Versatile Mage c1-2021, page 554
"The third year after I joined the army, my sister and her squadron received the order to patrol the area. The desert was not as dangerous back then as it is now. They were transporting goods between the relay station and the military base too. However, they lost contact with the relay station, and my sister has been missing since then, too..." Tong Li sighed.
The team listened to Tong Li as he shared his past.
The relay station at the oasis was once called the Taklamakan Relay Station. It used to be at the scale of a little town. The black rocks that were burned at a high temperature contained Black Rock Pistil, an important material for construction. Many cities in the west were built with rocks containing the Black Rock Pistil. It allowed Mages to construct buildings easily, as Black Rock Pistil contained an abundant supply of the Earth Element.
The Black Rock Pistil was the main reason why the Taklamakan Relay Station was extremely important in the past. The place would be garrisoned by soldiers, and Hunters would come to the relay station before entering the mysterious desert full of treasure waiting to be discovered.
However, on a certain day, a huge sandstorm took place in the Taklamakan Desert. The wind was strong enough to move sand dunes. The relay station was buried by the sand in a single night. The safe area ended up becoming a part of the demon creatures' territory!
The soldiers and the Hunters at the Taklamakan Relay Station all went missing, and Tong Li's sister, Qin Xiaoyu, was one of the victims. Tong Li could not get over it even after so many years. He finally gathered his courage and volunteered to join the team when he heard Ge Ming and his team were planning an expedition in the desert.
He knew it was unlikely that he would find his sister, but at least he had tried!
"I've calmed him down and helped to restore his memories. He should recover soon," Jiang Shaoxu said.
"He's very familiar with the area. Perhaps he can bring us to the Burning Mountains?" Zhang Xiaohou asked.
The Burning Mountains were still a certain distance away from the relay station. It was impossible to tell how long it would take them to find the right place, since they only had the temperature as a guide. Spending an extra day in the desert meant placing themselves at a greater risk.
"How...how did you all come in here?" Lin Feili was more fluent after Jiang Shaoxu's help.
"How else could we possibly come in here? We just forced our way in, but it was a hell of a journey. We almost died on our way here. I really can't believe this area was once safe ten years ago!" Lu Fang answered.
"Lin Feili, you aren't weak, why didn't you try and leave this place?" Mo Fan asked curiously.
"I...I don't know either, maybe… maybe I've already gotten used to it, or maybe… I don't know, I can't remember," Lin Feili said.
Mo Fan looked at Jiang Shaoxu. She quickly explained, "He must have suffered a serious shock before. It's the best I can do to restore his memories, but I can't help him remember the things that he forgot in order to protect himself."
"Lin Feili, do you remember my sister?" Tong Li asked.
"A little, but...but I think she's dead," Lin Feili said.
"Did she escape from the relay station with the others?" Tong Li's voice was aggravated.
"I...I don't really remember." Lin Feili shook his head.
"Tong Li, give him some time. I know you just want some answers, since you already know there's no chance your sister is still alive," Ge Ming said.
Tong Li let out a sigh. He did not ask any further questions.
"A Senior Hunter who passed by here years ago mentioned that there were some Burning Mountains in this desert. Do you know where they are?" Mo Fan asked impatiently. The information was extremely important to resurrect Little Flame Belle!
It was extremely rare to find a Fire Element Sacred Ground, which meant it was extremely difficult to fulfill the conditions in order to resurrect Little Flame Belle. Mo Fan would have to search for other places if the Burning Mountains were not the right place, which would mean he had no idea when he would be able to resurrect Little Flame Belle!
"The mountains are in that direction. They are blazing red at night." Lin Feili pointed to the north.
"Can you bring us there? I've briefly investigated the terrain. It feels like a natural maze, the kind that is difficult to pass through even if we keep heading in one direction," Zhang Xiaohou asked.
"Sure," Lin Feili said. However, he shuddered and put on a strange look all of a sudden.
Zhang Xiaohou thought the man had just remembered something. However, the man remained silent and pointed ahead. "Come with me."
"I'm actually quite interested in the Burning Mountains that you mentioned. Since we are just wandering around aimlessly, we might as well check out the Burning Mountains too, perhaps we can find something interesting there!" Tong Zhuang said.
The others nodded. If they were able to find the Burning Mountains, it meant there might be some impressive loot of the Fire Element there. They had come so far, they would not want to go back empty-handed.
"Should we stick together then? We can help each other out too," Ge Ming said.
"Sure, I won't need to worry much with you around," Mo Fan agreed.
Mo Fan could still take on Commander-level creatures, but he was worried that they might stumble into Ruler-level creatures. His Demon Element was still on cooldown; if they happened to stumble into a Ruler-level creature, the whole team was going to die without the help of a Super Mage.
The team was well-rested. They had honed their strength for the upcoming danger. It was time for them to proceed on their journey!
------
The journey ahead consisted of black rocks and sand dunes. The team did find some magic ores that they could sell for some money. The members picked the magic ores up along the way. Only a place with a high temperature like this, where even the demon creatures did not dare to roam around, would have magic ores or Soul Seed Pieces lying scattered across the ground.
The temperature had risen significantly. Every member of the team was drenched in sweat. It was already midnight, yet the heat showed no sign of dropping.
Mo Fan lifted his gaze and discovered the place ahead was covered in darkness. The ground was dark, and the sky was pitch-black without a single star.
When Mo Fan took a closer look, he finally realized that he was not looking at the night sky, but a mountain so big that it completely blocked the sky. He immediately felt a great pressure!
"Such a ridiculous mountain!" Zhang Xiaohou gasped.
"Strange, we should be able to see the mountain from the relay station considering how big it is, but why did we only see it when we are so close to it?" Mu Nujiao asked.
"It's most likely because of the maze. It's messing with our senses."
For some reason, the heat was not as unbearable when they reached the mountain.
Lin Feili raised his head and looked into the sky. He then looked at the mountain top and said, "It's coming."
"What is?" Mo Fan asked. As soon as he spoke, a sprout of flame brighter than the stars in the sky suddenly lit up at the peak of the magnificent mountain. It spread rapidly across the outline of the mountain and soon covered an area of ten kilometers. It was basically highlighting the outline of the mountain with flames!
The fire had appeared so suddenly that before the team could react, an ocean of flames filled their vision. Their eyes hurt from the bright flames even after they shifted their gazes away.
The team was struggling to see the mountain, as it was pitch-black previously. However, as the flames lit up the mountain, the team was able to see its true appearance. Its imperiousness and scorching heat left the whole team greatly astonished.
When the flames lit up the sky, the team was surprised to hear the noise of wings beating at high frequency from all directions.
"Look, it's the Sandstorm Demon Locusts!" Zhang Xiaohou suddenly pointed to the other side of the sky.
The Sandstorm Demon Locusts showed up like a cloud of dust. To their astonishment, the Sandstorm Demon Locusts were diving right at the Burning Mountains!
Chapter 1213 - The Buried Relay Station?
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
"What are they doing? Are they just trying to kill themselves?" Zhang Xiaohou asked in confusion.
"It must be some kind of a ritual. The flames always summon the Sandstorm Magic Locusts here. It's as if they are trying to be reborn in the flames," Lin Feili told them.
"The hell?"
While they were speaking, the team saw the Sandstorm Demon Locusts diving into the flames. Their bodies and wings were soon set aflame by the scorching heat.
As the Sandstorm Demon Locusts ventured deeper, more of them were devoured by the flames.
The flames continued to spread among the Sandstorm Demon Locusts. Those with their wings burned to ashes started pouring down on the mountain like rain.
Soon after, the Sandstorm Demon Locusts were lighting up the sky like fireworks as the rain of flames poured down. It lit up the sky in the desert like magic.
The only difference was, these fireworks actually consisted of thousands of Sandstorm Demon Locusts that had just shown up not long ago. The thought of it sent shivers down the spines of the team.
"So this is their ritual? Jumping into a burning pit?" Jiang Shaoxu wondered.
------
The abnormal scene lasted for around an hour. The team could not help but be amazed by the number of Sandstorm Demon Locusts. Despite the overwhelming flames burning across the mountain, it still took such a long time to burn all the Sandstorm Demon Locusts to ashes.
The ashes of the insects scattered across the sky. The flames on the mountain eventually died down, too.
The team only dared to go closer after the flames disappeared. Lin Feili led the team toward the mountain's top along a meandering path.
"I'm not sure when it all started, but every night, these Sandstorm Demon Locusts will come and set themselves on fire. They are fearless and reckless, as if diving into the flames is actually enjoyable for them. I have never seen a single Sandstorm Demon Locust flee because it's scared to die," Lin Feili told them.
"You're telling me that the same thing actually happens every night? Wouldn't the Sandstorm Demon Locusts be wiped out if so many of them died every single day?" Jiang Shaoxu said.
"The Burning Mountains don't really burn all the time. I don't know where the flames come from, but every time the mountains are set aflame, the Sandstorm Demon Locusts come here," Lin Feili said.
"How strange!"
"Humph, what does it matter? These Sandstorm Demon Locusts have been a huge problem in the west. The lands they attacked are still barren now because of their overwhelming numbers. Shouldn't we be glad that they are killing themselves here?" Zheng Tong said.
"You're right! The more that die to the fire, the fewer there are to bother us!"
"I'm afraid it's not that simple."
The team could still feel the heat from the ground as they set foot on the mountain. It was like they were walking on a boiling pan. Soon people were struggling to keep up.
The temperature gradually increased the further they went up the mountain. Eventually, only those with the Fire Element were able to keep going.
"Brother Fan, I'm afraid we can't go any further. It's too hot for us," Zhang Xiaohou said. His sweat was pouring down like rain.
Mu Nujiao, Jiang Shaoxu, and Lingling were unable to go any further. They could not withstand the heat. If they went any further, it was only a matter of time until they passed out from dehydration.
"You guys should head back to the relay station then. I'll go ahead myself," Mo Fan did not force the others to go with him.
Lin Feili was a Fire Mage. He told Mo Fan he should reach the top of the mountain if he stuck to the path. He might be able to find the Fire Elemental Sacred Ground there.
---
After Mo Fan left the team, the others had no choice but to take the same path back.
Tong Li was still preoccupied with the thoughts of his sister. He could not help but ask, "Feili, my sister mentioned in her last letter that her squadron had discovered an ore vein. She was told to guard the place. Do you know anything about the ore vein? I'm thinking of going there, perhaps I can find some clues about her whereabouts there."
Lin Feili was obviously hesitating to answer the man's question, especially when he mentioned the ore vein.
"I haven't been able to sleep well these years. I just want an answer. Feili, if you know where my sister is, please tell me, even if she's only a pile of bones now. I would like to bring her remains back to my hometown," Tong Li said.
"Lin Feili, do you seriously not remember his sister?" Jiang Shaoxu asked.
Lin Feili remained silent for some time. He finally said, "I'll bring you there, but just you."
"Sure, thank you, thank you so much. My parents will feel relieved too if I can find my sister's remains!" Tong Li blurted out in excitement.
"You...you, come with me," Lin Feili suddenly pointed at Zhang Xiaohou.
"Me? He's going to get his sister's remains, why do I have to come too?..." Zhang Xiaohou was confused.
"You're the only one I trust," Lin Feili said.
"It's not like Tong Li is going to do you any harm," Zhang Xiaohou said helplessly.
"Zhang Xiaohou, just go with them, Lin Feili has been living here for too long. You can't blame him for being overly s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e," Jiang Shaoxu said.
"Fine."
---
The others had returned to the relay station to plan their next path deeper into the desert. Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaohou, Lin Feili, and Tong Li went to the mountain of black rocks. It was where Zhang Xiaohou had first met Lin Feili.
The three picked up their pace and soon arrived at the cave where Lin Feili was living.
"Why are we here?" Zhang Xiaohou was utterly confused.
Lin Feili went to a corner in the cave and pushed aside a huge rock blocking the path.
Zhang Xiaohou only realized the path was there after the rock was pushed aside. He could not even see the end of the tunnel.
The three ventured deeper into the darkness. Lin Feili seemed extremely familiar with the place. He clearly knew the directions even though the place was pitch-black.
---
After walking for half an hour, the path started heading upward. The three left the cave and found themselves in a basin surrounded by black mountains.
The place was enclosed by the cliffs of the black mountains. The mountains were preventing the wind from blowing the sand in. The basin felt like a secluded place, separated from the desert.
"She was buried here..." Lin Feili pointed at a pile of rocks and sand.
Tong Li was startled. His eyes soon reddened. It had been so many years. Despite the sorrow, the man was utterly relieved that he had managed to find his sister's remains.
"Can I take her?" Tong Li asked.
"Sure."
Tong Li moved the stones away and discovered the remains of a person with a smaller bone structure underneath them. He carefully retrieved the bones and placed them in a bag.
"Tong Li, where are you from? It seems like your hometown has the tradition of burying the dead in the place they were born. You risked your life to come here for the sake of it. You are a good man," Zhang Xiaohou said.
"My parents strongly believe that my sister's soul isn't going to find peace, since she died in the wild. Commander Zhang, our family will be remembering the dead in a few days. I was hoping to find my sister's remains before that, so she wouldn't become a lost soul. I guess I will have to leave soon," Tong Li said.
"That quick?" Zhang Xiaohou was startled.
"Yeah, our family holds the ritual once every four years. Those that died away from home must return before the ritual, or they will have to wait another four years. I'm not sure if I can make it in time either, but I can't just leave my sister's remains here," Tong Li said.
"But the others aren't planning to go back yet."
"We already put some markers down along the way back, so I can just follow the markers. The only problem is the sand river, but luckily, my secondary Element is the Wind Element. I should be able to look after myself. I wasn't expecting much at the start, but you were able to find Lin Feili. Brother Lin Feili, thank you so much!" Tong Li said.
"I have been talking to her over the years. It's good that you're bringing her back. I believe she prefers to go back to her hometown," Lin Feili said.
Zhang Xiaohou was startled, but he soon realized something.
Lin Feili must have come here quite often to talk to the graves. However, Zhang Xiaohou was still confused about one thing. Why was Lin Feili still living here on his own, instead of trying to leave the desert? Did he have some other reasons?
---
Tong Li left by himself. Zhang Xiaohou felt a surge of emotions watching the man leave. The man had put his life at risk just so he could bury his sister back in his hometown.
"Commander Zhang, where are you from?" Lin Feili asked. He was becoming more fluent.
"From the south, I'm from Bo City," Zhang Xiaohou said.
"Why are you here in the west?" Lin Feili asked.
"To gain some knowledge and experience. How about you? Why did you choose to stay?" Zhang Xiaohou asked.
"I was told to guard this place," Lin Feili said.
"An order?" Zhang Xiaohou was startled.
Lin Feili nodded.
"You almost forgot who you are. Why would you still care about the order? The person that gave you the order might even be dead by now," Zhang Xiaohou said.
"He's already dead, and I should have died here too, but..." Lin Feili paused in the middle of the sentence. He was glancing around the spacious basin.
"Is there something else here? I feel like you're quite mindful of it," Zhang Xiaohou asked indifferently.
"Mm, I'm only alive because I didn't want the truth to be hidden..."
"The truth?" Zhang Xiaohou asked confusedly.
"Do you really think that the relay station was gone because of a sandstorm?" Lin Feili asked.
"Wasn't it?"
The team listened to Tong Li as he shared his past.
The relay station at the oasis was once called the Taklamakan Relay Station. It used to be at the scale of a little town. The black rocks that were burned at a high temperature contained Black Rock Pistil, an important material for construction. Many cities in the west were built with rocks containing the Black Rock Pistil. It allowed Mages to construct buildings easily, as Black Rock Pistil contained an abundant supply of the Earth Element.
The Black Rock Pistil was the main reason why the Taklamakan Relay Station was extremely important in the past. The place would be garrisoned by soldiers, and Hunters would come to the relay station before entering the mysterious desert full of treasure waiting to be discovered.
However, on a certain day, a huge sandstorm took place in the Taklamakan Desert. The wind was strong enough to move sand dunes. The relay station was buried by the sand in a single night. The safe area ended up becoming a part of the demon creatures' territory!
The soldiers and the Hunters at the Taklamakan Relay Station all went missing, and Tong Li's sister, Qin Xiaoyu, was one of the victims. Tong Li could not get over it even after so many years. He finally gathered his courage and volunteered to join the team when he heard Ge Ming and his team were planning an expedition in the desert.
He knew it was unlikely that he would find his sister, but at least he had tried!
"I've calmed him down and helped to restore his memories. He should recover soon," Jiang Shaoxu said.
"He's very familiar with the area. Perhaps he can bring us to the Burning Mountains?" Zhang Xiaohou asked.
The Burning Mountains were still a certain distance away from the relay station. It was impossible to tell how long it would take them to find the right place, since they only had the temperature as a guide. Spending an extra day in the desert meant placing themselves at a greater risk.
"How...how did you all come in here?" Lin Feili was more fluent after Jiang Shaoxu's help.
"How else could we possibly come in here? We just forced our way in, but it was a hell of a journey. We almost died on our way here. I really can't believe this area was once safe ten years ago!" Lu Fang answered.
"Lin Feili, you aren't weak, why didn't you try and leave this place?" Mo Fan asked curiously.
"I...I don't know either, maybe… maybe I've already gotten used to it, or maybe… I don't know, I can't remember," Lin Feili said.
Mo Fan looked at Jiang Shaoxu. She quickly explained, "He must have suffered a serious shock before. It's the best I can do to restore his memories, but I can't help him remember the things that he forgot in order to protect himself."
"Lin Feili, do you remember my sister?" Tong Li asked.
"A little, but...but I think she's dead," Lin Feili said.
"Did she escape from the relay station with the others?" Tong Li's voice was aggravated.
"I...I don't really remember." Lin Feili shook his head.
"Tong Li, give him some time. I know you just want some answers, since you already know there's no chance your sister is still alive," Ge Ming said.
Tong Li let out a sigh. He did not ask any further questions.
"A Senior Hunter who passed by here years ago mentioned that there were some Burning Mountains in this desert. Do you know where they are?" Mo Fan asked impatiently. The information was extremely important to resurrect Little Flame Belle!
It was extremely rare to find a Fire Element Sacred Ground, which meant it was extremely difficult to fulfill the conditions in order to resurrect Little Flame Belle. Mo Fan would have to search for other places if the Burning Mountains were not the right place, which would mean he had no idea when he would be able to resurrect Little Flame Belle!
"The mountains are in that direction. They are blazing red at night." Lin Feili pointed to the north.
"Can you bring us there? I've briefly investigated the terrain. It feels like a natural maze, the kind that is difficult to pass through even if we keep heading in one direction," Zhang Xiaohou asked.
"Sure," Lin Feili said. However, he shuddered and put on a strange look all of a sudden.
Zhang Xiaohou thought the man had just remembered something. However, the man remained silent and pointed ahead. "Come with me."
"I'm actually quite interested in the Burning Mountains that you mentioned. Since we are just wandering around aimlessly, we might as well check out the Burning Mountains too, perhaps we can find something interesting there!" Tong Zhuang said.
The others nodded. If they were able to find the Burning Mountains, it meant there might be some impressive loot of the Fire Element there. They had come so far, they would not want to go back empty-handed.
"Should we stick together then? We can help each other out too," Ge Ming said.
"Sure, I won't need to worry much with you around," Mo Fan agreed.
Mo Fan could still take on Commander-level creatures, but he was worried that they might stumble into Ruler-level creatures. His Demon Element was still on cooldown; if they happened to stumble into a Ruler-level creature, the whole team was going to die without the help of a Super Mage.
The team was well-rested. They had honed their strength for the upcoming danger. It was time for them to proceed on their journey!
------
The journey ahead consisted of black rocks and sand dunes. The team did find some magic ores that they could sell for some money. The members picked the magic ores up along the way. Only a place with a high temperature like this, where even the demon creatures did not dare to roam around, would have magic ores or Soul Seed Pieces lying scattered across the ground.
The temperature had risen significantly. Every member of the team was drenched in sweat. It was already midnight, yet the heat showed no sign of dropping.
Mo Fan lifted his gaze and discovered the place ahead was covered in darkness. The ground was dark, and the sky was pitch-black without a single star.
When Mo Fan took a closer look, he finally realized that he was not looking at the night sky, but a mountain so big that it completely blocked the sky. He immediately felt a great pressure!
"Such a ridiculous mountain!" Zhang Xiaohou gasped.
"Strange, we should be able to see the mountain from the relay station considering how big it is, but why did we only see it when we are so close to it?" Mu Nujiao asked.
"It's most likely because of the maze. It's messing with our senses."
For some reason, the heat was not as unbearable when they reached the mountain.
Lin Feili raised his head and looked into the sky. He then looked at the mountain top and said, "It's coming."
"What is?" Mo Fan asked. As soon as he spoke, a sprout of flame brighter than the stars in the sky suddenly lit up at the peak of the magnificent mountain. It spread rapidly across the outline of the mountain and soon covered an area of ten kilometers. It was basically highlighting the outline of the mountain with flames!
The fire had appeared so suddenly that before the team could react, an ocean of flames filled their vision. Their eyes hurt from the bright flames even after they shifted their gazes away.
The team was struggling to see the mountain, as it was pitch-black previously. However, as the flames lit up the mountain, the team was able to see its true appearance. Its imperiousness and scorching heat left the whole team greatly astonished.
When the flames lit up the sky, the team was surprised to hear the noise of wings beating at high frequency from all directions.
"Look, it's the Sandstorm Demon Locusts!" Zhang Xiaohou suddenly pointed to the other side of the sky.
The Sandstorm Demon Locusts showed up like a cloud of dust. To their astonishment, the Sandstorm Demon Locusts were diving right at the Burning Mountains!
Chapter 1213 - The Buried Relay Station?
Translated by XephiZ
Edited by Aelryinth
"What are they doing? Are they just trying to kill themselves?" Zhang Xiaohou asked in confusion.
"It must be some kind of a ritual. The flames always summon the Sandstorm Magic Locusts here. It's as if they are trying to be reborn in the flames," Lin Feili told them.
"The hell?"
While they were speaking, the team saw the Sandstorm Demon Locusts diving into the flames. Their bodies and wings were soon set aflame by the scorching heat.
As the Sandstorm Demon Locusts ventured deeper, more of them were devoured by the flames.
The flames continued to spread among the Sandstorm Demon Locusts. Those with their wings burned to ashes started pouring down on the mountain like rain.
Soon after, the Sandstorm Demon Locusts were lighting up the sky like fireworks as the rain of flames poured down. It lit up the sky in the desert like magic.
The only difference was, these fireworks actually consisted of thousands of Sandstorm Demon Locusts that had just shown up not long ago. The thought of it sent shivers down the spines of the team.
"So this is their ritual? Jumping into a burning pit?" Jiang Shaoxu wondered.
------
The abnormal scene lasted for around an hour. The team could not help but be amazed by the number of Sandstorm Demon Locusts. Despite the overwhelming flames burning across the mountain, it still took such a long time to burn all the Sandstorm Demon Locusts to ashes.
The ashes of the insects scattered across the sky. The flames on the mountain eventually died down, too.
The team only dared to go closer after the flames disappeared. Lin Feili led the team toward the mountain's top along a meandering path.
"I'm not sure when it all started, but every night, these Sandstorm Demon Locusts will come and set themselves on fire. They are fearless and reckless, as if diving into the flames is actually enjoyable for them. I have never seen a single Sandstorm Demon Locust flee because it's scared to die," Lin Feili told them.
"You're telling me that the same thing actually happens every night? Wouldn't the Sandstorm Demon Locusts be wiped out if so many of them died every single day?" Jiang Shaoxu said.
"The Burning Mountains don't really burn all the time. I don't know where the flames come from, but every time the mountains are set aflame, the Sandstorm Demon Locusts come here," Lin Feili said.
"How strange!"
"Humph, what does it matter? These Sandstorm Demon Locusts have been a huge problem in the west. The lands they attacked are still barren now because of their overwhelming numbers. Shouldn't we be glad that they are killing themselves here?" Zheng Tong said.
"You're right! The more that die to the fire, the fewer there are to bother us!"
"I'm afraid it's not that simple."
The team could still feel the heat from the ground as they set foot on the mountain. It was like they were walking on a boiling pan. Soon people were struggling to keep up.
The temperature gradually increased the further they went up the mountain. Eventually, only those with the Fire Element were able to keep going.
"Brother Fan, I'm afraid we can't go any further. It's too hot for us," Zhang Xiaohou said. His sweat was pouring down like rain.
Mu Nujiao, Jiang Shaoxu, and Lingling were unable to go any further. They could not withstand the heat. If they went any further, it was only a matter of time until they passed out from dehydration.
"You guys should head back to the relay station then. I'll go ahead myself," Mo Fan did not force the others to go with him.
Lin Feili was a Fire Mage. He told Mo Fan he should reach the top of the mountain if he stuck to the path. He might be able to find the Fire Elemental Sacred Ground there.
---
After Mo Fan left the team, the others had no choice but to take the same path back.
Tong Li was still preoccupied with the thoughts of his sister. He could not help but ask, "Feili, my sister mentioned in her last letter that her squadron had discovered an ore vein. She was told to guard the place. Do you know anything about the ore vein? I'm thinking of going there, perhaps I can find some clues about her whereabouts there."
Lin Feili was obviously hesitating to answer the man's question, especially when he mentioned the ore vein.
"I haven't been able to sleep well these years. I just want an answer. Feili, if you know where my sister is, please tell me, even if she's only a pile of bones now. I would like to bring her remains back to my hometown," Tong Li said.
"Lin Feili, do you seriously not remember his sister?" Jiang Shaoxu asked.
Lin Feili remained silent for some time. He finally said, "I'll bring you there, but just you."
"Sure, thank you, thank you so much. My parents will feel relieved too if I can find my sister's remains!" Tong Li blurted out in excitement.
"You...you, come with me," Lin Feili suddenly pointed at Zhang Xiaohou.
"Me? He's going to get his sister's remains, why do I have to come too?..." Zhang Xiaohou was confused.
"You're the only one I trust," Lin Feili said.
"It's not like Tong Li is going to do you any harm," Zhang Xiaohou said helplessly.
"Zhang Xiaohou, just go with them, Lin Feili has been living here for too long. You can't blame him for being overly s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e," Jiang Shaoxu said.
"Fine."
---
The others had returned to the relay station to plan their next path deeper into the desert. Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaohou, Lin Feili, and Tong Li went to the mountain of black rocks. It was where Zhang Xiaohou had first met Lin Feili.
The three picked up their pace and soon arrived at the cave where Lin Feili was living.
"Why are we here?" Zhang Xiaohou was utterly confused.
Lin Feili went to a corner in the cave and pushed aside a huge rock blocking the path.
Zhang Xiaohou only realized the path was there after the rock was pushed aside. He could not even see the end of the tunnel.
The three ventured deeper into the darkness. Lin Feili seemed extremely familiar with the place. He clearly knew the directions even though the place was pitch-black.
---
After walking for half an hour, the path started heading upward. The three left the cave and found themselves in a basin surrounded by black mountains.
The place was enclosed by the cliffs of the black mountains. The mountains were preventing the wind from blowing the sand in. The basin felt like a secluded place, separated from the desert.
"She was buried here..." Lin Feili pointed at a pile of rocks and sand.
Tong Li was startled. His eyes soon reddened. It had been so many years. Despite the sorrow, the man was utterly relieved that he had managed to find his sister's remains.
"Can I take her?" Tong Li asked.
"Sure."
Tong Li moved the stones away and discovered the remains of a person with a smaller bone structure underneath them. He carefully retrieved the bones and placed them in a bag.
"Tong Li, where are you from? It seems like your hometown has the tradition of burying the dead in the place they were born. You risked your life to come here for the sake of it. You are a good man," Zhang Xiaohou said.
"My parents strongly believe that my sister's soul isn't going to find peace, since she died in the wild. Commander Zhang, our family will be remembering the dead in a few days. I was hoping to find my sister's remains before that, so she wouldn't become a lost soul. I guess I will have to leave soon," Tong Li said.
"That quick?" Zhang Xiaohou was startled.
"Yeah, our family holds the ritual once every four years. Those that died away from home must return before the ritual, or they will have to wait another four years. I'm not sure if I can make it in time either, but I can't just leave my sister's remains here," Tong Li said.
"But the others aren't planning to go back yet."
"We already put some markers down along the way back, so I can just follow the markers. The only problem is the sand river, but luckily, my secondary Element is the Wind Element. I should be able to look after myself. I wasn't expecting much at the start, but you were able to find Lin Feili. Brother Lin Feili, thank you so much!" Tong Li said.
"I have been talking to her over the years. It's good that you're bringing her back. I believe she prefers to go back to her hometown," Lin Feili said.
Zhang Xiaohou was startled, but he soon realized something.
Lin Feili must have come here quite often to talk to the graves. However, Zhang Xiaohou was still confused about one thing. Why was Lin Feili still living here on his own, instead of trying to leave the desert? Did he have some other reasons?
---
Tong Li left by himself. Zhang Xiaohou felt a surge of emotions watching the man leave. The man had put his life at risk just so he could bury his sister back in his hometown.
"Commander Zhang, where are you from?" Lin Feili asked. He was becoming more fluent.
"From the south, I'm from Bo City," Zhang Xiaohou said.
"Why are you here in the west?" Lin Feili asked.
"To gain some knowledge and experience. How about you? Why did you choose to stay?" Zhang Xiaohou asked.
"I was told to guard this place," Lin Feili said.
"An order?" Zhang Xiaohou was startled.
Lin Feili nodded.
"You almost forgot who you are. Why would you still care about the order? The person that gave you the order might even be dead by now," Zhang Xiaohou said.
"He's already dead, and I should have died here too, but..." Lin Feili paused in the middle of the sentence. He was glancing around the spacious basin.
"Is there something else here? I feel like you're quite mindful of it," Zhang Xiaohou asked indifferently.
"Mm, I'm only alive because I didn't want the truth to be hidden..."
"The truth?" Zhang Xiaohou asked confusedly.
"Do you really think that the relay station was gone because of a sandstorm?" Lin Feili asked.
"Wasn't it?"
