âBrother Xun⊠what are those things?â
Xiao Chiâs fur bristled, his voice trembling as a suffocating sense of oppression radiated from the distant sky. âAre those warships?â
Brother Ox let out a sharp snort, his eyes narrowing with a hint of ferocity. âNo⊠itâs not the energy of a teleportation array.â
It reminded him of when they had torn through their small domain into a new oneâinstantaneous transit without the need for a corresponding array at the destination. The concept alone upended his understanding of formations.
Sister Craneâs wide, curious eyes locked onto the massive objects in the distance. Their shimmering silver exteriors and imposing size exuded an unyielding strength. The sheer scale of these constructs left her speechless.
Yet she wasnât frightened. The enormous objects floating in the sky hadnât noticed their presence, nor did they appear to pose a direct threat.
Chen Xun took a deep breath, his gaze locked on the abrupt arrival of the celestial behemoths. There had been no warning signs, nothing to prepare them for this unexpected event.
<hr>
Boom!
A muffled roar echoed from the sky. The vast vessels trembled as spiritual energy and space around them compressed. In an instant, four of the colossal constructs vanished, scattering in four directions.
The group instinctively concealed their presence, with Sister Craneâs barrier enveloping them in a protective cocoon. Yet their eyes remained fixed on the single remaining leviathan hovering in the air.
âI canât make out what it is, but it doesnât look like a warship,â Chen Xun murmured, his sharp eyes narrowing. âTo construct something like this⊠what kind of crafting master could create such a marvel? Letâs observe first and figure out its purpose.â
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Brother Ox nodded solemnly, his gaze steady. âIt doesnât move like a ship. Itâs like⊠space itself swallows it whole, skipping physical movement entirely.â
Chen Xunâs interest grew. âIts materials seem highly attuned to spatial energy. This isnât just any artifact.â
âEveryone, steady yourselves,â he commanded. âLetâs see if any cultivators emerge from it. We must tread carefullyâour first impression of this great world shouldnât be a misstep.â
<hr>
Suddenly, Chen Xunâs composed demeanor cracked. His hand, previously clasped behind his back, clenched involuntarily.
âWhat theâŠ?â
âMoo?!â
Brother Oxâs eyes widened in disbelief as they watched the unbelievable scene unfolding.
<hr>
Boom! Boom!
From the leviathanâs base, a massive silver ring of light appeared. Countless objects began cascading down in a torrent, kicking up clouds of dust and dirt as they struck the ground. The sheer volume was staggering, but it was clearâthese were discarded items.
âTheyâre⊠throwing things away!â Xiao Chi exclaimed, his voice rising in pitch.
âBrother Xun, itâs like how you used to toss orange peels off the edge of the table!â
Brother Oxâs eyes glimmered with a sudden realization. The scene mirrored the days when they disposed of useless scraps from their smithy.
The group exchanged uneasy glances, a creeping dread settling in.
âIs this⊠the dumping ground of the great world?â
<hr>
Chen Xunâs expression shifted between hues of green and red as his grip tightened on his âIntroduction to the Great Worldâ notebook. In the distance, the silver-skinned colossus, seamless in design, displayed no signs of wear. Yet, dozens of small apertures suddenly opened across its hull, releasing hundredsâno, thousandsâof tiny figures.
Some streaked through the air on beams of light, while others piloted gleaming treasures as they descended. Local cultivators.
<hr>
Chen Xunâs eyes sparkled with renewed excitement. The gloomy realization that they might be in a âdumpâ was temporarily set aside. âFinally⊠people. Letâs see what theyâre capable of.â
âBrother Xun, are they here to clean up the discarded items?â Xiao Chi asked, crouching nervously.
âStay calm,â Chen Xun said. âWeâll watch for now. We donât want to risk exposing ourselves before we understand their intentions.â
<hr>
The leviathan continued its operation for two full days and nights, disgorging a seemingly endless stream of discarded materials. The group stood vigil the entire time, carefully analyzing every detail.
As two suns rose on the horizon, the remaining four colossi reappeared. Their arrival carried waves of spatial and spiritual energy that rippled through the air. Together, the five vessels began retreating into a shrinking rift in the sky.
As the colossal structures vanished and the sky returned to its normal tranquility, Chen Xun stood.
<hr>
âLetâs move,â he said.
âMoo.â
The group quickly set off, their figures blending seamlessly into the vast forest. For seven days, they traversed the expansive wilderness. Emerging from the dense canopy, they found themselves in a picturesque valley. Towering mountains, rushing rivers, and endless greenery stretched as far as the eye could see.
<hr>
At the foot of one of the mountains sat a man in a simple green robe. Thin and weathered, his face bore a calm, thoughtful expression as he meditated, stabilizing his cultivation.
This was Mo Fuyang, an unassuming Nascent Soul cultivator with a five-element mixed spiritual root. Despite his seemingly average constitution, he represented the ordinary face of the Taiyi Great World.
He sighed lightly. Though five-element spiritual roots were common, their power paled in comparison to purer or higher-tier roots. While exceptional five-element cultivators could rival heavenly spiritual roots, Mo Fuyangâs impure variant left him struggling to rise above mediocrity.
Even so, he bore no resentment. âAt least Iâm alive. Thatâs more than most mortals get.â
<hr>
A smile crept across his face as he murmured, âTime to treasure hunt again. I wonder what kind of rare materials Iâll find this time.â
His heart was light. Despite lacking talent for combat, Mo Fuyang had carved out a peaceful life as a treasure hunter, scouring discarded relics for valuable finds. In this vast and competitive world, he was content with his humble existence.