Chapter 572

Chapter 194 – The Land of the Great Dragon Part One

Rumble rumble rumble…

The terrifying sound, like a mountain collapsing and earth cracking, came from the far south, cutting off the man’s shouting.

Ravens cried in the sky, countless white birds startled from the woods on all sides, and the ground trembled. The quagga beasts were restless, lifting their front hooves and letting out long screams. The young cultivator almost fell off the beast’s back. The sudden situation made me jolt sharply, and before my mind could fully register what was happening, my body was thrown up by the giant creature.

“Aah!”

I exclaimed in shock, quickly grabbing the reins tightly.

“Be careful!”

“What happened? What’s going on—”

The cultivators nearby shouted in alarm. I held the reins with both hands, pressing my body down hard, my legs squeezing tightly against the beast’s back, just managing to avoid being thrown off. As the loud rumbling subsided, the giant creature snorted, its emotions calming down. Only then did I lift my head with the others, looking towards the direction of the noise.

The stream wound away in the distance, towering emerald trees and boundless forests stretched endlessly. Mountains in the distance were hidden behind them, and we could see almost nothing.

But the originally azure sky in the south now had a small area that seemed to be faintly tinged with an unusual crimson.

“What happened…”

“Is it in the direction of the ruins…”

“What is that red cloud…”

The cultivators looked at each other, their expressions filled with alarm and doubt.

After the loud noise, the depths of the forest returned to silence. Due to the great distance, I couldn’t determine the exact source of the disturbance, but by the looks on everyone’s faces, it was clear something unexpected had happened.

“Something happened…”

“High Priest Geoffrey!”

Seeing that the cultivators were unaware of the situation, I called out to the elder priest: “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know…”

High Priest Geoffrey looked up at the strange red in the sky, which appeared very far away. The man stared blankly, somewhat lost in thought, and after a moment, he murmured, “But I think we might not need the ravens for guidance anymore…”

He meant that the sound came from the entrance to the so-called land of the Great Dragons, or at least from that direction.

Something happened…

“Move! Don’t stop—”

The elder priest immediately tightened the reins, shouting loudly. The beast’s hooves started galloping again, and the agile figure of the giant creature darted out of sight.

I took a deep breath.

A bad premonition rose in my heart, and I couldn’t help but feel anxious. I urged the quagga forward with a shout, following High Priest Geoffrey. The three cultivators who had reacted also followed suit.

Wind rushed past, iron hooves clattered urgently, and I rode the giant creature, catching up with Geoffrey. I shouted at him, “That way, is it the direction of the ruins?”

“…”

Priest Geoffrey’s face was grim, his eyes flickering as if he was thinking about something. After a moment, he said in a low voice, “I think so.”

The man paused.

“It might be another fight… No, that doesn’t sound like fighting. Lady Silviana, perhaps… I mean, perhaps, because I don’t know how the land of the Great Dragons opens, but it must have been a grand event. The loud noise just now might have been a sign…”

The land of the Great Dragons is about to open…

Although the priest himself wasn’t sure, he and I shared the same speculation.

What’s going on!?

“There should still be the Faith Order and the Bishop there, right!”

I glared at him, and the priest fell silent for a moment.

“Maybe they’re all dead.”

“…”

Damn it…

At this moment, the young cultivator who had heard our conversation caught up. His face was pale, sweat dripping from his forehead. He anxiously asked, “High Priest, what should we do now!?”

“What should we do? Move as fast as possible! Is there any other way! Can I fly over there!!”

High Priest Geoffrey’s tone was agitated. He shouted and then “ha”ed, urging the giant creature to speed up, pushing it even further.

We left them behind, the five of us sprinting along the riverbank. I watched the man’s back, my mind spinning rapidly.

Fly over…

I could fly over.

Even if I fully exerted the power of frost, leaping through the forest along the stream would be much faster than riding the horned beast… but the consumption would be enormous. Jumping for hours would definitely tire me out, and if I had to face the dancer then…

Could I only use the power of the abyss here?

I couldn’t help but glance at the priest running by my side.

Right in front of them…

His dark pupils shimmered in the wind, his heart likely wavering with uncertainty.

At this point, I wasn’t even considering what would happen after revealing the power of the abyss; the consequences didn’t matter to me anymore. What I worried about was whether things would get worse.

After revealing the chaotic power, would things turn for the worse due to the priests’ sudden change in attitude? For this, I truly had no confidence.

I felt pressured.

Because it seemed that the Church had completely placed the responsibility of eliminating demons on me alone. If there was any misstep on my part… I didn’t know if they had any backup plans, but given the current situation, the chances were slim.

What Prior said earlier was enough proof that they were now willing to risk their lives to send me to the land of dragons to prevent the situation from escalating. This should be their last resort. The Church had run out of options; hoping for sudden reinforcements in the form of papal knights was unrealistic, and even Angel might not appear…

It seemed I had to rely on myself next.

This gave me even more pressure. Until the moment that dull sound came, the situation seemed to have taken an unexpected turn. Since then, my palms had been sweating, my chest feeling constricted, and my breathing somewhat labored.

If I failed…

The consequences might be unimaginable.

So, there mustn’t be any slip-ups.

I was a bit afraid of using the power of the abyss at this moment, as it might worsen an already dire situation.

But if I did nothing and just rode the horned beast over…

They said we’d arrive near dusk. Did we have that much time?

What should I do…

Take a deep breath, then exhale. The wind whistled past my ears, my long hair fluttering behind me, my body jolting with the galloping of the horned beast. Prior’s figure wobbled in my vision. I stared at him for a moment, then looked up at the red glow in the distant sky.

After a brief pause, I made my decision.

I should still fly over…

Because it’s currently the fastest way.

“Prior!”

I called out, and the man turned around on the beast’s back.

“Tell me, what should I do after I get there? Should I kill the heretic, or destroy the blood bead… How can I find that demon?”

I had made up my mind. Once Prior answered my question, I wouldn’t give them time to react and would directly soar into the sky, leaving them behind to head to the ruins alone.

Of course, this was very risky. In the worst case, even if I got there, I would be blind. Finding neither the heretic nor the demon, I would have to watch helplessly as the dancer returns from the land of dragons with the demon.

But other than that, I seemed to have no other choice…

Just as I thought this, I suddenly saw a determined emotion in Prior’s gaze as he looked back at me.

“I might have a way, Lady Silvija…”

After the man said that, he abruptly reined in the beast, raising his hand above his head and shouting, “Stop!” Then he turned the beast’s head, saying calmly amidst everyone’s puzzled looks, “We don’t have much time.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the young faces of the three priests.

“Prepare yourselves. Let’s call upon the Eye of the Ancient Deity.”