matter of time; question of time
opportunity; chance; trigger; cause
the past; bygone days; one's past (that one would prefer remained secret); past (tense); preterit; previous life
continent; continental Asia (esp. mainland China); continental Europe
conquest; domination; supremacy; winning (a championship)
at that time; in those days
surplus power; momentum; impetus; inertia
interior; backwoods; hinterland; back regions
extremely; in the extreme; knows no bounds (e.g. rudeness); boundless (e.g. universe, ocean); limitless
to lurk; to be hidden; to be concealed; to lie dormant; to be latent
scuttling (to escape in a panic, in shame, etc.); scurrying; scrambling
to scurry home; to run home; to fly back
advantage; benefit; profit; interest
foot of a mountain; base of a mountain; foothills
construction; establishment
time passes; the days and months go by; the months roll on
to collapse (of a building, dream, plan, etc.); to be destroyed; to fall through; to be completely defeated (in battle); to be wiped out; to be routed
countries; (various) nations
tortoise; turtle; heavy drinker; turtle crest; turtle mon
super-; ultra-; extremely; really; of course; definitely
one theory; one opinion; another theory
several hundred; hundreds (of)
devastating; catastrophic; crushing
blow; shock; strike; batting
footprints; record of page visitors (e.g. in social networking sites)
to follow (a road, path, etc.); to trace; to follow (a clue, scent, tracks, plot, etc.); to trace (a route, history, family tree, etc.); to head towards (of a situation); to go in the direction of
journey; route of a journey
aforementioned; above-mentioned
land route; overland route; by land; overland
to begin to say; to start talking; to broach (a matter); to be the first to say; to suggest (doing); to propose
hasty; rash; rushed; hurried; impatient; impetuous
lately; recently; nowadays; terribly; awfully; extremely
comfort; ease; easy; simple; (economically) comfortable; raku pottery
before one's eyes; under one's nose; immediate (e.g. interests); present; foresight; near future
although I say; although one might say; although called
... and westward; in and to the west of ...
to crowd together in a confined space; to gather and make a commotion
uncivilized; uncivilised; undeveloped (land); unexplored (territory, field, etc.); unbloomed (flower)
short end of the stick; short straw; unlucky number; blank; bad bargain
close relation (association)