Chapter 1810 - 464: Star Valley Sunset, Legacy of the Era (Part 3)

Chapter 1810: Chapter 464: Star Valley Sunset, Legacy of the Era (Part 3)

Though spitting blood, Ah Lann still fought relentlessly, striving for every second of evacuation.

In the end, the heavily injured Ah Lann was desperately escorted back to the city by the clan.

When Tu Hu saw Ah Lann again, his entire body was bathed in blood, the metal spear in his hand bent.

Breaking free from his clansmen’s restraint, he staggered back to Tu Hu, grabbing his arm with astonishing strength.

His gaze was a mix of agony and plea:

"Hu, take the children away; they are the future of the clan. Star Valley can fall, but the fire must continue. Go!"

With those words, he gave Tu Hu a fierce push, then turned around to face the tide-like oncoming Rock Armor Giants through the breach in the city wall, raising his bent war spear with all his remaining strength, releasing the most resonant and tragic roar of his life.

He launched a death charge.

Tu Hu, filled with grief, also understood the necessity to protect the safe evacuation of the new generation in the face of an irretrievable defeat.

Yet, an accident occurred during the evacuation.

A massive figure of a Rock Armor Warrior burst around the street corner, its heavy steps shaking the ground, charging straight at the chaotic evacuation team.

Zipping among the evacuees, a glint of resolve flashed in Ah Fen’s eyes. She swiftly pulled a deep purple potion from her waist.

This was her latest potent paralyzing potion.

Without hesitation, she rushed toward the behemoth, deftly dodging as it swung a fist down, smashing the potion fiercely onto its bone armor-covered face.

Tss!

Acrid smoke instantly rose, and the Rock Armor Warrior emitted a muffled low growl, its movements visibly stiff, its body teetering.

Ah Fen barely caught a breath of relief, turned to rejoin the team, but caught sight of a rapidly enlarging pale silhouette in the corner of her eye.

Another distant Rock Armor Warrior had thrown a giant bone spike.

Thunk!

The bone spike pierced through Ah Fen’s fragile chest from the side, carrying her small body backward for a distance before pinning heavily to the ground.

She didn’t even have time to cry out in pain, only convulsed violently, as blood gushed from her mouth.

Her dimming gaze strived to turn in the direction of the team, looking at Blue Star, who was being tightly held by Tu Hu, turning back with a heart-wrenching roar, her eyes carrying endless fondness and unsaid exhortations.

Eventually, it completely dimmed.

Almost simultaneously as Ah Fen fell, a violent explosion sounded from the direction of the Archive Hall.

Inside the Archive Hall, Ah Lü faced his final decision.

He frantically stuffed scroll after scroll of core knowledge recorded on beast skins into a specially crafted fireproof pouch.

The shouts and crashes outside grew closer, and the building groaned under the assault of the Rock Armor Warriors, riddled with cracks.

"Quick, Xiao Tong, take this and leave from the back." Ah Lü thrust the fullest pouch into his daughter’s hands, his voice urgent.

"Father, come with me!" Mo Tong cried, grabbing his arm.

"No!" Ah Lü harshly shook off her hand, gaze sharp as a knife:

"The most important map is still here. Go now, remember, with knowledge, the clan has a future."

He no longer looked at his daughter, turning to rush to the innermost stone platform, where a few scrolls painted with special pigments concerning the clan’s future laid.

Just then.

Boom!

The Archive Hall’s door and surrounding walls collapsed with a crash, debris flying.

A massive figure of a Rock Armor Warrior blocked the exit, its blood-colored eyes locked onto Ah Lü inside.

Facing certain doom, Ah Lü, with no retreat, let out a roar, charging unhesitatingly.

Elsewhere, Tu Hu, coughing blood, was repelling Rock Armor Clan warriors one after another.

The old injuries in his body erupted due to the excessive exertion of strength.

He relentlessly guarded the evacuation passage at the valley’s rear, repelling the pursuing Rock Armor Warriors.

When he successfully led the remaining dozens of young ones and children into the dense forest at the rear, he looked back to see the city wall of Star Valley collapsing entirely amidst roaring sounds.

The torrent of the Rock Armor Clan flooded the land they had poured so much heart into, and the roar of resistance from the clansmen was quickly being annihilated.

They fled all the way, not daring to pause, until they could no longer hear the shouts and roars behind them.

On a cliff overlooking the direction of Star Valley, the survivors stopped powerlessly.

In the distance, their once-home had turned into ruins.

Faintly visible, the massive figures of the Rock Armor Clan moved within, like beasts crawling over corpses, declaring the end of an era.

Tu Hu silently removed the wine pouch from his waist, pouring the last mouthful of spicy liquid into his throat, then forcefully tossed the empty pouch into the depths of the valley.

He turned to face the survivors.

The young Downspirits’ faces were a mix of mud and tear streaks, with Blue Star at the forefront, clenching his fists tightly, nails digging deep into his palms.

Mo Tong buried her face in the remaining scrolls, her thin shoulders trembling continuously.

"Look at me," Tu Hu’s hoarse voice said.

The Downspirits raised their heads.

Tu Hu bent down at this moment to pick up a broken iron spear from the ground, walked to Blue Star, whose body shook violently from anger and grief, and shoved the broken spear forcefully into his hand.

Then he picked up a trampled herb bag from the ground, brushed off the mud, and placed it in Mo Tong’s arms, which clutched the remaining scrolls tightly, tears flowing profusely.

The rain began to fall quietly, and Tu Hu looked at this small remnant of a team.

The oldest had just come of age; the youngest still needed to be held in arms.

His voice, hoarse like a worn-out bellows, carried an undeniable resolve to sever the past:

"Remember the enemies who devoured our home."

"Our homeland is reduced to ash, your kin and elders all sacrificed, but we are still alive."

Tu Hu took a deep breath, each word as if branding into the heart of every survivor:

"Hereafter, we will wander to reclaim all we’ve lost, until we return with the flames of revenge, to avenge blood with blood!"

"From today onwards, every step we take will lead to a homecoming in the future."

In the drifting rain, Tu Hu dragged his nearly broken body, leading this small team bearing the Downspirit Clan’s last embers into the vast wilderness.

The oldest warrior walked at the front, using their body to shield the young ones from wind and rain.

The youths aided the injured, trudging forward in the mud.

Behind them, their homeland’s ashes flickered in the rain.

Tu Hu walked at the rear of the team, taking one last glance back, rainwater dripping down his jaw, indistinguishable from tears.

Then he resolutely turned around, following the staggering firm figures ahead, merging into the deepest darkness before dawn.

As their figures were finally swallowed by the shadows of the wilderness, the last ember of Star Valley extinguished in the rain at the same moment.

The blood and dreams of the first generation sank into the cold, wet soil.

The torch of civilization was passed onto young, mud-stained hands.