A huge cyclone formed over the Northern Sea, creating a powerful vortex that mixed with the Magic Element and cold air in the high altitude, producing extremely low-temperature ice crystals. These crystals traveled southward with the cyclone, spreading along the way. The temperature in the center of the cyclone and the areas it passed through would drop to minus fifty degrees. This is the ice storm, a white reaper that freezes everything. Yu Jing is often attacked by ice storms, much more frequently than the Empire. The Federation only occasionally suffers heavy losses on a few of their northern Floating Islands when they are attacked.

Uther stood on the bridge, watching the sky in the north. A colossal cyclone, like a skyscraper, was descending upon them, even though it was still over a hundred kilometers away, the air was already filled with the cold breath of the storm. It was the ice storm, the eternal nightmare of every northerner, the harbinger of death that causes everything to wither. The Explorer had only completed half of its planned voyage, and if they wanted to escape the storm, they would have to enter a harbor. However, there were no suitable harbors nearby, or rather, the nearest harbor was their destination.

"Ohoho, it's an ice storm," Albert's skeletal figure said. "Whenever you see it, it's always so spectacular. The terrifying destructive power is unforgettable. No Hovercraft can survive once it gets caught in it. And this scale... it's unusually large, it can be called a super ice storm, right? Miss, if you continue sailing west, you are very likely to be engulfed."

"Enough with the cold jokes, you one-headed guy," Uther said, gripping the skull without patience. "Navigator, can we reach the harbor with our current speed?"

"Barely," the dark-skinned Kunlun slave answered. "Master, I suggest we change course eastward to avoid the storm."

"There's no other way, we still have food on the ship," Uther commanded. "Change course, we'll go east to shelter from the storm."

"Correct decision," Albert said. "Even when I was alive, I didn't dare to get close to the ice storm unless absolutely necessary. But I always managed to escape unscathed. The advantage of having a handsome face, you see."

"I'm curious how you died in the end?" Uther tightened her grip on the skull without kindness. "I really want to know."

"Stop it! It's about to crack!" Albert screamed. "My skull is about to crack!"

Just then, the door to the bridge opened, and Ding Yi, dressed in a cold-proof suit, walked in. As soon as he saw the young man, Albert immediately spoke.

"Well, young man," he said. "You're in good spirits."

"Mr. Albert," Ding Yi said politely. "You are still in such high spirits."

"Hahaha, likewise."

Uther had always wondered why Ding Yi maintained such a polite attitude towards this skull. When she was in a bad mood, she would often toss him around like a ball.

"Ding Yi, why do you believe this guy?" Uther asked, puzzled.

"This guy? Are you referring to Mr. Albert?" Ding Yi pointed at the skull, and Uther nodded. "Mr. Albert is an extraordinary undead. Based on his strength, he should be a high-level lich or even higher, right? Of course, Miss Nuoyinheim, who was able to subdue Mr. Albert, is even more powerful. To be able to command such a powerful undead, you must be a very strong sorcerer, right?"

"Sorcerer? Why do you bring this up again?"

"Hahaha, you fool," Albert chimed in. "You don't even know this common knowledge, yet you can play magic so skillfully and easily defeat my subordinates, rendering them completely powerless. Listen up, little girl, the so-called sorcerers are a group in Yu Jing who study the ancient magic technology. They may not be able to construct and launch magic like you, but they can command the undead and create barriers. In simple terms, they specialize in puppets and necromancy systems. Moreover, many of these people are alchemists and can create various undead. They hold high positions in Yu Jing."

"They're that amazing," Uther said. "I really want to meet them."

"Coincidentally, my family is the sect of sorcerers," Ding Yi said. "But although I am the eldest son, I don't have the talent for sorcery, so I was kicked out by my family. They even took away my surname."

"That's really unfair..." Uther indeed felt no magic power from Ding Yi, which was quite abnormal. It was common knowledge that humans couldn't be completely devoid of magic power."There's nothing too excessive, it's all in the past," Ding Yi smiled, as if it had nothing to do with him when he spoke. "I'm currently serving under Mr. Yang's command, and although it's a bit tough, I find it fulfilling."

Everyone has their own ambitions, is that what you mean? Uther looked thoughtfully at her hands. The fair skin on her hands did not have any marked magic circuits, yet she could successfully inject magic power into the Spirit Seed Furnace. Perhaps this was some kind of "talent"? Of course, Uther didn't know that every muscle and nerve in her body had been branded with high-performance magic circuits invisible to the naked eye, a crystallization of ancient magic technology that had long been lost.

(Warning, unidentified ship approaching.)

The Omni-being issued a warning in her mind. Uther had previously set the rules of engagement, so even without entering combat mode, the Omni-being could act as the radar operator. She didn't want to repeat the embarrassing incident of the Federation cruiser approaching due to her having dozed off earlier, as good luck couldn't always be relied upon.

"Just when it's at this time," she opened the intercom, "Lookout, observe the southeast and see if there's anything abnormal."

"What's going on?" Ding Yi asked, puzzled. "Why suddenly..."

"Hahaha, kid, don't you know who this beautiful captain is?" Albert burst into laughter, then suddenly stopped, "Our captain is... oh my goodness, my skull's going to split! I'll shut up, I'll restrain myself!"

Uther placed the almost cracked skull on the captain's seat, picked up her binoculars, and went to the side window. A huge ice storm was approaching in the distance, but there was no sign of anything unusual in the southeast.

(Warning, unidentified ship approaching within 20 kilometers, speed increased to 35 knots.)

This speed... is it a cruiser? Uther clicked her tongue and commanded, "Immediately turn around, heading 045, maximize combat speed!"

"Heading 045," the helmsman swiftly turned the wheel. "Maximize combat speed!"

The Explorer's hull tilted to one side and the people on the ship scrambled to find somewhere to brace themselves. The stress caused by the rapid turn made the keel emit creaking groans. Suddenly, flashes appeared on the empty Sea of Emptiness, and a few seconds later, four pillars of clouds rose on the right side of the ship - that was the power of bombardment.

"I can't see anything at all," Uther put down her binoculars and opened the intercom, "Lookout, can you see anything?"

"Apologies, master, I can't see anything."

"Damn it, what on earth is it?" Uther concentrated her awareness, locking in the range of broad-spectrum perception, focusing on a single direction, just like a directional radar. From the echoes in her consciousness, it was a warship about 180 meters long, with the typical features of a cruiser in its slender hull.

"The main guns of this ship have an extremely long range! Is it the Federation's new warship..." Uther looked at the distant sea of clouds, "And it's equipped with something that hinders visual observation, it's really troublesome. To encounter such a troublesome enemy at this time, luck is truly terrible."

"Oh, this just got interesting," Albert said, "An invisible high-speed cruiser, it's a perfect assault ship. If it were me, I would definitely need this kind of ship to disrupt enemy supply lines. As far as I know, in recent years, the Federation has invested a lot of manpower and resources in researching ancient magic technology, so breakthroughs are not impossible. The significant performance improvement of the Night Owl Magic Armor compared to the previous generation Gryphon is evidence of that. But hey, no matter how powerful a ship is, it's still no match for my Balbaros. Who made me so handsome? Hehehe~~"

"Don't compare a human ship to a ghost ship, thanks." Uther said sarcastically, "We are now within range of the enemy ship's fire, and that's not good."

Before she finished speaking, another shell flew over, this time even closer. The enemy ship calibrated its aim based on the previous artillery fire, and if they achieved a crossfire, the Explorer would be in grave danger.

"Take evasive action, avoid the fire as much as possible," Uther ordered, "I'm leaving this to you all, I'll be right back."

After saying that, she ran out of the bridge and headed towards the flight deck at the stern. The blue-painted Night Owl Commando was already ready for takeoff, but this time Uther ordered the 12mm machine guns to be replaced with 20mm cannons.

"What should I do?" Ding Yi was completely left behind on the bridge, unsure of what to do."Come, come, young man," Alberht said, "I can't see anything here. Pick me up and hold me against your chest. Yes, that's it. Take a step forward, and another. Oh! Very good, now I can see outside. Hahaha!"

And so, Dingyi became Alberht's new "body," or rather, support.

A Night Owl command type swooped past the bridge, flying towards where the cannonballs were coming from. As Alberht looked at the familiar aircraft, the glint in his eyes grew sharp.

"So, the one who defeated Tristan so beautifully that day was her..." he muttered to himself. "Truly, she is the ace among aces. We are destined to meet, so let me lend you a little help, beautiful and dangerous Miss."

"Huh?" Dingyi exclaimed in surprise, but Alberht paid no attention.

"Hey, you dark figures over there!" he said. "When I say turn, turn with all your might. Your course has already been targeted, and the next shot will hit directly. Your master wants you to save this ship. If you want to fulfill your master's command, steer according to my instructions."

The helmsman and first mate exchanged glances and nodded.

"All right, you black devils! Let me show you my Captain Alberht's 130 years of sailing experience! You mere humans, if you want to hit my ship, do it in your next life!"

155mm shells whizzed past over their heads. Uther nervously followed the trajectory of the shells, but saw the Explorer successfully evade with precision, barely losing any speed due to the maneuver. Uther couldn't help but wonder who gave the order. In her impression, the helmsman was a skilled steerer, but lacked experience in dodging cannonballs. Who could it be then?

The answer was probably the skeleton, right?

"I unexpectedly owe someone a favor," Uther sighed. "I'll find a way to repay him later."

Machine gun bullets came from the side. The enemy was obviously in a rush. Uther had noticed the enemy planes hidden in the clouds, thinking they hadn't been discovered, but their presence had already been detected by wide-area perception. Uther couldn't help but marvel again at how overpowered wide-area perception was in aerial combat.

Four Magic Armors burst out of the hiding clouds and rapidly closed in from behind. Uther turned around and aimed at one of them, pulling the trigger. The 20mm machine gun spat out a flame, and the powerful bullets tore through the air, hitting the leading Magic Armor that was striving for credit and blowing it into smithereens.

From a weapon's perspective, the 20mm machine gun was not suitable for aerial combat. Firstly, its rate of fire was slow, two shots per second, much like the frequency of a human cough, hence its nickname "the cough gun." What's worse, its trajectory was far from straight like the 12mm machine gun's, it was very curved, making it difficult for rookies to hit moving targets, and skilled pilots simply disdain using it. However, this thing could cause considerable damage to lightly armored warships, especially to fragile observation and targeting systems and Spirit Seed Furnaces. A few hits and they would be done for. Of course, the effect would be better if rocket launchers were used, but Uther didn't have any rockets at hand.

Losing one machine, the remaining Magic Armors disbanded their formation to avoid the shockwave of the Spirit Seed Furnace explosion. Uther took advantage of this and made a small rotation to engage one of the enemy aircraft. It was a Magic Armor painted in yellow, the model called "Raptor," a more advanced model than the Night Owl, but its manufacturing cost was too high and it had yet to be mass produced. Judging from the fact that the enemy was equipped with such advanced Magic Armors, they must be some kind of experimental ship sent into the battle zone to collect combat data.

A massive ice storm raged on the horizon, its invisible pressure making it hard to breathe. Under the towering storm clouds, the four Magic Armors engaged in fierce combat. Uther fired two shells, the first one missed, but the second one hit the enemy's left leg, causing a mixture of blood and hydraulic oil to scatter in the air. The pilot struggled to control the nearly out-of-control machine. The pilot of a Magic Armor had to place their legs inside the machine's thighs; fundamentally, it was still a piece of armor. Consequently, getting hit in the leg probably meant that the pilot's knees and below were destroyed as well.

With its fighting spirit gone, the Raptor flew northwards, and Uther glanced at the ice storm in the north, deciding not to pursue.Bullets were fired from behind, and Uther immediately shot a smoke screen. This equipment was taken from the production model Magic Armor of the Empire army and seemed capable of creating a large amount of smoke in the air. However, the original intention was to provide cover for the mass-produced machines with poor maneuverability to escape from the pursuit of high-performance Magic Armor, in order to successfully land. But in Uther's hands, it became a secret weapon capable of turning the tide of the battle. The two yellow Raptors circled around the smoke screen, forming a standard dual formation of the Federation army. Even when half of their teammates were annihilated, they remained calm, demonstrating the excellent skills of the pilots.

However, 20mm shells fired from above exploded the wingman following Uther. While releasing the smoke, Uther raised the battle armor and performed a somersault at the apex, rotating and shooting bullets at the enemy aircraft passing below from a downward position, shooting down one of them. Then, in a swift dive, she quickly engaged the last enemy aircraft.

"Who is this guy?" came the surprised cry from the enemy pilot through the headset. Uther sighed, realizing that her radio frequency was still linked to the Federation army's operational channel. She had just killed her former allies again, but thinking of the hundreds of wounded and civilians aboard the Explorer, Uther made up her mind to continue the slaughter. After all, Colonel Karlus Noinheim was already dead, so by now she shouldn't be considered a traitor, right?

The yellow Raptors dodged left and right, attempting to shake off the Night Owl Command Type behind them, but Uther tightly pursued the enemy aircraft, continuously firing bullets to disrupt its evasive maneuvers, gradually catching up.

"It ends like this." Uther pulled the control stick, and the Night Owl Command Type extended its mechanical arm, drawing out the chainsaw sword attached to the back rack of the aircraft, slicing the enemy aircraft in half.

With the last enemy aircraft eliminated, Uther turned to search for the enemy ship.

Black smoke burst around her, which was anti-aircraft fire. The intense anti-aircraft fire exposed the position of the enemy ship, and Uther easily found it. Looking down from above, it was a fast cruiser with three turrets in the front and two in the back, totaling 10 155mm main guns. The middle of the ship was equipped with a hangar and flight deck, but most of the hangar was occupied by a device, which explained why they only brought four carrier-based planes.

That mysterious device resembled a tower, and the rotating tower emitted peculiar light particles, creating a special force field around the cruiser. This field distorted the light, making it impossible to see it from the side. However, from inside the force field, the outside was also not visible. The fire control tower extended from above the force field aimed its optical rangefinder at the Explorer in the distance.

The 76mm anti-aircraft guns arranged on both sides of the flight deck desperately fired, and Uther skillfully evaded the incoming shells, firing a volley at the rangefinder. The 20mm bullets destroyed the rangefinder, annihilating the sailors operating it. While flying by, Uther also turned the anti-aircraft command post on the rear mast into a honeycomb. When she turned back, the enemy ship's artillery fire had lost its accuracy and became chaotic.

In that case, let's sink it next!

While dodging the anti-aircraft barrage, Uther skillfully lowered her altitude, hiding in the blind spot of the cruiser's firepower. The Federation warship's lower part also had several mechanisms to protect the Spirit Seed Furnace, but they were quickly turned into beehives by the 20mm cannons. Uther took care of the turrets, flew past grandiosely, and aimed at the Spirit Seed Furnace, firing indiscriminately. Since the on-board Spirit Seed Furnace required a large heat dissipation system for cooling, it couldn't be installed inside the hull. Although there were armored plates around it to resist shells, the bottom part was completely hollow. The 20mm bullets unceremoniously destroyed the cooling system of the Spirit Seed Furnace, damaging the casing, and the Magic Element inside started to explode, spreading green light in an instant.

The cruiser, devoid of buoyancy, began to sink. The terrified crew members climbed into the balloon lifeboats, which slowly floated into the air as the balloons filled with helium. Uther did not attack those who were evacuating. She mounted the machine gun turret on the Night Owl's rear rack and spread her wings to fly east, leaving the sinking enemy ship behind in the Sea of Emptiness.

Landing on the stern deck, Uther rushed into the bridge in three strides, just in time to see Ding Yi holding Alberd's skull, standing in front of the port window."Kid, turn 15 degrees to the left," he said proudly, "I can hardly see anymore."

"Yes, Mr. Albede," Ding Yi turned to the left.

"Hahaha, I can see again!" Albede laughed heartily. "Those idiots abandoned ship! The enemy ship is still within range, the turret is still intact. Fire, you bastards! Can't you fight with backbone until the end? Did those kids have their balls cut off? Even eunuchs know how to bite!"

"Don't judge others with your strange standards," Uther sat down unkindly on the captain's seat. "Bad news, we can't turn around and can only head west with our heads held high."

"That's just great," Albede said in a deep voice. "This battle has been delayed for too long, maybe we won't make it. But it doesn't matter, when you all freeze to death, I'll take over this ship."

"Dream on," Uther crossed his arms. "Don't underestimate the Voyager, in terms of speed, it's no less than the Ghost Ship Barbarossa."

After saying that, Uther placed his hand on the red crystal on the captain's seat, and the crystal gradually lit up. The Voyager's thrusters made a louder noise and began to accelerate.

"What are you doing..." Albede exclaimed, "Are you directly injecting magic into this ship's Spirit Seed Furnace?"

"What's wrong?" Uther raised an eyebrow. "I can make the Voyager accelerate for a whole day and night, and after that, it can continue to engage in battle with Federation forces using the Magic Armor."

"Oh my god!" Albede exclaimed in shock. "What's the deal with that exaggerated amount of magic power you have?"

Ding Yi showed a puzzled expression of "what are you talking about", while the helmsman and the first mate exchanged knowing smiles. They knew their captain wasn't exaggerating.

Twenty hours later, the ice storm approached, only thirty kilometers away from Floating Island. The temperature quickly dropped and soon reached below freezing. Winter had truly arrived! The Voyager, docked at the Azure Harbor, was unloading the wounded and refugees. Like the other hovercrafts, it was firmly anchored to the dock with ropes and telescopic arms. Uther stood on the bridge, watching the wounded and civilians disembark. A cold wind blew her long hair, and she instinctively tucked her neck in.

"Goodbye, Captain Sister."

Two children, around five or six years old, waved at Uther from the gangway. They boarded the ship, escaping from the fate of freezing to death. Uther smiled and waved back, and the children's parents bowed deeply to her in gratitude. It felt good to do a good deed. Uther extended his hand to the north, where the ice storm was about to arrive. The tsunami-like wall of clouds had already occupied half of the sky. No matter how many times he had seen such a scene, the awe in his heart had never diminished.

This was the power of nature, something that humans couldn't control and couldn't resist, absolute power.

"Captain Noyneim," Ding Yi approached her and placed a heavy bag in her hand, "this is what Yang asked me to give you. He instructed me to pay half of the rental fee once we arrived in Azure Harbor."

Uther weighed the bag and heard the sound of coins clinking inside. There were quite a lot indeed.

"I have indeed accepted the freight," she said. "But due to the ice storm, the Voyager cannot set sail immediately, and the return date to Qingyang may be postponed."

"I understand. I have already informed Mr. Yang through the ship's radio," Ding Yi said. "However, urgent matters require me to report the situation of the Federation stealth attack ship to the fleet headquarters. Captain Noyneim, if you are available, could you accompany me to the fleet headquarters?"

"Fine, after all, there is only one direct witness," Uther nodded. "Helping someone to the end, I will fulfill this favor to the end." She turned to her first mate Kunlun Slave, "First mate, the ship is in your hands. Is there anything you want?"

"Yes, captain," the first mate said. "But we are just slaves, we dare not have any demands."

"Oh, right, Ding Yi," Uther asked, "Can I buy apples in Azure Harbor?"

"I'm afraid not, apples are only produced in Qingyang," Ding Yi shrugged. "But you can buy persimmons in Azure Harbor. They taste great after being wind dried and fermented into persimmon cakes."

"Alright, let's buy those persimmons then," Uther said. "Let's set off."The magical vehicle is a very convenient mode of transportation, with four wheels and the front two connected to the steering wheel for maneuvering. All one needs to do is inject magical energy into the mini magic mechanism inside the vehicle and it can start moving. Because it requires very little magic power, most people can drive it.

The architecture of Yu Jing, with its blue bricks and green tiles, is completely different from Fort Hurricane. Tall archways stand proudly amidst the commotion, and the intricate carvings on the beams and pillars are a sight to behold. As the ice storm approaches, people on the streets hurriedly seek shelter and merchants in the marketplace start closing their stalls. However, the people of Yu Jing are accustomed to the ice storms and there is no panic. For them, the ice storm is just a natural phenomenon that occurs every winter. Uther bought a bucket of persimmons and with the help of Ding Yi, placed it in the car. In truth, she could have lifted the bucket on her own using her physical enhancement. However, that would have been too extraordinary, attracting strange looks from those around them.

The Naval Intelligence Department is located in a corner of the administrative district, just a street away from the Cangying Estate, and through the windows, one could see the distant port. At first, the military officers at the Intelligence Department did not believe Uther's words, as they saw her as nothing more than a greenhorn. However, when Uther showed them the footage from the Night Owl Command-type flight recorder, those arrogant officers were dumbfounded. As they left the Intelligence Department, the ice storm had already covered the entire sky. The temperature dropped sharply, and the cold wind mixed with ice crystals cut through their faces like knives.

"It looks like we need to get back quickly," Uther sighed and turned to Ding Yi in the passenger seat. "Where do you want to go? I can give you a ride."

"I want to visit my family," Ding Yi said. "To see my mother."

However, without any magic power, he couldn't drive the magical vehicle. Ding Yi, sitting in the passenger seat, showed a complex expression. He had no magic power at all, so he couldn't even start the vehicle. Without Uther's help, he would have to walk. But as a man, he also had his dignity. It would be inappropriate for him to let a little girl drive him around. Uther understood his thoughts and pushed him into the driver's seat, taking the passenger seat herself, and continued to infuse magic into the engine.

"I'm not familiar with this area," she said. "Why don't you drive?"

"We've easily found the marketplace and the Intelligence Department building…" Ding Yi muttered softly. Uther just chuckled. Broad-spectrum perception was her secret, something she couldn't tell anyone.

The magical vehicle drove onto the street and headed north along the stone-paved road, making a perfect 90-degree angle with the direction of the port. Through the cedar trees planted on both sides of the road, one could see rows of hovercrafts moored in the Cangying Port. The road soon became winding, but the road conditions remained the same. Perhaps because there were very few vehicles passing through, the road was actually in better condition than before. The winding road went uphill and led to a grand mansion on a plateau.

Turning around a steep bend, the red brick and green tile building appeared at the end of the pine forest. It was a huge mansion, and the thick red gate was decorated with copper studs, giving it an imposing appearance. Two red lanterns hanging under the eaves emitted a gentle light. The word "Qin" was written on the lanterns, while the plaque on the gate read "Qin Residence". Uther speculated that Ding Yi's original surname must have been Qin. How did he feel now, having been expelled from his family and lost his surname?

Uther infused magic into the crystal at the entrance. After about a minute, a girl dressed in a light palace gown opened the gate. She had a very delicate face with a vermilion mole between her eyebrows. Her long hair was tied up in a bun on either side of her head, a cute hairstyle. However, the wrists and finger joints that were revealed from under her sleeves were spherical, not the hands of a human, but those of a puppet.

"Please announce yourself," Ding Yi said. "I'm back."

The girl looked at Ding Yi and bowed respectfully. She turned and walked into the gate. After about five minutes, she returned, holding the lantern. Uther sensed the magical energy in the lantern and it made her very uncomfortable, with a sense of decay, like a corpse. The blue flame inside it was probably not just some fuel. And the lantern's function was far more than just illumination.

"Please follow me," the girl said politely.

Ding Yi entered the gate first, and Uther followed his footsteps. The red door closed behind them with a bang, and the scenery in front of them changed. It was the grand entrance of the mansion, with red lanterns hanging on both sides of the stone-paved road, casting a dim light that illuminated the road, but the scenery on both sides of the road became blurred. The building of the Qin Residence can only be described with the words "intricate carvings on beams and pillars", even the railings and columns on the second floor were adorned with intricate patterns.With such a grand mansion, it must not belong to an ordinary wealthy person or upstart.

"Do not stray too far from the guide," Ding Yi reminded Uther, who was looking around, "There are many ghost servants hidden in the manor. If you stray too far from the guide's soul lamp, you will be attacked by the ghost servants."

"Is it that dangerous?" Uther was surprised.

"The Qin family is the strongest sorcerer power in Yu Jing, so naturally they have many enemies," Ding Yi explained. "Almost every few days, unidentified ghost servants try to break in, but they are quickly killed by the ghost servants protecting the manor."

"Your family really has it tough," Uther chuckled.

As they walked into the largest building, Uther saw more girls in thin palace attire. It surprised her that these girls had almost identical faces, as if they were twins. Uther focused her senses and could faintly detect traces of magic from these maids. It seemed like they were... dolls.

"Look who it is? Isn't this big brother?" A haughty voice interrupted Uther's investigation. She turned around and saw a young man in a black robe speaking to Ding Yi with an arrogant attitude. Compared to Ding Yi's gray-blue military uniform, the black robe was much more elegant, and the pure black color was intimidating, as if the embodiment of shadows. It looked like a high-end item.

"Why are you back?" the arrogant young man continued, "After being kicked out, you still have the face to return to this house? If it were me, I would have found a place to die early on."

"Young master, I just came back to visit Mother," Ding Yi showed no anger, showing no resemblance to an older brother.

"Tsk," the arrogant youth clicked his tongue. "Mother is maintaining the barrier. Go greet her and then leave quickly."

After saying that, he left straight away.

"That little brother of yours is such an idiot," Uther sighed. "Do you want me to teach him a lesson?"

"Please don't, it would be very bad to be enemies with the Qin family in Yu Jing," Ding Yi became nervous.

"Since you say so, then forget it," Uther said. "To be honest, I find that kid's attitude towards you very unsatisfactory. Although I don't have any siblings, I have over a dozen friends who are like brothers and sisters to me. We grew up together in an orphanage, our bond is stronger than blood. But... many of them have already died... so, your brother's attitude makes me angry. It's too late to realize the value after losing it."

"I'm sorry," Ding Yi turned away. "This is my family matter."

"Alright," Uther smiled. "I'll just be a well-behaved guest then."

The maids led the two through a corridor with carved beams and painted pillars. Lanterns were also hung here, but they were smaller than those in the courtyard. Uther understood the purpose of these lanterns - they seemed to form a boundary similar to a safe zone. However, it was quite heavy-handed for a sorcerer family to keep murderous ghosts in their own yard.

In the meeting room on the west side, Uther was left alone while Ding Yi went out through the adjoining door, probably to see his own mother. The room was beautifully furnished, with porcelain and jade objects that were high-quality goods from Yu Jing. Fort Hurricane didn't have these items. The porcelain and bronze wares from Yu Jing were highly valued by the rich in the Empire and Federation, and not without reason. Sitting on a lacquer chair, Uther stared at the maid standing next to her. Her dim eyes showed no human emotions, and her delicate and cute face matched with ball-jointed limbs, giving an impression of incoordination.

Is this a doll?

(Negative, observed subject is a magic lifeform.)

Uther was startled. The Almighty was actually speaking at this moment. Generally, this entity remained silent unless it activated under combat or dangerous situations. However, it occasionally made remarks when studying things related to the ancestors, as if showing off its knowledge.

Just then, the door opened and an old man walked in. He was wearing a pitch-black robe with a sandalwood column hanging from his neck, giving an imposing impression. He glanced at the restless Uther sitting in the chair, and Uther immediately glared back. The old man stopped in his tracks and turned around.

"So, this is the doll that the disobedient son brought back," he muttered to himself."Hello," Uther quickly stood up, "I am waiting for someone."

The old man made a sound of understanding and looked at Uther with interest.

"What an exquisite structure," he asked, "Is this the work of Ye Baichuan?"

Uther felt that this old man had definitely mistaken something.

"Hello, my name is Uther Nordheim," she politely introduced herself, "I am the captain of the Explorer under the Free Trade Alliance. Currently, I am working for Lord Yang Jiye."

"Oh, my apologies. I didn't expect to be in the presence of Lord Yang's subordinate," the old man straightened his body, "I am Qin Yongsheng, a sorcerer. I came here when I heard that my little brother brought back an unknown puppet. But it seems that I made a mistake."

"Mr. Qin, hello," Uther bowed politely.

"You are not from Yu Jing, are you?"

"No, I am from Fort Hurricane," Uther replied, "A year ago, Fort Hurricane was still under the Federation's territory, but now it's occupied by the Empire. So I became stateless and currently command a merchant ship for trading."

"Quite impressive at such a young age."

"You flatter me."

Just then, the foolish young man from earlier pushed the door open and entered. Upon seeing Qin Yongsheng, he immediately restrained his arrogance. Uther secretly found it amusing that this arrogant guy also had someone he feared.

"Qin Jiang, come here," Qin Yongsheng commanded with an unchallengeable tone.

The foolish young man, who was about to slip away, reluctantly walked over.

"To think you mistook a foreigner for a puppet, you really have no vision," Qin Yongsheng lectured in front of Uther, "With your lack of improvement, how will you inherit the Qin family in the future?"

"Yes, Father," the foolish young man lowered his head, "I know I was wrong."

Uther suppressed a laugh. This father was indeed strict, not giving any face to his son and lecturing him in front of an outsider. How amusing. Ah, is this what a family is like? Uther, who grew up in an orphanage, had never experienced such an atmosphere and suddenly felt envious.

The side door opened and Ding Yi walked in. When he saw Qin Yongsheng, his expression visibly wavered.

"Greetings, Lord Qin," he bowed his head in respect but did not address the old man as his father, even though their faces looked very similar. Ding Yi must look like what Qin Yongsheng would have looked like when he was older.

"You're back. Talk to Mother and leave quickly," Qin Yongsheng said in a cold tone, "You are no longer part of this family. Just come back occasionally to visit."

"Yes, Lord Qin," Ding Yi bowed his head, a pained expression on his face.

The atmosphere around them turned cold, and Uther felt something pressing on her chest, a disturbing feeling. The sorcerer's family was indeed complicated, where those without magic had a hard time maintaining their status.

(Warning, something is invading the current barrier, presumed hostile action.)

The Supreme Being suddenly spoke, surprising Uther, and Qin Yongsheng also sensed something. He turned around and walked out of the reception room. The ice storm had completely covered the sky, with snowflakes floating through the massive barrier surrounding the Qin estate, releasing a faint glow. A giant mechanical spider rushed into the courtyard with two armored specters attached to its front legs. Those specters had grim faces, exuding an aura of death. Uther speculated that they were made from corpses.

The upper body of the mechanical spider was that of a human wearing armor, with a multi-barrelled machine gun attached to the left mechanical arm, and a long knife on the right.

"You dared to openly attack while the barrier is weakened by the ice storm?" Qin Yongsheng pulled out a talisman, "Come forth, Breaker."

The talisman landed on the ground, unfolding a patterned array, and a half-human, half-horse-shaped mechanical puppet rose from the glowing array. It was probably transferred directly from a warehouse and still carried the scent of machine oil.

"Long time no see, Father," the mechanical spider spoke, but why did it have a female voice?

"Sister?"

"Qin Fengjie?"

Ding Yi and Qin Jiang said in unison.

Uther couldn't help but furrow her brows. It seemed this family had a lot of problems. It felt like they were heading towards a civil war. But being able to witness a battle between Yu Jing sorcerers with her own eyes, Uther felt very satisfied. Her strong thirst for knowledge urged her on, as she needed to accumulate knowledge for the long journey ahead."Qin Feng," Qin Yongsheng sighed, "do you hate the Qin family so much?"

"Yes," the mecha spider raised its multi-barreled machine gun, "I wish I could tear you apart right now, Lord Father. You will pay for what you have done. If you use the Qin family as a shield, I will crush you and this family together."

The multi-barreled machine gun spun, firing armor-piercing and tracer rounds that created a shower of blue ripples on the shield of the mecha centaur. The centaur let out a roar and swung its long blade, charging towards the mecha spider. A fierce battle between the summoned spirits ensued in the courtyard.