Please be my partner.

After an unknown amount of time, Mellen suddenly sensed a wisp of energy, so he leaped off his balance point and began to move forward rapidly.

The tearing of space suddenly intensified, and even the fluctuations in time became extremely violent, causing the protective power around Mellen to tremble continuously.

Fortunately, this situation did not last long. It was as if a 'bang' sounded from the void, and Murren broke free from the distorted illusion and returned to the gap between worlds...

No, it should be said that we have entered a gap between another world.

This is also a gap between worlds, but the atmosphere is more ancient, and the world is even rarer.

If we call the world gaps that Melen used to travel through the outer world gaps, then the world gaps we travel through now can be called inner world gaps.

The gaps in the inner world cannot be reached by ordinary means; one can only reach them through the path of distortion and illusion.

Although the Twisted Maze is dangerous, any legendary expert can pass through it smoothly as long as they know the method; it's just a matter of how long it takes.

The strong, like Mellen, sensed they were getting close to the inner world's rift and forced their way in, while the weak simply waited patiently for their chance.

The actions of the balance point within the distorted illusion are completely random, meaning that given enough time, it will eventually appear at the edge of the inner world gap, at which point it can be easily entered.

Just as Murren was getting used to his new environment and preparing to explore any world he could find, he suddenly froze. Murren sensed a world that was both familiar and strange.

In a daze, Mellen seemed to return to the moment when he first entered the Outer Heavens and first came into contact with the borderland; a scene appeared in his mind...

Distant mountains, dense forests, small bridges, flowing water, archways, and a strange procession that seems to be both a wedding and a funeral...

Indeed, the aura that Mellen sensed originated from that ghostly sedan chair world.

Over the past few years, Mellen had already explored all the worlds corresponding to the borders of the initial world, and even used some of these coordinates to exchange for more world coordinates with the Wudang Sect, but he still hadn't found any trace of the Ghost Carriage World.

This is not hard to understand. After all, the world beyond the heavens is vast and boundless, and Mellen has only traversed a small part of it.

To Mellen's surprise, the Ghost Carriage World was located in the gap between the inner worlds, and might even be one of the fragments of the main world.

Since that's the case, Mellen naturally didn't need to do any further searching or selection, and headed straight for the world of ghost sedan chairs.

Finding a world within a gap between worlds is not as easy as one might imagine, because gaps between worlds are a phenomenon of spacetime distortion. Under the influence of layers upon layers of space, which resemble waves, one might not even be able to detect the existence of a world if one brushes past it.

Generally speaking, searching for the world in the gaps between worlds requires careful exploration, and it is often only possible to detect something in a specific spatial location, which is not an easy task.

However, if one has the specific coordinates of a world, or grasps its essence, it becomes as simple and easy as obtaining the right key.

The way Mellen is now heading to the Ghost Carriage World belongs to the latter category. He has already grasped a trace of the Ghost Carriage World's 'other self' status by taking advantage of the convenience of the border area. He only needs to follow the guidance of the aura to move forward.

As they drew closer to the world of the ghost sedan chair, Mellen vaguely sensed an ominous aura spreading, which aroused his vigilance.

When Mellen arrived outside the Ghost Carriage World and saw the scene, he couldn't help but gasp in horror.

It can be clearly seen that the Ghost Carriage World is a pitch-black sphere, as if billions of vengeful ghosts are wailing inside. Huge chains crisscross from the surrounding void, sealing off the Ghost Carriage World.

These chains looked extremely old, exuding an ancient, almost decaying aura, which seemed to have corrupted the very void.

This is a world that looks incredibly eerie. The chains outside seem to be sealing something off, as if some great horror is hidden in the world of ghost cars.

With chains separating the inside from the outside, it's not an easy task for either those in the Ghost Carriage world to get out or those outside to get in.

However, this is not absolute for Mellen. He possesses a part of the 'other self' of the Ghost Carriage world, so it is not impossible for him to enter. But correspondingly, it would be difficult to get out after entering.

If handled poorly, you might not be able to gain benefits from the ghost sedan world, but instead imprison yourself within it.

In addition to these, Mellen also needs to consider other aspects, such as the most obvious one: who sealed off this ghostly sedan world? Would entering it alert this being?

After a long period of quiet contemplation, Murren suddenly opened his eyes, having made up his mind.

As Mellen slowly approached the Ghost Carriage World, his aura gradually receded until only the 'other self' of the Ghost Carriage World remained.

In that instant, it was as if Mellen resonated with the world of ghost cars, and then transformed into a drop of water and merged into it.

In the world of ghost carriages, calm and undisturbed, yet the turmoil continues. On the supreme throne woven from countless bones and ghosts, a wisp of flame leisurely flickers.

In an instant, ten thousand ghosts howled, as if welcoming their king.

Mellen opened his eyes and immediately surveyed his surroundings. Only after confirming that there was no danger did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Melon sneaked in using the 'other self' position of the Ghost Carriage World. Considering the special nature of the Ghost Carriage World, Melon did not intend to use power beyond the limit before the situation was clear, so as not to expose himself.

However, before entering, Mellen had already planned it out. As long as he had some time, he could recover some strength by absorbing the power of the 'Other Self' position in the Ghost Carriage World, and at that time, he would at least be able to protect himself.

Just as Mellen was thinking this and preparing to do so, his expression suddenly changed. He discovered that he was unable to absorb the 'other self' position of the Ghost Carriage World.

After calming himself down and carefully sensing the situation, Mellen discovered that it wasn't that the world was refusing to let him absorb the power of the 'Other Self' persona, but rather that this power simply didn't exist!

After thinking for a while, Mellen still couldn't find a clue, and he began to doubt whether entering the world of ghost carriages was a mistake.

But soon, Mellen dismissed the idea. The simplest solution was not feasible, and he had other alternatives, but these could not be accomplished overnight. The most urgent task was to determine the current situation.

At this moment, Mellen noticed many other differences, such as the gray sky with only a very dim sun hanging high in the sky.

At first, Mellen thought it was because of the clouds in the sky, but upon closer inspection, she found that this was the natural color of the sky, and the sun was indeed this weak.

Mellen was in a forest, where gusts of cold wind blew around him from time to time, making the air feel exceptionally cold and chilling, the kind that could penetrate to the bone. Looking into the distance, he could see faint, eerie blue flames flickering in the woods.

The area where Mellen is now is like a gloomy mass grave.

Looking at the eerie forest, Mellen had no intention of entering. He looked at the low hills on the other side, estimated the distance and height, and then walked in that direction.

At this moment, what Mellen needs most is to find the original inhabitants of the ghost sedan world so that he can obtain more information.

Although he didn't have much power left, he still maintained the level of a normal martial artist. In addition, with his inherent strength, Mellen could completely control himself and could even go without food or water for ten days or half a month without any problem.

After about two hours, Mellen climbed to the top of the low hill. Looking out into the distance, a smile appeared on his face. He saw a small river in the distance, and a village located not far from the riverbank.

So, Mellen set off toward the village. He didn't walk fast along the way, a mode of movement that he balanced to conserve energy as much as possible.

After spending half a day, and as darkness gradually fell, Mellen finally arrived outside the village.

To Mellen's surprise, he had expected that at this time of day, the villagers would be home resting or engaging in one of the few recreational activities they could find. Instead, he found the village bustling with activity, with villagers carrying out their daily work and smiles on their faces.

After a moment's thought, Mellen walked slowly toward the village.

Mellen's actions quickly attracted the attention of the villagers. Some people exclaimed in surprise, and the children looked on with curiosity. Several villagers dressed as hunters, carrying machetes and bows, came over and asked, "Who are you, and why have you come to my Little Sand Village?"

Although the villagers spoke in a somewhat convoluted language, it was a language that Mellen could understand. He replied, "Hello, I am a lost traveler. I lost my way while walking in the mountains and finally found this place. I apologize for disturbing you."

The villagers seemed very simple and honest. Hearing what Mellen said, they didn't doubt it and said, "I see. Since you are a guest from afar, please come with me to meet the village chief."

Chapter 670 Oddity and Incense

The villagers of Xiaosha Village were very hospitable, but Mellen gradually sensed that something was amiss.

Because their strength was suppressed to an extremely low level, and because it was dark and the road was long, they couldn't see very clearly. Only when they got closer did they realize that all the villagers of Xiaosha Village, regardless of age or gender, had pale faces, blank expressions, and their movements were filled with a mechanical stiffness, just like puppets.

Are they human or ghost?

Mellen is currently unable to confirm this speculation. After a brief test, he found that these villagers are all physical entities, and although they are somewhat sluggish in their movements, they are not mentally impaired and can answer Mellen's difficult questions fluently.

If Mellen were to regain his strength, he would be able to see through their true nature at a glance, but that is clearly not the case now.

So far, although this little sand village seems a bit strange, Mellen can sense that they have no hostility or malice towards him.

Xiaosha Village was not large, and soon Mellen arrived at the village chief's house, led by a hunter.

The village chief appeared to be an elderly man around fifty years old, with an honest and simple demeanor and the marks of years of hard work on his body. Upon seeing Mellen, especially after noticing his attire, he seemed somewhat reserved.

Mellen repeated his previous remarks and then said, "Old man, it's getting late. May I bother you for a while in Little Sand Village?"

The village chief and the hunter looked at each other, seemingly puzzled.

Mellen paused, thinking that such a small mountain village was likely isolated from the world and might not welcome outsiders, so he said somewhat apologetically, "I'm sorry, I didn't think it through. If it's inconvenient..."

At this moment, the village chief quickly waved his hand and said, "No, no, no! You are a guest from afar. You must be exhausted from getting lost in the mountains. If you don't mind, please stay at my humble home. I'll be happy as long as you don't find it too simple."

Mellen smiled and said, "In that case, thank you very much, sir."

Xiaosha Village is just a small mountain village after all. Even the village chief's house is not very big, so it is impossible for it to have guest rooms or anything like that.

The place where Mellen rested was a room filled with miscellaneous items, with a space cleared out where some dry straw was laid on the floor, and a thin blanket was placed on top of it.

To be honest, this kind of treatment is already a bit beyond what is expected in Xiaosha Village, which is enough to show how much the village chief values ​​Mellen.

Although he felt that this small sand village was a bit strange, he couldn't see any flaws for the time being, so Mellen decided to wait and see.

With this in mind, Mellen closed his eyes and focused his mind, searching for elements from his vast knowledge of martial arts that were relevant to the current world, preparing to use them as a foundation to create a corresponding cultivation method.

Starting martial arts training from scratch is one of Mellen's alternative plans. Of course, this is just preparation in advance. At most, he will do some general training. It would be best to wait until he obtains the native training methods of the Ghost Carriage world before starting formal training.

After all, this world seems somewhat special right now, and rashly starting cultivation might be counterproductive.

Several hours later, the sky grew increasingly gloomy, seemingly deep into the night, but suddenly, a faint, indistinct commotion reached Mellen's ears...

"...Keep your voice down...don't wake them up..."

"...Quick...go sharpen the knife...it's not working properly..."

"...Tie him up...tie him up..."

"...start the fire...put the wok in the pan...heat the oil..."

"..."

Mellen opened his eyes, his gaze indifferent. He glanced at the only broken window in the room, through which he could see the huge moon hanging high in the sky. Under the moonlight, it seemed even brighter than daytime.

Hearing the commotion outside, Mellen's lips curled up slightly as he muttered to himself, "Finally couldn't hold back? In that case, let me see what kind of monsters you are."

With a loud bang, the door was pushed open, and the sounds outside stopped abruptly. Everyone looked up and stared blankly at Mellen.

Mellen walked out slowly, and with a glance, he had already taken in the situation outside.

By this time, seven or eight people had gathered at the village chief's house. Some were lighting fires, some were sharpening knives, some were holding hemp ropes, and some were holding sticks. They all looked ready to fight.

A pale flame burned over the brazier, offering no warmth whatsoever, but rather a chilling feeling.

The hunter who was leading the way for Mellen stopped sharpening his knife and walked towards Mellen, a stiff smile playing on his lips, which looked particularly eerie against the backdrop of the pale flames.

A gust of cold wind swept by, causing the flames to swirl wildly, making the shadows of the crowd appear like twisted, vengeful ghosts.

With a cold expression, Murren took a step forward and was already in front of the hunter. Although the latter had been hunting in the mountains for many years and had a good physique, how could he compare to Murren, even though Murren was weaker than ever before.

Amid the hunter's surprised and bewildered expression, Mellen's left hand shot out with lightning speed, grabbing the hunter's right hand that was holding the knife.

But just as he was about to catch him, Mellen suddenly paused, then naturally changed from grabbing to patting, gently patting the hunter's shoulder. The coldness on his face melted away, revealing a sunny smile, and he said, "Oh, busy, need my help?"

"Phew!"

Someone exhaled, and the solemn atmosphere in the courtyard immediately relaxed.

The hunter wiped away a cold sweat and laughed, "Guest, your move just now was really impressive, it gave me quite a fright."

As Mellen chatted amiably with the hunter, he caught a glimpse of two burly men entering the room, carrying a wild boar with its hands and feet bound.

Seeing Mellen's gaze, the hunter looked over and then laughed loudly, "A good haul today, we've caught a big one, you're in for a treat, sir."

Mellen nodded with a smile.

Actually, unprocessed wild boar has a strong gamey smell, and the meat is tough and dry, so it's not very tasty. But for a small mountain village, being able to eat a bite of meat and have a bit of meaty flavor is already a rare delicacy.

It was only upon seeing this large wild boar that Murren realized he had been overly cautious and had almost made a blunder.

Even at worst, it would just be a 'mistake', not as bad as Cao Cao turning a story into an accident.

Because Mellen had no intention of killing; he originally only intended to subdue these villagers, and he wanted to learn more about the world through them.

Although the villagers tried their best to stop him, Mellen was not one to mince words. He directly helped the villagers with the task, especially after he showed off his skillful butchering of a pig, which amazed the villagers.

Through casual conversation, Mellen also noticed that these villagers seemed to work at sunset and rest at sunrise, or rather, they had the opposite definition of day and night.

This also made Mellen understand why the village chief's expression was a bit strange when he said he wanted to stay overnight.

After all, to a normal person, it does seem rather strange to see someone who travels at night and then sleeps and rests during the day.

Late at night, the village chief leisurely returned on a small donkey, bringing back two jars of Qingquan wine. This Qingquan wine was brewed using traditional methods in Xiaosha Village. Although it was not very strong, it had a refreshing taste and was quite delicious.

From the village chief, Mellen obtained a lot of useful information. Although the village chief didn't have much knowledge, he at least helped Mellen light up the surrounding map.

The nearby mountain is called Yinque Mountain. About 40 or 50 miles to the north is Fengshan City, which is the most prosperous place in the surrounding area. This is basically the farthest range of activities the village chief has ever taken in his life.

After eating and drinking his fill and learning enough information, Mellen prepared to leave, but was stopped by the village chief just before he was about to go, who seemed to be preparing to take him somewhere.

Mellen didn't understand, but he followed along as instructed.

Soon the two arrived at Xiaosha Village, where there was a small ancestral hall, which seemed to enshrine a local earth deity.

The land looked like a clay sculpture, short and plump, with a rather endearing appearance.

The village chief said, “This is the land we worship in Xiaosha Village. I can tell that you are no ordinary person, but you do not seem to have any offerings with you. This may cause you some inconvenience when you travel. If you are willing, please take an offering from this small temple to keep with you.”

"Sacrifice?" Mellen looked at the so-called sacrifice, which was nothing precious; it seemed to be just some piled-up pebbles.