World-saving Plan: The Only Savior
Chapter 156 - 54: Two Forest Guardians

Chapter 156: Chapter 54: Two Forest Guardians

"Cough cough... Mr. Ye, things might not be as you think..."

Zhang Xiaoman hesitated before speaking, already having made up his mind.

Upon hearing this, Ye Cang’s heart skipped a beat, and a bad premonition suddenly surged in his mind.

Zhang Xiaoman quietly shifted his gaze away, feeling somewhat reluctant to shatter the spiritual dependence of the old man before him.

Fortunately, the Eternal Veil served as a cover, preventing Ye Cang from seeing the expression on his face, otherwise, Zhang Xiaoman felt it would have been even harder to start speaking.

Mr. Ye opened his mouth but didn’t say anything. In the end, he just looked at the mysterious expert across from him with a hint of hope and desire.

At that moment, Zhang Xiaoman’s gaze was subconsciously wandering over the tabletop, rapidly organizing his next words in his mind.

"Actually... the Cultivation World you mentioned... it just..."

He suddenly stopped mid-sentence. His eyes, which had been unconsciously staring at the tabletop, suddenly widened as if they had spotted something astonishing.

This scene, fortunately concealed by the dark shadows, did not reveal anything to Ye Cang. However, the old man could still deduce from the slight change in Zhang Xiaoman’s direction what he was looking at.

"Uh... Are you interested in this bracelet, sir?"

What Zhang Xiaoman was staring at was the large emerald bracelet on Ye Cang’s left hand.

"Mr. Ye, may I take a look at this bracelet?" he asked, his gaze firmly fixed on the bracelet, filled with astonishment.

Hearing this, a hint of hesitation flashed across Ye Cang’s face, but eventually, he took off the bracelet and handed it to Zhang Xiaoman.

"This bracelet has been passed down through generations in Dragon Sleep Mountain. Although it is not made of any precious metal, it holds extraordinary significance for us."

Zhang Xiaoman carefully took it, his eyes scrutinizing the pattern etched on its surface.

"Why, why is this pattern here? Is it a coincidence or something else... No, I must find out."

For on the broad surface of the bracelet, there was the unmistakable imprint of the Star Alliance’s symbol — the Seven-pointed Star Array!

No, to be precise, it was not the complete emblem of the Star Alliance but the individual part of the Seven-pointed star, representing the Forest Guardian Temple!

"Forest Guardian..."

Zhang Xiaoman murmured these three words.

In his eyes, the bracelet looked quite peculiar. It was structured as a semi-circle, entirely made of metal, and the top area, in particular, was very broad, about 40 mm. The Seven-pointed Star engraved on the top shared very similar overall lines and structure with the one on Zhang Xiaoman’s palm.

Although they were already quite similar, there were still some minor differences in the backgrounds.

The details on Mr. Ye’s bracelet were much blurrier, while the Star Alliance symbol on Zhang Xiaoman’s palm was clearer and more exquisitely crafted, even the background trees were vividly depicted.

Hence, although Zhang Xiaoman felt there might be a connection, he still was not certain.

On the other hand, when Ye Cang heard Zhang Xiaoman utter the words "Forest Guardian," his whole body shuddered slightly, and an incredulous look appeared on his aging face.

"How... how do you know this term..." Ye Cang’s eyes showed confusion, but they cleared in an instant. What followed was deep shock and joy, "Could it be, the thing my grandfather told me about, is it true..."

"Oh? What thing?" This time, it was Zhang Xiaoman who was curious.

Ye Cang first showed a nostalgic expression, then sighed, before he slowly began to speak.

"Two hundred ninety-seven years ago, my Dragon Sleep Mountain faced a great catastrophe. It was a disastrous year, famine was widespread, and the people were suffering terribly. Our Sect Leader then led many disciples down the mountain to offer relief but inadvertently offended a local tyrant,"

"This tyrant, who regularly committed grievous acts and was vengeful by nature, colluded with the government, branding my Dragon Sleep Mountain with the name of bandits. Eventually, he led his forces here, aiming to annihilate our sect once and for all! Alas, although the people of Dragon Sleep Mountain knew some martial arts, they were no match for those troops, and the calamity of our destruction loomed near..."

He spoke with a trace of indignation in his tone.

"However, at that moment, a group of Rangers from the Anling region happened to pass by. Upon learning of the whole situation, they decisively intervened and helped us resolve the crisis..."

"And they were the ones who called themselves ’Forest Guardians’..."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaoman couldn’t help but slightly raise his eyebrows, his hand subconsciously touching the pattern engraved on his bracelet.

Ye Cang continued, "Originally, those Rangers could hardly be opponents for the government forces either, but they employed a special method..."

"A special method? What was it?"

"The Spirit Manipulation Technique! They used the Spirit Manipulation Technique!" Mr. Ye raised his voice slightly, his tone becoming more urgent, "This was what the Sect Leader personally told his disciples, and this matter has always been secretly passed down from one Sect Leader to the next! Those Rangers used the Spirit Manipulation Technique to frighten off the three thousand troops of the government!"

"Although some later claimed they were charlatans, that really isn’t important anymore. What matters is that they truly saved Dragon Sleep Mountain, and that’s enough..."

By now, Zhang Xiaoman had also gained a general understanding of the events.

Ye Cang’s tone had somewhat calmed down by this time, but still, he couldn’t hide a flicker of expectation.

"Back then, Dragon Sleep Mountain, because of the tales of ghosts and gods, had split into two factions, but we always dared not forget the kindness of our benefactors. The Sect Leader personally hosted a banquet to honor them and wanted to repay them. But those Rangers rushed off that very day, leaving behind only this token, saying that if fate allowed, we would meet again, wishing only that Dragon Sleep Mountain remember today’s promise."

Saying this, Ye Cang couldn’t help but look towards Zhang Xiaoman, his gaze filled with even more anticipation.

"May I ask, sir, what is your relation to the benefactors of the past? Dragon Sleep Mountain has always dared not forget the kindness of the old friend, but sadly, for nearly three hundred years we have not been able to meet again. We have actively sought them several times to no avail, and it truly is immensely regrettable."

Zhang Xiaoman found him somewhat embarrassing as he did not know whether the Spirit Manipulation Technique was real or not, as he had made up the Forest Guardian himself. As for why such an organization would also appear in reality, he really had no idea.

However, Zhang Xiaoman was certain of one thing: this Forest Guardian was not the same as that Forest Guardian, they merely shared a similar name and emblem; this whole affair seemed like a deliberate coincidence meant to cause misunderstanding.

"Eh? Wait a moment... deliberate coincidence... and misunderstanding...?" Zhang Xiaoman suddenly got a jolt, as if he had realized something, his eyes widening, "Why do I always feel a sense of déjà vu? Could it be... this is all orchestrated by the Sect Establishment Order!?"

PS: Today I was really tired, fell asleep right after getting home from work, and when I woke up, it was already ten o’clock, so I only managed to write this Chapter, I’m truly sorry. I will try to make up for it next time.