Chapter 136 - 135: Powerful

Chapter 136: Chapter 135: Powerful

Although he had planned to lie in wait, Wu Chen knew he couldn’t just stand by; he had to actually explore the secret realm.

After all, when faced with precious herbs that could instantly increase their strength, or even Divine Weapons and sharp blades,

these people wouldn’t necessarily choose a Martial Arts manual that might take years, or even over a decade, to master with no visible results.

Besides, there was no guarantee the Martial Arts would appear in the form of a book.

What if it was carved on a stone?

’There’s no way I can slack off. If I don’t go and look for myself, I’ll definitely miss something.’

With this in mind, Wu Chen confirmed his surroundings were safe, then pulled an ancient scroll from his storage bag that was over three feet long and nearly two feet wide.

This was the map of the secret realm he’d taken from a Direct Disciple of the Blood Slaughter Sect he had killed on his way here.

After all, the Blood Slaughter Sect had existed for a century, and the secret realm opened once every four years.

While they couldn’t claim to have completely charted this secret realm, with wave after wave of disciples exploring it, they had undoubtedly mapped out at least fifty to sixty percent of the area.

"Ironwood. Ten trees can be exchanged for one Contribution Point."

It didn’t take long for Wu Chen to find his current location in the bottom corner of the map.

He also saw the resources produced there, along with their corresponding values, recorded in tiny, flyspeck-like script.

’So this stuff is called Ironwood.’

Wu Chen walked over and pressed his finger against the trunk of a dead tree, applying a little force.

CREEEAAAK—

Under the pressure of five thousand jin of force, the trunk didn’t collapse, nor did any sap ooze out.

It only left a few white marks and made a sound like twisting metal.

’If I were an ordinary disciple, this area would actually be a pretty good spot.’

Wu Chen glanced around and roughly estimated that there were at least a thousand of these ironwood trees in the grove.

Felling this entire grove would yield at least one hundred Contribution Points—by no means a small amount, and equivalent to the head of a Jade Bone Realm demon.

As for danger, there were only some snakes and scorpions coiled beneath the ironwood trees, nothing to worry about.

One could easily avoid them by sprinkling some insect-repellent powder. Or, if one got tired from chopping trees, eating these snakes and scorpions was also a decent option.

Wu Chen, of course, had no intention of chopping down the ironwood trees.

It wasn’t that he looked down on a hundred Contribution Points, but that his storage bag’s capacity was simply too limited. Even if he had the ability to fell the trees, he couldn’t fit more than a few.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

But clearly, not everyone thought the same way he did. As the rhythmic sound of chopping echoed through the woods, Wu Chen turned to look.

He saw several dozen members of the Blood Slaughter Sect wielding silvery-white axes, clenching their jaws as they swung with all their might at the base of the ironwood trees.

These people were at the Early Stage of the Flesh Refining Realm. Each swing of their axes concentrated over a thousand jin of force onto the blade, leaving a mark barely a millimeter deep on the ironwood trees.

These people were between forty and fifty years old, and several ox-carts stood ready nearby.

’Judging by their practiced movements, this isn’t their first time in the secret realm.’

’Still, at their level of strength, it must take them nearly two hours to fell a single tree.’

’Working around the clock for a day would earn them one Contribution Point. I reckon that can be exchanged for about ten taels of silver in the Blood Slaughter Sect, which isn’t half bad.’

Wu Chen gave them a glance, shook his head, and continued on his way without stopping.

Though he had plenty of storage bags on him, dealing with these people wasn’t worth the effort.

’But wait... it seems those collapsed pavilions aren’t on this map?’

Wu Chen carefully examined every area on the map as he walked.

Forests, grasslands, mountain ranges, ravines, marshes, lakes, streams, mudflats...

Among the hundred-plus regions, he didn’t see the pavilions and towers that had flashed across the light screen earlier.

He couldn’t find even a single word related to buildings.

’It seems the deepest part of this secret realm might be that area of collapsed pavilions.’

’The people who entered this secret realm before either lacked the strength to reach this place, or they all died after they got here!’

’That’s why there’s no record of this location.’

Wu Chen’s eyes narrowed. He was growing curious about this place, but he didn’t feel an overwhelming compulsion to go there.

After all, anyone capable of creating such a vast secret realm and setting its rules must possess heaven-defying abilities, far beyond mortal comprehension.

Plus, whatever was over there hadn’t even shown a health bar.

This made Wu Chen wary.

...

With the pavilions’ location unmarked, Wu Chen began to wander aimlessly, though he still generally headed toward the deeper parts of the secret realm.

Compared to the crowd busy chopping trees, he looked as carefree as a tourist out for a scenic stroll.

With nothing better to do, it only took him a short while to walk out of the monochrome ironwood forest.

The surrounding scenery gradually became lush and green.

After walking for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the gurgling sound of flowing water drifted from the distance. From the sound of it, it was likely a small stream.

’I’ve been on the road for so long. It’s about time I washed up.’

Wu Chen thought of his wretched appearance from days of hard travel. Now that he was inside the secret realm, he was no longer afraid of being recognized.

"Stop!"

However, before he could get any closer, while he was still about ten zhang away, a figure holding a blade leaped out and watched him warily.

"This area is already taken! Go somewhere else!"

’Cold Water Stone. Emits a peculiar fragrance, has the effect of regulating Qi and Blood. Ten Cold Water Stones can be exchanged for one Contribution Point.’

Wu Chen recalled the flyspeck-like script on the map for this area and looked off into the distance.

He saw a dozen or so people with bamboo baskets on their backs, wading barefoot into the stream and bending over to search for stones.

"HSSS! HAA! HSSS! HAA!"

These people were constantly sucking in sharp breaths, white mist pluming from their mouths as their teeth chattered.

The sensation of the cold air seeping in through the soles of their feet to stimulate their bodies must not have been pleasant.

Wu Chen didn’t get into a dispute with these Flesh Refining Realm disciples. He simply turned and walked along the stream, intending to find an unoccupied spot to wash up.

But in his mind, he was thinking about the two areas he had just passed.

’A forest of metallic wood, where felling trees drains one’s stamina.’

’A bone-chilling stream, where wading in stimulates the physique.’

’I haven’t seen any major dangers... the more I look, the more this seems like... a place designed to temper one’s physique?’

Wu Chen stroked his chin, his gaze growing profound as he fell into thought.

Perhaps it was because he looked down on such paltry amounts of Contribution Points, and because he hadn’t let the large number of demons go to his head.

As an observer, he was able to notice things that were out of the ordinary.

He felt this secret realm was somewhat like the grounds of some transcendent, major Sect, and that the surrounding environments were tailor-made for its disciples.

They were designed to hammer the physique and advance one’s Martial Arts realm.

’Such a grand undertaking... even the four sects of Refining Valley couldn’t accomplish this, could they?’

Wu Chen’s heart skipped a beat, and he grew curious about what kind of scene the next area would present.

Nevertheless, he continued walking upstream along the creek.

He found a stretch of the creek that had no Cold Water Stones, and was therefore deserted, and began to simply rinse the dust from his face and body.

The stream that was bone-chilling enough to make the teeth of Flesh Refining Realm disciples chatter felt merely cool to him.

SPLASH!

The clear, cold water poured over his head, cascading down every inch of his skin. The fatigue from over a month of travel was almost entirely dispelled by the current.

Doused by the cold water, Wu Chen felt refreshed and invigorated. A feeling of comfort spread through his entire body, and every pore seemed to exude a sense of joy.

’This water seems different from the water in the outside world.’

Wu Chen could sense there was something unusual about it. While it might be unbearably bone-chilling for an ordinary Martial Artist, the benefits to one’s physique were obvious.

...

But this place was surrounded by members of the Blood Slaughter Sect, after all. He washed up quickly and stepped onto the bank, not daring to reveal his powerful side for too long.

He neatly donned his inner Soft Armor, piece by piece. Instead of putting the dark-red Blood Slaughter Sect uniform back on, he took an expensive set of black robes from his storage bag.

Clothes make the man, as they say.

Now clean, with all the filth washed away and dressed in fresh clothes, he looked exceptionally handsome and dashing, practically glowing in the sunlight.

Just like my handsome readers.