High Above

Because of Ian's instructions, the caravan's food tonight was quite good. In addition to the fresh oily pancakes and broth, the caravan manager was happy and gave each person a small piece of smoked bacon.

This smoked and cured meat is made from a very large piece of venison. First, the surface is coated with a layer of finer sea salt, then covered with cheap rock salt, and left for half a month. Then it is placed in a cool and dry cave and passed through a wild The bacteria ferment for two months.

During the fermentation period, it needs a kind of incense that was unique to the indigenous people in the past, so that the aroma can penetrate into every part of the meat along with the fermentation bacteria, making the meat extremely tender and delicious.

Because it is a traditional food used for indigenous sacrifices and can only be eaten by shamans and chiefs, it is also called ‘Shaman smoked bacon’ and ‘Nanshan smoked meat’.

Port Harrison chefs refined the process and turned it into a local specialty. This kind of smoked and cured meat has an extremely long shelf life. Whether it is cooked in soup or mixed with dry food, it is very flavorful, fragrant and delicious. It is very suitable for long-term adventurers and caravans to store.

Ian also really likes the smell of this kind of smoked and cured meat. He even used it to make soup. It always reminds him of the ham and bacon in his hometown, but there is no such magical fermentation bacteria and umami flowers on the earth. , considered a delicacy unique to the Terra continent.

After a fulfilling meal, everyone's faces were full of oil. Coupled with the calming morale provided by the heads that Ian brought back, the uneasiness caused by the attack by the monsters was completely driven away.

It's actually quite uncomfortable to sleep in the carriage because it contains a lot of stuff. Even for a thin figure like Ian, it seems a bit cramped. It's hard to imagine how tall guys like Qing Chao and Scott can do it. Tuck it in.

But the good thing is that Ian can fall asleep even while standing, and he is close to the second energy level. The development of his brain is increasing, and a dozen minutes of deep sleep can meet the needs of the day.

The next morning, the steward's nephew and third brother took the dejected mole, his head and documents together and rode back to Harrison Port on their fast horses. There was no doubt that they would receive a generous reward.

And Ian and others continued to move forward.

The clouds drifted away, the rain came and went, and the sun and moon cycled up and down for five days. The caravan passed through several towns, including Sanhe City, the most important water cargo transit place in Nanling.

Located on the beach where the Ewok River, the Jet River and the Kilber River meet, and close to the sea, Trois-Rivières cannot expand its urban area.

Because it is essentially a large village built on the only solid soil in the middle of the swamp. It's just that the residents of Nanling built a 'city on the swamp' here using rocks, planks, and various canal bridges.

The caravan delivered a batch of goods here, and then placed a new batch of goods. Ian also met with the person in charge of the White Chamber of Commerce here.

The other party warmly entertained the young man and respectfully asked Ian to review the operation of the local chamber of commerce.

Ian knew that the other party wanted to leave a good impression on him. In the future, when he became an elder, he might have the opportunity to be promoted back to the Harrison Port headquarters, so he also gave him a chance to look around.

"It's a pity that you came a little early, sir. In the middle of the rainy season, the water in the Three Rivers Basin will rise."

The steward with a goatee looked at the densely packed merchant ships and fishing boats on the Three Rivers, and couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "At that time, the most valuable goods in the entire Nanling Colony and Autonomous Region would flow into Three Rivers City, and the price was compared to other places. It will be much cheaper every time.”

Ian was indeed quite interested: "Oh? Then I'll really have to see it when I have time."

The Ewok River runs from northeast to south, the Jet River runs from northwest to southeast, and the Kilber River crosses the Byson Mountains. This water transport trade route is the real hub for revitalizing Nanling's trade, and occasionally even produces second-level monsters. Materials, that is the most expensive harvest of the mountain people and natives in a year, enough to exchange for a large amount of materials in the empire to allow the tribe to develop rapidly.

"By the way, if you have the following alchemy materials, you can help me buy a batch first. This is my alchemy emblem. You can go to the public account in Harrison Port."

Since there is a low-price period, it is natural not to let go of the bargain. Ian gave a batch of product lists, most of which were materials related to alchemy potions and inscriptions. The steward naturally agreed.

The caravan stayed here for a day and set off at noon the next day.

Not long after leaving Sanhe City, they arrived at the final crossing point for Ian and the caravan.

The mouth of Indoshan Gorge of Nanling mountain people.

After that, there is the Naumann Plain, which is full of life and intertwined roads.

Indigo Mountain, also known as Qiang Mountain. A mountain peak that seemed to have been coated with metal, emitting a strange bluish light towards the surroundings under the sunlight.

It is said that four hundred years ago, there was an ancient dragon 'Qianganglong' who lived here. Its powerful power infected the surrounding mountains and changed the physical properties of the rocks here.

The local mountain people, no matter where they are located in the mountains, respect this dragon as the "Mountain Dragon God". In order to better get close to this ancient dragon, which is as powerful as a god, they settled on the mountainside and used the ancient dragon's power to infect them. Houses and temples were built on the rocks, and cattle and sheep were grazed for the dragon god, and sacrifices were made year after year.

Gu Long didn't seem to care about the actions of these villains. Although he didn't use the mountain people as food or destroy their villages and towns, he never protected them in the true sense.

This kind of rock infected by the power of the ancient dragon is called 'steel stone'. Its surface is almost metal, but the inside becomes tough, becoming a special building material used to build fortresses that are almost Due to its indestructibility, even the power of alchemical artillery is no different than the breeze blowing in front of the fortress made of steel stone.

Back then, the Empire's 19th Legion was ordered to open up the Indoshan Gorge and marched unimpeded. However, it suffered its first setback in front of the mountain people's stronghold. If it weren't for the Empire's Yaron Knights who took advantage of the air and crossed the gorge to cut off the fortress's supply line, the 19th Army might have been defeated. The legion can only attack by force at great cost.

The steel dragon has now disappeared. According to the legend of the mountain people, the dragon god awakened due to a violent snowstorm. He dispersed the unusual frost disaster that even the Nanling Mountains were covered in white. Reappear.

The mountain people who were on the verge of extinction due to natural disasters got a chance to breathe.

Then, He let out a roar that made the mountains tremble, flew into the high sky, and never returned.

According to scholars' speculation and analysis, the frost disaster that swept through the Falut Mountains, Nanling Mountains and the entire Baisen Mountains four hundred years ago was exactly the migration process of another ancient dragon "Ice Menglong" that lived in the Kalan Mountains. , but the sudden interruption of this migration may be related to Qiang Ganglong's obstruction.

Scholars believe that this is just a rare battle for ancient dragon territory that hurts both sides, but the mountain people firmly believe that the Dragon God chose to fight to protect them, and they should always maintain the Dragon God's lair, maintain sacrifices, and wait. His return.