Chris couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh when he heard those words.
It seemed earning those five thousand Essence Stones was far harder than he had imagined.
The three of them had their strengths, but it was clear they were mismatched against the enemy. Chris was at Pinnacle middle-stage, Bob slightly stronger at Pinnacle late-stage, and the woman was the weakest with her abilities at the peak of the Aether stage.
As for the bandits, the bald leader was at Pinnacle late-stage, another was at Pinnacle middle-stage, and the third was at Pinnacle early-stage. Besides those three, there were nearly dozens of Aether-stage bandits.
Against so many foes, there was no way the three of them could hold their ground.
Chris’s expression turned grim as he spoke, his voice steady but firm. “It seems we have only one option now-to head deeper into the Celestial Peaks. If we can make it through the Peaks and return to Stormwatch, we might still have a chance. Otherwise, we’re as good as dead.”
“What? Go to the Celestial Peaks?”
The woman and Bob both looked at him in shock.
The woman’s face darkened. “The depths of the Celestial Peaks are crawling with powerful beasts. Going in there is practically suicide!”
It was said the deeper regions of the Celestial Peaks were home to Fifth Grade beasts, some even beyond that. Encountering such creatures would mean certain death for Chris and his companions.
Chris let out a soft sigh. “We don’t need to go deep into the Peaks. We’ll stick to the edges of the depths, avoiding the most dangerous creatures. It’s risky, but it’s our best shot.”
Hearing this, both the woman and Bob fell silent.
Chris’s plan was dangerous, but at the moment, it was their only option.
“But…” The woman and Bob still hesitated.
Seeing their uncertainty, Chris’s expression hardened. “If we don’t take this route, we’ll have to face the bandits instead. Do you think they’ll show us mercy?”
The woman clenched her teeth. “You don’t need to say anything more. I’ll go with you!”
Faced with no other choice, the woman and Bob placed their trust in Chris. After all, if the bandits caught them, death was unavoidable. In the Celestial Peaks, however, there was at least a sliver of hope.
Without wasting any more time, the three of them began their journey into the Celestial Peaks.
The Celestial Peaks were vast, with its core regions teeming with powerful beasts. It was a forbidden zone for Aetherbinding practitioners.
As they moved deeper into the Peaks, the beasts they encountered grew increasingly stronger. At one point, they even faced off against a Fifth Grade beast. Only by combining their strength were they able to bring it down.
Even Solstice-level practitioners dared not venture deep into the Peaks, as many of the beasts there could instantly annihilate even the strongest among them.
Chris and his companions moved cautiously, carefully sticking to the edges of the Peaks.
As night fell, they had no choice but to stop. Traveling through the Peaks at night was far too dangerous. The darkness was when the beasts were most active.
Bob turned to Chris. “Chris, look after the young master. I’ll scout the area.”
With that, Bob disappeared into the shadows.
Chris, once a Primus in Amerosia, was no stranger to survival in the wild. Back on Earth, the forests were dangerous but manageable, filled with predators like lions and tigers-nothing he couldn’t handle.
But Aethelgard was an entirely different world, especially the Celestial Peaks. Here, the beasts were far more powerful, and even with his Pinnacle-level strength, Chris couldn’t afford to let his guard down.
Roars echoed through the night.
The cries of beasts filled the air, a constant reminder of the danger surrounding them.
Chris couldn’t help but laugh bitterly. This quest for five thousand Essence Stones was proving to be a disaster. The Peaks were far too perilous, and a single misstep could lead to death.
Suddenly, Chris noticed the woman trying to light a fire.
He rushed over, quickly extinguishing the flames.
“What are you doing?!” he snapped. “Do you want to get us killed?”
Anyone with basic survival instincts knew that lighting a fire at night in the wild was dangerous. And in the Celestial Peaks, it was practically a death sentence. A fire would draw the attention of every beast in the area.
The woman looked at him, puzzled. “Why can’t we light a fire?”
Chris sighed. “This is the Celestial Peaks. Lighting a fire will only attract the beasts to us.”
Realization dawned on her face, and she quickly stopped arguing.
At that moment, Bob returned.
He noticed the extinguished fire and frowned. “Young master, did you try to light a fire? This is the Celestial Peaks-it’s far too dangerous. If the beasts notice us, we’re done for.”
The woman nodded. “I understand, Bob. I won’t do it again.”
Turning to Bob, Chris asked, “What’s the situation?”
Bob’s face was grim. “It’s strange. There aren’t any beasts nearby.”
“What?” Chris’s expression darkened.
Before he could process this information, a series of deafening roars echoed through the air.
Roar!
Roar!
Roar!
Out of the shadows emerged a massive tiger-like beast with two sharp tusks.
It was a Darkfang, a Fifth Grade beast native to Aethelgard.
Fifth Grade beasts were equivalent to Pinnacle late-stage practitioners, but the Darkfang was notorious for its ferocity, making it as strong as a Pinnacle peak-level fighter.
Chris and his companions went pale.
The absence of beasts earlier now made sense. Powerful creatures like the Darkfang claimed large territories, and anyone who entered their domain was seen as a threat.
Clearly, they had wandered into the Darkfang’s territory.
Bob turned to Chris, his voice tense. “What do we do now?”
Chris took a deep breath. “We fight. It’s our only option.”
With that, he gripped his Dragon Slayer tightly and charged at the beast.
The woman turned to Bob. “Go help him. I can manage on my own.”
Bob hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Understood!”
Drawing his long sword, Bob joined Chris in attacking the Darkfang.
The battle was fierce.
Though Chris and Bob fought together, they struggled to deal any significant damage to the beast.
The Darkfang’s claws were razor-sharp, its movements lightning-fast, and its defense nearly impenetrable.
Even when Chris landed a heavy blow with his blade, it only left a shallow wound on the beast’s hide.