Zi Di looked around, and towering city walls occupied most of her field of view.
The walls were not made of stone bricks but of ice bricks. They were extrely tall, and Zi Di estimated they were at least 300 ters high.
The crenellations atop the walls were uneven, imdiately reminding Zi Di of a Golden Level Shield— the Thin Ice High Wall Shield.
Back at Snowbird Port, Teng Donglang had used such a shield to fend off a powerful attack from the Dragon-man youth.
Zi Di’s gaze briefly fixed on the walls, the more she looked, the more they resembled it.
The walls of the Ice Sculpture Royal Capital were different from most castle walls; although high, they were thin, carrying an aesthetic of fragility unique to the Elf Clan.
Zong Ge was also observing the wall, silently assessing its defensive capabilities.
"Such tall walls naturally possess excellent anti-air capabilities."
"Just mount so bed crossbows, and there would be impressive long-range firepower."
Zi Di and Zong Ge were not far from the wall.
A Transcendent from the Lijian family had been waiting for a long ti and now ca forward with a smile, "Lord Long Fu, Lord Yao Ma, the carriages are ready, please this way."
The group from the Dragon Lion rcenary Corps boarded the carriage.
The carriage imdiately set off, carrying them to their destination at the guild.
Sitting in the carriage, Zi Di looked around.
What she first noticed were the ice sculptures.
Various ice sculptures, large and small, so as big as mammoths, others as small as ants.
"This is Beast Road. The ice sculptures on both sides of the road are all in the form of wild beasts," a Transcendent from the Lijian family introduced tily inside the carriage.
"Besides Beast Road, there is also Elental Road, where the ice sculptures alongside represent the forms of elental beings."
"In the city center’s Figurine Road, subdivided into over a dozen lanes, each is designed based on the intelligent species of today’s world."
Zi Di nodded slightly, showing no surprise. She had already learned about this information before arriving at the Royal Capital.
However, the sensory experience of seeing it in person was different from what was described in the reports.
Zong Ge asked, "Are these ice sculptures capable of movent and combat?"
The receptionist from the Lijian family nodded proudly, "Yes, that’s correct. This is our country’s unique alchemy technique, quite unique globally."
"Each ice sculpture is an alchemy puppet capable of movent and has spiritual intelligence, able to engage in combat."
"Of course, their spiritual intelligence and combat abilities vary in strength."
Zong Ge continued, "I heard that there are at least 100,000 of these sculptures in the Ice Sculpture Royal Capital, with over 3,000 at the Silver Level and nearly 500 at the Golden Level. Is this figure accurate?"
The attendant nodded and then slightly shook his head, "Based on the sculptures currently visible, those are indeed the numbers."
"But in fact, there are far more than those."
"Under our feet, there likely are a vast number of additional ice sculpture puppets."
"The combat capabilities of these puppets generally surpass those on the surface. As for the specific levels and scale, that is part of our country’s military secrets."
Zi Di then asked, "Is it true that beneath the Ice Sculpture Royal Capital lies a vast lake?"
According to related reports, the ancestors of the Snow Elves who initially migrated here discovered a ten-thousand-year-old Ice Lake at the center of the island.
The Ice Lake was vast and rich in ice elental resources.
The Snow Elf ancestors were overjoyed and decided to settle there.
Now, the Ice Lake has been filled up, and the Snow Elves have constructed the Ice Sculpture Royal Capital over it.
The attendant nodded in confirmation, "That is undoubtedly true, we are now over the ten-thousand-year-old Ice Lake."
"Rest assured, we are very safe."
"The surface of the ten-thousand-year-old Ice Lake has an ice layer nearly a kiloter thick, becoming harder the deeper it goes."
"The ten-thousand-year-old Ice Lake has been fully harnessed by our kingdom for sustainable developnt."
"We have many research and alchemy rooms set up below the surface in the lake water. So renowned ice sculpture masters specifically collect water from deep layers, freeze it into ice, and use it as the main material for their creative sculptures."
A piece of information flashed through Zi Di’s mind.
The waters of the ten-thousand-year-old Ice Lake were specifically stratified. The surface layer water is a few years old, deeper was decades old.
At a depth of one hundred ters from the surface, there was Hundred-Year Water. Once extracted, it beca Hundred-Year Ice.
Going further, there were thousand-year-old ice and ten-thousand-year-old ice.
Such resources were very rare. Legend had it that a Divine Level Ti Dragon had fallen, causing anomalies in the lake’s space and water.
The power of ti was concentrated in the water, combined with ice attributes, forming special resources.
Hundred-year-old ice already possessed so spirit. Thousand-year-old ice had even more spirit, and the spirit of ten-thousand-year-old ice was very profound, even surpassing normal humans.
Ice sculpture masters, using their unique alchemy techniques and sculpting thods, shaped the ti-infused ice into various forms, helping to condense and shape the spirit, successfully awakening it into one of the ice sculptures.
These ice sculptures naturally possessed spiritual intelligence, becoming the omnipresent statues in the Ice Sculpture Royal Capital.
"The ice sculpture alchemy technique of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom is built upon the super resource of the ten-thousand-year-old Ice Lake."
"In the construction thods of Jia Bing’s Ice Figure Spirits, a large part consists of ice sculpture craftsmanship. This part of the process occupies a significant position in the entire manufacturing sche."
Zi Di looked at the ice sculptures, recalling Jia Bing’s alchemy materials in her mind.
From Jia Bing’s alchemy laboratory, they had captured many trophies and discovered a thriving and hybrid master’s secret door.
Since then, whenever Zi Di had free ti, she studied Jia Bing’s alchemy materials.
She had been deeply interested in the sculpture techniques of the Ice Sculpture Kingdom for a long ti.
More importantly, Jia Bing had an unfinished Golden Level Ice Figure Spirit in Zi Di’s hands. She was, of course, very eager to complete this feat and fully create the Golden Level Ice Figure Spirit!
"Jia Bing’s personal alchemy knowledge and data do not represent the most advanced ice sculpture techniques of the Ice Sculpture Royal Capital."
"Nor are they the top essence."
"But how should I obtain these essential techniques?"
"Ladies and gentlen, we have arrived at the shop," said the receptionist, interrupting Zi Di’s thoughts.
Zi Di and Zong Ge got off the carriage.
Zi Di entered the shop to inspect it, reviewed the recent accounts, and had several discussions with key figures.
After this round, she had a comprehensive and profound understanding of the shop’s situation.
"This is a shop in the Ice Sculpture Royal Capital."
"You must have noticed, this is the largest store we have inspected."
"It’s extrely important; in the future, it will serve as our main store in the Ice Sculpture Royal Capital!"
...
After giving detailed instructions to the three rcenaries, Zi Di arranged for them to enter.
With that, Zi Di’s business planning preliminary phase was complete!
"Next, I will choose one or two pieces of alchemy weaponry to be distributed nationwide."
"But before that, I need to survey the market and make careful selections."
Zi Di was hopeful, and she had great confidence in her war criminal data, brimming with ambition.
That evening, Zi Di and Zong Ge attended a dinner specially hosted by the Lijian family.
The banquet also invited many upper-class individuals, and the attendants almost constantly accompanied Zi Di and Zong Ge, introducing and recomnding important figures from various capitals.
Zong Ge was taciturn, while Zi Di thrived. With the Lijian family paving the way, the Dragon Lion rcenary Corps was able to establish its network that evening!
Late into the night, after a tiring day, Zi Di was too spent physically and ntally to do anything else.
After a good night’s rest and by morning, Zong Ge collected intelligence on the national alchemy market through channels such as the Thief Guild.
Zi Di delved deeper into these reports and also visited a few relatively more important figures.
These high-status figures were not suitable to be invited to the previous night’s welcoming dinner by the Lijian family.
After all, Zong Ge and Zi Di were the stars of last night’s banquet, not prestigious enough to have these high-status figures attend in person.
After the visits, she didn’t achieve anything significant, mainly just familiarizing faces and revealing the close relationship between the Dragon Lion rcenary Corps and the Lijian family.
Thus, another day passed.
People welcod the arrival of Zong Ge and Zi Di warmly and with curiosity.
Many gathered around Zong Ge, complinting his Silver Level achievent in defeating Teng Donglang in combat, asking about his feelings at that ti and why he chose such tactics.
By the third evening, the attention focused on them had greatly reduced, and the Royal Capital had roughly accepted the arrival of "Lord Long Fu" and others.
Zi Di finally found an opportunity and quietly used the Deception and Disguise Skill, Anti-Intelligence Prophecy Skill.
She had already surveyed the area and spent about fifteen minutes walking to a shop.
The location was no longer in the busy district.
The shop, despite the late hour, was still open, not missing any business.
It was indeed a Purple Vine Shop.
Zi Di lowered her hood and, wearing a mask, entered the shop.
The clerk, seeing her, greeted warmly, "Welco! What would you like to purchase?"
Zi Di approached him and presented the Purple Vine secret order.
The clerk’s eyes bulged, "Is this a Level Seven secret order?!"
He bowed deeply, asked Zi Di to wait a mont, then hurried off to fetch the manager.
The manager, in front of Zi Di, personally verified that the Purple Vine secret order was authentic and beca very respectful, willing to comply with all of Zi Di’s commands.
"Take to the Magic Rune Flying Communication Station," Zi Di said.
Soon, she found herself in front of the Magic Rune Flying Communication Station.
This communication device was standard for the Purple Vine Chamber of Comrce. Not every shop had one, but every station did!
The Magic Rune Flying Communication Station was a half-human tall pillar with a round top. At the center of this circle was a cavity. By placing a long informational slate in the cavity and activating the pillar, ssages could be sent out.
The coverage was limited, but by setting up multiple Magic Rune Flying Communication Stations, it was possible to achieve information relay over long distances.
This was a cost-effective thod of transmitting information, balancing performance and price.
Previously, Zi Di had used a Flying Communication Station on Twin Eyes Island to send a "ransom note" to the Hundred Needle Family.
But until now, there had been no reply.
Zi Di was unsure where exactly the problem had occurred.
This ti, the Dragon Lion rcenary Corps had co to the Ice Sculpture Royal Capital to utilize the local Flying Communication Station to attempt sending the ssage again.
However, Zi Di didn’t simply place the long informational slate; instead, she communicated ntally to call up historical records from the station for review.
Monts later, Zi Di’s eyes widened slightly, showing a mix of surprise and anger, "What happened? This Flying Communication Station didn’t receive my previous ssage!"
"Where did the problem occur?"
"Twin Eyes Island, or... here?!"
As Zi Di pondered, four figures suddenly appeared and surrounded her.
Alchemy Chains shot out, swiftly binding Zi Di completely!
"We’ve caught you, the remnants of the Purple Vine Chamber of Comrce!" exclaid the enemies excitedly.
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