We flew south for a whole day.
Linley's understanding of Gebados deepened little by little with each flight.
This world was so vast it chilled him to the bone. Even at the speed of Lowgod Wind Element god, he could travel tens of thousands of miles a day, yet he couldn't even see the end of this wasteland. The gray sky pressed down so low, as if it might collapse at any moment, crushing everything on the ground into dust.
On the ground, there were huge claw marks, charred pits, and white bones half-buried in the ground. Some of the bones even gleamed with divine power, indicating that they were all formidable warriors in life.
Occasionally, Linley would encounter other exiles on their journeys. Some traveled alone, others in groups, all weathered and with sinister eyes. They never spoke to each other, nor did they ever get close. Occasionally, their eyes would meet, then they would quickly look away and go their separate ways. In this wasteland, trust was the most precious thing.
"Boss." Bebe perched on Linley's shoulder, his small eyes scanning the surroundings warily, "My inherited memories say that Gebados was originally a subsidiary plane of the Yulan Plane, which was later converted into a prison. Those imprisoned here are either Saint Realm or Deity Level; there aren't any easy targets."
Linley nodded. Along the way, he had already sensed several Deity Level auras from afar, each one exuding a strong sense of bloodlust and killing intent.
"How did they get in?" Linley asked.
"Some were personally captured by the Sovereign God of the Yulan Plane; others were sent in by the Planar Overseer," Bebe said. "Anyway, once you're in, don't expect to get out easily. This space is locked by the plane's barrier."
Linley's heart skipped a beat. He suddenly remembered that when Hodan brought him in, he only told him to become stronger, but never mentioned a way to get out.
"Then how do we get out?" Linley asked.
Bebe tilted her head, her inherited memories surging like a tide. "There's only one way out—find the 'gate' to the Gebados Plane. That gate is the only exit from this world. But it's fiercely guarded by a force called ' Fiend Castle '."
Fiend Castle.
Linley silently repeated those four words, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
At dusk the following day, Linley spotted a campfire in the distance.
On the wasteland, there was a small, makeshift camp. A dozen or so exiles sat around several campfires, some roasting meat, some drinking wine, and others spreading out a tattered cloth, displaying a few odds and ends, and hawking their wares.
Linley hesitated for a moment, but still walked over.
"Hey, another newbie." A skinny man with a pointed chin and monkey-like face greeted him with a broad smile. "Brother, are you looking to buy information or supplies? I have the latest map of the wasteland's power structures, as well as top-quality healing medicine and antidotes. Fair prices, no cheating."
Linley glanced at him. This skinny guy was only at the Peak Saint Realm, yet his smile was excessively ingratiating.
"I'm going to the City of Fiends," Linley said. "How do I get there?"
" The City of Fiends?" The skinny man's eyes lit up. "No problem, no problem. But brother, the wasteland is teeming with ferocious beasts and bandits. Without a guide, it'll be difficult to navigate. I have a newly updated safe route map here, for just three Saint Realm Magic Crystal Core."
Linley took out three Magic Crystal Core from his spatial ring and tossed them over.
The skinny man took it and handed over a tattered roll of animal hide with a smile.
Linley unfolded it and his expression changed slightly. There were only a few crooked lines drawn on the animal hide, without even a place name; it was clearly just random scribbling.
"Are you kidding me?" Linley's voice turned cold.
The skinny guy looked completely innocent. "Brother, that's how the route map is drawn. If you can't understand it, don't blame me."
Linley was secretly furious. He knew he had been tricked by this skinny man.
"Give the Magic Crystal Core back." Linley stepped forward.
The skinny man's expression changed, and he shrieked, "What, you want to renege on your debt? In this wasteland, once a deal is made, there are no refunds! You, a Lowgod, dare to bully my Saint Realm?"
His shout immediately drew the attention of a dozen or so exiles nearby. They put down their roasted meat and wine jugs and slowly surrounded him, their eyes filled with hostility.
"Kid," a burly, bald man with a face full of scars stood up, cracking his knuckles, "My brother runs a small business. If you don't want to buy, get lost. Don't come looking for trouble."
Linley looked around and saw more than a dozen unfriendly gazes fixed on him.
"Boss," Bebe's voice echoed in his soul, "Should we make a move?"
"No need." Linley withdrew his gaze, turned, and left. "A few Magic Crystal Core are nothing. We can settle this later."
He didn't act rashly. In this unfamiliar place, it wasn't worth making enemies for a few Magic Crystal Core.
Behind me, I heard the skinny man's smug laughter.
Linley clenched his fist, swallowing his anger.
Just as he was about to leave, a shrill scream suddenly came from the other end of the camp.
Linley looked in the direction of the sound and saw a thin, frail exile being held down by three burly men. One of them was cutting the exile's flesh piece by piece, trying to force him to reveal the location where the Magic Crystal Core was hidden. The exile was already covered in wounds, and his screams grew weaker and weaker; he was about to die.
The people around them just watched coldly, some even pointing and whispering with interest, but no one stepped forward.
Linley clenched his fists even tighter.
"Boss," Bebe's voice echoed in his soul, tinged with suppressed anger, "Is there no law in Gebados?"
"The law?" Linley smiled wryly. "Here, fists are the law."
He ultimately did not make a move. Not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't. For a Lowgod to rashly step forward in this desolate wasteland fraught with danger would only lead to his own demise.
"Let's go." Linley turned around, his voice low. "We'll settle this score when we're strong enough."
He walked out of the camp step by step, leaving the screams of the thin exile behind.
But that voice was like a thorn, deeply embedded in his heart.
This is Gebados.