Chapter 376 - 353: Grotto-Heaven
The Kao Mountain Wall.
The middle-aged man led the way into the cave, with Chen Li following close behind.
The cave entrance was narrow and dimly lit, only wide enough for two or three people to walk side-by-side.
The cave walls were slick with moisture and covered in thick moss, exuding the scent of earth and decaying plants.
After just ten-odd steps, the scene before them changed abruptly.
The air ahead rippled like the surface of water, distorting the light.
Without breaking stride, the middle-aged man stepped straight into the ripple, his figure instantly blurring.
Chen Li’s gaze hardened, and he too stepped through.
He felt a slight sensation, as if passing through a thin membrane, and the light before him suddenly became bright and soft.
A whole new world opened up!
The cramped, dim feeling from before vanished in an instant.
Chen Li found himself in a completely different world.
He subconsciously looked back. The cave entrance was gone, replaced by a slope covered in low shrubs and weeds.
It was as if they hadn’t walked through a cave at all, but had simply appeared at the foot of this hill.
As far as the eye could see, towering, sheer-cliffed peaks pierced the clouds, forming a massive natural wall that encircled a large area in the center.
Above the peaks, there was no blue sky or white clouds, but a dome that shimmered with a faint, grayish-white halo. Light emanated evenly from this dome, not like sunlight, but still plenty bright.
Underfoot was soft, fertile black earth that stretched out before them, forming a vast plain.
This plain occupied only about a third of the central area in this small world.
Farther on, the edges of the plain gradually gave way to rolling hills and woodlands, eventually connecting to the encircling mountains.
The temperature was no different from the harsh winter outside, just as bone-chillingly cold; you could see your breath in the air.
But there wasn’t a trace of snow on the ground, only withered yellow grass and exposed black soil. The air was dry, lacking the dampness of the wind and snow outside.
The middle-aged man explained, "Senior, this grotto-heaven is long since damaged and its Laws are incomplete. That is why we can feel the changing seasons from the outside world. But because it exists as a separate space, weather phenomena like wind, rain, lightning, and thunder cannot enter."
Chen Li gave a slight nod, but his gaze was quickly drawn to the sight on the plains before him, and his brow furrowed.
Crisscrossing the plain were countless man-made irrigation ditches, like veins running through the earth.
Chen Li asked, "There’s no water or snow here. How are these crops irrigated? Where does the water come from?"
The middle-aged man pointed toward a spot at the far end of the plain, near the encircling mountain wall. "On the mountain ridge, there is a deep pool. The water isn’t generated by the grotto-heaven itself; its source is connected to an underground river in the outside world, making it one of the only physical connections between this place and the outside. All the irrigation water is channeled from there. The depths of that pool also serve as the exit from this grotto-heaven."
’So that’s how it is.’
Chen Li understood, and his gaze swept over the ground.
Within the fields, vast patches of short, grayish-green saplings were growing.
The saplings were no more than a foot tall, with ovate or oblong leaves that had irregularly serrated edges. Their surfaces were covered in a fine, frost-like powder.
Seeing Chen Li’s intense gaze fixed on the Opium saplings in the field, the middle-aged man’s mind raced.
’This Senior asked for a massive quantity of Opium the moment he made contact with the Xinyi Bang. His objective in last night’s fierce battle was likely related to this as well.’
He immediately began to explain, "Senior, these are indeed the saplings of the Opium plant. It’s not the right season, and they haven’t matured yet. Opium is usually planted in the tenth month and grows through the winter. The leaves and branches are most lush around the second or third month of the following year. In the fourth or fifth month, red, purple, or white flowers will bloom at the top. After the flowers fall, they form egg-sized capsules. Once the fruit ripens around the sixth or seventh month, the latex can be harvested to make the paste."
’Opium! And on such a shocking scale!’
Chen Li surveyed the sprawling expanse of grayish-green before him and asked, "How many mu of Opium are planted here?"
The middle-aged man replied, "What’s left now is less than three thousand mu. In recent years, this business has only been maintained to supply a few old clients. The cultivation area has been reduced again and again, and most of the remaining land has been converted to growing common medicinal herbs."
As the two spoke by the edge of the field, a sharp aura suddenly erupted from the direction of a row of stone houses at the foot of the mountains.
Like a drawn sword, it shot toward them with incredible speed.
A flicker of movement crossed Chen Li’s eyes, but he made no move to defend himself, simply watching quietly.
A small, slender figure landed a few zhang away from them.
The man was small and thin. A Longsword was slung diagonally at his waist, its scabbard mottled and covered in dark red rust.
As soon as he landed, his gaze locked onto Chen Li, and his hand subconsciously tightened on the hilt of his sword. "Who is this man? Where is Master?"
He stared intently at the middle-aged man, but his aura remained locked on Chen Li, his Rusted Sword seeming ready to be drawn at any moment.
The middle-aged man took half a step forward, blocking the space between the newcomer and Chen Li.
He cupped his fist to Chen Li and made the introduction. "Senior, this is Hua Wuxin, the Hall Master of the Seven Kills Association’s Assassination Hall. Ah, and I forgot to introduce myself. I am Feng Suiyun, Hall Master of the Seven Kills Association’s Murder Hall."
Glancing at the impassive Chen Li, he said, "Wuxin, stand down. Master... was killed by this Senior."
"What?!"
Hua Wuxin’s body visibly shuddered. His eyes flew wide open, flashing with utter disbelief.
He stared intently at Feng Suiyun, then whipped his head back toward Chen Li.