The existence of this gorge is enough to prevent many of the demons in the Decomposition Forest from reaching the outside world, and it allows Lord Leighton to better manage this area.

As long as the only entrance and exit are blocked, the Decomposition Forest can be sealed off to the greatest extent.

Duke used the Eye of Darkness to scout the surroundings, and after confirming there were no hidden people in the dark, he stepped on the yellow sand and quickly reached the other side.

He looked back and could see that dense Decomposition Forest, still as silent as before.

But Duke did not relax, for now was the time to be even more cautious, as he was about to enter the indigenous society within the Devourer Plane.

After circling through the jungle on this side, he arrived at a muddy road.

This road was wide but uneven, with visible traces of wagon wheels.

These tracks were very new, indicating frequent comings and goings of people and caravans.

Duke continued along the road and soon saw the distant town mentioned by the three Hunters, namely, Ximu Town.

The town was bustling with activity, filled with voices, with many vendors trading in an open area.

The town was indeed not large, with wooden and stone houses arranged in an orderly manner around a relatively spacious square, which was essentially a compacted dirt ground.

At the moment, the square was teeming with people, with numerous makeshift stalls set up, vendors in various accents hawking their goods, showcasing furs, herbs, peculiar minerals from the forest, some handcrafted items, and supplies brought from elsewhere.

The air was a mix of sweat, the pungent odor of animal hides, the aroma of grilled meat, and a certain low-grade tobacco, brimming with a rough vitality.

Trades here were either barters or transactions using precious metals like gold, with gold coins of various standards needing to be weighed for trading.

But it was quite normal; there wasn't any unified kingdom here, so naturally, there would be no unified currency.

Under such conditions, bartering was often the most reliable and trustworthy method.

Unlike usual, Ximu Town had many soldiers in standard leather armor, moving in groups of three, armed with spears or curved blades at their waists, with a clear emblem on the chest of their armor.

A tilted shield crossed by a longsword and a stalk of wheat, surrounded by thorny vines, which was the emblem of the Leighton Clan.

They moved like a pack of wolves through the crowd, their sharp eyes scanning every corner.

At the town's only entrance, there was even a barricade set up, guarded by a squad of soldiers who questioned and checked those entering and exiting.

This was not the usual procedure; it was only recently that things became peculiar, so suspicious individuals would be scrutinized more thoroughly.

Of course, often it was because these soldiers wanted to gain some benefits, so they would ask more questions, especially targeting those merchants of the trading caravans.

Duke didn't choose to avoid this town, because if he was to reach the Fifth Outpost, it was impossible not to make contact with the indigenous society here.

The best way to remain inconspicuous was to blend into the society and become one of them.

Being overly avoidant would instead make him seem suspicious.

More importantly, many of the societal norms, customs, and habits could only be learned through contact with these indigenous people.

Once he mastered this information, he could blend in more perfectly without arousing suspicion.

Duke could almost be sure that Lord Leighton's decision to block the entrance of the Decomposition Forest was undoubtedly due to the Seventh Outpost issue.

Lord Leighton had likely obtained some information, which led him to implement the blockade, probably to cooperate with actions from higher-tier individuals.

The ordinary people certainly wouldn't know that someone from another plane had come to this world, but Lord Leighton's level of individuals might have access to this information.

It certainly wouldn't be Lord Leighton who destroyed the Seventh Outpost; anyone capable of such a feat would be at least a Level 3 being, and such a person wouldn't merely be a territory lord.

At this time, Duke had already changed into a somewhat plain robe, wearing a simple leather armor underneath, making his appearance unremarkable.

Upon reaching the town entrance, as was routine, two soldiers stopped him, questioning, "Identity, and what is your purpose here?"

"I am a Wandering Awakened, intending to find some work at Goose Peak Castle," Duke calmly replied.

Goose Peak Castle was the nearest major city-state to Ximu Town and the largest city within the Leighton Clan's territory, home to hundreds of thousands of people.

Goose Peak Castle was also a city one must pass through when heading to the Fifth Outpost on the northward route.

The soldier was somewhat surprised, a hint of fear appearing in his eyes: "An Awakened? I see, please proceed, sir."

Upon learning of Duke's status as an Awakened, they were very respectful, not daring to offend or ask for benefits.

These soldiers would ask for benefits from merchants and ordinary people but definitely not from an Awakened.

As for the authenticity of the Awakened identity, they didn't even consider investigating it; this was not within their capacity, and few dared pretend to be an Awakened.

Duke didn't expect it to be so easy to pass through, not even needing to answer another question.

He was pleased, walking calmly past them, entering the town.

However, just as he walked a few steps, a voice came from behind: "Friend, are you an Awakened?"

Duke turned around to see a bearded man on horseback in armor watching him, seemingly just returning from the direction of the Decomposition Forest, having witnessed Duke's entrance into the town.

The nearby soldier, upon seeing this man, immediately whispered, "Lord Lu Wen!"

"Yes," Duke replied succinctly, trying not to utter more words than necessary.

Lu Wen approached with interest, asking, "I can sense your strength, you must already be a Level 1 Awakened, right?"

Duke nodded, saying nothing further.

He knew that the strength hierarchy in this world consisted of Apprentice Awakened, Level 1 Awakened, Level 2 Awakened, and Apostles.

Apprentice Awakened roughly equated to the strength of a Wizard Apprentice, Level 1 and Level 2 Awakened corresponded to Level 1 and Level 2 Mages, only the division wasn't as detailed as that of a Level 1 Mage.

The power disparity among Awakened in this world was vast, even among Level 1 Awakened, due to differences in abilities and strengths, with significant upper and lower limits.

Mainly because many people's Awakened Abilities were not suited for combat, leading to varying actual combat effectiveness.

As for the so-called Apostle Level, it's a Level 3 being, information previously discovered by Black Sail.

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