Chapter Twenty One: Survivors of Ancient Country

"Grandpa, grandpa!"

"Do you think there's someone up there?"

In a somewhat quiet environment, a childish voice suddenly sounded, causing Xian Yu to halt his sword, which was about to continue its swing. He was taken aback by the unexpected presence of others in such a desolate place.

Xian Yu was genuinely surprised to find people in this harsh environment. It was an area where ordinary individuals would struggle to survive, unless they were highly experienced adventurers or, potentially, Chosen Ones.

Upon closer observation, aside from the old man's faint elemental power, the child appeared to be a regular person. However, what caught Xian Yu's attention was the crimson round stone they held. It resembled the deep stone found in this land.

Xian Yu's initial surprise gave way to curiosity, and he resumed examining the remains.

The sound of his sword clashing with the bones reverberated in the air. The old man noticed the new marks on the extracted tooth and squinted slightly, seemingly intrigued.

"Siya, let's keep walking."

"But... What is that big brother doing? Why does he keep chopping those broken bones?"

"Shh... Don't concern yourself with others. We won't have time to make sacrifices around shortly. It's getting late, and your mother won't allow me to bring you out for fun in the future."

Upon hearing that they might not have the opportunity to play in the future, the young boy ceased any further inquiries, and the two continued on their way.

The encounter between the old man, the child, and Xian Yu was fleeting, with no words exchanged between the two parties. It was evident that a person capable of appearing in such an unforgiving place was no ordinary individual. Even the old man had once been a Chosen One, but for some reason, he had ceased using the Vision. Although the power of the Vision lay dormant, it had left a lasting impact on his body, allowing him to withstand the harsh conditions of the snowy landscape.

The cobblestone in his grandson's hand had been initially shaped using elemental power, polished into its current state. He had brought "Siya" with him to pay respect to their ancestors, giving the stone to the child to protect him from the cold.

The reason he didn't approach Xian Yu was twofold. First, he was in a hurry to reach their destination, and second, he couldn't ascertain whether the young man was trustworthy or not. When you have a child with you, you need to think comprehensively and prioritize safety.

"Who is that young man? I haven't heard of him in Mondstadt."

"He can actually cut off dragon tooth with his power!"

While others might be in the dark, Finder John was well-informed about the situation. He had learned about Durin from various records. When he stumbled upon this valley, he realized the significance of the bones he saw. He had once aspired to be like Xian Yu, bringing back dragon tooth or spines to craft powerful weapons. But after his own attempts, he realized the immense difficulty involved. Those dragon bones were beyond his capabilities to handle. The weapons created from some of the broken bones were merely stronger than ordinary ones but had not reached the level of divine weapons. He gradually gave up on the idea.

Unexpectedly, today he had discovered someone who was trying to outwit Longya, and it seemed that the trick had actually succeeded. Although John still harbored some feelings for Longya, he had moved on. He didn't want to take risks. Dragon bones remained valuable to ordinary people, and the young man's strength was undeniable. If he wanted to silence John, it would undoubtedly lead to his demise.

When venturing out, it's imperative to exercise caution.

"I wonder if that young man will stumble upon the cave."

"To be honest, I'm also quite intrigued about what lies within..."

"But if we manage to locate the dragon bone inside that cave, our efforts will surely pay off, won't they? It's just a shame that the pressure in there is beyond what I can endure."

"Grandpa, grandpa!"

As the child called out to his grandfather once more, John refocused on the task at hand.

"Let's go quickly! If we're late getting back, Mom won't allow me to come out again in the future."

The young boy's words urged John to move faster.

"Alright, alright... Let's get going."

With that, they continued their journey, leaving behind the Xian Yu and the dragon's remains.

...

Xian Yu, who had paused his sword-swinging, found himself contemplating the situation.

"Sacrifice? What's the point of offering sacrifices in a place like this? And why risk entering here?"

"They don't even care about the Dragon bones, it's quite intriguing."

Unbeknownst to Xian Yu, it wasn't that people didn't care about the Dragon Bone, but rather, they were simply incapable of dealing with it. Not everyone possessed the kind of "cheats" he had.

"When the old man mentioned sacrifice, he couldn't be referring to the ruins inside, could he?"

"It would indeed be surprising if that's the case."

These ancient relics on the snow-covered mountains were still present for worship. Aside from the ruined ancient nation, Sal Vindagnyr, what else could they be?

"In any case, the remnants of the ancient country won't help me."

Xian Yu only had a limited understanding of Sal Vindagnyr, mainly gathered from missions and when he farmed for holy relics. He knew that it was destroyed by the pillar on top of the mountain and that it held numerous tragic stories.

However, none of that could compel him to investigate further. Instead, it reinforced his determination to grow stronger. If Sal Vindagnyr had been strong enough to withstand the calamity, such tragedies wouldn't have occurred.

Today's events were a reminder that the size of one's fist, or in other words, their strength, truly mattered.

As he cut off another tooth, Xian Yu stood up and gazed at the sky. He halted his "tooth extraction" operation and began to approach the nearby cave.

The eerie blood-colored light it emitted transformed the cave from a dim space into something oddly unsettling. The closer he got to the heart, the more oppressive the atmosphere became.

"I really didn't anticipate this. A heart with such overwhelming pressure. If it weren't for my unique abilities, I might not even be able to enter!"

Initially, when he first entered the area of the bones, he felt a slight pressure, but it wasn't very noticeable. However, as he neared the heart, the sensation grew exponentially.

"Unbelievable! This is just a heart. If I were to face the Dragon, and if it didn't hold back, not only fighting them would be a challenge, but merely standing would become uncertain!"

Xian Yu marveled at the overwhelming presence the heart exuded as he approached, leaving him awed by its sheer power.

Looking at his still-pulsating heart, Xian Yu hesitated for a moment.

He was apprehensive about potential complications. This object struck him as exceedingly peculiar, and it fell somewhat beyond the scope of his understanding.

Even with mental preparedness, the gap between expectations and reality can't be completely bridged by mere readiness.

Furthermore, the surrounding rock walls were veined like regular blood vessels, giving him the impression of entering the body of some kind of creature.

That oppressive sensation, coupled with the feeling of being weighed down, made it exceedingly challenging for most people.

Some level of hesitation was only natural. However, Xian Yu didn't linger in indecision for too long. He realized it was better to act decisively than waver.

Considering this heart has been here unchanged for so long, it's highly improbable that he'd encounter an immediate reaction.

He produced the dragon tooth and brought it closer to the heart, but instead of piercing it, Xian Yu held it adjacent to the pulsing organ.

As if sensing something, Xian Yu felt his own heart rate quicken significantly.

The two dragon teeth placed next to it started exhibiting a transformation.

Regardless, Xian Yu felt as if it had 'come alive'!

When his heart eventually ceased its rapid pace, Xian Yu withdrew the teeth and stepped back.

Given the intense acceleration of his heartbeat moments ago, showing no signs of slowing down, he decided to exit the cave.

What he didn't realize was that the dragon's teeth within the storage space began to develop intricate networks of blood vessels.