Until the evening, the surroundings of Lei Xiao and his party were already covered with frozen soil made of white snow and mud.
The north wind roared like a dragon's roar in my ears, and wherever I looked, numerous snowflakes appeared and disappeared.
Under the reflection of the setting sun, the continuous frozen soil that has not melted all year round was covered with a layer of orange-red, reflecting a little orange fluorescence. Although the vegetation is sparse, it has a unique style.
"Is this the northern border of the Cold Flame Kingdom? It is indeed completely different from the green east."
While chasing the wind and lightning, Lei Xiao looked at the twilight surrounding him and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
Due to the complex terrain of the North, sometimes there are snowy mountains and snowy forests intertwined with each other, and sometimes there are boundless snowfields as far as the eye can see.
So even though Ariel and Erza, who knew the Cold Flame terrain well, were leading the way, Lei Xiao still chose a traveling method that alternated between short-distance teleportation and galloping.
In this way, not only can one appreciate the scenery of the north and observe this vast land more deeply, but Gracilaria, who is unfamiliar with the terrain, will not have to waste too much magic power. The future is uncertain, and it is still very important to maintain the best combat effectiveness at all times.
In the process of going deep into the northern border, Lei Xiao mainly did two things.
The first thing is to inform the leaders, subordinates and General Bai from all over the place that the threat from Holy Night has been temporarily lifted, allowing all places to recruit and produce troops with peace of mind to resist the alliance of the two princes.
The second thing is to learn more about the customs and customs of the North from Ariel's mouth. After all, this is part of the Cold Flame Kingdom and must be kept in his own pocket.
"Lord, as my subordinates just said, the vast northern territory is almost three times the size of the eastern region, but there are still thirty major cities, and the population is not even as large as the eastern region."
Ariel's crisp voice reached Lei Xiao's ears through her words.
"As far as my subordinates know, among these thirty cities, only ten cities that are closer to the hinterland of Lengyan have joined the camp of the First Brother and the Second Brother respectively."
"As for the remaining twenty cities, they all maintain a neutral attitude. They do not have much contact with the three princesses under them, and they do not get involved in the power disputes of several princes."
"As for the strength of the troops, in addition to the five legions commanded by the Third Queen to guard the fortress, there are about 15 legions distributed in these thirty cities."
After hearing what Ariel said, Lei Xiao nodded thoughtfully: "No wonder your royal brothers are deeply jealous of the third princess. This undoubtedly means that for them, there are about 15 legions.
Uncertainty factors hang over this northern region like a dark cloud."
"Your Lordship's analysis is very thorough."
Ariel's helpless sigh came from her words: "Due to the current turmoil of Leng Yan, the northern region alone is divided into four groups: the three queen sisters, the neutral nobles, the traditional nobles and the new nobles.
, it’s really sad.”
"It doesn't matter. The more forces there are on this frozen land, the easier it will be to conquer them one by one. If everything goes well, only your and my flag will be raised here in the future."
Lei Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly, stared at the boundless frozen soil around him, and smiled lightly.
"My subordinates will do their best to assist the lord!"
Ariel's exciting and clear voice then reached Lei Xiao's ears.
"If you and I move forward hand in hand, we will be unstoppable."
Lei Xiao nodded with satisfaction, and then asked: "Ariel, this vast northern region was reclaimed by King Qin himself from the Pars Empire, right?"
"Lord, that's exactly what it is!"
Ariel's voice was full of excitement and she immediately came over: "My father, I have used nearly five years to successfully remove the eagles and dogs of the Pars Empire from this frozen land that was laid down by the ancestor of the hero king himself.
Destroy the land and return this place to the protection of the Lengyan royal family."
"I must have heard about it, Lord Lord. More than a hundred years ago, when the Cold Flame Kingdom was at its weakest, the Pars Empire took advantage of the situation and spread war and death mercilessly across this frozen land."
"They turned the people in the North into slaves, they turned the land in the North into scorched earth, and they ran rampant and tyrannical, casting the shadow of tyranny over this land."
At this point, there was a hint of sincere admiration in Ariel's angry voice.
"However, the people in the north did not just surrender. They held their heads high and were determined to fight to the end. They were never afraid of the snow and wind, let alone the enemy's sharp blades and whips, even if their blood was dyed red and frozen.
Soil, that is also a mark of pride for the people of the North!"
"Although their power was meager, the people of the North never chose to lower their heads, so the Pars Empire never truly owned this land until their father came with his army."
"At this point, the sick lion that sank in the snow has completely awakened, and has been replaced by the cold flame holy lion that makes opponents tremble."
"Under the overwhelming attack of my father, and with the help and guidance of the people in the north, the once-incomparable Pars Empire was defeated and paid the due price for their cruelty."
After hearing what Ariel said, Lei Xiao nodded thoughtfully and said, "It seems that the residents of the North are indeed extremely tough and admirable."
"Yes, Lord, it is a pity that although more than fifty years have passed and the Northern Territory has recovered some of its vitality, it is still the most barren area in Leng Yan."
Ariel sighed softly and said helplessly: "Even the eldest brother and the second brother, who are subordinate to me, don't look down on this vast frozen land, and even dislike it very much."
"What they don't like may become a sharp knife that pierces their vital points."
Lei Xiao raised his eyebrows and said with a faint smile: "Although the land in the north is barren, the people are strong. This is what I need most, and if this land really falls into my hands, it may not be the same.
This is what it looks like today.”
"That's true. The lord has strong financial resources. As long as the resources from the east and the north are integrated, this frozen land can be developed at the fastest speed."
Ariel's voice sounded in agreement and she responded excitedly.
"By the way, the lord must have discovered that the ice energy particles in the northern region are extremely active. This not only enhances the power of ice spells, but also allows the ice magicians to emerge in this land to be much higher than
Other areas.”
"At the same time, it also directly caused an interesting question that magic scholars have been debating, that is, whether the North is cold because the ice energy particles are too dense, or whether the ice energy particles are too dense because of the cold."
Ariel's voice sounded with great interest again: "I wonder what the lord thinks?"
"Is it similar to the philosophical question of which came first, the chicken or the egg? It's kind of interesting."
Lei Xiao felt the wind whistling past his ears, and slowly turned his gaze back.
After pondering for a moment, Lei Xiao raised his eyebrows and said, "Actually, whether it's the cold first or the intense ice energy particles first, I don't care about these."
"What I am concerned about is that behind the two, there must be a cause that contributes to all this. That is the answer we need to explore. After all, this vast piece of frozen soil is unique and geographical reasons can be ignored."
A trace of curiosity flashed through Lei Xiao's eyes, and he continued: "It is enough to make people extremely curious just to think about how such a vast world can be subject to freezing rain all year round and the ice never melts."
"Can you see the essence through the phenomenon? The Lord's words always make people enlightened."
Ariel's deep voice reached Lei Xiao's ears: "Among the human kingdoms, only the northern part of the Kingdom of Cold Flames and the southern part of the Pars Empire are always cold. Except for the strong ice energy particles,
No one has ever been able to find the real reason beyond the superficial appearance.”
Speaking of this, Ariel's voice became a little more excited, and she said: "Lord, ahead is Silver Snow City. Silver Snow City is located in the center of the North. As long as you get there, you will not be far away from the fortress.
There’s only half the journey left.”
"So, have we already penetrated deep into the hinterland of the North?"
As the purple magic wings flapped, Lei Xiao nodded thoughtfully and looked to the left and right.
Unknowingly, the silvery white snowflakes floating in the sky were as dense as goose feathers, and they continued to fall on the ground.
The frozen soil mixed with mud has been completely covered with thick snow, and everywhere you look is a patch of orange-red silver.
Taking advantage of the last ray of sunset, Lei Xiao's dark eyes moved and looked ahead. He saw a majestic large city standing far above the snowy field.
Within the towering city walls illuminated by orange-red light, wisps of smoke rise, and the magical neon light is looming, making it look like a feasting and feasting scene.
"I seem to be able to smell the aroma of rice coming from there."
Looking at the increasingly clear city ahead, Lei Xiao nodded slightly.
"Lord, Silver Snow City has a large airport and is the most important commercial city in the north. This is why it is so prosperous. However, under such continuous blizzards, other cities further north will be miserable."
Ariel's worried voice then sounded: "The land in the north is barren, and only a few crops can be planted. And now it is approaching the autumn harvest, but we are hit by such bad weather, and the consequences are self-evident.
."
"This is the important reason why we come all the way here, isn't it?"
Lei Xiao raised his eyebrows and responded: "The airships and carriages in Fanyin City have been prepared for a long time. As long as we successfully form an alliance with the third princess and open up the food channel, food will naturally be able to be transported continuously."
Just like what he had discussed with his subordinates before, Lei Xiao clearly understood.
Needless to say, land transportation must pass through the boundaries controlled by the traditional nobles and the new nobles before they can successfully reach the hinterland of the north, and the same goes for airships.
Although the airship is extremely convenient and much faster than land transportation, it is like a steam engine and requires a large amount of special magic mineral crystals to be able to continue flying.
This means that supplies also need to be provided in the other cities on the way to be able to cross such a vast area.
In addition to consuming special magic mineral crystals, the airship can also be directly powered by magic light crystals or powerful magicians.
However, because the magic power required by the airship is too huge, it is difficult to achieve these two points in batches.
"I hope everything goes well. After all, I haven't seen Sister Wang for two years."
Ariel's extremely uncertain voice reached Lei Xiao's ears: "Especially when the four kingdom generals are on the battlefield and an army of 300,000 is about to approach the city, Sister Wang, who must have always remained neutral, will not
Take risks easily, after all, there is the Pars Empire in the north who is trying to make a comeback."
"Even if the hope is slim, I will try my best because I have no way out."
There was a bit more firmness and determination in Lei Xiao's eyes, and those piercing black eyes seemed to be able to contain the entire earth.
After a pause, a trace of curiosity appeared on Lei Xiao's face again, and he asked: "Ariel, what kind of person is your Sister Wang?"
"Lord, this question is really difficult to answer."
Ariel, who was following closely beside Lei Xiao, was silent for a while, and then a helpless smile appeared on her fair face: "It's not so much what kind of person my subordinate Sister Wang is.
Sister Wang is an incomprehensible anomaly."
"From the moment my subordinates can remember, the place where I can find Sister Wang, apart from the training ground of the battle maids, is the various weapons and equipment warehouses of the royal family."
"Sister Wang doesn't like complicated etiquette, and she doesn't want to be an elegant lady. She just thinks about sword skills and fighting, like a young lion with a mane that hasn't fully grown yet. She wants to explode when she sees anyone, even
The father of my subordinates also had no choice but to let her turn the training ground upside down."
"Of course, corresponding to this, is that Sister Wang has excellent training talent. Not only is she passionate about sword skills, but she is also extremely hardworking. My father has to admit that Sister Wang has inherited the bravery and strength of our ancestor, the Hero King.
unyielding."
"But Sister Wang is a princess who attracts the most attention after all. She is the eldest lady among the eldest ladies. Every word and deed will affect other noble ladies. This has caused many nobles to complain and complain to their father and the king. Their daughters have also begun to follow suit.
, and even used staffs to fight each other, completely forgetting elegance and etiquette."
After hearing what Ariel said, Lei Xiao smiled helplessly and said, "This ridiculous situation didn't gradually get better until you started to stand out, right?"
"That's right, Lord Lord, even though my subordinates have followed Sister Wang's example for a while, hitting the magic instructor's head with a staff and reciting spells while wearing leather armor, they still couldn't resist the temptation of delicious cakes and beautiful dresses, and came back again.
It’s time to take a class on ladies and etiquette.”
Ariel blinked her long eyelashes and smiled sheepishly.
"However, my subordinate, Sister Wang, really takes good care of my subordinates. Not only does she often tell her subordinates the anecdotes she heard from the battle maids, but she also often brings her various delicious pastries and biscuits. Until the king
My sister began to practice on the battlefield, and then we were together less and separated more."
"In recent years, even if Sister Wang occasionally returns to the royal capital, she no longer comes to see her subordinates."
As she spoke, Ariel's crisp voice began to sound lost: "Perhaps Sister Wang doesn't like her increasingly willful subordinates, so she deliberately alienates them."