Chapter 578 - 309: Stepping Into the Central Area

Heaven and Earth give birth to all things, each with its purpose!

Although humanity proclaims itself the most spiritual of all creation, in terms of physical prowess and survival skills, it is inferior to many other beings.

Their only truly notable trait is their intelligence.

Zhao Rui and his companions soared across the sky on their Flying Beasts, racing onward.

Below them lay a vast forest of colossal trees.

These trees stood hundreds of meters tall. Their massive trunks were thick enough to carve a three-lane highway from.

Roars echoed from the forest from time to time as monstrously large Exotic Beasts poked their heads through the canopy, bellowing at the sky.

There were also all sorts of smaller, incredibly agile creatures frolicking and chasing one another through the woods.

It felt like looking at the Jurassic period of ancient Blue Star. No, it was even grander, more terrifying, than that era.

"Zhao Rui, could these Exotic Beasts develop sapience?"

Miao Miaomiao asked with curiosity, her eyes fixed on the colossal, sky-blotting beasts emerging from the forest below.

"That’s hard to say. In the last tens of millions of years of evolution, they haven’t managed to evolve sapience as a species. But don’t forget about Chi Hu and the others..."

Zhao Rui said with a smile.

"Oh, right. How could I forget about them? I guess Exotic Beasts can develop intelligence after all."

Realization dawned on Miao Miaomiao.

Zhao Rui shook his head. "We’re no biologists, so we don’t know much about evolution. Still, I get the feeling Chi Hu and these other Exotic Beasts aren’t the same species."

"Perhaps it’s his intelligence that gives you that impression."

"Maybe so."

The two exchanged a few more words via voice transmission as their mounts reached the vicinity of the central region.

The central region formed a ring around an inland sea. An opening in the coastline connected this sea directly to the ocean, creating an extremely rare saltwater river.

This river was several kilometers wide and nearly a thousand kilometers long. It snaked its way inland, a mighty torrent surging from the ocean.

The riverbanks formed a peculiar natural landscape. Lined with salt-tolerant plants and steep rocks, they looked just like a seashore.

A few hundred meters further out, the terrain shifted back into dense inland forest dotted with swamps and lakes.

Nestled within this very environment was a vast grassland.

This was the home of the Manghuang people.

They thrived here, eventually splitting into two distinct branches of the Manghuang Race: one tall and one short.

Zhao Rui had met these Manghuang people when he first arrived in Gui Xu.

At the time, he had only perceived them as individually powerful. Though they knew no Martial Arts, their Divine Techniques were formidable, rivaling those of Dharma Realm masters.

Later, during the war between the three kingdoms of Shang, Zhou, and Song, Zhao Rui had been solely focused on returning to Blue Star and hadn’t paid these matters much mind.

Returning to this place now, he was discovering that many things were far more mysterious than they first appeared.

"ROAR! ROAR!"

Having spotted the intruders, the Manghuang Race was instantly on alert. Countless tall figures armed with weapons burst from their crude tents.

Some mounted Flying Beasts and took to the sky, roaring at the Great Zhou squadron.

Others simply leaped into the air, Divine Power erupting from beneath their feet and forming shimmering talismans.

"Ajiesuoluo, Aji Duosuo!"

From within the Great Zhou ranks, a formidable general manifested his True Dharma Body. He leaped from his beast, coming to a halt in midair.

His colossal form looked down upon the Manghuang people before him as he chanted in an unintelligible tongue.

Upon hearing his words, the Manghuang people parted to either side, leaving a wide path down the middle.