Chapter 648: The Miraculous Architecture — The Ancient White Stone City Wall

The closer they got to the distant Baishi Chengqiang Guanka, the brighter the surroundings seemed to become.

There were patches of white clouds in the sky, and it seemed as though those strangely shaped clouds were reflecting the light shining up from the ground back down.

Just as Jier was pondering whether the brightness of the surroundings had anything to do with the clouds in the sky, Xueya Site frowned and cast a glance at several decadent travelers who were crossing paths with the three of them.

It wasn't quite right to call them travelers; ever since they had neared the Baishi Chengqiang Guanka, they had been encountering people who looked like refugees on this main road. They pushed worn-out, slightly damaged handcarts, carried more or less some weapons on their persons, and led their families along, stopping and starting. Occasionally, they wanted to beg for some food from the local farmers working in the fields, but they couldn't bring themselves to ask, so they just stood foolishly by the edge of the fields, making the local farmer families working in the fields quite nervous.

There were also some young people traveling in small groups; although they carried bags with luggage and were physically healthy, the hesitation and confusion on their faces were all too obvious. When Xueya Site looked over, several of the young people met his gaze, but they all looked quite dull and listless.

"Why are they all like this?"

Xueya Site muttered in a low voice. Jier didn't hear it clearly, so he asked.

"Look, although there are still caravans traveling on the road, they are all heading east from Montoka City, and not many are returning. And there are so many refugees; I don't know where they will settle down in the future."

Jier shrugged: "They'll probably do the same as before, find any local Cunzi that looks decent to settle in, set up some shacks outside the village that can barely house people, and then those who can work will go find work, just barely getting by like that. It's not for anything else, just waiting."

"Waiting for what?"

Bata'er Jiaoshi leaned over to ask.

Jier glanced at him: "Waiting for the war on the border of the Southern Province to end. Regardless of victory or defeat, once it ends, public order will recover, and they will go back. Back to where they came from. That is where their cultivated land, crops, houses, and lost relatives and friends are."

"These are things the Western Province cannot provide for them. Of course, not everyone will flee; I am only guessing based on the situation here."

But Bata'er Jiaoshi gave a self-deprecating smile: "You didn't guess wrong. Along the way here, many places were terrible. Towns turned away large numbers of people, while rural areas were left to be trampled and ravaged by all sorts of people. Places with the ability to hold their villages were still stubbornly defending against any outsiders, while those without the ability either scattered or the people had all run away."

"Many places clearly had many villages before, but now they have all become desolate. It has only been half a year since the war was lost last year, and it has become like this. What is it all for?"

As he spoke, Bata'er Jiaoshi, who had been quite happy just a moment ago, became silent and gloomy again.

The joys and sorrows of people are not connected; Jier could only shrug and offer a verbal blessing. Although he had some guesses about this, they were only guesses after all.

The further they advanced toward the ancient pass ahead, the brighter the surroundings became.

At this time, the surrounding fields and villages became fewer, but some tall stone buildings with many stories were frequently built not far from the road. Jier was curious about those tall buildings far from the road, because looking from afar, they were by no means buildings built in the wilderness.

He lowered his head slightly and muttered in a low voice: "I crave a pair of eyes that can see far into the distance, like an eagle. I crave it, please grant it to me."

After muttering, Jier gagged; this prayer was taught to him by the great bird deity in the wooden carving, as a reward for the previous sacrificial ritual.

As long as it was him, when wearing this wooden carving pendant and reciting the above prayer, he could gain an enhancement of his eyesight for a certain period of time. The duration of this ability was limited, not very long, and it could only be used a few times a day, after which the ability would enter a cooldown, and could only be used again after a day and a night.

After whispering the prayer, the black light on the bird wood carving on Jier's chest fluctuated, and then black Divine Power flowed through Jier's eyes; in the blink of an eye, it was as if nothing had happened.

But Jier's field of vision had undergone a tremendous change at this moment.

As the sense most commonly used by humans—vision—it had been enhanced.

This was a special feeling that one could never forget after using it. Jier looked up at the various buildings in the distance.

As his vision swept over the neck of the Tianxuecao, Jier could clearly see every single hair; as it swept over the main road scattered with pebbles, whether it was the dust on the ground or the countless pebbles rolling in the dirt, everything was seen clearly by Jier.

As his eyes glanced over the tree trunks by the road, Jier even noticed several furry caterpillars crawling up the trunks.

They were running for their lives!

Because following behind them, several large ants waving their antennae were tracking them by the scent of the insects left behind by the caterpillars. To the large ants, the furry, slightly toxic caterpillars were delicious delicacies to be offered to the queen and the larvae.

His gaze swept across small plots of fields and grass; he felt that as long as he wanted to look closely, he could focus and see every crop and every flower in the grass clearly.

When his gaze finally landed on a stone building not far away that shouldn't have been there, Jier saw many details that would have required getting closer to discover.

Around the tall building were walls several meters high meant to display status and block thieves, and looking over the walls, one could see delicate and beautiful exotic tree species that only nobles would plant to decorate their gardens.

This place was for the use of local nobles.

There were other buildings of similar appearance in the vicinity, so it seemed they were all property of the nobles.

After scanning the situation around the tall building, Jier made a discovery, and then he turned his attention to the building itself.

Upon looking, he realized that the building itself was very strange, because it was an inverted trapezoidal building style. The wide side faced the glowing Baishi Chengqiang Guanka in the distance.

The side facing away from the pass was much smaller, and the doors and windows were all small, not like the style of a normal building.

When the group walked a bit further, Jier finally arrived in front of the building not far away, and at this time he could see what its front looked like.

It didn't exceed Jier's expectations; this side of the tall and spacious building possessed a luxury that the common people could not imagine. Large glass doors and windows were there only so that when the nobles occasionally came here to relax and play, they could see the ancient, bright light emitted by the Baishi Chengqiang Guanka in the distance all day long.

"Pah. How can those who greedily consume the fruits of others' labor enjoy the radiance of the light."

Having voluntarily deactivated the bird sculpture's vision-enhancing ability, Jier didn't need to guess to know that the other tall, strange buildings of similar shape were likely all built by local nobles to admire the local wonders.

Those buildings were decorated gorgeously, and the walls were specifically carved with scenes from legendary stories; one of them even had monster stone carvings similar to gargoyles standing on the roof. They were not built for drainage—drainage had its own function performed by drainage stone carvings connected to the building—those stone carvings squatting on the roof were clearly added to show off wealth and intimidate the commoners looking over.

Jier did not know that the building with the gargoyle stone carvings on the roof was the property of the local lord—the Montuoka Viscount.

And those stone carvings were not just things used to scare people; they were actually a type of very expensive Magic Stone Puppet, bought from a Mage to protect the important buildings owned by the nobles.

The number of similar luxurious buildings along the road leading to the Baishi Chengqiang Guanka gradually increased, but the number of wandering refugees on the road also increased accordingly.

Jier was not a hard-hearted person; he knew that a small amount of help could not solve anything. Only when the border war in the Southern Province ended, whether it was won or lost, and was completely over, could these refugees return to their hometowns and rebuild them from the ruins and decay.

When the people crossing paths on the road saw Bata'er Jiaoshi, most of them would wave friendly greetings, even though they were quite disheveled at the moment. Some bold refugees would even lean over to ask Bata'er Jiaoshi about the situation in Montoka City.

But Bata'er Jiaoshi, who had communicated with Jier, knew that although Montoka City appeared prosperous and wealthy, it was actually not suitable for these people who would return home sooner or later, because there was no extra land there, and the surging wealth would devour every ignorant person who approached it carelessly.

"Don't go to Montoka City; everything there costs money. If the situation isn't good, I suggest you first settle in the surrounding villages. Most of the villages have people from our Southern Province settling outside the village. Although it's a bit chaotic and you might be looked down upon by the locals, at least they are our own people, and there are actually work opportunities in the villages, and things are cheaper there, enough to fill your family's stomachs."

Bata'er Jiaoshi repeated these words to the refugees he met on the road who were seeking help.

"If you confirm the situation is still okay, then try to go a bit further north. That is the Kewen Territory, which has large areas of grassland and cultivated land. Although there is no extra land there either, there are more work opportunities, and food is easier to obtain. You can settle there, but just be careful; some young people from the Southern Province who have also come over seem to have gone astray, not only robbing our own people of food but also attacking the locals."

These were all things Jier had seen along the way and told to Bata'er Jiaoshi, and Bata'er Jiaoshi was also telling them to the refugees from the Southern Province who had fled here.

Hearing his words, everyone was not afraid, because compared to the various places in the Southern Province that were gradually becoming chaotic and had terrible public order, the situation here was already too good.

The wealthy trading city made the boys with bellies full of bad intentions give up the bandit path of risking their heads, and instead change their trade to the tricks of swindling and stealing.

The income was higher, and getting caught wasn't fatal.

Compared to the large number of bandits and defeated soldiers running rampant in the Southern Province today, the difference was truly vast.

Just like that, the speed of Jier's three-person team was reduced. Jier didn't mind this, because all his spirit was attracted by the ancient Dwarf creation in the distance.

"This is it, this is it! The spectacular fantasy scenery of another world! It's amazing!"

Jier muttered, but Xueya Site and Bata'er Jiaoshi didn't find it strange, because most people had the same reaction as Jier when they saw the Baishi Chengqiang Guanka for the first time.

Because this ancient, epic, and spectacular structure, built by the Dwarf at an unknown time and for an unknown purpose, had just appeared before people's eyes.

And it filled every mortal's heart and mind with a bright but non-dazzling light.

Unlike the surrounding Refugee from the Southern Province who were full of worries, Jier at this moment opened his eyes wide, sitting on the tall horse's back, wholeheartedly admiring the wonder in the distance.

"No wonder those Noble specifically build manors just to admire it. It is, it really is spectacular."

Jier muttered to himself, and Xueya Site beside him gave a hum: "I only think the Dwarf did one correct thing in this regard. I can't forget my own foolish look when I first came here with the Caravan companions. Heh, about the same as a stupid goose that had been hit by a stick."

Bata'er Jiaoshi also nodded: "The ancient Baishi Chengqiang is only this shocking when viewed from this side facing the Mengtuoka Territory. When I first arrived here a few days ago, I knelt on the side of the road alone and even offered a Prayer to this wall, haha, hoping this pile of Shitou would bless the believers and Villager of our Cunzi."

The Priest shook his head, seemingly laughing at his own previous dispirited self.

Although Jier was listening to his companions' words, his heart and mind were actually entirely focused on taking in the beautiful scenery before him.

The mountain range running north to south rose from the earth, the mountain body near the surface was lush and green, the spring breeze blew past, and the plants had occupied all the places suitable for their growth before summer arrived, draping a gentle coat over the originally cold and stern mountains.

And high up in the mountain range, white pushed back the green that represented life, and it was unknown whether that white was real accumulated snow or the characteristic Baishi stone material produced by this mountain range.

Of course, the large expanse of pure white further up the mountain, along with the snow-capped mountains stretching toward the blue sky, was naturally covered in white snow.

But even that snow-capped mountain, which bravely pointed its sword at the sky, was far inferior when compared to the seemingly low section of wall at its foot, built by intelligent life.

The Baishi that originally appeared sporadically on the surface of the mountain range had been collected by the Dwarf, who had used some kind of Ancient Godly Art to gather them together eternally, emitting a soft white light capable of illuminating the world.

The thick, pure white wall, at least thirty meters high, connected one end to the south of the mountain pass and the other to the north, seemingly connecting the sunken mountain range together, but in reality, it had already seized all living beings' admiration and astonishment for the entire mountain range.

Compared to the Baishi Chengqiang, the magnificence of nature seemed to lack purity and possess more mediocrity.

Jier felt that with every step he drew closer, his breathing became a little longer than before, and the chatter of his companions in his ears also felt much lighter.

It was not an illusion; in front of such a spectacular creation, no one dared to speak loudly, and everyone held their breath, fearing they would wake the Spirit dwelling in the ancient wall or awaken the rock giant lying here.

It was not just Jier; many people who walked out from under the wall, seeing such a creation for the first time, were so weak that they collapsed on the ground. As for the few Caravan approaching the wall, people often opened their mouths and looked up with a shocked expression.

Jier did not know if he was the same at this moment, but he did not care; he greedily stared at everything before him.

As they arrived in front of the Baishi Chengqiang Guanka, the soft light no longer shone down from the sun in the sky, but was provided entirely by this creation before them.

It seemed that it was the sun of this place, providing all the light and grace needed for the reproduction of all living things.

Jier looked left and right; in front of the city wall pass, there were no trees, ponds, etc. There was only a flat ground hundreds of meters wide and a soft lawn.

In the huge and spacious environment, Human were extremely tiny.

There were many people gathered near the road leading to the pass gate.

They seemed to be kneeling piously toward the ancient Baishi Chengqiang under the leadership of several Sun God Church Priest.

The only noise on the scene was probably just the rhetoric of those Priest.

"The great creation is the feat of the Sun God! He guided the Dwarf who originally lived here, instructed them to mine the Baishi in the mountains, and build such a wonder. And after the Baishi Chengqiang was completed, He performed the great Ancient Godly Art, letting the radiance of the sun shine upon the earth, so that the world could enjoy the blessing from the light regardless of day or night! Let us worship toward the sun! Toward the Baishi Chengqiang! Toward the Sun God Icon!"

Saying this, a Priest somehow pulled a several-meter-high Sun God Painting out of his sleeve; on the side facing the believers, there was a faceless Human draped in light with a starry sky above his head.

It was impossible to tell if it was male or female, tall or short, fat or thin, because this painting depicting the image of the god was actually constantly changing.

The image of the Sun God in the painting could be anyone the observer imagined.

Regarding the rhetoric of these Sun God Church Priest, Bata'er Jiaoshi was disdainful and even very disgusted.

"Everyone locally knows that the Baishi Chengqiang was built by the Dwarf themselves a long time ago. It has nothing to do with that god. They are deceiving the believers; hmph, I know what they are up to."

"Oh?"

Jier rode his horse closer to the Priest and asked in a low voice.

"Being able to compete with the sun for brilliance, this doesn't matter to other gods, but it is unacceptable to that one. Especially since it is unlikely that the local Noble will be allowed to tear down this ancient Baishi Chengqiang. This is the border between two provinces! Naturally, there must be a pass, a wall, or something else to divide the two places. Therefore, they can only use this method to, hmph, you understand."

Jier nodded, feeling that Bata'er Jiaoshi was right.