We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 444 [King of the Ancient Spirits] [Sage Yese]

"Ok?"

Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Tracy.

Xia En asked in a deep voice, "Tracy, what did you discover?"

Tracy frowned, as if gathering her thoughts, before speaking.

"In the Ancient Elf camp, I discovered that not all Ancient Elfs are naturally extremely hostile to the Elf race."

"Some people's understanding of the so-called blood feud comes from that high priest of the [Ancient Spirit Clan].

"Or rather, this idea of ​​having a deep-seated hatred for the elves was instilled into the minds of ordinary ancient elf citizens by the upper echelons of the ancient elf race."

"In that case, the king of the Ancient Spirit Clan is highly suspicious."

A cold glint flashed in Xia En's eyes.

"You mean, the 'King' of the Ancient Spirits might just be a puppet controlled by the Mind Flayer, or even an avatar of the Mind Flayer?"

Angie, who was standing to the side, nodded in agreement.

"It is indeed a possibility."

"If the [Heartbreakers] have already infiltrated the core of the [Ancient Spirits], then their 'King' has likely been controlled or even replaced."

"In this way, the hostility and distorted historical understanding of the Ancient Spirits towards the Elves can be reasonably explained."

Shane nodded: "If that's the case, then we must act as soon as possible."

"Not only must we find the [Purification Stone], but we must also uncover the truth behind the [Ancient Spirit Clan] and stop the [Heart-Stealing Apostle's] conspiracy."

However, judging from the attitude currently displayed by the Ancient Spirits.

A major battle between Rhine City and them is still unavoidable.

Only after winning this battle can we attempt to coexist peacefully with the Ancient Spirits.

After confirming the crucial information with Anqi.

Xia En and his group did not linger in the [Elf Realm] and returned directly to the [Rhine Realm].

As soon as everyone stepped through the light gate formed by the [Empty Beast Heart Seal], they discovered that the surrounding environment was different from before.

"This is……"

Xia En looked at the ground nearby.

There were many fresh footprints on the ground, and the corpses of the Ancient Spirits from the previous battle had disappeared.

Clearly, the Ancient Spirits had been here when they left.

These footprints were scattered and dense, clearly not left by a few people.

"It seems they were at this camp while we were away."

Joey crouched down, carefully examining the marks on the ground, and said in a low voice.

Xia En nodded, his gaze following the direction of the footprints, a cold glint in his eyes.

"These footprints may lead us to their core territory."

"Since they've come to us of their own accord, we can't let this opportunity slip by."

However, the footprints faded very quickly after they hadn't gone very far.

In addition, the complex environment of the forest makes it difficult to discern the traces left by the Ancient Spirits with the naked eye.

Xia En had anticipated this, and the power of the [Peeping Eye] was quietly activated.

When he opened his eyes again, the world he saw was different.

The traces of the Ancient Spirit Clan's presence, like a clear ribbon of light, meandered into the depths of the forest.

"Follow me."

"Shane said in a low voice, then stepped forward and quickly followed the trail of the marks," he said.

The group followed closely behind, traversing the dense forest.

As they ventured deeper, the surrounding scenery gradually changed.

The trees grew taller, their branches and leaves blocking out the sun, and a faint mineral scent filled the air.

Scattered fragments of ore, grayish-white in color, began to appear on the ground.

"These are... fragments of [Rhinestone]?"

Carles picked up a piece of ore, examined it carefully, and then said...

"Yes."

Xia En nodded: "It seems... we're not far from the Ancient Spirit Clan's mining area."

Sure enough, not long after, they arrived at the entrance to a valley.

The valley is flanked by towering rock walls, which are covered with traces of mining.

Clearly, this is the mining area of ​​the Ancient Spirits.

A series of deep rumbling sounds came from the depths of the valley, as if some huge beast was breathing.

Xia En raised his hand to signal everyone to stop and whispered.

"Be careful, this might be the core area of ​​the [Ancient Spirit Clan], the defenses must be very tight."

With the help of the [Peeping Eye], he carefully observed the movements within the valley.

Dozens of Ancient Spirit warriors were seen scattered throughout the valley.

They patrolled vigilantly, armed with weapons.

In the center of the valley, a huge mine shaft stands prominently.

The entrance to the mine exuded a strong aura of mystic power, clearly indicating that it contained a large amount of [Rhinestone].

"That's the place we're looking for."

Shaun pointed to the mine and said, "The Purification Stone is very likely inside."

"But how do we get in?"

An frowned and said, "There are too many guards here. If we force our way in, we might alert the entire Ancient Spirit Clan."

At this moment, Joey, who was standing nearby, said, "Perhaps... we could use a teleportation spell?"

"The entrance to the mine is heavily guarded, but the inside may not be so."

Shane nodded, agreeing with Joey's suggestion.

"Teleportation spells are indeed a good choice."

"However, we need to ensure the accuracy of the transmission, otherwise, if it is transmitted to the wrong location, it may lead to a more dangerous situation."

Joey smiled slightly and said confidently, "Leave it to me."

"With my current abilities, I can use the moisture in the air as a medium to sense the environment inside the mine and ensure the accuracy of the transmission."

She closed her eyes, gently waved her staff, and blue light once again emanated from her.

The water vapor in the air quickly condensed, forming tiny streams of water.

Like invisible tentacles, it extends towards the mine.

Through these water flows, Joey sensed the structure inside the mine and the distribution of guards.

After a while.

Joey opened his eyes and said in a low voice, "The space inside the mine is much larger than we thought. The guards are mainly concentrated at the entrance and a few key passages."

"We can teleport to a secluded corner deep inside the mine, where there are no guards for the time being."

Xia En nodded: "Okay, let's begin."

Joey raised his staff and began chanting the incantation for a teleportation spell.

Gradually, the blue light expanded, enveloping Shane and his group.

As the last syllable of the incantation faded, everyone vanished from their spot.

next moment.

They appeared in a secluded corner deep inside the mine.

The surroundings were dark and damp, with only a few scattered minerals emitting a faint glow.

The air was filled with a rich aura of mystical power.

Clearly, this place contains a large amount of [Rhinestone].

"We're in."

Joey said with a hint of excitement.

Xia En looked around and whispered a reminder.

"Be careful. Although there are no guards here for the time being, patrolling Ancient Elf warriors may pass by at any time."

Everyone nodded and then began to move deeper into the mine along the tunnel.

As they ventured deeper into the mine, the mysterious aura within grew increasingly intense, even creating a sense of oppression. "The reserves of [Rhinestone] here are astonishing."

Karl said in a low voice, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes: "No wonder the Ancient Spirits are able to manufacture so many weapons of war."

Xia En was also somewhat surprised.

The total amount of rhinestone in this mine is far greater than what they had previously discovered.

Clearly, there will also be Rhinestones here, and even creatures formed from Rhinestones, such as "piggy banks".

at this time.

Xia En raised an eyebrow, gestured for everyone to stop, and whispered, "There's some noise ahead."

Everyone held their breath and listened carefully.

Sure enough, a series of deep footsteps came from ahead.

The conversation between the Ancient Spirit warriors began.

"The High Priest commands us to speed up the mining; the King can't wait any longer."

"A soldier said in a low voice."

Another soldier replied, "However, the mystical power deep within the mine is too strong. Going any deeper might be dangerous."

"Enough talk! The king's orders are paramount! Keep moving!"

As the footsteps faded into the distance, Xia En and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

"It seems that the 'King' of the Ancient Spirits is indeed urging them to speed up the mining."

Joey said in a low voice, "This further confirms our suspicions."

Xia En nodded: "That's right, we must find the [Purification Stone] as soon as possible, and at the same time uncover the truth behind the [Ancient Spirit Clan]."

The group continued deeper into the mine tunnel, where the mysterious aura around them grew stronger, and an invisible pressure seemed to permeate the air.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out ahead, accompanied by loud arguing.

"Exposed?"

An asked in a low voice, gripping the heavy sword in his hand tightly.

Xia En raised his hand, signaling everyone to stop.

With the power of the Eye of the Secret, he saw the scene ahead through the cracks in the rock wall.

An elderly member of the Ancient Spirit Clan, dressed in a gray-white robe, stood in front of a group of warriors, waving his arms excitedly.

His face was old and haggard, with deep wrinkles covering his forehead.

Her long, silvery-white hair was casually draped over her shoulders, giving her a somewhat unkempt appearance.

His eyes, however, were exceptionally bright, revealing a scholarly wisdom and determination.

"We have no need to start a war!"

The old man's voice was hoarse yet powerful: "The Rhine Realm is so vast that it can easily accommodate the survival of different races! Why must we resolve this through war?"

“Sage Yeshe, are you getting senile?”

A warrior sneered, his tone laced with sarcasm: "The elves slaughtered our ancestors; this is a blood feud!"

How could you say such a thing?

"Blood feud?"

Yese's voice was extremely confused: "I...I don't remember any blood feud."

"We moved out of the [Elven Realm] purely out of our own free will, not because we were expelled or slaughtered..."

"enough!"

Another soldier rudely interrupted him: "We're only saying this to you because of your past deeds."

"The king's order is clear: we must accelerate mining in preparation for war."

"If you continue to obstruct us, don't blame us for being impolite!"

Yese opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something.

But in the end, he could only let his arms hang limply, a look of confusion and pain flashing in his eyes.

The soldiers snorted and turned to leave, leaving Yese standing alone.

He muttered to himself, "Why...why do I always feel like something's not right?"

"Why do I have no recollection of those so-called blood feuds?"

"Could it be... that I was really wrong?"

Xia En and the others hid in the shadows and witnessed the whole scene.

“That old man… seems different from the other Ancient Spirits.”

Joey said in a low voice, "His perception doesn't seem to be completely distorted."

"Yes."

Shane nodded: "He may be the key to us uncovering the truth."

Ann asked, "Should we make contact with him?"

"Hmm." Xia En pondered for a moment, "But we must be careful not to let him become hostile towards us."

After the soldiers' footsteps had completely disappeared.

Shaen emerged from the shadows and said softly, "Sage Yese, we heard your conversation."

Yese turned around abruptly, looking warily at Xia En and his group, raising his staff slightly.

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

"We are not the enemy."

Shaen raised his hands to indicate that he meant no harm: "I am the lord of Rhine City, and I have come here in search of the Purification Stone."

"After hearing what you said, I feel that you might be able to help us."

"The lord of Rhine City!?"

A hint of surprise flashed in the eyes of the Sage Yeshe, but it was quickly replaced by vigilance.

He gripped his staff tightly, his gaze sweeping over Shane and his group, seemingly trying to gauge their intentions.

"You...are you really from Rhine City?"

Yese's voice was hesitant: "But why are you here?"

"This is a forbidden area of ​​our [Ancient Spirit Clan], and outsiders are not allowed to enter."

Xia En nodded, his tone calm.

"We are indeed from [Rhine City], and we have come here to find the [Purification Stone] in order to resolve the crisis in the [Elf Realm]."

"We have no intention of being enemies with the Ancient Spirits."

"But from what I just heard you say, it seems you have some doubts about certain decisions within the clan."

Yese's expression softened slightly.

The wariness in his eyes was gradually replaced by a complex emotion.

He paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, "How much...did you hear?"

“We have heard your questions about the war, and we have also heard your confusion about the so-called ‘blood feud’.”

Xia En looked directly into Yese's eyes and said sincerely, "We believe that you must have many questions in your heart."

"Perhaps we can help you find the answer."

Yese's eyes flickered, as if he was struggling intensely inside.

He slowly lowered his staff and sighed.

"Can you... really help me find the truth?"

"We're willing to try."

Shaun said firmly, "If you are willing to trust us."

Yese was silent for a moment, then finally nodded: "Okay... I believe you."

"But this is not the place to talk. Come with me."

He turned and walked toward a hidden passage deep inside the mine, with Shane and his group following closely behind.

The passage was winding and twisting, and the surrounding rock walls were covered with glowing minerals that emitted a faint light.

The air was filled with a strong aura of mysterious power, giving people an invisible sense of oppression.

After walking for about ten minutes.

Yese led them to a hidden stone chamber.

(End of this chapter)