Chapter 360: A Proposal

The harpies silently carried Wu Qingsong toward the battle zone. One hundred meters, eighty meters, sixty meters… 

He carefully watched the water below. The fierce battle churned the waves, sending water and blood splashing everywhere, making it nearly impossible to spot the two Sea Draconians. He could only rely on the vague feedback from his undead to determine their location. When the distance was just right, he suddenly threw twenty freshly harvested soul fragments into the sea.

For a brief moment, the undead halted their attacks, but the sea itself turned even more chaotic. Several water tornadoes erupted without warning, nearly swallowing Wu Qingsong and his escorts. The harpies panicked and flew upward with all their might. But in the next instant, the undead surged into the ocean, and moments later, the tornadoes vanished as quickly as they had appeared. The raging sea abruptly calmed.

‘Bring them up,’ Wu Qingsong issued his command. 

The bodies of sharkfolk and fragile Murlocs floated to the surface, and with a wave of his hand, he converted them into more undead. However, the two Sea Draconians’ corpses had sunk to the ocean floor.

Just then, a sharp warning cry came from a harpy nearby.

“There are seven or eight more Sea Draconians heading this way!” Mia called out, her voice tense.

“Up.” Wu Qingsong gave the order.

This wasn’t the final battle. There was no need for the harpies to take unnecessary risks.

The harpies strained their wings, lifting Wu Qingsong higher. They had barely reached a safe altitude when the Sea Draconians arrived at the scene. A storm of Water Arrows shot into the sky, forcing the harpies to climb even higher to evade the assault.

They were still far from shore, so Wu Qingsong commanded his remaining undead to launch a desperate charge against the new arrivals. The ocean boiled with violent clashes once again. But with most of his undead already destroyed, their offensive lasted only a moment before they, too, were obliterated.

“They should have received my message loud and clear,” Wu Qingsong said to Mia. “Let’s go back.”

He didn’t know how the harpies would recount his battle with the Sea Draconians, but from start to finish, they had lost only one warrior, while the enemy had suffered two Sea Draconian casualties and significant Murloc losses. For the birdfolk of Gale Island, this was an overwhelming victory—the kind they hadn’t seen in years.

When Wu Qingsong landed before the palace of Queen Gale, the surrounding Harpies and Penguinfolk crowded around, chirping and squawking excitedly, as if celebrating his triumph.

Wu Qingsong raised a hand with a smile and called out loudly, “May Xuanyuan watch over you all!”

“May Xuanyuan watch over us always! May His divine power remain with us forever!” 

The priests and Beastkin girls among the crowd responded in unison. Even Ling joined in.

The penguinfolk and harpies didn’t understand what they were saying and continued cheering. However, Queen Gale and a few of the senior harpy warriors noticeably stiffened but said nothing, maintaining their smiles as they invited Wu Qingsong into the palace.

The palace remained mostly unchanged from before, though a few fresh branches had been added for decoration. However, Wu Qingsong noticed that one of the oldest harpy advisors was missing. As for the others, he couldn’t quite recall their faces.

“They’ve only suffered a minor setback,” Wu Qingsong said to Queen Gale. “Defeating them completely might be a long process. I plan to stay until we either drive them away or eliminate them. However, Your Majesty, given their intelligence and tactics today, I fear that once they suffer a true defeat, they will retreat into the deep sea and return for revenge once I’m gone. And I can’t stay on Gale Island forever.”

Queen Gale kept her composed smile but remained silent. Mia, noticing her expression, translated Wu Qingsong’s words for the harpy and penguin leaders.

The celebration continued outside, but within the palace, a heavy silence fell.

“Lord Tagraedi, I assume you already have a solution to free us from this crisis?” Queen Gale finally asked.

“The only solution is for Gale Island to gain the strength to stand against the Sea Draconians on its own,” Wu Qingsong said.

The audience waited for him to continue.

“Kelly,” Wu Qingsong turned to a young mousewoman.

She nodded, stepped forward, and raised her Xuanyuan holy icon. After murmuring a prayer, she pressed it against her chest. 

The next moment, a soft golden light radiated from her body, filling the air with a serene, comforting presence. The gathered harpies gasped in astonishment.

“This is the power of the Holy Light. It can heal various wounds and ailments, and it can also soothe troubled hearts,” Wu Qingsong explained. “Kelly does not come from a noble bloodline like the harpies. Until two years ago, she had never received any magic or shamanistic training—she was just an ordinary mousewoman. But after embracing the true faith, she received Xuanyuan’s blessing and awakened this power. She is not the only one. There are many others like her. This is no coincidence.”

“If not for Xuanyuan’s grace, I would have starved long ago,” Kelly said, adopting the solemn and humble demeanor Mo Lin had instilled in his priests. “He granted me a new life and blessed me with this power, so that I may help others and ease their suffering.”

“Xuanyuan…” Queen Gale repeated the name. Though her Common tongue wasn’t fluent, she understood the significance of what was being said.

“I do not seek to impose anything upon you, Your Majesty. You know my principles well. I have no ambitions for Gale Island,” Wu Qingsong continued. “As your friend, I will do everything I can to help you. But you must understand—I cannot always be here. You need to gain true strength to resist the Sea Draconians. And from what I see, embracing Xuanyuan’s faith is the most practical and reliable way.”

“Xuanyuan is not some distant, indifferent god,” he told the harpies. “My power comes from His gift. And He is not a narrow-minded deity. His mercy extends equally to all races. I believe He will not turn away from the harpies either.”

With Queen Gale’s approval, Mia continued translating his words for the high-ranking officials, warriors, and clergy present. Wu Qingsong paused occasionally to let Mia keep up with his speech.

“Xuanyuan is the most tolerant of gods. He does not demand that His followers abandon other faiths, nor does He persecute those who believe differently. Even in my own territory, many high-ranking individuals still retain their old beliefs. You are welcome to send people to my lands to see for yourselves whether I speak the truth.”

“Do you truly believe that the gods of Beastmen and the gods of us birdfolk can coexist?” one harpy woman challenged.

“If we can coexist peacefully and unite against a common enemy, then of course our gods can as well,” Wu Qingsong countered effortlessly. “Xuanyuan is not a petty deity. He is the Creator of this world and watches over all His creations—including you.”

“Even the Murlocs?” another Harpy scoffed.

“Of course,” Wu Qingsong replied without hesitation. “They have lost their way, trapped in savagery and ignorance, which is why they are our enemies. But if they were to embrace the true faith, accept civilization, and seek peace, then under Xuanyuan’s glory, nothing would be impossible.”

“This is a significant decision. We require time to discuss it thoroughly before making our choice. Is that acceptable, Lord Tagraedi?” Queen Gale asked.

“Of course,” Wu Qingsong nodded. “Take your time.”

As Queen Gale dismissed them, Mia led Wu Qingsong and his group out of the palace. The moment they stepped outside, the palace erupted into a flurry of sharp, rapid harpy chatter.