Chapter 699

Chapter 699: Yellow Banner Barrier

Time quietly passed, and it had been nearly three months since Lolan Hill arrived in this region.

The valley was hard-pressed by sunlight, only a few reflections managed to enter, illuminating the surroundings.

It was already May, compared to before, there were several light rains recently, making the valley’s surroundings more humid. Many residents took advantage of this season to plant a type of black barley, a crop that, although not high-yielding, could adapt to this cold and barren environment, thus being widely planted by the residents.

In the morning, Lolan Hill put on her pale black veil and left the shrine. She walked a few steps in the secluded valley, turned a few corners, and came to a narrow walkway hidden behind a large rock.

The sturdy stone steps led up the walkway directly to the outside of the valley. However, such a walkway was extremely steep; if ordinary people were to walk on it, they would need considerable courage.

Fortunately, the girl could now fly and naturally wasn’t as afraid of heights as she was in her previous life. Holding the cold iron railing beside the walkway, she slowly climbed up step by step. As for the two birds, they had long flown into the sky to play, and they would probably return to Lolan Hill after a while.

As she slowly ascended the walkway, the houses and figures below became smaller and smaller in her view. If observed for a long time, it might create a feeling of wanting to jump down or panic.

The girl withdrew her gaze and refocused on the walkway in front of her, continuing to climb.

After about ten minutes, this winding and steep walkway finally reached its end. The lush wilderness gradually emerged on the horizon and then entered her sight.

Because of the recent rain, the barley fields looked quite good, sprouting tender green shoots, which was very pleasing to see.

This place had a rare depression. In the early morning, some residents would carry the accumulated rainwater from the valley to water these barley fields, preventing them from drying out. By late August, these barley fields would be mature.

Because their panicles had a layer of black shell, different from wheat outside, they were called black barley, actually a variant of some type of wheat.

After harvesting, the residents would thresh and store them, which would be the year’s grain supply.

Unlike those fertile regions where crops could be harvested three times a year, the one-time harvest in the Valley of Dusk was quite challenging. Sometimes, water shortages, attacks by monsters, and the eruption of Ninefold Dark Qi needed to be considered, often reducing the yield even further.

After watching the green seedlings below for a while from the hillside, Lolan Hill continued walking around. It was roughly 10 AM, and there were only a few people in the fields, wearing straw hats and walking among the fields, weeding and straightening fallen seedlings.

Lolan Hill followed the narrow field ridge forward, preparing to take a closer look.

Her light shoes stepped on the soft soil, pressing down the weeds on the ridge. After reaching a new sprout field, the girl carefully squatted down, making sure her dress didn’t get wet, then carefully examined the young seedlings in front of her.

A faint blue magic power extended through the young seedlings, clearly displaying their internal structure and growth status in her mind. Then, Lolan Hill also analyzed the direction for improving these grains.

After a long time, she replanted a stalk of seedling and stood up.

If she wanted to improve this variety to increase its yield, it was not impossible. However, the increase in yield was not particularly impressive.

A capable person cannot make a meal without rice, constrained by factors such as land, climate, and external conditions, no matter how good the variety is, it cannot double the yield.

The fertility of the soil is limited, the girl thought. If she used the [Crimson Clover] from her past, increasing the soil fertility here and rotating crops, it would be a good method.

Unfortunately, after rebirth, many things were lost. To obtain that special clover, she would need to re-engineer it, and unfortunately, the original version of clover did not exist here.

This was not something that could be done in a short time; she would have to visit other states and counties later to see if clover existed, and if worst came to worst, she would have to wait until she returned to the Western Continent to bring seeds from there.

After thinking it over, Lolan Hill gradually walked to the end of the field. Looking up, she saw a simple fence. Rather than calling it a fence, it was more like a rope with banners hanging on it.

Yellow banners with unknown incantations printed in blue dye emitted a weak special aura.

This is… Before the girl could find the answer in her memory, a girl’s voice sounded beside her.

“Is Scholar Jialan checking the banner barrier?” The voice was somewhat immature and youthful.

Lolan Hill turned around and saw a girl around fifteen years old standing behind her, holding a basket containing many yellow banners, just like the ones hanging on the rope.

“These are all made by my mother, so I occasionally help out.” Seeing that Lolan Hill did not speak, the girl nervously explained, fearing that she might displease this lady.

“Mm, actually, I was just passing by casually and didn’t mean to check anything,” the girl shook her head and asked.

“What are these banners for? They don’t seem to be decorations.”

“These are very useful,” the little girl explained proudly upon hearing Lolan Hill’s question.

“After hanging these yellow banners here, ordinary ghosts and monsters won’t come over. This avoids damaging the crops.”

Like scarecrows? Lolan Hill thought, recalling that there were similar things behind the shrine. However, Old Granny Ge had arranged them much more formally and powerfully, which is why she hadn’t connected the two earlier.

The two continued talking, and Lolan Hill slowly learned that the girl’s mother had once been a student of Old Granny Ge and had previously worked at the shrine. However, after getting married, she moved out.

“Although my mother doesn’t go to the shrine anymore, she still takes the time to make these things to help everyone defend against those bad guys.”

The two walked along the edge of the field near the banner barrier, and the little girl occasionally removed damaged yellow banners and replaced them with good ones from her basket.

“How many levels of spirits and monsters can this barrier block?” Lolan Hill asked the girl who had untied the banner in front of her.

“I’m not sure, but my mother said that powerful monsters definitely can’t be stopped, but ordinary low-level monsters can be driven away. Just like annoying things, ordinary spirits won’t approach unconsciously.”

“Although it’s not very powerful, for us ordinary people, it can make a big difference, and the grain yield will also be higher.”

“If we’re really unlucky and encounter a powerful monster attack, then it’s just fate.”

The girl shook her head. Although she was young, she understood things early and wouldn’t naively believe everything would always be fine.

“Um, Scholar Jialan, how is Old Granny Ge doing?” The girl seemed to hesitate for a long time before finally asking.

“She’s doing pretty well.” Lolan Hill recalled Old Granny Ge’s usual appearance. Although she was advanced in age, she didn’t have the appearance of someone with mobility issues.

“Phew, that’s good.” The girl let out a sigh of relief. Seeing Lolan Hill’s confusion, she explained in detail.

Her mother had helped work at the shrine when she was young, and Old Granny Ge had taught her many things, successfully nurturing her to become a Dragon Priestess at Sequence 4. Unfortunately, when her mother was in her twenties, she met a handsome young man, who was the girl’s father.

“. Later, my mother married my father and left the shrine. Although Old Granny Ge never blamed my mother, my mother felt deep guilt because she had hidden her relationship with my father from Old Granny Ge. Her departure also meant the shrine lacked someone to support it, wasting Old Granny Ge’s years of teaching efforts.”

“Because I was naughty when I was young, always crying, my mother had a hard time raising me. Several plans to return to the shrine to help were disrupted. Over time, coupled with changes in the world and her own decline in strength, she no longer had the courage to see Old Granny Ge again.”

The girl’s voice carried a hint of unease, as if she felt it was all her fault that her mother had changed.

“I understand.” Lolan Hill replied softly.

“. Oh, what does Scholar Jialan understand?” The girl looked up in surprise, somewhat puzzled.

“I understand your feelings and thoughts.” Lolan Hill answered.

“This… um…” The girl seemed at a loss.

“Don’t worry, I’ll discreetly inquire about Old Granny Ge’s opinion of your mother.” Lolan Hill said.

The two finished their walk, and Lolan Hill also helped the girl hang the yellow banners, checking the entire boundary of the field outside the valley.

“Alright, that’s all for today.”

The afterglow of the sunset bathed the earth, giving the girl’s soft hair a faint golden hue. The two stood on the cliff overlooking the secluded valley to say goodbye.

“Thank you, Sister Jialan, for your help.” The girl bowed in gratitude, realizing that this lady wasn’t as cold as rumored.

“It’s nothing. Wait for my message tomorrow. We’ll meet here again.” Lolan Hill waved.

“Okay.” The girl nodded happily.

Seeing this, Lolan Hill leaned back and fell directly into the secluded valley below.

The girl opened her mouth in surprise, wanting to check the situation, but a gentle breeze swept over, lifting her and sending her falling into the secluded valley below.

Two birds spread their wings and flew from behind the girl, their wind carrying her down into the deep valley. The wind whistled by her ears, and the scenery before her eyes was something she had never seen before.

Indeed, the valley had many unique features from above, and the little girl’s heart was filled with curiosity and excitement. After circling around the valley, her body slowly landed on the ground with the wind.

When she looked back, the two special birds had already flown high towards the other end of the valley. On the steps in front of the shrine, a girl dressed in a black feather robe smiled and waved at her, her hair tips shimmering slightly silver in the sunset.

(The End)