The Monarch Of Everlasting Night Chapter 322: Crystal Soul, A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity (Part 1) - Novel Cool

Chapter 322: Crystal Soul, A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity (Part 1)

Chapter 322: Crystal Soul, A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity (Part 1)

Ningsnow Sword looked at the man in front of him with a puzzled expression. "You called me down, but why aren't you speaking?"

The man trembled, and Ningsnow Sword narrowed his eyes, asking, "What is it?"

Yuan Jingjiang was completely exhausted, stammering, "I... I..."

"Senior Sword!"

Fang Che said, "I have something important to report."

Ningsnow Sword turned his head, his eyes flickering, and asked, "Fang Che?"

At that moment, Yuan Jingjiang, Jing Xiuyun, and Zuo Guanglie were all shocked!

"My goodness! Senior Sword knows Fang Che, and they seem quite familiar with each other."

He had called out Fang Che's name at first sight.

Indeed, Fang Che had some extraordinary connections.

No wonder he was so bold.

"Yes, it's quite urgent," Fang Che said. "Should we go over there to talk?"

"Okay."

Ningsnow Sword lifted Fang Che with one hand, and they disappeared in a flash.

Leaving the rest in awe.

Fang Che approached Senior Sword with neither arrogance nor timidity, and Senior Sword greeted Fang Che warmly.

He lifted Fang Che by the back of his neck as if he were a small dog, showing no hesitation—a gesture typically used by elders toward younger generations.

Moreover, Senior Sword's tone with Fang Che was no longer as cold as before.

Tsk tsk... the more he thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed.

...

"What is it?" Ningsnow Sword asked.

"It's like this," Fang Che began. "On our way here, we encountered an attack."

"The attackers threw out a large cluster of crystal bee honey, and then at least a million crystal bees swarmed out. Each bee was about the size of two fists, and the leaders were almost as big as a human head."

Fang Che gestured with his hands.

Ningsnow Sword stroked his chin and said, "Hmm, crystal bees... What are you trying to say?"

Fang Che was stunned.

This Senior Sword hadn't even read the Continent's Wonders Log.

Or perhaps he just couldn't connect the dots.

Fang Che overlooked one thing: after his resurrection, his brain became exceptionally sharp. When he encountered something, his mind would naturally make connections, and he could recognize most of the wonders he had read about.

However, ordinary people would never have such a capability. They would just read it as a joke.

As for practical application... it was almost impossible.

"Crystal bees are usually only as long as a finger, and their venom is one of the deadliest on the continent. But if they exceed this size, there must be something extraordinary about them. And here, even the smallest crystal bees are already the size of two fists, which is absolutely unusual. Bees of this size indicate that there must be some treasure in these mountains that is extremely conducive to the growth of crystal bees. And in such places, there is usually a crystal spirit mine."

"Furthermore," Fang Che continued, "the crystal spirit mine is on our side, and they can't move it. So, if they have a purpose, it must be to steal the crystal soul from the center of a large crystal mine."

"That's something any warrior would go crazy for!"

"Crystal mines are usually located deep underground, and they are always accompanied by water. Although the Only Righteous Sect has water ghosts, the mountain is solid, making it impossible to reach the mine, and they don't know its exact location. But they have the Infernal Demon, which can shake the earth's veins. So, they directly gather the earth's veins, triggering volcanic eruptions, and dispersing the water sources, turning them into tributaries that flow away..."

"Then, through these vibrations, the aura of the mineral veins is revealed."

"Therefore, I speculate that there must be a crystal mine somewhere below, and within the crystal mine, there is a high probability of finding the crystal soul. The Demon Sect's purpose is likely to obtain this crystal soul."

Fang Che spoke in one breath.

Ningsnow Sword's expression turned solemn.

Crystal Soul!

If this was the case, all their actions made sense. Even if it wasn't an ultimate treasure, the Demon Sect was capable of such actions, even if it was two levels weaker.

Ningsnow Sword nodded, "I understand."

Fang Che also breathed a sigh of relief, "Then I'm done speaking."

"Okay."

Ningsnow Sword lifted Fang Che with one hand and flew back, gazing at the distant white, luminous water dragon still spewing from the mountain pass, continuously falling.

The temperature was gradually decreasing, and the sky was already overcast with dark clouds, filled with water vapor.

Suddenly, a loud thunderclap sounded, followed by continuous thunder and lightning, and a downpour began to pour.

Ningsnow Sword drew his sword, and with its flashing light, he directly severed several areas of lava in front of him.

"After you clean up here, return immediately. Do not linger here!"

His eyes sharp, he said, "This place may become a battleground for the strongest, and it might affect the surrounding civilians. You will prepare disaster relief at the Guardian Pavilion."

"Yes, Senior!"

Seeing that Yuan Jingjiang had lost even the courage to speak, Fang Che responded with a "Yes" on his behalf.

The resounding ring of a sword sounded, and Senior Sword vanished without a trace.

The downpour continued, and the surrounding mountains instantly formed mountain torrents.

The heat from the volcano quickly diminished under the wash of this heavenly force.

"Test the temperature; it should be cool enough to start working. Let's hurry up, complete the task, and retreat."

"Yes, Senior!" Yuan Jingjiang stood at attention, as if receiving an order from a superior, and even saluted.

Fang Che was speechless, "Let's begin."

"Yes, Senior!"

Everyone responded together.

Fang Che: ...

...

Ningsnow Sword had reached the summit, and the first thing he did was activate the communication jade soul to contact Dong Fang Sansan.

"How is it? Has the water dragon appeared?" Dong Fang Sansan asked.

"It has appeared. Even Xiao Tian Shui didn't expect it to be this easy. There are indeed quite a few water veins in the surrounding area."

Ningsnow Sword replied.

Dong Fang Sansan asked again, "Are there any other abnormalities on the mountain, or is there anything peculiar there?"

Ningsnow Sword chuckled, "Elder Nine, you could've just asked if I saw the Crystal Bees, right?"

Dong Fang Sansan immediately realized, "There are Crystal Bees? How big are they?"

"As big as a human head."

"That's it then."

Dong Fang Sansan instantly understood and said, "In that case, you and Xiao Tian Shui, stay put there, and Gu Changhan from Cold Sword Sect is also heading that way... Xue Fuxiao and the others will go immediately. This time, there might be an intense battle with a top-tier expert!"

"Understood!"

"Regardless of who comes from the Only Righteous Sect, we must eliminate the Infernal Demon at all costs!"

"Yes, Elder Nine. This time, the Crystal Bees and the Crystal Soul, it was Fang Che who reminded me. This kid is quite capable, let's give him some credit." Ningsnow Sword spoke.

"That's not for you to consider." Dong Fang Sansan replied.

"Mmm." Ningsnow Sword touched his nose.

There was something he dared not say: I'm a big shot too, what can't I consider?

Xue Fuxiao could consider, but does he have the brains for it?

Of course, these thoughts were only in Ningsnow Sword's mind, or perhaps shared with Xue Fuxiao, but facing Dong Fang Sansan, he wouldn't dare even if he had the guts.

...

After ending the communication, Dong Fang Sansan immediately began making arrangements.

His expression carried a hint of worry.

"So the Only Righteous Sect had this plan, no wonder they sent so many people to the southeast."

"If we obtain the Crystal Soul this time, we'll likely have to make some concessions with Yan Nan regarding the issue of returning."

Then Dong Fang Sansan sighed.

His expression grew heavy.

The Crystal Spirit Mine was right there... but the guardians on their side hadn't found anything.

Yet the Only Righteous Sect managed to find it so precisely.

This... is the gap between us.

And Fang Che... has made another great contribution, but this achievement can't be rewarded. If it were to be rewarded, it would essentially mean sending him to his death.

Up till now, Fang Che has made several great contributions, yet he's shown no reaction.

Dong Fang Sansan's gaze carried a hint of worry.

Perhaps a little unfair...

Thus, he picked up the communication jade, preparing to contact Ningsnow Sword, but then put it down.

"No, this guy's mouth is too foul, he might leak secrets."

"Wait for Little Snow to return, she's the most reliable, although... her brain isn't the sharpest."

...

Fang Che was currently sweating profusely in the pouring rain, amidst the lava.

The solidified lava was cut into blocks by Ningsnow Sword, making it easier to clear, and as several people lifted the block of lava, revealing the steaming land and rocks.

With a shout, the massive block of lava was pushed into the canyon.

They continued to clear the path, and the road here was several zhang shorter than usual.

This needed to be addressed, as ordinary people would have to climb over it, and with rain and puddles, it could easily lead to drowning.

After disposing of the lava blocks and adjusting the slope, they opened up the other side, and the water immediately flowed through.

The road here became incredibly spacious.

Originally, only two or three people could walk side by side in the mountains, and only one person could pass through the narrowest sections. Now, after removing the lava blocks, it could accommodate dozens of horse carriages driving side by side.

Clearing the path in this manner, they managed to clear sixty li.

Then, everyone suddenly realized: Elder Sword's few strikes had directly severed over a hundred li of lava, and it was cut into several sections!

"Incredible!"

Everyone gasped in awe.

They inhaled the rain mixed with volcanic ash.

After the arduous work, they finally cleared the path and rushed through.

The civilians on this side... were they still alive?

After clearing the path, as they ventured further, they saw a group of people on the other side, their faces covered in dirt, rushing towards them.

Both sides met, and they were taken aback.

The leader from the other side called out, "Is this White Cloud Continent's Director Yuan?"

"Headmaster Cao from White Elephant Continent?"

Yuan Jingjiang was also surprised.

He couldn't believe that as soon as they finished, the other side had also completed their task, meaning they didn't need to continue working.

Headmaster Cao had just taken a few steps forward when he noticed the three to four hundred people behind Yuan Jingjiang.

Although tired and injured, their fighting strength remained.

He couldn't help but turn back to look at his own group, a mere four hundred, their bodies covered in wounds.

His expression turned bitter, "Brother Yuan, how many people did you bring?"

"Around four hundred, all here. What about you?"

"We... also have around four hundred."

Headmaster Cao's face nearly fell with tears, "All of them are here."

The atmosphere instantly grew heavy.

The pouring rain felt like ice on everyone's hearts.

"Sacrificing... over three hundred?"

Headmaster Cao's face twisted into an expression worse than crying, "Gone... all gone."

He asked with hope, "How did you do it?"

"We..." Yuan Jingjiang glanced at Fang Che, who shook his head slightly. Yuan Jingjiang coughed, "This journey, was relatively peaceful..."

Hearing this, everyone's faces turned pale.

Damn, surviving over a dozen near-death experiences is called peaceful? Without Fang Che, none of these four hundred people would've made it here.

Even less than the other side.

Next.

Everyone tacitly maintained silence as they searched and rescued.

Along the way, they burned the corpses they encountered.

Beyond the mountains was a plain amidst a cluster of mountains, with scattered villages and even a small town.

The nearby villages were similarly destroyed, but fortunately, there weren't many corpses, and many places even had new graves.

New graves!

Everyone's spirits lifted at this discovery.

The presence of new graves indicated that the disaster here wasn't as severe, and even those who had evacuated had managed to bury their deceased loved ones.

There was still time.

This meant that many people had likely escaped from this area.

As they continued their journey, they could see cracks in the ground everywhere, washed by the heavy rain.

After traveling four hundred li, they finally found a village with many survivors. These people were frail and emaciated, but they were moving, gathering in the open, standing in the heavy rain, some cheering.

Some were kneeling, repeatedly bowing to the heavens.

This rain had saved their lives.

Fang Che and the others rushed over, only to be stunned by what they saw.

All of them were elderly, over sixty years old, with white hair and beards.

Not a single young person or child was in sight.

"Where are the village's young people?"

"They fled... to escape the famine."

"Why didn't you leave?"

"With this kind of disaster... if we, the elderly who can't move, were to go, the whole family would die. The children are still young... they shouldn't be dragged down by us..."

Fang Che and the others were speechless.

Jing Xiuyun and the others rushed into the rooms, finding countless immobile elders. They were like dried corpses, their bodies devoid of moisture, as if all the water had been baked out of them.

Jing Xiuyun and the others immediately fetched water and began preparing medicine on the spot, then distributed it.

They also checked each household's food reserves.

Fortunately, there was still food.

An elderly man with white hair and beard trembled, "This honorable official, when the volcano erupted, we knew it was bad. We quickly started storing water..."

He pointed at the numerous water jars in the village, his hands shaking, "These jars were filled to the brim, covered with wooden boards. But when we checked later, half the water was gone..."

His old tears flowed freely, "Originally... there was still thick snow that hadn't melted... Everyone was wearing cotton-padded jackets, and the grandchildren said they were cold, putting their little hands into our sleeves to warm up. Suddenly, they couldn't breathe from the heat..."

"The children refused to leave their grandparents behind. We had to threaten to die before they finally left, looking back every few steps."

His aged face was filled with pride and urgency, "They were truly forced to leave by us... It's not that the children are unfilial..."

Several stewards from nearby villages came to report, all with the same news. Only the elderly who couldn't move were left in the villages, and some had already passed away.

But indeed, the young adults, children, and women had all escaped.

"That's good."

Fang Che heaved a sigh of relief.

Seeing the withered elders gradually regain their vitality and life force, Fang Che felt a sense of purpose in their journey.

Soon, the aroma of cooking filled the air, and the heavy rain continued to pour. The scorching heat that had threatened to roast people alive was now nowhere to be found.

In its place was a refreshing coolness and the quiet return of spring's chill.

After settling things here, the group hurried on, providing aid along the way.

There were still many deaths, but compared to the areas closer to the volcano, the situation had improved immeasurably.

They busily attended to hundreds of villages.

Finally, they saw people fleeing the famine on the road, some even running back in the heavy rain.

Clearly, the rain had brought hope, and they couldn't bear to leave their elderly family members behind. Each one hurried back with urgency.

Here, the disaster was mostly over.

In the pouring rain, over four hundred people quietly stopped, covered in mud.

But looking at the bustling scene ahead, seeing those who had fled the famine now running back with joy, worry, and concern, they couldn't help but smile silently.

In the midst of the downpour, all the stewards of the Guardian Pavilion were smiling silently.

"Our mission is complete."

Yuan Jingjiang walked with a spring in his step, laughing, "Let's go back!"

"What about you, Hall Master Cao?"

"We're returning as well."

Hall Master Cao smiled and said, "We're taking the same route back... Many of our brothers are waiting for us to lead them home."

He looked back at the path they had come from, and it seemed he could see his brothers trudging through the rain.

They were laughing in the rain.

The mission was complete.

Tears streamed down his face, mixing with the rain. Hall Master Cao covered his face, crouched on the ground, and wailed. This was a burly man, an Emperor Rank Expert, a hall master who had remained unmoved by life and death during the mission. Now, he cried like a child.

After completing the mission, he wept like a child.

"I brought out four hundred and twenty brothers, and I lost them."

Hall Master Cao howled, "I lost three hundred and forty-seven of my brothers!"

Behind him, over seventy people silently wept.

Yuan Jingjiang wanted to comfort him, but when he opened his mouth, he found himself crying too.

During the mission, everyone had disregarded life and death.

But upon completing the mission, they all became fragile.

A moment later, Hall Master Cao stood up, wiped his eyes, and choked out, "Let's go! We're taking the same route back!"

"The same route back!"

Over seventy people roared like rolling thunder.

"Let's see if the road we cleared is still passable after the rain, and how much damage there is. We'll fix it on the way back!"

"We'll fix it on the way back!"

Over seventy people lined up in the rain, saluting the Guardian Pavilion of White Cloud Continent.

Hall Master Cao's voice rang out clearly in the rain, "I wish you all a safe journey home, not a single one lost!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end

Report