Chapter 705

Chapter 705: Sudden Changes in the Mountains

As dusk settled over the mountain range, the divine shrine in the valley was bustling with activity.

Before dawn broke, Lolan Hill awoke from her dream, not because she couldn’t sleep, but due to the commotion coming from the direction of the shrine.

After listening for a while, Lolan Hill decided to get up and sit on the edge of her bed instead of going back to sleep.

She first put on her light blue blouse and skirt, then added a black coat over it before stepping out into the courtyard. The two birds on the wooden stand also woke up, but Lolan Hill gently calmed them down, so they remained asleep and did not follow her outside.

Walking along the path through the forest leading to the shrine, the young lady could see that the lights inside the shrine were on, and many voices echoed from within.

“Lord Gro, our village was attacked yesterday, many people died, oh, oh,” a sobbing voice cried out.

“Our village too, we live in a town to the west, there used to be nearly a thousand people, now, probably only a hundred have survived,” another voice followed.

In these twilight mountains, there was no actual ruler among the Chichi clan. They lived in villages and towns, gathering at this shrine in the valley only during festivals or significant events.

With many villages and towns suffering disasters, they had nowhere to turn for help. The only person they could seek solace from was the revered priestess.

“Sigh…”

Just as the young lady was about to step onto the wooden stairs beside the shrine, she heard a sigh from Lady Gro, who seemed deeply troubled.

Gently lifting the bamboo curtain aside, a young girl in black clothing walked into everyone’s view. Unfortunately, the hall was filled with sorrow, and no one had the heart to admire her beauty.

“Has Jialan arrived?” Lady Gro turned and asked.

“Mm.” A response came from under the gauzy veil, and the girl sat quietly beside Lady Gro, seemingly wanting to share some of her burdens.

“I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble you again soon.” Lady Gro spoke, as if pondering something.

Soon after, she called over a masked man in black who was kneeling at the edge of the shrine and whispered something to him. After a brief moment, he retreated.

Seeing this, Lady Gro lightly clapped her hands, bringing the hall to silence.

“I know there have been many recent attacks by spirits and beasts. It’s a turbulent time, and peace may not return for quite some time.”

The crowd below listened intently.

“Afterwards, I will notify all the villages and towns to gradually gather together to better defend against these attacks. Additionally, I will gather the scattered spirit hunters and organize several major cleansings, which should be safer.”

“You all should go back and prepare for what’s ahead. Bring whatever you can from your villages and towns and come to the valley. We’ll face this year together.”

“Yes, Priestess.”

Seeing Lady Gro give orders, the crowd seemed to find their leader. Although Lady Gro’s current strength was average, she was the most powerful priestess in the twilight mountains before the world changed. She had served for nearly sixty years, watching over the elders of various tribes. Even now, she retained a high status and influence among the Chichi clan.

After these people from remote areas dispersed, the hall temporarily returned to silence. However, Lady Gro remained seated, seemingly waiting for something.

Not long after, a group of people in black robes entered quickly. Each wore wooden demon masks and carried long swords at their waists.

Upon entering the hall, they knelt on one knee. The leader spoke, “What does Priestess need?”

Lolan Hill tilted her head curiously. These people were all practitioners of the Nine Nether Sequence (Necromancer Sequence), their power ranging from level 3 to 4, with three even reaching level 5.

“The situation in Yama Mountain is not good; you need to assist in clearing it. But the top priority now is to protect the evacuating villagers and ensure their safe arrival at the valley.”

“These villages are scattered across different locations. Divide into four groups and proceed one by one. Also, be careful not to disperse your teams further. The situation is special; dispersing further might lead to significant casualties due to insufficient strength.”

“Yes, we understand,” the crowd responded in unison, then fell silent again.

“Jialan,” Lady Gro suddenly called Lolan Hill’s name.

“What is it, Lady?”

“You should lead a team as well. That way, I’ll feel more at ease.”

It was unclear whether she felt more at ease with Lolan Hill or the other team members, but the masked men in black focused their gazes on the young girl.

“Oh, me? Alright,” the girl agreed despite the sudden request.

“Then rest for a bit and set out afterwards,” Lady Gro said, taking a breath.

“Yes.”

—

On the border of Xiyou Prefecture, near the village of Youcen:

Not long after dawn, two riders left the city and headed towards the twilight mountains shrouded in dark mist.

The cold, dry land was covered with mixed stones and soil, stirred up by the hooves of the horses, raising dust and pebbles.

After a morning of travel, the two riders grew tired, and their speed slowed down.

“How far is the shrine?” a woman in green clothes asked.

“Madam, we’ve just crossed the border. Even if everything goes smoothly, it will take us three days to reach there. Moreover, we might encounter many beasts and evil spirits along the way. The mountain paths are difficult, and it might take a week to arrive safely.”

“Is it really that long? It took me only seven days to travel from Luo Capital to here,” the woman’s voice was cold, showing disbelief.

The white-clothed man next to her did not rush to refute her but continued asking.

“May I ask how you traveled here?”

“Naturally, by giant ship.”

“Was it the Cold Mountain Giant Ship from the Yanhang Gate?” the man asked.

“Yes, it seems you’re not completely ignorant about the outside world,” the woman in green turned her head, surprised.

“Hmph, although I grew up on the border, I am not uneducated. Don’t underestimate the people of the world,” he shook his head slightly and continued speaking without paying attention to her gaze.

“The Cold Mountain Giant Ship can fly over the sea, ignoring terrain and beasts, and with its heavenly engineering techniques, it is incredibly fast. But here, we are traveling by horse, and our speed is less than a tenth of that, so naturally, we can’t keep up.”

“Moreover, this journey might not be peaceful,” the man said, leaping off his horse mid-sentence, drawing his sword, and slicing an evil spirit that rushed out from the roadside in half.

A strong scent of blood immediately filled the air, causing the woman behind him to cover her nose and frown.

“What is that?”

“This is naturally the evil spirits and demons in the mountains. Aren’t you here to deal with them?” The white-clothed man seemed surprised. The twilight mountains were barren, with only endless evil spirits as their unique feature. This person actually questioned why.

“But why do they appear in the wilderness? Shouldn’t they be sealed tightly, and aren’t there disciples from the Condensed Purple Night Illumination Palace patrolling?” Seeing the man’s confusion, the woman in green explained slowly.

“In the past, when the Chichi Kingdom rose, they fought with our dynasty, and were eventually defeated by the Crimson Sparrow Dragon Riders. Afterwards, under the guidance of the Red Phoenix, the three major sects gathered here to seal Mount Yama. To maintain and guard it, one of the sects, the Xiangyu Sect, left a group of disciples to watch over it.”

“These disciples later formed their own sect, the precursor to the Condensed Purple Night Illumination Palace.”

“Why can’t I see any of these disciples guarding the twilight mountains?” The woman’s voice became angry, and golden light flickered in her eyes like the eyes of a furious dragon.

(End of Chapter)