Book 4: Near Blood - 188: Casted Metal Mountains
The first thing that immediately stood out when arriving at Gullan Castle was a mountain range constructed entirely out of metal.
Yes, that was a mountain range that had been cast entirely out of metal, sprouting from the ground and stretching towards the sky like ring-shaped swords, encapsulating Gullan Castle within.
These were the famous Casted Metal Mountains.
These Casted Metal Mountains were one of the most impressive constructs created by the Intelligent Races. Apart from the Harpies’ Sky Expanse City, nothing else could compare to it.
The Harpies’ Sky Expanse City was the manifestation of crystallized intelligence, a hallmark of the limits of human creativity. The Arcana Kingdom had utilized countless individuals to create it.
The Ravagers’ Casted Metal Mountains, however, were manifestations of crystallized stupidity.
These majestic metal mountains did not come about because of intelligence but because of Ravager stupidity.
After the Ravagers had discovered the Gullan area, which at the time was like paradise, they began to construct their capital here, a process that took them more than 1800 years.
However, after finishing construction, the population only continued to grow, and the Ravagers gradually began to feel like the territory of Gullan Castle was no longer enough to support them all.
At the time, there were only two ways in and out of Gullan, which was surrounded by mountains - the underwater tunnel and a secret mountain passage. To increase the land available for them to use and to increase the practicality of coming in and going out of the Gullan area, the Ravagers proposed something quite ridiculous: destroy the two mountains surrounding Gullan Castle to make space for both of these.
This “brilliant, innovative solution” would definitely have been laughed off the face of the earth if a human had proposed it, and that person would have lost their job.
But you cannot use common sense to understand the actions of those of low intelligence.
All kinds of unexpected situations could occur when dealing with individuals of lower intelligence.
Yes, this unique suggestion was actually accepted.
To the Ravagers, there was nothing impossible about digging away two mountains. They had been the ones to drag the Origin Energy Temple all the way from Arcanist territory to Gullan Castle.
Other Intelligent Races might not be able to do it, but that didn’t mean that the Ravagers couldn’t.
Actually, because this was a task that only required raw physical strength and power, it was no surprise that the Ravagers had been able to accomplish it.
If they could haul away the Origin Energy Temple, then they could easily level two mountains.
The Ravagers began their work of foolishly moving the mountains.
They had the support of not just one clan but the whole race.
In the end, the Ravagers really managed to level these two large mountains in just three hundred years.
Gullan Castle was no longer a miraculous area hidden inside of a valley. Instead, it became a majestic city amongst an otherwise desolate wasteland.
Very quickly, however, the Ravagers began to pay the price for their idiocy.
After leveling the two mountains, they discovered that the surroundings of Gullan Castle were rapidly changing. The former paradise had begun to wither and die; without the protection from the two mountains, the desolate atmosphere of the north was rapidly degrading the flourishing ecology of Gullan Castle. If it weren’t for the fact that the Lake of Eternity was still around, allowing the earth to still produce resources necessary for their survival, Gullan Castle might have fallen a long time ago.
This caused the Ravagers to panic.
They gathered again to discuss how to address the problem.
Another strange suggestion was put forth.
Some Ravagers believed that, since leveling the mountains had created this situation, then wouldn’t be enough just to rebuild the mountains?
It was almost inconceivable how someone could even think of such an idea, but once again it was approved.
The Ravagers always thought about things in such simple, direct, and forceful terms. If digging away the mountain wouldn’t work, then they might as well restore it.
The Heavens took pity on them, allowing them to finally put their pathetic minds to good use.
One Ravager individual said that
This suggestion was accepted as well.
After this, the Ravagers began their task of rebuilding the mountains.
They had taken 300 years to destroy the two mountains, but it would take them twenty times as long to restore the mountains to their original condition.
This directly caused the decline of two powerful tribes at the time: the Slaughter Axe Tribe and the Redeagle Tribe.
Six thousand years later, the Casted Metal Mountains were finally constructed, and the ecosystem of Gullan Castle had begun recovering all throughout that process. Actually, the final stretch of finishing the Casted Metal Mountains had been done out of habit rather than necessity. To the Ravagers, only by restoring the mountains to their original heights would they be able to make up for their previous stupidity.
The current Casted Metal Mountains were one of the most majestic creations that the Intelligent Races had been able to produce.
These metal mountains, which stretched more than a hundred thousand feet into the sky, were more than enough to obliterate any buildings in a competition.
At the same time, they were the most powerful defenses in this world, walls that were impossible to destroy. No existence would even think about trying to destroy Gullan Castle’s defenses.
Fortunately, the Ravagers had not been so stupid as to not leave themselves a door.
Apart from the underwater tunnel, the newly constructed mountains had a total of twelve doors.
Behind each one of those doors was a path that stretched out for a few kilometers. The length was truly shocking.
Tons of Ravager soldiers guarded the peaks of the mountains. They had set up small garrisons at the very top, and all of their working and resting in their daily lives was done here.
Even the birds that wanted to fly over the peak would need their permission.
Because the Casted Metal Mountains were too tall, and their peaks extended high into the sky, this place was wracked by hurricanes all the time. Even the high-flying birds had a hard time withstanding the environment
It could be said that this was a truly impenetrable defense, a city that would never fall.
However, from a human vantage point, creating defenses like this was a complete waste!
A waste from beginning to end.
Apart from the Ravagers themselves, no one had any interest in attacking a place that was impoverished with the exception of the city’s interior.
And the Ravagers didn’t need to rely on brute force to attack.
That was the case now.
Danba dismounted the venomous flying dragon after bringing it down just outside the city walls. “I am the Gravel Lizard Tribe’s Head Chieftain, Danba. Here is my proof.”
A bone medallion exuding an ancient aura appeared in Danba’s hand.
This was the Gravel Lizard Tribe’s chieftain verification medallion, which had been formed from the bone essence of the Gravel Lizard Emperor. It was not only an identification medallion for the Gravel Lizard Tribe’s Head Chieftain, but it was also a powerful Origin Tool in and of itself.
Danba infused his own strength into the bone medallion. An illusory image of a massive Gravel Lizard shone on Danba’s forehead, exuding a harmonious yet powerful aura. It almost seemed a bit like the bloodline illusory images that humans possessed.
The Inferno Tribe soldier placed his hand over his chest and bowed in greeting when he saw this. “Greetings to Head Chieftain! Gullan Castle welcomes your arrival.”
“All hail the immortal Gullan Castle!” Danba answered mechanically. He hopped on the venomous flying dragon and entered the city.
“That’s it?” Su Chen asked.
“What else do you want?”
“I thought they might ask why we came here.
Danba chuckled. “Unless there is some special event happening, most of the time Head Chieftains only come here voluntarily for one reason and one reason only...... the Origin Energy Temple.”