Chapter 544

Chapter 544: Sacred Valley

Deep within Desolace is a gray wasteland with hardly any living plants. The withered, barely standing dead trees reminded Jesse of the scene in Burning Steppes.

The biggest difference is that Burning Steppes was completely destroyed by a massive explosion. However, for the next hundred years, despite the cracks in the mountains and corners of ruins, there were some resilient plants struggling to survive, constantly battling the hellish flames and perpetually dark clouds.

But here, it seems like all things have lost the desire and power to live. Even though it’s not icy or scorching hot, in this harsh environment without the raging flames sweeping the land, there is only decadence and desolation.

Here, Mosa even struggled to use life force magic to maintain spirit or provide healing.

Many years ago, Desolace was once a gentle grassland, just as the Tauren from Gadgetzan said, they called it "Mashan’she", the original homeland of the Tauren.

The Tauren tribe living here at that time was peaceful and content, so they tirelessly pursued communication and interaction with nature.

Until one day, a Tauren priest heard whispers from deep underground, believing it to be the call of the Earthmother. After communicating with other priests, they attempted to communicate with the Earthmother deep underground, inadvertently awakening the Earth Elemental Princess Theradras.

After Theradras woke up, in order to fully recover, she mercilessly absorbed all the vitality of Mashan’she, ultimately drawing all life into the depths of that underground cavern to nourish her own power. The once fertile grassland soon transformed into its current appearance within a few decades.

Coupled with the later appearance of the Centaur, the Tauren had to leave this place and flee to the vast grasslands of The Barrens and the peaks of Stonetalon.

Walking on a dry, dusty ridge, looking down below, there were the bones of giant beasts who died many years ago scattered everywhere, perhaps Kodo, Thunder Lizard, or other terrifying reptilian creatures, even Mosa couldn’t identify them clearly.

Late at night, as everyone rested by a ravine, Vereesa suddenly became alert, gesturing for silence and halting everyone’s chatter.

Greed stopped chewing on the Tauren’s special vegetable pie, and Jesse’s gaze slowly shifted towards the elves.

Once it quieted down, they heard rough and absurd roars coming from a distant place, growing faint and feeble by the time they reached this spot.

With each roar came the sounds of chaotic horse hooves.

Jesse followed Vereesa to peek outside the slope. In the far distance under the moonlight, the shadows of four Centaurs were running around, shouting at each other.

Seeing how relaxed they looked, not like they were patrolling but more like they were playing or in some kind of race, it felt out of place in the atmosphere of death.

Mosa watched the Centaurs. Even though she didn’t show any specific emotions on the surface, Jesse could still sense a strong feeling of hatred within her.

Actually, after encountering a Centaur village in The Barrens and hearing Mosa mention the trouble the Centaurs were having with demons hidden in Maraudon, Jesse had been thinking about whether they could communicate with the Centaurs, try to get them to allow them into Maraudon instead of sneaking in or being forced in…

Firstly, storming in was an absolutely impossible option.

Maraudon was the Centaurs’ Holy Sepulcher, so it wouldn’t be like a game where you trigger the hatred of a group of monsters, kill them, and the distant Centaurs turn a blind eye. It would be more of a slow, cautious approach.

Here, if they attempted to forcefully enter Maraudon, they would be met with a large swarm of Centaurs, and if there was no way to escape, the outcome would definitely be tragic.

But Mosa was beside them, and Jesse didn’t know how to bring it up since she harbored a deep hatred for the Centaurs.

After packing their belongings, the group continued to move southwest for about two days. At dusk, they followed Mosa to the entrance of a valley.

There were already many Centaurs here, and in the distance, you could even hear the sounds they made – loud howls, rude words, and the echoes of hooves in the canyon. This was definitely a large gathering place.

They hid behind a hill outside the canyon and observed for a while. Mosa confirmed that by entering the valley and going to the end, they would reach the Maraudon Holy Tomb.

Vereesa took out a scroll, placed the Goblin Collector’s dagger on it, and softly recited the spell written on the scroll.

Her eyes sparkled and dimmed as she chanted the spell. After finishing the spell, she gently closed her eyes and then said, "Jesse, the Goblin Collector you know was right. Since coming to Kalimdor, this place resonates the most with the magical traces on the dagger."

"So far, he hasn’t been wrong," Jesse nodded. "If the source of his dagger is correct, and the owner is Dethmoora Darkeye, then we can confirm that she is the same person the Reliquary is looking for."

Vereesa nodded and said, "The current issue is how to get through the layers of defense of the Centaurs outside and enter."

"This valley looks very large," Greed said. "We can take advantage of the night and sneak in from the high peaks."

Sneaking into Maraudon is not completely impossible. The Collector Pucodyaz is not the only goblin trying to send mercenaries into Maraudon. In the game, goblin explorers have tricked the Centaurs outside and entered with their teams to collect precious gemstones inside.

But once inside, they were attacked by demons and other dangerous creatures lurking within. Only the leader survived, but they had at least gone in.

It was still a very risky choice, especially since not everyone in the team could turn invisible. Jesse’s Invisibility Potion wouldn’t be enough to safely guide all four of them through or escape the seemingly endless canyon.

Plus, they didn’t know the way around there at all. Once they were invisible from the potion, they would be completely lost.

"We need to protect this Holy Sepulcher, so it’s unlikely that the Centaurs wouldn’t have lookouts in the high places," Vereesa said. "We might have been spotted as soon as we got close."

"Are they really that clever?" Greed asked. "Could they have built a fortress inside?"

"Don’t forget they even have their own language passed down through generations, Greed," Vereesa said. "Since this is the Centaurs’ most sacred place, it will surely be well guarded. Look over there, Greed, can you see those faint earth walls behind the mountain? This isn’t just any Centaur village."

Greed glanced over and sighed, "I can’t see that clearly."