Chapter 644
644 Taking a Deep Breath
“You can.” Bai Tianyi looked at Xue Wei with a bit of a smile. “However, this is the stone that keeps the Hailong in place. As soon as you remove it, the formation will shatter. We might want to make some quick preparations first.”
Xue Wei understood his point right away, and he did not grasp the gem immediately.
“Everyone, step back. If possible, try to find a place where the Hailong can’t reach you, a cave or something would be most suitable.” Xue Wei quickly called out.
They were in a hurry to get the Hailong away so that they could cross the strait, but they were also very well aware that no matter which option they picked, there would be risks involved.
Bai Tianyi, Hei Gou, and Ling Xiao retreated backward and hid underneath a few stones that had been overturned during their previous havoc. If the dragon really wished to cause damage, these stones could not protect them, but hopefully, they would be enough to block the dragon’s sight, and make him not care about them.
Xue Wei kept observing their retreat until they were hiding far below the stones and straightened his back. He took a deep breath as he felt the gentle breeze slowly making his hair flutter in the wind.
He looked at the strait in front of him, but the water surface was still, and there were no signs of the Hailong that was hiding beneath the waves.
Although the Hailong had been forcefully promoted to the ranks of a Deity, its strength was unsteady, and its mind had become confused, it would definitely sense the moment the formation shattered.
All Xue Wei could do was hope and wish for this unstable dragon to not target them, and be on its way as quickly as possible.
.....
Having steadied his mind and taken a deep breath, Xue Wei felt clearer than ever before. He knew that the next moment would determine his life and death, but he did not hesitate as he reached out and picked up the gem.
A tremble ran through the air, and an invisible fluctuation of energy rushed towards the strait in front of them. The still surface suddenly rippled slightly, only for it to vanish within a brief moment.
This slight ripple did not appear to have a great effect, but only a fraction of a second later, the previously still surface had turned into a cascade of water as the Hailong shot towards the heavens above.
A continuous sound of cracking could be heard, and numerous chains seemed to slowly disintegrate and turn into dust as the dragon ascended into the air. The debris of the chains crashed into the water once more, and sunk to the depths, never to be seen again.
The Hailong shook its long, serpentine body, and water droplets fell from its scales, glistening in the sunlight.
The long body was coiling up in the air, and a breathtaking roar reverberated throughout the air, shaking the skies and making the ground tremble.
The dragon glanced at Xue Wei. But while its eyes were red and full of madness, it did not rush to attack him. Looking at the stone within Xue Wei’s hand and the destruction on the sh.o.r.eline, the dragon seemed to regain a certain degree of sanity, after which it rushed into the skies, and vanished within a mere moment.
Watching the dragon disappear in the sky, leaving behind the cras.h.i.+ng waves that slowly began to settle and the destroyed sh.o.r.eline where Xue Wei was standing still with the gem in his hand, Bai Tianyi and the others slowly came out from their hiding places.
None of the four young men spoke. They all kept looking into the sky where the dragon had disappeared, and at the cras.h.i.+ng waves that had slowly returned to only weak ripples. It would appear as if nothing had changed, but everything was different.
“Well, then, I guess we should move on?” Finally, after some time, Xue Wei finally broke the silence. They were in a hurry and could not afford to waste too much time standing still.
Although they had encountered a rather emotional situation, they could not spend too much time delving into the sudden danger and liberation as they had to move on.
Xue Wei went to the sh.o.r.eline, and took out one of his boats from the storage treasure. There were numerous s.h.i.+ps like this within his possession as he had collected many during their time in the Sea of the Enchanted.
“Keep the spiritual gem. We can use it later since it still contains a lot of energy. I would imagine that it might be able to make a difference for Luoluo if we place it next to her flower’s roots.” Bai Tianyi kept looking at the gem within Xue Wei’s hand, and he could not help but comment after some time of consideration.
The gem was filled with energy. Although it was not soulenergy, it would still be able to enrich the soil and make Luoluo grow stronger and faster.
Xue Wei and the others did not even consider if it was worth wasting such a powerful gem on Luoluo’s growth, and all of their eyes lit up with happiness. To them, no matter how rare or precious the items they found were, if they could save or protect their comrades, then that was the most important.
Ling Xiao, Bai Tianyi, and Hei Gou boarded the s.h.i.+p first, and Xue Wei followed behind. With a final look at the land they left, and knowing that No Man’s Land was finally going to be left behind, they straightened their backs, and finally took a deep breath. The loss of Luoluo could not be ignored, but they had to soldier on. They could not succ.u.mb to the current situation.