Chapter 26: A New Horizon
The sun hung low in the sky, casting a soft golden hue over the unfamiliar landscape. Feng Lin groaned as he pushed himself up from the rocky ground, his body still aching from the chaotic battle with the guardian. Blinking against the harsh light, he quickly surveyed his surroundings.
The oppressive energies of the secret realm are gone. Instead, a vast, verdant forest stretched before him, its trees towering high into the heavens. In the distance, a mountain range loomed, their peaks shrouded in mist. It was a place of wild beauty, unlike anything he had seen in Aiden.
He was alone.
The space tunnel had collapsed during their escape, and Feng Lin could feel it in his gut—Jiang Yue and Lin Xue were nowhere near him. Whether they had survived or been flung to another part of the continent, he couldn't tell. His connection to them, fleeting as it was, had vanished the moment the tunnel shattered.
Shaking off the disorientation, he opened his system interface.
[Status ]
[Name: Feng Lin]
Cultivation Level: Essence Gathering Realm( Mid )
EXP: 2,000/65,000
Health: 90%
Qi Energy: 7,000/7,000 ]
Strength: 1,700
Agility: 1,200
Spirit: 1,800
Perception:800
Luck: 70
Skills: Chaos Manipulation – Lv 2 Shadowstep – Lv 3 Void Slash – Lv 4 Chaos Overdrive – Lv 1
Artifacts: Chaos Binding Bracelet, Chaos Energy Shard, Chaos Rune Sword
The system interface flickered briefly, and a new notification appeared.
[System Notification: Welcome to the Crimson Star Continent]
[Warning: Host is now in a hostile territory. Beware of local sects and powerful forces. New Quest Available.]
[System Notification: Quest Available – Survive and Adapt]
[Rewards: x2 Cultivation Breakthrough, Crimson Star Continent Map, Hidden Treasure]
Feng Lin's eyes narrowed. Crimson Star Continent. That name struck him as both foreign and vaguely familiar. His fragmented memories told him that it was a place of legends, filled with ancient sects, powerful cultivators, and political intrigue far beyond what he had faced in Aiden.
With a deep breath, Feng Lin stood up fully, stretching his limbs as he prepared himself for what lay ahead. The journey would be long, but he couldn't afford to sit still. He had to figure out where he was, and more importantly, how to survive in this strange new land.
Hours Later
Feng Lin moved swiftly through the dense forest, using his Shadowstep to cross long distances quickly and silently. The wind rustled the leaves around him, but the forest was eerily quiet, with no signs of animals or other cultivators nearby.
His senses were heightened, and his guard was up. If the system's warning was anything to go by, the Eastern Continent was not a place where strangers were welcomed warmly. He needed to gather information—about the local sects, the political landscape, and any potential dangers.
As he moved deeper into the forest, Feng Lin's eyes caught sight of a glimmering object half-buried in the ground ahead. Approaching cautiously, he knelt and brushed aside the dirt, revealing a smooth, polished stone embedded with runes.
The moment his fingers touched the stone, a surge of energy shot through him. The runes glowed faintly, and the system chimed in his mind.
[System Notification: You have discovered a Runic Stone of the Crimson Star Continent.]
[Runic Stone Activated: Quest Updated]
[New Objective: Follow the path revealed by the Runic Stone to the hidden treasure. Rewards: EXP, Rare cultivation technique, Crimson Star Map Fragment]
A new map fragment appeared on his interface, marking a location deep within the mountains he had seen earlier. Feng Lin's heart quickened. If this treasure held a rare cultivation technique, it could be the key to advancing his strength on this unknown continent.
He pocketed the stone and rose to his feet, determination etched across his face. The mountain path was treacherous, but it was nothing compared to the trials he had already overcome. With a final glance at the forest behind him, he set off toward the mountains, his thoughts focused on what lay ahead.
Feng Lin's ascent through the mountain pass was grueling. The path was steep and jagged, with sharp rocks jutting out from the cliffside, but he pressed on, his Qi surging through his body to keep his energy replenished.
Finally, after what felt like hours of climbing, he reached a plateau. At the center of the plateau stood an ancient stone structure, weathered by time but still radiating a faint aura of power. Feng Lin's eyes narrowed. This was the place marked by the Runic Stone.
He approached cautiously, his instincts on high alert. There were no visible traps, but the air felt thick with tension as if the mountain itself was guarding its secrets.
With a deep breath, he stepped inside.
The moment his foot crossed the threshold, the stone walls began to glow. Symbols lit up, casting a dim light across the chamber. At the far end, a pedestal rose from the ground, and atop it lay an ancient scroll, bound in dark, ethereal chains.
[System Notification: Hidden Treasure Discovered – Scroll of the Void Dragon Cultivation Technique]
Feng Lin's heart raced. A Void Dragon cultivation technique? It was a legendary method, rumored to be able to push a cultivator to unimaginable heights. But before he could take another step, the chains rattled ominously.
A voice echoed through the chamber.
"Only the worthy may claim the power of the Void Dragon."