```

In the past, they had searched for information about the Dinghai Song Family on the local networks of the Torch Bureau such as the Huanbai Tower, Guang Yuan, and Silver Spear, but those pieces of information only mentioned how powerful the Song Family was without providing any specific details.

Today, having witnessed this piece of the Dragon Spine Continent measured in light-years, everyone finally obtained a most direct understanding.

What does a Fifth-Rank Life-Form Floating Land represent?

It signifies the ability to steadily produce Fifth-Rank Floating Land Origin, indicating that such a land might appear only once among tens of millions of Starry Sea Floating Lands, suggesting it can continuously nurture High-Rank Starry Sea Oddities, and meaning it could drive countless Torch Ship Captains mad with desire.

Such a Floating Land of immeasurable value, merely by the Song Family's capacity to maintain a firm hold over it for a millennium, is sufficient to prove the fearsome strength of the Song Family.

As the saying goes, "Without virtue to match one's position, disaster will ensue."

A Fifth-Rank Life-Form Starry Sea Floating Land, if not controlled by sufficient power, can lead to the annihilation of a clan.

While everyone's thoughts were uncertain, a sudden sensation of weightlessness struck.

Noticing this, Bai Xiuqin quickly said:

"We're about to undergo a Spatial Jump, quickly, everyone back to your positions."

In response, Song Chi quickly returned to his post, simultaneously feeling an inexplicable sentiment.

A Starry Sea Floating Land so vast that it requires a Spatial Jump to traverse—it's an almost dreamlike notion, no matter how you think about it.

When the Furious Lion emerged from the jump, the fleet had already arrived at the heart of the Dragon Spine Continent.

Looking toward the far end of the continent, one could see a terrifyingly tall mountain exceeding a million meters stretching across the horizon.

It was like a divine mountain from ancient times, dominating this unbelievably vast Starry Sea Floating Land.

And like a pillar reaching for the heavens, upholding the vault of the Dragon Spine Continent.

Beyond that, atop the million-meter-high mountain, a beam of light soared into the sky, linking to the illusory Light Shield covering the entire Dragon Spine Continent, providing continuous energy to this remarkably defensive Floating Land Shield.

Suddenly, a solemn voice from Grandpa Song Mingsong came through from the main control room.

"Our clan's ancestral land—Dragon Spine Sacred Mountain, let us all bow in reverence!"

Hearing this, everyone on the Furious Lion respectfully stood up, and then, following Song Mingsong's lead, bowed toward that azure Divine Mountain at the edge of their vision.

Following their reverence, a dragon's roar resounded through heaven and earth from the distant horizon.

Ao!

Immediately thereafter, a towering banner appeared in the sky ahead, and the characters on the banner were clear for the entire Dragon Spine Continent to see.

[Chenxing Calendar year 5204, Dinghai Calendar year 2785, Tenth Direct Lineage returns to the family, grand celebration!]

This sudden turn of events startled Song Chi and the others, but it quickly turned into excitement and joy, such a grand gesture at least proved that their lineage's return was held in high regard by the family.

Whether it was a formality or heartfelt, Song Mingsong and the others couldn't help but have their eyes redden, feeling the warmth and affection of the clan that they had missed for so long.

The towering banner vanished as quickly as it appeared, and soon after, the Furious Lion and Mountain followed the warships of the Internal Affairs Hall, descending toward the land below.

At the same time, in every corner of the Dragon Spine Continent, most members of the Song family saw the towering banner, and voices of discussion rang out across the continent.

On White Cloud Mountain in the Dragon Spine Continent.

Beneath White Cloud Mountain, by White Cloud Pond, several figures in simple attire sat fishing leisurely by the pond with bamboo rods in their hands.

"The Tenth Direct Lineage, if I recall correctly, was opened by young Ming Song, wasn't it? Back then, that brash boy caused the Cloud Gazing Plate to be secretly taken away by the Heavenly Star Tribe. To think he's actually returned, it seems that boy hasn't been wasting his years recently!"

With that, two similarly weathered-faced men sitting beside him chuckled and echoed a few words in a soft laugh.

```

Just then, at the bottom of the White Cloud Pond, which was tens of thousands of meters in diameter, countless bubbles suddenly began to rise, and a gigantic whirlpool slowly took shape at the center of the pond. At the same time, a faint shadow, nearly four thousand meters long, could be seen spiraling rapidly at the bottom—it was a massive azure serpent with a horn on its head.

Upon seeing this, an overwhelming surge of Spectral Energy emerged from the three individuals by the pond. After a flash of Ghost Light from their foreheads, three immense mechas appeared out of thin air above the White Cloud Pond. At the same time, a beam of brilliance shot out from each of the mechas and poured into the terrifying whirlpool below.

"This beast's promotion to Fifth Rank seems to be a forgone conclusion; we can scarcely suppress it any longer. Let's hope the Prime Ancestor can make it back in time!"

...

Breeze Valley, the location of the Second Direct Lineage.

"Song Mingsong that kid has actually returned, which is good. Lately, the family is in urgent need of manpower. The newly developed territories in the Red River Star Domain desperately require staffing. It's just right to send this kid out there."

...

Unaware of the discussions among various parts of the Dragon Spine Continent, Song Mingsong and his family, led by a member of the Internal Affairs Hall, descended onto a vast plaza in front of the Dragon Spine Sacred Mountain.

This plaza, exceeding one hundred thousand meters in length and width, was entirely paved with white jade stones. It was said to be the place where the family mobilized for war during special periods.

Above the jade plaza were steps reaching up a height of ten thousand meters. Setting foot on these steps meant reaching the main residence of the family's five major halls.

The group walked up these steps, much like climbing a stairway to heaven, giving them a solemn and respectful feeling. Ahead, Song Mingsong and a man wearing a well-tailored long gown, with a smiling face, walked side by side.

The man was called Song Yi, a deacon of the Internal Affairs Hall, born into the Third Direct Lineage. It was said that he had been promoted to Third Rank Torch Ship Captain a hundred years ago. Stay connected with empire

Soon, everyone climbed the ten-thousand-meter steps and arrived at the foothills of the Sacred Mountain, where the residence of the five major halls was located.

The residences of the five major halls were arranged with one at the front, two to the left, and two to the right. Those who ascended the steps saw the Merit Hall directly in front of them; to the left were the War Affairs Hall and the Inspection Hall, and to the right were the Internal Affairs Hall and the External Affairs Hall.

Under Song Yi's guidance, Song Chi and the others headed straight for the Internal Affairs Hall. Having been banished from the family for decades, Song Mingsong's first order of business upon returning was to re-enter his name in the family's genealogical record, and the same went for Song Shan, Song Chao, Song Chi, and Song You.

Before registering their names, however, Song Yi first took them to the Purification Platform placed right at the center of the five major halls' residence.

This platform, named the Purification Platform, could perform a comprehensive purification of the human body. Its effect was to cleanse any possible Tracking Marks or Enslavement Marks on or in the body.

It was said that this Purification Platform was a Strange Object of Red Quality from the Starry Sea. However, it couldn't be converted into a ship component, which is why the Song Family's ancestors placed it here to maximize its use.

Not surprisingly, none of them had any special marks left on them.

With the purification step completed, they followed Song Yi into the Internal Affairs Hall.

As soon as they entered the main gate of the Internal Affairs Hall, Song You, Song Ting, and the others tensed, and even Song Chi was slightly taken aback.

They saw that the grand hall of the Internal Affairs Hall was already filled with people. Although these individuals weren't actively revealing their aura, the innate pressure of their High-Rank life essence could not be entirely concealed. Moreover, there were enough people in the hall to make the atmosphere particularly weighty.

"Damn, all are Third Rank big shots!"

After scanning around the twenty-some figures in the hall, Song Chi soon came to a conclusion. Reaching this realization, he was a bit stunned.

Despite being prepared and having a preliminary understanding of the strength of the Dinghai Song Family, the sight of nearly thirty Third Rank Torch Ship Captains still gave him a bit of a shock.

After all, when you consider that the entire White Tower Floating Land doesn't have as many Third Rank Torch Ship Captains, and these people were merely representatives sent by the Song family's various lineages to witness the event, it led one to wonder just how many Third Rank Torch Ship Captains each lineage had hidden away—the number was known only to themselves.

However, Song Chi could be certain of one thing: that number definitely far exceeds imagination. After all, he had heard his father mention that the main branches of the Song family, not to mention the direct lineage, had Lineages One, Two, and Three with a history of over a thousand years of Vein Opening.

A thousand years, plus the terrifying resource support from the colossal entity that is the Dinghai Song Family, who knows how powerful they have become now?

After a brief moment of astonishment, the registration process officially began. Following his grandfather, uncle, and second uncle, it was soon the turn of Song Chi and the younger members of the family.

"Song Qi, forty-five years old, Seed of Torch of White Quality, First Rank Torch Ship Captain."

...

"Song Chi, thirty-one years old, White... Seed of Torch of White Quality, First Rank Torch Ship Captain."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read