Finding information about the Fire Feather Stone was akin to searching for a needle in an oceanic haystack.
For any one person, at least, it was a formidable task.
Luckily, Chen Guo wasn't alone; he had an entire village at his disposal. To gather any piece of information, all he had to do was issue an order to Zhou Tao.
With nearly ten thousand villagers dispersed throughout the Little World's expansive map, they were privy to a wealth of bizarre and varied news.
Any villager with a lead on the Fire Feather Stone meant that Chen Guo would be in the know, a prime perk of being the village head.
While Chen Guo might have surpassed others in combat strength, he depended on the collective for intelligence.
That is, unless he could master divination and become a Divination Master himself.
"I once heard a roving NPC mention an Earth Ancestor Temple near Acomb City. Originally dedicated to the Earth deity, it's now overrun by formidable monsters. Rumor has it, the temple is laden with treasures, including the Fire Feather Stone."
"But Acomb City is a great distance away... over 70,000 kilometers, they say..."
This tip came from a villager named Fan Xilong.
It was a solid lead, likely without error.
Yet for the average trial challenger, the journey to Acomb City, 70,000 kilometers away, was no overnight feat.
The trial challengers hadn't yet ventured so far. Aside from the unknown perils of the local monsters, the sheer distance alone was beyond the reach of most, certainly not achievable in a brief span.
Consider that Tang Xuanzang's pilgrimage to the west spanned a mere one hundred and eighty thousand miles; this was nearly half that legendary distance.
Even utilizing the sword control skill, reaching Acomb City would take at least ten days to half a month.
In today's rapid-fire world, such a time span could bring about dramatic changes. For most trial challengers, spending half a month in transit for a single construction material was an investment with a poor return.
Despite its name, the Little World that housed Flame Dragon Village was anything but small. Its vast expanse remained largely uncharted, with trial challengers having explored less than one percent of its territory.
There are yet more secrets out there, awaiting the discovery of those brave enough to face the trials.
In such an expansive world, the Fire Feather Stone might be hidden in other places, but Chen Guo couldn't afford to wait.
He was uncertain whether he could truly outpace everyone and secure first place in the Village Showdown. Until the final moment, it's anyone's guess who will have the last laugh.
In this world, competition isn't just about strength; it's also about luck. Sometimes, with a stroke of good fortune, even a village with lesser fighting capacity can surpass a stronger one.
Chen Guo, compared to other trial challengers, held a tremendous edge: the Flying Thunder God Art.
Mastering the Flying Thunder God Art to its utmost level, Chen Guo could teleport instantly within this world, going wherever he wished at a moment's notice.
This gave Chen Guo exceptional agility.
With the Flying Thunder God Art, he could traverse seventy thousand miles in the blink of an eye. Therefore, Chen Guo resolved to travel near Acomb City to locate the Earth Ancestor Temple and devise a plan to acquire the Fire Feather Stone.
Whoosh!
With a mere thought, Chen Guo instantly transported himself seventy thousand miles westward. Lacking the precise coordinates of Acomb City, he could only approximate its location and then take to the skies using his sword control skill to seek out the city.
...
As Chen Guo commenced his search for Acomb City, high above in the celestial realm, three exalted deities convened.
These deities were renowned across Blue Star, revered and venerated by all. They were the highest gods of Zefraoce, collectively known as the Triad of Divinity.
Among them was the Creator God, Fan Tian.
Mentioned in numerous Buddhist texts, Fan Tian's name was familiar to many in Jutrela. According to Zefraoce's myths, Fan Tian had crafted the world.
Indeed, Fan Tian had created a world, albeit a Middle World. To call him a creator was no overstatement, yet he couldn't be compared to the likes of the Great God Pangu.
For Pangu had fashioned the Pangu Celestial Universe, a cosmos encompassing innumerable Great Thousand Worlds, Middle Worlds, and Little Worlds.
The disparity between Pangu and Fan Tian was akin to the gap between a modest coal mine owner and the world's wealthiest individual. Fan Tian was the former, while Pangu was the latter, the richest man in existence.
The second deity is Siva, the God of Destruction. Few Jutrelians are familiar with this name, but within Zefraoce's pantheon, Siva commands the utmost reverence, surpassing even Fan Tian in fame and stature.
Next in rank is the God of Protection, Vishnu, whose status is second only to Siva. Zefraoce mythology often portrays Siva as being on the verge of annihilating the world in a fit of rage, only to be diplomatically thwarted by Vishnu.
These three gods symbolize creation, destruction, and protection, and they are formidable even among the pantheon. They are slightly more powerful than Plioya's trio of esteemed deities.
The gathering of the Triad of Gods was prompted by the lagging position of their Zefraoce followers in this grand game of the cosmos. The Jutrelians have stolen the spotlight, causing great dissatisfaction among them.
Siva lamented, "We finally had a champion among our followers, Pami, with limitless potential, only to be slain by that accursed Chen Guo. Chen Guo has propelled the Jutrelians to prominence, severely oppressing our Zefraoce devotees. If this persists, our worship will wane, and our followers will question our powers."
While Chen Guo's name remains a secret to the average trial challenger, the gods see through the guise of Guangcheng with ease. To them, discerning the true identity and origins of a player in their divine game is a trivial matter.
Vishnu expressed concern, "The Jutrelians' rise to fame indeed deals a significant blow to our faith. I've sensed a decline in the power of worship I receive. Should this trend continue, our believers will remain oppressed and become increasingly marginalized, ultimately diminishing our influence."
Fan Tian added, "It appears both of you have come to this realization. Now we must decide on a course of action. The Sovereign has established the rules; we cannot intervene directly or lay hands on Chen Guo. Recall Tianzhao's attempt to strike at Chen Guo, which was impeded by Guangcheng. Should we emulate Tianzhao, the deities of the Yan Huang Celestial System will surely not stand idly by."
"We're all familiar with the deities of the Yan Huang Celestials. Their immense power leads them to offer little assistance to their progeny, as they have faith in their descendants' abilities. Yet, should any deity dare to strike at their offspring, they would undoubtedly intervene to prevent it."