Book 3: Chapter 323: Sea Cliff’s White Ships

After the contract was signed, Catella did not delay any further. Instead, she had the Blood Clan nobles collect the "Blood Crystals" from their respective territories, load them onto airships, and let the delegation take this first batch of goods back.

However, these "Blood Crystals" were not given for free. Before departure, each Blood Clan noble wrote down a list of needed goods based on the Blood Crystals they had supplied, and when the Mage Alliance's trade fleet arrived next time, they would have to bring these items before further trade could proceed.

Although this cooperation had come about somewhat unexpectedly, it also brought some benefits. After the contract was signed, the Blood Clan and the Mage Alliance reached a peace agreement. From then on, any Blood Clan criminals appearing within the Mage Alliance, or anyone causing trouble and committing evil, the Sea Cliff Blood Clan would be obligated to restrain and punish them.

The Blood Clan nobles discussed this for a while and happily agreed. This was not because they were particularly noble or broad-minded, but because relying on Blood Crystal exchange for needed resources was far more convenient and faster than sending people to the Mage Alliance to cause trouble and smuggle goods. Moreover, things that had previously been difficult to obtain could now be easily acquired through Blood Crystal trade, so there was really no need to take massive risks and act as they had in the past.

When trade easily satisfied their needs, naturally there was no need to risk battle by venturing deep into Mage Alliance territory.

Before long, the airship loaded with "Blood Crystals" departed. Before the return journey, the Sage "Xialanni" and Xi Lu had a long conversation with Ya, instructing her on many matters and leaving her several items for self-protection.

Especially before leaving, the delegation members worked together to build a tall tower specially for Sylutia in the royal court's manor, for her convenience in residence and experiments. In addition, the instruments and Magic Arrays inside the tower could also communicate across the Ice Sea with the Mage Alliance's interior.

Xialanni warned Queen Catella that if within three days Sylutia did not use the communication link as usual, then both the Mage Alliance and the Hidden Grove Alliance would send people to investigate and hold her accountable.

Catella was somewhat displeased about this, but she still endured it and did not say much more.

At the coast's port, Sylutia and Carmilla stood side by side, waving farewell to the departing airship.

Soon after, this airship full of cargo slowly rose, entered the layers of clouds high in the sky, and gradually disappeared from view.

Seeing the airship vanish, the surroundings became somewhat quiet, with only the sound of tides continuously striking the coast. Sylutia turned her head and looked at Carmilla beside her. This Blood Clan princess wore a pink-white silk formal gown, bathed in the evening's dim light, the silk fabric refracting a golden halo.

"It seems I will be living here for quite some time from now on. I'll have to ask Carmilla to take good care of me."

"Of course." Carmilla blinked her bright red eyes, and then the two of them boarded the Blood Clan royal Carriage, heading toward the royal court.

.....

Ninth Epoch, Year 2161, a calamity named the "Flesh Plague" broke out on the Fourth Continent. This plague rapidly expanded in the northern Mage Alliance, infecting both people and livestock in succession, sweeping across many regions. Approximately nearly one hundred million residents were infected, of whom about thirty million died. Scholars called this the greatest plague disaster the Sky Continent in the Sky had suffered since the "Mad Crow Riot."

After the plague spread, the Mage Alliance gathered forces from all sides to conduct joint research. After months of continuous attempts and experiments, an Apothecary from the Hidden Grove Alliance developed a brand-new medicine to target the plague.

The effect of this medicine could make the plague virus bind with the metal particles in the medicine to form a Metallic Complex Precipitate, achieving deactivation. Its side effect was that it would accumulate metallic complex precipitates in blood vessels. Although this also brought cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risks, compared to the extremely high mortality rate of plague infection, such a cost was not unacceptable.

After finding a medicine that could target the plague, the Mage Alliance immediately expanded production of the medicine, but during the process discovered that the raw material "Blood Crystal" was severely insufficient. Therefore, they dispatched a delegation to the Sea Cliff Blood Clan territory in the north to conduct trade cooperation negotiations.

This negotiation, after the Mage Alliance paid a certain price, was finally settled. At the same time, the past discord and conflicts between the Blood Clan and human society were also set aside after the cooperation was reached.

In November, the returning delegation brought back a large amount of Blood Crystal. After delivering it to alchemy and pharmaceutical workshops in various places, these alchemy pharmaceutical workshops began full-scale production of "Blood Copper Tincture," and according to its effects divided it into Types 1 through 5, used respectively for infected people with different degrees of severity, to achieve the goal of maximizing the use of medicinal materials.

In March of the following year, the number of infected people no longer exploded in growth. After becoming familiar with the characteristics of the plague virus, specialized protective equipment and disinfecting medicines were successively developed, and quarantine zones were divided in various regions, with order in epidemic areas forcibly taken over. With multiple departments working together, the spread of the plague was finally brought under control.

By this point, approximately 160 million residents had been infected, and about fifty million had died from the plague's outbreak. This plague greatly weakened the Mage Alliance's vitality. Many places saw empty cities and ruins, and many originally planned production and research tasks were shelved because of the plague.

.....

Ninth Epoch, May 2162, Sea Cliff Blood Clan, Mandra Port

White ships one after another passed through the waves and slowly sailed into the port, the Mage Alliance flag hanging on them fluttering in the wind. Then the ships docked steadily, planks were lowered, and the people who came out began to communicate and negotiate with the dock personnel. Soon, unloading began.

"This is the third batch of trade sea ships, right." Standing in the port office, a Blood Clan noble dressed in noble attire gazed at the large ship approaching.

"That's right, Viscount." The deputy in the room nodded in answer.

"I have to say, this kind of trade really feels good." This Blood Clan noble turned around, smiled at the deputy beside him, then took out a bottle of Blood Wine and poured himself a cup.

"Sitting here, I can watch golden coins drop into my pocket, and I can easily buy all kinds of novel products shipped over by the Mage Alliance. My lady recently has been especially obsessed with that music box made by the Mages. Not only can it play tunes, it can also display simple images. Every time she holds a tea party or gathering, she brings it out to show off, making quite a few colleagues ask me how to buy one."

"I tell them, that is an alchemical creation from the Mage Alliance's 'Opera School.' If bought from the market it costs about more than 300 gold coins, but I can give it to them for more than 200, and the quality will be even better."

"Actually speaking, I only used 100 gold coins to get goods from the trade fleet. One turn of the hand is 100 gold coins in profit, tsk tsk." As he spoke, the corners of his mouth could not help but curl upward.

"My lord is wise." The deputy beside him flattered and congratulated him.

"Hehe, it is rare to earn quite a bit by taking advantage of this plague outbreak. Sometimes I really wish this kind of plague would come a few more times." After saying that, he raised his cup and slowly drank it down, carefully savoring the feeling within.

After finishing this cup of wine, he set down the cup, glanced at the large ship still unloading outside, and then had the deputy notify his subordinates.

"Tell them, work well today, strive to finish the work, and tonight I will treat everyone at Jasmine Restaurant, letting everyone enjoy a feast for free."

"Yes, my lord." The deputy was also delighted after hearing this.

He had heard that Jasmine Restaurant recently got another batch of high-quality monster ingredients from its stronghold in the Shadow World. He wondered how much "Bloodline Power" these things, after being prepared by those chefs, would add for everyone.

In an era when they could not rely on large-scale warfare to drain enemies' blood, eating high-quality flesh and blood food had become the primary means for many low-tier Blood Clan members to raise their strength.