Chapter 2875: Chapter 2875: The Strange Road

With the sudden appearance of three mysterious wooden huts in the Dark Region, many great races in the Source World itched to explore them.

While, up to this point, they had different theories as to what the huts hid. Zen and his group stood apprehensively before the huts now.

Everyone held their breath in excitement. Finally, the huts were but a stone's throw away!

However, considering the dangers they had just faced prior to getting here, no one dared approach the huts. Instead, they all looked towards Zen for guidance.

It seemed everything was up to him now.

“Everyone, follow me,” Zen ordered as he cautiously stepped off the wooden bridge.

The candles in front of the huts lit the bridge and the forks only.

It meant there was no other way to go but straight towards the wooden huts.

Without hesitating, Zen set foot on the narrow road at the foot of the bridge. Slowly but steadily, he approached the nearest hut.

At first glance, the hut looked quite ordinary. People wouldn't have paid it any heed if it were in any other place, but they were in the Dark Region, a forbidden place.

Zen gently knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

Unsurprisingly, there was no response.

“This hut seems to be unoccupied,” Elvinia said, breaking the silence. “We don't know what creatures are living in the Dark Region.”

Chaim nodded. “Open the door,” he urged.

If ever there was a creature within, there was no telling they'd be able to understand what it was.

Zen hesitated. But, they had come all this way to find out what was in the huts.

Pressing his hand against the door, he pushed it open.

“Wow!” Sally, who was standing behind them, gasped. “It's so beautiful!”

A light had suddenly burst forth from the doorway once Zen pushed the door open. When their eyes finally adjusted, they were at a loss for words at what lay before them.

Elvinia and Dorothy both dropped their jaws, unable to conceal their awe.

On a massive shelf standing against the wall of the hut were some strange crystals. Each one seemed to emit different colored lights that danced off the wall, creating a stunning effect.

Zen reached out and took one of the crystals, inspecting it closely. To his disappointment, he discovered that it didn't hold any Other Shore Power.

Even though treasures that didn't contain this power were still valuable on the Other Shore, Zen had no interest in them. After all, he was in search for an Other Shore Token.

Meanwhile, Elvinia, Dorothy, and the others eagerly took crystals to study carefully.

“What are these crystals used for? It seems like there's no energy fluctuating within them.”

“Doesn't matter. It'd still be good to take some back!”

“I want some, too!”

A number of disciples and the Nine Li people activated their space rings to store some of the crystals.

Zen walked away from the hubbub. He then noticed some white threads hanging from a corner of the wooden hut. They had been knitted into bunches. Upon a closer look, Zen realized what they were. ȐἈＮốΒЕṧ

“Do you know what it is?” No. 9527 asked, as though reading his thoughts.

“The candlewick?” Zen asked in a low voice.

“Yes, those crystals are the unique wax mines in the Dark Region,” No. 9527 replied. “This wooden hut is probably used to make candles.” Zen noticed a hint of caution in No. 9527's tone, as though it were worried about something.

Zen frowned, puzzled. When he crossed the Sea of Truth, the number of whirlpools in the sea was constantly increasing.

Candles were very precious in the Dark Region. Supposedly, those in the Lust World were brought here from the Desire World. Even No. 9527 didn't expect that they would be made in Stage Thirteen directly.

“So?” Zen urged No. 9527 impatiently.

“Didn't you think it was strange when you left the bridge? There are always demons and monsters lurking in the Dark Region, yet this area is so quiet. It's too abnormal. Maybe the human-monkey monsters and the red python do not dare to approach this area,” No. 9527 said. “After all, even creatures of the Dark Region need candles.”

Candles had always been rare. It was too bizarrely extravagant for someone to light up the long wooden bridge using the candles. Just how powerful was the owner of these huts?

“So you mean...” Zen knitted his brows.

“Hurry up and leave here,” No. 9527 ordered firmly. “It's difficult for even my master to deal with some of the strong creatures in the Dark Region, let alone you.”

“Your master is no match for them?” Zen asked incredulously.

In his eyes, the Chaos Ancient Gods were the strongest beings. It shouldn't have been a problem for them to explore the Dark Region.

“No,” No. 9527 replied with a trace of regret. “Both the Dark Region and the Other Shore are not subject to the rules of the truth. Some creatures hiding in the Dark Region had mastered the power of the truth before. In their time, they were also called the Chaos Ancient Gods.”

Although there was a slim chance those creatures would appear in Stage Thirteen, Zen was worried about the owner of the huts.

If the one who had built these huts returned, Zen would not be able to defeat him or her.

“Put down all those crystals and let's get out of here,” Zen barked to the others urgently.

While many crystals were left on the shelf, even Elvinia and Dorothy had pocketed some. They were considerably rare treasures after all, though they didn't contain Other Shore Power.

“Why should I put the crystals back?”

“I don't think anyone will come back to the wooden hut.”

“Why are you asking this?”

Everyone protested. Neither the disciples nor the members of the Nine Li race were willing to go. They had been through so much to get here, and since the crystals were the only thing of value inside the hut, they were eager to take some. Otherwise, the journey was for naught.

Seeing how everyone wouldn't budge on the crystals, Zen shook his head in frustration. “Fine. But we have to leave now. Let's go back to the wooden bridge.”

Zen was worried about their safety.

He had experienced a lot in his life, so he knew he could take care of himself. But he could only hope to protect the others.

Survival was the only thing that mattered in places like the Dark Region. It wasn't worth it to lose a life over some shiny, new objects.

Despite him not gaining anything new from this journey, he wasn't frustrated. More than anything right now, he just wanted to get out of here before the owner of the three wooden huts came back.

With Zen's strained tone, it finally dawned on the others that danger was heading their way. They quickly followed Zen out of the wooden hut and headed down the road.

The road wasn't long, and they should've reached the foot of the bridge in no time.

However, once they reached the intersection of the three roads, to their surprise, the door to the wooden hut stood before them.

“What happened?” Chaim frowned.

The others looked at each other, confused.

“Keep going!”

Zen also frowned. No. 9527 was right. The creature that dared to make candles here was by no means ordinary.

The group dashed towards the road again under the guidance of Zen. However, just as Zen stepped on the intersection, they somehow kept ending up at the entrance to the wooden hut again and again.