Needing to look at a block in a specific chunk dramatically slows down searches with any rapid travel (horses, elytra, creative flight, etc).

Changing to pinging for nodes based on player position would be a far better experience.
Ensuring it works with or without any block being looked at would be preferred. (Rather than needing you to be "looking" at air.) Similar to opening a book, but doing the ping instead of opening a gui screen.

(A brief internet search points at this being useful: Entity.blockPosition() with Entity being a LivingEntity variable holding the player.)