Even in the Face of Storms, Stand Firm

The light didn't seem to come from a lamp,

and it wasn't warm. It was almost painfully bright.

It was fire!

A raging inferno!

Something was burning!

The whole village was on fire!

Why was this happening?

Little Ningguang froze when she saw the scene, then took off running without a second thought.

She was worried about her gravely ill mother, and about the villagers who had taken care of her.

They were all such good people.

Nothing could happen to them!

Fang Xun wanted to follow her, but it was dark, and he didn't know the terrain. Ningguang quickly left him behind.

At that moment, the ground shook violently.

A gigantic Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard burst up from beneath the earth.

Fang Xun was bewildered.

Why was an Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard here?

But this clearly wasn't the time to think about it.

The Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard seemed to blot out the sky, casting the whole village into shadow!

Then it let out a deafening roar.

It raised its enormous claws and smashed one wooden house after another to pieces.

Wood splinters flew everywhere as the ground split apart.

The villagers scattered in every direction, terror written across their faces.

The village blacksmith stared at the monstrous creature, then at the village in ruins.

His eyes went red. He grabbed a spear from nearby and thrust it at the Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard.

But the creature's hide was as tough as armor.

The blacksmith put all his strength into the attack, but he couldn't hurt it. His spear didn't even leave a mark on its scales.

Its defenses were incredible!

Despairing, the blacksmith dropped his spear and ran for his life.

Meanwhile, Ningguang was still searching through the chaos for her mother.

She prayed her mother had made it to safety before the fire started.

"Ningguang! Ningguang!"

Just then, Ningguang heard a familiar voice calling her.

It was her mother.

Ningguang's mother looked a little pale, but she was still able to walk.

Tears welled in Ningguang's eyes, and she threw herself into her mother's arms.

"Mom, you're okay. You're okay."

"You silly girl! Why didn't you run? Why did you rush in here? Do you know how dangerous it is?"

Ningguang's mother scolded her, but tears streamed down her own face too.

There was no time to catch up. Ningguang's mother took her hand and hurried toward the exit. "We need to leave. It's too dangerous here."

Little Ningguang nodded and followed her mother.

Amid the chaos, someone accidentally bumped into Ningguang's shoulder.

The Genshin's Eye she had been clutching tightly slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.

Little Ningguang saw it, and her face changed at once.

She turned and ran back without a second thought, trying to pick up the Genshin's Eye.

But so many people were rushing out that she couldn't get through, no matter how many times she tried.

Ningguang's mother spotted the Genshin's Eye on the ground and froze. Why did her daughter have something so precious?

There was no time to think about it. Ningguang's mother spoke again. "Silly girl, of all times, why are you still thinking about earning Mora?"

"You can always earn more money later, but if you lose your life, you lose everything!"

Ningguang's mother tried to reason with her. As far as she could tell, Ningguang cared too much about money.

But Ningguang looked at her seriously. "No. Even if I lose my life here, I have to pick up that Genshin's Eye."

"Because..."

"Because I promised Brother Fang Xun I'd look after it for him!"

"It's my responsibility. I don't want to let Brother Fang Xun down!"

Ningguang's mother was stunned.

Ningguang wasn't risking her life for money.

She was doing it for a promise?!

Chapter 26: Even in the Face of Storms, Stand Firm

Ningguang's mother stood there, dumbstruck.

She was already sobbing, tears streaming down her face.

Would her daughter really risk her life for a promise, no matter the cost?

What a fool.

How could there be such a foolish girl in the world?

And yet Ningguang's mother couldn't bring herself to say her daughter was wrong.

There were things in this world more meaningful than life itself.

Ningguang's mother wiped away her tears and pushed against the flow of people.

"Silly girl, I'll help you look."

"You're right. We can't break a promise!"

"Please make way! Thank you for understanding!"

With her mother's help,

Little Ningguang finally managed to squeeze through the crowd. She crouched down and picked up the Genshin's Eye.

Seeing the dirt on it, Little Ningguang carefully wiped the Genshin's Eye clean, then smiled with relief.

She hadn't lost it.

She hadn't let Brother Fang Xun down.

Thank goodness.

Little Ningguang hadn't even had time to catch her breath

when, the next second, she felt a blinding light above her head

and a wave of scorching heat rushing toward her.

The air she breathed in seemed to pour fire into her lungs!

Ningguang instinctively looked up.

The Ancient Rock Dragon Lizard had spat a fireball from its mouth, sending it hurtling toward the crowd!

The fireball was so enormous

that

human beings looked insignificant and tiny beside it.

It came down like a meteor, unstoppable!

Several towering trees turned to ash the instant the fireball touched them.

No one could imagine what would happen if it hit the crowd.

The terrifying heat alone could turn the whole village into a living hell!

Beneath the enormous fireball, the villagers wore looks of helpless despair.

They knew

that trying to run now was pointless,

utterly futile.

Some people collapsed onto the ground. Others burst into sobs.

Hearing the cries around her and seeing the fireball draw closer and closer,

Little Ningguang's mind went blank.

She hadn't had the chance to tell her mother that they wouldn't have to live in a shabby wooden house anymore, that they could move into a new home.

She hadn't had the chance to grow into Fang Xun's capable little secretary.

There were still so many things Little Ningguang hadn't done...

Was she going to die now?

The next second, Ningguang suddenly felt someone grab her and pull her aside,