Chapter 45: Stone Desert
[New Area Opened: Sanctuary Valley]
[Map Exploration Degree of Each Area: Forgotten Forest—98%; Sunny Plateau—65%; Sanctuary Valley—1%]
Chu Jiu finally stepped into Sanctuary Valley.
Although this place was right next to the Sunny Plateau, its endless rain and astonishingly vigorous plants had never seeped into this valley.
All that lay before him were bare rocks, large and small. There was no sand, and plants were scarce.
Occasionally, one or two low, creeping plants stubbornly displayed a few grayish-green shoots on the wasteland; now and then, some dusty gray small animals would flash through the cracks between the rocks, quickly hiding again.
The valley was flanked by deep gray rock walls. Huge boulders piled upon each other in a strange way, seemingly defying the laws of physics as they supported each other. Occasionally, when some couldn’t hold on, they would rumble and roll down the mountainside after a deafening roar, some breaking into irregular stone balls blocking the path, and others shattering into more sharp-edged rocks.
This valley was truly unfavorable for human passage.
Fortunately, there was the magical mount, the Bodo bird.
This large blue-gray bird strode forward proudly, even in this wilderness full of strange rocks.
It would directly step over small pebbles, completely ignoring them; if it encountered larger rocks, it would run and then leap over them easily.
In the rare case where giant rocks two or three meters high appeared in front, the Bodo bird would raise its neck and “Bodo” twice, signaling Chu Jiu and Little Can to sit tight and hold on. Then, it would retreat a few steps, accelerate with a running start, and finally push off with its two claws and retract its legs, crossing the obstacle with a perfect long jump.
Chu Jiu once again praised sincerely, “Bodo is amazing!”
Without the Bodo bird, how much effort would it take to traverse this stony desert wilderness of Sanctuary Valley!
After running for half a day, Chu Jiu arrived at his destination.
He jumped off the Bodo bird.
Beneath his feet were distorted black rocks. These rocks fell from the mountains like huge ropes and coiled at the foot of the mountains, rising and falling in a high and low undulation.
Chu Jiu knew that this was a typical landform formed by lava erupting from a volcanic crater and then flowing downwards.
That’s right, ahead was a volcano. At the end of this low mountain range was a volcano that had been dormant for many years.
Chu Jiu looked up:
Even in the dazzling sunlight, this black and cold mountain body, these barren rock walls, made this rocky mountain appear particularly gloomy.
Further up, layers of thick fog wrapped around the mountainside, completely blocking his view. He couldn’t tell how high the volcano was, nor could he see if there were other collectable materials above the rock walls.
Chu Jiu didn’t plan to climb the mountain rashly.
He looked around—
Excellent!
Those pale yellow, slightly glowing crystals between the rocks were the [Sulfur] he was looking for.
Chu Jiu naturally collected 99 portions in one go.
In addition to sulfur, he walked around the foot of the mountain twice and found another good thing: [Volcanic Ash].
This finely broken particles erupted from the volcano contained rich trace elements. After taking it back and mixing it with the natural organic fertilizer made from fruit peels and vegetable scraps, it could form a good compound fertilizer.
Having collected these two materials, Chu Jiu decided to find a place to camp immediately and configure the [black powder] as soon as possible.
He activated [Camper’s Instinct] and let the golden hamster jump out to lead the way.
Speaking of which, the golden hamster and Little Can had become much closer.
At the beginning, the little hamster was clearly very afraid of Little Can. No matter how hard Little Can tried to nuzzle it, the little hamster would fly far away to hide.
Later, Little Can gave its bamboo hat to the little hamster, carefully sheltering it from the rain, and the little hamster didn’t seem so afraid of Little Can anymore.
Since the last time it inexplicably fell down and turned into a potato chip, and was comforted by Little Can holding its little paw for a long time, the little hamster had completely lost its fear of the little cat.
For example, right now.
After flying for a while, the little hamster’s wing-flapping speed slowed down, not knowing if it was a bit tired.
Little Can stretched out its paw towards it, “Meow.”
Strangely, although Chu Jiu could understand Little Can’s words to other spirit beasts, he had never understood the conversation between Little Can and the little hamster.
He could only guess that Little Can was saying: Come here.
The little hamster glanced at Little Can’s paw, pointed to the road ahead, and hesitated to “squeak” twice.
Chu Jiu guessed that the little hamster wanted to say: No, I still need to lead the way.
Little Can thought for a moment, then with a leap, jumped onto the Bodo bird’s head.
It meowed twice at the little hamster again and wagged its tail.
Only then did the little hamster slowly fly over and land beside Little Can.
Little Can sat upright, neatly and decisively put its arm around the little hamster, placed this walnut-sized hamster on its shoulder, and firmly protected it with its front paw.
“Meow, meow meow.” Little Can was probably saying, “This way, you can continue to lead the way.”
The little hamster “squeaked” and raised its small arm, indicating Chu Jiu to go right, forward…
At this time, the sun was about to set.
The setting sun lay on the mountaintop, and the evening glow reflected on the black rocks, showing a few golden lights.
In such dazzling light, the Bodo bird strode across the desolate and uninhabited gravel ground.
On its blue-gray head, a palm-sized little cat carefully protected the little hamster on its shoulder, sitting still without moving.
Riding on the bird’s back, Chu Jiu looked at this scene and inexplicably felt particularly peaceful.
Perhaps such a picture was inherently comforting.
However, Chu Jiu was slightly surprised that although Little Can was very kind to other companions, it usually didn’t get particularly close to any one spirit beast.
Situations like Kakaba and Rawr Rawr Rabbit occasionally twisting into a ball with Glup Glup cheering them on from the side would never happen with Little Can.
This allowance, no, this initiative to let the little hamster sit on its shoulder, was really rare…
It seemed that the little cat really liked this little hamster.
Hmm, it should just be simple liking? Not the kind of liking that wanted to eat it?
Chu Jiu guessed like this.
*
The camping site this time was called [Barren Land].
[Barren Land: The land lives up to its name. Besides black rocks, there is nothing here. Because there is nothing, it is safe enough. Of course, nothing also means no vitality at all. Camping in such a place, although physically safe, may put more pressure on the mind?]
Chu Jiu looked around and guessed what this place was: once, a surging torrent of lava had erupted and cooled here, eventually forming this cold and desolate “riverbed.”
The “riverbed” was pitch black, without even the common, unusually tenacious low plants they had seen on the way, truly empty.
The system prompt was correct.
Staying in such a place made one wonder if they had reached the end of the world, whether there was no longer any trace of humans or any living beings around.
At this moment, a gust of wind blew from above the riverbed.
The rustling wind sound made people feel a little uneasy and added a bit of chill to the night for no reason.
The large blue-gray bird, which had carried Chu Jiu and Little Can through many places and had been energetic all along, shivered a few times in place.
It stood on the cold, black rocks, circled around a few times, and finally looked at Chu Jiu with confusion, raising its neck and “Bodoing” a few times.
Chu Jiu, of course, couldn’t understand the big bird’s words.
But he could guess that this bird, which was usually very clever and could find its own food and shelter, was now uneasy:
Why is there nothing here? Where should I go to find food, where should I spend the night?
Chu Jiu walked to the Bodo bird, gestured for it to lower its neck, and then gently stroked its head:
“Don’t be afraid. I will turn this place into a warm and comfortable camp.”
“You can stay here and eat with us.”
The Bodo bird called out twice more.
Perhaps it didn’t understand. But Chu Jiu could feel that the big bird was not as flustered as before.
Chu Jiu also patted Little Can, who was lying on his shoulder, “Don’t be afraid either.”
Little Can: “Meow!”
*
Chu Jiu first opened the [Simple Yurt].
With his current “Quick Crafting” skill, it only took him 5 minutes to set up this yurt using spirit power.
Five minutes later, a beige yurt stood out of nowhere in the black and gray riverbed, like a quietly blooming lotus flower.
On the other side, Chu Jiu had already lit a bonfire.
The bonfire crackled, instantly bringing a bit of life to this silent place.
Chu Jiu gestured for the Bodo bird to lie down by the bonfire to warm itself, while he walked into the yurt:
He took out a section of bamboo tube, [Fluffy Foxtail Grass], and a piece of cotton from his backpack.
After removing one end of the bamboo node, inserting the cotton into the bamboo tube, and adding the foxtail grass, it became a nice dried flower decoration.
Chu Jiu had originally just wanted to make a simple decoration, but unexpectedly received a prompt:
[Acquired “Calming Vase Decoration” Recipe X1]
[Calming Vase Decoration: Feels like a decoration pieced together from casually picked-up waste.
No special materials that add attributes were used, but the final result is surprisingly harmonious and unexpectedly calming. Placing such a decoration by the bedside will probably ensure a dreamless sleep.]
…Since that was the case, Chu Jiu placed this vase next to his hay mattress.
He also took out the “Seashell Wind Chime” he had bought in Sea Moon City and casually hung it at the entrance of the yurt.
The wind chimes jingled. The originally biting cold wind suddenly lost some of its harshness.
Only then did Chu Jiu sit back by the bonfire and share dinner with Little Can and Bodo.
He gave Little Can some dried grilled fish and fed the omnivorous Bodo bird some [Traveler’s Rations] and dried jerky.
As for Chu Jiu himself, he set up a frying pan on the bonfire and prepared to make honey-roasted chestnuts.
The chestnuts, needless to say, were all the best quality nuts sent by the chestnut sprites, with deep brown and purple skin, each one plump and round and smooth.
The chestnuts were washed clean, and a small slit was cut into the shell with a knife; a thin layer of oil was brushed into the frying pan, the slit chestnuts were poured in and stir-fried for two minutes, then clear water was added to simmer. After the chestnuts all “burst open,” honey-mixed water was added and stir-fried until the liquid was reduced.
This resulted in a full pan of honey-roasted chestnuts with a glossy color and a fragrant aroma. Gently peeling at the slit, the chestnut shell would come off easily, making them incredibly convenient to eat!
Chu Jiu first tasted one and found it sweet, soft, and glutinous, with a rich and fragrant taste.
He quickly peeled a large handful and shared half with Bodo.
The Bodo bird lowered its neck, first sniffing curiously, then opened its pointed beak and swallowed a handful of chestnuts whole.
Having obviously never eaten such delicious food, it happily raised its neck and “Bodoed” as it ate.
Chu Jiu broke off a small piece of chestnut meat and handed it to Little Can, “Try it, it’s very sweet.”
Little Can curled its tongue and rolled the bright yellow chestnut meat into its mouth, its mouth moving quickly.
“Meow, meow meow.” – “Hmm, it is indeed very sweet.”
Chu Jiu smiled.
He leaned halfway against Bodo’s warm and fluffy belly, looking at the starry night sky overhead, and contentedly tossed a roasted chestnut into his mouth.
*
A hearty meal.
The food was eaten clean, with only the sweet scent of roasted chestnuts lingering in the air.
The big bird obediently rested its head on the ground, nudging Chu Jiu’s palm with its head.
At this moment, the Bodo bird was like a satisfied, well-fed, and carefree fat bird, no longer the lonely bird shivering in the cold wind, not knowing where to spend the night.
After Bodo curled up peacefully by the fire to sleep, Chu Jiu took Little Can back to the tent and began to prepare [black powder].
In Chinese folklore, there is a saying “one sulfur, two saltpeter, three charcoal,” meaning that mixing sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal in this ratio will yield the most basic gunpowder.
In fact, the numbers here do not refer to “500 grams of sulfur, 1 kilos of saltpeter, and 1.5 kilos of charcoal.” Relying solely on such a simple saying, even if gunpowder is accidentally produced, its power will not reach the ideal effect.
Fortunately, the ratio Chu Jiu knew came from a strict chemical equation. Black powder made according to the equation has the most complete reaction, the strongest explosive power, and the highest heat generated.
As for why Chu Jiu knew this precise ratio—after all, exam questions like “Given 3.6 parts of charcoal, if gunpowder is to be made strictly according to the ratio, how many parts of saltpeter and sulfur are needed?” would appear.
Of course, in addition to these most basic raw materials, Chu Jiu also prepared some “special materials” that were not mentioned in chemistry textbooks.
When the moon reached its zenith, Chu Jiu let out a satisfied breath and patted Little Can’s head, “Go to sleep. We’ll see the results tomorrow!”
The next day.
The Bodo bird, having rested comfortably in the camp overnight, happily carried the man and the cat towards the [Sugarcane]’s location—the [River of the Past Basin].
After running for most of the day, a patch of green suddenly appeared in the almost unchanging gray and black desert.
Further ahead, the green became clearer and denser.
It was an entire jungle.
Even from a distance, Chu Jiu could hear the “caw-caw” sounds coming from the jungle and see several black shadows flitting across the treetops.
Probably apart from the hidden underground city of the dwarf beastmen, this was the most vibrant place in “Sanctuary Valley.”
But Chu Jiu didn’t dare to rush in rashly.
Although the Bodo bird showed great interest in the greenery ahead and couldn’t wait to plunge in, Chu Jiu still managed to call it to a halt.
He jumped off the bird’s back and instructed the Bodo bird, “Don’t rush forward carelessly, wait for us here.”
The Bodo bird nodded and obediently lay down.
Chu Jiu took two steps forward, stared at the trees ahead for a few moments, and took out the newly made [Simple Gas Mask] from his backpack, made from bamboo charcoal, tanned leather, and [Hard Carapace of the Centipede].
He put the mask on himself and also put on a matching mini version for Little Can.
Little Can: “…Meow-woof meow-woof?” – “Why wear this?”
Due to the mask, Little Can’s meows sounded muffled.
Chu Jiu couldn’t help but smile—and at the same time, he was a little relieved that the mask was blocking Little Can from seeing his expression.
He explained, “Do you see those trees ahead? The candle-like trees.”
Directly in front was a neat row of trees, about five to six meters tall.
The trunks were straight, the bark smooth as wax, and the surface color was an almost translucent light green.
Most peculiar was that the crowns of these trees were only small clusters perched at the very top, their branches and leaves a gradient of golden yellow and golden red. From afar, it looked as if the crowns had turned into flames, and the entire row of trees resembled a line of translucent, colorful candles.
Little Can: “Meow-woof?”
Chu Jiu: “This kind of tree is called the [Giggling Candle]. Its branches and leaves release a… a substance that is said to make people laugh uncontrollably.”
“Laughing non-stop is a very terrible experience. So we have to be careful of it.”
As Chu Jiu spoke, he made a cut in a [Giggling Candle] and began to collect [Sap That Makes People Laugh Unsteadily].
This light green sap might have an effect no less potent than black powder.
Passing through this row of [Giggling Candles], one could see ferns of varying heights with luxuriant foliage, and the wide, slowly flowing “River of the Past.”
On the opposite bank of the river was a row of plants with light purple skin.
Little Can tilted its head curiously, “Purple bamboo?”
The slender, segmented plants did indeed look very much like bamboo.
Chu Jiu smiled and said, “No, that’s the sugarcane we’re looking for…”
Before he could finish the word “cane,” the originally calm river surface suddenly rustled, and the water violently rippled—
A behemoth fully four to five meters long suddenly sprang out from the center of the river, stirring up countless splashes. Water droplets pattered on the shore, causing the leaves and grass to tremble continuously.
Despite its massive size, the creature’s movements were exceptionally agile, showing no sluggishness at all.
It opened its bloody maw towards the sky and easily swallowed a bird that had just flown over the sugarcane forest.
Chu Jiu pursed his lips: Here it comes, the [Armored Shieldskin Fish].
[Armored Shieldskin Fish: If you are lucky enough to see this fish, its head will definitely leave a deep impression on you, and you will exclaim: Wow, who gave this fish a helmet straight from hell?
In fact, its head and the upper part of its body are covered with several thick bony plates. Even its four exposed sharp teeth are actually extensions of the bony plates at the front of its upper and lower jaws.
These bony plates have extremely strong defense, and ordinary swords cannot penetrate them at all, making it virtually invulnerable.
It is said that these bony plates can even be smelted like metal to become special high-hardness weapons! What kind of anti-biological common sense are these bony plates?
In short, relying on such equipment, this shieldskin fish is particularly ferocious—after all, no one can afford to provoke it.
If such a fish blocks your way, the best way is to avoid it from afar and not approach its activity area at all.
After all, it not only has high defense but also high attack, high agility, and not low intelligence.
In addition, it is extremely persistent about sweet food. No creature can take even a tiny bit of sweet food from its territory.]
It was not difficult to understand why this shieldskin fish would guard the sugarcane forest.
Chu Jiu didn’t plan to just jump or fly over to snatch the sugarcane.
On the contrary, he planned to throw a little sweetener to the shieldskin fish first.
He crouched down, hiding behind the plants as much as possible, and threw a bamboo tube filled with [Honey of the Bloodthirsty Bees] into the river.
The water soon rustled loudly again. It seemed the shieldskin fish had already tasted the sweetness.
Chu Jiu took out another bamboo tube of honey and threw it towards the surface of the river.
This time, the armored shieldskin fish with the hellish helmet broke the water and swallowed the bamboo tube in one gulp.
Alright, it’s time for the real stuff.
Chu Jiu took out six “bamboo tubes” from his backpack and quickly lit the exposed fuses.
These six bamboo tubes were filled with the best ratio of black powder, and the outside was also coated with honey—not just honey, but also slime adhesive to which arrows made from the [Gleaming Mandibular Spines of the Centipede] had been attached, carrying the effect of [causing penetrating wounds to prey, making them bleed profusely].
Chu Jiu took a deep breath, aimed at the shieldskin fish that was clacking its four teeth together, and threw all the bamboo tubes!
It was indeed a shieldskin fish with “high agility” and “not low intelligence.”
It caught and swallowed all the [specially made bamboo tube explosives coated with honey] that Chu Jiu threw over, without missing a single one.
Next…
“Boom boom boom,” a series of muffled sounds rang out, and the bamboo tube explosives took effect.
The shieldskin fish struggled up and down in the river, stirring up countless huge splashes, and its teeth collided constantly, startling the distant birds into fleeing.
Chu Jiu quickly shielded Little Can and hid further away.
Minute by minute passed, and the shieldskin fish’s movements grew smaller and smaller.
Finally, there was a loud splash in the river ahead, and then silence.
Chu Jiu poked his head out to look: the shieldskin fish was floating belly up on the shore, already unable to move.
At this time, its mouth was still wide open, and its eyes were staring, as if unwillingly shouting: This sugar is actually poisonous!
I wonder how he will use the poisonous sugar?