Chapter 19: Strange Matter

This location was at the easternmost edge of Qingyang Town. Outside the courtyard lay vast orchards, providing a tranquil atmosphere and a picturesque view of the distant Taihang Mountains.

The yellow ox plunged into the orchard, its four hooves stretching out as it galloped wildly ahead. It appeared as if cast from gold, shimmering with brilliant light, truly extraordinary.

Chu Feng gave chase, exerting all his strength, but could only follow behind. This one-meter-tall calf possessed incredible stamina and astonishing speed.

Most oxen were perceived as clumsy and slow, but these characteristics were entirely absent in the yellow ox. It traversed large expanses of fruit trees, gracefully and swiftly, as if skimming over grass, heading directly for an open area, leaving the orchard behind.

A low mountain, not very tall, appeared ahead. On this morning of the rising sun, wisps of white mist emerged from it. This mountain hadn't existed before; it had suddenly appeared during the anomaly several days ago. Chu Feng was already aware of this. Other peaks that had emerged elsewhere were grand, magnificent, and majestic, but this one before them was clearly different. Standing only two to three hundred meters tall, it was remarkably low.

For the past few days, the yellow ox had been fixated on it. From the very beginning, it had been gazing in this direction, observing closely, only starting to act today.

Chu Feng was surprised. Was this the yellow ox's objective?

"Moo!"

The yellow ox let out a deep, muffled roar, like rumbling thunder. It was expressing excitement and joy. After lying dormant for several days, it was finally taking action. The low mountain had no unusual plants or ancient trees, and no strange birds or beasts were visible; it seemed ordinary. Only the wisps of pure white mist rising from it this morning made it seem somewhat different.

The yellow ox stood still here, its gaze fervent and filled with intense longing. It simply waited silently. Though curious, Chu Feng did not speak. He remained calm, standing beside the ox, awaiting the arrival of the mysterious moment.

He wondered if it was an illusion. The sun, rising above the Taihang Mountains, was unusually red. The morning glow felt warm on their bodies, bringing an indescribable sense of comfort. At the same time, Chu Feng noticed that the entire world seemed to have gained a significant amount of vitality.

Suddenly, the morning glow burst forth, becoming instantly more sacred, illuminating the entire land. Simultaneously, Chu Feng was astonished to find that the distant colossal mountains, especially those deep within the Taihang Range, were radiating vibrant light and surging outwards.

"A rich vitality suddenly permeated the land," Chu Feng exclaimed, his face showing surprise. It emanated from those primordial mountains, spreading throughout the entire world. Standing amidst it, one felt their pores opening, as if undergoing a baptism.

The yellow ox remained still, completely ignoring these phenomena. It was still fixedly staring at the low mountain.

Suddenly, the low mountain trembled, erupting with luminous mist, becoming very mysterious.

"Moo!"

The yellow ox bellowed with excitement, throwing caution to the wind. It rushed up the low mountain, following its contours, approaching the place where radiant light and white mist erupted. It was a cave. Previously obscured by vines, it could no longer be hidden.

With a whoosh, the yellow ox plunged headfirst inside, barely containing its excitement. Chu Feng followed behind it. The stone cave was deep and led inwards. The path was marked with axe cuts; this stone passageway had been artificially excavated. Its age was unknown, and it was not a natural cave.

Inside the stone cave, mist steamed and radiant light shone, creating a very surreal and hazy feeling. How could a mere stone cave be so mysterious along its entire length? In this environment, Chu Feng found that his body's vitality was increasing. There was a strange substance here, nourishing his physical body.

What was that?

Suddenly, he saw clearly: a small, silvery-white snake was clinging to the cave wall. The yellow ox rushed over and swallowed it in one gulp. It eats meat? No, Chu Feng suddenly realized that might not be an ordinary snake. It emitted a clear fragrance, and after being bitten by the yellow ox, it transformed into a cloud of white mist that entered its mouth and nostrils. Not a snake!

After swallowing one, the yellow ox charged forward, heading towards the end of the stone cave. Along this path, vibrant light flowed, and it was not dark at all. There was no need to worry about bumping into the stone walls.

Chu Feng stayed close behind the yellow ox. He felt they had traveled several miles. This was abnormal; they must have far exceeded the maximum internal dimensions of the low mountain. It was important to note that the path had been perfectly level, with no twists, turns, or changes in elevation.

"Folded space!" These were the first words that came to Chu Feng's mind. He had actually encountered it and was experiencing it firsthand.

The path was long. They saw several more silvery-white "snakes." Even Chu Feng caught two and swallowed them. He felt light and airy, as if ascending to immortality. Was this a stream of white gas? Chu Feng was astonished. He was certain this was a unique substance, capable of enhancing life vitality, and absolutely priceless.

Finally, the path reached its end, where everything was dim. A layer of hazy light blocked the way, concealing something unknown. With a "Moo," the yellow ox, decisive, stepped right through. Chu Feng followed.

The next moment, the yellow ox was stunned, while Chu Feng was bewildered, finding it incredible and utterly unreal. At the end of the path, the world suddenly fell silent, not a single sound. What was most incomprehensible was that a colossal star lay directly ahead, vast and boundless, slowly rotating—it was far too sudden. Perhaps it was more accurate to say that Chu Feng and the yellow ox had arrived abruptly, suddenly encountering this scene.

Where was this place? Were they in space? How could they be seeing a giant planet? It wasn't very far away, and its grandeur could be felt. The yellow ox was shocked, while Chu Feng was petrified. This made no sense. Passing through a stone cave, they had ended up in such a place. Gravity and other forces seemed to have ceased to exist; they felt nothing of them.

"If we get closer, can we reach that planet?" Chu Feng murmured, as if in a dream. It was an ancient planet, bearing a sense of antiquity and the aura of countless ages. It was silent and rotated slowly. Dense white mist emanated from it, surging towards them and spreading out along the stone cave.

"Something is coming!" Chu Feng exclaimed. From that giant planet, besides the white mist, objects were rapidly approaching the cave. "Oh, silver snakes?" He saw them. They were the strange substance, condensed into snake shapes, arriving with the mist.

The yellow ox opened its mouth wide and began to swallow. Seeing this, Chu Feng didn't hold back. He also began to catch the "silver snakes." He knew they weren't actually snakes but rare, mysterious substances. Subsequently, he saw block-shaped objects, which were also like this. All were the same substance, emitting a clear fragrance when swallowed.

Why was there a planet? Were they standing in space? Chu Feng no longer cared. The man and the ox continuously captured the strange substances. Eventually, their bellies became distended, unable to bear it any longer, feeling as if their stomachs would burst. Only then, reluctantly, did they begin their journey back.

When they exited the stone cave and returned to the outside world, Chu Feng felt as if he had been transported to another era. Where exactly had he just been?

Suddenly, the earth shook violently. The low mountain trembled intensely, beginning to crack. The yellow ox let out a loud roar, stretched its legs, and galloped wildly, fleeing down the mountain. Chu Feng's body was bloated, making it hard to run. He grabbed the calf's two golden horns and sat down abruptly on its back. The yellow ox glared back furiously, but there was no time to stop now. Several jolts failed to dislodge Chu Feng, so it had no choice but to continue down the mountain.

As they moved away from the site, the low mountain slowly disintegrated, finally collapsing with a thunderous roar, shattering into a sky full of dust and smoke. But during this process, white mist surged, rising into the sky like vast rivers and seas, so dense it couldn't disperse. It was unknown how long it took before it finally dispersed in all directions, rejoining the entire world.

The yellow ox even forgot to settle scores with Chu Feng. It hunched its neck and waited for a long time. Only when the dust and smoke had completely vanished did it cautiously approach. Chu Feng also came closer. Only earth and rocks remained here; it had completely collapsed. As for the stone cave, the so-called folded space, it could no longer be found.

"How could there be such a place, connecting to a planet?" Chu Feng was filled with confusion.

The yellow ox did not answer. Upon returning to the courtyard, it immediately began its special breathing technique. This time, it lasted for a very long period. Chu Feng did the same. He clearly felt something extraordinary; his life force was exceptionally vigorous. During this process, he sweated profusely and felt utterly muddled.

It was unknown how long passed before he regained consciousness. A slight sensation made him feel his heartbeat was extraordinarily powerful, thumping like a war drum. "When I carefully sensed my body, I actually heard my internal organs thrumming like drums?" Chu Feng stared blankly.

Immediately, he found his vision greatly enhanced. A wildcat on a distant mountain peak was clearly visible, appearing distinctly in his sight. This would have been impossible before. Chu Feng was startled. He felt a foul odor emanating from his body; he had sweated excessively, feeling sticky and somewhat dirty. At the same time, he experienced an overwhelming hunger, feeling as though he could eat an entire ox.

He immediately focused on the yellow ox. The creature had also woken up and was now glaring at him with glowing green eyes, baring its teeth as if it wanted to devour someone.

Chu Feng quickly went to take a shower. Then he laid out all sorts of food on the table and began to eat ravenously. Meanwhile, the yellow ox was doing the same. It ate all the grass and fruit, finally trying to snatch Chu Feng's food, including steak and other items.

For some reason, Chu Feng felt excessively hungry. He couldn't feel full no matter how much he ate. This meal was equivalent to ten past meals, yet he still felt a frightening hunger. But Chu Feng dared not eat any more. He feared his stomach would be damaged. He could only watch helplessly as the yellow ox devoured everything like a whirlwind.

"I'm so hungry!"

He was somewhat afraid. He immediately went out to find an old physician in town, worried about unpredictable major problems with his body.

"How can you be so abnormal?" Old Physician Wang, with his temples streaked with white and a kindly demeanor, was now quite startled. He looked at Chu Feng, his brows deeply furrowed.

Chu Feng was greatly alarmed and said, "Do I have a serious problem?"

"No, you are far healthier than ordinary people. Some of your vital signs are ten times that of a normal person!" Old Physician Wang said, having conducted a comprehensive examination of Chu Feng using various testing instruments.

Chu Feng was stunned. This was an unexpected outcome.

"But I'm extremely hungry," Chu Feng clearly explained his issue.

"Do you feel bloated now?" Old Physician Wang asked.

"No."

"Your digestion and absorption capabilities are also ten times that of a normal person. Food transforms into the substances you need in the shortest possible time. If you're hungry, just eat; it should be fine." Although Old Physician Wang had never seen such a patient, he was bold enough to give this medical advice.

"Please keep this a secret for me!" Before leaving, Chu Feng repeatedly urged him. He didn't want it to be leaked.

Old Physician Wang nodded solemnly and told Chu Feng that he could come back anytime if he had any problems. In fact, he was very interested and wanted to conduct follow-up examinations to see what Chu Feng would ultimately become.

When Chu Feng returned, he began to eat without restraint! While eating, he also logged into his communication device to check various reports. Afterwards, he was surprised to discover that some areas had experienced scenes of overwhelming mist, several mountains had collapsed, and vital energy surged like a sea. Didn't this mean it was similar to what happened at the low mountain? He just wondered if anyone else had accidentally entered a folded space.

"Tell me, is this one of the opportunities you've been waiting for since you came to our world?" Chu Feng asked.

The yellow ox first nodded, then shook its head. It took Chu Feng some effort to understand that for the yellow ox, this wasn't a particularly important matter, but merely a good opportunity.

Chu Feng was quite surprised. After all, some of his vital signs now exceeded those of an ordinary person by tenfold, and this was precisely the result of this encounter! Moreover, this transformation was still slowly continuing.