Chapter 460 - 338: Ruins (2)

Han Yuan simply wanted to see the ruins.

After leaving Blue Moon Port, he entered an immense city.

The city was massive, and its varied architectural styles possessed a certain beauty.

The first thing Han Yuan had to do was find a local to guide him.

But it seemed he had overthought things.

He didn’t even need to look for one.

The moment he appeared, a dozen or so dark-skinned men in simple, rough clothing swarmed him.

"Boss, need a guide? I know all the best spots around here!"

"Boss, pick me! I’m cheap!"

The men all clamored at once.

"Who among you has been a guide the longest and knows Blue Moon Island the best?"

Han Yuan asked coolly.

His gaze swept across the locals.

In an instant, the guides’ hearts pounded in their chests. The hair on their bodies stood on end, and they fell silent, daring not to speak.

Just then, a tall, thin, middle-aged man spoke up softly, "I... I grew up on Blue Moon Island. I know this place like the back of my hand."

Han Yuan looked at the tall, thin man and nodded lightly. "You’ll do. The rest of you can leave."

At his words, the guides scattered instantly, not daring to linger under his gaze.

The man’s gaze was simply too terrifying for them to endure.

"Boss, my name is Hu Yong."

The tall, thin man was also under immense psychological pressure.

But he had to ignore it for the sake of making money.

’After all, the more powerful someone is, the less they care about money.’

’As long as I make a good impression, I’m sure to earn a handsome commission.’

"Alright... Do you know where the Holy Stone ruins are?"

Han Yuan asked.

"I do... But the ruins are deep in the island’s mountain range."

"It’ll take a day to get there from here."

Hu Yong said.

As a proper guide, he didn’t ask Han Yuan why he wanted to go, but simply laid out the facts.

"That’s fine... Take me there."

Han Yuan said softly.

The fleets from the Great Cang Dynasty and the Profound Nether Dynasty wouldn’t be arriving anytime soon, so he had plenty of time.

"Right away!" Hu Yong nodded immediately.

Soon, the two of them rented a pair of swift horses and headed for the Holy Stone ruins.

According to Hu Yong, the Holy Stone ruins were located within Black Python Mountain.

However, because so much time had passed and the Holy Stone had long been lost, even the tribes on Blue Moon Island had gradually lost their faith in it.

Nowadays, many of Blue Moon Island’s locals didn’t even know what the Holy Stone was.

Let alone outsiders.

Only veteran guides like Hu Yong, who were well-versed in the various legends of Blue Moon Island, knew anything about it.

"Hu Yong, have you ever been to the Holy Stone ruins?"

Han Yuan asked casually while they were resting on the road.

"Young Master Han, I’ve been there twice."

"Honestly, the scenery is nothing special. Just some old murals and a pile of rocks."

"Even we locals rarely go there."

Hu Yong replied earnestly.

He had learned Han Yuan’s name during their journey.

"Is that so..." Han Yuan murmured, lost in thought.

「One day later.」

They finally arrived in the vicinity of Black Python Mountain.

The Black Python Mountain Range was certainly aptly named.

It looked like a colossal, ancient black python coiled upon the island. The range snaked across the land with towering peaks and all manner of strange rocks, but the vegetation was sparse and scattered.

The soil here was a faded black, and even the trees appeared black.

It seemed as if the entire mountain range was steeped in this blackness, as though it had been painted with ink.

"Has the Black Python Mountain Range always been like this?"

Han Yuan asked quietly.

"Yes... We don’t know why."

"Only in the Black Python Mountain Range do the plants and soil have this color."

"Some of the elders suspect it might be the lingering power of the Holy Stone affecting the entire mountain range."

"But we can’t be sure..."

Hu Yong explained.

"Do any beasts live here?"

Han Yuan asked.

"Yes... The beasts here are far more ferocious and powerful..."

"Even their blood is black..."

"That’s why most people don’t dare to enter alone."

Hu Yong said.

He had only dared to follow Han Yuan in because he could tell at a glance that he was a powerful Martial Artist.

"I see... It seems the Black Python Mountain Range is indeed under the influence of some mysterious power."

As Han Yuan spoke, he picked up a pebble and flicked it forward.

WHIZ!

The pebble shot out with sudden force.

A moment later, Hu Yong heard a pathetic, wailing cry from the forest just ahead.

He walked over curiously and saw a black wolf lying in a pool of blood. There was a hole in its forehead, from which black blood was steadily flowing.

Hu Yong couldn’t help but gasp.

He hadn’t sensed the black wolf’s approach at all.

And yet, Han Yuan had killed it with a single pebble.

’His power is terrifying.’

"So the blood really is black..."

Han Yuan walked over as well, his expression tinged with surprise as he looked at the black wolf’s corpse.

After all, Li Qingxuan had taken the Holy Stone away during the Chaotic Ancient Era.

Yet after all these years, the local ecosystem was still profoundly affected.

This could only mean one thing.

’The radioactive contamination from the Holy Stone is severe.’

’The Holy Stone may restrain the Source Seed... but the radiation it emits seems to have a huge impact on living creatures as well.’

’If I’m going to use it in the future, I’ll have to be mindful of this side effect.’

Han Yuan fell into thought.

"Let’s go."

Han Yuan said softly.

Hearing Han Yuan, Hu Yong nodded hastily.

He then led Han Yuan deeper into Black Python Mountain.

After half a day, they passed through a dark, narrow crevice between two peaks, and an ancient Divine Temple built of stone appeared before them.

The Divine Temple had been battered by the elements; its surface was overgrown with dark brown moss and tangled weeds.

Nearby were several cairns of black stones, arranged haphazardly.

They seemed to hold some profound meaning, yet they also looked as if they had been placed at random.

"Young Master Han, this is the Holy Stone Temple... It’s where we used to worship the Holy Stone."

"Ever since the Holy Stone vanished, the place has been abandoned. Very few people come here anymore."

Hu Yong said softly.

"Hmm... Let’s go take a look inside."

Han Yuan was quite interested in this Divine Temple.

Fearing there might be danger inside, he stepped in first.

The inside of the Divine Temple was dark and damp.

The moment Han Yuan stepped inside, a foul-smelling wind rushed toward him.

A black python as thick as a barrel dropped from the temple ceiling, lunging to take a vicious bite out of Han Yuan.

"You’re courting death!"

Han Yuan shook his head and glanced at the black python. He gathered Fire Evil Qi in his right fist and threw a punch.

BANG!

The black python shrieked in agony as the Fire Evil Qi instantly engulfed its body. It fell to the ground, and within a few breaths, its massive frame was incinerated by the Fire Evil Qi, reduced to nothing but ash.

The entire Divine Temple filled with a scorched, acrid stench.

Hu Yong, who entered behind him, saw this and his eyes widened in shock.

’If I’d been the first one in, I would’ve been swallowed whole!’

Han Yuan paid no mind to Hu Yong’s thoughts, instead examining the ancient Divine Temple.

The Divine Temple was large. In its depths stood a divine altar, which was now completely bare.

Just as Hu Yong had said, the walls were covered in murals.

Perhaps due to the passage of time, the murals’ colors had faded, leaving only faint outlines.

Han Yuan first glanced at the altar, but finding nothing of use there, he turned his attention to the surrounding murals.

The content of the murals was more or less what Li Baozhou had told him.

A great tsunami struck, and with it, the Holy Stone appeared on Blue Moon Island.

Anyone who possessed the Holy Stone would become incredibly powerful.

But it seemed mortals could not withstand the Holy Stone’s power. No one who carried it ever lived for more than a year.

So the people of Blue Moon Island built this stone Divine Temple to enshrine the Holy Stone, with the major tribes taking turns guarding and worshiping it.

That was the gist of the murals’ content. After viewing them, Han Yuan fell into deep thought.

Hu Yong didn’t dare to disturb him, standing carefully by his side.