Translator: CinderTL
Boom!!!
The last corpse fell to the ground, the swarm of serpents and Giant Pythons now unrecognizable, their blood and remains splattered everywhere.
On the withered leaves, the swamp's surface, and the green trees.
The timid fugitives turned pale, witnessing such a scene for the first time, and some couldn't help but run to the corners to vomit.
For a moment, all eyes filled with shock and awe converged on the figure in brown robes standing at the center, slowly retracting his fist.
Molly's face was visibly shaken, while the spear-wielding man beside her and the others first felt relief, but soon their expressions changed, revealing traces of fear and trepidation.
After all, they had almost considered attacking him earlier.
The atmosphere fell into a brief silence until...
Crack! A dry branch snapped underfoot.
Chen Feng turned to face the group.
The moment their eyes met, Molly, the backbone of the fugitives, hesitated for a moment before finally mustering the strength to step forward despite her injuries.
"Thank you for saving us, Master!"
Her tone was sincere and grateful as she quickly clasped her hands in a gesture of thanks.
As the only one among them who had awakened the Seed of Life, she was acutely aware of just how powerful this person was.
Peak of the third tier?
Or perhaps even the fourth?
She didn't dare to think further.
As for his youthful appearance and the reason he had approached them, Molly didn't dwell on it.
Awakening the Seed of Life often granted certain special traits, especially at higher tiers.
Maintaining a youthful appearance wasn't difficult.
It was also common for such individuals to have eccentric personalities and enjoy disguising themselves as ordinary people while traveling.
Seeing this, Chen Feng's expression remained unchanged, sensing that she had likely filled in the gaps with her own assumptions.
"Thank you for saving us, Master!"
"It was our ignorance earlier, Master, please don't hold it against us!"
The spear-wielding man and the others gradually regained their composure, their faces flushing red as they bowed in gratitude, their voices filled with shame.
Ignoring their earlier behavior, Chen Feng simply walked over to the corpse of the black-scaled snake-man and picked up a small black rock, about half the size of a fist.
His intuition told him this was some kind of metal ore, and his Steel Bones talent quickly activated.
[+1 Metal Essence!]
[+1 Metal Essence!]
Within seconds, crack!
The black ore crumbled into dust, as if he had crushed it with his bare hands.
[Steel Bones LV3: 25/100]
A notification appeared on his panel, showing an increase of 1 point in progress.
He scanned the area, but unfortunately, there were no similar black ores nearby.
"Master, are you looking for obsidian?"
Molly, standing nearby, seemed to understand Chen Feng's thoughts.
Chen Feng didn't respond, merely locking eyes with her.
"This kind of ore is extremely rare, and the deposits are well hidden. No one knows where they are."
"However, I've heard that in the Holy City, people trade in it. There are rumors that it can be used in certain rituals."
She seemed to sense that Chen Feng wasn't from the southern regions.
The key clue was his appearance—his black hair, black eyes, and complexion were something she had never seen in the south. It was said that only people from the north looked like this.
Chen Feng pondered her words thoughtfully. Soon, he saw her and the others actively collecting small hemp bags from the corpses nearby.
Inside were several finger-sized Serpent-Shaped Coins, in black, red, and silver, seemingly made of hard bronze.
"This is the common currency of the southern regions, jointly minted by the Black Blade, Fire Rong, and Silver Wood tribes."
"Master, please take these."
Her attitude was sincere. Seeing the pouch she offered, Chen Feng hesitated for a moment before accepting it and placing it into a small snakeskin bag he had picked up.
He doubted he would need it, but having it was better than not.
Then, noticing the expectant look in her eyes and the hopeful yet humble gazes of the other fugitives, he understood their intentions.
His thoughts flickered as he glanced at the corpses on the ground.
After all, his original goal had been to lure out a fourth-tier snake-man.
Moreover, the obsidian had given him an idea.
If half a fist-sized piece could provide one point of progress, what about a piece the size of a head, or even larger?
If the Holy City traded in such ores, obtaining them could significantly advance his Steel Bones talent.
With that in mind, he pointed toward the south.
Molly immediately understood, her face lighting up with joy.
"Thank you, Master!"
Having such a powerful ally would undoubtedly make their journey safer.
The spear-wielding man and the others were equally excited, and a chorus of thanks followed.
Finally, the group set off again. Chen Feng remained silent throughout, but the inconvenience of communication made him ponder.
"Perhaps I should learn the language of this world."
It sounded difficult, but for him, it wasn't too challenging.
After all, he could understand what they were saying, and he could memorize and mimic their sounds by observing the differences in syllables and tones.
Moreover, his mental strength was exceptional, and his memory was equally sharp.
As they walked, withered leaves crunched underfoot, and they navigated through twisted roots and muddy swamps.
Chen Feng took the opportunity to memorize some syllables and words, listening intently to better understand this world.
The Serpent Spirit Secret Realm, or the Serpent Spirit Continent as the fugitives called it.
Legend had it that thousands of years ago, this continent was vast and home to a brilliant human civilization known as the Ancient Taiduo Empire.
It had mastered many ancient rituals and alchemical inventions, flourishing for a time.
But later, the continent shattered, the civilization vanished, and the Serpent God was born.
The first eight people who followed the Serpent God were blessed, becoming the ancestors of the eight great snake-man clans.
Each clan carried a trace of the Serpent Spirit Bloodline, endowed with divine powers and absolute authority over certain regions.
The land they now inhabited was thus called the Serpent Spirit Continent.
"And the Holy City?"
During a rest along the way, the fugitives gathered together, curious about the ancient legends, and pressed for more information.
"The Holy City was said to have emerged hundreds of years ago. Is that true?"
"The Holy City did indeed emerge hundreds of years ago, but there are several legends about it," said Wu Heng, the spear-wielding man, who was a minor leader among the fugitives.
He hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "The first and most widely known is that the Holy City found relics of the Ancient Taiduo civilization, which allowed it to be established and provide sanctuary for us lowly ones."
"The second is that the Holy City was created by the ninth person who followed the Serpent God. He was extremely powerful but eventually left the Serpent God and founded the Holy City, where he was buried."
As he spoke, the expressions on the faces of the group varied.
Chen Feng, sitting alone to the side, seemed indifferent but was secretly listening intently.
"The third legend is that the Holy City wasn't created by someone from our world."
"It's said that an outsider arrived, someone who couldn't stand the tyranny of the snake-men and raised a banner of rebellion, thus creating the Holy City."
The speaker might have been casual, but the listener was intrigued.
Chen Feng hadn't expected these people to know about outsiders.
"Wu Heng must have heard these rumors from somewhere. Please don't mind them, Master," Molly, who had been accompanying Chen Feng throughout, said with an awkward expression, not daring to be negligent.
Chen Feng remained expressionless, simply shaking his head slightly.
These legends were unverifiable, but the mention of outsiders had given him some ideas.
Since the Serpent Spirit Secret Realm could be opened with a key, it was certain that others could also enter this world.
The Divine Martial Alliance, the Serpent Spirit Sect, and even...
"The Extreme Martial Arts Sect."
Chen Feng recalled the residual memories he had seen in Qinggang City.
Blackwater Town had been accidentally pulled into the Abyss, and the corresponding secret realm was the Serpent Spirit World.
Among the rescuers at that time were instructors from the Extreme Martial Arts and members of the Enforcement Team.
If they had also come to this world, perhaps they had left some traces behind.
His thoughts expanded, and Chen Feng grew increasingly curious about the secrets of this world.
The group finished their rest and set off again.
Gradually, another day passed, and they finally left the Green Marsh behind.
Their clothes were disheveled, with bits of withered leaves clinging to them.
But as they looked up, they saw a vast plain stretching before them.
A wide, flat dirt road led into the distance, with golden rice paddies growing abundantly, extending endlessly.
Looking further ahead, a grayish-white city stood at the horizon, built against a mountain, resembling a giant standing tall, its territory vast.
A massive waterfall cascaded down the city walls, and a silver river encircled the base, separating the city from the plain.
The drawbridge outside the gray-white walls was raised, and the buildings inside were densely packed.
Fortresses, streets, soldiers... the gray-white stones were stacked layer upon layer, and the small mountain at the center had been completely transformed, with only a patch of greenery remaining at the summit.
From a distance, they could see over the tall city walls, catching a glimpse of the gray-white houses and streets that spiraled around the mountain.
Even more striking were the giant eagles, seemingly carrying humans, circling above the city.
In an instant, the faces of the fugitives, who had been on the run for so long, lit up with excitement and longing.
"We've made it! We've finally made it!"
"That must be the Holy City! They say it's home to many powerful humans who can summon giant eagles. It's true!"
"Rumor has it that the city walls are inscribed with some kind of runes, making them indestructible. Even the snake-men can't break through..."
"We're safe at last! We're finally safe!"
Voices filled with excitement rang out, and even Molly, who was usually more composed, was breathing heavily, her hands trembling slightly.
Chen Feng, however, wasn't paying much attention to their reactions, as he too was somewhat surprised.
This was a city completely unlike anything on Earth, filled with a fantastical style.
It seemed like a secluded paradise, or perhaps a hidden castle from legends, the kind where elves might reside.
Screech!
Suddenly, as if noticing their arrival, the eagles in the sky above the city let out piercing cries.
Then, two giant eagles soared toward them.
"Don't be afraid, everyone. That's the Holy City's guard."
"Just explain the situation truthfully, and they'll guide us into the city."
Molly, who seemed to have some experience in this, calmed the group, and they waited nervously.
Soon, the sound of flapping wings grew louder as the eagles descended.
Looking up, they could see that the eagles were about five to six meters in size, with brown feathers, dark gold beaks, and sharp talons.
On their backs were strong men in silver armor and helmets, aged between twenty and thirty-five, armed with spears and bows, their expressions wary.
"Who are you?"
A sturdy man in his thirties, nearly six feet tall and clearly the leader of the group, asked.
He ignored the others, including Chen Feng, his gaze immediately locking onto Molly, filled with caution.
In that instant, Chen Feng's senses picked up on something.
The aura of the Holy City guards, though ranging from the second to the third tier, was very similar to Molly's power, clearly part of the same system.
"Master, we are fugitives from the snake-men territories."
"We admire the glory of the Holy City and hope to live within its walls."
Molly spoke truthfully, her tone sincere, even offering the pouch of Serpent-Shaped Coins as a gesture of goodwill.
However, the armored man raised his hand to stop her, frowning slightly.
He scanned the rest of the group, his expression indifferent, and shook his head.
"The Holy City's resources are limited. We can't support useless people."
"Only you have awakened the Seed of Life. I can only take you into the city."
His words struck like a hammer, and the faces of the group turned pale.
Chen Feng's eyes flickered, suddenly realizing that the Holy City might not be as idyllic as he had imagined.
"Master!"
Molly's face was urgent as she quickly spoke up, "They can work and contribute in the city! They won't be a burden!"
The others chimed in, panic evident in their voices.
But soon, a strong gust of wind blew as the eagles ascended.
The armored man's voice was cold as he and the guards looked down from above.
"People like you come every month, every year."
"The Holy City's territory is limited. Day after day, it's impossible to support everyone."
Standing high in the air, he ignored the rest, addressing Molly directly, "If you truly want to bring them into the city, go and settle outside the walls. Wait for your turn."
His cold words echoed as the two giant eagles flapped their wings, carrying the guards away.
For a moment, the fugitives who had traveled thousands of miles to get here stood in stunned silence, their faces pale with despair and confusion.
Wasn't the Holy City supposed to treat everyone equally and offer them refuge?
Why were they being turned away so coldly?
"Master Molly..."
Wu Heng, the spear-wielding man, had a complicated expression, filled with guilt and confusion.
He knew well the significance of someone who had awakened the Seed of Life. Molly, who had led them here, could have entered the Holy City directly, but now she had lost that opportunity because of them.
Molly, however, didn't respond to him.
Instead, she turned to Chen Feng, her expression equally complicated.
"Master..."
She had thought he might reveal his power and gain the Holy City's favor.
But now it seemed the master had other plans, or perhaps he didn't want to get too involved in their affairs.
"What is this 'turn'?"
Chen Feng, ignoring her thoughts, suddenly asked.
His tone was stiff and awkward, clearly struggling with the words.
He had forced himself to memorize and mimic the sounds, but they were still far from perfect.
"It's the opportunity to enter the Holy City."
All her hopes dashed, Molly was now certain that Chen Feng wasn't from the southern regions.
"I always thought it was just a rumor, but it seems to be true."
"Rumor has it that the Holy City can only accommodate a fixed number of people. Ordinary folks can only enter if someone inside dies, freeing up a spot..."
Her voice was bitter, her face downcast.
Chen Feng seemed to ponder this, his gaze shifting to the river that separated the Holy City from the outside.
There, a cluster of dark-brown buildings stood scattered, mostly built around the base of the city's mountain, with faint signs of human activity.
"It's alright, Master Molly. Just being near the Holy City is already a blessing."
The fugitives were in disarray, but Wu Heng forced a smile and stepped forward to console her.
"Besides, we can live out there, can't we? We'll just have to wait for our turn to enter the city..."
They still clung to hope and fantasy, and Molly could only sigh and accept it.
After some discussion, the group decided to head toward the base of the Holy City's mountain.
But soon, someone spoke up in surprise.
"Where's the Master?"
Molly, startled, turned to look.
A gentle breeze blew, stirring up some dust.
The burly figure in brown robes was gone, leaving only the pouch of Serpent-Shaped Coins behind.
(End of the Chapter)
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