School Transmigration: I, Chosen as the Saint by Dragons at the Start-Chapter 127 --Back to Thousands of Years Ago

Deep within Heaven Summit.

Surprisingly, this place was a mine, its tunnels deep and winding, creating an oppressive feeling in one’s heart with its intricate and fragmented pathways.

Following these paths deeper, an expansive area unexpectedly opened up.

In the center of this open space stood a young man with a handsome face and an ethereal aura.

On his forehead shone a point of light, as if a deity had gently touched his brow.

"Saint, this is the place where, six thousand years ago, the Devourer built the Fortress of Flesh," said a man standing behind him.

He too had a point of white light on his forehead, which bestowed upon him an aura of supreme sanctity.

The young man, with his hands behind his back, spoke softly, "Is everything ready?"

"The Illusion of Reality and Dream magic array is all set up. It took three grandmasters to arrange it, absolutely foolproof. Those fools will never realize that their souls have been entirely absorbed by the Soul Capture Orb," the man replied with a muffled laugh, as if relishing a private joke.

The young man clenched his fist, laughing softly, "Do you think Owen will die in the Heaven Summit secret realm?"

The man’s face turned solemn, and he spoke emphatically, "Definitely. The Devourer, in its early days, consumed the flesh and blood of hundreds of thousands to construct the Fortress of Flesh. Even a demigod wielding a semi-divine artifact couldn’t handle it. Although they are in the period of the Devourer’s early growth, it’s not something that forty master-tier magi can contend with."

"That’s good," the young man unclenched his fist, bursting into wild laughter, "Owen, if you die, I’ll mourn you properly. I’ll make you realize that you were nothing but a dog under me in school, and it’s the same in this world."

...

"You’ve finally arrived."

Owen opened his eyes to this statement.

Looking around, he saw the Brawny group and others beside him, clad not in the school uniform but in light armor, stained with blood.

"What is this..." Confusion swept over Owen’s face, and he couldn’t help but voice his bewilderment.

The man speaking before them turned to Owen, his face contorting into a sycophantic smile: "Is there something you need, Commander?"

Jonathan glanced at Owen and said in a deep voice, "No, carry on."

The man, resembling an NPC, continued with a troubled expression, "This mission involves four squads operating simultaneously. Reports from inside the mine indicate that monsters have appeared."

Pointing behind him, he gestured towards the vast snowy landscape where Heaven Summit stood in the distance, a mine entrance visible, with wooden tracks laid out - clearly a mining setup.

Jonathan’s expression remained unchanged, signaling the man to proceed.

"We’re not entirely sure what’s happening. The mine is too dark, and the creatures are fast. Out of fourteen or fifteen people inside, only two managed to escape. They had just returned to town when an avalanche struck the next morning, completely blocking the path to the mine."

The cold wind, sharp as a knife, struck Owen’s face.

For some reason, he felt the chill now more intense than before.

He resorted to channeling his arcanergy to resist the cold.

Jonathan exchanged glances with his companions before asking, "Is there anything else?"

"Um," the man began, his head lowered, then his eyes suddenly lit up, "Indeed, there is something. About six or seven days ago, a woman sneaked into a station outside the village to steal food. She inadvertently made a noise and got caught by the people there. The station master, seeing her tattered clothes and swollen belly, and her eyes darting about, avoiding eye contact, decided to hand her over to the city guard."

"The woman then started crying and making a scene, saying, ’I was just too hungry,’ ’I don’t want to harm you,’ and then she ran outside. The station master naturally sent people after her. But then, a creature over a meter tall leaped out from the cotton sack on her back, killing the soldiers who pursued her. Others who tried to help were also slain by the creature, leaving only two severely injured survivors."

Owen and his companions exchanged puzzled glances.

"And then?" asked Jonathan.

"The travelers who witnessed it were so frightened they fainted. The city guard also came to investigate, but by then, the woman and the creature had already fled."

Owen’s face darkened, utterly baffled.

What was all this about?

The only woman in the team spoke up, "I understand now."

Her frame was delicate, like a "Willow", and that was what everyone called her.

The man grew excited, "What do you know?"

Willow pursed her lips, signaling the man to step back.

He awkwardly retreated.

Only then did Willow reveal a smile and said with ease, "The saying ’a stitch in time saves nine’ holds true. I just happened to come across a historical record about this incident."

"Elaborate," said Jonathan.

"This piece of history dates back thousands of years. Back then, there was a city known as Coiled Dragon City, where, mysteriously, creatures appeared and devoured humans," Willow pondered, slowly articulating her thoughts.

"The city’s defender was known as the Red General.

Through her research, she discovered that these monsters were creations of a god—River Crossing Demon Mother."

The mention of a deity instantly heightened the tension among everyone present.

Owen urged, "Go on, explain in detail."

Willow glanced at Owen and spoke softly, "River Crossing Demon Mother is a lesser deity. Her sole power is to bestow blessings on women desiring children, enabling them to bear offspring."

"That sounds quite benevolent," Owen murmured.

"Benevolent?" Willow’s face darkened as she coldly continued, "River Crossing Demon Mother uses the bodies of these women to bear her children, birthing up to nine at a time, each one different. These demon children vary in form—some are fierce, others agile, some frail, and some no bigger than a cat. Some are even more robust than Brawny..."

Brawny’s mouth fell open in surprise, wondering why he was being mentioned.

Owen glanced at Brawny, then reflected on Willow’s description, "That’s quite bizarre, isn’t it?"

"Indeed," Willow’s eyes were cold, her mood seemingly dark, "In the natural order, the offspring of tigers, leopards, wolves, and hyenas are typically healthier and stronger if born first. However, it’s different for the River Crossing Demon Mother’s demon children. The later they are born, the more powerful they become."

The irony of a deity associated with demons unsettled Owen, but he remained silent, signaling Willow to continue with his gaze.

"The River Crossing Demon Mother’s earlier born children are relatively weaker, while the youngest, born last, is the strongest.

It starts claiming the nutrients from its siblings while still in the womb, forcing them to be born prematurely or risk being devoured by it," Willow explained.

"This youngest one must be extraordinary," Owen mused, stroking his chin with growing interest.

"Indeed, it’s said that the youngest inherits some of River Crossing Demon Mother’s divine powers and can use divine spells," Willow continued calmly.

"Divine spells?" The crowd was astonished.

Having embarked on the path of cultivation, each of them a genius in their own right, who wouldn’t be thrilled at the prospect of witnessing powers beyond the sage-tier?

The mention of divine spells naturally ignited their excitement.

Could this be the reward for the Academy Competition?

Seeing the uncontrollable excitement among the group, Jonathan coughed twice and said, "Alright, Willow, please continue."

Willow looked towards Heaven Summit and announced loudly, "The historical records state that within the mines there, resides the youngest of the River Crossing Demon Mother’s offspring—Devourer. Our mission likely involves playing the role of the Coiled Dragon City guards, uncovering the secrets of the mine, and then confronting the Devourer head-on."

Jonathan’s expression changed instantly.

His mind, sharp as ever, remembered every word Willow had said.

Swallowing hard, he asked uncertainly, "You mentioned that the River Crossing Demon Mother’s youngest can use divine spells?"

"Yes," Willow responded. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

"..."

Wasn’t this mission a trap? Facing a monster capable of divine spells, how were they supposed to fight?

Owen’s mouth twitched, and the words slipped out: "What do the historical records say about the fate of the guards?"

Willow, tilting her head, replied casually, "The records from that time don’t mention their fate. It’s only known that later, after the Devourer established the Fortress of Flesh and became invincible even to demigods, it was finally annihilated when thirty-six sages from the Novalia continent combined their strength and summoned a deity."

Owen’s expression turned grim, his voice wavering slightly: "So, you mean to say, the guards were almost entirely wiped out in the face of the Devourer."

This conclusion wasn’t hard to deduce.

If the guards had found the Devourer, they would have immediately relayed the news.

The absence of any message indicated their likely demise.

The team members’ faces grew tense, their expressions showing disbelief.

Was this competition some kind of joke?

Jonathan clapped his hands firmly and declared, "Our current realm is stronger than those guards. Where would you find a city guard entirely composed of master-tier members?"

His words brought a sense of relief to the others.

Indeed, their strength was not comparable to those historical guards.

The man from before, probably growing impatient, called out loudly from outside, "Honored commanders, are you ready?"