The Ger's Contract Marriage [BL]
Chapter 202: Cultivator’s Cave

Chapter 202: Cultivator’s Cave

Time seemed to stretch as he took a moment to steady himself, his senses adjusting to the overpowering influx of energy. His gaze remained fixed on the cave entrance, its draw tugging at something deep within him.

After what felt like minutes, maybe even an hour, but was only a few seconds, Xu Feng took a final deep breath, centering himself before bracing to enter. He was whole, the ring on his finger emanating warmth and stability, his abilities in sync with his purpose.

The nagging uncertainty that had loomed over him finally began to dissolve. This cave, with its overwhelming energy, belonged to a cultivator—a demon beast or a human practitioner was unknown, but it was a cultivator none the less.

The garden was undoubtedly the property of a skilled cultivator who cultivated precious immortal plants, which explained the mysterious flora he encountered earlier.

Yet, questions lingered in Xu Feng’s mind. Was this a mustard seed pocket dimension he stumbled upon during his escape from the boars? Or was it a hidden space that had recently been revealed, its barrier weakened or somehow bypassed by him?

Whatever the case, as he stepped toward the cave entrance, determination fueled his steps. He was ready to uncover the mysteries hidden within this otherworldly domain.

Xu Feng stood at the mouth of the cave, his eyes fixated on the mysterious barrier before him. The air around the entrance crackled with bizarre energy, and he could sense the latent power pulsating through the invisible wall. Taking a deep breath, he extended a tentative hand toward the barrier, half-expecting a jolt of electricity to course through his veins.

His fingertips made contact with the intangible force, and a sudden shock rippled through him. It was as if the very fabric of reality quivered at his touch. The initial jolt sent a shiver down his spine, but to his surprise, the barrier yielded, its malleable nature succumbing to his persistent touch. The space around him shuddered slightly, as if acknowledging his presence, before relenting and allowing him passage.

As Xu Feng stepped through, a tingling sensation enveloped him. The current against his skin was not hostile; instead, it danced playfully, matching the shiver in his heart and the anticipation that coated his every movement. Excitement surged through his veins, and he couldn’t help but marvel at the forces at play.

Inside the cave, however, the grandeur of the entrance gave way to a humble 4-foot by 4-foot space. Despite the unassuming size, Xu Feng steeled himself and began to scrutinize his surroundings.

Undeterred, Xu Feng braced himself and began to explore, scouring the walls and floor as if expecting to uncover a hidden switch or mechanism. But his search turned up nothing. There were no markings, no levers, no obvious signs of any mystical mechanisms or hidden treasures.

The energy within the cave was concentrated, no doubt, but it fell short of the overwhelming aura he sensed from the outside. It was about twice as potent as the garden’s energy, yet still, something seemed amiss. The discrepancy between the residual energies and the cave’s interior baffled him. It wasn’t adding up.

He wasn’t versed in ’mystical arts,’ and the chances of him unraveling the secrets left behind by the cave’s owner seemed slim. The cave, it seemed, held its secrets tightly, challenging Xu Feng to navigate through the unknown, where illusions, arrays, or other strange barriers guarded the potential treasure hidden within.

He was but a layman, someone whose understanding of anything mystical was confined to the pages of countless web novels and movies spanning various genres. The vast library of his mind held tales of magic, otherworldly realms, and uncharted dimensions. Yet, here he stood, not as a protagonist on the pages of a story, but as an active participant in a strange event.

Even if he lacked the ability to circulate energy or perform the mystical feats described in the stories, he understood that this opportunity was rare and not to be squandered. He couldn’t get deeper into the cultivator’s cave and fully make use of the cave, but he could try his best to use the concentrated energy in this small space.

With a deep breath and a resolve fueled by...watching too many cartoons where a hero’s journey would start similar to this...he stepped forward.

There wasn’t much space to step into...

If one were standing on the outside looking inward, they would notice a shimmer as he made himself at home on the floor of the cave. His bottom was cold against the cavern bottom, but Xu Feng ignored the icy feeling. Instead, he adjusted his robes, again thankful that before he set out to make trouble with Bai Mo, that he was wearing more practical clothing.

If he had been wearing one of his more intricate robes, the boars might have caught up to him before he stumbled upon, or was guided to this strange place. After pushing his hair to the side, and making himself comfortable on the ground, Xu Feng released a deep breath.

Though his knowledge was gleaned from fiction rather than formal instruction, Xu Feng understood one key principle from his reading: opportunities like this were not to be wasted. His heart raced with the excitement of the situation even as he tried to calm down.

This wasn’t the afterlife, and he was still very much alive, with a functional body. He’d been periodically pinching himself since he entered the dimension. Now, he was attempting to cultivate...

Okay, cultivate was too big of an ambition. Even those born in this cultivation world weren’t all able to cultivate, most of the people of Donghua didn’t even seem to realize this was a cultivation world in the first place.

His goal wasn’t to cultivate, but to try absorbing the excess energy in the cave. His abilities loved the energy rich garden, and liked this enclosed space even more. Surprisingly though, the abilities that seemed to be sentient a moment ago, had become more restrained, not running out of him to explore on its/their own.

While he might not possess the ability to channel energy or decipher mystical barriers, he knew enough to recognize that this moment required action. The action of measured stillness and concentration.

With another deep breath, he quieted his rapidly beating heart taking each moment as it came. He might lack the finesse or expertise of a trained cultivator, but basking in energy shouldn’t hurt, right?