Chapter 106: The Spirit Ripple Clan's Treasure |
A golden vortex swirling around Saphir suddenly split into nine sand pythons, each as thick as a bucket, their scales shimmering with molten gold luster, gaping their bloodthirsty maws as they tore wildly into the smoke. One of the sand pythons bit precisely on Jonas's coat tail and fiercely yanked him out from the smoke.
Jonas flipped swiftly in midair, his longsword slicing an arc to sever the python's tail. Upon landing, he discovered that the sole of his boot had been corroded into a charred hole by the python's gastric acid.
"You coward hiding your true intentions!" Saphir formed hand seals with both hands, and suddenly dozens of sharp golden stone pillars shot up from the ground.
Jonas took advantage of the momentum to leap up, the stone pillars slicing through the air just beneath his feet, shredding his cloak into tatters. Before he could stabilize, Saphir struck like a golden lightning bolt, a sand spike forming on his fingertip aimed straight at Jonas's throat.
At the critical moment, Jonas suddenly threw out three flaming runes.
The runes exploded midair, forming a wall of fire, but Saphir casually shattered it. However, the brief block allowed Jonas to vanish back into the darkness. Saphir roared in anger as golden sand particles around him rained down like a storm, each grain possessing the power to pierce iron plates, turning the surrounding buildings into rubble.
"Can't sense my aura but can predict my position..." Jonas hid in the shadows, his eyes fixed on the golden light dots surrounding Saphir — an instinctive danger perception of a powerful being. He bit his fingertip and drew a blood rune on his palm; the ghostly blue flames suddenly turned into a strange purplish-black hue.
As Saphir summoned another massive sandstorm tornado, Jonas hurled his longsword fiercely.
The terrifying flames coiling around the blade slithered like venomous snakes, piercing through the sandstorm's defense.
"What... temperature is this?!" Saphir's expression changed drastically.
Seizing the opportunity, Jonas closed in, his hand transforming the flames into chains that wrapped around Saphir's wrist. The molten gold-level powerhouse struggled furiously as golden sand grains frantically sliced at the chains, only to find the chains tightening and continuously siphoning his magic.
"Die!" Saphir broke free from the chains; the sand particles around him condensed into a golden giant axe, descending with the force of a mountain cleaving.
Jonas advanced instead of retreating, his figure suddenly splitting into five. Each clone employed Shadowmeld to disappear into the darkness. Saphir's giant axe cleaved through empty air, hitting only afterimages, while the real Jonas pressed close to the ground and stabbed his flame-infused longsword at Saphir's ankle.
At the instant Saphir's ankle scales shattered, he roared, soaring up like a golden meteor. The ground collapsed under the shockwave. Jonas's sword only struck a shadow; debris scattered as a thunderous oppressive force descended from above — Saphir wielded his giant axe, enveloped by molten gold flood, diving down.
"Dark Flame Prison!" Jonas erected an octagonal fire wall with purplish-black flames at the critical moment. The fire prison cracked with spiderweb-like fissures as the giant axe struck. Saphir sneered, intensifying his power; the collision between the molten gold giant axe and the flames emitted a dazzling, piercing light. Blood dripped from Jonas's tiger mouth, but he suddenly pressed his left hand against the ground: "Reverse!"
The fire prison that was originally defending shattered and recoiled, turning into countless fire snakes coiling around Saphir's weapon. The molten gold giant axe let out mournful cries as corrosion spread on its blade surface, forming dense holes. Saphir was filled with shock and rage; he hurled the giant axe away, the burning weapon crashing into a distant building like a meteor, igniting a vast fire.
"You think such petty tricks can hurt me?" The golden sand particles around Saphir reassembled rapidly, forming a three-headed, six-armed demonic god illusion behind him. Each hand grasped a different sand weapon. The illusion roared; the sound waves made Jonas's eardrums ache, and blood instantly flowed from his nostrils.
Before Jonas could react, the demonic god illusion swung all six arms, releasing a downpour of countless sand blades, spears, and halberds. Jonas gritted his teeth, raising a fiery shield. The purplish-black flames wildly devoured the attacks, yet several sand blades pierced through, leaving bone-deep wounds on his arms and shoulders. In the searing pain, he suddenly pressed his bloodied palm to the ground. Blood droplets merged with flames, forming a dark red magic array beneath him.
"Shadow Corridor!"
Saphir's attacks suddenly all penetrated Jonas's body, striking the building behind. Jonas's figure distorted like ripples on water and reappeared behind the demonic god illusion in the next second. Before Saphir could turn, purplish-black flames transformed into chains binding the illusion's ankles. The fierce corrosion forced the demon god to wail earth-shatteringly as golden sand particles rained down and scattered.
"Impossible! Spatial magic?! You damn bastard, how can you do everything?!" Saphir turned, eyes blazing with fury, only to see Jonas's longsword burning with triple flames — the base layer ghostly blue, the middle layer fiery red, and the top flickering with purplish-black flames.
"Dark Flame Trilogy." Jonas's hoarse voice roared as he swung his sword violently. Three flames of different colors spiraled like a cyclone toward Saphir. Wherever they passed, the air emitted shrill whistles, and even the space rippled. Saphir finally showed terror, hastily gathering all magic to form a hundred-meter-tall golden sand wall before him.
At the collision of the sword qi and the sand wall, the world seemed to plunge into silence. Moments later, an earth-shaking explosion erupted, sending shockwaves that leveled buildings within a hundred meters. Amidst the dust, Jonas knelt on one knee, blood continuously dripping from the corner of his mouth. Saphir's demonic god illusion had dissipated; his chest was charred black, golden armor shattered, eyes filled with disbelief.
.....
Veldeline stared in shock at the scene before her.
"Chase them!" Saphir roared, "They must not escape!"
On the street, Jonas hurriedly carried Veldeline as the pursuers drew nearer.
"Nas..." Veldeline weakly said, "Let me go... You can escape alone..."
"Shut up." Jonas replied calmly, "I never abandon my retainers."
He turned into a narrow alley and suddenly stopped. Another group of Sand Tribe guards had appeared ahead without warning.
"Surrounded..." Veldeline said in despair.
Jonas smiled mysteriously: "Perfect."
He took out the small box Veldeline had given him and quickly opened it. Inside was a translucent lotus-shaped crystal.
"Spirit Ripple Tear?" Veldeline exclaimed, "Father said this was the last life-saving method..."
Jonas crushed the crystal without hesitation. Instantly, a dazzling light burst forth, enveloping them both.
Saphir, chasing behind, saw this and his expression changed drastically: "No!"
After the light faded, Jonas and Veldeline's figures had vanished without a trace...
When Jonas opened his eyes again, he found himself in a strange space. Surrounding him were translucent blue walls that seemed made of water yet were incredibly solid.
"Where is this?" Veldeline asked weakly.
Jonas helped her sit up: "According to the clues your father left, this should be..."
"The Eye of Aretia, where the Fountain of Life resides." An ethereal voice suddenly spoke.
Following the voice, they saw a woman with transparent wings floating in the air. Her skin was faint blue, and her eyes resembled the purest spring water.
"Spirit Ripple Clan..." Jonas whispered.
The woman nodded slightly: "I am Elia, the guardian of the Spirit Ripple Clan. Humans, why have you come?"
Jonas looked straight into her eyes: "Seeking help. My city suffers from a plague; we need the power of the Fountain of Life."
Elia's expression grew serious: "The Fountain of Life is closed to outsiders. One exception brought disaster to our clan."
Veldeline struggled to stand: "Please wait... My father Hua Lier once..."
"Hua Lier?" Elia suddenly became emotional, "You are his daughter?"
Veldeline nodded: "Yes. Before he died, he told me that if I ever faced insurmountable difficulties, I could come here..."
Elia's expression softened: "Hua Lier was a friend to our clan. Twenty years ago, he saved many of our people."
She flew to Veldeline and gently touched her face: "You are ill... Shadow Addiction..."
Veldeline gave a bitter smile: "I have lost my hearing and smell..."
Elia pondered for a moment, then resolutely said: "Follow me."
She led them through the water corridor to the center of a huge cave. There was a pool of crystal-clear spring water, in which a glowing lotus bloomed.
"This is the Eye of Aretia, the Fountain of Life," Elia said solemnly, "The spring water can cure all diseases, but each person may drink only once."
Jonas noticed a stone tablet by the spring inscribed with ancient words: "Only a pure heart can receive life's gift..."
Elia brought two cups made from shells: "Drink the spring water; it will heal your wounds."
Veldeline hesitated, looking at Jonas: "But... the plague in Giant Spirit City..."
Jonas patted her shoulder: "You drink first. Your condition is more urgent."
Veldeline took the cup cautiously and sipped. Immediately, a warm current surged through her, and her pale complexion quickly regained color.
"I... I can hear!" she exclaimed joyfully, "And taste... I smell flowers!"
Elia smiled and nodded: "The Fountain of Life is repairing your body."
Jonas also drank the water. He felt a powerful life force flowing within, instantly wiping away battle fatigue, and his magic became purer.
"Amazing..." he marveled.
Elia's expression suddenly turned serious: "Now you must leave. The Fountain of Life's power cannot be revealed, or it will attract greedy ones."
Jonas stepped forward: "Wait, my city is still plagued..."
Elia shook her head: "The spring water cannot be taken away. But..."
She went to the glowing lotus and gently plucked a petal: "The seed of this Spirit Ripple Lotus can purify the plague. Plant it at your city's water source, and the plague will be lifted."
Jonas accepted the petal solemnly: "Thank you very much."
Elia then looked at Veldeline: "Your ability is special; it resonates with the Fountain of Life. If you wish, you can stay and learn how to control it."
Veldeline looked at Jonas in surprise; he gave her an encouraging glance.
"I... I want to stay," Veldeline decided, "Once I master control, I can better assist Lord Jonas."
Jonas nodded: "A wise decision. I will return to Giant Spirit City to deal with the plague first. Come find me when you're ready."
Elia waved her hand, opening a water gate: "This portal will take you back to the human world. Remember, the secret of the Fountain of Life must be kept."
Jonas solemnly promised: "I swear on my honor."
He looked at Veldeline one last time and stepped into the water gate. A flash of light, and his figure vanished.
Outside Giant Spirit City, Jonas appeared out of thin air. He immediately sensed something was wrong — the city walls were lined with alert soldiers, and the air was thick with tension.
"Looks like the Sand Tribe has made a move..."
He quickly headed toward the city. The guards recognized him and immediately opened the gates.
"My lord! You're finally back!" Charis hurried forward, "The Sand Tribe army is closing in, expected to arrive tomorrow!"
Jonas nodded calmly: "How is the plague situation?"
"It's still worsening... Although your great healing slowed it, hundreds have already fallen into coma..."
...
It can purify the city's water supply and lift the plague."
Charis carefully took the petal, her eyes shining with hope: "Is this... the Spirit Ripple Clan's treasure?"
"Exactly. Get to work immediately, the sooner the better." Jonas turned to the city walls, "As for the Sand Tribe army... I'll meet them personally."
Katdera rushed over: "My lord, you just returned and want to go to battle? At least rest first..."
Jonas shook his head, a sharp gleam in his eyes: "No need. It's the perfect chance to test the new power the Fountain of Life has given me."
Night fell. Jonas stood alone atop the city walls, gazing toward the distant horizon. Under the moonlight, the Sand Tribe army's campfires dotted the landscape like stars.
"At least fifty thousand..." Jonas estimated the enemy's scale, "Retifus is throwing everything he has."
Footsteps approached behind him; Charis and Katdera arrived together.
"My lord, the petal has been planted, and the well water is glowing!" Charis reported excitedly, "The comatose residents are waking up one after another!"
Katdera added: "City defenses are reinforced, and the Mage Corps is prepared. But our forces are only a third of theirs..."
A faint smile appeared on Jonas's lips: "Enough. Issue the order: at dawn tomorrow, open the city gates."
They looked at him in shock: "My lord?!"
"I will give them a lesson they will never forget." Jonas's voice was as cold as ice, "Retifus thinks plague and superior numbers can defeat me? How naive."
Charis hesitated: "But..."
"Trust me." Jonas turned to face them, "Tomorrow, you only need to hold the walls. Leave the rest to me."
The darkness before dawn was deepest. The gates of Giant Spirit City slowly opened in silence, and Jonas walked out alone. Wearing a simple black battle robe, his longsword glowed with ghostly blue light under the moon.
The Sand Tribe sentries quickly spotted the lone madman leaving the city; alarms immediately blared throughout the camp.
"Jonas Regin?!" Retifus stepped out of his tent, disbelief written on his handsome face, "Has he gone mad?"
Grand Elder Saphir’s shoulder wound was still unhealed, his expression dark: "Your Highness, be cautious. This one does not play by the rules."
Retifus sneered: "Fifty thousand against one, even a legendary powerhouse must die! Order the full assault! I want his head hung on Giant Spirit City's gate!"
The Sand Tribe army surged out like a tide; war drums thundered fiercely. Facing such a terrifying formation, Jonas calmly raised his longsword.
"Fountain of Life... show me your power."
Suddenly, dazzling blue light burst from his body, rippling outward. All Sand Tribe soldiers touched by the blue light panicked as their sand manipulation powers vanished!
"What’s happening?! My power! The sand... the sand won’t obey!"
Panic spread quickly through the Sand Tribe army. Retifus’s face turned pale: "Impossible! This is... the purifying power of the Fountain of Life?!"
Jonas's figure suddenly vanished, reappearing in the center of the Sand Tribe ranks. His longsword swept horizontally; dozens of elite soldiers fell like wheat being cut.
"Stop him! At all costs!" Retifus roared.
Several Frost Silver-level powerhouses lunged simultaneously, unleashing deadly moves. But Jonas's speed was unbelievable; each sword strike precisely found enemy weak points, blood spraying where the blade passed.
"Too weak." Jonas's voice was like the whisper of death, "Is that all your strength?"
Saphir finally lost control and struck personally. Golden sand particles turned into countless blades shooting at Jonas but lost power near him and scattered on the ground.
"This... this can’t be!" Saphir retreated in terror.
Jonas teleported before him, sword stabbing straight: "Your wounds haven’t healed, and you’re rushing to your death?"
Saphir barely dodged the lethal strike but lost an arm. Screaming, he retreated: "Your Highness! Retreat quickly! We are no match!"
Retifus finally realized the hopeless situation, gritting his teeth: "Retreat! Full retreat!"
But it was too late. Jonas’s figure flickered across the battlefield; each appearance took dozens of lives. The Sand Tribe army completely collapsed; soldiers dropped weapons and fled in all directions.
By the time the sun fully rose, only corpses and begging prisoners remained on the battlefield. Jonas stood amid the blood-soaked carnage, the blue light gradually fading.
The Giant Spirit City guards stared dumbfounded, barely able to believe their eyes.
"One man... defeating fifty thousand..." Charis murmured, "This is beyond what a human can do..."
Katdera’s eyes shone with admiration: "This is... our City Lord."
Jonas walked back to the city gate calmly, his battle robe unstained by blood. He ordered quietly: "Treat the prisoners, inventory the spoils. Also..."
He looked into the distance: "Send envoys to Luyuns City. Tell the remaining Sand Tribe — submit or perish."
......
One month later, Giant Spirit City had completely recovered from the plague, flourishing even more than before. The Sand Tribe threat was eliminated; Retifus fled with remnants deep into the desert, never daring to invade again.
That day, Jonas was handling official affairs in the City Lord's mansion when a guard reported: "My lord, a young lady with transparent wings requests an audience outside."
Jonas's eyes brightened: "Bring her in immediately!"
Veldeline entered the hall; her complexion was much improved, and her eyes no longer vacant. Most striking were the faint transparent wings behind her.
"Lord Jonas, I have returned." She smiled and bowed.
Jonas stepped forward to support her: "Looks like you gained much from the Spirit Ripple Clan."
Veldeline nodded: "Lady Elia taught me a lot. I can now fully control the Hive Network and even..." She extended her hand; a crystal-clear water butterfly formed in her palm, "use some of the Spirit Ripple Clan's abilities."
"Excellent." Jonas said with satisfaction, "Just in time for a new mission."
He led Veldeline to the city wall and pointed to the distance: "See those ruins? That’s the outpost left by the Sand Tribe. I plan to build a new district there as a trade center for all clans."
Veldeline’s eyes lit up: "Just like Father once envisioned..."
"Exactly." Jonas looked at her, "I want you to lead this project. Use your abilities and the Darkstone network to build a truly equal and prosperous city."
Veldeline bowed deeply, her voice choking: "It is my honor... and my father’s dream."
Jonas patted her shoulder: "By the way, how is Lise’s recovery?"
"My sister is fine now; she’s organizing the remaining Darkstone members and will soon come to assist us."
"Good." Jonas looked into the distance, "This world is changing, Veldeline. And we will be the ones leading the transformation."
......
Night fell. Jonas stood alone at the highest point of the City Lord's mansion, overlooking the rapidly growing city. Lights like stars illuminated every corner.
Charis quietly appeared behind him: "My lord, what are you thinking about?"
Jonas smiled faintly: "Thinking... about the next target."
"You’ve defeated the Sand Tribe and lifted the plague. What else do you want?"
"These are just beginnings." Jonas's eyes gleamed with ambition, "Postaya Province, and even the entire Empire... will be reborn under my rule."
Charis knelt on one knee: "Wherever you point your sword, we will follow to the end."
Jonas helped her up: "I know. Rest now; more work awaits us tomorrow."
After Charis left, Jonas took out a peculiar badge from his pocket — a spoil from Retifus’s tent. The badge bore a strange emblem and small characters on the back: "Supreme Council."
"Looks like... this world is far more interesting than I thought." He murmured, "Wait, I will uncover all your secrets."
The night breeze blew, making the flag atop the City Lord's mansion flutter. The golden gryphon emblem shimmered under the moonlight — Jonas’s new family crest, symbolizing Giant Spirit City's rebirth.
In the farther darkness, countless eyes watched the rising city. Some were filled with fear, some with hope, and some... harbored hidden killing intent.
But Jonas was fearless. He knew no matter how many hardships lay ahead, nothing could stop his advance.
At dawn, the construction site in Giant Spirit City’s eastern district was already bustling. Veldeline stood atop the half-finished trade hall, her transparent wings refracting rainbow light in the morning sun. She lightly tapped her fingers; thousands of worker ants moved stones according to her will, each block precisely placed.
"The north corridor pillars need reinforcement," she instructed the foreman through the Hive Network, "The underground drainage system must be completed today."
Suddenly, she sensed abnormal activity outside the western city walls — three fast horses galloped rapidly, their riders cloaked in unfamiliar deep purple. More strangely, her scout insects lost all connection within ten meters of the riders.
"Lord Jonas," she immediately telepathically contacted the City Lord, "Suspicious persons approaching."
Inside the mansion, Jonas’s quill paused as he reviewed border reports. He put down the documents, lightly tapped the table three times: "What level of threat?"
"Uncertain... They can shield against my insects." Veldeline’s voice bore rare tension, "But the saddle bears this—" She transmitted an image: a silver badge engraved with three interlocked gears.
Jonas's pupils shrank. The emblem was identical to the badge he found in Retifus’s secret chamber.
"Activate level three alert." He stood and took down the longsword on the wall, "I will personally meet these guests."
At the city gate, the three riders had dismounted and waited. The leader pulled back his hood, revealing a face covered with mechanical patterns — his left eye was a blue glowing crystal, rotating with a faint gear sound.
"City Lord Jonas?" The man with the mechanical eye bowed, "Supreme Council Seat Seven, Chief Engineer Claude Witt of the Mechanical Church, sent by the Speaker to pay respects."
Jonas noticed the missing portion of Claude’s right pinky revealing intricate metal structures. He maintained a cautious smile: "Guests from afar, care to explain why you interfered with my city's defenses?"
Claude laughed mechanically like gears meshing: "Just defending against a few bugs. After all, what we want to discuss..." He lowered his voice, "concerns the Life Seed you took from the Spirit Ripple Clan."
The air froze instantly. Jonas’s grip tightened on his sword; this was his greatest secret — besides Veldeline, no one knew he had secretly taken a seed from the Spirit Ripple Lotus when leaving the Fountain of Life.
"Interesting." Jonas’s sword sheath tapped the ground lightly, invisible magical waves sweeping over the three envoys. Confirming they bore no hostility, he stepped aside: "Please, let’s discuss in the reception hall."
Inside the reception hall, Claude took a metal cylinder from a hidden compartment in his mechanical arm. Twisting a mechanism, a holographic image projected — a canyon shrouded in black mist, vaguely revealing the outline of a massive structure.
"The Shadow Canyon, abnormal phenomenon appeared three days ago." Claude pointed at occasional red flashes in the image, "We detected life waves similar to yours."
Jonas frowned, staring at the distorted spatial wrinkles in the image. The red lights indeed emitted an aura like the Fountain of Life, but mixed with an unsettling filthiness.
"You want me to investigate?" he asked directly.
"More precisely, cooperate." Claude rotated his mechanical eye, "The Speaker believes this is related to ancient alchemist Mobius’s experimental site. According to records..." He looked meaningfully at Jonas’s sword at his waist, "Only the Fountain of Life's bearer can purify such contamination."
Veldeline, who had been silent, suddenly interjected: "How do you know the City Lord will agree?"
Claude pulled out a crystal vial from his pocket, inside swam a writhing black shadow: "This sample was collected from the canyon’s edge. It is devouring all life along its path. At this rate..." He tapped the vial; the shadow suddenly lunged toward Veldeline, "It will reach Giant Spirit City within three months."
Jonas drew his sword like lightning; the blade sliced through the crystal vial, and the blue light vaporized the shadow. At the last moment, all heard the shadow's shriek — a chilling scream blended from millions of voices.
"Departure at sunrise tomorrow." Jonas sheathed his sword, "But I have conditions."
Claude seemed prepared: "Please speak."
"First, I want access to all Supreme Council archives on Mobius; second," Jonas pointed outside to the trading district under construction, "the Mechanical Church must establish a branch here; third..." He stared into Claude’s mechanical eye, "tell me your true relationship with the Sand Tribe."
The engineer’s expression wavered for the first time. The gears in his eye spun rapidly a few times before he sighed: "The first two can be agreed immediately. As for the third..." He removed his mechanical arm, revealing an hourglass mark engraved inside, "There is a traitor among us. Retifus stole the 'Sand of Time,' one of the Council’s seven sacred relics, which is why the Speaker is eager to meet you."
......