After getting the old mason's drawings, Chen Jieqi went to the mine twice more.
The first time was to take people to re-measure the terrain and confirm the direction of water sources and mines.
The second time was to send a batch of materials, wood and stone samples to let the old masons help check the quality.
There were no accidents both times. The valley was quiet and quiet, with the only sound of the wind rustling through the treetops.
The third time, he went alone.
Dugu Yan asked him if he wanted someone to accompany him, and he said no.
Yu Feng wanted to follow, but was blocked by his look.
He needed to look at and think about that piece of land over and over again. If someone was around, his thoughts would be easily interrupted.
We set off early in the morning, and when we arrived at the mine, the sun had just risen and the morning fog had not yet cleared.
The valley was completely white, and the ridges in the distance were looming. Chen Jieqi walked along the stream.
Then we climbed up the ridge on the north side and stood at the highest point overlooking the entire valley.
He was thinking about the location of the city wall.
The old mason marked three candidates on the drawing, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The outer position saves materials but does not have enough defense depth.
The inner position is safe but will compress the internal space. He needs to weigh it again.
As he came down from the ridge, he noticed something was wrong.
It's too quiet.
It's not the tranquility of early morning, it's dead silence.
The birds stopped chirping, the insects stopped chirping, and even the wind seemed to be suppressed by something, flowing slowly against the ground.
Chen Jieqi stopped and held his right hand empty, with a light golden brilliance condensing in the palm of his hand.
He did not release Soul Power, but just extended his perception to the surroundings. The Naaru Brand between his eyebrows became slightly warm.
The holy light flows slowly in the body and can explode at any time.
"Come out."
The sound was not loud, but it carried far in the silent valley.
After a few breaths, three figures walked out of the woods.
The gray cloaks and hoods were pushed down so hard that their faces could not be seen clearly. They did not hide it, and the sacred Soul Ring lit up.
The man in the middle has two yellow and two purple standards Soul Ring rising from his body, his hands turn into gray-black wolf claws, and his eyes turn into dark green.
The two people behind him each had four Soul Rings, one white, one yellow, and two purple. One person had gray-white Bone Spikes drilled out of his palm, and the other person's body was filled with gray-green mist.
Three Soul Ancestor.
Chen Jieqi did not retreat or speak. His eyes swept over the three people and finally stopped on the leader in the middle.
"Chen Jieqi?"
The man in the middle spoke, his voice hoarse, like sandpaper.
"Who are you?"
"You don't need to know."
The man took a step forward,
"You just need to know that this land is not something you can touch."
Chen Jieqi didn't move.
"The land is a gift from His Highness the Prince. I have the final say whether to touch it or not."
The man sneered, and a section of his pale chin was faintly exposed under his hood.
"Prince?" The man in the middle sneered,
"Heaven Dou's prince has no control over this forest."
Chen Jieqi's eyes narrowed slightly. He didn't answer, but his mind quickly turned around a few times.
These people don't take the prince seriously. They are either desperadoes or have people relying on them.
The man didn't give him any more time to think.
[Second Soul Skill·Shadow Claw]
The second Soul Ring lit up, and three gray-black claw blades tore through the air, heading straight for Chen Jieqi's face.
At the same time, the third Soul Ring on the left wing lit up, and Bone Spike thrust out from the ground, blocking Chen Jieqi's retreat.
The first Soul Ring of the man on the right lit up, and gray-green poisonous mist spread from his palm, carrying a pungent rancid odor.
The three of them cooperated tacitly, attacking, controlling, and assisting in one go.
Chen Jieqi moved, the first Soul Ring lit up, and the golden light shone brightly.
[First Soul Skill·Holy Blessing of Light]
Ashbringer extended from the palm of the hand, the flames condensed between the swords, and the golden holy light swept across,
The first claw blade was chopped into pieces and turned into black smoke.
He turned sideways to avoid the second one, and the third one grazed his left shoulder, causing a tear in his robe.
But there were no wounds on the skin, and the holy light formed a thin protective shield on the body surface.
At the same time, he tapped his toes and jumped into the air to avoid Bone Spike that jumped out from the ground.
When he landed, he waved Ashbringer with his backhand, and a crescent-shaped light blade avoided the approaching poisonous mist.
When the corrosive mist hits the holy light, it makes a sizzling sound, like water dripping on a red-hot iron plate.
It was completely purified in the blink of an eye.
The face of the man in the middle changed.
"This light..."
His voice was no longer hoarse and calm, but filled with irrepressible fear.
"It's not an ordinary light attribute."
He has seen Martial Soul with light attributes, but there has never been any kind of light that can make his Shadow Claw shatter like paper.
It can make corrosive poisons melt like ice and snow meeting the sun.
Before he finished speaking, Chen Jieqi had already taken a step forward, and the golden mark between his eyebrows shone brightly,
The second Soul Ring shines,
[Second Soul Skill·Holy Light Praise]
The light surged again, this time condensing a complete "Cross Light Blade",
It directly blocked the front of the three people.
The three of them retreated at the same time, each releasing Soul Power and defending Soul Skill to resist, but the restraint of Holy Light was still too obvious.
"Let's go!"
The man in the middle did not hesitate and shouted lowly. The three of them turned around at the same time and retreated towards the woods.
Their movements were strange, and they disappeared among the shadows of the trees in an instant.
Chen Jieqi did not pursue.
He stood there and dispersed the Ashbringer in his hand, and the flames turned into little golden lights and dissipated in the air.
His breathing was heavier than usual, and the warmth between his brows Naaru Brand had not dissipated.
There was a tear in the robe on the left shoulder. Although he was not injured, if the three claw blades hit him at the same time, he would be injured.
He may not be able to block it safely.
Three people, four Soul Ring, cooperated tacitly, they are not ordinary desperadoes.
Chen Jieqi walked to where the man was standing just now and squatted down. There were a few drops of black liquid on the ground.
It's not blood, it's thicker and exudes a faint rancid smell.
He broke off a branch, picked a little, put it to the tip of his nose and smelled it. It was not the ordinary Soul Power residue.
It's more like the dregs left after something is burned by the Holy Light.
He threw the branch to the ground and stood up.
No matter who those people are, their goal is the mine, and they are not afraid of the prince.
Chen Jieqi stood in the valley, looking at the direction in which the three people disappeared, and was silent for a long time.
He remembered the Soul Ring Configuration of the three people just now, and the two Soul Ancestor with white Soul Ring.
White, Ten-Year Soul Ring.
Very few people would add white Soul Ring to themselves, which means that their talents are limited, or... they follow the wrong path.
Coupled with the cold and mixed atmosphere, everything points to Evil Soul Master.
Chen Jieqi has no evidence, but he is almost certain that only Evil Soul Master will use that method to promote Soul Power.
That's why he is so afraid of the Holy Light.
He took a deep breath, turned around and walked towards the mouth of the valley.
When we walked out of the mine, the sun had already risen very high, the fog had dissipated, and the sunlight shone brightly.
But he knew that there were some things hidden in the dark that would not disappear just because the sun came out.
He needs to speed up.
The mine needs to be built, and defenses must be given priority. Defense Clan must be invited as soon as possible, and they must be told,
It's not safe here. Not only do you need to build a base, you also need to build a defense line.
He got on his horse and galloped in the direction of Heaven Dou City.
The sound of horse hooves gradually faded away on the official road, raising a cloud of dust.
At the edge of the woods, the three people stood in the shadows, looking at his back.
The man in the middle lifted his hood, revealing a pale, bloodless face.
His left arm was shaking slightly, not from fear, but from the place where it had just been brushed by the holy light.
There was a burn mark on the skin, and gray-black lines were crawling around the edges of the wound like living creatures.
It can't be healed no matter what.
"His light defeats us." The man on the left whispered.
"I know." The man in the middle gritted his teeth.
"Go back and report it. Don't let him discover the things under the mine."
He turned around and walked deeper into the woods.
The other two people followed behind, and the three gray shadows were quickly swallowed up by the shadows of the trees.