Chapter 753: Counter-Invasion
Chapter 753: Counter-Invasion
Chen Chuan entered the camp tent and, upon exiting, handed the relic to Xu Chan.
"Old Xu, while I'm away, you'll be in charge of this relic. If anything unexpected happens, it's up to you to decide what to do without considering my side."
Xu Chan took it and solemnly replied, "Manager, I understand."
After Chen Chuan's instructions, he went back to prepare, as he wasn't sure about the situation at the other camp. Previously, the Skinner had mentioned that an unknown ritual was being prepared in the camp, so he had to be cautious.
He gathered some weapons and items, packing them into a travel bag. Then, holding the Snow Queen Saber in one hand, he called out to Chao Ming. As Chao Ming flapped his wings and took to the sky, Chen Chuan leaped down several times from above and began running swiftly through the insect swarm.
The swarm, from the surface, appeared to have thinned out significantly, but it still covered the ground densely. The insects varied in size, some as tiny as grains of rice and others as large as water barrels. As he stepped into the swarm, it was as if he had triggered something, and the insects began to converge towards him, fluttering their short wings and attempting to jump and pounce on him.
The most terrifying aspect of these insects was their sheer number. Once they enveloped a person, they would keep coming in waves, relentlessly surging forward until they were completely engulfed.
After taking a stand, a loud bang suddenly echoed, and a stream of energy broke through the air wall, instantly scattering all the insects that had surrounded him. Then, with a speed that was barely discernible to the naked eye, he charged forward, carving a path through the insect horde that remained unsealed for a good while.
Relying on this explosive speed, Chen Chuan rushed towards the camp's location as instructed by the Skinner.
The location provided was only an approximate area, as the Skinner had been traveling with the main force and didn't have the ability to discern directions in the Fusion Zone. He only knew the general surface features.
However, this wasn't a problem for Chen Chuan. As long as he knew that the camp was facing the wide expanse of the mountain rock, he could find it. Even if he couldn't locate it immediately, circling the area wouldn't take much time.
Fortunately, it wasn't that complicated. Soon, he noticed some smoldering campfire remains in the distance, and although the insects were congested all around, they deliberately avoided that area, giving him a clear direction.
In less than two minutes, he reached the outskirts of the camp and stopped near the campfire remains. A rumbling sound followed, and the nearby insects were all shaken and blown away by the blast of air.
He glanced inside, and although the insects were at the periphery and hadn't entered, it didn't give him a sense of security; instead, it heightened his alertness.
Even the insects seemed unwilling to venture into this place, clearly indicating something was within.
He took a look, and before the insect horde could surround him again, he stepped into the swarm, while Chao Ming hovered behind him, scouting the surroundings from above.
After taking about ten steps inside, he realized the entire camp was eerily quiet and deserted, as if it had been abandoned long ago. The surroundings seemed unusually calm, and at this moment, a sense of unease rose within him.
He halted his steps and pondered for a moment, then focused on the mental imprint in his hand. It seemed unintentional, but a glance, Xue Shuo appeared from behind him, stepped forward, and surveyed the camp. "Hmm, this situation..." He looked in one direction and said, "Let's go take a look over there first."
As he spoke, he took the lead.
Following Xue Shuo's footsteps, Chen Chuan headed in that direction. After bypassing a cluster of scattered empty tents, they saw an area enclosed by a wire mesh fence. Inside, the ground was filled with wooden stakes driven into the ground in a specific pattern, and in the center was a slightly elevated, flat surface covered by a cloth. Something was hidden beneath the cloth, but it appeared to be damaged.
Chen Chuan took a look and immediately made a judgment, "This is a Secret Sect ritual."
"I recall you're familiar with Secret Sect rituals," Xue Shuo said, "and you're right, but this isn't from our old era. I remember that after the Linaksis Federation occupied Yinglu, they obtained many ancient texts from the First People, including Free Fighting secrets and Secret Sect rituals.
"You should know that they suffered a lot at the hands of the First People's rituals, so they adopted them wholesale."
"If that's the case, the First People must have been powerful back then. How did they end up in such a state now?" Chen Chuan asked.
"The First People weren't a unified group," Xue Shuo explained. "They were divided into dozens or even hundreds of nations and thousands of tribes, and they had been killing each other for thousands of years. When the immigrants from the West Continent arrived, some even helped slaughter their own people. In their eyes, they weren't fellow countrymen but generations-old enemies."
Rather than saying they perished at the hands of the Linaksis Federation, it would be more accurate to say they fell to the combined efforts of both internal and external forces."
He commented, "In this world, any nation of significant size is difficult to conquer from the outside. It's only when internal problems arise that they become vulnerable to exploitation and defeat by others."
"Hmm, I digress," he glanced outside again, "This ritual seems to be a process of entrusting and retrieving. The Linaksis Federation seems to have a clever idea, hoping to obtain power from a certain being.
They've largely followed the original ritual setup, but with some changes. They've replaced cornflower leaves and Varo tree branches with metal plates and iron wires. If suitable ritual objects can't be found, using these alternatives is acceptable and won't hinder the ritual."
"The ritual itself is a reiteration of the initial contract. The being on the other side will try to withhold the power you seek, so it's crucial to ensure they can't cheat. This requires the integrity and detail of the ritual to guarantee it."
"Thorough and tedious preparation is essential for executing a contract. Insufficient preparation not only fails to achieve the goal but also provides loopholes for the other side. Every ritual rule is the result of countless lives and sacrifices; none are superfluous."
"In this case, the ritual was obviously conducted in haste, possibly due to the threat of Insect Sand. However, this rushed execution will lead to more problems. I'm not sure if the person in charge was unaware or didn't care, or if there's another reason."
Chen Chuan was impressed by his expertise and said, "I didn't expect Teacher Xue to be so knowledgeable about secret sect rituals."
"Well..." Xue Shou smiled, "My ancestors held high positions within the old imperial house. Our family has studied these matters, and although I didn't follow in their footsteps, I've absorbed some knowledge through exposure."
Chen Chuan nodded and looked around. "You mentioned that this ritual is for communicating with a being to transfer power, right?"
Teacher Xue gazed at the claw marks on the shattered statue on the ground and said, "This ritual probably didn't succeed, and something else came through the ritual's flaw."
As he spoke, a faint ripple appeared on Teacher Xue's figure, and a hint of fading appeared on his second self as well.
Chen Chuan looked up and suddenly realized that the surrounding scene had subtly changed. He was no longer standing in the camp but in a vast wilderness.
Ahead was a massive bullhide tent, typical of the First People, and nearby, a blazing bonfire. Inside the tent, strange sounds echoed—sounds of flesh being torn and bones being gnawed.
At the tent's entrance lay a small pile of gnawed bones, all human, mixed with torn clothing, twisted and smashed implants, and weapons.
Chen Chuan took a step to get a better view inside the tent, but this movement seemed to startle the creature within, and the sounds abruptly stopped.
After a while, the tent flap was lifted, and a woman, nearly two meters tall and with eye shadow, emerged.
She had twin ponytails, thin limbs, and sharp fingernails. Her exposed skin was covered in dark green scales, and her face had a bone-like growth, possibly for protection. Her body bore numerous forced openings and tears.
Chen Chuan's gaze intensified as he noticed a faint glow emanating from these openings, not for healing but due to an overflow of psychic power, causing her body to struggle to contain it.
When the woman looked at him, her eyes held a mixture of madness and greed, as if she saw him as food. Yet, she hesitated, lowering herself and reaching for a thick, long stick on the ground.
Teacher Xue observed her for a moment and said, "She bears signs of high-level mental power infusion, and some of that power is used to transform her body. Otherwise, she couldn't withstand the accumulation of these powers. But there's not much more, and the being behind her is clearly stingy, maintaining her but not giving her more. However..."
He warned Chen Chuan, "Even so, the power she possesses now surpasses the typical fighter's limit. Be careful."
...
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(End of Chapter)
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