Chapter 309 - The Treasure in Yewen Pond

He now had an array of methods to save his life, and his courage rose with them.Merely a lake was not enough to trap him.

Avery only brought a young demi-human to help him row the boat, who, judging by appearance, was likely his son.

Both were excellent sailors, and with the help of a gentle breeze, it took them just over ten minutes to reach their destination.

The ship graveyard that the demi-human chief spoke of was not near the shore but rather towards the center of the Yewen Pond.

There is an islet here, or more precisely, a mudflat.

When the water level is lower, it would reveal itself.

When the water level is higher, it submerges completely.

Several dilapidated vessels lay half-sunk in the mudflat. The most update n0vels are published on novᴇl(ꜰ)ire.ɴet

Most of the vessels were the kind of houseboats used by demi-humans, with a small number being slightly larger cargo ships used by humans. Deeper in, Gaven even found a ship, which even in its mostly decayed state, was still exquisitely beautiful, with a distinctly elfish style.

Noticing Gaven’s gaze, Avery explained with a smile, "That abandoned ship can be called the ancestor of this ship graveyard. It has been here for over a hundred years. That’s not just any cargo ship, but an elf warship, a magic vessel. The fact that it hasn’t completely decayed over so many years means the magic on it is still working. Wanting to repair it would take more than a few dozen Complete Repair Techniques."

"I know," Gaven nodded slightly, indicating he understood.

Both Mending and the Complete Repair Technique were effective only on ordinary items.

They were powerless against magic items.

This is what’s known as, "Magic can’t repair magic."

After looking around, Gaven couldn’t help but sigh, "This graveyard of yours is indeed in a clever location. Even if we managed to repair them, getting them out would be a difficult task."

"That’s easy to handle. In less than two months, it will be the rainy season in Comanso. The water flow from the three rivers will increase, raising the water level of the Yewen Pond by at least a meter. Most of this place will be submerged, and we can simply drag them out then. We’ve always moored them here during the rainy season," Avery spoke with experience.

"It seems my dream of having my own vessels and fleet in a short time is going to be dashed," Gaven said.

"Haha... My lord is too impatient. Even if you had a lot of vessels, where would you find so many skilled sailors to navigate them in such a short time? Even the best ship is a dead thing without a crew," Avery said with a laugh.

"I guess I am being impatient. Alright, let’s head back. I’ve got what I needed and know how to proceed," Gaven replied.

"Since we’re out here, why don’t I take my lord for a tour around the Yewen Pond and introduce you to the local area?" Avery offered proactively.

"If the leader has the time, I would be thrilled." For Gaven, having a local guide willing to show him around was a godsend.

"Then let’s follow the wind. The first stop is the inlet where the Sanbo River, originating from Lake Seber, meets the water. Following it upstream, we can directly enter the heartland of the Deep Forest Valley at Lake Seber..."

The demi-human chief Avery had lived on the Ashaba River for generations, born and raised there, and had spent less time on land than on water. He knew the surroundings like the back of his hand.

To Gaven, these seemingly mundane details were the most needed intelligence.

Even just sailing around the Yewen Pond once took up most of the day.

Both felt they had gained a lot from the trip.

Gaven had gathered enough information.

Avery, while talking, had also gained a deeper understanding of the new lord of the Weizemay Manor.

The impression the lord gave him was that he had great ambitions and would not be satisfied with just a small Weizemay Manor.

Upon realizing this, the Half-Person Chief was not startled, but delighted.

It wasn’t that he harbored ambitious dreams of staking a claim, but rather that if the other party’s vision was grand enough, they wouldn’t focus on the smaller gains—and Anbao Boat Village was just such a minor interest.

Despite Gaven’s repeated generous invitations, those demi-humans tactfully declined to stay overnight at Weizemay Manor, and even the banquet they attended left them trembling with fear.

As soon as the dinner ended, they scampered off faster than rabbits, as if Weizemay Manor behind them was some kind of man-eating monster.

There was no helping it.

After all, Weizemay Manor straddled the Material Plane and the Shadow Plane for a time.

In daylight, when the sun shone down, the shadow energy was suppressed.

But come nightfall, the shadow energy would again dominate, especially since the manor’s repairs had just begun—with the new and old mixed together, it felt even more chilling.

To put it nicely, it was called eerie chill.

To put it poorly, it was downright ghostly.

Particularly tonight, with no moon in the sky, anything seemed suspect to those with guilty consciences.

The demi-humans obviously felt this way; once outside the manor, they exchanged glances and, lacking even the courage to discuss it there, hurried back to their boathouses, resolving that it would be best to avoid the manor unless absolutely necessary, as the place was far too sinister.

Tonight was destined to be a restless one.

No sooner had the demi-humans left than a series of shadowy figures emerged from the darkness, quickly converging and whispering information in low voices.

"Is this the place?"

"Yes, this is it. There’s still a residue of the Goddess’s power here; this is the manor mentioned in the Goddess’s oracle that was stolen."

"I can sense the presence of Blasphemers within this manor."

"What do we do now?"

"What else can we do? Of course, we storm in, find the Blasphemer, and exact divine retribution, reclaiming what belongs to the Goddess."

"Shouldn’t we wait for the High Priest to arrive?"

"Fools, if we wait for the High Priest to come, what is left for us to do? That greedy old woman will take more than ninety percent of the spoils for herself, seeking credit from the Goddess alone."

"Exactly, since we’ve found it first, we should seize this opportunity."

"But, will the High Priest hold us accountable afterward?"

"As long as we succeed, no matter how displeased the High Priest may be, she must keep it to herself because we will become the new Godblessed."

"What if we fail?"

"Ha... Fail? Even if the High Priest spares us, the Goddess won’t. We can only succeed; we cannot afford to fail."

"Stop talking nonsense. The Goddess’s lingering divine power here is still potent. I can use this power to form a temporary revenge domain. It will lock the Blasphemer in so that he cannot escape the manor before all of us are dead. Every creature inside will be seen as our enemy, and we can launch our divine retribution upon them."

"A temporary revenge domain? Ha... If you had said so earlier! With this, the Goddess will be with us, what is there to fear? What are we waiting for? Let’s get started."

"It has already begun."