Chapter 2048: Chapter 2016: Marketplace in the Desolate Mountains
Looking down at the scenery beneath his feet, Li Chen’s thoughts seemed to wander far away.
Having left Earth for more than a decade, in these years, not only had the concentration of spiritual energy increased, leading to more martial artists, but technological development hadn’t slowed down in the slightest.
Because individuals had become stronger, innovations in technology seemed to have become bolder under this backdrop of strength.
Various new inventions and new technologies were constantly updating the era.
The flying car that Li Chen was riding now was a prime example.
The transportation industry on Earth had thoroughly advanced to the skies, and cars were no longer confined to the ground. In the cities, vehicles floating and flying in the air could be seen everywhere, making Li Chen feel as if everything had changed drastically over time.
In the sky, roads that were completely different from before were planned and paved.
This made Li Chen gradually feel a faint sense of unfamiliarity amidst the familiarity.
Earth was still Earth, Huaxia was still Huaxia; this world was still his homeland, but in some respects, it seemed somewhat different.
When an ordinary person transforms into a martial artist through training, it’s a metamorphosis, and one might say it’s an evolution of the race. However, when countless people work together to change the entire world, that is the evolution of civilization.
There’s no doubt about it; after leaving for so many years, the civilization on Earth had undergone significant metamorphosis and evolution.
Li Chen rode on the flying car piloted by the captain, speeding towards the direction of Linchuan.
When passing a vast mountain range, Li Chen suddenly called out to the captain beside him, "Old Chen, stop here for a minute."
The captain’s real name was Chen Tianguang. Hearing Li Chen call him Old Chen, he didn’t mind and stopped with a smile: "What? This is barren land; you’re not planning to stop here and rob an old fellow like me, are you?"
Li Chen didn’t mind Chen Tianguang’s joke; instead, he shook his head with a smile, "That’s where you’re wrong, Old Chen. This isn’t just any ordinary barren mountain."
"Not a barren mountain?" Old Chen was taken aback, then looked down. However, apart from a dense forest below, there was indeed nothing else. For a moment, he didn’t understand what Li Chen meant.
"Let’s go down first and stop by; I’ll take you to a place. Are you interested?"
"What place?" Old Chen couldn’t help but ask.
"You’ll know when we get there." Li Chen replied with a mysterious smile.
Old Chen didn’t mind, landing the car casually by the roadside, and followed Li Chen.
Having lived for many years, Old Chen actually wanted to retire a few years ago to enjoy life as he pleased. This trip back to Linchuan was just to process some paperwork, and then he would be completely free.
Although he wasn’t entirely retired yet, wandering around with Li Chen was no issue for him.
"What’s happening? Why did they head into that barren wilderness?"
Seeing them stop abruptly in this barren wilderness, the group covertly tracking the pair all the way couldn’t help but be somewhat dumbfounded.
"Could they have discovered us and want to escape through this place?"
"Not likely. That old man works for the Nether King Group. Even if they discovered us, he probably wouldn’t care, much less try to escape!"
"Then what are they..."
"Who knows, this remote wilderness makes the perfect setting for an ambush, don’t you think?"
"You’re right!"
Regardless of what the people in the back were up to, Li Chen led Old Chen step by step into the forest.
Old Chen’s eyes carried curiosity; he couldn’t imagine what might be found in this barren wilderness.
Though some sects still preferred to reside in quiet wilderness areas, he had worked in the Palace of the Nether King for so long and rarely visited sects rooted in the wilderness. Even if he did, it was only places like Wudang and Shaolin.
However, it seemed like the true disciples of such sects were usually hidden deeper in the mountains. Even though these sects were renowned and intimidating, their outer areas resembled tourist attractions more than anything else.
"Here it is."
Their footsteps were brisk; Old Chen, holding a certain level of cultivation, and Li Chen, despite his foundation cultivation being locked, could still move swiftly relying solely on his physical strength, even faster than Old Chen. Soon, they arrived in a densely wooded area.
"Here?" Old Chen glanced around but couldn’t find anything special about the place.
"Feel it carefully." Li Chen smiled, instructing Old Chen.
Old Chen paused, then narrowed his eyes slightly, focusing to sense the area.
Finally, he detected a slight disturbance in the spiritual energy in the air.
"Is there a formation here?" Old Chen asked.
"There is indeed a formation." Li Chen nodded with a smile, then extended a finger to lightly tap forward.
"Pop."
With a soft sound, the space before Li Chen suddenly rippled, spreading outwards.
Soon, a large door shimmering with light appeared before the two of them.
"Let’s go in and take a look." Li Chen smiled at Old Chen before taking the lead to step inside.
Old Chen hesitated for a moment but eventually decided to follow in.
Then, stepping in, Old Chen felt as if he’d walked into an entirely different world.
Outside was quiet mountains and fields, but entering this space felt as bustling as a marketplace.
All around them were passersby dressed in attires from various eras, and Old Chen could distinctly sense that everyone here was a martial artist, with quite a few far more powerful than himself!
"What is this place..." Old Chen was stunned and couldn’t help but inquire.
Li Chen’s smile deepened, and he spoke softly, "This place, I don’t know what it’s called now, but over ten years ago, it was a... marketplace!"
"A marketplace!" Old Chen felt a slight stir inside. He had heard this name before; a marketplace was a place specifically for martial artists to exchange and trade. Though there were now official areas organized similarly to marketplaces, more people still preferred these marketplaces existing from ancient times.
"Oh, we’ve got visitors, brother, come take a look, I’ve got newly unearthed strange stones that could help people live to a hundred!" A vendor eagerly greeted Li Chen and Old Chen as they arrived.
"Brother, you’ve brought a junior for a tour, right? Perfect, I’ve also got a matching piece of miraculous jade, excellent for young ones in cultivation... huh, brother, your junior hasn’t even reached the Yellow Rank? In that case, this jade is just what you need!"
The middle-aged vendor called them brother repeatedly, his enthusiasm apparent.
However, at that moment, Li Chen calmly said, "The renowned Dark Moon Saber Liang Qi, how come you’re out here doing small business like this?"
The vendor’s body stiffened at the words, his smile freezing instantly. His eyes sharp as knives, focused on Li Chen in an instant.
