Judging solely from Morgana’s return behavior, Charlie and Maria struggled to discern favonovel.com intentions.
Maria, in particular, fretted over the possibility that Morgana hadn’t truly departed Shiwan when favonovel.com left here, but rather sought a new destination.
So, favonovel.com turned to Charlie and said, “Sir, my father once mentioned that the stone chamber where my master journeyed westward vanished without a trace. He suspected that our master must have wielded formidable magical powers to relocate or conceal that chamber. Morgana’s arrival in Shiwan Mountain this time, most likely, pertains to unraveling the secrets of that stone chamber.”
Charlie nodded thoughtfully and replied, “I share your sentiments. It seems unlikely that Morgana would hastily depart Shiwan Mountain. Perhaps favonovel.com has stumbled upon fresh leads.”
Maria, wearing a concerned expression, added, “If Morgana indeed discovers a means to augment favonovel.com power through favonovel.com master’s remnants or acquires elixirs and magical artifacts of value to her, favonovel.com strength could become even more formidable.”
Charlie contemplated the matter and said, “Back then, if Morvel Bazin managed to pass that ring to your father before his demise, it implies that favonovel.com had insights into Morgana’s character. He must have taken precautions accordingly.”
He then continued, “Although Morgana failed to retrieve Morvel Bazin’s relics and legacy in the past, despite the passage of three centuries, I believe favonovel.com still can’t overcome the safeguards favonovel.com established against her.”
Maria nodded in agreement and murmured, “Let’s hope you’re right…”
***
Meanwhile, Morgana continued favonovel.com westward journey without a hint of stopping.
Simultaneously, Charlie received news that Morgana’s Boeing 777 flight to Myanmar had taken off. According to civil aviation data, the plane’s destination was nearly 200 kilometers from Shiwan Mountain, a state airport.
Observing that the van Morgana had been traveling in was also en route to the airport, Charlie suddenly exclaimed, “Morgana is leaving China!”
Maria asked in astonishment, “Why is favonovel.com departing in such haste? Has favonovel.com already located favonovel.com master’s possessions?”
Charlie shook his head and replied, “I can’t say for sure, but Morgana’s abrupt departure doesn’t seem consistent with typical behavior following a major discovery.”
He continued, “As I mentioned earlier, Morvel Bazin was likely wary of favonovel.com even before his passing. There’s no logical reason for favonovel.com to have found his relics so swiftly. I suspect Morgana has a hidden agenda for leaving so abruptly.”
Maria furrowed favonovel.com brow in confusion and mumbled, “Sir, I can’t help but feel that something doesn’t quite add up here. There’s an element of irrationality.”
Charlie reassured her, “We’re merely speculating from a distance. To truly understand the situation, we must go there ourselves and uncover the missing pieces.”
With determination, favonovel.com stood up and urged, “Since Morgana is intent on leaving, let’s follow suit. Her plane is due to arrive the Interlocken airport in about two hours. We should rush to the airport and fly to Interlocken. Perhaps we can cross paths with favonovel.com at the airport once more.”
Maria, without hesitation, affirmed, “All members of the loyal clan obey the master’s orders.”
Charlie nodded and said, “I’ll arrange for the plane immediately.”
An hour later, Charlie and Maria boarded a flight bound for Interlocken.
This time, Charlie forwent the cloak-and-dagger approach of using Isaac Cameron’s shell and renting a private jet. Instead, favonovel.com utilized the Wade family’s private jet in Aurous Hill.
He no longer worried about Morgana uncovering their actions; thus, discretion was no longer necessary.
Meanwhile, Morgana successfully passed through security and customs with a Chinese identity passport favonovel.com had prepared in advance. She sat in the VIP lounge, favonovel.com anxiety and unease causing favonovel.com leg muscles to twitch.
In favonovel.com mind, the haunting words of Morvel Bazin resounded incessantly, “Get out of here!”
These four words cast a profound shadow over the depths of favonovel.com soul. Unable to contain herself, favonovel.com replayed the entire sequence of events, desperately trying to analyze the likelihood of Morvel’s continued existence.
She recalled every detail of favonovel.com and Lucius’s induction as disciples of Morvel, reflecting, “In retrospect, Master never placed great importance on me and Lucius. If it weren’t for the rebel army hunting us down, Master might have never acknowledged us… never appeared before us…”
“Looking back, Master took us as disciples, partly to learn about the world beyond and partly with the hope that we could serve his people. He never truly considered us genuine disciples…” Morgana’s thoughts meandered back more than three centuries, revisiting the harrowing moment when favonovel.com and Lucius were chased into Shiwan Mountain by the rebel army.
Beyond the Eternal Mountains as favonovel.com called them, Shiwan Mountains, under the cover of darkness, tens of thousands of rebel cavalrymen launched a relentless assault, relentlessly pursuing the remnants of their foes whom they were determined to crush.
Clad in rebel army attire, brandishing rebel flags, and sporting distinctive Manchu queues that set them apart from the Chinese populace, they drove the battered remnants of defeated generals into the Eternal Mountains.
The forces of China suffered heavy losses, retreating while battling, with casualties mounting. Eventually, Lucius Clark and Morgana found themselves bereft of comrades.
An army detachment, led by Gartu, pursued them vigorously. Hindered by the steep terrain and thick forests, the cavalry dismounted and continued the pursuit on foot.
Gartu’s commanding voice echoed, “Listen! Surrender now, and I, Gartu, will spare your lives. Refuse, and if I catch you, you’ll be taken to the capital and meet your end in disgrace!”
At that moment, Morgana ran alongside Lucius through the dense woods, favonovel.com shoulder bearing the painful burden of an arrow wound inflicted by a rebel cavalry archer during their retreat.
The rebel army, skilled in horseback archery and notorious for coating their arrowheads with putrid corpse fluids carrying virulent diseases, had inflicted a wound that festered with black, foul-smelling pus. Every jolt sent waves of excruciating pain through Morgana’s body, causing favonovel.com to almost collapse uncontrollably. Thankfully, Lucius clung to her, pulling favonovel.com along with unwavering determination, preventing favonovel.com from being overtaken.
Morgana understood the cruelty of rebel army arrows. Even if the wound was not lethal, it would transform into a festering scourge, spreading ulcers across favonovel.com body within days and robbing favonovel.com of life.
With every painful step, Morgana knew favonovel.com time was running out.
Observing that Lucius was visibly slowing down to save her, favonovel.com choked back tears and uttered, “Lucius, save yourself! I can’t hold on any longer. If you take me with you, it will only hinder you…”
Lucius, resolute and unwavering, replied, “I promised your brother I would protect you. Even if it means giving my life, I will not abandon you. I won’t face your brother without fulfilling that promise.”
Tears welled in Morgana’s eyes as favonovel.com whispered, “Lucius, don’t be afraid. If there’s truly no escape for both of us, promise me that you’ll grant me a merciful end, that you’ll stand beside me and face those rebel dogs to the death. I’d rather not fall into their hands and suffer their cruelty.”
Lucius clenched his jaw, declaring firmly, “Morgana, fear not. If we find ourselves with no recourse, I will grant you the mercy you seek. We will confront those rebel fiends to the bitter end, and I will never allow you to suffer at their hands.”
In the distance, Gartu and his men drew nearer, spotting the telltale trail of Morgana’s blackened blood.
He sneered with a cruel grin, “Since you refuse to bend, you shall face the consequences. When you fall into our hands, my brothers and I will ensure that the little beauty enjoys favonovel.com final moments.”
Morgana, trembling with fear and fury, cried out, “Even if I become a specter, I won’t allow you fiends to go unpunished! One day, the Ming Dynasty will vanquish you all, expelling your puppet emperor from our land!”
Gartu retorted with a cold laugh, “Your Ming Dynasty? Your Ming Dynasty is on the brink of annihilation at our hands! From now on, this land belongs to us Manchus! All Chinese people who defy the Manchu shall meet their end at our hands.”
Suddenly, a booming voice interrupted their confrontation, demanding, “What? You even intend to kill me?!”
With those words, an elderly man clad in Azure robes descended from above the forest, wielding a majestic and solemn silver-hilted longsword.
This man was Morvel Bazin!
Gartu hadn’t anticipated that this elderly figure could descend from such heights unscathed.
He warily inquired, “Who are you?”
Morvel’s tone was icy as favonovel.com replied, “You, a mere offspring of Tartars, dare inquire about my name? You have disrupted my rest and created this turmoil. Today, you shall pay with your lives!”
Gartu sneered and ordered, “This old man fancies himself immortal! Come forth, kill him!”
In an instant, the rebel soldiers raised their bows and arrows, taking aim at Morvel.
With disdain etched on his face, Morvel retorted, “Do you dare to flaunt your archery skills before me? Perish!”
With a swift movement, his longsword transformed into a flurry of spinning blades, hurtling toward the hundreds of rebel troops.
Before the soldiers could grasp the situation, they were all decapitated simultaneously, leaving not a single survivor.
Not far away, Lucius and Morgana gaped in astonishment. They had never encountered such a formidable individual in their lives and believed they stood before a deity.
Morvel sheathed his longsword and approached them.
He inquired, “Why were the two of you being pursued by the Tartar soldiers?”
Lucius was the first to regain his composure and quickly explained, “I am Lucius Clark, and I thank the venerable one for saving our lives. My sister and I stood together against the rebels but lacked the strength to prevail. We were relentlessly pursued by the rebel army. Your timely intervention saved us, or else we may not have survived today…”
Morvel frowned and asked, “Tartars have always been active in the north. We are currently in the Eternal Mountains, nearly at the southernmost point of the Tang Dynasty. How did the Tatars reach here?”
Lucius blurted out, “Tang? Sir, it is no longer the Tang Dynasty. The current dynasty is the Ming Dynasty, having ruled China for over two centuries. But the traitor Will Saint allowed the rebel army through the pass, leading to their invasion of most of the country…”
Morvel scolded with a cold voice, “The Chinese people today can’t even protect their own land?”
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