572 Thunderbol

To understand why the Elven Kingdom wanted to gain control over the Haiga Mountain Range, one had to start from the Great Escape after the Dark Age. Back then, the Goddess of Forest Monferra created a miracle—she made the Haiga Mountain Range to help the elves escape from human troops[1]. Hence, the Haiga Mountain Range was a sacred mountain range to the elves starting several hundred years ago.

Every elf wanted to get back the sacred mountain range, but the Elven Kingdom was weaker than the two human kingdoms in every aspect. These two human kingdoms didn't give it their all, but the Elven Kingdom failed terribly even after doing so.

The reason why they failed was rather funny.

Who would imagine that a place deemed the sacred mountain range by the elves would repel all forms of Nature Magic? The thousands-miles-long of Haiga Mountain Range was like a naturally occurring Magical Domain, and was completely immune to all Nature Magic. Once any Monferra devotee entered the Haiga Mountain Range, he would change from a powerful mage to a totally defenseless person.

This could be said to have reduced the power of the elves by half. Although there were many archers in the Elven Kingdom too, it was impossible to control the entire Haiga Mountain Range without mages. The Haiga Mountain Range was one of the oldest places in Anril, and had existed since the prehistoric times. There were many powerful magical beasts residing in it. Thus, it was even more dangerous than the Blackstone Mountains. There were even news circulating inside the Elven Kingdom that a few true prehistoric magical beasts were hidden deep in the Haiga Mountains.

Actually, Lin Li wasn't very interested in the Immortal King's treasure. It wasn't that he didn't regard the Sky Castle as important. After all, the Seventh Sky Castle was the strongest out of all Sky Castles. He wasn't too interested, because he knew more information about it than the Malfa Family, and in greater detail.

Back when he had just gotten the treasure map, Lin Li had already known that the so-called map to the Immortal King's treasure was actually the blueprint of the Seventh Sky Castle. After his research of the High Elves' language these days, Lin Li also realized that the map recorded the fact that the Seventh Sky Castle used to be in the Haiga Mountain Range.

However, since Geresco had the key to the Seventh Sky Castle before, it meant that Geresco had likely possessed the Seventh Sky Castle, and nobody could guarantee that the Sky Castle was still in the same spot. The Immortal King's treasure was likely hidden on top of the Seventh Sky Castle. However, if the Seventh Sky Castle had been shifted to another location, would the treasure still be in the original place?

Just talking about the Immortal King's treasure, there wasn't much significance to the location shown on the treasure map. However, Lin Li had already added the trip to the Haiga Mountain Range into his calendar despite all that. Even if Hutton and Cheyenne hadn't visited today, Lin Li intended to tell the Malfa Family about this news and persuade them to go to the Haiga Mountain Range with him.

The reason why he still decided to go was because Lin Li could faintly sense the location of the other pieces of the debris of the stars after he had acquired three pieces of them, including Rebirth which he had just gotten.

After coming back from Roland City, Lin Li now possessed Holy Light, Gloomy Dark, and Rebirth. When these three pieces of the debris of the stars were put together, other than Raging Flames and Polar Snow which were hidden in the underground palace, Lin Li could faintly sense another piece of the debris of the stars located around the Haiga Mountain Range. Moreover, with his memories from the Endless World, Lin Li guessed that piece of the debris of the stars was likely to be Thunderbolt, which contained the intrinsic rules of wind.

Lin Li clearly remembered that Thunderbolt was the most destructive out of all seven pieces of the debris of the stars. Given that he could only sense it with the help of three pieces of debris of the stars, the only possibility was that it was sealed by something.

Whatever could seal Thunderbolt was certainly not easy to deal with. Lin Li was confident, but not arrogant. Although the Legendary-realm was powerful, it wasn't invincible in the whole world. If he were to go there unprepared, he might come back with nothing but injuries. Cheyenne had come at the right time. Since the Malfa Family was so interested in the Immortal King's treasure, it wasn't impossible to collaborate with them.

One should not think that the Malfa Family had come really because they valued the alliance with the Tower of Dusk, and wanted to share their findings altruistically. Although the Malfa Family didn't know about Thunderbolt or the debris of the stars, Cheyenne was still wary of the dangers lying in the Haiga Mountain Range. If the Immortal King's treasures were hidden in another place, like the Blackstone Mountains or Scar of Death, for example, the Malfa Family wouldn't be polite at all, and would get the treasure all for themselves.

"Since we've already confirmed the location of the treasure, does the Malfa Family have any plans?" Lin Li asked calmly, not taking the Immortal King's treasure to heart.

Cheyenne, who was observing everything quietly from the side, was shocked at Lin Li's reaction. If this Legendary-mage was a 100-year-old elder, the composure he had during a time like this wouldn't be surprising. However, this Master Felic was only 20 years old. He showed no signs of arrogance despite all his achievements, and was calm facing a temptation like the Immortal King's treasure. This kind of temperament was too terrifying. Even Cheyenne himself had spent a long while to suppress the excitement in his heart upon finding out that the Immortal King's treasure was hidden in the Haiga Mountain Range. Even now, he still felt a tinge of excitement whenever he thought about it.

Hutton had no idea what his teacher was thinking. After hearing Lin Li's question, he immediately politely replied, "Yes, Master Felic. We already have a plan." In fact, the so-called plan wasn't complicated. The focus was still organizing a team of adventurers. It was impossible to use trickery in the Haiga Mountain Range. They needed to rely on powerful strength.

Given that both sides had the intention to collaborate, the deal was sealed immediately. As for other things such as splitting the gains, it was too early to talk about them. Heaven knew what lay inside there, but Lin Li wouldn't give up Thunderbolt no matter what… Also, compared to the thing that sealed Thunderbolt, the Immortal King's treasure wasn't important anymore. It wasn't even guaranteed that they could find it.

"Master Felic, you see, we still need some time to organize the team of adventurers. How about you come to Aminya with us? The Malfa Family welcomes you with open arms." Seeing that the deal was sealed, Hutton sincerely sent out an invitation to Lin Li, hoping that he could visit the Malfa Family in Aminya. After all, he really needed more time to organize the team of adventurers.

However, Lin Li didn't accept Hutton's invitation. No one knew how long they would be in the Haiga Mountain Range. Back in the Blackstone Mountains, they had spent three months in the Abyss of Tharlen alone. Thus, Lin Li knew he had better make the necessary arrangements for the Tower of Dusk before going to the Haiga Mountain Range.

A few days later, the Malfa Family located in Aminya City recruited adventurers on a large scale yet again. They organized a powerful team of adventurers by promising them attractive rewards. Unlike the previous time when going to the Blackstone Mountains, when any Tom, Dick, and Harry could get money as long as they participated, the requirements for the adventurers this time were very high, and even seemed to be unreasonable to some.

All the participating adventurers were required to be at least level-15 regardless of whether they were Mages, Warriors, or Bandits. In fact, nobody questioned this requirement anymore after knowing that the destination was the Haiga Mountain Range. No matter how many people there were, everyone below level-15 would only be a burden in a dangerous place like that.

After making arrangements for the Tower of Dusk, Lin Li went to Aminya City with his subordinates. The current Patriarch Sorenson, his son Hutton, and other important people in the family all came to the gate to personally welcome Lin Li as they had known that Lin Li was coming beforehand. The scene of the welcome was so grand that countless people started gossiping about it. However, nobody found it strange after knowing that the famous Master Felic was the one visiting.

In the entire Breezy Plains, even the farmers who only knew about farming knew about Master Felic now. That 20-year-old Legendary-mage was like a god. Thus, there was nothing inappropriate if Patriarch Sorenson of the Malfa Family went to welcome him.

Hutton didn't just realize that he was less capable than Lin Li. He hadn't felt the difference so clearly before, but felt it so deeply in this period of time after seeing how his father and teacher behaved towards Lin Li. First, his most respected teacher treated Lin Li as an equal when they visited the Tower of Dusk. Then, his father lowered his attitude to welcome Lin Li personally at the city gate even as the patriarch. All these were like a ruler, making the difference more obvious and making Hutton's feelings clearer.

Hutton sighed in his heart upon seeing Master Felic, who was currently greeting his father. Back in the Blackstone Mountains, Hutton looked down on this mage called Felic when he had first heard about him. Now, Mage Felic had become Master Felic in less than a year, and even defeated a Legendary-mage from the Elven Kingdom said to be level-22 in the Harvest Square.

This was what it was like to be far inferior. Thinking back on those years when he'd been immeasurably self-satisfied to be called a genius, Hutton was so ashamed of his old self. Compared to the young Master Felic, his so-called talent was nothing. How dared he even call himself a genius? Regarding the so-called seeing only the other rider's dust and having no hope of catching up[2], one could at least see the dust left behind by the other rider. However, compared to Master Felic, Hutton couldn't even see the dust left behind by Felic.

[1] This is rather unclear. She probably didn't create those mountains, but rather changed them somehow.

[2] Clearly an idiomatic phrase.