Chapter 348: Kloe Canyon

Looking up, he saw a sliver of sky squeezed between two cliffs.

Even at noon, only a few rays of sunlight filtered down; beside him, the stream murmured, and the wind carried countless beast roars.

Hot spring? Cold spring? Both—geological veins had forged volcanic vents and exits to glacial planes just kilometers apart, where ice and fire waters melted together in spectacle.

Danger? Demons? They were everywhere; climb a steep slope and you’d see endless herds stretching beneath the boundless mountains.

Earth, fire, water, wind—all were present here; countless tunnels led underground and above, drawing too many unknown species.

The fractured mountain range had carved countless underground caves and underground rivers—here, one could descend into the Darklands or ascend via snowy paths toward the Misty Peaks.

This was the Kloe Mountains, one of the ancient, uninhabited great demon realms.

“Koreluna, there’s a high-energy signature from Blue Well Cave—it seems another ancient demon has awakened. Should we relocate?”

“I understand. Follow the plan.”

The towering forest giant gripped a staff of wood in one hand and gazed into the distance.

Magic essence coiled around her outstretched fingers at visible density; only when the gale swept past did it begin to disperse slightly.

This was her command over elemental forces—but more so, it was a display of “tidal height.” As the magic tide rose toward its peak and the world filled with mana and elemental power, the energy grew harder to dissipate.

Alchemists had stable machines to sample magical element concentrations, but ancient species had their own time-tested methods.

“It’s risen at least twenty percent again—less than a month has passed. We can’t delay any longer, but that damned dragon.”

Koreluna plunged her hand into the stream, feeling its chill—and the swelling magic tide growing ever stronger.

The Kloe Mountains were unique: their primitive, isolated structure kept humans away and shielded them from climatic disasters, preserving many ancient species and primordial formations.

Here, several elemental plane rifts existed—even gateways to other realms—making species diversity richer, yet making it nearly impossible for the weak to establish habitations.

But for the Druidic Circle, who sought natural balance and studied native species, this was a paradise.

Thanks to its relatively open geology and elemental plane linkages, many elemental beings and ancient species also endured here.

But now, as the magic tide surged, its rise here far outpaced the outside world; ancient species long dormant in this region awoke, and powerful beings, drawn by the tide, arrived early.

To them, this might be a treasure hunt; to mortals, it could be annihilation.

“Damn dragon.”

Koreluna looked up at the canyon’s sky—the faint blue wings hovering above, appearing suddenly like floating reapers, utterly repulsive.

The sapphire dragon had arrived in this region ten years ago, claimed a cave, and fallen asleep; the Druidic Circle coexisted peacefully with him.

But looking back now, he’d known this was a “high-elemental period” and came here faster than outsiders, adapting and advancing in advance—three years ago, he entered his active phase.

In just a few days, he eradicated all sentient beings and clustered lifeforms around the cave.

The sapphire dragon was a species with extreme territorial instincts; invaders were slaughtered without mercy.

“Of course—he’s fixated on us. And… the Sacred Artifact.”

The Druidic Circle known as Verdant Garden consisted of two adult forest giants, hill giants, and other giant subspecies, along with dozens of ordinary human Druids—effectively dominant across most regions.

But here, in this dim, chaotic magic tide environment, fighting a fully grown sapphire dragon—an ambush master—was far too difficult.