Chapter 720: The Mysterious Land
Chapter 720: The Mysterious Land
Dragon Nose Horse galloped swiftly along the river, its hooves kicking up mud as it ran, followed closely by two pack horses. Despite not being an experienced rider, Chen Chuan quickly adjusted to the horse's movements, his exceptional physical control and coordination making him seem like a seasoned equestrian.
The area they were traversing was undeveloped, with dense forests, but the riverbanks on both sides opened up to a vast expanse. According to the map provided by Chen Bitong, the river's direction led directly to his intended destination, so for now, he just needed to follow its course.
However, in the Convergence Zone, things were often in flux, and common sense might not apply. Chen Chuan was prepared to adapt to any situation.
Moreover, this region was not as tranquil as it appeared on the surface. As he rode along the river, he occasionally encountered strange creatures near the water. To save time, he usually avoided them, but if necessary, he used his spiritual power to drive them away.
After several hours of riding, the river ahead suddenly narrowed, and on both sides, he saw a vast expanse of riverbank pebbles, all of similar size and shape as if polished by hand.
Chen Chuan took a quick glance and urged his horse to leap over them. As the horse's hooves touched the pebbles, they came to life, standing on their tiny legs and scurrying into the river.
These "pebbles" were actually armored insects resembling the river stones, and as Chen Chuan rode past, a long stretch of these insect-stones began to undulate like a wave.
Chen Chuan ignored them and spurred his horse forward. Although they were not moving at the Dragon Nose Horse's top speed, the pack horses could still keep up.
After traversing this stretch for a while, Chen Chuan looked back, and the insect-stones had vanished without a trace. The narrow river, now blocked, overflowed its banks.
The pack horses seemed exhausted from the pace, breathing heavily. Chen Chuan stopped to rest and checked the Vitality Index on his wrist. Even without using his Secondary Self, the display still read zero.
With his cultivated spiritual power, he could clearly sense the encroaching influence, and it was effortless for him to resist it. He realized that having sufficient spiritual power might be the key to better adapting to this region.
Looking up, he spotted Chao Ming patrolling the skies above, keeping an eye on the surroundings for Chen Chuan's safety. The environment and the creatures here were too dangerous to venture alone.
After a brief rest, Chen Chuan watered and fed his horses some nutrient paste before continuing their journey.
The next few hours passed uneventfully until the afternoon when the river took a sharp turn, and the banks were covered in black, decaying soil. Fat, crimson-headed worms squirmed and writhed in the soil.
Chen Chuan recognized these creatures from his memories as Crimson Headed Worms. The impression was so strong because, according to Chen Bitong's experiences, these worms were particularly delicious when roasted, and even more so when skewered and grilled over maple wood.
This wasn't a matter of gluttony but a necessary part of their work in the Convergence Zone. Many things here were high in nutritional value, some could be used as medicinal ingredients, and many were rare biological materials, which was why so many companies had established branches in this region.
In a sense, the undeveloped area, despite its extreme dangers, was a treasure trove if one could explore and utilize its resources.
Third-Limit Fighters, like Chen Chuan, could discern the general life limits of creatures, knowing what was safe to eat and what wasn't. With their robust vitality, even if they mistakenly consumed something harmful, they could endure it.
Of course, this was only possible with teammates around; no one would dare to do this alone.
Chen Chuan, however, was unbothered by this, thanks to his Secondary Self. He wasn't afraid of these creatures, but he didn't have the time to roast worms; he'd rather spend that time cultivating.
He knew that the black, decaying soil, despite its harmless appearance, could be treacherous. Stepping on it could cause one to sink, and there was no solid ground to exert force against. Even Chen Chuan had to approach it with caution, and the best option was to avoid it altogether.
After a brief pause, he steered his horse around the area, finally bypassing it after several hours.
Now, they were off the original river course, and it wasn't easy to determine the correct direction in the Convergence Zone, especially without the guidance of celestial bodies. They had to rely on their surroundings for a general sense of direction.
Chen Chuan consulted the map stored in his Boundary Token and estimated that if he hadn't veered too far off course, there should be a settlement of natives nearby where they could communicate and possibly obtain information about the Coalition, Linax Federation, and the Garrison Camp.
Chen Bitong had even stayed in that settlement for a few days in the past. Finding it might provide Chen Chuan with a clear understanding of his current location and, with luck, valuable information.
After circling around, a significant amount of time had been wasted, and it seemed unlikely that they would reach their destination before nightfall.
The night in the Convergence Zone was unusually dangerous and eerie, making it highly unsuitable for traveling. Therefore, they needed to find a place to camp first.
Nothing in the wilderness of the Convergence Zone could be trusted, not even the trees. Places with water sources were especially perilous. Eventually, he found an open area backed by a slope.
After confirming the location, he punched the ground several times, creating a deep pit with the force of the explosions. The rubble and insects beneath were crushed by his powerful blows.
He then unfolded a folding shovel and easily dug a cave large enough for two people to turn around in.
After exiting, he sprinkled some special insect repellent powder in the hollow and retrieved a unique curtain from his horse's pack. He laid the curtain inside the cave and sprayed it with a liquid from a spray bottle, causing it to quickly harden and stabilize the area.
Once this step was completed, he took out a tent coated with a special substance. He laid a layer of it over the hardened curtain and set up the upper part, securing it firmly. Finally, he fastened all the hooks and buckles on the edges, ensuring a tight seal without any gaps.
After checking everything once more, he went outside and gathered some firewood. About 16 feet away from the tent, he arranged three piles of firewood in a triangular shape and inserted a "Fire Core," an essential item for spending the night in the Convergence Zone, in the middle. After leading the three horses to the vicinity of the tent, he lit the firewood.
The blazing fire illuminated the entire tent, enclosing it in the middle.
Chen Chuan glanced at his watch; it was almost 6:00 pm. He called out to Chao Ming, who entered the tent, and then he followed, stepping inside. As he did, the sky outside suddenly darkened, and the tent became pitch-black.
He reached out and flicked a switch. Instantly, an oil lamp lit up, revealing Chao Ming curled up obediently in the corner.
After feeding Chao Ming a few nutritional bars, Chen Chuan descended into the dugout beneath the tent.
He wasn't planning to waste time; instead, he intended to open a rift for spiritual cultivation.
There were no Worm Queens or Domain surveillance here, and no one would bother him. However, the Convergence Zone was closer to the other world, which could potentially lead to unforeseen situations.
Given the dangers of the Convergence Zone, he wouldn't attempt to open a rift casually. But now that he could repair rifts, he could quickly seal them if something went wrong.
He sat down to regulate his breathing. After about ten minutes, he suddenly felt something crawling on the tent, searching for an opening to enter.
At the same time, he sensed that the entire area seemed to be flowing, as if something was pushing it forward.
Maintaining a calm gaze, he steadied his mind and focused on his breathing. After a while, he adjusted his state and retrieved the Snow Lady Sword. He unsheathed the sword and held it in front of him.
Grasping the hilt firmly, he made a swift stroke forward, and instantly, a slit as long as an arm, glowing with light, appeared before him.
At that moment, he felt a gust of air rushing out from within. The tent was filled with countless piercing shrieks, as if they were right next to his ears.
Through the rift, he saw countless dense, eye-like objects, sticking together in a viscous manner, occasionally rotating and rolling.
Chen Chuan stared at the other side. After slashing open the rift in Central City, most of what he saw were mere shadows, but in the Convergence Zone, these things seemed to have substantial forms.
However, he noticed that after these objects appeared, the strange noises outside vanished without a trace, and he no longer felt anything.
With a serene expression, he sat before the rift, his knees resting on the Snow Lady Sword, observing the beings within while practicing an essence absorption technique.
He didn't need to know what those beings were; if they tried to come through, he would immediately annihilate them. If they proved too overwhelming, he could seal the small slit in an instant.
After cultivating for a while, he discovered that the essence he absorbed from the rift was far more abundant than what he could obtain in Central City.
Moreover, the rift lasted exceptionally long. Previously, during his sea cultivation, the rifts could sustain for about four hours, but today, after four hours, the rift showed no signs of weakening.
However, in contrast, the beings on the other side became restless, attempting to seep through toward him.
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Chapter end
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