The day after the synthesized drugs arrived, Chen Chuan also received the map of the ancient road through the Star Spirit's Throat that Head Xie had sent.
The map was drawn on some unknown kind of bark, both tough and pliable. Unrolled, it measured a little over a meter long.
Apart from the ancient road traced in fine lines, strange creatures were drawn at various points, surrounded by the gods of the First People. Its style and colors were distinctive, blending the grotesque with the sacred while retaining a raw, rustic flavor.
He studied it for a long time, feeling that more information might be hidden within it beyond the ancient road itself, though he could not decipher it just yet. Even setting that aside, the thing was a work of art in its own right.
From what Head Xie had said earlier, it had originally belonged to the collection of a noble in Kavatua.
Kavatua was only one continent away, so ten days was enough for a round trip. But retrieving the item and bringing it back along the way, while evading all the covert surveillance, was no easy feat.
He suspected that members of the Covert Department had probably helped, perhaps even drawing on undercover contacts who had never been activated before.
He looked over the notes Head Xie had included alongside it, comparing the map against the One-Eyed Elder's memories.
So far, they largely matched, and the map was more detailed. Differences in some places were only natural. After so many years, things could hardly have remained unchanged.
Head Xie advised him to follow this road anyway, suspecting that it might itself be part of the ritual.
Chen Chuan very much agreed. An ancient ritual that had endured for thousands of years surely had its own merits.