Chen Guo was unaware of both the name of the Little World he found himself in and its history. The system had left the world's background unexplained, leaving the trial challengers in the dark.
Yet, these challengers were far from clueless. Piecing together various clues, they had managed to form a nearly accurate picture of the world's past. The consensus was that this Little World had once been a thriving realm of cultivation, its former glory evident in the ruins that remained.
About a century ago, a cataclysmic event had shaken this world to its core. A devastating calamity had unleashed demons and monsters, decimating the human population and pushing the world to the verge of collapse.
Places like Blackwater Town, Doonatel, and the Red Territory, which Chen Guo had initially explored, were now deserted wastelands. The earth was charred, the towns decayed, and malevolent creatures roamed freely, their dark presence pervading the atmosphere.
Monsters were rampant, turning the world into a veritable den of evil, a sight that even the trial challengers found disheartening.
The only sign of human life Chen Guo encountered was within the Dusk Forest, where a fragile settlement clung to existence. The inhabitants lived day-to-day, knowing that even without any mishaps, their community would likely vanish within a couple of decades.
This led Chen Guo to believe that the world was on its last legs, transformed into a playground for ghouls and beasts, with humanity's dominance all but extinguished. Only a handful of survivors remained, perhaps not enough to populate even a single respectable town.
Thus, when he first heard of Acomb, Chen Guo assumed it would be another ghost town like Doonatel, overrun by monsters and devoid of people. To his surprise, Acomb was bustling with life, indistinguishable from any normal city. In this twisted world, the normalcy of Acomb was an anomaly, standing out starkly against the chaos.
Outside the city, the Yellowstone Plains were as Chen Guo had come to expect: a realm dominated by demons and beasts, with scarcely a human in sight. Yet Acomb's walls stood tall and impregnable, towering over ten meters high, keeping the monstrous hordes at bay. Flying creatures among them were a rarity, though not entirely unheard of.
The towering and formidable walls of Acomb City were certainly capable of repelling most monsters, ensuring the city's safety. Soldiers with grim expressions patrolled the ramparts, weapons in hand, relentlessly slaying any fiends bold enough to near Acomb.
Within the city, residents could cultivate only a few fields, resulting in scarce food production. Apart from the soldiers, whose cheeks bore a healthy flush, the majority of the populace appeared pallid and undernourished.
Yet, in such a harsh world, having a secure haven was a considerable blessing. The luxury of ample food and drink was a rarity during these troubled times.
In any human society, the presence of the elite is a given. Acomb City was no exception, with its high officials and nobility living in opulence amidst the city's splendor.
Acomb City housed roughly a hundred thousand souls—a modest number on Blue Star, where such a city would scarcely rival a small town. But in this fractured world, it stood as a metropolis of colossal proportions.
The flow of people in and out of Acomb was sparse, but not nonexistent. Occasionally, travelers and traders from unknown origins would trickle into the city.
Their presence, albeit limited, was evidence enough that beyond Acomb, other human settlements existed, engaging in trade with the city to some extent.
"It seems the indigenous people of this world haven't been entirely wiped out; a remnant survives," Chen Guo mused, as he touched down, intent on blending into Acomb to gather intelligence.
He was unaware of the Earth Ancestor Temple's whereabouts and sought to assess Acomb's potential usefulness to both Flame Dragon Village and himself.
The Little World that Flame Dragon Village called home was still a world, despite its state of disrepair and the prevalence of demons. Its residual essence held considerable force.
Harnessing this power wisely could significantly bolster both Chen Guo and Flame Dragon Village—a prospect most advantageous.
The gates of Acomb were imposingly large.
Over a dozen fully-armed soldiers stood watch at the entrance. Chen Guo could discern their levels and fighting capacities.
Acomb City Soldier, Level 60, Fighting Capacity: 200,000!
These regular soldiers were five levels above Chen Guo, yet their fighting capacity was a mere 200,000. To be fair, most trial challengers didn't even boast a fighting capacity reaching that figure.
Despite being regulars, these soldiers had managed to endure in a brutal world where the truly weak had long since perished, resulting in even the average soldier possessing a fighting capacity of 200,000.
Within the city walls, there were thousands of soldiers like these.
And above these soldiers, there likely lurked even more formidable forces.
Thus, the collective might of Acomb far surpassed that of Flame Dragon Village. It was no surprise that it was situated so far from the village, being part of what's known as a high-level map.
Chen Guo was intent on ascertaining Acomb's true might, figuring out when and how to engage with them, and how he could leverage their strength—all of which necessitated gathering detailed intelligence.
Now, unencumbered by ties, Chen Guo found himself in an advantageous position to gather information. Should he encounter a formidable master, a confrontation wasn't a given, and if it came to blows, his mastery of the Flying Thunder God Art meant he could make a swift exit. Safety, it seemed, was assured.
Chen Guo chose to don the guise of Young Hero Lee, stepping back into the martial world. He did so because the imposing aura of Guangcheng's skin was simply too intense—extraordinary to the point of drawing unwanted attention, clearly the mark of a true immortal.
Lee Xiaoyao's appearance, while striking and suave, suggested a seasoned young hero rather than someone who shone too brightly.
Following a merchant caravan into Acomb, Chen Guo approached the city gate.
"Entry fee!" demanded the soldier manning the gate, hand outstretched for payment.
"How much?"
"For you alone, without any goods, it's ten coins."
"Will goods suffice?"
"What do you have?"
"Salt."
Chen Guo, well-prepared, produced a bag of fine salt from his pocket, an item valued at one yuan on Blue Star.