the Dragon Guard's second confusion perfectly well: with one large and three small Dwarf warships sandwiched in the middle, the High Elves would naturally come out if they weren't blind.

"Please wait a moment, everyone!" Yin Yin waved her large sleeves and walked out gracefully. After a surge of powerful magical fluctuations and a loud noise, she returned.

"I ask that you all wait a moment!" Yin Yin flicked her large sleeve and walked out unhurriedly; after a surge of surging magic power fluctuations and a loud boom, she returned once again.

It was clear she had not given the High Elves a pleasant look, which greatly satisfied the Dwarfs.

Returning to his cabin, Sinuoli looked through his telescope and saw from afar that the Elf ships had not sailed away but were maintaining speed ahead of them. The Dwarfs were full of curiosity about these things they had only ever seen in the Book of Grudges and historical records.

The Dwarf navy was created specifically to directly counter the Elf navy, so their ship types corresponded one-to-one. The largest Dreadnoughts countered Dragon Ships, the medium-sized Ironclads countered Eagle Ships, and the smallest gunboats countered Hawk Ships.

It was rumored that these powerful warships known as Dragon Ships were crafted from star-wood unique to Awalong Senlin; this wood made the ships' exteriors look like the scales of a giant Dragon.

"So many years and no progress at all!" After adjusting the magnification, Sinuoli saw the armaments on the Dragon Ship clearly. The strange-shaped ram on the bow, known as the "Dragon Blade," glinted with a chilling light.

They were forged from a material called True Silver, a composite of Adamantine and steel. This material required the breath of a giant Dragon to reach the necessary heating temperature, and after being shaped, it was enchanted by the Archmages of the White Tower.

Compared to the War of the Beard, the Dragon Ship itself had not changed much, but the first character—'Dragon'—had lost its meaning. Without the help of that tyrannical Dragon fire and claws, relying solely on a few Yingzhua Nupao, its destructive power was far inferior.

After another half-day, the fleet followed the light of the lighthouse through a patch of magical mist, and a High Elf city built of white marble appeared before the Dwarfs.

The treasure ships were too large to enter the harbor, and Sinuoli's own ships were not convenient to enter either, so they dropped anchor beside them. Such a large fleet naturally attracted the attention of the fortress's residents, and the harbor suddenly became bustling, with wealthy merchants and peddlers all wanting to make a profit.

The fleet did not disappoint them; the sailors had been exhausted for a long time and needed rest and relaxation, and the visitors from the Old World were even more excited. Ever since the High Elves were defeated and withdrew completely, there were no longer any large High Elf settlements in the Old World!

Having replenished their fresh supplies, the Dwarfs simply spent their days feasting and making merry on their warships, but Sinuoli's heart had been itching, and on the night of the third day, he finally could not hold back.

The Ancestor Chosen summoned a Zhendan dinghy, grabbed a large cloak, jumped on, and headed toward the harbor.

The Ancestor Chosen summoned a Zhendan skiff, grabbed a massive cloak, jumped on, and headed toward the harbor.