LOL: Let me touch your steel

Seeing this, Zhang Xu shook his head helplessly, but still explained softly: "This continent is called Ionia. To be precise, it is composed of a continent and other large and small islands. Of course, Ionia is only called that by outsiders. Ionians call it the Land of the First Birth."

"Well... this island continent is filled with all kinds of natural beauty and raw magic. The magic of this land may be unpredictable, and the creatures that inhabit it may be dangerous and magical, but there has always been a peaceful and prosperous life here. The martial monasteries, the militias in each province, and even the land of Ionia itself are enough to protect the local residents."

"Until the old 'leader' of Noxus, Bron Darkwill, launched a war against Ionia in search of immortality, and the peace was broken. Although the Ionians fought hard for several years and successfully repelled the invaders, the lesson learned this time also caused a certain degree of division within Ionia."

"Some of them hope that Ionia will return to its isolated, peaceful and idyllic traditions, while other radical factions advocate the militarization of the magic of this land and the establishment of a unified country that is strong enough to retaliate against Noxus."

"So... Ionia isn't actually a country now?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Kassadin's eyes. She had never expected that such a large continent on the map was not a unified country. She always thought that Ionia was not much different from the Shurima Empire.

"Of course not. Just like Zaun and Piltover, these two places are just city-states, Bilgewater is a bay area, and Ionia is more like a federation of all the forces in the First Land."

Zhang Xu smiled and looked at Kasa, "By the way, do you still remember the Vastaya you met in Ixtal?"

"You mean Neeko? Of course I remember!"

Of course Kasa would not forget the member of the Mist Tail tribe who could change into other people's appearances and even made it difficult for him to distinguish himself, but she didn't understand why Zhang Xu suddenly mentioned this.

"Because the pursuit of balance in all things has long been the cultural tone of Ionia, the boundary between the material and spiritual realms is also vague here. The ancestor of the Vastaya, Vastaya Auspicious, exists here. So, if nothing unexpected happens, you should be able to meet many Vastaya here."

"Are they the same as Neeko?"

"No, it's different. Some Vastaya have rough looks. Not all Vastaya are as pleasing to the eye as Neeko."

"Look! I see the continent! Ionia, we're here!"

Looking at the vague outline of the mountain ahead, Sarah's eyes suddenly lit up and her expression became much more excited.

At this moment, Sivir and Janna came out of the room and onto the deck. After hearing Sarah's scream, they quickly came over and looked forward.

The mountains in the distance present clear contours under the blue sky, with ups and downs and layers upon layers. The surrounding sea surface is shrouded in clouds and mist, making the outline of the entire mountain range look like a fairyland.

Almost everyone's face showed excitement, and Zhang Xu was also shocked.

After drifting on the sea for so long, I finally arrived here...

The first land, Ionia!

In the entire Runeterra, apart from Shurima, the places Zhang Xu is most looking forward to visiting are Freljord and Ionia.

The former is because I want to see the Howling Abyss in the game and the demigods that were almost born at the same time as Runeterra, and the latter...

The Soul of Ionia, the Order of the Kinkou, the Order of the Shadow, the Vastaya, Syndra who wields enough magic to destabilize the entire continent... and Varus, I'm here to add my own magic!

Chapter 244 Varus

In the middle of summer, if you were in the Shurima desert, it would have been scorching hot and unbearable. But when you step onto this island and walk between the mountains, you can feel a refreshing coolness.

On the island at the edge of the First Land, there is lush green shade between the mountains, and under their feet is a passage trampled out by caravan carriages - or perhaps trampled out by the Noxian army. This passage leads to the unknown distance.

"This is Ionia... The air is really different. There's no dust from the Shurima desert, and no salty smell from Bilgewater. It's so beautiful!"

"Yeah, but this place...seems a little familiar."

"Look familiar? Haven't you been here before?"

"It's just a feeling."

Kasa frowned and thought for a moment, and finally came up with an idea: "It feels like this place is not much different from Ixtal, the scenery is very similar."

Hearing this, everyone was stunned, only Zhang Xu nodded thoughtfully:

"If that's the case... the two places are indeed not that different. Both are shaded by green trees and are filled with abundant elements... maybe it's because they are both isolated from the world?"

Ionia and Ixtal are both "isolated from the world", but their "isolation" is different.

Ixtal is completely closed because almost all the Ixtal people are gathered in their sanctuary, Ixoken, and they have built a tall and solid wall with magic to isolate themselves from the outside world.

Ionia is different. The isolation here is entirely due to its own geographical factors. Because Ionia itself is separated from the surrounding continents by a vast ocean, it seems to be in a different world.

Of course, even a place like Ixtal that wanted to be closed off would be found by Piltover's mining teams, so it would be even more impossible for Ionia to avoid being completely isolated from the world simply due to geographical factors.

Because Ionia is rich in magical power, everything here is full of special temptations for people from other regions, so even if there is a sea between them, there will still be foreign caravans heading here.

"Huh... This place is better than I thought, but... It seems like no one lives on this island."

Xiweier looked around carefully and finally came to a conclusion.

To be precise, there is no human life, but it is not ruled out that there may be Vastaya people living in the jungle.

"If you want to know if there is anyone there, why don't you just look around?"

"That's a great idea, so let's just keep going down this road, shall we?"

.....

----

Under the sunlight, a somewhat dilapidated temple is located here. This temple was not like this before, but the iron hoofs of the Noxian army trampled it into its current state.

No one would pay attention to this remote temple, and naturally no one would repair it.

But there was someone in the temple. A figure was sitting quietly beside a well in the temple. The sunlight shone on his body, which was pale and inhuman.

A brand new body that is half human, half darkin.

Darkin, Varus.

He has been resurrected for a long time, but apart from the initial killing of Noxian invaders, he rarely stepped out of this long-ruined temple.

The instinct of the Darkin drove him out of the temple, looking for his former people and taking revenge on certain people. But the other two voices in his body kept bothering him.

"I have been imprisoned for too long." He said to himself.

He despised the human noises coming from his new lips and tongue, which sounded low and primitive. But at least he could speak again.

He thought again of the invading Noxian human soldiers. In his vision, these humans were surprised by his appearance. They charged towards him with sharp weapons in their hands, but there was no fear in their eyes.

"My people once completely destroyed this world, but now, we have been forgotten..."

[Over time, even the heaviest fear will fade away.]

These were the voices of the two humans in his body. Varus couldn't tell whose voices they were, and he didn't care.

“Any race that forgets to gaze into the abyss and to be ever on guard against the danger of extinction is not worthy of longevity.”

Varus slowly stood up from the well and picked up the bow weapon beside him.

【You can't leave here.】

It was the two human voices again. After so long, Varus had almost gotten used to it.

Perhaps they sensed the terrifying murderous intent in him, or were frightened by what Varus had said. The two humans did not want Varus to leave.

Fortunately, they seem to be able to restrain this terrible guy now.

"My people...are waiting for me."

[Your compatriots are dead. The world outside has become completely different.]

Varus felt that his legs and arms seemed to be shaking uncontrollably. The two people in his body were still trying their best to control themselves, trying to trap him in the temple.

Varus exhaled, and before inhaling again, he took a firm step forward.

Although the two souls in the body were still trying their best to stop it, they were powerless.

The one who has greater control over this body is always Varus, the guy who calls himself the Darkin.

"Even if my people are extinct...I will never allow the world to forget the extinction of my people."

Varus expressed his determination and ignored the voices of the two souls in his body.

Just when he was about to step out of the temple and leave, he seemed to hear a noise outside the temple that he had never heard before.

That's... the cry of humanity.

Varus grinned and stopped.

It was not the two souls in his body that stopped his actions; this time, it was his own decision.

Varus lowered his head and glanced at the bow in his hand. The bow seemed to sense the surge of killing intent in Varus's heart, and the purple-red light was ready to move, as if a purple lightning-like arrow would appear out of thin air in the next second.

[No, you can't do that!]

The voice inside his body was trying its best to stop him and make him put down the bow.

But this time, the two guys in his body will no longer be an obstacle to him.

Varus raised his head again, and a dark red light flashed in his eyes.

He had a premonition that a new round of killing was about to begin from this moment.

Chapter 245 Rebellion against Tiangang

“Will there be people living here?”

"Here... there is actually a temple?"

"It's just a ruined temple."

Following the long path, the group finally found the temple that looked dilapidated or damaged by war. Although the entire temple was completely exposed to the sun, it inexplicably had a gloomy feeling.

Zhang Xu frowned, feeling inexplicably familiar.

According to the map, they are now on the southernmost island in Ionia, and the temple on this island...

Temple of Pallas! ?

Zhang Xu's expression suddenly frightened, and he quickly stopped the women around him from trying to break in.

If I remember correctly, the Darkin Varus existed in this temple. And judging from the time, Varus had been resurrected in a brand new body at this time.

But Zhang Xu did not sense any breath of the Dark Race. The entire temple looked normal except that it was a little gloomy.

Has he left already?

Or...is the aura of the Darkin blocked by this temple?

Zhang Xu pursed his lips and said in a low voice: "It's better to be careful."

Seeing Zhang Xu's expression, Kasa and others on the side gradually restrained their smiles, their expressions became much more serious, and they followed Zhang Xu vigilantly, slowly approaching the gate of the temple.

The moment Zhang Xu's hand touched the door, everyone's hearts tensed.