The Heavenly Martial Empress Returns Chapter 306: Exploring

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“Alright then, I’ll be on my way. Call me if you need anything,” I said, flying out of the tower through the window.

I quickly flew toward my palace once more, where I greeted my family and shared the news. It seemed most of them had detected my newfound strength from all the way here. 

“We were able to detect your new power, yes,” Urbosa nodded. “It seems you’ve grown even stronger once again. That alchemist proved to be a great asset.” 

“See, Mama? He was useful!” Orion said. “Uncle Xue is strong too; he’s capable of sealing those indestructible monsters.” 

“I wonder if he could make that serum for us too,” Athena mused. “Or would that be too much to ask, Mom?” 

“No, don’t worry. I asked him to make more. He’s still perfecting it, so I took a sample and, well… kind of risked it, but it worked in the end,” I said. 

“As reckless as always…” Merkite sighed. “What if that had ended up hurting you?” 

“Haha, there was no way. I’m strong enough to withstand it,” I said with a confident smile. 

“Well, I’m glad for you, but I don’t really need that serum. I’ll grow on my own,” Mursha said. “The inherited powers of my Tribe, the Immortal Body I am cultivating, and the Spiritual Powers inherited from the Phoenix of my world… I believe those are enough. My Divinity of Hope also holds unprecedented powers. Honestly, I want to train and level up some more.” 

“Same! No need for weird serum! Happy wife got stronger, but Fiery Hair can be strong by herself!” Fiery Hair said with a prideful smirk, crossing her huge arms. “Little son is also strong and growing. I’ll train with him and teach him how to use Primal Power.” 

“Oh, really? I’ve been itching to train and spar some more with you, Mother!” Rainbow Eyes said, visibly excited. 

“I’m not really sure about that myself. I’ve always been rather physically frail, so more strength is welcome,” Bloodclaw said. “Anyway, shouldn’t we be going out by now? I think it would be better if we finish this trip around the star system before returning to help the Saurians get to Floor 2 of the Tower, where you promised vast lands for them to prosper until we can find a way to help them return home.” 

“Oh yeah, let’s do that then. Is everyone ready? Let’s continue our trip!” I agreed with Bloodclaw. We shouldn’t be standing here idly while there are people who need our help. 

Once we stepped out of my Inner Realm, we discussed our idea with the Saurians. With the help of Bloodclaw and Redeye’s Psychic Powers, we enabled every Saurian to learn the common languages of Earth and the Tower, facilitating their assimilation into their new temporary homes.

We received mixed reactions, but most understood that things couldn’t be done as quickly or easily as they wished. Some expressed genuine gratitude for the protection and shelter we offered.

While they prepared to depart, gathering the technology they planned to bring to make their lives easier, we decided to fly off into space. We even brought along Princess Pomelo, Kirby, and the little Baby Fire Dragon so they could see the cosmos. 

“Oh wow, so this is Jupiter, huh? What a gigantic planet! And it’s colorful too…” Peperina said, gazing at the view with awe. She quickly took out her phone and snapped a photo. “Damn! I bet nobody has taken such a high-definition photo from so close.” 

“Yeah, it’s truly a beautiful sight…” Yanisse nodded, glancing at me. “Thank you for letting us come along again, Bing Xue.” 

“Don’t mention it,” I smiled. “Shall we go inside Jupiter then?” 

“Inside?” Urbosa asked. “From what I’ve heard, that’s a world of only gases, right? Where would we even stand?” 

“Well, we’d just fly and check what’s inside. Aren’t you curious?” I giggled. “Come on!” 

The kids, as curious as I was, were the first to follow me. We quickly entered Jupiter’s immense atmosphere. Its gravity was tremendous, pulling us inside instantly. Holding my children within my Aura, we glimpsed the interior. 

FLUOOOSH!

RUMBLE!

TRUUM!

The sounds of gigantic tornadoes, thunderbolts, and explosions reverberated everywhere. Countless gases mixed together amidst immensely strong winds sweeping through the planet. It was a beautiful crimson, orange, and brown, endlessly spiraling. We found ourselves inside a gigantic tornado, which spun us around, sending us elsewhere. 

“Wooooowww!” the kids clamored, as if we were in an amusement park. 

It was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The more we explored, the more we realized there was, indeed, no damn life here! 

“Mom, there’s not even a little alien in here!” Athena complained. “I thought there could be living beings capable of surviving in gaseous environments… There are some back on Earth, after all.” 

“It doesn’t seem like Jupiter is truly a place for life to form, unfortunately,” I sighed. “Maybe on another planet, who knows? Or perhaps a moon?” 

“A moon?” Kalana asked, confused. “Are there some?” 

“Yes, Jupiter has plenty. There’s one named Europa! Many scientists on Earth speculate it could harbor life in its underground ocean, beneath a thick ice sheet,” I explained. “However, so far, nobody has confirmed if it’s true. Shall we go see?” 

“Yeah!” they cheered. 

We reunited with the rest of our family and flew to Europa, landing on its cold ice sheet, where hot, steamy water constantly poured from various places. 

“It sure looks cold here,” said Peperina. “But it’s a beautiful place nonetheless…” She took more photos. 

“I’ve always wondered if Europa had life…” Yanisse said. “Shall we investigate?” 

“Alright!” I nodded. 

A few who weren’t as interested stayed to explore the ice sheets, while I, along with my children, Peperina, and Yanisse, dug underground using a drill-shaped aura manifestation. 

CRASH!

RUMBLE!

The ice sheet was immensely hard and incredibly thick! Ultimately, however, we managed to pierce through, reaching the depths of Europa.

What greeted us was an azure ocean, rather warm but not overly so. The water’s flow was calm, with some strong currents here and there, and giant rocky and icy formations. 

“A warm sea? This is new… It’s like a sauna down here,” said Yanisse. “It feels nice to touch, doesn’t it? Not too hot, wow.” 

“Yeah!” Peperina said. “We could come here to take a bath… Haha, nah, that would be too much.” 

“That’s actually a great idea,” I nodded. “But first, let’s see… Is there any life down here?” 

We investigated for a little while, diving deeper until…

Yes, there was something. 

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