Because Chen Chuan needed to travel at high speed this time and search for the target's location along the way, he had no intention of bringing along any escorts, though he would take Chaoming.
Chaoming was effectively an extra pair of eyes, vastly improving the efficiency of his search. Furthermore, if enemies drew near during a heated battle or unexpected circumstances arose, Chaoming could give him advance warning.
Everything that needed to be said had already been settled. After leaving a brief word with his squad members, he packed light, taking along various combat supplies. After a moment of thought, he took the scripture as well, then walked over to the side.
The external implant sat resting there. It contained crucial stored data and could not be left behind.
Moreover, he was essentially going to face Dongxuan View martial artists this time, and perhaps encounter other adversaries as well. Aside from aiding in combat, the conscious entity within could provide data analysis and assist in database searches, so he intended to don it for battle.
He stepped into the fissure at the implant's back. Once he was inside, the dorsal seam sealed shut instantly, and the eyes on the faceplate flared with a gleam of light.
Though he had barely used this piece of equipment in his recent fierce clashes, it had remained by his side, constantly immersed in his field as it self-adjusted and grew. After a brief moment of acclimation, it aligned with him seamlessly.
Reaching out, he lifted the Xuejun Saber from the weapon rack beside him. The red streamer at the pommel fluttered without wind.
Hanging the saber from his belt clip, he stepped out of the manor and looked up into the sky. Platinum radiance flared across his form, lifting him slowly upward.
Because this region lay entirely outside actual Federation control, he had no need to follow Federation regulations.
Upon reaching a certain altitude, light flashed, and whoosh—he streaked through the air above the Life Plateau, shooting toward the horizon in an instant.
At the same moment, Chaoming swept its wings through the sky, slicing through the air to catch up.
Only a short while later did a rolling rumble finally echo over Kawatua.
Leaning on her ceremonial staff, the High Priestess stood atop the Hatikan Temple overlook. Akhtawa stood behind her and said, "High Priestess, now that Mr. Chen has departed, I will oversee the defense of Kawatua."
The High Priestess said, "Akhtawa, all of us have witnessed your contributions. The priesthood council has decided to enter your name into its ranks."
"Gratitude for the blessings of Ikus."
Akhtawa pressed his fist to the center of his forehead, his eyes shining. A wish harbored for so many years had at last come true.
This was not merely for himself, but for the old priest who had conducted the Blood-Drinking Rite for him. The name "Akhtawa" had also been bestowed upon him by that elder—it was their sacred heritage.
Just then, an attendant approached, bowed respectfully, offered formal greetings to both of them, and announced that Deputy Delegation Leader Lu had come to visit.
The High Priestess turned slowly. "Akhtawa, come meet him with me."
Akhtawa bowed slightly. "It would be an honor."
***
North Lailus, inside the castle of the Gao Family Manor.
Gao Xinwen had changed into an old robe. It had been stored here for over a decade and was once his favorite garment; it was just that there had once been a speck of blood on the cuff that had never been washed entirely clean. Although it had been washed away, those bloodstains remained fixed in his mind, causing a piercing pang every time he remembered it, accompanied by an unspeakable loathing.
Taking several deep breaths, he rose and walked through the castle's magnificent corridors. The marble walls flanking him were inlaid with stained glass depicting ancient Eastern Continent mythological paintings. Beneath the high vaulted ceiling, colored glass lamps cast a soft, clear radiance.
Emerging from the corridor into an open courtyard, a breeze swept past, causing bronze bells hanging from the eaves to ring clearly, settling his restless mind.
A two-meter-tall figure stood upon an internal railcar.
He was a man who looked to be in his forties, with sharp facial contours, high cheekbones, thick lips, and deep-set eyes harboring cold black pupils, resembling some large predatory beast.
He was coated in a layer of external implant that seemed to have grown naturally upon his body, covered in tough, translucent keratin scales, with two rows of articulated barbs running from elbow to wrist.
The small portions of exposed skin had an ashen-cyan hue, beneath which tattoo-like veins pulsed with light that waxed and waned in rhythm with his breathing.
In a low, raspy voice, he said, "Mr. Gao." He reached out and opened the carriage door for him.
Gao Xinwen nodded to him, climbed inside, and said, "To the tunnel research facility."
Flanking the vehicle were neatly arrayed ranks of armed puppets, each clad in the latest model of protective armor and faceplate, with two gleaming Eastern Continent long sabers at their waists. As the railcar moved forward, they broke into a synchronized run as if driven by a single will.
Up in the sky, combat organisms circled back and forth in continuous patrol.
The railcar traversed a straight tunnel carved through solid rock and mountainside. Ten minutes later, it arrived at the laboratory established here by the Progenitor Company.
The facility was partially embedded in the cliffside, its exterior enclosed by an alienation membrane supported by rhomboid ribbing; light from outside turned cold, dim, and soft as it filtered through.
When the railcar halted, Gao Xinwen stepped out. The head of the research facility, accompanied by all the researchers, came forward to greet him. "Mr. Gao—"
Gao Xinwen said, "I came here on vacation to clear my head, and my elder brother asked me to look into things here. I don't have much time to waste, so if you've made any new discoveries recently, tell me directly."
The director had not expected him to cut straight to the chase and hesitated. "Over the past five years, we have dispatched twelve expedition teams in total—"
Gao Xinwen cut him off: "Give me the results."
The director had originally intended to hand over the files, but his movement stalled awkwardly at the interruption. Lowering his hands, he said, "At present, we haven't obtained anything of value from there, but we did make a discovery. We are missing a 'key.'"
"A key?"
"Yes, the right key is required," the director said. "It may be the crucial element."
He observed Gao Xinwen's expression carefully, and seeing no sign of impatience, continued, "We searched through old records and discovered that researchers from the previous institute shared the same line of thinking. One researcher might have discovered the key long ago, and it's possible he already took it with him."
Frowning, Gao Xinwen asked, "A former researcher? Which one?"
The director gestured, and someone promptly handed him a file. Gao Xinwen took it, and upon seeing the researcher's photograph and name, the grip of his fingers tightened almost imperceptibly. Kan Bo was the only one present who noticed the shift in his mood.
Gao Xinwen said, "I will have people keep an eye out." His voice was almost entirely flat. Tossing the file back to the director, he turned and strode away.
The security guards at his side hurried after him, but his pace was swift, as if he did not want to linger here for another second.
Surprised by his abrupt departure yet feeling considerably relieved, the director glanced thoughtfully at the faintly creased file in his hands, then turned around. "Don't just stand there. Back to work."
Once the researchers dispersed, he walked all the way back to the archive room. Taking one more look at the refined, scholarly young researcher in the photograph, he smoothed out the wrinkles with his hand and placed the file back into its drawer.
***
Arcana State. A streak of light appeared above the Federation's northwestern coastline, then came to an abrupt halt.
Chen Chuan hovered in midair, gazing out at the vast, boundless sea ahead. Past this point, he was effectively beyond the Federation's borders.
In a plateau valley nearby lived another tribe of First People; situated behind Kawatua, they had long remained undisturbed by Federation citizens.
Just then, a sentry spotted him and shouted in excitement. Before long, more and more people gathered, dropping to their knees in prayer.
Chen Chuan saw them, but made no response. After confirming his bearings, he transformed once more into a streak of light and sped away.
Guided by the external implant's analysis and navigational data, he could easily determine whether any island he passed was the one he sought, while keeping track of his exact coordinates at every moment. Thus, he had no need to stop and could maintain his course without deviation.
Moreover, whenever he flew over uncharted islets and reefs, the conscious entity cataloged them into its database, updating its charts along the way.
In this manner, in less than two hours, he reached the vicinity of the vast sea area circled by the High Priestess.
The weather shifted; a sudden storm gathered, roiling the sea in surging swells as the sky turned gloomy and dark.
For him, however, this was hardly bad news. From here onward, observation outposts and patrol airships belonging to the Progenitor Company were scattered throughout the region. With the onset of the storm, the airships could not take off and visibility plummeted, yet none of this hindered his perception.
The next step was to find that island.
Following the route mapped by the conscious entity within the external implant, he advanced along the optimal path.
Amid torrential rain, a beam of bright light slashed through the dark sky, skimming across the churning, raging seas like a bolt of lightning.
Most sentries stationed on the surrounding islands remained warm indoors; none noticed that abrupt streak of brilliance between sea and sky.
Five minutes later, he flew out of the storm's grasp. Looking out, the entire world suddenly returned to bright, calm sunshine.
The sky opened into a lofty, pristine azure. Sunlight poured through gaps between clouds, splintering into shimmering reflections across the pure, expansive ocean. Not far ahead, a large island emerged.
Shallow emerald bays encircled the island, the water so clear one could see to the seabed. With his eyesight, he could easily distinguish schools of fish gliding below and vivid corals, bordered by beaches as fine and white as snow.
Yet that was only the surface. Across the display of his external implant's visor, glaring red warning lights flashed everywhere—signaling a massive field enveloping the entire island.
His gaze narrowed slightly. The silhouette of this island matched what the High Priestess had sketched, but he made another discovery: certain structures on the island aligned with locations that had surfaced in his memory potion visions.
Gazing intently at it, he knew he had found the right place.
Chapter 1248