Chapter 238: Abyssal Residents

Luo En took the glowing parchment and unfolded it carefully.

The surface of the paper outlined a complex topographic map with translucent ink; the lines were sometimes clear and sometimes blurred, as if they might reorganize at any time due to changes in reality.

The edges of the map glowed faintly; that light did not come from the physical world but was a trace left on the parchment by some profound magical power.

"This is truly amazing."

Luo En said softly, his fingertips feeling the faint pulse coming from the surface of the map, as if it were a living thing.

Some areas on the map still carried faded bloodstains—that was likely not ordinary ink, but the blood of the drawer.

This was an ancient and stable marking method that could remain clear under the interference of abyssal energy.

Luo En noticed that those bloodstains still maintained a subtle life aura; even though many years had passed, they had not completely dissipated.

"Marking with blood is the oldest and most reliable way of abyssal mapping." Lady Ailan's voice carried a hint of nostalgia.

She gently stroked the edge of the map, and tiny green patterns instantly appeared on her skin, then quickly disappeared.

"Ordinary ink will fade quickly under the erosion of the abyssal aura, or even twist and deform. But blood... especially a wizard's blood, can resist this erosion."

"This map is very precious."

Luo En said sincerely, his eyes full of gratitude, his fingertips gently stroking the areas with bloodstains, feeling a trace of weak but clear residual life force:

"Before formal exploration, having such reference material will undoubtedly greatly increase my survival probability."

Lady Ailan shook her head gently, a flash of self-mockery in her deep green eyes.

Her fingers drew a peculiar rune in the air, and after the rune glowed slightly, it turned into a mass of silver mist suspended between the two.

"Don't overestimate its value."

She projected a three-dimensional view of the map through the silver mist, and the twisted terrain of the abyss suddenly became three-dimensional and visible:

"The abyss itself is a living thing that is constantly wriggling. Many locations marked on the map may have completely changed into another appearance by the time you arrive."

As her fingers tapped lightly, the terrain in the projection began to twist and deform, mountains sank, and rivers changed their courses, just like a living painting constantly reshaping itself.

Luo En was mesmerized, unable to help but lean forward slightly, trying to capture every detail.

Lady Ailan walked to an old wooden chair and sat down, the chair legs rubbing against the floor with a harsh sound, signaling Luo En to sit down as well.

That sound broke Luo En's contemplation, and he finally came back to his senses, discovering that he had been standing and staring at the projection for quite a while.

Seeing this, Lilia immediately poured tea for the two, her movements smooth and unobtrusive, then quietly retreated.

The fragrance of tea slowly permeated the air, adding a touch of tranquility to the conversation.

"If you really intend to explore the abyss..."

Lady Ailan took a sip of tea, her brows furrowing slightly due to the bitterness of the tea.

She gently blew away the heat on the tea, and then the projection in front of her transformed into the scene of a small town built of gray stone bricks:

"You should go to 'Ash Town' first. That is the largest outpost town near the entrance of the abyss, and almost everyone preparing to go deep into exploration will make their final preparations there."

Luo En leaned forward slightly, light of thirst for knowledge sparkling in his eyes.

This was his instinctive reaction—when facing unknown dangers, information was the most important weapon.

He leaned closer to the projection of the small town, observing the structure and layout of those gray buildings, trying to memorize every detail.

"Ash Town is established at a safe distance of about one day's walk from the edge of the abyss."

Lady Ailan swiped her finger lightly, and the projection turned to a huge pitch-black crack; that was the entrance to the abyss:

"Despite this, one can still feel the faint aura from the abyss in the town."

Her voice became low, almost a whisper:

"It is an unsettling feeling of oppression, as if something is always staring at you, prying into all your actions, waiting for the moment you reveal a flaw."

Lady Ailan's eyes narrowed slightly, and the black pupils contracted into a thin line in her deep green eyes, as if she were recalling some unpleasant experiences.

The projection began to darken with her emotional fluctuations, and a thin layer of black mist appeared over the gray town, adding a weird atmosphere to the entire scene.

"Many people have the same dream when they first arrive at Ash Town—dreaming that they fall into the deep darkness of the abyss, and their whole person is swallowed up."

She gently shook the teacup, and the liquid formed a small vortex in the cup, just like the abyss swallowing life:

"For some weak-willed people, this dream alone is enough to make them leave immediately the next day."

She raised her eyes and looked straight at Luo En: "And those who stay... most of them eventually become one-way travelers to the abyss."

Luo En straightened his back subconsciously; he could feel an invisible pressure spreading from Lady Ailan's description.

Just through her narration and magical projection, the oppressive feeling of the abyss had already formed a vague but unsettling image in his heart.

"Ash Town gathers all kinds of people,"

Lady Ailan continued, and various character images began to appear in the projection:

Wizards in cloaks, heavily armed mercenaries, explorers with huge backpacks, shrewd merchants, and even some lunatics wearing strange clothes with wandering eyes.

"Wizards, adventurers, mercenaries, collectors, merchants..." Her tone carried an imperceptible sigh:

"—Even those lunatics lured by the abyss. Some for wealth, some for power, some for knowledge, and others..."

Her voice lowered: "To escape the past."

Luo En noticed that when Lady Ailan mentioned the last type of person, a fleeting shadow flashed in her eyes.

"There are at least seven or eight famous inns in the town, each with its own characteristics."

Lady Ailan waved her hand to change the projection, and a bustling tavern appeared in front of the two.

It was crowded with all kinds of characters, and the laughter and conversation seemed to come from the projection.

"'Drunken Cat' is the favorite gathering place for adventurers; the drinks there are cheap, and information flows quickly, but the environment is noisy and dirty."

In the projection, a bartender was pouring wine for a group of adventurers in different clothes, smiling but with vigilant eyes.

The projection changed again, and an elegant three-story building appeared, with uniformed waiters standing in front of the door, and the interior decoration was gorgeous and exquisite.

"'Silver Moon Pavilion' is the first choice for wealthy travelers; it is quiet, clean, and has thoughtful service, but the price is more than three times that of ordinary inns."

Speaking of this, Lady Ailan suddenly smiled; that kind of smile seemed to be recalling some interesting past events, her eyes shining, and the wrinkles on her face smoothed out a little.

"I stayed there a few times. Once, a guy who claimed to be a 'descendant of the Flame Demon' lived in the next room, showing off all day how he could control abyssal flames."

In the projection, a figure shrouded in black robes appeared, constantly changing weird purple flames in his hands.

"Until one day, his room suddenly ignited with purple flames that could not be extinguished. Two hours later, only a pile of ashes and a weird crystal remained there."

In the projection, the entire room was swallowed by purple flames, and finally, only a piece of scorched black and a crystal flashing with purple light remained.

"After that, 'Silver Moon Pavilion' set a rule—prohibiting the use of any items or spells related to the abyss inside the inn."

Her mouth carried a hint of irony.

Lady Ailan paused, her finger movements stopped for a moment, as if thinking about something, and the projection also stopped, forming a static image in the air.

"There is also a place called 'Nightmare Hostel'..."

Her tone became cautious, and a building with an ordinary appearance but a strong sense of unease appeared in the projection.

The windows were tightly closed, and a dilapidated sign with "Nightmare Hostel" written on it hung in front of the door.

"It specializes in receiving travelers who have already been corrupted by the abyss to a certain extent. The owner of the hostel is said to be a Moon-level wizard who found a way to delay the spread of abyssal corruption. Of course, the price is high."

The scene inside the hostel appeared in the projection—special rooms, with walls engraved with suppression runes.

Travelers with gray faces and empty eyes lay on the beds, their skin covered with weird black patterns.

A complex emotion flashed in her eyes, and she waved her hand lightly, and the projection returned to the panoramic view of Ash Town:

"More than a hundred years ago, when I left Ash Town for the last time, it had already been expanded three times, and the number of guest rooms was several times what it was when I first saw it. You should be able to understand the meaning behind this number."

Luo En nodded thoughtfully, his fingers tapping the edge of the teacup unconsciously:

"It sounds like Ash Town itself is a place worth studying."

His mind raced, already beginning to think about how to maximize his own gains and safety in that environment.

"Indeed."

Lady Ailan agreed, and the projection changed into a group of Ash Town residents, whose appearance was slightly different from ordinary humans—their skin was slightly gray, and their eyes shone with strange light.

"Ash Town is an excellent place to study the influence of the abyss. The residents there have lived under the slight influence of the abyssal aura for a long time, showing some subtle but undeniable changes."

In the projection, a close-up of a resident showed tiny gray patterns on their skin, and their eyes emitted faint fluorescence in the dark.

"The skin is slightly gray, as if covered by a layer of dust that cannot be washed away;

The eyes have an extraordinarily strong ability to adapt to darkness, almost able to see in complete darkness;

Some people even begin to develop some peculiar abilities, such as being able to perceive the fluctuations of abyssal energy, or foreseeing imminent danger."

Her tone suddenly became warning, and the projection turned into a bloody fighting scene—two people fighting over a small crystal, and finally one pierced the other's chest:

"But don't be deceived by the surface calm of Ash Town. The rules there are completely different from the Black Fog Jungle, more bloody and direct. Under the influence of the abyss, the dark side of human nature is often easier to manifest."

Lady Ailan's voice became extremely serious, her eyes carrying a weariness of having witnessed too much darkness:

"I have seen a person stab a knife into the chest of a long-time friend because of a worthless abyssal crystal; I have also seen a seemingly gentle merchant pour molten lead into the throat of a little boy who tried to steal."

In the projection, these violent scenes were displayed one by one; although there was no sound, the visual impact was enough to make one feel nauseous.

A flash of disgust and worry crossed Lady Ailan's eyes:

"The worst part is that these things are no longer special news in Ash Town. People talk about them in a tone as if they were discussing today's weather."

Luo En nodded, keeping this information firmly in mind.

He could feel the twisted atmosphere from the projection; this field experience was far more precious than any book record.

For a newly promoted formal wizard, overconfidence is often the greatest weakness.

He needed these warnings to stay vigilant and not let himself fall into unnecessary danger.

"Then, from now on, it's the core content, about the shallowest abyssal edge area."

Lady Ailan continued, her voice becoming more serious, her eyes flickering with vigilant light.

"The curse effect is relatively weak, and most professionals with extraordinary power can withstand it for a short time.

The mutants there are also relatively weak, most of which are malformed bodies formed after low-level creatures are corrupted by abyssal energy—such as six-eyed worms, radiation toads, or bone-claw rats.

Many schools often send high-stage apprentices to capture these mutants for experiments and research."

The projection showed the images of these low-level mutants:

A huge worm covered with eyes, its body surface constantly oozing corrosive liquid;

A huge toad with several tumor-like sacs on its back, occasionally spraying toxic gas;

And a group of bone-claw rats, their claws sharp as knives, capable of easily cutting through metal.

Lady Ailan shook her head slightly, a look of irony on her face.

The creatures in the projection were intertwined with human explorers, forming a weird picture:

"Many people exploring the abyss for the first time often stay in the edge area for too long, feeling a false sense of security.

They don't understand that this is just the 'gentle trap' of the abyss—first letting you adapt to weaker curses and dangers, and then gradually luring you deeper until you cannot escape."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 239 =====