The past of the Orchid Kingdom, heading to the black market

"I wonder if Lord Cao Xing is interested in participating?" the Yōulán Queen asked.

Cao Xing hadn't spoken yet.

Beside him, Elisa's eyes were already shining.

"Wow! The Flower Festival, that sounds very interesting!"

She said excitedly: "Lord, I want to participate! I want to participate!"

Cao Xing's face darkened. "You haven't even planted a blade of grass in our territory, what are you going to participate with?"

Elisa seemed to remember this point, nodding dejectedly: "Alright then—"

She looked very disappointed, and Little Chuchu beside her was comfortingly consoling her.

Magic Dragon Bingbing was also rubbing its head against her clothes.

The Yōulán Queen smiled slightly and said: "It doesn't matter if you don't have plants, I can let Lord Cao Xing take a seat as a judge."

It was clear that this Queen really wanted them to be guests in the Spirit Orchid Main City.

Elisa, hearing this, saw hope rise in her eyes again.

Cao Xing smiled and shook his head: "That won't be necessary, Your Majesty."

"We are still in a hurry to visit the Black Market, and then head to those ancient ruins."

"After we finish exploring, we will come back to be guests of the Orchid Kingdom."

Hearing Cao Xing say this, the Yōulán Queen didn't force it, nodding: "Very well, then please feel free, Lord Cao Xing."

Cao Xing nodded, then thought of something else and asked: "By the way, Your Majesty."

"Do you happen to know where Ms. Rosie from Chuanhai Fortress is now?"

After all, he had accepted the old king's commission this time, and if possible, it would be convenient to complete it along the way.

Hearing this question, a look of recollection appeared in the Yōulán Queen's eyes.

A moment later, she said softly: "Rosie—she did stay in our Spirit Orchid Main City for a period of time before."

"She and I had exchanges for a time."

"She is an extraordinary woman; in many aspects, even I am not as good as her."

"I talked to Rosie a lot about cultivation, governing, and life."

"Because of this, we became good friends."

"However, she left the Spirit Orchid Main City many years ago, and I don't know where she went."

After a pause, the Yōulán Queen continued:

"If Lord Cao Xing has something to find her for, I can send people to search for her whereabouts."

Cao Xing heard this, a grateful smile appearing on his face: "Then many thanks, Your Majesty!"

"I do indeed have business with Ms. Rosie."

The Queen nodded gently, saying casually: "You're welcome. Not to mention the matter of you defeating the Blood Legion."

"Just the fact that you saved my daughter Fulan, and my sister Marita, is worth me taking action for you."

Hearing the name Marita, Cao Xing suddenly felt a bit guilty.

He didn't know if the Yōulán Queen knew about his relationship with Marita—

Cao Xing looked up at her.

This Queen didn't seem to have any reaction.

Cao Xing also breathed a slight sigh of relief in his heart.

A moment later, the Yōulán Queen said slowly.

"Then please excuse yourselves, I won't disturb you further. I will arrange for people to search for Rosie's whereabouts shortly."

"If there is anything, you can come to the center of the palace to find me."

Cao Xing nodded: "Very well."

Meanwhile, the Yōulán Queen slowly turned around.

The surrounding vines became active again, and orchid flowers grew out of thin air.

She stepped on these orchids and left the place step by step.

After the Yōulán Queen left, a lingering fragrance still remained on everyone's noses.

In the original spot, only Bai Zhi, City Lord Oran, and Cao Xing's group remained.

A moment later, Cao Xing waved his hand and released the Griffin King from the necromancers bag.

Then he said: "City Lord Oran, Bai Zhi, you two don't have flying abilities, I'll have Old Wang carry you."

"Others, do you want to continue staying in the necromancers bag, or get some fresh air outside?"

The group looked at each other.

Ilena was the first to say: "Lord, please put me and my sister into the necromancers bag. We don't really like appearing in front of too many people."

The Tauren Chieftain Kain Burst-Hoof beside her also said: "Lord, us Taurens are too big, it will cause you some trouble."

"Please put me into the bag, and release me when there is a battle."

Including the Priestess Farnaz, and the Dragon Shaman Weinmne, all the newcomers expressed their desire to continue staying in the necromancers bag.

Cao Xing looked at everyone and smiled: "Alright, then I'll put you all away for now, and release you when there is a battle."

After speaking, he waved his hand again, and all the Master-level powerhouses on the field disappeared.

Four Legendary, four Heroes, plus Cao Xing and the Griffin King remained.

However, at Elisa's strong request, Cao Xing also let this little girl, as well as Tong Chuchu and Magic Dragon Bingbing out.

After confirming the personnel, Cao Xing jumped directly onto Old Wang's back.

Then he said: "Let's go, we are setting off."

Hearing this, everyone jumped up as well.

Meanwhile, Old Wang flapped its wings, its massive body kicking up a current of air, and instantly rushed thousands of meters into the high sky.

The blue energy shield covering the entire main city did not obstruct them, allowing them to pass through. "Whoosh—!"

The sound of the wind whistled in their ears, and the group sped towards the distance.

In the blink of an eye, they left the Orchid Kingdom's main city.

I don't know if it's because this country has existed longer than the Ice Crystal Kingdom, or because the Orchid Kingdom's geographical location is special.

The living environment here seems to be much better than the Ice Crystal Kingdom.

The most obvious thing is that the vegetation here is much denser.

Looking out, large swathes of white forests like ice and snow-carved artworks covered the vast land.

These trees were all very tall and upright, their branches and leaves like silver and snow, swaying gently in the cold wind.

And on the snowfield, one could still see some white plants whose names he didn't know.

They still grew tenaciously in the extremely cold weather.

Occasionally, one could see peculiar blue dots, which were the national flower of the Orchid Kingdom.

Although the air was still filled with biting cold, the scene before them made people feel a trace of tranquility and vitality.

Elisa lay on the Griffin King's back, eyes wide, watching the scenery along the way.

She couldn't help but exclaim: "Wow—this country—so beautiful!"

Everyone nodded, expressing their agreement.

City Lord Oran said from the side: "The Orchid Kingdom is also a relatively ancient country in the Western Continent."

"In the thousands of years of history, this country has experienced the rule and rotation of over a dozen generations of queens."

"It has also experienced several coups, even crises of national extinction, but this country has persisted."

"Just like the Blood Chaos a thousand years ago, the Ascalon Kingdom, which was more powerful than it, and the Kelikes Kingdom were both destroyed."

"And the relatively weaker Orchid Kingdom survived."

"Just like the name of this country, Orchid—seemingly fragile, but possessing tenacious vitality."

A hint of curiosity flashed in Cao Xing's eyes, and he asked: "Has the Orchid Kingdom been ruled by women from the beginning?"

"Yes."

City Lord Oran nodded slightly, his tone carrying a hint of emotion: "The history of this country can be traced back to thousands of years ago."

"Initially, the Orchid Kingdom was established by a group of powerful women who were extremely repulsed by men, believing that men were symbols of violence and chaos."

"However, because women occupied more than ninety percent of the entire country, they had to face a realistic problem—how to continue the country's population."

Speaking of this, City Lord Oran's tone became somewhat complex.

"During that time, the first and second Orchid Queens released a series of new policies."

"For example, purchasing a large number of strong male slaves from all over the world, treating them as breeding tools."

"Locked in specific areas all day, becoming sowing machines, just to complete the birth mission."

"There was also the state funding the invitation of some powerful existences from other kingdoms to come to their country—"

Elisa, who was beside him, quickly covered Little Chuchu's ears when she heard this.

And the group on the Griffin King's back had their interest piqued, pricking up their ears, listening even more intently as City Lord Oran continued to narrate: "But despite this, the country's birth rate still declined year by year, and it looked like it was reaching the point of having no successors."

"The population crisis was imminent, and the entire country was almost on the verge of collapse."

"Then, a famous coup occurred in the Orchid Kingdom."

"The third Orchid Queen—Wenna Xiaou, led her followers to rush into the palace, overthrew the rule of the second Orchid Queen, and took over the power of the entire kingdom."

"After Queen Wenna came to power, she immediately promulgated a series of reform policies."

"She gave the men of this country sufficient social status, allowing them to enjoy preferential treatment."

"She even publicly released a series of exciting welfare treatments to major kingdoms."

"This includes, but is not limited to, the fact that every man can legally marry several wives in the Orchid Kingdom, and the state even subsidizes these families monthly so that they can live without worries about food and clothing."

"This has attracted a large number of men to flock into this country."

"The purpose of everything is to save this nation on the verge of extinction."

"Under her efforts, the Orchid Kingdom finally stabilized its birth rate, and the population gradually recovered."

"Then, Queen Wenna began to implement the next step of the plan, allowing men and women in this country to achieve true equality."

"True equality?" A flash of doubt crossed Cao Xing's eyes.

City Lord Oran nodded, his tone firm: "Yes, whether it is women or men, they can all be treated equally here."

"The equality here is not just a simple slogan, but a real social change."

"The most obvious example is the Moon God Chamber of Commerce."

"In the Orchid Kingdom, women can also engage in business, and even become leaders of chambers of commerce."

"And in the Moon God Chamber of Commerce, there are also a large number of men holding some important positions."

"Both sides cooperate with each other, gradually making the Moon God Chamber of Commerce bigger, becoming one of the three major chambers of commerce."

"She also does not allow the women of the kingdom to ask men for any benefits; both men and women exist as independent entities and must have their own ability to survive."

"Queen Wenna's reforms completely changed the social structure of the Orchid Kingdom and also allowed this country to regain its vitality."

"Although the Orchid Kingdom is still ruled by a queen today, the concept of gender equality has taken root in people's hearts and has become the cornerstone of this country."

After listening, a trace of admiration appeared in Cao Xing's eyes.

No wonder the Orchid Kingdom could stand tall for thousands of years; this concept is indeed very advanced!

The group continued to chat while admiring the scenery below.

They traveled thousands of kilometers along the way.

The mountains were rolling, and the ice and snow mingled with the forests, forming a unique picture.

Along the way, they also saw many Giant Cities located in snowfields and canyons, as well as villages and towns scattered like stars around them.

It must be said that the Orchid Kingdom is indeed much more prosperous than the Ice Crystal Kingdom, and the population is also much larger.

Roads crisscrossed between the towns, and occasionally one could see merchant caravans moving slowly, adding a bit of vitality to this world of ice and snow.

However, like all countries, the closer to the border, the more desolate it became.

As they moved forward, the prosperous towns gradually disappeared, and they could only occasionally see some sparse villages and watchtowers standing in the wind and snow.

About two hours later, they finally arrived at the national border.

This was a vast snowfield, and the border of the Orchid Kingdom was equally heavily guarded.

Large war fortresses were covered with large artillery and war tools.

Many patrolling soldiers could also be seen on them.

They were wearing thick fur coats, constantly patrolling the surroundings.

City Lord Oran said: "Lord Cao Xing, I will go and greet them to avoid unnecessary trouble."

Cao Xing nodded slightly, "Go ahead."

Then, the City Lord leaped down from Old Wang's back and landed steadily in the snow below.

He entered a fortress at a very fast speed.

After waiting for about five minutes, City Lord Oran returned quickly and jumped back onto the Griffin King's back.

"Lord Cao Xing, I have already greeted them, we can go directly now."

"Good."

After speaking, Cao Xing patted Old Wang under his feet.

"Caw—" Old Wang let out a clear cry, carrying everyone across the national border without obstruction.

Beyond the national border, it was a land of desolation and silence.

Past this point, it was a vast no-man's-land.

On the ice-covered land, almost no traces of life could be seen, only the whistling wind echoing in their ears.

It felt as if they had suddenly entered another world.

After flying for about five kilometers, City Lord Oran suddenly spoke: "Lord Cao Xing, let's change direction now."

"Why?" Cao Xing felt a bit puzzled.

The City Lord explained: "This time, before heading to the Lost Royal City, weren't we planning to go to the black market first?"

"That black market is some distance away from the Lost Royal City, and it is also in an underground city."

Cao Xing asked with some surprise: "You mean, in this wilderness area, there is an underground city that exists specifically as a black market?"

"Yes."

City Lord Oran nodded and continued to explain: "That underground city was once occupied by a group of powerful undead, who claimed to be followers of the God of War."

"Later, the Giant Axe Mercenary Group discovered that city."

"By the way, let me add that the Giant Axe Mercenary Group is one of the most powerful mercenary groups in the nearby kingdoms."

"Their leader is a Legendary powerhouse."

"The Giant Axe Mercenary Group fought a fierce battle with those undead and eventually drove them out."

"Since then, it has become a gathering place for various mercenaries, adventurers, and gold seekers."

"Over time, it developed into the largest black market in the surrounding kingdoms."

After listening, a look of realization appeared in Cao Xing's eyes again.

This city sounded very familiar, basically the same as the underground city near his territory.

It was also in that underground city that Cao Xing subdued an army of over a hundred thousand undead, obtained a Legendary shield, and accepted an SS-rank quest.

It's just that he didn't know if there would be any treasures in this underground city as well.

But soon, Cao Xing shook his head: "Even if there are treasures, they have probably already been discovered and taken away by the Giant Axe Mercenary Group."

Thinking of this, Cao Xing commanded again: "Old Wang, turn northwest, continue moving forward."

"Caw—!"

Old Wang let out a low cry, his huge wings tilted slightly, and his figure drew a graceful arc in the air as he sped forward.

They crossed vast no-man's-lands and traversed mountain ranges along the way.

As they got further away from the Orchid Kingdom, the surrounding scenery became more desolate, and on the ice-covered land, there was no sign of human habitation at all.

Only occasionally could wild beasts be seen running on the snowfields.

About an hour later, after crossing the national border, they had traveled another thousand kilometers.

The Griffin King hovered with everyone over a huge white forest.

This white forest was very vast, and looking out, one couldn't see the end of it.

The diameter was almost hundreds of kilometers, equivalent to the size of the entire Gale Snowfield.

At the same time, City Lord Oran's voice rang in his ears.

"We have arrived, Lord Cao Xing."

"Under this forest is where the underground black market is located."

Cao Xing nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the forest below.

He keenly sensed that beneath this dense forest, there were many auras hidden.

Obviously, many gold seekers or adventurers from the surrounding areas had already arrived here.

"How do we get in?" Cao Xing asked.

City Lord Oran replied: "There are many entrances to this underground black market; we can just go down into the forest below and pick one to enter."

"Good." Cao Xing responded, then controlled Old Wang to descend slowly.

"Whoosh—"

The Griffin King's huge wings broke through the treetops, carrying everyone to land steadily in the forest.

Under the guidance of City Lord Oran, they traveled through the dense forest.

Not long after moving forward, they slowed their pace.

Everyone saw a pitch-black passage entrance appearing not far ahead.

Below the passage was a long flight of stairs, winding downwards, seemingly leading directly to the underground.

"This terrain—it looks similar to the entrance of the Ascalon dungeon."

Cao Xing felt a bit familiar with the scene before him.

When he took Ji Xinyue to the dungeon where the demon was located, there seemed to be a passage like this too.

He continued to order: "Old Wang, let us down."

"Caw—"

The Griffin King responded softly, then landed slowly on the ground.

Everyone jumped down from Old Wang's back.

They came to the edge of the passage and took a look.

The entrance to the passage was barely a meter wide, and the inside was pitch black, impossible to tell how deep it was.

Elisa and Tong Chuchu also brought Magic Dragon Bingbing and poked their heads out, curiously peering inside.

With such a narrow opening, given the Griffin King's huge size, it certainly could not enter.

However, fortunately, Cao Xing had the [necromancers bag].

So, he waved his hand, let Old Wang switch into a necrotic state, and put him away.

City Lord Oran said: "Lord Cao Xing, we can go in now."

Cao Xing nodded slightly, "Good."