"What kind of place is Ten Thousand Abyss City?" Aiden couldn't help but ask.
Marcus took a deep breath before replying, "I can only tell you that this city is extremely dangerous. The main reason is that it lies at the intersection of four regions of Light Wind Empire. One of these regions is our Green Wood Region."
"The Hidden Dragon Competition isn't limited to the geniuses of the Green River Region in the Light Wind Empire; it's a contest among the brightest talents from all four regions, which is why it's held in Ten Thousand Abyss City."
"As for why this city is so perilous, you'll know once you go there."
Aiden nodded thoughtfully. By now, he already knew that the Light Wind Empire had a total of four regions. Each region had hundreds of huge cities and towns. Aside from the Green Wood Region, there were the Red Flame Region, the Blue Water Region, and the Silver Thunder Region. There was a significant reason why each region was named after a color and an element. This was due to the presence of four dangerous lands in these regions. These four dangerous lands were the Green Wood Forest in the Green Wood Region, the Red Flame Canyon in the Red Flame Region, the Blue Water Abyss in the Blue Water Region, and the Silver Thunder Plains in the Silver Thunder Region.
Each of these places was known for its perilous environment and the extraordinary resources hidden within. They were also home to terrifying beasts and rare treasures that attracted adventurers, but only a few ever returned. These lands were considered the defining features of their respective regions, and their influence shaped the culture, power, and development of the areas around them.
As for the Valley of Death, it was not only a dangerous land but also a forbidden land, located in Fresh Breeze Town. This town is situated at the border of Light Wind Empire.
This valley is still shrouded in mystery and no one ever walked out of the valley after entering. Only Aiden was an exception.
It is said that the Valley of Death has been there since ancient times, far before the Light Wind Empire was founded.
Deeply breathing, Aiden asked, "How long will it take me to reach the Ten Thousand Abyss City?"
"If you don't use any transportation and choose to travel on your own, it will take about a month to reach there!"
Aiden didn't hesitate any longer and said, "Alright, I'll set out for Ten Thousand Abyss City immediately."
"Aiden..."
"Yes, Uncle Marcus!"
"Since you are going there, could you help me with something?"
"Please tell me. If I can, I'll definitely not refuse!"
"I sent Chris on a dangerous mission to the Ten Thousand Abyss City. He should already be there by now. I want you to help him in this mission. As long as you help, my Wellings Family will owe you a favor!"
Hearing this, Aiden responded without hesitation, "Uncle Marcus, don't worry. I'll do everything I can to help. You and the Wellings Family have done so much for me; it's only right that I repay the favor. I'll definitely assist Brother Chris with his mission. However, I don't know what kind of mission Brother Chris is undertaking in Ten Thousand Abyss City!"
Marcus took a deep breath before replying, "Not far from Ten Thousand Abyss City lies a vast sea. About a month ago, a team of ten stumbled upon a small oval-shaped crystal, slightly larger than a thumb, along the shoreline. They brought it to my Star Hunter Tower and sold it. This crystal turned out to be a unique and highly valuable treasure after appraisal."
"After conducting some investigations, our Star Hunter Tower determined that a mystery tied to that crystal might be hidden somewhere on the beach or beneath the sea. It is highly likely that the oval-shaped crystal was carried to the shore by the sea waves."
"Although the crystal is only thumb-sized, its appraised value is at least a hundred billion credits. Unveiling the secret behind that crystal could mark a revolutionary turning point for our Star Hunter Tower. If successful, it could propel my Wellings Family to unprecedented heights and grant us control over the entire Light Wind Empire. No, we might even rise to a level where we could venture into space and establish a foothold in the 300 World Colony."
"In short, we must find the mystery related to that oval-shaped crystal which is hidden somewhere deep down the sea."
"No one there knows Chris, and Chris is also very good at the art of disguise. That's why he went alone to complete this mission. However, I'm afraid, he alone may not be enough to solve the mystery of that oval-shaped crystal. As long as you can help him, I will definitely reward you generously and even owe you a favor. How about it?"
Aiden was very confused after listening to Marcus's explanation. But this was not what attracted him the most. He was mostly attracted to the oval-shaped crystal and the so-called 300 World Colony.
The oval-shaped crystal was exceptionally small, yet it had been valued at an astounding 100 billion credits. If he could somehow buy this crystal, wouldn't it grant him 10 million Eternal Points? With such an immense amount of Eternal Points, his strength could skyrocket in an instant, pushing him to unimaginable heights in one go.
As for the 300 World Colonies, Aiden knew nothing. In the end, he could only ask Marcus: "What is 300 World Colonies?"
Marcus smiled enigmatically and replied, "You'll naturally discover everything once you reach the Glorious Gold Stage. Only Glorious Gold Star Warriors are permitted to learn about matters concerning outer space, the 300 World Colonies, and beyond."
Aiden was still confused, not understanding why this matter required one to be a Glorious Gold Star Warrior, however, he didn't ask anything anymore. He realized that pressing for more information would be futile. After all, he could not find anything related to cultivation stages above the Glorious Gold Stage even through OL Bracelet. The most he knew was that above the Glorious Gold Stage was the Planetary Stage. That's it.
Moreover, asking Marcus would be futile because Marcus was clearly unwilling to divulge details about the 300 World Colonies. Nevertheless, that didn't bother Aiden much, as he had a more pressing question in mind.
"What exactly is this oval-shaped crystal? I mean, what makes it so valuable that it is priced at 100 billion credits?"
Aiden had another reason for his curiosity. When the oval-shaped crystal was mentioned, the Dragon Pearl within him reacted intensely. It was obvious that the Dragon Pearl had been guiding him toward this crystal from the very beginning.
Wait a minute!
Aiden suddenly thought of something. As long as he was in the Twin Mountain Forest, the Dragon Pearl kept attracting him to walk in a certain direction. But after he woke up in the Wellings Family, the Dragon Pearl never reacted again.
Maybe, it's because the oval-shaped crystal was in the Wellings Family. After all, Marcus told him that the people who had found the oval-shaped crystal sold it to the Star Hunter Tower of Riverside City, and Marcus is the President of Star Hunter Tower.
It seems that Dragon Pearl's goal had always been the oval-shaped crystal.
No... its goal must be the mystery related to the oval-shaped crystal that is hidden somewhere in the seabed.
Aiden's mind was working rapidly, thinking of several scenarios at once. His face kept changing. In the end, he sighed and looked at Marcus, waiting for him to answer.
Marcus hesitated a little. He was clearly not ready to tell Aiden about the oval-shaped crystal.
Although Aiden was pure and innocent, everything about him had started changing from the moment the Eternal System integrated with his body and soul. He could now understand a person's internal thoughts by just looking at their expressions. He could tell that Marcus was hesitating and was not sure whether to tell him about the oval-shaped crystal or not.
He suddenly thought of something, and a smile appeared on his face. He said: "Uncle Marcus, how about this? You give me to take a look at that Oval-shaped Crystal. If I find it interesting, I might pay you 100 billion credits on the spot and buy that oval-shaped crystal. At the same time, I promise that I will help you find the mystery related to the crystal and that mystery will belong to you. How about it?"
Marcus was momentarily stunned but then burst into laughter. Shaking his head, he chuckled and said, "Aiden, oh Aiden! You truly are an interesting person. But... let me share something with you."
"Although the crystal is currently valued at 100 billion credits, its true worth might far exceed that amount. My Star Hunter Tower has no intention of selling it, at least not until we uncover the mystery behind it."
Aiden was taken aback. He hadn't expected the 100 billion credits to be just the initial valuation. If the crystal's secrets were unraveled, its price could skyrocket to an unimaginable level.