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Chapter 1102:
Chapter 1102:
After a two-day rest at the hotel, Chen Chuan's delegation, now refreshed and rejuvenated, boarded a train bound for Viaustralia.
The following day, as the train approached the outskirts of Central City, colorful hot air balloons dotted the azure sky, marking the start of the Federation's annual holiday celebrations. It was December 25th, and the sun shone brightly yet gently, casting its rays on the distant Central Rift Mountains, their gray and white peaks stretching across the horizon.
Central City, nestled atop the first ridge of the mountain range, resembled a city perched on a mountaintop. Despite its elevated position, the city's slopes were gentle, creating a unique blend of height and accessibility.
Dense buildings clustered along the slopes, radiating outward like the veins of the mountainside. Roads snaked away from the city, their surfaces shimmering with the reflections of countless vehicles. In the distance, the mighty Teta River wound its way through the heart of the city, flanked by sprawling industrial zones. Neat rows of factories and towering chimneys dotted the landscape, with transport ships navigating the river's course.
Perhaps due to its reputation as the Martial Artist City, or the high caliber of its city management, the ubiquitous spore mist that plagued Serranocha Central City was notably absent here, preserving the beauty of the surroundings.
Upon arrival, the delegation transferred to a boat, sailing along the river towards the inner harbor. As the boat approached the locks, it would rise with the water level, ascending like a river flowing upstream. Passengers marveled at the architecture on both sides as the boat passed through layer upon layer of mountain gates, eventually reaching the elevated inner harbor.
While waiting to enter the locks, they witnessed the famous Shattered Column Beach on both sides of the river. Numerous towering stone columns stood, some intact while others lay in fragments. It was said that these columns were remnants of the First People, but archaeological evidence dated them back at least 20,000 years, a time when the First People were still in their primitive era. Such a massive construction project was far beyond the capabilities of a simple ancient civilization.
The Federation's academic community used this evidence to argue that the First People were not the original inhabitants of this land, but outsiders like themselves.
Chen Chuan observed these majestic stone columns, aware that countless nations and civilizations had been lost to history during the Cold Silence Period. It wasn't surprising to find traces of an ancient kingdom within Daxun's borders, as similar relics could be found across the continent.
At that moment, he spotted figures clad in tattered robes, barefooted, and with loose, flowing hair. They moved among the columns, seemingly piecing together fragments of stone and carefully placing them back in their original positions. With each placement, they would bow to the columns in reverence.
These individuals were undoubtedly Chan practitioners from Xiaojue Temple.
Chen Chuan was not surprised by this revelation. In the past, after the Chan Teachings suffered setbacks in their rivalry with another faith, they had journeyed east, with some settling on the continent of Yulin. A temple had been established on the southern island of Savira, in a densely populated region. The influence of the Chan practitioners was not to be underestimated, as the temple had produced numerous martial artists, including the Federation delegation's Master Prabhakal, who hailed from Xiaojue Temple.
As one observer watched for a while, they noticed that some of the practitioners were placing small pieces of stone, seemingly trying to reassemble the broken columns. They asked curiously, "Can they put it back together like this? Some of them have already crumbled into small pieces."
"Yes, without any adhesive or filler, they're stacking these stones like a jigsaw puzzle. I wonder if it will hold together."
Just then, someone pointed to another practitioner nearby, saying, "Look."
The group turned to see a practitioner who had already assembled a rough outline using numerous small stone fragments. It was unclear how long it had taken to gather these pieces, and gaps remained between the stones, but a general shape was discernible.
At that moment, the practitioner carefully placed a relatively intact broken column on top, causing the onlookers to hold their breath in anticipation.
Sweat dripped down the practitioner's face as they moved with slow, deliberate motions. Finally, they released their hold, and the column stood firm.
However, before anyone could applaud, a gust of wind blew, causing the column to sway and eventually topple, sending the carefully placed stones tumbling down. Dust and debris covered the practitioner's face, and some places even bled, leaving them in a pitiful state.
The scene elicited a mix of sympathy and laughter from the nearby boats, as the practitioner's misfortune seemed to amuse the onlookers.
Chen Chuan and his companions, however, did not join in the laughter. Many of them recognized the practitioner's sincere devotion, and even in failure, there was no trace of regret or disappointment. Instead, they paused for a moment, then bent down to gather the stones, now reduced to even smaller fragments, ready to try again.
The passengers watched with keen interest, eagerly anticipating the next move, as if they wanted to see him succeed, yet also relishing the prospect of witnessing another failure.
"Look over there..." someone in the crowd pointed into the distance, their expression a mix of amazement and disbelief.
Everyone turned to look, and they were all stunned by what they saw.
Several pillars had been reassembled, but the connecting parts were made up of numerous small, solitary stones, haphazardly stacked into a wobbly "thread." Most astonishingly, this thread supported nearly half of a pillar, which stood upright, as if held by an invisible force.
It was incredible that such a simple, almost playful arrangement could support a pillar nearly eighteen meters tall, standing straight and firm as if bound by an unseen force.
"Will it... not fall?" someone asked.
The guide reassured, "Don't worry, it won't. These were erected by Chan Teachings masters. The first one has stood for over five hundred years, and it still stands tall today, a famous landmark in Viaustralia."
Chen Chuan observed that these Chan practitioners were no ordinary people, and they hadn't used any spiritual power during the stacking process.
The same was true for the large pillar.
However, Chen Chuan could sense a faint pulling force between the pillars, as if the earth and mountains were connected. This was likely due to an extremely vast ritual that had once existed, now weakened but still present, like the wind in the forest, appearing and disappearing.
If someone with keen spiritual senses were to place the broken stones onto the ritual at the moment of its appearance, they could stand on it without it falling.
Each subsequent stacking step had to be perfectly aligned, leaving no gaps. The more external objects were incorporated into the ritual, the more challenging it became, testing one's inner resolve. So, while it appeared to be supporting the pillar, it was actually a practice of refining the mind, or as the Chan Teachings would say, "Jue Xin."
As they watched, the ferry passed through one water gate after another, gradually rising higher. The buildings on the plain below seemed to descend, providing a novel experience that elicited exclamations of wonder.
After ascending several levels, they finally arrived at the inner harbor port. Here, two towering buildings stood facing each other, connected by a sky ladder. The exterior walls were adorned with bright, shimmering light blue glass curtain walls, and at the center was a massive West Coast emblem.
On the walls of the two buildings were two giant advertisement screens, displaying silver-white biological forms that gleamed in the sunlight.
Along the road, tall black frames over five meters high stood on both sides, a unique field information frame characteristic of the Federation, similar to the boundary points in Dashun.
At this moment, the guide said, "Please connect and log in to the city platform of Central City in Viaustralia. After identity verification, you can enjoy comprehensive city services."
The Federation used "cochlea insects" for implant technology, but the boundary tokens had already been skillfully adjusted and modified by technical experts, allowing direct access to the other party's field platform.
Usually, this kind of connection was not allowed and was considered private access. However, the visit group had special circumstances, and after exchanging opinions with the central city, they were granted a permit to use this connection and communication method during their visit.
After a few taps, everyone logged onto the platform, and the surrounding scene came alive. Various information and sounds flashed and refreshed on the light curtain in front of the boundary token. In the distance, the spaces where the information frames had been were now filled with various information screens.
The most numerous were information about martial arts matches, providing detailed records for each fighter, including past match records, win-loss ratios, personality traits, winning percentages, and popularity indexes.
Conveniently, betting odds were also displayed. With a simple tap, one could easily buy tickets and place bets. Of course, if one didn't want to bother, they could purchase a service and entrust the city's active or inactive consciousness entities to manage and place bets, providing timely reminders and notifications of any financial changes.
However, the visit group had rules and discipline, prohibiting participation in such activities to prevent potential leaks of internal secrets.
After arriving, Chen Chuan suddenly felt a vague sensation. He looked up and felt as if a power from above was watching him.
At that moment, the light curtain flickered, and a woman in a white robe with silver-white hair appeared a few steps away. Simultaneously, an unusually ethereal and gentle voice spoke,
"Hello, Chen. I am 'Alura,' the active consciousness manager of the city. How may I serve you?"
...
...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
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