Chapter 517: Dragon Abyss City: New Bonds and Old Wounds

Song Chi swore this backlash from teleportation was hands-down the worst he’d experienced in over two centuries.

Even with his Guiding Technique reaching the fifth tier, it took him several minutes to steady himself and finally suppress that churning feeling in his chest.

Yet even so, Song Shixing’s gaze was full of approval.

According to him, back when Song Yan was only at the third tier, every round trip used to leave him bedridden for four or five days just to recover.

……

Song Chi didn’t dwell on it. After all, Red Star Continent was at least 30 billion light-years from Dragon-Spine Continent. A bit of aftershock from teleporting this far wasn’t exactly unexpected.

His eyes slipped past Song Shixing as he took a good look around—only to feel a bit let down.

There wasn’t any jaw-dropping grandeur or majesty here. It looked just like the teleportation chamber back on Dragon-Spine: a sealed, silent stone room built of Dragon-Blood Diamond.

Just then, Song Shixing’s voice offered a timely explanation.

“This superdimensional portal isn’t just a retreat for Hidden Vein members—it’s also tied to the safety of the family’s ancestral home. It’s the sort of thing you absolutely can’t let outsiders see.”

Song Chi understood at once, and before long, the two of them left that special chamber.

Unlike the one buried in a mountainside back on Dragon-Spine, this superdimensional portal sat deep underground beneath Red Star Continent.

Built around it, the Hidden Vein had carved a sprawling underground city from the earth.

After passing through a narrow, hidden corridor, Song Chi finally laid eyes on the Song Family’s base—a city thousands of meters below the surface.

With tens of millions of Hidden Vein clan members living here, the city itself was enormous and split into countless districts. What he saw at first glance was just a fraction of the whole.

Getting to know the entire city, Song Chi figured, would probably take quite a bit of time.

But according to Shixing, the area they were in right now was actually the central core—Dragon Abyss City’s heart. The outer sections were even bigger, housing even more clansmen.

“Alright, let’s head over and meet the core members of the Hidden Vein. I’m sure they’ve been waiting long enough!”

Song Chi nodded his agreement.

At the center of Dragon Abyss City—Dragon Abyss Hall.

This was one of the most significant places for the Hidden Vein, the traditional site for major family discussions.

Today, over thirty figures sat within Dragon Abyss Hall, all sharing one thing: their weakest aura was still fourth tier. These were the core of the Song Family’s Hidden Vein.

Just then, an elder seated at the head right of the long council table started speaking:

“Shixing’s back, and the ancestor from the main branch you’ve all been waiting for…”

He stopped there, grinning and drawing out the suspense.

At that, a clan elder from below couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Yaozu, don’t leave us hanging! We’ve all admired the legendary ancestor from the main branch forever—Hellfire Mech, Evil God Blood, Timeworld Fruit… if not for him, the Hidden Vein would never have climbed so high over these last two centuries.”

Watching the anticipation build, Elder Yaozu finally chuckled and said:

“Relax, he’s here. And get this—he’s just pulled off another huge deed. Managed to tame a lord-tier Starry Sky Dragon Shark, brought it over himself!”

“No way!”

“Seriously?”

……

As soon as the words landed, the entire hall fell silent with tension. Nearly everyone’s breath quickened in unison.

“Shixing just sent out the notice himself. Why would it be fake?”

With the confirmation, delight swept across the faces of all thirty-plus people in Dragon Abyss Hall.

Chatter quickly broke out.

“A lord-tier Starry Sky Dragon Shark? Fantastic!”

“It’s been over two millennia. Without a real top-tier powerhouse, we’ve always had to hold back, too cautious to make any real progress. We’ve even relied on support from the main branch—what a stifling feeling.”

“Exactly. Aside from that one titanic titanite crystal vein we found, we’ve hardly contributed to the main branch. But now we can finally cut loose!”

“Exactly. I remember Yaozu caught a hint of a silver Upgraded Fire Source a thousand years back, but the Fire Crow Clan seized it first. We’ve never dared touch them since.”

“What could we do? Even though the Fire Crow Clan only had a sixth-tier fire crow watching over them, they’re part of the Flamejay Clan, and the Flamejay has a seventh-tier sovereign. One wrong move and Dragon Abyss City could be wiped out—we couldn’t risk going after the Fire Crow Clan lightly.”

“And let’s not forget, little Yan recently found an Eternal Stone Brick vein, but since it’s right next to where a Sandhorn Dragon slumbers, we haven’t dared start mining, either!”

“Speaks to pain, too! I still remember three centuries ago when the Swordslave Clan ambushed two of our elders—all over a silver-grade sword-energy supercannon we got in trade from Longpan City. They sent out three fifth-tier Swordslaves and basically sank our elders’ battleships in broad daylight!”

As the discussion went on, joy gradually faded into bitterness—every word voicing the blood and tears the Hidden Vein had suffered for over two thousand years.

The mood dragged on until Yaozu, seated to the right of the head, finally broke the silence:

“That’s enough. The past is past—remember it, but from now on, the Song Family’s Hidden Vein and the Dragon-Spine branch are only going to get stronger. In fact, before long, we might even rise to the rank of the Immortal Houses.”

The sudden surge of pride finally lifted the atmosphere in the hall.

……

In the streets of the core district of Dragon Abyss City—where few clansmen came and went—Song Chi and Song Shixing walked side by side.

By now, Song Chi had fallen silent. Everything discussed in the hall had come through Song Shixing’s Quantum Comms Wristband straight to his ear.

Hearing the Hidden Vein reveal so much raw outrage and pain—two thousand years’ worth of real suffering—as a member of the Song Family, he couldn’t help but feel it, too.

Song Shixing must have noticed his heavy mood. He gently clapped Song Chi’s shoulder and spoke in a calm, low voice:

“Don’t take it the wrong way—there’s no deeper meaning here. The Sea of Stars is vast, and ninety-nine percent of all beings struggle to survive. What we’ve been through is hardly unique. The only thing is, for all sorts of reasons, there haven’t been many visits between the two branches over the years. This is your first time here, but that doesn’t matter.

What matters is that whether it’s the Hidden Vein or the main branch, we’re all part of the Dragon-Spine Song Family. We’ve all been working for the family’s growth. It’s normal to feel out of place when you first arrive, but just spend more time with the clansmen here. Don’t go out of your way to keep your distance—after all, ‘Song’ is written the same for both lines.”

Song Shixing said a lot, and his meaning was plain.

Song Chi understood and would never have thought otherwise.

Seeing him nod seriously, Song Shixing let the matter drop.

Suddenly, Song Chi’s gaze drifted toward a stone room off to the side.

It was a large chamber—not for living, but obviously built as a grow room.

“Ancestor Xing, is this superior Heavenly Stargrass?”

Song Chi’s eyes lit up as he realized every plant in the giant grow room was an old Heavenly Stargrass.

“It’s definitely superior Heavenly Stargrass. This batch was planted back when our base stabilized—not old enough yet, but close.”

“There’s a seventh-tier origin eruption point deep under Red Star Continent right below us, kept under control by a giant fusion reactor and three sixth-tier enslaved beasts we brought from the main branch. It gives all sorts of spirit herbs and materials a boost on growth. With a few more years, the first batch of three-thousand-year-old superior Heavenly Stargrass will be ready.”

Song Chi listened to the explanation, nodding to himself. He had expected as much, and a feeling of anticipation crept in.

Given the family’s long-term plans, there was no way this was the only grow room. Most likely, every decade—maybe every five years—they planted more Heavenly Stargrass. For the last two thousand years, they’d never stopped the cycle.

Which meant soon, the family would have a steady new source of superior Heavenly Stargrass.

With enough of it, the clan could craft huge quantities of Superior Body-Tempering Elixir, which was fantastic news for every high-tier member of the family.

Even for him, that elixir—combined with a ten-thousand-year Deep-Sea Pearl—would further cut down the time it would take to reach the Dreadnought tier.

……

Before long, the two had entered Dragon Abyss Hall, the core structure of the Hidden Vein.

The moment they stepped into the main hall, Song Chi could feel dozens of gazes turning his way.

Sticking close behind Song Shixing, Song Chi kept his head high, a modest smile playing on his lips.

“Chi, this is your Elder Yaozu. For over two thousand years he’s dedicated his whole life to the Hidden Vein, just like I have.”

Song Chi was just about to make his junior’s bow when Yaozu waved it off with a laugh:

“Shixing, spare me the flattery. I’ve just helped the Hidden Vein struggle along underground is all—and in the end wasted that fifth-tier Timeworld Fruit Chi gave us.”

Previously, the Hidden Vein had received two Timeworld Fruits—besides Song Shixing, it was Yaozu who used the other. Unfortunately, even with two shots at ascension, he’d failed to break through.

After more than seventy years, with a fifth-tier Moon Spring, he’d managed to rebuild a new Torch Battleship, using parts preserved from his last vessel with the family’s support. That vessel had made it to Zhulu-class, but by now, he was getting too old for a shot at Dreadnought Captain.

Song Chi hurried to answer:

“Elder, you’re wrong. Battleship breakthroughs are about luck—no one can predict them. You’ve given your entire life for the family, and to us junior members, you’re the greatest example. The whole family is grateful to you, always!”

Clap, clap, clap!

As soon as he finished, the hall rang with enthusiastic applause.

From the side, a gentle voice chimed in:

“Well said. Elder has given everything for the Song Family. It’s only right he receives the family’s support!”

Following the voice, Song Chi looked over to see a middle-aged man seated to the left of the council table’s head.

He had sword brows and starry eyes, not a trace of energy leaking out. Yet Song Chi’s Dual Pupils let him spot the man’s surging Fire Law and that he, too, was fifth tier.

Song Chi felt a bit puzzled. Just then, the man glanced at him, their gazes locking.

The man smiled and said warmly:

“Seventh Brother, sit here. I saved this seat for you!”

Before Song Chi could reply, Song Shixing’s voice sounded in his ear:

“Chi, this is Song Yan—strictly speaking, he’s your eldest brother!”

Song Chi instantly understood.

Song Yan—the name was familiar. Back in his generation, there had been seven in the line: he was seventh, Song Yan was sixth, and the Song Yan he’d never met was actually first.

Since Song Yan had greeted him so openly and with no hidden agenda, Song Chi warmed to him right away.

Without hesitation, he strode over to the seat Song Yan had set aside and addressed him: “Big Brother.”

With Song Chi taking the lead, the two quickly grew close.

Meanwhile, Song Shixing took his seat at the head and started the meeting.

He began:

“With Chi here now and the Starry Sky Dragon Shark on guard, the Hidden Vein can finally act without restraint. What are everyone’s thoughts on our next move?”

As soon as Song Shixing raised the topic, the hall burst with suggestions and ideas.

Everyone had their own angle, but one thing was clear: all wanted to expand outward and secure every resource the family had found in the past two thousand years.

With a wave of Song Shixing’s hand, a special survey map appeared above his comms wristband.

Song Chi took it in at a glance—though only covering a 100,000-li radius, the map was detailed, marking every valuable resource nearby.

Just skimming it, he spotted deposits like obsidian, vibranium, blood-oak forests, and smaller titanite crystal veins.

Red Star Continent might only be an eighth-grade Floating-land, but its resources were unimaginably rich. Even within 100,000 li, countless priceless sites could be found.

Titanite crystal veins, Eternal Stone Brick mines—you name it.

Clearly, even after all these years, the Hidden Vein hadn’t just been hiding. Their exploration never stopped.

Once everyone turned their gaze to the map projected in the air, Song Shixing continued:

“The Starry Sky Dragon Shark on Chi’s ship isn’t fully recovered yet, but it won’t be long. We need to settle on the details before then!”