Chapter 47: The Uncharted Path to Mount Fengxi

Having watched the entire spectacle unfold, Zhang Luan yawned, then waved a dismissive hand.

“Quickly, into the vehicle. No more chatter.”

Upon hearing Zhang Luan’s command, the others ceased their chatter. They promptly boarded the gaudy, eye-catching magical vehicle, settling into a quiet wait.

The veteran driver, seeing everyone accounted for, was about to set off. However, Zhang Luan halted him.

“Wait.”

“What are your orders, Holy Son?”

Zhang Luan retrieved the map, which had been serving as a makeshift tablecloth. He pointed to a specific location.

“We’re going here: Mount Fengxi.”

Initially perplexed, the driver eyed the marked spot. He hesitated for a moment, then glanced at Yanate, who gave a subtle nod of approval. Only then did the driver respond.

“Understood, Holy Son.”

The magical vehicle rumbled to life, and the driver set off.

Following a route entirely different from their original path, Zhang Luan and the others traveled for several hours before finally reaching Mount Fengxi.

Yanate disembarked, gazing at the majestic mountain. For some inexplicable reason, a sense of unease settled in his heart.

“Holy Son, this place doesn’t seem very safe. What exactly are we doing here?”

Zhang Luan also stepped out, his eyes filled with a nostalgic gleam as he looked at the towering peak.

“This is the lair of those bandits.”

At these words, Yanate’s expression instantly shifted. A sudden realization struck him, and he stared at Zhang Luan, speaking with a hint of shock.

“Holy Son, are you suggesting we eradicate all those bandits?”

“Is that not permissible?”

Yanate frowned deeply, unsure how to answer such a question. To say no?

Why shouldn’t it be permissible? If those bandits could attack them, why couldn’t they retaliate and attack the bandits’ stronghold?

But to say yes?

To assault well-equipped bandits, many of whom were super-powered individuals, with just their small group? It sounded like a pipe dream.

“Isn’t that far too dangerous? Perhaps we should head to South Faction City first. Once we return, we could gather more forces and collectively launch an expedition against these bandits. Please don’t be impulsive, Holy Son. We are too few in number; if we ascend that mountain, we won’t be able to protect you at all times.”

A playful smile touched the corners of Zhang Luan’s lips.

“Who said I intend for you to come with me? You are merely here to guard the vehicle.”

Startled by Zhang Luan’s declaration, Yanate immediately tried to dissuade him.

“Absolutely not, Holy Son! If this truly is the bandits’ stronghold, it will undoubtedly be extremely perilous. We should wait until we return to the temple and bring more people!”

The others echoed Yanate’s sentiments. They had no desire for Zhang Luan to walk to his death. If anything were to happen to the Holy Son under their protection, they didn’t even need to imagine the treatment they would receive upon returning to the temple. At the very least, the Holy Maiden would certainly not let them off easy.

Zhang Luan was not surprised by their reactions; he had already anticipated how to handle them.

“Do you believe you can stop me? It took you so long to deal with just those few bandits earlier. If you come with me now, are you trying to become a burden and get me killed? Besides, I can leave whenever I wish. What? Are you trying to deny me, the Holy Son? The scriptures contain no such provision.”

Zhang Luan looked at Yanate and the others with a half-smile. At his words, Yanate’s expression shifted several times. Just as Zhang Luan had stated, his strength far surpassed all of theirs combined, and his mysterious spatial abilities could indeed allow him to disengage from combat swiftly.

Indeed, he had become a liability.

After a long silence, Yanate took a deep breath, lowering his head with a weary sigh.

“Holy Son, may I contact the Grand Priestess? I wish to seek her counsel…”

“As you wish. However, I trust Ye Ying will not disregard the scriptures as you do. This is the last time.”

When Yanate activated his communication artifact and informed Ye Ying of Zhang Luan’s intentions, Ye Ying, without an ounce of surprise, simply gave Yanate four words.

“He is the Holy Son.”

Those four words utterly extinguished Yanate’s struggle. Watching Zhang Luan already ascending the mountain path, he knew his efforts were futile. Ye Ying’s meaning was clear: Zhang Luan was the Holy Son, and the Akamana doctrine stated that the Holy Son’s decisions were not to be defied. He let out a long sigh, looking at Zhang Luan’s retreating back and muttering softly,

“Holy Son, may your journey be smooth…”

****

Deep within the mountain forest, Zhang Luan moved without hesitation, heading in a specific direction.

He knew this was the bandits’ territory thanks to the players. To complete this particular quest, players had spent a full week gathering clues to locate this place. Later, a swarm of strategy-minded players, risking elimination by various traps, ventured deep into the forest and eventually discovered a fissure in a cliff face.

Through this fissure, the players found a way to enter the bandits’ main camp.

Under Yikeduo’s guidance, those fellows had established their base inside the mountain itself. Consequently, no one ordinarily knew that bandits existed on Mount Fengxi. This fissure had appeared purely due to geological shifts; had it not been for those bored-to-tears players, it’s likely no one would have ever found this place.

Even the bandits themselves were unaware of its existence.

But all of this now benefited Zhang Luan. Following the route from his memory, he quickly located the fissure in a cliff. The surrounding rock was smooth, with few protrusions, making it a place a normal person would never return to.

Only those thrill-seeking players, with their resurrection abilities, possessed the means to navigate such terrain.

Assessing the distance, he used a flash step to enter the fissure. The opening was small, barely wide enough for a slender girl to squeeze through. While Zhang Luan wasn’t particularly burly, he certainly wasn’t thin, so he clearly couldn’t fit.

But it didn’t matter.

The Power of Creation extended inward under his control, until it found a space large enough to accommodate his body. He marked its coordinates, then with another flash step, he phased into it.

As he entered the cramped space that could barely contain his body, a long crack appeared before him. Light flickered within the crack, indicating the bandits’ main camp. He vaguely heard voices, and listening closely, he realized the conversation was somewhat related to him.

“Why haven’t those two come back with a report yet? I heard the boss is getting anxious.”

“Hey, why are you anxious? What does it have to do with us? What’s so hard about them kidnapping that temple’s Holy Son? I heard he’s just a pretty boy, only became Holy Son because of that Holy Maiden. They’ll be back soon enough.”

“True. I’ve never even heard of a Holy Son. Heh, say, when the Lord of the City breaks through Akamana City, those pretty priestesses, can we, hehehe…”

Zhang Luan didn’t listen to the repulsive words that followed. The voices weren’t far, about fifty meters away, just a flash step’s distance.

He drew his Cursed Dagger, pinpointed the two bandits’ locations, and prepared to give them a grand surprise. He hoped they wouldn’t be too scared.