Chapter 648: Chapter 650 - Chapter 650: Chapter 650: Map

Chapter 650: Chapter 650: Map

Song Jian felt a blur before his eyes, as if he were suddenly plummeting from a great height. His body felt weightless, and he lost control.

However, Song Jian quickly felt solid ground beneath his feet. Instinctively taking a couple of steps forward to regain his balance, he rubbed his swollen eyes and thought to himself: “This has been the most uncomfortable teleportation I’ve ever experienced, bar none!”

Upon opening his eyes, Song Jian found himself standing on a giant platform. This platform was over thirty meters in diameter, surrounded by a circle of smaller platforms about ten meters in diameter. There were many other disciples moving around these platforms.

Around this platform was a small, careful town. Beyond that was an endless green plain, dotted with fields of medicinal herbs and the glow of various protective formations.

“So this is the Holy Yuan Secret Realm. It’s much bigger than I imagined!” marvelled Li Xi, who stood by his side, his face filled with surprise.

“Alright, let’s go and check in first. You’ll have plenty of time to explore this place later,” said Master Song, leading them towards the town.

“This is Qingyun Town, where you will be living for the next month,” instructed Master Song as they walked. “This area that extends for five miles is Qingyun Sword Sect territory. I’d advise against venturing beyond its borders without notifying authorities. It might be tempting to explore the Secret Realm for opportunities, but remember it’s also fraught with danger. Even a random beast encountered might possess the combat power of the first order…”

After they had reported their arrival and Master Song had organised their work and accommodation, he left the Secret Realm, leaving only Song Jian and Li Xi in town.

…

Seven days later, having completed his task of making three Moonlight Sword Array Stones for the day, Song Jian stretched his back and walked out of the room.

Life in the Secret Realm was indeed more comfortable. As long as he completed his daily tasks, no one bothered him, and he was free to explore the area outside the town or wander around the town itself.

Within Qingyun Town, the other disciples respectfully saluted Song Jian upon seeing the distinctive uniform of the head disciple. Without a care, Song Jian headed straight for the centre of the town.

In the Secret Realm, the town centre of Qingyun was a trading area. Many disciples and even Swordmasters would sell items they discovered whilst exploring the Secret Realm here.

Song Jian had discovered by chance that rare treasures from the Secret Realm could be bought quite cheaply in this area.

“Hey, Song Jian, you’re here! Come in, come in. I have lots of new goods today, come see if anything catches your eye!” a middle-aged man, barely more than a meter tall, called out to him, his eyes lighting up.

Song Jian chuckled. “So, have you got any more of those fruits?”

The shop was a simple log cabin, a two-story building constructed from raw logs, the bark not even removed from their surfaces, giving it a rugged, rustic feel.

A few days ago, while browsing, Song Jian had stumbled upon a fruit in this shop that could increase attribute points. Initially, he had wanted to purchase it with points, but the dwarfish shopkeeper had taken a liking to the mead that Song Jian had been carrying at the time.

Eventually, Song Jian had traded ten bottles of mead for the fruit that could increase his strength attribute by one point.

“Heh, I’ve got something even better than that fruit,” the shopkeeper said with a mysterious grin. “Come on, step inside and take a look!”

Song Jian followed him to the second floor of the shop where, among a pile of junk, there sat a black coffin. With a wicked grin, the shopkeeper slid open the coffin to reveal a set of stark white skeletal remains.

“A skeleton?” Song Jian furrowed his brows. “I think there’s been some sort of misunderstanding here. Why would I be remotely interested in a skeleton…?”

“Just wait a moment, wait a moment!” The shopkeeper motioned with his hands and glanced outside the window. “You’ll understand once the sun sets. This here is a rare treasure. You’ll have to exchange it for, not five, but ten boxes of mead!”

Song Jian shook his head, looking quizzically at the shopkeeper. He couldn’t sense any energy fluctuations from the skeleton—it seemed like a common corpse.

After waiting for over an hour, the sun finally began to set, with half the sky blushing into a deep red.

Just then, the skeletal finger of the right hand lying peacefully in the coffin twitched. Song Jian tensed up as the sight before him defied all logic. He knew that there were no energy fluctuations emanating from the skeleton, so how could it possibly move?

Soon the skeleton began to rise slowly from the coffin, with a hand continuously sketching something on the ground.

Song Jian took a couple of steps back, unable to take his eyes off the skeleton’s movements. After a while, he asked, “What’s going on here?”

“Do you see what it’s drawing on the ground? Doesn’t it feel familiar?” the shopkeeper asked, pointing towards the pattern being slowly etched by the skeleton.

“Is this … a map?” After squinting for a moment, Song Jian excitedly exclaimed, “This is a map of Qingyun Town!”

“Heh heh, keep watching,” the shopkeeper remarked with a mysterious smile.

Soon, the map being depicted by the skeleton started to extend beyond Qingyun Town. Eventually, an incomplete map of the Secret Realm appeared before Song Jian.

“It seems this isn’t a complete map of the Secret Realm,” Song Jian muttered to himself.

“It’s not the whole map, but it’s much more detailed than what we have. Even the maps of the Secret Realm in possession of the Qingyun Sword Sect and the Red-sun Sect aren’t as comprehensive as this,” the shopkeeper exclaimed proudly.

“So, you’re planning to sell me this skeleton?” Song Jian suddenly asked.

“Exactly, the main focus is this map,” the shopkeeper replied, indicating towards the floor. “Although most of this incomplete map has been explored by the Qingyun Sword Sect and the Red-sun Sect, about two or three-tenths of it still lies in the unexplored territory. And let me tell you, the resources in these unexplored areas are far more abundant than in those explored by the Qingyun Sword Sect or the Red-sun Sect!”

The shopkeeper tapped his finger lightly on a location labeled “Sword Control Hall.”

“Is this… a relic?” Song Jian’s eyes widened.

“So, is it worth ten crates of mead?” the shopkeeper laughed heartily.

“But it’s a relic… Why don’t you explore it yourself?” Song Jian asked, a puzzled expression on his face.

“One needs to know one’s limits…” the shopkeeper smiled cryptically.

Song Jian nodded and, pulling out his sword, chopped the skeleton and coffin into pieces. He then turned to the shopkeeper and said, “Ten boxes of mead. Come to my place to collect it tonight.”

…