《Calculating Cultivation》


 Chapter 1: A Young Master And An Old Man

    Chapter 1: A Young Master And An Old Man


    It had been almost five years since I had been born into this world or this place. I still wasnt exactly sure what this place was. There was cultivation, and one thing about cultivation worlds that I knew from stories was that they stretched on infinitely or close enough and death was around every corner.


    I was in no rush to make hasty judgements. Unfortunately, I had been a hasty baby and a young child. My father, the honorable merchant Yuan Chen, had taken an interest in me, his seventh son of his fourth concubine.


    Being a baby had been incredibly boring. So, while I had a safe and happy life with my mother, Yuan Wen, they had deemed me a genius. I wasnt a genius, I just had memories of a college student from Earth, who had been working on his dissertation on using AI for traffic light control. It wasnt glamorous, but I had high hopes it would land me a top paying job with its original research and applications.


    Now I was in a medieval world, with its own rules, language, and culture. I had poured everything I could into learning to speak and read. If I was getting a second chance, I would not squander it. My mother had an allowance from my father, and she hired tutors, who rushed me through lesson after lesson, praising me endlessly.


    I had died while in the college study mindset, so it was easy enough to keep that going for several years. Now that I had mastered the language, I had been looking into the various histories, curious of the geo-political situation.


    It hadnt taken long to confirm that yes, cultivators existed, and my father had a couple on his payroll to protect his caravans and home. He had a long-term contract with the Cloudy Moon Sect that controlled the Soaring Peaks province we lived in.


    I didnt know what kind of contract my father had since I was not allowed or involved in the business decisions. I had six older brothers who were involved in various aspects of the family business. While I was lucky to be born into an upper middle class family, I wanted power I read about in the legends.


    The ability to fly and to command the world to my whim. Immortality, so I would never die again. The respect and admiration of all. That meant pursuing the path of cultivation. Anyone with ambition pursued cultivation in this world, and I was not without ambition.


    So, I asked and pestered my current tutor for information on cultivators. It was all flowery prose, and it was impossible to determine fact from fiction, but the core themes remained consistent. I had been offered a minor reward from my father for my progress in my studies and had held off requesting anything until recently. I asked for permission to speak to one cultivator under employ.


    He had been hesitant, but eventually agreed. My father warned me not to be offensive and to be on my best behavior. That was how I was currently kneeling outside the door I had knocked on, waiting for a response. It was clearly a power play and probably to test my patience by the head of security of my fathers estate. After ten minutes of waiting patiently, I heard a man speak up from inside the room.


    Enter. I got up and slid the paper door to the side. An older man with a long white beard, wrinkles, and flowing blue and white robes sat on a cushion in the mostly empty room. I entered, slid the paper door shut and then kowtowed before this man.


    I had learned in my etiquette lessons that cultivators stood above others. My father would deeply bow to all cultivators, even the ones he employed. They were the weapons of war and power in this new world. Their prestige and standing were above all others.


    Greetings honored cultivator. I am Yuan Zhou, seventh son of Yuan Chen and I ask to speak to you about cultivation with your permission. I said, while keeping my head touching the polished wooden floor.


    A mortal child comes before me. A supposed genius. Your father requested me to indulge you. Raise your head. I did so and remained sitting on the wood floor in the seiza position, with my legs tucked under my bum. He had not given his permission to speak, so I was respectfully silent while he stared at me. After a minute, he spoke up. Speak child.


    Thank you, honored cultivator. I have read many texts on cultivation, but their descriptions were overly flowery. I wish to inquire about the stages and how one progresses through the ranks of cultivation, I inquired as politely as I could.


    A bold question. You seek instruction in the cultivation arts and understanding?


    Yes, honored cultivator, I replied with the hope he would become my master or tutor.


    Then a test of your intelligence. Since you clearly have the patience to cultivate. I had been right, those had been tests. Why do I, an honored cultivator, work for a mortal like your father?


    I contemplated the question. It wasnt simple or easy to answer. The crux of the issue is why people revered as highly as cultivators would lower themselves to work with people they saw as beneath them.


    The simple answer would be for money or a debt. But while that touched on the truth, it was too simple. I considered the man before me. I went for broke and displayed a bit of cheek or insolence with my answer.


    You wish to live comfortably as the years pass. I noted his eyes widen slightly.


    Insightful and ultimately correct. I have reached the great bottleneck and will go no further than the Core Formation stage. Even after a thousand years, this Yi Rong wants to live his last days in peace. Now a child comes to disturb me.


    I remained quiet and kept looking at him and did not bow my head even when he glared. You are bold and patient, two qualities that will be needed if you wish to walk the path to cultivation. Very well, I will instruct you, Yuan Zhou. For these are no great secrets to what you ask. Any mortal could find the information you seek with enough wealth.


    Thank you, master Yi Rong, I said and bowed my head. When I brought my head back up, Yi Rong immediately went into lecture mode.


    There are nine stages of cultivation. But your concern will be with the first four. For while every stage builds off the last, the first stage truly determines your future. Qi Gathering, Foundation Establish, Meridian Attunement, and Core Formation. For at the end of those four stages comes the first great bottleneck, where all are brought low, even geniuses and young masters with far greater backgrounds than yours.


    I would say that ninety-nine percent of all cultivators never go past core formation. Of that remaining one percent, ninety-nine percent gamble at a serious attempt and cannot reach the fifth stage. One out of every thousand cultivators makes it beyond that point.


    Everyone, including myself, believes they will get some luck, some hope, but it is the great bottleneck for a reason. The reason I explain this is so you understand the pain you will feel after a thousand years of work, for it all to be for nothing. I gulped at this, but I was interested and truly curious. I paid attention like I would in a class that I liked by giving my full and undivided attention to the lecture at hand.


    The first stage, Qi Gathering, determines your future. The standard that all sects and people use is to advance to the second stage by twenty years of age and no later. One can advance later or earlier, but twenty years is the optimal time period to show temperament and focus.


    Children rarely have the patience. Why waste resources on those who would be useless? So, while there are a lucky few, the sects wait and then recruit at twenty years of age all those that have made progress they have been deemed worthy.


    That was actually smart. After twenty years, the personality of a person would be settled, and the sects could look at their history of cultivation. How focused were they? You wouldnt want to hire someone who played the equivalent of games on their phone all day and waste resources on them.


    The first stage is what you want to focus on. The goal is to collect motes of free-floating Qi into yourself. This is the divine energy of the heavens and the earth. Yi Rong raised up one hand and I felt something weighing me down.


    I thought it was just the occasional speck in my eye, but those specks I had seen growing up were the motes! There were only two in the room I could see. They brightened considerably for a moment and then faded to nearly invisible pinpricks of light I could see.


    They are invisible most of the time. This was a reincarnation advantage! But special candles, advanced techniques, and environments can reveal these motes. One merely draws them into their body and places them inside their astral soul, which overlaps their physical body.


    Therefore, the stage is called Qi Gathering. The minimum standard of most sects is 80,000 motes and the average most people reach by the age of twenty is 100,000 motes. The elites and those truly focused would reach 120,000 motes without pills.


    That was a lot. It would be about 10,000 motes per year. But those are sect standards. But Qi revealing candles are expensive. Ten taels would be the average price for one from the Alchemy Guild. That was a lot. A teal was a silver coin, the upper currency of non-cultivators, and a thousand bronze coins made up a single tael. A laborer could earn ten bronze coins a day, so a Qi Gathering candle represented a thousand days of work. That wasnt cheap at all.


    Now you see the challenge for people seeking to walk the path of cultivation. That many Qi motes are necessary, otherwise a persons astral soul will collapse at later stages. Ask your questions.


    We reached the door to my fathers office. This one was solid wood and not paper to keep out the sound. The servant knocked on the door. Enter, my father said, and I entered the office. The servant stayed outside and closed the door.


    My father was standing in front of his desk. I stopped a short distance in front of him and kowtowed as was polite since he was my father, senior, and had superior status compared to me, a child. I had breezed through the math and economic lessons from the tutors, but the language and etiquette lessons had really required me to focus.


    Rise, my son, my father said in his deep tone. I got back up to my feet but stood with my head slightly bowed and my hands in front of me. The proper subservient posture when standing before a superior. So, you talked with the cultivator, Yi Rong. Impressed him probably, since you spoke for so long. I would have thought he would have thrown you out for your impudence, but apparently, he likes you.


    Yes, father, I replied.


    Look at me, Yuan Zhou. I looked up at my father. Seventh son, a genius, I am told. Your mother clearly wasnt exaggerating. If I say I would fund your cultivation studies, what would you say to that? A lot of verbal traps were all over. But it was a cultural thing. To ask open-ended questions and let people hang themselves or showcase their brilliance.


    It was not my preferred style of conversation, but I already knew how to answer. I would thank you, father, for your generosity and thinking of my future. While I am confident I can meet the requirements on my own, I would ask for a small stipend to invest and gain the resources I need myself and an introduction to the sect on my twentieth birthday. I could see him narrow his eyes.


    A stipend, you say, and an introduction? I have heard rumors that the heavens favor geniuses, but to hear a four-year-old child give such an answer is impossible. But Yi Rong did not strike you down, so you are no reincarnation of some past devil in the body of my child or a demon. A veritable genius, how perplexing. Hmmm. I said nothing while my father looked at me.


    What gives you such confidence you can succeed? my father asked.


    The heavens favor father and belief in myself. If I fail, then I will fail, and the failure will be mine. But if I succeed, then I shall enjoy the benefits of my success. I believe I will succeed without a stipend, but it will make my path easier.


    Bold words, child. But for a child to say them You are an oddity. If I support you on your path. I will give you three things and ask for three in return. Think carefully, for I will ask the heavens themselves to watch over the deal. That made me hesitate. I didnt know if the heavens were actual contract enforcers.


    Let me hear the offer first, I replied, and my father grinned.


    At least you have some sense in you. A stipend of a tael of silver a month until you go to the sect on top of your living expenses for one favor this family can call upon you once you are a cultivator. I considered the wording.


    I can agree to that as long as I can complete the favor and it wont put my life at grave risk.


    If you become a cultivator, then that favor will be worth far more unused and will protect this family for centuries. Many other families do similar things, but their children die, fail, or lack strength. But the rare few that hold on to that favor, well, no one would risk such a thing. I am glad my father explained that to me since I would have never figured that out.


    The second thing would be an introduction to the Cloudy Moon Sect. I know a senior elder at the fifth rank who I could introduce you to, and he would bring you under his protection while in the sect. But I can make no promises to being taken in as an inner disciple.


    In return, you would do the same thing for five more of my descendants if you become an elder in the sect. That was an enormous commitment, but I could probably foist them off.


    I will not agree to anything now. When the time comes closer to join the sect, I will have an answer, I replied, and my father gave me a nod.


    Very well. The third thing. If you require cultivation supplies, or more than a stipend, you merely have to ask, but they will incur debts. Cultivation is not cheap.


    I understand, father. If I am ever struggling. I will remember your offer and kindness, I replied.


    Well, let me see what you spend your first twelve tael of silver on. My father went over to a chest on his desk and opened it. He fiddled around, and I could hear the clinking of metal. He came over and handed me a pouch.


    Open it, he said, and I opened the pouch. Count it. There were twelve silver coins. I am curious to see what you do, Yuan Zhou. That is more wealth than most people see their entire lives, but a drop in the bucket for a cultivator.


    Thank you, father, I bowed towards him and clutched the money pouch.


    Lets see if the heavens truly favor a genius, my father said. I bowed again, and he waved me off. I quickly left his office, clutching the money pouch tightly. My left hand quickly darted out, and I got another mote of Qi. That made two.


    A guard gave me a look but said nothing while I just smiled and kept moving back to my part of the compound. I wanted money. Since I couldnt work as a child, I needed to focus on business and investing, and it would lead to more money. But in reality, it was just an excuse to be moving about and collecting motes, not money.


    The hard part was coming up with a business plan and making more money as quickly as possible. If I did something, I needed to do it properly and get more money and save up for the future stages. I would need to assess the situation first in town and put the money safely away. The pouch was too big for my child sized robe, so I just held it tightly in my left hand, against my chest.


    I made my way back to the courtyard and rooms my mother, my younger sister, and I all shared in the family compound. She was only the fourth concubine to my father and the youngest, not even the head wife. As the seventh son, my position was also at the bottom. I had some favor, and my father knew me, but that was nothing.


    Foolish child, my mother said with a sigh as I entered the sitting room. Asking your father to speak to that old cultivator and then meeting with him. What did he say? What did you say?


    Yuan Wen was beautiful, but believed herself far more important than she really was. She was my fathers love bunny to put it lightly, and she was already getting older. Now her fortune and livelihood rested on me, her only son. Since her daughter would at best be married off as a favor to another household and she would be stuck in a forgotten corner of this compound aging into obscurity.


    We spoke of favors and cultivation. I turned down my father''s offer for cultivation supplies and asked for a stipend instead, I replied.


    Foolish brat! Bronze coins instead of becoming a cultivator. You are an idiot, and we are doomed, she let out a dramatic sigh and flopped herself onto a nearby couch, resting her hand on her forehead. She was going full drama. My mother was not a drama queen, but a drama empress. It would work on a child, but not on me.


    Well, I plan to go into the city tomorrow and look at businesses to invest in, I replied. I wasnt about to tell her I got silver instead of bronze. She would take the money, waste it, and then blame me. Everyone would know it was her, but they wouldnt say anything, since she was a concubine. She had no genuine power, but she also couldnt be touched.


    Do what you want. You can take Ting with you. She was saying she wanted to get out of the compound for a bit, my mother said tiredly.


    Thank you, mother, I replied and went to my room. The first thing I did was carefully hide five of the eleven of the silver tael inside the scroll caps, of various scrolls I had on my bookshelf. The other six tael I hid in the dirt of a potted plant inside my room. I kept the last tael in the pouch and now that it had deflated, put it inside my robe.


    I reached out and plucked another mote from the air. That made three. I smiled and quickly went over to my desk and the sand tray there. It was for practicing my symbol-based writing. I much preferred English and proper math over the nonsense that was used here, but when in Rome, be a Roman and all that.


    It seemed even more important not to get labeled a reincarnation or demon. Both seemed bad, and it was something I would have to ask once I spoke with Yi Rong again. Looking at my sand tray, I began working out the math.


    At 120,000 motes in 15 years was 8,000 motes per year and about 21.92 motes per day. That was a lot of motes. There didnt seem to be that many about either. I had been looking for them and while I noticed some up high; they were all out of reach.


    My range was very limited. I would need to move about more. Perhaps investing in some physical training to run around might be a good idea.

 Chapter 2: A Business

    Chapter 2: A Business


    I left the compound with the female servant Ting right behind me. Half Moon City was quite large and divided up into sections. The compound owned by my father, Yuan Chen, was in the rich estate section of the city. It was the third biggest estate.


    The central part of the city was the commercial section. Then there was the nearby crafts section and entertainment section. There were slums somewhere, but my tutors didnt talk about them. I got into a rickshaw, and Ting sat next to me.


    Main commercial district, I ordered, and the puller took off. He was a tall man and exceptionally strong. I guess when you are pulling rickshaws all day, you get a superb physique. I snagged another two motes and discovered that if I didnt focus on them, they would drift right through me. That was why people werent just randomly collecting them while going about their lives.


    After about five minutes of pulling, we arrived and, while busy, things werent packed. There were no festivals or other events. So, it was just travelers and people going about their daily business. Ting paid the rickshaw driver a bronze coin. I was glad that counted as a household expense. I really didnt want to be nickeled and dimed out of my stipend.


    While the purpose of it was to move about, I wasnt going to half ass my business either. Multi-tasking was the key to success in any life. I would cultivate while getting rich and then leverage my wealth when entering the sect or for other projects.


    Regardless, more money gave me more options. I had been observed in my last two trips into the city, by my mother and then by a tutor. They controlled where I went. This time, I controlled my itinerary.


    The first stop was the largest and grandest looking store. Wearing a high-quality robe and having a servant meant I got through into the store with only a glance from the guards. They were clearly standing around to keep the lower class out from looking.


    Greetings, young master. How can this humble servant assist you today? I had to give the guy credit. That was the perfect hand bow and greeting one could give to a child like myself. I was up front, so there was no confusion where we stood.


    I am Yuan Zhou, son of Yuan Chen. I am looking at the various businesses and your cultivation supplies caught my eye, I replied.


    Of course, young master Yuan, we only offer the finest and certified items from the Alchemy Guild in our store. In fact, we are even a licensed seller, so we can direct requests their way.


    Forgive my ignorance. I have heard of the Alchemy Guild and would like to know more about them and their products, I replied.


    Of course, of course, young master Yuan. Right this way, let me show you some of our displays. The great sects themselves licensed the Alchemy Guild to produce and sell cultivation resources outside the sects. They pay a tax to the sect in control of the city or province, and their product is insured and verified to the highest level of quality. That meant they paid protection fees, and they were insanely expensive with the quality being used as justification. Also, they had a monopoly which would further inflate the prices to the maximum possible.


    We sell the standard Qi illuminating candles. A single candle in a room will illuminate all Qi motes and is good for ten days of use. Cheaply priced at only ten tael. It is exactly what an aspiring cultivator needs to quickly progress.


    Is that ten continuous days? I asked.


    Ah, only the standard ten hours of cultivating, so a hundred hours total. You can see little marks in the candle itself showing how much time has passed, with one every five hours. I noticed nothing odd about the candle except its dark blue color and enormous size.


    Perhaps. But illuminating Qi is not my concern at the moment, I replied.


    I completely understand, young master Yuan. The next item here is a Qi pill containing 100 motes of Qi. Only fifty taels. I wanted to cough up blood at this. A common expression in this culture to indicate shock. That meant motes were priced at half a tael apiece. Getting 120,000 motes would cost 60,000 taels.


    How many pills can one take? I asked.


    There is no limit but the size of your coin pouch, the salesman said. Brutal, absolutely brutal. But we dont recommend taking more than one a day. So, it is important to buy them early, so you dont lose any Qi while consuming them.


    I will consider it a possibility if I struggle, I replied. The salesperson kept smiling as we moved onto the next item.


    Now this is a rare item, and we only carry a limited stock. An incense lighter to attract Qi for one day, 100 taels, best combined with an illuminating candle.


    Consider this item, a qi sensing rod, only 1,000 taels.


    Our top item. A qi sensing pill, 5,000 taels. Guaranteed to increase your ability to sense qi.


    I thanked the store clerk, whose smile never wavered the entire time, and left. He clearly knew I didnt have the money as a child, but I could bother my father, who was rich. I had no doubt the salesperson knew every rich persons name in the city.


    There was even a good chance my father was involved with that store somehow. I just knew he was a merchant, not exactly what he was a merchant of. The other stores were fancy, but just standard stores. There was nothing that stood out, or an easy way to start up a business.


    I didnt want to invent something, since it wasnt simple. Manufacturing was a nightmare and would require an enormous investment. The physical production of anything was a massive hassle. But there was no internet, or a service I could think of that people would pay for.


    Ting purchased some lotion and beauty products for my mother while I considered the situation more in depth. Alchemy seemed like a profitable area, but that would have a lot of rules and overhead. Still, I was curious, and we took a rickshaw to the Alchemy Guild, which was at the edge of the craft district, a good twenty minutes of pulling.


    I entered the building and could smell the powerful odor of plants and herbs. There was an older female receptionist. I walked over and inclined my head slightly to show respect. Greetings. I am Yuan Zhou, son of Yuan Chen. I was wondering if there is someone I could ask a couple of questions about the Alchemy Guild.


    I saw her eyes go to Ting, who was standing behind me, and then she looked back at me. Of course, young master Yuan. What questions can I answer for you?


    What are the requirements and salary for being an alchemist? I asked. She smiled kindly at me.


    You must pass an entry exam. The guild journeymen will tutor novices for a price. It is around one tael per lesson. Highway robbery! Once you are confident enough and pass the entry exam, which costs ten taels per attempt, you can then assist in making pills as a journeyman yourself. You would receive one tael per month as a salary for a set number of pills. You can teach or make more on the side. After ten years, they would promote you to master alchemist and allow you to take the lead on pill production if your work is up to standard.


    There you would earn ten taels a month. A grandmaster is someone who has created a new pill recipe and the guild would guarantee them half the profits from all sales.


    I am guessing one cannot quickly become a master alchemist? I asked.


    No, young master Yuan. Once you are a master, no one would supervise your work. If you made a mistake, then it would bring great shame to everyone in the guild. That is why only those who have proven themselves are promoted.


    Ah, thank you. This information was quite useful, I replied and bowed my head. I then left the Alchemy Guild depressed. No easy or quick way to make money there. If I didnt need to move about to collect motes of Qi, I might have considered it a possibility.


    I stood outside the Alchemy Guild thinking about where to go and what to do next. I had been discreetly picking up motes during the day and had already collected twelve. It was about mid-day so I was making decent progress.


    Young master, shall we return to the compound? Ting asked me.


    No, there is still light out. But there is a small noodle shop. Lets rest there for now, I replied, and Ting nodded. She followed me as I entered the noodle shop, which was more a street stall with seats. We were much better dressed than the other customers, but I wasnt worried.


    During my time going about the city, I had seen several guards patrolling. I suspected that the compound, commercial, crafting, and entertainment districts were all carefully monitored. This city was in the backyard of the Cloudy Moon Sect, so it made sense there was an iron grip on the city. Criminals didnt last long. Justice was harsh and swift.


    Do you want ramen? I asked Ting, who gave an affirmative.


    Two miso ramen please, I asked the stall worker, who nodded as Ting handed him some bronze coins.


    So, what is a rich brat like you doing wandering about? one man sitting at the counter asked me. A bit short, arent you?


    I am looking for business opportunities, but nothing catches my eye, I replied.


    Business, good luck. If you arent at the top, no way you are getting there, the man replied. Well, so much for some luck and having a random person giving me a brilliant idea to make lots of silver. The market in the city was very stable.


    That was the problem with a world like this. Cultivators lived for a very long time. Yi Rong had lived for a thousand years and nothing much had changed in that time. I knew other higher stage cultivators lived longer.


    It would be like someone living in ancient Rome all the way to the modern age. They would have those Roman values. Since all the top people were old and powerful, they would lock those values into place.


    Pay for a full day and we will go to a money changer. I will pay back the ten bronze. Also, dont let my mother know about the money changer. I know you report to her. I would consider a bronze coin a day for your silence on more sensitive matters.


    Ting considered that for a moment and then nodded. Of course, young master. I will not let her know about the money changer.


    And other things that might come up. She is easily excited.


    I understand, young master. We left the compound again, and Ting hired a rickshaw for a full day. Our first stop was a money changer. This was in the center of the city. A silver tael was for high-value purchases, and I couldnt easily spend it.


    Entering the building, I saw a posted sign listing the exchange rates. The place was called the Coinage Guild. For silver to bronze, it was 1:950 and the other way around it was 1050:1. Of course, there would be a transaction fee. There were also a lot of guards standing around. I also saw they offered loan services, so I had an idea.


    Young master, how can I help you today? the clerk sitting at a desk asked me. A servant quickly put a cushion on the seat before I sat. I gave them a nod of thanks. It helped a bit, but I was still quite small.


    I am planning to exchange some money, but was hoping to speak to you about businesses I could buy or invest in. The clerk nodded.


    We offer transactional services and affordable loans. But these are all handled individually and with utmost confidence. I nodded at this explanation.


    I completely understand. But perhaps there is a business that has defaulted on a loan that I could purchase from your organization. I understand there might be a higher risk, but it would be a chance to recover from some losses and not concern yourself with the business anymore, I offered. The clerk looked thoughtful for a moment.


    There is one business that comes to mind. The owner has connections, which has made it troublesome to request repayment of the loan he took to get it started and revenue has been non-existent.


    I might be interested once I learn of the business, the debt, and some details, I replied.


    I would need to speak to the shift manager. May I have your name, young master? He was basically asking for my connections to confirm I had resources and connections.


    Yuan Zhou, son of Yuan Chen, I replied. The clerk smiled even more at that.


    Then there should be no problem. Excuse me one moment and enjoy some refreshments while you wait. He waved a servant over, who served fruit juice, cheese, and bread. I only picked a single piece of fruit to be polite. Stuffing my face would not set a good impression.


    Soon the clerk returned all smiles. I have permission to discuss the details with you, young master Yuan. It is quite impressive you are already seeking business opportunities at your age.


    My father calls me a genius, and I am humbled. Now this business? I asked.


    Of course. An apprentice woodcarver by the name of Ling struck out on his own to make specialty chairs. Unfortunately, they have not sold, and the designs are questionable. He took out a loan to start up his own shop.


    I will need to see the shop and speak with this Ling. What were the loan terms? I asked.


    We took twenty percent of his business for five taels worth of silver, with the understanding he would pay a tael a year. It has been three years and no repayment. We were going to repossess everything and sell it for a tael, but that would be quite a loss.


    The deal is for twenty percent. Is that revenue or profit? I asked.


    Revenue, the clerk answered.


    I am interested, but I would need to meet with this Ling and see his workshop for myself before deciding.


    I completely understand, young master Yuan. Do you wish for me to accompany you to make an introduction?


    Yes, please, and before we go, I will need to exchange a tael for some bronze. I got my 950 bronze, and we left. Our rickshaw followed the clerk. I paid Ting 20 bronze coins for the rickshaw cost for today and her silence. She pocketed the money with a smile and thanks.


    We reached the wood workshop. It wasnt in the best part of the crafting district, but not the worst. We entered the front of the workshop and I saw two chairs. A young boy was slowly cleaning the place and looked surprised that people had entered.


    Father, people, he called out. That was rude, but he was only a year or two older than me at best. A hurried and worn looking man smelling of sawdust came out of the back. I saw his face pale as his eyes landed on the clerk.


    Honorable clerk, welcome. I have had a few more leads-


    While I am here to discuss business, it is of a slightly different nature. Young master Yuan Zhou here has inquired about purchasing your debt woodcarver Ling.


    He turned to me and bowed deeply. Welcome, young master Yuan.


    Thank you for your welcome. I wish to speak to mister Ling privately. I will return to the Coinage Guild and let you know what I have decided after speaking to him, I told the clerk. The clerk just kept smiling at me and nodded.


    Of course, young master Yuan. I will take my leave. I waited until the clerk left and I looked at the two chairs before sitting in one. It was comfortable, but you could only make a chair so comfortable. I noticed a lever on the side but couldnt reach it.


    I got off and gestured for Ting to take a seat and have her pull the lever. Woodcarver Ling was quiet while he watched us look at his chair. She pulled the lever, and a footrest extended and the back reclined. A reclining chair.


    Interesting. So, you invented this? I asked.


    Yes, young master Yuan.


    How much does it sell for and how much does it cost to make? I asked.


    Two hundred bronze coins is the price, and it costs fifty bronze coins in materials and about five days of labor. The margins were poor, and it was an expensive item, but not upper class. It was kind of middle class, but too expensive.


    It needed to be half of that price realistically to attract people. He would need to sell at least one every five days to maintain a bare living. What are you doing currently, since I dont see a lot of these chairs built? I asked.


    Simple items, priced at guild rates, but people would prefer more senior masters and the specialty products they have. Key items like stools, ladders, chairs, benches, tables, all had set prices by the Woodcarvers Guild. It was to prevent a race to the bottom.


    A wood carver could price things higher or specialty products with no limits, but there was only so much market share. I am trying to make the metal parts out of wood, but it takes time, and they are more prone to wearing out. I nodded absently as I thought about the situation.


    What about rocking chairs? I asked.


    Rocking chairs? Ling replied with a question.


    A curved bottom instead of legs? He thought about that for a moment and then shook his head.


    I have seen nothing like that. I smiled. Finally, I had a way into a business and niche I could take.


    I am interested in doing business with you. But I am taking a colossal risk. Half.


    Half! He said in shock.


    Yes. I want half your business. There will be no requirement on minimum returns, but if I purchase your debt, we will have a new contract made, half, I replied. He was between a rock and a hard place. Thankfully, I had watched a lot of Shark Tank. Always attack when they are weak and take all the equity you could get.

 Chapter 3: Making Money

    Chapter 3: Making Money


    I accept, Ling said dejectedly, knowing they would cast him out on the street if he didnt agree. The Coinage Guild would not show him any mercy after three years of failure.


    Excellent. I am Yuan Zhou, the seventh son of Yuan Chen. I gave him a slight bow.


    Master woodcarver Ling, he replied, and bowed back. I will be in your care.


    Let us go to the Wood Carvers Guild this afternoon and sign a contract. I will return to the Coinage Guild and handle your debt first, though. Also, can you patent items? I asked.


    If you are a guild member in good standing, yes. They offer patents. But they arent cheap. It costs a silver tael to get one, and fifty bronze a year to maintain it. My patent on my reclining chairs is about to run out.


    I will cover that patent and we will put it as a business expense. Once we have a contract in place, I will discuss my ideas with you and we will cut into the chair market with a vengeance, I said as my voice grew more heated. Ling looked surprised for a moment and then smiled.


    I am glad to hear that young master Yuan.


    I will need you focused this afternoon and in the next couple of days, but I understand you need to make a living. I will purchase one of your reclining chairs for myself at full price. Ting, how much would it cost to have it delivered to my room? I asked.


    At least twenty bronze coins, she said, and I nodded. I had her pull out 220 bronze coins and set them on a nearby table. Ling was smiling nervously, and I could tell he was in a bit of shock.


    I believe in kindness for kindness. If you work hard and dont cheat me, I will not place undue burdens on you, I replied.


    A thousand blessings. Ling kowtowed to me. I let him do it, since it was a cultural thing. I had saved him and his family from a life on the streets.


    Hold that in your heart. Now let us return to the Coinage Guild and settle matters, I said. I swiped another mote as I left his shop.


    Ting and I left. I had us go back to the compound first to have lunch and get five tael from where I had secreted them away. I was hoping not to spend them all, but it would be a fight.


    We made our way back to the Coinage Guild and to the same clerk. Welcome back, young master Yuan. I hope your conversation with Ling went well.


    It did indeed. While it will require a lot of work and headaches, I see some potential in his chairs, I replied. The battle had already begun.


    Excellent, will you be paying the five tael now or through your fathers account? the clerk asked.


    Myself. But the price is far too high. You invested only two tael by my reckoning and expect the full profit when it is clearly a failed business. However, I am not unreasonable. I understand you have put in time and energy, so I will offer three tael. The clerks eyes narrowed.


    I couldnt possibly adjust the price that much. My manager would fire me on the spot. I could accept four and a half tael. I shook my head.


    If I dont purchase his debt, you will only get one tael in return, maybe a bit more. I am being generous offering three tael. But I understand your managers are strict, so I will pay three and a quarter tael, I countered.


    Four tael, since we hope to conduct business for a long time and in recognition of your family name, the clerk replied.


    Three and half. Since I need to not disappoint my father. Just as you have your managers, he observes me. I knew Ting would spill everything to him when asked. There was a reason I only asked her not to report to my mother. It was my father that paid her regular salary and allowed her to be a servant. She would not go against him, and he would know everything I did.


    Three and half taels would be acceptable, if you could pay that today, the clerk said, and I nodded. I pulled out four taels from the pouch I kept on me. I wouldnt let Ting carry this kind of money. She got to carry the bronze coin pouch, but taels were too valuable to risk.


    I saved one and a half taels. This put my cash reserves at seven and a half. Thankfully, there were half tael coins instead of more bronze. I didnt count the bronze coins Ting carried for daily expenses as part of my primary investment fund.


    A manager came over and verified the transaction, loan documents were exchanged, a property deed was handed over, and everything was stamped officially. I now had paperwork proving I owned the five tael debt that Ling had owed the Coinage Guild.


    With everything settled, we left and returned to Lings shop. He looked much more relaxed and was smiling as we made our way to the Woodcrafters Guild. There was more paperwork and they canceled the debt Ling owed. I got half his business. Even if he left and worked somewhere else, I would still get half of everything he made under the Woodcrafters Guild.


    Since that was his livelihood, he was stuck with me. If he died or he passed the business to his son, I would still own half the business. It was messy since businesses were treated separately from people. But he could decide who inherited his share and the Woodcrafters Guild would resolve any disputes.


    I also paid half a tael, bringing me down to seven, for another 10 years on his reclining chair patent. With everything finally settled and no way for Ling to run off and screw me over, we returned to his shop.


    The reclining chair was gone and had already been shipped to the compound. I looked over the workshop. There was a small front area his son kept tidy and to call out if there were customers. His wife tended their two younger children and did household chores and lived above the shop and workspace along with his mother, who helped watch the children.


    The workspace took up most of the ground floor, and I looked around. I owned half the building and property. City taxes were fifty bronze a month. If you didnt pay, the city wouldnt hesitate to seize everything. People could pay in monthly, yearly, or up to a decade ahead, which would be six taels.


    I would handle the taxes for the year. Again, it would go as a business expense against future profits. I explained this as I went over how I would run things with Ling. He wouldnt get a salary, but we would list his living expenses as a business expense for him and his family. We settled on ten bronze coins a day.


    Anything extra he wanted to spend, that was profit. We split that evenly. I would manage the books for his business personally. It was technically beneath my station, and I planned to hire someone once we had the cash flow, but for now, I would handle it to make sure there were no issues.


    Once the business issues had been sorted, I had brought out a piece of parchment I had sketched out during lunch with the design of a rocking chair. It makes it easier for people to remain seated while still moving slightly. It will ease pains for older people.


    You want to sell this then? he asked me.


    Yes, for cheap. We will draw people in with this chair. And the reclining chairs we will price at a tael each and make for the elite. His eyes went wide at that.


    No one will be able to afford one, he replied.


    The upper end of the market can easily handle that price. But it needs to be a luxury good targeted to the elite. It will make your shop seem more upper class and the reclining chairs, a status symbol. That way, we can price our rocking chairs for a slightly higher price. Now how long and how much do you think it would take per rocking chair? I asked.


    The curved bottom is the hardest part and isnt simple. You ideally want it to be a single piece, so it can be joined up with the supports to the seat. Once I have the process down, probably two to three days per rocking chair.


    And the materials? I asked.


    Since it is all wood and glue and maybe some varnish, I would say fifteen bronze coins, just for the materials. I slowly nodded at this. It was still too expensive. With his labor, pricing them at a minimum of thirty-five bronze coins to break even.


    We need to get the price down and your labor down. It is still too expensive. We are only breaking even at thirty-five bronze coins. Ideally, we want the price to make the chair ten bronze coins and sell the chairs for forty bronze coins, I said while basing the margins and prices off what I had already seen.


    That is the price of a regular chair, he replied, and I nodded. That was the point. In time, we could raise it up once there was demand.


    Yes. If we dont match the price, then no one will buy a rocking chair. How much in materials and time does a regular chair cost? I asked.


    About ten bronze coins in materials and a day in time, Ling said.


    So, twenty bronze coins. I need you to think about how to get the time down to a single day. Maybe do the parts in batches?


    The curved part and the bracing will take time. There are just more pieces. I nodded at this.


    I will need to submit the fee first.


    We will go together then, I replied. I was not just giving him a tael and letting him loose.


    We made our way to the Woodcrafters Guild. Ling filled out the forms and I noted they listed me as a co-inventor slash owner of the patent.


    I paid the tael fee, and the hearing would be in ten days. Notices were needed so other master woodcrafters could come evaluate and vote if they would approve the patent. Ling had assured me that patents that were novel like the reclining and rocking chair would easily be approved. But small iterations on a design had a much harder time getting signed off on.


    Sometimes a patent would be listed as derivative, and the new developer would owe half their patent to the main patent. Derivative patents didnt count towards the title of grandmaster. The longest patent chain was for dolls, apparently, with a chain of five patents.


    Also, other wood crafters wouldnt vote against patents normally, since it enhanced the prestige of a city, and they didnt want people to vote against them. It was more about not letting stupid patents and very minor derivative patents through.


    We spent part of the afternoon looking through the enormous books for any related patent. I had to pay a fee of ten bronze coins to look since I wasnt a guild member. But there was a sketch, description, and listing of who owned the patent for each item and if there was a derivative.


    The patent books were based on when patents were filed and were still active, with the registry being updated between cities yearly. Patents were checked once every fifty years for ownership and there was a book of patents that had been lost for various reasons as well. One couldnt take on a patent on those inventions either.


    The closest thing we found was a table with detachable legs, but it didnt fold and the legs didnt fold. So that meant we were in business.


    With the evaluation scheduled, I spent the next few days with Ling as he worked out the design for a foldable table. I had Ting manage the front of the store while I did this since I wanted Ling to be focused. I had talked to him about having his wife watch the front of the store and that was the plan once she recovered from her most recent birth or having his youngest son interact with the customers. With Ting watching things, Ling had his youngest son in the shop watching the wood carving. He fidgeted, but he kept silent and would occasionally glance at me.


    Eventually, the foldable table was done, and I paid another tael to submit a second patent application at the Wood Crafters Guild. They would evaluate both items at the same time.


    The day finally came, and I was allowed to be present as a co-owner of the patent, but wasnt allowed to speak. Only Ling could speak in the guild meeting as a member of the guild. He presented both items, the rocking chair and the foldable table.


    Many people tried them out, with a lot of interest in the rocking chair. Ling had made a second version for the presentation, so multiple wood crafting masters could test them out and evaluate them.


    Eventually, the votes were held. The rocking chair passed with 23 votes in favor and 7 votes against. That was expected, and the votes were more based on politics. There would be no objection. The folding table was a lot more heated.


    It is a derivative work of the separating table.


    It uses hinges. Those are metal, not wood. It is not an innovation of the wood crafters guild.


    Who would even use such a thing? A rocking chair relaxes a person, but a folding table is only an incremental improvement.


    Ling had experience from his reclining chair, so while it got heated, the vote passed and they awarded him the patent for the foldable table in a vote of 16 in favor and 14 against.


    The guild master stood up and stepped forward. It is with great honor that with three original patents to his name, Master Ling has now earned the title of Grandmaster Ling. There was applause at this, and I clapped as well.


    The title was more ceremonial than anything, but it had some benefits. His work would be viewed in a better light. He could hire a single apprentice without paying the guild fees for them. That would allow him to recruit someone for free with the expectation of training them. He could travel to other cities and would retain the title of master in other cities.


    That was it beyond the prestige attached to the title. No extra authority or voting power. Still, I noticed many older men frowning slightly that a young man like Ling had earned the title of grandmaster wood carver.


    I got some looks as well, but no one said anything. My presence here was all about support and connections. My father, Yuan Chen, had a lot of pull in the city. So, they were giving his son some face by passing the second vote. That was the local cultural term for respect, but it was considered rude to say it publicly. With the evaluation and promotion ended, one of the older men came up to me.


    Young master Yuan, I am grandmaster woodcarver Kang. I gave him a slight bow, which he returned. Our status was about equal. It was hard to say precisely, since my father clearly outranked him, but that was my father and I was a seventh son.


    So, it was about even compared to a grandmaster by my social estimates. Also, I was showing him respect by bowing slightly. No need to be rude.


    Grandmaster woodcarver Kang, it is a pleasure, I replied as he looked down at me. I hated being so short.


    Interesting that Yuan Chen would send his seventh son out into the world. It was a soft challenge to how much support I truly had. I smiled politely back.


    My father is aware of my activities. He has called me a genius, and while he watches over me, he lets me chart my own path.


    I noticed your name is on all three patents. I trained young Ling myself. A rocking chair and a foldable table are things he would not have thought of.


    They say that heaven and earth favor geniuses, but I like to believe it is insight and hard work that provide the foundation to such claims.


    Even at your young age? Kang asked me.


    I have been evaluated by Cultivator Yi Rong, who has found no fault with me, I replied. Everyone chatting nearby, but who was really listening in, quickly grew silent. That was a direct rebuke, invoking a cultivators name.


    Ah, my apologies, young master Yuan. I did not mean to overstep, Kang said.


    No offense has been taken. I completely understand the concern people might have with me being so young. All I can do is prove myself one day at a time and hopefully not lose all the money my father has gifted me, I replied.


    Well, if you come up with any more ideas, my door is always open.


    Perhaps. While there are many toys on the market, the selection is quite limited. I had some ideas and grandmaster Ling is an expert on chairs and tables, not toys, I said, and Kang smiled at that. Ling had told me about his old master. He had cornered the toy market.


    Indeed. I have dabbled in toy making myself. The detail work is what drives up the cost. I nodded at this.


    I understand. Carving and painting take a considerable amount of time. I have seen grandmaster Ling craft the furniture, but there is a vast difference between toys and furniture, so he tells me. Kang nodded at this.


    Indeed. I once spent an entire month on a single doll for one of your sisters. A masterwork, if I had to say. I nodded respectfully at this. Kang was an old grandmaster who had the largest woodshop in the city. He had apprentices in every field working under him and even a few masters as well.


    His backing and faction were the reason the approval of the table went through. I had to show this man quite a bit of face to repay him for his help. If I didnt, then people would not support me ahead of time without concrete benefits first, which would make things much harder.


    Perhaps some tea. To discuss business and ideas in a more private setting. The Illuminated Moon is quite good, I hear, and it would be my treat. This was a restaurant in the center of the city. It would be pricey, but they would view anything less as being poor and not doing things properly. Etiquette was something that had been hammered into me by my tutors.


    That sounds wonderful. I am free tomorrow, he offered.


    Then let us meet there two hours after mid-day. There were city bells that rang out the time. Grandmaster Kang smiled and said his goodbyes. I left after that. I didnt want to get too caught up in the Woodcarvers Guild internal politics. Showing face to Kang was more than enough to show I was appreciative, but I would not involve myself anymore.


    I had Ling and my business plan. I would offer to support an apprentice that was moving up to master. One requirement for the title was having your own shop. That was how Kang had his large faction. He had supported the rise of several people and his son and grandson were both masters as well. That was another minor benefit of being a grandmaster. Other masters could work under you if they were family, and the guild confirmed their rank.


    He clearly wanted to move people out and increase his power base some more and perhaps create a landing point for one of his grandsons to have his own shop. Ling had been quite helpful in explaining all the internal politics to me ahead of time and what Kang would probably ask of me.


    Financing a shop would be expensive, but getting a second woodcarver making toys under me would be a tremendous boon to my business plans. I smiled as I walked into another mote of Qi and kept it inside of myself.

 Chapter 4: Long-Term Investments

    Chapter 4: Long-Term Investments


    I had made a reservation immediately after the guild meeting. In the future, I would have a servant run off and do something like that, but Ting was to stay with me and watch me. Her presence was a sign that my father was watching as I handled things. Without her, I wouldnt be able to get away with everything I was doing.


    The Illuminated Moon was owned by the Cloudy Moon sect. Anything with a moon in its name was owned by them. It wasnt owned by a specific cultivator either; it was a sect business, which implied that any incidents would have cultivators show up and wreck face. That was my personal term for them slaughtering anyone that offended them. They were also exempt from city taxes, and everyone viewed it as one of the premier places to have tea and eat.


    All of that came with a price. A standard tea service with accompanying food would cost half a teal for two people. It would take me down to four and a half tael from my initial twelve I was given, but I needed to give Kang a lot of face for his support. Inviting him publicly like I had to the Illuminated Moon was a sign I was giving him a lot of respect and thanks in public.


    It was aggravating, but it was the game of favors this culture played and when in Rome, be a Roman. I was also waiting for Kang when he showed up, giving him further respect by waiting on him. He smiled at me as our server escorted us to a second-floor private room.


    Tea and some small cucumber sandwiches were served and then the server left the room and closed the door. We both sipped our tea in silence. Now was the time for power plays. The ball was in Kangs court, and I would let him make the first move to make a request of me.


    Excellent. I have only come here twice before and the tea is always wonderful. Thank you, Ling, for telling me what this old man liked. What do you think of the tea? he asked me.


    It has a subtle flavor, but it lingers. I would say a hint of fruit possibly, but I am no expert on tea, I replied. Kang nodded at this.


    If only all life was drinking excellent tea with good company. I must thank you for helping young Ling. He left to start on his own, but he was never good with business, Kang said.


    Talent shines through regardless. The business aspect I plan to handle, let grandmaster Ling focus on wood carving, I said and Kang nodded.


    It isnt easy to manage everything. Some peoples talents lie more heavily in one area than in another. My grandson, for example. He is great at the detail work on toys, but his head is in the clouds. I am old and my son is not a grandmaster, Kang said, and I nodded at this.


    I understand. You would want your grandson to stretch his wings for a bit before coming back to the nest. Perhaps with some patents under his name, I replied, and sipped my tea. Kang smiled slightly at this.


    Exactly. I could envision him having a small shop of his own and some support to help the business aspect, Kang suggested. I nodded at this since I had been thinking about what deal to offer Kang. Showing face was one thing, but business was business.


    We would split equally any patents and the business, I would fund the start-up costs, but have half for ten years. After that time your grandson could chart is own path or return to the nest. I offered. Kang sipped his tea while I picked up a sandwich and nibbled on it. It tasted amazing, but I couldnt afford to be distracted in front of an old fox like this.


    Ten years is quite a long time. Perhaps five, Kang suggested.


    I considered asking for twenty which is standard, but ten is the lowest I can go. When your grandson leaves, he will take the patents with him and I will have an empty shop. But let us say five years if he doesnt get the title of grandmaster within that time period, I offered. Kang smiled at this.


    That sounds like an excellent idea. I am sure he will be quite thrilled.


    I will arrange things then for a shop to be purchased. It will be near Lings, I said.


    That is fine. As long as it is in the crafting district. I nodded at that.


    Then I will have a contract drawn up and we can all sign in under the authority of the Wood Carvers Guild. Thank you for allowing me this opportunity, grandmaster Kang, I said. They offered free contract services and arbitration for the masters.


    I should thank you. It is never easy to help my children and apprentices spread their own wings. The competition is quite fierce, as you can tell. I nodded at this and we made small chat while enjoying the tea and sandwiches.


    The next day, I purchased the building next to Lings workshop, which had gone under. There was a lot more churn with lower businesses in this part of the crafting district as masters of their trade struggled to get their footing and make their own way in the world.


    Master Kang, I greeted the man who was shifting nervously at the Woodcrafters Guild.


    Um, yes. Hello. I mean. Young master Yuan. He was fidgeting. I looked at his grandfather, who winced slightly.


    My grandson has some troubles, but he is a master woodcarver. Make no mistake about that. His grandson nodded. Master Kang was probably autistic or had another issue like this. Ling had mentioned nothing, and I hadnt seen him at the vote. They had scammed me. I had to control my face to not show my anger.


    No wonder why he didnt ask for his grandson to come to tea with us. I will not go back on my word, but I trust I have the support of both you and your son, I told grandmaster Kang directly, staring up at the older man.


    We are grateful for your help in this matter, he replied. The grandson would not inherit the main workshop. They probably had a second or third son lined up. This was to shuffle off the useless child somewhere else and out of the line of inheritance while saving face and not making a scandal.


    I had no doubt they would say that Master Kang here wanted to spread his own wings, but everyone would know that he was mentally handicapped. Well, as long as he could carve wood and make toys, then I would not complain. That time limit was probably just a distraction to make me accept and not ask more questions.


    Grandmaster Kang was indeed a fox, but he clearly loved his grandson. He wouldnt go to this much trouble if he didnt love him. It would be a massive headache for me, but I would deal with it. It was the cost of getting my foot in the door in the wood carving business.


    We went into the guild, and the contract was soon signed. Grandfather Kang assigned a servant to help move his grandsons things and get him settled for the first ten days. After that, he would be my responsibility and hiring a servant would be as well.


    I sat in the workshop that had been set up for Master Kang, the grandson, while I watched him carve a doll. So, Master Kang, what can you do other than dolls? I asked.


    Dolls are the best, he replied, and I winced. He was calmer while carving, so I let him carve while I spoke, even if it was incredibly rude of him.


    What about chess sets? I asked him.


    Boring.


    Toy swords?


    Dont like them. I wanted to cry. I couldnt beat him or mistreat him since if his grandfather heard about it, there would be hell to pay. Every woodcrafter was probably laughing at me right now. I left the workshop and the servant grandmaster Kang sent was there, giving me a knowing look.


    You managed him for his grandfather? I asked the servant.


    Yes, young master Yuan. I see to his day-to-day needs and that he is focused on wood carving.


    Is he normally this bad? I asked.


    Today is a good day. He was just stressed from signing the contract and this new place, but he will settle in quickly.


    The apprentices would switch jobs every week to learn and keep them engaged, but by focusing on a single task for that week, they would ensure that the quality and productivity were high. Grandmaster Ling would inspect things, train them, build the reclining chairs, and make sure things ran smoothly.


    I had even hired a servant that Ting recommended managing the front of the store and the accounting book and orders. He was the second son of one servant at the compound, and this was giving him an opportunity. I actually took the time to interview him, since I needed competent managers.


    You have worked here for your entire life? I asked the young man.


    Yes, young master Yuan. I started as a cleaner, then as a gardener.


    You know your numbers and letters? I asked.


    My mother, who serves the 2nd Concubine, made sure I learned.


    I have two concerns. The first is my family drama. I know my father hasnt named a successor. I dont want to be dragged into that mess. You may report to him and if anyone else pays you, let me know and report to them as well. The young man nodded.


    But no stealing. I will audit things. If you make a mistake, tell me. I will not fire you or get mad. But if you cover up a mistake, and don''t tell me, I will get upset, you understand? I asked.


    Yes, young master Yuan.


    You will handle the business aspect of my wood carving business. Making sales, ensuring deliveries goes smoothly, recording all financial transactions, and reporting any problems. Your salary will be ten bronze coins and five percent of the profits I earn, minus that ten bronze coin minimum. His eyes went wide at that.


    That I would get a percentage? he asked, and I nodded.


    Yes. I believe in rewarding hard work. So, if you sell more, you make more money. If things run smoothly and we make a profit, you make more money. Consider it an incentive to do well at your job.


    Thank you, young master Yuan. He was seated down, but bowed his head until it was touching the table.


    I expect diligent work and record keeping. Dont make things difficult for grandmaster Ling. If he has problems, help him. Your job is to let him carve while you handle the business.


    That handled things on my end in terms of handling the hiring. I had two managers now and two shops. I had their employment contracts written and had each of my direct workers sign them. While I would win by virtue of my name, I wanted things clearly written out, so there was no confusion and finger pointing later on.


    Also, it would help me standardize things. The manager for Master Kang didnt want a share of the profits, just a regular salary. He wasnt willing to take a pay cut. It was fine, but in the future, I liked my percentage idea.


    It would only be for five percent of my share of the profits, so two and a half percent of the total profits and half that for sales. But I wanted motivated employees and salespeople. Not people just punching in a clock and punching out. That would increase my profits even with a five percent loss.


    Also, their loyalty would ensure there was no sabotage. I was the seventh son, but my success had servants and guards looking at me. Even some of my siblings were taking notice of me since they invited me to tea. I was seen as someone important, since I had my own revenue streams.


    I had also ordered Ling to make a rocking chair of the highest quality and detail to gift to my father. There was a family dinner once every three months with all the siblings and concubines and people of high stand in his employ. I had noted my siblings had given him gifts in the past to earn favor. I had a twist this time to keep myself in his good graces.


    It was no joke that if he kicked me out or didnt allow me to borrow his authority, I would be finished. Everything I had accomplished was thanks to him. So I needed to give my father some face as they put it, or respect.


    Ting had also reported she had received several bribes from my siblings servants for information about me. She let me know, and I was happy to let them gather information. She had also informed me about the general situation in my family.


    Right now, my mother Yuan Wen, the fourth concubine, was on the outs since my father had taken a fifth concubine recently. The three oldest sons were in fierce competition to be named heir. My eldest brother, Yuan Yun, the only son of the deceased first concubine, was involved in procuring supplies for my fathers business.


    He would have been the heir apparent and his position rock steady, but my third eldest brother was the son of my fathers main wife, who was still alive. Yuan Liang was involved in handling interactions with the sect, since his mother was the daughter of a cultivator. His standing was quite high enough to put him in contention.


    Then there was my fourth brother, Yuan Niu. He had gone into farming and had made quite a bit of money selling meat. He had done so well apparently that most of the family viewed him as a contender for being named heir to my father.


    The eldest brother was only in his mid-twenties and my father was in his late forties. But it was expected he would declare an heir and hand over the reins to his business in the next ten years and retire. That was what his father had done before him. I had several uncles and extended family scattered about.


    That was why the family dinner was a big deal for them. If they invited you, you were in good standing. If you werent, then you were on the outs, and everyone looked down on you.


    Until this point, they had attached my position to my mothers position in the household, which was the same for my second, fifth, and sixth brothers and the daughters of Yuan Chen. They had not succeeded at anything, and the older they got, the more their prospects dimmed.


    But I was the youngest son, a genius, and had succeeded at my small little business. Giving a gift to my father would make me a contender for the position of heir. While I wasnt planning to compete for it, I would sell my non-involvement for favorable terms to all three competitors.


    At least, that was the hope. Tensions were high and there was the occasional act of sabotage. That was one reason I needed to be careful. If someone could drag me down, they would drag me down. Until I left for the sect, I would have to rely on my fathers backing.


    It was complicated and headache inducing, which was why I tried to ignore all the lesser petty drama that cropped up and stayed out of it as best as I could manage. Having tea and answering polite and not so polite questions about myself and my business was the bare minimum. I couldnt just hunker down like a turtle. That would only invite more trouble.


    But I couldnt be aggressive, since that would also invite trouble. Portraying myself as a young genius, making some spending money for his cultivation, was the angle I wanted to take. The fact I didnt need money for cultivation was a non-issue. While becoming a cultivator would allow me considerable say and power, I had not reached that point yet. It was still early, and I was a high value, high-risk piece that people werent sure about yet.


    That was why I had tea so people could feel me out and understand my character. The move at the upcoming family dinner would have people take me seriously and also back off. But anything could happen.


    I had seen family members banished from the family at these dinners. It was a time for maximum drama and maneuvering to move up the hierarchy for the next dinner.


    A day before the family dinner, a letter came for me informing me I was to sit at my fathers right side during the dinner. That was the place of honor. He clearly knew everything I had planned. Ting had all but confirmed that since she passed on all the details of my activities.


    That was the main rule. While we might jockey for position, if anyone did anything to jeopardize the family or Yuan Chen, they would be punished and possibly banished. That was what happened to my second brother that no one talked about.


    Ting had whispered to me he had killed a person in an argument, and they were one of my fathers workers. So they had banished him from the compound. He had a small apartment and a job, but it was a huge downgrade in quality of life and he would no longer have my fathers protection. Once you were banished, you lost your family name.


    Many people would kind of joke that they would rather kill themselves to regain their honor than let something like that happen. So, while the competition was fierce, everyone was very careful not to take things too far.


    I was being chucked into the deep end of family politics now. I would need to make sure everything was prepared, and I got the latest information on any drama and what topics to avoid.


    It was going to be incredibly stressful, but hopefully I would manage and not make a fool of myself.

 Chapter 5: Family Dinner

    Chapter 5: Family Dinner


    I took my seat at the head table. Everyone was looking at me. Welcome brother, Yuan Yun said as I sat down next to him. The position of honor rotated out every family dinner, but Yuan Yun held the third highest seat to my right. On my fathers left was his wife and then the third son, Yuan Liang. I would be to my fathers right and then my first brother.


    Thank you, brother. I am honored that father has allowed me to sit here, I replied.


    We all sat there once when we stepped out into the wider world. But at your age, you truly are a genius blessed by the heavens, he said.


    Thank you for your kind words. I will not deny some luck, but hard work and focus on the task at hand have helped me a great deal. Your work in procurement has shown me that stability is the best path, I replied.


    Both good qualities to have and your kind words warm my heart. A bell chimed and everyone quickly shut up and stood up around the large dining hall.


    Patriarch of the Yuan Family, Yuan Chen, and his wife, Yuan Guangli, a servant called out. I turned with my first brother and the rest of the head table to the back of the dining hall and we all bowed deeply as my father and his wife entered.


    They approached the table and took their seats. Everyone straightened up and then sat back down. It is good to see the family so well and prosperous. Let us eat and drink. Those who wish to speak to the entire family may do so now.


    That was my queue. I stood up and bowed towards my father before straightening up. Thank you, honored father. I, Yuan Zhou, your seventh son, humbly request to allow you to be given a gift from the fruits of my labor, I said. Half this was show, but it was important that we observed the formalities.


    You may, my son. What have you accomplished? my father asked.


    I present two gifts to you. Servants were moving and brought forth an elaborately carved rocking chair made of the finest materials. First a rocking chair from my wood crafters shop. Handcrafted by grandmaster Ling himself.


    My father nodded. Impressive. A new patent and you have a grandmaster working for you. I am pleased with this gift, he replied.


    Thank you, father. As for my second gift. I hold the debt I owe you true for the investment you have given me, but I believe one should pay their own way and return the money that was borrowed. Twelve tael of silver, I replied as a servant brought forth a cloth covered tray with twelve silver coins laid out on it.


    A bold gift, to give so much back and to say you no longer need a stipend. One might say too bold, my father said while turning to look at me.


    Being bold is the domain of youth. I always viewed that money as a loan, with the interest being the debt I owe. But as my tutors have taught me and I have learned about you father, that words are easy, but repayment is hard, I replied, and he nodded at that.


    Well said. True words to live by. I accept this gift in the spirit it is given and recognize you as my seventh son, Yuan Zhou, he said and there was a round of light applause from the dining hall. I bowed to my father and took my seat.


    No one else stood up and food was served. That was well done, and a bit daring, Yuan Yun said. I nodded at this.


    I know, but the debt I owe to father is already great. To add to it beyond the loan of twelve silver tael would be too heavy, I replied.


    What is the debt? my brother asked curiously.


    A favor to the family when I become a cultivator, I replied, and he began choking on his food, which drew several stares. My father glanced over and then returned to his meal. He finally recovered and drank some wine before speaking again.


    That That is quite a bold thing to say. You believe you will reach those lofty ranks so easily? my brother asked.


    Yes, but cultivation is expensive. Which is why I need money, I replied. No need to reveal anything about my advantage in seeing motes. He nodded at this.


    I considered such a path, but it is ruinous. Even to those noble scions and richer houses, such an endeavor is not lightly done. The risk is far too great over too long a time, he replied. If a cultivator died, got stuck, or any range of things, then it would be a disaster if a family invested much of their wealth. Some still did it, and many went bankrupt, and a new family would rise to replace them. The nobles and administrators of Half Moon City, the nobles, could afford to have lasting ties to the sect by sending a single child every generation. Even then, the cost was brutal from what I understood.


    I am already making quite a bit of progress, I replied.


    You have made that much money? my brother asked.


    Something like that. The heavens favor me after all, I said with a smile and ate some finely cooked beef.


    Truly. Well, if you are planning to join the sect, you arent competing for the heirship, are you? my brother asked. It was direct and rude, but he probably wanted to confirm things.


    As long as people dont interfere with my businesses and myself, then I wont act. I dont believe anyone in the family is involved with wood carving, I said.


    No. Some people dabble, but there isnt any real money to be made. I will promise you I will not interfere with your path if you hold true to your words, my first brother said.


    Then all is well and you have my promise, I replied, and he smiled at me.


    A rocking chair is quite clever. Is it true you came up with the idea? he asked, now much friendlier since we werent direct rivals. If he became heir, then the favor I owed to the family would pass to him. No need to piss me off and lose it.


    Yes, and the folding table. The trick was to see a need and fulfill it, I replied.


    A need for rocking chairs? I would have never thought such a thing existed.


    It helps the joints and blood circulation, I replied.


    That makes sense. I have heard that, but wasnt sure if it was just a rumor.


    It isnt a cure, but it helps. So, you handle procurement for fathers business? I asked.


    Yes, we are the main supplier of mortal goods to the sect. It is primarily food, but other things get purchased as well at the request of the cultivators. They ask and we obey, he said, and I nodded at this.


    Would a rocking chair interest them? I asked.


    Hmm, perhaps, but many prefer to remain still while cultivating, or so I have heard, to avoid distractions. But some might enjoy the novelty. I would be interested in ten on consignment, my brother said.


    Where you would only pay me if the sect took them? I asked.


    Yes, and they would need to be at the level of the chair you gifted father or higher. If the interest is substantial enough, then there might be some orders with specialty wood imbued with Qi. If that happens, then it would be quite serious, he replied.


    What would you sell them for? I asked.


    Depends. We have to give a discount to the sect, so how much would you sell that rocking chair for? my brother asked.


    It cost about two hundred bronze coins and would normally sell for a tael, with that level of detail, extra bracing, and time spent making it, I replied, and he nodded.


    Reasonable. If they sold you would get four hundred bronze coins, we would get the other four hundred. The sect would get a discount. I wanted to scream at this highway robbery. I know it seems like a lot, but that is what is required to be a sect trading partner and earn a profit. The real money would come from custom orders the senior cultivators might request.


    What are we talking about here? I asked.


    Well, with rank one spirit wood, to make a chair like that would cost around 100 tael. The craftsmanship would require specialty tools and workshops. You would probably have to license it the design out, but a chair like that would sell for 500 tael, and you would get ten percent or 50 tael.


    I am guessing you would get 250, I asked?


    Yes, but we ensure everything is delivered safely, employ cultivators from the sect, and work with the spirit tree growers and harvesters. That would be money in your pocket, he replied. I nodded at that. It was quite reasonable when he put it like that.


    No negotiation room? I asked, and my brother smiled.


    Unfortunately, no. You are getting the family and close friend rate.


    Too good, if you ask me, my father commented from my other side. He had been listening in. I looked in his direction. Getting any sort of good to present to the sect is a big deal. People pay quite a bit for this opportunity, he said.


    My mind was in disarray, father. Thank you for clearing things up for me. Yes, I will prepare ten chairs on consignment as quickly as possible, I replied to Yuan Yun.


    Excellent. Let one of my servants know when they are ready to be picked up, he replied.


    Very well. I will make the arrangements. It will take a couple of months to get ten chairs together, I said.


    It is fine. Quality is far more important than rushing things.


    I understand. I will emphasize this to grandmaster Ling. Should he use any imagery from the sect? I asked.


    Hmm, if he is willing, but they wont be allowed to be sold outside the sect, if that is the case. It might increase the chances of them selling slightly, but if they dont sell, they will have to be destroyed. I winced at that.


    Increasing the chances of them selling is worth the risk. Would I be able to go with you to the sect? I asked.


    I dont go to the sect. There is a meeting point, where we bring our standard goods and supplies, they give us money, and we present anything they might find interesting for them to purchase. We only deal with some outer disciples during these meetings. They handle everything else internally, my brother explained.


    So, they could charge more, if the chairs are really nice, I said, and he nodded.


    Exactly. That is also why they get a discount, since they are up charging the people in the sect. The exceptions are those high-value custom orders. A senior cultivator can spend a lot of money if they want to, since they save it all up, he replied.


    I see. Thank you for explaining this to me, I said.


    It is the family business. Who knows? When you join the sect, perhaps I will meet you at the supply point, he said with a grin.


    That would be quite amusing. Work my way through the supply chain to the very top of it, I said.


    A show guard or a fighting guard, young master? she asked me.


    What is the exact difference? I asked.


    A show guard would be older and might be a bit out of shape. They are there primarily for deterrence. But they wont be able to stop a serious fight or beast attack. A fighting guard would cost double at a hundred bronze coins for two days. But they will fight if there is trouble.


    Are things unsafe outside the city?


    There is always a risk, young master, since the city guards dont patrol out there. There might be an occasional patrol, but nothing serious.


    Where would I hire a fighting guard? I asked.


    I know a young man from the compound who could use some extra work. Might be a good test run to consider bringing him on full time, Ting said. I gave her a look, and she just kept smiling. Everyone smiled too damn much.


    Fine. I will interview him, and what about the carriage? I asked.


    We can borrow one from the compound without issue, young master, she said, and I nodded at this.


    We returned to the compound. I went to my room to figure out my finances and the strain this investment would put on things. There was a knock on my door. Come in, I called out. Ting entered with a man in leather armor.


    Young Master Yuan, this is Hong, the guard I spoke to you about, she said.


    Thank you Ting, please see to the carriage for tomorrow, but there should be nothing else, I said. She nodded and left. I stood up from my desk and gestured to a nearby table. Please, sit so we can talk, I said to the man.


    He gave me a nod and took a seat. I poured him some water and some more myself out of a pitcher. Serving him was a sign of respect. Thank you for taking the time to speak with me. Ting informed me you are a guard here? I asked.


    Yes, I served for about two years. But I heard there was an opportunity to work for you, so I volunteered. Ting had said he was looking for a position.


    Why are you looking around? I asked him.


    Family issues. My father serves your first brother, but my older brother serves your third brother. Conversations have gotten heated, and they are pressuring me to pick a side. I nodded at this.


    I can understand the pressure, so you want a neutral choice? I asked.


    Yes, and your father employs only cultivators for his personal protection, and I am currently an estate guard, but personal service would be a promotion.


    What are you paid now? I asked.


    Twenty bronze a day, but if I came to work under you, I would expect twenty-five a day, paid monthly. That was three quarters of a tael per month as I worked out the math. Expensive to have a full-time guard.


    So, you can fight? I asked, and he nodded.


    Spear, sword, bow, and horseback. If there is danger, I would protect your life with my own. I would handle the upkeep of my equipment and gear out of my salary, he explained. I nodded at this.


    We can consider the next two days a trial run. If there are no issues, I will hire you full time, I replied, and Hong nodded at this.


    Very well. He would accompany us on foot inside the city and on horseback if we left. While they assigned him a horse, it was technically owned by my father. He couldnt leave with the horse, but his armor and weapons were his.


    The next day, I got into the carriage with Ting, while Hong accompanied us on horseback to the Coinage Guild. There, we picked up the clerk and set off after he gave directions to the driver. The clerk had prepared several documents, including the contract of the loan being moved to my name. I noted the final amount I would owe was left blank. Smart man.


    I looked through them and eventually put them away as we left the city. The ride was quite smooth on the paved road, but boring. I was a Young Master, and making pointless conversations was something I shouldnt do.


    In the afternoon, we pulled off onto a dirt road and traveled for another hour before finally arriving at the farm in question. I got out of the carriage after Hong gave the all clear.


    The land was quite barren, and there was a sad-looking house and barn. I followed the clerk up to the house, where he knocked on the door.


    One moment, a female voice said. A woman opened the door, and I saw her face fall at the sight of the clerk. He was the bad cop to my good cop. That was why I brought him along.


    My husband is tending the fields at the moment. How can I help you? she asked.


    We are here to look over the property and speak with your husband, the clerk said.


    We will pay you back. Dont worry about that! she said.


    I am not here to make a judgement. Young Master Yuan is looking into this property, the clerk said, and stepped aside for me. The woman looked down at me in shock.


    Shall we fetch your husband or wait? I asked.


    He should be here shortly. Your carriage cant be missed, she replied, and I nodded. I suppose you can wait inside.


    Thank you, miss. I said and gave her a slight head bow and she made way to let us into her home. I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Hong. He went in first and then nodded towards me. The woman rolled her eyes. But I hired him for a reason and would trust him in these matters.


    We entered the home and sat at the table in the kitchen. I have nothing fancy, but I can make up some tea, she said.


    Tea would be lovely, I replied. Soon I had a lukewarm cup of slightly flavored water in front of me. A long cry from the tea of the Illuminated Moon restaurant. I sipped it slowly while we waited. After about half an hour, I heard the door open, and the husband showed up.


    What is going on here? Oh, you, he replied with a snarl at the clerk, who just smiled at the man.


    Hello Jian, this is Young Master Yuan Zhou, son of Yuan Chen. He is considering acquiring the balance of your loan to us, the clerk said, and the man looked at me in surprise.


    Indeed, I am. I am just trying to understand why such a large farm is having monetary problems. You should easily produce enough goods to pay back the loan, I said.


    A scam. It was all a scam. The Coinage Guild offered new land by the outer wall that was pushed back. But this land is scarred from the battles between beasts and cultivators. Best estimate is twenty years to bring it up to full yield. I aint giving it up. I got it and am holding onto it no matter what, Jian said and thrust a finger at the clerk, who shrugged.


    We made you aware it is near the outer wall and could look over the property beforehand. We did not force you into anything. You got the land for cheap and expected a mountain of gold, but never asked why it was cheap, the clerk countered.


    Regardless, what are you growing now? I asked.


    Tatos. The man saw my confused look and went to a bin in the kitchen and pulled out a potato.


    Ah, yes, I am familiar with tatos. They arent growing? I asked.


    Slowly, they are growing slowly. Only thing that will grow on this land, Jian nearly spat out while glaring at the clerk, who just kept smiling.


    Lets look around so I can better understand the situation, I replied. Jian let out a grunt, and we all followed him out onto his farmland. He pointed out the soil and its flaky nature and explained how he grew a crop of sprouts and let it rot to help recover the land, but it only improved things enough to grow tatos as he called them. He would need to let more cycles happen to fix the land more quickly.


    I sent the clerk away and asked to speak with Jian alone. Hong trailed behind us as we stood outside, looking over his farm.


    I am interested in purchasing their share. But I would want half the profits, no minimum or maximum. Get the farm working first since you clearly know what you are doing, I explained. Jian frowned as he considered my offer.


    What do you mean by profits?


    We set aside a portion as business expenses, including a base salary for you, but anything after that, for every bronze coin you get, I would get a coin. We can agree to the expenses in writing. Enough to support you, your family, and this farm. But it would be audited and anything after that would come out of your share, I explained. He nodded slowly at that. He wasnt a stupid man.


    I get it. And if things go belly up? He asked.


    Then the land would be used as collateral to cover the debt and I would cover the rest. But you would be homeless and penniless after that, I explained.


    Just dont want no slavery hung over my head, he replied. That was what the Coinage Guild could do to people who defaulted. They became debt slaves, which was not good. Your grandchildren would be in the grave before you might work yourself free. His wife would be sold to a brothel, and he would be sold as a laborer to a mine. Any kids would also be picked up and sold as well, taking on a fraction of their parents debt.


    Alright, say I agree. You would leave me to run things? He asked.


    With oversight and audits to make sure I am not being cheated. But you run your farm. I would also be interested in pepper plants.


    Peppers? Why peppers? They dont sell well, he said.


    I might have an idea and would like to know how workable it would be on your land, I explained.


    Next year at the earliest. Will do another two rounds of sprouts to fix the land. Should have done that in the first place, but they just dont understand farming. After that, I could set aside a field to plant peppers. They will grow decent, but nothing amazing, Jian explained.


    That is fine. I expect peppers will become a gigantic business soon. If I bought plants, could you keep them alive and get the seeds to plant more? I asked.


    I could do that. Peppers, you say. Huh, never thought people would want peppers, he said.


    It is an idea. I still have to confirm things. But this farm looks like an excellent investment, I replied.


    It is. That is why I got it. Growing things with your own two hands, which is how a man should live, he replied. I nodded at that. There were also a lot more motes outside of the city. I was going to get over 200 today, which made me smile. Traveling out here was worthwhile.

 Chapter 6: Risky Venture

    Chapter 6: Risky Venture


    We returned to his house and the clerk, and I went inside the carriage to hammer things out. Ten thousand taels with deferred interest for five years, I started right off, and the clerk grinned at me. It was a bit more sinister than usual.


    Twelve thousand, no deferred interest. We run a business, not a charity, he replied.


    Deferred interest is a must. The farm needs time to recover.


    Then we would wait for ourselves. Cashflow is the most important thing and what my bosses look at, he replied. I frowned at this. I needed cashflow and could not fund 200 taels a year. Even with the success of rocking chairs, I wouldnt be seeing that kind of cash flow, even with custom orders.


    If this farm fails, what will you do? I asked the clerk.


    Sell it to another person, just like we did to this guy. Keep going and slowly upping the price until they pay us back, the clerk said unashamedly. What a scam. But like he said, they werent running a charity.


    I cant defer the interest with my name? I asked.


    Not in these sums. Your father could, but not you, the clerk replied. I considered the situation.


    I am confused why the Coinage Guild doesnt look more long term, I said, while trying to understand where the clerk and his bosses were coming from.


    We have found that long-term investments are not worthwhile. Our goal is turning a profit and to keep commerce moving. Not to entrench ourselves in the various businesses of the city. It seems odd, since many other people look at the long term. The Coinage Guild was founded to address short-term commerce and is our primary mandate, the clerk explained.


    That made sense weirdly. Cultivators would live a long time. What was a hundred-year investment plan when you would live a thousand years or more? But in the meantime, it would cause stagnation of various financial interests.


    I am guessing you already discussed things with your superiors? I asked.


    Indeed. After your recent success and inquiry, we deliberated this exact situation. We could gamble on your success, but we are the Coinage Guild, not the Gambling Guild.


    Twelve thousand, deferred interest for two years, compounded yearly, and my stake in the various patents as collateral, I countered. The clerk was silent for a bit.


    We reserve the right to audit you. If you default, you understand you will be repossessed as well to cover the debt and your body auctioned. Your patents will not be enough. If your father covers the debt, he would likely disown you afterwards.


    The land wouldnt cover the debt along with my patents? I asked, and the clerk shook his head.


    Unfortunately, not. The land would cover ten thousand taels, your patents would cover another two thousand taels, but then interest that has compounded would be left over. After two years, you are looking at an additional four hundred and eighty-nine tael''s worth of interest you would owe. He was clearly up on his mental math.


    Two percent interest is incredibly reasonable, I replied suspiciously.


    That is the standard rate for farming properties. We are heartless, but not savages. The Coinage Guild had a monopoly on loans. If they raised the rates too high, then people would go behind their back. They were also fueling growth and development, which was probably their purpose on behalf of the sect.


    Alright, I accept. The clerk''s eyes widened a bit, and he seemed a bit surprised.


    Very well, Young Master Yuan. I have the documents already prepared. We can begin signing right away. We completed it in under an hour. I now owned fifty percent of this farm, a 12,000 tael debt, and three years to get things in order.


    Begin doing everything you can to recover the farm, I told Jian before I left, and he gave me a nod.


    Thank you, Young Master Yuan, he replied, and bowed deeply.


    I believe in you, but please forgive me if I am overbearing in checking in. This is an enormous investment and risk, I said.


    I understand, and I wont let you down, Jian said. I gave him a nod and got into the carriage. We departed the farm. Ting was looking slightly worried, and the clerk was smiling, as always.


    Dont worry Ting. I already did the math on the yields for the farm and confirmed the size. I could handle the debt in three years with the current yields. It would be rough, and I would bleed tael, but it was doable.


    It is an enormous debt, Young Master.


    It is. But with great risk comes great profits. I have seen a market need and this farm will address the issue perfectly with a bit more preparation. I suspect I will pay off the debt in under five years with a bit of luck, I replied. The clerk who had been listening in clearly perked up at that.


    Really, Young Master? he asked me.


    I would not take the risk if I did not see the potential to make a lot of money. If I am not willing to put myself on the line, how can I ask these businesses to give up such a large share if I am not willing to shoulder some of the risk?


    We returned to Half Moon City, and we dropped the clerk off at the Coinage Guild. After that, I purchased an empty warehouse in the crafting district. I purchased a quantity of glassware, burning through the savings I had built up from my forays into wood carving.


    I hired a servant to cut up and ground various portions and parts of peppers and began testing each and every one of them. Boiling and then drying the liquid. Drying the peppers out. It took time and trying to remember how my Earth father made his homemade death sauce.


    It took half a month before I finally hit on the solution. The peppers needed to be dried, then they needed to be fried for a couple of minutes. Once that was done, add water, vinegar, garlic, and salt. Grind everything until it becomes very fine. Once that was done, I would adjust it more with salt and vinegar. After that, I could boil the liquid a bit to thicken or was ready right then.


    I had created hot sauce. I had my final batch put into several glass bottles and sealed, but kept several as a control to see how long they would stay good for. After consideration, I took two bottles with me and arranged a meeting with Yuan Niu, my fourth brother.


    You wanted to meet and eat steak? he asked me as we sat down in a restaurant that specializes in steaks, which he was the primary, or possibly the only, supplier.


    I have invented this. It is very hot. But I can see it appealing to people. I set a bottle of hot sauce in front of Yuan Niu. He gave it a careful look before picking it up with his large hand. He carefully pulled the wax sealed cork out of the bottle and gave it a sniff. Yuan Niu leaned back and then gave me a look.


    I held out my hand, and he passed me the bottle and then I carefully added a dab of the sauce to my steak and cut a piece. I noticed my strength had been increasing the more motes I took inside of my body. As I ate the piece, my eyes watered, and I drank some water. Yuan Niu reached out and put a slightly larger dallop on his steak.


    He shoved the piece of streak in his mouth, didnt spit it out and chewed, then swallowed it. He was sweating heavily and then had some water. What devilry is this? he asked.


    Hot sauce. A potent spice I have extracted from peppers, I replied.


    Alchemy? he asked in a worried tone. I shook my head.


    I checked and got a signed letter from the Alchemy Guild. As long as there is no cultivation involved, and we solely derived the product from a common plant, they considered it a recipe and not alchemy, I said with a grin, and he nodded as well.


    It is unique. I will give you that. But will it really appeal to people? he asked.


    The youth will brag about how much they can take, and it will liven up any food that is served. For a cultivator, perhaps a kick to feel something strong. We would add warning labels, of course. Huge warning labels and call it Inferno Sauce. Then make a stronger version called Death Sauce. The danger will attract people.


    Yuan Niu grew thoughtful. You want to use my channels to sell and distribute this sauce? he asked. I nodded at this.


    Yes. I have arranged a farm for long-term production. It will take time. But we can run more tests to perfect the recipe. We can initially release it in limited quantities and make it exclusive to discerning clientele for a huge markup.


    Then once word spreads and your production is built up, we can spread it through the city and beyond, Yuan Niu finished for me and I nodded at this. He added some more to his steak and began chewing on the piece.


    No. It is a thought experiment that is considered. What would be the best possible level of cultivation without time that one could achieve? There are countless books written in the sects library of elder cultivators speculating on such a topic. But to attempt it and risk the path of surety? Yi Rong shook his head.


    That is why it is called the path of defiance. For you would defy everything. The heavens, the wisdom of those who have come before you, and the very nature of cultivation itself to surpass all boundaries. But it would be a gamble that you could advance quickly enough in the following stages, Yi Rong replied.


    I already know what I would choose, I said, and Yi Rong nodded. The path of defiance, I replied. He stopped nodding and looked at me in shock.


    Hah, I guess I am just a foolish old man. Very well then. You are sure?


    Yes. I am confident in my ability to overcome challenges placed in front of me and preparation long term is key, I replied with a firm nod.


    Then let us discuss the optimal number of motes. We must work backwards from the fifth stage to truly understand the best possible foundation you would need. The key to advancement of the fourth stage for soul cultivators is to detonate your core, pushing out the motes and clearing all energy from where your soul is.


    This would allow you to form your nascent soul, which is the fifth stage. A clear space is needed, since astral souls are fragile things, and the force of the astral plane will push and degrade one trying to form against the pressure. So, an explosion is necessary where you risk everything in a single moment.


    Many die and fail in this attempt. A large core is necessary for a large enough explosion, Yi Rong explained.


    What about multiple explosions? I asked, and he shook his head and then paused.


    I could not say if such a thing is even possible. That is why I called it the path of defiance. To generate a core, you draw in astral energy through your meridians and channels. We construct these through and around the structure of your aligned motes.


    I am sworn not to reveal the meridian structure the Cloudy Moon sect primarily uses. Any mote structure they have would not be suitable anyways with the amount you would eventually get. But you must learn and prepare. For once you arrive at the sect, there will be no time. Yi Rong let out a long sigh.


    We shall go to the sect tomorrow after the tea ceremony, and I will speak to your father. We will be there for one month, to register you as my personal disciple and for you to read and learn from the mistakes of your ancestors to properly plan out a Formation stage layout for your motes.


    Thank you Master Yi Rong, I blurted.


    No kowtows and no thanks are needed. If I shall really name you as my student, then such things are unnecessary. You will be obliged to enter the Cloudy Moon sect no later than twenty-one years of age, should I name you my student. If you enter another sect, we will consider you a spy.


    I quickly nodded at this and confirmed I knew what I was getting into, and then I was dismissed. I made preparations for my departure, but everything was running fairly smoothly, at least without my constant input.


    Ting was now a full-time member of my staff, and I paid her directly. I had her handle the personnel affairs since she was quite good at that and to monitor income flowing through my businesses. Hong would remain to guard her while she made the rounds in my stead.


    Since it wasnt a secret, the fact that I was being taken as an apprentice or disciple of Cultivator Yi Rong was quickly making rounds. No one would want to offend me now, in case I bore a grudge.


    The next day, we set off in a carriage with four horses rushing quickly out of the city immediately after a tea ceremony where I made Yi Rong tea, which he drank, and then acknowledged me as his personal disciple. Will my father be unprotected? I asked Yi Rong, who was sitting with me.


    A month does not matter, and he does not need protection inside the city. My presence is merely a sign of favor to him and a place to rest outside the sect in comfort before I die. I slowly nodded at this.


    While I could get to the sect in less than a day, you would not survive unscathed. Mortals fare poorly when around cultivation.


    Mortals? Is that an insult? I asked. Yi Rong grinned a bit.


    Indeed. For while very few cultivators are immortals, it is common to look down on everyone else. That is why they are called mortals. When we reach the sect, do not speak unless asked a direct question. They will evaluate you for demonic taint and other issues.


    Like reincarnation. What are the issues with that and demonic taint? I asked curiously.


    Demons are beasts that appear as humans. We are at war with the beasts. We made many mistakes over the years. That is why all entrants and anyone returning from a mission are checked, no matter their rank.


    As for reincarnates, it is the same issue, but with different sects. They seek to steal knowledge, but they are also a waste of resources. They forcibly shove or move their spirit into a young physical body. But cultivation involves the astral soul. That is why they appear as geniuses.


    I gulped at this. But such a technique is impossible before the fifth stage and once in the fifth stage there would be signs present. Marks on ones astral soul. In addition, absorbing motes of Qi would be impossible and they would use a technique to fool people.


    They would go that far for secrets? I asked.


    Indeed. For secrets and to ambush cultivators. While the basic knowledge is common, mote structure, meridian layout, core techniques, and then higher-level techniques all form the backbone of any sect. For that knowledge smooths out the path to immortality and forewarns of bottlenecks one might face.


    To steal such knowledge successfully, would see a cultivator honored and rewarded. But to take such a risk closes off their own path forward. But there are all types in this world of ours, and we are just a fraction of a fraction, in a small corner of the Firmament.


    Anything else I should be aware of? I asked.


    I will probably be dead by the time you fully join the sect. I feel my end getting ever closer as my soul slowly becomes more unstable. A few years left at best. You will inherit my meager collection of contribution points that I have left, and be granted the title of Inner Disciple. Yi Rong must have seen the confusion on my face.


    They divided the sect up into the outer, inner, core, and Personal disciples with the additional rank of Senior for the first three ranks. Each rank has more privileges than the previous, and you must always show respect to those ranked above you. I nodded at this.


    Most children born in the sect become inner disciples. Elders would have their disciples named as core disciples. And the sect leader could name a single Personal Disciple of the sect that stands above all others.


    Moving from outer to inner disciple grants more privileges and access. With contribution to the sect giving the title of senior, along with cultivation. We consider members in the fourth stage members, not disciples, and the fifth stage and higher are elders.


    They would consider me a Senior Member of the sect. But even to the few people younger than me at the fifth stage, I must bow my head, since they are my seniors. Respect is very important, more so than the mortal world. I nodded at this. I didnt want to cause issues.


    I can tell you dont want to cause issues, but your very existence is like a great boulder crashing into a tranquil pond. A true heaven-sent genius. If you claim a master after my death, I will have no objection. But you will most likely be treated with ridicule once you return when you are older.


    The path of defiance, I replied, and Yi Rong nodded.


    Exactly. The other cultivators might say you are wasting heavens favor. My advice is to remain true to your path and watch out for sabotage from members and disciples. Jealousy grips all. The elders will be curious if they decide to take an interest.


    Thank you for the warning, master, I said.


    It is the least I can do. There are more rules and little things you will come to understand, but the sect will explain such things when you enter. For now, we need to have you evaluated, registered, and then you will be allowed into the sect library. You will not be allowed to write or record anything, but you can read. The evaluation will most likely take a week and you will have around three weeks.


    Any suggestions on reading material? I asked.


    Just to understand the stages of cultivation. I will have the main introductory tomes prepared, but after that, it will fall onto you. All cultivators, once they reach the fourth and eighth rank inside the sect, are required to write what they did.


    Their writing varies wildly from the analytical to the flowery. Many people look to the tomes of cultivators who have passed that were successful at breaking through the fourth stage. While you may find understanding there, you will not find inspiration. There are many failures.


    The higher ranked tomes? I asked.


    Once you become an elder, you are allowed access. Knowledge of the fifth stage and above is jealously guarded and is of limited use to you until you break through the bottleneck at the end of the fourth stage. Once we are at the sect, answer honestly and without hesitation for the evaluation will be long and tiresome.


    I was worried, but hopefully everything would be all right.

 Chapter 7: Cloudy Moon Sect

    Chapter 7: Cloudy Moon Sect


    It took us three days to reach the sect. The carriage, horses, and driver waited at the base of the mountain we had arrived at. There were buildings set aside for people and transportation like this. Yi Rong pulled out a badge to the bored-looking woman in blue and white robes standing at the base of the mountain.


    Senior Member, welcome back, she replied and bowed her head.


    I have claimed a disciple. He will climb the stairs of testing. She looked at me in surprise.


    If you say so, Senior Member. I will set him on the path, Yi Rong nodded and then turned towards me.


    I will meet you at the top, he said, and this disappeared in a burst of wind.


    Well, kid, I don''t know if you are lucky or unlucky, the lady said. I quickly bowed my head towards her.


    No need for that. Getting named an inner disciple right off. Good for you. Anyway, climb up the stairs without breaks. We view it as a test of your willpower and personal determination. It is a very long way to the top. Good luck, she said with a grin.


    I had been running occasionally and had not let my youthful body go. Still, there were a lot of steps. I didnt hesitate and began climbing at a slow pace while trying to keep my breathing steady. They made the steps from rocks that had been shoved into the dirt itself. Each step was slightly uneven, and the spacing was off in some places.


    There was probably a metaphor for the path of cultivation attached to these stairs. Long, hard, and full of minor difficulties to reach the top. No simple path right to the top for inner disciples. But I wasnt an inner disciple yet.


    I also guessed that a reincarnation would have screamed or objected to climbing the steps, since they would view it as an insult. Tests within tests. At least it was straightforward. I didnt look up once I started. Mist and clouds were concealing the top of the peak, and looking up would distract me from carefully placing my feet on each step. Another metaphor about not getting distracted on the path of cultivation.


    Personal power. It was something that was impossible back on Earth, but after getting hit by a truck and coming to this world, I never wanted to die again. I wanted immortality, and I wanted that power. I would hit the trucks and they would die instead of me.


    It was silly to think like that, but that was why I bothered with cultivation instead of becoming rich, getting a harem, and settling down somewhere. Also, with my advantages and the whispers of magic and personal flight, I couldnt say no.


    If that meant climbing this staircase of certain death, then it meant climbing this staircase of certain death. I was in the mist and the rock stairs had become slippery. Put in a railing people, safety organizations will be on your case at this rate.


    Step after step, I climbed. We arrived early in the morning. When mid-day hit, the mist cleared. It was tempting to look up, but if I saw a lot more stairs, I might just give up and throw myself back down. My legs were screaming in pain, but I didnt stop.


    I kept my eyes glued to the path as I slowly ascended. I didnt even count the stairs, since that would make me despair. My clothes dried out in the late afternoon and I couldnt help but glance upwards. The top, oh thank you, everything holy. There was the top of the staircase.


    There was no strength to move more quickly, but my mind became a bit more energized as I kept climbing and gasping for breath. The air was definitely thinner, and I had noticed a very slight increase in the density of motes.


    I didnt wave my hands to grab any, but if I ran into one, I took it inside of me with all the others. I finally crested the top to see a large plateau with fancy looking buildings and paved walkways. Yi Rong was waiting along with three older looking men in white and blue robes.


    Once I reached the top, I made my way in front of them as they stared at me. I then bowed deeply. A cultivator did not kowtow, ever, even to a much stronger cultivator. As a prospective disciple, Yi Rong told me I should adopt this mindset while here.


    After a few seconds of getting my breathing under control, I spoke, Junior Yuan Zhou greets his seniors of the Cloudy Moon sect and Master Yi Rong.


    Polite at least, one said.


    A slow climb, another man replied.


    He is young, still a child, a third said. There was silence for a bit as I kept the bow and worked on my breathing.


    Well, he passed the test of fitness, so he has my vote, the first man who spoke said.


    You always approve of anyone who passes it. We should put him in the soul reflection chamber, the second said.


    That is too harsh. A simple questioning will do. Raise your head, child, I did and looked at the three older men. We are the current elders on duty this year. I am Elder Li Fu.


    Elder Zedong, the first man said.


    Elder Sun Ru, the second man who had spoken said.


    Elder Li Fu nodded and then took the lead speaking. It is rare to have someone as young as you come here. Even children born into the sect are much older when they climb the stairs. We have questioned your master Yi Rong, and while his answers make sense, we wish to ask you further questions.


    Yes Elder Li Fu, I replied and bowed my head slightly and he nodded.


    Point out the nearest mote of Qi, he commanded. I looked around, and I pointed one out.


    Have you ever been part of another sect? Sun Ru asked while staring at me intently.


    No, I replied. The elders looked at each other for a moment, somehow communicating and then back at me.


    How many motes have you collected? Elder Zedong asked.


    79,771, I said. That seemed to shock them slightly.


    Your age? Elder Sun Ru asked.


    I am five and a half years old, I replied.


    Impossible! Elder Sun Ru proclaimed loudly. We must evaluate him in the soul reflection chamber. I will go to the sect leader if I must.


    If you are wrong and he truly is a genius of heaven and earth, then our path will be affected, Elder Li Fu replied.


    I will shoulder the risk. But I consider such a thing impossible. The youngest cultivator to each 120,000 motes without pills was of age 12. I cant believe a child of five and a half has done so, Elder Sun Ru declared.


    Tell me, child, were you aware since birth? Elder Zedong asked me.


    Yes, Elder Zedong, I replied and bowed my head slightly.


    A coincidence most likely of being aware and being able to see motes, but the soul reflection chamber appears to be the best option to put aside all doubt. Yi Rong, do you have any objections as his master? Elder Zedong asked.


    No. If he is truly a demon in disguise, let us find out. He replied, and Elder Sun Ru nodded at this.This chapter is updated by


    A good attitude to have. We should put all in the soul reflecting chamber, Elder Sun Ru said.


    That is a debate for another time, Elder Li Fu said tiredly. We will allow the child to rest and sleep first and allow himself to steady himself. Then his master will take him to the soul reflecting chamber himself first thing in the morning.


    Yi Rong bowed his head. As you command, Elder Li Fu, he replied. The other two elders nodded, and I quickly bowed my head as they departed.


    They basically repeated everything Master Yi Rong had told me about the first four stages of cultivation, Qi Gathering, Foundation Establishment, Meridian Attunement, and Core Formation. It listed out each stage and explained the general steps.


    Once a solid core is constructed, the cultivator will detonate the core to force their constructed astral soul apart to forge a true soul. The longer this void exists in astral space, the greater the eventual soul will be. But in turn, the harder it will be to initially reconstitute ones soul. The ideal is 1,000 drops to form a solid core.


    In the older version, it recommended 800 drops as the ideal. I kept reading the newer version but compared all the numbers to the older version and if they changed any sentences. There were some minor changes, but it was mostly the numbers that changed.


    I finished the book right before Yi Rong came to pick me up for lunch. We ate in a private room off from the main dining hall, which was a privilege for sect members. Elders didnt need to eat or have other arrangements. Once we were done, he escorted me back to the library.


    I took the afternoon to carefully check all the sections. I occasionally got a look from a sect member, but they said nothing. The biggest section was the list of small tomes about what cultivators that had failed had done.


    By far the busiest section with people and empty of tomes was the section on what successful cultivators had done. I took one tome from there to get a baseline and brought it back to the reading room.


    It was complete garbage, in my opinion.


    The alignment of the dragons veins inside oneself must attune to the cosmic forces at the celestial equinox. Only when harmony exists past the physical will one truly bring forth the power of the astral energy into oneself.


    It was a lot of flowery language. I read through it but learned little. I returned the tome and pulled tomes from their spots, checked the first page, and put it back. They were all garbage, like the first one I had read. A sect member dropped a tome back on a shelf and left. I quickly picked it out. Now this one was much better, with actual diagrams showing the layout of meridians and motes.


    I took this tome back with me to my assigned reading room. Master Yi Rong showed up, and I was allowed to leave the book here overnight while the library was closed as long as I returned the next day to either keep reading it or to put it back on the shelf.


    I spent the rest of my time in the sect reading tomes and looking over cultivation diagrams. Both from people who failed and people who had succeeded to get past the first bottleneck.


    There were two types of writers, I decided after a while. Analytical and flowery. I asked Master Yi Rong about this, and he smiled slightly while explaining.


    I remember seeing that myself the first time in the library. Cultivators are required to write something. Most just use the notes they develop while cultivating. But for those who dont take notes or write things down, they quickly put down prose to get through the task. You have probably seen a lot more tomes from the failures than those who succeeded, but it isnt always the case.


    Over the course of a month, I gained a very thorough understanding of the first four stages of cultivation. While there wasnt much written about the first, many cultivators listed out their frustrations of being held back by the motes of Qi collected during the Qi Gathering stage, since it determined everything for the later stages.


    Some people had added in more meridians than the recommended thousand to one ratio to aligned motes. Many listed out their cultivation difficulties and even one case of cultivation collapse. I considered asking Master Yi Rong if he had a tome written, but wisely didnt. Experience of having an older mind. While some failures had their names listed, many didnt.


    There were thousands of tomes, but most of them were only twenty to fifty pages long at most. There were some monsters that were over a thousand pages long. I had read through those and they listed out everything in precise detail, with lots of diagrams, explanations, and references to other sources.


    These detailed failures were the ones I really dug into. There were in-depth explanations on how best to align motes to form meridians and channels. Another one detailed their extensive effort to form the best possible core or multi-cores.


    It quickly became obvious why the sect viewed such knowledge highly. I wasnt allowed to write anything down, since I would leave the sect soon. Some tomes were just bound notes from people who had vanished outside the sect and had been declared dead. With these tomes there was a single page in the front listing the members name, when they disappeared, and when they were declared dead.


    There were no disturbances, and no one bothered me in the library. Everywhere else, Master Yi Rong escorted me. While I could technically move about on my own, he didnt want any drama. As the month came to a close, I realized there was so much more left to read through and understand.


    As we rode away from the sect in the carriage that had brought us here, Master Yi Rong explained things more in depth to me. Reading too much can cloud your mind. We will return in a few years. There are people who lose themselves in the tomes. Trying to find the perfect path, but you werent collecting motes while studying, were you?


    No Master, I only collected a few, but not many, I replied, and he nodded.


    Exactly. One cannot think their way through cultivation. A cultivator must do. Consider that the most important lesson I can impart to you. I knew many people who spent too much time studying and lost their way.


    Why not use the same method for everyone? I asked.


    Because there might be a better way. While innovation is slow, it is there. You saw it in the first two tomes I had you read. I nodded at this and gave an affirmative. But who is to say that an easier path at the start will make for an easier path later? The true value comes from the various paths at the later stages. And if a person in our sect ever reached the ninth stage and immortality, that would become the standard everyone would use, Yi Rong explained.


    So high ranking sects copy things? I asked.


    To some extent. But each person is different, and an ancient saying is that no two paths to immortality are ever the same. So, while you can learn, you need to think about what you learned and not just take in more information. To use your own knowledge and experience. You walk the path of defiance, and you will find no true answers in the library.


    I have worked out the best mote layout, I think. I am still not entirely sure, I replied.


    Take your time, come up with a plan, and then confirm that plan against the knowledge there when you return. What was the number of ideal motes you settled on?


    One million three hundred and twenty thousand, I said. Yi Rong just closed his eyes and let out a sigh.


    Why that number? he asked.


    To form four main cores and a secondary core.


    Foolish. Utterly foolish. Even if you collect that many motes, it would take you 132 years to align them all if you reached the perfect standard. You would be dead by then, Yi Rong said.


    I would need to work out a faster way to align them, I replied.


    Faster Faster you say. The confidence in your voice makes me want to puke blood. Well, you heard my warnings and read of the failures. You would need to align 20,000 motes per year. That is impossible.


    Since they shift as each one is aligned.


    Yes, and it is slower at the start, while you have to keep resetting the motes. Tell me why that is the case, Yi Rong asked me.


    Otherwise, there will be too much scarring left behind on ones astral soul, as we shift them into position after settling in another location for a long time while aligning other motes.


    Exactly. Your astral soul will be shredded, and you will die even sooner before you can align them all. And carving that many meridians, and four cores with a secondary core. Complete and utter foolishness.


    I am considering partially aligning each mote to hold them in place and cycling through all of them first. I saw one passage about a person half aligning their motes before fully aligning them, I explained. Yi Rong got a thoughtful look on his face.


    It might work. But the drawbacks of such a path would be in weakness. Each aligned mote empowers you, but they must be fully aligned. Completing sect tasks will be more difficult and there would be ridicule at your failure to advance.


    But then I would leap ahead rapidly at the end? I asked.


    Yes. Truly, the path of defiance. That still leaves the issue of carving out your meridians and channels.


    I havent thought of a solution for that yet and I also need to think about the element I would imbue my channels with. I dont suppose there is a time, space, void, or chaos element?


    Foolishness. Where do you even get such ideas? The mind of a genius is a dangerous thing. Such elements are fairy tales told to children about cultivators. The Cloudy Moon sect has several water and earth element resources that can be used. I use earth myself.


    More esoteric things like time. How would you grab into time and imbue your channels with such a thing? Perhaps a dao from a great beast or cultivator might be more in line with such a thing, but such a resource would be precious beyond anything else.


    But what about using stuff found naturally, like air? I asked.


    The energy is weak, and you will struggle to fill up your core with such energy once you carve out your channels. That is why people pick common types of energy that are more easily available. Even if you found a time resource, how much would there be? The heavens and the earth of the Firmament might be endless, but resources are not.

 Chapter 8: Gathering Resources

    Chapter 8: Gathering Resources


    I returned to Half Moon City with no fanfare. My businesses were running smoothly and there was nothing that needed to be done. I had set things up so there was as little involvement from me as possible.


    On the way back, I had a conversation with Master Yi Rong about resources and sect points. They expected each disciple to contribute 100 points per year. Each contribution point was worth about a rank 1 spirit stone or about 1,000 taels.


    The sect didnt like currency conversions from people, since they paid sect points for performing tasks around the sect. If people just brought in money from the outside, tasks wouldnt get done. The exception was spirit stones.


    One could trade in spirit stones to the sect for contribution points, since there was always a need for them. As long as one earned the stones themselves. The people at the sect werent stupid and an elder couldnt just give a bunch of spirit stones to their disciple or child. That was where the 100 point transfer limit came in. Cultivators were meant to be independent and self-sufficient, not children who had their hands held their entire life.


    The work around were businesses and tasks the cultivators created on their own. That meant anything I earned from now until I joined the sect, and afterwards was allowed. Yi Rong had told me I couldnt use my status as a future inner sect disciple to bully people.


    The Cloudy Moon sect liked low drama and the non-interventionist faction would be up in arms if I did something like that. It was their entire focus, not crushing mortals. The protector faction was partially aligned in this regard, since they wanted to protect humanity and gather strength. The militant faction would be annoyed at anything that took away from killing enemy cultivators and beasts.


    That meant flashing my sect token and making a scene were out of the question. It didnt stop people from hearing rumors, speculating, and not giving me a hard time, but I couldnt just demand people obey me, either.


    Yi Rong explained that many elders and cultivators had passive interests they themselves had set up. The Coinage Guild in the city was actually under the control of the Sect Leader. Grandmaster Kang of the woodworkers also had an elder backer.


    An elder of the protection faction even backed my father, Yuan Chen. Only the elders had factions. Everyone else in the sect worked and cultivated. They could do things, but it was a rule that cultivators shouldnt directly crush mortals and make a mess other cultivators had to clean up.


    It just pissed everyone off and was a good way to unite all cultivators into hating you. Even rogue cultivators with no sect avoided making a fuss, since while the sects were isolated, they got supplies, food, and other goods from the mortal world. Messing with the supply chain would stir the old monsters to go out and make an example.


    What I had been doing was fine. I was playing within the rules. Even Yi Rong was just mooching off my father since he had basically retired. Many senior cultivators reaching the end of their lives were given easy long-term tasks like this. Mortals would care for them to the highest standard while they lived out their last couple of decades.


    The mortals would be protected during this time. While it was an expense, no cultivator would dare mess with my father. Even the sect wouldnt give him a hard time. It was their retirement plan while also keeping a grip on the city and other areas under the Cloudy Moon Sects control.


    It was one perk of reaching the fourth stage and being labeled a member. These old people didnt get contribution points, but they didnt have any living expenses either. Others might travel or save up to spend their last days in the sect.


    Other sects usually greeted members of other sects warmly and allowed them to stay for a month or two to discuss cultivation. No sect would turn away free knowledge and building some relations. They gave these people a strict rule that they could only discuss their own cultivation outside the sect. No tomes, knowledge, or anything else.


    Some of these wandering cultivators might train up a disciple outside of a sect if they had left on poor terms. But they didnt discuss cultivation outside of their own. That was another way you got the old monsters in the sect to act.


    Stealing knowledge was considered the quickest way to get the sect excited. All this meant for me at the moment was that I had to keep my notes locked up securely in a chest while not using them. The chest was only for my cultivation notes on myself and had the Cloudy Moon sect symbol stamped on the outside.


    If the notes got stolen, I would get a reprimand, and a lot of mortals would get killed once the sect enforcers showed up. It was technically illegal, but Yi Rong assured me it was fine as long as I didnt talk to anyone but him and kept my notes to myself.


    It was technically a bit of a gray area, since I was under his supervision and Half Moon city was so close to the sect as to be in its backyard. As long as nothing came of it, there would be no issue. I spent my days going to my businesses and looking at purchasing more businesses to build up my portfolio and increase my cash reserves while cultivating.


    I entered the mining business next. I had enough cash flow from my hot sauce production that I felt confident in such an investment. Hong had insisted on hiring three more guards since we were leaving the outer walls to a mining town at a nearby mountain.


    Just as I had put Ting in charge of managing the day to day and record keeping for my businesses, I arranged for Hong to handle my personal safety. I had burned the main accounting book I had written in Arabic after copying everything over in the local script. I was no longer concerned about people interfering with my businesses.


    Yi Rong had explained that if I stepped on any toes, the regional supervisor for the sect would come and speak with me and sort things out between me and the other party. Otherwise, it was just business.


    The mining town was struggling with flooding and going higher on the mountain risked more beast attacks. They had tried it in the past with poor results. They mined iron here and were one of several suppliers to Half Moon city.


    The people were half starved, and almost all of them were debt slaves. The buildings were worn and leaky, and the entire place smelled. They invited me into the foremans home, which was much nicer. The mine owner was looking to sell after slowly bleeding out money over the last decade. He had focused on hiring slaves, but the costs were too much, and he kept cutting corners.


    Now everything had fallen into this state and the owner was desperately trying to sell for 20,000 tael. The Coinage Guild was agreeable to lending me the money at four percent interest. It was higher because of the mine being outside the city walls and at much greater risk.


    You produce ten carts of ore a day and ship that to the city to be processed? I asked, hoping for confirmation from the foreman.


    Yes. There was talk of making a smelter out here, but the smell would agitate the beasts.


    Ten carts daily? Is that high, low, average? I asked.


    That is a good day. Bad days, we might get one or two carts filled up with ore. There is a lot of ore, but the water fills up the mineshafts and we bucket it out, but it is slow. Most of the time, we wait for it to drain and work the side shafts.


    They would sell a cart of ore for a tael and would produce about five iron bars, which would sell for a tael apiece. The mine was only earning about four tael a day on average after looking at their records. About 1,000 tael a year.


    But then there were all the expenses which rapidly cut into that. Food, supplies, wages, buying new debt slaves, and paying to rebuild when beasts came through and wrecked everything. Is there anything that can be done about the beasts? I asked Hong, who was listening in.


    It wouldnt be easy. You kill one beast, and more come to claim its corpse. Kill too many, and you get a high ranked beast coming through wiping everyone and everything out. I nodded slowly at this.


    What about underground or more fortified buildings? I asked.


    Would last longer, but they would be much more costly. It wouldnt really stop anything. That is why they build houses like they do, Hong said, and I nodded at this. It made sense and also why anyone dealing with this situation would pull their hair out.


    It also explained the lack of metal available in the city and in general. It would have been far better to process the ore on site. There is no way to ward off beasts? I asked Hong, who shook his head.


    No. It just isnt possible. The more you kill, the more they get riled up. They also dont like walls or things stopping them. The sect has broken enough beast tides by the city. They have given up, but if they put a wall up out here, they would attack, Hong explained.


    I went and looked at the mine and went inside as well. This part was well done with careful and consistent wood bracing along the entire route, even the side tunnels. I saw the water and damp stone as the tunnel ended along with the bracing.


    It rots and there is a much greater risk of collapse, the foreman explained. The water was coming through the soil and mountain above, not from the entrance. It was leaking through cracks in the rock to fill up the bottom of the mine.


    At least being short paid off this time, since I didnt have to duck while entering the mine. I considered my options. I couldnt make my own smelters, since the Smithing Guild had that on lockdown. They handled the ore, and they set their rates.


    They made the road to the city with gravel, so it wasnt a muddy mess either. So, there was little improvement that could be done there. No one wanted to work outside the walls, either. Which meant slaves were the only real option. While the attrition wasnt terrible, it was still bad.


    I had decent cash flow, but not that much to support such a loan with the farm loan still hanging over me. While growth was good, the mining operation and investment were just too risky. If it failed or something went wrong, I wouldnt be able to recover from it.


    While it was tempting to go from business to business, I needed to build up my cash reserves. That was when I considered getting other investors. That would invite new headaches and I would lose out on a part of the possible revenue. But it would also get me support from other people.


    This time when I went to the Coinage Guild to discuss things, I was passed on from the smiling clerk to a manager and was invited into his office.


    So, you have a plan to turn the mine around and possibly other mines, but you require a larger investment and are interested in getting other investors, he confirmed what I had explained to him.


    Yes. The risk of such a venture is quite large. I was considering forming a company, and wanted the Coinage Guilds advice, I asked.


    The guilds are such companies since our operations and profits are tied directly into the sect, but you appear to want to take a different route?


    I could see the sect being one investor, and perhaps other people. But the legalities are something I am unsure about, I replied.


    It would be an agreement between parties. How much equity would you be giving up and would it involve your other businesses? the manager asked.


    I was thinking ten percent at fifty thousand taels. That would give my company a valuation of half a million taels.


    Such a thing is not really done. A holding company owned by multiple people and selling percentages like that would be unknown. At most there are two or three investors, but I am guessing you are interested in multiple.


    If it is just one, it is fine. But that is the valuation I would require and the equity I would give up.


    Right now, the Coinage Guild will have to say no. While you have had two successes. This is a long-term risk and investment, which we dont do, the manager explained.


    May I ask why not?


    It is a matter of cash flow and getting too entangled in business ventures. That is why we prioritize short-term gains and then sell off the equity we get. It impacts our long-term projections, but we are under strict orders not to invest into things that would take over ten years to recoup any losses.


    But then, why sell the equity? I asked. I really didnt understand the Coinage Guild. It seemed to me like they would scoop everything up to increase profits.


    That used to be done in the past. But it stifled growth and turnover in businesses. You are the perfect example of why we try to keep the various markets in flux just enough for innovators like yourself. If the Wood Carvers Guild or the Smithing Guild were owned by us, then people are not incentivized to create something new. If you would not make a lot of tael, would you have come up with the rocking chair?


    No, I would have looked at other areas to develop a business in.


    And if we controlled all the businesses and fields?


    Then I would look at other cities, I replied.


    While the Lord runs the day-to-day operations of the city, the Coinage Guild answers directly to the Cloudy Moon Sect and handles long-term development. While we could invest a lot ourselves, it would create a monolithic business structure and slow down long-term development.


    We want stability and slow and steady growth. Speeding up and slowing down creates too much instability.


    Thank you for explaining this to me, I bowed my head towards the manager.


    I am more than happy to. There have been people in the past who have asked the same questions that you have. But we are a low and mid-level facilitator to the city, not an institution for the super wealthy or individuals.


    I said my goodbyes and left the Coinage Guild with much more to think about. I hadnt missed the hidden subtext of that conversation either. They prevented monopolies from forming. Monopolies would cause long-term issues with the competition between various businesses.


    Where I had not seen a lot of turnover before, that was just from my experiences in my past life on Earth. The Coinage Guild wanted a set amount of turnover, and the current rate was ideal for the various businesses. Their low interest rate was to make things easy, since they would scoop up everything if a person defaulted.


    The initial equity and then selling it would move the wealth around or into the hands of the sect. It hadnt escaped my notice that I had heard nothing about buying the equity of successful businesses.


    They might even transfer ownership to the Sect Leader, making the Coinage Guild a clearing house for investments. They threw out the bad ones and moved the good ones into his portfolio while also managing the entire economy.


    No other group or person was allowed to give out loans. The one gray area was families, and in small amounts. I could go to my father and get a loan for 50,000 tael, but it would step on the toes of the Coinage Guild, which he wouldnt do. Forming a holding company would be a gray area and apparently wasnt done.


    There was very little diversification and limited vertical integration of businesses. I had hired a glassblower specifically for my hot sauce business to cut down on costs, but most businesses just contracted out.


    The more I learned about the economy of Half Moon City, the more complex and simple it became all at the same time. Complex in terms of higher-level relationships and the pressure the Cloudy Moon Sect and the Coinage Guild exerted. Simple in terms of business practices.


    I would need resources, lots of resources, which would be expensive. Talking with my master Yi Rong, he had explained that the third stage required resources to attune my meridians and channels to a type of element. The base cost would be around five level 3 spirit stones for a resource for that stage.


    A level 1 spirit stone was 1,000 tael, and they went up by multiples of 10 taels after that. So, a level 3 spirit stone would cost about 100,000 tael. The higher up one went, the more the price fluctuated. It could be lower or higher, depending on how quickly a seller needed money and the demand, but that was the standard rate most people agreed on.


    For the fourth stage costs, the costs started at level 5 spirit stones. That was ten million tael per spirit stone. They normally handled anything over a million taels with spirit stones that had been shaped into currency or spirit coins.


    They werent used for crafting or cultivating, but were made to the same shape and size by the Imperial and Blazing Sun Sects who had different coinage. All the local high-level currency was Imperial Sect standard, since this region and the Cloudy Moon Sect were under their purview and paid tribute to them.


    The tribute was the equivalent of four million tael every century, or forty thousand taels a year. A small amount, compared to the wealth a cultivator could gather, but very strict in requiring payment. After some tea with my brothers, I learned my father earned only ten thousand tael a year before expenses.


    There was a lot of wealth caught up in the compound and maintaining our status. I had been considering moving out, but I was advised not to and would be seen as an insult to my father and create unnecessary tensions.


    My mother was busy with my two younger sisters, but she was still prone to dramatics and asking me to help support her and buy new dresses and perfumes. I refused to hand out money like that since it would never end. She kept pestering me every time I saw her, which was one reason I had not been spending a lot of time at the compound.


    I visited my different properties and business to oversee them and to collect as many motes as possible. Once Jian restored the land and began producing peppers, that was when the real money would start rolling in and I would look at expansions.


    For now, I needed to build up my war chest and the tael I had on hand to invest in various mining towns. That was where the real money would come from once. I could engage in vertical integration. From iron ore to a smelter, to a blacksmith, to various finished products.

 Chapter 9: Zhou Holding Company Limited

    Chapter 9: Zhou Holding Company Limited


    I looked at the small building I had purchased for my new company. It would be a holding company that would purchase and invest in other businesses. I needed a place to work out of if I was going to expand and keep records.


    The first thing I did was set up a Board of Advisors. I placed Ting in charge of hiring and personnel management. Hong was in charge of security, which included my personal security and that of my businesses. Then I hired Fang, my head accountant.


    He was fairly young, but had worked as an assistant accountant at the Woodcarvers Guild. I had interviewed him and checked his references. He wanted more money and a chance to spread his wings a bit, since becoming the chief accountant at the Woodcarvers Guild was unlikely because of seniority and politics.


    I was eight years old and things were going well. The cashflow was consistent and building up.


    After entering, I made my way to the large meeting room. Ting was to my right, Hong to my left, and then Fang to my second right. After that were the managers of my various businesses, like the two wood carving shops and the hot sauce production. The farm had no manager, and Fang handled that account directly.


    It was just moving numbers around since I was buying from the farm for my hot sauce production, but then got half that money back since I owned half the farm. I had insisted that businesses be kept separate. It involved more paperwork, but there was a reason I had managers and an accountant. I didnt want any embezzlement to occur.


    Thank you, everyone, for coming. While it has been unofficial for a while, with the success of the hot sauce, I am reorganizing everything under Zhou Holding Company Limited. The idea behind the holding company is to own and manage various businesses.


    The aim is to not take a monopoly, but develop profitable businesses through vertical integration. Vertical integration is about owning each portion of the supply chain. For the hot sauce, we control the farm, producing the peppers, bottle production, and hot sauce production. We are cutting our dependence out. There were nods at this as everyone got on the same page.


    While long term, I would like to invest in mining and iron, since we already have woodcarving businesses. In the future, there will be yearly meetings as each business presents how they have done over the year and any suggestions to expand that they might have.


    I had told everyone to come prepared. The doll shop was losing just a bit of money, which was frustrating. It was losing about 5 tael a year. The manager was also not motivated to do much, since he had to manage the mentally handicapped grandson of grandmaster wood carver Kang. I had just given up on the business, mostly. The manager didnt even look ashamed when he explained he had only lost 5 tael during the year.


    I would have Ting hire two people to replace him going forward. A caretaker for the grandson and to manage him and a manager for the shop. It would cost more, but the mans attitude annoyed me.


    Lings shop was doing very well. The ten rocking chairs had been sold to the sect, and there had been one custom order. The big money was from the patent licensing. I was earning 850 tael per year in profit. The manager had been very aggressive in selling chairs since he earned five percent commission. He didnt get that for the custom order since I handled that, but the business was doing well, and Ling was thrilled.


    The hot sauce business had really taken off and already there were people trying to copy us. But we had the market covered. Inferno Sauce was the cheapest at 40 bronze coins, then Hell Sauce at 60 bronze coins, and finally the super concentrated mix, new and improved The Death Sauce, which had been recently developed at 500 bronze coins. Production costs ran me about half the selling price.


    Since my fourth brother had to buy the hot sauces, we had no trouble offloading them. The main issue had been the pepper supply, but with the farm restored and growing peppers, it was no longer a major concern.


    Boiling the sauce and then bottling it, combined with the salt, preserved the sauce well. The manager had been looking to dry the sauce out into a powder form, which would allow us to ship it much further. The recent tests had been a success and Yuan Niu was evaluating the market, but it would take time.


    Intercity travel was slow and expensive. Still, there was a market, and it thrilled Yuan Niu by being the distributor for hot sauce. I had looked at the prices, and while they had been high initially, he had dropped them a bit and had about a fifty percent markup.


    People could bring the bottles back to us, and we would buy them back five bronze coins. Already several of the poorer kids would do that. Go about collecting bottles to be returned to earn some money. Even the servants and business owners would save the bottles and return them.


    We would soak them in water, and the labels were removed. The cost of this was cheaper than making new bottles, which was how we got the price down. All told, the business had made 282 tael for me in the last year, which had been used to pay off the last of the loan I had with the Coinage Guild. The farm earned about 150 tael per year.


    Minus the salaries I had to pay out under my holding company and the building itself, I had a profit of 1,212 tael for the year. I used 1,200 tael to pay off the interest and principle of the loan I had against the farm. I kept the remaining twelve locked up for daily expenses. That brought my debt down to 10,271 tael. Lings shop had already been paid off.


    There were no serious issues, and everything was running smoothly. At the current rate, I would pay my debt off in ten years. After everything was presented, they brought in food and drink. My holding company had a kitchen, and I could hire out a cook for the day. Catering wasnt a thing, unfortunately.


    Why that name, Zhou Holding Company Limited? Ting asked me as various people chatted and relaxed after all the presenting was done.


    Well, my name since I own it. A holding company, since it holds other companies in its possession. Finally limited, since our goal isnt to get a monopoly or take over any specific market, I explained.


    Your father is quite interested in what you are doing, Ting informed me.


    You think he will do something? I asked her and she shook her head and then stopped.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)


    I dont know. But your business ventures match up with his to an extent. If anything, he would want to bring it all under the Yuan family name, like the cattle business. I nodded slowly at this. It made sense. My father, Yuan Chen, was not a wallflower.


    They had promoted me to the right of my first brother at family dinners at the head table. Unless I moved into contention for the title of heir, that was as basically as high as I would go until I became a cultivator. Then I would have the seat of honor to my fathers right, which I had for that one dinner he had recognized me in the past.


    My income was sizable for a mortal child. For a cultivator, it was nothing. My goal was to get my yearly income up to 10,000 tael a year with no debt by the time I entered the sect. There would also be no issues in exchanging tael for spirit stones and then sect points, since all of this had been done by me and wasnt inherited.


    The next step was to invest in lumber production. There were a couple of tree farms, but none of them had any financial issues. Mining was where there was a lot of struggling and a need for investment or a new way of doing things.


    A tree farm would take a century to turn around and make a profit off of. They were very stable long-term businesses that had cultivator backing. In fact, the second richest business man in Half Moon City controlled the tree farms and lumber sales. Even richer than my father.


    Everything was done with wood. While they made the core buildings in the city and some estates of stone, there wasnt that much stone. I had looked at doing a quarry, but there was already a quarry and they ran it efficiently.


    The main issue was that stone was expensive and stone buildings were a sign of wealth. There was just that much work involved in stone carving. So, most people were content with wood. Even with the risk of fire, it wasnt that high. The climate was fairly damp and if there was a fire, then the tree farms would just cut down more trees at that time and make a killing as people rebuilt.


    Mining was where there was potential. The main issue was the initial cost and massive headaches that mining involved. Buying a mine, investment, and covering expenses for a year would require about 50,000 tael.


    The four percent interest on such a loan would run at 2,000 tael a year. It just wasnt workable if I wanted to make money. But at a tael a cart, if I could manage ten carts a day, then I would be in business. My plan was to precast concrete blocks and ship them up to the mine to build bunkers.


    Each block would be about a half a meter or one and a half feet on each side. They would be massive. They would then set the blocks into the ground to build the foundation and the sides of various buildings. The cost to make such blocks, transporting them, and getting them placed would be expensive.


    Jian probably thought I was crazy, but he had no objections with everything going smoothly and tael flowing into his pocket. I was just an eccentric rich person who liked peppers and walking about the fields.


    I was now up to 250,000 motes of Qi at the age of eight. It was slower than I would have liked, but it was still amazing progress. Yi Rong also informed me we would pay another visit to the sect so I could look through the library.


    He was looking a lot older and was wheezing. He didnt speak during the trip. Once at the sect, he had forgotten to pick me up twice, and I walked back from the library to the house he had gotten for us. This would most likely be the last visit until I was twenty and joined the sect full time.


    I spent that entire month working through the mote layout I had planned and the failure points. Since I couldnt record anything, it was hard when I wanted to go back and reference something. I couldnt even write the names of the tomes or where they were located. I had to manage with just reading as best as I could and taking mental notes.


    The plan was to build four cores arranged in a pyramid and a fake core in the center to allow two rounds of explosions. They had tried it in the past, but filling up all the cores to the solid stage had failed.


    In addition, I would buttress each core I planned to build. The motes provided the structure. Right now, I was thinking about using a sphere-shaped design for my cores, with multiple outer structures. I was going to use triangles for the structure internally and hexagon meridians for the edge of my astral soul.


    Just having a lot of motes wasnt enough to support a lot of meridians and channels. A person needed to have the internal structure as well, so their astral soul wasnt ripped apart. Triangles internally would be the strongest, and hexagons as the outer layer to better pull back together after it detonated my cores.


    While the triangle idea was nothing new, the hexagon idea was something that I had seen across multiple people who had made it to the fifth stage. I considered that an important trend. The four cores, with a fifth fake core, were from a failed idea, but the theory crafting in the book had been very detailed looking at it from every angle.


    The cultivator had gone with smaller cores than normal, hoping the secondary core detonation would be more than enough. Their book was in the failed section, but unlike almost every other book, he actually wrote out that he suspected his failure was because of being only in the liquid core stage, despite having smaller cores when his time ran out.


    There were several things I had left to work out. The shape I should use for the motes where I formed my meridians and the shape of my channels. Unlike everyone else, I wouldnt be using a standard template for most things.


    That meant I had to work backwards to figure out the final number of motes I needed. Going under would be dangerous, going over would waste time. I also needed to work out the ideal number of channels.


    No wonder why no one tried to come up with an entirely new cultivation method and only did incremental improvements while picking out things they liked from the cultivation methods listed. I needed to figure every detail out, since I would have so many motes. Using a standard design would only hinder me.


    The closest to a standard template was the internal triangle structure, but reduced by a factor of ten to provide a much denser structure inside my astral soul. The math checked out, but it was unclear if this translated to ten times increased to meridians and channels that it could support.


    While that was what was assumed and listed as the standard of thousand motes to one meridian, it wasnt clear if this changed at the higher amount of motes. Also, the channels were an issue. I would need to fit over a thousand channels into my body and connect my meridians to my core.


    For other people, this was just a straight line, but if I was using four cores and a fake core and all those extra meridians, it wouldnt be simple. I considered going with a single super core, but upscaling didnt provide that much of a benefit for the transition to the fifth stage and was much harder to solidify.


    A second core detonation was best, then density, and then size. People had planned out cores that were far too big and they were stuck with gaseous cores. There was a sweet spot of 1,000 drops and the core being solid based on a standard core size.


    None of this touched on how I would get through the third and fourth stages quickly, or my elemental attunement that I would use. I was making progress, but there was a lot left to figure out and I would probably need to construct a diagram.


    It would need to be a three-dimensional diagram, laying out my meridians, channels, and cores. With sub-diagrams showing the mote structure of those along with the internal structure and attachment points.


    It was a complicated project for sure, but I enjoyed problem solving like this. It was like writing a dissertation and having to do the reading beforehand to understand what worked and what didnt work to develop your own thesis.


    The proof would be in ones success. Failure meant dying of old age. If the tried-and-true path worked, then the elders would have stepped onto the path of immortality. That was the thing that made me choose this path of defiance, as Yi Rong called it.


    It got people up to the second bottleneck, but that was where they fell short. There was also a reason the two high ranked sects didnt have hordes of immortal cultivators. One couldnt depend on something that had already been done.


    That was why the library had been built to provide guidance on what worked and what didnt work. The stage plan with the mine had been a big help. But I wouldnt be able to do that here. The plan for the Foundation Establishment stage was to align each mote just slightly over a long period of time, so they didnt shift.


    That meant I needed to have a plan worked out ahead of time. I guess this was the big advantage sect kids and inner disciples got. They could work out their cultivation plan ahead of time to maximize their chance of success.


    Also, they would be rushed since they would also have to pay the sect fees of 100 sect points per year. That came in at around 100,000 tael. Since I was earning the money myself, I could fund my admittance while not having to worry about chores around the sect.


    It was a loophole, but one I intended to exploit. What other kid would come into the sect with a bunch of businesses they had built up under their own name? Sect kids wouldnt be out and about in the mortal world, and even then, business required focus and foresight. One couldnt just punch a business into submission.


    So, they might set up something in their teens while also cultivating, but it would be difficult, very difficult. I guess the two advantages sect kids had were that they were favored for easy chores they could volunteer for while in the sect, while not having to pay for their stay. Also, their parents could pay for the first stage cultivation resources to help them out.


    I am sure there was some assistance after that, but even cultivators didnt like useless children staying at home forever. Yi Rong had explained that some other sects did things differently than the Cloudy Moon sect. Like taking people in at twenty-one years of age or allowing elders to fund juniors much more heavily into the later stages of cultivation.


    Some sects also had everyone use the same element to focus on the development of techniques and cultivation methods involving a single element. There were sects that didnt charge members sect points and had dedicated families of servants who were vetted from birth to care for the sect.


    I was stuck with the Cloudy Moon Sect and there would be no changing things at this point. I had been accepted as an inner disciple. Another sect would not take me and even if I tried to join, the Cloudy Moon Sect would hunt me down.


    That was the general agreement between sects, dont poach people or accept people who were from other sects. The only exception was if an immortal made a personal request. But an immortal could break all the rules without issue. They made the rules.


    All this meant was that I would not be behind anyone else. Unless there was a helicopter parent, but even then, cultivation was about self-progression. You couldnt cultivate on behalf of someone else. There were even kids who left the sect after agreeing to keep its secrets since they were mediocre and lacked the drive to cultivate for countless years.


    The knowledge I had picked up from all the failed and successful cultivators was going to pave my way forward. But I needed some way to make the diagrams for the motes and channels.


    The best way would be a computer modeling program to do some three dimensional design. But I didnt have that. It would be far too complex to manage on paper, at least the channels. I needed to map out the point and path from each meridian to each core.


    A person following the regular path would draw mostly straight lines with maybe some adjustments. But I would have over a thousand channels and meridians with the path I was on. Once I got to that point, it would be very hard to correct any mistakes.

 Chapter 10: A Model

    Chapter 10: A Model


    After returning from the second visit to the sect, Master Yi Rong had excused himself to rest. He wouldnt be alive much longer. He had mentioned that the sect would come and collect his body for disposal once he passed to keep secrets of his cultivation from leaking or anyone disrespecting his corpse.


    I had inquired if people might use corpses, but he had refuted that idea. Demonic cultivators stole other peoples cultivation and did not progress on their own. They were basically kill on sight or flee on sight if you couldnt kill them.


    The Imperial Sect offered a bounty of a hundred level 1 Spirit Stones for every demonic cultivator corpse brought to them and had the sects underneath them honor that. So, if anyone was a demonic cultivator, they had to keep very low profiles.


    I had discussed with Master Yi Rong about modeling my eventual channels, but he knew nothing about it and muttered something about foolishness. That meant I was on my own to figure out my path. While it was tempting to divide parts of my body into quadrants and link meridians up from those quadrants, that was not advised by one book I had read where someone went with two cores.


    The issue was imbalance. If the cores were imbalanced, then it would cause massive issues. For my four-core plan to work, all four cores had to pull energy equally from across my body and I couldnt do quadrants. If they progressed at uneven rates, it would be a disaster.


    Based on what I read, it was hard to say how much wiggle room there was. There werent many people who attempted multi-core cultivation, and none were in the successful section of the library. The big issue was that a higher mote count was one thing, but a core that was not just as strong meant that my astral soul wouldnt be cleared when I detonated my core.


    Once I took a step into the second stage, I would be stuck with the motes I had. I wouldnt be able to remove or add Qi motes. That was why I needed to have a perfect plan beforehand and adjust my final mote count and layout once I had decided on everything.


    I could move the motes inside of my body, but it took time and focus. That was one reason the second stage was so long. They were the smallest of pinpricks and acted like a car on ice. Move them too fast and they would slide. That meant going slowly.


    I had practiced moving the motes inside of me and could enhance parts of myself. Master Yi Rong and the introduction book from the sect had said that spreading them out in the body was the best option to avoid imbalances and to get used to them. That was what I had done.


    I might be reinventing the wheel on a lot of other things, but I could accept advice when it made sense. That still left figuring out the channels. Using the motes inside of me to lay them out wasnt practical with how time consuming it would be and how they would slightly shift. Perhaps in time, as I got better, I could do that with more motes, but for now it was too hard.


    That left me with creating some kind of model I could adjust and inspect. This was the one thing a cultivation society couldnt match up with a modern society, three-dimensional modeling. I also needed to decide on the shape of my channels and meridians.


    There were a lot of options and ideas on this topic, but there was no clear best option. Some said straight line channels were the best since it allowed the smoothest flow. Others said that curled channels were the best since they could handle stress more. Another claimed triangular channels were best for their stability, others circular.


    The same issue was true for meridians. There was no clear best answer. I had looked at what the meridians and channels were supposed to accomplish and the best way to achieve that instead.


    Meridians drew in energy to fill up the cores through the channels. Each had to be attuned to an element or concept to endow the formed soul after the core explosion with that element or concept. Earth and water were the two primary elements chosen by cultivators of the Cloudy Moon Sect.


    What would work with one element or concept wouldnt work with another. Also, one could only absorb that type of energy through their meridians. There was no neutral or universal option. Cultivators had tried aligning to Qi itself, but they didnt get anywhere.


    The more fundamental the concept, the less the energy wanted to be drawn in and the harder it was to find resources that focused on that type of energy. Earth and water cultivation resources, pills, and other things were available. But something like time, there was nothing, and the energy wouldnt budge in the slightest, creating a dead end.Updated from


    The meridians and channels had to be attuned while you constructed them and by the time you realized you had screwed up at the Core Formation stage, it was too late to go back and change things. But people still tried believing they had some kind of advantage or insight that others did not.


    I focused on earth elemental attunement. It wasnt my first choice, but it was a safe choice. I was doing so many other crazy things, a different element or concept could easily make my cultivation worthless. I would look out for other opportunities, but it was the best path forward currently.


    Once that decision was made in my mind, everything else slid into place. The channels would be triangular for maximum strength. The meridians would use a hexagon focal lens design. These were the most common options chosen for the earth element that had been successful in my reading.


    Yi Rong had said he had done the same for stability, but it also meant his cultivation progress was too slow and he was going to die of old age before making a solid core. While he would try for the fifth stage in his last moments, there was almost no chance he would make it and he had resigned himself to failure.


    The main thing left was to figure out the meridian and channel design to connect my meridians to my cores.


    I ordered a large, life-sized humanoid wooden mannequin. I then used color string to represent my channels, but it was frustrating. This implied that I could wing it, but it wouldnt be optimal, and I needed optimal if this was going to work.


    Looking at my core design was also slightly frustrating. The problem was spacing out the channel connections at equal distances to have uniform pressure. This was key while forming a core. All cores were spherical.


    But that was the Dantian, the area where the core would reside. It was made spherically to resist the pressure from the energy contained within. But it didnt need to be spherical. People had tried other designs but failed.


    Triangles were the strongest shape, but they built most cores using a sphere as a guideline. Not a triangle. Triangles were the strongest shape, because of the property of only having a single shape if the lengths were fixed.


    The motes would form a framework inside of me as points to build the scaffolding for my soul. I had already planned triangles for the internal structure, but the core could also benefit from triangles as well.


    I had some wire purchased and cut up a piece of paper into equilateral triangles. It took three days of constant work, but I worked out a model that used equal sized triangles. A 20 sided icosahedron, with 12 vertices.


    If each face and each vertices had 10 channels at each location and with 4 cores, that would mean 128 meridians and channels. The fake core at the center would have 4 channels and four meridians for 132.


    I would assign four channels for the fake core, since it would be much smaller than the other main ones and one channel could come in from the side of the pyramid structure, with a main core at each vertices.


    I had made the model by hand in order to gain a better understanding of the shape I would use and ingrain it into my mind. The channels would converge at the vertices to apply focused pressure, but spread out on the faces to ensure stability of the core if there was a shift in pressure.


    Too high pressure and the slightest mistake would have a cultivator going off prematurely. The real challenge now became how to route all these channels. The issue being if I made the first one short and straight, the last one would have a much longer path.


    One of the main things that was stressed was balance in forming the core. That was why trying to form a core in a limb was a terrible idea. The meridians also needed to be as spread out as possible to maximize energy intake.


    I knew there was a solution, but it wasnt something I could work out on a sheet of paper or even a useless mannequin. With the number of channels needed, it would be very packed inside of my body. If two channels overlapped, that would cause an imbalance which was bad.


    The next thing I had made was four wooden icosahedron balls with slots for thin rods to form a pyramid shape. I painted each edge on the balls with a black rod connecting them to make seeing them easy. I then got four different colored threads. Red, blue, green, and yellow. I then pushed metal needles into the soft wooden balls with a color of thread attached to it and hung the structure from a beam in my testing warehouse. The other end of the thread had a needle as well.


    I then had the frame of an enormous person constructed and set up in my warehouse with a wooden core with colored strings in the middle. All of this wasnt that expensive. It was more my time that I had to spend explaining what I wanted and making adjustments to get things the way I wanted.


    Once the model was set up, I stood on a stepladder and handpicked each thread one by one and maneuvered the thread to a place on the humanoid frame and stuck the needle into it. The outer facing sides of the cores connected to the limbs, while the inner portions of the core connected to the torso.


    It took five days of carefully maneuvering needles to finish the first iteration of my core design. One thing I had realized was trying to curve the channels around the cores was not a good idea. They would have to go straight out the other side.


    That meant I would pay about 1,500 tael a spirit stone. But if their hunting ratio improved, that could be brought way lower. We also need new equipment, which will cost about 1,000 tael, he replied.


    What kind of equipment and how long is it good for? I asked.


    Clamps, snares, a core drill, a core extractor, bait, scent concealer. That would cover us for about a year. We go on about 6 hunts a year or would like to if we can cover the license fees. The best option would be to purchase 10 licenses at once and then go on an extended hunt for six months.


    So, six thousand tael upfront. And lets say you get five spirit stones with the new equipment. I would get five thousand tael back.


    You would get spirit stones and could sell them yourself or trade for favors with cultivators.


    Your success rate is about forty percent, perhaps fifty percent, if I am charitable. What are the best teams success rates? I asked.


    One and a quarter hunts per spirit stone. But they have cultivators. For regular people, the best hit one and a half spirit stones per hunt. That was eighty and sixty-six percent, respectively.


    What is stopping you from becoming a top team? I asked.


    Experience. That is another reason why we have been struggling. My fathers old team retired, while we brought new people on. It takes time to get good. In five years, we will be one of the top teams, Xiaotong replied. I considered the man in front of me.


    What he wasnt saying was that hunting was high risk. He could easily get wiped out, and then I would have nothing. The good thing was that once I signed on as his sponsor for his team, none of his team members could work under a new sponsor unless I agreed. So, no jumping ship after I had invested in them.


    That was why some teams didnt get sponsors and just focused on earning for themselves. Still converting my wealth to spirit stones would be useful. Spirit stones could be directly traded for spirit coins, which were minted by the high ranking sects.


    It wasnt easy to convert tael to spirit stones. While the standard rate was 1,000 tael, one could not go out and buy 100 spirit stones for 100,000 tael. There would be markups. That is where sponsoring a hunting team came into play.


    I might even get a good deal if I was lucky, but it wasnt a moneymaking venture. It was a currency exchange venture. Very well, I will sign on as your sponsor, I replied. Xiaotongs face brightened considerably. I would have to tighten up my budget for a bit, but it was doable.


    Xiaotong stood up and bowed deeply. Thank you, Young Master Yuan.


    I will want to see the rest of your team and your equipment purchases. I will also pay for six licenses up front. That was how much I could afford at the moment.


    After that, we went to the Hunters Guild and signed a sponsorship contract. He introduced me to his team. Two other men and three women. All of them looked worn and a couple of them had serious scars, but they didnt look like drunkards, fat, or lazy.


    Once introductions were done, we went to purchase equipment. Everything was set up in a shop run by the Hunters Guild. I looked over the various items as Xiaotong explained them to me.


    One of the hardest things is figuring out exactly where the core is. I am our core expert on the team.


    There is no device that can detect a core? I asked, and he shook his head.


    A cultivator can sense it if they are skilled enough, but normally no. Even then, I have been told it is very blurry and imprecise. I use the density gauge on the drill as it shows how much qi is present. Once it spikes, that is where the core is. Most cores are in the head or by the heart. But you only get one, possibly two chances to drill if you are lucky, he replied.


    Extracting it is easy? I asked.


    Once you have it located, then it is simple. I only failed in extraction twice years ago. Now, if I can locate the core, I dont fail. I nodded at this.


    I would be interested in going on a hunt sometime. What are the requirements? I asked. Xiaotong paled a bit.


    Young Master, I could not take responsibility for your safety. If anything happened, I would be in grave trouble.


    I meant getting a permit to be a Hunter, I asked. He calmed down a bit at this, probably thinking I was just curious and not wanting to get eaten.


    A training course and then a series of tests. There is a book available if you are interested in reading through it. Then you are given a provisional permit. You complete five successful core extractions out in the field in the following year, and your permit is no longer provisional.


    The book cost a tael. They clearly meant the high prices as a barrier to entry into this profession. Xiaotong purchased his equipment with my money. He brought out his old equipment and showed where things had broken, how the gauge wobbled all the time on the drill, and how his supplies of consumables had run low.


    I also purchased him six licenses as well. Each team could get 20 level 1 licenses at most per year. Most teams didnt get that many. There was a total cap of 100 licenses per year for level 1. A sponsor could only sponsor a single team, so I couldnt take over the guild by supporting multiple teams.


    There were six other teams, making for seven. Rogue cultivators who were trying to fund their cultivation through hunting led four of them. I was quite curious if I could gain an advantage with my sight.


    The biggest roadblock was locating the spirit core or stone of a beast. If I could spot it, then it would be easy to build up a lot of wealth. I would use Xiaotong to learn the basics and then I might go hunt on my own.


    The real money was in extracting a core from a level 2 or 3 beast. But I had to be careful not to get blinded by greed and ignore the danger. It wasnt cheap remaining in the sect. While I planned to do chores to get sect points, resources for cultivating werent cheap, especially at the higher stages.


    It also explained why most cultivators didnt start businesses. They could just go out and kill a few beasts to get insanely wealthy. It also explained the disconnect between tael and beast cores. Cultivators wanted to use up the cores, but there was a limited supply.


    That was why there were fluctuations in the price as demand ebbed and flowed. I probably wouldnt go into hunting full time. But it would be good to see how things were done. More knowledge was never a bad thing.


    Now I just needed to make more money, a lot more money. Perhaps selling mining solutions would be the best way. I would go in and offer to take over various mining operations for a slice of the profits or a large set fee.


    It might put pressure on my own mining operation and revenue stream if people copied me. I frowned at that, but it wasnt a tremendous deal, even if they did. There was always a demand for metal and they could export it out if the city had a surplus. It was high value and small enough to be easily carted away in the trade caravans.


    I would need to put together a presentation and figure out the other major stakeholders in the various mines around Half Moon City. Then I would invite them to the Illuminated Moon and make my pitch. I would need to sit down and work out the numbers and contracts that would be acceptable.


    But selling mining solutions would be a good way to bring in a sizable amount of revenue while avoiding an equal amount of debt. I had enough business success and income that the movers and shakers of Cloudy Moon City were aware of me. I hadnt stepped on that many toes either, and was under my fathers protection. That was why there had been no pressure or attacks on my businesses.


    The risk with selling a mining town improvement service was that it might drag me into the local drama in a way I didnt want. I would have to give it a lot more thought.

 Chapter 11: A Death

    Chapter 11: A Death


    Cultivator Yi Rong summons you, a servant told me as I was about to leave the compound. I reversed course and made my way to Master Yi Rongs room. I knocked, and he bade me enter.


    He was sitting on one of my rocking chairs, moving slowly, and his breath was shallow. Yuan Zhou, come here. I went to his side, and he looked at me.


    I wish I could have taken you to the sect one more time, but the end is quickly coming. I have already sent word to the sect to come collect my corpse.


    I understand, master, I replied softly.


    So blessed, yet so foolish. This Yi Rong will impart one last piece of advice and hope you listen. I nodded at this and paid close attention.


    It might tempt you to lock yourself away and use businesses to make money and gather resources. That is fine. I wish I was half as clever as you at twice your age. But do not be fooled by the peace of Half Moon City. You live in the sect''s shadow. Personal power. Techniques. Fighting style. They are all important.


    Yes, master Yi Rong. I hadnt really considered this, but I would ask around to get a better understanding of the dangers of this world.


    If I was just twenty years younger, I would have taught you the Parting Cloud Sword Style and techniques. Instead, I will leave you with a few mementoes and advice. He held up a silver ring with various small etchings on it. It was slightly blurry in my vision. He reached over and I held out my hand. He put the ring into my hand and then used his hand to close up my hand around the ring.


    That is a low rank spatial storage ring. It is yours now. I have severed the connection to my energy. You cannot open it until you reach the second rank. Inside is a copy of my notes on my cultivation. As my personal apprentice, I entrust you to submit them to the sect on my behalf. Normally, this is done when you enter the sect.


    I will, master. Dont worry.


    You can read my foolish thoughts and attempt at cultivation. You will also find my notes on various earth techniques and the Parting Cloud Sword Style. I hope you carry on this legacy and find someone worthy to pass it onto.


    I will, master. I promise.


    Finally, my last bit of advice before I am carted off. Be bold. Be daring. The path of defiance is foolishness, but it is good foolishness. One does not challenge the heavens themselves by being timid. The only thing that matters is your own success. Ignore the words and drama of others. And when you reach immortality, sip a cup of tea and remember me fondly.


    I swear it to the heavens, master, I replied, and wiped my eyes. There was a knock on the door.This chapter is updated by


    Enter, Yi Rong said. Two cultivators in robes of the Cloudy Moon sect entered. They glanced at me and then looked at Yi Rong. Go Yuan Zhou, for my time has ended. I backed away. The two cultivators gave a nod to Yi Rong, who returned the nod.


    I bowed deeply to both of them and then left the room. I gripped the low ranked spatial storage ring in my hand. It was a great treasure that had the value of 10,000,000 taels or a level 5 spirit coin. It just felt like a normal ring to me at the moment, but its value was immense.


    Wiping my eyes some more, I left the compound. I made my way to a jeweler and purchased a fine silver chain, which I hung the ring on and under my clothing. This was something people would actually kill for. Spatial items were incredibly rare.


    They required expensive materials and a cultivator who was well versed in smithing and enchanting. A low ranked ring could contain about a shoe box or two worth of supplies. A mid-rank ring could contain a crates worth of supplies. Cultivators used them to store precious items and resources.


    I had learned about them as part of the doll shop while having accessories made for the various action figures. It was a tremendous gift that one would normally leave for their descendants or family. But Yi Rong had no family. He just had me, his apprentice.


    When I reached immortality, I would sip some tea and pour a cup for my first master.


    The important thing now was to focus on getting there. I had a meeting with the three big mine owners in Half Moon City in a couple of days. I had already made a reservation at the Illuminated Moon. Invitations and confirmations had already returned.


    The first was Yao Guiren, the heir of the Yao family. They owned about 60% of the mines around the city and even sponsored a cultivator once a generation into the Cloudy Moon Sect. I would consider them the richest merchant family inside Cloudy Moon City. Since he was named heir, Yao Guiren handled all the day-to-day aspects of their family businesses. This was primarily smithing, metalworks, and mining.


    The second person who was coming was Jingguo, personal administrator for the city lord of Half Moon City. They had their hands in several businesses and controlled 20% of the mines, primarily to equip the soldiers of Half Moon City.


    The third and final person who had been invited was Qiao. A lesser merchant whose primary wealth was in a trade caravan, but he controlled about 10% of the mines around the city. He was a lot like me, with his hands in several completely different businesses as they caught his fancy.


    I greeted each man personally as they entered the dining room, and we took our seats as tea and refreshments were served. So, the heaven-sent child has come to take our money, Jingguo, Yao Guiren said. I merely smiled and sipped my tea while the pre-discussion drama was carried out.


    Well, his mine is quite successful. But he invested quite a bit into it, Jingguo said.


    Quite a bit is an understatement. That document you sent us was quite the interesting read, Qiao added.


    It is merely to give you all some insight and consider the numbers for my proposal. In exchange for managing rights for ten years, ten percent equity during that time, and five thousand tael per mining camp, I am confident I can increase the value of each mine and stabilize the revenue and increase it by at least ten percent, but most likely much more, I replied.


    And if you fail, what then? We will lose money and other contracts? Yao Guiren challenged.


    Then you would be compensated if such a thing were to happen. Everything except beast attacks and the mine running out of ore I would take responsibility for.


    Can you even handle that kind of commitment? We arent talking about a few bronze coins here! Jingguo questioned. I smiled and pulled out a document and handed it to him. He frowned as he took it. He looked at me and I just smiled and nodded as he unfolded it.


    His eyes went wide. You have a line of guaranteed credit of a million taels from the Coinage Guild, he whispered in awe. They had been willing to do that after I showed them my inner disciple badge along with my businesses. I didnt plan on using it, but it was a powerful show of force. Jingguo passed the document to Yao Guiren, who looked it over with an intense gaze and then passed it to Qiao. I sipped my tea.


    I am surprised you havent asked for more, Qiao said as he passed the document back to me.


    There is no need for me to be greedy and you already invested a lot into the mines. I am making them run smoothly and produce more ore consistently. In ten years, when the contracts end, I suspect you will all want to keep them in place to avoid the headache mining produces. There were grimaces at that.


    Mining was a nightmare. The time, money, and effort I had to put into my mine was astronomical.


    How do I know you will give equal attention to all the mines? Jingguo asked.


    Each mine will have its own problems, but I plan to get them to the same standard as mine. There will also be monthly audits and reports submitted to each of you on the status of your mines. And even then, I have the collateral if things go poorly.


    You refuse to be responsible for beast attacks? That is the majority of my problems, Qiao said, and I nodded.


    I plan to mitigate them by providing safe housing for the workers. But even I am helpless if a level 3 beast sits in a mining camp. They nodded at that.


    What is to stop us from just copying you and your methods? Yao Guiren asked. It was a good question and one I had thought about heavily.


    Nothing. That appeared to shock them all a bit. My share is tiny for the amount of headache and risk I am taking. If you wish to copy me, that will take time and effort which you could spend on other things. I believe that after ten years, you will want my management to continue with how smoothly things are running.


    It is you and not your father? Jingguo asked.


    Yes. This is my own venture. Well, it was the venture of my company Zhou Holding Company Limited, but there was no distinction between an owner and their company in this world.


    Alright. I think you will fail, but I have been thinking about selling the blasted mines, anyway. This will be a good way for me to get my money back, Qiao said. The other two looked at him in surprise. With his agreement, half of the mines under Jingguos control and sixth from Yao Guiren, I gained control over 30% of the mines in range of the city.


    So, they have a future once the leadership of this family changes hands.


    Is this the favor you are asking of me? I asked, and my father winced slightly.


    I would prefer not to. I ask you as your father and for the support you have enjoyed.


    What about my sisters marriages? I asked. I had spent little time with them since they were a baby and a very young brat, respectively.


    I have yet to arrange them. I nodded slowly at this.


    My mother? I asked.


    Like all concubines, she will be housed and cared for until her death, my father said.


    I will offer a position to my fourth brother, unless you are picking him as heir? I asked, and my father shook his head. Finally, I will arrange a dowry of a thousand taels for each of my sisters, but they will be allowed to pick their own marriages or their own path.


    That is quite generous of you, my father replied.


    Well, I will let you explain things to Yuan Niu. When he is ready, he can come see me in my office. I will give him a salary of ten taels a month, which should cover his living expenses, I replied.


    Twenty, my father said. We had a slight staring contest.


    Twenty, but if he steals or causes problems, he will be let go, I replied, and my father nodded at this. We stood up and bowed to each other.


    The next day at the family dinner, my father made an announcement. Yuan Yun was named heir to the Yuan family. Yuan Liang and Yuan Niu were being stripped of their positions. Both got up and left angrily. I still had my place at the head table to the right of Yuan Yun.


    Congratulations brother, I said to him as dinner was served.


    I should thank you. Father said you recommended me when he was considering you for the position, brother. I shook my head.


    I am content with my businesses and plan to focus on my cultivation in the coming years, I replied.


    So, you truly are joining the sect? Father mentioned you would be.


    They have accepted me as an inner disciple already with the support of Master Yi Rong. My brothers eyes went wide. But that is something between us and father, I replied, and he nodded.


    I understand not wanting to make a fuss. Let me congratulate you, brother. May your journey to immortality go smoothly, he said kindly, and I smiled a bit at that.


    Thank you. Father also asked me to help Yuan Niu land on his feet, I said.


    Father told me, and it is fine. Thank you for making things easier on Yuan Niu, Yuan Yun said.


    Any idea what will happen to Yuan Liang? I asked.


    What happens to anyone contending for the position of heir. They are cast out of the compound and given an allowance as long as they dont disgrace the family name, they can keep it. But their children will not inherit their family name. They will take lesser positions within the family and soon my children will handle the various parts of the business, Yuan Yun explained.


    It makes sense to avoid drama or assassinations, I replied.


    Indeed, it does. But I suspect Yuan Guangli will be quite outspoken. That was the main wife and mother of Yuan Liang. We chatted and ate. After father left, I got up as well so people could take my seat to chat with Yuan Yun who had now been declared heir.


    I made my way over to my mother. She looked at me and let out a sigh. I had been hoping for the heir to be you. She raised the back of her left hand to her forehead and tilted her head back slightly. She really liked to pick the maximum drama option wherever possible.


    Hmm, Yuan Yun will do well in the position. Also, with my recent successes, I believe I should give you a small allowance, mother. Her eyes quickly snapped towards me. I had refused her all the times in the past. She wasnt a terrible mother, just overly dramatic. Now that my income was stabilized and quite large and I no longer planned to invest, I was content sending a little her way.


    The concubines got one tael a month on top of being able to live in the compound and gifts from my father like dresses and perfumes. But their own spending power was quite limited.


    Go on, she finally said as I just smiled at her. She let out a small huff, knowing I was teasing her slightly.


    Ten tael a month. She let out a gasp and brought a hand up to her mouth to cover it. In addition, I have arranged a dowry of a thousand taels each for my sisters with the expectation they can pick their own marriage or path in life.


    My mothers eyes went wide at this. How How rich are you? Ting says I mean, I heard you earn over fifty tael a month.


    I leaned in and made sure no one could overhear. The position of heir of the Yuan family would be a step down, I quietly told her. She reached out and grabbed my shoulder and stared into my eyes. She clearly saw something since she let me go and collapsed into her chair.


    In addition, I have made other arrangements for my future, I replied. She narrowed her eyes. I know you like to gossip, mother. But some things should not be said lightly. Her mouth made an o shape, and she nodded.


    Of course, my genius child. I always knew you were destined for greatness.


    Dont cause trouble with your allowance, either. I dont want to deal with headaches, but feel free to show off. I know Yuan Guangli is on the outs.


    Of course, she should be on the outs. Her son was cast aside. While she wont get demoted to concubine, she wont be able to easily smile. Dont worry, your mother will manage everything just fine. I doubted that, but would not get involved.


    Yuan Wen, my mother, was good at three things. The first is being a professional drama person. Everything was drama with her. The second was being amazing in bed. Not something I wished to know, but she was more favored than the other concubines on a level with the first wife. My allowance would give her the edge in clothing and beauty products. She might even host minor events on her own. She would probably do that too, since she loved drama.


    The last thing she was good at was gossip. Now that Yuan Yun had been named heir and my future was solid, I could afford to make some small waves by giving Yuan Wen a small allowance.


    Well, small to me, but large to her. Ten tael a month would put her living standard very high since my father handled her basic expenses since she lived in the compound. Despite all of her drama, she wasnt a terrible mother.


    I just knew that mixing her with business was a recipe for disaster. And involving her in my cultivation would see my secrets spread throughout the city in a week. I knew my hint would make her think I had arranged my own marriage.


    There was a big difference between meeting a cultivator a few times and being accepted as a personal disciple and being accepted as an inner disciple of the Cloudy Moon Sect before the age of ten. It just wasnt something that happened normally.


    Cultivators lived so long that they constantly saw people come and go. Cultivation was the focus of self, so it was rare for a non-family member to be taken as a personal disciple. That was the thing of stories and legends to a degree. Most of the time, it involved a mortal providing a great service to the cultivator and their child being taken in as payment of that debt.


    But I had managed on my own merits to convince Master Yi Rong. That was also why I was not booted out of the compound. My recognition at an earlier family dinner had put me in contention for the position of heir, but I had never seriously gone for it.


    Even my advice had seen my father swayed towards Yuan Yun. Keeping good relations with me would be important long term. While it would take countless generations, I was a shield and a hope for the family if things ever took a turn for the worst.

 Chapter 12: Hunting Up Profits

    Chapter 12: Hunting Up Profits


    Yuan Niu, I greeted my brother as he entered my office.


    Yuan Zhou, he replied and bowed deeply towards me. I will be in your care, he replied. I nodded at this and gestured at the seat in front of my desk.


    I am looking to hire a manager to oversee all my operations.


    Did father put you up to this? he asked me.


    Yes, I replied honestly, and he let out a sigh.


    So, what is it I am doing? he asked. I explained how he would audit my various businesses, provide me with monthly updates and written reports, and basically keep everything I had done running smoothly.


    I would be the Director of Zhou Holding Company Limited? he asked with a confused expression.


    Yes. Your job would be to oversee the managers of the various divisions. I went over to a wall in my office and pulled open a curtain. It showed the name of various people and their positions in an organizational chart.


    I kept it here, in case I needed to remember who someone was exactly. Ting, Hong, Fang, and yourself would all hold Director level positions. Ting handles hiring as Director of Human Resources and Hong is Director of Security. You would be Director of Operations. Fang is the Director of Accounting. Instead of reporting to me, the senior managers of our four divisions would report to you. There was woodcarving, mining, hot sauce, and smelting.


    Your job is to keep things running smoothly and being able to handle issues as they arise. That means regular audits and talking to the senior managers and managers to find out if there are problems, I explained.


    He nodded slowly as he looked over the organizational board. Right now, my three directors reported to me with only a couple of people at the senior manager or manager rank under them. Then there were the four lines coming up to me from the right side of the board from the senior managers in charge of each division.


    This is an actual job then, and not charity? Yuan Niu asked me.


    Yes. If you want a charity position, I can set that up instead, but figured you enjoyed doing things. He nodded at that.


    Yes. I am not like that useless Yuan Liang. If he was named heir, I would have slit my wrists in anger, Yuan Niu said. There was clearly some bad blood there, and I wanted no part of that.


    Well, our company motto is, Keep the drama to a minimum, I said. Yuan Niu turned to stare at me. Things happen, but if you work hard, you will be paid fairly.


    Dont keep me guessing. How much is the position? he asked.


    I am curious what you think it would be? I asked.


    Five tael a month? he asked.


    Twenty, I replied. But if you steal or cause a major incident or scandal, you are out. Also, if you try to hide a mistake, you will be out. If you report things in a timely manner and you try your best, then there wont be issues.Updated from


    Twenty teal. How much are you making, brother? he asked me.


    About twenty, I replied with a cheeky grin.


    Twenty Twenty thousand? he gasped.


    Yearly. The mining and smelting division are quite profitable.


    How? That is more than father makes. You could have been heir! he said.


    I could have. He offered as much, but being the Yuan heir is a step down for me on the path I currently walk. Come, let us go meet the other directors so you can understand how I run things here at Zhou Holding Company Limited.


    Yuan Niu accepted the position, and I introduced him around. I spent the next week dragging him around with me to show him what he needed to do. The reports I wanted and how to address minor issues.


    Why did you give that worker that much face by bowing? He is a debt slave, Yuan Niu asked after I discovered an issue at the mine. The workers were being forced to sleep outside the shelter as punishment.


    There are guidelines for punishments. Extra work hours and no meat or time off during the weekly celebration when they meet their quota. Not being forced to sleep outside. As the owner, it is my responsibility to set a good example. Criticize in private, compliment in public, I explained.


    You told the manager and the foreman off in private and gave the worker twenty bronze coins off his debt.


    He will also miss the next two meat dinners as punishment instead. The twenty bronze coins are minor, but a worker that is working hard is important. I keep the level of debt slaves at just enough they have to work 12-hour days for six days and 6 hour day to meet their quota. But I have a medical doctor that goes around once a month. Why? I asked Yuan Niu.


    You want them to work harder. Do they really?


    Yes. You can check the records, but they do. Making them sleep outside is a minor issue, which is why I only lightly chastised the foreman and manager for allowing it to happen. But I also have lunch breaks. A human can only work so long before their body gives out, and they get tired. Also, mining requires focus. Giving them a break and incentives to them and costs me very little.


    You are feeding them scraps, but they love them, he muttered, and I nodded.


    Exactly. Also, it takes time, money, and energy to train up new debt-slaves. If I whipped them and they worked half as hard, then I would have to hire more which would end up costing more than throwing them paltry rewards, I explained. Thank you western capitalism for teaching me. I had meat and not pizza, but it was all about adapting.


    I see. I saw the numbers, but I didnt believe it.


    Slaves are an excellent source of labor, but they still need to be incentivized. That is why any time a slave pays off their debt in full, everyone gets a day off and cheap drinks to celebrate. What do you think they are thinking about?


    Working hard to pay off their debts. Your understanding of human nature is quite impressive, brother, Yuan Niu told me.


    Well, I expect you to keep it up in my place. The workers should smile when they see you. But if one steals, make an example and let everyone know. I have had to do it twice, but make it clear we reward hard work, stealing is punished, and we do not reward laziness. Yuan Niu nodded at this.


    I have been thinking about a business idea, Yuan Niu said.


    You want me to invest, I am guessing? I asked. He nodded. My directors got a 0.5% yearly profit bonus. While it was only 100 tael, it was a lot for people who had never seen that much wealth before. Most of them invested in nicer homes for their families and better prospects for their children. It also made them fiercely loyal. No other business paid out percentages to its workers.


    I wanted less headache, which was something they all knew. That was a big reason I didnt have constant issues coming to me all the time.


    I was thinking we should fund our own trade caravan, Yuan Niu explained.


    How would that work, exactly? I asked.


    A smiling clerk greeted me. They showed me their items, which refreshed my memory. Qi Candle for 10 tael to see motes. A Qi Pill that gave 100 motes for 50 tael. Only one pill per day. Incense stick to attract Qi for 8 hours, 100 tael for one use. Qi Sensing Rod, 1,000 Tael. Would vibrate near a source of qi. Qi Sensing Pill that increased a persons ability to sense qi.


    I would like to speak to someone about bulk purchases and the risks associated with each item, I told the clerk.


    I am trained to answer all your questions.


    I have read about pill toxicity. What about these pills? I asked.


    The Qi Pill are just captured motes contained in pill form. The risk is from the binding agent the pill uses. Taking too many pills can cause severe stomach and digestion issues, but they will not harm your cultivation unless you are beyond the first stage. That is why it is recommended taking only one a day. I nodded at this.


    What is the incense lighters range? Could I use it outdoors? I asked.


    We recommend using with a Qi Candle, but it can be used outdoors. The effect is slightly more pronounced than indoors, but the Qi Candle wont work nearly as well unless used indoors. I nodded at this.


    I dont really understand the use of the sensing rod.


    Some people like to hunt down Qi motes and to save money. So, they use a rod. It vibrates when touching a mote of Qi. I nodded at this. That was a long-term investment for poor people.


    Are there issues with taking a lot of sensing pills? I asked.


    We only recommend one at most. After that, their effects are limited and any more might damage your energy.


    How does it work and how good is it? I asked.


    The Qi Sensing Pill would heighten your sensitivity to qi across your entire body by aligning it more with the Qi of the world. I would not risk that. I did not know how my sight worked, but I would not risk messing it up.


    I will purchase 20 Qi Pills and 10 sticks of incense. Also, the Qi Sensing Rod. That would be 7,000 tael. The clerk smiled, and I quickly arranged the transaction since I had brought money with me. Two servants were carrying the chest and there were four guards.


    The tael was counted, and they gave me thirty glass bottles, each containing a single pill or incense stick. I also got a complimentary wooden incense holder as well. They gave me a small case with the sensing rod. With my purchases done, I returned to my warehouse and popped a pill into my mouth.


    I could feel the motes enter me. There was nothing different about them compared to other motes. I had been worried about that, but I could literally pay my way to success with pills. The reason people didnt do this was the sheer cost and the lack of drive it showed. If someone was willing to use pills for the first stage, then what would they do in the second stage where they couldnt use pills?


    That was why even parents and other people did not just gobble down Qi Pills even if they were rich and could spend that money on their kid. They purchased them candles instead. Or a Qi Sensing Rod. The really rich might purchase incense sticks to go with the candles.


    The next thing I did was light an incense stick to test it out. I pulled out the sensing rod and pointed it at the motes. It had a very subtle vibration and had to get incredibly close to do anything. The incense stick was also mediocre, but did its job. It drew in 20 motes per hour. After the first hour, I lit a second stick in the warehouse.


    The mote draw increased to 22 motes per hour, a minor increase. Still, with these items, I wouldnt need to run everywhere. The annoying thing was I needed to collect the motes for more motes to show up. They had some sort of repulsion field towards each other, and the incense stick reduced that repulsion. So, the motes bumped into each other outside and then drifted inside the warehouse more.


    The base rate would have been about 5 motes an hour in the warehouse, so it was a fourfold increase. Just nowhere near what I was hoping for. Still, an incense stick was worth about one and a half pills but cost twice as much.


    But I could only take a pill a day. Two incense sticks a day, and a pill would net me only 420 motes. If I traveled and only came back once every hour, I could probably up that number to 500 motes. It would take about 5 years to hit my target instead of 9. But the cost would be astronomical.


    That was 1,740 days I would need a pill and two incense sticks at 250 tael a day. That was 435,000 tael total, which would not happen. Just buying what I had put pressure on my finances, and I needed to fund the caravan in two years time.


    My daily income came out to around 80 tael per day. I put my mind to work as motes came into the warehouse as I thought over the best way to go about dealing with how poor I truly was. It seemed odd. The richer I became, the poorer I felt.


    That was the problem when I wanted to buy super expensive things. The rod had been an impulse buy, but I was interested in trying to figure out how it worked. It also seemed useful for keeping people off my case about cultivation if they ever asked.


    What I needed was a new business idea that brought in the money. I had a lot of metal I could use. The problem was no one wanted to ship finished goods, only bars. Bars were universal, and each city had their own way of making things. A slightly curved sword, a single-sided knife, and so on. No one would buy outside goods like that in bulk.


    I could turn iron into steel, but that would draw way too much attention. That was the kind of material the sects would purchase for gear and weapons. I considered that. The problem was, I would need some large facilities and supplies to make it happen.


    Shaking my head at the idea which would be an enormous investment and the Smithing Guild would make drama. The Sect might even make a drama about large-scale steel production. That was unfortunately off the table.


    Hunting was where the money was at, but I didnt like the thought of risking myself personally. I was an educated person, not some brute. On the other hand, Master Yi Rongs warning echoed in my head. Cultivation was a path of conflict.


    I frowned at this. With the number of sums that were being thrown about, it was getting quite scary. I had equated a bronze coin to a dollar in my mind. A tael was worth a thousand dollars. A rank 1 spirit coin was a million. The spatial ring in my possession was worth ten billion, and that was a low ranked ring.


    To be a successful cultivator, a person needs to be incredibly wealthy or incredibly lucky. But there was a difference between winning a billion-dollar lotto jackpot and owning a billion-dollar company. The first was pure chance. The second required a person to be competent to grow it that much.


    Everything I had done so far was simple and fairly small. The mining management agreement was a risk, but I had agreed to shoulder most of it, and it was growing an area of business, and not stepping on anyones toes or cutting into their business.


    The hot sauce was its own market and a food specialty product. Other people were trying to emulate my success, but they didnt have the capital and knowledge I had. So, they cut corners and made less tasty and weaker versions, which I was fine with.


    The woodcarving competition issues had been sidestepped by taking in grandmaster Kangs mentally ill grandson and making him successful. Last I heard, he was able to visit home and got along with his family decently.


    Smelting ore side stepped issues by shipping a lot of the bars out of the city. No one here cared that much if other markets were hit and there was always a demand for metal. But I was straining to come up with more ideas for markets that werent stagnant, wouldnt get anyone that upset, and I could make a lot of money off of.


    It wasnt easy thinking of my next project to make money. I had thought about slowing down on the business side, but to speed up my cultivation, I needed more money. I had a feeling this issue would plague me my entire life in my chosen profession. No wonder why regular people had no chance at success and even the rich people hesitated to invest in a kid to make them a cultivator.


    You pick the wrong kid, you just lost a lot of money. Nation defense budget kind of money. It would be a black hole and very difficult to get returns out of. Sure, some families did fund cultivators, but that was once a generation and they had senior cultivators to ease the path for their juniors.


    I wasnt flashy with my money, either. While certain people knew I was rich, I dont think they realized how rich I was. I told my father, who was always smiling when he saw me. What father didnt want their son to be supremely talented, incredibly wealthy, and was going into the most prestigious profession possible?


    This culture seemed to have very Asian tendencies, so I could see parents looking at their kids and going, Look at Yuan Zhou, he made ten thousand taels a year by the time he was ten. He is going to be a cultivator and become immortal. What are you doing? All the kids probably hated me from the looks their parents were giving them and getting annoyed at this Yuan Zhou they have never met.


    It was an amusing thought, and also humbling to think about the expectations I had placed on myself. I also had three major advantages, which were immense. Being able to see motes, my knowledge from Earth, and being aware at birth.


    These combined made me a genius blessed by the heavens and earth. But that was as far as advantages went. I still needed to sort out my future cultivation and figure out how to rapidly progress through the third and fourth stages. It would take a lot of money, which brought me back to my original thought of trying to figure out how to earn more money.


    I could bully my way into a market, like food stands, but then people would get annoyed. Targeting successful and stable businesses was not taboo, but it was looked down on by the people in power. They liked stable and incremental improvements.


    While no one had spoken directly to me, I had visited the Coinage Guild to gain this understanding. Cultivators lived for a long time. So, while they wouldnt say no to some change, they didnt want turmoil and businesses being crushed, forcing them to get involved. That made it all the harder to figure out what I could do.


    There were no major market imbalances, either. When your civilization has been running for millennia, things get sorted out. So, while there were specialty goods like my hot sauce and spice that were shipped around, over time, people in other cities worked these things out if there were no guilds to protect the patents.


    In a hundred years, there would probably be one local hot sauce maker in every city peddling their local version of hot sauce. Again, it wasnt a big problem in my mind. The issue was how static the market was. Business failures werent common, and the Coinage Guild preferred to let things play out before stepping in. There was nothing more I could easily scoop up at a bargain. What this place needed was some entertainment to take peoples minds off these issues. Oh, I was such an idiot.

 Chapter 13: I Am Your Father

    Chapter 13: I Am Your Father


    I sat in my new playhouse watching from the main balcony with my father and several other important people he had helped me invite. When I had first toured the city over six years ago, I had gone through the entertainment district, which was mostly brothels, a gambling hall, and a theater that did music.


    That was it. The cultural scene of this city was fairly dead. That was why I had come up with the idea of an actual theater with props, costumes, and even music. The entry to the ground floor was a single bronze coin, standing room only.


    Light beer and food were available as well at a slight markup. No outside food or drink allowed. Then there was the balcony seating. The center balcony seats were all reserved for the elite of the city, which were cultivators. I had gifted free seats to the elite for a month. After that, they could pay a yearly fee to keep their seats or let someone else have them.


    While I was the owner and creator of the theater, I was still technically under my fathers authority. So, we were to the left of the main balcony. Very good seats, but not the best. That seating was reserved for cultivators who wished to attend. To the right of the main balcony was the seating for the City Lord.


    My father had looked over everything and had approved my allotment of the balconies. Cultivators of the Cloudy Moon Sect could always attend for free. Other cultivators would be asked for a tael. The theater would cover food and refreshments for the cultivators that attended.


    Right now, there were three cultivators attending the opening performance from the Cloudy Moon Sect, which was a great honor. I had noticed many people come to just glance up at them.


    Cultivator Skywalker, you cannot resist the Demonic Sect and Immortal Black Dragon. You will submit to her authority! The hero had been bested in swordplay and had lost his hand. It had gone up his sleeve, and a device had propelled red streamers out as fake blood to the amusement of the audience when that happened.


    Never! You are demonic cultivators plunging the land into chaos and ruin. I will never follow you! I was glad I had used my mother to help pick out the actors. She had an eye for maximum drama. She was even attending with my father instead of his wife and had gone on constantly whenever I saw her about how amazing I was for setting all this up.


    Sense my energy and cultivation technique, Skywalker. I am not just Elder Vader, but your father! The dark-robed actor pointed dramatically at the hero of the play.


    Nooo! He then jumped off a fake cliff that they had set the stage up on. Elder Vader went up and looked for the cliff. The music had lined up perfectly. I had multiple rehearsals to get things just right.


    Foolish child. All will come to know the power of the Demonic Sect in time. The curtains closed to applause and cheering.


    You have quite the sense for drama, my son, my father said to me as servants brought refreshments to the balconies and drinks were sold below. It took about a minute to change between scenes. I had insisted on getting that time down. Light intro music played in the background. I also kept the length of my script to two hours.


    Thank you, father, but I dont believe I got that from you, I replied. He nodded and smiled at that. My mother was busy fussing over what food to pick. The curtains pulled open to the next scene.


    Casting the villains as demonic cultivators in black and the heroes in blues and whites was a subtle nod to the Cloudy Moon Sect. All the plays I had written had Demonic Cultivators as the bad guys. Immortal Sauron forged cultivators into a ring of power, and so on. All my stories were like this.


    Sorry Disney, but I was praying your legal team couldnt find me in cultivator land. I even paid for a consultant to be on staff to ensure that the Cloudy Moon Sect would not get offended. There had been many changes to certain scripts, and we had thrown others out. Elder Scar had killed his brother, Elder Mufasa, to take his cultivation while his son Simba revealed his treachery and took him down. That was no good. Sect members didnt betray other sect members.


    Also, the good non-demonic cultivators had to triumph in the end as well. That meant no tragedies. Comedies were also out as well, since mocking any cultivator was not allowed. They could slightly mock demonic cultivators about how evil they were and how much ruin and chaos they caused.


    But all that censorship was necessary. If the Cloudy Moon Sect or any cultivator got offended, it would not be good. Demonic cultivators getting offended about how evil they were was alright. Since they would be killed anyway if they made a fuss.


    Now that would be a twist, a demonic cultivator hiding out as one of my actors playing the role of a demonic cultivator. That was a drama I didnt want to happen.


    Cultivator Skywalker, you have come before me at last. Now as my trap is complete to take over the continent, Immortal Black Dragon cackled loudly.


    Never! I will not cast aside the teachings of Master Green Dragon and Sword Saint Rong.


    You refuse me even now. You are no match for my lightning technique! The actor shot out blue streamers at Cultivator Skywalker, who screamed and collapsed to the ground.


    Father! Help me, I know there is still good in you.


    Foolish child. Your father knows my true power and seeks the path of immortality himself! He will never turn his back on me. Another blue streamer was unleashed from his sleeve.


    No! Elder Vader drew his fake sword. Immortal Dragon spun about, also drawing his own fake sword. Elder Vader lunged and there was a brief bout of sword play before they stabbed each other.


    Immortal Black Dragon screamed. He fell through a trapdoor, leaving his dark robe behind. Elder Vader staggered over to his son. My son, let me look at you with my face one last time. They pulled his dark mask off to show a scarred visage. I had hired a scarred actor to play the role. He had a wonderful voice.


    Father, dont die.


    It was a mortal blow to my child. But with Black Dragons death, so too are his followers, for he tied his cultivation to ours to empower himself. I was a fool to ever turn my back on the sect and look towards his dark powers.


    Father, do not worry. I will succeed on the path to immortality. I swear to the heavens and the earth.


    I know you will, my child. The curtains swept closed and there was cheering and applause. The actors came out and took a bow as people dispersed from the theater. Looking over at the nearby balcony with the Cloudy Moon Sect cultivators, they were smiling slightly as they left.


    That was good. That was very good. A fresh story where a cultivator trained hard, defeated an evil sect, and reunited with his father, who still perished because he was evil, was something there was zero objection to. Those lines about Immortal Black Dragons followers perishing were put in to bring closure to the story and have a complete victory for the good guys.


    It had some depth, but we cut entire parts out like Leia being Lukes sister. She was the daughter of the good sect leader. The good sect was never named, but with the coloration it was implied, it was the Cloudy Moon Sect. Han Solo had become a rogue cultivator who traded between cities. Elder Green Dragon was a traveling master who had lost to Immortal Black Dragon and sought revenge.


    There was only so much room in the theater, even though I had tried to make it fairly big. The main issue was making sure the sound carried. Anyway, the real money would be on the balcony seating. The ground standing room and refreshments helped a bit, but having a balcony was a sign of being upper crust.


    The symbol of each organization, family, or the sect was displayed on the balcony where they were sitting. Since the Cloudy Moon Sect got in for free and refreshments for free, I had been allowed to display their symbol as long as it was well taken care of.


    There had been a few complaints about that, but tough luck. Young masters were like a stampede of destruction, crushing everything in their path and leaving a mess to deal with. They brought money, but I was not dealing with a messed up high-class bathroom where there were delicate things like mirrors.


    I told the guards that they could be bribed to let young masters use it, but to make sure nothing was wrecked. They could set the bribe price, but any mess that was made, they had to clean up themselves and pay for damages out of their salary and bribe.


    They had been amused at that and had figured twenty bronze coins would be their going rate. It was up to them. But everything else was a hard no. No one could go to balconies their family didnt own. The public wasnt allowed in locked up areas. No going on the stage where the orchestra played and women from the brothel sang occasionally.


    If they wanted, they could deliver an invitation which all the women were happy to accept. Their dream was to be picked as a concubine by one of the young masters that came through my establishment. The singing allowed them to show off instead of going right to the sex.


    I had also said no to harder drugs and made my stance clear on that. I did not want a person to overdose and die. Also, the harder stuff was illegal. They could mess up their livers instead. Yuan Liang knew all the best liquors and how to price them.


    He liked to party as well, but he also knew how to run a party and keep things going and exciting, so the tael kept flowing out of peoples pockets into my pocket. My mother enjoyed watching the auditions, evaluating the actors, and getting an early, sneak peek at the play.


    She had become the queen bee with my ascent and Ting had let me know there were whispers she might replace Yuan Guangli as the main wife. That wouldnt happen, since Yuan Guangli had connections to the Cloudy Moon Sect, but the fact there were even rumors showed how strong my mothers position had become.


    She had even been hosting other women at the Illuminated Moon occasionally with the tael I gave her. She asked for more, but I had refused. Ten tael a month was more than enough.


    The theater ran fairly smoothly once it got going as another division as part of Zhou Holding Company Limited. I also had to arrange things so that my third brother did not report to my fourth brother. It was annoying, but I had my third brother listed as nightclub consultant in the organizational chart where he tangentially reported to the general manager but was his equal and answered directly to me.


    I needed him to make the nightclub a success, but I didnt want the drama. In another decade, he would be run down, and I would replace him with another young master if he caused any issues. I was running a business, not a charity. Also, our father only asked me to help Yuan Niu, not Yuan Liang.


    What I needed now was another idea to get off the ground, but I was tapped out for an idea that met all my requirements. I considered writing books, but there was very little market for reading. The masses were mostly illiterate, which was why the theater had been the hit it was.


    There was only so much wealth I could squeeze out of the city. Oh, that gave me another idea. A spa for women. Each of them would be treated like a princess. Other women would carefully care for their nails, hair, and bodies.


    It wasnt just people like my mother who would go there. All the prostitutes would also want to go to a spa. I would need to have two different sections so the groups didnt intermingle, but if I could bring a theater and a nightclub into this world, I could bring a spa.


    The price would be a 100 bronze for a full treatment, which included a massage, 40 bronze for just nails, and 20 bronze for hair. It was easy enough to purchase some land in the commercial district and make a warm and inviting spa. Ting easily knew the right women to hire to handle female appearances.


    My mother was more than happy to invite people to the spa and drum up interest and excitement, since she got a discounted price for herself and any friends she brought. She had a lot of friends, but the business was still profitable as word quickly spread among the women of Half Moon City.


    It was a place for women and run by women. There were technically no female guards, but I had some beefy women handle security and guards stationed outside if there were issues. It was in the commercial district, so I thought nothing could happen, but better to have staff on hand for rich people''s issues.


    The spa only brought in about a single tael a day for the spa services. So, it wasnt a tremendous success, but the business was functional and making a profit. I also introduced the idea of regular appointments and reservations. That way, women could maintain their appearance long term with less upkeep needed.


    What rich man would say no to his concubine or wife, looking more beautiful? Even the high-end prostitutes enjoyed the service, to appeal more to the young masters. I kept the two groups separate, of course, but offered basically the same services with just some special perks for being an elite.


    Things like food and drinks being served. Full body mirrors and chairs with fluffy cushions. The other side had to deal with half mirrors and less fluffy chairs and no treats being served to them. I only charged them 80 bronze coins instead of 100 though.


    The major problem was that while women might have some money, they didnt control the purse strings like their husbands did. That is why I worked out scented soap and shampoo and sold it inside the spa. That was the real moneymaker.


    Smelling nice was something all women and their husbands enjoyed. So, while there was regular soap, I made scented soap and sold it as an elite product. The women bought it up by the crateful. It was a sign of status to smell like flowers or fruit. The real trick was to not make the smell overpowering.


    My mother was the trendsetter in all of this. The soap business brought in around 20 tael a day, making the spa a success in my mind. I had pushed my daily income up to around 160 tael a day after I finished these business ventures.


    That was almost 60,000 tael a year of money flowing into my pocket, but it honestly wasnt enough in my mind. I needed to get my daily income up to 250 tael a day to afford the cultivation resources I wanted. As it was, I was popping a Qi Pill daily to boost my daily intake of motes.


    The incense sticks were just too expensive. I kept some on hand when it rained since there was only so much traveling I wanted to do in the rain, and I needed to build up my war chest. That was about a tenth of the days and I spent those days going back to my cultivation plan while I let the incense burn for 8 hours.


    It also gave me time to look at my notes, diagrams, and more models I had built. I had angled the quad core design upwards but was considering if that was the best orientation for the channels.


    It focused me on trying to work out the exact number of cells that were needed to be between cores to let channels move through and how they would spread out. The simple answer was a third of 320 channels each core would have, which was 106.6. How would the channels converge at the vertices was another issue for the icosahedron shaped cores? How to create buffering for the cores?


    The list of details and complications in working everything out was immense. No wonder why most people just made some tweaks to the standard template and called it a day. While I hadnt read everything in the library, I had covered about four-fifths of the useful books by my estimate.


    I might have missed some critical insight, but I wasnt about to hold my breath and wait for my official entrance into the sect. I would need to adjust the number of channels. Each vertex on the core would have nine channels converging, but working that out with the internal pyramidal structure was a pain.


    The size of each pyramidal cell structure would be quite small, but I was slowly making progress while stacking up paper in the useless pile. It would all be burned once I was done, but for now I wanted to review older drafts.


    I had even taken the time to move motes around in the center of my body to slowly start laying out the structure. The motes would shift over time, but getting everything set up around the core and having an internal model to compare to my plans and ideas was absolutely necessary.


    The problem was the intense focus it required to move each mote into position. Like sliding ice chunks across a frozen lake while not trying to hit the other ice chunks. I could only move one mote at a time. It was slow, very slow, but I was slowly laying out the core structures and the pyramid support cells around them.


    The channel structures were being done as well. While the motes were points in space, they did have a slight area around them they affect, like bouncing off other motes. I was pushing the boundary of how detailed I could make everything.


    The channels were the trickiest, and I considered using another internal structure like a grid, but it would be a lot weaker, and I needed the strength of a triangular structure and separate triangular channels. The worst part was the slight shifting of the motes over time, which was why I didnt want to do this, but there was no other way.


    Once I started locking motes into place, I would enter the second stage and become stuck with the motes of Qi I already had.

 Chapter 14: Sabotage

    Chapter 14: Sabotage


    I looked at the burnt-out warehouse that had been making soap. No one had died, and the fire had been contained, but clearly someone was not happy with me. Well, it wasnt a big deal financially. I easily had the tael to start up in a new warehouse which my employees were working on.


    I was no fire investigator, but the way the stone was burnt, and the smell of lantern oil indicated that it was deliberately set. Either the person would keep targeting me or some figure would come out to have a meeting with me to suggest something and point to the fire as a reason why. If that happened, I would have my culprit.


    The best thing to do was to beef up security by a lot. That would cost me another two taels a day for twenty more guards. It was just the cost of doing business. I moved away from the burned out structure and Ting was looking nervously at me.


    You know who did this? I asked.


    No, young master, she replied.


    Well, coordinate with Hong. We need twenty more guards. That should double the amount I currently have. And make a night shift, I replied. They both gave their affirmatives as I made my way back to my office.


    How annoying, but I took a deep breath and let it out. People clearly didnt like me being successful. Even after I had gone out of my way not to step on people''s toes, this happened. Ting, did we displace a business with our soap? I asked her.


    There are other soap makers. We hired several people from them, she replied.


    Anyone important own the soap makers? I asked.


    I am not sure. I will have to check them out, she replied.


    Do so. Someone is clearly sending a message and I want to know who, I told her. I made it back to my office and let out a sigh as I sat down at my desk.


    This was the kind of thing my brother Yuan Niu should have been handling, but he had just left the city in charge of the trade caravan I had funded. I had moved up the senior manager of my mining operations to be my new Director of Operations.


    They were doing alright but were clearly struggling. I was hoping they would get a handle on the role quickly, considering this sabotage. I got up and opened up the locked chest next to my desk and popped in a Qi Pill, gaining another 100 motes.


    At 13 years of age, I had reached 930,000 motes. I felt incredible all the time. I was exceptionally strong and quick for my age and size. That was the other thing though, my growth and puberty werent coming in properly.


    I looked like a kid four years younger than I should be. Cultivating from an early age had clearly messed things up. But it was also a good sign, since it indicated that my life span was being stretched out.


    Reaching immortality as a geriatric old man was not my idea of success. The biggest headache would be when I began aligning the motes. Yi Rong had told me that my growth would all but freeze at that point. This was another reason why people picked the age of 20 or around there to advance to the second stage.


    The skin, hair, and flesh could wear down and change over time, but it would be far slower once a person began cultivating at the second stage. The elders I had seen looked to be middle age, slightly on the older side, while Yi Rong had appeared much older. He had also aged rapidly in his final years as well.


    Being stuck as a child would be annoying, but Yi Rong had also informed me that the younger a cultivator appeared, the more dangerous they were considered. This was due to them rapidly advancing through the cultivation stages.


    Seeing a young man in the fourth stage compared to an old man, the young man would be a much greater threat and one should be much more cautious. Imagine the shock when I showed up as a child. They would probably think my parents stuffed me full of pills from birth.


    Some other sects did that, but the Cloudy Moon Sect didnt. The proof was in who would reach immortality first and having elders to maintain the status and operations of the sect. If a sect lost all its elders, other sects would move in and take everything. It was a rare occurrence, but it did happen.


    One could go from being a low ranked sect with no one in the fifth stage or higher to a mid-ranked sect. But going back down was a death sentence. The high-ranking sects had immortals, so unless the immortal died in combat, they would never be demoted.


    I didnt have any paperwork or reports to look at in my office, so I made my way to my warehouse. There I lit an incense stick while looking over all my diagrams and models. I had grouped clumps of channels into quadrants in my body for ease of labeling them.Updated from


    The challenge was picking out where each one would go to when it exited my pyramidal core structure. I had even designed additional bracing and buttressing between and around the cores as well. I had a sheet of paper with a triangular grid layout and numbered labels representing the channels.


    The number 1-5V-7-5 referred to the channel connecting to the first core at the fifth vertices in the number seven position. The number five referred to the fifth quadrant, which was my left leg. Or 3-6F-2-1 was the channel connecting the third core at the sixth face of the icosahedron and in the second position on said face. The last number of one referred to the first quadrant in my head.


    I had the channels come off my core, but they all had to twist around and then move into quadrant groups as they exited the core structure. I needed to make sure it evenly divided the channels across my body, as I had made six quadrants. One for each limb, my head, and my torso.


    Then I had a diagram for each quadrant listing which channel connected to which meridian point. Right now, I was confirming the pathway of every single channel through my body and trying to keep the motes in position.


    It was a constant struggle, but I had confirmed the pathways two separate times and planned to do it three more times, at the very least. This was a measure as much as you can cut once kind of situation. I had to make sure my meridians were spaced out as evenly as possible and my channel lengths were as even as possible.


    I had already found multiple errors where channels would have overlapped. It was incredibly exhausting, but absolutely necessary. I would use my core diagrams and the two-dimensional diagrams of the edge of the core structure, my limbs, and my neck to connect the points in my body.


    Every channel I had to commit to memory and be able to instantly trace the path in my body through the motes I had laid out. The constant shifting was annoying, but constantly putting the motes back into place made me quicker and better at mentally shifting them. I considered this important practice for the second stage.


    The core design was finalized as an icosahedron for the main Dantian or cores, where the core would form and then two outer icosahedrons with as small a gap between each icosahedron as possible. There was some stretchiness between the connections of motes, but the connections didnt compress.


    That was why there were no connections between the icosahedrons. The inner one would expand, hit the second, and then the third. The channel connections to the core itself didnt touch the icosahedron shapes.


    I had gone back to 10 channels per vertices, since five triangles came together at each one. Two channels would come in from each side. The faces of the icosahedron core structure had an outer triangle formation of channels going through six, then an inner triangle of three, and then a final channel at the center of each face.


    The fake secondary core was not forgotten either. It was a sphere and would have twenty-four channels, four from each side that would connect to each quadrant of my body. That would put my total channels at 1,304 channels.


    It was less than my planned 1,320 channels, but there was just no room between my cores for more channels to exit from the interior of the core structure. The core sizes were set. The second core wall on each of my main cores was the standard size for a core. So, they would hopefully start small and have room to expand.


    The entire thing was a nightmare of fiendish complexity. I could only imagine the people reading the tome I would leave behind in the sect. It would probably get a place of honor or shame. Its own shelf as people tried to make sense of all of this.


    To put the size in perspective, the entire core structure was about the size of two hands clasped together or a softball. There were 1,304 connections in that structure that had to be charted to somewhere to the edge of my body or astral soul.


    Thankfully, the numbering system, combined with my diagrams, and using my body as a template and memorization tool, was helping. Still, there were issues that came up and I had to tweak the length of the channels to prevent sharp terms and to keep them all to a similar length.


    I was also working out the order of construction. While I would only partially align each mote before moving onto the next, it was important to decide the order I would lock them into place. Since one had to decide on what other motes to connect a mote to.


    That order also mattered, since barriers would form while connecting the motes. I needed to avoid barriers forming in my channels, since that would make them much harder to carve out. The first step would have to be the channels themselves.


    While it was tempting to say the core, I needed the channels to smoothly connect to the core. This was a common mistake people made. They made the core structure first, which made it harder to connect the channels and slowed down the energy entering the core.


    When motes were aligned, I could place connections between them. This also included surfaces. But the trick was that a surface wouldnt go through another surface. And clearing out surfaces in the third stage was very slow. I couldnt afford to waste that kind of time, so I needed the optimal build order.


    I see. Well, I will arrange something safe and appropriate for the day, I replied.


    Thank you, my son. Things are going really well thanks to you, my mother said with a smile. I smiled back slightly and left.


    The next day, my sister Yuan Chuntao was up and ready to go. We both got in the same rickshaw and went from business to business. She was wide eyed as she looked about the city. I stopped by the new soap warehouse, and it was coming together quickly.


    For lunch, we stopped at a local shop for some ramen. We got several looks because of the guards with us, but no one made a fuss. In the afternoon, we went to my office. I arranged for some colored wax crayons and paper to occupy her while I had my meeting with Ting.


    I looked into the matter, Young Master. One of the other soap shop silent owners is the Xiang family, she replied.


    Do we have any dealings with them other than the soap? I asked.


    No, and it is one of their side businesses. But there are rumors they have been heavy-handed in the past in the textile businesses which they focus on.


    Their patriarch or someone else? I asked.


    I dont know, but I would have to guess their main family.


    Their income?


    Around that of your fathers, but they have more expenses for their businesses, but this is an estimate. I nodded at this. That meant their financial position was weaker than mine.


    Any connections to the Cloudy Moon Sect? I asked.


    They supply the disciple robes. The elder and member robes are made by the sect themselves, Ting answered. So, they had some backing.


    For now, we do nothing. They are just venting their anger or sending a warning. They havent reached out, have they? I asked.


    No, Young Master. I let out a sigh.


    Then the additional guards should be enough. That has been taken care of? I asked, and Ting gave an affirmative. I considered the situation some more, but escalating was the wrong choice. If they came after me again, then I would retaliate, but for now I will let things go.


    Arrange a rumor that they did it and say I am a coward for not responding, I replied.


    That Young Master, I dont understand, Ting replied.


    When you are strong, appear weak. I am in a strong position, so let people think I am weak. If they strike again, then the guards should be able to catch the culprit or at least stop them. We have a night shift now. If they dont respond, then they will feel happy. If it isnt them, then the person will feel they got away with the crime and might act again or be happy and not act. Regardless, it puts us in a stronger position by appearing weaker, I explained. Ting took a moment to process all of that.


    I understand. I will make the arrangements, she replied, and I dismissed her. My younger sister rushed into my office.


    Brother! Look at what I drew! she replied, showing me a picture of stick figures. That is you, then me, then mother, and then father.


    I love it, I replied and gave her a hug. I will have it framed. I wrote up a note for Ting to have someone make a wood frame and backside with a glass cover on the front. Completely over the top for a childs drawing, but it was cute.


    One did not dare respect the cuteness. We made our way out of my office then and back home. Yuan Chuntao was exhausted and took a nap. After that, I went back to my warehouse to work on my cultivation plans again.


    There was a lot of work left to do and it was something I needed to put all my focus on consistently. If I didnt, then I wouldnt make progress. Like writing a thesis, one needed to devote the majority of their attention to the project to complete it.


    This meant reviewing each channel and pushing the motes carefully into position every single day. Since I collected motes from pills and from the air, they entered my body at my center or the outside. I had made temporary outlines and didnt build the framework. Just lines of motes for the various channels.


    But now I was filling everything out carefully. I had started on my legs first. Moving each mote, exactly where it would need to go and building the outline of the structure upwards through my body, replacing the outlines I had been using.


    Once the legs were done, I worked on my head and neck. I had long gotten used to the feeling of the motes, but having them move through the head portion of my astral soul was distracting and spine tingling with how weird it felt.


    Now I was working on my lower torso and the cores. It was very slow going and everything needed to be incredibly precise. The work had also gotten slower since I had to put the motes back into their proper positions every single day.


    It was a lot of work but it was something I enjoyed slightly. Like finishing up a massive puzzle, there was a sense of accomplishment. It had taken a long time, but everything was finally coming together.


    Most of the time that I worked on moving the motes I had diagrams hung on a wooden board in front of my rocking chair. I would reference them as I checked and rechecked all the future channel paths. The area around the core and my torso were a complete mess, even with the outlines I had done before.


    The density of motes was incredibly high and every time I spotted an error or issue, it would require moving lots of other motes to fix that one issue, which had a chance of creating another error from the motes shifting about.


    But there was progress. My torso would take a long time to get right, since it was the center of my cultivation. My cores would reside around my gut or navel in my astral soul, and my pyramidal core structure was oriented with a core facing downwards and not up. This allowed for better access for my channels to spread out and move up through my torso.


    The two enormous obstacles remained, a fast way to clear out my triangular shaped channels and the energy I would need for my core. The first problem had a solution, I was sure of that. I just had to think of it. But the second problem was called the great bottleneck for a reason.


    I was doing everything I could to mitigate the issue, but it would still be a serious issue. That was where I anticipated needing a lot more resources, but that was where everyone else needed resources as well. There were secondary concerns about elemental attunement for my channels and meridians, but since I had picked the earth element, I wasnt that concerned.


    The number of resources might be high, but it wasnt something that would be a huge roadblock in my mind. The real question was what should I do once I got all the motes I needed?


    I had spoken to Master Yi Rong in the past, and he had indicated that I could join the sect early. But that would see me with less of a war chest starting off. I would take a year, maybe two, to ensure all my motes were perfect, backwards and forwards, then I would join around eighteen years old.


    Getting the motes in their positions was fundamental to the following stages of cultivation. If I screwed that up, then it would all be for nothing. I had the time to be careful and double check things, so I was going to use that time to the fullest.


    I wanted to chart my channels and entire mote structure without a reference to any diagram. It needed to be something I completely understood at all times. A human mind could memorize quite a bit if put to the task, and it focused me on my cultivation structure for years on end, tweaking and refining every single mote placement.


    It wasnt enough to have the channels move through the pyramidal cell structure, but they had to interlock with it as well. Where all the connections would come to be was critical. It would have been much easier to do a cubic pattern instead, but it wouldnt have been as strong.


    That strength was needed to support the pressure of so many cores and channels. That was when I considered the cores again. If pressure from my channels dropped, there could be backflow, which was a bad thing.


    Valves, I needed to add valves to the core. That would stop backflow, but it would also stop me from doing techniques. I would be able to increase the pressure to a much higher degree. That was something I would have to look at once I returned to the sect and was able to look through the library again in more depth.

 Chapter 15鈥換i Gathering Complete?

    Chapter 15�CQi Gathering Complete?


    Brother, it has been too long, I said with a smile as I greeted my fourth brother Yuan Niu. He looked a lot more worn, but he had returned alive and in good health.


    Still, my younger brother, I see. I fake pouted a bit as we hugged each other. I still looked like a pre-teen, despite being eighteen years old.


    Unfortunate side effects of my cultivation. Yuan Yun will surely celebrate your return.


    Truly? Yuan Niu asked, and I nodded.


    Father stepped down officially last year and Yuan Yun is the new patriarch.


    Already? He must be enjoying his time off, Yuan Niu replied.


    Too much time, if you ask me. Honestly, he likes to visit my office more than me. You are also just in time before I depart. I was considering entering during the intake last year, but I will go this year, I replied.


    Wait, arent you only eighteen, or did the sect change things? Yuan Niu asked as he settled into my office. I poured some tea for him.


    I have just about completed the first stage of cultivation. I wish to review some things, but I can proceed to the second stage at any time, I replied.


    Congratulations, brother. I smiled at the kind words as I handed him some tea.


    I should congratulate you. Tell me about your trip? I asked.


    Lots of time on the road. But I saw the mountain city of Skyward Peaks. That was a climb up there, but the view was amazing. Then I went to the great forest city of Red Trees. The city was more vertical than anything else. Their elevators were impressive, taking two carts up at a time into the leafy branches. The branches were so wide there was room for two carts and buildings.


    Imperial City was breathtaking. They made everything out of stone and glass. Buildings towering ten stories in the lesser districts. In the center, the buildings soared over twenty stories tall. But the cost of everything was immense. People used tael like bronze coins.


    I saw the great endless ocean in Crashing Waves. Everything smelled of salt. The seafood was amazing, and they loved the spices and even had versions of their own I have brought back. I listened to my brother describe the cities and terrain he had traveled throughout the continent.


    The hardest part is living off the carts. The occasional beast attack actually made things interesting, but the cultivator I hired was dependable and there were no issues throughout the journey. I nodded at this.


    Well, welcome home, brother. There was a knock on my office door. Enter. My father came into my office.


    He gave my brother a big hug, and I left them for a few minutes while I arranged some more refreshments so they could catch up privately. I returned and my brother was talking about the various cities and sights.


    Ah, if I was younger, I would have loved to run a caravan, my father said as I served him tea.


    Well, I think I will relax for at least a year before heading out again. Also, I am engaged. My father paused mid-sip.


    Congratulations. Who is the lucky woman? I asked.


    Hou Jiaying, daughter of Hou Guiren. A minor family from Imperial City. They had a last name, so they were in the same social strata. Her father handles a lot of the distribution network from our part of the continent, Yuan Niu explained.


    A great pairing. She has come back with you? my father asked.


    Yes, I arranged a house for us, and she is resting, my brother said.


    What about the bride''s price and dowry? It will be complicated, my father said with a slight frown.


    I have already paid the bride price, my brother said.


    Oh, that is good. How much? my father asked, and my brother looked at me.


    I am sorry, brother. It was 80,000 tael, he replied. My father began coughing in shock. That was an exorbitant amount of money. A person could fund a cultivator through the first stage with that kind of money.


    That seems excessive, I replied calmly while being very upset on the inside.


    I will pay you back, brother, but we love each other, he replied. Love was not worth 80,000 tael. That was the bride price for a daughter of a family that had no male heir. Even if Imperial City was expensive, this was excessive. I could tell my father was looking at me nervously. He didnt want strife to start. My brother also appeared worried.


    I see. We will discuss this a week from now. For now, let us celebrate the happy couple and not let dark clouds or thoughts ruin your return, I replied. There were smiles at that, but I was quite unhappy on the inside. It had been a major investment for the caravan.


    There was a family dinner held and Yuan Niu and his new wife were celebrated, but he eventually came back to my office. I had looked over the accounting book he had brought back and his cash reserves. Even after the caravan disbanded in Half Moon City and the goods were sold off, I was not happy.


    He set out with a 50,000 tael investment and came back with only 40,000 tael. He had lost money and his wife, while nice and good looking, wasnt worth 80,000 tael. Yuan Niu had to at least break even, but he hadnt. According to the contract we had set up, he owed me a debt of 73,000 tael. He would get ten percent of the profits from the trip after he paid the initial amount back.


    Yuan Niu, I wont speak ill of your wife, but the debt you owe me is quite large. The total is 73,000 tael, I said calmly, and he was wincing.


    I know, brother, and I will repay you.


    I shook my head slowly. How? Even father or first brother could not repay that kind of debt. Even I would be hesitant. If I fund another caravan, then you would have to work the rest of your life to pay me back.


    I Please forgive me, he said and bowed his head.


    I have been thinking long and hard about what to do. You are family, but you have stolen from me. That money was not yours to spend as you did. By all rights, I could have you and your wife sold as debt slaves to recoup the barest fraction of the debt.


    I-


    I am not done speaking. My brother closed his mouth. You are family. But I do not tolerate people who steal. You are fired, I told him calmly.


    Fired? he asked, confused.


    You no longer work for me and will never work for me again and I will hold on to the debt but not cash it in. I took a risk on you, and it did not pay off, but I am sure you can find other work and sources of income. I wont even ask for the money you paid to rent your house for a year back.


    I Please forgive me, he cried out and got out of his chair and kowtowed in front of my desk.


    This is the last time we will speak on matters of business, Yuan Niu. I rang a bell on my desk and a servant came into my office. Please escort my brother gently out of this building. He is not allowed to return. The servant had to get two guards to carry my wailing brother out of my company.


    What an idiot. If his wife had connections to the Imperial Sect, then sure. But she was just a regular woman, and the third daughter of a minor family. She was lovely, but she had clearly tricked my brother into getting her out of whatever was planned for her in Imperial City.


    It was a shame to write off such an enormous debt, but that was the risk of doing business with family. I would not squeeze my brother for the 100 tael he had tucked away. But he would get no more money from me, and the Yuan family would not dare to help him.


    All knew that I would join the sect. While it was only whispered, it was the kind of thing people gossiped about. My constant purchase of cultivation supplies was also hard to hide. I was important enough that people monitored my movements and activities now. There was also the fact that I still looked like a little kid which was the most obvious indication I was cultivating.


    They didnt know they already accepted me as an inner disciple, but the jump in logic to figure out I was joining the Cloudy Moon Sect was easy to make. I made a note for my Director of Accounting Fang to hold the debt in trust, but not cash it in.


    If my brother made a fuss, I would crush him, but for now I was content to let him live his life. It still hurt, all that money lost. The Hou family was probably laughing their asses off about how much of an idiot my brother was.


    Do you want to marry? I asked.


    Maybe, but there is no one as good as you, she muttered.


    I am a heavens blessed genius. Of course, there is no one like me. Is there anyone you like? I asked.


    Well, Yao Yang is quite handsome and nice, I nodded at this. He was the first son of Yao Guiren, who owned most of the mines near the city. Normally, my sister would not be eligible for such a match, but my status was quite high, which made Yuan Chuntaos status equally high. He was about my age.


    Have you two talked? I asked.


    Only at a formal party with several other people, my sister said. I had attended a few, but they were boring and drama filled. Once I had enough money and independence, I stopped going to events like that to focus entirely on my cultivation and business. I was thinking about going to the theater with him, but first brother is being stingy, she replied.


    You want balcony seats? I asked her.


    Yes, good ones. I rolled my eyes at this.


    I will talk to Yuan Yun and sort things out.


    Also, money for dinner afterwards, she said.


    Why isnt he treating you?


    Well, he said his father keeps him on a strict allowance, my sister replied.


    He can afford to take you out to dinner if he is interested in you. And you have been going with mother to the spa.


    Brother, I need a new dress, she complained.


    Fine, lets go get one together, I replied. She cheered, and we left the compound to go shopping. She dragged me from shop to shop. While I hated it, I put up with it for her sake. I could tell she wasnt really interested in shopping; she wanted to spend time with me before I left.


    We had dinner together at the Illuminated Moon. Why do you have to leave, brother? she asked me.


    The path of cultivation interests me. Immortality, power, riches. But most of all, standing on top of the world, I replied. Also the fear of dying again to a truck.


    Well, you will have to visit me and tell me of all your heroic adventures slaying demonic cultivators, she said, and I smiled at that.


    I will. I also plan to take the picture you drew with me, I said with a cheeky grin.


    No! I cant believe you framed that picture, she said and blushed, putting her hands over her face.


    It is the best picture of our family, I replied. Our younger sister had passed away from sickness at a young age. Our mother just had two children now.


    When you are an immortal, are you going to hang that up? Really? I teased her about it occasionally.


    Yes, I will. Everyone will see the great artwork of Yuan Chuntao and bask in its awe. All these powerful people will look at it, then I will ask their opinion on it. They will all say it is the best thing ever just to suck up to me, I said with a grin.


    That is so mean, but hilarious, my sister whispered. I am going to miss you.


    I will miss you as well. But I have high hopes my cultivation will go quickly. Also, if you dont want to get married and do something else, you can. If you ever want to leave the compound and strike out on your own, I have told Zheng Ting to hire you as part of my company.


    Silly brother, I will find a husband, dont worry. I am more worried about you. All alone. I asked and there is no one special in your life, she said with a pout.


    I plan to focus on cultivation. My path, it is very hard.


    You let me look at your diagrams a few times. I still dont understand any of them, but they look very complicated, she said.


    It is. What I am attempting is something that has never been done. If it works, then I will become a legendary immortal and make everyone compliment your drawing.


    Oh brother. I doubt anyone knows your humor but me. I swear you channel all of mothers drama.


    Now who is picking on who. I am not that dramatic. She is always gasping and raising her hand to her forehead, I countered, and my sister giggled a bit as I copied mothers pose.


    It is a bit much. But she will miss you as well. She cant stop complimenting you. I mean honestly, what is the sister of a heavens sent genius supposed to do?


    I know it is hard, since she is already the best sister possible, I replied.


    Stop it, you will make me cry, brother. We finished our meal and took a rickshaw back to the compound.


    The time until I left was drawing closer. Yuan Chuntao had grown on me recently. I hadnt interacted with my two younger sisters that much since they were too young. Then the youngest passed away and Yuan Chuntao had pestered me quite a bit.


    I made sure to make time for her, for there would be no time for regrets later. When I saw her again, she would probably be married with children of her own. I would be their legendary uncle. The man who became a business tycoon at the age of four.


    It was frankly ridiculous how much I had gotten away with at such a young age. But when one was a certified genius, then everyone would just stare in awe. Everyone would still stare in awe since I was going to stay a small child.


    I would go to the sect and spend the next year or two confirming and double checking my cultivation plan, while trying to resolve the few outstanding issues that remained. Once there, I needed to consider valves, double check my meridian design, figure out how to drill a triangle, determine the resources I would need for elemental attunement, and resources for the fourth stage. I would also need to plan out how to power through the fourth stage as well.


    But the channel design was solid. I had checked it two times so far and no changes needed to be made or errors found. It had taken some careful calculations, but I had also totaled up my motes out of curiosity. I had 1,317,282 motes of Qi inside of me. Slightly less than I had originally been aiming for and estimating.


    Still, I was thrilled with how everything was laid out. There might need to be some final adjustments, but I wasnt concerned. I had 100 Qi Pills I was planning to bring. That was another 10,000 motes if I needed them.


    The sect only allowed in what one carried up the stairs. So, no carts of belongings. If you wanted more, you had to carry more yourself. The same went for inner disciples. I was going to bring 30 spirit stones with me and leave the rest in the Coinage Guild.


    I felt that was more than enough to cover any immediate expenses I might have. People were also allowed to leave the sect, but for people starting out, it was heavily frowned on. Once you entered, you were expected to cut mortal ties.


    The normal amount of time until a person normally left the sect for resources was twenty years. But even then, anyone below the fourth stage had to get approved by an elder. The sect wanted people striving for immortality, not caught up in mortal affairs.


    I wasnt too worried, but it was annoying since I would have to see how things played out in the sect first. I suspected they wouldnt grant exceptions. Cultivators were supposed to cultivate. I got that, but I was thinking smarter, not harder.


    Taking breaks was important. That way I could look at a problem with a fresh mind. But things might change in the second stage, and I would slow down. If that happened, then the pressure would build. I wasnt that worried, even if that happened. Panicking would do me no good.


    Problems just required time and careful planning. There was only one big problem I had to sort out that was left. The bottleneck at the fourth stage. Everything else just required some mental exercise.


    I looked at the triangular drilling problem again. I had a wooden model of a triangle and looked at it before letting out a sigh, then traced my finger around on the wood. A while ago, I had asked other people, but they were just as stumped. No one drilled triangles. Even grandmasters Ling and Kang did not know.


    Once I got to the sect, I would have to look more in depth at channel clearing options and to keep thinking about drilling triangular holes. This was one of the moments I really missed the internet and being able to get straightforward answers to simple yet tricky questions like this.


    I knew if I heard the solution, it would sound obvious. But I had been stuck trying to figure this out for the longest time and it was annoying me. Perhaps there was no solution, but I refused to believe that.

 Chapter 16: Sect Intake

    Chapter 16: Sect Intake


    I walked along with other people towards the sect intake point at the base of their mountain and received several looks for my small size and childlike appearance, but no one said anything. I had a pack of my personal items on my back.


    It was a long hike to the sect, but prospective cultivators were not allowed to take a carriage. They had to walk the distance from Half Moon City. I probably didnt have to do it, but I didnt want to cause trouble and act like a spoiled brat.


    Better to be polite and humble. I would tell off bullies, but I wanted to avoid drama. I was probably going to fail at that, but it was the hope.


    It would take five to six days of hiking to reach the sect. At least all the motes boosted my physical ability. I had packed a lot into my pack. Diagrams, clothing, models, extra pills, and the spirit stones. I had the spatial ring gifted to me from Master Yi Rong on a chain around my neck. My inner disciple sect badge was in an interior pocket within my robes.


    A bit young, huh? A man asked me. We had been walking side by side for a while and he seemed content to match my pace.


    Just a little, but I have completed the Qi Gathering stage, so I am headed to the sect, I replied.


    A pill pumper? he asked.


    Using pills for my cultivation? I asked.


    Yeah, that is what they are called. Just chugging them down and not putting in the work.


    I used some pills, but over two-thirds of my cultivation I did without them, I replied.


    Huh, well, you really hustled then. Had to do it all myself. Names Gen, he said.


    Yuan Zhou, I replied with a nod towards the man.


    A family name. Heard they are bigshots in Half Moon City, Gen said.


    My father and first brother are in charge of the family, but I seek my own path, I replied.


    I get it. I hunted like a madman. Got a level 3 beast. Almost died, but got the funds I needed to really work on my cultivation, he replied.


    Impressive. A level 3 beast is something even a cultivator would struggle with.


    I was lucky. It was already wounded and fell into a pit trap I had set. But that was just the Heavens telling me to go be a cultivator, Gen said with a grin.


    I always wanted to be a cultivator since I first heard about them. Thankfully, I had some talent to progress.


    Going the full hundred twenty? Smart. Some people half ass it, but if you do something, you gotta do it right. If immortality was easy, then any idiot would become a cultivator, Gen replied.


    I went a bit more than that, but am mostly happy with where I am at.


    A bit more? What are you ten? No, that is too young. Twelve?


    Eighteen, I replied, and Gen stopped walking. I turned to look at the shock on his face.


    How? He waved a hand at me, and I sighed.


    I started cultivating when I was really young. It impacted my growth, unfortunately or fortunately. Shelves are my arch nemesis.


    Hahaha, that is good. Shelves. I will have to remember that one. A cultivator defeated by a shelf. Now I have truly heard of everything, Gen replied. He started walking again, and we continued up the road.


    You grow up hunting beasts? I asked.


    Yes, I am a fourth generation. Great grandfather supposedly killed a level 4 beast, but that is just a legend. If he killed it, we would be rich. But I was tagging along watching the pit trap when the level 3 beast just stumbled right into it after another level 1 beast was already inside.


    Well, it was the luckiest moment of my life. I sold that spirit stone and became a cultivator. What about you? What was life like in the Yuan family?


    Pleasant, mostly. My mother is very dramatic, which is kind of funny. Always sighing and raising her hand to her head. But mostly it has been coming up with business ideas, cultivating, or figuring out the best way to cultivate, I replied.


    You really are focused on cultivation. I cant wait to see the sect, he replied.


    It is nice, I responded.


    Youve been there? he asked.


    Twice. Master Yi Rong took me there while he was still alive. Just get ready for the stairs. I swear those things go on forever, I muttered.


    You had a master? What was he like? Gen asked.


    Old. Very old and tired. He would always call me foolish for my choices, but he supported me and believed I would succeed where he failed. Hopefully, my cultivation goes well, but it is going to be tricky, and he could offer little advice. I would say that he was amused more than anything about my energy, I answered.


    We continued to chat lightly. Gen didnt dig into my cultivation, which was considered very rude. We spent five days walking together from sunup to sundown. We passed by other people who stopped early or got up late, and we both just shook our heads at these people.


    We reached the sect early in the morning on the sixth day. We had another two days until the intake officially happened, but there were buildings and food provided for people to stay and rest in starting from today.


    They were communal bunkhouses, and we picked some beds out of the way next to each other. There was a single disciple waiting who told people where things were and said the elders would handle all questions. There was nothing to do now but wait. I was looking at the stupid wooden triangle in my hands, trying to figure out a way to drill such a hole. It was really bothering me that I hadnt figured this out yet.


    What is that? Gen asked me. I was too tired, and it was too dark to think about things like this while on the road. I handed the wooden triangle over to him.


    A model to help me visualize. The outer edge lifts off. I am trying to figure out how one can drill a triangular hole, I replied.


    You cant, or at least I dont think you can. Can you? Gen asked while looking at the wooden triangle.


    It should be possible. I am sure of it. But I just cant figure out the solution. Gen handed the wooden triangle back to me.


    What are you trying to figure it out for?


    The third stage, channel clearing.


    Oh, what are the other stages? he asked.


    After Qi Gathering, there is Foundation Establishment where you align your motes of Qi. Then Meridian Attunement where you make your meridians, channels, and Dantian or core. Then Core Formation, where you fill your core, I replied.


    Thanks, people talk about it, but sometimes they dont know what they are saying. There was a lot of fake news out there. I let out a sigh and put the wooden triangle away. I wasnt getting anywhere, and it was pissing me off.


    The bunkhouse slowly filled up the rest of the day and the following day. On the third day, everyone was called outside and told to bring their packs. I went outside with Gen. I saw three elders, but I only recognized Elder Li Fu.


    Welcome prospective disciples. I am Elder Li Fu. These are the elders, Yi Meifeng. He nodded his head at the stern-looking woman next to him. And Elder Ping. He nodded to the plump man on his other side.


    We will evaluate your mote count, background, and temperament. There were about 57 people who had shown up. If we approve of you, then you will climb the stairs to the sect and we will assign a disciple to guide you. Form an orderly line starting back there and approach one at a time.


    I let Gen go in front of me, and we were near the front of the line. People went up one by one. I couldnt hear what was being said. After a five-minute talk with the elders, they were sent up the stairs or left dejected. Most people were accepted. The requirements were fairly clear on what needed to be done to join the Cloudy Moon Sect.


    Gen went up to the elders when it was his turn and was then told to go up the stairs. I pulled out my inner disciple badge I had received long ago and went up to the elders when it was my turn.


    I bowed to each of them deeply. Inner Disciple Yuan Zhou, greets Elder Li Fu, Elder Yi Meifeng, Elder Ping. I held up my badge in my hands.


    Oh, so you have come. I was wondering when you would show up, Elder Li Fu said.


    So, this is the child, Elder Yi Meifeng said, while staring intently at me.


    Thank you Fan. I will remember your kind words, I said with a bow.


    Polite, good quality to have. So, you want a job. Hmm, no clerk openings. Those get snatched up right away. With your stature cleaning would be a headache. Who is your master? he asked me.


    Master Yi Rong named me as his personal disciple before he passed. He was a descendant of elder Yi Meifeng. I added the last part to make me seem more important and it worked. No lie, just pointing out my connections. He would not bother an elder about something so trivial just to confirm things.


    Oh, of course. I will make sure you get something decent. I have step sweeping, robe mending, and carrying supplies up the mountain, Fan said.


    Any advice? I asked Wu Changying.


    The step sweeping is a great honor and a simple task. They rarely inspect you. Just make two passes up and down the mountain each day and it is fine.


    Step sweeping please, I said and bowed my head slightly towards Fan.


    Excellent. You will need to get a broom and a scraper from the supply hall. Every day you need to go up and down the sect stairs cleaning off any debris. If there is any mud, you must scrape it off and only rock is left. If there is damage, report it to me and someone will be assigned to fix it with a technique. One day on, one day off should work.


    That means I do the task one day and dont the next? I asked.


    Indeed. Did you explain the fees? Fan asked Wu Changying, who gave a negative answer. In one year, you must submit 100 sect points. If you cannot do so, we will expel you from the sect with your cultivation crippled.


    Dont leave this to the last moment. You can only earn one sect point a day. Some people like to front load or back load their tasks. I do not recommend this. Spread them out. You will start five days from now once the orientation period is over. If you change your schedule or cant work, let me know.


    Thank you Fan, I replied.


    No problem, Yuan Zhou. Work hard and cultivate well. We left the assignment hall and went back to the supply hall to pick up what I needed for work. It was getting dark and Wu Changying said she would pick me up first thing in the morning.


    The sect rule book was pretty simple. Dont cause trouble, pay your sect points, and cultivate.


    I got some sleep, and the next day she was waiting outside my door. We went to get breakfast together. All new disciples are required to attend the first five daily lectures. There is one daily by a member or elder in the lecture hall.


    After that you can attend as you wish except for a lecture by the Sect Leader. If he gives a lecture, we strongly encourage people to attend. There is a schedule that is posted for the next three months at the lecture hall. Member names are in black, elder names are in blue, and the sect leaders name will be written in gold for the day they are scheduled.


    We have shown you the library. Your primary purpose is to cultivate. Never forget that. After one-year, we evaluate new disciples just before the intake. A lucky few are picked as inner or possibly core disciples.


    Is there a progress requirement? I asked.


    No. The sect expects you to progress on your own. That is why you are here, after all. I nodded at this. The evaluation is more to check if there are any issues.


    I just asked since I was planning to research my cultivation layout for the next two years, I replied. Wu Changying gave me a look.


    That is up to you and there is no problem doing that. But that is quite a long period of time to be working on your layout.


    Ah, mine is quite complicated. So, I need to check things carefully, I replied.


    If you say so. But time is the enemy of all cultivators, she replied, and I nodded at this. After breakfast, she escorted me to the lecture hall and sat down with me. They assigned her to me for the first five full days in the sect to make sure I settled in. After that, I would be on my own.


    Elder Li Fu did the lecture for the first day. I sat near the front of the lecture hall with Wu Changying. It reminded me of a large college lecture room. Welcome, new disciples. I am Elder Li Fu of the Cloudy Moon Sect. Everyone sat quietly and respectfully, paying close attention. The elder nodded slowly.


    Cultivation is a journey of self. We give you the knowledge, tools, and resources, but you must strive for immortality yourself. You have all met the basics of Qi Gathering. I will explain the following stages so there are no misunderstandings.


    Elder Li Fu covered what I already knew. I paid attention just in case something new came up. Then he began talking about the fifth stage. The fifth stage is the Nascent Soul stage. You must detonate your core to clear the space of your astral soul and form a true soul.


    Many fail in such an attempt. But the stronger true soul you can form, the better off you will be for the later stages. This is directly related to core size and density, which is decided by the number of channels you have, which is decided by the layout of the Qi motes you have taken in.


    Each stage of cultivation builds off the previous one. If you wish to remain in Qi Gathering, I strongly warn you against that. Time is the enemy of all cultivators. If you wish to grasp immortality, you cannot be slow or stagnate.


    I encourage all of you to attend the daily lectures to listen to the wisdom of your seniors and elders. In addition, you may pay ten sect points for a consultation with a member or a hundred sect points for a consultation with me.


    I have consulted hundreds of disciples across the years. Even the most outlandish cultivation plan could use advice. I saw his eyes dart towards me. Hint received. I needed to save up to talk to this old man. Cultivate well and may the heavens favor you, Elder Li Fu finished.


    Everyone stood up, and I copied them and bowed as he left.


    Thank you, Elder Li Fu! Everyone in the lecture hall said. I made my way out with Wu Changying and we went to the gathering hall. There were board games, couches, rocking chairs, and wooden puzzles. It was a place to come talk and relax for cultivators as a group. She explained that after the lectures, people would often come here to chat for a bit and exchange ideas.


    What about martial techniques? I asked.


    Those are for members. You won''t need techniques or a fighting style until then. That knowledge is contained in the second library, Wu Changying explained. There is a martial hall, but it is members only.


    We took a seat at a table. I saw a familiar face. Gen, I said, and he looked over.


    Junior greets senior Yuan Zhou, he replied with a bow. His guide copied him.


    Please, both of you sit, I said with a smile, and he nodded.


    Thank you. I am outer disciple Wen Xue, Gens guide replied. Wu Changying introduced herself as well.


    Inner disciple Yuan Zhou. I traveled here with Gen. Settling in, okay? I asked him.


    It is fine. Everyone is quite focused. I just hope I do well, he said, nervously.


    It is good to be nervous, as cultivation is difficult. I am still aligning my motes and hope to finish in the next decade, Wen Xue replied.


    Just wait until you get to Meridian Attunement. It slows down considerably, Wu Changying said with a slight sigh. That meant she was a granny! She didnt look old, but that was cultivation, maintaining her age. I felt any desire for her shrivel up and die a quick death at that.


    Well, Elder Ping predicted I would die before finishing the third stage. But Elder Yi Meifeng thought I might make it to the fourth before getting no further, I said with a chuckle. They all gave me looks.


    Anyone can make it to the fourth stage if they focus enough. You are quite young, so unless you are a pill pusher with no focus, I cannot see how that would be the case? Wen Xue said.


    My foundation is quite large, so there is a lot of work to do for the later stages, I said with a smile.


    Senior, forgive me. But, I cannot help but wonder. What kind of cultivation are you planning and have prepared? Wen Xue asked. It was a rude question, but getting feedback was important.


    Well, let me show you my cultivation diagrams, I said and got up.


    Diagrams?! Wen Xue whispered loudly in shock. They followed me to my room. I had a desk and a chair. I began pulling out sheet after sheet. They looked at everything with disbelief as I laid everything out.


    I know it is a bit much, but I figured a quad core with a secondary false core was the best option. The trickiest part was the channel layout, but I seemed to have worked it out, I said.


    What madness is this? Wen Xue muttered as he looked through my papers. Even Wu Changying had a bit of shock on her stern face as she realized what I had done. I then pulled out my wood models from my pack and set them on the desk.


    What I am thinking about now is if the cores could use a valve structure, but that would impede the use of techniques that draw on energy. Perhaps half the channels would have valves. I was also looking for a better meridian structure than the hexagon, but it aligns well with the channels, so I still need to work that out.


    Gen was lost, but the other looked at me like I was some sort of alien hiding in the form of a human child. Senior Yuan Zhou. The third stage This How did you get so many motes? Are your parents elders? Wen Xue asked nervously.


    I am heaven sent genius and cultivated diligently. Only a third of my motes are from pills, and even those I paid for all by myself. Wen Xue staggered at that.


    I do not wish to doubt your words, but how?!


    I am a heavens blessed genius who has chosen the path of defiance, I replied.

 Chapter 17: Cultivation Plan

    Chapter 17: Cultivation Plan


    Gen, learn from this, but do not copy this madness. Forgive me, senior, he told the man after I explained a bit more.


    It seems very complex, Gen replied, and Wen Xue shook his head.


    This is beyond complex. This is something that no one would ever dare attempt. One mistake, one error, and it will be a disaster. What senior Yuan Zhou has done is go beyond in every area. To push the boundaries of what is possible. The research and knowledge he develops will either change how future disciples cultivate or will be a warning for others who think to take this path, Wen Xue explained.


    It is risky, I know that. But I believe I have a handle on everything but the fourth stage. But I wanted to get both of your advice on certain aspects of my plan, specifically doing partial alignment to quickly lock in the motes before aligning them fully for the second stage, I explained.


    It is not possible, Wu Changying said. I turned towards her. If a mote isnt fully aligned, the alignment degrades quickly. It was something I considered as well.


    How quickly? I asked.


    About a year. With fewer motes, it might be possible to partially align them all and then proceed, but you wouldnt save time. With as many motes as you have, it would be impossible, she replied.


    I see, I said with a nod. That wasnt good. There was silence at that. Well, it is something I will figure out, regardless. I have some other ideas that might work for aligning motes quickly. I would use free motes to pin a mote in place so that way it didnt disrupt the rest of the motes as it was aligned. Like forming a shield wall. If that didnt work, then I would be in actual trouble. What about elemental attunement? I was considering earth,


    That would be a good choice. That and water are the easiest to take in energy from the surroundings, but the resources you will need would be immense, Wu Changying explained. In the sect manual at the back, there is a list of prices. You would need one earth attuned pill per channel. Each of those costs 500 sect points.


    I was thinking if there would be other elements? I asked, and Wen Xue let out a groan.


    Other elements? Where would you get the energy? People have tried weird things, but straying from the common ones is a bad idea, he said.


    Even if you find a resource, you would need to refine it. That takes the most time. Most people either use spirit rock or spirit water and refine that energy to form their channels. Anyone can carve channels quickly, but you need that elemental attunement for dao understanding when you form your true soul. If you dont have that, then your cultivation path would end quickly in the later stages, Wu Changying explained.


    How does the refining work exactly? I asked.


    You would draw in the elemental energy to drill out your channels. There is a level of quality, but it cant be measured easily either. That is why it is rarely discussed, but a cultivator can feel if a channel is elementally attuned. From my understanding, there are five grades of attunement. Standard, which is the least people can do. Aligned, which is optimal, and you can sense the elemental attunement lock in.


    Aligned is what most aim for. But after that is Focused, where your energy unconsciously will take on aspects of the element and the element will bleed into your core from your channels. Then there is Attuned, which is where all techniques you use will be based on that element, but are much stronger once you reach the fourth stage. This is the stage needed to use a valve structure and use techniques. Allowing the energy to flow through the walls of your channels, back as you need it. Finally, there is Perfect, which is where you will get physical benefits leaking over from the element. I had seen those terms before, but it was nice to have a concise summary.


    But it isnt like Qi Pills, where you can just swallow more to make progress. You would need a higher quality pill or material. Those would be more expensive. If all your channels arent at a certain level, then you will be unbalanced, which causes issues for the fourth stage.


    I see. The tomes in the library did not mention all of this, I said.


    Because it is considered common knowledge and covered by the lectures in the next few days. No one goes beyond Aligned for elemental attunement. And using something non-standard would mean there would be no pills to purchase. That means you would have to find something to refine, in your case, a mountain of things to refine, she replied.


    Also, triangular channels are odd. How will you drill them? You cant drill a triangular hole. I heard Gen bite back a laugh at that. Shut up, you idiot. And that is not even considering the fourth stage. The amount of energy you would require filling up your cores is immense. The cost is so mind-boggling that I feel sick thinking about it. Wu Changying finished her rant, huffing a bit. The granny that didnt look like a granny clearly had some powerful feelings.


    Well, I have faith I can work things out. Any advice on my meridian design on what would be best? I asked.


    The hexagon choice is the most stable, but since you clearly want the most outlandish option possible, then you need an inverse wave cone design for your meridian, she said. She went over to my desk and picked up a blank piece of paper I had set down in the stack I had brought with me.


    She quickly sketched out a ripple patterned cone. A nightmare to construct, but it allows for the maximum capture of energy into your channels. The horizontal wave pattern is for you to vibrate slightly to force the energy inside your channels. But the motes needed are far higher compared to your basic hexagon pattern to develop the wave structure.


    Thank you Wu Changying. I will have to investigate this. What about valves on the core? I asked.


    Dont do it, and no one has come up with a temporary valve, since you want to be constantly drawing in energy. People have tried pressure chambers between the core and their channels, but those couldnt gain more pressure than the channels provided, and you cant have valves as part of your soul you turn on and off. You will need to reach the level of Attuned, which is normally impossible for a regular cultivator, but with your valve structure, you will need that to use techniques, she explained.


    Complex mechanisms do not work when constructing with motes, she said. I nodded at this.


    Well, there is the option of staggered channel valves, Wen Xue said. Everyone looked at him and he cleared his throat before continuing. You place valves along your channels with increasing stiffness towards the core. Once your channel has enough energy, it will push into the next part of the channel, he explained.


    It prevents backflow and helps level out the energy intake into a core. The trouble is constructing all those valves and the initial pressure to push through the first one. That is why it was never deemed as workable, he replied.


    With the number of channels you have, the number of valves would be immense. But three valves, one near the meridian, one at the core, and one at the midway point. The hard part is setting up the resistances for each without testing beforehand.


    You cant test, which is why no one does it. One mistake and they are worthless, or you cant take in energy. That is why if you use valves, you will need at least ten on each channel from the least resistance, with each one a step up incrementally, Wu Changying said.


    Yes, but ten is excessive, oh never mind. Yes, it would be optimal for your aims, Wen Xue said. I didnt know if I should be thankful or offended.


    Ten would be the optimal number to get the pressure you are aiming for. The best valve design is the four fold locking mechanism. It easily opens and closes without issue but is complex, Wu Changying said and drew out a diagram for me. I looked it over. It would easily take 80 motes to construct. At 1,302 channels and 10 valves each, that would mean another 104,160 motes.


    The meridian inverse cone design would up the mote count from 18 per meridian to 300. That was 367,164 more motes. So about 471,000 motes total. That was about two years more of work, but it was doable.


    About 471,000 more motes. That is doable in two years, I replied.


    Senior Yuan Zhou, please dont take this the wrong way, but with these designs, you will not even get past the second stage, Wen Xue said.


    I understand, and will confirm these plans with Elder Li Fu, but I thank you both for your advice. This has been a tremendous help to several problems, I replied. Wu Changying just shook her head.


    The elemental plan is nothing special, but the resources you need will be immense. If you make it to the fourth stage with Focused level channels and meridians, then you will struggle to fill up your cores. If you wish to complete the cores before you die of old age, then you would need Attuned level channels and meridians with an abundant amount of resources.


    Earth is possible. But even there, you will struggle. The questions you had on using another element concern its abundance. There are sects who cultivate the air element or fire element, but they struggle to get the energy necessary. One does not easily handle fire and air is thin.


    As for more esoteric options. They are risky and the heavens would truly favor you to find a new one that works. Elders have looked long and hard for their disciples and descendants, but it is not something easily done.


    We align energy with the physical world. The new element idea you had might work slightly, but you would require a focusing chamber for such a thing. The cost of those is not cheap or undertaken lightly. Still, there is the barest possibility of potential there to use a force element.


    The only truly impressive thing and innovation is your idea to use other motes to pin the mote that is being aligned. If that works and you share it with the sect before your death, then I will award you 1,000 sect points. My eyes went wide at that.


    Thank you, Elder Li Fu, I bowed towards him.


    Dont get me wrong, disciple. I think what you''re doing is madness and foolishness, but it will provide more insight for disciples after you. But a faster way for all to cultivate, shared before your death merits a reward. Everything else would be unique to you and a cultivation choice, not a universal method. I nodded at this. That made sense. Increasing the power of the sect was important to increase the chances of an immortal rising through their ranks.


    Also, this amused me. I rarely see something so interesting and so well presented. You can keep your sect points for this meeting, Elder Li Fu said. I bowed again and thanked him as he left. I packed up everything and returned to my room.


    He was clearly being nice and favoring me. I suspected he might hope that I succeeded or got far. If I did, it would be an enormous boon to the sect in just knowledge alone. They wouldnt feed me resources, but they were content to make my journey as easy as possible. Or perhaps Master Yi Rong had more pull than I first thought.


    Regardless, my cultivation plan had been signed off on. I wouldnt need to have a meeting after a year. While it was a checkup, it was also a chance for members to meet with new disciples and make sure they didnt have their heads up their ass. Paying for Elder Li Fu had been a way to skip ahead. But now I had 100 sect contribution points, which I planned to keep.


    What I really needed to do was to work out how to carve triangular channels. Time to throw out everything in my head and start again. I needed a wedge shape to hit the corners. So, the tip needed to be curved.


    Oh, I had been such an idiot. I realized the answer as I traced my finger over the wooden triangle in front of me. The cutting wedge would be oval shaped with pointed ends. The length would stretch from one end of the triangle to the other.


    As the blade turned around, it would also rotate about the center of the triangle. I got a piece of paper and carefully cut out the shape. I slowly rotated it around the block and laughed. The cutting blade spun around, and it also spun around the center of the circle at the same time. There were two types of spinning.


    That took care of the drill design for the third stage. I still needed to figure out a way to get a high quantity and quality of materials to attune to the element I chose and then the fourth stage. I had thought of using force or gravity as my element since it was everywhere.


    Elder Li Fu had pointed out there was no such thing as gravity or force materials. And even if there were, there would be no pills. I would blaze an alternative path. Other people had attempted something similar but made no progress and were forced to abandon it.


    The hardest part was getting started, but a focusing chamber to crush me might allow me to feel force type energy on my astral soul. Force energy was everywhere in my estimation, but the trick was harnessing enough quantities for my channels and meridians.


    It was time to visit the formation hall and learn about manipulating energy outside of cultivation. There was also the alchemy hall. Cultivators could pay sect contribution points to get materials for study and purchase supplies there.


    The basic materials were free, along with a bunch of basic literature. But anything more recent that had been written had a charge associated with it. Those sect contribution points went into the pocket who had written the book.


    I needed nothing recent, even if there were recent developments, since I needed to learn the basics. I spent several days reading through various formation books and it was complicated. A formation used sigils that resonated with energy itself in unique ways.


    All formations had an activation requirement, an effect, and then an ending. The activation requirement was the hard part. There were various materials, lists and lists of them. One needed the formation foundation material, the sigil writing liquid or material, and the sigils could change based on what you were using.


    Anyone could get an effect, but the real masters could get a lot for very little. That ratio decided a persons rank in formation crafting. A one-to-one ratio was considered poor, and they considered a five to one ratio apprentice rank. A ten to one ratio was master rank. And they considered a twenty to one ratio grandmaster rank.


    It got harder and harder to squeeze out energy and use it in the way one wanted in an efficient manner. Then there were numerous ways of measuring output. The standard test was with a basic light formation and then a formation of your own design to get certified with a rank by the formation hall.


    The real challenge was getting experience and materials to work with. That is where the costs started coming into play. Formations werent cheap and formation masters had invested in getting to that standard.


    But once someone was a master, then they would be hired to do things like security and privacy formations in the sect. Even more esoteric formations like the soul reflecting chamber required upkeep.


    An effect would also have a boundary of some kind. Getting a clean boundary was another sign of mastery. As for the ending, the less explosive it was, the more impressive you were. Masters could have formations collapse without explosions. There seemed to be a high risk of explosions with formations.


    I just needed one type of formation to do something specific. I went to the clerk of the formation hall. Greetings. How can I help you? the woman asked after seeing the symbol on my robe, which was the same as hers.


    I am here to set up a consultation meeting. I am looking for a specific formation to be made and wanted the idea of the possible costs and effectiveness of the formation. Specifically, creating an area with increased downwards pull, I said.


    Just the consultation? she asked.


    Yes, I dont have a good idea on what something like that would cost and wanted to speak to either an apprentice or a master. I would then consider purchasing the design, but I would need to hear the cost first. There is a difference between 10 sect points and 1,000 sect points, I said.


    Of course. Masters normally consult for 50 sect contribution points, while an apprentice would consult for 5 points.


    I want to set up two meetings then, one with a master and one with an apprentice, I explained.


    I can make the arrangements. Together or separately?


    Separately please, I said, trying to resist rolling my eyes at that question. I wanted at least two different opinions. If they varied by a lot, then I would get a third consultation. The appointments were made, and I left the formation hall.


    I didnt have the time or mental energy to work on formations. That was why I was going to look into contracting the work out. The meeting with Elder Li Fu had gone well, so I was optimistic that this would be a good way to get some quick answers to some important questions.


    There was no rush either, which was important. I didnt need to decide on my element until the third stage so I could afford to wait and planned to. I really wanted to see if a force chamber to generate force energy was viable.

 Chapter 18: Force

    Chapter 18: Force


    I was meeting with the apprentice first, an inner disciple, Dong Wenyan. Greetings, he replied with a short head nod. I stood up and greeted him as well. I was told you wanted to speak about a force array? he asked and sat down. An array was another name for a formation. There might have been some minute difference, but I hadnt picked up on one yet.


    Yes. Something to increase the downwards pull all objects experience, and possibly inwards force as well. The goal is to generate force energy.


    That sounds simple enough. You would want a tenfold crushing array. Often used for traps. I would smooth out the output to something like three-fold to make it last longer. I could probably get you a day per spirit stone. The array itself would cost 500 sect points.


    May I ask why that price? I asked, and Dong Wenyan nodded.


    Materials and my time and testing. I am guessing you are going to want to stand in the array. I nodded at this. And dont want to die. Testing is very important, and also expensive. I would use a level 1 array plate and level 1 etching acid. A higher level would allow you to use level 2 spirit stones, but the price would be 6,000 sect points then.


    Would it harness force energy? I asked.


    It should. The tenfold crushing array applies an immense amount of force to a person caught inside it. After asking a few more basic questions, I thanked Dong Wenyan, who left.


    An array plate was about the size of a king size bed, heavy and thick. As an inner disciple, I could have the array set up in the formation hall as long as I was using it. Once I was done, I could sell the materials for some sect points to recoup my investment.


    The next meeting was with a sect member and formation master, Jiang Chen. Junior greets senior. I stood and bowed when she entered the room. I explained my request to her.


    You want something specific? Energy type arrays are complicated. You cant just use something like a trap array or another array. Energy type arrays are unique like this. You need containment and a stable boundary. Other arrays often ignore this. So, while there might be a spike in energy, it will quickly bleed out. Even if extended for a period of time, it would be like pouring water into a sieve. It would all just run out.


    I nodded at this, and she kept going. The best option would be to use a crush furnace array as the base design and go from there, since it is designed to help forge with force. I am guessing you are considering using this for your elemental attunement?


    Yes, I am senior Jiang Chen, I replied, and she was thoughtful for a moment.


    It could work, but you would need a tremendous amount of force energy. Also, counter force energy, so it could be increased even more. That would mean a second array around the first array. Well, I have two options for you. The first option is the cheap option. I listened closely.


    It would involve a single array, a strong boundary, and lots of force, which you could adjust slightly. But there is only so much your body can take, even with cultivation. Since I could use an existing design, I would say 800 sect points and could run half a day on a level 1 spirit stone, she said.


    The second option would be a dual array of opposing forces. This could allow the amount of force to increase inside of the formation without crushing you. This would be complex and a brand new type of formation that would require research and a lot of testing to ensure there were no accidents. It would cost 3,000 sect points and could run half a day on two level 1 spirit stones. It would take two to three years to develop.


    That was a huge price difference. I thanked the senior, and she left. I had three options. Well, there was a clear difference in understanding and quality with Jiang Chen compared to Dong Wenyan. That was a lot of sect points, regardless.


    Well, I had time to gather them up. I made notes after the meeting about what they said and would ruminate on this for a long time. What I really needed was a lot of sect points, but the only thing people wanted to buy were cultivation resources. To learn to make those types of resources required years of work and investment.


    I wasnt going to cheap out on something like this, as I liked the idea of force a lot more than earth. However, I also needed to cultivate. I was making excellent progress in restructuring my cultivation, but I had a lot more motes to collect and then align.


    Even with the reward promised by Elder Li Fu, it didnt feel like much. I needed to increase my sect point income and looked into it. The fastest way were sect missions, but those all fell to sect members at the fourth stage.


    Since missions would involve combat, which meant techniques, they just werent possible before then. That meant I needed to have a service I could provide within the sect. But the only things priced over 1 sect point a day were personal consultations or cultivation resources. No one would want to consult with a disciple.


    Members could earn points from their lectures, but not disciples. No one would take a disciple seriously or want to be lectured by one. Formations and alchemy were both massive investments in time and sect points. Decades of investment. There was no demand for non-cultivation goods since they were provided free of charge to the sect.


    I would need to leave the sect to get money. But the rules for leaving were complicated. A person needed to have 100 sect points put away and no strikes against their work for the past year. Then they could get 30 days off per year at most. If you went past that time, a sect elder would hunt you down and kill you, no exceptions.


    So, it wasnt like I could spend time on businesses instead. The sect wanted people focused on cultivation, not mundane matters. Members were allowed to leave, since they were viewed as competent and trustworthy, and elders could do whatever they wanted for the most part as far as I knew. But disciples were limited.


    Also, no one would give up sect points easily. They were too valuable for that. Each one represented a day of labor. I was only okay spending them since I could gather motes while I was working. No disciple could really afford anything or would invest into something other than their cultivation, and I couldnt make something that interested members or elders.


    No wonder why so many cultivators targeted other cultivators and went demonic. I considered how that would even work. No one would say, and there was no information anywhere about the process. I could understand killing someone for their motes, but how would it work after that?


    Oh, I was being an idiot. They would refine the human element or human energy for their channels. Since cultivators have energy in them, they would hunt down other cultivators and refine them. No idea how it worked in the higher levels, but I could see demonic cultivators turning other cultivators into pills and using those pills to enhance their own cultivation.


    Well, that put an entirely new twist on learning to defend myself and why the sect didnt want people leaving for long at the earlier stages. Demonic cultivators would struggle at the bottleneck as well. The more they killed, the easier they would be to find and hunt down. With the bounty paid out on them by high-level sects, they were clearly a menace.


    It just took a person realizing this and then deciding to kill to progress. It wouldnt help much in the second stage, but a demonic cultivator could stack up on a lot of motes by killing many people. This was another reason to look at me suspiciously with all the motes I had.


    That still left getting a lot of sect points. There was no easy way, so I would have to build them up myself and look for jobs that I could cultivate while doing. I would also earn about 40 spirit stones per year from Zhou Holding Company Limited. I still had 30 spirit stones on me and another 67 stored away.


    What I needed to do was get through the third stage as quickly as possible. I would want high-quality force energy in large quantities. Looking at the records, it would take five days to make each channel if someone was being given resources in large amounts. At two spirit stones per half a day and 1,302 channels, which would take 13,020 spirit stones.


    But level 1 spirit stones and an array would only reach the second level of elemental attunement, Aligned. I would need level 4 spirit stones to get Perfect. That would never happen. Just that amount in level 1 spirit stones was immense.


    That would take 325 years at my current income, which was unacceptable. I needed a better chamber and to get more out of a single spirit stone, but that drastically increased the initial price. I didnt want to pay in spirit stones either, since I needed those for my cultivation. The sect price was 2 sect points for a spirit stone, while only getting 1 sect point for a rank 1 spirit stone.This chapter is updated by


    It was a complete scam, but I couldnt call it out. Also, the time I would need to spend to get 3,000 points was way too high. But it would take me a lot longer to learn formations myself and I was already spending my time on cultivation. I needed passive income.


    That led me back to the original problem of the sect being the worst place for a business and to earn sect points unless you were a member or an elder. They were the only ones with income they were willing to spend, but I had nothing to offer them.


    Starting tomorrow. A member signed off on my plan just yesterday, Gen answered.


    How are things going for you, Wen Xue? I asked him.


    Slow, but I am making progress with aligning my motes. Perhaps another decade and I will be complete. I am almost scared to ask what progress you have made?


    I have finished up the valves and am working on finishing up all my meridian designs. When I turn twenty next year, I should enter Foundation Establishment, I replied.


    You arent twenty? he asked.


    No. I entered the sect when I was eighteen years old. Even though I look like a child, I said with a pout. Wen Xue and Gen chuckled.


    If you keep that appearance, no one will dare look at you once you enter the fourth stage. A cultivator as young looking as you would scare everyone away, Wen Xue replied.


    It is a bit of a pain trying to reach things sometimes. But it is all muscle after going up and down those stairs twice a day, I replied.


    I must admit, I am curious if you are stronger than me at a lower stage, Wen Xue said. That was how we ended up pushing against each others right palms. It was about even.


    Well, you will be unmatched at your stage at the very least. Possibly half to a quarter stage above you as well against the majority of cultivators. But not as good as a body cultivator, from what I understand, and elemental attunement will decide the strength of your techniques. Have you worked it out? Wen Xue asked.


    Yes. I have a plan that should handle my elemental attunement to my satisfaction. I said nothing more since I didnt want people to bother me about my planned hunting.


    Well, I am most interested in how things turn out, Wen Xue replied. After that we discussed the new intake. They assigned welcoming to the outer disciples as a reward for their hard work and to also settle in the newcomers, since they would most likely be outer sect disciples as well.


    The end of the day approached, and everyone gathered in front of the Sect Leaders mansion at the center of the sect. There, the new elders in charge for the next year were introduced. I noted that Elder Li Fu was still present.


    After that, they made announcements about people selecting disciples. No one I knew was picked. I expected nothing like that for myself or the few disciples I knew well. Gen wasnt that outstanding, and Wen Xue was in the same boat.


    They were cultivators, but so was everyone else and it was unlikely they would go beyond the fourth stage. If I had chosen a safe path, I would have been snatched up as a personal disciple. But no one believed in my path of defiance, which was why it had that name.


    No one would personally guide me, since I was doing my own thing in uncharted waters. It was unfortunate, but it was the path I had chosen for myself. After the new disciple announcements, that was it.


    It was back to the daily grind and sect life. The books about beasts had been quite insightful once I was done reading through that entire section of the library. They had an acute sense of smell and could sense Qi naturally gathering it through the air. They normally avoided each other, unless they were going to mate or there was an enormous source of free Qi like the start of a beast tide.


    Cultivating while in the wilderness was not advised, since it would stir the energy. Even moving motes inside a person was dangerous. My entire structure would fall apart while I was hunting, and I would have to rebuild it each time, but I had the pattern etched into my brain. It would be an excellent review as well.


    In addition, there were specific baits, lures, and scent disguises that could be made through alchemy with plants that contained specific types of energy. I looked into this, and the sect offered a scent hiding liquid that would last for ten days for 1 sect contribution point.


    They considered it a beginners application of alchemy. They also made it from the plants that grew in the gardens around the sect to ward off beasts. There was also beast repellent for 5 sect points and beast lure for 20 sect points. They would last for three and one days, respectively.


    I winced at the costs. I wanted to save up sect contribution points, not spend them. After a year, I had 290 contribution points saved up from working nearly every day. For my first hunt, I would purchase more than I needed since the products made by the alchemy hall were guaranteed to last for a couple of years.


    I would get ten scent concealers and apply one every five days. For some reason, I envisioned myself as the most delicious treat a beast could get and them wanting to eat me with all the motes inside of me. Better to go heavy on the stuff. On top of that, I was thinking of five beast repellants and five beast lures. The alchemy hall also sold flash bangs for 50 sect contribution points. I would take one as well for emergencies.


    I was looking at 185 sect contribution points on top of my required 100 sect contribution points. It was tempting not to get all this stuff, but I was not about to risk my life. I had seen a beast in the past and it was quite scary and large. Even if it had only been the size of a small table, that was only a level 1 beast. The more powerful ones were bigger. I needed every advantage I could get.


    Mortal weapons made for cultivators were fine. I would request some when I made a preparation trip back to Half Moon City and have them delivered to me in the sect. I would get a sword for close combat and a metal spear. It would be insanely heavy, but that was the point. I could reuse it.


    It would be a shame to waste the meat and organs, but I wouldnt have room in my pack or spatial ring once I unlocked it to carry such things. I would fill it with strong alcohol, jerky, and hardtack mostly. My spatial ring would be for the beast cores or spirit stones.


    There was also a water condensing array water bottle for 100 sect contribution points and cost a spirit stone to fill up with water 100 times. That was way too expensive, and I would use a cloth filtration method while in the wilderness and mix in a bit of the strong alcohol I would be bringing. One of those techniques I had read about in the various books the sect had.


    Also, a whetstone to sharpen the spear after each kill. The higher-level beasts were tougher and bigger, but they were also fairly mindless. That was why a spear would work on a level 3 beast and lower. They would rush and impale themselves, trying to kill me.


    I had even looked into their eating habits, and they ate anything with energy. Over time, all beasts would get stronger by taking in the natural energy of the heavens and the earth. They were an animal that had evolved to cultivate in their own way. That was also why they couldnt be farmed. Feeding them would bankrupt a person and it wasnt worth it and the more beasts that were close together, the less they grew.


    Supposedly, some sects used level 4 beasts as slaves, but they were in constant conflict with the beasts. While they killed many beasts and got cultivation resources, they were also under a lot of pressure and attrition. But those sects believed that constant fighting would separate the weak from the strong.


    The real risk with that method was when an immortal beast came through. They were as rare as immortals on the human side, but they existed. Every couple thousand years, they would show up and smack down a sect hard.


    The sect would pull back together or disband. These conflict-oriented sects were much more turbulent than a sect like the Cloudy Moon Sect, which focused on gradual improvement over a long period of time.


    That was why there was not a huge focus on beast hunting in the Cloudy Moon Sect. There were people who did it, of course, for the resources, but it was not organized, and you had to go far away from the sect, since they didnt want to deal with a beast tide nearby.


    If a beast tide happened in the wilderness, it would die out eventually as the beasts eventually turned on each other. But if one struck the outer wall of a city, then it would be a battle and the sect would get directly involved. Also, the perpetrators would be punished heavily, either killed or made a debt slave along with their family.


    The permits, licenses, and occasional cultivator from the sect were enough to keep things fairly even, mostly. I knew that once my killing operations got going, there would be trouble, which is why I wanted to go further away than required, so there would be no issues when I killed every beast I could find to fuel my cultivation.


    Even if the level 4 beasts had human level intelligence, it didnt matter to me. Even if a cow could talk, I would still eat burgers. Tough luck for the cow, but I wasnt about to change things. Cultivation was about improving yourself, not going on a diet.

 Chapter 19: A Wedding

    Chapter 19: A Wedding


    I set down the letter from my sister that had arrived at the sect. She was getting married to Yao Yang. I had been planning to go down to make arrangements for my future hunting trip anyway, so this was good timing.


    Greetings Fan, I greeted the disciple in charge of assignments. He smiled at me.


    Yuan Zhou. I get nothing but excellent reports from the core disciples inspecting your work. You are quite diligent. What brings you to me?


    I plan to be leaving the sect for thirty days for my sisters wedding and wanted to make arrangements.


    That is good of you. I would have been quite annoyed if you just disappeared. There is the option to let an outer disciple take over your tasks for that time period and then you would pick them up when you return, Fan said.


    Is it that easy? I asked.This chapter is updated by


    Yes, some outer disciples like to switch around and do different things. I nodded at this and gave Fan the dates I would be gone.


    With that done, I visited the administration hall and reported that I would take a thirty day leave of absence. They checked if I had seen Fan and I told him yes. They gave me a pass and told me in no uncertain terms that I could not be late in returning to the hall and should give myself a couple days of leeway in case something happened.


    If I crossed the deadline, a sect elder would hunt me down and kill me without exception. It didnt matter if my mother was dying, or my legs were broken, or demonic cultivators kidnapped me. If I forced an elder to act, my life was forfeit.


    Since I had over 100 sect contribution points saved up and paid this years fee, there were no issues in getting the month long pass to leave. With all that taken care of, I left the sect two days later at my appointed time.


    At the base of the sect was a small mortal community, which maintained the buildings there and carriages that were free for sect members to use. I set off for Half Moon City quickly and I arrived three days later.


    Since I was an official disciple of the sect and paid the fees, I was allowed to wear my sect robes outside the sect. They had warned me not to cause a fuss among mortal affairs or create drama. Still, a siblings wedding was an acceptable reason to leave. The sect rules were one reason I hadnt come back sooner to deal with my company.


    I reached the Yuan family compound and exited the carriage. It felt so long ago that I had been living here. The guards immediately bowed deeply towards me. I entered the compound and made my way to my mothers section of the compound.


    You look perfect. That dress is amazing, I heard my mother say.


    No word from brother? my sister Yuan Chuntao asked.


    I was told they delivered the letter, but we have no way of knowing if he got it. The servant squeaked as I approached, and I held a finger up to my lips. They quickly closed their mouth and bowed deeply.


    Perhaps he is already here, I said. My mother and my sister both spun to look at me.


    Brother, Yuan Chuntao hurried over in her red and gold dress. She hugged me and I hugged her back gently. We were worried you didnt get our letter, she said.


    I got it a few days ago and took time off from the sect for your wedding. You look amazing, Yuan Chuntao. And mother, radiant as ever, I said.


    Yuan Zhou, my heavens blessed child. I missed you. She came over and gave me a hug. A cultivator of the Cloudy Moon Sect, I still cant believe it, she said and raised her hand to her forehead. My sister and I grinned at each other at her dramatics.


    So do I need to scare your future husband Yao Yang a bit? I asked teasingly.


    Stop it, brother. He has been a gentleman, and I am to be his main wife, Yuan Chuntao replied. Your dowry will make things quite comfortable for me, so thank you for that.


    I am just glad you are happy and you both are getting along. Now, is there anything I need to do besides showing up and looking scary? I asked.


    No. I will have to adjust the seating a bit with your arrival. Everyone will attend to give you face. Many were waiting to see if you had arrived. So just be ready for a very long day at the wedding, my mother said, and I nodded at this.


    Well, I have two gifts prepared. I should probably go last, since they are quite extensive, I said. My mother nodded at that. She was clearly handling all the wedding preparations and order of festivities.


    My son, Yuan Zhou, I turned to see my father.


    Father, I bowed my head slightly, and he returned the gesture with a smile.


    I heard you had returned. It is good to see you. I look at you and you seem to not have aged a day, he said.


    Brother, my first brother and current patriarch Yuan Yun hurried into the room.


    First brother, I inclined my head slightly towards him and he did the same. They brought in tea and snacks, and they asked me about my time in the sect.


    Even after consulting with Elder Li Fu, my path is quite difficult. I will have to venture into the wilds for the resources I need, I explained.


    Well, if you handle those beasts like you handle business, then I am more worried about them than you, my brother joked.


    Zheng Ting is quite capable. You are lucky to have gotten her, my father added.


    Brother, you better not get into trouble, my sister scolded me.


    I worry about you so much. You need to eat more. Have some more sandwiches and tea, my mother said.


    After chatting with my family for the rest of the day, I left with my father to walk in the family gardens. I pulled out a specially made letter. It cost a sect contribution point to get a letter like this. But it ensured that any cultivator from the sect who got such a letter would deliver it to the sect no matter what. It was a way to give mortal favors officially.


    For the twelve tael, so long ago, I handed the letter to my father, who looked surprised and then he bowed deeply towards me.


    Thank you, Cultivator Yuan Zhou. This will be a treasured item of our family. He would give it to my first brother, and it would be passed down and displayed in the patriarchs office in a place of prominence. Anyone visiting would see the letter framed and understood the threat it represented, that a favor could be called on by a cultivator. It would force people to step lightly.


    The value would only increase as my rank increased. If I became an elder, no one would dare challenge them. Also, the family could use it to request me to take up a disciple once I reached the fourth stage or higher.


    I would give a similar letter to my sister and her descendants, as well as ten level 1 spirit coins, which was about 10,000 tael. Such a gift was massive. She would always live in comfort and her child would be named heir eventually to the Yao family.


    The fact that the current prospective heir was marrying my sister was because of my status and not her status or my fathers status.


    The next day, I made my way to Zhou Holding Company Limited. I had alerted Senior Director Zheng Ting to my arrival the day before. She was standing in the building''s lobby along with all the directors.


    If that happened, well, no one would want to be on my bad side. The bride and groom left the wedding feast to celebrate their marriage, and I got up to sit in the garden. I sipped some tea as I enjoyed the light warm breeze in the fading light.


    I think you made most of the people void themselves, brother, Yuan Yun said as he came over. I gestured at the opposite seat, and he sat down.


    I might think Yuan Chuntao is too good for any man, but it is her life, her choice, I said.


    She thought you would object, Yuan Yun said, and I shook my head. I am guessing you wont be back for a while? he asked.


    Maybe occasionally, but I will need to focus on my cultivation and gathering resources. If my mother or father gets ill, send word. I had left him a letter for each of them and he nodded. Paying respect to one''s parents was seen as culturally appropriate.


    But I might visit once every couple of years going forward after this. It was advice from the elders that we should separate our emotions from the mortal world, otherwise it would slow our cultivation down and distract us. I didnt necessarily believe this, but it would not be easy reaching immortality with the path of cultivation I had set out.


    I was choosing to make myself distant. I still looked like I was twelve years old, despite being twenty. When my siblings died of old age, I would complete the second stage and be starting the third stage of my cultivation. The journey to immortality was quite long.


    In time, my sister would have kids, those kids would have kids, and generations from now, I would recognize no one. It was a heavy realization. The path to immortality was not one to be taken lightly. There was no time to waste either.


    Even just a yearly visit was too much. I would probably do less than that, most likely. There would be snapshots in time as I visited home in the future, and then I would visit no more and become a myth, a legend.


    A Core Formation cultivator like Master Yi Rong could live up to 1,500 years. Someone who had made it to the eighth stage of cultivation would live anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 years approximately. A vast amount of time.


    Compared to Earth, that was like being born at the dawn of human civilization and then still being around in the modern day. There was a reason stability was highly prized, along with slow but incremental improvements to the cultivation process. The hasty and the foolish often died young.


    The current age, the Third Age, had been going on for over 200,000 years since the last major conflict against the beast Empire, where humans gained supremacy. The Second Age before that was defined by the first cultivators coming into existence. Then the First Age was the start of when humans had first risen up in these lands. A time of myth and legend.


    It was over an immense amount of time that this culture had taken shape. Outside the continent were massive beasts of the ocean that would even make an immortal take pause. Perhaps in time I would develop aircraft or something to fly around in if I couldnt fly myself.


    Air travel would be the best travel, and soaring through the skies was suitably dramatic, in my opinion. It was getting dark, and my brother said his goodbyes as I just sat there looking up at the twinkling lights above me.


    I sat there through the night, contemplating things until the morning. The other guests had left long ago, and I was being rude staying in the garden. As the first rays of the sun lit up the sky, I let out a sigh. I got up and departed the Yao family compound.


    I just wandered through the streets on foot towards the city center. There were a few people out this early and it was fairly quiet. I noticed a beggar sitting on the side of the road. They were often cleared out as debt slaves, so it was weird to see one. Perhaps it was fate or destiny. I paused and pulled out a tael from a pouch in my clothing.


    Keeping just a little of money on me had become a habit. Here you go. Fortune be with you. I placed the tael in the beggars cup. A huge amount, but I felt in a giving mood and optimistic. Kindness would repay kindness. A straw hat hid his face. I turned to leave, but the beggar spoke up.


    I heard there that the genius under the heavens might show up to his sisters wedding, I spun and backed away from the beggar in surprise. He stood up and cast off his tattered cloak and straw hat. He was young, like a teenager, but his eyes were narrowed, and the sense of danger was in the air.


    He lunged at me, hands outstretched. I leapt away. He quickly closed the distance and placed his hands around my neck. I reached up to strike him and pry him off, but his arms were immovable. So many motes! You will be quite a delicacy to refine. He struck me on the back of my head, and I pretended to go limp since he clearly out classed me. Keeping my wits about even during an attack. I needed to be patient and wait for an opportunity.


    He didnt pay close attention as he wrapped me up in his discarded cloak and raced off. I was kidnapped, and this man was going to refine me. Panic was truly setting in now.


    It was a demonic cultivator, and I needed a way to either kill him or escape. His cultivation was higher than mine. At the end of the second stage or the start of the third, if his level of speed and strength was anything to go by.


    I carefully maneuvered an arm free from inside the cloak as we moved quickly to wherever we were going. There was only one thing I could do. I slammed my hand down on the mans back and pushed 100,000 motes from my hand into his body.


    Ahhhh! he screamed and collapsed. I was thrown from his shoulder and went rolling, falling out of the cloak. Pushing motes into someone else meant it contaminated them with traces of my energy. One or two wouldnt have done much, but 100,000 all at once was a devastating blow.


    No one but me would dare use so many in the Qi Gathering stage. It would have been their entire cultivation. I raced forward as I couldnt allow the demonic cultivator time to recover. He was lying on the ground thrashing and screaming.


    I stomped onto a foot as hard as I could with everything I had. I felt the bone crack and could hear it. That seemed to startle him out of his pain. I brought down my foot again, as hard as I could, and broke his foot even more. YOU DARE! he roared.


    The few people watching in the early morning on the street scattered at this. I moved in to stomp on him again, but he rolled out of the way. My foot cracked the cobblestone slightly. He then paused and lashed out with his good leg, and struck me in the side.


    I went tumbling away, gasping for air. Everything hurt, but at least nothing felt broken. Thankfully, he hadn''t been able to put his full strength behind that kick. I got to my feet unsteadily and the demonic cultivator was doing the same thing.


    His left foot was twisted at a weird angle and was leaking blood. He was also trembling slightly, but he seemed to have mostly recovered from me shoving all those motes into him and disrupting his cultivation.


    I was going to be nice and keep you asleep while I refined you one piece at a time. Now. Now I am going to make you scream, he said while breathing heavily.


    I am a heavens blessed genius, Yuan Zhou of the Cloudy Moon Sect. You think you can defeat me? Then come, let this genius teach you who you should call grandfather and kowtow to for your insolence, I replied with a lot more bravado than I felt. I shouted out my words loudly to quickly alert anyone listening.


    He bent his good leg and leapt at me. The move was clearly telegraphed. I moved out of the way, and he slammed into the ground where I had been. I moved in behind him and shoved his back as hard as I could. He fell to the ground since he couldnt balance on just one foot. Time was on my side and not his.


    You dare! He roared again.


    I dare. Now take your beating like the son of a demon that you are! I yelled right back. He tried to get up, but each time I shoved him down to the ground again. Then, he kicked and punched, but he had no way to close the distance to me with his foot smashed. He also occasionally trembled from what I had done earlier, so his cultivation was still experiencing trouble.


    About ten minutes after I had first wounded him, a Cloudy Moon Sect member arrived. What is happening here, disciple? he asked me. I let out a sigh of relief.


    That man assaulted me and spoke of refining me. I disabled him, and suspect he is a demonic cultivator of the late second stage or early third stage senior, I quickly replied, so he had all the facts to act as quickly as possible.


    The sect member immediately went on guard and slowly approached the man, who was looking at him fearfully. You disabled him, and he is still alive. Good job disciple


    Inner disciple Yuan Zhou senior, I quickly replied, and the sect member nodded. He turned towards the demonic cultivator, who was trying to crawl away. The senior quickly raced over and plucked him up by the neck with one hand.


    Truly, a demonic cultivator, how bold! You dare to step into Half Moon City in the shadow of the Cloudy Moon Sect. The elders will enjoy questioning you. The seniors other hand shot forward and ripped out a chunk of the mans jaw and mouth. Teeth were scattered everywhere, bouncing on the cobblestones. No biting your tongue or other alchemical nonsense you have in your mouth.


    Senior, he was clearly taking me somewhere. He most likely has a base nearby if he planned to refine me. I explained where he had first grabbed me and the sect member nodded while watching the demonic cultivator carefully.


    Follow me, disciple, the senior said, and we made our way through the streets, while everyone was running into their homes and away. We arrived in a poor part of the city. My senior kept looking at the mans eyes and possibly using a cultivation technique. We arrived at a building.


    My senior kicked open the door to the building, making both floors shudder while still gripping the demonic cultivator in one hand by the neck, dragging him along without any effort. He entered, and I followed him. Doors werent opened, they were ripped aside.


    I moved aside rugs since a demonic cultivator wouldnt keep things out in the open. I found a trap door on the floor.


    Senior, a trapdoor, I pointed out, and he gave me a nod. He slammed the edge of his boot into the floor and kicked up, ripping off a chunk of the floor along with the trap door revealing a hidden basement.

 Chapter 20: The Demonic Blood Sect

    Chapter 20: The Demonic Blood Sect


    I followed my senior down a steep flight of wooden stairs. He was still dragging the half instantiate demonic cultivator around by the neck. In the basement, there was an enormous cauldron and piles of bones off to one side that appeared human.


    In addition, there was a chained starving young boy in a cage who was naked. There were blood splotches and butchering tools located around the room. A demonic alchemical workshop. Inner Disciple Yuan Zhou, guard this building until I return. Touch nothing, not even that child. Let no one enter under the authority of the Cloudy Moon Sect and member Tian Fang.


    Yes, senior Tian Fang, I told him and he quickly departed with the demonic cultivator in hand. I quickly exited the building and could see people gathering. They quickly ducked away as I glared at them in my Cloudy Moon Sect robes.


    I patrolled around the building, making sure no one was trying to get in and reversing up my path while keeping an intense look out. Five minutes after senior Tian Fang left, he returned with four other members of the Cloudy Moon sect.


    Junior greets seniors, I said, and bowed. Then an old woman stepped forward.


    Explain exactly what happened from the beginning and how you encountered the demonic cultivator inner disciple, she said.


    Yes, senior. I was attending a wedding for my sister Yuan Chuntao yesterday and then left the Yao family compound early in the morning. I came across a man dressed as a beggar in the street and stopped to give him some money, but he cast off his cloak and hat. He talked about how he planned to refine me. He lunged at me and tried to knock me unconscious. I pretended to be unconscious since his strength was greater than mine.


    Based on his strength, I guessed he was in the late second stage or the early third stage of his cultivation. He then wrapped me up in his discarded cloak and began carrying me. I got an arm free and struck his back. I pushed 100,000 motes into his body, crippling him.


    After that, I crushed his foot, but could not defeat him fully until Senior Tian Fang showed up. He struck me in the chest once with his leg. Senior Tian Fang easily disabled the demonic cultivator and stopped him from killing himself. I then mentioned he had been taking me somewhere. Using where I had been captured, freed myself, and Senior Tian Fangs excellent discernment, we located this building and the basement senior, I explained.


    That would explain why his cultivation was messed up. Sacrificing so much to disable him, that is impressive, and you have my condolences for your hard work being cast aside, she said.


    It was a fraction of my cultivation senior. Thankfully, it wasnt any more. I wouldnt want to annoy Elder Li Fu, senior, I replied.


    Your name? she asked.


    Yuan Zhou, senior, I replied.


    The heavens blessed genius. Hmmm, interesting. You will be escorted back to the sect to answer any questions the elders might have, she said.


    Yes, senior, I replied. After that, I waited as the sect members began clearing out the building piece by piece. Once the entire building had been cleared out, it was burned down along with the nearby buildings as well. No one complained, and I said nothing. They considered mortals having their homes burned as a small punishment for living next to a demonic cultivator. If any dared to speak up, they would have been killed instantly, along with their entire families.


    Once that was done, they loaded me up into a carriage, along with a bundled up demonic cultivator and Tian Fang. We set off and since my senior didnt speak; I didnt either. After three days of hard riding, we arrived at the base of the sect.


    They forced the demonic cultivator to piss through his clothes. I felt sorry for the poor people who would have to clean the carriage, but Tian Fang clearly wasnt taking any chances. The demonic cultivators fingers were each clamped individually, and his head and neck were in a brace so he couldnt move. They only gave him some water through his ruined mouth, but that was it.


    Once we got back, I followed senior Tian Fang up the steps, who carried the demonic cultivator like a sack of potatoes. I had to push myself to match her pace, but I was used to climbing the stairs after having swept them for so long. At the top of the steps, three elders were waiting, including Elder Li Fu. I bowed and Tian Fang did the same after dumping the demonic cultivator at the feet of the elders.


    One of them approached and put a hand on the mans forehead. Demonic cultivator, blood compression cultivation. Late second stage. He removed his hand.


    How brazen to set up an alchemical workshop in Half Moon City. Explain exactly what happened. You first, inner disciple, the elder said. I quickly recounted my explanation and then they had member Tian Fang do so as well.


    The elders moved away slightly to discuss things in private before coming back over.


    Capturing a demonic cultivator alive is no easy feat. While he probably does not know much, we can hopefully track down his master, who is no doubt a member of the Demonic Blood Cultivation sect. We will handle it from here.


    Member Tian Fang, you showed excellent judgement and defended a junior of the sect. We award you 500 contribution points, Elder Li Fu said. My eyes went wide at that number. I thought the bounty was much lower. Then I realized that was the public bounty. The bounty made out to the sects was much higher, and capturing a demonic cultivator alive was a tremendous accomplishment. He thanked the elders and took away the demonic cultivator after he was dismissed. The elders turned towards me.


    Inner disciple Yuan Zhou. You truly must be favored by the heavens themselves to have assisted in the capture of a demon cultivator alive. I will give you a choice, either 1,000 sect contribution points, or a minor favor.


    This disciple thanks Elder Li Fu. I would ask for the minor favor of being allowed to leave the sect for periods of 90 days to hunt beasts to improve my cultivation.


    Hmm, well, you defeated a demonic cultivator on your own and helped track down his location. Very well, I will inform the administrative hall that you will be allowed to leave the sect for 90-day periods under my authority. Also, go to the healing hall. The sect will cover your care. Good work Inner Disciple Yuan Zhou. You have brought great honor to the Cloudy Moon Sect, Elder Li Fu said.


    I bowed and thanked him, and the elders left. I made my way over to the healing hall to get my bruised ribs checked out. An older woman, who was a sect member, looked at me and shook her head. She gave me a pill, which I swallowed.


    That is a Healing Pill, quite expensive, rare, and hard to make. Normally one costs 100 sect points, she said.


    Thank you, senior, I replied.


    Well, Elder Li Fu must like you, since he allowed it as part of the sect expenses. Now, dont take another healing pill for one year. If you take any other pills in the next year, consult with a healer or alchemist to make sure there are no bad interactions. After a year, there should be nothing to worry about. Your cultivation wont be impacted unless you take something.


    Yes, senior. Thank you, senior. She just shook her head and shooed me out of the healing hall. Well, I had earned some sect credit with Elder Li Fu and got my time extension without hassle. Now I just had to cultivate back all those motes I had lost.


    My side was already feeling better. It had been a rough couple of days, but I had managed thankfully. I was not due back for another four days, so I had time off. I took that time to walk about the sect, breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the great views from the plateau the Cloudy Moon Sect resided on.


    After my four days were up, I confirmed that I now had 90 days of leave from the sect per year. That was nice that Elder Li Fu followed through on my behalf. I reported back to Fan and took up my jobs again. Time to get back to earning those sect contribution points and collecting all the motes I needed.


    I had been so close as well, but if I had entered the Foundation Establishment stage, then that trick wouldnt have worked. Trying to refine me, I was going to refine those demonic cultivators into favors and contribution points, no matter what. I would drag their entire sect in one member at a time to get sect points and favors.


    It might be risky, but after getting a taste of fighting, I found I wasnt that averse to it. The power to crush my foes and enemies was exhilarating. Getting paid for it was even better. The big problem was that demonic cultivators didnt wear signs and advertise themselves.


    But after I was done with the beasts at the third stage, I might look for demonic cultivators during the fourth stage to really rake in those benefits. I also looked up the rewards the Imperial Sect offered for demonic cultivators.


    The earlier numbers were just for reporting them and were paid out to non-sect members. The Cloudy Moon Sect would get the equivalent of 2,000 rank 1 spirit stones, which was the value of half the century required tribute for a stage two demonic cultivator. A stage one would only pay 1,000 rank 1 spirit stones.


    A stage three demonic cultivator would pay out 5,000 rank 1 spirit stones. A stage four demonic cultivator paid out 10,000 rank 1 spirit stones. The elders clearly got a lot out of that capture, and I wanted to cry at being scammed.


    Well, it wasnt a huge scam. Getting 90 days of leave as a disciple required a lot of sect contribution points. The number was unclear, but they valued a minor favor from an elder at 1,000 sect contribution points. Since if something happened, they would have to bear the headache of dealing with the fallout.


    Even elders needed contribution points and resources. Giving me increased leave but pocketing 1,500 rank 1 spirit stones was quite a good trade for Elder Li Fu. He got materials for whatever he wanted to use them for and possibly more leads to other demonic cultivators.


    But I was just a lowly inner sect disciple, so they had all the power and authority to do what they wanted, and I had gotten what I wanted. So, while they benefited from doing almost nothing, that was one benefit of managing the sect day to day.


    Foolishness! She lightly smacked me on my head. What you have done, and the number of motes you have taken in, is something unheard of. I thought Li Fu was playing a prank on me. No one could be this idiotic, stupid, foolish, brain dead, and a blight to all intelligent life! I kept my mouth shut. The older looking woman who was a sect member and had first looked at me appeared shocked.


    Your astral soul is on the verge of collapse. Your body has only held together since you have so many motes. That is the only reason why your astral hasnt since it is extra tough, but if you keep doing what you are doing, you will rip it apart. Also, your physical body is under great strain with all those motes inside of you. Let me guess. No one told you about the medical risks of your cultivation plan?


    No, elder healer, I replied.


    Foolishness! It is too late to cast aside the motes you have. They are trapped inside of you. You can cultivate, of course, but you are crippled.


    What?! I asked in surprise.


    Only lightly, but even then, the number of channels you will have is dangerous. You will tear yourself apart from the strain, most likely. She held up her hand as I opened up my mouth. Dont speak. Your foolishness sickens me.


    I closed my mouth and Elder Healer Meihui continued. You are not to cultivate for three days. I mean it. No cultivation. That should stabilize things hopefully. The damage isnt permanent, but it is close. Anymore and your astral soul will rip. Come back here in three days.


    Yes, elder healer, I said, and she snorted.


    Long term. I dont even know, since no one has ever been this idiotic. How many motes? I know it is over a million.


    1,788,606, elder healer, I said.


    Foolishness! she shouted. I sat there quietly with my head bowed. Three days, I mean it. Long term, I know you wont stop cultivating. And with all those motes, you will want to rush forward. If this was the damage done with a couple cycles of twelve motes, then you should be okay at six. But you will need regular checkups.


    Also, you will need medicine to ensure your astral soul heals during all of this. If you wish to cultivate at a high intensity, then you will need time in the Astral Stabilization chamber. The formation will make sure the fraying is reduced. We use it for injured members as they attempt to rebuild their cultivation.


    It wont be cheap either. Whoever paid for you to get all those motes will have to pay for this as well. I would recommend a treatment session once a month for half a day. It might be a bit more or less as I monitor you going forward.


    How much elder healer? I asked.


    Half a day would cost 100 sect contribution points. I wanted to die at that amount. Or you could fund the 100 spirit stones needed to run it. I really wanted to cry now.


    Should I get a session now? I asked.


    Yes. And we charge healing prices at cost. But proper healing is expensive. Who is your master? I plan to yell at them for a bit, she said.


    Master Yi Rong passed about a decade ago, I said.


    Then I shall curse his grave for allowing this to happen and Li Fu will hear a piece of my mind. Give me your badge. I handed it over. She deducted 100 points from it without even asking me and then gave it back. Come! I followed her out of the treatment room.


    She led me to a door and into an underground chamber with a bench. Sit there, focus on your breathing and the edge of your astral soul.


    Yes, elder healer, I said, and she left, slamming the stone door closed behind her. The chamber glowed a light blue, and I felt the constant pain diminish.


    I sat there into the night, and then the chamber finally stopped glowing. Surprisingly, I was feeling much better. I had taken this time to move my motes back into their proper positions. The door to the chamber slid open and Elder Healer Meihui was back.


    Come, she said more calmly than before. They brought me back to the treatment room. Elder Li Fu was there as well. She had me sit and checked my body once again.


    The fraying was corrected. His astral soul is quite resilient, but cultivating that many motes at once is impossible, she said to Elder Li Fu. No doctor patient confidentiality around here when you were a disciple.


    I see, but you say he could handle six? Elder Li Fu asked.


    Possibly, with checkups and time in the Astral Stabilization chamber. Even then, it will be risky for him. The only other option would be an Astral Recovery Pill, but those would be even more expensive. Or if someone is hiding it, an Astral Soul Stabilizer, she said.


    No, neither of those. Disciple Yuan Zhou is walking the path of defiance. New and uncharted territory, Elder Li Fu said while looking at me. Well, he might come up with something. An Astral Recovery Pill would cost 5,000 sect points and would have to be specifically requested. It would last about a year, isnt that right? Elder Li Fu asked Elder Healer Meihui.


    Yes, it would. But it would only do so much. For 6 motes, a cultivating session constantly, even such a pill would struggle. To do 12 is impossible long term and would only worsen his condition, she answered.


    Elder Li Fu nodded at this. As for the Astral Soul Stabilizer, it would be an astral device that is implanted into your soul. I can see your curiosity. The issue with such a thing is that it is immensely valuable. To put a price on it, even if someone had one, they would not easily part with one, it would be 500,000 sect contribution points at a minimum. That was insane.


    I see you understand. It also requires a rare material to be made, an astral shard. Remnants of lost things in the astral plane, where your soul resides. Only an elder has the qualifications to make such a trip with their physical body and risk retrieving something like that. Even for a child, no elder would undertake such a risk lightly.


    Then if they retrieved it, well, it would need to be made into an Astral Soul Stabilizer and implanted into you. That would require knowledge. Only one elder and the Sect Leader are qualified to make astral equipment. That is why such a thing would be quite expensive.


    There is one other option, Elder Healer Meihui said.


    Oh, what would it be? Elder Li Fu asked.


    He could go himself, she replied. He would probably die, but you claim he is a genius blessed by the heavens themselves. The hardest part of the Astral Soul Stabilizer is getting an astral shard. The rest isnt that much.


    You just dont want to deal with this, Elder Li Fu said.


    I also am curious to see what will happen in the third and fourth stage. If he dies, it was not meant to be. He chose this path. We might as well toss him to the wolves and either see him progress or not waste our time or resources, she said.


    He could make it to the third stage with just normal methods, Elder Li Fu said.


    But that would be it. There would be no time for anything else. Almost one point eight million motes. He will be stuck at the second stage trying to get to the third stage and then die.


    The astral plane is something even I would not take lightly, and you want to toss him in? Elder Li Fu asked again.


    That is my official recommendation after thinking about the situation. I would even be willing to pay for the entry cost. Elder Li Fus eyebrows went up at that.


    Truly? Well, we should probably explain this option to Yuan Zhou before he dies of curiosity. Well, my second stage of cultivation would not be as simple or easy as I thought.

 Chapter 21: The Astral Plane

    Chapter 21: The Astral Plane


    Elder Li Fu and Elder Healer Meihui both fixed their intense gazes on me. The second stage of my cultivation would progress too slowly without an astral shard to construct an Astral Soul Stabilizer. Astral shards could only be found on the dangerous astral plane, which even posed a threat to elders.


    "The cost to enter the astral plane is not insignificant for a person''s physical body. Your soul, your astral soul, exists on a single point in that plane. The fifth stage is about expanding that limit against the pressure of the astral plane," Elder Li Fu explained.


    I nodded, trying to understand. "The cost to enter would be four level 4 spirit stones to form a portal for your physical body to pass through. Elder Healer Meihui has generously offered to cover this cost," he added. She wanted me to either succeed or die, and I only favored one of those outcomes. Clearly, healers in cultivation land didn''t adhere to the Hippocratic Oath.


    "Once inside, you would have to survive encounters with astral beasts and traverse the treacherous astral plane until you found an astral shard. The true challenge would be returning. Things shift, so even if we wanted to keep a portal open, we couldn''t."


    "You also lack the ability to use techniques to exit the astral plane. That means you would have to find a natural emergence point to the physical world, evade the astral beasts, and then make your way back to the sect with the astral shard," Elder Li Fu continued.


    "Additionally, the astral winds will damage your astral soul, so you must hurry. It''s a difficult task, but you might have a chance. I would estimate a ten-day limit before there is crippling soul damage, wouldn''t you agree, Elder Healer Meihui?" She nodded in agreement.


    "Yes, ten days would be the maximum before the damage became too severe. That''s about as many supplies as you could carry anyway."


    "It isn''t impossible, and you might die, but an Astral Soul Stabilizer would solve your problems. If you managed to return, I would persuade the Sect Master to make one for you at no cost, with Elder Healer Meihui''s support, of course."


    "Indeed, it would be valuable research to observe such a device in action against twelve-mote alignment cultivation. To counteract that many vibrations of ones astral soul would be quite impressive," she added. These people were mad scientists. I knew that before, but now I truly grasped it. They wouldn''t care if I died, but they were eager to see if I could accomplish this challenge.


    "Alright, but no sect fees until I return, and no back charges either," I said, ensuring I wouldn''t be burdened with a huge bill upon my return.


    "Of course, that''s a minor issue," Elder Li Fu agreed with a smile, and Elder Healer Meihui nodded. They likely thought I was going to meet a gruesome end and were happy to be rid of me and the headache I represented. I noted that no one was volunteering to go with me.


    Easily handled for a case such as this under my authority. Hmm, your astral soul needs to recover a bit, so lets say ten days from now. That should be more than enough after your session in the Soul Stabilization chamber.


    It will take that long to prepare a portal site, also you should use this time to read up on the astral plane. You wont be able to do anything to the creatures there, but you might come up with something clever, you will be given access to the astral section of the elders library during these next ten days, Elder Li Fu said.


    Also, no more cultivation for those ten days and come back after three days so I can check you, Elder Healer Meihui said. After that I was sent on my way trying to process everything. It was almost dawn. I made my way to the assignment hall and sat outside, waiting for Fan to show up.


    Yuan Zhou, what are you waiting out here for? he asked while stuffing his face with an egg wrap of some kind.


    I will need to cancel both my jobs for the foreseeable future. I dont know when I will return, I said.


    Leaving the sect? Fan asked and I shook my head.


    No, I am being sent on a journey to fix my cultivation, I replied.


    Hmm, well that sounds dangerous. Thanks for letting me know. Good luck and remember the most important thing of any journey is good food, he said and I nodded at that.


    Thanks Fan, I told him and left. I got some breakfast and then went to my room. I screamed into my pillow in frustration. The astral plane? Neither of them thought I would make it. They were just using this as an excuse to get rid of the headache I represented. If I did return, then they could just say that they believed the Heavens would protect me or some other nonsense like that.


    One of them could come with me, but neither of them offered. That was how I knew this was complete and utter garbage, but I couldnt refuse. They were both right. I needed to fix this issue so I could cultivate quickly, and an Astral Soul Stabilizer appeared to be the only realistic option.


    I could pay for time in the Soul Stabilization chamber, but it would be slower, and deplete the resources I was hoping to build up for the third stage. I wanted the best possible option possible, that meant getting an Astral Soul Stabilizer.


    After I was done screaming into my pillow, I decided that I needed something positive to boost my mood. I had been holding off since entering the second stage, but now seemed like the right time. I brought out the low rank spatial ring. I focused on the motes already aligned and then on the ring.


    The energy moved and an image snapped into my mind. There was a sheathed sword, two bound tomes, and a letter. Focusing, I reached out and grabbed the items as the spaces overlapped in front of me and set the objects on my bed. The space was fairly long and narrow, to accommodate a weapon.


    The sword was a double-sided blade, which was way too big for my small stature. I looked at the letter and it was addressed to me.


    Personal Disciple Yuan Zhou,


    I am not good at writing things. But I have written this to let you know my thoughts. You are a genius. Do not be daunted by the impossible. I can see aspects of your cultivation plan that make me sigh and call you foolish. But I am a failure.


    There are only a handful of immortals and one thing I have heard about all of them is that they laughed when people called them foolish. You must defy the heavens themselves to grasp immortality. I entrust you my personal notes on my cultivation.


    They are most likely useless, and I already shared my insights, but I would have you submit them to the sect on my behalf as a personal disciple whose master has passed should. I was too cautious, too timid, and too weak to attempt anything you are trying. And now I am dead.


    The second tome is the instruction manual on the Parting Cloud Sword Style. It was developed by Elder Yi Meifeng, an ancestor of mine. She taught it to me and entrusted me with this knowledge and the blade. In time I hope she will look as fondly on you as she did me.


    Regardless, that is a rank 5 blade. My greatest treasure besides my spatial ring. On the blade itself was etched my favorite saying, One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth. The instruction manual will explain more. It will not be much use to you until the fourth rank, but the blade itself is mighty. To strike with it, would cut through almost anything, even the defenses of an elder.


    That is all, my foolish disciple blessed by the Heavens, but I was a foolish master.


    Cultivator Yi Rong


    I set the letter down and sighed. I picked the sword up and carefully unsheathed it by pulling it out of its sheathe while it was resting on my bed. It was heavy, very heavy, but I could lift it barely. Even with my cultivation. It was about 2.5 feet long or just under 0.8 of a meter. That was just the blade. The hilt was a bit more.


    I was about 4.5 feet tall or 1.3 meters. I could see the characters etched into the blade. The hilt had a large cloudy gem partially covered up with metal to look like the Cloudy Moon Sect symbol. I carefully put the sword back into its sheath.


    I carefully put the sword, instruction manual, all 165 of my spirit stones, and a money pouch of 100 tael into the spatial ring. I hung the ring back under my sect robes. I left and got some food before going to the center of the sect where the Sect Leaders home was and the attached second library only available to elders.


    I went up to the doors of the library and they opened automatically. I entered and a core disciple paused mid-bow. This area is for elders only, he said.


    Junior greets senior. I have permission to look in the astral section by Elder Li Fu, I replied. I could see that the disciple was a core disciple by the three clouds covering the moon on his robes.


    Name? he asked.


    Entering, I slowly floated forwards, the sword held in front of me like a spear. If anything came at me, it would impale itself first. I was hoping a blade of this caliber could kill astral beasts or make them think twice.


    I arrived at a dimly lit cavern in the center of the large rock. There was always a little light everywhere no matter what. There was a large astral beast, which looked like tentacle type, curled up around a glowing white shard.


    While they couldnt consume them, astral beasts were known to like astral shards.


    Free me.


    I blinked as I heard a voice echo in my head. The astral beast didnt twitch. The astral shard had spoken to me. It was unknown what they were originally from, but they were quite valuable as high rank sixth material.


    A thousand thousand. Power untold.


    Thank you shard, but shut up, I was trying to focus. I brought up my blade and looked carefully at the astral beast. Tentacle beasts were tough, since their main body was buried under all those tentacles. I looked around at the nearby terrain. The astral beast was like two squids that had been merged together with tentacles coming off in every direction.


    I took aim and then shot forward. The sword plunged through a tentacle and then into the astral beasts main body. I didnt hesitate and visualized myself instantly moving back while I gripped my blade. The beast began to twist as I pulled the blade free.


    While it hadnt bothered me too much since there was always the slight sound of static in my ears in the astral plane, the astral beast did not make a noise as it trashed about. I retreated to one of the smaller tunnels. The astral beast spun and rushed at me. I kept retreating up the tunnel as it raced after me.


    After clearing the tunnel, I rushed over to another one and back inside the large rock, the astral beast right on my heels. I focused and pulled out a spirit stone from my spatial ring. Once inside the main chamber, I tossed the stone to the side slightly.


    I kept flying towards the astral shard and visualized the carrying case in front of me, while putting the unsheathed sword in the spatial ring. The carrying case was already unlatched and I quickly moved the case around the floating shard and snapped the case shut. I took off again, the astral beast right behind me after having overcome the distraction of the spirit stone.


    After leaving the rock I picked a direct and kept flying. The astral beast was matching my speed. That was another thing, everything moved at the same speed regardless of power. Only direction changed here. Astral beasts didnt need to rest and were relentless, which was the real problem. I tossed out ten spirit stones from my spatial ring.


    The astral beast paused, confused as it lashed out and consumed the spirit stones. I got a lot more distance on the tentacled astral beast. It didnt pursue me any more thankfully. I then made sure the carrying case was secure and put it in my ring and took my sword back out.


    I flew forward, sword in hand. I had spent six days finding the astral shard, but there was no sign of a natural portal to the regular world. Also, that voice was concerning. I found a rock to hunker down in to rest one last time before I spent the last few days constantly looking before I died. The itch was a lot worse, which would make sleep impractical after this.


    After getting some rest, I pulled out the carrying case and opened it up. The glowing white shard floated inside the carrying case. Are you aware? I asked.


    Join me.


    You need to user proper sentences, what are you? I asked.


    A thousand thousand.


    Can you help me find an exit? I asked.


    Power untold.


    It was a mentally ill astral shard. I snapped the case shut and put it away. I had been hoping for some help here, but it could only whisper things to me. Touching it was a big no. But there hadnt been anything about an astral shard communicating.


    Well time to get looking again. I set out once more into the astral plane hoping I would get lucky again and find a natural exit portal.


    On the ninth day I was starting to get really worried when I saw a large black spot in the distance. Well might as well see what super beast was there before I died. I was resigned to my fate at this point. A quick death was better than having my soul erode. I flew in the direction of the black spot. I couldnt see any astral beasts and I could only tell I entered the black region as it quickly grew to encompass my flanks and then the rainbow technicolor hell was a blob behind me.


    The itching died down. Oh, maybe there was no astral wind here. But what was causing this? I looked around but there was just utter blackness in front of me. I backed up and circled the blackness along the outer edge. I kept the rainbow hell behind me as I orbited whatever was hiding in the center.


    Either come in or leave! a deep male voice called out and I froze. I could hear that with my ears. Well, if it was an invitation, I wouldnt be rude. I might just find a way out of here. I floated towards the center of the darkness and put away my sword. I didnt want to start a fight I had no chance of winning. Anything that lived out here and could speak was completely out of my league.


    That was when a massive golden eye opened up in front of me. I felt like I was going to get crushed. So, what is a humanoid doing out here. Come to fight? This thing asked. I couldnt see a mouth and its eye was about my height.


    Junior greets senior, I was looking for an astral shard to fix my cultivation and found one, now I am trying to leave, I replied.


    Oh, a cultivator, your kind dont like coming out here. And when they do, they like to fight. No one talks. Show me this astral shard, it said. I didnt dare refuse and pulled out the carrying case from my spatial ring and opened it.


    The eye peered into the case and I heard a snort. An astral shard, well the shard part is right at least, and it is probably what you want, put it away. I closed up the case and put it back into my spatial ring. Hmm, well I could help you leave, but that would mean moving and I am quite comfortable. Tell me about yourself, the thing said. The only thing I knew about it was its large yellow eye and silted pupil staring at me.


    My name is Yuan Zhou. I am an inner disciple of the Cloudy Moon Sect in the Soaring Peak Province. I grew up in Half Moon City and from a young age I was aware. I continued narrating my story leaving out my reincarnated nature. Once I got to the present time and finished the thing spoke again. I had even presented it with a spirit stone which had disappeared the moment I had held it up. It hadnt interrupted the entire time.


    Interesting. Very interesting. To grab particles of energy to gain power and to forcibly alter oneself in this way. I always wondered about this cultivation, but it is nothing impressive. Well, you entertained me despite disturbing my nap little cultivator. Also, that spirit stone you gave me is amusing. To concentrate energy into a core, those beasts truly are idiots.


    Well, I will give you two boons. You can ask me a single question and I will send you back to your little portion of the Firmament.


    My mind raced. The creature clearly had no knowledge of cultivation, and it didnt use a human system. Whatever it used to gain strength was probably incompatible with me. I didnt dare ask it anything personal since it might offend the creature. I couldnt not ask a question or the same reason. If that astral shard was going to be made into something that would be placed inside of me, I wanted to know what it was exactly.


    What is an astral shard, it spoke in my head and said a thousand thousand and asked to be free? I asked this thing. For all I knew it could just be a floating eye watching me, but I felt there was a lot more behind that eye staring at me.


    It is a thought made manifest. A seed of a Great Devourer that has been split and broken. Its words are remnants of the being that spawned it. There are a thousand multiplied by a thousand of them spawned and spread across the Firmament per batch. Each looking to consume. Many are broken during this process and you are left with a shard. It merely remembers that primal memory when it was formed as it seeks to complete is purpose of becoming a new Great Devourer.


    As for its current state, I would not worry. It is just a small fraction of a seed. Your elders as you call them will not even hear the voice and it has no intelligence. It is just lashing out. A larger shard would be much more dangerous and a whole seed would force even me to rouse to crush it. That meant that whatever the Great Devourer was, it was probably at or maybe even beyond immortal level. This thing had fought elder cultivators, since he knew about cultivators, and only elder cultivators came into the astral plane. The seed matched this being, which meant a seed was elder level and the Great Devourer was immortal level or higher.


    The Great Devourer was not a nice sounding name for something pleasant either. Now relax. I am going to propel to the nearest portal to your home.


    Thank you senior for your help and kind words, I replied to this thing.


    Well you amused me and crushing you would not have been worth the effort of moving. Come back in the future so we can battle to the death to see who is stronger. Goodbye, the eye shut, and I was suddenly out of the blackness which grew to a tiny speck hurtling away through the Astral Plane. I never wanted to come back to this psychedelic rainbow hellscape.

 Chapter 22: Where Am I?

    Chapter 22: Where Am I?


    The black spot disappeared, and I turned myself around as the colors rushed past me. I saw astral beasts glance at me, but they were too slow. Whatever that being was, it could alter speed inside the astral plane. Even elder cultivators could not do that.


    At least it considered me too weak and amusing to kill. I saw a rippling orb in front of me after traveling for about a minute at super speed. There appeared to be greenery and the physical world on the other side. I hit the orb and came tumbling out into a forest.


    I rolled along the ground and slammed into a tree. Taking a moment to catch my breath, I slowly got to my feet and looked around. It was a forest, but I had no idea where I was exactly. It didnt look like one of the local forests, but I couldnt be sure. I would need to find civilization.


    I removed my mask and breathed in the fresh air. I put the mask away inside my spatial ring and considered what direction I should head. Downhill and following any streams or rivers was my best bet. Once I reached the coast or a city, I could hire a carriage to transport me back to the sect. I set off with a smile on my face.


    Despite the impossible odds, I had done it. I had retrieved an astral shard, which was a shard of the seed of the Great Devourer. Well, that thing didnt seem that worried about using it, so I wouldnt worry either. I then paused and realized it had said a Great Devourer instead of the Great Devourer. That meant there might be more than one super monster with that name out there.


    Well, it wasnt my problem. Once I was an immortal and standing at the top of the continent, then I could worry about Great Devourers. Until then, that was someone elses problem. It was like worrying about the sun exploding billions of years from now. A pointless worry that would just waste my time. I trudged through the forest in the direction that appeared to be downhill. The trees were quite old and large.


    I only had a days worth of supplies remaining in my pack and a single Digestive Cleansing Pill. Minor issues. I could go for a while, and I just needed to find a stream. Eventually after a half the day when it was getting it dark, I heard some water running.


    There was a small stream, one I could easily leap across, but at least it was running water. I stopped to eat the rest of my food and water. I used my Digestive Cleansing Pill after that. I couldnt afford to be caught with my pants down right now. Once I was back in civilization I could relax.


    Also, I would take a break from cultivating for at least the next month. Based on my conversations with Elder Healer Meihui I should take a month off unless I took any medicine or went into a Soul Stabilization chamber after my stint in the astral plane.


    While the damage from astral winds and aligning multiple motes was different, she had called me foolish and told me I had better wait until I cultivated again. Then she had lightly slapped me on top of the head and told me to focus on other things.


    A month would allow the damage I had accumulated to fade away. The constant itching across my skin was still there, but it had decreased by a lot and slowly going away. The biggest problem was that very few cultivators below the fifth stage entered the astral plane, and even fewer returned alive.Visit  for the best novel reading experience


    After finishing my meal of salted meat and water, I slowly made my way along the stream. It was getting dark, so I had to be careful of my footing. That was when I saw something glowing in the distance. I pulled out my sword that was on my back as a beast burst out of the woods.


    It was the size of a car and it raced towards me roaring, RAAWR!


    AHHH! I screamed and leapt forward with a lunge forward, sword held outwards. It struck the shoulder of the beast and just kept going. The beast turned its head to bite me, but it was too slow since I was diving forward through the air, sword outstretched and had tried to avoid it with the limited intelligence it had. Blood, muscle, organs, bones, the sword just passed through them all and kept going. Our momentum carried us past each other.


    I barely kept a grip on the blade and managed not to cut myself in half as I landed on the ground and rolled. The idea for a lunge like that came from my time on the astral plane. But it was not a real sword technique when there was gravity and three dimensional movement. I slowly got to my feet and turned towards the beast, bringing around my sword with both my hands.


    The beast had stumbled a bit more, but the blow I had delivered was excessive. A long gash had cut through the side of it and pieces poured out of the beast, leaving a mess. It had collapsed and was dying rapidly.


    I walked over quickly and got my right arm out of my sect robe. I then plunged my hand into the beast and ripped out a level 1 spirit stone before it could break apart. I then made my way to the stream and cleaned my arm, sword, and spirit stone off. I put the spirit stone in my spatial ring and the sword back in its sheathe.


    I set off again, I needed to make tracks before more beasts showed up to devour their kin. I hadnt brought any of the equipment for hunting. There was only so much room in my pack and my focus had been on the astral plane and astral beasts, not the regular kind of beasts.


    Night arrived, but I kept following the stream. It was hard and I was tired, but I needed to keep moving if I was going to get back to civilization safely. How stupid would that be, surviving the astral plane and getting an astral shard, to die by a to a regular beast just wandering about.


    The stream was getting bigger at least as I continued to follow it and it merged with other streams. Dawn came and around the middle of the day, I stumbled across a stone bridge and a dirt road. Roads between major cities were paved, but a dirt road was useful, but it ran perpendicular to the stream. The stone bridge was fused, which indicated a cultivator had most likely made it sometime, which was a good sign.


    I didnt know what direction to go. I was going to follow the road, but I had no idea which direction. I just picked right and went that way. Later in the afternoon, I came across a paved road it was connected to and let out a sigh of relief. It was probably a mining road, only without gravel and I had picked the right direction.


    Since I had found a road, I put away my sword. It barely fit in the spatial ring with the carrying case, but it was too valuable to just carry on me and visible to everyone. A rank 5 blade probably cost at least 50,000 sect contribution points.


    That represented decades of labor to purchase. I was not qualified to have such a blade or my low rank spatial ring. It would be too easy for someone to kill me and stael them. I got out my pouch of 100 tael and put 50 back into my spatial ring and put a single spirit stone inside the pouch. Nowhere near my total wealth, but a reasonable amount for a second stage disciple to have on them.


    Now which way on the main road. There were no signs, but I could see dirt being dragged to my left off the dirt road onto the main road. I picked that direction and stayed near the right edge of the road, keeping my eyes and ears open.


    It was getting dark, when I finally saw a wall ahead of me. Civilization at last, thank goodness. Time to find out where I was exactly. I moved to the middle of the road and approached the wall with confidence. I was a cultivator of a sect. Even if I was in a domain controlled by another sect, I would be politely sent on my way. I was just a disciple, and I didnt have anything that valuable on me at first glance.


    There were four guards standing outside the closed gate and I saw more on top of the wall. They watched me approach in the fading light. I didnt recognize the city flag or the symbol on their armor. Instead of a half moon it was a clawed paw.


    Greetings, I am Inner Disciple Yuan Zhou of the Cloudy Moon Sect, I greeted the guards. They quickly bowed their heads and then one stepped forward.


    Greetings, Cultivator Yuan Zhou. I am afraid that Five Claw City has been closed by orders of the Thousand Sword Sect, the guard said.


    Closed? Why would an entire city be closed? I asked tiredly.


    I would not dare guess about the affairs of cultivators, the guard said. That was annoying but made sense. He didnt want to get into trouble. I let out a small sigh.


    Is there anyone higher up you can contact? I would be willing to pay them and you for the inconvenience. Five taels for you and five for your men. And a spirit stone to the person who can show up and deal with this, I replied. The guard looked pained at this. It was a hefty bribe just to get into the walls and we all knew it.


    I am sorry, but my orders were quite strict. No entry, not even from caravans while the Thousand Sword Sect has issued its orders.


    It would be showing my Cloudy Moon Sect great face if you could figure something out, I have been lost in the wilderness for some time and merely seek to find out where I am before moving on and returning return to my sect, I replied.


    I am sorry Cultivator Yuan Zhou. I do not have the authority to let you inside and was left with strict instructions. I frowned at this.


    So, you would have me camp at the side of the road like a beggar? I asked harshly.


    No, please forgive me, but if I let you in, then my head will be removed, he said and bowed his head.


    There was an older gentleman in the carriage with a young girl as well and they didnt appear to be cultivators and kept silent, since I would need to open up conversation first as their senior. I wasnt interested. I just wanted to find a decent place to sort myself out for a few days and just sleep and eat.


    I was exhausted from my adventure. Halt! A voice called out. Exit the carriage. The old man and young girl looked worried, but I would deal with this. I left the carriage and there were three cultivators with a Clawed Hand Sect symbol on their robes. In addition, they had large metal claws on their right hands.


    Junior greets seniors, I said with a slight bow.


    Who are you? one of them asked.


    I am Inner Disciple Yuan Zhou of the Cloudy Moon Sect. I was lost and ended up at Five Claw City. I immediately got a carriage to return to my sect since I have no part in your dispute or conflict senior, I said and bowed slightly at that.


    One of the cultivators came up to the carriage and dragged out the girl and old man. We have them. I stood off to the side quietly. The leader took the girl in his hands and then killed the old man with a swipe of his metal claw. He didnt have time to react as he was ripped apart and died.


    Dispose of them. We will return with her, the leader said and left. What?! That was bullshit. Two of the cultivators left with the girl, leaving me behind along with the carriage driver and the enemy cultivator. He moved and killed the carriage driver before the man could even protest.


    This was bullshit! I wasnt involved! I didnt see anything! I focused and reached out as the enemy cultivator raced for me. I grabbed onto the hilt of the sword and planted my feet to brace myself. The sword materialized in front of me, and his gut was impaled on the sheath. I stumbled backwards and he collapsed to the ground, wheezing heavily. I swung my hands to the side and the sheath went flying off the sword. I then stabbed forward as the cultivator tried to get off the ground.


    My sword pierced his head. He jerked slightly and then slid off the end of my blade. I looked around, but the horses had only slightly stirred. They were trained not to panic no matter what as carriage horses going between cities. I wiped my blade on the dead cultivators sect robes and put my sword and sheath away.


    Time to make tracks. Sorry young girl, but you werent my problem. Hopefully they didnt refine you or rape you, but that was life. Some people were born destined to die. I was going to live. I checked the man I had killed. A pouch of nine spirit stones, a sect badge which I didnt dare touch, his clawed weapon which I put in my spatial ring since it was clearly made of spirit metal. Sorry spatial ring, you were packed to the breaking point, but you just had to deal.


    I came across a leather pouch inside his robes. I carefully checked inside, and my eyes went wide. It was a book. I pulled it out and checked it. It was a basic book on body cultivation. I shoved it into my spatial ring, which was at maximum capacity now. I then tucked the leather pouch back in his robes and put two spirit stones inside the pouch. Hopefully that would make people question if he was really robbed and create confusion.


    I paused since I could see the core of the man inside of him. Before peoples cores were blocked out, but now I could see it like a beast. I pulled out my arm from my sleeve and plunged it inside of him. I felt something hard and pulled it out. It was a core of some kind, but instead of being smooth like a beast core it was bumpy. Once it was removed it stopped breaking down. I carefully slid it into my spatial ring, which I could feel resisting putting in the tiny core with how full it was.


    Wiping off my bloody hand, I then dragged the cultivators corpse off the road and then did the same for the corpse of the old man and the driver, tossing them on top of the cultivator. I had no idea what someone would make of this crime scene, but it was time to get the hell out of here.


    I climbed up on the drivers seat and picked up the reigns. I snapped them. Hah! The horses took off down the road. I was slightly richer than before with stuff I didnt know the value of. What was the value of a human core? I had no idea. But if I could use it to enhance my own cultivation I would. It was a resource after all and wasting resources was a bad thing.


    There were buildings constructed along the road travelers could use. They werent maintained, but it was a cultural thing to leave them just a bit better than one found them. I didnt bother stopping. The horses bred for inter-city travel were tough and the four pulling the carriage were no exception.


    After two days of traveling, even they were getting exhausted, and it was hard not to dose off. I pulled off in a rest area and uncoupled them to let them rest. There were supplies on the back of the carriage which I removed to feed them and got water from a nearby well. I slept that night hidden in the rest area, there was no one else there.


    In the morning I hooked up the horses to the carriage and set off again at a high speed. The next city in this direction was only six days away by carriage. I would arrive and then pay for another carriage immediately after getting a change of clothing. I had also added some more tael and two spirit stones to my money pouch from my spatial ring.


    No one caught up with me, but I wasnt going to relax until I was five cities away at the very least. Having an entire sect come after me was a scary thought. It wasnt so much about that disciple I had killed, he was too weak to be a member, but the fact that I had killed him to begin with and it would damage the reputation of the sect to let a killer go.


    After a certain point it just wasnt worthwhile and they could make up some story about killing me, but that meant I had to get past that point. I judged five cities to be a safe distance. In the third or fourth city, I would hire a body double just in case, and pay for them to go to another city. I might do that in both cities to make it even more confusing.


    Trying to trace my trail would become a nightmare. I arrived at the next city and was let through the walls without incident. I got some looks since I was a cultivator driving a carriage, but people just assumed someone more important was inside and didnt ask questions.


    I left the carriage at the depot and paid a fee for it to be maintained for five days for five taels. I then made my way into the main part of the city and found a tailor. After throwing ten taels at them, I got a new set of high end mortal clothing and packed away from sect robes into my pack.


    With that done, I made my way back to the carriage stand and hired an express carriage to the next city for twenty taels and immediately set off. I rested in the carriage as it made good time away from the mess. I had spent a lot of money, but sticking around was just too risky.


    Since I didnt have to drive, I took a look at the cultivation manual I had gotten. It just covered the basics which were very similar to the soul cultivation method I used. Except that the motes were aligned with a persons physical body, not their astral soul.


    In the later stages, body cultivators would be very hard to kill, but they couldnt use elemental techniques. It also appeared that the fifth stage was a result from imploding their core, instead of exploding it. I considered the core I had extracted from the cultivator I had killed.


    If I was reading this manual correctly, then he had been near the start of the second stage. The core had been physically made, but wasnt filled with energy. And there were no channels. No, his channels werent there. He had made his core first but no channels yet, so the start of the second stage. No wonder he was so weak.


    Using disciples to fight? The Clawed Hand Sect sure was desperate or didnt take me seriously. Didnt they know that the younger the cultivator the more dangerous they are? Maybe they thought I was just a brat from a sect, but why would I be traveling without a guardian>


    Clearly their intelligence was lacking. That was the joke I had heard a couple of times at the yearly celebration in the Cloudy Moon Sect, that body cultivators had muscles for brains. Still, this was a complete guide that I had picked up, just without specific technique details.


    To let such information outside of their sect written down was foolish. No wonder why the Clawed Hand Sect was kicked out of their own city. I felt a bit better but would still take my precautions and use decoys just in case.


    No sense in using half measures to conceal my departure from Five Claw City. But this manual gave me an idea about my secondary false core. When my four main cores detonated, I could use that explosion to create an implosion.


    It would let me advance to the fifth stage on the path of both body and soul cultivation. I would need to decide sooner than later since I was aligning motes. Hmm, instead of a sphere, I could use the design they had, which was this bubbly structure.


    There wasnt a clear reason in the manual, but the idea was to probably induce fracture points to the core. An implosion was triggered by surging the compression in ones core. So having fracture points would make this easier.


    Imploding a physical core would draw in energy as a vortex to enhance ones body instead of forming a true soul. But I knew that soul cultivators would look to draw in energy at the later stages and to perfect their understanding of a Dao concept.


    It appeared body cultivators did it the other way. They set up their future cultivation by drawing in energy from their core implosion. Then in the later stages sought to build up their true soul and perfect their understanding of a Dao concept.


    That implied there was a third cultivation method where one would use their core in some way to gain an understanding of the Dao. But it was all based on motes. One couldnt use both body and soul cultivation since their astral soul would destabilize.


    Then I realized what this entire trip had been about and smiled. It was to get the material for an Astral Soul Stabilizer. I could align my false secondary core with physical motes and the channels for that core with the physical side.


    Then when my core four main cores exploded, I would implode the secondary core at the same time! I had an image in my mind of Elder Li Fu screaming foolish and Elder Healer Meihui slapping me on the head and yelling at me. Still, it sounded like a great idea.

 Chapter 23: Three Years Traveling

    Chapter 23: Three Years Traveling


    I was used to the various types of carriages. Some had springs, some didnt. I liked the ones with springs a lot more. Some had cushions, some didnt. I liked the one with cushions. I had been working on aligning motes while I traveled. I wasnt touching the secondary core or its channels. But there was nothing else for me to do in the long carriage rides.


    Exploring the cities or the vistas might be interesting, but I wanted that Astral Soul Stabilizer as quickly as possible. Then I would trade the manual I had stolen in for access to the elders library to look at body cultivation techniques.


    I had noted a section like that in the library. They probably didnt want disciples doing something like that and creating confusion. Also, it wouldnt give that much useful knowledge to what the sect was aiming for, earth and water soul cultivation.


    It would be effectively opening up another branch of cultivation and limited their overall progression. That was why sects tended to focus on specific elements and one cultivation type. Only a high ranking sect that was assured of its position due to an immortal would have multiple paths for people to explore and train as disciples.


    I didnt spend more than a single night in any city. Only getting my hair cut, a shower, and changing the occasional spirit stone for tael, which I easily made up for by killing the occasional spirit beast that attacked while I was being transported.


    After a month of traveling and six cities after Five Claw City and a non-spring non-cushion carriage I had enough. I purchased a small well-made carriage in the next city for two occupants, lots of supplies on the back of the carriage, and four young horses.


    I even hired a young driver, who wanted to see the world and get a lot of money and didnt mind leaving the city. Song was now my personal carriage driver. He was only sixteen years old, but I had agreed to pay him in Qi Pills. He had the dream of becoming a cultivator and I wanted someone who would travel quickly and not put up with bullshit.


    Song was quite good. He would switch out the horses every city so that way we had fresh horses and could keep traveling as quickly as possible at high speeds. I was paying him an insane amount, but it was hard work driving a carriage at high speeds day in and day out, making sure we had food and water, dealing with the guards.


    I also didnt want to deal with the hassle of riding in shitty carriages without springs or cushions. It made cultivating that much more annoying. That was why I was paying Song in Qi Pills so he would handle everything. Only one pill per city, but that averaged out to about one every six days.


    In the three years it was estimated to get back to the sect, he would get about 20,000 motes from pills. I noted he would occasionally use a candle when we stopped to find motes and collect them as well. Being quite aggressive, going around rest areas to locate motes with a candle.


    He had been saving up and had money from his father. I also suspected he was driving a hard bargain at whatever cultivation stores were located in the cities and possibly doing some trading on the side. Again, I only cared if we traveled quickly without interruption.


    That was the good thing about this society and culture being around for so long. They had good roads between cities. While the distances were insane, at least we didnt have to travel through the wilderness.Updated from


    We finally reached Boarder City, a city with a wall through the middle that separated the region controlled by the Imperial Sect and the region controlled by the Blazing Sun Sect. We got to the city late at night and got a room.


    Master Yuan Zhou, I have news, Song said after he entered our shared room.


    What is it? I asked.


    The border has a checkpoint and inspection, even for cultivators. Everyone is searched without exception. I had told Song to let me know the instant he found out about anything that might cause delays or inconvenience us.


    What is the inspection like? I asked.


    We need to apply for a permit to enter. There is questioning and a sizable fee. I heard it was one spirit stone per person and per wagon or carriage, Song told me.


    Highway robbery, I muttered. They were bandits, only official bandits. Well time to do something I didnt want to do. While my spatial ring would pass a cursory scan, a detailed inspection of my person would reveal it.


    The elders at the Cloudy Moon Sect would not stael from a disciple. The shame, drama, and headache that would bring would be a nightmare. They would just squeeze the disciple legally as much as they could. I was thinking of Elder Li Fu and how he came out far ahead after I had helped catch that Demonic Cultivator in Half Moon City.


    They would ask me to reveal the contents. I might get away with the sword, but the manual, metal claw, and human core would be highly suspicious. In addition, I had an astral shard. A senior from another sect would not be polite about confiscating something like that.


    Thanks Song, first light we will get that permit and cross the border, I told him, and he nodded.


    Before dawn the next day he left to get everything ready, while I took a few deep breaths to steady myself. I had just used the bathroom and wasnt going to have breakfast. I unclipped my spatial ring from my silver chain and then shoved it up my butt.


    I made sure to get it up in there, nice and snug. With my cultivation and number of motes I had, it would be very hard to see inside of me easily, unless an immortal took a look themselves or they laid hands on me, which would be too rude.


    Walking with a slightly stiff gait out of the inn we had stayed in, I got in the carriage. Song didnt ask questions. That was another reason why he was getting paid a lot. He took off and we reached the permit office.


    I exited the carriage and made my way inside. I was wearing my Cloudy Moon Sect robes which had been washed and cleaned. I didnt normally wear them, but this was important, so I had to look like a cultivator. I had grown a little bit, but not enough to make them hang poorly on my body.


    Welcome Master Cultivator to the Boarder Permit Office, a smiling clerk said. I recalled the clerk from the Coinage Guild in Half Moon City. They could have been brothers with how similar their smiles and appearances were.


    Thank you, I replied, and he gestured to a seat across from a desk.


    I will be conducting a preliminary interview. Afterwards a cultivator will inspect you and ask any follow up questions. But first the fee and any declarations of cultivation resources? the clerk asked.


    Myself, my carriage driver, horses, and a pouch of spirit stones. I believe the fee would be three spirit stones? I asked.


    The standard fee, but a cultivator can pay an expedited fee for twice the amount. Instead of waiting ten days, you can cross in one day. That does not include the fee and processing time from the other side of the boarder.


    I will pay the expedited fee, I said and laid out six spirit stones. This was highway robbery. Complete and utter highway robbery.


    Excellent, now which sect are you from and why are you traveling? the clerk asked me. I explained that I was from the Cloudy Moon Sect and was returning to the sect after getting lost in the astral plane and not getting the materials I needed.


    The clerk wrote all this down and then I was taken to a room, where an elder looked me over for a couple of minutes and then paused.


    Your cultivation, what did you do? they asked in surprise. I saw the emblem of the Blazing Sun Sect on their robe.


    I have accumulated a large number of motes during the Qi Gathering stage, which is why I was trying to find an astral shard in the astral plane for an Astral Soul Stabilizer. Unfortunately, I failed but managed to find an exit. I had practiced this so many times I believed it myself.


    A shame. What an interesting cultivation. He is clear, now to inspect the wagon and your driver, the cultivator said. Song was brought in, and he was cleared in few seconds. A team of people went over the wagon with a fine-tooth comb and found nothing.


    After that we were given a fancy looking permit with the Blazing Sun Sect symbol stamped on it. I could present in the future at the border crossing as proof that I had passed a previous inspection. It would entitle me to expedited processing without the additional fee.


    The pursuit of knowledge. But one could argue that you owe Elder Healer Meihui for paying the cost into the astral plane. What do you say Elder Healer Meihui? the sect leader asked.


    I am happy studying the effects of his cultivation long term and would consider that significant reimbursement. Already it has improved my Dao of healing, she said. The Sect Leader nodded at this.


    And library access is simple enough for such knowledge. Very well, it is granted, now let us learn what this Ancient said, the Sect Leader declared.


    Yes Sect Leader, it called astral shards remnants of seeds of a being called a Great Devourer. It specifically said it was a thought made manifest. I also explained how the astral shard whispered to me and the words it had said. I was asked to repeat my explanation two more times. After that I was told to continue.


    I explained my arrival at Five Claw City and my quick departure and the ambush, also killing the cultivator from the Clawed Hand Sect. The Sect Leader held up a hand and I closed my mouth and he nodded to an elder. An elder who wasnt wearing a shirt got up and came over. His muscles had muscles and he was built like a brick factory that bench pressed other brick factories.


    He picked up the metal claw. Rank two, well made, but a common design. Clearly given to a low ranked disciple to train early on in their martial art. He then set it back down in front of me and picked up the manual. He flipped through it quickly and then set it back down as well. Basic body cultivation instructions, nothing special. He then made his way back to his seat.


    Thank you, Martial Elder Lei. Since the Clawed Hand Sect is under the purview of the Blazing Sun Sect and there has been no pursuit, and no one has come forward, I believe this matter can rest, unless there is a disagreement? No one spoke up. Continue Disciple Yuan Zhou, the Sect Leader said.


    There wasnt much after that, as I explained how I had raced back to the sect. I paused for a moment at the end and decided to not say anything. This wasnt the right environment to ask what I had in mind.


    Impressive Disciple Yuan Zhou. Elder Li Fu, do you wish to add anything? The elder nodded while sitting in front of the Sect Leader.


    Yes Sect Leader. I will use my favor to ask you to construct an Astral Soul Stabilizer and give it to this disciple, Elder Li Fu said.


    The favor I owe you is too much for something like that and I am indeed curious as well. His cultivation is a mess, but if he advances, there could be many answers we had not looked for but would be quite illuminating. I will construct the Astral Soul Stabilizer and will help install it. But I am interested in what further thing you have on your mind Disciple, I see you had a question. Do not be afraid, I am curious what you wanted to ask, the Sect Leader said, and I gulped but spoke up regardless.


    Sect Leader, I was thinking of altering my cultivation plan to create a physical secondary core, using the explosions of my main cores to assist in the implosion process, since the Astral Soul Stabilizer should allow for the contradiction between cultivation processes, I said.


    Foolishness!


    Insanity!


    How intriguing.


    Oh hoho, now this was worth coming out for.


    He seeks even more!


    How bold!


    There were several exclamations from the surrounding elders. Elder Li Fu brought his hands up and lowered his face into them. The Sect Leader looked at me in surprise as the elders chatted for a minute before finally calming down.


    Thatis that even possible? The Sect Elder asked and looked to the side at an older man.


    The astral side yes, but on the physical side no. His body would not be able to handle the strain. He would need something equal to the Astral Soul Stabilizer to firm up his body. I would say the best option would be a drop of refined beast essence of the sixth rank turned into a pill. The Sect Leader nodded at this.


    A sixth rank beast is no simple task even for an Elder or a Sect Leader, but I suspect you will want to get one? The Sect Leader asked me.


    Yes, Sect Leader, this disciple seeks your guidance, I said and bowed my head.


    Li Fu, I know why this Disciple stresses you out. But he will either succeed and become an immortal or die a most gruesome and horrible death like countless geniuses before him. Searching for solutions for his cultivation deviations and crippling. The Sect Leader paused. But he did succeed in returning from the astral plane successfully. For a disciple barely in the second stage to do so is not a sign of heavens favor to be taken lightly. I will take this burden upon myself.


    Yuan Zhou! I straightened up even more at that and even the rustle of clothing from the occasional movement of the elders stilled. I felt a pressure on me as the Sect Leader looked down upon me. Do you swear to the heavens and the earth and on your cultivation to protect the Cloudy Moon Sect until the end of your life?


    I swear by the heavens and the earth and by my cultivation Sect Leader that I will protect the sect until the end of my life, I said without hesitation.


    Very well. Then I name you my personal disciple Yuan Zhou. Take the items with you. Escort him to my office, I will speak with him after, the Sect Leader said.


    Thank you, Master, I replied and was then escorted out of the meeting room by a servant. They were wearing member robes. None of the elders said anything. I was led to an office and sat down. I looked around but didnt dare touch any of the objects or books.


    Several hours later the Sect Leader entered, and I quickly stood up. Disciple greets master, I said.


    Sit, I quickly sat back down, and the Sect Leader took a seat behind his desk.


    Consider being named my disciple a reward for helping me find a way out of the impasse in the meeting room. Each faction has wanted me to name a successor or take up a personal disciple from their faction. I nodded at this but didnt say anything.


    Now you are my disciple, the Sect Disciple. But you will get no handouts from me. We are a poor sect, Yuan Zhou. While we are a mid-rank sect, we are not a battle sect. We produce spirit wine to sell to other sects and maintain this province, but we are the lowest of the low compared to other mid-rank sects in terms of cultivation resources. While our knowledge is extensive, that means nothing in the face of power and the ability to kill beasts.


    Mid-rank sects are looked at for battle power and special resources. Your capture of the demonic cultivator years ago helped a bit. But we are looked down on for good reason. We have nothing of value beyond knowledge. But now you come, walking the path of defiance. You being named my personal disciple means that even the Imperial Sect will dare not recruit you or target you lightly. Even more so other sects.


    He had cut off my path in that direction, making it clear I was now committed to the Cloudy Moon Sect. But your cultivation plan is a never-ending hole that will consume countless resources and time. An Astral Soul Stabilizer is a great treasure, that even elders would look at. While its use is very limited at the later stages, it still has value which is rare.


    But you need that, and refined beast essence made into a pill from a sixth rank beast! The Sect Leader raised his voice, and I cowered a bit. Just for the second stage. Rare treasures, priceless ingredients, will be consumed by you. We could afford one, maybe two before we go bankrupt.


    And before you bring up that there are elders to gather resources for your pig self, only myself, Martial Elder Lei, and two others are qualified to fight. Elder Li Fu is a manager. He would not dare hunt a sixth level beast or go into the astral plane. That is why our sect is weak and why I am annoyed, the Sect Leader said. He wasnt mad so much at me, just at the situation. At least I hoped that was the case.


    You will have to get the materials by yourself. We can process them, since the heavens know all the elders do is study and study some more. That was the problem with being in the mad scientist sect, you still needed people to go out there to get materials to experiment with. We have been trying to position ourselves as the sect to handle such requests outside the high ranking sects, but it is slow, and the requests are few.


    So, you will need to get your own resources for your cultivation, and I will use my authority to have them turned into cultivation resources. Also with your new status, you should be able to get past any bullshit you encounter much more easily. While an inner disciple can be overlooked, the personal disciple of a sect leader of a mid-rank sect will not be.


    As you travel about to gather resources, you will be our sect mascot and advertisement for unique cultivation paths and processing of rare ingredients. I wasnt sure if this was a promotion or demotion. I hoped I didnt have to wear an outfit like a mascot at a sports game back on Earth.

 Chapter 24: New Status

    Chapter 24: New Status


    The Sect Leader pulled out a piece of paper and began writing on it. Do everything on this list. Then rest and no cultivation or Elder Healer Meihui will yell at me. I had to hold back a grin that she would yell at the Sect Leader. The Astral Soul Stabilizer will be ready in five days. Now leave that case, take the manual and claw with you in your spatial ring and get out my office disciple, he said. I put the stuff away and I quickly took the piece of paper and quickly left his office.


    Of course, he knew about the spatial ring. You dont live for thousands of years being an idiot. Well at least I didnt have to share the part about shoving it up my butt. I had left that portion of my story out. That would have been humiliating.


    Update Robes


    Update Sect Badge


    Move To Disciple Room


    Construct Soul Lantern


    Prepare Cultivation Plan For Review


    Prepare Report On Rank 6 Beasts


    Prepare Report On Refined Beast Essence


    Write Book About Travels


    Write Book About Astral Plane Experience


    Rest-No Cultivation


    Sect Leader Jiang Fengge


    I had actual homework. I should have expected that from the Sect Leader of this sect. It should be Crazy Scientist Sect and not the Cloudy Moon Sect. Well, the first thing to do was to get new robes and a sect badge.


    I went to the administrative hall. I had only been here twice before, once when I had entered the sect and the second time when I left to visit Half Moon City for my sisters wedding. I entered the hall and made my way to the clerk.


    I require new sect robes and a new sect badge, my status has been increased. The inner disciple gave me a look and my robes, seeing that I was also an inner disciple. I then put the piece of paper with the Sect Leaders signature down. I am now the sect disciple, which meant I was the personal disciple of the Sect Leader himself. Otherwise known as the sect mascot. I really hoped I wouldnt be forced to wear a costume of some kind. That thought kept nagging at me.


    At once senior! the disciple in question replied. Your badge, I will transfer your contribution points to your new badge, I nodded at this. I passed over my badge. Soon I was given a new one that was shiner and slightly bigger. It took a bit longer for the robes, but he came back with five sets of sect disciple robes for me. There were five clouds, the full symbol of the sect, on the disciple robes.


    You can also mark my room as cleared, room 320, by tomorrow. I will be clearing it out today, I said.


    Yes senior, I will handle that for you, the clerk replied.


    Thank you, I said and left. After that I went to my old inner sect disciple apartment room. My badge gave me access to the room. I didnt have much. I paused at the hilarious picture my sister had drawn as a kid showing our family. I carefully put that away and left the room emptied of my personal belongings.


    I then made my way to the Sect Leaders house. A sect member greeted me and showed me to my new room. I unpacked my personal belongings. I also got out the manual and the metal claw and set them on a table to study and look at in the future.


    With that done I asked a member about a soul lantern and was told to go to the martial hall that was normally for members only. I went there and member greeted me. I explained why I was here and was shown to a room and left there.


    Eventually Martial Elder Lei entered. Junior greets Martial Elder Lei, I said.


    Sit. You are getting a soul lantern. Normally this is reserved for members only who leave the sect for extended periods of time. It lets us know if you are alive and allows us to witness your final moments if you do die. It will also allow us to track you if you are captured. Or run away, but I didnt mention that.


    The cost to make them isnt cheap, but the Sect Leader said to make one for you. In addition, you disgrace that sword with your fighting style. A week from now, you will come here daily and I will supervise your use of a blade. I will talk to the Sect Leader about this.


    Thank you Martial Elder Lei, I said with a head bow.


    If you are going to be running around and the Sect Leader investing into you, then you better not die easily. Now this is going to hurt, try not to scream. Hold out your arm. I held it out and Martial Elder Lei pulled out a large metal contraption from a spatial ring and began strapping it onto my arm.


    This will draw out blood and slowly compress it. It will take about ten minutes. That blood will then be infused into a lantern. I get stuck with this job, since it is blacksmithing and there is no smithing hall. Now breathe, he said, and I breathed. He pulled a lever and I had to bite back tears. The pain was immense.


    The old method was right from the heart, but this new device works on the arm, much safer. My entire body began to ache. It takes a minute part of your astral soul as well. But you should be used to that pain by now. I wasnt! I didnt like pain, but I didnt complain. Complaining wouldnt change anything.


    The one thing everyone hated in this society were complainers. Anyone who complained too much was viewed as mentally retarded. It didnt make sense to me, but that was what the culture was like. If you didnt like something, then work hard to fix it. Life was unfair, too bad and learn to suck it up.


    You cant be spied on with a soul lantern. Once you become an elder it will break, since it is tied to your astral soul. A new one would have to be made then. I nodded through the pain at this. All done and it is a clean draw too, so I wont have to do it again, he said. That was a possibility!?


    You can check that off the Sect Leaders to do list. He likes his lists. Make sure you follow it, or he will yell at you, Martial Elder Lei said and left. I staggered from the room and returned to my room in the Sect Leaders home.


    I spent the rest of that day getting my notes about my cultivation in order and reviewing it, while also making sure it matched up with the motes I had aligned so far. There were no issues. I had studied it so much I could recreate it from memory.


    The next day I sat down and began to write out a book on the astral plane and then my travels to get these tasks done as quickly as possible. That is one thing I learned from my time in college, better to just get everything done as quickly as possible and not rush last minute.


    I spent the entire day carefully writing out a fifty-page paper on each experience. With the symbols used for writing instead of words, I would put each paper at about the length of a ten-page college essay. I figured that was good and they were detailed with as little fluff as possible. I went to the administrative hall, and they handled the binding of papers into books.


    They promised to deliver them back to me within a day. With that done, I spent my second full day back going the elders library and researching physical cultivation, rank 6 beasts, and refined beast essence.


    There was a lot less information on physical cultivation than there was on soul cultivation. But I quickly gained a better understanding of what needed to happen. I updated my cultivation plan with new secondary core drawings and notes on how I hoped to form my astral soul, while also creating suction vortex to draw in astral energy.


    The real risk was not clearing enough space for my true soul to form correctly and the suction interfering with it. I wrote that all up. The third day I spent writing up a report on what I found out about rank 6 beasts.


    They were clever, could transform, had skills, and a serious threat to any cultivator below the immortal stage. Any beast rank 5 and higher was a huge threat with all the abilities they had. The rank denoted their power and ability to use these innate skills more than anything else.


    While humans had the advantage at the lower stages and ranks, the beasts had the advantage at the upper stages and ranks, but were rarer in terms of numbers compared to humans. I wrote about them as well, summarizing their abilities and how the best option would be to attack from a distance with a single powerful attack to take them out from stealth if possible.


    The fourth day I spent researching and wrote up a report on refined beast essence. Basically, I would need a device similar to what was used to make the soul lantern, and then extract blood from a still living beast.


    I adjusted parts of my report from the previous day about using a stealth attack to cripple a beast and then this new report discussed how to use such an essence extractor and the best location to do it, over the heart.


    Once everything was done, I took the time to relax. I had an operation tomorrow. I made my way to the dining hall and noticed Gen. I could have food delivered, but I wanted to get out and about.


    Gen, I said with a smile. He quickly stood up and his eyes went wide at my new robes.


    Junior greets Sect Disciple Yuan Zhou, he said. There was silence as people looked over. I returned his bow with a head nod.


    May I? and he nodded, and I took a seat.


    Sect disciple, I heard rumors, congratulations Yuan Zhou, he said.


    Good. I am glad the Astral Soul Stabilizer worked. It is not easy to craft something like that. I will also say that your research skills are excellent. I was concerned that they would be lacking, but you are quite diligent. This is Elder Liu Chen. He specializes in divergent cultivation techniques and esoteric knowledge within the sect, Sect Leader Jiang Fengge introduced the man.


    Indeed. I had heard about you, but looking at your notes and research, I am quite impressed. Why did you go with a quad core in your own words? He asked.


    With the scope of my cultivation, a single large core would have been impractical with that many channels. The best option was the multi-core. Four cores would be the most stable formation across my astral soul due to their triangular nature, the braces between them, and for the detonation process, I answered. He nodded at that.


    Good, you actually understand why a four core method is used instead of another structure. Now you are considering a secondary physical core and are wondering about the issues in the fifth stage and beyond?


    Yes, Elder Liu Chen, I answered.


    Well, if you get the beast essence, it will work into the fourth stage. Beyond that it is tricky to say. I have reviewed your research and conducted my own. No one has done such a thing. The simple fact is that even in the Imperial Sect, your cultivation plan is at least three times more complex than their most promising disciple. Not just in terms of number of motes, but sheer complexity. Your choices are all excellent and I have no issue with them. Even if it is a nightmare and the resources consumed will be horrendous. Elder Liu Chen said this with a grin and I felt a shudder of fear go through me.


    A six-fold valve structure is the best with a triangular valve. And you have found a drilling method. Ingenious. It will require perfectly channels and meridians with the number of valves to use techniques. But I have recently developed a new valve methodology, he pulled out a long wooden strip from a spatial ring with grooves cut into it.


    The curves away from the center, will slow down anything going the other way, while not impeding the direction from the other side. Watch, he said and waved his hands. Water appeared and flowed through the wooden structure easily one way. Then he switched it around and it splashed everywhere and slowed down.


    He made a mess of the Sect Leaders floor, but the Sect Leader didnt say anything. After reviewing your cultivation plan. I think it should use three six-fold valves and then the Liu Valve design. Impede the energy leaving and allow it to enter easily. He handed me the wooden model.


    How would it work in three dimensions in a triangular channel. Also, this side loops would be impossible to carve out in time, I pointed out.


    Oh, that isnt a problem. You just need to get the legendary rank 7 material, null metal. With some clever forging and also another rank 7 material, a focusing gem. Well, the carving process for your channels will be simplified once we make a Displacement Channel Carver. This sect could really use one to try out more esoteric valve designs, like this Liu Valve design. I have already made a three-dimensional model with your initial channel design in mind. He pulled out another wooden model and handed it to me. It separated in half.


    Wait, you want these side channels to be off the main triangular main channel. Like curled leaves. They will go through the wall structures and their small nature is impossible to carve out. Then with three six fold valves as well, it will be perfect and better resist the pressure stresses. Put the valves at the weakest strength near your meridians and then the Liu Valve design the rest of the way.


    The side channels will have to be quite small, to not impact the other side channels. Wouldnt this compromise the overall integrity of my cultivation structure and the motes needed? I asked.


    Your valve designs will have more than enough motes. Just use the seven valves motes instead. You can do two full rotations of the Liu valve design per valve we remove. So that would only be fourteen rotations, or forty-two curled leave side channels. Just use six motes per, and create a tube structure looping about. Even if it is small, it will redirect the pressure back to your cores and allow for easier technique usage.


    Thank you elder, I will consider this design while I look at getting those materials for your Displacement Channel Carver, I replied.


    Oh, you wont find them. But just trying to build them will be quite enlightening. I looked at the Sect Leader who had an impassive face. But that is nothing compared to what I really wanted to talk about. The elder seemed to get even more excited as he spoke.


    As a theoretical exercise you couldnt have done any better with your limited knowledge. But this idea of dual cultivation isbold. Incredibly bold. I almost feel young again thinking about it! The Sect Master gave a light cough. Ah, yes, excuse me. But the issue in the fifth stage and later on is an understandable concern.


    I have considered many theoretical frameworks and all the literature. The biggest risk is not giving enough time for your true soul to fully form and allow for maximum stability. No one has ever done a quad core like yours successfully. But if we continue to apply your model of maximum cultivation without regard for difficulty or cost, then you will need at least 100,000 drops per core in the fourth stage to ensure that everything goes smoothly for the fifth.


    Personally, I believe 120,000 drops is the optimal number, but no one has gone beyond 100,000 drops that is known. Still, that would be the best number to allow for 100% soul stabilization. Your cores with their buttressing and your interior triangular architecture help quite a bit. Your core designs could support such pressure, maybe. With the Liu Valve Design they will for sure based on my theoretical analysis. Since the pressure will push back on itself. The exact boosts of the Astral Soul Stabilizer and refined beast essence together are unknown due to their extreme rarity. Still, it should be possible.


    As for the secondary core. You would need around 50,000 drops. With only a single icosahedron core, and no baffling. The pressure will be immense, but it should hold. That would be the best. In my opinion to form a suction vortex while not compromising your true soul stabilization. Though I would estimate you would only be able to get to fifty percent suction at most, this would allow the construction of pillars and their attunement much easier for your soul cultivation in the later stages. The Sect Leader gave a light cough at that and the elder kept going before I could ask any questions.


    As for the conduits you would need for body cultivation, they could also be built. Maybe. I am unsure about this. We would need to consult with an elder in the body path for advice. When the time comes, I might have a contact or two we could use. They would be quite interested in such a cultivation.


    Finally. I noticed that Elder Liu Chen glanced over at the Sect Leader nervously who sighed slightly. While the Sect Leader thinks it is foolish, I couldnt help myself. I think we should also consider the Mind Cultivation method as well.


    Mind Cultivation? I asked. I had never heard of this path of cultivation.


    Very rare and very rarely done. It involves aligning motes with the motes outside your body, then dispersing a core to attune yourself to the energy of the heavens and earth. The hardest part of such a cultivation method is that it requires a high core density and dispersal. Also aligning motes in this fashion is not something that can happen normally, except in rare circumstances with individuals with the right constitution.


    Now the explosions of your outer cores would allow your inner core to implode more easily. But you have constructed a baffle mechanism for each of your four main cores, which is truly inspired! Creating two inner core shell layers for your four cores, you were probably planning to keep this empty?


    Yes, to allow some leeway as I condensed my cores, since the core can expand, hit the next buttress core, and that would help contain the immense pressure, I replied.


    I propose you change the following channels to align with motes themselves and then have the outer two shells align with this third method of cultivation, mind cultivation. This would still allow one shell between your extra baffle cores to act as a buffer. As your cores increase in density they will push up against the outer structures aligned with mind, and the drops contained in a hollow sphere for mind cultivation. This will be quite interesting. It is normally pointless with a regular core, but with the mind cultivation path, it has a high chance of creating Astral cores where your main cores used to be, harmonizing with various Daos. A core encasement has never been done! For triple cultivation! Four Astral cores! The Sect Leader coughed and the elder calmed down a bit.


    The only thing you would need to get is a celestial Dao fragment to allow all your motes to harmonize with the energy of heaven and earth. That way you can connect the motes from this mind cultivation method to youre the rest of your motes for your middle core layer. I estimate only 20,000 drops for those outer shells encasements will be perfect. That would be the best option, I had not cultivated any of those channels yet.


    Thank you Elder Liu Chen, that was quite informative. I will need to discuss this with my disciple.


    Of course, of course Sect Leader. Just you watch, a triple cultivation method, why each of the four cores would develop their own Dao concept. It would be a masterwork, I say, masterwork. The elder then left and the Sect Leader sighed.


    What do you know of drops? the Sect Leader asked.


    That 1,000 is what most cultivators reached to become elders, and 10,000 drops is considered impressive, I replied.


    For a single core. I reached 8,000 myself. With one core. It is called the great bottleneck for a reason. I did the math what it would cost just to get resources for all those drops out of curiosity, using the earth element as the benchmark, since I have no good idea what energy the other methods would use.


    With 4 soul cores at 120,000 drops each, 1 body core with 50,000 drops, and 4 mind core shell encasements with 20,000 drops each. That is 610,000 drops. Not counting the value of having 610 almost guaranteed elders instead of just one very powerful one, the price would be everything.


    The entire sect? I asked and he shook his head slowly and looked at me like I was a stupid idiot.


    The wealth of the entire continent actually. While there is no such thing as an immortal or rank 9 spirit stone, that has a value assigned. I used the value of level 8 spirit stones. Each one is technically worth 10,000,000 rank 1 spirt stones in terms of energy. A single drop costs about 1,000 rank 1 spirit stones. So, with a level 8 spirit core, you could technically get 10,000 drops. There are issues in transference, but lets keep the math simple to help you understand why you are such a pig. I winced at that.


    You would need 61 such beast spirit cores. Let me repeat that number 61. All sects, cultivators, and mortals would have to fight the beasts as they battled us. Immortals would get involved and it would be the end of the third age. The Sect Leader explained all of this calmly. I slowly nodded at this. That was quite a bit, and everything clearly meant as a literal description of the wealth I needed to progress my cultivation successfully.


    Getting an astral shard is not impossible. If I was willing to spend at least 5 years, I could retrieve such an object myself. I could get level 6 refined beast essence in about 3 years being careful and at great risk, but I could do it. But to get a celestial Dao fragment is pure luck. Not even for 61 rank 8 cores would a sect or cultivator ever trade over such a treasure unless they were a truly desperate cultivator trying to get past the fourth stage.


    Then to use it on you, would beit would be putting clothes on a pig. Let me finish. I closed my mouth slowly. The Dao is the understanding of concepts and the basis for the eighth stage and the step before immortality. It is a rank 8 treasure.


    I do not know of anything less than that would work for the elders idea, and I told him not to mention it but he argued he had done the research and I do not wish to offend Liu Chen and lose his incredible insight into cultivation techniques.


    But if you came across a celestial Dao fragment, even I would cough blood in rage and frustration. I would cry to the heavens themselves at the unfairness of the world. There was silence after that it stretched on and finally the Sect Leader spoke once more.


    I will not stop you or take it from you. But understand, that if you come across such a thing, it would be your ticket to getting past the fourth stage. For it could be sold to the Imperial Sect and they would pay the beast cores you need to get that rank 8 beast cores for such a treasure.


    I can see your mind thinking, how can I get one. If I had that answer, then I would not be sitting here explaining this to you. No true cultivator would share such knowledge or leave such a treasure unused.


    I understand Master, I replied.


    Good. Because I can tell your mind is already contemplating this. I will not tell you to stop, but I will insist you dont slow down your cultivation. You can leave the motes that would be used for Mind Cultivation until the very end, but once there you must keep going. You need every scrap of time you can get for the fourth stage of Core Formation. Understand?


    Yes, master, I replied.


    Good. Now we are going to discuss what do about the drops and how not to ruin this sect and the continent in the process.

 Chapter 25: Elements And Wealth

    Chapter 25: Elements And Wealth


    I have looked at your plan to use the Force element. I perked up at this curious to what the Sect Leader thought. It is intriguing. I have discussed it with other elders and we are split on this issue.


    Still, if it works it would allow our sect to use a third element and a different set of resources. But to do it properly then you will need at least a rank 6 chamber and array constructed. You will also need lots of spirit stones. I know you plan to hunt beasts for level 3 spirit stones and this is a decent plan.


    However, you will not draw in enough pure energy with level 3 spirit stones. You will need level 4 spirit stones to achieve perfect grade channels and meridians. This is absolutely necessary for you to gather enough energy in the fourth stage and even have the slightest chance of finishing it. Unless everything is perfect, then you will not complete your cores in time. With perfect grade channels you just might if the heavens continue favoring you and that is with stuffing you full of resources that would make even an Immortal feel the cost and spew blood from their mouth. That was a very graphic description. One did not call on immortals in jest. It was clear the Sect Leader was annoyed at me, or at how many resources I needed.


    That is why starting tomorrow you will train in the martial way with Martial Elder Lei. You will do everything he says without complaint.


    Yes Master, I replied, and the Sect Leader nodded.


    While I will front the cost of the force chamber myself, since it can be used by the sect if you are successful, I estimate that it will take four level 4 spirit stones per channel and meridian pair. That would mean you would need 5,216 level 4 spirit stones in total to get you perfect meridians and channels. I nodded at this.


    You will train for a year, then you will hunt. You will need 1,200 level 3 spirit stones to purchase refined level 6 beast essence. Also, you will need to wage single handed war on the beasts. I will ensure a trade ratio of 11 to 1 for level 3 spirit cores for level 4 spirit cores. The difference is because the higher the level the more value it possess than just 10 of the lesser core. Since other people want Perfect grade channels.


    I nodded at this. Yes, Master.


    It is impossible for you to kill level 4 beasts and killing that many would cause issues. But the higher level beasts dont care about level 3 beasts. Kill them all, well away from the sect. If you survive, then it was destined to be. If you die, that is on you. Try to avoid a beast tide, since that will be your death. I nodded at this. I was once again being tossed out to see if I would live or die.


    With the Astral Soul Stabilizer now in place, you will train in the sect for one year. Until you become one with your blade your former Master gave you. You will become so good with it, that you will make Martial Elder Lei acknowledge you. I gulped a bit at this and the harsh tone.


    Yes, Master, I replied.


    Once the year is over, you will go kill and cultivate. Kill and cultivate. The only thing in that spatial ring you will possess will be beast cores. A low rank ring like that should be able to contain 2,000 cores. For your first trip, do not come back until it is filled up. You can fill it up with any level of core, but it must be filled. I expect this task to be completed in one year. You will return and your progress in both hunting and cultivation will be assessed. I sense you are concerned, speak.


    That seems, like a lot, I said. That meant killing around 7 to 8 beasts per day.


    It is. You will probably incur a beast tide or two in the wilderness and die horribly. But I have decided to adopt the mentality of Elder Li Fu and Elder Healer Meihui. If I am going to take you seriously and not toss you out of this sect as a joke. Then I will make sure you succeed or die trying. While your death is likely, if it happens, then your path of defiance was not meant to be and the heavens stopped favoring you. There was a long pause as I didnt know what to say to that. The Sect Leader then spoke up again.


    You can also give up. Just hand in your sect badge at any time. I will let you leave without crippling your cultivation and you will owe nothing to the sect. My eyes went wide at this. You think anyone else other than the Cloudy Moon Sect would take you? If they did, I would laugh at them.


    Even the Imperial Sect, if you went there and somehow became a favorite of an Immortal, you would still be laughed at. You would be called a pig for how many resources you need. Your cultivation is absurd to such a degree it makes me feel ill thinking about what you have done. How many elders this sect could have with the resources you will consume.Updated from


    But if you succeed. Then even I dread to think of what could happen. It is not widely known, but immortality is very, very rare. There are only six known immortals. Two from the Imperial Sect. Two from the Blazing Sun Sect. A wandering immortal. And the beast immortal. A seventh immortal would shake the continent. But that is a big if. The number of obstacles in your path is immense Yuan Zhou.


    I understand Master. Thank you for your guidance, I replied and bowed my head. He let out a sigh.


    I am harsh on you, because I wish for you to succeed and believe you can take the pressure.


    I am not upset Master. I am the opposite. I am grateful. It is nice to know that I can put my trust in you and the other elders for my path, I replied with a smile. They wanted me to succeed for their mad science. Even if it was mad science, success was still success.


    That is good. I will also have Elder Liu Chen look for something else other than a celestial Dao fragment that can be used for Mind Cultivation. As for his channel idea, I will leave that to you. Just be aware, null metal and a focusing crystals are very rare treasures. Just one step below a celestial Dao fragment. I will let you decide if you are willing to take that risk. But so you know, Liu Chen is a genius in cultivation methods, that even the Imperial Sect has acknowledged him. The balance between three cultivation methods would be amazing to see. Now go and show up to the martial hall in the morning. It truly a mad scientist sect.


    Yes Master, thank you Master, I said and left his office. I could understand where the Sect Leader was coming from. The number of resources I needed was massive. But it felt good to have these elders backing me up. Also, even the Sect Leader was a bit of mad scientist at heart, wanting to see what was possible.


    I didnt understand much about Dao concepts, but the comment from Elder Healer Meihui indicated that I was a source of inspiration for them to keep moving forward on their path to immortality.


    Also, they were probably a bit bored. I was drama incarnate for them and it was about cultivation, so everyone got a bit excited about my path. So, they were willing to part with some assistance and a tiny bit of resources if I kept moving forward. The fact I came back from the astral plane with an astral shard was enough to get them to buy into me.


    The hunting would be a test and to push me to gather resources quickly. The number of beast cores I needed was immense. I would have to go deep into the forest far from the sect and live off the land. I would need a self-filling water bottle and a portable stove that ran on level 1 spirit stones.


    I would have to cook beast meat. I would need to look that up and see the best way and if there was anything special, I should do. I would also need beast hiding, repellant, and lure. Well, it was a good thing that rank 2 spirit bars were being stacked up in Cloudy Moon City.


    I got one rank 2 spirit bar every ten carts of ore. In three and a half years and the other 6 spirit mines being under my companies management at 5%, that meant I got about 200 rank 2 spirit bars every year. In three and a half years that would translate to 700 bars.


    That was a massive amount. Normally each one would cost about 10 sect contribution points. Most of it went towards cultivating the earth element. I would need to discuss with my Master about trading the bars for contribution points to buy alchemical hunting products and possibly a second low rank spatial storage ring.


    Using my new authority, I had been able to find out how much one cost and what my sword cost. The low rank spatial ring would come in around 20,000 sect contribution points. The sword would cost 50,000 sect contribution points. That included everything from the materials to the sheath and the creation process.


    I was hoping to get a line of credit from the Sect Leader for a second spatial ring. It would really help with bringing all the supplies I would need, which included a lot of alchemical products.


    The following day I went to the martial hall first thing in the morning. Martial Elder Lei showed up right after I did and brought me outside the building to a large sand arena that was in a depression in the ground.


    He tossed me a wooden sword, which was the same weight and length of the sword my former Master Yi Rong gave me. Watch me, Martial Elder Lei said. He had a wooden blade of his own and did a series of movements. He then repeated it twice more, slower each time. Then he turned towards me.


    Sword techniques must flow. These strikes are the most basic strikes, the seven strikes. The overhead slash. The thrust. The four side slashes. The upward slash. As a cultivator speed is our ally. Striking quickly and dodging is key. You will do each of these properly a thousand times every day. The first will be as good as the last. Begin, I will correct you if there are issues.


    I began moving the wooden sword in the same movements and stepping just like Martial Elder Lei had. Turn your foot slightly when you strike. He poked it with his wooden sword. I fixed that and repeated the move.


    After a bit, I had them down. Good, keep it up in this corner of the training area and dont stop until you get to 1,000. You can start counting now. If you are sloppy at any time I check on you, then the count will go back to zero.


    Yes Martial Elder Lei, I replied and kept up the strikes, making sure they were perfect even if I had to be a bit slower than what I could do. I needed to get my form down, so it was second nature.


    No Master. What about business? I know the Sect produces Spirit Wine to sell to other sects. Perhaps that process can be improved and made more efficient, I suggested. The Sect Leader shook his head slowly.


    I know of your talent for business. But the problem is not one of production. But one of demand. Spirit wine can get cultivators drunk. But cultivators rarely drink. We have tried selling to rich mortals, but they only have so much money. We have been strengthening the wine over centuries to sell to more senior cultivators. But they rarely drink.


    Most cultivators do not indulge. To reach the lofty heights of an elder, extreme focus and dedication is required. Unfortunately, there is no drunk path to cultivation. But if you can solve our financial problems, I am more than willing to listen and evaluate them.


    The sect has financial problems? I asked.


    All sects have financial problems. Everyone and their ancestors want resources. There are only so many resources to go around.


    I sat there for a minute thinking carefully about the economy between cultivators. You said there are beasts in the water? Rank 5 fish? Rank 8 sharks? Are they like beasts or are they beasts of the land that have just changed form? I asked. The only source of spirit stones were beasts, no other animal could cultivate as far as I knew.


    They are beasts of the land that have gone into ocean. At rank 5, beasts can change their form and adapt to different environments. There is a lot of energy out in the ocean, but that just means there are higher rank beasts swimming out there. That ruled out farming fish or something similar.


    Have there been any attempts to replicate what the beasts do in an artificial manner? I asked.


    Yes, condensing formations. The problem is where to set them up? If you set them up in a sect or a mortal city, then it will cause issues with cultivation and peoples lives. In the wilderness the beasts would sense them and attack.


    Even if you dug deep underground to make a chamber. Or tried to soar to the skies, the energy is that of the heavens and the earth. Not one or the other, but both. The mix of various types of energy are what makes beast cores suitable for human cultivation and why most dont soar to the sky or go too deep into the depths. Also, such formations cant be close together for the same reason that beasts improve more quickly when there are less of them.


    Something that is ancient history. But the beast immortal came to be, once a huge purge of beasts was done. Their own competition limits them far more than humans killing them.


    That shut down several ideas I had. What about refining iron into steel? I asked.


    That is a monopoly of the Imperial sect. Well, that answer ruled that idea right out.


    What about a place like the astral plane, to get valuable items for trade? Or perhaps training up mortals to become cultivators to gather resources? I asked. The Sect Leader was quiet for a while before responding.


    I question your survival instinct. That was a death sentence you know. Before rank 5, going to the astral plane is incredibly risky, it is almost certain. And even after that there is risk. For you to have come back alive, is impossible. I can see where your thoughts are leading. To be so smart, yet so foolish, the Sect Leader let out a sigh. I was quiet as he continued.


    This does not go beyond this room. Not even to other members of the sect. If this gets out, there would be huge repercussions.


    Yes Master, I will swear to keep quiet, I replied, curious what he was about to tell me.


    The knowledge is something that has been passed down, since the foundation of the Cloudy Moon Sect at the dawn of the third age over 200,000 years ago. I only tell you this, so you understand the danger of your line of thinking and where it is headed.


    If you ever visit the Capitol, you will see wonders that the Imperial Sect has built. Marvels of technology and cultivation. But that knowledge isnt spread or allowed to spread. There are limits. One cultivator killing beasts, and gathering resources is fine.


    It would be easy to push pills into people and get them to live for a thousand years once they reach the fourth stage, but with no hope of going through. But this isnt widespread. The same with many other things that raise up large groups of mortals to the ranks of cultivators and allow them to live longer.


    Qi, the energy of the heavens and the earth is finite. What?! That was incredibly hard to understand with everything I knew, and I kept listening.


    While you see motes floating about, there is also residual energy in the air. Beasts draw this in and to a far lesser extent other materials. The high-ranking sects dont want the number of cultivators to increase, but they also want the number of immortals to increase.


    There was silence as he allowed me to process this. But how limited? There were motes everywhere I went? I could see motes of Qi even now in the Sect Leaders office.


    Yes, since the Cloudy Moon Sect manages their territory quite well along with most other sects. But if all the energy was sucked out of the air, there would be still births. Deformities from births. More health issues in mortals. The beasts would also become enraged and the higher ranking beasts would act. There is a total cap on resources Disciple Yuan Zhou. Not just the ones you can see, but the very energy of the continent itself.


    But then why keep this a secret? I asked.


    I ask that myself quite often. But the high-ranking sects and the immortals running them cannot be questioned. Even me, a rank 8 cultivator with millennia of knowledge and experience, is nothing but a mewling child in front of them. I have neither the authority to meet or question them in any way.


    You were playing in a small pond with your little businesses. But the high-ranking sects are much stricter. Training cultivators just to stop at the fourth rank is forbidden. Or even partially allowing mortals to cultivate for the purpose of allowing them to live longer. They want more immortals but not widespread innovation. Only innovation in cultivation techniques. I do not know why, and cannot question such things.


    Then trying to start a business to earn what I need will be difficult, I said, and the Sect leader nodded at this.


    You would need the Imperial Sect to sign off on whatever plan you have if it touches their bottom line about the energy of the heavens and the earth. But to even get an audience with one of their elders is not something you can do. I can do it, but it is not simple. The waters of the Imperial sect are deep and incredibly dangerous.


    No training up an army to go out and kill beasts. If you want to do anything on a large scale, then you need my approval. Consider this a direct order as the Sect Leader and as your Master.


    I understand Master, I replied with a heavy voice. I just felt incredibly defeated. I had so many ideas to make money, or spirit stones, but they just werent possible. Anything the old monsters like? I asked a bit petulantly.


    As an old monster myself, no. We are aesthetic monks with singular focus on cultivation for the most part to reach this point with limited vices, beyond excessive cultivation. However, if you prove yourself in gathering materials for your second stage to complete your cultivation, there exists a possibility. An incredibly dangerous possibility, but if you can prove yourself in combat, then I will sponsor it. I looked at the Sect Leader in curiosity.


    The Firmament is vast and endless. Leaving the continent and its shelter is a grave risk. You would be less than a bug and could easily be squashed. But the chance of finding rare materials you can use or trade for your cultivation is much greater out there.


    With risk comes reward, I replied.


    Exactly. Preferably we would wait until the fourth stage when you can use techniques. But the requirements for your third stage are massive. The only option for you to progress is to toss you out into deep waters. If you are truly blessed by the heavens, I am sure you can figure out a path forward. You will probably die horribly, but then you wont be my problem anymore. He confirmed what I already knew and was being hammered into my head. Either I would succeed, or I would no longer be a problem.


    Thank you, Sect Master, you have given me much to think on. I was dismissed after that and went to my room. What a joke of a continent. I let out a long frustrated sigh as I collapsed onto my bed and screamed into my pillow. I would be upset today, and then start thinking of solutions tomorrow.

 Chapter 26: The Extractor

    Chapter 26: The Extractor


    The Sect Leader looked over my proposal. It was expensive to build, but if I was going out to hunt beasts, I needed to move quickly. That meant a device to quickly extract cores. I could locate them, but the higher level beasts were tougher. I couldnt just plunge my hand into them like rank 1 beasts.


    That was why I had been spending time on research and looking at how the extractors were actually built. My idea was to create a revolutionary design to make the process much easier and then sell it to the Imperial Sect, with the hope of licensing it.


    The base extractor was just a Qi sensing rod attached to a drill. There was a tiny formation connecting the gauge to the rod. It was fairly simple and difficult to damage. The formation could wear out over time, which would cause issues. That was what had happened to hunter Xiaotongs old core extractor.


    Since I needed to move quickly from beast to beast while hunting them, I couldnt afford to linger around trying to force my small child hand into their large bodies. Rank 3 beasts were about the size of a car. I guess I could use my sword, but I also wanted something I could sell and make a lot of money on.


    My hope was that I could get my foot into the Imperial Sect with my idea. That would be the opening I needed to go after more wealth that they were hording along with the other old monsters across various sects. I knew exactly what was needed and I had thought about it before. See a need, fill a need.


    My new design for an extractor, was a thin sensing rod, wrapped up in spirit metal with various formations on it. It would also be counted as a weapon in a sense. The design was simple. It would use thin layers of force to separate a cylinder of space in front of it by its surroundings. On the backside was a formation that tied the rod to a small light that would be fueled by the spirit stone to indicate when it was pointed at core, instead of needle.


    A level 1 spirit stone was used to power the device, but since it only was on intermittingly, it could last for a hundred uses with a level 1 spirit stone. The spirit stone was underneath a screwed-on cap, so it wouldnt easily fall out when in use.


    My reserves of spirit stones and spirit ore had been spent creating and paying for the initial design of the Cylinder Extractor as I called it to a formation master in the sect. The design of the formations was quite complex, which was why there was such a large initial cost. The Sect Leader was looking over the device along with the creation and instruction manual I had included with it.


    Quite clever. Using force to create a sheering plane. Also, quite a deadly weapon. But it wont hurt anything above rank 2.


    But a wounded and dying beast, will be struggling to maintain their defense. Beasts require focus to maintain their power and durability. That is why wounding them and then extracting their core is possible for mortals, I countered, and the Sect Leader nodded.


    You want to use this, which is fine. But I suspect there is something else, he added.


    Yes. I want to try and get a license, patent, or permission from the Imperial Sect to sell this design far and wide. The Sect Leader spun the Cylinder Extractor in his hands. I havent read about or seen such a device during my travels. That sounded like good news, but I was still worried.


    It is unique, but the base cost, would be two level 1 spirit stones for the materials. Another three to pay a person to make this and distribution. Then the price is set to six spirit stones, you would get one spirit stone lets say and then it takes a spirit stone every hundred uses. It wont be allowed beyond the sect. What?!


    You can use it for yourself as a one-off device and we can sell it within the sect. So, it isnt a waste. But the fact it consumes spirit stones means it is something that wont be allowed to be sold. The various devices that use spirit stones that we make are limited to sect members. The current drilling device uses the energy in the heavens and the earth for the barest of purposes combined with the Qi Sensing Rod to function.


    This is an active device, therefore it cant be mass marketed to mortals or to cultivators, the Sect Leader explained and set it back on his desk in front of me.


    I couldnt even trade in the design to the Imperial Sect? I asked hopefully.


    You could and would get a paltry fifty level 1 spirit stones at best for this idea. A fortune to other starting cultivators. But they most likely already have a design like this and wouldnt pay you anything. I have seen similar weapons that the Imperial Sect has. The Sect Leader shook his head. A remarkable tool, but ultimately pointless.


    I picked it up feeling disappointed. It was a still a useful device to quickly get a core out of a beast and to stop it from breaking down as a beast died. I had another idea. Before investing in it, I would hear your opinion first, I told the Sect Leader. He nodded at this. The Cylinder Extractor was something I could use myself. My next idea was something that would be only useful for selling.


    A three-dimensional projection of light, that a person could look at their cultivation. The Sect Leader smiled at me. What? They already have something like that?


    Yes, they do my disciple. I wanted to puke blood at this.


    Since it uses spirit stones, it isnt widely spread, I muttered.


    Indeed. Some elders want me to purchase such a device, but we are a poor sect, he said. I looked at the Sect Leader with exasperation. I felt the same way as you. I came up with several ideas myself. But they had all been thought of before and horded by the Imperial Sect.


    I collapsed back into my chair. I had felt for sure that my idea was something I could sell to sects and make lots of spirit stones. This is impossible, I muttered.


    Indeed. The market for cultivator goods is quite stagnant. The high-ranking sects maintain their monopoly on anything that isnt one off and hand crafted. Also, raw materials or really basic items, like spirit wine.


    And raw materials are constrained by heaven and earth, I realized. Another limitation on the production of spirit wine.


    Exactly.


    This energy, where does it come from, or go? Since it clearly the bottleneck, is there something that can be done? I asked.


    That knowledge is held by the high-ranking sects. I have investigated myself, since it is rumored as the path to breaking past the second bottleneck. I suspect it has to do with how much energy the continent as a whole can draw from the Firmament. But that is just speculation.


    What exactly is the Firmament? I have heard that, but it isnt a world, since it is endless and infinite? I asked. I started wondering about the topology of this world when I had first traveled across the continent after being in the astral plane. I wasnt in a place to ask questions and hadnt been too concerned at the time.


    It is where the continent resides. I have gone beyond the continent once into the wider Firmament, and almost died. That is how I have managed to reach rank 8. Many elders leave and never return. He wanted to send me out there as a rank 3?!


    The Firmament is existence itself. The boundary between order and chaos. Those are the words that are said. But true knowledge and more detailed information, would require one to be an immortal, the Sect Leader explained. Life and death can happen by accident. We are but specks of dust drifting along. But that is something we can work out if you reach rank 3. Now, your other preparations?


    They are completed Master. It would be helpful if I could have a second spatial ring. He smiled and shook his head. Then, Martial Elder Lei just needs to sign off on my progress. He has issued no rebukes or complaints and I have diligently trained.


    He has told me as much. You are free to depart in a month. The remaining month you will be instructed in the Parting Cloud Sword style by elder Yi Meifeng. I see you have one more question. Go ahead.


    Thank you, Master. I was wondering about the path of triple cultivation. I have seen references to a Dao and a path. If I make past the bottleneck, how will it all come togeather? I asked.


    Completely unknown. Well perhaps the high ranking sects know. But the higher stages of cultivation are about understanding your cultivation on a deeper level. Your three-path cultivation of mind, body, and soul has a lot of potential, but only if you arent ripped apart by getting the resources you need, and getting passed the bottleneck. The Sect Leader shook his head. Just getting to Core Formation is going to be a struggle, and then getting past the first bottleneck is a whole other challenge. Worrying about the later stages wont help you disciple and will only distract you at this point in time. Is there anything else disciple?


    No Master, I replied.


    You are dismissed disciple, the Sect Leader said. I got up and bowed my head towards him before leaving his office with my Cylinder Extractor and the booklets I had written up.


    What a disappointment. I really needed to take a look into the Imperial Sect once I left and began my travels in earnest. This trip wouldnt be that long. Since the goal would be to get enough level 3 beast cores to pay for the level 6 refined beast essence. I had a time limit of one year. But the Sect Leader had made several statements that he thought it would take me longer.


    I wanted to see how deep these waters were for myself. To see if there was any kind of market I could break into and get wealth without risking life and limb.


    The next morning, I greeted by elder Yi Meifeng instead of Martial Elder Lei and his massive muscles. The Parting Cloud Sword style can only be fully expressed with cutting techniques. I have been told you have mastered the basic movements. Show me, she commanded.


    I quickly went through each slash and thrust. Acceptable. No hesitation and you flow between each form without issue. As you climb up the ranks, form becomes more important. The power you exert can strain and damage your body if you arent careful.


    Techniques are created by pushing out your energy, which is only possible at the fourth stage and above. But in the fourth stage this will slow down your cultivation progress. Still, having the sword forms down is important if you ever wish to use such techniques without injury. Watch closely as I demonstrate.


    Yi Meifeng, lunged, bringing her sword up from pointing at the ground towards the sky in one fluid motion. That is the first form. She then went back to a neutral stance before repeating it once more. A bright beam of energy left her sword, sailing across the training yard. The sand was parted. A bright white barrier appeared at the far wall of the training courtyard blocking the energy that was imparted into the attack.


    That is the first form with a technique behind it. Now watch as I demonstrate the other two forms. The second form consisted of a very wide horizontal slash, where the sword was behind her and brought all the way around to her other side. The last form consisted of thrust and twist of the sword. When a technique was used it punched deeply into the sand.


    Those forms matched up with the instruction manual my first Master, Yi Rong had left me. There are only three forms to this sword style. Questions disciple?


    Why the exaggerated movements elder? I asked.


    To gather energy and aim. It can be improved with practice, like all techniques. But the base forms are necessary along with mastering the technique before you seek to improve upon them. Now demonstrate them.


    I repeated each form slowly and carefully, making sure I got them right. Decent, but you need to move faster. If you reach the fourth rank, feel free to seek me out for further instruction to combine energy as part of your techniques, she said and then immediately left. That was sudden. But she probably felt this was a waste of time and had been imposed on by the Sect Leader.


    Hmm, you sure do like to tease. I guess I will be left forever wondering, Yao Yang said. I resisted from glaring at him. I was talking to my sister, but he was her husband. It would make her unhappy if I got annoyed with him.


    The following day after the family dinner the day before, I went to see Zheng Ting my senior director for Zhou Holding Company Limited. There was no big welcome this time, since I didnt want a fuss. I went to her office and looked over the reports she had prepared.


    You are keeping things stable, I finally said after looking through her reports. There had been no expansion, but no losses either.


    Yes, Cultivator Yuan Zhou. That seemed like the best option moving forward. I let out a long sigh. This was pocket change compared to the amount I truly needed. It was daunting how much I needed. Mortal businesses just didnt have the market to support a cultivator, especially one as demanding as me. It was like trying to trade pennies one at a time to get a billion dollars. It was too slow and painful. Also, there werent enough pennies in circulation to make a billion dollars.


    I need a lot of money Zheng Ting, a lot. My cultivation requires resources in large amounts, I said with a heavy sigh.


    How much are we talking about? she asked. I chuckled softly.


    A conservative estimate, to reach the start of rank 4, I need six billion tael. That wasnt counting special materials I needed to find. There was utter silence at that.


    Six billion? she asked, just to confirm the number.


    About that much. Or six million, rank 1 spirit stones, I said with a strained smile to lighten the mood.


    Thats quite a lot. I wouldnt know where to being, Zheng Ting replied softly.


    I am going out into the wilderness to hunt beasts. But even then, it will be difficult to get enough. And that is not even counting rank 4. I shook my head. The words of the Sect Leader still ringing in my head. Everything.


    Everything of what? Zheng Ting asked. It was so absurd as to be hilarious.


    Everything. The entire wealth of the continent, I finally replied.


    Ah, she said quietly as the scale of what I was saying hit her. Everything was quite a lot after all. The sheer absurdity of that thought made me want to laugh in despair.


    For now, I want you to arrange for a residence to be purchased in Imperial City. A team of people sent there to gather information on the markets in Imperial City. They are not to make waves. But to get a better understanding of the powers that control the city, and what cultivators want. Is there a demand somewhere.


    This was my plan. I needed to do market research. Before I could just bully my way through my business ventures. But now I was in a position of weakness both in terms of backing and understanding. Correcting the first would be difficult and was offset being the personal disciple of the sect. The lack of understanding I could correct by having people do research for me.


    That will cost quite a bit, Zheng Ting told me.


    I know. But when I arrive, I want the information ready for me, rather than trying to dig it up myself, I replied.


    It will require someone you trust quite a bit as well, she said.


    Indeed. What, are you thinking about volunteering? I asked. She looked off to the side. I had only been joking, but she was serious about this.


    A bit. I am getting old. I am already forty years old. I have no children. I would like to see more than this city before I die, she replied with a sigh.


    Why havent you gotten married? I asked bit rudely. Since she had a last name, she could find a husband easily.


    I never found someone Yuan Zhou. Everyone was fake. I went from a servant to a noble. Now I am too old and a pregnancy would be risky, she replied with a sigh. I didnt want to press her anymore. Her using my name like that was a subtle rebuke, even with the massive difference in our positions, I didnt call her out on it.


    All right. Arrange for your replacement. I will leave the arrangements to you. You are authorized for ten level 1 spirit stones or coins. I will probably show up in a decade or so, I replied.


    That long? she asked me.


    It takes two or so years to get there by caravan. Ten years is short, I told her.


    Thank you, Cultivator Yuan Zhou, she told me.


    Consider it a reward for a loyal service. Is there anything else you would ask of me?


    Just to meet with my replacement. Seeing you in person, would help stabilize things once I depart. I nodded at that.


    Everyone was getting older while I was stuck in the appearance of a child. The weight of time was immense. Learning how to deal with that weight was important. The only way I knew how was to take things one day at time.


    I had started on this path out of a desire to be challenged and not wanting to die again. I did not know what allowed me to come back to this land, but I didnt think I would get lucky enough for a third life. Even if it was possible, I didnt want to take that risk any time soon.


    After meeting with Zheng Tings replacement, I got into the carriage that had been prepared for me. It set off for a remote section of road that was quite a distance from Half Moon City. There would be no carriage that would come to pick me up. I would be out in the wilderness until I got enough beast cores or spirit stones.


    Perhaps I would be struck by enlightenment and come up with an idea for a business. Everything came back to the limited energy of the heavens and earth. It was the absolute bottleneck. All other resources were derived from that source, which was unknown.


    If there was a spigot of power, I would not give up the source, which was what the high rank sects were doing. The wonders I had seen on my trip, the Endless Waterfall and the Primordial Ziggurat were locations of interest. There were other such places, but the one thing they all shared in common was death. Cultivators poked at these locations with some hope that they could gain some treasure or insight.


    What happened instead was that they died, their soul lanterns triggered. There was very little knowledge gained, since the deaths were often sudden and unclear in how they occurred. It was rumored that a few of these special locations were hiding locations of the demonic sects and they knew ways around soul lanterns.


    It was tempting to rush to one of these sites, battling my way through. But the joke was that the demonic sects used these sights so they could farm cultivators without having to make a fuss. It would not be surprising if there was a rank 8 monster at the end sharpening their teeth and filling their belly on idiots that ran into their gaping maw.


    While I had been training in swinging my sword for the last year, I was no sword master or expert. I might be able to hold off a low rank 3 cultivator since my cultivation was insane compared to other cultivators. But after that the difference in speed in strength would quickly become insurmountable. Skill might take me to a high rank 3 cultivator. The problem was that I had a very low level of skill, and my small stature didnt help my reach.


    I wouldnt stab myself or swing my sword around like an idiot. But I would struggle against a cultivator on the martial path. Looking down at the sword in my lap, One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth. While that wasnt the name of the sword, that saying of my former master was etched onto the blade. It was an immense gift he had left me. I vowed once more in my heart to not squander his faith in me.


    I gripped the sheath, taking comfort in how sturdy it was. The sheathe was made of spirit wood that had been dyed light blue and white. It was dyed, not painted so the coloration would last as long as the blade it housed did.


    I looked up at the large cloudy gem partially covered up with metal to look like the Cloudy Moon Sect symbol on the hilt of the blade. Yi Rong had urged me to get good at fighting, but I was not a fighter at heart. Unfortunately, the path of defiance and the martial path overlapped quite a bit. Even if I traveled to other places or to this Firmament outside the continent, then I would need strength regardless of my intentions.


    The pressure of cultivation was weighing down on me. I knew I had gotten incredibly lucky so far. With my innate talent to see the concentrated energy of the heavens and earth, or Qi. Coming back from the astral plane was another fortuitous event.


    I did not like depending on luck, even less than I liked fighting. Depending on luck meant that one did not properly plan. While I had planned, I had been too sure of myself. Thinking that I could rapidly align motes without considering the consequences. Now I was trapped, and there was no way off the path I was traveling.


    To slow down meant death. Hopefully Zheng Ting would find information I could use in Imperial City for when I finally journeyed there. While I was giving her a lot of trust, the amount I had given her was a small amount compared to what I needed. Not even a drop in the bucket.


    I really was a pig with how many resources I needed. The Sect Leader had been right, even if it hurt to admit that. Well, I was going out to get some myself. I set my sword to the side. Might as well get changed now. I was not about to travel in the wilderness in my sect robe. I was keeping my sect robe with me, for when I returned to avoid trouble.


    The clothes I put on were specifically commissioned, since they were made with spirit thread. That meant they were tougher than normal. A dark gray t-shirt and dark gray shorts. While it might get chilly, I could use my sect robe as a blanket. Gone were the comfortable padded shoes I normally wore.


    Instead, I had sandals that had straps going around the back of my ankle. They would let my feet breathe and allow me to adjust my footing more easily. Martial Elder Lei had made it clear, that dodging was far superior to taking attacks unless I was a body cultivator.


    Even then, dodging was preferred. That was why I was wearing such light clothing that didnt constrict me in any way. While my sect robe was easy enough to move around in, I had no doubt there would be copious amounts of blood, grime, and all manner of terribleness spilled upon me. Better to keep it clean.


    It would take a couple of days to reach the location I was planning to start hunting from. The hardest part would be finding the beasts quickly, while avoiding a beast tide.Visit  for the best novel reading experience

 Chapter 27: Hunting Beasts

    Chapter 27: Hunting Beasts


    The carriage took off immediately. There were two guards on the carriage along with the driver. While we hadnt been attacked on the way out here, it was dangerous traveling between cities. Even if the main roads were well maintained and paved. With how well the roads were made, it was obvious cultivators had been involved in fusing stone togeather, and creating a slightly elevated roadway between cities.


    I made sure my pack was tightly secure to my back along with my sword sheath. I pulled the sword free and held it in my hand as I set off down the dirt path away from the main road. If I was attacked, there would be no time to get my sword free in time. Better to have it in hand.


    Quickly picking up speed, I bounded across the ground in large leaps along the dirt path. If I walked it would be too slow and I would have to watch my footing too much. Getting used to high-speed movement was important. Martial Elder Lei had shown me how to do it properly. It was all in the ankle to properly angle oneself and staying close to the ground. Adjusting my position in the air wasnt possible until the fourth stage when I could use techniques.


    I occasionally swung my sword to cut through a branch or vine in the way. Each move was crisp and assured. While I could use only one hand to wield the oversized sword, it unbalanced me due to my small stature. If it wasnt for my cultivation strengthening my body, I would have struggled with it, even with two hands.


    But the more motes I aligned in the second stage of cultivation the stronger I became. Even my senses felt improved as everything had a crispness to it that it didnt before. I could only imagine how higher rank cultivators viewed the world.


    When I wasnt scanning my path, I was scanning the forest for any signs of beasts. I needed to be ready the moment any beast attacked me, otherwise I would be killed.


    My current destination was a wilderness outpost that the Cloudy Moon Sect occasionally used for hunting expeditions. Sects had several such outposts scattered in the wilderness near their sect for such purposes. They consisted of a single stone room built deep into the ground.


    One such outpost was my first destination to make sure it was clear, and I could use it as a fallback point if needed. Ensuring a path of retreat was important in my mind and something the Sect Leader had recommended.


    There was something glowing that was approaching. I could see it through the trees. A beast core! As my cultivation improved, my ability to concentrate on Qi and see it had improved. I had been ignoring the motes for the most part, ever since I entered the second rank. The fact I could see the approach of a beast core was a huge boon and eased my mind for the trials I was about to endure.


    The wolverine like beast was quite large. It was rank 2 if I had to guess since it was the size of a very small compact adult car. I had both my feet planted on the ground as it charged at me through the various shrubs covering the forest floor. I stepped to the side and slashed out, my form perfect, my timing impeccable.Updated from


    The beast was cut open horizontally. Blood and viscera spilled out as it crashed into the ground. I did a follow up swing to get the blood off my sword while I checked around me. There were no other beasts. It was unlikely, since they rarely got together except for a beast tide. But better just to be sure. I put my sword away into my spatial ring to free up both of my hands.


    I quickly pulled out my Cylinder Extractor and used it, aiming around the beast core. The flesh parted easily. I grabbed chunk of fur and pulled, a large amount of beast flesh and bone in a cylindrical shape was pulled free. The core was pulled along as well. I quickly plucked it free, with a pair of clamps. I put the core and then the clamps into my low-rank spatial ring.


    The cleaning of the spirit stone could happen later. I pulled my sword out of my spatial ring and set off once more. Quickly rushing forward, there would be another beast or two moving in on the beast corpse I left behind.


    The more I learned about beasts the more their very nature threw me off. They had similar organs to other mammals. The only difference being a core. There were no weird cultivation organs. Then at the later stages, intelligence and then shapeshifting.


    It was honestly quite confusing, how all this worked at a fundamental level, but there had been nothing on what Qi actually was beyond the energy of the heavens and the earth. If anyone knew it would be the high ranking sects, but they werent sharing. There was a black hole of information around the most critical aspect of cultivation. But I had neither the backing nor the personal power to contest this or get answers.


    Following the dirt path, I paused when I heard another beast approaching, but didnt see a core. It was smaller than the last one, so only a rank 1 beast. It rushed at me and leapt. I stepped to the side and slashed out. The beast was mostly bisected. It would have been if I had stepped in closer, but I didnt want to get blood on me. That risked drawing other beasts.


    Using my Cylinder Extractor and the pair of tongs, I retrieved a rank 1 beast core. Useful to power my equipment, but not much else. Even such a priceless item was nothing but a bronze coin to me, with how much money and resources I needed.


    No wonder mortals said cultivators were rich. They could just rush out and kill a couple of beasts and make an incredible amount of money for a mortal. But for a cultivator, this was just spending money at best. The scale difference that the Sect Leader had spoken about was more evident than ever with how my thinking had shifted.


    I had been playing in the kiddie pool this entire time with my all my businesses. A single beast core would be an immense source of wealth for any cultivator. I would have more wealth from killing a level 3 beast than all my businesses earned in a single year.


    It was humbling in a sense. I thought I was the next Steve Jobs, instead I was the kid with a lemonade stand that made a lot of money with it. My genius meant nothing compared to old monsters that had lived for millennia. Even if they only had one original thought per century, the sheer amount of time had entrenched their positions more than any amount of wealth ever could.


    Not even considering the command-and-control economy that the high ranking sects used, it was the sheer age of elder cultivators that was just completely overbearing. As I made my way through the forest, I felt despondent about the scope of the problem in front of me.


    I did not want to be out here in the wilderness fighting. But it was both the only and best source for cultivation resources any cultivator could get. I had spoken with the Sect Leader about why more cultivators at the Core Formation stage and at the first bottleneck didnt go out and hunt.


    They did, and they died. Others tried other things in order to breakthrough. Many just gave up as the sheer amount resources and headache was too much. Even with all that effort, countless cultivators failed in their attempts to break through the bottleneck, which had a failure rate of around 99.9%. That meant for every thousand cultivators that reached Core Formation, only one would break through to the fifth stage.


    The more martial sects did what I was doing. Send their members out to fights beasts. Countless died, more were crippled. There was a reason why my former master Yi Rong wasnt out fighting. Cultivators feared injury. Since any serious damage to a persons body before the fifth rank would cripple a persons cultivation short. Imagine spending centuries working on something and it is ruined in seconds. This fact combined with the patience necessary to cultivate made cultivators outside martial sects risk averse.


    For me there was no other choice. Being confident in swinging my blade the right way to cut through low-ranking beasts was easy enough. But one mistake, and I was finished. One rank 4 beast with human level intelligence, and I would be in a very tough position. The two beasts so far had just mindlessly raced at me. A rank 3 beast might circle a bit and be weary of my sword like a dog, but they would still attack. A rank 4 beast would have patience and be willing to wait and stalk me.


    Scanning around me, there were no other beasts nearby. It would take a couple of days to reach the outpost. It was set deep in the wilderness to avoid any beast tide from impacting a nearby city. The Sect Leader had kindly told me that if I didnt return within five years, he would stop worrying about me and I should just give up if I was still alive.


    The basic implication being that I was dead, and the beasts had ripped the outpost out of the ground to get to me in a frenzy. Crazy sect, crazy sect leader, I muttered. It had been a mistake speaking about body cultivation in that sect meeting. Now my cultivation was even more complex. But I wanted to be the best, and I was going to be the best. That meant focusing everything I had into completing my cultivation.


    I didnt know enough about wilderness survival to find food in the wilderness. And while I had never been a fan of streak, this was the cultivator lifestyle. If I left to get more supplies and comforts but didnt meet the deadlines the Sect Leader threw out, he would be very annoyed.


    While he was helpful in many ways, I was under no delusions that he was my friend. Our relationship was one of mutual benefit. I didnt really understand the full picture of how he benefited, but there were several things that had been mentioned in passing. Being the sect mascot, helping elders with their Dao or path, getting resources, and charting a new path for cultivation techniques. Becoming an elder or even immortal wasnt even part of their consideration.


    After my meal, I went to sleep. The next day I took the spirit stone off of the table, left the room, and sealed it back up. Just as I was about to clear the top of the stairs to the mountaintop, I felt a sense of unease. I looked around but didnt see anything. My sword was in my hand like always, when I left the outpost.


    I carefully poked my head out of the top of the staircase and looked around, even above me. There was a massive form hiding behind some rocks that were behind the staircases direction. I checked again and there was only one beast. A rank 4 beast.


    I wouldnt be able to ambush it. Their senses and intelligence were too good along with their cultivation. I might surprise it, but with the beast focused on me, I wouldnt be able to easily kill it. This was what the Sect Leader had told me would happen. I would kill too many beasts and would attract attention I couldnt easily handle.


    Initially I had thought I would just run back to the outpost if a rank 4 beast appeared. Their large size, about the size of a semitruck, made it hard for them to maneuver. But it was clearly willing to wait and ambush me at the outpost. It wasnt stupid, which was the problem.


    I looked at my sword. Against such a large beast it would struggle to get to a depth that would kill it in one blow. And while large, it would be more than happy to wait until I engaged another beast to ambush me.


    The only option was to fight, here and now. I felt nervous. This wasnt like fighting the other beasts that were animals. This was an inhuman intelligence I had to kill no matter what, otherwise I would be eaten or trapped. Even if I ran away, I would run into another beast and then the rank 4 beast would do a pincer attack.


    I might be able to kill two rank 3 beasts at once with a bit of luck and positioning. But against a rank 4 beast I knew I wasnt capable for that kind of combat. I took a deep breath to steady myself and exited the staircase and turned around.


    I slowly began to circle where the rank 4 beast was hiding. For a massive creature, it picked its location very well, behind several rocks and almost looking like another off-colored rock in the group.


    So, you spotted me, it muttered with a growl as it quickly emerged and stood up, turning to face me. I jumped slightly at the voice. The beast was massive. A bit small, but your cultivation smells delicious, it said with a grin that had far too many teeth.


    I am Yuan Zhou of the Cloudy Moon Sect, I introduced myself while keeping my blade extended. It was a common courtesy for introductions before fighting to the death. Even with beasts and demonic cultivators. Most wouldnt observe such a thing, but when the beast was already speaking, then it did not matter.


    I am Roaring Twilight Upon The Rocks, child of Whirling Flames From The Heavens, it replied. Its yellow eyes never leaving me or wavering in the slightest.


    I dont suppose you will just leave or be willing to make a deal? I asked. If it had human level intelligence and could speak, that meant a bargain was possible.


    Perhaps, but why should I cooperate with someone as weak and tasty as you? The other reason why cooperation never worked in all recorded texts was that the beasts would attack the moment they sensed weakness. Cultivators were delicious treats to them, that they couldnt resist.


    Weak? Then I will gamble with my life, I boldly said while my heart was about to burst out of my chest. If I wound you, you will obey me. If I lose, well then you will devour me, I replied.


    A deep wound. And if you are ever wounded in turn, and not by me, our deal would be over and I would eat you then. But if you manage to hold my life with your sword, then I will obey unless my life would be forfeit, Roaring Twilight said. I swear to this by the heavens and earth as witness.


    I swear by the heavens and earth as witness, I replied. While there was nothing holding us to our words, breaking them would be considered a great shame. It made no sense, and I am sure there were cultivators who lied. But this deal only had upsides for me. I took a step forward and Roaring Twilight took a step back. I wasnt going to get anything better. Beasts werent lawyers unfortunately.


    Little human, I will wait. We do not have to fight now. Go hunt. I will accompany you, Roaring Twilight said with a massive, malicious grin. Dammit, human level intelligence, meant it could see obvious loopholes and exploit them. It was also reassuring in a way, since if I did manage to deeply wound it, I would have a temporary ally. His wording was fairly loose, but a level 4 beast at my side would be a big help.


    The problem was getting to that point. I kicked off the ground and the beast easily leaped backwards with a chuckle. Oh no, I am so weak, please dont hurt me, it teased. The effect was ruined by how its voice came out as a growl.


    Fine, then attack from behind, I will be ready, I replied and turned away. Roaring Twilight followed me at a distance. I didnt even look at the beast anymore. How annoying. It was content to wear me down and attack at the worst possible moment.


    One thing it didnt know was that I could locate it at any time. Its attack would not be surprise. Its shamelessness was impressive as well, but also revealed a fear. Being overly cautious was not always a good thing. It showed weakness of spirit. That was another thing Martial Elder Lei had talked to me about. Being decisive was just as important as any skill or technique in combat.


    Roaring Twilight clearly was not willing to attack me head on. That lack of conviction showed that it was burdened with consciousness. It was overthinking things too much. Human level intelligence was also a weakness as it suppressed its instincts to shadow me. It was probably wondering how I had noticed it and wanted to observe anything I did.


    I just needed to lure the beast in for an attack and be ready. As I left the area around the outpost, there was a level 3 beast who was rushing up the mountain at me. I adjusted my positioning to be on a nearby plateau.


    The beast leapt at me. This time I didnt move to the side, but stepped forward and drove my sword directly into its head with a thrust. With my low stature, the blade was aimed upwards and I had moved into a position, so the beast had to rush right at me and wasnt pouncing.


    Its bulk hit me, and I let go of my blade. Normally a foolish decision, but I needed to lure Roaring Twilight closer to in order to deal with that rank 4 beast. Ahhhh! I let out a fake scream of pain from under the massive rank 3 beast on top of me. Pushing the beast off I weekly crawled out. Roaring Twilight was closer than before.


    Just as I was starting to crawl free. It leapt. While it had some patience, it didnt have that much. My cry of pain, combined with everything else, was enough for it to think attacking was a good idea. While beasts might inherit basic knowledge from the heavens and the earth through their cores, that didnt give them experience to recognize a trap that had been laid for them.

 Chapter 28: Roaring Twilight Upon The Rocks

    Chapter 28: Roaring Twilight Upon The Rocks


    I was already moving for my sword and pulled it free from the dead rank 3 beast. Spinning around, I kicked off the ground, staying low. Roaring Twilight was leaping down, but it was midair. It couldnt change its direction. I moved under it and slashed my sword upwards. It tried to twist out of the way, but the beast couldnt dodge in time.


    Blood poured down upon me as I struggled slightly to cut through its flesh. It slammed into the ground past me and I spun. It was quickly back on its feet, and I brought my sword back up in front of me once more. It let out a massive growl. Just a minor wound.


    Fine, then I will deliver another minor wound! I said and kicked off the ground. Roaring Twilight didnt rush forward or leap at me. I closed the distance and its head shot out. I interposed my blade and slashed out, delivering a shallow cut on its massive face. It jerked back and I didnt hesitate. I kept moving forward, leaping for its head.


    The beast seemed confused. It had never experienced this situation before and had already been wounded twice. Roaring Twilight lived up to its name and roared as my blade stabbed into the side of its massive neck. I pushed the blade in deep, and kept a hold of my blade.


    I then pushed off the beast and pulled my blade free. A massive paw came up at me. I twisted my blade sideways in front of me and moved my left hand behind the flat of the blade. I managed to angle the blade to intercept the massive sword like claws. The impact from the attack sent me slamming down into the ground. I was already rolling out of the way as a massive set of teeth bit down where I had been, shattering the stone. I quickly got back up to my feet and brought my sword back up.


    If I hadnt practiced for countless hours, learning how to position my sword exactly where I needed to, I would have never been able to react in time. Also, I was helped out by the fact this was a new rank 4 beast, and not an older one. Its lack of experience and poor reactions made this clear. I would never get a better chance than this.


    I could have cut open your neck completely by moving my blade to the side, I said as Roaring Twilight growled at me. We stared at each other for over a minute. If it didnt make down, I would have to go for the kill in my next strike and end it.


    RAAAWR! Roaring Twilight brought its head up and let out an even louder roar as blood leaked down its neck and belly. It then landed back on the ground with a massive thud. The shame, it muttered out. There was silence and I didnt say anything or lower my blade.


    Fine, small human. You have bested me. I will obey until you are wounded and will not give up my life to you. But I will listen and hold off from eating you until then, it replied with as much petulance a massive beast could put into its words. I let out a small sigh of relief at that. My entire body hurt from that swipe I took. I had avoided being skewered, but I would bruise heavily and had a concussion, from the way my head ached.


    I accept your vow of obedience Roaring Twilight Upon The Rocks, child of Whirling Flames From The Heavens, I said officially with as much confidence as I could muster against this truck sized beast.


    I was overeager, and you tricked me. I will remember, it replied in a sulking tone. We werent about to become friends now. One misstep and this beast would attack without mercy. If it had been more experienced, then I would have been in much more serious trouble.


    I will keep my blade ready for when the day comes, I countered back. I couldnt afford to show weakness here. Roaring Twilight was like a bully. It would sense weakness and pounce. I went back over to the rank 3 beast I had killed and got out the core. Thankfully it hadnt broken apart yet. The higher the rank, the longer the core lasted after death.


    I turned back to Roaring Twilight who was still watching me while it laid down to recover. Can we talk safely here? I asked it.


    Yes. No other beasts will come with me here, it replied. I nodded at this. It could be lying, but until it showed itself to be untrustworthy, we would speak. Beasts didnt have a notion of honor, but they also lacked the guile of words from their inherited memories from what I had read.


    Then, let us talk, I went over and sat in front of its head far enough away it couldnt just lunge and eat me. I wasnt stupid and Roaring Twilight wasnt stupid. One misstep and it would end me without hesitation. But I would use this beast to get information to improve my grinding speed.


    I need a lot of rank 3 beast cores. Can you call beasts to me one at a time? I asked.


    No. They are driven by instincts. Only when we gather, would I be able to direct the horde, it replied.


    Other rank 4 beasts or higher ranks, would they show up? I asked.


    Maybe, if enough blood is spilled. But if they come, I will tell them to kill you so I can be avenged, Roaring Twilight replied. Yeah, definitely not my friend, but clearly not lying or it wouldnt have said that. Like a newborn with some knowledge, but completely lacking in others. I will be laughed at and shamed, but such is my failure. Losing to such a small human. But perhaps you will kill them, and I will feast on their flesh, Roaring Twilight said with no guile whatsoever.


    You want to eat that beast I killed? I asked him.


    No. Ripping out the core like that ruins the meat and power within them. While lesser beasts will eat it, higher rank beasts like myself wont care. I only found you since this area was in turmoil little human.


    I need rank 3 beast cores, a lot of them. Can you help me? I asked. Roaring Twilight was silent as time dragged on. A minute went by, then two, but still the beast was silent. I occasionally glanced around, but no other beasts showed up. I waited patiently and after five minutes it let out a small huff. It was clearly being difficult on purpose, like an unrulily child. Another bit of proof that this rank 4 beast had very little experience.


    Inherited memories that rank 4 beasts gained were like snapshots or a movie. They werent ingrained and internalized memories. Just limited knowledge it could draw upon. The beasts would pass down fighting and violence for the most part, with the language. But there was no nuance or experiences to help it deal with this situation. It is not like beasts did business as far as I knew. If Roaring Twilight recently reached rank 4, then it could very well have the mentality and experiences of a child. Just a truck sized murder beast of a child, with some memories passed on.


    There are rules. Of course there were heaven cursed rules. Even the stupid beasts had rules. I wanted to puke out blood at this statement. I cant hunt other beasts, but I can sit on this mountain and keep a beast tide from forming or another level 4 beast showing up.


    And if I leave rank 1 and 2 beasts behind me with their cores inside of them for you to eat? I asked, since I learned something that would give me leverage over Roaring Twilight. It wouldnt hesitate to eat other beasts, but it couldnt kill them itself.


    I could gather more energy to reach the next rank. It would be small, but I would get stronger. Why help me? I will eat you one day regardless of anything you do, Roaring Twilight asked me curiously. I had to be careful here in what I said. No hasty words or foolish declarations.


    If you could point me in the direction of beasts nearby, I could go more quickly and collect more rank 3 beast cores. You are just waiting for a chance to attack me. If I dont want to gather up the lesser cores, well that is nothing you decided. If there are no beast tides or rank 4 beasts showing up, well there would be quite a feast for whatever beast was just following me and suggesting directions I should travel in, I replied.


    Roaring Twilight considered this. My biggest hurdle was finding the beasts. Sure, I could see them if they got close enough, but actually finding them was a struggle. I had been averaging only 3 to 6 beasts a day. Only 1 or 2 of them were level 3 beasts. I needed to be killing at least 5 such beasts per day. Roaring Twilight could clearly tell where other beasts were located, and I could leave the lesser beasts for it to eat. That would motivate the beast to not create trouble for me during this hunting expedition.


    I wasnt about to capture it or tame it as a pet. That was pure idiocy. There was no possible long term cooperation between beasts and humans. Even the Sect Leader had said that maybe at the immortal level such things occurred, but he wasnt qualified to ask.


    Still, if I could leverage Roaring Twilight to find beasts faster, then I would quickly complete my hunting expedition and get the beast cores needed to trade for rank 6 refined beast essence. Now to see if I could get something even more important. I am also looking for something special. A blue moon orchid. A blue flower that only appears during a full moon at night, I added.


    A treasure. You also want a treasure. The massive beast shook its head slightly and leered at me. I might know where a few are. But they arent simple to get. Let us work on simpler matters first. I nodded at this. At least I had a lead on the blue orchids as well. I would trade the beast its life and freedom for two of them.


    That is fair. I will release you from your service then. So, cores, can you move safely? I asked.


    A low rank spatial ring wouldnt be able to hold much, but it would let Roaring Twilight keep anything it found after killing a cultivator and trade it for other stuff. If the beast ever reached rank 5, it would be incredibly invaluable. I am sure it would figure out ways to use such an item or come up with something in time. That wasnt my problem. I needed to arrange for this deal and get the helmet, which would be a massive headache, pun intended.


    As the months went by, I killed more and more beasts. Roaring Twilight pointing out the ones in the area and me killing them without incident. When I asked why another level 4 beast or a higher rank one wouldnt check on the area, it just said it was still alive and that unless I started killing twice what I was now, then no beast would look into the issue.


    I guess it was a good thing for me, that this land belonged to the Cloudy Moon Sect, and that they werent a martial sect. There were no other cultivators out here. The Sect Leader had told me as much. One wrong move and their journey of cultivation was over, they didnt want to risk it.


    It was honestly sickening how many beast cores I was collecting. I had found an exploit. I had also been observing Roaring Twilight and its method of cultivation. The beast had no idea, it just naturally drew in energy over time and liked to consume sources of energy that were available to it. Just no consuming other beasts that were still alive, but there was an instinctual draw to their downed comrades.


    During this time, I kept aligning motes diligently, the Astral Soul Stabilizer making it incredibly easy. As for other information, Roaring Twilight didnt have much. I traded information about human society and learned beast society was exactly what I envisioned. The strong were in charge, the weak obeyed.


    Roaring Twilight, once it became a rank 4, was given a section of territory to watch over and do with as it wished. Higher ranked beasts were much rarer than humans, and tended to be secluded for the most part, only rarely passing through if ever and not all of them were sociable.


    Beyond the ingrained instinct of beasts to obey stronger beasts, there was nothing interesting about beast society. They were like some kind of bioweapon that had been used and now was just chugging along mindlessly to push back against humans and give them resources.


    I asked about reproductive processes, and it was incredibly embarrassing when I had to answer in turn. I did learn that beasts didnt have true genders, which was in the books I had read. Instead, they just became pregnant if there was an instinctual drive to. This often occurred in higher ranked beasts between ranks 5 and 8.


    They would birth little rank 1 beasts, and the inherited memories would carry over. Something about the ability to shapeshift, allowed them to separate a portion of themselves to form children. The less beasts there were the stronger the remaining beasts grew, and the greater the drive to reproduce. The beast immortal above rank 8 was in its own category. This all but confirmed beasts were a cultivation experiment gone wrong, or possibly gone right. It was hard to say, but spontaneous parthenogenesis for such a creature was unheard of back on Earth, at least for mammals.


    Beasts were incredibly efficient at collecting the energy of the heavens and the earth. More so than any array or formation. That was why sects didnt bother making such things, and just hunted beasts instead.


    One thing I picked up on was that Roaring Twilight didnt want the older beasts to know that it was working with me. While it would escape punishment it would be told off or something bad would happen. I wasnt sure what, but I didnt care too much beyond the fact that Roaring Twilight had reason to keep our dealings secret. I said I would return in two months to the mountaintop, and it should be here to trade and end our partnership. It had agreed to that without any issue.


    I wouldnt be selling to the beast collective any time soon, but a market of one was more than enough for right now. Once I collected the beast cores I needed and then some, I returned to civilization. The first stop was the sect of course and to see the Sect Leader after getting some chests to put the spirit cores in.


    Trying to go around him or do things without his approval would just be a hassle. Entering his office, I carried eight small chests balanced on top of each other, with 200 level 3 spirit cores each. I set them down to the side of his desk.


    He checked one and only spent half a minute looking inside it before closing the chest. Well done disciple. Very well done. And in less than a year. I count eight chests, I suppose you want some things in exchange? he asked me.


    Yes Master. I have made anacquaintance while hunting down rank 3 beasts. I would like to commission a large false rank 4 helmet with one chest and a low rank spatial ring with the other, I said. The Sect Leaders small smile turned into a frown.


    How big a helmet Yuan Zhou? he asked me.


    Fairly big. About a quarter the size of your office, I replied. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.


    Of course you allied yourself to a rank 4 beast. That is now allowed.


    By the high ranking sects? I asked.


    Yes. What will it give you in return? the Sect Leader asked.


    For the helmet, a blue moon orchid. I am hoping for a second in exchange for the spatial ring, to trade for another blue moon orchid, to then trade for a mid-rank ring from the sect, I said with utter shamelessness. The Sect Leader rubbed his forehead.


    Those resources are critical. You may make the trade and I will commission such things, but the beast is not to survive. No matter what. You will bring me its core Yuan Zhou. I am taking a big risk in even allowing this. An official censure by the Imperial Sect is no joke. We cannot afford such an incident or the trouble it will bring.


    A censure? I asked.


    Our century tribute would multiply by ten for the next hundred thousand years. It would crush our sect. But such a treasure is quite useful. If an elder or another member goes with you, the beast will expect a betrayal. You will make the trade, then kill it yourself, the Sect Leader said and I winced.


    I was kind of hoping for some long-term trade, or to use its help for rank 3? I asked.


    No. The risk is too great. Beasts cannot lie to beasts stronger than them. You gave it your name you foolish disciple?


    Yes, but it hasnt used it, I replied but that didnt matter.


    Then there is nothing to discuss. A beast sized helmet would invite questions. Questions we cannot afford to answer. Beasts and humans are forbidden from working togeather. Kill it Yuan Zhou. This is a direct order from your Sect Leader and Master.


    I winced at this. While I wasnt friends with Roaring Twilight or even allies, we got along. To betray it now after all we had hunted togeather left a bad taste in my mouth. But to disobey the Sect Leader would be courting death. He was a rank 8. While I might be slightly cheeky with him, since he liked insulting me, I couldnt disobey him.


    I will bring back a rank 4 beast core, or die in the process, I replied with conviction. The Sect Leader narrowed his eyes.


    Good. You have impressed me disciple. I will arrange for the refined beast essence to be applied to you when you return. Also request two cases for the blue moon orchids you are retrieving. I will speak to an elder to make this helmet myself in secret and withdraw a low ranked spatial ring as well.


    Ah, could I get a mid-rank spatial ring to carry the helmet in? In return for an extra blue moon orchid? I asked. Logistics were half the issue in dealing with this.


    Hmm, well you did succeed, even if in a way that brings trouble. Very well. A loan until you bring back a blue moon orchid for the sects use. Their rarity is impressive, but with our knowledge hopefully we can grow and market them. It would give us quite a bit of leverage in the centuries to come. Which is the only reason I am even considering this foolishness disciple.

 Chapter 29: A Trap

    Chapter 29: A Trap


    I brought out the large false rank 4 helmet in front of Roaring Twilight on top of the mountain. Its eyes went wide. Try it out, I replied. Roaring Twilight picked it up in his massive paws and slid it on. There were spots left open for the ears, and the back laid flat against his spine. It wasnt a human helmet, that was for sure.


    This good, comfortable too. Sturdy as well, the beast said while appreciating it. There was a slight bit of padding built into the helmet Roaring Twilight turned his head around. Very well follow me. The full moon is three nights from now, so you can get one of the flowers then. Just one, unless you have something else? it asked.


    A spatial ring, a low rank one in exchange for a second flower, I told it. I held it up and it brought an eye close to the ring. I had my sword in one hand. I wasnt taking any chances. It is where I put and take stuff from. While a bit small, once you get to rank 5 it will be quite useful, I told the beast and it nodded at that.


    After a bit of back and forth, I slid the ring into a slot on the helmet after Roaring Twilight took it off for a moment, making sure not to leave myself open to an attack. I had left a few rank 1 spirit stones inside. Small, but useful if I find a trinket, it said with a nod. Definitely worth a second flower.


    With my half of the trade completed we set off at a fast pace. Beasts would often make gardens, or grow them once they hit rank 4 and above. To supplement their draw of the energy of heavens and earth. Lesser beasts would stay away, while higher ranked beasts would mostly respect other beasts gardens.


    Their bottleneck to the fifth rank and beyond was worse than the humans bottleneck. I still wasnt sure why it was so tough, but since they gained the ability to shapeshift, it most certainly had to do with that. My personal guess after months of hunting and observing Roaring Twilight was their body would become too big and they had to shapeshift to survive.


    The square-cube law limited the size of creatures, even in cultivation land. It basically was the rule that the bigger the object, the more its internal volume needed to be devoted to support structures like bones and muscles to move it. That was why the bones of an elk were larger than the bones of dear, since the elk was bigger. There was also the issue of heat transference.


    I had noted that Roaring Twilight was a lot warmer than the other beasts the few times I came close. It radiated off a lot more heat. It also liked to plow through water sources. While cultivation might help with its size, there were other facets of biology that limited the beast.


    It had also grown another foot, or a half a meter in length from when I had met it. Again, not easily noticeable, but it was getting bigger. That was the confirmation I needed that the beasts bottleneck was one of size, where they would be forced to alter their organs and move their consciousness into their core.


    They had brains like regular creatures, but if they could shapeshift, that meant their brain had to shift as well. Otherwise, shapeshifting was pointless. If the brain shapeshifted, that meant they had to have their consciousness elsewhere.


    Unfortunately, higher ranked beasts were very rarely fought, or their cores captured. I had no idea how the Sect Leader would get rank 6 refined beast essence, but he would somehow do that. He had promised on my return that he would have it and be ready to integrate it into my body. I just needed to pay for the refined beast essence, and he would handle all the arrangements as my master.


    My guess was that some more martial sects had higher ranked beasts imprisoned, or killed such beasts, and extracted everything they could out of them. Regardless, my cultivation progress for body cultivation would now occur and I wouldnt rip my body apart or explode. While an elder would not steal a low leveled item like a low ranked spatial ring, anything above rank 5, needed to be handled with care in case someone got ideas.


    I was more than content to let the rank 8 Sect Leader take the lead procuring the difficult cultivation ingredient and figuring out the technical applications of applying it to my body. While he might have been annoyed with me working with a beast, I could also tell he was impressed I had fulfilled his requirements so quickly.


    All these thoughts went through my head as I followed Roaring Twilight and kept an eye out on my surroundings. I had a plan for what I wanted to do, and a plan of what needed to happen no matter what. If I returned without a rank 4 beast core, the Sect Leader would not be happy with me. While it made no sense for him to betray me or kill me, I couldnt afford to cross his bottom line.


    He would be more than happy to kick me out of the sect or punish me, or it could be what he wanted me to think. Unlike a computer game, I had no easy measure to judge how annoyed or pleased he was with me. I knew I would eventually screw up or hit a rough patch, and I needed to build up good will until that point.


    Roaring Twilight while useful, was not a friend. It was an inhuman intelligence, which would kill me without the slightest bit of hesitation. I also suspected there would be trap or betrayal coming up in some way. With the direction and distance, we were traveling.


    Before it was a three-day loop around the mountain. I wasnt worried about running into another level 4 beast. But this time we were headed in a straight-line path away from the mountain outpost. That meant Roaring Twilight would accidentally lead me into the path of another beast, or perhaps claim its garden for his own.


    I had prepared a surprise with the support of the Sect Leader who was content to let me handle this situation I had created. He had made it clear he wouldnt be bailing me out and there would be no secret elder or member watching me. I gripped my sword tighter and kept my head on a swivel once we cleared the previous hunting area.


    With Roaring Twilight in directly in front of me no other beasts bothered us. I did see the occasional one watching at a distance, but they quickly left as we traveled. There was no large pack behind us either, when I called for a halt after a day for a quick water and bathroom break. I checked behind us for a kilometer quickly and there was no beast horde that Roaring Twilight had formed.


    That meant it was a probably a high-level ambush of some kind. If there wasnt, then I planned to have an honest conversation with Roaring Twilight, but I doubted that would happen. Humans and beasts were enemies. Still, Roaring Twilight had kind of grown on me like a dog. But just like tigers and bears werent real pets, Roaring Twilight was not a pet, it was a sentient creature that wanted to eat me.


    It was evening of the third day when we finally slowed down and entered a steep canyon area with a small stream. There werent cliffs on either side, but very steep tree and rock covered slops. There were also a lot more motes in the air.


    That was when I saw the ambush that was planned. The stream was connected to a pool of water and there were several plants growing around it pool. A small waterfall fell down from an actual cliff. The ambush was in the form of a hawk that was watching from a nearby tree. I kept my face controlled as I scanned the rest of the area.


    Here we are. You can get your flowers when the moon rises, and then we shall part ways. When the time comes I will eat you little human, Roaring Twilight said. I was nervous as the elder beast was watching me from a tree. There was no way that Roaring Twilight didnt know about it laying in wait. I didnt turn my back to it, since I didnt want a fight to break out now.


    I could feel my life hanging my thread. I had no frame of reference to determine what rank the elder beast was. If it was rank 5, I had a chance. If it was rank 8, then I was instantly dead. Is this place yours? I asked Roaring Twilight.


    No. You will only take what we agreed on and nothing more, it said with a growl. It clearly didnt want to elaborate, and I didnt press Roaring Twilight.


    Two blue moon orchids. Thats all I want, I replied while scanning the other plants for anything valuable. There were several valuable plants, but no red sun rose, or green ocean lily. This was clearly not a simple garden in the wilderness. I wont be coming back either or mentioning this place. I added.


    Roaring Twilight seemed surprised, but the fact it hadnt said anything about this was more confirmation that this was a trap. Good, it grunted. I kept my sword ready in my hands. The beast disguised as a hawk was still sitting on a branch and watching me.


    If it could hide itself, it probably didnt care against a baby cultivator like me. And that was reference to my low cultivation rank, not my stature. The sun slowly set. There was a low amount of cloud cover in the sky.


    The full moon was out and came out from behind a cloud. Ten blue moon orchids materialized around the pond at various locations. I approached them and pulled out a trowel. I had to put my sword on the ground next to me, but no attack came as I carefully moved two of the plants into carrying containers. I sealed the containers up and carefully put them away in my spatial ring.


    Or deal is completed, I am free? Roaring Twilight asked me.


    Once I leave. Otherwise, you would try and eat me. Consider it fulfilled three days from now, I said as I picked up my sword again. The beast disguised as a hawk was still watching me.


    Three days then, goodbye little human. I wanted to repeat my name, but no need to leave it behind. That had been a foolish mistake.


    Goodbye Roaring Twilight Upon The Rocks, I said and quickly left, retracing the route that had been used to arrive to this place deep in the wilderness. I wanted to attack or say something, but I couldnt with that elder beast watching. If I mentioned about wanting to kill another rank 4 beast, I had no doubt it would intervene. The Sect Leader would not be happy with me, but picking a fight with an elder beast was beyond me.


    I occasionally checked behind me and noticed a large source of energy of the heavens and earth in the sky following me. Dammit! It was the elder beast. It would definitely attack in three days. I kept the same pace, since this was a marathon, not a sprint. Once I left the canyon I made a zig zag pattern.


    Thank you Elder Liu Chen.


    An interesting diversion and seeing two cultivations in a single body will be quite interesting, he replied and left. I glanced over at the two blue moon orchids carrying cases on the Sect Leaders desk.


    Thank you, Sect Leader, I told him and bowed my head. I didnt know what he would do with the refined beast essence he already had, but I am sure he would figure out something to do with such a treasure.


    Since you are succeeding on your path of defiance, I shall make things easier for you. However, you did fail in a direct order from myself and allowed such a helmet to be used, and the beast in question to not be killed. I was silent and wondered what headache I would have to deal with. But I am not unreasonable. The extra blue moon orchid makes up for you what you did and the presence of an elder beast. The fact you wounded it shows you tried at least.


    If anyone asks, you were exploiting and tricking the beasts to get resources, not aiding them. But the presence of an elder messed things up, the Sect Leader decided. I let out a sigh of relief at this.


    Thank you, Master, I said and bowed my head.


    Elder Liu Chens time is valuable as well as several elders I have working on things pertaining to your cultivation. The blue moon orchid you recovered for the sect, will go a long away in terms of silencing any complaints about your cultivation path. I nodded at this.


    Now I wait? I asked.


    And keep cultivating. Your age and aligned motes? he asked me.


    Age 27 and approximately 400,000 motes are aligned. I am going to be starting on the valve structures soon for my soul cultivation, since the channels are progressing well.


    Good, you cannot slow down, no matter what, and your progress while hunting is acceptable. You are going with Elder Liu Chens valve structure. That was kind of a question and also wasnt. I was an experimental platform of this elders and what kept their interest. Liu Chen had agreed easily enough once realizing it was for my cultivation. If I didnt take the path of most interesting and complicated cultivation, they would lose interest.


    Yes, Sect Leader, I replied.


    That means for Meridian Attunement, you will need a null metal and a focusing gem, he said with a long sigh. Those are things that cannot be purchased easily. I will inquire about them, but it wont be simple. Also, the number of cores you need are immense. It isnt possible here on the continent most likely, but I am hesitant to send you into the Firmament before you can use techniques at Core Formation, the sect leader said out loud.


    Due to the danger, I added in.


    Yes, the danger is immense. Rank 8 cultivators are nothing but cabbages on the side of the road, with how easily their lives can be plucked. But the sheer amount of resources you need leaves no other option, unless you come up with something else to get the items needed, he explained.


    It is a death sentence? I asked and the Sect Leader nodded.


    It is. Even with you absurd luck and heavens favored path, you will be in a precarious position.


    There might be another way. I was considering heading towards Imperial City to see if I could do business there, I said. The Sect Leader looked at me as if I was truly brain damaged.


    You can try. But you will stay until we can apply the refined beast essence. Then you may depart and see the futility of your business aspirations first hand. If you want to cultivate you will have to fight and kill. The beasts you have killed so far, are but a drop in the ocean of blood you will have unleash.


    I would prefer spreadsheets to viscera Master, I replied.


    If you succeed in Imperial City and arent taken for everything you are worth or give up since all your ideas have been thought of already, then I will bow my head towards you as an apology for my doubt in front of the entire, the Sect Leader said. My eyes went wide at that.


    He clearly doubted my business skills, and I was doubting them now as well after everything I had learned and this new challenge. But the Sect Leader taking responsibility like this would be a huge deal. The Sect Leader apologizing would be the equivalent of the sect apologizing. The amount of face he would lose and give me would be massive. It just wasnt done. A cultivator at the threshold of immortality apologizing to someone in Foundation Establishment in public, was a legendary event. He probably didnt think it would happen, but was willing to admit if he was wrong.


    I will do my best Sect Leader, I replied.


    You have gone against my predictions twice. Returning successful from the astral plane and getting the blue moon orchid. I thought both would end in your death far away from the sect. I noted he expected me to get the beast cores. Well, any cultivator could get there with focus and time. The amount was a lot but not impossible.


    I left the blue moon orchids with him. Five days later I also got back my low ranked spatial ring and my sword. I was busy constructing the three six-fold valves per channel and the non-valve valves that Elder Liu Chen had suggested.


    His physical model made it a lot easier to understand. Not having moving parts made it easy. The trick with regular valve construction was to make the plane that formed weak. It was a simple matter of not putting as much focus into it. Unfortunately, the plane that formed between the motes was all or nothing.


    The one edge was connected to the side of the channel would bend slightly. There was no good way to set the strength of these barriers. There was very rigid and almost nothing. But the amount of pressure between the top and the bottom was different for each cultivator. That was why valves had to start at the bottom and have multiple valves for the best effect without guessing.


    I would use the weakest three valve structures at the far edge of the channels, and then Liu Chen valve design for the remaining seven tenths of my channels. Since I had to fit it inside the existing channels I had constructed, it would be a bit narrower than I wanted.


    My attunement would have to be perfect no matter what. Normally cultivators put one valve by their meridians and another at their core. Enterprising cultivators might go for a third in the middle. But with Liu Chens design, the flow of energy would be forced back on itself with a loop.


    I had been fiddling with how I would lay out the motes and the walls for such a valve inside my channels for a while. Ever since he had explained his design, I was working to figure it out and looking at how water flowed in carved out models.


    The real trick was to have the main path slightly spiral inside my triangular channel with the loops alternating directions. This would disperse the movement of energy inside my channels, instead of focusing it to one side. It was even more complex, but I was used to it by now. The goal of the valves was to stop the energy from flowing out, once it was pulled in by my meridians.


    A cultivator could contain so much energy on their own just using their meridians. But the amount of drops my cores needed was immense. So immense, I had to have valves to contain all that energy, or there would be leakage. I couldnt afford to lose a single drop with how much I had to get. As I finished up the valves in three years time, I could then move onto the body cultivation channels for my central core.


    After that I needed to get the Pill of Peace, so I could do mind cultivation and align my motes with the world itself. I wasnt entirely sure how that would work. Aligning motes with my body or soul was a simple process of focusing on them and pushing them into place. I could feel the difference on which direction I could push the motes inside of my body.


    But apparently mind cultivation used a separate methodology. Something to look at investigate during my next three years while I wasnt cultivating, so I would be read, for when the pill of peace was finally completed.

 Chapter 30: Body Cultivation

    Chapter 30: Body Cultivation


    I was brought into the same operating room that the Sect Leader and Elder Healer Meihui had put the astral soul stabilizer into my body. Elder Li Fu and Elder Liu Chen were both there as well. I got up on the operating table and laid down.


    The essence has a slight instability, the Sect Leader said while he held up a large vial of glowing red liquid. He then passed it around to the other elders who took a look.


    It required that instability, in order to increase the potency from the sample I was given, Elder Liu Chen replied without hesitation or concern. It should work. His soul is remarkably stable. Also, the decreased stability of the sample is optimal for allowing a triple path. The Pill of Peace will handle the resulting effects.


    That would lock him into that path, but it is no matter, the Sect Leader said. I wanted to speak up, but I didnt have the authority or right to even question medical decisions made on my behalf. That was the bad thing about having to work with old fossils. I hated it, but if I wanted their help, then I had no choice.


    Well, he has managed to get a third of the required ingredients. I am sure he will figure out the last two, Elder Li Fu said. I was going to succeed. I was on this path, and I couldnt get off.


    My concern is the implantation process. It needs to be fused with his physical body, Elder Healer Meihui said and looked over me. The research on such a procedure is limited.


    But it is possible? the Sect Leader asked her. That seemed like a good thing to figure before I was laying on the operating table.


    It is, Elder Liu Chen resolutely declared.


    The concern are his organs. The risk of organ failure is something I havent found a way to mitigate. It could lead to long term complications from the essence itself, Elder Healer Meihui countered. That seemed like an important issue.


    His cultivation should be able to handle the strain? Lesser cultivators undergo this procedure? the Sect Leader asked.


    With more stable refined rank 6 beast essence. This is well made, but incredibly volatile, she gestured at the vial the Sect Leader was holding that seemed to pulse with red light. You couldnt have made it more stable? she turned and asked Elder Liu Chen.


    It wasnt possible. The blood needed to be stimulated heavily and then the essence gathered from it. Any less stimulation and such a harvest would not be possible, he replied calmly and directly.


    The stress on his physical body will be immense, even with his cultivation, Elder Healer Meihui countered.


    A pill? the Sect Leader asked her.


    Might offset the issue slightly, but the problem is also, that the beast used isnt dead. Until it is killed and its spirit dispersed, it is not a sound procedure, Elder Healer Meihui said and there was silence at that. I did not like the idea of an enemy for no reason. I should have insisted that the Sect Leader find other rank 6 refined beast essence, but it was too late now. I wanted an advantage later on.


    The Pill of Peace will give him time. The instability and the lingering resentment are minor issues. Just think what impact it could have on a martial Dao. That is much more important, Elder Liu said with excitement.


    What do you think Yuan Zhou? Elder Li turned to ask me along with everyone else.


    Will I live, and will these issues be permanent? I asked.


    Live yes. But the instability will force untold stress on your organs. Including your mind. The best outcome would be you killing the rank 6 beast, which would fully suppress any issues. Normally the Sect Leader would have done such a task, but then there would have been long term hidden dangers, that would surge up once he died. Using the essence of a beast you injured and will one day kill sorts that hidden danger out. What cultivator in the Foundation Establishment stage can fight a 6 sixth rank beast and live? Elder Li Fu shook his head as he explained.


    The beast essence will enhance your body, but it will also surge to try and corrupt you. The inherited memories will batter against your mind and war with your soul. The beast must die before you attempt to break through the bottleneck. If you get close enough, you will sense each other. If someone else kills it, then you taking the blood will counter things hopefully, but we cannot say. Your organs will be under a great amount of strain, but with your cultivation and the astral soul stabilizer you wont die, but there will be pain, Elder Li Fu finished explaining.


    Then it is fine. I cant stop now? Can I? I asked. The old monsters all shook their heads. I could technically stop, but then my cultivation would have issues. Their time and energy investing into something like this was not simple. It wasnt peer pressure, but elder pressure. Then lets move forward with the beast essence.


    Very well, but he will need a Calming and Restorative Pills just in case, Elder Healer Meihui looked at the Sect Leader.Visit  for the best novel reading experience


    I will pay for twenty each, and no more. He will have to regulate their use carefully, the Sect Leader said.


    Then I have no more objections. The blood will be placed directly into his heart. Hold him down, the Healer said. I felt hands clamp down on my body and keep me pinned to the table. This will hurt quite a bit. She dragged a finger along my chest, causing it to open around my heart.


    I closed my eyes since I didnt want to watch. Needle. Lets attach the vial. Good. Now the injection, she said. That was when I heart felt like it would burst out of my chest.


    Ahhh! I screamed.


    Now to just close him up. And done, Elder Healer Meihui said.


    You went with the heart, not the bones, interesting, Elder Liu said.


    The bones might produce blood, but this is essence. Since the astral soul stabilizer is in his lower torso, having the heart act as a focal point for the essence will allow him to calm himself and strengthen his physicality. The Pill of Peace will impact the mind, she explained.


    Oh, how interesting. I can see how that would be much more interesting than trying integrate it into his bones. And allow more direct control over the essence. A good choice, I would say and there are case studies, so not a complete unknown. Too bad we didnt put the astral soul stabilizer and essence in his mind.


    The inherited memories would destroy him, the Sect Leader said.


    Perhaps, but we could have done all three procedures at once. If he didnt explode, it would have been amazing, Elder Liu said.


    Are you okay Yuan Zhou? Elder Li asked me.


    Imy heart feels like it wants to explode. It is beating so fast. My blood is pounding in my ears, I replied.


    Enforced meditation and no pills for at least ten days. If he starts taking any pills at the start, then he will never manage the essence, Elder Healer Meihui said. They all began removing their hands from me. There was no blood on my chest. Cultivation surgery was a lot more barbaric and advanced at the same time compared to Earth surgery.


    It was over in a few minutes, but they didnt put the person to sleep they were operating on. I wanted to go for their throats and rip them out. Why did I think that? I rubbed my head.


    Problem? the Sect Leader asked me.


    I was thinking I should leap at and rip out your throats, I explained.


    Inherited memories. No matter what, dont draw on them, no matter how much you think you will gain insight. Anyone who has attempted that, has died horribly or gone mad. We are not beasts, the Sect Leader said.


    Yes, Sect Leader. I think I should meditate and adjust, I replied.


    First, align a mote with your body, since that was the entire purpose of this, just one, the Sect Leader said. I focused on a mote I would use to build a body channel. I focused on pushing it to align with my body. The opposite direction of aligning it with my soul. I felt it snap into place. My heart surged and I gasped.


    Elder Healer Meihui slapped a hand on my forehead and another on my chest. The essence is surging.


    Interesting, interesting. Beasts practice an offshoot of body cultivation. Or the paths are similar enough to cause a reaction. Align a mote with your soul, Elder Liu said, and the Sect Leader nodded at this. I did this and there were no issues or feeling like my heart was going to explode.


    The pushback of body cultivation is being channeled into his heart. The bones might have been better, Elder Healer Meihui said. That wasnt good!


    It is fine. He is young and his cultivation is strong. But no more than one mote at a time for Body cultivation. Only 170,000 motes will be aligned with the Body method. So not that bad. He will just have to cultivate them diligently. Once he has the Pill of Peace he can speed up. It only took a two minutes to align one body mote, so he can go quickly regardless, Elder Liu said. That was less than two years of focused cultivating.


    You are dismissed disciple. Meditate for ten days, no cultivation. Then you may cultivate as you see fit. I will give you your pills then. I am also commanding you to practice your martial stances every day. Just as aligning motes with your soul enhances your soul. Aligning motes with your body will enhance your body. Ensure that you understand your strength, the Sect Leader command.


    Yes, Sect Leader, I said, and they left.


    II want to be a cultivator! she proudly declared. The sheer cuteness even impacted my ice cold heart. I nodded at this declaration.


    Then let it be witnessed as a declaration to the heavens and the earth! I declared with a sweeping gesture. My sister let out a giggle.


    So dramatic brother, she said with a smile.


    Of course. She will have to work for it on her own. I reached out and pulled out a rank 3 spirit stone from one of my spatial rings. This is rank 3 spirit stone, worth 100,000 tael. I tossed it at my sister who had to scramble a bit to catch it.


    Thank you brother, she told me.


    I wont help her out any more. I am still a disciple. When she enters the sect, I might be at the third stage of cultivation, but not the fourth. I cannot take her as a disciple andthere might be complications later on.


    I am sure you will overcome them brother. Thank you. I wanted to give her a future that was closed to me, she said.


    What? I asked. I would have helped you as well, I replied.


    No brother, you did nothing wrong. I just dont have the temperament for cultivation. But for her, it is a question of resources, my sister explained.


    If there are any issues, send the letter to the sect. I am sure the Sect Leader will be paying attention, I said.


    Nothing will happen, it is just I want the best for my kids, my sister said. I never had children, so I didnt know. But it was understandable. Thank you, brother.


    Thank you, Master Cultivator, the kids chorused.


    I will be gone once more. I already said my goodbyes to mother and father. But I am heading on another journey to Imperial City to get cultivation supplies, I explained.


    I know you will succeed. You are the genius blessed by the heavens, my sister said. With goodbyes said, I left her portion of the estate. A caravan would be too slow.


    As I left the city, I noticed that the farmer Jians fields were filled with peppers. I smiled at the sight and the days I had spent wandering them to collect motes. I didnt stop but kept running. I reached the outer city gate and passed without incident.


    I switched out of my sect robe to travel clothes and put my sword on my back. My sect badge was hung on a metal chain around my neck as a necklace. My spatial rings were hidden under my shirt. Carrying a sword was one thing, but the rings would hint at wealth. I carried a small pack to make people think I didnt have spatial rings.


    It was time to see what the high-ranking sects were like, conduct business, and get rich. I rushed down the road towards the next city, while aligning a single mote to my body. Running along the road helped me focus as my heart beat furiously.


    While I wanted to know more about the choice to put the essence into my heart, and not my bones, I had to pick and choose my battles. A lot of these choices had to do with the higher ranks of cultivation. Studying them was pointless for me, according to the Sect Leader. I had to get there and even if I did, my cultivation would be something that had never been seen before.


    That was why I had to trust the instincts and research of the elders. Trying to understand anything after the first bottleneck was pointless until I crossed the bottleneck alive. Otherwise, it was just time I could be spending to try and get past the bottleneck instead.


    It made sense but was annoying that I wasnt able to make several decisions on my own. But the Sect Leader had made it clear, that while they were looking out for my best interests in terms of cultivation, that what I had done was so outside the norm, that insights of still living cultivators were needed to ensure I had some hope at the later stages.


    I quickly went from one city to the next, sleeping in the wilderness. My pace was far faster than any carriage could travel. The occasional beast I ran across was easy enough to kill. Even though it got my heart pumping heavily each time and I got a headache from killing the beasts. The inherited memories were trying to leash me.


    Beasts had a lot of innate instincts, like not killing each other. The essence inside of me was acting up, each time I struck down a beast and became more restless. Thankfully the fights were so quick, I didnt succumb to a maddened state. It was a struggle sometimes and five times I had to take pills to heal the internal damage and calm down.


    It took a year of hard traveling to finally arrive at the outer wall of the Imperial City. At least my spatial rings made things a lot easier during my travels. Unlike other cities, the sect was based in the center of the city, and the outer walls had a cultivator at them.


    A glance at the cultivator showed they were in the second stage. I had put on my sect robes for my arrival. The outer walls were twice the height and appeared to be twice the thickness of other cities walls.


    Greetings cultivator, I am Zhong Hu, outer disciple of the Imperial Sect, he said calmly with a soft smile but didnt bow his head. The arrogance was quite strong, but even with my standing I was nothing to the Imperial Sect. Even their second stage outer disciples did not lower their heads to personal disciples of other sects.


    Greetings Zhong Hu of the fabled Imperial Sect. I am Yuan Zhou. Personal Disciple of Sect Leader Jiang Fengge of the Cloudy Moon Sect, I replied. I also didnt bow my head.


    Give me one moment to confirm your identity, he said and pulled out a large book from a spatial ring. The casual display of wealth was clearly a sign that I was now in the big leagues. A nearby caravan had arrived and was being handled by the mortal soldiers.


    Your master is listed as an ally of the Imperial Sect and the Cloudy Moon Sect is listed in good standing, Zhong Hu said and put the book away. This means there is no entry fee for you into Imperial City. Are you familiar with the rules? he asked me.


    I would appreciate being reminded of them, I said and Zhong Hu nodded at this.


    Very well. No violence. No techniques. No disturbing the peace. No theft. No insulting the immortals or the Imperial Sect. If you wish to converse with members of the Imperial Sect, then you need to submit an application which will be reviewed. Any questions?


    And if I wanted to sell goods, or start a business? I asked. Zhong Hu gave me a smile that reminded me of a shark that was about to eat a tiny little fish.


    You are more than welcome to. But selling or manufacturing cultivator goods requires a permit for each activity, he replied.


    And how would I go about getting a permit? I asked.


    Just one rank 3 spirit coin is enough for each permit, he casually said. And before you object, this price is one set by the Imperial Sect itself and will last for a 100 years. A wise investment for an aspiring cultivator.


    And you can sell such things to me? I asked surprised and suspicious.


    No. You will have to go to the Coinage Guild for such a thing. Oh, if you want identity papers, that will require a fee, he said.


    I am guessing I need such papers to get these permits, I replied.


    Of course. We cant have any riff raff selling junk in Imperial City. We have standards.


    How much? I asked resignedly.


    Only one rank 1 spirit coin. This time I flexed a bit and reached into my sleeve. A trick I had practiced on my trip and used my spatial ring to pull out a rank 1 spirit coin.


    Easily done, I said and tossed it over to Zhong Hu who caught it. His eyes went wide at such a casual display. He really looked at me for the first time and seemed to realize how young I was. He inclined his head the smallest of fractions.


    I will get your papers right away Yuan Zhou. After that I got my papers and was let through the outer walls. There was a small town at the gate, which supported the massive fields. The buildings reminded me of modern buildings. They were all made of concrete and glass, four or five stories tall. And this was just a town on the outer edge of Imperial City.


    The first thing I needed to do was to meet up with Zheng Ting. It didnt take long to find an information broker, paying out 100 tael, I got her address. She was based in the middle ring of Imperial City. They had streamlined even this, since she purchased property, her name was recorded. Any of the other plans to meet up werent needed thankfully since the issue could be resolved very quickly.


    I hired a fast rickshaw for 500 tael. A cultivator pulled the rickshaw, which was surprising. But for the cost it made sense. I didnt want to waste two days, with a regular carriage, and a rickshaw could enter the middle portion of Imperial City without issue. I was a bit impatient, and the amount of money was nothing to me.


    Only in Imperial City could such a thing occur. Wealth was everything here. If you were poor and needed money to cultivate, then you struggled. I also noted the amount of motes in the air was lower than other locations.


    As I was pulled to Imperial City, I saw the gleaming towers in the distance. My heart seized up in my chest. This was a modern city. The outer village was a clue. But seeing massive skyscrapers dominate the central portion of the city, with smaller buildings in the middle ring, was shocking.


    When so much of the world lived in squalor and was so behind, the sheer breathtaking nature of Imperial City showed that I was a frog at the bottom of the well glimpsing the sun for the first time. A ramp led up to a gate that was situated in the middle of the wall into the middle portion of the city. There was no issue entering and I was quickly taken to where Zheng Ting was.

 Chapter 31: Imperial City And Market Research

    Chapter 31: Imperial City And Market Research


    Going through the streets, I felt like I was back in a modern city. All the steel, glass, and grim looks from people moving through the streets. I had seen such sights before, but I was still going through culture shock right now.


    There was a mortal doorman at the entrance to the 20 floor building. Rickshaws, carts, and people moved in a constant flow in the street behind me. Name and purpose of visit, he said in a bored tone.


    I am Yuan Zhou, here to see Zheng Ting, I explained and the man nodded.


    She is on the 15th floor. Stairs are free, but for an honored cultivator like yourself, the elevator is only 10 tael to use. I nodded at this and took the elevator, wanting to experience it. It was just like elevators back on Earth. Except there was someone there inside to hit buttons.


    Of course I should have realized all of this. The games were a clue, but anyone with Earth knowledge would sell it to the Imperial and Blazing Sun sect. They would in turn exploit it for all it was worth. I reached the floor, and the mortal elevator person gave me a nod as I left. It would be another 10 tael to go down.


    I made my way to Zheng Tings door and knocked. It was opened and I saw her for the first time in years. She looked much older with graying hair, but smiled when she saw me. Young Master Yuan Zhou! She bowed deeply.


    Zheng Ting, I said and bowed my head to her in return.


    Please, come in. I will put on some tea, she replied, and I entered her apartment. It was quite small. I am glad you have made it. I took a seat at the table in her kitchen. At first I had thought she would have a small store or something, but it was just her in an apartment.


    I am glad as well. How have you been? I asked.


    It is tough. I have had to budget carefully since everything is so expensive. But I have compiled quite a bit of research on the market and other issues you will run into. It is not good, to say the least, she got up and returned with a stack of books.


    She then laid a sheet of paper in front of me on top of the books. It was a summary sheet, just like I had showed her how to do, condensing information to make it quick and easy to consume. Nothing? None of the ideas I had? I asked after looking through the sheet.


    Everything is made by certified masters of the Imperial Sect. There is some market for lesser items, but the top of the market is completely locked up, she said.


    With permits? I asked.


    You can sell and craft. But you would have to buy a store. Since you arent part of the Imperial Sect, you would not get favored rates and property is not cheap. There are collective stores. Where cultivators have banded togeather, but they struggle to get by or act as embassies for their sects within the city, she explained.


    Clothing, games, drinks, even hot sauce? I asked.


    They have their own production. Hot sauce has taken off slightly since there have been imports from various cities, but the imports struggle to get traction. The city takes in raw goods and produces finished goods, she explained. I got that, but it seemed that the issue was one of supply.


    The energy of the heavens and earth, I muttered. Everything came back to that bottleneck.


    Even mechanical devices are quite complex. Look at this, she put a radio on the table and began to fiddle with nobs. A voice began to come over the radio. I wanted to cry. No wonder the Sect Leader believed I had no chance here for business.


    Looking at her sheet, gambling was strictly controlled. What about food? I asked as she turned the radio off.Visit  for the best novel reading experience


    There are restaurants that serve rank 4 beast meat and several lesser restaurants, she replied.


    Of course, I muttered. What about a green ocean lily or red sun rose? Are either of those for sale? I asked.


    The red sun rose is for sale for 400 rank 3 spirit stones.


    That much? I asked with a sigh.


    It is imported and has to be kept alive. It goes for only a tenth of that in the Blazing Sun Sect, she replied. It was only supposed to cost 20 rank 3 spirit stones As for the green ocean lily. You are looking at the equivalent of 30,000 rank 3 spirit stones. Or at least that is what the last one sold for.


    The Sect Leader said 20,000, I muttered, but he was just estimating.


    Well that is what it sold for two decades ago.


    Any martial tournaments? I asked with my last bit of hope, and she shook her head.


    No. They are forbidden. There is underground fighting between mortals with low rank cultivation resources on the line or bet on the match itself, she said.


    I am a businessperson, not a gambler, I muttered.


    There is a lot of business, but nothing I have been able to find at the wealth range you are looking at. You could easily get a job or do something small scale, but that isnt what you want. She got up and prepared tea for both of us. I have been looking extensively, but the Imperial Sect has manufacturing tied, up. Selling raw materials is the best option.


    But a poor option, I muttered while looking at the electric light above me, illuminating the kitchen. How much to replace the light? I asked.


    A tael, she replied. Bronze coins are only used with children. I wanted to puke blood at all of this. I felt ill. Even the delicious tea wasnt helping.


    Plays? I asked.


    There are two playhouses in the city, she replied. I really didnt want to gather raw materials. I wanted to sell services.


    What do cultivators spend money on? I asked.


    Equipment and cultivation resources, but the market is very limited. Most of the large scale transactions occur between large companies or families with the Imperial Sect. These factions maintain the standard of living for the city, she replied. I sipped my tea and then got up. Zheng Ting showed me about her apartment, explaining various devices and their respective costs.


    It was on par with on 21st century Earth apartment. Ovens, microwaves, lights, carpets, solid walls. There was electricity, which powered everything. This energy came from inside the center of the city, which the Imperial Sect controlled directly. There were strict export laws as well. Another permit was needed to export items. Most caravans only stopped at the outer towns, and not the inner portion of Imperial City due to that reason.


    Zheng Ting then invited me to look around the area. Just like when I was a kid, only it cost 10 tael to take the elevator down and then 20 tael to rent a rickshaw from a mortal rickshaw puller. I noted the occasional cultivator flying overhead as well in the distance around the central portion of Imperial City.


    When we passed by a gun shop, I ordered the rickshaw to stop. I got out and checked the store out. I just couldnt believe it. Welcome Cultivator to the Imperial Gun Shop. We offer many amazing options for your needs, a clerk said.


    This time there were even more arrays in a much larger room. I laid down on the reclining chair. Rings descended from the ceiling and my chair actually floated up into the air. I felt pressure on my cultivation as they spun. I was pulling on a tigers tail by doing this, but it was necessary in my mind.


    I needed an elder of the Imperial Sect to take an interest and support me. That was the only way to do business. Being only rank 2, I had to tempt them with the only thing interesting about me, my cultivation. The rings went back into position and the chair settled down. A holographic display popped up at the side of the chamber where Xiaosi and Zheng Ting were.


    Going over there, I had to restrain my smile. It was a much more detailed scan, and the outer portions of my motes had been observed, but around my lower abdomen and heart the blur was still there. I guess they didnt have many people with unique cultivations come through. I could see Xiaosi frowning heavily at the display.


    I was silent as I waited for him to say something. I was honestly curious what he would do now. After a couple of minutes, he turned towards me. My apologies, I will have to contact the elder in charge of this building to handle this, he said.


    Not a problem, I dont mind wait, I replied.


    Please follow me to a waiting room, we have refreshments for you and your companion, he said. The waiting room was very nice on the second floor and overlooking the street outside. Small sandwiches and fruit juice were served. I only had one to be polite while waiting.


    Zheng Ting didnt say anything and I was content to wait. This entire situation was amusing to me. After an hour an older woman entered the waiting room. I quickly stood up and bowed my head the moment I saw their robe. Junior Yuan Zhou, greets elder of the Imperial Sect, I replied. Zheng Ting bowed even more deeply but didnt say anything.


    Raise your head Yuan Zhou. I am elder Xu Xiaoli, she said in a kind voice, and I brought up my head. Let us sit, you clearly have a unique cultivation, and I would offer my insight with a personal consultation.


    Thank you, elder Xu Xiaoli, I said and sat, only after her. Zheng Ting remained standing to the side of the room.


    With your appearance and being at the second rank, you started cultivating at around four years old? she asked.


    Six years old elder is when I first started cultivating, I replied, and she looked thoughtful at that.


    Your cultivation must be immense, to lock you into the appearance of a child of twelve. A million motes? she asked me.


    1,788,606 motes elder, I responded. Her eyes went slightly wide at that.


    How bold! she said with a small chuckle. I doubted Jiang Fengge put you up to this? So Liu Chen? she asked me.


    They have offered advice, but I chose this path of defiance myself, I replied. She asked several questions about my cultivation. I brought out notebooks and diagrams from my spatial ring. It got dark outside, but we kept discussing all the plans that had been worked out for my cultivation. After going over everything she gave her judgement.


    You clearly have figured out the optimal known choices. I might have rearranged your channels slightly from their current layout. I would estimate they are 97% efficiency, so decent, but the lengths vary a bit too much to my liking. The valve design of Liu Chen is something we know about. The real issue is pursuing multiple cultivation paths, Xu Xiaoli said, and I listened intently.


    It has been attempted two times before. One of those times by another sect. It failed in the third stage. Attuning to a specific aspect for your channels and meridians is not as simple as you make it out. A force chamber can work, but the input needed is much higher than you think to get perfect grade. I would put the cost at around 100,000 level 3 spirit stones. I winced at that.


    I wont get into needing a refraction crystal and null metal to carve your unique valve structure. Such an item would be considered a sect treasure. The one individual that the Imperial Sect sponsored for a cultivation plan that pursued multiple paths failed to collect enough drops, she replied.


    They had great backing, but the sheer amount of drops you will need is insane. I suspect you will find a way past the Meridian Attunement, but Core Formation will be your end. The end of all geniuses like yourself, Xu Xiaoli said and shook her head.


    Do you have any changes to recommend or to make my cultivation base better? I asked.


    No. Liu Chens advice is sound if completely impractical. You did enlighten an old woman with a triangular channel carving method. That combined with my failure to offer you any useful advice, you may make one request of me, she said. I already knew what I would request. The most important thing one could have on this continent.


    I would like to request your support and backing to start up a business, I said.


    You arent going to ask me to acquire a green ocean lily? Or give advice on the type of force chamber you should use? she asked me, clearly surprised I didnt request something more material. That was what an idiot cultivator would do. But I needed to leverage this rare chance for business, not cultivation.


    No elder. The green ocean lily is far too expensive for the information I have provided, even getting a favored price for me to purchase one is too much to ask. As for the force chamber, I will trust in my sect. For now I need to accumulate a tremendous amount of wealth, which means a business, I replied.


    And what source of business? she asked with curiosity. I had been using this time to think about what kind of business to start for a while. If I was stuck in Beijing, what kind of business would I start? Anything with cultivation, using the energy of the heavens and earth was out. That meant pills, formations, or anything that the Imperial Sect could do was off the table. I had thought of a restaurant, but it would have too much competition. Entertainment was another area I would struggle in. Cultivators were aesthetic monks for the most part and hated to part with their wealth unless it was for cultivation resources.


    I needed a business I could break into their heavily restricted market without stepping on toes and I needed backing. Before I had my father and the Cloudy Moon Sect, but here I needed the Imperial Sect. There was no need to reinvent the wheel either. Rocking chairs would be laughed at and go nowhere.


    I want to be able to open up new mines, authority to manage mines, and favored status to ship refined metal and process ore across multiple cities with a headquarters being established in one of the outlying downs of Imperial City. A multi-city permit, Imperial City permits, and a letter of support, I explained.


    You want to be able to start a multi-city business involving ore. That wouldnt seem very profitable? she asked while considering me carefully.


    But there are refineries. Getting higher ranked metal is just a question of combining lower ranked metal. Imperial City takes in shipped goods and processes them into finished products, but the demand is quite high for metal. High ranked metal for weapons and equipment. I want to operate at scale across the domain of the Imperial Sect and have done quite well managing the mines around my home city of Half Moon City, I replied.


    Boldness, hmm. That is the domain of youth. Two options then. I can get you the permits and sign them, and no more. I would not assist you beyond that. Or I could back you officially and take twenty five percent of your revenue, Xu Xiaoli said.


    That was highway robbery, but I would not get such a chance again. I was also lucky she wasnt asking for fifty percent. I would have had to say yes to even that much. Greed was good, but too much and one might choke on it. The power of the Imperial Sect was immense, and I didnt understand their internal politics. Better to get an elder on my side while I had her attention.


    Even if she just sat around and did nothing, her very presence, and the ability to reference my backing to her was more than enough to give her a cut. I couldnt wait until I was an old monster and people had to give me loads of money to get some nebulous backing. But that was the way things were done. When in Rome, pay the Roman taxes as cost of doing business.


    It would be complicated, but I would create a franchise model. Get various cities mines under my management, process iron bars up to rank 2, then ship them to Imperial City. This was to keep transport manageable.


    In addition, I would set up a headquarters in one of the outlying towns to process the rank 2 iron bars into rank 6 steel bars. It would take around 10,000 rank 2 bars to make one rank 6 bar and 100 rank 3 spirit stones for the arrays and formations needed. A single rank 6 steel bar would sell for 3 rank 6 spirit coins.


    All told I would spend about 120,000 rank 1 spirt coins to get 300,000 rank 1 spirit coins. That was with shipping and everything else. There would be a massive investment required, but I would start up an official company to process ore.


    That was the thing about the energy of the heavens and earth. While it wasnt completely balanced in the earth, it accumulated over long periods of time. Hence the spirit ore, which could be refined down. Such a scale of operation across multiple cities and selling in Imperial City, wasnt possible without their support.


    The demand for metal was quite high. I noted the guns were mostly wood, not metal. I knew mining and had experience in it. The consulting business was also one of the most profitable. The hardest part would be setting this all up without stepping on toes of other sects. Which was where guaranteeing escort contracts, and the backing of the Imperial Sect came into play.


    Zheng Ting could keep an eye on things in Imperial City for me and manage the first decade of the company before retiring to an advisory role. Zhou Holding Company Limited was about to get a huge multi-city, multi-national expansion.


    I would be honored to give you twenty five percent of all profits, the business earns, and any issues will come out of my share, I said with a deep head bow towards the elder. No matter what I couldnt mess around with her.


    If I had to admit it to myself, while it was highway robbery, I was getting a steal. An elder of the Imperial Sect would not back just anyone. The heavens smiled upon me once more, I would just have to make the most of this opportunity.

 Chapter 32: Going Multi-National

    Chapter 32: Going Multi-National


    I didnt think I pulled one over on elder Xu Xiaoli, offering profits, not revenues. But she didnt call me out on this, which I was grateful for. Perhaps she didnt understand the difference, which would be a bit dangerous if the confusion persisted. My hope was she had decided to treat the entire investment as a minor issue. Regardless I planned to give her detailed statements about the company on a yearly basis and make sure she was paid off.


    Taking any risk about her backing was unacceptable. And 25% of the profit would be a sizable chunk. But she might have to pay up to one of the immortals in charge of the Imperial Sect or the Sect itself. I had no way of knowing this or the internal politics of her actions.


    The elder left and then Zheng Ting and I left. As I made my way back to Zheng Tings apartment and paying the elevator fee. We settled as I thought about what had just occurred. You really like causing trouble Young Master. She used an old expression for me, to show how amused she was by my antics. She handed me a cup of tea which I sipped.


    Thank you. If you arent making some trouble, then you arent living. We need to work out the plan. This time I will need to get directly involved, I explained. Zheng Ting sat down with her own cup of tea.


    Whats the plan Yuan Zhou? she asked with a smile. I was glad she wasnt complaining and was invested in this. I needed her help since it was going to be a massive headache.


    Its about a five-year caravan loop from Half Moon City to here. And a year of hard traveling for a cultivator. There are three main issues as I see it. The first being setting up mines and digging up the ore in various cities and refining it into spirit iron. The second shipping the finished bars here. And third, making spirt steel from the shipped bars. Zheng Ting nodded at this and then spoke up.


    For the first issue, we set up an individual in each city, to manage mines, and prospect for new ones. New ones would be easier and less headache involved, but more money would be needed. A new sight, with a cultivator helping get things set up so it doesnt take years, you are looking at one rank 3 spirit coin. How big is our war chest? she asked me.


    I have 94 rank 3 spirit cores left. I have that much in coin, I replied. I had several lesser spirit stones for personal expenses, but this was going to be my war chest and start up funds.


    The chance of hitting spirit ore is fairly low. So, if we set up 50 mines across 10 cities, about 5 might get spirit ore. We can arrange our own caravan, or have you transport things directly with a spatial ring. But I dont have any idea how we can afford a formation to make rank 6 metal.


    Ah, that is where I have some ideas. We make mines in the wilderness, deep in the wilderness. Then construct formations that draw in energy of the heavens and the earth. We make our own spirit ore, I replied.


    Is that possible? I mean why hasnt it been done? I smiled at that question, since it was one, I often asked myself while looking at various businesses.


    The risk of attracting a high-level beast. But it would be a matter of trapping the entrance. And having people live underground to manage the mine. Each mine only needs 20 or so people. We might lose a few. But they would all be trapped at the entrance. Something like I saw at the Cloudy Moon Sects outpost. I was getting excited as my knowledge all came togeather for this idea.


    We dig into mountains, with hard rock. Scatter these mines about. Even if one is taken out, there would be a lot more. The formation drawing in the energy and the mining efforts, dont have to be that much. Also refining can happen on sight, I explained.


    What about food and other supplies? Zheng Ting asked.


    Shipped in twice a year, to limit the risk. I can start this up in the territory the Cloudy Moon Sect controls for the most part, I added. I would be infringing on some other territories slightly with how the arrays were pulling, but it should be fine.


    The issue with condensing arrays was that they tried to pack the energy into a specific item or core. I would have poorly designed arrays set up to pull in the energy, but then disperse it locally. Mine out the iron, and store it around the condenser. Heck, the ore could be left alone once mined and then picked up after a long period of time.


    That was a better idea and I explained that to Zheng Ting. So hidden mining locales, that are made. Ore is mined, the condensing array placed, but it diffuses in the area with mined out iron ore. Then you seal up the mines, and come back five years later, she explained back to me.


    Exactly. Keep the condensing arrays a low rank and the beasts might get annoyed, but they wont be able to get at the ore itself. I could get a team. One senior cultivator to dig these places out and place the arrays for condensation and defense, a group of mortals to spend a month mining out ore. They get sealed up and then go back around and collect all the ore, smelt it on site, and then ship back bars. A portable array to condense rank 2 spirit iron isnt that expensive, I explained.


    Lets say that is possible. You will have to do all the moving yourself? she asked me.


    The optimal time would be every five to ten years to go around. But it could be longer and the spirit ore would just get better. Low rank arrays for combining spirit ore have been around for a long time and have been fairly optimized. No one has done this, since the set-up cost is so high, the headache is immense, and getting a payout is a nightmare, I explained.


    You need an elder, or someone who can use techniques who you can trust, Zheng Ting said. I dont think you will find an elder who wants to work like this. You are trading one problem for a more complex problem. While your idea has merit, depending on other cultivators and not mortals is a big flaw. I frowned at this.


    What do you suggest? I asked.


    Set up mines near cities. A lot of them will be missing but we can set up more. Play a numbers game. If you can use a condenser array for the ore, can you use it for the bars? she asked.


    No. Since they arent natural, they resist the energy of the heavens and the earth. But most people do it like that, since it easier, I explained. It was similar to how high-ranking spirit wood was created. But the process was not in favor, since pulling out the energy from the surroundings caused issues with the beasts and other forms of life.


    Cultivators will make mines easily. We move into a city, set up 20 mines, a fair distance out. Get a road built. And some cultivator support to make the initial mineshaft. From there we use your mining strategy. Eventually we will hit spirit ore, she suggested.


    We had two different business strategies. Ah, my idea is more guaranteed, but the room around the condenser is not enough, I muttered as I thought over both of them. I sipped my tea. It had been an interesting idea and I could see a family doing something like that to create treasures for their descendants, but it wasnt practical. Mortal mining near cities was the only option.


    I took a deep breath to recenter myself. While I had a vague idea how all this would work, the devil was in the details. I thought I had hit on a shortcut, but it wasnt useful for this start up portion of the business.


    How big was the vein of spirit ore that we found? I asked Zheng Ting.


    It goes for a while, but it only aligns with the iron ore. Once that runs out, then no more spirit ore, she explained. It wasnt like mining out a layer. We had to find deposits. Most mines were located by finding samples of ore on the surface and then digging down from there.


    But the mine I own was still going? I asked.


    Mines tend to last quite a while. A decade to a century, then they run dry. The only option to make this economically feasible is to mine out on a vast scale using mortal methods. If we go only with mortal means and not cultivators, we are looking at least 5 years per mine and 50,000 tael, she explained. This was why I didnt even consider starting up new mines back when I was in Half Moon City.


    That will depress the price of iron. We could ship the excess out of one city without issue, but having excess iron in several cities will be an issue, I replied and considered the issue. We could ship it back and make steel here, is there a market? I asked. Zheng Ting got up and got a book before coming back. She flipped through it.


    There is a market, but not a huge market, she replied. That meant it was high enough to get a huge profit by shipping iron bars all the way out here.


    I am an idiot, I said as another idea came to me. We ship the iron here. Make it into steel, and turn that steel into finished goods, which we then ship out.


    Several other people do that, Zheng Ting said, but I waved her off from telling me about people doing this.


    We create a new device. The rickshaws have a coating around their wheels? I asked.


    They would get a bonus depending on performance and standards. I wanted the same level of operations I had with my mines back at Half Moon City. While the people were debt slaves, I wasnt trying to spread human misery. There needed to be strict guidelines and procedures, with the hope to keep these people around long term and promote them to other areas of the company as it grew.


    The first test city would provide a pool of candidates, then there would be waves of expansion, drawing on people that had moved up the ranks in other cities, promoting internally. Safety would fall under operations. Each city would stockpile up the bars and a caravan would eventually be used to get them back, by tagging along with another caravan. In time we might do our own.


    In Imperial City, we were easily able to get some land, and bars would be stored there. In time a building for a rank 6 array would be constructed to make the rank 6 steel bars. It would be insanely expensive, but that was something Zheng Ting would be looking into and getting priced out. Once I came back with the money, she would be ready to go.


    My main role was showing up to several meetings during the first month to smooth over everything. Since a cultivator was backing things and I had the backing of an elder of the Imperial Sect, there would be no issues. I just needed to show my face a lot at the start with Zheng Ting, giving her my full respect to make sure there were no issues from the people she hired. Even the mortals of Imperial City tended to have their noses in the air. We passed on anyone that was difficult to work with. We already had connections, so we didnt need anything else.


    With that done, it was time to work out how I was going to get the money and two green ocean lilies. The first stop was to make a trip to an information broker. As I was going there, I paused when I saw a woman walking down the street with a couple of guards. She looked familiar.


    Excuse me, you look familiar, I said to her. The guards looked at my robes and let me speak to the lady.


    I am Hou Jiaying of the Hou family master cultivator, she replied.


    Are there many children of the Hou family with your name? I asked.


    No? Why do you ask master cultivator? I frowned and wasnt sure if I should let this go. It was pocket change for me currently, but there was also the principle of the matter. She had been the wife of my fourth brother and scammed me out of a lot of money. Now she was here, when she was supposed to have died to a beast attack. That was clearly a lie.


    I wish to speak with the Hou family patriarch, I replied. She winced at that.


    I am sorry, but I cant speak-


    This was not a request. If you refuse, things will get difficult. Let us go now, I replied.


    Very well, master cultivator, she gave in and she had a carriage pull around. It was pure luck that I ran into her. The information brokers lived in the nice part of these towns around Imperial City, and she just happened to be out at this time. I chose not to get in the carriage but ran behind it as we made our way to an estate at the edge of the town.


    I got through several layers of guards to finally arrive at a room with the Hou family patriarch Hao Guiren, her father. Master cultivator, welcome, but to what do I owe this pleasure? he asked, but didnt even bow his head.


    That is nephew master cultivator, if you daughter hadnt run away from my brother, I calmly replied as I took a seat, making sure to put my sword across my lap. I had gotten it out of my spatial ring just for this meeting. The man paled and stumbled back.


    Youyou are Yuan Zhou?! he said.


    Yes, I am that Yuan Zhou, the genius under the heavens. Also, your daughter is in debt to me for 73,000 tael plus interest. There was no official divorce. Since she ran away here and faked her death. It was 73,000 not the 80,000 since I had taken off my brothers salary.


    We will pay that back at once, the man said and bowed his head, but I shook my head.


    Plus, interest. I charge 100% per year, compounded. Since it was my brother, I never followed up on this. But for your daughter, it is now, after 15 years, 2,392,064,000 tael. Will you be paying that in silver or spirit coins? I asked. That was 23,920 rank 3 spirit coins.


    Hao Guirens face began to turn red, and he appeared to have trouble breathing. You better be careful, my family has members in the Imperial Sect, he replied. So, we were having a face off. The pun was terrible but great in my mind, since we were using our backgrounds to one up the other. A battle of how much face each of us had.


    I pulled out the note from the Coinage Guild and held it up. I have the backing of an elder from the Imperial Sect. I couldnt call on them for this, just as he wouldnt call on his people backing him. It was now a battle of how much support each of us could bring to bear.


    I have three family members who are cultivators, including her brother, he replied.


    I am the personal disciple of my sect leader, who is rank 8. I easily defeated his attempts at trying to save face.


    Fine! Then you can have her back! he told me. I nodded at this.


    That would have been the case if you hadnt stolen her. I know she didnt have the money or resources on her own to get back here. You had to have paid for it. While she isnt property, a bride price was paid to your family, not her. It could be you considered stealing from me directly, I countered. He wasnt going to weasel out of this.


    The amount is too much. No one but an immortal could afford that kind of price. No woman is worth that much, he countered. Now we were arguing about price, it was all over.


    What would you consider reasonable for my brothers pain and suffering. A brother whom I dearly love and cherish. Who helped me growing up and taught me many things, I said with a glare. The man was wincing with each statement. A bit overexaggerated, but I was going to squeeze everything I could for this man to save his family.


    He knew he would lose if this went to the Imperial Sect. If no bride price had been paid, then he could have shrugged and said young love. But with a bride price, a divorce wasnt so simple. And the fact she had run back here even more so.


    I had considered asking the information broker about her family, but I hadnt considered it important enough or worth my time. But since Hou Jiaying paraded in front of me, I couldnt ignore that. I had my pride, and the pride of my fourth brother to defend. Also, a lot of money.


    One rank 3 spirit coin, he finally said through gritted teeth. I considered the amount. It was worth 100,000 tael.


    Very well then, 23,919 rank 3 spirit coins, I replied with a malicious grin.


    You can push, but you cant get blood from a stone. We dont have that kind of money and it is excessive, he was finally calming down, but still glaring at me. I also didnt want to push things too far and get enemies. I had my fun and avenged my fourth brother by raising the blood pressure of his former father-in-law.


    Five rank 3 spirit coins and you can keep her, or one rank 3 spirit coin, and she will be shipped back to Half Moon City and put in one of my mines as a debt slave, I countered, curious to see how much he loved his daughter.


    Five, he said. He actually did love her. That was surprising. I was sure he would give her up, when he yelled about sending her with me.


    Then we can go to the Coinage Guild to have a contract signed that this matter has been laid to rest and your daughter owes no more debt to her former husband. We can consider it as finalizing the divorce, I replied.


    It took the rest of the day, and he was clearly unhappy with me, but I got my payment. I now had 39 rank 3 spirit coins left. After some thought, I spent one to send 80,000 tael and a letter to my fourth brother. I explained things to him and that her family had paid up as an apology. I included the entire situation and my original demand to her father.


    That was enough that he would be able to live comfortably or fund another caravan. Or he might run back to Imperial City. I made it clear the divorce was finalized and included the paperwork. I could do all of this on his behalf since I was a cultivator with backing. In cultivation land, it was all about the backing one had.

 Chapter 33: The Crashing Wave Sect

    Chapter 33: The Crashing Wave Sect


    I looked out at the massive waves crashing onto the coast. I knew the ocean was rough, but this was crazy. The waves were about ten feet, or three meters tall. And this was supposed to be when things were calmest at the coast. The coast was all rock, there were very few sand beaches, with how rough the waves were.


    Looking out at the crashing waves, I didnt expect anything to get easier in my hunt for a green ocean lily. I was now 35 years old with 1.2 million points aligned. I was running short on time. While I could delay things, the more I dealt with all the little details I knew why the Sect Leader had been insistent on time.


    Even my first master Yi Rong had run out of a time. Hundreds of years seemed like a long time. But sorting out massive headaches, traveling, and just spending cultivation ate up day after day. Right now I needed to get green ocean lilies. At least two. One for myself, for the Pill of Peace, to pursue mind cultivation, and one for my business plan involving mining everywhere. The one lily would fund everything.


    My visit and payments to information brokers had shown that the one sect that might be able to help me in my quest was the Crashing Wave Sect based on the coast. I needed their help, if I was going to have any chance. I had some rank 3 spirit stones for trade, which might prove useful, but it was the backing of my Sect Leader that I was hoping would see me through this.


    This sect was located at the top and the side of a massive cliff, and series of rocks that jutted out from the ocean. It wasnt a mountaintop, but it was unique in its own way. Cultivators like dramatic places for their sects. Having an amazing backdrop for their sect was another form of prestige and inspiration for higher ranked cultivators.


    There was no wall around the Crashing Wave Sects location, but I am sure they had formations ready to go in case they needed to defend themselves. While there was no wall, there was a gatehouse across the road. A sect disciple stood under the gate. I noted their symbol was three waves rising up from the ocean.


    Greetings, I said and inclined my head slightly as I came to a stop in front of the disciple.


    What brings a disciple from another sect to our gate? the disciple asked me.


    My name is Yuan Zhou, and I am the personal disciple of Sect Leader Jiang Fengge of the Cloudy Moon Sect, and have the backing of elder Xu Xiaoli of the Imperial Sect. I gave my backing right away and I could see the disciples eyes get a bit wider and he straightened up. I have come here to request a trade. I look to journey into the ocean and was told your sect would be the one to speak to.


    You swear you mean no harm and will obey all rules? the disciple asked me.


    As long as no harm is done to me and any rules are explained, I replied with the standard response to the disciples greeting. It was mostly used when members or elders traveled. Very rarely did disciple ranked cultivators traveled about like I was doing. Still the formalities existed for a reason.


    Steal no secrets and tread carefully.


    I am honored to be hosted by the Crashing Wave Sect, I said and inclined my head towards the symbol on the gate, much deeper than I had done for the disciple. I was showing respect to the sect, not the disciple. Since I was coming to ask for help, I had to be humble. If I had been a disciple of the Imperial Sect, I could have kept my head eye and looked down on others.


    Come, I will show you to Elder Bo. He will speak with you, the disciple said. I followed him from the gatehouse to a building that was clearly reserved for visitors. A mortal woman served me tea and biscuits, while I waited.


    An hour later, the Elder showed up. He was an older man with the smell of salt about him. Disciple Yuan Zhou, greets Elder Bo, I said while quickly standing up and bowed. Enough to convey respect, but not too much, since I had quite a bit of backing of my own.


    Welcome Yuan Zhou, sit, sit, he said. I nodded at this. The Cloudy Moon Sect, and the Imperial Sect, what brings a disciple like yourself out to our remote corner of the coast, he said.


    Matters of cultivation elder. I am looking to explore the ocean depths. I was told that your sect has specific arrays that could be used for such a purpose. I was hoping for a trade, I said.


    The ocean is death for someone of your rank. Either rank 3, or rank 2 it doesnt matter. The beasts of the water are not simple. And you seek a treasure. It will be even worse, the elder replied.


    I have accepted that I might die, but it is very important for me to find the resources, I need for my cultivation. There will be no consequence if I run into death myself, I explained. The elder gave me another look at that and was silent for at least half a minute while he considered me.


    The ocean is fierce, and without mercy. The beasts in its depths are all rank 5 or higher. The crushing pressure, salt, cold, and lack of light are just some of the many things that will kill you, he said.


    I understand, but there is no other choice for me. That was why I was hoping to purchase the arrays your sect uses for descending into the depths, I asked. The Imperial Sect might have such things, but they werent for public sale, and they didnt focus on the ocean.


    The Crashing Wave sect was focused entirely on the ocean to a much greater extent. Their knowledge of the issues that the ocean presented for lower level cultivators was much greater, since their sect was based on the coast. Even now I could hear the crashing of the massive waves against the cliff nearby.


    You would need a full body protection formation, built into a diving outfit. You would also need vision goggles. I am guessing you want to go incredibly deep, so rank 5 equipment at the minimum. Can you afford it? he asked me.


    I would like to leave a sword as collateral. When I return with the equipment, I would want my sword back, minus a small fee to use it, I explained.


    Show me the sword, the elder replied and I pulled it out of one of my spatial rings. He carefully pulled it out of its sheathe before putting it back inside. The sword is worth slightly more, so it is acceptable. You have the spirit stones to power it? he asked me.


    Rank 3 spirits stones. How long would each last? I asked.


    Depends on the depth. There will be a power gauge on the suit itself. There are two other major issues. The first is your low cultivation rank, even if it feels odd. Your body can only take so much pressure, before you can no longer breathe. I nodded at this. You will have a depth gauge, for someone of the second rank? he asked.


    Yes, I replied, and he let out a sigh.


    Of the second rank. If you enter the yellow or the red markers, you will have to manage your ascent carefully. Otherwise, your body will be ripped apart. The suit will help, but it can only do so much. The second major issue is stealth. At the depths you will be going to and the water, it isnt possible to hide from the beasts.


    I nodded at that. Thankfully, most of them prefer not to move. They have fought for their areas, and are content to let things be unless provoked. No treasure under the water is unguarded. If you do not see a beast, it is merely hiding.


    I descended into the canyon, keeping a watch for any beasts. At least my sight for the energy of the heavens and the earth wasnt impacted by the water. There were occasional plants, but none of them were cultivation plants.


    The depth gauge was rapidly moving deeper into the red, the lower I went. The temperature inside my suit began to get chillier. It had been slightly cool before, but now it was getting cold. The diving suit could only handle so much.


    I paused when my depth gauge was maxed out. I could feel a slight pressure. But it appeared the refined beast essence and body cultivation was coming in handy. I could go deeper, but ascending would have to be done carefully. I also had to pay careful attention to my body. If there were any issues, I would have to ascend.


    The deeper I went, the harder it became to move. The water was getting thicker. I finally came to the bottom of the underwater canyon. I set out in one direction. I noted there werent any beasts down here. Which was a good thing in my mind.


    I was getting exhausted. I found a small hole in the rock wall of the canyon and curled up inside after confirming nothing was hiding in here. I made sure my power was fine before I fell asleep.


    I woke up when I bumped my helmet on some rocks. The water was churning. A large beast was moving through the canyon. I stayed still as it finished moving past me and waited for it to disappear. I then set off again through the canyon in the same direction. This was the direction the beast had come from.


    Moving through the canyon, I saw an indented rock wall with film of energy covering it. I would have normally missed this without my sight. A hidden treasure area or a beast garden? The portion of the canyon wall covered in energy was big, but not Leviathan big.


    The beast could shrink down. Or maybe it was a test. Only stronger beasts could survive the depths. Since their body toughness was based on their cultivation. Lower ranked beasts would have to turn back when the pressure became too much. That Leviathan I had seen, was probably a rank 7 or 8 beast at these immense depths.


    I was even more grateful to the Crashing Wave Sect for letting me have this amazing diving suit. Without it, I would have had no chance of getting this far. I began checking the energy covered rock face and soon found an indented hole, big enough to put a large claw through.


    Higher ranked beasts were intelligent, so it made sense they could use formations. Probably knowledge stolen from humans in some way, but still usable. Or they could have made a deal like I had done with Roaring Twilight.


    I knew enough about arrays, to know this array, in this large hole was tied to the wall, but I couldnt tell if it was connected to other arrays or a formation that would alert the owner of this place. I reached inside, and put a rank 3 spirit stone at the center of the activation mechanism.


    Normally a beast would have channeled their energy to trigger the array, but things like this were easily hacked. Just put a stone on the activation portion of the array, touch the stone, and then focus. It was a bit harder with the gloves I was wearing, but I managed.


    The energy infused rock wall opened outwards like a double doorway. I swam around the overly large doors and looked inside them. It was a beast garden, hidden down here in the depths. I swam inside the garden, looking for the green ocean lily, but I didnt spy any.


    There were other valuable plants, in the rank 4 or maybe 5 category, but nothing that I was particularly interested in or had enough value. I began to circle the garden to check every single spot, starting on the outside.


    Nothing inside the beast garden that was worthwhile. I left and pulled the used spirit stone out of the opening array. It closed back up and I continued my trek through the canyon. It was possible that a single beast had multiple gardens down here sorted by plant type and possibly age.


    The beast that had swam past might be the owner or caretaker, going from garden to garden. It was a more active way for a beast to get power faster than just sitting in one place, and also a way for them to trade things with humans.


    While they might be very strong, they would be ganged up on if they caused trouble near sects. The risk was massive. You dont become old by picking fights constantly. Well, some might, but most didnt. That was why martial sects werent that prevalent. They had a hard time maintaining continuity. It was often low ranking sects that took this path to get funds, and get people to succeed.


    I kept moving through the canyon. It was the start of day 7 when I found another hidden entrance. No new beasts had come by. This one had the same opening mechanism as the last one. I began looking about at the plants. Some rank 6 plants, bust mostly rank 5.


    It hadnt escaped my noticed the canyon was slopped slightly downwards. I sealed up the garden again and kept descending down the canyon. If there was anything other than blackness, I would have never seen the faint amount of energy for these entrances. But here in the inky void, they stood out.


    I was getting worried. The canyon was looping away from the Crashing Wave Sect and the continent. The pressure and temperature was also getting to me. It was getting much harder to move. I started pulling myself along using the rocks of the canyons wall instead of trying to swim. At the end of the tenth day down here, I found another hidden entrance.


    After opening it, I noticed there werent many plants scattered about. But each of them was a high rank 6. The most valuable plants were in the center. I noted a few green ocean lilies, but I went for the center. I had read a lot about plants, but I couldnt tell what it was.


    It had to be at least rank 7, and my heart sped up at that. It was tempting to take it, but I wasnt prepared to do so. I had lucked now, now I just needed to get away. I pulled out two carrying case sfrom a spatial ring. They wouldnt be going back in at these depths.


    I carefully placed one green ocean lily in each and sealed them up. The carrying cases would preserve whatever was inside of them based on the environment they were retrieved from. These ones were designed by the Cloudy Moon Sect to handle the pressure, both internally and externally. They wouldnt explode as I ascended. Once I got out of this canyon, I could put them in my mid-rank spatial ring without worry.


    Now came the deception. I carefully pulled out two wilted plants, that had been infused with energy, which looked similar to the green ocean lily. The green swamp lily was near worthless. But they had a similar appearance and scent apparently.


    I put them into the holes I had extracted the green ocean lilies from and moved some dirt very carefully, so it wouldnt be obvious anything had been taken away. I doubted it would fool a beast for too long, but it would make it hesitate, and confused when trying to check if something was amiss.


    It was a shame I didnt have more carrying cases, but I would have to carry both with me, back up. I only had two arms. I then left the cave, and sealed it back up. With that done, I began returning back the way I had come down the canyon, while slowly ascending.


    I was exhausted. I had never felt more tired in my life. Every bit of ascent, was incredibly painful, and I had to pause often for breaks and rests. What I didnt dare do was sleep or rest in the ocean. While my scent would be hard to follow due to the diving suit and water, I couldnt afford to take any more risks.


    The closer I got to the top of the canyon was when I began to see beasts resting above occasionally. I kept moving quickly past them until I found a large section with no beasts, and then kept slowly ascending vertically there.


    Just as I was nearing the top. I saw a beast rapidly approaching me. Not Leviathan size, but still quite big and it appeared to be rank 5 or 6. I quickly put the carrying cases away in my mid-rank spatial ring. I could mentally feel it groaning from the flood of water, but it held.


    The beast was on a direct course for me. This was what I had been afraid of. Hopefully my preparations were enough to escape.

 Chapter 34: Escaping The Depths, Ensnared By The Heights

    Chapter 34: Escaping The Depths, Ensnared By The Heights


    Activating my small spatial ring, I pushed out several cannisters. Each one of them was primed to burst upon release. A massive cloud of dark smoke began expanding. It was would hide my scent as I made my escape and smell terrible to beasts. I also tossed out a final bomb. It burst, three shattered rank 3 spirit stones went zipping through the water in different directions. A cloud of ground up spirit dust also emerged, which should hopefully confuse the beast even more.


    Putting that much energy into the water with the spirit stones along with the smoke would hopefully disguise my position. And make the beast lose interest. With its human level intelligence, I could only hope this worked.


    I was already kicking my way upwards while throwing out more smoke bombs. Getting them to work underwater was what had cost so much. I didnt hesitate to exhaust my entire supply in the next minute. I felt the pressure as the beast rushed through the smoke with its eel like form.


    I then pulled out the next round of cannisters and tossed them up and away from me in various directions. More smoke exploded outwards through the water. I followed one of the arcing trails of smoke off to the side. The smoke, and particulates, hung in the water, not easily dispersing. If I was nearer the surface, then they would have dispersed much more. If I had been deeper, then the smoke wouldnt have gone that far out of the bombs.


    Swimming upwards and then back down. I heard the beast zipping around, looking for me. I could see its energy clearly through the water. Once it was on the far side of the smoke cloud, I swam out of the trail of smoke I was hiding in and away from the scene of the encounter.


    I focused more on horizontal distance, rather than ascending. The pain was getting worse and worse. The canyon disappeared from my sight beneath me. I had picked a random direction, which was taking me further out into the ocean.


    My joints hurt, I had a massive headache, and finally it was hard to breath. Waves of dizziness assaulted me, and my vision was blurring. I forced myself to stop ascending and keep moving horizontally and descend a bit.


    With the diving suit and my cultivation, I had gone to untold depths, far deeper than an ordinary human could dive. The problems with pressure still existed. With my body cultivation and refined beast essence, I would be matched up high stage 3, possibly low stage 4 cultivator. I was incredibly tough and difficult damage.


    But the pressure of the ocean, especially that trench, where I had gone into the red on the depth gauge was too much. I had been hoping that the calibration would be off so that I could survive. I had survived, but getting back up to the surface would take time. I was also exhausted, both mentally and physically.


    My reserve of rank 3 spirit stones was quickly running out. Swimming out further into the ocean, was the smarter choice, since if any beasts looked for me, they would assume I would head back to shore. I was glad the large number of underwater smoke bombs and energy decoy bomb had worked.


    The Imperial Sect really did make some amazing equipment, even if it was incredibly overpriced. The diving suit was also helping hide me as well. It was designed to avoid drawing attention from beasts. Another reason why I went to the Crashing Wave Sect to borrow one.


    I popped in another rank 3 spirit stone to keep the suit running and sipped some water from inside the mask. While I had found a hidden beast garden, and stole the green ocean lilies, I would celebrate once I was back on shore. Swimming through the water, I was half conscious as I kept avoiding any beasts I could see, as I made a big loop back to the shore.


    I was on my last spirit stone and couldnt keep my eyes open as I finally reached the shore. My entire body hurt massively. The waves slammed me up against the rocks, as I dragged myself up on the coast. I made my way to the tree line, pulling my mask off. It felt good to breathe air. I collapsed under a tree and passed out.


    No dreams came to me while sleeping. I felt a pain in my neck and woke up. There was a cloaked figure looming over me. They had a horrid smell to them. I felt a collar around my neck. I wouldnt try pulling it off, the figure said.


    What? I asked as I tried to make sense what was going on.


    A little itty, bitty cultivator washed up on shore. The heavens truly favor me. I havent smelled a cultivation like yours. It will be delicious to consume, the woman said. I placed their gender through the voice and the curves on the robe. Looking at them, they were in the fourth stage of cultivation, if I had to guess. She had a plump figure.


    Let me go, or else, I said as I tried to get up. The figure snapped her fingers and my body lost all strength.


    A collar of dispersal is such a wonderful tool. You feel it dont you. Your cultivation has left you, she said while holding up a formation key, before tucking it away into her dark robes.


    How?! I asked afraid. I was not in Half Moon City, and in tremendous pain still. I was in no condition to fight. Rage coursed through me, but was offset by the amount of pain I was in. That was a way to suppress the beast essence, overwhelming pain that racked my body.


    That little cultivator is a trade secret. Dont want you getting any ideas and escaping. Oh, no. I am going to extract every bit of cultivation out of you, for myself. Now lets get all that equipment off of you. Unless you want to take it off yourself. It looks expensive, she said.


    It is. I will take it off, I replied. She grinned under her cowl. I saw her fat jowls jiggle as she let out a giggle.


    Good. Good. So cooperative, she replied. I was trying to sense what the collar did to me. But it was weakening me greatly. I wouldnt be able to outrun a rank 4 cultivator. Without my sword, I would have a hard time hurting her. With my body in pain, I wouldnt be able to fight hand to hand or to even think about running.


    I had to defeat her, here and now. There was only one chance. I had forgotten something important. This would hurt us both massively. But the hope was it would wound her enough, to disable her. I twisted a hand and poked my last smoke bomb I had out of my small spatial ring. It exploded and I turned to run.


    I didnt get very far as I heard the snap of fingers and I collapsed to the ground once more. That might work on beasts, but not on little old me, the woman cackled as she came closer. You are collared already? What hope do you have?


    Please, please my sect will pay for me, I begged and cried. The tears and fear came easily, they werent all fake. She took a step closer and looked down at my pitiful form.


    The strong take and the weak suffer. That is the way of our world. Now I am going to peel you out of your shell, she said. I had tried to make a fake escape to lure into a sense of superiority. She would think I had used all my trump cards.


    I had one left. A very dangerous one, as she came closer and closer. I tried to scramble away, past the tree roots, but was too slow and weak. An impossibly strong hand gripped my shoulder and squeezed. AHHHH! I screamed in pain as I felt my bones shudder under the pressure.


    What ripe cultivation for me to harvest. I so enjoy your fear, she said as she flipped me onto my back. I brought my right arm up to shield my face to make it look like I was cowering from her. My left arm swiped out, activating my mid-rank spatial ring.


    BAM!


    I was slammed into the ground as the massive amount of water pressure shot outwards, along with one of the cases. Thankfully the carrying case was aimed at this demonic cultivator. It slammed into her with a massive amount of force, launching her away into a tree. As I struggled to get up to my feet, I saw the massive tree was shattered halfway through its base from the impact of the demonic cultivator. The carrying case lay on the ground, unharmed.


    The tree toppled over to the side. I made my way from the ground zero crater I was in over to the obese older woman. My diving suit had protected me from the pressure explosion. I should have drained the ring at intervals was ascending. My encounter with the beast and with how tired I was, made me forget.


    I put the carrying case back into my mid-rank spatial ring with the other one. I reached into her robe and pulled out the formation key to the collar. I quickly found the slot and put it in. The collar snapped off. I still felt terrible, but I no longer felt weak. I quickly spun and clamped the collar around her fat neck.


    A hand reached up and grabbed mine, but I could feel it was weak. I didnt know how to activate the collar, but I ripped my hand free and put the key back into my spatial ring. You dare! she screamed, specks of blood and spit flying from her mouth. Some of it hit my face.


    Yes, I dare, I replied. I stumbled back away from her. The pain and aches from my joints made it hard to keep my footing in the soggy, ripped up ground. I am going to leave and let you run away. I am sure you can get that collar off in time. I said.


    Ahhh! she screamed in rage, as I turned and began walking away. She didnt pursue me thankfully. She didnt have a spatial ring, otherwise she would have put the formation key in it. I also couldnt be sure I would win in a fight. While that collar sapped her strength, I was in incredible pain.


    After two hours of stumbling through the coastal forest, I came to a paved road. Checking behind and around me, the woman wasnt following me. I quickly stripped off the diving suit and put on my sect robes. I did a little rearranging of my spatial rings. I knew which way I had to go back up the coast to get back to the Crashing Wave Sect.


    If you arent treated soon, the joint issues will become permanent and possibly mental issues as well, he replied.


    I would humbly ask to be given some face, and the opportunity to repay such a debt at a later date, I replied with a head bow. He let out a long sigh.


    You are causing our sect a great deal of headaches, Yuan Zhou, he said. I winced at this. We arent a rich sect, like your Cloudy Moon Sect that can send rank 2 disciples bumbling about into the ocean with more spirit stones than common sense. Or the Imperial Sect with its immense wealth. You will owe me a personal favor on behalf of the Cloudy Moon Sect.


    That was not good, since a favor could easily be worth ten times what was given. That was the common definition of repaying a favor. I would owe 5,000 rank 1 spirit stones. That was only 50 rank 3 spirit stones, so while bad, it wasnt horrible.


    Thank you, Elder Bo, I said and bowed my head deeply.


    Come, let us get you into a healing chamber. Did you even succeed? he asked me and got up. I followed him out of the room.


    I am afraid not elder. I also took a blow on my chest I replied while thinking that I didnt have what I needed with me, and I had returned injured. He gave me a look for a moment but then kept walking.


    A shame. At least you returned alive. Many other cultivators fail to do so. Let us go see the healer first.


    I got a Healing Pill that was worth 5 rank 2 spirit stones. It would fix up my ribs and organs. But for my cultivation that was not something they could deal with. I now owed 100 rank 3 spirit stones. Not something I wanted to occur, but getting healed up was important.


    After getting the healing pill I was put into a stone chamber with a bucket of water and an empty bucket. I was told I would be here for fifty days. Every tenth day they would bring me food and replace the two buckets.


    I felt the pressure of the air increase, and began to feel better. I was incredibly hungry at the end of the ten days as the pressure decreased slowly. The pain came back along with the headache, but it was less severe this time.


    During this time I focused on my cultivation. It wasnt good. The carefully laid out internal structure was twisted slightly in my chest. The biggest impact was where I was going to put my cores. I tried to move the motes that had been moved out of position. It took time and was incredibly painful.


    It was like pulling splinters out of my body and pushing them into another location. The amount of resistance, I faced was immense. The issue wasnt the distance the aligned motes had moved, but the sheer number of them.


    The treatment was repeated four more times. At the end of it, I was slightly sore, but no headache. I had only fixed about a twentieth of the motes that were not in the right spots. At my current speed, it would take another three years to fix the injury I had sustained. I left the chamber and was brought before Elder Bo once more.


    This is for your Master and Sect Leader, he told me and handed me a letter. I took it carefully and put it in my spatial ring.


    Thank you, Elder Bo. I will it delivered without issue, I replied and bowed deeply.


    Let it not be said that the Crashing Wave Sect turns its back on fellow sects, he said and left the room. I left the Crashing Wave Sect with my sword on my back and a smile on my face. It was good to be able to move without crippling pain.


    The soreness was still there, but that would linger for a while from what I had been told. It was time to recover my mid-rank spatial ring. Four days of traveling later, I arrived at the site of the battle. There was still rubble, and the road was damaged. The bodies were missing, and there were only scraps of broken up wood on the road.


    I went into the forest where I had thrown my ring. I had been checking, but had seen no one following me thankfully. It took two days to find the stick, stuck up in a tree, with the ring on it. Nothing was missing. I let out a sigh of relief at that.


    Now I just had to get back to Imperial City. Sell one of these green ocean lilies, buy a red desert rose, and then return to the sect. When I returned to the road, there was a young child that appeared similar to me waiting for me in a tattered blood red robe. I couldnt see their cultivation, but a child cultivator like this was not a good sign.


    Junior, greets senior, I quickly said and bowed my head.


    My disciple goes missing. I poke around and find this is the spot where she died. And here I find a young cultivator snooping around. Recovering a lost spatial ring. Tell me what happened, he said and displayed his cultivation, letting whatever technique he was using drop. He was a rank 8 cultivator.


    I was finished. I explained what happened. They then pressed me on my trip into the ocean. There was no point in lying here. It was clear that the crazy woman was his disciple.


    Interesting. A genius. And you survived through luck. I can see the currents of fate about you, he replied.


    Thank you senior, I replied politely like a meek little mouse before a massive tiger. My dark reflection just grinned at my subservient answer.


    You know you wont make it with standard cultivation techniques. Past the first bottleneck, he said.


    There was talk of sending me out into the Firmament, I replied.


    HAH! Even I would not date such a thing at my stage. Only immortals are truly qualified to make such a journey. The aura of luck and fate that surrounds you, would mean nothing out there. But what if there was another way? he asked.


    You mean demonic cultivation? I asked.


    Hmmm, indeed, the not child grinned at me. You caused the death of one of my disciples. So, a debt is owed. There is no demonic immortal. And my path would be strengthened by taking one such as yourself under my tutelage. What do you say? That wasnt even a real question. It was like asking if I wanted to instantly die or not.


    Yes, Master, I replied without hesitation.


    I know you are lying in your heart. But that is fine. Once you see the power that lies within the darkness, you wont want to go back. And if you do, well, you can always object and fight me, the not child said. That was never happening.


    Yes, Master, I replied once more, and he grinned.


    I am the Blood Demon Aoyin. Your name disciple? he asked.


    Yuan Zhou, I said with a gulp.


    Yuan Zhou. A pretty name. I see your fear, but there is nothing to worry about. I am merely going to convince you the path of blood is the best. To corrupt your foolish notions of cultivation that have been put into your head, he said as he approached.


    A massive sword suddenly appeared in front of him and floated horizontally above the road like a surfboard. He stepped on the floating sword. Get on in front of me, he said. I quickly went over and stepped on the floating sword. A hand touched my back, and I froze in place unable to move. The sword I was standing on rose up into the air and then quickly set off, the wind rushing past us as we traveled at impressive speeds. I was forced to shut my eyes from the force of wind blowing into my face.

 Chapter 35: Demonic Blood Sect

    Chapter 35: Demonic Blood Sect


    We came to a stop at a desolate mountaintop. I had no idea where we were. The wind and rain rushed by. Aoyin stepped off the floating sword, he gestured at me to follow, and I followed him. He returned the flying sword to his spatial ring. We then went into the mountain, past several doors he easily opened and that slammed shut behind me. Glowing paper lights lit up and then turned off as we passed through the stone hallways.


    Escape wasnt going to be easy or simple. What do you know about demonic cultivation? he asked me as we descended into the mountain.


    That you take the cultivation of others and impart it into yourself. To use their power as your own, I replied.


    Indeed, Yuan Zhou. Indeed. While the righteous sects reject this, I do not begrudge them. For there needs to be sheep for the wolf to eat. My own father only fed me the flesh of cultivators from an early age. I never expected to see someone looking as young as me, he replied.


    You waited that long by the road? I asked. He let out a deep chuckle.


    I once disguised myself as a statue and remained perfectly immobile for a decade to kill a rank 8 cultivator. Good times. It took some effort to work out that a spatial ring was still around, but it had clearly been hidden. I was willing to wait a year to find out who killed my disciple, he said, and I gulped.


    That is very impressive Master Aoyin, I said while trying to keep my rampant fear under control.


    Not really. You have made waves. My knowledge and spies are quite impressive. I was actually searching for you specifically, he said.


    Me? I asked in surprise.Follow current novels at novelhall.com, indeed. You killed another one of my disciples in your Half Moon City. I remembered the demonic cultivator. That brought you to my attention. I spent time learning about you. A genius under the heavens. Then the personal disciple of Sect Leader Jiang Fengge. I would never be able to snatch you out from under his nose. We entered a well furnished room with book shelves and a table. He gestured at me to sit at the table, I sat. He sat as well and kept talking.


    But then you went to Imperial City. I learn that you have managed to gain the backing of an Imperial Sect elder. Now that is truly impressive at the second stage of cultivation. You were tracked down to the Crashing Wave Sect and then disappeared into the ocean.


    Then you escaped, my apprentice died. I had a soul lantern made of course. The Towering Tree sect the other cultivator that dealt the killing blow is a low rank sect, so no soul lantern. But you, you have one. Now you will serve me and help me become an immortal, or die, he said. I gulped nervously at that.


    Yes, Master, I replied, and he chuckled.


    I can see you deny the truth in your heart. But do not underestimate me Yuan Zhou. I am second only to the immortals on this continent. And even they would hesitate before my martial might, he replied. The fact he was willing to say something so boldly, clearly indicated that he thought he was up there in terms of ability.


    And you arent going to consume me? To push you to becoming an immortal? I asked. He grinned even wider at that. Oh no. My heart fell. This was not good.


    Indeed, you truly are a genius. How wonderful. I find lying distasteful. The truth is a much sharper sword. I want you to get past your first bottleneck. The unification of mind, body, and soul. To taste that truth, will give me the push I need, he said. I closed my eyes. I had to accept this. I had no chance of escape or reversing things right now. In time, hopefully, I would come up with something.


    I know what you are thinking without a technique, he said. You want to reverse things and find a way to escape, he told me.


    Yes, I replied.


    Hahahaha, oh, so bold. You truly have the arrogance of a genius. To sit here in my lair and say to my face that you will counter my techniques that have been developed over the ages. That truly is an experience. I suddenly felt my body lock. My right hand rose up and slapped my face. Aoyin was grinning at me as I slapped myself again, and again. After ten slaps my hand lowered to my side and I gained control of my body again. I let out a gasp, breathing heavily.


    Thank you for the lesson, Master, I said as calmly as I could.


    At least you can learn. I like arrogance, but dont look down on me so casually. I who have slaughtered sects for killing a disciple of mine. But you have arranged for the deaths of two. I gulped at this. You are going to pay me back with your life. A twisted dagger with hundreds of tiny glowing red symbols on it, appeared above the table. The dagger then floated over to me.


    I will ensure you cant escape. The Ever Seeking Dagger. Stab yourself with it, he said with a grin. I didnt hesitate, quickly picking it up with my right hand. I was planning to stab my left hand, but spikes shot out of the hilt into my right hand.


    Ahhhhh! I screamed and tried to throw it away, but my hand wouldnt open. I felt my blood being sucked out. A couple of seconds later I managed to open my bloody hand and dropped the dagger on the table. There were no spikes visible on the hilt. I opened my mouth to speak and a pill flew inside of my mouth. I gagged and was forced to swallow it.


    The Poison of the Unseen Snake. And now the final thing to make sure you never escape beyond my grasp. A glowing black shard about the size of a needle appeared in his hand and he threw it at me. It struck between my eyes and there was quite a bit of pain in my head. That one is quite special. I wont tell you the name of it to keep you guessing, but it is something of my own creation. Call it Aoyins Fang.


    What? I gasped out through the pain I was feeling. I glanced at my right hand and blinked as it was already healed. I focused on what was happening with my cultivation while he talked.


    If you escape all three bindings, then you truly are a genius blessed by the heavens. To escape even one, I would consider that a miracle. To escape two, even with the help of an Immortal that might be possible. But all three. No, he said with a malicious grin.


    You wont kill me now, not after having entrapped me, I looked up defiantly and he nodded.


    Indeed. But what are you going to do? Go crying home to daddy Fengge. Help me daddy! Help me! Aoyin teased me with the same evil grin he had. I wanted to say I would make him regret it, but didnt dare insult him or look down on him. I was completely outmatched in every way possible. I will tell you what any cultivator will do, after they know, you have talked to me. They will either kill you on the spot if they are smart, or hand you over to the Imperial Sect so they can try and find information about me.


    You want me to get past the first bottleneck? How? I asked. If I was going to suffer and be trapped, I would extract all the knowledge I could first, with the hopes of escaping Aoyins clutches one day.


    Pragmatic, I like it. You remind me of me. I am sure you are thinking about your revenge on me already. I did the same with my father. His screams were amazing as I devoured his cultivation. That is why you will make for a great demonic cultivator. The answer is simple. You will follow the path of blood. Killing other cultivators, to empower your cultivation.


    And how does that work? I can get motes, but the rest? I asked.


    You take in their energy and offload the negative effects of rapid cultivation. Well, you seem to be well on your way to offsetting the negative effects. Stealing from the high-level beasts, in their little secret underwater gardens. When they realize what you have done, they will be coughing out blood. That would be the case if I hadnt killed one, he said with a smile and put a spirit stone on the table. My eyes went wide at it. It had the most energy of any spirit stone I had ever seen.


    They followed me? I asked in surprise.


    Oh, you sweet righteous child. Of course, they followed you. The Crushing Depths Of The Ocean, was quite a challenge to kill. But you were healing in the Crashing Wave Sect, so you probably didnt sense the massive storm and tsunamis that were unleashed. I shook my head numbly at that.


    A shame. Beast gardens are quite dangerous to steal from, since the beasts will pursue you, he said.


    This wasnt told to me, I replied.


    Good. Good. When you do, tell Jiang Fengge that this is my revenge for him killing one of my disciples. It was obvious that Aoyin was only using that as an excuse. He just liked killing people and causing suffering.


    It was also obvious that there was a fourth and possibly fifth method he had used on me. The three methods he had visibly to get a hold of me again were too obvious. There would probably be another hidden method tied to this coffin. He made sure I consumed at least one portion of blood crystal.


    But when his hand was on my back for the flight. I had felt something much more subtle, that I wanted to ignore as an itch or case of nerves. With the wind blasting me, it wasnt easy to pin point, but he had done something to me.


    There were probably five things I now had to fix as I left Aoyins mountain base. I also had no idea how much of what he said was true. I would need to find a formation grandmaster to sort what this coffin did exactly. I hated this feeling, my life not being under my control.


    Another half day of traveling, who knows how fast before we slowed down to a stop. I couldnt keep my eyes open from the wind, and I had no doubt Aoyin could control the strength of the wind getting through. If he wanted to travel without any breeze bothering us, he could have easily done that. A random mountaintop, would be impossible to locate.


    I had not way of getting back to him. Here we are. A short journey back to Imperial City, but you should be able to manage, he said, and I took a step off his flying sword. I turned around to look at him. That dark hair, those malevolent eyes, and that tattered red robe.


    I had no chance? I asked with a sigh, and he just chuckled.


    You really didnt. If you didnt return than the Crashing Wave Sect would have killed, you. I was ready to wait a year. A genius like yourself is rare. Even more so, one than just wanders around without any protection, he grinned as his flying sword angled itself upright and he leaned back against it. Also the coffin isnt trapped.


    I dont believe you, I replied, and he chuckled.


    Check it out. But it is a rank 8 treasure. If you show daddy Fengge that. What do you think he will do? Aoyin asked me while floating around me with his arms behind his head, leaning back against his flying sword, in the most casual pose possible.


    He will take it away. Aoyin waved his hand at me. And most likely hand the coffin and myself over to the Imperial Sect for benefits.


    Indeed. They like the chaos, I cause, just not too much, he pulled out the rank 8 spirit stone from within his robes. I will pay off the Immortals with this little trinket, he said as my gaze locked onto the spirit stone.


    Just like that? They let you get away with this? I asked, resigned. The answer was yes but he clearly wanted to brag.


    Indeed. A rank 8 beast dead and its spirit stone in hand. A little chaos is a small price to pay. What, did you think I would give this to you? he asked me with a chuckle.


    No. Thank you for the coffin. But I wanted to ask one more thing before you depart Master, I said.


    Oh, this will be interesting. Power? Knowledge? Want someone dead? he grinned at me as he floated around, relaxed as ever.


    How will me progressing help you? I asked.


    Ah, an interesting question, but a simple one. I will give you some insight before I depart, perhaps you will use this knowledge against me. That would be amusing and I hope you do something like that. The centuries can get quite dull. Unlike all those other righteous cultivators, I dont sit around in a dark room for my entire life. He was also much more unbalanced and manic, but I wasnt going to say that. There were clearly issues with his mind.


    Something I had heard in my past life, a crazy person telling their story on the street was just a crazy person. A crazy person telling their story in a country club was eccentric. Aoyins power meant that I had to take him seriously, even if he was completely off his rocker.


    Cultivation starts and ends at the same way. The divergence grows until the first bottleneck. The divergence to strengthen your true soul, astral soul, or whatever name any of the thousands of sects have come up for it. I listened intently, since any knowledge would hopefully give me an edge and he was clearly willing to humor me.


    In the end there are three paths. Soul, body, and mind. Each of them different as you align your motes. The later stages of cultivation are about attuning the physical and your energy soul to become one. That is the second bottleneck, on the path to immortality. I nodded at this. It was similar to what I had read.


    Daos, paths, or understandings, are about converging this understanding to a single point. What you are doing will completely negate the second bottleneck if you make it that far. I heard his emphasis on the word if. There is much more variance. Your daddy Fengge focused on the understanding of the soul itself. That is why he is quite skilled in certain areas.


    And you will take this understanding from me? I asked.


    Something like that. No demonic cultivator has stepped into immortality, you know why? I shook my head. The understanding is not their own. That is why the best of us get stuck at rank 8. You can steal understanding, and cultivation, but to bridge the gap in true understanding, he shook his head.


    And I will fix that? I asked.


    Yes, you will. While I might detest your sect leader, he is right. You are a pig, my eyes went wide at that. How had Aoyin known he had said that? Surprised? The truth is quite powerful, disciple. My knowledge is not simple either. Now I will leave you with that little mystery and wish you luck. Since your success is my success. Business is all about knowing who to invest in, not what, he said. I couldnt say anything else as there was a sudden blast of wind. I was forced to blink and turn away for a brief moment.


    When I looked back Aoyin was gone. His parting words struck me deeply. He invested into people to empower himself, while I invested into businesses. I guess the big difference, was that he liked to kill cultivators at the end while my businesses would bring greater prosperity for just himself.


    I turned away from where he had departed and began slowly walking up the road. I felt a strong sense of melancholy and frustration. The sadness came from the fact that the one to truly believe in me, who was a cultivator, was a crazy demonic cultivator. There was constant doubt.


    Everything I saw could have easily been an illusion as well. A rank 8, with no scruples could do quite a bit. I had the coffin in my ring though and I could feel Aoyins fang pressing down on my mind. Like a tainted sliver, that didnt help me, the opposite of the astral soul stabilizer. I could kind of sense where it was with my motes in my body, just like I could feel whatever he put in my head.


    It was sadly obvious why he didnt keep me around as well. My hardships and unique solutions would make my cultivation stronger. Also, he couldnt afford it. While he could whip out a rank 8 crystal, he didnt think I would make it past the first bottleneck. He was just hedging his bets and getting revenge at the same time.


    What Aoyin had done was smart. I felt completely outclassed. It just wasnt an issue of power either. I had no choice but to continue on my path of cultivation. The more desperate I became, the more I would want to use the coffin. If I had to guess it would make it easier for him to consume me or do whatever horrible thing he was planning if I relied on it.


    But the temptation would be there, and he wouldnt have to fund anything himself. If he kept me locked away, then he would have to take on the costs of my cultivation himself and the headache of me escaping in some way or ruining a plan of his.


    The techniques and resources he had used, clearly cost a lot, but I was an investment. What was the value of a rank 8 coffin that turned people into cultivation resources compared to immortality? I had no doubt that he would gladly hand out a hundred coffins if it would be possible.


    He might not be lying, but he clearly was bending the truth quite a bit and took a perverse pleasure in doing so. He might also have a connection with my Sect Leader. That was another can of worms I couldnt even begin to open without a lot of headache. He clearly despised Sect Leader Jiang Fengge and it was personal. This could also be considered as revenge against him.


    Aoyin was practically daring me to spill all of this to the Imperial Sect or the Sect Leader. He was right, there would be no mercy. And if there was, how much help would I really get? When he could just toss a rank 8 spirit stone at an immortal as a bribe. What did I have to match that kind of value? The two green ocean lilies in my possession, were nothing but trash compared to such an item.


    It was no joke to say I had been put in a bind. At least I was free. If you are watching, screw you Aoyin! I said loudly. Nothing happened. Maybe I really was free. But he had patience. That much was clear. He had waited around to catch me on my return to the scene of the battle. I should have taken the spatial ring, but I hadnt wanted to risk it getting taken as compensation by Elder Bo. My paranoia had screwed me over.


    The one thing I didnt get was why bring me to his base if he was going to let me go like this? That was one thing that made no sense out of all this. There was a clue there, I just needed to spot it. And if nothing else, I would come up with a way to kill myself before he could stuff me in an alchemical pot. Aoyin may try to eat me, or consume my cultivation but I was going to stick in his throat regardless.

 Chapter 36: Super Charged Influx

    Chapter 36: Super Charged Influx


    You requested my help? Elder Xu Xiaoli gave me a look as she spoke.


    Yes, elder. I have acquired a green ocean lily and want to sell it, I replied. Her eyes lit up at that.


    You did well to come to me. The fact you were able to return so quickly and unharmed, perhaps the heavens truly have blessed you, she said. I smiled slightly. While many people would have tried to control their reaction, that would have been a mistake here. I just had to not think of Aoyin. That was that this was business. I had to separate the two situations at the moment.


    Thank you elder Xiaoli. I would be willing to sign over at least twenty percent commission for your support, and the vast majority of the value will be going into our joint business, I added and she nodded at that.


    The reports that have been sent have been an amusing diversion. But the start up costs are quite a bit. A green ocean lily will certainly put things into overdrive for your business plans. The sample box? she asked me and I removed it from my spatial ring.


    She looked it over and then put a hand on the box. Under high pressure. Very high pressure. But that is good, so the flower doesnt degrade. At least you know your handling procedures, so the value hasnt degraded in the slightest. Thirty percent of the profit, will be my percentage. I didnt forget you mentioned profit not revenue in our last discussion. I will handle the sale directly, she said.


    Thank you elder, I replied.


    While an auction is always a possibility, that normally happens with subpar items. A direct sale would be best. We can get a total of at least 50,000 rank 3 spirit coins, she said the last bit with a nod. This is why I came to her and didnt try to go another route.


    First it would have been an insult to her as my supporter. By bringing the green ocean lily to sale through her, I was strengthening our partnership. If I tried to go through someone else, I would be touching on the politics of the Imperial Sect which I wanted to stay out of.


    The second big reason was to get the best price. For incredibly rare items like this, elders wouldnt quibble over a 10 to 20 thousand difference in the price. Sure, there was a market price, but I didnt have a green ocean lily that had washed up on shore. This was one retrieved from the soil, completely intact, and under high pressure to preserve it perfectly.


    Finding the right buyer would be impossible for me. Instead of drawing negative attention to me with an auction it would be better to do a direct sale. The Imperial Sect would do something similar. Their published rate was forty percent. It hurt to give up thirty percent, instead of twenty percent, but the increase was also a rebuke.


    That sounds perfect Elder Xiaoli. If I could have a document of some sort verifying all of this, I said and she nodded. I relaxed at that. It was entirely possible she could have scammed me out of the green ocean lily. But with a document in hand, it would be too much of a loss of face for her to steal from me so blatantly.


    We will use a standard one of the Imperial Sect, she said and pulled out three sheets of paper. Some fields were quickly filled in, saying the name of the item I was handing over, the percentage the elder would take, and a clause that another ten percent would be taken for an immortals of the Imperial Sect to give their backing to the transaction.


    It would be nice to sit around and just earning money from deals and people using my name. But that guarantee also promised protection for 10 years and confidentiality with the transaction. If people could just rob anyone doing business with the Imperial Sect, it would be a slap across their face. The time period of 10 years was considered a small period of time, but long enough for someone weak like me to get more backing, or for someone to run and hide.


    I would keep one document, elder Xu Xiaoli would keep another, and then the Imperial Sect would keep the third copy. As an elder of the sect, she had authority to sign on their behalf. As much as I liked to think this was a special situation, there were only two sects cultivators could sell these high level ingredients through, the Imperial Sect, and the Blazing Sun Sect.


    Five days later, the payment was finalized through the Imperial Sect, and I was sitting with Zheng Ting reviewing the planned rollout strategy and the challenges she had faced with her test city.


    The biggest hurdle is communication and leaving people to their own devices. I have ten city level directors ready to roll out and handle mining tasks, but getting more people is a challenge, Zheng Ting said, and I nodded at this.


    You did my test idea? I asked and she nodded at that. Communication was always going to be an issue. We just thought of many different scenarios and made a guidebook for her people to memorize and follow. Then they would be tested.


    Yes. But Imperial City is not a good place for recruitment. People here are too stubborn. Also, some were hesitating about the lack of investment, she said.


    Well use your best judgement? But we are ready to roll out? No issues with permits or anything else? I asked.


    Minor issues, but things I have worked out the last couple of years. The biggest challenge will be as things get further away from Imperial City. There will be a lot more independence. A rotating senior director to help get things set up and stabilized, before moving into traveling about picking up ore as part of their travel itinerary, Zheng Ting explained.


    You have things well in hand, I said, while relaxing slightly.


    It hasnt been easy, but your return stabilizes things. So, 30,000 rank 3 spirit coins? she asked me. I chuckled at that. That had been the planned goal, and my eyes had gotten bigger at the higher numbers. But in the end, I got the amount I had heard here in the city. But that was incorrect, since the amount Zheng Ting had given me, was the sale amount from the auction house. The final payout to the person in question had probably been around 12,000 rank 3 spirit coins. You dont advertise a smaller number. You hype that number up to appear larger.


    Yes. After the fees and payment to elder Xu Xiaoli, that is how much is left. I saw your prosed budget. A third for expanding. A third for building an ore compressor formation. A sixth for operating the array and general operating expenses, I said while tapping on the sheet of paper in question.


    Each new city is going to cost 80 rank 3 spirit coins. It is more expensive, but there might be competition. We will need to outbid, she replied.


    Wait, competition? Why havent you said this before? I asked.


    Since there are only rumors. But we dont have a monopoly. If someone from the Imperial Sect moves in on our business model, we need cash on hand to get cities. Hence the bigger budget, she replied.


    That is 125 cities. No where near enough, I replied.


    The main value is in the compressor array we will purchase from the Imperial Sect. With that, I can buy up spirit ore, and ship it at cost to turn a profit, she replied.


    That will work? I asked.


    There is one other operation that does something similar. But caravans go to them, to sell ore at set rates. I wont be directly competing with them in Imperial City, but rather out in all the other cities.


    Their backers? I asked the most important question.


    The Han family. They are the biggest family in Imperial City. One of the immortals holds that family name, she said. Thank you, Zheng Ting, for telling me the obvious. I closed my eyes as I processed this.


    This didnt come up before? I asked.


    They are using a branch family with a different last name. The Han family is insulated from casual knowledge. This only came out in the last few days with your return and Zhou Holding Company Limited, moving into full gear, she replied.


    Set up a meeting. We might be able to come to an agreement, I replied. I had Zheng Ting break out the details on the compression array, since that was the big bottleneck.


    The fact was, it wouldnt be active all the time. I could easily guess that from all the reading I had done. Running an array like that full time would be too costly. The issue was that there just wasnt enough ore to run the array on a regular basis, it was underutilized. They had too much capacity, but not enough supply.


    How my cultivation plan was sub-par. How I had no true backing. How I was a complete idiot. How I was born to pigs in the forest and raised by beasts. I sat there calmly taking all of the verbal abuse. It was amusing and I was curious to see where she was going with all of this.


    She had even eaten her meal while gesturing at me and ranting. I had my line in the sand. I would obey all minor requests, but I wasnt going to agree to anything major, and about any business deals I wasnt backing down.


    She snapped her fingers again and servers cleared out the plates. I got several dirty looks, but no one said anything. I decided to take a gamble. Please tell the chef what little I could taste before being told to spit it out was delicious and most appreciated, I said. Everyone paused at this. I then pulled out five rank 3 spirit coins. For the wait staff as an apology for the hassle.


    Thank you Master Cultivator, one of the servers said and took the money, before rushing off. Sorry to interrupt you. You were saying something about how my parents must have been part pig? There was silence at this, and I noticed the servers were listening much closer to the exchange. Han Xingjuan was looking much more nervous now.


    Go, speak of this to no one, she said. They all nodded and finished clearing the table before leaving. That ensured they would speak, at least to their boss.


    That you think the food is so nasty I needed to spit it out? I asked with a smile.


    No! That isnt what I said. Stop twisting my words. Ahhh! She let out a scream and threw the butter knife at me. I saw it coming thankfully, and moved my head to the side and it sank into the side of one of the mortal servers who was leaving. They let out a scream and collapsed. Han Xingjuan looked surprised at what had happened. You throw things at home much?


    The server was quickly carried out of the room and there was silence and the faint smell of blood in the air. Going to attack me too? I asked. At least it was only a light wound on the server. But actual violence here at the heart of the Imperial Sect, should have been cracked down on. Her connections would save her, but I needed to step lightly with such craziness.


    No. He should have dodged, and you shouldnt have, she told me.


    Well, I think we are done. I draw the line at getting attacked. Even if the array was free to use, I wouldnt want to do business with you, I said and stood up.


    No! she yelled out and then mumbled something.


    I missed that last part, I replied.


    I am sorry. But this needs to go well, she countered. I was at a crossroads. I could walk out of here and get the crazy out of my life. But that choice would cost me thousands of rank 3 spirit coins and create a deep grudge from this cultivator towards me.


    Even if I was insulted, bullied, or hassled, she still had the martial robe of the Imperial Sect on her and was clearly favored to be such a young cultivator, with the knowledge she had. She was crazy, and I was crazy for even considering this. I sat back down.


    Half is impossible. If the costs are too high, it is cheaper to build my own array, I countered.


    Ah, but ours is a rank 8 array. We dont advertise it, and it is rare we make something so high grade, but it is possible, she said.


    I need to be able to sell the spirit metal and profit. I am investing and doing the work. I am more than happy to invest in an array of my own. The offer of 2,000 rank 3 spirit coins plus operational costs was more than reasonable, I countered, and she grew pensive at this.


    I was also incredibly annoyed at being bullied and attacked while trying to work this out. Thirty percent and you cover operational costs. We can help you sell the metal, she countered.


    I plan to handle the selling portion through elder Xu Xiaoli. I brought up my backer to give her pause. I can agree to ten percent of profit made and operational expenses, since elder Xu Xiaoli owns twenty five percent.


    She opened her mouth and then closed it. I had thought about this, but I was willing to go this far. It was better to get her side invested into this venture then start a pointless and cost feud. They had the compression array to make high rank spirit steel from low rank spirit iron. I had a business model to get all the ore.


    I also brought up elder Xu Xiaoli, since I couldnt give her family more than what I was giving the elder. It just wasnt possible. If the Han family had sent in someone with more cultivation to this meeting, then I would have had to give up more of my share of the profits. But ten percent for literally doing nothing but share their infrastructure that wasnt in use was more than enough.


    Fifteen percent, she countered with much more business savvy than I thought she would have. The fact she didnt ask for twenty percent showed she understood the position she was in.


    And your side assists with the compression of the spirit iron and using the array, but we arent charged for that assistance, I countered.


    Deal, she easily replied.


    You can speak for the Han family? I asked.


    Puh-lease, I am Han Xingjuan, the 69th descendant of Immortal Han Jiayi. My guess was that it was a status thing, how close they were related to the immortal in their family. And while the number 69 was amusing it was quite far away from the number one and being the main descendant of the Immortal. Like someone saying they were 69th in line for the British throne. While an amusing thing at a bar, and the person was probably well off, it wasnt like they got to have tea at Buckingham Palace.


    Still, if she really did buy the green ocean lily, combined with her youthful appearance, meant she was cultivation focused and had backing I couldnt ignore as much as I wanted to. Even if she had a more toxic personality than an actual demonic cultivator.


    Well goodbye peasant. Hopefully we never see each other again. I will have someone send over a contract on what we agreed to, she replied.


    Perhaps. But I wont accept any additions or tricks you plan to sneak in. I will be asking elder Xu Xiaoli to read through it, I countered any shenanigans before they could happen.


    I just need to wait for you to die. Your cultivation is a mess, and you should be ashamed of yourself, she said as she got up. It might be a mess, even more so with Aoyins actions, but she was telling people to spit food out at a business meeting and stabbing people.


    She didnt give me a moment to reply as she walked out of the private dining room. I just sat there for a moment and a server came back in. From the chef personally. He hopes you enjoy it, the man said as he set down a single serving black cake in front of me.


    The server, will they be okay? I asked.


    They will be, he said.


    My apologies. That shouldnt have happened. While I cannot take responsibility for Han Xingjuans actions, please give this to the server. I pulled out another rank 3 spirit coin. For any treatment he might need.


    Ithank you, the sever said and hesitantly took the coin before rushing away. Since the chef in charge of this place was going to be nice to me, I was going to show some care back to his staff. People would talk and get a reputation. I would have to make a point of following up with an information broker about Han Xingjuan.


    I had no doubt I would be seeing her again and our paths would cross. What a truly obnoxious individual. As I ate the incredibly delicious cake, whose taste I couldnt place, it reminded me of chocolate and home.


    The chef doing the cooking was amazing. I should have become a cultivating chef, not a business person as my side job to cultivating.


    My mind drifted back to Han Xingjuan and her about face at the end. Was it all a ploy? It could very well be. Well as long as the deal wasnt bad, I could handle fifteen percent of the profit. That still left me sixty percent, once everything was finalized.

 Chapter 37: A Lesson In Trust

    Chapter 37: A Lesson In Trust


    I looked up at the stairs to the Cloudy Moon Sect once more. I hadnt even stopped at home first to see my sister or family. I was 40 years old and had 1.3 million motes aligned. All my traveling and my injury to my motes had slowed me down. It was frustrating in a way, that even little things would add up over time and there were larger concerns.


    Climbing up the stairs, I did not brazenly announce my return like I had done in the past. While it was tempting to do so, I wanted to take my time. Even now after getting back to the sect, my mind was still heavy with the choice I had to make. There were two paths in front of me. Each had their own risks and rewards.


    The first path was to keep silent about Aoyin. To not reveal anything, he had done and sort it out myself. The second path was to speak to the Sect Leader and my new master about the predicament I had fallen into. My Earth thinking was that it was better to tell the truth and deal with things. Honesty and straightforwardness felt like the best courses of action when I had been alive on Earth. Once a criminal always a criminal.


    But for cultivation land, it was different. The threat of Aoyin was not simple. There might be nothing that could be done. I had made general inquiries in Imperial City and the information about demonic cultivators was not good for cultivators at my level.


    They were hunted down and anyone who was demonic was purged without exception. The higher ups might have other considerations, and there might be a shady deal going on with Aoyin, but that was beyond me. I had no say in such things.


    The morals and values of cultivation land did not match Earth. While I recognized this and adapted as best as I could, I still clung to my old way of thinking. Each stone step I climbed up, I felt heavier and heavier. I couldnt play coy about Aoyin either. I either had to commit to explaining things fully or not explain anything at all.


    It was a difficult decision in my mind. One that wasnt easily resolved. One mistake, and I would be doomed. I might be killed on the spot to prevent Aoyin was using me as a cultivation resource. I would lose access to the coffin he had given me. While I didnt want to use such a thing, its value was immense. I could sell it to someone else.Visit  for the best novel reading experience


    In the end it came down to a matter of trust. Did I trust the Sect Leader and Master Jiang Fengge enough to tell the truth. Aoyin could have done something that would only be visible to him, to make me lie and build mistrust as well. One thing about a criminal, was to never trust their word.


    My heart knew what I should do, but my brain rebelled. I reached the top of the stairs far too soon. My cultivation was too strong in empowering my body. It made the hard climb easy and quick. I made my way through the sect to the Sect Leaders house.


    I was admitted without fuss and went to his office to wait. I had no doubt he would be alerted by one of the members standing guard or could sense my presence. After an hour of sitting, he finally showed up. I noted that he appeared older which was surprising. There were strands of white in his hair and a few more wrinkles.


    The surprise came from the fact that cultivators only had their appearance change when they began running out of time. I had no idea if he had years or decades, but it was less than a century. Disciple, you have returned, he said as he took a seat at his desk.


    Yes, Master, I have. I I didnt know what to say and hesitated in the moment. The words getting stuck in my throat. He was quiet, and allowed me to collect my thoughts, which I was grateful for.


    I have succeeded, but there were complications, I said with a long sigh. The path of truth was the best way. I narrated my tale. Going to Imperial City, the Crashing Wave Sect, the beast garden, the demonic female cultivator, and then Aoyin. I finished explaining about my time in Imperial City and the crazy Han Xingjuan.


    The Sect Leader did not ask questions as I explained it all. Once I finished, I looked at him, but his face was carved like granite before he sagged in his chair. Well, the good news is that Han Xingjuan is no threat. The descendants of immortals like to brag and do have sizable wealth. But that is all. An Immortal would never back her up. Even a genius. They come and go. She might have been presented when she started cultivating or entered the Imperial Sect, but that is all. I nodded at this relieved.


    There is a reason we prefer cultivators to be older. Child cultivators are unbalanced mentally. He gave me a pointed look and I winced slightly. The body and mind struggle to align properly. You are still growing. This is why when a cultivator starts to physically age, it becomes harder to cultivate.


    I havent heard this before, I said, and he shook his head.


    It is not something that is written down. But it is often considered the twilight of a cultivator and a sign they should get their affairs in order, he said, and I could tell he was speaking about himself. I didnt dare comment on this though.


    Aoyin and I have fought before, he said, and my eyes went wide in surprise. It is why he had a person in Half Moon City to cause trouble before and spy. It is why he is focused on you. I had been hoping he was busy, and your travels would hide you.


    I couldnt even begin to imagine a fight at that level. That meant the Sect Leader was strong, in my mind. And what he did to me? I asked.


    The Ever Seeking Dagger will break just like the Soul Lantern once you pass the first bottleneck. They operate under similar principles. It is more of a threat if you dont make an effort, he will likely kill you. I winced at this.


    The Poison of the Unseen Snake, is easily countered. My eyes went wide at that.


    It soundedhard? I asked, confused about what exactly the poison was.


    It is a poison that lingers and will get stronger, the stronger you get. Like a hidden wound. You have only cultivated so much, and your cultivation path is already so large. If you hadnt told me about this before you took the Pill of Peace and finished the second stage, you would need the specific antidote.


    As for the poison itself, it is something from a rank 7 beast. It is well known as a cultivator poison. The beast often sells this poison through the demonic sects for crafts from humans and black market traders, the Sect Leader explained. I felt a wave of relief at this, which was quickly crushed.


    Aoyins Fang, is something far more sinister. It is something like the astral soul stabilizer, which has been implanted into you.


    Can you get it out? I asked.


    I can get it out, but you would suffer heavily. Aoyins knowledge of souls, is second only to my own outside the high-ranking sects. I would even say that he has developed new tricks. Stay seated, I will inspect you, the Sect Leader said and got up. I didnt move as he walked over and put both of his hands on my head. I kept my breathing steady and felt a headache appear and get worse. Just before the pain got unbearable, the Sect Leader let go of my head and the pain dissipated.


    As I thought, it is not something that can be removed.


    What is it exactly? I asked.


    A shard of his cultivation he has cut off. He is clearly hoping as you advance, this slice of cultivation of his advances, and then he will reclaim it. A risky strategy. If you die, he will be set back, the Sect Leader said as he took his seat once more.


    Ican you do anything Master? I hesitantly asked.


    No. And he will be able to find you anywhere. Such a thing is not simple in the slightest, he answered without hesitation.


    What about using his cultivation for myself? I asked and the Sect Leader didnt answer that question for a couple of seconds. That pause gave me hope.


    It is like a parasite. Not a symbiont. You feel it dont you. How that piece of him has fused with your true soul? he asked me, and I hesitantly nodded at that. To remove it, you would require strength greater than his? But even if you break through the bottleneck, that wont be possible.


    Really? Even with a three path cultivation method and multi-cores? I asked and the Sect Leader shook his head.


    You might be able to cross one stage, maybe two, but you wont reach that far. Once you cross the bottleneck, he will know, and come for you. With Aoyins Fang piercing your soul, it cannot be removed, the Sect Leader shook his head at me.


    And the coffin? I asked.


    Bring it out, and I will tell you, he said. I pulled it out of my spatial ring onto his desk. He spent the next hour carefully inspecting it and not saying anything. I wanted to ask questions, but I held off until he was done with his inspection.


    Put it away, the Sect Leader said, and I was surprised at that. I quickly put the coffin back in my spatial ring. It is what it appears to be. Nothing more. It is pure evil though, he said.


    Isnt it just another means of power? I asked and the Sect Leader shook his head. Good and evil werent normally descriptive terms for cultivation techniques. It should have been called demonic instead.


    It is evil since it grinds a persons soul down. It will impact your path in a way nothing else would in the later stages. It would make you more compatible with Aoyins path of cultivation. Like flavoring a chicken to his tastes. I winced at this metaphor.


    But you let me keep it? I asked.


    I had a cultivator look at me. There is nothing that can be done, he replied. My eyes went wide at this, and I looked back at the doctor.


    Is this true? I asked. The doctor bowed his head.


    A sect member took a look at your father. They know of your connection to the sect. The growths in his body have spread too far. If a technique is used, he wouldnt survive the absence of the growths. The voids they leave in his body, would kill him. They slowed and stopped many from getting worse, but there is no cure, the doctor said.


    I closed my eyes. I wanted to yell at the doctor and call him incompetent. That with enough spirit stones, anything was possible. But I stopped myself from going on a rant. It would not do to upset my father. My brother and mother entered the room trailed by several other family members.


    I turned back to my father. Yuan Zhou. You are the greatest of my children. A genius, he let out another round of sickly bloody coughs. A servant quickly cleaned his mouth. I reached out and took his trembling hand. It felt so weak, so frail. I blinked away a tear.


    Promise me Yuan Zhou, he said.


    Yes, father, I replied without hesitation. No matter what it was I would listen and hold it within my heart. While this was my second life and I had been standoffish growing up, this man had done well by me. He clearly had been holding on this long for my return.


    Dont forget your family, when you become an immortal, he said. I could not tell him of my hardships. Of the demonic cultivator who planned to consume me. The challenges with my cultivation.


    Yes, father, I promise, I replied.


    I am glad, he said with a sigh of relief and closed his eyes. I gently set his hand back down on the bed. The doctor came in and checked his breathing and pulse.


    Yuan Chen is asleep and will most likely not wake again. His pulse is unsteady and weak. I cannot say for sure, since only the heavens know. But he will most likely not live past this night, the doctor said.


    Thank you, I said and waved the doctor away. He bowed and went to the corner of the room. My mother came next to me and gave me a hug. My first brother Yuan Yun stood next to me as well and his son Yuan Zhu. There was silence as his family gathered around him and the former patriarch of the Yuan family, Yuan Chen passed away an hour after speaking his final words to me.


    There was quite a bit of crying. I wiped a few tears from my face. We left the room and went to a sitting room. Just myself and my first brother. He poured me something alcoholic, I only hesitated a moment before drinking it. I shook my head when he tried to pour me another.


    We sat there in silence for a bit. I am surprised he held on that long. He truly loved you the most of all, my first brother said with a heavy sigh while pouring himself another drink.


    I was a poor child. A genius of business maybe, but not a genius of family, I replied heavily.


    Perhaps, but you are a cultivator. I nodded at this. Any family would kill to have you as part of them.


    Thank you for your kind words brother, I replied. The funeral arrangements? Is there anything I can contribute? I asked.


    It is handled. With you here, it will be a huge event. If we make it huge, the cost he trailed off. I just pulled out a rank 2 spirit coin and tossed it to him. He fumbled with it and then it dropped into his lap.


    That is a rank 2 spirit coin. Worth at least 10,000 tael. Dont hold back on the expenses, I told my brother and he nodded.


    I wasnt planning to, but this will ease my heart. Thank you, he said and I waved him off.


    He iswas my father as well. I might have been a poor son, too focused on other things, but father did care. Giving me 12 tael to start off so long ago, I replied with a bitter smile.


    Now it is pocket change for you, my brother said with a heavy sigh. I am not upset. I am just disappointed that things reached this point. He would one day pass as well. Millenia from now, would some brat claim to be my 69th disciple? I chuckled a bit.


    What is it? my brother asked me.


    I ran into a cultivator who was the biggest brat possible in Imperial City. They claimed they were the 69th descendent of Immortal Han Jiayi. I was just thinking with fathers last words, would some brat from the Yuan family claim such things millennia from now, I said with a shake of my head.


    A brat? You would call another cultivator such things? my brother asked nervously.


    That is being kind. I never encountered a ruder, more unstable person. I then told him about the meal we had, how I had spat out my food, how she had stabbed a server, and the general insults hurled my way.


    Even my brother was chuckling at the end of my explanation. Truly a brat. I dont think third brother ever acted so entitled, he replied.


    How anyone like that could be a cultivator surprises me, but it takes all kinds of people, I replied.


    Even geniuses, he said with a nod in my direction.


    Thank you. But every day I feel more inadequate. I have made foolish mistakes on my path to cultivation, I said with a sigh.


    Perhaps, but you will come back. If anyone has an incredible amount of tenacity, it is your brother, my first brother said.


    Thanks for hiding with me here. I dont know how to deal with everyone else, I replied heavily.


    I figured as much. You were never one for social engagements. You never liked the family dinners, he said.


    You could tell? I asked.


    It was obvious, trust me. It was amusing how much of a distaste you had for them. Everyone trying to suck up to you. It isnt easy being in charge, Yuan Yun said.


    I can only imagine. Pour me another drink. Let us toast father. To Yuan Chen. A strict father, and a tough businessman. May we all inherit his cunning and determination, I said.


    To Yuan Chen, the patriarch of the Yuan family. While grandfather clawed our way out of destitution, it was our father, Yuan Chen who stabilized our fortunes. May the Yuan family last one hundred generations, my brother said, and we both drank.


    Perhaps I would be around to see a hundred generations. If each one was about 20 years, that meant 20,000 years. A long time, the length of time a rank 8 cultivator could live. But nothing for an immortal. It was humbling to think that a time span longer than the entire length of human history was a toast to be used to celebrate a figure like my father.


    Would the Yuan family even be around for so long? Would I have the time or energy to look after them? It was a harsh question. I had only left three letters like the one that had been sent to me about my father. There was another one for my mother and sister. That was it.


    Even now, that almost felt like too much. Seeing people pass away was a heavy feeling. It was tempting to rush out and try to spend spirit stones to find some cure, but it wouldnt happen. While the sects might provide basic medical services with their cultivators to mortals for a massive price, services were limited for other reasons. To keep the mortal and cultivator spheres of influence separate, which is what the high-ranking sects wanted.


    The money I gave to my brother was to help offset whatever cost the care of my father taken. The only reason a cultivator had looked at him in the first place was due to being my father. It wasnt just a question of money. At least his final moments werent that bad. The fear, I had thought long gone, the fear of death was reignited in my heart.


    I had died once, and I never wanted that to happen again. So, I kept pushing forward. To fight to improve my cultivation. But now I had another poignant reminder, why I was doing all of this. I didnt want to be a weak old man, dying in bed. I wanted to be the best, to seize this second chance I had for life.

 Chapter 38: Life Marches On

    Chapter 38: Life Marches On


    I watched as my fathers corpse was burned on the funeral pyre. My mother was weeping, and there were actual tears, along with the rest of his wives. Other family members were weeping as well. May the immortals watch over Yuan Chen as he journeys through the cycle of heaven and earth. His spirit rising up to the heavens and his ashes scattered to the ground.


    There was not enough room for millennia of tombs. If people really did have crypts it would be far too much. Instead it was customary that people were burned on funeral pyres. A stack of oil soaked wood. For my father this wood was well cut, pine I believe, so there was a pleasant scent. The pyre was also covered with a large cloak with the Yuan family name stitched upon it. As his soul goes forth, we shall pray to the immortals he finds as much or more success in his next life as this one, the funerary priest called out.


    It was more of a job than an actual religious role, funerary priest. The religion revolved around the immortals. I didnt want to say one of those six known immortals was a beast, but I thought that was a bit funny. Cultivation was the religion at the end of the day.


    I had managed to shut the entire city down for the day, or my brother did for the funeral procession from the family estate to the city center. It was my name and the rank 2 spirit coin I had given my brother that paid for all of this. It wasnt just a question of wealth to have such a large funeral, but also a question of connections.


    Let us all The funerary priest trailed off as everyone looked where he was staring. I turned and saw the Sect Leader approaching, two sect members behind him.Visit  for the best novel reading experience


    Carry on, he said and he came to stand next to me. I looked up at him in surprise.


    Ah, yes, of course. Let us all remember the many accomplishments of Yuan Chen. The funerary priest began to list them off.


    The Sect Leader gave me a gentle pat on the shoulder. Thank you Master, I said quietly since he had given me quite a bit of face by showing up.


    Think nothing of it, my disciple, he replied quietly back as the funerary priest kept talking about my fathers accomplishments.


    Yao Chuntao, the ninth daughter of Yuan Chen for her heaven gifted talent of portrait drawing. Finally, the seventh son of Yuan Zhou, a cultivator of the Cloudy Moon Sect and personal disciple of Sect Leader Jiang Fengge, the funerary priest appeared nervous enough that he might actually soil himself. Thankfully he kept steady and didnt squeak out anything he was trying to say. Also, by listing my name last, he was saying I was the greatest accomplishment of my father.


    Yuan Chen, an honored man under the heavens, the funerary priest said and then turned back to the pyre and bowed quite deeply. I bowed slightly. The Sect Leader and two cultivators with him did not bow. Everyone else bowed very deeply towards the pyre. That concludes the service, the funerary priest said.


    Anyone who had wanted to speak, already had a chance to do so before the procession and the burning. I had politely declined. While I appreciated all he had done for me, I didnt feel like speaking with how heavy my heart currently was.


    I will be returning to the sect, disciple. I will await you there to take the Pill of Peace, the Sect Leader said.


    Yes Master. Safe travels, I replied. He gave me a slight smile and then quickly departed. Him showing up for just the last few minutes was an immense honor. I honestly hadnt been expecting him or for him to know about my fathers passing. While he might have called me a pig, he wasnt a bad guy.


    He quickly departed, everyone bowing and making their way for him. He paused briefly and said something to my sister before departing. She had a look of shock on her face and then smiled at me, but her eyes had fire in them.


    She walked over to me as other people began to talk and disperse. Brother, she greeted me.


    Sister, I replied.


    Brother, she replied.


    So, what did the Sect Leader say to you? I asked with a grin.


    Just that he appreciated my art. That I, Yao Chuntao, have a gift given by the heavens and it was appropriate for me to be listed under our fathers accomplishments due to the first portrait I drew, she replied.


    Indeed, it is a priceless treasure, I said with a smile as she glared at me with her eyes.


    Thank you, brother. Now the rumors will never stop. Everyone asks me to recreate the legendary drawing, she said.


    When I become an immortal, it will truly deserve a place above my head, I said, which was the biggest compliment I could give. There were several people listening in wide eyed, since we werent exactly being quiet. This would confirm all the rumors.


    My children, come here, my mother said and opened up her arms as she approached. We both went over and gave her a hug. While not entirely appropriate, for a funeral like this, it was okay to show some emotions and give hugs. Crying too much was not appropriate, but some family hugs were fine. My mother let us go.


    Uncle, my niece, and daughter of my sister, Yao Lan greeted me with a slight bow. Giving her a look, she had already collected quite a few motes.


    Greetings niece, I gave her a nod back.


    Come, let us walk back to the estate, my mother said.


    Mother, may I go with uncle to speak with him? Yao Lan asked my sister, who gave her permission. We began walking towards the family estate, people keeping away from us. There was silence for the first half of the trip. I knew she wanted to say something and I would not help her. A cultivator needed to have confidence in themselves. If they didnt they would never succeed climbing up the stages of cultivation.


    Uncle, I have 100,000 motes already, she said. Oh, that was surprising. She was only 13 years old. She clearly had been working hard for the last 7 years. That showed she was focused and determined, both very good traits.


    You are thinking about joining the next intake? I asked.


    Yes. You have mentioned that it is important to plan my cultivation out and get started, she replied, and I nodded at this.


    Hmm, I would say you should get more motes first. I cannot take on a disciple myself, I replied. Once you enter, you will have to work for sect points, which will not be easy or simple.


    I can do it uncle, she replied, and I just smiled at what she was saying. I considered her request. I would have to pay a bribe to one of the elders to take her under their wing and make her a core disciple. Elder Li Fu came to mind. He was normally open to such things.


    The next intake would be in two months. Only elders could invite guests into the sect. Still, she was technically a future disciple. I didnt want to make waves, or give up more spirit coins. While I was rich, you only stayed rich by not spending money constantly.


    Keep collecting motes for the next couple of years. While I started young, rushing with so few motes will not be good. I will speak to one of the elders about taking you on as a disciple, I replied.


    Thank you, uncle, she gave me a big hug. She was as tall as me, so it felt weird. I had started young but had collected far more motes by her age. She could only use a candle or a sensing rod to see motes. The sheer difference was already there. In a couple of years she would show her temperament by focusing on collecting motes, and get more.


    Having around 200,000 motes would not be a bad thing in my mind. While it was on the high side, it would allow her more variations for her cultivation plan. I would arrange things for her in about 5 years, when she was 18. That would give her a couple of years to come up with a solid cultivation plan ahead of time.


    Stay seated, I want to inspect you, he replied. I nodded as he came over and put two hands on my head and closed his eyes. I could feel ripples in my cultivation from where his hands were placed. Or I should say my soul. It was a weird feeling and I had never felt something like this before.


    The ripples he released bounced around in my head, and the position of Aoyins Fang lit up. After a couple of minutes, he let go of me and sat back down. It is a decent idea, but there are two major issues disciple. The first, such a structure would need to be built using all three cultivation methods intertwined, on a much deeper level.


    The second issue is that you wont be able to deal with Aoyins fang as easily later on. It would create an imbalance within you and your physical body to isolate it so. You dont isolate the astral soul stabilizer, which is acting as a counterpoint for what he did, the Sect Leader let out a short sigh.


    The astral soul stabilizer was next to Aoyins fang, then it would be worthwhile, to lock them togeather. The effects unleashed by what he has done to you would be contained and absorbed.


    Can you move the astral soul stabilizer? I asked and the Sect Leader shook his head.


    I cannot. Your best option is cultivate like it isnt there. I know that is disturbing, but attempting to alter your cultivation could produce problems. I have given the issue some more thought. It might be possible to impact in the third stage and remove it, he replied.


    Remove?! How? I asked with quite a bit of hope and excitement in my voice despite the Pill of Peace constantly giving me a calming mental effect. I wanted to remove any trace Aoyin had within me.


    For that we have to consider polarity cultivation. It is a subset of soul cultivation that fell out of practice millennia ago. The principle behind it, would be to create two units of opposing cultivation in a cultivators body, to then draw in more energy. Since we know what Dao is based within Aoyins fang there is a chance, however slight you can keep moving forward while countering it.


    There are downsides, I said, while trying to think of them.


    Getting opposites isnt simple. What are the opposites of blood, power, and consume? the Sect Leader asked me. I frowned at that question.


    There arent clear opposites, I finally said after thinking about the issue and the Sect Leader nodded at this.


    That is precisely the problem. Finding the resources needed to create the opposite pulls in cultivation. Right now the astral soul stabilizer is erasing quite a bit of influence of Aoyins fang. But it isnt a counter. Like a waterfall and a hole, the Sect Leader said and I nodded at this.


    We would need to change that hole into another strip of land, and the waters collide and still, this is how polarity cultivation works. A passive method to obtaining drops within ones cores. The problem is, the greater the pressure in the cores, the more balance needed. For your cultivation you would need perfect opposites, the Sect Leader said.


    Which is impossible, I replied, and he nodded.


    Not impossible, but very hard to do properly. This also touches on Daos, which are in the later stages of cultivation. The procedure is best done in the third stage of your cultivation, before you begin collecting drops. Since the draw must be balanced. But if you succeed, then you will have a slightly easier time in the fourth stage, the Sect Leader said.


    I am surprised Elder Liu Chen didnt mention this, I commented.


    It is a method of cultivation that is unsuitable. A dead path. What cultivator would give up a piece of their cultivation? The risk of imbalance is massive. It also impacts your Dao in the later stages, since the cultivation is not your own. The issues are endless. But this is the only option to counter Aoyins fang.


    But it is not required, I said to confirm.


    It is not required, but the path of polarity is the only option that I can think of disciple. In addition, you would need 3 rank 8 treasures to match the level of cultivation of Aoyins fang, consisting of the opposites of blood, power, and consume.


    If I dont then I have to accept it? I asked.


    Indeed. I was going to bring this up once you reached the third stage and do my own research on possible items for you to use. It is not simple unfortunately to find rank 8 treasures that match exactly what you need. Indeed, any treasures you find are things Aoyin would desire.


    Wouldnt they go against his nature? I asked.


    He would change their nature. While not as strong as using something in its original form, he would do so. Even I would do so. But there is good news. The astral soul stabilizer being used as a base will help greatly. Rank 6 treasures that are exact opposites would have enough power. Since the whole of his cultivation wasnt used. Only a part of it. There are also techniques that can be used to weaken Aoyins fang when the procedure is done. I mentally let out a sigh of relief at that. The difference between a rank 6 and a rank 8 treasure was massive.


    It wasnt just the cost, but also the rarity of the items that needed to be found. I just couldnt imagine what opposites were for blood, power, and consume. With blood, that could be something like a solid? Was the opposite of power, weakness? As for consume, was that barf? I needed to find a barfing treasure, or something more icky?


    How are opposites normally worked out? I asked the Sect Leader. He smiled and chuckled slightly at that question.


    That is why disciple, polarity cultivation is not done anymore. Even something like fire and water is not perfectly balanced. You need opposites. Somehow. It is a very complex question, involving multiple Daos that I dont fully understand.


    Aoyin. I would need to ask Aoyin, I replied quietly.


    That would be the fastest answer, since he knows his own cultivation the best. You will also need to discover that answer as well if you make it past the first bottleneck. Many people have pondered over this issue, but there are no good answers, the Sect Leader said.


    I could imagine the headache now that the cultivators before me had when they came up with this method. Will we be able to test how close we are in some way? I asked.


    To a degree, measuring can be done. But the measuring techniques have not improved much over the millennia, since this cultivation method fell out of practice. I can only tell if you are within a 10% margin of error. But you need to have less than a 1% margin of error for the opposite treasures that are picked. I winced at that.


    So, the measurement system wasnt useful, and it came down to a guess. I would be able to tell if I was completely off, but not to an accurate degree. I will keep digging into this method of cultivation, but each situation is unique, yours even more so. That is also why it fell out of favor. It couldnt be easily replicated.


    And if it is wrong, or the polarity method is off? I asked and the Sect Leader shook his head.


    Your core formation would be unbalanced, and you would perish when trying to cross the threshold of the first bottleneck. It is far more important that you get the opposites correct. I wanted to cry, but it was a solution. A solution that the Sect Leader had spent time researching to save me.


    Thank you, Master.


    No need to thank me. Your situation is partly my fault due to my history with Aoyin. You will need to conduct research, a lot of research during the third stage, and then need to acquire items that are opposites.


    I winced at this. I would have to give the measure a lot of thought. It wasnt simple. The Sect Leader recommended several texts from the elders library to me to read and gave me a list to start off in my research. While he would do his own research, it was a dead cultivation method that was unique to individuals and was not widespread.


    There were only a few scattered references that I would have, and the headache of finding actual opposites. That would be even harder, and I had no idea where to start. Thankfully, I wasnt panicking due to the Pill of Peace. I had time. I just needed to research and work at the problem, and not give up. That was the most important thing. I was going to make it through the second stage, no matter what now.


    There had been doubt before, but I was going to reach the third stage of cultivation. There were no more roadblocks in my way. It was just a matter of putting in the time and aligning my motes.

 Chapter 39: Research Into Daos

    Chapter 39: Research Into Daos


    I let out a quiet sigh, so as to not create a disturbance, as I set down another scroll. I had been researching everything I could about using the path of polarity to cultivate. It was clear why it had been given up so long ago as a viable method of cultivation.Visit  for the best novel reading experience


    Finding opposite types of resources of a high enough rank, was near impossible. Each setup was also unique to each cultivator, based on their understanding of the principles involved. Or it could have just been variances in the materials used. It wasnt entirely clear.


    That was the problem with this method of cultivation. It was a path no one walked, due to the impossibility of getting an appropriate opposite. One of the biggest hurdles, the base structures had already been taken care of, and one half of the polarity path. In terms of work I had to do, there wasnt much, but what was left was the hardest part.


    Months of constant research, and nothing to show for it. This wasnt a topic with its own section either. Sure there were a couple of specific tomes on the path of polarity, but I needed to look into opposites, which involved Daos.


    The reading on Daos were incredibly thick and limited to the Dao the elder focused on for their cultivation. I had made some progress, by trying to understand exactly what a Dao was.


    A Dao was a path of deep and comprehensive understanding. Soul and body cultivators would take on a singular Dao. Mind cultivators, would have multiple Daos. The later stages were based around setting up an internal structure to house Daos, and use ones understanding to deepen ones relationship with the Dao they had chosen.


    The second bottleneck, to the ninth stage Immortal Ascension, was about harmonizing perfectly with ones Dao. This would break the limits that constrained all cultivators, including their mortality. These Daos, or concepts, were often based on the path of cultivation a person took in the earlier stages and was very personal.


    All of this meant that Aoyin, didnt have three Daos, or paths. But rather that the Dao he had chosen, could only be encompassed by those three words togeather to form a greater whole. If I had to describe it, the best guess would be The power of blood to consume. But even this might not be entirely right.


    That was the biggest headache of my research. Since the deeper the understanding, the harder it was to describe with words. Elders had written entire tomes about their daos, trying to explain their understanding, but the writing was lacking.


    One cultivator might have measured everything precisely for their focus, while another tried for a more holistic understanding. The best example of this issue was the Dao of Fluidity. There were three tomes about this Dao. Each of them took a different approach to describing the Dao.


    The first tome talked about states of mater and tried to quantify the fluidity of any object. The second tome used poetry to describe the cultivators understanding. The third tome was more of a story of understanding about fluidity. A journey of self-discovery. There were clear differences and similarities between each tome.


    That was why I was sighing. The understanding at the later stages was much more personal to each cultivator. Consume blood for power, was another valid interpretation. Blood consumed is power, was a third interpretation. Even with a slice of Aoyins cultivation stuck inside of me, it wasnt something that could be easily discerned. Getting as far as we had, was already tremendous progress.


    Putting away the tomes I had been reading, I left the elders library. I had been focusing on my cultivation recently as well. Once I entered the third stage, then I would have a lot more problems to deal with and resources that I needed.


    Going to the dining hall, I sat down. I noted that Gen was here as well. He gave me a look of regret but didnt approach. A glance at him, showed that he was still struggling through the second stage of cultivation. I smiled to myself, it was good to know that I was on pace with the other disciples, even though my cultivation was far superior and much more complicated.


    That was one reason I ate in the common dining hall. I could have arranged to have food delivered, but I wanted to see the other disciples and gain motivation about my progress. Greetings Senior Yuan Zhou, Wen Xue said.


    Wen Xue, please sit, I gestured with my hand.


    Thank you. So, making progress? he asked me.


    Some. But the higher concepts give me a headache, I said with a sigh and poked at my food. He let off a light chuckle at that.


    More complications with your path of defiance? he asked me.


    Yes. I need to look at Daos for the third stage. What about you? You have entered the third stage. How is that going? I asked him.


    A struggle. I am focusing on earth attunement, but it is slow going carving out all my meridians and channels. I am getting better at it, but the amount of focus required is more than the second stage. That is how you know you have changed stages it takes more mental effort to do anything, Wen Xue said.


    How many meridian and channel sets are you carving out per year? I asked.


    About two and a half. But I should be able to get it up to three. I have about thirty more years of work. I winced at this. That was another problem that needed to be dealt with. The speed of carving out my channels and meridians. It would speed up with null metal and a focusing gem, but that would help with the detail work I needed to do.


    I would have 1,304 channels in total, compared to Wen Xues 100. I would have to find a faster way to cultivate. The problems were just piling up unfortunately. But that was the curse of my path of defiance. That is good progress. The goal is two sets per year, I replied and Wen Xue gave me a nod.


    Indeed. The issue are the resources I need to attune my channels and meridians. Unfortunately, I am going with the standard attunement for earth, he seemed a bit depressed at that. I needed to get perfect attunement, which meant even more resources. I know there was a plan to use force was the element for attunement.


    Normally the element people used, tied into their Dao. At least they would get a head start. Choosing something that wasnt related to your attunement was a setback. The better the attunement, the better ones understanding of their chosen Dao in the later stages. But it was all a race against time to get past the first bottleneck.


    Cultivators didnt have time to get everything done perfectly. They had to work as quickly as possible, otherwise they would be stuck. I had managed to clear all the requirements to reach the third stage. But the third stage required several special items and knowledge. The fourth stage required an insane amount of energy.


    The challenges I faced were immense. I could understand now, why other cultivators didnt go this path. The headache of trying to get over all these hurdles was immense. Having one or two hurdles, was doable, but they kept piling up in front of me.


    Well I am glad you are making progress, I told Wen Xue.


    Thank you senior. What about yourself? he asked me.


    I have no issues until the third stage, which I should arrive at in about five years, I replied.


    On pace then with the other disciples, impressive, he said. I shook my head at that.


    A headache. Fighting beasts, risking my life multiple times, and barely managing to get all the materials, I needed. It has been a massive headache. The third stage is even worse, I said morosely while poking at my rice.


    I kind of felt like a spoiled brat. Even with all the help I had, there were just so many hurdles to overcome. Even research and studying, both things I enjoyed, felt burdensome with the lack of progress I had been making in finding an opposite to Aoyins Fang.


    Even so, you have managed to clear your path until the third stage. When you make it to the later stages, you should have a much easier time, Wen Xue said.


    No. What he has done, is crippling to an extent. He removed a part of himself and put it into you to nurture. A very small part, and the damage done is also small. Still, it would have weakened him, however slightly. He cannot change his cultivation at his stage. His path is set, the Sect Leader answered.


    Alright, I have an idea where I need to start. I will start looking through the list of known resources, I replied and the Sect Leader gave me a nod at that.


    Your ability to focus and conduct research is important. It is good you are working hard. Your cultivation, any issues? he asked me, and I shook my head.


    No, issues. Just taking time to align all the motes. I should be done in five years, I replied, and he nodded at that.


    A decent speed, for a cultivator of your age, and the path of defiance. There are three other hurdles for the third stage. The amount of spirit stones that you need. Null metal and a focusing crystal. Finally a focusing chamber to draw out energy from spirit stones and change it to force energy. The good news, is the chamber is on track to be completed. Where are you on the other two hurdles? he asked me.


    That was the power of an entire sect. I would be a guinea pig for this new type of cultivation attunement in the third stage. The sect would gain knowledge. I just had to fuel the entire formation. Getting enough spirit stones should be possible. You know of my business venture, I replied.


    Yes, but explain it to me again, the Sect Leader asked. I explained about the plan that was being implemented to gather spirit ore from across a large area on a regular basis. Taking my mine management scheme to the next level. I had brought this up before, but he hadnt really dug into it, focusing more on Aoyins Fang and dealing with that.


    It is a decent plan. And you have an elder of the Imperial Sect, and a deal with a family in Imperial City. Also, the funds to see it through. I will ask for ten percent of the profits. In exchange, I will dispatch five members and an elder to support your operations in Imperial City, the Sect Leader offered.


    That seems like quite a bit of support, and the percentage? I asked, not understanding what he was bringing to the table.


    It would ensure there would be no long-term issues. The mortals could run things, but the transportation of the ore needs to be protected. It would also allow the Cloudy Moon Sect to insure your investment is protected, while also allowing the sect to create an embassy of sorts in Imperial City.


    I hated giving up even more, but there was no choice. I couldnt say no with how much the Sect Leader was helping me. I needed him to get a cut as well, so the sect would continue to support my antics. What was left unsaid, was that it would tie me to the sect, and create broader support once the Sect Leader died. He was aging, which meant he didnt have much time left.


    While it was aggravating to be put into this position, the weak had no power to object if the strong decided to step on them. I had hired Zheng Ting. I had gotten the funding. I had arranged the other backers. Now the Sect Leader was coming in at the last minute and taking another bite out of my business.


    Very well, I would like to speak with the elder and the members who are headed out, so there are no misunderstandings, I replied.


    I would expect nothing less. I will set up a meeting in a couple of days with you to go over who I will recommend. I will find people who wont make a mess of things, the Sect Leader said and I nodded at this.


    Yes Master, I replied.


    That just leaves the two last treasures, he said.


    I inquired about them in Imperial City. Unfortunately, these arent the type of items that go up for sale. Still, I did learn that null metal, is metal untouched by the energy of the heavens and the earth. It is incredibly rare to find any, I replied.


    Indeed. The biggest issue with such a thing, is that such metal is very easily contaminated. Finding it is impossible for cultivators.


    There is a special mine, that carefully extracts minute quantities. But it is under control of the Blazing Sun Sect, I replied.


    A huge hurdle to overcome. It wont be something they easily export like a red sun rose. And the focusing crystal? he asked.


    A large clear diamond, cut at specific angles. The issue is the purity needed, and the energy imparted into such an item. There have been attempts to manufacture one, but they lack the focusing property that makes them so valuable, I replied.


    Any leads? he asked me.


    No. But there are diamond mines in the Sky Peaks, under the control of the Sky Peak Sect. A mid-rank sect, that is under the Imperial Sect. There have been two focusing crystals that have come out of diamonds from their mines. I just need to get a diamond from them, and then find a master to cut it, I replied.


    That could work, but again it wont be cheap. I am glad you had the idea for your business. Sending you out into the Firmament is not something I want to do until you can learn techniques at the very least. But if there is another path forward for the third stage that would be best.


    It felt good to be able to work through these issues with the Sect Leader. Like a teacher guiding me along my path and supporting me. Sure, there were issues and setbacks, but that was part of life. I couldnt and shouldnt complain.


    Just thinking about Wen Xue, sure his path was easier, but he would struggle later on and never reach immortality. That much I knew. While there were many cultivators out there, there were only six known immortals. That meant the standard methods didnt work.


    I had asked about this, but it came down to a limitation of resources and techniques. It wasnt so much about everyone reaching immortality, but making each stage a bit easier.


    If there was a method found to make the first bottleneck more efficient, then that would allow more cultivators to eventually reach the eighth stage of cultivation and attempt to break through to immortality.


    In full, it was about making each stage easier with limited resources. Someone like me who came along taking up all the resources in their path, was the opposite of the mindset the high ranking sects had been trying to cultivate for millennia. They wanted to increase the pool of candidates and make cultivation more efficient. They didnt want to create super cultivators stuffed to the brim with special items.


    That was the understanding the Sect Leader had passed onto me, and it felt right as far as I could tell. Regardless of what other people might do, my path was set. I needed to keep moving forward and aim to get the resources I needed.


    The good news was that the polarity path of cultivation, and the resources for that, could be put off until the end of the third stage. There was no rush there. The null metal and the focusing crystal would be needed right away.


    While I could carve out a meridian and a partial channel, through the six-fold valves up to Liu Chens valve design, stopping partway was not a good idea. They would then be attuned once completed. Technically a cultivator didnt have to attune their channels and meridians until they were all carved out, but that just added in more time. So, most did it concurrently.


    If I had to travel, I wouldnt have that luxury. I wouldnt be able to sit inside a specialty built chamber and attune my channels and meridians as I carved them. It would increase my workload, but I couldnt just sit around like everyone else in the sect.


    There would be an area of greater resistance, which would be hard to break. Still, it might be worthwhile, since I couldnt afford to slow down in the slightest. That was still an issue that hadnt been fully worked out either.


    There was no good answer, since having as many channels and meridians as I did would be insane. I just had to aim to go as fast as possible to carve them out to reach the fourth stage.

 Chapter 40: Reaching The Third Stage

    Chapter 40: Reaching The Third Stage


    Brother, my sister greeted me. I was 45 years old now and still looking like a child. While it was aggravating, I had come to terms with it.


    My cultivation in the third stage was just about complete. I had been spending quite a bit of time over the last couple of years focused on my cultivation. I was glad the number of motes I had to align with the mind path of cultivation were not that great.


    While I had been hard at work, I could only do four at once. Any more than that, and I risked screwing up. As I got closer and closer to completing the second stage of cultivation, my entire body felt like it was a condensed ball of energy and very solid.


    It was hard to put into words, but I felt like every part of me was becoming more muscular, even though I wasnt getting more muscles.


    Sister, I greeted her back with a smile. She was clearly middle aged. There were slight creases around her eyes. I felt a sense of heaviness in my heart at this. Her daughter Yao Lan was sitting off to the side. I had just come back from seeing our mother. She was doing well, living out her best life in retirement. With me being her son, and the allowance I gave her, she was living in luxury.


    I will be taking my leave. Please take of my child, brother, my sister asked me. I nodded at this.


    I have made arrangements within the sect, I replied. Elder Li Fu would take her on as a core disciple, after paying him a fee.


    Thank you brother, she has been working hard. Will you be staying the night? she asked me and I shook my head.


    My affairs within the Half Moon City are done, we leave immediately, I replied. My sister turned to her daughter and beckoned with her hands. Yao Lan, really was quite beautiful and appeared to be quite young, appearing to be around the age of 14 or 15. She should have appeared to be 18 instead of so young. I could imagine it would be both a blessing and a curse to appear as she was.


    She gave her mother a hug. There were some whispered words from mother to daughter. Take care my child. I love you. Never forget that. And if there are issues, speak to your uncle. While he can be difficult, he does care, she said.


    Thanks mom. I would have never gotten this chance if it wasnt for you, my niece said. I carefully pretended I wasnt listening in.Visit  for the best novel reading experience


    Also dont compare yourself to your uncle. He gets troublesome ideas occasionally, my sister whispered back.


    Like your legendary painting? my niece asked.


    Hush, you. Now make sure to come back and visit occasionally, my sister said.


    I will mother, I love you.


    I love you too my little flower.


    They broke their hug and my niece looked at me with a hungry yet determined expression on her face. I am ready Senior Yuan Zhou, she said to me.


    Then let us be off, I replied. We immediately left the estate got into a carriage and set off for a short distance. I took the time to talk with her while we traveled. I was glad we were able to leave without too much fanfare. That would have been annoying.


    Uncle, um, what arrangements have you made? Yao Lan asked me with a bit of hesitation in her voice.


    You will be taken as a disciple by Elder Li Fu. He has a steady temperament and often handles the day to day operations of the sect. Present this case to him, I told her and pulled out a wooden case from my spatial ring and handed it to her.


    Can I open it? she asked me, and I nodded. Her eyes went wide at what was inside. She quickly closed it. Thats a rank 4 spirit stone, right? she asked hesitantly.


    Indeed, it is. I have already paid him quite a bit to take you on as a disciple. But this will show your personal sincerity. Taking on a disciple is a serious matter, I told my niece and she quickly nodded at this.


    Thank you, uncle, she said with a bowed head.


    It is no issue. Your mothers smile has been a bright spot in my life. I am not the best with family. She hadnt followed me on the path of cultivation. It was disappointing, but I had pressed for it. I could have done so decades ago. But there was no medicine for regrets.


    Instead, I passed on the goodwill to her daughter. This would be the second rank 4 spirit stone Elder Li Fu was getting. We had only agreed to one, but I wanted my niece well taken care of and for him to invest into her. That much wealth being handed over, would ensure a lot would trickle down to my Yao Lan.


    It helped that I could afford this, since my business had just paid out its first dividend to all shareholders by making rank 6 spirit steel. I only got 250 rank 3 spirit coins from the first sale of spirit steel. That was my fifty percent of the business.


    My initial guess had been around 1,800 rank 3 spirit coins of profit, or 180,000 rank 1 spirit coins. I had been basing the sale price off finished products, thinking the raw material would be most of the cost. It was a large portion, but not 300,000 rank 1 spirit coins of revenue.


    I would have gotten double, but Zhang Ting and I had agreed beforehand to have half the dividends go back into the business in order to expand. It was to expand until it could expand no more. I would have preferred to reinvest it all to get larger returns later, but the shareholders needed to paid and the business needed cashflow to keep operating. There just wasnt a huge market for spirit steel. It was there, but it wasnt large enough, I could push up the price based on demand.


    It still galled me I had lost fifty percent of my business to others, but there was no choice. I had to give up portions of the business in order to do business. It helped insulate me from the powers that be, trying to take advantage of things.


    So even after everything I had done, my cultivation was imperfect in a way. But if I had taken the time to work out these details, then I would have spent another two decades trying to adjust things, or going slowly. Even then, how would I know? I only had so many motes to work with, and that was why cultivators were told to keep cultivating at the early stages before the first bottleneck.


    If you stopped and took to long, you wouldnt get anywhere. There would always be more optimal ways of doing things. But the real issue was time. Time to get enough drops to fill up ones cultivation. While two decades might not seem like a lot, all cultivation was a race against time. Even for the Sect Leader who was nearing the end of his life.


    My channels were impressive, each a similar length to within fifty percent of each other. That was a major accomplishment. The ones closer to the edge of my body, took longer routes to get there, while the ones farthest away in my hands, feet, and head took more direct routes. That was a huge accomplishment with how many channels I had.


    It was immensely complex, making sure they didnt intersect or have issues around my cores, where every possible space was used up. The channels themselves also had valves. Three six fold valves at the start and then Liu Chens valve design closer to the cores. It was a masterpiece of design, even if it created a massive headache in needing to create a Displacement Channel Carver.


    Then there were the wave cone meridians, which used up too many motes. Far too many in my mind, but they had unprecedented energy draw. There was no innovation there. The meridian designs had been researched extensively over the millennia. All of this was supported by my internal triangular framework and external hexagonal structure tied to soul cultivation.


    Liu Chen had lamented that I would be able to make a support structure consisting of all three types of cultivation. The Sect Leader looked like he wanted to strangle the elder when he suggested I should have gathered up another million more motes just for this purpose. Thankfully the Pill of Peace, the Refined Beast Essence, and the Astral Soul stabilizer all came togeather to make sure my mind, body, and soul didnt rip themselves apart.


    The sheer scale of my cultivation was both breath taking and immense. Where before, it was like a sea of stars at the end of the first stage, now it felt like I had a stellar map inside of me. Each mote was linked by beams and planes to the surrounding motes. A latticework of immense complexity. It was a masterpiece of cultivation.


    With all of that came issues. I needed to kill the rank 6 beast, whose blood had been used. Water Running Over The Rocks, child of Whirling Flames From The Heavens. I had not forgotten their immense name and title. I needed to go out there and kill them. Even now I could feel rage threatening to burst forth from inside of me, contained by the Pill of Peace. Rage that wasnt entirely under my control.


    For the channels and meridians I now had to carve out, a Displacement Channel Carver needed to be made for my use. There was no possibility of renting one. I had inquired from the information brokers and even reached out to Elder Xu Xiaoli of the Imperial Sect. It was considered at the level of a sect treasure for a reason. Its value was immense, in speeding up progression through the third stage.


    Only the most favored of individuals in the Imperial Sect who also made large contributions would be allowed on the waiting list to use one of the two they had. Even the Imperial Sect only had two of them. The null metal was the real sticking point. A focusing gem was doable, but insanely expensive.


    I also needed 6 rank 6 treasures that were opposite of Aoyins shard before the end of the third stage, so I could attempt cultivating using polarity to draw in more energy and negate the shards influence. It wasnt absolutely necessary at the moment, but this was another one of those problems that I could put off for when Aoyin came to harvest me or try and solve now.


    At least this could be held off until the end of the third stage, which was preferable in case Aoyin decided to pay me a visit or could keep an eye on me. The real time limit was the Sect Leaders age. If he perished, then I would have to find someone else skilled in astral souls to make the changes necessary. The list was incredibly small, and he had no suggestions that wouldnt come with conditions, or a huge price tag attached.


    Then there was the immense number of resources I needed to perfectly attune my channels and meridians to force. I needed around 5,216 level 4 spirit stones or 57,376 level 3 spirit stones. That was four level 4 spirit stones per channel and meridian pair. Already one cultivator had gotten some support to use the constructed chamber inside the sect and it worked.


    The issue with my cultivation, was that I needed perfect attunement on top of the amount. That meant I needed level 4 spirit stones and couldnt substitute lesser ones. That meant I needed over 5,000 sentient beasts to be killed for my cultivation to progress. What was even worse, the Sect Leader had given me the optimal exchange rate.


    Realistically, I needed closer to 65,200 level 3 spirit stones and maybe even more than that as my activities put pressure on the market. My business would return about 10 level 4 spirit stones per year, and that would go up to around 30 level 4 spirit stones per year. Without any issues, which meant I could reach the fourth stage in about 174 to 200 years.


    I was already 45 years old, despite how I looked. A cultivator in the third stage could live until they were 180 to 300 years old. I would be on the upper range of that or a bit beyond. It wasnt a precise science since everyones cultivation and physical body were different.


    Still, it was a reasonable time frame. The biggest bottleneck was getting the null metal and the focusing gem. I needed those to start cultivating. All remaining portions of my wealth would be kept in Imperial City with their Coinage Guild.


    I had enough spending money after the first payment. And shipping large amounts of wealth was a huge risk. I had no doubt that word would get out and people would be tempted to rob a caravan, or even a cultivator traveling. Aoyin had learned quite a bit about me, and I didnt want to take any more unnecessary risks.


    While Imperial City was stupidly expensive for everything, even breathing, it was the best place for high level exchanges to occur. I had already passed instructions to Zheng Ting to have all future payouts be used to purchase level 4 spirit stones and save them in the Coinage Guild.


    Once I had the needed materials, I would head back to Imperial City to collect the spirit stones. The biggest issue was that I couldnt travel and cultivate any more. Well, I could, but it was risky. Once I started carving out a channel and meridian, I couldnt stop. Once I stopped, the portions exposed to the hole I had dug through my soul would harden immensely, and it would be far more difficult to restart.


    Carving out a channel and meridian, would take a month or so, only if I had a Displacement Channel Carver. Heck, I could even sell it at the end for the rank 6 materials, since any sect would be more than happy to buy such a thing, even the Imperial Sect.


    Looking at the information I had received about null metal, I wanted to sigh. This was the good information as well, with how much I had paid. There was no higher level of information I could purchase, this was the end all be all of finding null metal.


    The answer was luck. Null metal by its very nature hid from the energy of the heavens and the earth. While people thought they could work out a way to find it, by sensing for repulsion, it wasnt so simple. Null metal let energy pass right through it, like it wasnt even there.


    A cultivator could look at it, but not tell it was null metal. In addition, its formation was incredibly rare. So, you needed a cultivator who could recognize it, and one lucky enough to come across some. That was a rare combination.


    Finding it was the hardest part. The known locations only had a miniscule amount, which had quickly been extracted, and other locations were unknown. However, there were two clues pointing to the same location. Two people had returned from a special location. The Floating Island of Death. It was a pleasant name to be sure, but it was a massive floating island that floated around the edge of the continent.


    It had the death moniker, because cultivators died in droves going to this place. Even rank 8 cultivators had died. Everyone wanted to claim the island for their sect. However, only 4 known cultivators had come back in the Third Age, the last 200,000 years.


    The place had dangerous plants, mechanical traps, and high-level zombies. Some people said it was a tomb. Others claimed that a high level demonic cultivator had cursed the place. Others say it was a remnant of a past civilization from an earlier age. Finally, there was the rumor, it was the burial ground of an immortal who perished in battle and his will carried on, battling all those who challenged it.


    I wasnt sure what one was correct, but I knew it was my destination. I started the second stage of cultivation to the Astral Plane. Now I was going to start my third stage by journeying to the Floating Island of Death.


    One of the reasons it was named that, was for the simple reason cultivators would ignore warnings otherwise. When people got desperate, they went into these special locations, almost all never to return. Their soul lanterns, not showing anything useful. That was one of the requirements for a place to be labeled special by cultivators. If you went in, you were taking your life into your hands. No one would be coming to avenge you.


    It was my only chance to get through the third stage, or I wouldnt have even considered it.

 Chapter 41: Helping Hand

    Chapter 41: Helping Hand


    Senior. I looked at Gen who had approached my table. It was the one day a year for sect to celebrate and people to come out of their holes. I would enjoy this day and make sure my niece was settled into the sect before departing to the Floating Island of Death.


    Yes? I asked him. He gave me a deep bow.


    I apologize if anything I said before was misinterpreted, he told me.


    It wasnt. There is nothing more for us to speak about, I said not wanting to get into this with him. His harsh words, that I had overheard years ago, meant nothing to me. They just showed his true character. There was no need to get pulled down to his level.


    I waved my hand dismissing him. He had a grimace on his face as he left. But that was his problem, not mine. I had enough problems of my own that I couldnt afford to take on other peoples problems. The next person to approach me was Wen Xue. Senior, he greeted me.


    Wen Xue, please sit, with me, I told him and inclined my head. He smiled at my welcome. I could see the jealous stares coming in his direction. I was the disciple of the Sect Leader, the sect disciple. I stood above all others in the disciple hierarchy. Even if my time of being a disciple would soon be over once I reached the fourth stage of cultivation.


    It is good to see you, he said. It was a weak opening to the conversation, but I didnt mind. Wen Xue was calming to be around. We occasionally had conversations about cultivation and our respective progress. If I may be bold and ask, have you reached the third stage?


    That was a bold question, but I didnt mind since we had talked several times in the past about such things. Just recently, a few days ago.


    Then let me be one of the first to congratulate you. I know it has been a challenge to progress your cultivation. Have you started on the third stage yet? he asked me.


    No. I plan to hold off until I acquire a necessary item for my cultivation, I replied. Wen Xue winced at that. I could understand why he would wince. The second stage had been a nightmare and the third stage was not shaping up to be any easier.


    I must admit, I admire your courage. Cultivating the path of defiance. Your courage is something to admire. Going out and getting resources to advance your cultivation, I wish I could do something similar, he said with a sigh.


    I gave him a considering look. Wen Xue would be what I would call a nerd. He seemed mostly withdrawn into himself and liked to learn new things. Wen Xue saying what he did, was basically him begging me to take him out with me.


    Having someone tag along would be quite useful. The Floating Island of Death was not a joke. There would be issues taking someone with me. The primary issue would be stealth. Hiding from the zombies on the island with two cultivators, was much harder than hiding one cultivator. Still, my cultivation was off the charts. He would be like a moon to my sun, in terms of cultivation.


    In addition, there were traps and other issues. I knew Wen Xue had been studying arrays. He was no master and had knowledge of such things. Hopefully enough, to not kill himself or me. His cultivation was somewhere in the middle of the third stage. It would have been better to take someone in the fourth stage that could do techniques. Unfortunately, there was no one that I knew well enough to bring along with me.


    Thank you for the kind words. Are you trying to mind something specific for your cultivation? I asked him.


    I am thinking of the fourth stage. Anything to enhance my number of drops. That is my biggest concern at the moment. I will get through the third stage, but it is the bottleneck that is the fourth stage, which is far more concerning, he told me, and I nodded at this.


    That made sense. That was the big headache I would have to deal with as well. But that was a problem for future me to work out. Right now, I needed to find null metal, which meant heading to the Floating Island of Death. It was important to not lose sight of the death part.


    I am planning another trip. It will be quite dangerous, but also has quite a bit of potential, I said in a softer tone while leaning forward. I knew other people were listening in, inside the dining hall, but I would make them work for it. Would you be interested? I asked.


    How dangerous? he asked me, clearly interested.


    Incredibly. But I need to acquire null metal. This place has the best chance of having some. It is a forbidden zone, I added on. He frowned heavily at that. A forbidden zone was labeled that for a reason. Cultivators went in, and very few if any ever came out. The explanations for the deaths were also limited, even with soul lanterns.


    There were already stories circulating about the sect, about my adventures and how I had come back alive. I had talked to Wen Xue about such things as well. He knew the risks were real, but the chance of getting something to allow him to break through the first bottleneck was massive. Even if he didnt get something, if he managed to put his hands on a treasure, he could sell it.


    The problem was the near statistical certainty that he would die if he left. But I was blessed by the heavens themselves. Which added a bit more weight to the survival side of the equation. Normally I wouldnt even consider the risk, but I wanted a meat shield.


    This wasnt going to be like fighting beasts, where they would come one at a time except for a beast tide. Having someone to watch my back and double check my assumptions would be crucial for surviving. Also, it never hurt to have someone else die instead of me. Even if I wasnt planning to get rid of him, and would try to keep Wen Xue alive, the risk of my expedition was massive.


    I would be interested, he finally said, and I smiled at this. It would be nice to have someone else to share the headaches and dangers with. While I was used to traveling alone, that had been when I could cultivate to some extent while traveling. I wouldnt be able to do that in the third stage.


    I will speak to the Sect Leader about getting you permission to leave the sect for a long period of time. This will easily take a couple of years, I said. Wen Xue winced at that but nodded.


    Anything specific I should prepare, or we should speak later? he asked.


    Lets speak now. We can talk in your room, I said, having finished my meal. Wen Xue nodded at that, quickly polishing off his rice. We left the dining hall and made our way back to his room.


    Once his door closed, he turned to look at me. Where would we be going? he asked me.


    The Floating Island of Death, I told him. He let out a long sigh.


    At least some people have survived to return. But the zombies? How will we handle them? Wen Xue asked me. I let out a long sigh at that.


    I am still doing research. The problem is that the zombies have quite a lot of abilities of the cultivators that have died. The best option would be presence concealing rings, I said, and Wen Xue shook his head.


    A forbidden zone wont be overcome so easily. If it could be, everyone would do what you suggest, he told me, and I nodded.


    Well, the rings are a start, but if you have any more ideas, then I would be happy to hear them? I asked him.


    I have some to hide our presence. Like a portable array. I would need to do some research. I know you mentioned leaving soon, but this will take some time to look into, he replied.


    Lets say 10 days from now. If there is something specific, we can do that. But just for research, no, I replied. I hesitated for a moment, before pulling out a rank 3 spirit coin. I tossed it over and Wen Xue caught it. Consider that the initial funding. If you need more then we can talk about it, I told him.


    Thank you, Senior Yuan Zhou, he said with a bow.


    I will handle the rings and speaking to the Sect Leader. If you discover anything else, let me know. Wen Xue nodded, and I opened the door to his room to leave. There were four other disciples standing around. They all quickly bowed to me. I turned to Wen Xue who appeared to be a bit embarrassed.


    Please forgive them senior. But they are just friends of mine within the sect, he replied.


    For disciples, there is little besides yourself. But for elders it is much more complex. What long term projects to allocate resources to is a big part of this. The force chamber that has been constructed for your use in the third stage is just one such example.


    But I brought back quite a bit to the sect. Like the blue moon orchid, and a share of my mining business, I countered.


    Indeed, which is why no one will interfere with you once the Sect Leader passes. However there will be tremendous pressure to join one of the factions upon his passing. While you can mostly hide during the third stage, the fourth stage will present issues. Since you will require techniques and resources, Elder Li Fu explained.


    What do you suggest elder? You would not have brought this to my attention, without a solution, I replied.


    There is nothing specific you have to do. Just be aware that your actions and associations will be viewed as the will of the Sect Leader. You are his last big project before he passes away. Techniques will come with a price attached to them. It is better to be aware if you accept one offer, another better offer might never come, Elder Li Fu explained.


    He has no chance of reaching immortality? I asked.


    No. The second bottleneck is immense. A great barrier. Even with mastery of ones Dao, it is no simple thing to ascend to immortality. Anyone who reaches the eighth stage of cultivation is invited to the high ranking sects to learn from the wisdom the immortals have written down. After such knowledge, the Sect Leader was the most disappointed I have ever seen him, Elder Li Fu said.


    The second bottleneck clearly wasnt like the first, which involved the destruction of ones cultivation to reach the next stage. It was a shame the Sect Leader would not make it.


    Thank you for explaining things to me, I responded and finished off my tea.


    Hmmm, indeed. There are high hopes for you if you can make it past the fourth stage. Very high hopes. I doubt you will make it, but one never knows, Elder Li Fu explained.


    Thank you for the tea and advice, I said with a head bow. I was dismissed and thought about my situation. It was clearly a warning from the elder to be mindful going forward. While the Sect Leader was supporting me, he wouldnt be around for much longer.


    I needed to get the six rank 6 materials before his death. There was no other alternative from what I understood. At least the Sect Leader hadnt mentioned any. Also bringing other people into the issue, would let others know that Aoyin was using me to advance his own cultivation to somehow reach immortality.


    If his shard of cultivation, Aoyins fang, wasnt countered, then I would be looking for death once I broke through the first bottleneck. He would come for me and do horrible things to me. I needed to avoid that at all cost.


    That meant I needed to get materials sooner rather than later so the Sect Leader could counter what was done to me, by making it part of my cultivation. Leaving the elders home my niece suddenly showed up, right outside the front door. I knew it probably wasnt coincidence.


    Ah, um, oh, junior Yao Lan greets senior Yuan Zhou, she said with a bow after a moment of hesitation. I nodded at this. While she was a core disciple, I was above her in every possible way. While we were family, that didnt matter. Or at least I think it didnt to how people had to greet others inside the sect.


    Are you done for the day? I asked her.


    I was just doing research on my cultivation plan. But I could use your advice, she asked me.


    Very well, I replied with a head nod. She led me back inside the elders home to her room. She pulled out some notes she had taken.


    I was thinking of following in your footsteps, using triangular channels. And then wave cone meridians. But those use a lot of motes. I am still collecting some, but it will take quite a bit to get the number I need. As she continued speaking I just smiled and listened. It was nice to be on the other side of this conversation for once.


    That is why I am looking at a slightly larger core. What do you think? she finally finished up.


    First, that is impressive, you have worked out so much so quickly. I can tell you probably asked Elder Li Fu quite a bit. I suggest you do your own research and do not copy me. Make your own decisions. You know how difficult my path is, I explained to her, and she nodded.


    I dont plan on cultivating all three methods, like you have. But I am interested in other aspects of my cultivation. I am thinking a more unique core structure, she replied.


    What would it be besides something similar to a sphere? I used an icosahedron shape, but it was spherical enough. Getting any more angular than that risked stress points of the core structure breaking too easily.


    A circular shape, she said.


    But that will cause issues when you explode it, to create your true soul? I asked.


    What? she said, and I let out a sigh.


    You need to do more research. A lot more research. There is a very good reason for circular cores. I suggest you look into them. It is the best balance between all the requirements a core needs. Using other shapes or structures besides a spherical shape invites grave risks when crossing into the fifth stage, I explained.


    Ireally? she asked me and I nodded.


    It is one of those things that isnt explained but is often viewed as common knowledge. There are some tomes about cultivators who used a different core shape and failed. Like a cylinder. The risk of a fracture happening from the pressure is too great. An uneven core is very bad. Well, I could be wrong. I suggest you do your own research. Not just talking to others and going off what you hear, I explained.


    Oh, she said a bit deflated. I gave her a pat on the arm.


    Consider it a research project. It isnt easy, but it is important. You joined the sect a couple years before your twentieth birthday. You have a lot of time to do research. Trust me, research is the exciting part of cultivation, I told her.


    Really? she asked, seeming even more deflated.


    Indeed. It gets more boring and time consuming the further your advance. You need to have the proper mentality to focus and improve yourself. If you cant handle a bit of research, you will struggle aligning your motes, I replied.


    She winced at my critique but her face firmed up. Dont worry, I will study well and develop a good cultivation plan, she said.


    I am glad. I will be leaving the sect for quite a while in the near future. I dont know when I will return, but I expect you to work hard, I told my niece and she nodded. I could understand some of her frustration and getting advice from Elder Li Fu, while combining it with her own crazy ideas.


    She needed to sit down and do proper research. It was boring, time consuming, and would be frustrating, but if one couldnt do that much then she had no hope advancing through the stages of cultivation. She was an adult now, and I couldnt hold her hand.


    My ideas, while out there, were based on countless hours of research looking at what past cultivators had written about. Even then, my headaches were massive. Donut cultivation, that was the stupidest thing possible. While the core would be stronger than a sphere, it wasnt necessarily a good thing.


    One needed to detonate their cultivation, pushing it out, but it also needed to come back togeather in the end and not disperse. That was one reason I needed so many drops in the fourth stage. Even 10,000 would be a joke and not do anything with how sturdy my cultivation structure was. All the channels, bracing, and outer edge created a very solid structure. If there wasnt enough power behind my core detonations, then I would fail crossing through the bottleneck.

 Chapter 42: Getting To The Floating Island Of Death

    Chapter 42: Getting To The Floating Island Of Death


    Grilled fish with rice, and lime water, the server said, putting food down in front of Wen Xue and myself.


    Thank you, I told the server and they gave a nod before leaving.


    Anything else for you and your son sir? she asked Wen Xue.


    No, he replied. I had to contain my chuckle at the face he was making.


    I dont like this, Wen Xue said, while cutting his fish up.


    Pretending to be mortals? I asked him.


    Yes, this feels insulting, he said, and I smiled at him.


    You read the same reports that I have. And heard the same thing from information brokers, I added.


    That the floating island is somewhere out there, and travel is banned. But I dont get the part about pretending to be mortals. I know you said security through obscurity, but this place is not a place I imagined myself staying in, he said. This inn was decent, certainly upper middle class, but it wasnt a place a cultivator would normally stay in.


    Its about avoiding trouble. This area is a bit of a no mans land. This city is standing but is one of the few not claimed by a sect. Look underneath the situation, I told him and he frowned while eating some more fish.


    I still dont get it, he complained, and I shook my head slightly while enjoying my flavored water.


    There are rouge cultivators and demonic cultivators in this area. Not many beasts with how rocky everything is around this city. To survive it has to import quite a bit. Why are people even here? I asked.


    Mining. No, the floating island. It is a staging point. But why wasnt that explained? he asked.


    The money to be made is from people going to the floating island. Thats the only reason this place exists. If we came here as cultivators, instead of traveling merchants, then we would have a much different reception, I explained. I had arranged for us to make the last portion of our trip with a wagon with goods.


    I still dont like it, he replied.


    We must keep our cultivation hidden, until the right moment and then act. We also need to find a way to the floating island. We will look this evening, I said.


    Wont that expose us as cultivators? he asked.


    Which is why I prepared while purchasing the wagon in the last city, I countered. Wen Xue slowly nodded. I hadnt explained everything to him, since he had been mostly contemplative and quiet during our trip out here. Now he needed to step up and focus.


    So, we find a way to the floating island, and then? he asked.


    Go from there, I said with a slight grimace. It wasnt the best plan, and we had contingencies to handle the zombies, but there wasnt much information about the Floating Island of Death. It floated over this part of the continent, and this was the main stopping point for anyone trying to reach it.


    But reaching the floating island was another matter entirely. We finished up our meal and went to our room in the inn. I pulled out dark cloaks and face masks. I also pulled out stilts for myself. Stilts? Wen Xue was clearly trying not to laugh as I pulled the dark robe on over my head.


    I am child size. Anyone would spot me in a moment and realize who I am. We can hide our cultivation, but I cant easily hide my height, I said with a pout.


    I am not complaining, but it just seems silly, he replied.


    Perhaps, but I want to avoid being challenged if at all possible. Mysterious people, who are unknown, are always a much bigger risk, than people you can see. Also, it makes it harder for anyone to follow us, I replied.


    I think you are being paranoid. I wont argue with you, but this is a bit over the top, he countered as we both put the masks on our faces.


    An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. I want to avoid fighting other cultivators and find a way to the floating island, I replied as I made sure everything was in place. Once I was sure everything was in place, I went over and blew out the candle that was lighting the room.


    I then sat back down on my bed. Now we wait for a bit, I replied.


    Wait? Wen Xue said.


    Yes. Just an hour or so. We had a late dinner, but that will give time for everything to start closing up for the night. Then we can go to the information broker in the city, I said. Wen Xue didnt complain thankfully, but he also didnt offer any better ideas. He was going along with my plans for now, but the danger was immense in my mind. The risk of being attacked was quite high.


    The Sect Leader had refused to send any members or elders along on this trip when I had asked. The biggest reason was one of benefits and risks. This expedition was highly risky, and he wasnt about to order someone to tag along. The Cloudy Moon Sect was not a martial sect. If we wanted benefits and resources, we had to secure them ourselves.


    The second reason was that this expedition, it didnt matter the level of cultivation a person had. The floating island, was a forbidden zone. That meant anyone under the rank of immortal wasnt qualified. While having a higher ranked cultivator in the city would be useful for assuring our security, that wouldnt help with the floating island.


    The last reason was one of tradition. Cultivation was mostly a solitary and self-focused endeavor. Getting someone stronger than you to get resources was looked down on. While someone getting their own resources was highly impressive. That was a big reason I had become the Sect Leaders disciple and had such support so far.


    Leaving the inn, we made our way through the dark streets. Someone screamed in the distance. There was shouting in another direction. I took the lead on my stilts while Wen Xue followed behind me. We made our way to where I knew where an information broker for the city was located. Another thing I had taken the time to find out before coming here.


    I had been inquiring about the floating island during our trip here, but information was limited. I was repeatedly told, I had to wait until I reached Black Rock City to get answers. There was a tight monopoly kept on the knowledge. It wasnt worth the insane fees to get secondhand information when we were coming here anyways.


    Coming to a stop in front of an old run down weapons shop, I pushed open the door to enter. A large man behind the counter gave us looks. I am here for the back room, I said and tossed over a pouch of tael. The man easily caught it and put it under the counter.


    Through that door, second room on your right, dont cause trouble, he said while gesturing at another door to his side. We went over and opened it. There was a staircase to the second floor. I then went into the second room on the right.


    There was a hooded woman, her face completely shadowed by dim candlelight. Some of these information brokers liked their dramatics. Like a fortune teller trying to spice things up with the ambiance. Selling and buying information wasnt illegal, but it was made out to be something shady most of the time.


    Please, sit, she said and gestured at the chairs across the table. Wen Xue took a seat, I merely stood behind my chair.


    My apologies, but I dislike sitting, I replied.


    I know you are wearing stilts. The sound of wood against wood is obvious, the information broker said, and I let out a sigh and took a seat. What do you want to know? she asked.


    How to get to the floating island and any information you have on it, I said.


    A thousand tael- I cut her off by tossing out a rank 1 spirit coin at her. She caught it, and looked at it in surprise, before putting it away. As I was saying. A thousand tael will get you the basic information package, but you clearly want something better.


    The best, and most accurate answers, I replied.


    A rank 3 spirit coin, she said. I pulled one out and set it on the table. Alright, well getting up there is complicated. But since you have wealth, the simplest way is to pay Old Hengar for a lift. It is his specialty. A rank 3 spirit coin or spirit stone per person. Flies you right up, and leaves you in one of the safe areas.


    I do. That is with careful rationing. Also, Digestive Cleansing Pills and refillable water bottles. But food is the main limitation. I am thinking we each get a large pack, maybe two, to take with us. We hide the packs away from our landing spot, not too far, since it will be a pain to move with them. But as backup, I replied.


    You are thinking of staying there even longer to observe, Wen Xue worked out and I nodded at that.


    Exactly. With packs of food brought along, we could have enough for three months each with careful rationing. Would need to buy more Digestive Cleaning Pills, but it would be worthwhile. Take our time and observe the zombies movements and patterns. Scout things out, I replied.


    And getting down? he asked.


    I have a rope. Climb down when the floating island gets near Mount Atlas.


    The big risk are the zombies, once they spot a person, they dont give up chasing them. But what if someone swings off the edge of the island?


    You are thinking more rope and setting up points we can run to? I asked and he nodded.


    Yes. We cant run back to whatever hiding spot we are using. Better to take a chance, and hope the zombies give up the chase and dont pursue down a rope, he said.


    They can climb, we know that much. And the ones made from the corpses of strong cultivators have strong bodies. A rope might just be a dead end. Three ropes, spread out. Push them all off, climb down one, swing to another, and then the third. And maybe cut them off at the top? I suggested.


    The spacing would be important. It would be a last resort. I cant believe we are really doing this, Wen Xue let out a nervous chuckle.


    This is what it takes, I replied. He had mentioned that he wasnt going to hide out waiting for the end in the fourth stage. He wanted to seize his future. That was why he was even bothering to come with me.


    We chatted on the journey to Black Rock City. While he tended to be quiet, you could only travel so much with a person, before they began talking about themselves. Wen Xue was from a rich merchant family that ran its own caravan. The oldest child, and quite book smart. He had worked hard to cultivate enough motes to join a sect.


    The Cloudy Moon Sect had been his first choice, due to the more relaxed atmosphere than the more martial sects. He was a researcher at heart. But one thing his research told him was that he was screwed unless he took a big risk to get past the first bottleneck in the fourth stage. Waiting around and cultivating was useful, but it wouldnt help him long term.


    That was why he had asked to join me. I had success in the past and he wanted to be part of that. Putting his life on the line to get resources. I could respect that determination. He was incredibly nervous though. The death rate for these kinds of expeditions was insanely high.


    While cultivators knew that, everyone thought they would be the ones to survive. I personally hated being forced into doing this. I didnt want life threatening adventures. I wanted to cultivate peacefully and do research. But my path of cultivation was one of my own making. I had no other option, otherwise my cultivation would be impossible.


    Without null metal, there was no chance I would ever finish the third stage of Meridian Attunement before my death. It just wasnt possible. For me, this adventure was do or die.


    I know I have said it before, thanks for bringing me. I wouldnt have ever thought of information brokers. Even if some of your ideas seem a bit silly, he replied while giving a look at the stilts and cloaks.


    Better to use them regardless, even when we go back. I am worried more about the other cultivators, more than the mystery island and the zombies, I muttered.


    Really? That seems, backwards, Wen Xue replied. I shook my head at that statement.


    Whatever is controlling the zombies and flying that island, has been doing it for millennia. It is probably some super formation, or rare artifact in the center of the island. I had worked on AI in my past life on Earth. Looking at how they could be used for traffic light control. The zombies sounded a lot like something being controlled by a cultivation type AI.


    I couldnt say all this, without issues, and had to phrase it a different way. It is repeating things most likely. Or has set instructions it follows. Do A, then B. If X happens, then respond with Z. If the thing controlling the floating island and the zombies was actually intelligent, it wouldnt just keep doing the same thing over and over.


    Wen Xue put a hand under his chin and looked thoughtful at my statement. You want to work out that pattern in depth. Over the three months. Why hasnt anyone else done this? he asked.


    Patience most likely. Or they have and then got away. People have come back from the floating island with some good stuff. Null metal being some of those things that had been brought back. Realistically, longer would be better.


    Three months is already a long time. But I see your point. The hardest part is supplies. I am sorry, I dont have a spatial ring of my own, he said a bit morosely.


    Dont worry about it. Your main job will be to work out the traps. All the good stuff will be in the buildings and we will need to disable them quickly, I replied.


    I will do my best. But getting close and working out the arrays wont be simple if we have to hide, he replied.


    There is a technique, that I think will help, I told him.


    Really? he asked and I nodded. You are only in the third stage. What technique could you have?


    It is a secret, but it should help with the arrays. Regardless, we need to get settled into a safe spot where we can observe as much as possible. A tall tree. But other cultivators might be in it. This wont be simple, I said while trying to think of any other good hiding spots.


    As a starting point that sounds good, Wen Xue said. After that there wasnt much more to discuss and we fell asleep.


    The following day we slept in quite late, had a good meal, and then purchased four packs worth of food and more pills. It was a bit expensive, but I wasnt worried about the cost. And I had us use the cart we had brought with us, to put the food in. Not appearing as cultivators was important in my mind.


    That night we went back to the information broker, in disguise and with packs. Thankfully no one bothered us. People in cloaks, late a night, were not people to be bothered lightly. Only a cultivator would take that risk, and Black Rock City had a rank 8 cultivator in charge as the City Lord. The biggest warlord or bandit of the area. As long as people paid their taxes, they wanted things to be calm.


    Starting a fight with unknown cultivators inside the city was a huge risk. That was why being mysterious was important in my mind. Wearing our sect robes would let people know we were disciples for sure. But hiding like we were, even if it was only a one percent chance, the risk of us being dangerous cultivators was too high. Criminals wanted soft targets, and over the millennia, the stupidity had been weeded out.


    Entering the weapons shop again, the same large man was behind the counter. We are here for Old Hengar, I said.


    He is expecting you. Courtyard out back, that door, the man said pointing at another door to his other side compared to the one that led upstairs. Just go through the backroom, straight, and into the courtyard. I nodded at this and we went into the courtyard.


    An old man was sitting on a bench stroking a long white beard, and smoking from an elaborate pipe. There was also a large sword next to him. I pulled off my hood and hopped my off stilts.


    Junior greets senior, I said with a bow of my head. With my special sight, I could tell this man was an elder. Most likely rank 5 maybe 6. Wen Xue copied me greeting. I wasnt about to call him Old Hengar to his face.


    Two of you and those packs to the Floating Island of Death. Three rank 3 spirit coins, he said.


    Pardon me senior, but I thought it was one per person, I replied, and he nodded.


    Normally, but that weight costs extra. Like another person, he added. I pulled out three rank 3 spirit coins from a pouch. I wasnt going to reveal my spatial items so easily. I then handed them over. He gave me an intense look. I began to get worried for a moment that he would attack and kill us, but in the end he just shook his head.


    Get younger every year. But mark my words. This trip is death. That island is death. You will die. Those zombies dont play games. They might not have any brains, but whatever is controlling them isnt stupid and they are fast. Once they spot you, they will swarm, no escape, he said and then got a thoughtful look. Well, you could always jump. But they will jump after you.


    What? They would do that? Wen Xue asked worriedly.


    Of course. Getting off is the real trick. The island will pull things, and people back. And since you are using my services, you arent strong enough to fly away on your own. That means climbing down. It will be rough. Or if you see me drop someone off, you can flag me down, and I will pick you up. Same price for transport back. I dont pick up people getting chased, though, he said.


    That is fine. Any other advice? I asked.


    Not really. People hide in the trees. Some have tried digging in the ground. Hanging off the side of the island. Eventually the zombies will find you. Dont underestimate their senses. The more powerful ones tend to stay in the middle of the island inside the buildings, but that doesnt always happen. Occasionally a more powerful one will go on patrol to find people. Once it does, you are dead, he replied and shook his head.

 Chapter 43: Zombies, Curses, And Traps

    Chapter 43: Zombies, Curses, And Traps


    The wind was rushing too fast too talk as we were carried up to the Floating Island of Death. A flying sword was clearly not designed with safety or seatbelts in mind, but it was surprisingly stable. It didnt rock or tilt in the slightest.


    Old Hengar kept one hand behind him on my shoulder and another hand in front of him on Wen Xues shoulder. He kept a firm grip on both of us while the air rushed by. It was too noisy to easily move. We had been flying through the night and most of the morning, fairly high up as well, avoiding the clouds thankfully. It was already quite cold.


    I noted that he wasnt flying in a straight line. He was looking for the floating island doing large loop. I spotted Mount Atlas in the distance. There were a number of buildings and people on the frozen summit. No one would spot us at this distance, unless they were watching the sky carefully for a moving dot.


    Even then I wasnt too worried. Anyone past the first bottleneck in their cultivation would already be on the island. Not waiting on a mountain. The sword began to turn a bit more than before, and then I spotted where Old Hengar was headed. The floating island had come out behind some clouds.


    While there had been many amazing sights and cultivation was not something that existed on Earth, there was something truly magical about a floating island that was hard to put into words. I noted the many ropes trailing off the side of the island, and the jagged rocks sticking out below. It was less an inverse pyramid, and more of an inverse mound.


    The sides were thick, and the bottom wasnt pointy. The island was higher than us, so we began to ascend. If we came from above the zombies would spot us. People had tried that in the past, but it was a death sentence. The island was moving at a decent speed through the sky and as we got closer, I estimated it to be about 25 miles, 40 kilometers, in terms of the radius. Or about 4 miles across, which would be about 6.5 kilometers.


    It was massive. I hadnt seen any of the buildings at a distance, not even the wall that was supposed to be around the buildings in the center. We were coming in too low for that. I noted small streams of water trickling off and dispersing into the air. Trees and roots lined the outer edge. They werent the twisted small trees one would see at the top of mountains. These were big, thick trees, one would find in an ancient forest.


    Old Hengar adjusted our course slightly and we came up over edge of the floating island, where he matched its course and speed. He tossed us both off without a word and I had to make sure I didnt trip and fall with two packs on my back. Wen Xue landed near me as well. Right after we were tossed onto the floating island, Old Hengar took off to do a loop of the floating island and then leave back to Black Rock City.


    I had been scanning the island with my eyes, and the number of motes around this place was at least triple that of the Cloudy Moon Sects mountain peak. Since we had come up from below, I hadnt spotted anything of note, except that the trees had energy within them. They were all spirit trees, and based on my guess around rank 3 or rank 4.


    The value of the trees alone was immense. I had no idea how null metal would exist in a place like this, but I needed to find some no matter what. The first step was to find a hiding spot. I then looked at the trees again and then moved close to Wen Xue.


    Dont damage the trees, I whispered out as quietly as possible. He gave me a look and then nodded. The fact the trees were still around and hadnt been ripped off and tossed to the ground below, implied they were protected in some way.


    If I was a cultivator looking to make some easy money, I would have climbed up here and started cutting these spirit trees for their value. The fact that none of them were cut implied they were protected in some way.


    I took point as we slowly moved away from the edge and began looking for our first base. The ground was very uneven. The trees grew up and around large rocks, and there was not much soil either. The roots were massive twisted things, making for an uneven ground. The air was still frigid, and slightly hard to breathe. Thankfully we could handle the environment as cultivators in the third stage, but it was important to note there was no environmental barrier around the floating island.


    It might be slightly warmer than the mountain peaks below. Since there was no ice or snow. Making our way through the outer forest carefully, I wanted us to get near the wall and then find a hiding spot. We carefully made our way through the forest. I kept scanning the area in front of us and listening carefully.


    After half an hour of quietly walking, I saw the wall through the trees in the distance. I adjusted our course to move clockwise around the island, through the outer ring of trees, looking for a spot. Then I saw a larger tree in the distance. I froze, since I also noticed that there was already someone on top of it.


    I had us go around the tree, and away from whomever was hiding up there. They moved a couple of times but didnt bother us. Starting a fight or a commotion, was a death sentence. The zombies were the real threat. That wouldnt stop someone desperate, but no one up here was an idiot.


    It took another hour of walking and we finally ran into another larger tree. It was further back from the wall, but there was no one hiding up it as far as I could tell. I pointed up and Wen Xue nodded at me. I leapt up into the air, making sure to kick off the ground as quietly as possible. I carefully took my time ascending up the tree.


    I got to the height of a four story building before the branches became too small to keep going safely. I didnt want to break them in any way. I pulled out a thin, but sturdy wood plank from my spatial ring. I then laid it across two branches, up against the tree. I carefully set my packs down on it and Wen Xue did the same.


    We then both used some rope to carefully tie off the end of the blanks to the tree branches it was resting on. See anything? he asked me quietly once we were done. I shook my head.


    Nothing, I replied. Our little base was on the opposite side of the tree from the wall. Zombies patrolled it regularly, so taking any kind of risk was unacceptable. We both had some water. No arrays or formations, I added as well.


    It is cold up here, and there is a breeze, Wen said quietly. It was chilly, but we would survive. It would be uncomfortable, but on our trip out here from the sect we had slept at the rest spots between cities. I could tell he was bringing this up to ease his nerves and to be ready for the night.


    We settled in, onto our plank. Now came the challenging part going forward. Trying to figure out where to go from here and sneaking inside the wall without dying horribly. I wanted to see a zombie first, hopefully getting a better idea of their capabilities first, and how hard they were to actually spot. The first rule we had both agreed on was to not rush.


    Thats why I had insisted on the extra packs of supplies. We could last out here for quite a while. There was someone on that large tree we passed earlier, I said quietly as Wen Xue and I both sipped some water.


    Really? Hiding? What stage? he asked.


    I think fourth, but it was hard to tell. They were concealed quite well, I replied. We both had rings of concealment, that would blur and hide our cultivation to any kind of sensing techniques. They were decent items, but neither of us had a clear picture of how well they would work against the zombies.


    I pulled out a Beast Hiding mixture, which was really scent concealer and sprinkled it on the plank we were sitting on. I then put it away. Another one of our many safety precautions. You going to scout now? Wen Xue asked me, and I nodded.


    Yes. No time like the present. Other side of the tree, I think. It was about as thick and wide as a car. These were massive trees, and this was the second biggest we had run into. I wasnt about to run off yet. It would be too easy to get lost and turned arou


    Wen Xue made sure the packs were secure, while I got up and carefully went from branch to branch, around the tree. I slowly ascended up the tree, being careful not to break any branches. I eventually found a good branch to see at a distance. I laid down on the branch. The needles at the end of it shook lightly, but none of them fell.


    Yes. Could be a while- I was proven wrong as zombie screams went up in the distance. I carefully moved back around and up the tree to my observation spot. The zombies on the wall were moving away. Clearly, they didnt have much intelligence since they swarmed. It was both a strength and a weakness.


    It was a strength since whatever they attacked would get overwhelmed. A weakness since it left a huge gap in their defensives. I quickly returned to Wen Xue and we packed up our camp, taking only one set of packs with us. The other set we would leave here. We couldnt be encumbered by that much. While we could carry it, we wouldnt be able to move as quickly and silently as we needed to.


    Returning back to the wall, we went up and over once more. I saw the zombies swarming another part of the city. Apparently, someone had a similar idea to us, using the first break in patrols to sneak in, but then they had been caught.


    Staying in the streets, I maneuvered us deeper into the city, avoiding zombies while keeping track of the nearest building without any. They were quickly filling up. Perhaps this wasnt a cultivation technique, but a method to build an army?


    I finally found a building without zombies and we entered, while I looked for arrays. There were several as we began clearing the building. Wen Xue would disable them, we would check the room for stuff, there was nothing and then move on.


    That was when we came across a room in the middle of the three story building that had an alter. That was a floating crystal and a formation around the alter. A formation was made of multiple arrays, so it getting to that floating white crystal hovering in the air above the alter, or pedestal would not be simple. I checked for approaching zombies but there were none.


    I began to quietly point out the various arrays to Wen Xue. He made notes. We had a system down on how I would handle the descriptions, to waste as little time as possible and streamline the time he spent conducting an analysis.


    Not possible, he said to me. I nodded at that and we left the room, and finding some stairs to go to the second floor. Wen Xue had the ultimate call on the traps we found. If he didnt think he could disable them safely without sending up an alarm we would move on. The entire expedition couldnt afford risks.


    The second floor just had some stone furniture, but nothing interesting. The third floor, had a chest in one of the rooms with an array around it. A single array was much easier to deal with than a formation. Wen Xue had explained to me, that with a formation, one could set up conditions so the outer array in the formation acted as a failsafe.


    It had been the standard practice for a long time. While there were methods for getting around this they werent simple. If the outer array was turned off, then the inner arrays in the formation could activate. It wasnt enough to disable the array, but suborn it and block the connections.


    This is where things quickly got very complicated. Array disabling wasnt a common practice. So while there were methods, none of them were simple. Most advice involved, tossing someone or something else into the array and triggering it that way. Or using such an event to get a better idea of how it functioned. Or to carefully study it, try and reconstruct it, and then work out the best method of disablement from the reconstruction.


    Neither method was acceptable. That was why we moved on. It also wasnt a matter of cultivation either, but a matter of knowledge. While senior cultivators might have more knowledge on arrays and formations, they couldnt brute force them without risk.


    That was a big part of why this was a forbidden zone even to high rank cultivators. The traps triggering would be something a rank 8 cultivator could set off or a mortal. Thankfully Wen Xue knew what he was doing and managed to disable the array around the chest. He looked at me for confirmation while I inspected it closely.


    Nothing else that I can see, and I can see through it, barely, I said quietly, and he nodded. I was the scout portion of our duo, which meant that I got to open the wood chest. It was the first wooden object we had spotted. Opening it up, there were stacks of gold coins inside.


    Absolutely worthless. I looked at Wen Xue who shook his head and I closed the chest. Gold had no value to either of us. It wasnt even spirit metal either from what I could tell. Just regular gold. The floating island had junk like this scattered about as well that the zombies collected and stored.


    Once the building was cleared, I looked out the narrow slits in the walls carefully at the surrounding buildings. There were zombies in each of them. Some were just standing around, clumped togeather in rooms, while others were patrolling.


    Making any progress would be a massive headache. We found an interior room on the third floor to settle in for the night and discuss our plans. The green portions of the stone glowed slightly in the darkness, which was unnerving and made me think of radiation. I didnt feel sick and other people who had come and stayed on the Floating Island of Death hadnt gotten radiation poisoning, so I wasnt worried in that regard.


    We need a way to check the other buildings, Wen Xue said quietly while we had some food and water. That meant using our ambush plan. You can see their routes, right?


    Yes. But that assumes a zombie will walk onto the array plate, I said. We had a portable formation inscribed into a metal plate. It wasnt cheap, but it was a means of offense. The zombies had to be taken out instantly, otherwise they would alert others.


    If the other buildings are full of zombies we have no choice, Wen Xue said, and I nodded at this. I spent the evening looking around at the nearby buildings. There was one a bit deeper in the city with only one zombie patrolling each floor.


    The following morning, after making sure the coast was clear, we made it to the building. I pulled out the metal plate into a doorway the zombie passed through while walking about. Wen Xue quickly set everything up and gave me the trigger mechanism. Two beast cores were somehow crafted to connect to each other. Pushing energy into one would cause the other one to trigger.


    Waiting was torture, but there was nothing to do. Eventually the zombie paused for a moment at the metal plate, but then continued over it. I triggered the formation. The outer array silenced any noise, energy. While the interior array created a contained pulse of crushing force. The zombie was crushed into a ball of flesh and fell on the plate.


    We quickly returned, and I saw the zombie flesh ball had no more energy. There were no screams either. We had managed to kill one, without being killed ourselves. I returned the array to my spatial ring, while the flesh ball stayed behind.


    We then went up to the second, and third floors repeating the process with the next two zombies before we began clearing the building in earnest. Each use of the formation plate cost 4 rank 3 spirit stones. It wasnt cheap to kill zombies like this. While I could afford to kill a fair few, I had no chance of killing all of them.


    This time we found a sword in one of the rooms. It was made of rank 5 spirit metal and was fairly large. The same rank as the sword I currently owned. It would sell for a decent amount, but it wasnt what I wanted to find.


    After putting it in one of my spatial rings, we kept exploring. We rested in one of the corner rooms, that evening. It was incredibly stressful as we took turns keeping watch. The next day I looked for another building to explore that wasnt packed full of zombies.


    Eventually I found another building, but I spent the entire day checking on the patrol routes and timing. There was no need to rush. Rushing was how we would end up dead. It was much better to take our time and avoid confrontation wherever possible.


    We just needed to take things slow and steady and hope we would hit the jackpot. I absolutely needed that null metal no matter what.

 Chapter 44: The Greed Of Mortal Men

    Chapter 44: The Greed Of Mortal Men


    The zombies dont have much on them. Even the armor and clothing isnt that good, Wen Xue muttered quietly.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)


    We had been searching the city for two weeks now. Carefully moving between buildings. We had found several rank 3 treasures and a few rank 4 treasures. Weapons, equipment, unknown tools, all quite valuable but not what I needed. There was even a rank 5 sword that we found that was on par with the one my first master Yi Rong had given me.


    We need to go the central plaza and the palace, I muttered quietly. We were already pushing things, with patrols of zombies moving constantly about. With my sight we had avoided any close calls, but it was risky. One mistake and we would be swarmed and killed. Most buildings were packed with zombies now. Only a few had a couple on patrol.


    I dont think we are going to find any null metal. If you havent spotted anything. Maybe it falls off from the rocks underneath the city instead of being found in here? Wen Xue said and I winced at this.


    There are reports of null metal being brought back or discovered on the Floating Island, but no details, I replied.


    Well, if there were easy sources, they would have been picked clean over the millennia. We would need a big distraction if we want to keep going and you have even pointed out zombies on the rooftops, Wen Xue replied. I think we should think about retreating.


    With what we have, that is nothing. An expedition to kill beasts would have been more profitable. We can try a decoy array, I said and Wen Xue winced at the suggestion.


    We can, but it is a risk. We need to be far away and timers on arrays are difficult. And then it would be easily destroyed. An array wont run away and have the zombies give chase, he replied.


    Maybe, but we need to do something, and that palace is bound to have better stuff. You have noticed the quality and number of items has increased the deeper we have gone, I replied.


    And the risk. Every time you sleep, my nerves are on edge, he countered. There was a lot of pressure on both of us. But we couldnt give up now. If we got another rank 7 treasure, then it might be possible to exchange for null metal depending on the rarity.


    Giving up at the start was not good. While Wen Xue might be happy with the scraps, I wanted and needed something more. There was no turning back for me here until I got what I came for. Can you make an array to act somewhere else?


    Displacement, not easily. Remote activation could lead the zombies back to us as well, he said.


    What about a three day timer? We set up this building to go crazy, and another one four days from now. Then we spend two days circling around to the other side of the center of the city.


    That would use up all my supplies, but it can be done. Activating on a specific day is doable. But there will be a day gap, he said.


    Cant you have the arrays trigger one after another? I asked and he considered that question.


    It will be tricky. But one master formation with satellite arrays would be possible. I will have to use up two of the larger plates. That would just leave us with one left. I nodded at this.


    Good, we have a plan. Get to work. Draw up what you need to so we can move quickly in both buildings, I said, and he nodded. The zombies didnt seem to care if one of their companions went missing. They kept doing whatever it was that they did. Moving around, rebuilding or relocating parts of the city, standing around in groups in the various buildings.


    The next five days were stressful as Wen Xue got the arrays prepared while I kept an eye on the zombies. I had some idea on their detection range, with previous arrays we had used to test things out. But I had no idea how that compared to us personally or if different zombies had different ranges.


    One thing that was bothering me was the lack of decay. The zombies were rotten with pieces of flesh missing. Their clothes were in tatters. But there were no maggots, bugs, or even a smell indicating decay.


    I got us close as we could to the plaza. Wen Xue was out of arrays at this point. Either to disable or distract the zombies. All he could do was disable the hostile arrays. I hadnt seen any of the zombies setting them up, or any arrays forming in places we had already been.


    A loud screech sound echoed over the city. All the zombies, but the ones standing in groups inside the buildings, instantly turned towards the noise and began making their way to the location. More arrays activated one after another was more zombies were pulled away from the center of the city.


    We then quickly made our way to the biggest building, which we were calling the palace. There were no markings or decorations. Whoever made this place didnt think too much about aesthetics. I checked and there were no zombies inside. I also checked the plaza in the center of the city. There was a fountain, which was a shock. Since it was the first major decoration that I had spotted beyond the brickwork of the zombie city.


    Looking back at the five story palace, there was a formation on the front door, five overlapping arrays. I had been too far to spot it before. I quickly described it to Wen Xue while also making my notes. The loud noises continued. Once the formation was copied down, I checked out the fountain while Wen Xue quickly worked to disable the formation.


    The water was clear, and I didnt see any energy inside of it. The fountain itself was a circular design like the plaza. The fountain had four tiers, with water gushing out of the top. There were multiple arrays on the fountain itself. There was no ornamentation, and nothing to take.


    Yuan Zhou, Wen Xue said from the palace doors. I rushed back over just as the door clicked open.


    That quickly? I asked.


    An older common design. While complex it has already been solved and used as a teaching tool, he replied as we pushed open the doors as another loud screech occurred off in the distance. We had to hurry.


    Inside the palace, it was everything my heart could desire. There were pedestals of rare materials on them enclosed in glowing arrays. This was the only light in the entire place. It wasnt a palace, it was a treasure vault. I noted a rank 7 gun, a green ocean lily contained in a sphere of water, a black glowing mask that was plain except for two eye holes and probably rank 8.


    With me, I told Wen Xue and raced forward, quickly scanning for anything that could be null metal in this treasure horde. There! I pointed at one pedestal, and we raced over. The chunk of metal was deep black, incredibly deep black. That was the sign that this was null metal.


    I quickly began to describe the two arrays that made up the formation. The inner one is a containment, the other one is a trigger, but the array is active. I can see it myself. The inner one isnt a problem. We only had a few minutes left and I knew an active array was not simple.


    Unlike the previous ones Wen Xue could not just disable it without the trigger kicking in. Something was supplying it with power. A master formation of some sort. Similar to what we had done to lure the zombies away.


    The problem with active arrays, was that anyone could easily see them. I noticed it was much brighter than the previous arrays. I think I can disable it for a few seconds without triggering it, Wen Xue said.


    Do it, I replied. He poked the array with his rod. Various of the symbols flickered and the glowing portion began to curve. A visible hole quickly formed. I could see the energy dispersing into the air where the array had been bent, like sparks coming from a loose wire.


    I quickly pulled out my containment case, opening up one end. It had been given to me specifically to put in null metal and not expose it. I stuck the case through the arrays and the hole Wen Xue had made. I angled the opening of the lid, and then pulled the mechanical latch. The lid began to close and the edges caught the black null metal, pulling it inside the case. The case snapped shut and I quickly pulled it free.


    It couldnt go into my spatial ring due to the properties of null metal, but that didnt matter. Another? Wen Xue asked as another screech happened in the distance. We would be cutting things close, but in my mind we couldnt let these treasures go.


    Yes, you pick, I told him.


    There, he quickly pointed at a book on the pedestal next to ours. There was no title on the cover, and it seemed to be made of human flesh. That seemed like a bad choice. I would have picked the rank 7 gun, but apparently Wen Xue wanted tainted knowledge.


    He quickly began working on the array. I pulled out a grabber stick from my spatial ring. Basically, a long stick with a piece of string, and grippers that would close on the far end. Good, Wen Xue said as another hole formed in the active array. I quickly pulled the book out and tossed it with my grabber stick into my spatial ring. I definitely wasnt about to touch it.


    That would put you at a solid core then, right? I asked for confirmation.


    Indeed. Very standard, but that is the minimum requirement. Hopefully I can get 150 drops before trying to pass the bottleneck. The more the better, but I dont think I am up for any adventures after this, he replied.


    Really? I asked.


    Yes. We came close to death so many times. I cant wait until this is all over, he replied. That was his choice even if I didnt agree in the same way. With preparation, supplies, and research, a lot of problems could be overcome if it was just the environment. Against anything actually intelligent, like other cultivators, it was much more concerning.


    I heard a screeching sound in the distance. Our second distraction formation went off. Shame we cant go and get more treasures, he said.


    Knowing when to stop is important. We got two things, very valuable things. No need to push our luck anymore. I know there were other things in that massive treasure room that I wanted. But it is far too risky to go back. What we need to do is focus on escaping, I replied.


    Go to the edge and wait? Wen Xue asked.


    Yes. Once we get close to the ground, less then five stories from the end of the rope, we can jump. Maybe seven stories if we need to, I answered.


    Well we have a lot of rope. We might just go down all the way, Wen Xue replied.


    Hopefully. Depends on where the floating island is and if there are other people below us. We cant risk being intercepted. The biggest challenge now is getting back to Imperial City safely, I replied heavily. The stress was wearing on me too. Going to the Astral Plane, was nowhere as stressful as the Floating Island of Death.


    There were screams in the distance, and zombies began moving towards it. Another cultivator was being swarmed. We should move, the streets are clearing, I said.


    We quickly left the building and made our way over the wall into the massive forest. Once there we quickly raced to the edge of the floating island. Looking down over the edge, all I saw were hanging frayed ropes and clouds beneath us.


    Setting up in a nearby large tree. I laid out a wood plank for us to sit and rest on. The mid-rank spatial ring I had was the real hero of this adventure. We settled in for a wait. I would check the edge every couple of hours. The island rotated around as it moved, so there was no front or back. It also went up and down to some extent as well.


    The only thing we could do was wait and hope for the best. Days and then weeks went by, with the distance still too far to the ground.


    The food I had put next to the book in my spatial ring had decayed. It shouldnt have decayed in the spatial ring, but it had. That book was seriously bad news. No way was I bringing it out and moved everything I could to my low-rank spatial ring. It was tempting to try and move the book to it, but the risk was too high bringing it out without any kind of containment array. I might not be able to get it back inside one of my spatial rings.


    Better to lose one ring and less valuable stuff we had found on the floating island, than lose the book. After the null metal, it was the most valuable thing in my mind. We couldnt afford to lose either item.


    Checking over the edge like I normally did, I saw the clouds had cleared and there were mountains not that far below us. They werent Mount Atlas, but they were tall. I quickly went back to Wen Xue. We need to go now. With the rope, about a four story drop, I said and he nodded at this.


    We quickly raced for the edge, and I kicked the rope over the side and quickly grabbed onto it with my hands, going over the edge. I began to slide down rapidly. My cultivation protecting me from rope burns, while my descent slowed. This was something I had tested out before. Wen Xue was right behind me, but he had put on gloves. Reaching the end of the rope, about forty stories down, from the floating island, I saw a rocky plateau below. I let go of the end of the rope and fell.


    I landed without much difficulty. Wen Xue was right behind me, landing as well. Looking up at the floating island, its massive bulk kept moving along without anything slowing it down. I didnt see anyone following. Lets go, I told Wen Xue who nodded at me. We quickly set off.


    I had been observing the terrain for weeks now, and knew where we were. We were not headed back towards Black Rock City. We would go through the wilderness for a bit to city outside the range of the floating island. From there we would take a rapid carriage back to Imperial City. Carrying the containment case, even in my pack, was too risky to do so on an open road.


    Also, I wanted to rest for a long time. My nerves were shot after our time on the island. Right before we hit the tree line, I noticed three cultivators going down the rope we had left behind. Dammit! Into the tree line, hurry, I told Wen Xue as I pulled out scent concealer.


    We both used it and kept moving while changing directions. What do we do? he worriedly asked me.


    We will have to fight, if they keep chasing us.


    I cant fight, I dont know how without arrays, Wen Xue said. Basically one and a quarter versus three superior cultivators with techniques.


    You will need to carry my pack. I cant fight encumbered, I said while taking it off and handing it over to Wen Xue. My packs were smaller due to my stature, so it wasnt too hard for him to carry in his arms. There is small cliff ahead. We go up it, you keep moving forward up to the peak. Wait there. I will fight them. If I can ambush one, that should even the odds, I said with much more confidence than I was feeling at the moment.


    This was going to be a serious fight. I had them in the past. But I had always turned the situation to my advantage in some way. Me against three cultivators, wouldnt be simple. Even if I got that down to two versus one at the start with an ambush, they would have techniques.


    That was a massive advantage in any fight. I had confidence in beating cultivators at or below my stage, but I had no idea about techniques. We quickly ascended the cliff. Looking back the three cultivators were catching up.


    Wen Xue rushed ahead, while I curved to the side and hid behind a rock with my sword drawn. I focused on my breathing. No matter what, I couldnt lose here. I had survived the Floating Island of Death. I was not about to die to some cultivators out in the wilderness seeking to take the resources I had worked hard for.


    I heard the three cultivators climbing up the cliff. I readied myself. They rushed past my hiding spot and I kicked off the ground as hard as I could. I stabbed the closet one, on the right of their formation in the back through the spine. Their cultivation was in the fourth stage, and my blade was of the fifth rank. Their martial robes were nothing special. I yanked my blade to the side, carving their back open as they out a scream.


    The other two cultivators spun around as I raced forward without slowing down in the slightest. I couldnt afford to give them time to regroup and outflank me while attacking me from range. One wall! the lead cultivator screamed in panic. I saw the energy surge into the ground and then explode upwards, forming a wall in my path.


    I kicked off the ground to go up and over. Fire lance! A jet of white hot flame shot at me. I was forced to kick off to the side off the top of the wall, as it felted.


    One wall! A wall quickly rose up behind me as the fire cultivator moved about to get a better angle on me while more rock walls quickly formed to cut off my escape routes. The fire lance came closer, and I had no other choice, since there was no way to dodge in time.


    My hand darted out and I grabbed onto the end of the grabbing stick, pulling it, along with the evil book out of my spatial ring. The fire lance hit the book, and was completely stopped. The flames turned from white to dark blue as they exploded around the book, melting the grabbing stick, while the book itself was unharmed.


    I quickly shoved the book back into my spatial ring before the gripping stick completely melted away. I then rushed forward, sword in hand. Ring of fire! A ring of fire went up around the cultivator and exploded outwards. He was sweating and shaking, but I wasnt going to stop.


    Swinging my sword through the flames, the etched words, One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth, glowed as the fire parted around me from the force of my swing. I stabbed out even as the cultivator tried to back peddle, but it was too late. I took him right in the chest. I didnt hesitate to yank my sword to the side, killing him as the remaining cultivator screamed in rage.


    It was a woman who had been making the earth walls. She gave me a look of hatred before turning tail and fleeing. My robes were a bit singed, but I was unharmed. I had won. I was about to collect the bodies into my spatial ring and then realized that the evil book was in there. Anything they might have on them, even a spatial device wasnt worth the risk of zombies forming.


    I left them where they lay and quickly set off for the top of the mountain. Wen Xue let out a sigh of relief when he saw me, and I relaxed as well. The enemy cultivators? he asked.


    Killed two. The last one ran off. Probably their tracker since she was in the lead of their formation. But nothing we can do. We should get as much distance between her and us as possible, I said, and Wen Xue nodded. Hopefully that was the only fight until we could make it back to Imperial City to exchange and sell the spoils of our adventure.

 Chapter 45: A Dark Book

    Chapter 45: A Dark Book


    Finally, we are here, I said with a relieved sigh. Wen Xue and I had made it to Imperial City. After formalities and fees at the outer gate. We entered the city and I then had us switch over to a carriage pulled by a cultivator. We had to circle around the outer wall to get to one of the outer towns that was our destination.


    I had already talked with Wen Xue about what we were going to do once we got here. That was meeting with the elder Ping from the Cloudy Moon Sect who was overseeing my business and Zheng Ting. I had not spoken to her for a long time, but she had been managing things quite well.


    The headquarters of Zhou Holding Company Limited were quite modest. There was no need for a giant symbol of financial might. Just a large building where reports were sorted, data tracked, and paperwork from shipments inspected.


    Getting off the carriage which cost spirit coins, Wen Xue and I made our way into the building wearing our sect robes. There was a secretary on duty in the lobby thankfully. It didnt take long before we entered a meeting room.


    Food and drinks were served while we waited and then ten minutes later Zheng Ting showed up with elder Ping.


    Greetings elder, I quickly stood up and bowed. Wen Xue stood up and bowed as well but let me take the lead.


    Disciple Yuan Zhou. I am surprised to see you here. And in the third stage? the elder asked.


    Yes, elder, I replied. He was the elder that had bet that I would only make it to the third stage against elder Yi Meifeng, I would make it no further than the fourth stage.


    Impressive. You are doing well. I got a message you wished to speak to me? he asked.


    Indeed. I humbly request your presence when speaking with Elder Xu Xiaoli of the Imperial Sect and if possible, to arrange a meeting as soon as possible, I said. While I could have done it all on my own, it would create difficulties since I needed my profits from the business to buy a focusing crystal and to have a Displacement Channel Carver made.


    I will send a message, as for her meeting you, that is up to her, he replied.


    Thank you elder, I replied. He gave me a careful look.


    So, you have succeeded then? With whatever you needed to combine with the focusing crystal? he asked while looking over at the pack I had put on a chair next to me. I wasnt going to let the container with the null metal out of my sight.


    Yes, elder, I replied.


    Impressive. I will arrange for the focusing crystal to be brought as well when we visit the elder. I am guessing you want me there as an insurance, he asked seeing right through me.


    Yes elder, I replied. While I doubted there would be an issue, it was important not to take any chances. I was slightly concerned about Elder Ping, but that would be alleviated by a request for benefits now.


    Five percent, he said. I winced at that amount.


    Of anything that is sold, I replied, and he nodded with a smile on his face. Elder Ping would arrange for word to be left behind, so we couldnt just be disappeared by the Imperial Sect. Also, his presence would ensure we wouldnt be forced to accept a poor deal due to pressure.


    Everything was about having backing and giving face. Giving him a small share of our proceeds insured he would take a vested interest in our success. If I wasnt the Sect Leaders disciple then I might have been charged ten or even twenty percent for such support. I already had a lot of backing, so his overall value wasnt that much, but he was still making an effort on my behalf.


    One did not become an elder, by letting other cultivators pluck wealth from their hands. I couldnt wait until I was a high rank, and everyone had to pay me to get my backing and to just stand around. It was aggravating, but it was the cost of doing business.


    I will see to the arrangements as quickly as possible and let you and Zheng Ting catch up. Diciple Yuan Zhou, elder Ping said to me with a slight head bow, showing great respect. He was probably jumping for joy inside he was about to get a lot of wealth and not having to do anything.


    I bowed deeply along with the other two in the room as the elder left. Yuan Zhou, Zheng Ting said with a frail smile. Wrinkles adorned her once beautiful face. Her hair was white. I was only 47 years old, which meant she was in her mid-sixties. While she still had vibrancy around her, she had aged greatly since I had last seen her.


    Zheng Ting, I said and made my way around the table to give her a hug, breaking all the rules of propriety. She had been my caretaker and had put up with my antics at a young age. Then she managed my business for me over the years.


    You and your friend should sit, there is much to discuss, she replied.


    Problems? I asked and she smiled at me.Visit  for the best novel reading experience


    Nothing too serious. The Cloudy Moon Sects presence fixed a lot of the issues. While the backing of Elder Xu Xiaoli and the Han family has helped, the first is rarely seen, and the second is happy to collect their money for the most part, she said. I thought of Han Xingjuan the 69th descendent of Immortal Han Jiayi. The girl was crazy.


    I see that look, you are thinking of someone troublesome? Han Xingjuan? she asked and I nodded.


    Do not worry. She wanted financial records and to review our work. I scared her off when I had all the boxes arranged with the actual financial reports and not the summaries, Zheng Ting said with a small chuckle.


    You remembered that. Keep accurate records and wield them against people, I said with a smile. I had talked to her about how I wanted my business to run and why summary reports that were audited were important. Looking through the raw reports without a computer was a massive amount of time. There was no way any cultivator would be willing to do something so pointless and so tedious.


    Indeed, Young Master. The most dangerous weapon to any cultivator, paperwork. Now tell me about you and your friend, she said.


    Zheng Ting, this is Wen Xue. A friend of mine, who has risked life and death with me to go to the floating island. Wen Xue, this is Zheng Ting, the woman who manages my business affairs, I replied.


    A pleasure, he said stiffly but didnt bow his head.


    I never had the chance to pursue cultivation, but I have lived a good life, and have traveled. So, tell me about this floating island? she asked. I slowly shook my head.


    It is one adventure we are not talking about. The information is too valuable in case someone is listening in, I replied. The knowledge we had gained would never be shared. There was a chance to get more treasures and Wen Xue had agreed.


    I quickly went through the list looking for the items I needed. It was tempting to ask the elders for help, but they would ask why and would learn about Aoyins Fang in my head. I couldnt take that risk. I needed the opposites of blood, power, and consume.


    It would be blind guesses on my part just based on the name. Ashes of the Forlorn Tree, Core Bone of a Rank 6 Beast, Black Poppy of Decay, Compressed Clear Jelly, Withering Weed, and a Petrified Sapling. Thats a weird selection, you into alchemy or some other kind of crafting? Gao Da asked while looking over my selections.


    These are items needed by my master, the Sect Leader. I dont know their purpose, I replied.


    It is good to be dutiful to your master and your sect, Fu Xiaoli said. What I wasnt saying was that I needed the items so I could be fixed. Still, for him to know about these items is quite impressive. The Cloudy Moon Sect, are its foundations really so deep?


    They are. I have spoken to their Sect Leader myself, a rank 8. They have been around since the dawn of the third age. An offshoot from long ago, Xu Xiaoli said. I felt some of the tension leave me as she explained things to her possible relative.


    Then I have no objections. They are only rank 6 treasures, and nothing of note, just rare and slightly interesting, Fu Xiaoli said.


    Our deal was that the null metal wouldnt be counted in the split, not the crafting process. Thankfully he had no issues getting eight rank 6 spirit stones. It was a massive amount of money. Elder Ping got two of the spirit stones, which was quite a bit for just sitting around.


    It was painful having to give him anything, but if I had come here alone, then I might have only gotten four items instead of five, possibly only three. He more than earned his keep, even if it wasnt readily apparent.


    The one item, the gun, was delivered immediately, while it took slightly longer to bring in the remaining six rank 6 treasures I had requested. Xu Xiaoli took the container of null metal, and the focusing crystal. Before she left, I had her check my spatial ring that had been holding the book.


    Thankfully there were no issues. That had been something I was concerned about, but the Necronomicon wasnt designed to act on spatial rings, more on the human psyche and body. The fruits and other items that had been touching it, had their energy sucked out.


    Ten days after our visit, I was summoned back personally and only elder Gao Da was there to see me. After speaking with each other he pulled out an item from his spatial ring. I actually made the Displacement Channel Carver myself, he said while holding it up in front of himself.


    It was a long thing black rod. About the thickness of my finger and the length of 3 feet or about one meter. There was a wooden handle at one end. It seems quite long, I replied.


    Yes, which means it will last for a long time. I used all the null metal you brought to make the rod and not damage it. This length is good for about a 1,500 channels, which is on the high end. The focusing crystal is already set up even if you dont see it.


    Wait? I asked. This thing wears out? That was aggravating and elder Gao Da chuckled at my outrage.


    Normally it wouldnt come up, but yes. That is why null metal is so expensive. As you drill out your channel, the rod will suck up all the bits left behind, stopping them from settling. But this damages the null metal making it less effective, Elder Gao Da explained.


    In the past people would just hold null metal, but that is horribly inefficient and a massive waste. That is why you need a focusing crystal, and for it to be crafted so it can enter your true soul while cultivating at the third stage. When you work to clear out your meridians and channels, put the end opposite the handle on the meridian in question.


    When you dig our your meridian and channels, it will be super easy. You just need to focus and break everything apart and not worry about moving the stuff out of your channels. It will just be sucked out. You just need to make sure you carve them out properly. A great treasure for any cultivator, he replied.


    I can touch the black part? I asked.


    It is sealed behind a special clear material. That way anyone can see how much longer the Displacement Channel Carver has left while not letting the key portion get exposed to the air. If you activate in the air, you will burn it out. Dont do that. It also isnt a weapon. It is a tool for carving channels quickly and cleanly, elder Gao Da explained. I wondered what had happened in the past to make him say all of that. Probably nothing good.


    Thank you Elder, I said with a head bow as he handed it over.


    Not a problem. This is of the highest quality. That I can assure you. Elder Xu Xiaoli insisted. If you have any other interesting projects, you are welcome to ask for me at the Imperial Sect. I am more than happy to listen to any requests you have. Just be sure to bring the materials with you, he said.


    Thank you once again Elder, I replied as he left. I departed right away, ready to get back to the sect when a servant stopped me outside the meeting room.


    Master Cultivator. Cultivator Han Xingjuan of the Imperial Sect requests your immediate presence, he said. I paused and looked at the bowing mortal man. I didnt want anything more to do with that crazy girl, but I couldnt risk offending her directly.


    If I didnt show up she could make trouble. I will attend her once, I have sent word as to where I am going, I said. The servant winced, but I didnt care.


    Very well, please allow me to escort you, he replied. It was a simple matter to write a quick letter and leave it in the care of one of the people at the exchange hall, where the Imperial Sect did business, and have them take it to Elder Xu Xiaoli and Elder Ping after paying a small fee of two rank 3 spirit coins.


    The servant then escorted me to another meeting room. Han Xingjuan was sitting in the room, and it appeared she had entered the third stage as well. Hmmpf, you have come back and are meeting with elders, why? she demanded bluntly after snorting at me. She didnt even stand up to greet me or use my name.


    Cultivator Yuan Zhou, greets cultivator Han Xingjuan, I said with the smallest of head nods. As for my business with the elders, that is private, you will have to ask them.


    You think you are clever. Playing games. Taking resources from the Imperial Sect. Give me your spatial ring, or else, she declared.


    I am sorry, but I must refuse. And I am under the hospitality of the Imperial Sect, I replied. There was silence at that statement. I had too many connections for her to risk causing trouble or trying to rob me. But I didnt like how I was on this womans direct radar.


    We entered into a stare off. Neither of us was willing to back down. If there is nothing else, I have places to be, I told Han Xingjuan. She didnt say anything more as I left, but I could tell she wasnt happy.


    Her bratty and self-entitled nature were clear turn offs and I could tell she was going to be a problem. Regardless it wasnt my problem. I needed to return to the sect with Wen Xue and begin cultivating and researching. Whatever I had gotten from the Imperial Sect was clearly drawing a lot of attention, which was unfortunate.


    Once I had everything, I said goodbye to Zheng Ting, and left Imperial City with Wen Xue. The one thing I had made sure of before I left, was to purchase several rank 5 rounds for my gun. I only had 10 rank 5 shots with me, and 50 rank 4 shots. I also had 1 rank 6 shot that had come with the weapon. The sheer cost of such a weapon was why they werent more popular with cultivators.


    One could swing a sword a 1,000 times and only use their own energy. But shooting a gun a 1,000 times would even make an Immortal weep at the cost. I could have gone with a lesser version that didnt use bullets, but effects, but those types of guns werent as good or as effective against high ranking targets. If I needed to use it, then I needed to win. Cost wouldnt be an issue at that point, only my survival.


    I even spent a lot of time unloading and reloading the gun as quickly as possible. I had no doubt that word was spreading and I would be a tempting target on the way back to the sect from Imperial City. Even if people didnt know about the Displacement Channel Carver and how the Imperial Sect would never allow me to be attacked in or near the city, at a distance, anything could happen.

 Chapter 46: Interception

    Chapter 46: Interception


    Wen Xue, we have people chasing us, I said as I looked over my shoulder. Down the road. We were twenty days out of Imperial City and passed the boarder of the Imperial Sect.


    How many? he asked.


    Five people. Four at the fourth stage, and one at the fifth, I said with a heavy heart. It was a large force that was coming to intercept us.


    Can you win? he asked me. That was a good question. I might be able to outrun the lower ranked cultivators, but there was no way that Wen Xue would be able to keep up with me. Also if they used techniques to catch up, then I would have a chance.


    Not easily, but we have no choice, I replied while removing the gun from my spatial ring. It felt much better in my hand than a sword. It reminded me of one of those old-time flintlock single shot pistols that were ornately decorated.


    While there were options for guns that could fire more bullets more quickly, I had picked one that would maximize the impact of the bullets used. At least I wouldnt need to use my single rank 6 bullet. I put a rank 5 bullet in the gun. The thing was more like an elephant round.


    I could see hundreds of tiny formations carved into the bullet itself. Either we would die, or they would die. I was never going to give up my hard won resources. That was a big reason I had gotten a weapon that could punch above its weight class, even if each shot was quite expensive.


    Losing the Displacement Channel Carver or any of the rank 6 treasures was just not an acceptable outcome, no matter what. While my greed might be the death of me, I wasnt going to let anyone take any of the hard-earned treasures I had suffered and invested my time to earn. If I failed here, then there would be no coming back in terms of my cultivation. I needed everything I had.


    Wen Xue and I moved off the road to a small clearing a short distance away. I put my gun away and brought out my sword as we waited another minute for the cultivators to catch up with us. If for some small reason the other cultivators were just passing through, then they would keep going and we wouldnt run into them. But if they were after us, then they would turn.


    I watched as they all turned off the road towards us. It had been a slim chance. Now there was no mistake that they were trying to kill us. Get ready, I told Wen Xue who nodded next to me. He had traded some of his spirit stones for an actual sword and numerous consumables.


    Hording wealth was no good if you were dead and a rank 5 blade would be useful even after he got past the first bottleneck. He had no experience with it, but it was better than nothing. He stayed a distance behind me. Our plan was simple. I would take out the leader, probably the elder, and then retreat towards him while reloading.


    I crouched a bit as I got ready as the enemy cultivators rushed through the trees towards us. They werent that spread out, moving in a inverse V formation with the strongest cultivator at the front as the point of their formation. It was a standard practice when moving to fight. The strongest cultivator would be the best one at handling attacks and blocking them.


    The lesser cultivators on the flanks would be able to adjust and attack from a distance. I noted they all had a weapon in their hands. Two of the rank 4 cultivators had guns, at the outside of their formation. The rest of them including the senior cultivator had swords.


    I had been practicing this move with my sword and then the gun, so I was more than ready to act at a moments notice. I had my sword in my left hand in a stance, raised up behind my head with my right hand extended.


    All the cultivators had dark martial robes with no markings on them. A clear sign they werent here to talk or make friends. The leader cultivator swept forward as the remaining four spread out to either side. They wouldnt waste bullets unless they had to. They would let the leader take point.


    My right hand gripped the gun and pulled it free from my spatial ring. I pulled the trigger and the various arrays twisted into a formation inside the weapon, drawing on the energy of the rank 6 spirit stone that I had slotted into the gun.


    That spirit stone determined the firing speed and the number of times I could fire. The bullet exited at near point blank range to surprised elder. I aimed for center mass, not wanting to risk missing. He tried to dodge, but it was too late.


    The sheer force from firing the gun, jerked my arm back and twisted me partially around. The bullet struck the elder in the side of his gut. A huge portion of his body was blown away in a shower of blood, bone, and viscera. It really was more of a hand cannon than a gun. The elder went spinning with a scream of pain as his sword went flying from his hand. I put my sword away as I changed the plan and darted forward, past the fallen elder on the ground. Audacity would see me through this.


    The remaining four cultivators, spun towards me. But the sword wielders were in the way of the gun wielders. I had practiced for hours in the last twenty days with reloading my gun as rapidly as possible. It only took a single second. I snapped the front of the barrel downwards, the spent shell ejecting with hiss from how warm it was.


    I quickly placed a rank 4 bullet into the gun and snapped it close. The rank 6 spirit stone would be good for four shots, before it needed to be replaced. One of the sword wielders was rushing in towards me with a shout as I brought up the gun at them.


    They immediately dodged to the side, clearing my next shot. I hesitated pulling the trigger since I was too far away to guarantee a hit on one of the gun wielders. I felt a bullet zip by head and a tree exploded in half a short distance away.


    I raced at the gun user I was aiming at, since his melee support had dodged to the side. I flung my hand to the side, touching, releasing, and activating several cannisters. Smoke exploded outwards as three cannisters were freed from my spatial ring, making it hard to see for everyone that didnt have my eyes.


    Stop! The gun wielder cried out in panic and raised his weapon. I was already aiming at him and he had come to a stop, instead of moving. I fired again, and adjusted to the recoil better this time. The cultivator was hit in the right shoulder, and a chunk of it was exploded away. His right arm went limp, dropping his weapon.


    I was already reloading as nearest sword wielder who had dodged raced at me. Piercing Ray! he screamed while thrusting forward with his weapon. I pulled out a metal formation plate from my spatial ring. It was only rank 3 metal, but I had purchased it for just this reason.


    The attack hit the plate mid-air, sending it spinning around as I finished loading my gun with another rank 4 bullet. I fired again as the sword cultivator was almost on top of me. I saw the look of despair on his face as the bullet struck him in the groin.


    My aim was terrible. I had been aiming for his chest. He screamed and collapsed to the ground from the wound as I kept moving away. The smoke cloud, I had left behind was spreading out as the two remaining cultivators raced through. They saw their companions as I finished reloading.


    Shoot him! The woman with the sword said and pulled out a large tower shield from his spatial ring and raced forward. A bullet went zipping by me once again. I heard its impact against the ground behind me.


    The woman holding the shield raced forward, using it to cover herself and get close. Ahhh! The gun wielder behind her screamed. I had watched Wen Xue move in to attack her. They had clearly forgotten about him or just werent paying attention.


    Kicking off the ground I flanked around the cultivator, but they appeared to have enough and quickly retreated back into the woods. Wen Xue came rushing out of the smoke and looked around. Anyone else? he asked.


    No. I got three and one ran. You get the last one? I asked him.


    From behind, yes, he replied, and I nodded at this. I would need to remember that shield trick against guns. Cultivators could rapidly close the distance and dodge, making it hard to track them. Even with increased bullet speeds from a high rank spirit stone, it was hard to hit a cultivator at a distance when they were moving about.


    I have awarded you 1,000 Sect Points, disciple Wen Xue. While small compared to the treasures you have found, it should give you peace of mind as you move forward in your cultivation. You are dismissed, he said.


    Thank you Sect Leader Jiang Fengge. Wen Xue got up and bowed before leaving. The Sect Leader turned to look at me. He face had more wrinkles and his skin was sagging.


    Yuan Zhou, my crazy disciple blessed by the heavens. You have done well. Very well, he replied with a heavy sigh.


    Thank you master, I replied.


    I was worried you wouldnt return with the needed materials, but it was a good choice to sell that Necronomicon. Even if the knowledge was useful, its value is limited for you. Your cultivation is already complicated enough. Bring out the treasures you have obtained and let me take a look, he replied. I carefully removed all six treasures in their specialized containers and set them in front of the Sect Leader on his desk.


    Ashes of the Forlorn Tree, Core Bone of a Rank 6 Beast, Black Poppy of Decay, Compressed Clear Jelly, Withering Weed, and a Petrified Sapling, I pointed each of them out.


    An eclectic mix, he replied and moved his hand to touch the container of each one. After a minute on each one he looked at them carefully before slowly nodding. They should work. I need to make my final arrangements, he said with a heavy sigh.


    Final arrangements master? I asked.


    Yes. Such an operation will cost me my life. I bowed my head as I understood what he was saying. He was planning to rip out a piece of cultivation to counter Aoyin. It is the least I can do for the trouble that has befallen you. Look after the sect, once I am gone. I worry for Liu Chen, he said.


    I will master. Thank you for everything, I replied.


    Once you become an immortal, drink a cup of tea in my honor, he replied and I looked at him in shock at that. It was something my first master Yi Rong had said as well. It is a tradition for a master to tell their disciple that once they come up against the limit of their age.


    Do you have any other advice? I asked. He was silent again for a while, but I didnt say anything, before he reached into his desk and pulled out a scroll case, embossed with countless symbols I had never seen before. It was an array that used a completely different base than all the arrays I had seen including the Floating Island of Death.


    While I didnt know much, I could recognize components. Like spotting certain statements in a line of code. But this was entirely different code if I was looking at it right. The Sect Leader set the scroll case in front of me.


    This my disciple, is my greatest treasure. A token of passage to the Firmament. For each person that returns, they are given three of them. I have already traded away two and this is my last, he said.


    You want me to use it? I asked and he nodded. He then set a journal down next to it.


    Indeed. I have written a journal on my travels. That I will pass on to you. Just as my master gave to me. And hopefully you pass on as well. The danger is beyond compare, he replied with a heavy sigh. He seemed to be doing that quite a bit. But there is no other way for you to cross through the fourth stage of cultivation.


    Where should I take the pass? I asked.


    You will travel to the peak of Mount Vortex. It is a forbidden place at the Northern part of the continent, which is lawless. Getting there is its own test. Upon the peak you will find the Wandering Immortal Gongong. He will give you passage beyond the continent and allow for your return. The price back is not cheap, but the longer you stay beyond these boarders and are not an immortal, the quicker death will come for you, he explained.


    So, get the resources I need and then return? I asked and the Sect Leader nodded.


    That and the fee for the passage back. All the advice and wisdom is contained in that journal. Beyond that, it is best you make your own judgements. Narrating my experiences will cloud your judgement. I would advise you not to read too deeply either as your perspective and understanding will be clouded, he said.


    There is risk in knowing something? I asked.


    No. But there are many risks. Assuming understanding or familiarity with anything in the Firmament is a quick way to die. To cloud your path with my own, and the luck I experienced would be foolish. It might give you perspective, but beyond that I would hesitate to say more. He waved his hand at me. I carefully picked up both items and put them into my spatial ring.


    Clearly he had been waiting for me to come back successful before giving me such treasures. If there was no danger in reading the journal, I would definitely be reading it. I stood up and bowed. Thank you master. I told him with sincerity, grateful for everything he had done.


    Just remember your promise to see the Cloudy Moon Sect be successful. Perhaps one day you will sit here as young disciples bother you for help in their cultivation. Go and rest. No cultivating. We will perform the procedure a month from now. I know you are eager, but doing the procedure before you start your third stage would be for the best, he replied and then dismissed me.


    Leaving his office, I made my way to my room. Looking at the picture on the wall, I would need to take a short leave to visit my family before coming back here. I would be cultivating for quite a while after the procedure. Decades upon decades.


    This would be the last time I would get to see my mother most likely. I felt a heavy heart about that. Even with the Displacement Channel Carver, I had a lot more channels, that were far more complex than other cultivators. I would also need to attune my channels. That was something I needed to follow up with as well.


    Wealth was flowing in, and I had quite a bit that was left over from my time in Imperial City, but I needed more. The number of spirit stones I would need would be massive. I would need 5,216 level 4 spirit stones in total, or around 57,376 rank 3 spirit stones to trade for the higher rank of spirit stones I needed.


    That wasnt just one beast tide, that was multiple beast tides worth of spirit stones. That was 4 rank 4 spirit stones per channel and meridian pair. The only thing left in the third stage was sitting around and hard work. After all my adventures, it would be nice to finally rest without worry and focus on cultivation.


    The fourth stage could come later. Once I reached the fourth stage, I would be able to learn techniques as well, which I was excited about. Proper magic would be amazing to learn. My mood soured I thought of the Sect Leader who was giving his life to counter what Aoyin had done to me. I didnt know their history, but the only thing I could do was be grateful.


    Once Aoyins Fang was countered in my head, I wouldnt have to worry about it anymore. That would make things much simpler, with only the sheer amount of drops of energy for the fourth stage being the main barrier that was remaining. The higher stages, I had some idea about, but there was no use worrying about any of that right now.


    The most important thing was to rest and the quickly progress through the third stage. Despite having to go to the Floating Island of Death, this stage felt a lot easier compared to the second stage and getting all those flowers. I kind of agreed with Wen Xue. Adventuring, while highly profitable was also dangerous. There were risks in leaving the sect, Aoyin being the perfect example of such a risk. With everything secured, there was no need to leave the sect for the third stage of my cultivation.

 Chapter 47: A Moment Of Peace

    Chapter 47: A Moment Of Peace


    I continued kneeling in front of the grave. My mother had passed away, from what was most likely a stroke. There were no autopsies done in cultivation land. But based on the description, she collapsed and began seizing. She passed shortly after that. That had happened two years ago while I had been at the Floating Island of Death.


    Lighting the incense in front of the grave at the family compound, I knelt there quietly thinking about my choices in this life. I had started on the path of immortality because of fear of death. I had died once before, I didnt want to die again. I didnt like thinking about my death. It caused me to feel a feeling of fear.


    Even my reincarnation into this life was done by an unknown force. I didnt like the idea of higher powers. But if there was one out there I would say a prayer. If anyone is listening. My mother, Yuan Wen was a decent mother. While she was prone to drama and overacting, she did care. I took a deep breath before continuing.


    Making sure I succeeded while keeping me away from the politics of the family. I wiped my cherubic face. Everyone was getting older and older while I remained. The gravestone was well made. The Yuan family would not dare to offend me over something like this. She wasnt next to my father. That spot was reserved for the main wife.


    Getting up I bowed to my mothers grave. I then walked over to my fathers grave and bowed before it. I turned to leave the graveyard and found my Yuan Yun waiting for me. His hair had a lot of gray and he was using a cane. He had also put on a bit of weight.


    Brother, he said with a bow.


    First brother, I replied with a nod.


    I am glad to see you got the news, he replied. I nodded at this as we slowly left the grave yard, walking togeather. She was a woman with a strong personality. That is why father liked her, my brother replied.


    Strong personality is right. How are things in the family? I asked to be polite.


    I am retired now. My first son, Yuan Zhu now manages things. Third brother has also passed away, he said.


    When? How? I asked.


    Half a year ago. Drug overdose. Or his liver just gave out after all these years. You know how he liked to indulge. The theater was his playground, my first brother said, and I nodded at this. I let out a heavy sigh. Everyone I knew was dying.


    Fourth brother? I asked.


    Left to travel once you gave him his divorce settlement. I havent heard from him since. No idea where he is, Yuan Yun said. Your sister was asking after you.


    That is my next stop. I There was a lot of hesitation to say what I was going to say, but it needed to be said. I wont be returning for a while most likely. Taking a break during my next stage of cultivation is not simple or easy.


    I understand brother. Us fleeting mortals, are but dust on the ether, memories remain, he said. It took me a moment to realize what he had just done.


    Taking an interest in the arts? I asked.


    A hobby of mine to write haikus in my old age. I should have a few decades left, but I feel older just looking at you, he replied.


    I feel short, I joked, and we both chuckled at this. We continued to walk in silence. It was most likely our last meeting.


    As we reached the exit to the family compound I paused. Here. If a family member believes they can cultivate, let this help them on their path, I pulled out a rank 3 spirit stone and tossed it over. My brother caught it with wide eyes and quickly pocketed it.


    You dont need to do this, but thank you brother, he said.


    Consider a repayment of debts. I was pretty sure karma wasnt a thing, but there was only so much I could do. I had other things to focus on. Money was easy, spending my time was much more difficult. I paused and gave my brother a hug, surprising him. I broke all the formal rules of etiquette by doing this, but after that visit to the grave I was feeling depressed as people I knew passed away while I remained.


    Letting go of my brother, I turned and left decisively. There was no need to say anything more. I slowly made my way through Half Moon City to the Yao family compound. Everyone steered clear of me since I was in my martial robes with the sect symbol.


    I saw rickshaws moving about, while others were walking to carry out their errands. I reached the Yao family compound and no one dared stop me as I entered. I was shown to a sitting room. It didnt take long for my sister, Yao Chuntao to show up.


    Brother, she said and gave me a hug. I gave her a hug back. Everything was going well with her and mother.


    You remember how she always used to gasp dramatically and wave her hands up to her head, my sister said.


    Yes. It was very over the top, I replied with a small smile.


    Or that one time, you told the cooks to add extra spice to our evening meal.


    If I recall sister, that was you. Saying the food was boring, I countered.


    But you told the cooks what to do. Everyone tried not to say anything while eating, until it became too much, my sister chuckled.


    I think that was one of the few times we were ever yelled at, I said.


    I know, it was hilarious. How is my daughter? she asked, changing the subject.


    She is doing well. Elder Li Fu is looking after her and she is progressing through the second stage of cultivation. It will take time, but I doubt she is going to go on any crazy adventures like I did, I replied.


    You must have went on another one. What happened? I could tell my sister was excited. While she was happy being a mother and with her life, she liked to hear about the trouble I got up to. I then told her about my journey to the Floating Island of Death, the zombies, and then fighting enemy cultivators.


    Fighting, I am glad you won, she said.


    They werent martial cultivators. Just rouge cultivators with weapons. Probably grew up in Imperial City and wanted to make some money on the side. There are a lot of cultivators there that arent tied to the Imperial Sect, I replied.


    And you won. I cant even imagine the danger, she said. At least you are safe now little brother. I rolled my eyes at her teasing.


    I am going to be cultivating for a long time. I cant easily stop without risk, I said. There was a long stretch of silence. My sister reached out and I did the same. She gripped my hand, giving it a slight squeeze, even if my flesh didnt budge in the slightest.


    We sat there enjoying each others company for the rest of the day. That evening, I left and began making my way back to the sect. Starting and stopping the force chamber for my attunement wasnt practical and would waste energy.


    Instead, I would be put into an enclosed underground room. The spirit stones I had would be loaded up into the massive formation to generate force energy. The chamber would have a bucket, beast jerky, and reinforced barrels of water.


    No lights and nothing else. It was similar to the soul reflection chamber, just built with longer term use in mind, but was still incredibly small. Since it was meant for long term use, and during the third stage of cultivation, it was more a tomb than anything else. It was deep underground with other similar chambers that the sect had for other attunement purposes, specifically earth.


    Junior greets Sect Leader Li Fu? I said with a bit of hesitation.


    It will be announced right before the next arrival, but Sect Leader Jiang Fengge has retired and gone into seclusion, Sect Leader Li Fu said. Come sit. I was just about finished.


    I nodded at took a seat. It felt odd that Jiang Fengge had left without a goodbye. I guess he wasnt a fan of them and we had already said everything to each other that needed to be said. The new Sect Leader Li Fu took a seat behind the desk.


    You will remain the Sect Disciple. Your status wont be changing. You can keep your room and your privileges.


    Thank you, Sect Leader, I said with a bowed head.


    It would be a disservice and an insult to do otherwise. Your niece, will remain a Core Disciple. A Sect Disciple is not a position given lightly. Jiang Fengge only managed to do so, due to your accomplishments and his time as Sect Leader. I nodded at this to show my understanding.


    I will also add that the Sect cannot help you in the fourth stage. The amount of resources required is astronomical. I know that preparations were already made? Sect Leader Li Fu asked.


    Another trip to find resources, into the Firmament, I replied. Elder Li Fu let out a sigh.


    That is what I figured. I have little experience in this matter. And will not interfere. But I will require a signed contract handing over your share of the mining business once you reach the fourth stage and depart, he replied.


    I frowned at this. Not even a day later, and my business was already being moved in on. Why? I asked.


    You will most likely die once you depart. Normally this wouldnt matter, but there are two other competing interests from the Imperial Sect. If you dont return, this could create long term issues, he replied.


    That is a big if, I countered. I wasnt about to give up my company, even if the new Sect Leader was pressuring me.


    Indeed. If I had something like your business, I wouldnt want to give it up either. But you will be compensated. He pulled out a folded piece of paper and set it in front of me. I picked it up and unfolded it. The offer was basically a rank 8 treasure of some kind. A top tier item or spirit stone.


    If I refuse? I asked.


    We can put a clause in of 1,000 years. If you return in that time, then the business and all money left behind will be taken by the Sect. That will be a massive amount and a long enough time frame to confirm your death.


    What about the Soul Lantern? I asked which should keep track of if I was dead or alive.


    Not useful. Once you attempt to break through your bottleneck, that will not trigger it. Also, there are things out there in the Firmament that could block the connection. While unlikely, the Sect is not a bank, for the amount of wealth that will accumulate once you are gone, he replied.


    Even in Imperial City? I asked.


    Once a concentration of wealth grows large enough, anyone would be tempted. That is why we cant just stockpile for you for centuries on end, Elder Li Fu explained. I frowned a bit, but it made sense. Too much wealth concentrated in one place could invite disaster.


    My thoughts went to the rank 8 coffin that Aoyin had given me, that I refused to use. It would have been tempting to try and pass it off as coming from the Floating Island of Death, but Wen Xue would have brought up too many questions about its origin and I would have to share any proceeds from the sale.


    A thousand years was a long time, and the amount of wealth that would accumulate would be quite a bit. I could even see an Immortal taking notice. While they might not act, it would invite questions. However there had to be other cultivators who left for a time and then came back.


    I could live up to 2,200 years or so if I make it past the first bottleneck. I had been reading the Sect Leaders journal about the Firmament. It was a crazy place. But I also knew that Elder Li Fu wanted the business and was willing to take advantage of me to get it.


    The question was the value of the business. Back on Earth, the price of a business was based on three years worth of revenue and profit. But in cultivation land, there was no set standard. The issue was that cultivators lived too long. Very rarely did they want to sell something that was already making them money.


    But there was an opportunity. If I did sell the business, I could invest in equipment and good for when I left. Money sitting around wouldnt help me get past the first bottleneck. The sheer number of resources at the Core Formation stage I would need was massive.


    Elder Li Fu clearly knew this as well, which was why he was pressuring me now. He smelled blood in the water and was a shark going after a tasty meal. Zheng Ting remains employed as long as she desires and the equivalent of two rank 8 treasures. And my third stage is paid for.


    That was seriously undervaluing the long value of my mining business and my share. But it was a reasonable compromise. One rank 8 treasure, but the rest is acceptable, Sect Leader Li Fu countered.


    That is low, far too low, I replied.


    It will take 200 years to earn the equivalent of a rank 8 treasure, he countered. He let out a sigh. That was another reason for my suspicions on what was going on.


    I will sign things over once I am done with the third stage and depart, I finally said after thinking over things. I didnt want to rush into a decision. If I got past the first bottleneck, then I should be nearly unstoppable. Sect Leader Li Fu would have to bow his head towards me and accept unfairness thrown his way.


    But right now I was too weak and had very little backing. Sect Leader Jiang Fengge had always been in my corner, advising me, and helping me along my path of cultivation. But now that he had retried, there was nothing more I could do about the situation but accept it.


    I had no doubt that Sect Leader Li Fu could make my life difficult if he wanted to. Like the formation I would be using to attune my channels to force energy, was something made and developed by the sect as a long term investment.


    Our meeting quickly wrapped up after that. The vultures were circling and I needed to keep progressing. While other people might have been tempted to force the issue with Sect Leader Li Fu, it just wasnt worth the risk or the hassle. There would be no winning for me. I couldnt depose Li Fu or go against him right now. That meant I could only endure his bullying. For that was what that entire conversation had been, not matter how polite it had been.


    The month slowly passed as I reread my Masters journal over and over about the Firmament. The outside land of the cultivation continent was much more diverse and varied. So, while this created a lot of novel options in terms of cultivation, there were a lot of risks as well.


    But with risks came rewards. Selling my business made sense in this context. I would sell it, in exchange for high quality spatial rings, and stuff to bring along with me for trade. It felt like I was going backwards in business, going from a multi-national business owner to a trader. But it was all about at what level of wealth a person operated at. Trading direct goods was far more impactful than letting spirit stones pile up here where I couldnt get to them.


    The month slowly passed by and I was cleared by Elder Healer Meihui. I had gotten enough advice about the third stage, that I wasnt worried about what I had to do. Wen Xue had provided several useful tips to manage cultivating at the third stage of Meridian Attunement.


    The first thing was to not stop carving out a meridian and channel pair no matter what. I needed to mentally focus, painfully breaking apart the portions in my soul that were surrounded by interlinked aligned motes.


    This was where the triangular mental model would show value. One carved out their own soul with mental will power and fortitude. I would then need to use the Displacement Channel Carver to draws out the remains of breaking my cultivation, speeding things up.


    After that it was just about working as efficiently as possible. As my channels were carved I would draw in the force energy permeating the room I would be cultivating inside of. My meridians and channels would be attuned to force energy.


    As I was led into the underground chamber and locked away with enough supplies for three months in the darkness. The inside of the room didnt light up in the slightest. All the arrays were in separate layers. I could slowly feel my body getting squeezed.


    Taking a deep breath, I focused my mind on the first inverse wave cone meridian I would be forming in my arm. Bit by bit, I felt the most minute pieces of my astral soul crumble away. My other hand had the Displacement Channel Carver. I could feel the bits of carved up soul getting pulled out of my body.


    It wasnt completely unpleasant, but weird. Like getting pinched where I didnt expect to get pinched on my body. I lost track of time in the darkness, only able to tell how long I had been cultivating from the water and the food remaining. The hardest part was how slow it was. If I didnt pull out the broken up pieces of my soul, it would take incredibly long to make any kind of progress, since the remnants settled incredibly quickly.

 Chapter 48: Cultivating The Third Stage

    Chapter 48: Cultivating The Third Stage


    I sat in the force chamber. I could almost taste the energy in the air as it pressed down on me. I had just woken up after a nap, from cultivating my ninth channel and meridian pair. I had the process down for the most part.


    It had been slow and frustrating the first time, but the next eight times had given me enough confidence and experience to go quickly and efficiently. The trick was to not hesitate while carving out my channels. If you went too slow then then ones astral soul hardened too quickly.


    Before I started on the next pair, I took the time to eat, drink, and relieve myself. The waste bucket was about halfway full, and it was almost time to empty it into the waste barrel, which used to be a food barrel. But the real cost to this kind of chamber was entering and exiting, allowing the energy to dissipate. That was why I had taken the absolute maximum number of resources when I entered and planned to stay in here until they were all out.


    Thankfully, I could get away with eating and drinking less, and carefully paced myself. I really didnt want to use the waste bucket, but there was no choice. I carefully removed the lid and a horrible smell assaulted me. I quickly did my business and closed it back up. I was more than happy to pay the costs of having the waste bucket and barrels sealed with arrays. Sure they cost a single rank 1 spirit stone, but it was worth it in my mind.


    With how bad the smell could get, there was no way I would be able to cultivate for years on end in this tiny chamber with such a horrible smell. Speed was absolutely key in terms of completing my third stage of cultivation in any reasonable time.


    I had been stuck in this horrible chamber for almost a year. For any other cultivator this speed would have been insane. Completing one or two channels per year was considered the standard. I would be completing ten per year. It was mind boggling, but the Displacement Channel Carver, had been worth it by a large margin.


    It was a huge investment and worth every single bit of effort I had taken to get it. After doing my business, I quickly sealed up the bucket and took the time to stretch. Only the soft blue glow of the arrays and formations lit up the tiny chamber. It was about the size of a studio apartment in a major city, so a shoebox in my mind.


    Thankfully I wasnt claustrophobic, otherwise there was no way I would have been able to last. There was nothing to do but cultivate and rest down here. With the amount of force energy, the barrels were made out of spirit wood and metal in order to withstand the crushing force inside the chamber.


    The sect and the Sect Leader had clearly gone all out in terms of quality and investing in me. I did bring back a lot of wealth and the chamber could be reused after I was done. Still, it was nice to see that all the contributions I had made to the sect giving tangible benefits back in return.


    I finished my stretching and had a short meal of salted beast meat and a couple cups of water. Once I started carving out my channel, I needed to go as long as possible until the moment I couldnt continue. Then I would pass out and wake up as quickly as possible after that. Repeating that process until the channel was carved out.


    The only way I was able to keep track of the time, was how long the spirit stones lasted on the barrels in order to seal them. Otherwise I would have no idea how long things had taken. Even then it wasnt precise, since there were gaps in spirit stone being used up and a new one being applied. Once every 100 days.


    I laid out small spirit wood sticks for each spirit stone that had been consumed by the waste bucket. There were three sticks laid out, and based on how long it took to carve a channel, I had probably been in here around 320 to 340 days.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)


    This test of being stuck in a chamber, cultivating was probably the hardest thing I had to do so far. It was mentally exhausting. I had never considered this issue before, since the previous stages had been rushed through once, I had the needed supplies and I cultivated while traveling. For the third stage, I needed to stay inside this chamber to attune my meridians to force energy. It was a massive luxury other cultivators would have killed for.


    While I wasnt one to needlessly charge out and risk my life, being stuck in a tiny chamber for almost a year was mentally taxing. Cultivation might strengthen my body and soul, but my mental state was a reflection of myself. It was something I would have to ask about once I left this chamber for the first time.


    There was no more putting off carving my next channel once I finished my meal. I lay down on the angled stone table in the center of the tiny chamber. I had used my martial robes as a pillow to rest my head and the sleeves to go over my eyes to block out what little light there was from distracting me. While I could kind of look at my body, it was distracting and not very helpful.


    I picked the next channel I was carving out. There was an order to these things. Rotate around the body to reduce the stress placed on ones soul. Longer and more complex channels first, since they would impact more of the body. As one progressed through the third stage it would become slightly harder. It was a minor amount, but where every advantage was grasped, it was highly recommended to do the longer and more complex channels first.


    Personally, I hadnt noticed a huge difference in terms of difficulty between the first and the ninth channel, but I wasnt going to reject millennia of wisdom. This time, I was doing a channel that started below my left eye. This was going to hurt.


    The first step was to carve out my meridian, this was the most painful part. I pulled out a jade needle. The one I had was top quality, and they werent that expensive. One couldnt get a fancier needle or a better one. It was a staple of the third stage, and while people had looked there was no better material than jade, which was quite common. Even the Imperial Sect used jade needles on the third stage.


    I slowly pushed the needle into my skin. At the same time it also pushed into my soul, breaking through the outer part. I adjusted my arms to rest on my chest while doing this, being comfortable in a single position for a long period of time was important. The jade needle was in place, time for step two.


    With my right hand I brought up the end of the displacement channel carver to where the needle was stuck into my face. I personally liked to think of it like treating a tooth. The jade needle was the scraper, and the Displacement Channel Carver was the suction device.


    Once everything was in place, I twisted the jade needle a full rotation. Energy from the surrounding began to be pulled in one end and blasted out the other into my soul. I had control of this energy. I focused on shaping the energy into a circular drill. The debris that were very tiny bits of my soul, were quickly sucked up allowing me to quickly make progress.


    A regular cultivator would have to focus on expelling these tiny soul bits. Sure, it was easy at the start, but the longer and further the channel, it became much more difficult. Like trying to drill sand, the sand would just mostly settle back down.


    That was why the process took so incredibly long. But with the Displacement Channel Carver, the end would be as nearly easy as the start. I just needed to focus as I drilled down. Thankfully the walls of my meridian and channels acted as a guide.


    Like having clay inside a steel barrier. I might scrape along the edges occasionally, but as long as I wasnt digging into them that was fine. It hurt quite a lot at first, but then the pain mostly became a numb feeling.


    The wave cone meridian design didnt take long, as I quickly drilled down. One aspect of the third stage of cultivation was gaining a much more in depth feeling of ones body. If the first stage was moving motes around and the second stage was to make the scaffolding, the third stage would fill in all the floors and completing the interior work.


    Once I hit the bottom of the wave cone meridian, I spent a moment clearing and touching up a few places I had missed. This involved just blasting the minor spots with force energy the needle was pulling in.


    It was important to do the minor touchups now and per each section in my channel. Once that was complete, I mentally focused on the triangular drilling method I had come up with years ago. A method to make triangular channels. Spinning a pointed oval around, and then spinning the entire pointed oval around in an almost circular pattern.


    Pulling the force energy down to the tiny energy construct I had made. I began to drill out my channel. It took a moment at the start, due to me taking time to clean up and the edge hardening, but after that it went smoothly just like how I felt during the previous nine times.


    This did make it harder to carve portions out of the core later on, but it was the only option. The weird part about carving out portions of ones soul was that if they were not dislodged, they would remain in place to the rest of the body. So, it didnt make a huge difference to carve out around the edges of my core first.


    The main thing was to try and not let any areas I dug into with a channel connect to other channels across the core until the very end. Otherwise, the small bits of my soul could settle in places I would have to dislodge and remove. It also might cause my core to start drawing in energy too soon, which would complicate things, pushing me into the fourth stage before I was ready.


    I cleared out the portion of my core, that I had set aside for this channel. I would leave a super thin barrier, as I carved out the other channels, keeping things separate in my core for as long as possible. Some channels converged before reaching my cores, but they would just connect, no further portions would be connected to my core.


    Once I finished my tenth channel, I first twisted the jade needle and carefully removed it. I felt pain on my face and across the entire length of the channel until it reached my core. After that I immediately went to sleep. I always pushed myself a bit more than I should at the very end.


    This was my life day in and day out. I was trying to go as fast as possible, but I couldnt afford to miss any soul bits that remained behind. I couldnt dig any faster, since it was a limit of the amount of energy I could bring to bear inside each channel.


    The energy limit was something that wasnt easily overcome. It was another thing I had asked about, but there wasnt anything anyone could do without risking ones cultivation. Using a larger jade needle was about the most one could do, and I was already using the largest size.


    While it was a decent amount of draw at the middle, it was painful at the start, and almost not enough at the very end. Anything larger and I would have serious problems near my meridian. Changing out jade needles wasnt an option in my mind, since it could compromise my meridian.


    There had been work with one jade needle surrounding another and pushing more down, but that was only slightly better than just switching out a jade needle. That thin barrier that formed after a soul was dug out was incredibly important on ones meridian. Damage to that would only risk future problems.


    After having discussed things over and reviewing my options, I elected to go the more traditional route than trying anything creative. With the Displacement Channel Carver, these small boosts werent needed, with the negatives they brought along.


    Now I had just 1,294 more channels to carve out. Unless something changed in a major way, which was unlikely to happen, that meant about 130 more years of cultivation, which would put me around 180 years old when I entered the fourth stage.


    There was no known way to speed this up. Even after paying the information brokers in Imperial City, the best item was the Displacement Channel Carver. Anything else was just a lesser version or had to do with the attunement one got from the energy sources they used while carving out their channels.


    Experience would help a bit, but after 10 channels, I was already as efficient as I would get in digging them out. It was a daunting thing to think about how much further I had to go, and how mind numbing this all was.


    When I woke up, I had thoughts about quitting or just giving up. And it wasnt the first time either. It was something that wasnt often discussed, but there were cultivators who just gave up. They were viewed as quitters and wastes of resources. The level of shame for a quitter was immense.


    It was one thing to be stuck at the bottleneck and working to get past it, but it was another thing to completely give up. If someone gave up when starting, why even start in the first place? Why waste resources?


    After five decades, I had finally stumbled on the answer on why all the cultivators were basically aesthetic monks. Even the more martial cultivators were subdued. This kind of long stretch of time where a person couldnt do anything else would wear on ones psyche. If I didnt need perfect attunement for my meridians and channels, then it would have been possible to take breaks outside this chamber to cultivate, between each channel.


    It was also a waste of energy and resources to do anything else, but sleep, cultivate, and attend to some bodily functions. I couldnt bring anything else in the force chamber. The place was already quite cramped with supplies.


    Once I woke up, I relieved myself, and then began to eat and drink. I looked at my remaining supplies. I had another nine years and change in this chamber. Another risk of starting and stopping, was that part of the design sealed me off from the outside world.


    If the formations lost power, I would have to stop my cultivation fairly quickly, with the hope that I was at the end of a channel. I would probably reach 100 channels over the course of a decade, maybe 1 or 2 more. While addition was fine, the brutality of multiplication that was my cultivation was biting me on the rear.


    Starting and stopping was just too expensive as well and would make my heart bleed if I did anything less than the maximum I could per session. I was definitely taking three to six months off once I was out of this chamber, that was for sure. Remind myself what the sun and people were like.


    I chewed on my salted meat and then drank some water. It was time to start my eleventh channel and repeat the entire process all over again. This time I was going from my left hand. I lay down on my stone table after making sure everything was set up. I wouldnt be getting up for a bit over a month.


    All of this made me wonder how people came up with cultivation, but I figured over 200,000 years just for the third age, that there were bound to be developments. That was around 40 generations for rank 8 cultivators, which was about 800 years back on Earth.


    It wasnt impossibly long when people had long lifespans. But sitting in this chamber day after day, it was easy to see why cultivators believed themselves above mortals. To push themselves to such an extent, in the path of immortality and power required a very strong belief in oneself.


    Lifting up the jade needle in my right hand I hesitated for around five minutes. I then let out a long sigh. There was no quitting. I had risked death to get this far. I couldnt just give up on the incredibly boring, tedious, and mentally draining part after completing all the near impossible parts. It really would be such a waste, that even I would cough out blood.


    Even with all that, it felt agonizing to slowly put the jade needle into my left hand. And it was more than just pain from the needle itself puncturing my soul. It was pushing through the mental block I was developing around cultivation. Even my long carriage ride after entering the astral plane, was more interesting than being stuck in a tiny chamber.


    I felt like I was doing something, returning to the sect, even while cultivating. Even if I had something to read, I couldnt afford the distraction. My speed was dependent on my focus. The more I was distracted the slower I would go which would lead to a self-destructive spiral.


    This was why cultivators looked down on other cultivators who were pill pushers to get through the first stage. If one lacked the mental strength to spend time gathering motes they would never have time for the third stage and possibly later stages.


    I twisted the needle, and quickly picked up the Displacement Channel Carver immediately after with my right hand. Some channels would be a much bigger pain than others, but I would manage. As long as I had at least one hand to work with, I would be able to manage. The tricky part was to find a position that I would move as little as possible at the start. Risking the needle moving and damaging my tiny meridian in any way was unacceptable.


    If I was going to suffer, then I wasnt going to self-sabotage myself. I started digging out my next meridian and channel pair.

 Chapter 49: A Surprise Visit

    Chapter 49: A Surprise Visit


    I felt the ground shake, just as I was digging up my 91st channel. I knew everything about my chamber and the environment I had been stuck in for such a long time. That was why the ground shaking was so surprising. That had never happened before and the mountain the Cloudy Moon Sect was built on was quite stable.


    There was no hidden volcano or other such local formation that I needed to worry about. The only thing that could shake the ground like this was a battle between two cultivators. I kept cultivating, while hoping it was nothing serious. I needed to keep focusing on my cultivation.


    The ground shook a second time. The glowing blue parts of the chamber dimmed slightly before coming back. I felt a massive wave of foreign energy pressing down from above. I was close enough to done, that I wasnt worried and moved to the clean up phase for this last section. It would be a lot harder, but things were falling around me. There were slightly better places to stop, and I wanted to make sure I ended on one, than a troublesome stopping point.


    For one moment, I was in free fall as the entire chamber shifted downwards. I kept my body absolutely stiff so no mistakes happened. I quickly stopped my cultivation and twisted the jade needle before pulling it out. The blue light flickered much more. I quickly put away the jade needle in my spatial ring and put on my sect robe. The entire chamber had shifted to a slight angle and I noted minute cracks around the doorway.


    I pushed on the door, but it wouldnt open until the chamber ran out of energy. I was trapped inside and began to panic slightly as the ground shook once more. The entire chamber lifted up slightly and it went completely dark. A sprinkle of dust fell on my head.


    Pushing on the stone door, it was stuck. I pulled out my rank 5 sword and stabbed outwards through the door. It cut through the stone doorway very slowly. This would ruin the chamber, but I was afraid the entire thing would collapse I might get trapped underground.


    Another massive way of energy pushed downwards. I let go of my blade and collapsed to the ground, unable to breathe or move. The pressure went away, and I slowly stood up, very carefully finding the hilt of my sword and cutting into the doorway once more.


    I cut through edges, except for the base. I then slammed my body against the door and pushed it over. The staircase beyond it was much more damaged than the chamber. The ground shook again, but not as violently as before. Hesitating for a moment, I raced back into the chamber and quickly put all the supplies, including the waste bucket, into one of my spatial rings. After that I held onto the sword, as I quickly raced up the staircase.


    It was quite long climb, since the chamber had been built very deep in the mountain to prevent any disturbances during extended periods of cultivation. The fact the entire ground was heaving was incredibly worrying. Another wave of pressure struck down on me and I slammed into the staircase in front of me. Thankfully I didnt impale myself with my sword. Once the wave of pressure disappeared, I put my blade away in one of my spatial rings and continued to rush upwards. Stabbing myself would be an idiotic way to die.


    Just when I was about one floor from the top, I came to a cave in. The ground kept shaking, and there were more waves of pressure, as I began to try and dig my way upwards. I only paused once to have some water and food and kept digging. I was incredibly tired, but with the formations not working, there would be no air to breathe down here. I needed to get out as quickly as possible.


    It was an hour or so after the first tremor that they stopped. I had no way to tell the time. No more waves of pressure either. Five hours after that, I finally broke through to the surface. The staircase was only reinforced with a technique, not any kind of array or formation, which meant it was simply a matter of tossing debris back down the staircase behind me.


    I could see light. Clearing the rubble, I quickly crawled through the hole and made my way outside. This was one of the few times I was grateful to still be the size of a small child. It let me escape cave-ins much more easily.


    Letting out a relieved sigh, I looked around. It was dawn, at least it appeared so through the haze of dust. There was dust everywhere that made everything yellow and hazy. I slowly made my way out of the collapsed building and carefully looked around.


    The building I had climbed out of was mostly gone. A large portion had been destroyed, similar to other nearby buildings. I slowly made my way through the rubble to the center of the sect. If anyone was still alive, they would go there.


    I spotted my first corpse. They were wearing disciple robes. The back of their robe was bloody and ripped up, but it wasnt clear what killed them. A super beast of some kind? I spotted a couple more disciples and a member, all savaged in some way and in a pool of blood. I noted the blood was still fairly fresh, which meant that they had died when all the tremors were occurring.


    There was no sign or clue about who the attackers were. I then reached the center of the sect. The haze of dust was quite a bit. That was why I almost missed the large pit. Where the Sect Leaders home once stood, there was nothing, but a pit and body parts scattered about inside. The smell of blood was heavy in the air.


    I saw a left shoulder connected to a head and carefully went over. I flipped over the deceased. It was the elder Yi Meifeng. My heart shot up into my throat and I had to push back the bile. There was no sign of a sword or any other valuable. Whomever or whatever killed people, left nothing behind. I slowly made my way to the bottom of the pit. There was something down there, an array of some kind.


    My heart stopped as I looked upon an incredibly macabre display. Sect Leader Li Fus head rested on a pillar of stone. That pillar had an array. The head was still alive. Its eyes were moving. What happened? I whispered out. The bloodshot eyes darted towards me. Sect Leader Li Fu was trying to say something, but nothing was coming out. I felt fear and shock. Who could have been strong enough to do this? Why would they do this?


    I hesitated on what to do. On one hand, putting him out of his misery seemed like the right thing to do if this was just a message. But there was a good chance this was a trap for any survivors. Cultivators didnt adhere to the Geneva Convention, which meant booby trapping people and corpses was a valid tactic.


    I am sorry Sect Leader, I said very quietly and bowed my head. I noticed he had closed his eyes as well. I quickly moved out of the pit, the dust bothering my eyes quite a bit. I began to check the various buildings, but they were all destroyed, with corpses scattered about. There were no supplies or cultivation materials that I could find either. Something or someone had swept through the sect and took everything of value.


    After several minutes of pointless searching, I went towards the administrative hall in the outer portion of the sect. It was destroyed as well, nothing of value left behind. Not even food. I hadnt found any survivors either.


    It was time to get out of here. I didnt want to risk whatever had done this coming back to finish me. I made my way to the staircase that led up to the sect from the base of the mountain, but paused at the massive cliff that was now there instead. I gulped at the sight, as some of the dust had settled and I could see a massive debris field in front of the cliff. Like someone had exploded the entire mountain outwards.


    Chunks of dirt and rock were still crumbling slightly down the massive cliff. I was in shock over what had occurred. One moment, there was a sect with a couple thousand cultivators, now it was a wasteland of destruction and death.


    I hesitated before running off, which was my first instinct. My niece, she might still be alive. I had only looked over a small part of the sect. I looked out at the destruction and then back at the sect, hesitating to make up my mind. The unknown was the scariest thing to confront. Whatever had done all of this was out of my weight class. The stone pillar with the Sect Leaders head, which made me sick to think about, was clearly done by something powerful and intelligent.


    Anything that could rip through elder cultivators was not someone I could face. A minute went by, while I was still unable to make up my mind. That was when I spotted a figure advancing towards me out of the cloud of dust hanging around the entirety of the sect. Their cultivation looked weird. Like it had been smeared inside their body. I had never seen someone with a cultivation like this.


    Oooh, a survivor, a younger looking man said. Based on the energy as part of his cultivation I would guess he was of the fourth rank, which meant he was really a dangerous grandpa. Not super dangerous, since he wasnt past the first bottleneck, but ahead of me, if I observing the density of his cultivation correctly. He was wearing black and red martial robes with no symbol on them. A hundred questions raced through my head, and I didnt know want one to ask first.


    Why? I asked. The young man gave a shrug and flicked his hand to the side, a sword quickly fell into his palm. I did the same thing, drawing my blade from my spatial ring.


    A sword user? How delightful, the young man replied with a grin. My mind was racing as he kept advancing giving an occasional casual wave of his sword. It was clear he thought me beneath him. That was his mistake. Time to get one last bit of information before I killed him.


    I am Yuan Zhou, sect disciple of the Cloudy Moon Sect, I replied.


    The genius. I will only take your limbs and leave the rest for my senior. Someone has been quite naughty, the young man kept advancing.


    Even after all of this? one of the members almost shouted and waved his hand.


    Even after all of this. The attack was targeted and limited. If the demonic sect had tried to occupy this place, then the Imperial Sect would have followed up, or if our entire sect was destroyed to the last cultivator. But do you think that demonic sects dont have the tacit approval of the Imperial or Blazing Sun Sects then you are foolish, he replied with sadness.


    Why? one of the members asked with despair in their voice.


    To make sure cultivators arent useless. The business deal that our sect disciple set up was bringing in quite a bit of wealth. The Imperial Sect would never be so heavy handed as to go after us, but the demonic sects exist for a reason. You will have to sell your ownership and we will probably have to do the same, Elder Zedong replied while everyone looked at me.


    Dont blame him, Elder Zedong said, and the five members looked back at him. It is something that has been known to us elders. We arent a martial sect and have been encroaching into various cultivation services offered by the Imperial Sect. We apparently overstepped enough for this to be the response. They let loose demonic cultivators upon us.


    But we cant do anything, one of the members said with a heavy frown.


    Such is the way of cultivation. If one is not strong enough, then they cannot complain when someone stronger comes along. The sect will be pulling back and rebuilding from our reserve stockpiles. Since the alarm was raised, before the attack then the emergency measures would have activated. There is a reason the Cloudy Moon Sect has persisted for this long over the millennia, Elder Zedong said.


    What do you mean? one of the members thankfully asked and the elder was more than willing to explain.


    There are emergency tokens the elders carry if the Sect Leader dies unexpectedly. The surviving elders will have been alerted and know what this means. They will return in time. The libraries will have also been saved. We shall deal with this. Elder Zedong paused. This is all a secret of the sect and never to be spoken about even to other members, he said. We all nodded and then followed him.


    He sent one of the four remaining members to help clean up the bodies, while the rest of us moved down one side of the mountain, down a dirt path. Eventually we came to a large boulder and the Elder placed spirit stones in three specific spots. The boulder sank into the ground, and we entered a dimly lit tunnel.


    Elder Zedong had two members guard the entrance while I followed him inside along with the last sect member that had been accompanying him. He stopped occasionally to put another spirit stone in one of the many alcoves along the wall while mumbling.


    That should do it, hopefully. Stay close behind me, he said as we reached a large chamber and doorway at the end of the tunnel. The door slowly swung open. Some dust fell down. Incredibly deep underneath the sect were two buildings. Both libraries, the main one, and the elders library had all their shelves transported down here.


    How? I whispered.


    Teleportation array. Not good for living things and the cost is horrendous. But it is our trump card. Knowledge is something that is not easily recovered if lost. I was worried that the arrays hadnt activated, but it is the first thing we are supposed to do in the event of a large scale attack, he explained.


    Now it is time for you to pay the price for this knowledge. I got worried for a moment. Rebuilding. Let us leave here for now. We will rebuild, and then move everything back to the top of the mountain peak. But first he trailed off and moved to one side of the very large underground chamber. I hesitantly followed him along with the sect member.


    Building supplies, I said quietly as he reached one side of the chamber. There were a large amount of spirit wood planks, nails, and other construction tools. The elder began putting a large amount into his spatial ring before we left. He sealed up the chamber behind us and we made our way back to the top of the plateau in silence.


    The bodies and body parts had been collected and a large pyre was built. I noted the head of Sect Leader Li Fu had been collected as well. Apparently, it wasnt a trap, just a macabre message. I checked the bodies for my niece and other people I was familiar with.


    Wen Xue was among the deceased and all his belongings were missing. Gen, a one-time friend was also among the dead. Only parts of elders Liu Chen and Healer Meihui were found. Only burnt pieces of Martial Elder Leis battle gauntlet were found, indicating that all of them had perished in the battle.


    The pyre was lit without fanfare at the edge of the plateau, near the cliff where the stairs used to be. I had spoken to the members a bit and learned that Half Moon City was fine, which was where they had come from. The words of Elder Zedong echoing in my head. If the sect had been wiped out then the Imperial Sect would have to actually respond or look weak.


    But with this just being considered an attack, not a destruction of the entire sect, no matter how many had died, it could be brushed off as a minor fight. And even if we wanted to protest, there was no higher authority we could protest to. It was the Cloudy Moon Sects fault for being so weak and unable to defend itself. Even if a rank 8 demonic cultivator had attacked, the Cloudy Moon Sect was a mid-rank sect and expected to be able to handle threats up to that level of cultivation. Even if Aoyin was pushing that boundary, we were expected to still be able to handle him.


    It was a huge shock, first the sects destruction, and secondly, my role in its destruction. My successes had propelled the Cloudy Moon Sect into peoples attention and had drawn enemies. Even if I wasnt to blame, I felt some responsibility. I watched the fires burn the pyre down in silence as I thought on how many people had just lost their lives because of what I had set in motion.


    If a man is rich and is robbed, it isnt his fault that he is robbed, but the fault of the robber. But that was the logical answer, not the answer in my heart. I didnt like fighting or violence. I might be good at it with a gun, but that was the power of the weapon in my hand, not any joy I felt from killing.


    Other more martial sects and cultivators might derive joy from violence, but I enjoyed studying and improving myself one day at a time. Now everything was in jeopardy. Both my funds for cultivation and the chamber I needed. While I could retreat to the Imperial Sect, it would be a disaster once I got there. The elders werent idiots.


    Such an attack had been expected. They had been hoping to endure it and have more people survive. But they hadnt. They werent strong enough. Management was going to be turned over to the Han family, and my fifty percent would be in jeopardy.


    I could sell the rest of my business, shares and everything, to pay for the rest of my third stage of cultivation, but that would be it. There would be nothing after that. I would go back to being poor with no source of income. That was the power of cultivators to take and destroy what they wished of those weaker than them. Only with backing could one hope to make their way in this world.


    While I had only done small bits of work, I liked my mining business. It made me feel important and accomplished in a way that other things didnt. Who didnt want to be rich and successful? Now I was losing everything because I was too weak.


    I could protest and might be able to appeal to Elder Xu Xiaoli of the Imperial Sect, but she would not move lightly. At best, I could give her a bit more ownership to ensure that whatever transaction I did went through without any shenanigans. That would be it.


    The problem of this culture was that once your backers turned on you, there was very little recourse. There was no court or justice system. The only way to hold someone accountable was power. And everyone was powerless before the immortals in control of the high ranking sects. Once these people turned a blind eye or tacitly approved of what happened, there was nothing that could be done unless one was willing to fight and put their life on the line.


    It was a bitter pill to swallow. While I had thought I had gotten used to everything in this place, the lack of any kind of accountability was shocking. An entire sect attacked, thousands killed, but no one could do anything. It galled me to have to bow my head to the Han family.


    When I went back to Imperial City, I would have to consider other options besides capitulating immediately. It all led back to the Imperial Sect. They would get their due one way or the other. The real question was how culpable the Han family was. But first, my niece, could see be rescued?

 Chapter 50: Hostages

    Chapter 50: Hostages


    No, Elder Zedong said and shook his head.


    There is no way? I asked and he let out a sigh and gave me a tired look.


    We were defeated once. If you want people to help you, hire a sect, but even then, they would refuse. No one, not even the first child of an Immortal would be worth the price or the risk, he explained. I bowed my head at that. I understand she is family, but the risk is too high. For now, we are safe, since we wont be attacked again by the demonic sect. That would be the same as claiming territory. Our neighbors will send people to check on us, and will find us strong enough, without resources to risk an attack for little benefit.


    You know where they went? I asked, while thinking reckless thoughts. I wanted revenge and to strike back.


    I wont tell you. There has been a lot of effort invested into you. I wont send you to your death. As for your niece, she is already dead most likely and turned into a cultivation resource. The fate of all cultivators captured by a demonic sect, he replied. I clenched my fists in anger. How could we have been so weak? I knew the Cloudy Moon Sect wasnt the strongest, but it also wasnt the weakest in my mind.


    More had rested on my master, the previous Sect Leader, than I had realized. With his death, it left the Cloudy Moon Sect vulnerable. Thank you, Elder Zedong, I replied with despair.


    I understand where you are coming from, I wish I had strength myself. Strength to chase down the attackers, save our sect members, and kill them. But it just isnt possible, Disciple Zhou. The harsh reality is that we are not capable of fighting back, we can only endure. I bowed to the Elder as he waved me away.


    It was incredibly disappointing that there would be no rescue mission for the captured sect disciples, which included my niece. I let out a sigh, I knew what I had to do, but I didnt want to do it. Doing the right thing was never easy.


    I left the sect and made my way to Cloudy Moon City. I would be headed to Imperial City afterwards to sort out the mess that was my mining business. That was going to be much harder and even more complicated. While I would like to hope that I could outrun the news of the attack on the sect, it was doubtful that would be the case.


    Just one high level cultivator flying about, would find out the information and it was the kind of news they would pick up and bring back to Imperial City. Regardless, I needed to finish my cultivation in the third stage. I had only completed a very small portion of it, and I had a lot of channels left. There were 1,304 channels in total, and I had only completed 91 of them, a drop in the bucket that was my cultivation.


    At the end of the day, that needed to be my priority right now. I was only 58 years old, while I would easily live to be around 300 years old, each second was precious. It was all too easy to say, I will cultivate later, or I have time. That was one message that was always conveyed, a lack of time. Since I had cleared the obstacles for the third stage of my cultivation, but the fourth stage and the bottleneck, would be the hardest part. That was what I needed time for.


    That was why my focus needed to be on my cultivation. It would also increase my strength at the same time. While I had won the fights I had been involved in, that was relying on equipment that had a much greater level than my cultivation. While tools and equipment were valid, my base abilities still lagged behind elder cultivators and not being able to use techniques.


    Chimeis clone ability had been incredibly powerful. Against anyone else who wasnt able to see the energy of a person and in the air, it would have been a much harder fight. I just needed more experience in seeing techniques being used and fighting at that level.


    Regardless of these thoughts and plans, there was something I needed to do, but absolutely did not want to do. I arrived at Cloudy Moon City and made my way to my sisters home early in the morning. I was let in and was led to a sitting room while the servants let her know that I had arrived.


    Brother, she greeted me as she entered, and I got up to hug her. There are rumors the sect was attacked?


    We sat down. All you servants leave, I commanded. They quickly left without any objection, and I let out a sigh. The sect was attacked, by demonic cultivators. Many were killed and several cultivators captured to be used as resources by the demonic cultivators, I began to explain.


    No. No. Yuan Zhou, it cannot be true, my sister said.


    Yao Lan was either captured or her body destroyed, and no trace found. I do not know which. In either case she is dead, I morosely explained.


    Nooooo! my sister let out a scream and then broke into tears. How could you let this happen? I knew it wasnt really a question, but one born of despair. Her daughter was either dead or suffering a fate worth than death. She got up and I did as well. She came over and began hitting my chest, which did nothing to me as she wailed and screamed.


    This went on for a couple of minutes before she finally collapsed, exhausted, gasping for air. I slowly and carefully lifted my sister up and put her back in her chair. I then took my seat again as we were both silent.


    Who did this? my sister asked.


    A cultivator beyond me, one step away from being an Immortal, I replied. My sister sagged into her chair.


    Why? she asked. The true answer was the balance of power between sects, and Aoyin sending a message, while hoping to capture me. If one was more focused on conspiracy theories, then one would even say an Immortal from the Imperial Sect ordered such a thing, to cut my path short. Regardless, none of that was stuff to be shared. My sister was a mortal, not a cultivator, so was her daughter.


    For the most part, mortals were off limits. The cities and mortals formed the economic base for the entire region controlled by the sects. Even the high-level sects were impacted by the number of cities under their control. While each one only sent back a small portion of income, they added up and created the foundation of wealth for the high level sects to draw from.


    What my sister was really asking, is to give some kind of explanation on why this happened that she could make sense of.


    The Demonic Cultivators made a move on the Cloudy Moon Sect. I only survived since I was deep underground in a cultivation chamber and was almost crushed during the attack. That is the risk of being a cultivator, that someone immensely stronger, just crushes you without regard or warning, I replied and there was a long stretch of silence as we both thought over the entire situation.


    I am sorry for hitting you, my sister said.


    It is fine. While I might not have deserved it, you were upset, I added. Also, she didnt do anything to me.


    Are we in danger? she asked quietly.


    The Sect wasnt destroyed, but it had suffered a serious setback. With how much I had to focus on my cultivation I wouldnt be able to do anything to help them and they didnt have any spare bandwidth to help me in the slightest. I was on my own going forward now.


    I paused to look at the Zhou family compound, where I had grown up. My nephew from my half brother was now the patriarch of the Zhou family. I continued onwards. There was nothing for me to say or any reason for me to visit. It was better that I just leave without making a fuss.


    Leaving the city and then the outer wall, I quickly began to travel along the road by myself. While unlikely, if I wanted to have any hope of getting to Imperial City in time to deal with the destruction of the Cloudy Moon Sect, then I needed to hurry. The delay to speak to my sister about her daughters death was the only delay I had been willing to make.


    This would also be the best time to intercept me. If there was an ambush, it would most likely occur after leaving Half Moon City. That was why, I went off road into the surrounding forest. It was a bit of a risk with the beasts, but I was confident in my own strength and ability to keep moving to the next city before needing to rest.


    The roads formed a very shallow pyramid, with one city at each point. I was taking a straight line, cutting out a city in my trip, but going offroad to avoid anyone from tracking me or intercepting me. I would change out of my sect robes and wear martial robes that were non-descript. It would be a headache with my stature, but I could easily get a place to rest discretely and then continue on my trip.


    I had traveled enough in the past I was confident about avoiding detection if I needed to. Traveling through the forest would slow me down slightly, but I didnt want to get ambushed or intercepted. I made my way through the forest, only having to kill a couple of beasts. There spirit stones would be used as basic spending money.


    Technically killing beasts this near to cities and roads was illegal, but I wasnt concerned. I wasnt constantly killing beasts in this area, just traveling. Even the neighboring sects wouldnt care, since they wouldnt find me with how big the wilderness was.


    It took a five days of travel, before I was about to reach the outer wall of the city I was aiming for. I paused as I felt a stillness in the air. I had my sword in hand already, in case a beast showed up, but there were no beasts around.


    That was when a blood clone of Chimei showed up in my vision and was approaching slowly. I looked around, and there were no other threats that I could see. Still alive, I pointed out to the clone. Normally I wouldnt talk, but he wasnt actually here. Either he was delaying me, or he wanted to speak.


    Since he had found me, I was content to speak for a bit hoping to get more information about what he was planning and Aoyin. You are a dead man walking, Chimeis clone said. I smiled ruefully at being called a man with my small stature.


    I looked around for other threats but didnt see any. But that didnt mean much. I had not studied techniques in depth, to understand their limits and constraints. I had been too focused on my cultivation plan and businesses. Not techniques I wouldnt be able to use until the fourth stage of cultivation.


    How so? I dont see you around, you gave up your element of surprise. Unless you are calling on Aoyin? I asked. That was my biggest concern and I paid close attention to how this clone responded. The slightest twitch or glance might give something away. Instead, it took a different track.


    I have your niece. A pretty little thing. Hand yourself over to me and I will let her go, he said, and I rolled my eyes at that. That seemed like a pointless threat. Why even make such a threat? I considered his words in my head, but no matter how I thought about them, it was just a pointless claim. Unless he was hoping to enrage me to make a mistake? That was not going to happen.


    After you suck her cultivation dry and leave her a dead husk. I have already accepted in my heart that she is dead, I replied. The blood clone frowned at that. What? Were you thinking I would just roll over and die for someone else? I asked while staring at the clone. I was really starting to dislike this technique. The combat techniques I had seen so far werent that useful, but this method of using clones to distract and communicate was surprisingly effective.


    There would be no way to have a conversation otherwise. Since I wouldnt hesitate to attack to get an advantage. Unfortunately, there didnt seem to be any kind of connection I could trace, and I had no idea about the range limitations. Chimei probably hadnt recovered quickly, so I was leaning more towards delay and less ambush for what he was currently trying to do.


    No. But it was worth a shot. So, sending clones everywhere? I asked while looking around. I was more worried about how he had found me so easily. To find someone in the wilderness wasnt a simple task. I had no idea if I could get away even if I killed this clone.


    Something like that, the clone said while I advanced. He clearly wasnt sharing and appeared intent on delaying me instead. That meant it was time to leave. I was going to kill the clone and then head in a random direction, hoping to lose anything or anyone that might be after me. Dont be in a hurry, I am here to deliver more than a threat.


    And that is? I asked as I got closer and closer. The clone suddenly collapsed as three people appeared in my sight at a slight distance. That was annoying. A wide net had been spread. Chimei or Aoyin clearly had a lot of knowledge about me. Knowing I was headed for Imperial City, there would only be so many wilderness routes I could take. The fact that this team took time to get here, meant they were stretched out over distance and there were probably more cultivators closing in at the moment.


    All of them rank 4 cultivators. He had been delaying. They knew about my gun as well and would most likely make preparations, which was why I needed to get past them and not retreat. Breaking past them would hopefully let me escape any kind of encirclement.


    The demonic cultivators were quickly closing in on me through the trees with weapons out. One had a spear, and two more had swords in hand. I put my sword away and got out my gun. I would need to be ready to reload quickly. At least they were rank 4 cultivators, so while they had techniques, I wouldnt have to use my more expensive ammunition to wound or kill them.


    I rushed forward. I saw one of them stop and slam their hand onto the ground and release a surge of energy. It flowed through the ground and into the nearby plants. It was a bit of a long distance shot, but the cultivator was clearly engaged in some kind of technique and not moving. That was their mistake. I fired, and hit them in the chest, blowing a hole through their body and painting the tree and dirt behind them red with their blood.


    The energy stopped floating just as vines had begun to burst out of the ground. They quickly began to wither as the last two cultivators kept closing in on me. I quickly reloaded while retreating. Staying in one spot like that one cultivator who had tried to trap me, would be a major tactical mistake.


    Quickly dodging through the trees, the remaining two cultivators through fire balls at me, singing my clothes slightly, but not hitting directly. I managed to go to the side of them and loop around, heading in the direction they had come from.


    That was the one direction I was confident didnt have more enemies, since they had come from that direction. Any other way I went could have more enemies. While I kept glancing over my shoulder, and waving my gun at the two pursuing cultivators, they kept moving and I couldnt get a good shot.


    I was tired from traveling so much and needed to figure out a solution and quick. When I made a feint back to the two cultivators, they kept their distance and attacked from range, forcing me to keep moving. It was clear they werent going to try and engage me, just wear me down. I had about the same speed as them, so I couldnt separate or close the distance to escape or wound them.


    There wasnt much of note in the nearby geography, which meant, I would have to take more drastic actions. Very drastic actions. Thankfully we were far from any city at the moment, which would hopefully be enough. But I saw no other way to survive.


    I altered my direction to a nearby beast and got out my sword. I killed it. After that I repeated the process, while doing a large loop, catching the beasts that came back to feast on their fallen brethren. The two cultivators kept up pursuit, but they seemed content to hang back and not try and ambush me while I was killing the beasts.


    More beasts were pulled in by the recent kills, and now the two pursuing cultivators had to act as well, to keep from being attacked. No rank 4 beast yet, but it was only a matter of time. In a quarter of a day, the number of beasts in the area was rapidly increasing as I killed more and more, quickly creating a beast tide.


    That was my crazy plan. To create a disaster to force all pursuing cultivators off my trail and hopefully ruin any kind of tracking and pursuit. But it would be a big risk as I couldnt escape just yet. More beasts kept pouring into the area, and it was a test of resolve and strength, to see who would break and flee first, the enemy cultivators or myself. Or if we would all die, once there were too many beasts or high rankings ones showed up.

 Chapter 51: Beast Tide

    Chapter 51: Beast Tide


    I was killing a beast every half minute or so, and that time was decreasing as more beasts rushed into the area. I had lost track of the pursuing cultivators, but I wasnt about to just leave the area. I had no doubt that my pursuers were attempting to surround me and would attack the moment I attempted to leave the area.


    That was why I needed to circle around more to lose any type of pursuit. A large amount of clouds had swept in across the sky as well, blocking any attempts I had at navigating without the sun. I swung out with my blade once more, killing another beast.


    It pained me to leave behind all the spirit stones, but there was no time to even think about gathering them up. I was also getting tired. While my blade was a high rank, and my cultivation gave me a tremendous amount of strength and endurance, I had been cutting down beasts constantly, while having to keep moving.


    I had been circling around the beast tide in a counter clockwise fashion, so I had been constantly turning to my left. It was time to take a big chance. I could tell where the center of the beast tide was, due to the growing number of beasts in that area. It was constantly moving and adjusting. A beast tide wasnt a tea party where the participants all gathered in one place.


    In preparation for killing beasts and gathering spirit stones while I had been in the second stage, I had read quite a bit about the beasts and beast tides were a part of that knowledge. They were described as living things unto themselves. There was also a lot of chaos involved in how they acted while not under the command of a higher ranked beast. Even then, it was more about pointing the beast tide in a direction, than giving specific commands.


    I was about to be overwhelmed as the number of beasts rushing to the area kept increasing. I made a sharp right turn to begin putting distance between myself and the beast tide. I cut down another beast in my path, while looking around.


    Without my experience killing beasts in the wilderness before, there would be no way I could have handled them so efficiently. The real challenge was to face them one at a time. I had been managing so far, but there were five beasts behind me and another three rushing towards me in the direction I was heading.


    While they were staggered, I could easily think through how the fights would play out. I would kill four, but then be pincered by the fifth and sixth at the same time. Unlike cultivators, their mindlessness made this fight one I would prefer, which was why I had started a beast tide.


    I heard a loud explosion in the distance and felt a blast of hot air. Some other cultivator had used a technique most likely. While the beasts turned their heads slightly, that didnt stop or divert the nearby ones from rushing at me.


    One after another, I cut the beasts down, while trying to escape. When I killed the fourth beast that was part of this wave, I pulled out my gun and shot the fifth one, put my gun away, and cut down the sixth beast. I winced at the expense of a rank 4 bullet, but there was no other option. It wasnt wasted, but it was one less bullet I would have on me going forward.


    I spun in the air and cut horizontally, cutting the head open of a beast chasing me. I spun back around as I touched the ground and kicked off again. I was putting distance between the core of the beast tide and myself, but the deaths would drag the beast tide after me.


    That was the biggest reason why cultivators did not start up beast tides. They would get dragged down, and escape was difficult. While I could have tried to dodge, the beasts would have quickly turned around and chased me. The dead bodies of their fellow beasts would slow many of them down to gorge themselves on their fallen comrades.


    Even with my level of cultivation, I was about the speed of a rank 3 beast, and they had far more stamina than I did. I was also exhausted from staying up for so long. I had escaped the immediate wave, but more beasts were headed in my direction.


    I pulled out scent concealer, repulsion, and bait. I used the concealer on myself, tossed the vials of beast bait to the sides after opening them. I did the same with the repulsion, but in front of me. The beasts rushing for me began to divert. In the next minute, I used up my entire stock of alchemic beast products in order to divert the beasts to my flanks, so I didnt have to kill any more as I escaped.


    Getting away from all the beasts was the immediate priority. I had cut it very close to my limit of how many beasts I could handle. Any longer, and I could have been easily overwhelmed. One serious hit and I would get swarmed as I slowed down. I had to keep moving, and timing my engagements, so I didnt get piled on by the beasts.


    I raced away from the growing beast tide, adjusting my course to try and avoid running into any more beasts. I had to kill a few while rushing by them, but I had escaped the vortex. Looking up at the sky through the trees, it was still all a gray mess and a light drizzle had started as well.


    Shaking my head, I kept moving in as straight a line as possible. It didnt matter too much which direction I was headed, just that I needed to put as much space between me and the enemy cultivators as possible. The beast tide would move in a direction, but there was a very small chance it would head the way I had gone.


    I took the chance to reload my gun as I kept retreating. Hopefully the beast tide didnt head in the direction of a city. That would be a complete mess if it did occur. The outer wall would hopefully divert the beasts to either side, while the inner wall would be for protection as people fled inside the city. That was if there were no cultivators to handle the defenses and stomp the beast tide out, which wasnt easy. The more beasts that were killed the more that would be drawn to an area.


    If a city was lost, that would actually generate a lot more drama and attention than the Cloudy Moon Sect being destroyed. The high sects wanted the mortal and cultivator aspects of civilization to be separate, and not overlap. Also, it was a pain rebuilding an entire city.


    There were stories in the past and it did happen. The high-ranking sect would assign a mid-ranking sect in the nearby area to take over the citys management and defense. The sect that lost a city, would get a lot of negative attention.


    The Cloudy Moon Sect had been attacked, and there was no way all these demonic cultivators could escape attention. While my sect might get looked at, the negative attention would fall on the demonic sect much more. It wasnt like they could go and complain about me setting off the beast tide.


    Still, it wasnt something I would want known. As the sky grew dark, my eyelids began to sag and my body felt even more tired, but I kept running through the forest, and over a couple large hills. No one intercepted me throughout the night. The drizzle turned into rain, making everything more miserable.


    It was hard to tell when dawn arrived, as the sky had become much more overcast. I eventually found and collapsed in a small crevice in an oversized rock. I closed my eyes and went to sleep. Water was pouring down in front of me, and everything was damp. I didnt dare light a fire, and this was the best I had found in the last hour or so, since I had started looking.


    I pulled out some food from my spatial ring. I ate and drank before falling asleep as the storm got worse, there was lightning in the distance.


    When I woke up, it was still raining heavily, cold, and my neck was stiff. I hadnt been ambushed in the night and at least some of my exhaustion was gone. The biggest issue now was, that I had no idea where I was.


    It would add time onto the time needed to get to Imperial City, but at least I had escaped the enemy cultivators and the beast tide. I stretched a bit while looking out of the crevice. It was miserable to travel in the rain, but I had done it many times in the past.


    I set out from my crevice, trying to pick the direction I had been traveling the night before. If I kept heading in a straight line, eventually I would run into road, which would lead to a city. I thought about the general layout of the nearby cities and frowned as I traveled up a small mountain.


    I carefully checked the door, and after a couple of minutes of not spotting anything, I decided to try and open it. It opened easily. It wasnt locked and there was no trap. The safety was in obscurity with the actual traps and locks being closer to the main base, which was hidden under the Blood Forest. It was a clever way to avoid detection.


    The stone the entrance and the walls of the tunnel were made of, blocked my sight. A passive kind of defense, which was most likely incredibly expensive. But for someone of Aoyins rank it wouldnt be impossible. I also had no idea how big the Demonic Blood Sect actually was, but you didnt last for millennia as a demonic sect by being weak and not having members.


    That was enough information for now. I could visit this place again once I got stronger. I had enough answers. The group that I had followed, were returning to their base, they werent pursuing me or leading me into a trap for this encounter.


    I began to close the door, when I noticed four more figures rapidly approaching from a distance. I would have to retreat towards the Blood Forest, but I saw two people, approaching from opposite directions. Why?! I left the door ajar and quickly raced down the stone steps and into the tunnel scanning ahead of me. There were glowing lights created by formations lining the tunnel.


    I must have triggered something. Perhaps a purely mechanical trap. That would make sense. I could have easily missed a trigger or procedure of some kind. The group of four was probably returning from trying to entrap me and the beast tide. The other two individuals were probably monitoring the area. A demonic sect would have less chores and more people keeping an eye out on the surroundings, ready to send up an alarm if attacked.


    There might not have even been anything mechanical, but a prearranged signal to give, so they didnt come investigate. After the initial stairs, the tunnel was sloped downwards. There were no turnoffs and continued for a long time. In fact, I could see the group of three in the far distance, if barely.


    That meant the people coming in behind me would spot me. The tunnel only had the occasional indentation for a light source, nothing else. There was just enough light I could barely see. So even if the group behind me entered the tunnel, they wouldnt be able to easily make out who I was at a distance. I wished I had some kind of bomb or trap.


    I could turn around. In a narrow tunnel, my gun would reign supreme. I didnt want to go into a base controlled by a demonic sect. I should have never investigated. I let my curiosity get the best of me. The most important thing now was to avoid detection, escape, and not die.


    With how the stone making the tunnel blocked off my energy sight, it was hard to tell when I arrived under the Blood Forest. The group of three in front of me went through a door that was covered in arrays and formations. A glance over my shoulder, showed the group of four was behind me in the incredibly long tunnel.


    Reaching the end of the tunnel, I was confronted with a trap door. Thankfully I had been watching the group ahead of me carefully, and they hadnt been careful. I could also spot the scuff marks. I pulled out three rank 1 spirit stones and quickly put them in the appropriate slots. Certain formations activated and the door swung open.


    The spirit stones were consumed, and I quickly entered before the door could close while looking around. I was on an upper level of a five level cylindrical cavern. The middle of the cavern was open, with a walkway around each level. I noted other doors like the one I had come through at other locations around the cavern. There were also other doors built into each level. I also noted that there were roots at the top of the cavern. One was pointing downwards and dripping red fluid.


    Probably the main tree of the Blood Forest. Looking around, there werent many people either. I quickly turned to the side and began walking around the top walkway towards one of the other doorways. I should be able to open them from the inside without much of an issue. These kinds of doors and locks were quite strong in one direction, but easily opened from the other direction.


    At least there was no one on my path or anyone staring in my direction. It made sense that a Demonic Sect wasnt big about greeting people or friendships. If I hadnt entered between two groups, I most likely would have been caught as well by the watchers outside. I didnt know if I was lucky or unlucky, entering this place without being caught. Now I needed to get out right away before I was found out.


    I circled the top walkway to reach one of the paths to leave. But just as I was about to reach it. I had put my sword away to not draw attention. There was a loud gong that resounded throughout the base before a voice followed after it.


    We will be performing another large scale tracking technique. All cultivators gather on the main floor to witness and support, the voice called out. A dark robed cultivator came of the room I was just going by and looked over at me.


    New member or from another branch? he asked me.


    Another branch, you? I asked.


    Assigned here. Lets get going, the Master doesnt like people keeping him waiting, the demonic cultivator said.


    Of course, I replied without hesitation and mentally winced.


    You can change your robes later. Everything is a mess, since we raided that sect. And we dont have a spare in your size. Were you part of the battle?


    Only near the end, I replied since I couldnt know if there was a passive truth telling technique. What about you? I asked, so I didnt have to keep answering questions as we made our way to a staircase.


    No unfortunately. I was left on guard duty. Now there is another operation going on. There hasnt been this much activity in decades, the man said.


    I heard it was some cultivator we are after? I asked.


    Maybe. One thing you learn here, is that most people dont share important information easily, he replied.


    I get it, I replied as we walked down the stairs as other cultivators all moved to the bottom floor and to the central pool of thick red liquid that looked like blood, had a lot of energy stored in it, but was some unholy concoction made from the sap from the trees above.


    Well we will stay in the back, and watch, the man said. I nodded at this. I counted at least 40 cultivators, with 5 of them being rank 5 or rank 6. The big shots gathered near the pool while the rest of us hung back. I cant believe no one recognized me. But I spotted other cultivators in dirty robes, who looked worn down.


    Everyone quickly became silent once we had all assembled. I could only wonder what craziness would happen now.

 Chapter 52: Demonic Blood Sect Outpost

    Chapter 52: Demonic Blood Sect Outpost


    Whatever technique was being used to track me, clearly wasnt working. The senior cultivators did their technique, but nothing happened. They repeated it again, but nothing happened a second time. No one whispered or commented.


    I was in the back of the group and had to look between others. While I was quite small there were other smallish cultivators in the group. That was the thing about demonic cultivation, you could advance quickly in the lower stages by killing people and using them as resources.


    Everyone using hooded dark robes didnt help either in terms of identifying people. The arrays and formations protecting the entry ways, gave the demonic cultivators a sense of over confidence.


    The senior cultivators who tried to use the technique a second time got togeather in a group and began discussing quietly. All the lower ranked cultivators watching didnt talk, but there was a sense of unease in the air.


    Infiltrating a sect wasnt as hard as one would think. I had often thought about how one would infiltrate the Cloudy Moon Sect when I had been sweeping the stairs. If someone had the right robe they could just walk in. The main thing was the sect token that was used for points.


    For a Demonic Sect, having a badge on their person would be incredibly stupid. There would be ways to trace it back to the formations and arrays it was tied to, revealing the sect. The same issue applied to more detailed attire and knowing other cultivators.


    Even the best non-demonic sects did not place a huge value on getting to know others and friendship. The yearly get togeather the Cloudy Moon Sect had was the most sects would do. In reality, someone could put on the Cloudy Moon Sect robe and walk about the sect without being discovered.


    A Demonic Sect wasnt any better. This wasnt the military or even a very secure facility with constant ID checks. In regular sects people would be incentivized to work by giving them assignments and sect points. In a demonic sect, these people werent rule followers. They obeyed the mentality of the strongest person who made the rules.


    So, while top level people could mobilize the lower ranks, they had to provide benefits, and even that would only work for so long. No one wanted guard duty. Everyone wanted to get stronger. And even if there was a guard, then they could shake down other cultivators of the same rank, leading to infighting.


    All of this went through my head, but I still couldnt believe how much I was getting away with right now just standing around.


    The target has used a counter technique or piece of equipment. We will try again in a day. For now, everyone rest and recover, one of the leaders said. Rewards will be distributed as planned once the assignment is complete. Everyone began to disperse.


    A shame, at least the rewards promised are quite good, the demonic cultivator who I had been talking with before spoke up. I had no idea what kind of rewards would be offered so I didnt comment on that. Instead I focused on the issue I was much more concerned about.


    I wonder what technique or piece of equipment they are using, I said, hoping to get information.


    It has to be something powerful. But only an elder cultivator has a chance to counter the blood pool, he replied. Which room are you assigned to?


    One of the ones up there, I gestured up towards the door I had been heading towards.


    If you dont want to share that is fine. But us blood cultivators need to stick togeather you know. That line was a trap and clearly I couldnt avoid creating tension. Regular cultivators werent this friendly, and for a demonic cultivator to be this friendly was the biggest red flag out there.


    I prefer not to, I said while my heart began to beat quickly as the tension increased. After a long moment the demonic cultivator I had been talking with shook his head and walked away. Someone might have been trying to make a friend or get some benefits for showing me around. I turned away as well and went to a nearby wall next to the staircase and leaned against it, looking back at the blood pool.


    There were still small groups of cultivators hanging around. Most had left to go to their individual rooms including the elders. I took a minute to think about this entire group. I noted that no cultivator went near the blood pool. Also its elevation had dropped slightly. It was probably being used as some kind of external energy source or technique focus. Like a sword technique, requiring a sword. A scrying technique would require a pool or something similar that could show images.


    I considered how I had gotten to this point. I had a lot of luck and could leave. But they planned to use the pool once more on another day. This place was obviously protected. Normally a searching technique would require a link to the individual in question, but Aoyin had me in his grasp. Whatever was being used would be held by a senior cultivator involved in the technique.


    When they had attempted it, I hadnt been able to see what they had used to create a connection to me. But that didnt matter. Destroying this base would be the best option, but I didnt have any explosives. Even if I had any, setting anything up to activate after a period of time would set off the cultivators danger sense and reveal me.


    As weird as it was, the best option was to rest by leaning against the wall in the shadows and waiting until they tried to find me again. There was no rush to leave and I had no idea about the procedures of this place. While I could have talked to the demonic cultivator a bit more, I was content with the conversation ending.


    There was no way I could sabotage anything in this place and get away with anything. It was tempting to think I could get lucky twice, or I should make a run for it right now, but both options were likely to fail. While the blood pool and the roots dangling from high up looked unprotected, there was a reason it was the center of this facility and the doors all opened facing the blood pool.


    I had no doubt the blood pool was useful for demonic cultivators, cultivation. They would know that too. While I couldnt spot any array or formation around the pool itself, it would be watched regardless. It was protected by the sheer number of cultivators hanging around in this place.


    Even if things were quiet, I had no doubt there would always be two or more cultivators watching each other to make a move on the blood pool. As I waited against the wall, this appeared to be correct as I counted four other people standing around as well as we all glanced at each other.


    Being a demonic cultivator did not create an atmosphere of trust. If a person thought they could steal resources and get away with them, they would do so. That was the problem with an evil organization, everyone was looking out for themselves. Tempering that greed while still motivating people was the real challenge.


    Another guess I had, which seemed quite reasonable, was that there was a lot of strength gathered in this location. Most demonic cultivators would be out getting resources or doing missions to trade in for resources. It was clear that Aoyin really wanted me and was investing a considerable number of resources to ensure my capture.


    By the time I reached the fourth floor, around a third of the cultivators were dead along with two of the elders. The idiots had died off, but now blows and techniques were being traded between cultivators. I noted a couple of other people had fled, which was good for me.


    I saw one of the demonic cultivators reach one of the exits and tried to open the door. An array activated and their was a pulse of energy. I had seen a lot, including death and violence, but what came next made me feel ill. The cultivator was turned inside out. Organs, meat, and bones fell to the ground in a humanoid shape as the ill-fated cultivator let out a tortured scream.


    Looking at the other exits across the chamber, I noted another cultivator run into a similar fate. The fight on the ground floor had slowed down, but still hadnt stopped. There were three elders left. While tempting to think I had a chance, I didnt have a chance if I tried to ambush them.


    I might get one with my gun, but then I would be targeted by the rest as a major threat. I could handle a technique thrown at me, but multiple techniques would be impossible. The entire fight on the ground floor was just one group ambushing another group, that was ambushing a person, who had tried to ambush an elder. Just constant ambush attacks, and then retreats if they werent ambushed in turn.


    The only people really holding their own were the elders. And I didnt want to tangle with them. If I killed one, I had no doubt the remaining two would kill me right away. I went to the exit door I had planned to go through before.


    I could see the formation was active. I began to look it over, but I was not an expert. While I had some knowledge I had picked up on the Floating Island of Death, it was like saying I had familiarity with some letters. There were parts of the formation I had no clue on and how they interacted with each other. I kept near the exit door, but outside of the danger area while keeping an eye down below.


    Over half the cultivators had been killed and things had mostly stopped. There was a long moment of silence. Well, that solved the issues of rewards quite nicely. Claim the corpses as you see fit. Kill all the cowards who ran away to the upper levels or to their rooms. I will open the doors, one of the elders said.


    Why?! I didnt know this was some kind of sect event. Of course, a demonic sect would have a murder party. The weak would be culled, while the strong got stronger. More cultivators would be recruited in time. It felt like a waste of resources, but that didnt seem to matter to the elders running this place.


    The active formation around the exit door deactivated. I double checked it and then opened it up. Hunting people down was probably another test. I quickly entered the long exit corridor, rushing up the sloped hallway.


    I had to get out of this place as quickly as possible. It made me wonder about the back ground of all these demonic cultivators, but I could easily imagine criminals being recruited in various cities. And unlike regular sects that might pull from three to five cities, they could pull from hundreds of cities. They would get the crazy mortals, who didnt have the mental strength to cultivate normally.


    Not for the first or last time, I was clad I had joined the Cloudy Moon Sect and didnt have to go through this headache of constantly fighting. I didnt like to fight or kill people. I preferred to use my wits and business acumen. Unfortunately, cultivation land, was incredibly bloody. Far bloodier than I had initially imagined. No wonder my first master had warned me ahead of time.


    About halfway through the exit tunnel, I glanced behind me. There was no one following me. I thought about that, then realized, that the sect members probably had some way they were able to be traced and they were busy cleaning up the sect. A demonic sect wasnt a military organization. So, the orders to kill the cowards and hunt people down, were followed, but no one wanted to chase someone who had run out of the door at the first opportunity.


    They would want to collect the corpses and items that had dropped in the conflict. The elders might have created some order, but they were exhausted as well having to fight. They wouldnt want to run off, but seize benefits for themselves, or at least make sure the other elders didnt get ahead of them in some way. There was no trust.


    If the demonic sect was even slightly more organized, then I would have had no chance to infiltrate or escape. It was honestly quite hilarious, but this wasnt a military base, where everyone was checked for ID regardless of rank, and with set procedures. It was a demonic sect, which meant cultivators nominally working togeather in hopes of getting benefits from those stronger than them in exchange for completing tasks.


    The elders couldnt reward people for failing, but the lesser cultivators hadnt seen it that way. They had seen it as a betrayal of the promises made to them. There might have been mind altering techniques in play or the elders might have started the fight themselves, since they didnt want to give up anything either. If their fellows died, that was less competition, and resources from their corpse, along with their corpse.


    As I got closer to the exit, I checked behind me again, still no pursuit. I didnt plan to stop running for a while to get away from this place, but I felt the greatest danger had passed. All the surviving demonic cultivators were exhausted and wouldnt be chasing me. Instead, they would try to process all the benefits they had gotten.


    I was happy to leave without a fight. While it would have been nice to get more spatial rings and other valuable items, the risk wasnt worth it. I let out a small sigh as I neared the end of the tunnel under the Blood Forest.


    It had been an interesting experience, but one I didnt plan on repeating, anytime soon. There was just too much risk. I had to keep telling myself that over and over, since it felt like I was giving up a big opportunity. Just whipping out my gun and killing enemy cultivators.


    That kind of mindset was the kind of mindset that made serial killers think they were invincible before dying. That their luck would keep going and going and they wouldnt be harmed no matter what odds they went up against. If I had a higher stage of cultivation and be able to ignore or dodge techniques used like the elders had to a certain extent, then it would have been possible to stick around. But if I was that strong, then there would have been no value to sticking around, since it would just draw the attention of a higher ranked cultivation for items with little value.


    The ten times factorization of wealth per stage of cultivation didnt just cripple business in cultivation land, but it crippled looting and combat as well. It was frustrating, but also understandable. The low leveled demonic cultivators had trash on them. And unlike demonic cultivators I didnt plan to cook people in pots or process them in a coffin.


    That just left me with me doing things my way. It hadnt been going so well, but I would be making it to the fourth stage of cultivation at the very least. After that things would get complicated and I would have to travel. When I sold my business, I needed to make sure I got more than the resources for the third stage of my cultivation, but also enough resources to have a fund to start me off with.


    It just ate at me that all this had happened. Stupid Demonic Blood Sect attacking and chasing after me. I reached the exit to the base and checked the formation linked into the door. There would be an alert of some kind, but I wasnt worried about that. Even if people chased after me, I had a head start and could defeat a couple low level cultivators.


    Opening the door, I left the base back into the forest. I sensed the Blood Forest off in the distance. I had maneuvered under the entire thing entirely. It didnt really save time since I was down there for a day, but getting to rest a bit was nice.


    I saw someone approaching, their cultivation put them in the sixth stage. I hadnt seen them since the walls of the tunnel had blocked my sight. It wasnt human but a beast based on how their energy looked. I quickly got out my gun and loaded one of my remaining nine rank 5 bullets. I had a rank 6, but only a single one. I quickly moved off at an angle away from the entrance, since the beast was clearly headed in this direction.


    The beast reached the entrance and then followed me. I frowned at this development. I wasnt going to get out of this without a fight. They werent that quick to pursue me, which was also concerning, but I had no complaints, since I wanted an open place to fight. I came to a grassy swamp. I would have preferred a mountain top, but this would do. Unlike a wet swamp, most of the terrain was soggy grass with only the occasional deeper area filled with water.


    I chose my spot to make a stand as a large rock in the swamp, which gave me a commanding view around me. There was no one else that I could spot either beast or human, except the one beast pursuing me.


    My gun was put away, so I wouldnt be immediately recognized either. I was ready to pull it out at a moments notice. I only hoped I could talk my way out of whatever this confrontation was.

 Chapter 53: Water Running Over The Rocks

    Chapter 53: Water Running Over The Rocks


    The beast had a beasts head and a mans body. They were covered in fur as well. What can I do for you senior? I asked out loud with a small bow as the beast landed on log. Its claws dug into the rotting wood as it looked at me. I felt something stir within me.


    The beast gave me a feral grin. I wasnt sure, but the call of my blood never lies. To use me for cultivation, disgusting.


    Water Running Over The Rocks, I said its name out loud as I recalled the beast I had wounded in the past and used its blood to make Refined Beast Essance.


    Yuan Zhou. We parted last time after you did me a grave injury. Bow your head and your death will be quick and painless, it said.


    Even if Aoyin wants me captured alive? I asked out loud, hoping to make the beast hesitate in the battle to come. If it was forced to pull its punches, then I would have an advantage. The fact that its face twisted into a sneer showed that my words struck true.Visit  for the best novel reading experience


    Perhaps, but what is life without some excitement. I am the child of Whirling Flames From The Heavens. If I catch you first, he will not be able to say anything, Water Running Over The Rocks said. That was probably the beast immortal, or a rank 8 beast. Either way my opponent wouldnt hesitate once we started fighting. I wondered why he wasnt attacking yet.


    He was weary of a trap. I had managed to escape him once before. I could tell he wasnt going to let that happen again. Leaving a minor wound was nothing compared to using its blood for my cultivation. That kind of insult was immense. There was no greater insult that I could think of in cultivator circles. It was the equivalent of saying that a sentients only use was to provide or be resources.


    I also needed to kill him as well. It was one of my last remaining tasks I needed to complete before attempting to cross over the first bottleneck. I had no idea how I would hunt him down in the future. Last time I didnt have my gun and our cultivation was much further apart. I was an annoyance, but not someone to hunt down. Water Running Over the Rocks had most likely felt his blood be used to create Refined Beast Essance, which would have hindered his growth and weakened him. I could only imagine the rage that he experienced once he realized what I had done.


    This also meant that I wouldnt be able to escape. It could sense me, much better than I could sense it. Being in tune with his blood meant it had a much easier time sensing our connection than I did. This meant I had to fight no matter what. And he was clearly enraged enough not to want to escape either or drag things out in a battle of attrition.


    The other consideration I had, was that we were still near the Blood Forest and the demonic cultivators. While Water Running Over The Rocks didnt want share me, there was still a huge risk of our fight being sensed and people heading out to check on what was happening.


    With one fluid motion, I pulled out my gun from my spatial ring. The beast moved to the side to strafe my position. The rotted log he had been standing on exploded into splinters from kicking off it, and the ground was torn up as he circled me. I could barely keep up with him, as I kept turning and aiming the gun.


    I pulled out another rank 5 bullet and the needed spirit stones ahead of time to fire a second time. I made sure to conceal my movements to the side of my body. I kept turning to face sideways and aim with my right hand and made sure to keep my left behind and to my side.


    I also pulled out a flash bang as well. No matter how much I hoped, hitting with my second shot would be incredibly hard. Especially a fatal hit. I pulled the pin of the flash bang and let it fall down the rock behind me.


    Leading the target, I fired the gun. Water Running Over The Rocks Immediately came to a halt and rushed towards me the bullet missed him and exploded in the grassy swamp in the distance. I was already reloading as the beast closed the distance between us. I brought up my gun. The flashbang went off. Water Running Over The Rocks quickly turned to the side to dodge my expected shot. Its senses had been on a hair trigger to avoid any bullets.


    I fired my gun for real this time. The beast managed to raise its left arm up to try and block. The bullet hit its elbow and blew its arm apart. I was already leaping backwards as I reloaded a third time with another rank 5 bullet.


    My ears hurt as a roar was unleashed. Water Running Over The Rocks lived up to its name as it leapt over the rock I had been on in pursuit of me. Its arm had come back, but the beast looked starved. Shapeshifting was a powerful way to absorb and counter damage. This was why higher ranked beasts were a nightmare to fight. They were incredibly difficult to put down.


    I retreated across the swamp as the beast pursued me. I kicked off a denser clump of grass and reversed directions. I fired a third time. The beast dodged. I hit the beast in the side of his chest, blowing away a large portion of flesh.


    It didnt stop heading for me. I swapped my gun for my sword, as we raced by each other. I noticed the wound I had given the beast was already healing. I turned my blade to use the flat side to block and used my left hand to brace against the back.


    The blow from its claws was a feint. It opened its mouth and a barbed tongue shot out, piercing me in my left arm. I swung my sword up to cut the tongue, but it had already retracted. We both landed on the ground in opposite directions, taking a moment to recover. While Water Running Over The Rocks was a much higher rank than me, it had taken much more damage.


    Guns werent common weapons, especially one this powerful. Best investment I had ever made. My left arm was going numb, and the wound was leaking a purple substance that was frothing outside of my body. Poison, of course it had to be poison.


    I put away my sword and reloaded my gun for the fourth time in this fight. It had been a mistake not to use the rank 6 bullet in my second shot. I suspected the only reason I was standing right now was due to my insane cultivation. I could feel my cultivation shaking, but it was too dense to make quick progress. I could sort it out later, the first thing I needed to do was win this fight.


    I rushed forward again. Water Running Over The Rocks hesitated for a moment, before rushing forward as well. If I had been the beast, I would have retreated to recover. But it probably saw how I hadnt gone down from its attack. It was wary of my traps, which gave me an edge. It also might be much more wounded than I thought and was afraid I would survive and get away somehow.


    That was the nice and frustrating thing about an enemy who hated me. They werent willing to retreat so I could finish them off, but they werent willing to retreat which made them much more dangerous in their desperation. I had no idea how much the Refined Beast Essance had impacted Water Running Over The Rocks, but it was probably much more than I had assumed since it was willing to fight to the death.


    We quickly closed the distance, and I held off on firing. The beasts nerve broke first as it dodged at the last moment. I fired a fourth time, hitting it in the hip. Ahhh! it let out a scream as it fell into the soggy grass. Its right leg barely staying attached. My left arm had a hard time moving, and reloading with one arm would take way too long. But getting close was a bad idea as well. In close combat, I was greatly outclassed.


    I stayed at a distance and began reloading my gun with one arm. It took ten seconds, an eternity in cultivator combat. This time I put in the rank 6 bullet. I was going to end this. Water Flowing Over The Rocks had healed enough to stand back up just as I finished reloading. I rushed forward and fired for a fifth time. The gun kicked back in my hand massively.


    Rank 1 spirit stones were that valuable to me, so I was more than happy to spend them in order to not fight. That was one big lesson I had learned over all the events I had just gone through. Fighting was a nightmare, and I wasnt cut out for it.


    I had no illusions about my actual skill or combat ability and the gun was the great equalizer. If it wasnt burning massive amounts of money with each shot, then it would actually be quite useful. There was no spray and pray strategy.


    That was why I never seriously considered combat and killing other cultivators as a serious economic factor in my cultivation. Sure, hunting low ranked beasts had been possible, but I considered that aggressive farming more than anything else. Hunting people wasnt even a last resort. Sapient beings were too much trouble to deal with.


    A month into my trip, the pain I was feeling every moment of every second of the day was immense. I was actually sweating while in the carriage. For me to sweat as a cultivator in the third stage was a sign that something was wrong. My arm and shoulder were Jello. I had taken to carefully wrapping both of them up to help provide some stability from any shaking in the carriage. Each bump was like a thousand glass shards being shoved into my body. The wound had scabbed over, but still leaked with fluids and blood occasionally.


    The good news was that my hand hadnt been impacted as much as the rest of my arm. I couldnt use it at all, but I was hoping the damage would be less. I hadnt been idle in my carriage ride either. I had tried to expel the poison from my body through meditation. That only strained my cultivation. If I was in the fourth stage, then I would have had a much easier time expelling the poison. But I was still stuck in the third stage.


    My only hope was to get Elder Xu Xiaolis support in resolving this. I had no doubt she would be interested in looking at my cultivation with everything that had been done. I also needed to speak with her about the shares of my business in order to get a good deal to finish off the third stage of cultivation. I had no doubt she would scam me for quite a bit, but I was incredibly desperate. That desperation only grew with each day that I suffered in pain.


    Three months into my trip, I had lost any hope that I would be able to handle this injury myself or that it would somehow go away. I carefully checked once every day, as I rewrapped the bandages around my arm and shoulder if the injury was increasing or decreasing. While it had gotten a bit better at the start, my recovery seemed to have plateaued currently from around the one month mark.


    The fear of being crippled and losing my ability to cultivate was very real. Whatever treasure I would need to heal myself would be incredibly expensive. At this point I was willing to pay anything to make the pain stop. While I knew that just folding like a wet blanket was a terrible starting point in any negotiation, I was at the point where I wanted to rip my arm off to stop the pain.


    Each heartbeat was a pulse of agony. Despite all the water I was drinking, my urine burned on the way out and came out in a dark red color. My eyeballs felt like they wanted to explode out of my skull. The lack of sleep and the constant shaking of the carriages compounded these issues. My teeth felt like they were trying to twist their way out of my mouth. I had no idea why my teeth hurt, but they did.


    At the nine-month mark, I was ready to die. I had reached a tranquil Zen type mental state after suffering for so long, and then the pain got worse, and it was broken.


    That was when I saw a beast approaching the carriage. Halt, I cried out in a broken raspy voice. The carriage came to a stop. I pulled myself up and staggered out. The rank 1 beast rushed out from the very tall grass that surrounded the road. I got my sword out and cut it down. I felt weak and tired, but I had to keep going. Just swinging the sword made me feel like my body was going to explode into a thousand pieces and never recover.


    I put my sword away and thrust my hand into the beasts skull, ripping the spirit stone free. I put it away in my spatial ring and then had the driver poor water over my good hand to clean it off. I then got back in the carriage. We set off again.


    This was a fate worth than death. Every second was agony. Even the simplest of things, was incredibly exhausting now. I felt like I was regressing. Even though my cultivation and body remained stable, the pain just kept getting worse. I was too strong to die, but too weak to heal.


    If I didnt have a strong chance of resolving this at Imperial City, I would have probably just given up at this point. I was strong, and liked to think I had mental strength. But I was being ground down, like a rock beneath the tides and wind. I could resist pain. I could ensure the boredom of cultivation.


    But I couldnt resist constant pain with a lack of sleep. Each day was another crack in my sanity. I felt it wearing away. I could only focus on my breathing so much, when each breath hurt just one iota more than the last.


    We finally made it to Imperial City after a year of high-speed carriage traveling. I had paid for maximum speed and no breaks. If there was a break, I wouldnt have been able to last. After entering the outer portion of the city, I paid for a rickshaw to the analysis building that I had first met Elder Xu Xiaoli in.


    Finally, I felt a sense of relief. After so much suffering and exhaustion, I was hopeful that a solution to my problem could be found. After reaching the building, I was escorted to a waiting room for the Elder to be available.


    She showed up after half a day. I didnt mind. I was looking for her help. I stood up when she entered and bowed deeply. Elder Xu Xiaoli, this cultivator asks for your guidance on how to resolve a wound, I said as politely as I could. I had to keep reminding myself to not overly beg or make any demands. She was not an elder off my sect. She supported me on a whim and some benefits, nothing more. Here I was asking for her help, I could not afford to offend her.


    Hmm, your arm, how interesting. A poison I am guessing. Remove the bandages. I removed the bandages and there was no waste basket so I put them in my spatial ring. I then realized, I shouldnt risk leaving them out and it would have been an insult to leave them behind to be cleaned up. I mentally patted myself on the back for avoiding such a simple mistake. The elder came over and put a single finger on my arm near the wound.


    I could feel her checking my cultivation and my injury. How interesting. The Liquifying Poison is fatal to all those below the fifth stage of cultivation. She removed her finger and then looked over me once more. How long? she asked.


    About a year, elder. I got the wound just after leaving the Cloudy Moon Sect, I replied. She nodded at that.


    Normally the cure is to use your understanding of the Dao and your mastery of energy to expel a poison from your physical and spiritual body. But someone of your rank, should have died. Your cultivation has become even more complex since I saw you last. Creating a suction vortex. Three paths of cultivation. She shook her head and was silent as she looked over me. I tried to keep the pleading expression off my face, but I knew I was failing.


    Well there are three options, well four, but each of them have drawbacks. She was silent again and it took all my willpower not to say anything inappropriate. After a small stretch of silence I could tell she was waiting for me to speak.


    Please Elder, what options are available. I would be honored by your guidance, I replied and pulled out the rank 6 spirit stone. Just getting a consultation at this level required payment. She plucked the spirit stone from my hand and nodded.


    It was frustrating to be put in this kind of position, but anything less would have been an insult to someone of her position. She had no obligation to help me. The fact she had four different options to resolve my condition spoke to her experience and knowledge. I had been hoping she would have just explained my options, then charged me for implementing one of them, but she clearly wanted to squeeze me every step of the way.


    These elders truly were shameless, but you didnt reach a high level of cultivation by giving handouts and being nice. You did it, by maximizing every opportunity you got in order to advance your interests. I couldnt even blame her, since I had suspected something like this would happen.

 Chapter 54: Cost Of Treatment

    Chapter 54: Cost Of Treatment


    Let me explain what exactly is happening. Also, you may sit, before you fall over, Xu Xiaoli said while I quickly took a seat. She sat as well and gave me a small smile, which reminded me more of a shark than of a kind grandma.


    The Liquifying Poison is attempting to degrade both your cultivation and body. To turn it into a state of being with water. It is a spiritual poison, but it also has strong physical components that work in synergy. Your physical constitution is on par with a body cultivator, which is why your arm has held togeather for so long. I nodded at this paying close attention to everything she said.


    The same with the spiritual aspect of the poison. Your soul constitution is strong enough to resist. And your mind is strong enough to resist the pain. Without any one of this things, you would have died a horrible and messy death. Solutions, give me solutions! I didnt say that and tried to keep my face under control. Since I had paid a huge fee and had spent so much time traveling, it would be rude and stupid to rush her. Still, it was aggravating. I just wanted the pain to end.


    Your cultivation is so dense, it has held togeather as well. I cant say if you are incredibly lucky, or it is fate for someone of your cultivation to receive such an injury. Regardless, the physical poison is gone, expelled from the wound on your arm. Your physical body is slowly self-healing. That was good.


    The spiritual side of the poison remains. It is not decreasing, but slowly spreading through your body. That is due to the suction vortex. Your body naturally holds in energy. Without that, I could easily fix the issue in seconds, forcing the poison from your body. Now, such a procedure would shred your cultivation. That was bad.


    Has the pain been getting worse? she asked me.


    Yes, I replied without hesitation and Xu Xiaoli nodded at this.


    The spiritual side of the poison is spreading throughout your body. It is a slow process, but it is occurring. Your cultivation is soft and malleable. There were attempts in the past to use such a poison to make the third stage of cultivation easier. Unfortunately, no one could withstand such a thing. Carving out channels requires rigidity. With the poison, it would be like trying to purge goo instead of sand. All the delicate structures you are building would not be possible, even if digging the channels is far easier. That was very bad.


    In addition, your channels and meridians would be tainted by a different attunement while you are carving them out. Still, you can do nothing, and you would recover in about a century, give or take a decade. That was never going to happen. It would be quite interesting to see the impact such an event has. But the time frame is a bit long.


    Elder Xu Xiaoli, what are my other options? I asked politely.


    The first option, which is not really an option, would be for an Immortal to purge the poison from your body safely. Even with your unique cultivation, it would not be worth their time or effort. Nor do you have the resources to even entertain such a notion, she said.


    That leaves to proactive solutions. The first would be to force you to draw the poison into the rest of your body. Spreading it out and reducing the time it would linger. This would not be simple, but it is doable. As for the recovery time, it would be around a decade instead of a century. That was much better. The pain would be immense. Your body is handling the poison at a subconscious level as quickly as you can process the pain. Speeding this up would likely break your mind. That was much worse.


    Still this option is the cheapest and I could perform the procedure right now without any additional cost on your part. That was good.


    The final option would be to counter the poison with a medicine of some kind. But that would take research and materials, neither of which would be cheap. That sounded expensive.


    Elder Xu Xiaoli, is there a general antidote? I asked.


    There are some, but they would not work in this case. They are for lesser poisons and for lesser cultivators. The cost would be at least ten rank 6 spirit stones. But I wouldnt be sure unless I contacted a friend specialized in healing and poisons. That was way too expensive for me.


    None of the options were good. The first option of doing nothing, was not happening. With much I was in pain, there was no way I would last another century. My mind was at its limit in terms of endurance. The second option to get an Immortals help was a throwaway option, just to pad the number of options she was presenting.


    The third option while sounding the best, and cheapest, was a nightmare. More pain for ten years. That just wasnt possible. The fourth option was too expensive. Is there anyway to mitigate the pain from the third option or sleep through it? I asked with as much hope as I could muster.


    If it was a physical issue that would have been possible. But your astral soul itself has been poisoned. Anything that would put you into stasis would also lock your soul. As for sleeping, that wouldwell it should be possible to physically sleep. I perked up at that, since she seemed to change her mind mid-sentence.


    The issue with physically sleeping is that a strong medication, which would be poison for anyone else would need to be used. There could be complications and interactions that are unknown, which would create more trouble. Such a medication would have to be routinely administered over the entire decade.


    What about something to cut off my sense of pain? Since it feels mostly physical? I asked.


    Possible but it would be limited. It is a spiritual pain. Your other arm hurts right? she asked me.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)


    Yes, I replied, and she nodded.


    Along with the rest of your body. The poison has spread. The greatest concentration is still in your left arm, but it is spreading out. The pain you are feeling is beyond the physical. Your spirit itself is trying to hold itself togeather. My advice is to wait the century, she said.


    I was 59 years old right now. At my current pace of carving out channels and meridians I had planned to be completed with the third stage of cultivation around 200 years of age. If I lost a century, I would be 300 years old, which was the upper limit of lifespan for someone in Meridian Attunement.


    With my cultivation I could make it that long, but it would be pushing the limits of my lifespan. There would be no wiggle room for the rest of this stage. While I would get another 600 to 1,200 years for the fourth stage, I needed as much time as possible to overcome the first bottleneck.


    There is no option for paying an Immortal? I asked and Elder Xu Xiaoli shook her head.


    If you had past your first bottleneck, then you would show you had potential to go the distance. They might accept a future favor or assign you a task. With your cultivation, crossing the first bottleneck and reaching the fifth stage is impossible. She held up her hand to stop me from saying anything.


    I have no doubt you will struggle and there might be a chance of you succeeding. But the possibility is too remote to gamble on. While it would be only take a day to fix you, an Immortals time is more valuable than your life. I wanted to protest and say they were immortal, it was right there in the name, so they had time to spare. However, that would be way too flippant and rude. I had already pushed enough by asking.


    There is also another topic of concern I wish to bring up, which will influence my decision in regards to my treatment. The Cloudy Moon Sect was attacked by the Demonic Blood Sect. While it has not been destroyed, they can no longer support my cultivation. I wish to sell my business, and was hoping you could mediate for me Elder Xu Xiaoli, I said.


    She owned twenty-five percent. The Han family owned fifteen percent. The Cloudy Moon Sect owned ten percent, while I owned the rest. The value of my refining business was immense, but I had no doubt the vultures were already circling.


    A shame such a thing happened. There was no sympathy in her voice. The cultivator world was dog eat dog, and there was no sympathy for people who died or failed. And what precisely are you looking for?


    Funding my cultivation through the rest of the third stage and a large payment. I then went onto explain the force chamber I would need and the spirit stones that would need to be invested for my cultivation. It was a lot, but my share of the business was quite valuable.


    On Earth most businesses only looked ahead by three to five years. In cultivation land, they looked ahead much further in terms of assessing value, since everything was so stagnant. Getting new opportunities was hard, and there was a lot of static wealth that was horded away. For once the static nature of the economy was playing to my benefit.


    Your cultivation through the third stage and no further, ten rank 6 spirit stones, and a treatment plan worth twenty rank 6 spirit stones, Elder Xu Xiaoli finally said. While it seemed like I was making out like a bandit, I was on the losing side long term. But I needed the short-term money to pay for my treatment and my cultivation. It pained me to sell my portion of a functional business, but there were no other options.


    I had no doubt Elder Xu Xiaoli would be gobbling up my entire share herself. That was the nature of this world and how the Imperial Sect had structured both society and the economy to benefit their interests long term. Like a casino, they were content to let people gamble and try new things, but in the end the house would always win. And if the house didnt win, they would break some knees.


    It was incredibly frustrating to be put in such a position, but that was the difference in power. I was actually very lucky that Elder Xu Xiaoli did not squeeze me for more. The Imperial Sect had rules, but I had no doubt she could have put forward a much more scam deal if she wanted to. Who would I even complain to?


    So, the deal was both incredibly generous and a complete rip-off at the same time. I had been doing valuations while traveling to Imperial City, and one needed to look at a millennium of operation, not just one year. With that kind of timeframe, I was getting scammed heavily. But I wouldnt make it another millennium, let alone another year with my injury.


    I chose the safe way for the medication to be developed while a long term force chamber was prepared. I would only be allowed to exit once every decade once I entered. Elder Xu Xiaoli had suggested 20 years per session, but I had to put my foot down, just in terms of supplies and my mental health. She had thankfully to a decade. By the time was injury was treated, the force chamber would be ready for my long-term use. It would be located within this building, guaranteeing my safety and that I would not be interrupted as well.


    While Aoyin might be brazen enough to attack the Cloudy Moon Sect, attacking the Imperial Sect would be laughable. Even a covert mission was foolish. That would draw the attention of the Immortals in charge of this place. That was one thing everyone agreed on, they were too strong to risk messing with in any way.


    I was shown to Elder Healer Song immediately after concluding the necessary transactions with Xu Xiaoli. One thing about the Imperial Sect was that they were quick and efficient once you were paid up.


    The older lady poked my arm and as well as the scabbed over wound. What a mess, she muttered, and I didnt respond. Little Xiaoli was right to send you to me. Anyone else would struggle treating this. She then rolled up her sleeve, had me lay down, and placed a bucket under my arm.


    The first step is to fix the physical damage. That is the most important thing. I was glad she was willing to explain things as she checked me over and treated me. There is excess fluid buildup as your body partially dissolved. She began poking my arm harder and I had to contain a wince.


    Liquifying Poison from a rank 6 beast. You are lucky, she said.


    Thank you, Elder Healer Song, I replied.


    You are paying, this is just tedious and your wealth. I am slowly saturating your arm with my energy. Once it is enough, I will begin my compressing your arm, and forcing the excess fluid out. Dont worry your cultivation is fine. If you have a question, ask, she said. That was much nicer than most other cultivators I had met. I guess her bedside manner was quite good, or I was overpaying her.


    They take the cultivation of others to boost their own. Normally the cultivation is condensed down to pills or potions, but there are grafting techniques. It is also how beasts try to sneak into cities, by wearing a cultivators body as a flesh suit. Once you go down that path there is no going back, she said.


    Really, even at the fourth stage to get drops? I asked.


    There are exceptions, but the risk is incredibly high. Look at your cultivation. I know you arent a demonic cultivator, since there is no way to find another persons cultivation like yours. While people are tempted to pursue that path, you will never cross over the second bottle neck to immortality.


    What? Really? I asked in surprise.


    Hmm, it isnt well known, but it is a fact. Demonic cultivators own cultivation is too disjointed. Even if it was flawlessly done with the minimum of mistakes, the problems come from the slight differences. Cultivation is a journey of a million paths, which lead to the same destination. Soul, body, and mind cultivators all end up in the same place while aiming for immortality. The first bottleneck is the peak difference of ones path proving its viability. The second bottleneck is everything coming back togeather in the end.


    With Daos right? I asked.


    You really like asking all the questions.


    My apologies Elder Healer Song, I quickly said.


    It is no problem. I enjoy teaching. And this technique is simple, just time consuming to do right in order to fix your arm, she replied. None of these things are really secrets. I wont teach you a technique, but basic knowledge has no real value. I would strongly disagree with that, but I wasnt about to complain.


    As for Daos. They are paths one follows. To understand a concept in such depth they become one with that concept. Once a person understands enough, they will break through to Immortality. If you ever make it to the eighth stage of cultivation, Conceptual Formation, then you will have a very strong chance overcoming the second bottleneck.


    That is good to know, I replied.


    But leading up to that will be a nightmare. The concepts you pick will have a huge impact on your development. Force, blood, power, and consume seem to be the strongest concepts after the poison.


    You can sense that? I asked in surprise.


    The suction vortex drawing in energy and your attunement are painfully clear to someone of my caliber. Dont even begin to ask me how you will manage three different types of cultivation, once you get past the first bottleneck.


    Any advice? I asked.


    With soul cultivation, one would need to stabilize their cultivation and then construct pillars to the astral plane. For body cultivation you draw in energy, to turn ones body into a single pillar or a conduit to draw in energy to strengthen ones self. And for mind cultivation, you would harmonize to make oneself as an astral core, or a nexus to draw in energy.


    Did no one go over this with you? she asked.


    Everyone was focused on me reaching the fourth stage and possibly beyond that, I explained.


    Idiots. All of them idiots, and you can quote me on that. Yes, triple cultivation is perceived as the pinnacle, the most powerful, but it is completely unwieldly. Instead of one path, you will have to pursue multiple at the same time, on top of all your cores.


    Wouldnt they help each other? I asked.


    At the very last step. When you attune with the universe itself. If you make it that far, there would be no second bottleneck. But in exchange, you will experience a nightmare of cultivation in the fifth stage onwards, Elder Healer Song explained.


    There is nothing I can do? I asked.


    Your path is already set. If you somehow get the drops needed for the fourth stage, which is impossible, then there is a chance. But you need the maximum number of drops possible. Let me guess, half a million?


    610,000, I replied. She let out a scoff.


    Impossible. Even an Immortal would spit out blood at such a number. But if you somehow make it, then you will need to focus on several things. I will prepare a book for you, she said.


    Really?! Thank you, Elder Healer Song, I replied, with heaviness in my heart lifting up.


    Consider it as compensation, for seeing something so incredibly stupid as your cultivation. I know that is why all us old people are content to let you try with this craziness. I havent felt my Dao of Healing improve in ages until now. It is only a miniscule fraction, but it is still improvement. If you somehow survive, I have no doubt you will get injured and require my services.


    Less altruism, and more marketing for the future. Happy and alive patients were return customers. Even kindness came with strings attached in cultivation world. Instead of troubling me, this reassured me that Healer Song was still a scheming ancient cultivator at heart. Like a non-profit that had a lot of revenue, by selling their image and services. Far more than other businesses. I could see a niche like that working in healing.


    Nothing more I can do to prepare? I asked.


    You have already done too much in my opinion. Any more complexity to your cultivation and you will come to a complete stop. Honestly the energy vortex is a bit much, but it will help you in the fourth stage once you finish your channels and cores. Even then, the amount of drops you need is insanity, she explained.


    Any idea what will actually happen once I break through the bottleneck? I ask.


    No. Since no one has ever succeeded in what you are trying to accomplish with triple cultivation and multiple cores. It has been speculated on as a thought exercise, but to actually reach such heights, you would become the fattest of pigs. I winced at that description.


    I can only imagine the resources that have gone into you already. And my soul chills at the very thought of how many more you will need to consume. Even our Imperial Sect would shudder at such a cost, and an Immortal would weep at the expense.


    I know, my Master told me as much, I said.


    Well, the fact he let you do this shows a questionable mindset. But it is your life. The heavens know, I warn cultivators, point out issues, but they are content to do stupid things. With how your cores are interlinked, you might create a fourth form of cultivation, she said.


    Really? I asked.


    Hmm, it is a possibility. But how that would even work, I have no idea. You are more likely to be completely ripped apart once you detonate your cores. Even with the density of your cultivation, pulling it all back togeather and expanding your astral soul will be difficult. I will say that you will need to step into the fifth stage with all three types of cultivation at the same time. Dont try to do mind cultivation first or last. It must be part of the process, she explained.


    A specific reason or your intuition? I asked.


    Both. The reason being, that attempts to stagger duel type cultivation have all failed. While it is harder, doing them at the same time is key. You arent just your mind, or your body, or your soul. You are all three. It is important to remember that.


    Thank you, Elder Healer Song, I said.


    Like I said, I am more than happy to teach. If you survive, there is a chance of repeat business. I doubt it, but one can hope. I sat there in silence for a bit as she poked my arm over and over again, thinking of everything I had learned.


    At least my injury would be healed. That was my biggest concern and highest priority at the moment. Getting a specialist had been the right choice. While the occasional wave of pain went through my arm, the overall pain felt more manageable. Once I reached the fourth stage of cultivation, I would be quite poor.


    I also realized I wouldnt be seeing my sister or family again. I could not take the time off to travel. Even exiting the chamber every decade would have a time span measured in days, not months or years. I couldnt afford to leave and then the deal being changed in some way. While the Imperial Sect wouldnt cheat me, they would take advantage if they could. I had no doubt if I left Imperial City, they would claim that they thought I had finished my cultivation.


    At least that was the impression Elder Xu Xiaoli gave me. Elder Healer Song was a breath of fresh air in comparison. At least I wouldnt have to deal with the Han family. That old granny Han Xingjuan, who looked like a young girl was a nightmare.


    Once I was healed up, I would rest and recover. One thing that did not escape my notice was that no one asked me questions about the Cloudy Moon Sect. It was clear they didnt care or already knew everything that had happened. Most likely both. This confirmed in my mind that the Imperial Sect ran more like a corporation, or conglomerate, than a government.


    I had known this to be the case, but it still frustrated me immensely. This world was without laws. There were informal laws, but at the end of the day, only power mattered. Sure, cultivators would pretend to be civil and follow rules, but when there were serious benefits on the line, the gloves would come off. One did not pursue cultivation without leaving a lot of bodies behind.

 Chapter 55: Relaxing In Imperial City

    Chapter 55: Relaxing In Imperial City


    I sat on a terrace in the apartment Elder Xu Xiaoli had let me barrow while she made arrangements for my force chamber. At least she was nice enough to give me a temporary place to stay as a guest of the Imperial Sect while I recovered from my treatment.


    My arm had deflated, but my body was still incredibly sore, but far better than it had been before. The skin was a little bit loose where the wound had been but not flappy. My body felt soft, especially my arm. It was like a limp noodle. But that was far better than leaky sausage.


    I carefully sipped my tea that I had prepared myself. Normally I wouldnt have done something like that, but there was nothing much to do at the moment. Elder Xu Xiaoli had taken care of all my financial issues in one move. That was the power an elder of the Imperial Sect. Once they made a decision, there was little anyone could do to resist.


    It didnt even matter that I had promised to give the remainder of my business over to the sect once I hit the fourth stage and left. I had owned my shares, and the Cloudy Moon Sect was weak. There was no objection they could hope to put up. If they were smart, they would manage to hold onto their share by providing protection for the caravans and operational management.


    It wouldnt be easy. When Elder Xu Xiaoli had arranged for me to stay in this apartment, she explained the Han family was making moves to try and pressure the Cloudy Moon Sect. That was their problem, and I hadnt asked the elder for help. I could tell she wanted me to ask so she could squeeze me out of the promised rewards, but I wasnt an idiot to try and renegotiate when I was in a position of weakness.


    The sect should be called the Shark Sect and the city, Shark Tank, with how ruthless everyone was. But that was way of cultivation, trampling over others. I let out a soft sigh and sipped more of my tea. At least having a place to rest and recover was considered part of the healing bill. I could have afforded a place, but I also suspected they didnt want to risk my life by having me stay somewhere else for a short period of time.


    While it was unlikely Aoyin would make a move, it was still possible. If I died before the Imperial Sect completed their end, they would look bad. I had no idea why they were so set on keeping up appearances, but it was probably something one of their Immortals insisted on. While I was jaded to their true nature, it came down to management.


    I had a lot of time to think about why they didnt just crush me in secret and take everything. People would know, and it would leak out. There were clear lines on what was allowed and what wasnt. If Elder Xu Xiaoli broke the rules they had, then others would do the same, and the lower ranked sects would rebel, creating chaos.


    The Imperial Sect wanted chaos, but manageable chaos. That was why the Cloudy Moon Sect would recover in time. The demonic sects were just the hidden arms of the high-ranking sects to keep their own hands clean and people in line. I had realized this before, but I didnt realize how much of a grip the Immortals had over everything.


    They just needed to lay out the law for the top-level cultivators, and it would trickle down. Sure, an individual or two might go off the rails, but that would be corrected. It wasnt just the economy and technology that was held in an iron grip, but the culture and mindset as well.


    I still hadnt worked out the reason behind all of this. I suspected there was a larger reason, involving the Firmament, and the forces outside the continent, but that was just the most likely explanation I had come up with. I had wanted to pay an information broker a rank 6 spirit stone for information on the Firmament. But it was a restricted topic.


    Looking at Jiang Fengges journal, hadnt been very enlightening. He had spent most of his time in a city working for one of the gangs that controlled an area. He managed to do well enough to help him advance and then leave. Most of his book had been about the fights, and his thoughts on them. There was no name listed for the city, no clear explanations on why the fights were happening.


    The information brokers I had gone to warned me away. The Firmament was a restricted topic, which meant they were not allowed to inquire at all about it. The requirement to even pay for the information was being a cultivator past the first bottleneck. Anyone below that stage of cultivation was refused without exception.


    While it was tempting to try to look for a black market information broker, the risk of the Imperial Sect getting upset, and kicking me out for breaking the law was too much for me to take that kind of risk. Once I hit the fourth stage, I would be in a huge amount of danger. That was the minimum I had picked up on. The fact information was restricted to stronger cultivators was a sign, that whatever the Firmament was, was not to be taken lightly.


    I sipped my tea. I had no idea what blend it was. But it was warm, and I had a great view of a modern city without the pollution. Now that was a question, were spirit stones ecologically friendly since they came from beasts? It was a renewable resource, even if the source was sapient creatures. Definitely green but filled with suffering and death.


    The really scary thing was, that with the cheap cost of labor and building materials, it was hard to say how long ago this city was built. Even now I could see mortals sweeping the street below me. That was what felt off about this place compared to an Earth city. The cars and pollution were one thing, but there was a lack of people moving about. Sure, there were cultivators and mortals moving about on their business and transporting supplies. But it just didnt feel the same despite the modern aesthetic.


    This made me think about how I was brought here to cultivation land. There clearly were other people before me based on the games and how this place was designed. While there was a chance of convergent design schema, I had a hard time buying that. There were just too many similarities to Earth that were present. The similar games I had found in a store when I was young was the biggest confirmation in my mind and everything after that was further reinforcement.


    I poured myself some more tea and enjoyed the breeze. I would be stuck in a small room for a long time after this. A very long time. I wanted to enjoy my freedom while I could. There was nothing more I could do except cultivate. All my other options had been closed off one by one. Now only cultivation and then traveling to the Firmament remained.


    Mount Vortex and the Wandering Immortal Gongong had also been on the forbidden list. At least I had managed to get directions to where the mountain was located. At the very tip of the continent. A huge area of wilderness and then the mountain. I was told the height was so immense, I would not miss it. I had seen some crazy terrain on the continent, but I was quite curious about how tall a mountain could be.


    I had also taken the time to restock on ammo for my gun. After spending 7 rank 6 spirit stone, I purchased 5 rank 6 bullets and another 5 rank 5 bullets. That would leave me with 13 rank 6 spirit stones. Enough for charging the gun and making further purchases. Everything else was my savings and startup capital.


    Before I left, I would have to purchase a lot of supplies and possibly another spatial ring. Also, a high-quality traveling robe that offered protection would be nice. While my sect martial robe and cloak werent poor quality, they werent amazing either. But looking too good and well off might attract the wrong attention. Better to have it, then run out of clothes in the wilderness.


    As for my weapons, I was happy with my sword and gun. There was no need to upgrade them further. The one question that remained, was after reaching the fourth rank, should I return to the sect first and learn techniques? It was a tough question I had been going back and forth on. The Sect was more to the South and made a sort of triangle with Imperial City and Mount Vortex.


    That would be a lot of travel time, but techniques were useful. But I had no doubt the moment I left the demonic cultivators would get word. I should make it look like I am headed back to the sect and tell people that, while in reality, turn North after leaving Imperial City.


    I sipped my tea and smiled. It was much easier to think through things while in a relaxed state. I had been rushing from one disaster to another for so long, I hadnt had time to destress. The long carriage ride to Imperial City did not count. That was an exercise in mental fortitude to resist all the pain. I shuddered slightly as my arm twinged a bit. There were aches across my body, but thankfully it wasnt serious anymore.


    Elder Healer Song did incredibly good work. I had to give the ancient woman a lot of credit and she had been incredibly friendly. Probably the friendliest cultivator I had ever met so far. If that was her sales tactic it wasnt a bad one. Her treatment was insanely expensive, I had no doubt, but she was willing to help me beyond that.


    There was a light chime at the door. I set my tea cup down and went to the front door and opened it up. Package for Yuan Zhou, the mortal said.


    Yes, that is me, I replied. I smiled as I took the package.


    Have a nice day.


    You as well, I replied as the delivery person left and I closed the door. No signature required, but I wasnt about to start speculating on their delivery service. It was a wooden box with a small note on the top.


    Hope this helps you on your journey.


    After that there was the symbol of the Imperial Sect. I carefully undid the metal clasp and opened up the wood box. Inside the box were three books. Each one of them was about the higher levels of cultivation on a different path. I went back to the table on the terrace and set the wood box with the books next to my tea set.


    I carefully pulled out the first book, Soul Cultivation, Fifth Through Eighth Stage. I honestly couldnt believe that Elder Healer Song would have given me such information. I flipped open the book and began skimming through it.


    The Nascent Berry sounded like the best option, or the only option really. Nascent Berries arent grown?


    It is rank 8 plant. The time and care for it to come to maturity is immense. The best option would be searching the wilderness or something, but as for growing them, the cost is too prohibitive. That was true, just frustrating. Why couldnt it be a rank 5 plant or something cheap. A lot of the stuff I wanted was way over my level of cultivation. It made me feel like there was a massive price discrepancy somewhere.


    I should be using rank 4 and 5 treasures, not rank 8. But it was the rarity and the use that contributed, not just what stage it was useful at, but that did play a factor. If it was rank 8, it was implied that people could make it that far using such an item, or it would help them reach there. That was why items were priced the way they were. While I knew this, it was still frustrating to be met by extreme costs in every direction.


    Thank you, I said and got up.


    Not a problem, come back any time. I wasnt planning to anytime soon since I didnt have any more questions that needed to be answered. I then paused and considered something I hadnt asked. Something else? the information broker asked me.


    Yes, do you trade information, if I have information about a demonic sect and one of their bases. Actual information, not speculation. There was a long pause as the broker considered my question. One of the things I had learned about these people were that they were incredibly meticulous. Each word said was measured with care.


    That would be worthwhile information. I will need some details to assess the information, he said. I sat back down.


    I know the location of a base of demonic cultivators, from the Demonic Blood Sect. A large base with three entrances, and general formations that guard it and send up an alert when entered. I can give you the location, the probable locations of one entrance, confirming the other two on a map. The place has several elders guarding it, but has a large treasure the demonic cultivators are using to cultivate, I said.


    You havent told the Imperial Sect? the broker asked.


    They know I encountered a demonic sect, but they werent interested in the information, I replied. The Imperial Sects ambivalence was my gain.


    And they cant just move the base? the broker asked.


    There is a large cultivation treasure inside the base, which cannot be moved. It is heavily guarded, several cultivators above the fifth rank, but no one in the eighth rank when I was there, I said. The broker leaned back and folded their hands in front of them. I could tell they were thinking about the value of the information and who they could sell it to.


    Very well, I can offer you a rank 6 spirit stone for the information, he said. He would have to resell the information and it would take time. In addition, whomever purchased it would have to launch an attack. It wasnt something that provided an immediate benefit.


    Twenty rank 5 spirit stones, I countered. That was worth about one and two thirds of a rank 6 spirit stone. It was a decent price increase, but not overly large.


    I can accept that. He then pulled out several sheets of paper. I am guessing you dont have any of this written down?


    No, I replied and quickly began writing down everything I could about the base I had snuck into. I even took the time to write down my speculations on the material that made up the base, the roots, the blood pool, the size of the base, the locations of the entrances, and the formations that made up the protections on the base. Making it clear that ambushing someone as they went in was the safest option so the active defenses werent turned on, but how there didnt appear to be anyone permanently on guard duty.


    I considered this revenge for the chase I had been put through. I still had to avenge the Cloudy Moon Sect, but this was just one bit of revenge I could leverage. An attack by proxy. While the high ranking sects might use the demonic sects as a deniable attack dogs, the same worked in reverse. There would be no one to bail them out if they were attacked.


    This information would no doubt trickle back to the sects near the Blood Forest and they would launch a punitive expedition. The high ranking sect paid out quite a bit for demonic cultivators. A shame, I hadnt been able to pack up all the corpses myself, but it wasnt worth the headache for me. For other sects though, it would be easily worth a large investment to show the flag.


    By using an information broker in Imperial City, there was no way for the demonic sects would be able to take revenge. The information broker laid out the spirits stones. Before I pocketed them I had one final thing to say.


    I want the information sold, not buried, or sold back to the Demonic Sect under the Blood Forest. I will be publicly releasing this information in a decade, I said.


    A decade is fine. And it will be passed up the chain. Most likely it will be sold to the sects around the Blood Forest, but I will make a note that the information is only slightly contained. I wont mention names as per usual, but there will be no expectation that the information will retain its value long term. Nothing less than a decade though.


    I understand. I dont want to put you into a spot, but I am quite unhappy with this demonic sect. They deserve to be humbled a bit for their audacity, I replied while scooping up the spirit stones.


    A pleasure doing business. Come back any time, the information broker said. I gave them a nod and left. I never got their name, but that was how things worked. While they knew who I was, they wouldnt spread that information around. If they did, whomever was paying had very deep pockets. And I wouldnt mind whoever was trying to give me trouble paying a large fee.


    Other people would have gone off the rails, thinking about revenge, or launching their own attack. That was idiotic. Revenge, while completely valid, was not something to be rushed into. Not with the amount of strength I was up against. Better to just reveal my enemys secrets and let them spread out. If I had given the information away, then the value and authenticity would be questioned.


    By selling it, the information broker and his organization would have to resell it to make a profit. I could trust on human greed to see my revenge fulfilled far more easily than if I had run to the nearby sects and told them about the exact same information for free. Even with revenge, working smarter not harder was key.


    Once a system was large enough, no matter how chaotic, if it involved people it would eventually be mostly predictable. It was nice to be able to leverage my abilities to strike back against my enemies in a way that wasnt shooting a gun or violence. Let other people fight. I wanted to trade and make obscene amounts of profit to fuel my journey to immortality.


    The vast majority of cultivators had it correct. Fighting was a losing proposition long term. Better to let other people fight on my behalf as proxies against the demonic sect. If I came back with enough wealth, I could hire people to get revenge.


    In fact, before I left for the Firmament, I had an amazing idea that would enrage the demonic cultivators, and especially Aoyin. While it was a long shot, never underestimate what someone with experience in the social media age can come up with to troll another person who they disliked. It wasnt like he could want to kill me more. And chasing me down? That was a laugh the world was a big place.


    Once I was done with the third stage of cultivation, everyone from my family would be dead. They would be no more. And that was one thing cultivators did not do, at least high level ones, was wreck mortal cities. Well Aoyin could hire proxies to get revenge, but there was no need to let him know it was me. It would be a long time until I was done cultivating. Memories might not fade completely, but I might not be his first guess.


    I would almost feel bad for what I was going to do, but that would indicate that demonic cultivators had anything redeemable about themselves. I didnt use people as ingredients. Aoyin had a mountain of corpses propping up his cultivation. The demonic cultivators had started this war, and I was going to take the conflict between us in another direction, rather than open fighting.


    While I wouldnt just roll over and die, I was committed to the path of capitalism and not banditry. It was honestly crazy into my sensibilities all the fighting I had been doing. I knew the cultivation world had violence but destroying the sect and chasing after me had put violence into a very clear focus. I had gotten lucky to survive and didnt want to keep pushing my luck.


    Even with the wound I had taken, I had still come out ahead and my cultivation path for the foreseeable future had been cleared. Once I had enough power, I could come back and thank the people who had invested in my future, specifically the Cloudy Moon Sect. My family, I had settled debts there. I had paid out quite a bit on their behalf. I was only in debt to the sect in my mind.


    Even with the shares of my business, they had suffered an attack most likely due to me. But it would take a long time. No wonder why it wasnt wroth having debts to ones mortal family. While I knew cultivation would take a long time, it was finally settling in how long it would really take.

 Chapter 56: Cultivating To The Fourth Stage

    Chapter 56: Cultivating To The Fourth Stage


    I sat in the chamber cultivating. Slowly digging out my channels. When I had first restarted decades ago, it had been really difficult at first, but then quite easy. My soul was a bit softer than it was before. The venom had done work.


    Day after day, year after year, decade after decade, I slowly carved out my channels, gates, and meridians, one by one. The Displacement Channel Carver, quickly helping me progress through the process.


    The chamber itself was very similar to the one back in the Cloudy Moon Sect, but in a building instead of underground. Also built with metal instead of stone. But the small size, the metal table to lay on, and the darkness were all familiar to me.


    I had a lot of time to think while I was cultivating. While the process wasnt mindless, there were certain parts that required less focus than others. After repeating them several times, I could afford to let my mind wander slightly as I thought about other things.


    Like how long cultivation took. While I was gaining life, it was incredibly slow. After the first decade, I felt mentally drained, but forced myself to keep going. There was no shortcut to this part of the process. Well there was a shortcut, the Displacement Channel Carver, but there was no way to get a greater shortcut in the third stage of cultivation.


    It didnt feel like a shortcut with how many channels I had to carve out. While I had headaches about my cultivation, it never felt as tedious as it did right now. At least with the second stage I could be out and about doing other things. But I needed the force energy rich environment in order to attune my channels and meridians.


    I could feel the energy seeping in as my cultivation progressed, becoming more attuned with the concept of Force. While I knew it from a technical standpoint, and could feel force on me, I was becoming much more sensitive to this type of energy.


    It was a slow process, as I became more in tune of with the energy. Even my sight began to improve. I could see incredibly thin lines of energy drifting through the air, like spider webbing. I could still see the motes of Qi, and feel the energy of the world, but I began to see it.


    As my cultivation progressed, I could see the lines of energy in the chamber. Think structured lines flowing all over the place. These lines would be drawn into my channels, and I could feel the energy sinking into my channels. It was a slow process, but there wasnt anything else to do, but think and feel the energy around me while cultivating.


    Over time, I could work out that most of the energy was Force energy. During the few moments I left the chamber, I saw other lines of energy floating about. There were different colors and feelings to them. These wisps of energy were what decided my level of attunement. Regular cultivators would only struggle to pull in a few wisps of their desired type of energy and there might be other types as well.


    The thick concentration of energy inundating me, was what allowed me to have perfect attunement and keep up my rapid base. I could see strands breaking apart and others floating out of the chamber. Even with all the knowledge and ability the Imperial Sect had, there was a limit to their capability. My eyes that could see energy still reigned supreme.


    Looking at the energy floating around was a magical experience. But like any experience, it quickly began to wear thin, and lost its appeal after a decade. This was why cultivators struggled. While cultivators were expected to endure long periods of cultivation, it was mind numbing. There was nothing I could do to speed things up. I also couldnt afford to risk my cultivation.


    At least with the fourth stage, it would be far easier to use items to get drops to fuel my cultivation. I would need a lot of resources, but at least I wouldnt be stuck in a chamber decade after decade. The previous sessions of cultivation felt like nothing compared to what I had to endure. If one didnt have the mentality of an aesthetic monk, there was no chance of progressing.


    I could also see why people would become demonic cultivators. Just kill to become stronger. No sitting around for decades at a time. The tedium wore down on me.


    Another thing I experienced was the ever increasing awareness of every portion of my body as my cultivation cut through my soul. My cultivation was so thick and dense, my entire body was subjected to my cultivation efforts, as the channels snaked through my body.


    It wasnt pain that I could feel, just a greater awareness of everything my soul connected to. I could feel my heartbeat. My blood flow. The twitch of my muscles. All of it came into my awareness. The long time my cultivation took at least gave me the time to adapt to my body and being able to feel everything inside of it.


    If it had happened all at once, it would have been incredibly scary, and disturbing. I also began to feel the differences between my channels aligned to body, mind, or soul. Each of them gave off a different feeling. The channels aligned with my body, gave off a feeling of strength and durability. They felt more solid than my other channels.


    The channels aligned with my mind, had a wispier feel. I felt I could sense the energy around them better. As for the channels aligned with my soul, they felt somewhere in between the other two. It was a hard feeling to put into words, but just something I slowly picked up on over the decades.


    There was no sudden flash of insight, no knowledge out of nowhere. Instead, the feelings came from laying down on a metal table year after year, slowly carving out my channels and feeling everything about myself come into clearer focus.


    I had thought writing a thesis was hard work. I had thought getting all the materials for my cultivation was hard work. But all of it paled in comparison to having to cultivate decade after decade. I often wished I could create some kind of energy-based intelligence to cultivate on my behalf.


    Just strap on a patch, connected to some kind of central intelligence and power source, and have ones cultivation done for you. Heck, if I had a second Displacement Channel Carver, I could have carved two channels at once, to go twice as fast. It would have put an immense strain on my body, and the chances of a mistake would increase exponentially, but cultivation was incredibly tedious.


    After the first three decades, I wished to go out and start firing my gun at demonic cultivators. By the sixth decade, I was leaning into the idea that I was in a state of death. Cultivation land was just me coming to accept that and this was dying.


    One thing I did decide on, that I had to, to keep myself sane, was that I would never go into a long period of isolation like this ever again, unless there was no other choice. It had been a mistake to work harder and not smarter. To not look for any kind of automation or studying arrays and formations more in depth to create some kind of Artificial Intelligence.


    That was my strength from Earth, which was what my thesis had been about. Leveraging a large source of knowledge to handle an incredibly tedious task or using an AI to manage traffic lights. I just needed an AI to manage my cultivation. There was nothing like that in Imperial City, or it was kept secret by the Imperial Sect. Instead, if the knowledge to create something like this was anywhere, it would be out in the Firmament.


    After reading the books by Elder Song, it had become clear how long and tedious the higher stages of cultivation were. No wonder why there was a very self-sufficient mindset required of cultivators and handouts or shortcuts were looked down on in the first stage of cultivation. If one got tired of collecting motes, they would have given up instantly at the later stages.


    Also, after six decades of cultivation, every mortal I had known was dead. There was no way they would live beyond 120 years. I had doubted my seniors about letting go in the past, but I had an unconventional first and second stage of cultivation. Going out and traveling, had never really prepared me for the endless grind that was required of me to progress to the next stage.


    Even the time I spent cultivating the third stage in the sect, hadnt been mentally exhausting. At least there, when I left, I would have been able to check up on things. I only spent a day to switch out supplies when I left the chamber here in the Imperial Sect, not wanting to risk them saying I was finished. While I could have tried to take a longer break, if I didnt keep going I wouldnt have the mental energy to restart.


    The halfway point was seven decades of straight cultivation. It almost felt like a bad joke. I had spent a total of 80 years now cultivating the third stage. That was as much time as my first and second life. It was an insane amount of time. Once I finished the third stage, a fourth stage cultivator would live between 900 and 1,500 years.


    I had no idea how long I would live with my unique cultivation. It could be longer or shorter. There was no clear information beyond the general guidelines for how long people lived. While there were attempts to quantify things, there had been no definitive proof, in any manner, since there were too many variations of cultivation and people.


    When I finally left the chamber and was done with the third stage, I would be 200 years old. That would give me 700 to 1,300 years of life. That was enough for ten lifetimes. I just had to endure the incredible boredom of cultivation and just cultivation decade after decade.


    By my tenth decade of cultivation, one century, I was thinking demonic cultivation might even be a good idea. This was worse than anything else. I had to resist the urge to self-sabotage. Like jumping from one channel to another before completing the one I was working on. I suspected a lot of other cultivators just half-assed things to hurry things up more quickly.


    No wonder why the first bottleneck failure rate was so high. This wasnt a sprint, and calling this a marathon was a joke. It was a test of sheer mental endurance. To keep my focus day after day, to carve out all of my 1,304 channels. I had given up counting the finished ones long ago and didnt care to count. The only thing I could force myself to focus on in regard to my cultivation was carving out the next channel, then next one, and then the one after that.


    How the first cultivator had ever figured any of this out was a complete mystery. I could see one genius figuring out the next stage every so often, but even then, this was a soul crushing nightmare. This was the kind of mental torment you give your worst enemies to make them hate life itself. There was no exaggeration in this comparison, with how I had to endure.


    By the final decade, I couldnt wait for all this to be over. It was a struggle to keep my steady pace. I wanted to go faster, but I was already going as fast as I could without taking obscene and pointless risks.


    It was Elder Liu Chen, I replied.


    I knew of him. A rare genius in terms of cultivation. Is design for your channels is both inspired and completely impractical. As for other medical advice, is to use techniques sparingly if at all possible. You will draw on your cores energy, which will slow down your cultivation. Each technique should be considered incredibly precious, she said, and I nodded at this, since I already knew this information.


    Let me think on what else to warn you of. You already got my explanations on the later stages, but the biggest risk, will be the first bottleneck and the fifth stage in my opinion, if you can make it that far. While theoretically, what you have planned will work, I suggest you look for a treasure of some kind to increase your chances of success. I would suggest an Infinite Pill, she said.


    What is that Elder Healer? I asked.


    It stretches out a single moment into a day. Consuming it right before you attempt your breakthrough will give you more time. That will be what is working against you. You will have to do multiple tasks once you attempt to breakthrough to the fifth stage. Normal cultivators struggle with just one path of cultivation, you will be struggling with three.


    That is why the Infinite Pill is a must if you hope to succeed. As for other treasures, I wouldnt worry about them. With the number of drops that are needed for your breakthrough, if you get that many you will reach the fifth stage.


    No issues? I asked.


    There could be, but the headache will come in the Nascent stage afterwards. That will be incredibly tricky with three paths of cultivation. There is no guidance or advice I can give you there. You will be on your own, she explained. And unlike the earlier stages, your initial starting point is completely uncharted. The destination is known, but the path there, will be brand new. If I may ask, how do you plan to complete your fourth stage?


    I plan to travel and look for opportunities, I replied honestly while not giving away that I was headed for the Firmament.


    Ah, you are going to the Firmament, beyond the continent. Normally people do this in the later stages, but I suppose you have no choice. She then went silent.


    Do you have any advice Elder Healer Song? I asked hopefully.


    You have grown up in the mortal culture, and the cultivator culture. If you think of the peasant hovel you came from and Imperial City, the gap between Imperial City and the Forever City is just as wide. You will be less than a bug like senior cultivators who go to look for their fortune. Even with your unique cultivation, I would put your strength between the fourth and fifth stage of a regular cultivator.


    I gulped at that. I knew things were intense, but there was that much of a gap? It was even worse, since Imperial Sect members clearly had an air of being better than everyone else. The Forever City? What is that like? I asked.


    Despair. You will be lucky to find a job if anything. Most likely you will be kidnapped and used for research purposes. The first thing you must do is secure a backer of some kind. If you do not, then it will be open season on you. In addition, you must not give up anything you arent willing to give up. There will be no higher power you can appeal to or look to for assistance. She gave me a smile as I frowned slightly.


    There is no Imperial Sect in the Forever City. There are endless competing factions of all sorts. The fact you still need to eat, and drink will be a major hinderance. So, stock up on supplies, since it will be hard to find anything once you leave. I mean really stock up. As for everything else, that is up to you, she said.


    Thank you Elder Healer Song for your advice, but what about leaving the city? I asked.


    Not city, Forever City. It is one of the few things that unites the residents. The Imperial Sect are humble beggars to such powers. Do not insult the Forever City, since you will die without knowing why. Offense is easily given and not corrected. As for outside and the wider Firmament, that is death. Until you are an Immortal you are not qualified to even think of such a thing, she said.


    What?! How can there be such a gap in power? I asked.


    That is the nature of things. We are put a small island of peace in the wider Firmament. Such locations are rare and heavily guarded. The beasts are but a pale imitation of much greater dangers that lay beyond, too myriad and varied to count, she explained.


    Yes, Elder Healer Song. Thank you again for your advice, I replied.


    It is nothing. I hope you survive, for I have no doubt if you do, you will come back to me. I prefer payment to be in unique healing knowledge, but rare treasures are acceptable as well, she said with a kind smile, hiding the shark beneath it.


    Of course, Elder Healer Song. If I need healing, my first thought would be you for all the help I have received.


    If you do make it to the fifth stage, come back and I will give you a free check up and advice. It is unlikely, but to get this far and have the fortitude to see your cultivation through, well perhaps you are blessed by the heavens. A room will be provided for ten more days while you get on your feet, after that you are expected to depart, she said and then left.


    The attendant came back into the room and showed me to my temporary room. I collapsed on the comfortable bed reveling in the feeling of having made it this far. It was a major accomplishment that I was proud of. Sure, there were more challenges, but it was good to have challenges that stimulated me, rather than cultivating mindlessly.


    Still the threat of traveling to the Firmament and this Forever City was worrying. Jiang Fengges had hints at a more urban area with his fights, but I had just thought it was a regular city. Imperial City was like a modern-day city. Would this be some kind of Dyson Sphere type city, surrounding a star of some kind?


    If a city had a name like Forever City, it clearly was massive. The smallest was a planet sized city, while the largest was a Dyson Sphere. Such a city really would feel endless and forever. It would take a mortals lifetime to travel around the entire thing.


    But this continent was part of the Firmament? That was another piece of information I didnt understand. While Elder Healer Song was helpful and informative, pressing her too much didnt seem like a good idea when she had already gone out of her way so much on my behalf.


    Perhaps I should have offered to pay her for more questions, but then she might charge me in the future. Regardless, I would figure it out as things happened. I would also be following her advice and buying more spatial items to stock up on as many supplies as possible.


    I would also need trade goods as well. Get a backer and then work out the value of things. Those would be my first two priorities in this Forever City.


    As I got my supplies there was one last thing I needed to do before I left. I hadnt forgotten about my revenge after all these years. I paid one rank 5 spirit stone to three different information brokers, to arrange to hire mortals in cities to sing a song of my devising. Each broker getting a different version of the song I had written up. I had decades to make it as humiliating as possible, while having a catchy rhythm.


    It involved the demon Aoyin, donkeys, and questionable parentage. I wanted the song and tale of Aoyin having questionable relationships spread everywhere in the most humiliating manner possible. While the brokers were hesitant to take up my request, they all agreed in the end, since the pay was so good. I also had them monitor the others, to make sure they completed their task to spread the song and would be checking in on things. There was a promise to pay a rank 6 spirit stone if the song and story spread enough.


    That was the issue with Aoyin, his reputation and I was going to savage it. Sure he was a demonic cultivator, but no one would dare insult him. There were clues in the song that it was me. Like the line, Aoyins Fang chipped and burned, his greed immense and spurned. The moon man was stronger than belief, and he had escaped Aoyins wrath like a leaf.


    I also told the information brokers they could place all the blame on me if people made inquiries, but the songs needed to spread. I had no doubt once he heard them he would be steaming. But by then I would have escaped to the Firmament, and this Forever City.


    Chasing after me would hopefully be difficult. At least that was the plan. It would be better to leave him alone, but I was pissed off with him. And this was the only way I could strike back at him. It was petty and probably a waste, but it was the only thing I could do at the moment to state my need for revenge.

 Chapter 57: Climb Of Mount Vortex

    Chapter 57: Climb Of Mount Vortex


    I stopped at the last city I could get to in the North. It had taken a year of traveling to get this far. The first part of the trip was done with carriages to conceal my movement from city to city. But after a month of that I then traveled on my own to go much faster.


    During my travels, I could feel energy being pulled into me slightly. The real trick was to maneuver into the strands of energy that floated about. That was why I had left in a carriage to focus on cultivating while I tried to draw in energy.


    The hard part was, not all energy was drawn in equally. The lines of energy I could see indicated a slightly higher concentration. There were far less lines that motes of Qi floating about. In addition, it had to be the right energy as well.


    While I was able to spot force energy and move into it, the energy would be quickly pulled into my channels and the thread would disappear. I had followed a thread of force energy once, but it either went up into the sky or down into the ground. Drawing in the energy, just unraveled the thread and I was constantly drawing in energy, so I couldnt get too close without disrupting it or stopping my cultivation.


    One full year had allowed me to fill up all my channels right up to my cores. I had taken the initial year in the fourth stage to carefully work on controlling which of my meridians and channels took in energy. By controlling the gates inside of my channels, I was able to shut some of them down. It had taken quite a bit of thinking to come up with a pattern to balance out the draw of energy across the channels and my cores.


    While it had been a good learning experience, it also meant that my progress was slower. I could go faster and have an unbalanced number of drops entering my cores or balanced and slower. In the end, I had enough control over my channels to choose to go with the faster and unbalanced method, but I hadnt decided to commit to that cultivation path yet.


    It didnt matter which option I picked. My cultivation would still be incredibly slow. Also, I was very aware of the concerns Elder Healer Song had discussed with me. If my soul cores increased too fast, compared to the outer shell mind cores, then it could create a situation, where I struggled to pull in more drops for my mind cores, or any number of issues might arise.


    If I could go back, I would have created a balanced number of channels, but that wasnt possible. I had to make do with what I had and attempt to cultivate as well as I could in the fourth stage without creating an imbalance. Since I needed the maximum number of drops, 610,000 to have the greatest chance of reaching the fifth stage, while also any imbalance could impact me long term.


    I dont think Elder Healer Song realized I would gain control over my individual channels, but I had. A side benefit of my intense cultivation. Regardless, she had explained enough to me that I could work out some of the risks myself. The pressure on my cultivation from my soul cores would be immense once they were filled up. If there wasnt adequate counter pressure from the surrounding mind cores, there could be instability or other issues.


    That was why I had been getting a handle on the fourth stage of my cultivation for the last year. I wanted to ensure that I had proper control and took things slowly as I understood every bit about this stage of cultivation. Also, it wasnt like trying to rush would allow me to complete things that much faster at the moment.


    The number of drops I needed was so immense. I could only hope that my trip beyond the cultivation continent would be enough for me to progress my cultivation. I had stocked up heavily on supplies and purchased three more spatial rings and stuffed them full of food and water. I would be able to last centuries with how much I had on me.


    While that did bite into my rank 6 spirit stones quite a bit, I was going to take Elder Songs advice seriously. I also purchased two sets of heavy-duty martial robes for defense and protection. Also, high end water gathering equipment, fire starting, and full head face helmet to protect my breathing and hearing if necessary. I also purchased a large amount of flash bang grenades. After all those purchases, I was only left with 5 rank 6 spirit stones.


    I had no idea what kind of environment I would be stuck in, but I wanted to be sure I had the equipment to handle whatever I ran into. Wealth was no good if I was somehow killed. I was investing into my future for this expedition. It put my spendings reserves low, but I had no idea what kind of currency was used in the Firmament or this Forever City. I had to assume there would be no chance to resupply.


    My past adventures gave me a good idea what I needed to ensure I could survive. I disliked how much it felt like I was gearing up for a fight, but if there was a fight, I didnt want to be caught unprepared. The greatest sin for cultivators was weakness. Any kind of weakness.


    Traveling through the northern forests, it wasnt winter thankfully, but it was cold. At night a layer of frost would cover the landscape. There were still beasts, but they were less common. The deciduous trees with leaves had turned into pine trees.


    After a month of traveling, I finally saw Mount Vortex in the distance. It took me a moment to realize it was a mountain and not just a mountain range. If I looked far to either side, I could see the slope downwards, giving me an idea of its height.


    If the slopes remained consistent, then it had to be at least 50 kilometers, or 31 miles tall. I double and triple checked my math and estimates and that wasnt wrong. It was massive. And that was counting the height from its base, not sea level.


    I looked up at the thick clouds covering the mountain and swirling around it. I figured out how the mountain got its name, Mount Vortex. As I traveled towards it, the mountain began to block off the entire horizon in front of me. I could see very little plant life except for moss and lichen at the higher elevations. It was a barren landscape as far as I could tell.


    Once I reached the base, I considered putting on my mask, but decided to try and make the climb without support. Before I started, I made sure to rest up quite a bit. I had no doubt that the climb would be incredibly hard one way or the other, and that there would be drama at the top. This kind of place just screamed out trouble.


    I began the ascent after resting for two days. The climb wasnt difficult until I reached the clouds. Once there it was dark, wet, and became hard to breathe. Before I could cover a large distance in a single leap. Now, each step upwards felt like the staircase at the Cloudy Moon Sect when I had first been tested if I could join.


    There were no stairs here though. Just large wet boulders. The energy in the air was getting slightly thicker as well, as I began to draw in energy. There was something pressing down on me as I climbed, I could feel it due to my relationship with force energy.


    I kept up my steady pace, one foot after the other, as I continued to climb. For the first time in a very long time, my legs began to physically ache. It wasnt that I was losing my cultivation, but there was such pressure pushing down on me, that without my cultivation I would have been crushed into paste. I was forced to actually use my muscles and draw on my physical strength. Step after step, I continued my ascent.


    While other people might have found it tedious, I felt it freeing. I had been trapped in a dark chamber for so long, I enjoyed feeling the pain in my legs, the pounding of my heart, and the increasing difficultly I had breathing.


    When I broke through the clouds, I was slammed with even more wind, and it was incredibly dark. Looking up, there was another thick layer of clouds above me. Looking away from Mount Vortex I could see a large ocean of clouds laid out and swirling about the mountain. The next cloud layer up wasnt as widespread, but it was much darker. I heard the distant rumble of thunder occasionally over the wind.


    The wind was so strong, that I felt like I was going to be swept away. I tried to take a deep breath, but the air was too thin, I struggled to even breathe. There wasnt even moss or lichen, just a barren landscape of rocks and boulders leading upwards. Again, I was tempted to put on my mask, but decided to keep enduring.


    I continued my climb and was grateful for my expensive martial robes. Lesser clothes would have been shredded by the constant winds. The rocks making up this mountain were incredibly sturdy, since they werent that weather worn. I could feel the energy within them.


    This would be a great place to cultivate, but I suspected there was a reason people didnt cultivate here. There was supposedly the Wandering Immortal Gongong at the top. To cultivate here, would be like using his front yard as a bathroom. Incredibly rude and disrespectful. It wasnt even a stretch to say that he was responsible for the environment of the mountain itself.


    That was another reason I was hesitant to use a mask to make things easier. That might be looked down upon, or he might consider me stupid. I wasnt sure of which one, but using a mask to breathe might offend him. Better to risk my breathing than offending an immortal.


    Several times on my ascent, I had to reach down to steady myself with my hands as the winds picked up in intensity. I felt like I might get blown away any moment. Thankfully the winds came in from the side swirling around Mount Vortex, and I was angled directly upwards. If the winds had come from the mountain itself, I would have been blown off for sure.


    The sounds of thunder grew closer, and I saw lightning flash in the clouds above me. I pulled out a metal pole I had in my spatial storage and put on a set of gloves. The metal pole was above my head. I had no idea how useful such a thing would be, but I didnt want to get hit with lightning. At the second layer of clouds, I was finally forced to pull out my mask to breathe.


    If the Immortal was offended, there was nothing I could do about it. I continued my climb upwards. The rain drops in the dark clouds slammed into my like tiny rocks. I could barely see in front of me, from the swirl of water. It was like a sideways stream in some respects. I jumped slightly as a bolt of lightning struck my metal poll, sparing me from being hit.


    The poll warmed up under my glove and began to let out a hiss as the water evaporated when it was struck. I continued my ascent as lightning occasionally struck me with blind brilliance and a massive crack of thunder. The energy was increasing in the air, but unfortunately there wasnt more force energy. While I wouldnt stop to just cultivate, I wouldnt stop drawing in energy as I made my climb.


    While I had a pocket watch to keep track of the time, I didnt pull it out. I would reach the top when I reached the top. I just needed to keep climbing. Trying to figure out how much was left would only stress me out.


    I finally cleared the cloud cover and was hit with blinding light. Thankfully my mask prevented me from the worst of it, since the lenses had a tint to them. Looking about, I saw an angry dark swirl of clouds behind me. Above, Mount Vortex continued upwards, but there were no more cloud layers. I put away my metal poll, the tip had melted slightly from the lightning strikes, but at least I was spared.


    I removed my mask, and I could barely breathe, but was able to. I put the mask away for now, and kept my eyes focused on the ground as I continued climbing. My entire body ached as I continued my climb upwards. Step after step, I kept climbing.


    Once the ascent stopped, I shielded my eyes as I looked around. The scene was disconcerting. There was a plateau at the top and a modern building off to one side. Everything else was solid stone, with only slight roughing to provide grip.


    The building itself was made of glass and steel like those of Imperial City. I made my way towards the building. The windows were reflective, so I couldnt see inside. The sun remained directly overhead, which was weird, but I didnt complain as I made my way across the flat plateau towards the building that was offset to my right.


    Reaching the building, I had to walk around before I found a door. There was a sign out front as well. All Cultivators May Enter. Well, that was an invitation if I ever saw one. I opened the door and entered the building. I was greeted by what could only be called a modern lobby. I noted two senior cultivators sitting off to one side meditating. They didnt open their eyes when I entered.


    In front of me a woman, who could only be called the pinnacle of beauty was standing behind a large desk. There was something otherworldly about her perfect appearance. Something that made me think beauty at a deep level. I slowly advanced to the desk and the woman gave me a soft smile. I felt my heart stir at that glance.


    At least it was easy to breathe in the building and the pressure had disappeared. At least I didnt feel like I was being squeezed to death and about to be blown away.


    Welcome cultivator to Mount Vortex departure point. Have you been here before or would you like an explanation? she kindly asked.


    Thank you for your warm welcome senior. I am Yuan Zhou, and an explanation would be appreciated, I said with a bow.


    Very well, Cultivator Yuan Zhou. This is the Mount Vortex departure point. Here you may wait and cultivate inside the lobby if you have a ticket. Tickets are available for purchase, for one rank 8 spirit stone, or 10 rank 7 spirit stones. Current wait time until the next departure is estimated at four and a half years. Feel free to ask questions cultivator, she said.


    I have a scroll, would this be considered a ticket? I asked and pulled it out. She carefully took it from my hands and looked it over.


    There are many, but the risks are immense. It is a taboo to discuss such things here, he said.


    I never knew that, I replied.


    It is a taboo, hence even the fact it is such is not spoken about. It is impressive you made the climb up the mountain, it could not have been easy, he said.


    I was prepared enough, and my cultivation is quite sturdy for my stage. This constant light cant be easy for you, I said.


    It is of no concern. I was warned beforehand. The path of darkness is not as limiting as one would think. Far easier than a path of light, he said.


    Well, the bedrooms are quite dark, if uncomfortable. So, any advice for a junior? I asked, hoping Bolin would tell me something about the Firmament.


    Your strength means nothing. Also dont get lost. The Forever City is not just a name, but an accurate description. It operates by different spatial laws than here. It isnt truly infinite, but the edges are much more chaotic and frayed. The center, is the most controlled, but has different dangers, he said.


    I was told I would need a backer, I added.


    It is good to have one. All cultivators fall under the backing of the White Lotus, our parent organization. With your cultivation surviving let alone thriving will be difficult. There is a good chance they will reject you out of hand, Bolin said.


    For being weak? I asked.


    Indeed. Weakness is a sin, that is not tolerated within the Forever City. Still, they will not target you out of respect for Immortal Gongong, but that just means you will probably have to find your own path.


    What resources are in demand, in the Forever City and what are sold? I asked.


    Everything and everything. It is a nexus point within the Firmament. I see your confusion, that just means it is a gathering point for different factions that exist. It is one of the larger known nexus points and quite a popular one. Everything is in demand, from a persons waste to the very air. Many are willing to kill without hesitation, he explained.


    Are there any rules or laws? I asked.


    Different areas have different rules. But there are some universal ones. The first is to not damage the city itself too much. That will bring attention from the more powerful factions that control sections of the Forever City. It is unlikely at your strength you can do anything, but it is the one rule all the main factions have, near the center. The edges are far more chaotic. I nodded at this.


    The second universal rule, is to follow the rules of the controlling faction of whatever area you are in. Factions make it a strict point to follow the rules they impose strictly, in order to penalize and catch members of other factions. Also why backing is important. It gives a level of protection, Bolin explained.


    I will make sure to pay attention, I replied.


    Many say that, but the rules themselves are kept secret and are a thing of value. There are many layers to various faction rules, and getting that information is not cheap, he explained.


    Why? I asked.


    To entrap idiots. Navigating the Forever City is incredibly risky. Certain factions require a specific greeting to their members while you are in their area, or they can detain you and request compensation. You will be informed of the outer rules of the White Lotus and some inner rules, but unless you are brought under their protection, you will not be informed of other faction rules. That way they can eventually bankrupt you, Bolin explained.


    Thank you senior, you are being quite helpful, I said.


    It will all be explained once more. I am just warning you out of karma. For even the lowest of bugs, can move just enough to impact the future.


    I didnt think karma was real, I said.


    It is a subject of great debate. I find that being polite and helpful is important to managing ones interactions. This is even more true in the Forever City where each action has great weight. That is why my sect has had some success over the millennia in sending people out as traveling elders. A steady temperament is key, he explained.


    I will have to endeavor to emulate you senior. No matter the risks, I must travel in order to get more resources for my cultivation, I said.


    It must be unique or complex if you are taking such a perilous journey, Bolin said.


    It is both. But I have hope. I just need to find an opportunity to progress, I said.


    That will be quite hard. Countless beings pour into the Forever City, and most perish without a thought. You will need a backer to help you navigate.


    Any suggestions? I asked.


    No. Just even asking is incredibly difficult. And I have no experience in such things. My path within the Forever City is already set. There will be no changing my service to the White Lotus like my fellow elders before me, he said.


    I wish you luck, but you seem to not need it senior Bolin, I said.


    Thank you for your kind words. But one can never have too much good luck. Now that would be interesting to cultivate, he said.


    How would you even find the energy of luck? It might be out there, but it small quantities, I replied.


    True. Darkness is not much easier. What do you cultivate?


    Force, I said.


    A decent choice, but not a common one. Elemental choices are far more popular. I know many of my sect members choose earth instead of darkness.


    Water and earth for my sect, I replied.


    Well, it has been a pleasure talking with you, but I plan to claim a bedroom and cultivate until our departure, Bolin said.


    You arrived quite early, any reason? I asked.


    The departure time frame can vary up to a year. Better to be here and waiting, than waiting somewhere else, he said, and I nodded at that. Bolin got up and I let out a heavy sigh once he was in a bedroom.


    That had been a lot of information, and I was slowly putting things togeather about the situation I would find myself in. It would not be easy, that was for sure. It felt like I was starting all over again. I would have to assess the situation and keep my wits about me once I arrived.


    I got up and decided to walk about the plateau. I had been sitting around for far too long. I confirmed with the Vortex Guardian there wouldnt be an issue, and she said there wasnt. But if I left the plateau, then I would no longer be under her protection. That was fine with me.


    It was hard to breathe, but it felt good to move about. I would occasionally adjust my course to run into more force energy. That was when I felt the first drop enter all my cores.


    I felt the pulse of energy inside of me. It was ethereal, but I would feel it floating about in each of my cores. My management of my channels had been spot on in terms of balancing the energy draw between them. There wasnt anything else to do out here, except wait and cultivate. The conversation with Bolin had been a nice break. Hopefully other people would show up and I could chat with them.

 Chapter 58: The Wandering Immortal

    Chapter 58: The Wandering Immortal


    After the initial meeting with Bolin, it was a very long wait. I often went on walks outside around the plateau to pass the time. I didnt want to sit in an enclosed space after my time cultivating to the fourth stage. I kept drawing in small bits of force energy, as I walked about but it was slow.


    I was managing to get around 9 drops per year, one per core. Which was an insane amount. There were several factors helping me. The first was my perfect attunement of my meridians and channels. The energy just flowed right on in without issue.


    The second factor was the sheer number of channels and meridians I had. I was pulling in energy from all over, combined with the suction vortex, the energy draw was quite high. The suction vortex had seeped or spread out into my astral soul, and was pulling on the energy.


    While there were two key nodes, in my head, and in my groin, I could feel an increased pull from all around me. It was slight, but it helped the energy move into my cores much more efficiently than if it hadnt been present. It had taken a while for me to sense exactly what that aspect of my cultivation was doing.


    Finally, there was my sight. I could easily see greater concentrations of force energy and take them inside my cultivation. It helped there was a lot of energy on the top of Mount Vortex. The constant sun overhead was disturbing, but I had learned to deal with it. Trying to think about the physics of cultivation land gave me a headache. Better to just wait for the explanation.


    Four years after my arrival, I felt a wave of pressure sweep over me as I was doing my regular circuit around the plateau. Oh, cultivating while walking? An older man with a long white beard appeared instantly in front of me. There was no disturbance of the air or any warning sign. Their cultivation was immense, so immense, it was almost blinding. It didnt help they were wearing completely white robes.


    I quickly bowed incredibly deep. Yes immortal. After being in a small room to get through the third stage, I prefer to be out and about. Also, it helps keep my body in decent shape, I replied.


    Force cultivation. Not something normally seen, but you sure are an over achiever. Three paths of cultivation, nine unique core structures. And you are in the fourth stage. Well, you can raise your head, you have a ticket, right? Immortal Gongong asked me, for who else could this be?


    Yes, and a return ticket, given to me by my master Jiang Fengge, Immortal, I said politely.


    Well, your passage is allowed, but someone at the fourth stage, you wont even be taken in as a servant for the White Lotus. I would advise you not to go, but you clearly have no other option. How many drops are you looking for, 300,000?


    610,000 Immortal, I replied.


    Hah! Oh my. Now that is something I have not seen. When you break through, that will be dangerous. Not just for you, but everything around you. You will need to prepare for that, otherwise you are going to draw the wrong kind of attention. Hmmm, what to do with you. I didnt say anything since I wasnt asked a question. While I felt I could be a bit free with elder cultivators, this man was beyond me, and I had no idea by how much they were beyond me.


    I could do you a favor. I have a friend in the Forever City. They would look after you, and give you work. You will probably die with how weak you are, but at least you would have some backing, he said.


    Thank you Immortal, I would owe you for any assistance, I quickly said and bowed again.


    You are interesting, and I would hate to see you have no chance. However, you would owe me a favor. That is just for the introduction. By favor, he meant anything. If he told me to jump, I would have to jump, and then ask how high I was while in the air and keep jumping. It was no exaggeration to say that he would have me under his thumb.


    But I was also in no position to refuse such an offer either. I needed every bit of help that I could muster up. The fact he was willing to go out of his way in the first place was a huge boon. I had no doubt that there were far more complicated reasons beyond having a soft spot for me. As long as it didnt involve using me as an ingredient of some kind then I was fine.


    Thank you Immortal, I said.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))


    Hmm, well come on, time to get this show on the road. Dont mention my offer to the others, otherwise that will create problems, he said. Or he had a technique to appear before everyone and offer them a deal and it was all a scam. Unfortunately I didnt have the power to object.


    Yes Immortal, I replied. We made our way to the glass and steel building. That was when I realized he had disappeared without any sign. I entered the building and the Vortex Guardian told me to go to the second floor. I went up there and other cultivators were already gathering. I counted only 8 people, not counting myself. I was the last one to arrive and took my seat at one of the tables. The place was like a classroom with twenty tables facing one direction.


    I noticed most cultivators sat near the front, and I did the same. The Immortal suddenly appeared in front of us all. I am the Wandering Immortal Gongong.


    Greetings Wandering Immortal Gongong, we all said, while standing up and bowing.


    You can sit and dont have to bow. Immortal is fine to address me. We have a lot to cover and only so much time. We are going to do a quick history lesson. Then move onto the dos and donts. Finally, expectations. If you have a serious question, you may raise a hand and I will point on you to ask your question. Try to keep them limited, since we will be leaving shortly, he replied. No one raised their hand.


    The Firmament and the Forever City. Some of you might know some of this, but I am covering it regardless, I do this each and every time. The Firmament refers to the vast space of endless existence that exists above primordial chaos. The barrier between chaos and mater. I listened closely to every single word he was saying.


    The Firmament is truly infinite. At the very top you have the super-organizations. These super-organizations and powers are beyond even me. The one you need to know is the Heavenly Alliance which controls the Forever City. One of the factions that makes up this Heavenly Alliance, is the White Lotus, a lower to middle faction within the Forever City. How high up did the power scale go?


    Just like this continent, the Forever City exists in a small bubble of existence, floating above the chaos below. The true Firmament is outside these bubbles. What is out there is a constant struggle between the super-factions. To gain materials, resources, and more power. Were all these descriptions metaphors, or was reality really like a bubble?


    The Forever City while controlled by the Heavenly Alliance, is an unbound bubble of existence. That means, other factions have presences within, and will attempt anything they can to gain an advantage. No matter what happens, you must never betray the Heavenly Alliance. While some of you might consider maneuvers with other factions within the Heavenly Alliance, the other super-organizations will crush us. There is no room for negotiation, mercy, or anything else. This is not like demonic cultivators either or beasts. I could sense the tension increase.


    Their power structures are different than ours and co-existence is not possible for super-organizations. That doesnt mean there arent traders or low level people from this organizations that are present within the Forever City, but they are not allies, or even friends of convenience. Got it, dont associate with other super-organizations.


    For the most part you are all too weak to care about such things, but it is a firm rule. Once you reach my level, then you can consider other options. For all of you, there will be the White Lotus, and you will be hired as support personnel. If you prove yourself, you might get promoted to foot soldier or some other position. Foot soldier was a promotion? That was some nonsense right there.


    A lot of fights are done through proxies. You succeed, you get rewarded. You fail, you are dead. No wonder why my master had written about all his fights in his journal. That is the history, yes, Immortal Gongong pointed a cultivator who raised their hand.


    Immortal, what is the Forever City and where did it come from? they asked.


    Asking such a question is pointless. The Firmament exists forever. You have the Material above it, and Chaos below it. That is how it has always been. The Forever City is a bounded bubble of reality, that is designed as a city. Perhaps the Heavenly Alliance created it in the past, perhaps they won it from another super-organization. What you have to understand is that even if you are from a high-ranking sect, or in the Conceptual Formation stage, it doesnt matter. Consider yourself a mortal at best, and a poor homeless mortal at worst, Immortal Gongong explained. No one else raised their hand.


    Also, a lot of other services require a fee. Traveling anywhere is often expensive unless you go by foot, which is dangerous and there are tolls by factions that control certain areas in the Forever City. While there are main routes that are kept safe, they have tolls attached to them by the enforcers. That reminds me. The enforcers. Golems that are used similar to the constructors and administrators. They cant be scammed or tricked. Smarter people than all of you have tried. So dont, you wont stand a chance. You wont see them often except at key nodes and closer to the center, but dont underestimate them. They can hide their abilities and power, Immortal Gongong explained.


    Immortal, how big is the Forever City and how is it laid out?


    Bigger than the continent. At least ten times as big in terms of area, but what really will get you is the volume and the levels. Each tower extends about hundred thousand levels, in the positive and negative direction. Level 0 is considered the prime real estate and where the majority of connecting bridges are located. I was listening to everything, since it was rare to get nice clean-cut explanations like this.


    At the outer edges things start breaking apart and there is much more violence. You will be entering around level 10,000 in the fifth ring. There are eight rings, and then the outer city beyond that. The closer you are to the center the more valuable the real estate and the higher the movement fees. That seemed like we were pretty far out and there had be a lot of factions.


    That reminds me. The environment. The air is heavily toxic. Food and water are considered valuable. I hope you all have stocked up or your cultivation can withstand such things. If you have supplies, dont be quick to sell either, since that is the kind of stuff that might keep you alive. Certain towers have habitable environments, like the one controlled by the White Lotus, but unless you have business there, then you wont be able to live there, he explained and then turned to look out the window. Have time for a couple more questions.


    Immortal, why is the sun always shining here?


    That question is quite complicated, but suffice to say, Mount Vortex extends out of the main bubble around the continent, and is surrounded by another bubble. It makes our departure easier and prevents issues coming to the continent. Hmmm, that reminds me of threats beyond the norm. Please no fighting.


    Do not underestimate the power of technology or other paths of power that exist. While we cultivators of the Heavenly Alliance are a large portion of the Forever City, there are others who look to other paths and equipment for power. Be incredibly weary of mental effects or using any kind of resource that is not sold by a faction representative. A lot of non-sanctioned sales are scams or traps of some kind. If you are scammed or compromised, that is on you, and there will be no help. That was in line in regards to everything else he had explained.


    Lets see, what other advice can I give? Oh, keep a light source on you. While there is glow stone built into the towers, it only does so much. If you are sent elsewhere, where there is less upkeep, it can get quite dark. There is no natural light. Also the temperature can vary quite rapidly. Most factions try to keep their towers moderated, but the weather patterns inside the Forever City are as myriad as they are complex. I covered knowing where you are in relation to where you live. Transportation and traveling. I listened closely as helpful information was freely shared.


    You might be tempted to try and leap from a tower, traveling through the outer environment, outside the towers and tunnels. My advice is dont. There are things out there, creatures, and monsters. Some of them are sentient. While it might be cheap, it will be dangerous. The inner rings and lower numbered levels have more enforcers clearing out such things, but that increases the expense of living and moving there, he explained.


    Immortal, any good way to earn credits? a person asked.


    Stay alive. If you are dead, you wont be able to earn anything. Also, the sheer scale of the Forever City iswords cant do it justice. Every day, beings arrive. From cultivators like yourself, to abominations. The Forever City is a major nexus point for all super-organizations, and one of the few known ones that engages in any kind of trade.


    A person can live their entire life on a couple of floors in a single tower and know nothing else. Corpses are used as fuel for others. The Forever City is a place of opportunity, but it is also one of the largest graveyards within the Firmament. If you can survive, then you will eventually make credits. The challenge for all of you is surviving and then making those credits before you die of old age, he explained.


    The White Lotus will help you in that regard, providing backing, jobs, information, and their rules you will need to follow. They actually subsidize these trips, otherwise they would be much more expensive to pay for a ticket out there. Not for the return trip, which is all on you. I was glad I had a return ticket then if I ever needed it. Perhaps I could sell it, but that wasnt possible. It was linked to my departure ticket as a package.


    Even then it isnt cheap to make the trip. Other cultivators would kill for this chance and some of you probably have already. But just getting here with the resources to purchase a ticket, is the bare minimum qualification to travel to the Forever City and not instantly die.


    There was silence after that. The Immortal turned to look out the window again at the plateau. Alright, the departure will be soon. Stupid bastards are a bit early, but that is the Astral Plane for you. Even time can twist slightly there. Come on, everyone, lets go outside. Lecture time is over. We made our way outside, following behind the Immortal like a trail of ducklings.


    Immortal, how did you show up first? a cultivator asked.


    There are tricks I have to getting here first, ahead of the transportation that you dont need to worry about. I handle the preparation before you all leave and will meet you when you arrive. That meant he was either a golem of some kind that was possessed or a projection. The main thing is that the transportation will be picking up other people and it will take a while to reach the Forever City. It is quite far away.


    So, it was like a cruise ship, possibly making several stops as it went around, picking people up. The space in way above and in front of us began to twist, and a kaleidoscope of colors was seen. It was the Astral Plane. A large cylinder made its way through and came to rest on the plateau. The opening remained in the sky.


    The cylinder was gray and appeared to be a metal of some kind, but there were no windows or indentations I could make out. At the bottom a doorway moved out and then rose up to float in the air. Everyone in, Immortal Gongong said. I followed the other people inside and the door closed behind us. The Immortal was not following us. The room was shiny metal, with no ornamentation.


    There was another beautiful woman that looked just like the Vortex Guardian. Welcome to the Heavenly Alliance transportation. Each of you has purchased a basic ticket which entitles you to a single seat. Do not disturb the other passengers. No amenities are provided. No questions will be answered. Any such disturbances will result in your body being used as payment for such insolence. I was glad we were able to ask questions beforehand. Everyone was silent.


    Follow me, the golem lady said as we went through a doorway and up a flight of stairs. There were several other cultivators just sitting in large comfortable-looking chairs, facing the center of the room. You may pick any seat you wish. Refrain from conversation while transportation is in progress. Once we arrive, I will return and escort you off.


    In the event of an emergency, remain in your chairs. The Heavenly Alliance takes no responsibility in regard to your personal integrity or the integrity of your possessions. Any attempt to leave your chair before you arrive will be treated as a sabotage attempt. Thank you for picking the Heavenly Alliance for your transportation needs, please be seated immediately, she said.


    I quickly picked my seat along with everyone else. There was no ETA given for our arrival to the Forever City. Thankfully I had picked up equipment to manage waste and didnt need to eat or drink that much. I also noted there was no energy inside the cylinder.


    I picked a seat near the center of all the rings of chairs, facing the doorway and sat down. The chair was well cushioned and quite large. A bulked up professional athlete would easily be able to fit. There were cushions and nobs to adjust the chair thankfully, so I wasnt sitting with my feet sticking out over the edge of the chair.


    After that it was deathly silent, with only the sound of very quiet breathing. No one dared to say anything or do anything. I guess the Heavenly Alliance cylinder transportation had zero tolerance for unruly passengers or Karen type personalities. When you have a monopoly you get to set the rules.


    I was excited though. Even after all the warnings and danger, I was going out into the wider world. I was going to be able to progress. The sheer scale of everything was hard to imagine. The Forever City being the size of ten continents and over 200,000 stories tall. The cultivation continent was the size of Earth. I could only imagine the size of the Forever City. Trying to do any kind of math hurt my head. It was just too freaking huge.


    It was beyond a city-wide planet or an ecumenopolis. It was far larger than that and it was made up of towers and tunnels. Or bridges, since there was an atmosphere. Bridges would be more correct in a technical sense, but perhaps there was a good reason to call them tunnels.


    Time passed, and I kept my pocket watch out. There was just dim floor lighting in this room, as the quiet seemed to settle down on everyone. A couple more times, more cultivators were shown into the room and given the same instructions that I was, by the lady golem. The seats were slowly filling up.


    How many cultivation continents were out there? No wonder why such a massive city existed, if it was the central point of so many people traveling. Immortality was just the first step in a place like that. But that was too far away. I needed to get past the first bottle neck first, then the second, before I could worry that far into the future.


    It also made sense why people didnt try to explain things. Even Immortal Gongongs explanation, struggled to explain the sheer scope of everything that I was getting into by traveling. The continent was just a small remote island in the vastness of the Firmament. It did make me wonder what other super-organizations were out there? If the Heavenly Alliance was cultivation based, was there a technological based super-organization? Was Earth somewhere out there?


    What questions I did have, had exploded now that I had a basis of understanding. Still, I probably wasnt going to get nice easy explanations like Immortal Gongong had done for quite some time.

 Chapter 59: Beyond The Continent, A Scam

    Chapter 59: Beyond The Continent, A Scam


    As time passed in the dimly lit chamber, the other cultivators were growing slightly more restless. There were more twitches, more glances about, as the chamber filled up. I kept checking my pocket watch to help keep track of the time and it was a long trip. Calling it long was a bit of an understatement.


    The trip took a year before something happened. A year of utter silence, it was maddening. I rationed my supplies very carefully and I noticed the few other people eating or drinking did the same. No one made a fuss either, so I couldnt see what would happen to them. That would have been some nice entertainment.


    The constant waiting was grinding down on me. There was no energy to cultivate either. Nothing to pass the time, but to sit and wait. Even cultivators who had a tremendous amount of patience, this was torture, since even cultivating wasnt possible.


    After a year, I felt the entire cylinder shake slightly. I perked up at that and looked around as well as many other people. One thing that never happened was any kind of vibration or shaking. Still, no one got up even as the shaking got worse. That was when the woman golem appeared once more and walked to the center of the chamber before speaking.


    Apologies for the slight turbulence. The cylinder transport is under attack. It is being dealt with and there is no need for concern or for any of you to act. As always, the Heavenly Alliance prides itself on a safe travel experience. No questions will be answered, she calmly said.


    One person didnt get the message. An older man with white hair and a beard sitting across the chamber from me. What is attacking us? he asked. The woman golem turned towards him and there was utter silence as the cylinder continued to shake. I was waiting with everyone else in anticipation for what was about to happen. The trip had been incredibly boring, and this would be quite amusing to see such a senior cultivator do something so stupid.


    That is one thing all cultivators enjoyed, seeing other cultivators screw up in some way that didnt impact them. It made us all feel smarter and superior to the idiot who was going to suffer consequences.


    A glowing blue shell suddenly appeared around the cultivators chair with him inside of it. The shell was see-through and we could all see the mans fear. People in the chairs nearby twisted to watch. The trapped cultivator hit the shell and even used some kind of fire technique, but there were just small ripples on the surface. The sound was cut off. In-between one moment and the next he exploded.


    There was no sound, no warning. The cultivator had been at least stage 6, and he just died, instantly, for asking a question. The glowing blue shell contracted, removing all blood, clothing, and other objects. There was now an empty chair. The tension in the room skyrocketed as there was another violent vibration.


    As previously mentioned, there will be no questions. Let me reassure you there is no danger. Your safety is our priority. This time the entire chamber violently tilted in one direction. Everyone scrambled to stay in their seats including me. The female golem remained standing.


    One moment, she said as the chamber righted itself once more. I hated not knowing what was going on. I hated not being in control of my life. But that was the sin of weakness I was burdened with. The chamber tilted once more in another direction.


    Please remain seated. The cylinder transport is operational, she said, and the dim lights flickered. There was a lot more shifting at that. What could we do? A cultivator was already killed for disobeying instructions. I hated this more than anything else, the loss of any agency in an emergency. Couldnt there at least be a proper explanation.


    The vibrations continued but there was no more tilting. We crossed paths with one of the many dangers of the Firmament. Safety protocols require an information blackout to prevent any risk of contamination. The Heavenly Alliance takes safety as a priority, and it appears the worst of the danger has passed. Is any passenger experiencing distress, including physical injury, astral fraying, or thinking about the number 1.618? Please speak up and make yourself known. Compensation will be offered as well as better accommodations.


    There was utter silence at that question. What even was that question? What even was that number? The entire question felt like a trap. Every instinct I had told me to just stay silent and not say a thing. No one was injured. While the tilting and vibrations were scary, they werent damaging.


    No, the entire question revolved around checking if people were thinking about that number? My mind raced quickly, and I still didnt get it. I just didnt have enough information. I am thinking of that number, a cultivator raised their hand. The female golem nodded.


    Anyone else? she asked. Two more cultivators chimed in, but that was it. Idiots, complete and utter idiots. She escorted all three out of the room and there was a deathly silence after that. I had no doubt none of us would see those three ever again. I also planned to never mention the number 1.618. Whatever that was, was very bad news.


    The trip continued in silence for another month without incident. There were no more passengers. The cylinder transport shook once and the female golem made another appearance. We have arrived. Please collect all belongings, and follow me, she said. I got up right away and followed her, not daring to wait. I wasnt the first though. I could tell the others wanted off this death trap as well.


    We made our way into a large chamber that was well lit. It appeared to be quite modern, and there were several doorways on our side of the chamber where cultivators were coming out of and stopping in front of similar looking female golems. Some kind of mass-produced model. In front of us, there were lines. Soon everyone had exited the cylinder ship. I noticed the three people taken away werent present.


    Welcome to the Heavenly Alliance Arrival Terminal for the Forever City. Each line represents the faction you attend to associate with. Please wait in the line and you will be processed in order. I noticed some lines were packed with people while others were empty.


    If you do not plan to associate with a faction, there is a general line at the far end of the Arrival Terminal in that direction, the female golem pointed. Thank you for using the Heavenly Alliance for your transportation needs. The female golem walked back onto the cylinder ship and the door closed. Everyone began looking around including myself.


    Most people that had been picked up made their way to the White Lotus line. I went past that towards the line for general arrivals. The entire place gave me the feeling of an airport, but it was a lot quieter and much more tense. No one talked or caused any issues. The tension after the trip was quite immense.


    Making my way to the general line, it was empty. I followed it to the end. I could only hope the Immortal Gongong wasnt going to steer me wrong. Checking behind me, no one else was following me. Cultivators in the nearby lines gave me a surprised look. I made sure I was in the right line, and it was the one at the far end of the Arrival Terminal. I had counted at least 1,000 other factions. The place was incredibly large.


    There was a door in front of me. The other doors occasionally opened, and cultivators entered from their line. My door wasnt opening. I looked around again, but there was no posted information, no signs. I just had to wait. I kept an eye on the other lines and arrivals. There were cultivators constantly arriving and the doors took about an hour between each time they opened.


    After waiting for four hours, my door opened. I quickly walked forward. There was a bored looking young man sitting at the table in front of me. He was leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed. This is for general arrivals. Are you sure you arent part of a sponsored faction? the young man asked me.


    I was told by Immortal Gongong that the White Lotus would not accept me, I said. The young man, I couldnt work out his cultivation and I knew appearances were deceiving. He opened one eye to look at me.


    A baby. They sent a baby, he said and let out a long sigh. Well, your guide was right. They wont accept a baby like you. Not my problem. Time to get your sorted out, sit, this will take a while. I quickly sat.


    Thank you senior, I replied and took a seat across from him.


    It is my job to handle low level arrivals not in a faction. As per the guidelines of the Heavenly Alliance, I will now provide you with basic general equipment. Do not lose this equipment. Do not expect it to be replaced. Do not expect it to be upgraded. Be aware that accepting this equipment constitutes agreeing to the base rules of the Heavenly Alliance, he explained. He then pushed a small pamphlet towards me across the table.


    Take a look, I opened up the pamphlet and began reading through it. After a couple of minutes, I was finished.


    Do you plan to accept the offered equipment? the young man asked.


    Yes, I replied.


    Very well, I will now quiz you on the contents you have just read. Can you trade with other super-organizations.


    Material goods, knowledge, but not access of any kind, I replied, and the young man nodded.


    Good. That is the main point you need to remember. Your first piece of equipment, a credit card, he said and put it on the table. It was a dark red and gold color. Place a drop of blood on the card to tie it to you. You do not have to do that, but people will know, and it will be a target of theft. I pulled out a pin and pricked my finger to put a drop of blood on the credit card.


    Your transactions are tracked. I noted he didnt say this until now. But unless you commit some sort of infraction, they are not actively monitored. You can check your balance by holding it and transfer funds by touching another card. You have a maximum transaction limit of 10,000 credits. No questions, I closed my mouth quickly.


    The young man then put a pair of ear buds on the table. At least that was what they looked like. These are translators. While most beings in the Heavenly Alliance speak common, there are many dialects. They also work for some beings in other super factions and are quite common. Just pick them up and put them in your ears, I did as he said. The young mans voice changed. There was no longer an accent that I could pick up.


    It makes voices sound the same, and you lose inflection, but you can clearly understand the person you are focused on, or the loudest voice. It is a lesser model that only translates one voice at a time, he explained, and I nodded at that.


    He then placed a monocle on the table. That is a translator. If you need to read anything, you can use that. One eye only, and a lesser model, so dont expect it to handle everything you might see. I carefully picked up the monocle and put it in my left eye. I attached the chain hanging off the end to my robe.


    Next you have your locational compass. It lists the floor, and the ring. As you can see, we are on floor 10,212 and located in ring orbit 5.2. This locational compass will not work past floor 50,000 plus and minus, or orbit 8. Again, it is a lesser model. If you want an upgraded version, you will have to figure that out yourself, the young man explained. It was a bulky watch. I strapped it onto my left wrist.


    Finally, there is a map pad, the young man said. It tracks which faction controls which tower section, and updates based on official claims. It is not always up to date. You can manually update it, he said and handed me what could only be called an iPad. The mapping function is the only thing on the pad. If you decide to walk, it will give you general directions. Major locations like this Terminal are listed, but you can add locations yourself, the young man explained.


    And that is it. There is a waiting room, you may sit in, just beyond if you are waiting for someone to pick you up, you can go now, he said. I stood up and bowed.


    Thank you senior, I replied.


    My job. Move, he said. I quickly moved into the next room and almost stumbled. There was a skeleton in one of the chairs in the corner, with cloth hanging off their bones. Someone had died in this room, what the hell. That was insane.


    I looked around and there was no one else. I turned back around, but the door behind me had already shut. There was a door at the far end of the room. I closed my right eye and read the sign over it. Exit: One Way. There were metal chairs, concrete-looking floors, and walls, with only the basic recessed lighting. At least the place was well lit. And the skeleton sitting on a chair in the corner.


    I took a seat, and a voice suddenly spoke up from nowhere. So, what are you doing here? I turned to look at the skeleton.


    Greetings, I have just arrived and am looking to improve my cultivation. Are you the skeleton? I asked.


    The bound spirit, the voice said. It was quite flat, the translators working. Lucky, I managed to get here to rest and hide out. Not many safe places.


    You mean this waiting room? I asked.


    Yes. Not often I get a visitor who risks going further without an affiliation. Let me guess, someone promised to meet you here? the skeleton asked me.


    An immortal, I replied. The skeleton began to laugh, somehow. Its bones werent moving.


    Really, you wont get offended? I asked.


    Nope, it said. I pulled out my sword and swung it at the skull. My sword bounced off. Told you. The fact I improved my bones to last no matter what, is the only reason I am still around, Bones said as I put my sword away. I took a deep breath and picked up the skull. I then looked into the empty eye sockets, before feeling a massive pressure on my head.


    Connection established. And now let me manage my soul to overlay yours, I felt the voice in my head and couldnt move anymore. Soul moving, and now.what the hell. What is your cultivation!?


    I couldnt say anything, as I felt a massive pain in my head and in my groin. I collapsed to the floor still holding the skull. Okay, lets just back out. What?! NO! I heard enraged shouting in my head. After a couple of minutes, it finally stopped. I still couldnt move.


    Well kid, we both screwed up. Your cultivation is adisaster. And I rushed too much. I wont fight, Bones said and I could move again.


    What was that? I asked.


    You have a suction vortex as part of your cultivation. Why do you have something like that? And three paths of cultivation? Who the heck does soul cultivation? Body cultivation is the best followed by mind?


    Um, it is quite common-


    For whatever backwater trash dump you came from. And a suction vortex, all those cores, the density. Well congratulations, you managed to both trap me and stop me from assuming control. Your soul is too securely anchored for me to suppress, Bones said.


    So, you arent possessing me?


    I am. We are a team now kid. I will help you survive. You help me get my body back. Win, win.


    Only now I am in charge? I asked.


    Because you have a stupid amount of cultivation that is nonsensical. Even for whatever trash heap you come from, thisno wonder why your immortal scammed you. Most wont, since there is always a chance you will return for revenge, but this. Heck, I would scam you if I was in their shoes.


    So, you are an immortal? asked.


    Kid, I am beyond that. If you are a 1 and your immortal is a 2, then I am 3. At least I was when I had my physical body. Now collect my bones and robes in one of your spatial rings. I did what Bones said with a sense of relief. My insane cultivation had saved me once again.


    And a suction vortex, I cant even leave. This is so stupid and makes things a 100 times harder for me to get my body back, Bones complained.


    Arent you beyond a physical body? I asked.


    Yes, but it is an anchor for my astral soul. Trust me, you dont want to be just a soul floating around. Way too vulnerable and it makes it a nightmare for interacting with anything. Sure, I could survive, but this was the best place to wait to try and find someone to get my body back. Now, I am in an even worse spot. And dont feel relieved, Bones said.


    Why? I asked with a bit of hesitation.


    Because I am blocking your cultivation at the moment, and I cant leave. If you want to get rid of me, then I need my body. And getting my body back without me managing things is going to be very, very difficult. I wont just walk around with just trash, Bones explained.


    You really werent lying then? About anything? I asked with some surprise.


    The truth cuts much more deeply. You were scammed, and I would have let you go once I got my body. Really, yours is utter trash, trust me. Now I am stuck to it. Your soul is pulling me in, but I am too strong to be ripped apart, and too weak to escape.


    And what about my cultivation and my goals? I asked.


    You are getting ahead of yourself. The first thing is to leave this place. You will need to trust me. Once I get a body, then I will help you out. And betraying me, well you wont know who or what to betray me to. And you cant cultivate until you get rid of me. I might believe in karma, but I wont let myself be scammed, Bones said.


    Karma is real? I asked.


    Everything is real. The real question is, does it matter? That is what you need to ask. Right now, it doesnt matter. Getting out of here and setting up a way to get credits is our first task, Bones said.


    And that will be done, how? I asked.


    Again, I have been here for quite a while. I need to assess the situation out there first. And while I am just a soul, I still have abilities I can use. Good news, is that anyone scanning you, will see me and back off. At least you look incredibly dangerous with how child like you look, Bones said. With Bones bones put away along with his robe, I made my way to the exit door. I pushed it open and entered into the short hallway. I then secured my mask on my face and put my hood up and pushed the second door open.


    A wave of yellow air hit me. In the distance I could see large columns. The ceiling above me was incredibly high up. There were groups exiting from other doors to my left and moving to large vehicles. The door closed behind me and I checked either side.


    There were two piles of dirty rags that stirred slightly and then went still. Scavengers. We are in the landing zone of the terminal. Walk forward and dont cross any painted white lines, Bones said and I began to walk.


    Which way? I muttered quietly.


    Keep looking around. We cant rest here. Those rats will be on us if we do. We need transportation or to walk out of here, but it looks like this is a closed section. That means a portion of a tower, which isnt linked to other portions of a tower. Used to be a market here, but it must have been removed. This is going to make it harder. Ah, far end, that is the area for private transportation, Bones said as I began to cut across the open area. The yellow clouds of air drifted through. I could feel my skin itch slightly.


    How are we going to pay? I muttered as I passed by the occasional group. It appeared half the tower was for the landing pad. The other part was the arrival terminal, lines, and rooms. It was about a mile of walking to cross almost the entire width of the tower. Looking past the outer edge support pillars, there was just swirling yellow gas.


    Pull out your credit card. I did and I felt a stab of pain move through my arm and out my hand. The number of credits I had went up to 37.


    You can make credits? I asked quietly in surprise.


    No. But I do have an account tied to my soul for emergencies. It was supposed to be more, but I guess the upkeep fees have drained it. It really has been a long time, the last part I could barely pick up in my mind. Still, it will be more than enough as starting capital, so we dont have to try and sell your trash. If prices havent changed that much, and they really dont, then I need about half a million credits to make a body I can stand.


    Well, I need 610,000. So we are in the same boat, I replied.


    For your cultivation. That is fine. Teamwork. Now, the real question, is where do we go in the Forever City?


    Friends, faction, super organization? I asked.


    My friends are dead. Factions are just an excuse to rob people with fees and taxes. And the Heavenly Alliance doesnt care. Any small group would have moved by now. The few contacts that are powerful enough and still around, wouldnt hesitate to scam me. First rule of the Forever City, everyone is always scamming everyone out of everything they have, including their life and soul, Bones said.


    Including you? I muttered.


    You arent trying to hold me hostage for a future reward. Karma is a thing. Urg, how can you be so ignorant and still alive. Listen, the ties and links that bind a person, can impact ones path to greater power. Karma is a hard path in terms of actions, but easy in terms of advancement. I am not limited to specific types of resources. That immortal you scammed you, well he is cutting off his future, Bones explained.


    Then why scam me? I asked.


    Immediate benefits. Or he doesnt think it will play a role. Or just doesnt know. Or has other plans. And a low impact on karma, since he probably gave you information for free. You are so weak, that you have to depend on me. And while you might not fully trust me, I wont screw you over. I might not help you that much once I have my body, but screwing you over after you helped me will hit me much more than anything else.


    How is karma even measured? It doesnt make sense? I asked.


    Thank our super faction for that. It is part of how they stop all us cultivators from murdering one another. Cultivators not adhering to the path of karma at the upper levels, well things get a lot harder for them. Since the karma path is free information, but everything else is kept under lock and key.


    So, they know people wont betray them, clever, I muttered.


    Just dont count on it, for the truly powerful or the truly desperate. That is why low-level cultivators are used for a lot of things. You arent tied to the path of karma, while us upper-level cultivators are. That is why there are countless proxy battles and trash farms like you came from to produce soldiers for the never-ending fight for resources and power within the Forever City, Bones explained. With that one piece of information, a lot of things suddenly made sense.


    What about the other super organizations? I asked.


    You get strong enough, you fight them. There is no choice. The faction battles are just to find the best of the best and toss away the trash. At the height of my power, you could consider me an individual that could speak to the representatives of a super faction. Now, I am in the trash tier of power with you, back at the very bottom, Bones complained.

 Chapter 60: The Forever City

    Chapter 60: The Forever City


    For reference this landing area for vehicles is about five levels high, while the entire terminal is ten levels high. The levels above us are reserved for those of elite status.


    How are the cylinder ships getting inside the tower? I asked and I could hear Bones mentally sigh at me as we continued to walk across the landing area.


    The Astral Plane and dedicated portals. The defenses on the other side are nothing to scoff at. Especially since your soul is anchored there until you leave, move it, or get stronger. That is the greatest leverage the Heavenly Alliance has, Bones explained. I then talked about what happened on the cylinder transport.


    And then the female golem removed everyone who thought of 1.618, I said.


    Listen. Dont think about it. Unspoken rule that will help you live, if someone tells you dont think of something, dont think about it. And I know you are going to ask why. There are things out there, that are mental hazards. Whatever attacked your transport was probably broadcasting a thought that presented itself as that number. You should be safe, but I have seen people say that, right before their heads burst open and we all had to flee in panic.


    Oh, was my not so eloquent response.


    Oh, now we are almost to the transports. Listen to me exactly. There will be a lot of bluffing, and spur of the moment decision making. Whatever I tell you to say, say it with confidence, unless I say otherwise. Most of these idiots we will have to deal with will be of poor strength compared to me. And while I can throw off observations, and can do things in an emergency, it is better to avoid that. Understood?


    Yes, I replied quietly.


    Good. Confidence. Head to the vehicle transport two to the left in front of you, with the hexagram symbol on it. I altered my course. I was being watched by several transport drivers. I began repeating directly what Bones said.


    The nearest Free Market, and I mean free, I said confidently. The old man gave me a look.


    That will be 2,000 bits, can you-


    I have the credits, but your price is outrageous. Only 700 bits, or I will flog your soul and toss you into the burning winds, I said.


    Flog my soul and you will have the Hexagramic Cultists sucking your blood out in revenge. 900 bits.


    900 bits and silence, I am on the lower platform to avoid trouble, I said and the old man grinned.


    900 bits and silence, one way trip to the nearest free market. That is going to be in the sixth ring, the man said.


    I dont care if it is in the eighth ring or beyond. As long as its free and quick. I dont have my entire lifetime to wait, I replied.


    Hop on in, the man said and the metal door of what looked like a diseased cross between a hover car and a shuttle opened up. The old man got in first and took a seat in the front. There were no windows, but there were screens set up. I sat in the back.


    Put on the safety straps like I tell you to. Upper left, with the central buckle, bring that onto your chest. Then lower left, upper right, lower right.


    All set back there? the old man asked.


    Waiting on you, hurry up, I replied. A moment later I was slammed back into my seat. I felt like my organs were going to explode out of my body.


    Going full throttle, not a problem for someone like you, right? the old man asked.


    You can go faster, I managed to say without too much difficulty.


    If you say so. The acceleration increased.


    We should be fine. But keep your eyes open, so I can watch the screens. If he veers to somewhere else, I need to know. The Hexagram Cultists are scum suckers, but they have standards. The words I had you say and the way I had you buckle in, will indicate that we at least know the outer greetings. It was a lucky thing they had a vehicle transport there. Picking an unknown faction would have been far more perilous, Bones explained.


    As for why they are there. Rich people who dont want to pay for nicer transportation. The elite workers at the tower, like the man you spoke to. It is a shit job. Out of the 900 bits we are paying, our driver is only going to get 9 of those bits. The rest will be required for upkeep of this piece of trash and to the Hexagramic Cultists. I couldnt respond, since I was being crushed into my chair.


    Once we get to the Free Market, I can get some information, we can get a short term room, and then plan from there to get a lot of credits as quickly as possible. Oh, he is trying to divert slightly. Say the following.


    Alter our course any more and you are dead, I said out loud, struggling for air.


    You cant even breathe. Nice trick, but you dont even have a backer. Just a freebie, the old man replied. There was a single moment where I felt death itself hovering in the transport and then the old man began to scream. I could see his right side from my seat, and half of his face was growing pustules.


    AHHHH! Stop! I am sorry! STOP!


    I have stopped. Fix the course, consider the remainder a reminder. I forced out.


    Sorry, sorry, fixing, he replied and hit several buttons on his console. The pustules were leaking yellow fluid.


    Annoying, but predictable. As for what that was. I merely sent a fraction of a fraction of the poison that destroyed my physical body over to him, to teach him a lesson. Minute particle control, quite useful. And yes, I could have done that to you. And no, I am not mind reading you, your questions are already that predictable. I mentally pouted and focused on sucking in air through my mask. The old driver let out an occasional groan.


    After an hour, we finally came to a stop. The diver nervously pulled out a credit card. I pulled out mine and Bones told me what to do. Half the old mans face was ruined and we got off the vehicle transport after paying without a word.


    Looking about I saw lots of columns supporting the ceiling above on the outer edge, and then a bazar of some kind. In the center of the platform there was a building connecting the floor and ceiling. Checking my location bracelet, it read floor 22,829 and ring 6.3.


    First thing, we need to purchase better gear, so you dont look like you are fresh meat. Walk forward and look around. I will tell you where to stop. Most tower floors arent open. But Free Markets and other major locations have drop off points. More often than not, there are airlocks into the tower. You go outside the towers protection, with your strength, your skin will melt. That itch you feel, is nothing compared to the horror of the various toxic energies that linger throughout the Forever City, Bones explained as I walked forward.


    Trash. Slightly better trash. Trash. Trash. Everything you see are bits of trash pick up from fights, that these scavengers are trying to sell.


    They just sit around all the time, I whispered quietly.


    Yes. They dont want to give up their spot. Each of them probably has 50 to 100 people supplying them with trash. Minor little wars and conflicts of the bottom feeders as the factions fight each other to gain more power and standing. For them earning a spot here is a move up in their world.


    But forever? I asked quietly.


    They are all immortals. My brain skipped at that. Immortality is easy enough with some basic equipment. Probably failed clone soldiers, most of them. Used as low level proxy battle fodder for the factions. But they wont risk causing trouble here. The only rule of free markets is not killing customers. All trash.


    Immortality is that easy?


    The trash way yes. Cultivation is much harder. They just have regulating implants. Very little upkeep. Most of the service people and population in the outer rings is like this. While cheap, they can only be servants. Low combat potential. Still more than what you have though.


    Then why bring in people from the continents?


    Um yes. Because no one likes to know they are being farmed for resources, I muttered.


    Exactly right. Trash heaps have tried to rebel in the past, but that is as useful as a fart into the toxic air of the Forever City. The White Lotus would just send one of their junior members and slap everyone and everything down. You mentioned ages, well my guess is that your first age was when the entire place was set up. Your second age, the beasts rebelled from being farmed. The third age is when most of the beasts leaders were wiped out. That beast immortal probably surrendered and sells out his fellow vegetables to be harvested.


    You can guess that, from what little I have said? I asked surprised.


    Kid, I have seen the same thing a hundred times over. The small details might vary, but it is all the same thing in the end.


    And the people? I asked.


    The people are the counterbalance to the beasts. A simple ecosystem with two parts. Harvesting the trash level crystals and producing useful cannon fodder and trash tier energy resources. Another thing I have learned is that people are lazy. They like others to do the work and set it up that way. The immortals running your little trash heap, well they are just sitting back and enjoying how everything works out.


    They are rarely seen. Only Immortal Gongong showed up right before departure. But why two factions of humans? I asked.


    Another thing the people in charge like is competition. That way they dont have to watch things constantly. If one immortal screws up, the other one will be there to self-correct. I then mentioned the demonic cultivators.


    Good news kid. If that Aoyin becomes an immortal, he will be impressed into fighting for the White Lotus. And if he somehow survives that, then he will be forced to fight the enemies of the Heavenly Alliance. And then he will eventually die no matter what.


    You sound like the Heavenly Alliance will never win? I asked Bones.


    Kid, they have been fighting eons before my existence, and will be fighting eons after we are consumed by Chaos. The Firmament exists infinitely. And while your tiny brain has a hard time understanding that, it is truly infinite. Not pretend infinite like this Forever City. It is said if you go far enough in the Firmament, you will find everything and anything and it will all repeat.


    Even the Forever City? I asked.


    Even the Forever City. It is a fairly unique nexus, since there is high level trade here, but it is just a finite thing.


    And the power scaling? I asked.


    Pointless and that information is incredibly valuable. Let me guess, there is a lot of information sharing where you come from? Bones asked and I gave an affirmative. Information has a lot of value here, especially, how to get more powerful. Since it can expose weaknesses. While I will owe you a debt, I doubt you want pointless information and something more practical once I get my body back.


    That would be preferred, I said.


    That is also the downside of the path of karma. Everything has a weight to it, including our conversation. Balancing that to even is a massive pain. Also, why credits are so useful. You can just pay off karmic debts, Bones explained.


    So, you explaining all this stuff is reducing your debt? I asked.


    Something like that. It is complicated in how things are weighted which, unless you have an understanding of karmic links, then it will go over your head. We have other more important things to worry about. You can take comfort in the fact that if I wanted to screw you, then I would share a lot more information, Bones said. We then arrived at a booth with a repair box. It cost 15 credits, after Bones haggled the seller down from 18. I put it in my spatial ring, and we made our way to the center of the Free Market.


    All towers have elevators and stairs in the center. The elevators cost credits or personal power. We only have about 4 credits left, so not that, and your personal power is nothing. So that means the stairs. They are a great place for an ambush. Hmm, get out your sword and your gun. You wont use them, but it will keep anyone thinking about things away. Also, we only have to go down a floor.


    We made our way to the staircase. The soft glow of recessed lighting was present. The stairs were a bit larger than I was used to, but there was no trouble. Bones had me steer clear of several areas, he said had a bad feeling to them. I was constantly trying to see what he was saying with my eyes but couldnt. We exited through the overly large doors to Floor 22,828.


    There were a lot of hallways and there were signs. I followed the ones indicating a rest area. We left the main hallway, which was incredibly wide, and entered through a doorway. The air didnt itch in this area and there was a bi-pedal red lizard sitting behind a counter.


    Room, price? I asked. That was how Bones told me to speak, so I said the exact words he wanted me to.


    10 bits, per cycle, the red lizard hissed out.


    Five cycles, I replied and pulled out my credit card. The lizard pulled out one with a clawed hand. I paid 51 bits.


    Room 8 is free, it hissed out and I went through a doorway behind it and then into what could only be described as a tomb. There was window, bed, or anything else. There was just a vent in the corner of the room and the rest was a dimly lit gray box. There was a lock on the door, which I flipped.


    You can take off your mask here, and pull stuff out of your spatial storage, Bones said. I pulled off my mask. The air had a slight tang to it, but it wasnt toxic. I got out a folding chair and table. That brought back memories.


    First we repair the observe absorber. Then we reorganize the stuff you have. Thankfully you have a lot of spatial rings. Get the repair box and the cylinder and put them on the table, Bones said. I did that and then began to listen to his instructions.


    The damage is from overload. Probably a powerful being doing a sweep. Most observe techniques work by bouncing energy off another creature, and seeing how much is deflected. The more energy deflects off, the weaker the opposing creature and the more information you get as feedback. That cylinder absorbs energy pings. So, something like magical radar or sonar, which made sense.


    Unhook the neck chain. You can bend the links with your strength. The metal is trash. Now place the cylinder upright into the repair box. Turn it ninety degrees clockwise. Good. It is properly aligned. You can see that little mark on the bottom. Most commonly produced goods have that alignment mark. That needs to line up with the alignment mark in a repair box, Bones said.


    I am surprised that the factions have repair boxes for their goods, I said.


    They dont. And the higher end stuff is hard to repair. But the low-end stuff, well the market forces and other factions sell repair boxes. Most repair boxes require a repair crystal for the goods you need to repair, but this model, I can operate it manually with my spirit, Bones said.


    I take it that most other beings cant? I asked.


    No. I need you to remain still and place your hands on the control pad. Normally you would just tap out your commands into the small screen, but I should be able to interact directly with the device. Push your hands closer togeather, good. Alright, now remain still, and dont move or blink. This is going to take a lot of concentration. I kept my eyes open as the box began to vibrate slightly. My hands felt a slight tingle.


    I could see pulses of energy inside the box. The pulses picked up speed and then began intersecting where the cylinder was located in the center of the box. After half a minute, the pulses of energy and vibration stopped.


    Done, Bones said and sounded a bit tired.


    Problem? I asked.


    Just required me to focus. Thankfully this thing is as simple as it gets. Take it out and attach the chain again and put it on. While it was tempting to not listen to Bones, he clearly knew what he was doing. Also, I had no doubt he would be able to really hurt me or incapacitate me if I didnt listen. Right now, I was trying to absorb all the information he was sharing.


    Will I be able to interface like that with a repair box? I asked.


    No. Since I had to understand what was wrong and what was the optimal state of the absorb observe cylinder. Then I had to know how to correct that. That knowledge comes from experience and the control comes from my power. You might be able to use manual control, but the precision and technical understanding is beyond you. And no, I wont be teaching that. It isnt a valuable use of our time.


    Alright. So go exploring and scavenging after I rearrange my goods? I asked.


    Unfortunately no. You are so weak, you dont have proper protection for your body or soul. The atmosphere is wearing down on you. While not immediately fatal with your meager ability to resist, it will create health complications sooner rather than later.


    So, a suit? I asked.


    It would negate the purpose of the repair we just did and most of the credits we just spent. You can learn the most basic of basic techniques. I have been spending this time coming up with something so incredibly simple yet practical. First the supply reorganization, so I can know what we are working with, and then the barrier technique.

 Chapter 61: Supplies And Technique

    Chapter 61: Supplies And Technique


    A lot of food and water good. We can leave those four spatial rings alone. They are packed up well. Also eat and drink what you need now. Once we leave this room, well, you dont want to take in the toxic air.


    Why is the air toxic? It would seem like a negative? I asked.


    For who? You? You are too weak. Anyone else wont need to breathe or can filter it slightly. There are cheaper filter masks available, but yours will work long term. So, need to replace it.


    But why have a toxic atmosphere? Cant someone in charge fix it? I asked.


    It is a left over result of the ongoing battles between super-organizations. Either as an attack or a defensive measure. Regardless, it is above even my paygrade. We need to put all your rest and long term supplies into one spatial ring. The other can be for your weapons. While the last needs to be emptied. I got to work moving everything. Bones bones were moved into my long term storage ring.This chapter is updated by


    The sword you have is trash, but it can injure other trash at least. We need to find something better for melee weapons. Your gun is better used as a threat, than fired. What Bones wasnt saying was that most of the bullets were trash.


    I finished sorting out my supplies the way he wanted so I had a single empty spatial ring. You need the empty ring for what we find. Preferably we would have more, but you will run down your food and water. Now for the technique I came up with. I listened closely to the next part. I would prefer my skin not to melt off.


    Force is a good concept, quite versatile. The concept is to create a layer around your body, pushing away the toxins in the air.


    If it drops, will there be issues?


    Depends on your exposure. It is hard to measure, but I wouldnt worry too much, since you dont appear to have any issues from short term exposure. Long term exposure, not good as I talked to you about. Also the effects compound and your body wont process these toxins.


    Wait, so they remain? I asked with some worry and surprise.


    Yes. They will remain and build up. It is bound energy, which means it isnt going to change unless something much more powerful makes it change. Which is never going to happen. This place has always had toxic yellow clouds as far as I can remember and has been talked about. Getting them out of your body is possible, but that costs credits. Credits we need to save up.


    Got it. So, try and keep the technique up at all times, I replied.


    Exactly. Now, you can feel force, right?


    Yes, I have a sense of force. It is like I can sense force energy. But I didnt sense any on the vehicles, I replied while thinking it over.


    Waste energy, which you probably saw in your trash dump is the byproduct of sub-par energy usage. If anything is leaking energy, you can tell it is damaged. Only the physical remains in the Forever City. Anything else is pulled into the towers to keep them running. We can talk about the technical aspects of the city later. Now we need to get the technique working. The hardest part is going to be not losing energy, Bones explained.


    I am guessing I need to push out energy from my channels, and keep it in a layer around me? I asked.


    Good guess. That is the basis of the technique, but keeping that energy as a layer around you and just pushing away the toxins will be difficult. You will need to divert a portion of your attention to constantly maintain the technique. After that Bones began walking me step my step on how to release a tiny bit of energy from my channels while still maintaining control.


    The key trick was visualization. Most techniques are just about visualization and power. That is why most cultivators stick to flashy elemental techniques or weapon based techniques.


    But isnt there something more? Like hand signs, or words? I asked.


    Those are mnemonic devices to help a person focus and visualize properly. It helps, but for Force Skin Barrier, it needs to be a long term and passive technique. You need to be able to maintain it constantly.


    I keep losing hold of my energy, I muttered as I focused on doing the technique again.


    You are getting better. But I cant help you with this. We start mixing like that, well it wont be good for either of us. I will replace you, and get stuck with your body, Bones said. I paused my attempts at that.


    You can replace me? At a whim? I asked with quite a bit of concern.


    Which would be cutting off my future in every way possible for slightly more agency. Trust me, I dislike this situation, but our respective power differences are so much, I could have taken your body even if you objected when you showed up. Now focus on the technique, visualization, Bones said.


    I kept repeating the technique, over and over again. I could feel the energy inside my channels dropping and then drawing on my core. This would set my cultivation behind. But better my cultivation was delayed than my skin melting off.


    The energy easily flowed through the edges of my channels, not just the main portion. This was another benefit of perfect attunement. My complex meridian structure, allowed me to feel the energy to an incredibly fine degree, combined with their number, I quickly began to get my energy under control around my body and create a thin layer of protection.


    It seems to be working, I finally said out loud. I had been testing Bones, but it appeared he couldnt read my mind, or was playing that ability close to his chest. I could only hope he couldnt. I had no other choice but to go along with him and trust him.


    Good. You managed to stabilize the technique. Very little energy loss. Now you just need to work on making it more efficient and keeping it up all the time. Now we have to make a couple of decisions, Bones said.


    What kind of decisions? I asked.


    Where we are going to go. We have three choices that I can think of after thinking about what to do and assessing the current situation. The first option is to try and find the one being I know that owes me a favor. It would be a long shot and require looking. They might be dead or have moved with how much time has passed.


    With how big the Forever City is, that isnt possible I am guessing. There is no directory? I asked.


    There are communicators if you are rich and powerful enough. My friend isnt and we certainly arent. Communications within the Firmament are risky. The longer the range, the riskier they are. Too easy to intercept and trace, Bones said.


    Wouldnt people communicate in code then? I asked.


    There are ways like that, but even then, it is risky. Regardless, we would have to physically look ourselves, which would take a couple decades. Any option, we are looking at decades maybe centuries of investment in terms of time. I had explained my understanding of time. He had responded that my year was considered a cycle. I had thought it meant a day before Bones had explained some thing to me.


    Rooms were cheap in the Forever City. There was a lot of space in the middle rings. Since people didnt eat or sleep, there was little need to rest. People constantly worked or managed whatever their job was. Just taking any kind of credit from a person was seen as a key aspect of survival. That lizard being was designed to wait long periods of time, just managing this place.


    They had agency and could make decisions. They werent golems, which were much more dangerous, but limited in terms of what they could deal with. Living beings with implanted modifications, were much freer in a sense, but also designed to fill up the Forever City with people who would maintain a tower and not do anything else. It almost reminded me of non-player characters in video games.


    That was where huge swaths of conflict came into play. As various factions used their resources to vie for control of the towers and whatever meagre income, they would draw in. Vast portions of each tower were devoted to producing resources and the communities that cared for them.


    The far between factions meant that production was streamlined in various ways. Plants grown in the dim light of the interior of the towers to produce raw materials in carefully made hydroponic bays. These plants, which were renewable resources, fed the vast industries in other levels, for weapons, clothing, equipment, and other resources.


    Even a bit of optimization was squeezed out. These free markets were used to process waste goods and handle aberrations wanting to get stronger, since there was no trash. Also, if a conflict area shifted closer, the free markets in the area would see a resurgence. That was why no one was giving up their spots even if it was fairly quiet at the moment. It was just a matter of time, until things cycled around again, and business picked up.


    There were biological modifications to help pass the time for these beings. They would speed up their perception of time, reach the point of a cycle a second for the more advanced models. Most used what income they earned to buy better resting modifications, rather than try and get save up. Since the beings standing around were not the ones willing to go out and fight.


    If the lizard left, then another one would be dispatched to replace it. It wasnt slavery, but it was the next best thing. Bones explained that using actual beings, meant that they were cheap, but they had free will. Enslaving all of them led to less optimal outcomes of rebellions. Hence, the beings working, could quit any time, but few would do that.


    It was cheaper to just produce beings from vats, imprint their brain and energy with enough knowledge, put in modifications, and then assign them jobs than it was making golems. These created beings would cost about 100 credits with only 10 credits being spent on non-recoverable costs.


    I was still having a hard time understanding how big the Forever City was. The arrival terminal I showed up in was just one of hundreds scattered about. There were more continents that were used as resource generators than one could imagine. The concept of infinite was immense. What was more impressive was that the Heavenly Alliance had set things up to run on their own. This place was the apex, or end result of cultivation culture. While I was in what would be considered the outer slums, it was still considered better than the continents. And all this was just one infinitesimal piece of the Firmament.


    Some dont. And go and do other things. Factions are good at using their resources. And if a couple of really troublesome creations are killed, well their materials will be repurposed. I shook my head at that.


    What about the constructors and other things maintaining the Forever City?


    They move through the various areas, but the towers are incredibly hard to damage for anyone not an immortal. Even then the damage tends to be minimal. If we do run into one, dont say or do anything to it and it will ignore you. The maintainers of the Forever City are incredibly dangerous, but they dont act unless provoked. We dont have to worry about them.


    What about luring a monster into one to escape it? I asked.


    Dont. The golems are incredibly advanced. They will know what you did, and you will be killed. The first step is to climb up the interior staircase. We need to get to level 50,000.


    Isnt the conflict closer to level 0? I asked.


    Yes, but the lower levels will be much more heavily watched. While gravity isnt necessarily one direction outside, it tends to go down more than average due to the towers, Bones explained as I climbed up the overly large stairs. I had my sword out. I had thought the stairs of the Cloudy Moon Sect were bad, this was far worse. Stay to your left. Hidden threat to the right, Bones said. I looked in that direction and made the faint outline of something standing on one side of the staircase. I brought my sword up to point at the camouflaged thing and it didnt react as I passed it.


    Why not kill things like that? I asked.


    We could, but you never know how strong they are. I can spot them, but you are wearing an observation blocker, so are they. If you can spot a lurker they will leave you alone, since they figure you are probably stronger. If you miss them, they will ambush you.


    They just stand there? I asked.


    Many are content to wait until something moves nearby. Just like the other people doing tasks. A fair few just want to either get lucky or wait until their tower is attacked and then move. The lives of such beings are pitiful. But there is nothing they can do.


    They cant band togeather? I asked.


    Bands are cleared out regularly, as a threat to the tower. Bulk goods are moved up and down stairs and the lurkers shift or know the lesser used portions of the tower. Just countless beings doing the same things over and over, with the ones that mentally break becoming lurkers.


    Why not use golems, wouldnt they pay for themselves over time? I asked.


    Upkeep and initial cost. The only thing worse than the air is the goop that is used as the occasional food source. The water and food you have would be considered luxuries for the majority of beings.


    And they grow it on various floors, I said after reaching the next floor and looking at the double doors leading off the staircase landing.


    Yes. Again, being weak is a benefit. Unless you go into a restricted area, no one will care. We have already been scanned twice while climbing up the staircase. If you were stronger, then we would have to deal with the faction if they dispatched anyone to intercept us.


    From the top of society to the bottom, I muttered.


    That is just how it is, and how it always will be in the Forever City.


    Wont it be destroyed one day? I asked.


    Perhaps. But that would take a super-organization. The conflicts beyond the rings are not something you can handle. The eighth ring is basically lawless. There you would have gangs of lurkers, and very little infrastructure that isnt heavily fortified.


    Why the staircase? There is an elevator? I asked.


    Common design. And the elevator costs credits to call a platform or a lot of personal power to risk moving in the central shaft. The platforms would turn you to paste without time to dodge them. It would also draw attention we dont want. A group coming down, stand to the side and lower your sword, Bones quickly said. I quickly moved to the side and lowered my sword.


    Eight humans in gray clothes and masks, came down the stairs, each carrying a large pallet over their heads. Their eyes briefly flickered over to me, but they didnt stop moving. A transport team. If we could ambush one, it would be worth a lot, the impossible part is getting away, Bones said in my mind regretfully. They people soon passed, and we continued upwards.


    They werent wearing cloaks like the others, I pointed out.


    That is a cultural thing in the Forever City. Wearing a cloak with an observation blocking device indicates you are someone of note. Not having either means you are a worker of a faction and are protected. Anyone who doesnt cover their face or body, you should consider too dangerous to fight. Even if they are weak, the people who are in charge would be very upset if they were injured, Bones explained.


    And they are content to do that forever? Just carrying supplies back and forth? I asked.


    Yes. They are created that way. Most tasks they do are repetitive, so they just zone out as their body goes through the motions. The implants help in that regard. To mindlessly keep existing, eating goop, and doing what they are ordered.


    And if I talked to them?


    I would recommend you dont. It will be like that lizard being talked to at the rest area, but riskier, since any delay in their duties will draw attention. At least if the faction running this tower knows what they are doing.


    Since any delay indicates the possibility of a theft, I replied.


    Or tampering. Sabotage is quite common. We couldnt do anything in the rest area, so it isnt watched, unless the being running it is injured or dies.


    Then why leave the staircase open? I asked.


    Some factions dont. Those are the closed towers. But with the free market, this tower is considered open. If they close the staircase, then traders wont be able to pass through. If they make travel too restrictive, then the free market will dry up, Bones explained. This Forever City was giving me a headache as I continued to climb.


    I dont see anyone passing through, I replied.


    They often move in groups for safety. While they might not trust each other, groups of scavengers will stick togeather against outside threats.I dont know too much about the sub-culture.


    You went out into the Firmament. But what did you do before? I asked.


    I used to be a scion. Or a descendant of an immortal in one of the factions. Immortality came quickly and I had tutors. After that I was a commander in ongoing conflicts. Once I got strong enough, I began venturing out into the Firmament.


    Your own faction betrayed you? I asked.


    Yes. My parents were killed in a conflict. And I was betrayed. So, I cant go back, and almost all the contacts I had were lost. Now I am stuck as a pile of bones.


    So, revenge if you get your body back? I asked.


    There was no love lost between my parents and me. They didnt like my escapades into the wider Firmament and preferred my siblings. But revenge on the one who poisoned me, absolutely. I am strong enough to get offers or easily make my own way. But first I have to fix the lack of a body.


    Which costs half a million credits, I said.


    And the fact you need more, should let you know how insane your cultivation is. Only the richest of scions with the most loving and powerful of parents would dare have your three path cultivation. Regardless, we will figure it out, Bones gave me encouragement as I kept climbing. I was really beginning to dislike stairs. But running up the outside of the tower I was in was a large risk. Better to be a bit slower and safer.

 Chapter 62: Spiders, Spiders Everywhere

    Chapter 62: Spiders, Spiders Everywhere


    I checked my locator on my wrist, floor 50,128. The display flickered slightly. I was pushing the range, but Bones assured me it could handle quite a bit but might lose a bit of accuracy before it completely failed. Even with my cultivation, my legs still felt a bit tired. I had to go above floor 50,000 in order to find a place to leave the interior of the tower through a public floor. This public floor was a loading and unloading dock.


    Staying within the drawn white lines, I made my way towards the public transports. No matter what happens, dont panic. You cant fall to death. Well, you technically could, but it was a lot more difficult than it sounded. But I appreciated the words of encouragement regardless.


    I made my way between two vehicles, getting looks and then reached the edge of the tower. I felt a blast of absolute freezing air and then an immense amount of pressure. Gravity twisted and began doing a weird corkscrew thing. I took a deep breath to orient myself and make sure my body force barrier was still in place. I stepped over the edge, as the entire world reoriented.


    Now down for me was the towers side. I began walking. My short stature helping me out here and helping me feel less queasy. I could barely make out other towers through the swirling yellow clouds. What really got me was how quiet everything was. I felt my force barrier wobbling. I had to focus to maintain it.


    Air was trying to leave from around my body. Then a yellow cloud swooped in and the pressure massively reversed. Note to self, the clear areas were vacuum, which made no sense. Pressure couldnt vary that wildly that closely. Well, that was normal weather, all of this was clearly not normal.


    Adjust course a quarter turn to the left, Bones said, and I instinctively corrected my direction. That training was quite useful. The outside of the tower was just gray stone. No decorations, no windows, nothing. Bones had told me that the inner rings and the core of the Forever City was much better and impressive, but out here in the slums, there were no changes made, since no one was out there to look.


    I see a bridge, I said, and I did. In my view, the tower was now the ground, while the bridge was a tiny pillar reaching up to the sky where there was another tower.


    Cross it, we are going to be following this route for a while, Bones said. I wanted to chat more, but it was too dangerous, and I had too many things to pay attention to. Now that I had to keep up two techniques, it was important that I keep my focus. Also, the risk of an attack was much higher out here than on the staircase.


    A sudden blast of wind hit me as the toxic clouds were blasted away from the space between buildings. A vehicle. That is why we dont leap across or try to fly. Bones had warned me about them. They just plowed their way forward at immense speeds. I had kind of realized they were fast after taking one from the fifth to the sixth ring, but fast was an understatement. They were pushing speeds that would make a plane feel like a sloth. They also had shields to plow through everything in their path.


    I reached the tunnel, or bridge. It was a physical connection between towers. I stepped onto it, and forced my mind to reorient that this was my new down. I had stepped on the side, so the towers were still sideways, horizontal pillars. The training helped me resist the nausea and headache from the directional change.


    The first part was the most exciting. After that, there was nothing much of note. Just gray towers, the occasional connection, and swirling toxic clouds that cut off my vision. Even the spatial, pressure, and temperature changes became fairly boring after a while. There were no plants or moss, or anything out here.


    Bones had explained that what did survive was quickly purged by the constructor golems. They did not allow anything to grow on the outside of the towers. The distance between the towers wasnt that large either. Only about 100 meters or so, while the towers themselves varied slightly, but were around a couple miles on one side.


    These towers arent in a grid pattern, I said after crossing my sixth bridge to a tower that was slightly askew.


    Right half turn. The towers form, they arent built, Bones said and I tried to process that answer. Since it is bothering you, the towers are part of the make up of this nexus. They naturally form in this space. Higher Firmament science is complex and a lot of it is classified. But this is not a fully material space, it is a space within the Firmament, which means it has a conceptual base, and dont ask me to explain that. I am just telling you what I read once long ago.


    Ah, thanks, I replied. Bones didnt say anything more as I continued. It was a similar answer when I asked what was at the bottom of the towers. That was apparently material thinking, not Firmament thinking. There was no bottom or top. I only thought there was a bottom because of gravity, but even that was some kind of deception.


    That had led to questions on physics and Bones said that science was an elite subject only done by the smartest of the smart. Even his esteemed self, did not qualify. He was familiar with natural science, like pressure, temperature, and so on. Even physics, like forces and gravity. But anything involving particle science was not taught. There was no periodic table of the elements.


    He said that while something like that might exist, it would touch on secrets of beings much more powerful. If someone did work things out, then they would be recruited for research or silenced. That was why Bones explained he focused on more practical directions, like crushing people with his body cultivation.


    I had noticed that when the topic came up, he liked to brag about his body cultivation. While it was only a hunch, I sensed there was jealousy on his part about my cultivation. My base was much better than his, at least I thought so. The topic was always turned to credits when I asked more about cultivation.


    It hadnt escaped me that was one of the topics he wasnt talking about. With how helpful Bones was, I had to make inferences based on everything. My guess was that if karma was actually a thing, then he might be under some kind of limitation in regards to talking about cultivation. Or I could just be imagining the entire thing.


    Threat, half left, Bones said, and I pulled out my sword at the word threat. It wasnt worth the hassle keeping it out all the time. I looked into the swirling yellow clouds in that direction along the tower. Back slowly. I couldnt make out anything. It was frustrating how useless my eyes were in the Forever City.


    Based on my understanding, almost everyone had observation absorbers and a strong handle on their energy. The ones who didnt were supremely confident in their ability and backing. Even the monsters had evolved, so only the most cunning survived in the environment of the Forever City.


    I saw a cloud of yellow moving across the tower. Leap into the air now! That was meant to be a last resort, but I listened, I leapt into the air spinning away from the tower as the cloud rose up to try and grab me. Thankfully I escaped in time as I spun in the air, as more turbulent spatial forces hit me. A cloud of gas hit me as well, so I couldnt even tell which way the towers were oriented.


    The first thing I did was stabilize myself. That had been part of the training. Mid-air stabilization, in the event I lost contact with the surface of a tower. Shield! I pushed more energy into the force barrier around my body. A thick yellow cloud hit me. No, not a cloud, a swarm of tiny spiders. Incredibly tiny spiders, each the size of a mote of dust, that was yellow. My energy began to be devoured.


    I pushed in more energy into my barrier, pushing the tiny spiders away. I then quickly put the barrier back up, another part of my training, and went flying in the other direction. The spatial turbulence was stronger than I could use force energy. I couldnt fly long, without burning through energy. But this was an emergency.


    Wall walking, at least on the towers, used up a lot less energy compared to flying, since there was some kind of connection to the tower. They were energy reactive, which made them easier to repair and maintain. Also, they absorbed the energy around them to power their existence.


    Regardless, all this meant that I was burning quickly through my reserves, as I moved away from the cloud of spiders as quickly as possible. The gravitational pull shifted and I was plummeting away from them for a couple of seconds, before my course was adjusted and I went flying towards the side of the tower. I landed and immediately began running away as the cloud of tiny spiders chased after me. Stright, there is an opening in the tower 87 floors down. Once you get there, dont enter, but go over the gap. The monster shouldnt pursue, Bones told me. I didnt respond as I was focused on keeping up my wall walking and force barrier.


    A quick glance over my shoulder showed the spiders were still after me, and only gaining ground slowly. I put my sword away. I wouldnt be cutting them. I saw the gap ahead of me. Thankfully there was no cloud of toxic smog. I leapt over the gap and saw the open floor with several vehicles. The tiny yellow spiders stopped pursuing me after I crossed the gap. Keep going. Quarter turn to the left, and eventually we will circle the tower and come to a crossing, Bones explained.


    What was that? I asked.


    A hive type infestation of micro energy spiders. If they get out of control, or break into a tower, they are quickly purged by the constructors or the faction controlling the tower. There are regular sweeps, but a few always survive and persist. I was almost killed by the rats of the Forever City. I was weaker than the lowest tier monster that infested this place.


    That infestation was fairly large. Since they propelled themselves into the air after you. Good job avoiding them and not letting them burrow inside of you. That could have been bad, Bones said.


    Now I was really curious? What would have happened? I asked hesitantly.


    They would consume your astral soul and physical body, quickly reproducing while they did so. You would have had about thirty agonizing seconds before you died. I shouldnt have asked. Thankfully there was a spot I could pause in. A public drop off point for transport vehicles.


    Once I reached the landing area, I pulled out worn down black robe and tossed it over myself. Once that was done, I picked a spot on a far corner of the platform. People were moving about, move pallets of supplies, but I didnt even warrant a glance.


    They wont look at me? I asked Bones.


    As long as you stay in an out of the way area, it isnt worth the risk or hassle to go after you. This kind of thing, while not common, happens quite a bit. We might run into other beings who are doing this. That is why there is a small area set aside. The expectation is to be quiet and not start trouble, Bones explained.


    Alright, I am going to sleep, I said.


    Dont worry, I will keep an eye out, Bones replied. I was used to going to sleep in odd places while traveling. The dark robe on top of my usual outfit was to further obscure anyone looking at me.


    There were no incidents while sleeping. I woke up without incident. I had a small bit of food and water, put away the extra robe, and then left. I quickly learned that the most annoying thing about traveling through the Forever City was the fact I needed to go up and down before I could move horizontally across the gaps between towers.


    Something similar, I replied.


    We should consider teaming up. Two independents like us, the cloaked figure said.


    I am not sure that is a good idea. We would have to share skills and techniques, I replied.


    I will go first then. I am Rhiza, blade for hire. The figure then pulled off the hood of their cloak revealing a woman with short light green hair, eyes, and a hard face.


    I am called Yuan, I replied as Bones warned me to not share my first name while I removed my hood. The woman gasped.


    A child. You are not vat grown. Are you? she asked.


    No, I replied.


    How rare. A lost scion perhaps. Sorry, I shouldnt pry. I decided to quit my job and seek a life of fortune with a blade at my side. One day, I will raise enough credits to cultivate, she said.


    I require credits for my cultivation as well, I replied.


    Well, then we should consider working togeather. Have you done this before? she asked.


    I know what I need to do, but working togeather is difficult. There is the requirement for trust, the rarest resource in the Forever City, I countered and she nodded.


    That is a fair point. But if people dont work togeather, then you will always have your heart closed. The fact that the woman saying this looked like she was chewing on a lemon did not help her case. But it is ultimately your choice.


    Perhaps if we run into each other- the tower shook.


    A side battle has spread in this direction. We need to take action, we cant rest here. Mask on, cloak off. We need to leave this landing area and ascend this tower before we are cut off. Hurry. I quickly got to work following Bones instructions.


    Rhiza had pulled out a massive sword from a spatial dimension, that was as tall as her and just as thick. The blade only had an edge on one side. She rushed off, while I picked another direction that Bones told me to go in. We exited the tower and began ascending the outside. There was an explosion below and the tower shook. Beams of searing light cut through the air around the tower.


    Ascend, keep ascending. A beam cut into the tower near where we were running. Molten globs of tower material bubbled up and deformed the outside. Left! I quickly moved left as another beam hit where I had been running. Thankfully there were no more attacks after that.


    Once we climbed up to floor 45,712, there was another landing we stopped at. I thought you said there would be no attacks on the outside?


    It happens occasionally, if a tower is assaulted. This is good news, we arrived at the front early, in an area where it is expanding. This gives us the opportunity to scavenge. The tower shook. We rest, then go back down. The outside fighting will have stopped by then as emplacements are set up and the ground slog will start.


    I glanced to the side as I noticed a Rhiza come out of the tower stairs, or at least where it should be. The layout of the key portions of each tower was the same and that was the direction of the stairs, so not a huge assumption since I saw her down below before.


    Yuan, she said and walked over to me. You must be strong to risk going outside.


    It is challenging. Congratulations on avoiding the soldiers sent in, I replied.


    Just have to be quick enough to get above the bridge to the next tower, Rhiza replied while sitting down at the farthest point from me. We have some time, since I doubt, they will try to flank from higher up. I nodded at this. Bones had explained most conflicts between factions happened in the 50,000 levels above and below level 0. This was truer the further one went out into the rings.


    I am scavenging, you? I asked.


    The same. That is why we should team up, Rhiza replied.


    We seem to have different ways of getting about, I countered, and she nodded.


    True. Well, truce at least? she asked with a smile.


    I can agree to a truce, but why so friendly? I asked. It just seemed odd.


    Yuan, you are one of those people who worry about everything. Planning, and thinking. It is not a bad thing, but it weighs you down. I prefer to live in the moment. To trust my own strength, Rhiza said.


    This woman is insane, Bones muttered. While I was tempted to agree, there was something refreshing about meeting someone who wasnt worried constantly. She would probably die horribly from betrayal or making a mistake, but it was still refreshing.


    That is a very brave way to live. I dont think I could do that, I replied.


    It is my choice. Now, I am going to rest before checking below. The real trick is getting in between the two battle fronts and getting out, she replied as she pulled out a dark set of robes and put them on. I did the same.


    I wanted to ask Bones some questions but didnt want to alert Rhiza about my companion. I will keep an eye out dont worry. She is a modded human. Not a cultivator, thats for sure. I can tell by the observation blocker. It is implanted into her. You dont do that unless you are modded. Also, she indicated she was vat grown, which heavily indicates being modded. Still, cant be sure.


    Physically, she is quite strong based on her movements and that sword she had before. I would place the energy locking implant as one of the best possible ones. She is probably from the second or maybe even first ring. She would be around a stage 6 cultivator, or about the strength you will have if you breakthrough, Bones explained to me.


    That was a lot. A shame implants and cultivation did not mix. If she got them pulled, she would have to have the funds to pay to be cultivated to immortality, or a high enough stage so she wouldnt die. There were ways to speed up the lower stages of cultivation immensely in the Forever City. They werent cheap and they had serious issues, but they had the technology.


    Bones had sounded slightly bitter about that, so my guess was that they used templates that had issues. Unlike my cultivation, which I designed from the ground up. It would make sense if they had equipment that it was standardized with standard cultivation.


    I glanced over at Rhiza again and couldnt help but feel slightly less alone in the Forever City. I couldnt trust her, but she was a literal breath of fresh air. I would honor the truce we had agreed on. There also had to be something more about her. Probably some ability at stealth if she managed to get up the stairs during the assault on this tower.


    Since she wasnt going outside, stealth seemed like the most likely option. By being a modded human, she was much more likely to escape notice. While the observation blockers were good, Bones had warned me they werent perfect, and my presence alone would draw questions.


    I drifted off to sleep thinking about how I was going to gather up a lot of stuff and earn piles and piles of credits from various battlefields. And no spiders, definitely avoiding the spiders.

 Chapter 63: A Life Free Of Fear

    Chapter 63: A Life Free Of Fear


    Clear for the next ten levels then a checkpoint, I said while checking the staircase, while it was really Bones telling me.


    Your sensory abilities are quite good, Rhiza responded. I wished they were that good.


    Lets get to it, I said, and she nodded. Getting any closer than 10 levels was too risky. The levels above and below checkpoints often had teams waiting according to Bones and Rhiza had mentioned the same thing. We both left the staircase, Rhiza taking the lead.


    That was the main reason why Bones consented to working with her, she was a meat shield. Combined with his knowledge and sensory abilities, which were used through me, we made a fairly decent scavenger team.


    Anything? Rhiza asked once we entered the floor of the tower. The numbers all started to blur togeather after a while. The important thing was that the battle front had moved downwards recently, which allowed us to check this floor for stuff in the immediate aftermath.


    We had hours before a factions main scavenger teams came through this area. Just Grunts and Eyes, off in the distance, that way, I pointed. They were our competitors. Grunts didnt speak, just grunted, hence the nickname I gave him. Eyes, had too many eyes and a weird body shape I wasnt sure about. Definitely not humanoid.


    They were freelance scavengers as well. The entire battlefront had some kind of order to it. First one side or the other was pushed back. The size of the push varied. The larger the push, the better it was for us. The side doing the pushing had an elite scavenger team right behind, moving away all the really high value stuff. Weapons, spatial items, potions, and bio-mods. It was quick and dirty in case the battle front swung back the other way to deny key resources to the enemy faction.


    The main clearing teams were a ways back and took longer to move through an area, since they were carting out everything to be repurposed, leaving blank tower floors to also be repurposed. Checkpoints were set up along the staircase, floors with outside access, and the tunnels connecting towers. I didnt like the term tunnels, but it was the slang that was used.


    Since most beings in the Forever City werent able to leave the towers, it was viewed as some kind of ground, but was made of air. Normally one would think the atmosphere in this case, but the Forever City had no ground. Hence the pathways between towers were called tunnels and not bridges.


    Where Rhiza, the other freelance scavengers, and myself came in was to move between the front quick scavengers and the slow comprehensive ones. It had taken a bit of work to maneuver ourselves into this position. Now that we were here, the risks were immense.


    If the front swung back the other way, we would be caught in the battle and killed. If we ran into a faction scavenger group, we would be killed. If we ran into a checkpoint, we would be killed. If another freelancer didnt like us, they might kill us. Finally, there might even be traps left behind. While not that common, it did happen.


    With infinite time, the factions had seen it all. Fake retreats, decoys, fake soldiers, fake scavengers, it had all been done before. We were left alone since it wasnt economical to go after us, and we were technically trapped between the slow scavenging faction team and the checkpoint.


    Getting into and out of this position was the most gut-wrenching part of this entire job. Right now, picking up trash was the easy part. Bones was particularly helpful in this regard. Without him, I wouldnt have known what to grab. Was dirt more valuable, or a barrel of water? Was a certain piece of equipment repairable or salvageable? If something was large, what was the key component that could be removed that had the most value to keep space open in my spatial ring?


    These were the questions he answered while keeping an eye on the wider area. I also got free lessons on the various levels we scavenged from. This was a grow vat facility, crystals from the looks of it. Cheap ones, but they have their uses in other productions areas. My guess the levels nearby. I rushed through the hallways and rooms, looking around so Bones could look around as well. Rhiza was exploring for stuff to pick up in another direction.


    The valuable items would be crystal compressors and possibly shapers. There were lots of bodies and blood splatter littering various areas. The corpses were desecrated and stripped clean. They were the first targets of the front-line faction scavengers.


    There were also no signs. One of the things factions knew, was that labeling things would let any invading force know where the good stuff was kept. While the stairs were the main transit up and down, there were staircases that cut between floors. That was the main method to get around checkpoints and the slow scavenger group.


    The factions had long ago worked out that trying to hunt down freelance scavengers wasnt worth the cost incurred or the credits saved. It also meant there was rarely anything of value. While Bones talked about specific machines, those kind of items would have been packed away. Still there was a chance that something had been missed.


    Sometimes layouts on floors changed, the fast scavenging group missed a side facility, or a worker was doing a personal project in a separate area. There were countless reasons why key items could be missed. It was incredibly rare and like the lottery, but Bones liked to talk about such things and I liked to get an understanding of the various floors as I went through them.


    Crystal fluid containers. Low grade, but high density. I quickly moved the cannisters into my storage ring. The liquification machine was taken. Now that would be a nice chunk of credits. You got them all, lets keep moving, he told me.


    High density items were what I wanted. Since my spatial ring was limited by space. I would only be able to take a fraction of a floors materials if I started tossing it all inside my free ring. Freelance scavengers quickly learned what was valuable, but Bones assistance put me above the rest.


    Stop, there to the right. That box. Hit by blast fire, but only the outer casing is melted. That is a crystal etcher. Probably kept here for minor repairs on various components. This room is a repair workshop. The rest of the tools are gone, I took the box.


    The other big thing was that I could repair a lot of these items under Bones expert guidance and ability. It greatly increased the value of the item. I also had a deal with Rhiza to split the credits earned on the difference for any repair work for any item she brought me once we were done on our scavenging run.


    I noticed a small organic eye crawl on several legs into the room. It gave me a look before moving on. That was Eyes, who sent out his eyes to scope out a floor. As long as we didnt mess with Eyes eyes, the being would leave us alone.


    Freelance scavengers rarely fought each other, but the rule was first come first served. Fighting would draw attention, which was bad for everyone. If you stopped to look at things, then someone else might swoop in and take the item you are looking at. Moving and covering ground was key to getting the most credits.


    Bones kept track of the other freelancers movements and told me where to go while talking about the rooms and their purpose. Once we cleared out what he had said were the high value areas we moved to the next floor up an interior staircase, that was heavily damaged and began checking the next floor.


    The process repeated again, only this time, the floor above us was involved with growing plants that would be processed for crystal fluid. There was less valuable stuff here, we only picked up a handheld tool buried under the remains of a corpse, a soil empowerment rod. About the size of my small arm, it was worth about 8 credits resold. The brand-new price would be 12 credits for a similar device.


    There were bulk buyers trailing behind the slow-moving scavenger group. While factions tended to be self-contained nations, they also preferred standardization, and might not have enough recycling facilities. That is where bulk buyers came in. Stationed at an open floor past the slow-moving group of scavengers, they would purchase specific items their backers wanted, either for recycling or repurposing.


    Corpses were one of the biggest items bulk buyers purchased. Or used organic material. Bones had said, that anything to sabotage others had been done in the past. That included bio-weapons and corpse weapons that had long term delayed traps implanted into them. Zombie outbreaks due to contaminating biowaste was a legitimate tactic. That was why some factions sold a lot of the low value stuff off instead of trying to handle it all themselves. These resources would be sold to friendly factions.


    All of this meant that there were buyers for anything the freelance scavengers picked up. Everything had value to someone. The problem was getting enough stuff with value. One floor, and only finding an 8-credit rod was frustrating but all too common in this line of work.


    That was the nature of scavenging the leftovers of a brutal and violent conflict. I had also become used to the casualties left behind. Men, women, and other creatures were ripped apart. The most common thing was burnt chunks of meat. That was why there tended to be a pork smell that lingered throughout the conflict areas. Blast weapons were the cheapest and most common weapons. Shoot concentrated blasts of super-heated fire to cut through defenses and wound opponents.


    Guns, while useful were considered more elite due to their precision nature. With blast weapons, you pointed and fired. There were shields that could block such attacks, but combat tended to come down to both sides running and blasting each other. At least with a wide scale conflict like this.Updated from


    Other factions had different methods of operation and might favor certain techniques instead of equipment. Elite teams contesting static lines. But this was a full-scale war, where everything possible was being used. The elites would be holding key chokepoints and fallback locations. Blast weapons were given to cannon fodder. But the only reason we were able to scavenge was because the conflict was spread out across a wide range of towers.


    Bones had explained that it wasnt rare, but it also wasnt common either. It only happened when factions were sure their flanks were secure, and it was always a proxy battle between higher ranking factions.


    The slow team is two floors up. We need to get out of here, Bones said. I scooped up a lot of raw materials, that would only be worth bits, but better than nothing. Once that was done, I went and found Rhiza based on Bones directions.


    Lets get set up, she said, and I nodded at this. She picked out a room next to the staircase and pulled out a tower cutter. She out a large block from the tower structure. The cutter didnt work fast, and the damage would be noticed once we left, but by then it would be too late. It took about ten minutes of slow cutting to remove the piece of the tower so she could put it in a spatial item. We then both stepped inside the gap she had made, and she activated an illusion projector.


    Each freelance scavenger had their own secret method that they used. Bones had been planning for us to try and get in through the outside and then the elevator shaft. But that would have been incredibly risky. Rhizas way was a hundred times better.


    Floor above us now, I told her.


    Everything is stable. Find anything good? she asked. The projector would block out sound as well, which Bones had confirmed. Unless one of the guards attacked the wall, they could touch it and not notice the difference.


    My warnings on movements were my half the trade with Rhiza in our partnership. Not much. With repairs at most a hundred credits. You? I asked.


    Ah, the little scion of the freelancers has come. Lots of good stuff, his modulated voice said from his metal suit.


    Yes, table? I asked and he gestured at a nearby table. I began unloading everything onto it. Glorp began looking it over and making notations on a higher end pad. Once I was done, he flipped it around for me to look over. I compared his list and prices to the stuff I had found.


    The soil empowerment rod is 8 credits, not 6.5.


    Ah my mistake, he replied. I found two more things underpriced, and left one. That way he felt he had gotten one over on me, even if it cost me a credit.


    I earned 106.812 credits once the transactions were completed. It was a really nice number of credits for a very long day of work and risking my life. Anything you are interested in. I can get anything, Glorp said.


    An illusion projector and tower cutter, how much? I asked.


    A thousand credits each. Custom order, very illegal. Will have to transport through the towers, not by vehicle. That was way too much for both of them. I then listed out the components that Bones gave me and Glorp seemed to jiggle at that.


    Oh, those components are quite easy. Nothing illegal or banned. All told, 120 credits with a no questions asked discount. Will take half a cycle though. Have to spread out the order since it is legal, he replied.


    Half now, half when you complete delivery, I replied.


    Of course, of course, Glorp said and I paid him the 60 credits. There went a large chunk of my earnings, but Glorp was trustworthy enough for this. While he could run off there was no point over such a small transaction. And scamming me would lead to a loss of business. He was overcharging as well, but that was just the cost of doing business. If I made the trek out of the conflict zone, I could probably purchase all the components for 80 credits myself.


    He would probably spend 20 on the transport and pocket 20. But that was the price of convenience. I looked over and Rhiza was done trading with another bulk trader. We then went back to the freelancer resting area and one of the freelancers pulled out a renegade interlink tower.


    Normally used to transmit and receive information over long distances, the freelancer was tapping into the public notifications about the battle front. Everyone around, including me all made the cloaked figure a credit for listening in. There wasnt anything that interesting to listen to at the moment, since the front had frozen. But the moment it started shifting, the renegade interlink tower would light up.


    Well that was a good day, Rhiza said as we sat togeather on the floor near the back of the small crowd of cloaked figures that had gathered. We had pulled up our hoods as well.


    It was. Want to play cards? I asked.


    Yes, she replied. I got out cards and tokens. Each token represented a different amount of bits and we began to play poker for basically pennies to pass the time. The front tended to change within a day, if it didnt then we would be waiting around, and I would be trying to figure out other ways to earn money.


    All the other freelancers kept to their own corners, content to ignore our quiet chatting and we discussed the items we had found, if the front would move, and how we hoped there would be a lot of stuff on other floors.


    Rhiza had explained to me, that most freelancers didnt like working with others, that was why they were freelancers. Team ups were incredibly rare, since there needed to be trust. While I trusted Rhiza, there was a reason I was going to prepare my own equipment. If hers ever broke down, or she left, I couldnt afford to be dependent on her.


    I didnt plan on betraying her, since it would be too risky. Same reason everyone else stayed in line as well, and being a duo meant there was even more deterrence among this group of desperate beings. We paused our game, when there was a small commotion near the renegade interlink.


    I am in charge here. You pay a protection fee, a large man said to the scavenger managing the interlink.


    Get out of here, Bones said. I quickly put everything away from our game, not bothering about the bits Rhiza owed me and quickly began moving away. Rhiza was right next to me.


    Foolishhuman the cloaked figure hissed out loudly. That was when an immense pressure came over the area.


    Ahhh! The large man screamed and swung his fist. The hissing cloaked being seemed to engulf the man as the screams continued in a muffled manner. Duck! Bones said to me and I quickly dove for the ground. The large man had a blasting stick. A concentrated beam of fire shot out, through the dark robes engulfing him and striking another scavenger, who screamed as they burst into flames.


    More beams were released and then the guards rushed in at the troublemakers. I quickly scrambled away with Rhiza as the fighting progressed. We retreated to the staircase. Some went up, but most went down, to hide in the empty levels and spy on the front, getting ready to move in case the battle shifted directions once again.


    Idiots, Rhiza muttered.


    Crazy, I agreed. It could be another scavenger unleashing a sneak mental attack, a false flag by the faction to move the freelancers away, to just a crazy person who thought they were strong enough to make trouble. Regardless, we had worn out our welcome for a little bit. That meant picking a spot down below for a while and waiting things out.


    The tower shook some more. Lots of stuff going on below, looks like the front is shifting upwards. Fairly quickly as well, a massive push, check this floor, Bones said.


    Checking the floor, I told Rhiza and walked out of the staircase through the double doors. She was right behind me. The entire floor was just an empty space and quite dark, except near the central pillar and the outer support pillars.


    Above as well. They took the tunnels and have multiple breaches on the outside. They are attempting to take the entire tower, Bones said and I quickly repeated this to Rhiza. She got a worried look on her face as the tower shook a lot more than before. The bulk traders were quickly leaving as well, not wanting to get caught in the crossfire.


    An unstable front, or a swarm battle from above and below was the most dangerous for freelancers like us. We need to cut into the wall and hide, I said.


    On an empty floor? It will be spotted. They are always checked. There is no way we can hide, we need to go down, Rhiza said and quickly turned around. I was right behind her as she didnt hesitate to race down the staircase.


    Battles in the main staircase, above and below. I repeated what I was told out loud. Fighting twenty floors down. Now eighteen, quickly ascending!


    Rhiza went into another floor, which hadnt been emptied out. She began cutting out a portion of the wall after circling around to a side room next to the central staircase. Once the portion of the wall was cut out, she put the slab away, and then started her illusion projector and frowned.


    There is a problem. The power is good, but it takes time to recharge. I can leave it off, but we might get scanned. Leave it on, and I dont know if we can outlast this battle, she said.


    There are multiple scans sweeping the tower right now, we need to leave it on, I replied.


    That is not good. Very not good. We might have to exit the tower, to escape the front. I could do it, but she didnt like it and only did it to scavenge. The techniques Bones had taught me to not get melted in the outside atmosphere were quite useful. Rhiza had some kind of shielding device, but it wasnt great, and if conditions were rough it could fail.


    We can wait, see how things play out. There is fighting all across the tower, and some of the outside, I think. There is too much going on, to get a clear sense of everything without revealing our position, I replied.


    It is fine, we wait and hope. This floor has already been cleared. But once the tower is taken by one faction, they will seal off all the points, and purge their area. Since there are bound to be traps in a non-linear fight up and down, she said.


    Were you in one before? I asked.


    Yes, and it isnt pleasant getting out. Sure, there is a lot of scavenge, but soldiers will be everywhere. They wont clear an area and move on. There will be traps. The tower might become a dead tower for a while. If the conflict is going on at this height, as well as above, then the entire tower is probably in contention, Rhiza explained.

 Chapter 64: Chaos Is A Tower?

    Chapter 64: Chaos Is A Tower?


    The tower shook again as the various forces fought each other. Thankfully no one came into the small room we were hiding in next to the main staircase. Clear, three down, five up, I repeated what Bones told me. I really wish I had my own cutter and illusion projector. This was a great opportunity in my mind to get stuff, but Rhiza wanted a wider margin of error.


    She insisted on having ten floors in the direction we were moving and 5 floors in the other direction. Normally she would have waited until things quieted down, but with me around and knowing where people were in the tower, she was willing to take some small risks.


    I want to move as well, but Rhiza is right. If we get caught in the conflict, it wont end well. It will be attack first, ask questions second. Anything less than five floors is risky. Hold on, forces below are moving up, and they appear to be sweeping the floors, Bones said.


    Forces below us are moving up and sweeping the floors, I repeated.


    Let me know when they get close, I will close us in, Rhiza said, and I nodded at that. Using a slab of tower material to block off the opening of the nook she had cut would block Bones ability to keep an eye on things, but it would be near impossible to detect.


    I let her know when the forces came to this floor, and she released the slab of material from her spatial item while we were silent. I heard movement and shouting outside of our nook and remained quiet. There were explosions, more shouting, the tower shook a bit, and then back to silence. After waiting for ten minutes, Rhiza removed the slab.


    Fighting six floors above us, nothing for at least ten floors down, but hard to tell, I replied.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))


    Alright, we move then, downwards, she said. I let her take the lead as we left the nook. We quickly came across a corpse that hadnt been desecrated. Rhiza quickly got to work taking out the implants the person had. I swept the area for weapons and other stuff Bones picked up on. Rhiza and I had agreed to split everything we found.


    Once Rhiza was done with the corpse, it was still incredibly fresh. I pulled out the coffin I had from Aoyin a long time ago and tossed it in there. While there would only be a small amount of cultivation remaining to extract, there were still some unlike other corpses. That meant they had value. The resulting blood crystals could be sold for far more than the corpses themselves. Everything of value had to be taken, and fresh corpses had value.


    We moved through the floor, taking a staircase set up between floors to keep going down, finding the occasional corpse and lots more damage than when I had been scavenging here before.


    Leaving the tower is important and soon. Eventually one faction will take it, or a battle line will be created. Then each side will check their portion of the tower and clear it out. They might strip everything out, but that is unlikely. The most valuable thing in the Forever City for factions is real estate.


    That had been how Bones had explained the current conflict to me. Having more floors, meant more production and growth facilities, which could be used to fund more conflicts. Very rarely did factions fight to the bitter end. Normally a ceasefire was called after a certain point to stop losing resources and to digest gains.


    This conflict we were in the middle of had progressed to this point since it would send ripple effects out through several linked factions. It was do or die for both competing factions, and there was even a chance faction members themselves might get involved.


    If faction members join in the conflict, then it is about to spiral out of control. Normally it ends up with several towers heavily damaged as the core faction members fight themselves, instead of proxies. It will be win or die for both sides, Bones had explained.


    That fact that both sides attacked from the outside of the tower instead of pushing up or down, shows the desperation is increasing. Doing that maneuver gains a slight advantage but also signals weakness. Not sure which faction created this chaos first, but it doesnt matter. The entire front will be a complete mess, and leaving the tower itself is dangerous. The best bet is to go very high or low, before attempting to cross to another tower, he explained.


    We were descending, which was not the direction we wanted to go. The closer we got to floor 0, the more intense things would be. Those were the more lucrative floors, since there were more connections between towers, which were used to transverse the Forever City.


    Another blast weapon, I said and picked one up and put it away. We were raking in the credits. Each corpse we came upon was worth about 20 to 100 credits depending on their gear and if it was intact.


    The elites are fighting now, we need to keep moving, Rhiza said after she took out some implants and put them away. We went to the next floor.


    Stop, I said as she went for another corpse. It has been moved, look at the blood, I pointed out to her, and she paused. I had spotted this not Bones.


    A trap? she asked.


    I cant spot anything, but there is a high chance. Clearly didnt drag themselves to this spot. Maybe a friend trying to get them to safety? But that seems unlikely, I replied.


    Lets check. Move to the next room, she told me. Once we were out of the way, Rhiza pulled out a metal ball. She tossed it back the way we came. There was suddenly a loud explosion. Trapped. We will need to be careful.


    Good catch. I completely missed that. Probably a physical trigger. Rare, but they do exist, Bones said. We continued more carefully, specifically around corpses. Several more were trapped. Rhiza had a small directional force bombs, the metal balls. They would blast things away when they detonated, could be reused, and highly durable. They didnt do much damage but were great for disturbing areas and setting off possible traps.


    She had support gear as did I. Just that mine was less capable in this environment. Flash bangs werent that useful. If there was a fight, I would be completely outclassed. The destruction on the floors we passed through was clear evidence, that attempting to join any of these fights was a bad idea.


    Another thing that was unfortunate was that there were no spatial items. While the fighters would waste too much time stripping their companions of cheap weapons and modifications, spatial items tended to be compact and easy to pick up. Even if there was only one survivor, they would pick up the spatial items left behind.


    That was why being a fighter, if you survived was so profitable. But with the sheer number of corpses I had seen while scavenging, it was clear that surviving was much harder than it appeared. Bones was firmly against joining any kind of conflict, since they were meat grinders. The casualties were just numbers at the end of the day for the people running the faction. If I was strong enough to not be on the front lines, there were better options.


    Forces coming up from below, a large group, I said after checking the main staircase in the center of the tower. They are breaking off into groups on the floors below us.


    We need to hide, Rhiza said and she proceeded to cut out another tower section to make a nook which we hid inside.


    I had asked Bones why towers didnt have labels or numbers, and he said there were things like that, but for people like us they didnt matter. Each tower was the same as the last. Knowing the ring and the level was enough. Combined with a pad that showed key areas, general layout, and could be updated, there was no need to label towers. It all depended on which faction was controlling which tower.


    That brought up the question of manual transportation instead of using spatial items and vehicles. It was a cost issue on larger shipments and trade caravans. We werent strong enough or had the backing to use the faster methods of traveling the Forever City at the middle levels. But if you needed to move millions, upon millions, risking a vehicle could lead to large losses. Also trade caravans would only sell a portion of their goods to the various factions they passed by while purchasing goods to trade, making loops about the Forever City. It was an entirely different culture in the middle levels.


    As for not moving stuff out, that was tried, but there was only so much room things could be moved and neither side expected they would lose. Also, the equipment and the set-ups on the floors we passed through had the least valuable stuff. Weapons production, food production, and other key resources would be produced in a factions core area.


    Also, there was the sheer scale of it all. Sure, clearing a floor of a couple key components ahead of time was simple. But clearing out hundreds of floors worth of stuff in the event you might be attacked, was just not worthwhile or practical.


    The value each floor produced in this tower was miniscule, but they added up over time. That was why it was worthwhile to leave so much stuff behind, but still fight over the space. The stuff could be replaced, but it was the floor space that mattered to the factions. Also leaving stuff behind, like the walls, meant that the faction who had knowledge of the layout would have an advantage, however slight. Also equipment could be booby trapped against any invading force.


    Once the large group swept by, there were no more useful corpses or high value items. It had been a fast scavenger group from a faction. They probably were gaining control of this section of the tower and thought too much wealth was lying about. We continued downwards and reached the floor above a tunnel to another tower.


    Time to make a run for it, Rhiza muttered as she got to work cutting through the side of the tower. There was no one nearby. Once she removed square section to the outside atmosphere, I was ready to move. I went out first.


    All clear, I think. But there are things in the distance that I am concerned about.


    Might be stuff at a distance, I said and quickly left. The narrow gray connector was easy to transverse across using my skills. Rhiza was much slower as her boots secured her, so she wasnt swept off. Still, she made decent time and we reached the next tower, which she began cutting a small hole into.


    While I didnt like the idea of robbing factions, I liked scavenging less. We couldnt set up a legitimate business?


    Again, without any kind of faction backing us, it would be expensive. I can fake having backing, but factions live and die by their reputation. Faking backing from an actual faction would lead to them disavowing us and we would be captured and killed quickly. Making up a faction has the same issue. While factions might compete, they hate when people scam them in any way. Our credentials would be checked.


    This means we would have to purchase backing from a faction. There are factions that do this, but the prices arent cheap, and there is already a tremendous amount of competition in the crafting sector. People prefer crafting over fighting, lower risk, but also lower margins.


    And your technical expertise cant get around that? Be high end? I asked.


    At best it is low end. Basic field repairs are something I can do, with trash tier equipment. But anything more valuable requires specialized knowledge. Also, that kind of stuff is often reverse engineered or dismantled due to the risk. Reputation matters for anything above trash tier.


    And the equipment I would need to rob factions is trash tier? I asked.


    Yes. Again, you are so weak, it is fairly easy to sort out this issue. But getting the equipment to build the equipment is a huge hurdle. The only thing we can do is wait and save up.


    What about checking out the edges of the Forever City? I asked. There was silence at that question.


    It is an alternative. But the danger there is much greater and more varied. With the factions, I know how they operate, and their thought process. If we run into another super-organization, then there is no telling what might happen. While trafficking in those kinds of goods is something I know well, going into that kind of situation without strength is not a good idea.


    Or I can sneak by and earn more? I asked.


    Different detection methods. Cultivators sense the changes in the energy around them, being in tune with their Dao. But as you have seen eyes, there are other methods out there. Dispersed biological scanning is just one. There are countless others. Countering all of them is much more difficult than working around what cultivators do.


    The other super-organizations dont take advantage? I asked Bones.


    How to explain this. The Forever City which is run by the Heavenly Alliance, focuses on cultivation science and techniques. That is what I know. Countering cultivation scanning with cultivation equipment is far easier than countering other forms of scanning. The same is true in reverse. Cultivators have a range of scanning methods, but they fall into the same category of cultivation.


    It is a mismatch in technology then, I worked out what Bones was trying to convey.


    Exactly. I know the factions wont care about someone as weak as you, or scan at that level. The false readings would be too much and hard to work out from other beings in and around a tower. But more visual scanning, or spatial scanning are just two methods that would locate you very quickly. That is not counting other methods that I might have no knowledge of. Anyone at my strength that engages in stealth has to be very good, Bones explained.


    And if we pull all this off, selling the stolen goods? I asked.


    There will always be someone willing to buy. I am not saying it is easy, but there wouldnt be more risk than there is now, just a different kind, Bones answered.


    Which brings us back to the issue of getting enough credits. We have about 500 at the moment, but we need thousands more. I guess once we have the tower cutter and illusion projector we can try without Rhiza, I said quietly.


    Exactly. Also we can move outside easier than her. Dont get me wrong, she is a nice person, as nice as you get in the Forever City, but she is immortal. Unless she gets incredibly unlucky, she will eventually earn enough credits to pay to have her modifications removed and a cultivation pattern imparted onto her.


    Its that easy? I felt cheated by how easy it seemed.


    Dont sound so depressed. The cultivation methods sold are trash. Your cultivation is the kind of thing that would make a faction take note of and keep to themselves. With enough credits anything is possible, but she would need to save up a tremendous amount to pay for a cultivation method that has potential after reaching immortality. At best she would become a low level officer inside of a faction, with almost no prospect for greater power, Bones explained.


    She couldnt leave like you did? I asked.


    I left my faction for this reason. Once you reach immortality, advancement is incredibly difficult. The simple explanation is that, your foundation is immense. Stupidly immense. So immense that it will probably collapse horribly. But at the higher levels of cultivation, having a larger foundation is invaluable. That did make me feel better at least.


    And you cant just pay to get ahead? I asked.


    You can, but the price becomes too much. Far too much. And then there are other setbacks that occur, like losing all your flesh. Also, the greater the threats become and the competition. There are a limited number of resources to push forward. That is why venturing out into the wider Firmament was my plan to get stronger. I could sense the frustration coming from Bones, so I stopped asking. None of this information would really help me. I just wanted to know.


    I had a real challenge. When I had been born, I had a silver spoon in my mouth and a loving family, helpful masters. That was easy mode. The Forever City was difficult mode. I had gotten lucky allying with Bones, but there was a clear limit to our cooperation. He would be getting his body before I attempted to break through the first bottleneck.


    After that he would be off doing his own thing and I would be on my own. Factions werent bound by perception like the Imperial Sect had been either. Without backing here, no one would say anything if I was killed. That was why I kept pushing Bones to explain things to better understand how things worked in the middle class of this society, which was where most factions were.


    The upper class was the Heavenly Alliance. While the rest of the beings in the Forever City was the lower class, struggling to rise up and not die. Backing was everything in the Forever City, for travel, survival, knowledge, and resources. Even if I got past the first bottleneck, I would still be incredibly weak, compared to the factions.


    Bones had no idea what would happen if I survived, just that my base would be incredibly strong if I didnt die. He had no advice, since cultivation science wasnt a big part of his studies. He had a track of progression laid out for him by his parents. While he deviated later on, there was very little public information about the beginning stages.


    Some factions offered advice to their foot soldiers, but it was expensive and Bones had warned me that their utility was questionable. Most factions had seven to fifteen templates they used exclusively, with another three to five reserved for elites of their faction. The goal was to create a strong base, which could reach the level Bones had without issue.


    But a different method like mine, they wouldnt have information. While the efforts on the various continents could be considered research, it was either classified, or there was just too much. If I wanted answers, I would have to pay for a specialist, which would be incredibly expensive on its own. That was the kind of thing a faction leader would pay for, millions of credits.


    Since creating a larger foundation was seen as creating a future competitor, it was very expensive to hire any kind of specialist to lay out things step by step and work out any issues. My cultivation while impressive, was just not cost effective or proven. All of this meant I had to get more credits, somehow.


    That was the real bottleneck. Everything was done between factions and their proxies. Like massive icebergs crashing into each other, while the small boat that was me struggled to survive. The coffin would take a while to process the corpses, but there was no rush. It wasnt like any more corpses would turn up any time soon.


    I pulled out some food and water from under my cloak. My supplies were still solid. I had decades worth of supplies as long as I rationed them. I also had enough credits that I could survive for quite a while and even return home if I wanted. But that would be the end of my cultivation journey. It was a mental balm to have a plan to leave if I ever needed to.


    Bones would probably kill me, or do something, but once we were separated, that would be an option. Also, once we had enough credits, I could begin drinking potions regularly to draw in condensed energy into my cores. That was a long term plan, for now I needed to save up credits in order to earn more credits. Even if that was by theft. It would take a lot of theft, or something valuable enough to get a faction excited.


    I knew Bones hadnt thought through the entire plan from start to finish. The first step was equipment, then the second step was finding a target. Hopefully, once I had my own tower cutter and illusion projector, I would be able to get a lot more credits.


    Once I was done eating and drinking, I checked my pocket watch. Time was ticking steadily away. While things didnt feel urgent, I had a feeling it would be a major hassle to complete my cultivation before my life ran out.

 Chapter 65: The Pit Stop Of Hell

    Chapter 65: The Pit Stop Of Hell


    It had been fifty years since I had first arrived in the Forever City and I was 256 years old and had 12,982 credits to my name and change. My equipment was upgraded quite heavily, so that upgrading further wasnt worthwhile. I had been learning how the stuff worked as well to a minor degree. Lots of energy runes and imprinting in conjunction with different materials.


    Anything better would require backing from a faction and attention I couldnt afford. While I had multiple observation blockers attached to my body, it was never a good idea to press things. I wouldnt call myself an expert on the Forever City, but I would call myself experienced after living in this place for so long.


    Running along the outside wall of a tower, I spiraled my way up the outside. I came to the open floor. I peeked over the edge, and pulled out a passive scanner hooked up to my navigation pad and a renegade interlink. No spike in the local chatter. I had scanned in other directions while circling up. Chatter in the directions of the regional conflict. This one was looking to be a big one based on the public information I could tap into.


    It was less internet, and more sophisticated radio. Some factions like to broadcast in the open to block other communications, send hidden messages, and to be annoying to their neighbors. Their efforts were my gain, as information propagated out through the Forever City if one was willing to listen. I had a small device attached to my waste, which broadcast the three strongest signals into closed compartments that Bones could listen to.


    I stepped onto the open floor, which was the gathering point of freelancers who had established a mobile community of a sort. This was my first time running into them. They didnt broadcast their location, but some beings talked, and word spread about the mobile community.


    There was a large vehicle sitting on the open floor, with one side completely open with a bar and eatery. There was also a visual holographic display of the nearby towers and the projected movements of various forces. The place was named the Pit Stop of Hell. A horrible name, but it was the meeting point of serious scavengers and scavenger teams.


    I walked into the area where they had set up several tables past their bar. I took a seat at an empty table. In moments, a young beautiful looking woman came over. Welcome, seating or placing an order? she asked.


    Energy infused into plain water, two drops worth, I said.


    That is ten credits, which was completely overpriced. But I wasnt just paying for the energy infused water. I was paying for the seat. I pulled out my credit card and casually paid. I got some glances from the other robe clad figures, but no one said anything about my presence.


    The bar tender is quite strong. Above the level of a tower owner, Bones said.


    And he has the mark of the Heavenly Alliance on his vehicle, I added quietly.


    Only way he could be so brazen moving about and having a place for freelancers. It is a naked ploy by the Heavenly Alliance to keep an eye on things, while being able to get a feeling on the undercurrents of the Forever City. Probably a freelancer who moved up, and somehow got a sweetheart deal, Bones replied.


    The young lady came over with my drink. Energy infused into plain water, two drops, she said as she set the large mug on the table.


    Thank you, I replied. She moved off. Tipping wasnt a thing unless I wanted her company or to buy information. I picked up the mug and pulled out a filter straw. A small but useful piece of equipment to filter out any poisons or toxins from liquids that I consumed. Unfortunately, it was designed to only handle a single type of liquid, energy infused into plain water. I sipped the water as my channels drew in the energy along with my core from my physical body.


    After sipping my drink, I continued to watch everyone else and the display. I counted 17 other scavengers. A massive gathering for our line of work. That was when I saw an old face walk into the area the bar was set up, making the number 18. Rhiza glanced over at me, and I brought up a hand to wave at her, and lowered my hood.


    She smiled when she saw me and came over. Yuan, it has been a while. Glad to see you are still alive after going off on your own, she said.


    Thank you Rhiza. You never told me about this place, I said.


    It moves about. And isnt a place for new scavengers. You clearly upgraded, your work? she asked.


    Some. Nice sword. I didnt expect you to change it, I replied.


    Lost my last one about ten cycles ago. Used it to block an attack while escaping a tower. The server lady then came over. Courage, a double, Rhiza said before the server could speak.


    Twenty credits, the server said and Rhiza paid.


    Courage? I asked her.


    A specialty of this place. Contains traces of the Dao of Courage. Good for reinforcing ones mental determination, she explained.


    You had something like that, it would rip right through you. Your body might not explode with how tough it is, but there would be serious damage, Bones told me.


    Maybe in the future. I prefer something a bit more plain, I replied.


    Your choice. You been waiting here long? she asked.


    I showed up just before you. It is a pain traveling, I said.


    Well, you go outside. I just got a vehicle to this staging point, Rhiza replied. I could have gotten a vehicle as well, but Bones insisted that I keep up my practice at moving outside the towers to keep my techniques fresh in my mind. Most other people just paid credits for a vehicle for long distance travel.


    Bones also mentioned that while rare, some vehicles were used as traps. I couldnt afford to fight anything with how weak I was. Keeps my skills fresh. I hope things kick off soon, I dont want to have to make a tenth of a loop to the other major conflict going on right now, I replied.


    That is a ways away. Not going for the smaller stuff? Rhiza asked.


    Less pay. You know how it is. Also, you were a good teacher. Thank you for that, I told her. She smiled slightly at the compliment.


    It was a pleasure. Its not like there is a lot of competition, she said, and I nodded at that. Scavenging was a high-risk job. Beings disappeared all the time and you might never see them again.


    A double order of Courage, the young lady brought back a tall green glass that was releasing some smoke. Rhiza began to sip it.


    I wouldnt get excited. More abstract cultivation methods are much harder to progress due to their unique circumstances. Specifically Daos that operate on a less than physical level, Bones told me. It didnt matter that much, but it was nice of him to mention. I wasnt going to make my cultivation more complicated. It already had enough issues I needed to sort out.


    You work out your cultivation plan you are going with? I asked Rhiza.


    Not any time soon. I need to save up a lot first. At least a hundred thousand to get something half decent. Anything custom, well it will take longer to save up and I have the time, she answered. I nodded at that. She probably wanted something decent, which meant expensive. You make any progress?


    Better equipment, but still need a lot of credits. If you are interested in buying some martial robes with better protection or a mask, I could sell them to you, I offered.


    How much? Rhiza asked.


    A thousand credits for each, and that is with a discount. Take a look, I pulled out a spare mask and handed it over. She carefully looked it over. If I could make a sale, that would help me out raising more money. While a thousand credits were only 0.1% of the million-credit target, it was still progress. Finished products were always more valuable than raw resources and there was a lot of downtime.


    Double filters, and an integrated mask. Linked into data crystal shards to highlight information, but they are empty, she said.


    It is customizable. While it is mostly low-end, it has a lot of features working togeather. Sound protection. Visual protection. I use the same thing, I replied. Another reason why I was making a sales pitch was that this type of item was too good. Sure, the bulk buyers and other traders might buy low credit and repaired goods, but this mask and helmet combination was custom.


    Most freelancers were highly skeptical of any kind of new equipment. Since their equipment was their life, they were very careful with it for the most part and developed a certain familiarity with different brands. What I made would easily be worth 5,000 credits from a more well-known source.


    Why arent they used more? They dont seem that expensive? I asked.


    Transportation vehicles for passengers arent that bad. Since most factions have signed onto a free movement agreement. The factions that dont have a much rougher time. They are also very expensive to make. A full low tier vehicle costs about 100,000 credits. Operational costs are quite low.


    But I would think they would pile up over time? I asked.


    A lot of them are lost, especially in conflicts like this. They are used to move in troops and supplies and are often targets. Large caravans that are intercepted by other large caravans. Thousands of vehicles at once. The individual transport vehicles are often ignored, too much risk of offending the wrong person. Which works for us, Bones explained. It made sense, but sometimes the logic of the Forever City seemed to take a weird turn.


    The best example of weird logic was food and water. While both were luxuries, troops were often paid in food and water, instead of credits. The vat grown humans rarely had credit cards. Someone like Rhiza had to pay a lot of goods to get one to start off. By coming into the Forever City on a cylinder ship I was entitled to basic goods.


    This meant that shock troops, even less valuable than outside cultivators, were paid in small portions of food and water that were worth bits. They didnt need the stuff, but it was for morale purposes more than anything else. Anything and everything would find a use to squeeze out a couple more percentage points of value or to gain a slight edge. The factions that didnt were slowly replaced over time by factions that did. This created the hyper competitive environment of the Forever City.


    Time passed and after waiting inside a cramped cut out nook for twenty days, I cut a small hole to the outside and checked. While the tower had shaken and had been attacked several times during this time period, I hadnt been in trouble. Nothing concerning outside. I then cut my way out and took my observation obscurers before I left. It wasnt worth going back inside. The area would be watched more closely and marked down as compromised.


    Once outside the tower, I set off towards the next location, while Bones listened to the local chatter. Bad thing about being stuck inside a tower wall was being isolated. The tower material was also good thing for remaining hidden. I made my way to the next target.


    High density liquid crystals. Another item that couldnt be easily put into storage rings, very hard to move, and quite explosive. I reached the tower and then made my way to the level the storage tanks were located on.


    Again, being so weak was a huge asset. Bones let me know that anyone strongest than myself would set off all sorts of alarms. Thankfully the high density liquid crystals and the supporting equipment would hide my presence. Even with all my equipment, it just blocked casual scans.


    If an immortal in charge of a tower focused on my position, they would spot something was off. Only by hiding inside the tower walls with observation obscurers designed to mimic the tower walls themselves would I be able to hide. The towers with their thousands upon thousands of floors, countless beings, and now a war meant my security was obtained through obscurity.


    Cutting into the floor, the tanks werent near the outer edge of the tower. I cut a small hole so Bones could observe the movements of the people on the floor. The fighting was less intense, and they were attempting to distribute the high density crystals out to smaller containers for easier transport. Crystals were used in various components and liquid crystals were highly versatile in their applications.


    Once Bones said the coast was clear, I cut my way out of the tower wall and made my way into the interior of the tower. I then hooked up a crystal compressor we had made. It basically turned the high density liquid crystal into solid crystal bars.


    This normally wasnt done since turning the bars back into crystals, would cause about a 25% loss in density, which directly related to value. Since the energy compressing the liquid down was consumed. But the crystal bars could be stored in a spatial ring. They were also a useful form of currency outside of credits with other super-organizations.


    Once I partially drained one tank and someone was coming along, I would move to another one, Bones plotting out my entire path with ease. We looped around the entire floor and pocketed 223 crystal bars, which had a value of around 111,500 credits, each crystal bar having a resale value of 500 credits. We then quickly hid in the tower wall again for another long stretch of time.


    That kind of value is pocket change for factions. We didnt empty any of the tanks or steal the manufacturing equipment for a reason. If that happened then the tower master would have to report it to the faction, which would draw specialized investigators.


    Which would be bad, I replied.


    They would have techniques to backtrace the movement of items and valuables. But the tower master will fudge some numbers most likely to cover this up to not look bag. While he will investigate, the people running the towers arent investigators, more administrators. Even if they wanted to look into this, the ongoing war would cause issues.


    And they cant hire out or something else?


    This is less than a drop in the bucket for the Heavenly Alliance. Now if we stole the manufacturing equipment or more than ten percent of the high-density liquid crystal, then maybe. But we stole such a small amount, the cost of follow up isnt worthwhile.


    And the faction wont report things internally?


    Nope. Running a tower is a prestigious position. It also allows the person in charge to skim off the top. If there was a full audit, their actions would be discovered. And I will find you an upright tower master when you find a cultivator cultivating the Dao of Kindness. That basically meant it would never happen. Bones had proven himself countless times with his knowledge.


    This knowledge, while not rare, wasnt spread about or known in the lower classes. Even information brokers wouldnt have the sheer scope that Bones did. Knowing all this tiny minutiae about factions and the Forever City. It was like having cheat codes to everything. While I made sure to pay attention, ask questions, and learn, there was just a tremendous amount of little things one wouldnt even realize until they asked the right questions.


    With the theft of the crystal bars, I made my way around the conflict zone towards the other faction. There was only one theft target there, more high density liquid crystal. Their manufacturing facilities were too secure.


    I used the same procedures as last time and made off with 178 crystal bars, or another 89,000 credits. All that preparation had managed to net me goods worth 260,500 credits worth of goods. Selling all of them and getting those credits was a concern.


    Bones and I had discussed the issue, and even he wasnt sure how to sell everything without me being killed on the spot and everything stolen. Any transaction we did over 10,000 credits was too high of a risk, which meant we needed backing of some kind, which meant we needed to pay a lot. The other issue was space. All these items took up space in my spatial rings, and in my pack for the spatial components of the drive systems.


    The gap in wealth was immense, and clawing my way up from scavenger, to actual member of society wasnt simple. Anyone backing you will want to know your history and abilities. The big issue is that you are weak, incredibly weak. So any faction will think you are a plant or an easy mark. They will probably use someone more disposable to kill you and see what happens.


    There arent rouge factions or something that are more open? I asked.


    It comes down to strength. You fall into the category below the modded workers. While you can get away being a scavenger since no one looks that closely at another, we arent going through the front door on any faction. Or the back door. We need someone with connections, but willing to deal with us without questions on high value goods, Bones explained as we tried to think about how to sell our stolen goods.


    And an open market doesnt have the credits, I replied.


    Exactly. These goods are faction level or traded between much more powerful people. I dont know where to start. The best option might be going to a member of another super-organization and cutting a deal, with the hope they dont realize how outclassed you are. We would also lose value, like thirty percent converting to credits, but it is the only way.


    That much, why that much?


    Credits are used internally by the Heavenly Alliance. That means someone has to work outside of them to do the trade. That means illegal transactions. Which means risks. At least we have crystal bars which are solidified raw energy to some extent, and drive systems which are useful in a wide range of things.


    So where do we go? I asked.


    No idea. That is the problem. Everything else I could work out. But this, I have no idea.


    And we cant go to the Pit Stop of Hell and ask around because that is run by the Heavenly Alliance.


    That is exactly why that kind of place is set up. It is the bottom of the barrel kind of thing, but the one thing that gets the Heavenly Alliance excited would be another super-organization doing anything. Getting involved with the Heavenly Alliance is a bad idea. My usual method would be to beat some beings up and get information from them, work up the power chain. Or pay a high end information broker. But we cant with how weak you are.


    I cant disguise that? I asked.


    Nope.


    What if someone killed us, and stole what we had. How would they deal with the items?


    Resale on the cheap. They would get ten percent of the actual resale value. Closer to 26,000 credits. That is unacceptable.


    There has to be a freelancer faction? One that would back us without too many questions for people who dont want questions, but charge a higher fee?


    That might be a possibility. Good idea. We can ask around, Bones replied and I felt proud of myself for coming up with an idea. Now I was hoping it would work out.

 Chapter 66: Just A Minor Shockwave

    Chapter 66: Just A Minor Shockwave


    Thanks, I said to the cloaked figure as they pushed over a crystal shard that would go into the map pad. They also put down a black metal card with two large white Xs and then a smaller one between the two.


    You paid for it, the cloaked figure said while getting up, ending our transaction. It had cost 11,000 credits in the end. The first 1,000 credits was to pay the bar tender for directions to a reputable information broker. Then the next 10,000 credits was to pay for directions to an open faction.


    It smells like a trap or a scam. But this many layers of scamming would be complex, Bones said. An open faction took all people into it and provided external backing. It just had very high fees and the core members were carefully screened. But it was a viable option that a faction could make work. Just a very suboptimal approach to running a faction in the Forever City.


    They could be missing connections to the continents, based entirely in the Forever City, I suggested while putting in the shard into our map pad and letting Bones pull up the information we had just shelled out a lot of credits for.


    Perhaps. They are on the far side of the Forever City in the third ring. And TripleX, that isnt a name. You want something like Flaming Fist, Black Dragon, not TripleX. The faction does exist there, based on previous map information, but we have a precise level and location to go to.


    You never heard of them? I asked.


    There are billions of factions in the Forever City. Impossible to keep track of them all. The saying goes, a quintillion immortals, a trillion towers, a billion factions, a million paths, a thousand defenders, and one Forever City. I know a lot, but most of my knowledge is how things work around this place.


    Is that saying accurate? I asked.


    You want to do a census? Go right ahead. Getting there will be best be done by vehicle. At your speed, it would take two cycles to cross that kind of distance. Make that three, since we would have to loop around the core, he said.


    And we cant go up or down, since you never do that, I muttered quietly.


    It is lawless at either ends of the towers. Damage takes longer to repair. There is always a low level conflict at the fringes of the towers. Best to stay far away. That was true, fighting was too big a risk. Well it was time to leave the Pit Stop of Hell and catch a ride over to the far side of the Forever City. One thing this place had was fast, but expensive transport. Cross city transport was where it got expensive. Flying out, was cheaper than flying in towards the center.


    Something about traffic density, speed, priority lanes, and other factors. It wasnt going to be a handful of credits, but around a hundred to get a ride.


    Shield array, left side! Bones quickly told me. I didnt hesitate and pulled out a handheld device that was good for a single use against an overwhelming attack. I pushed the button and spun to face the direction Bones had told me.


    The Pit Stop of Hell was a large vehicle with one side acting as a patio bar. Turning to my left, put me facing the front of the vehicle and I could see some of the outside, past the vehicle itself. I noticed all the other patrons were looking around as well. Run the opposite direction, keep the shield pointing the same way, no matter what. Run!


    Other patrons had started moving as well. I noted the vehicle running the bar had quickly closed up and was pulling out of the tower. What is it? I asked as I quickly crossed the open floor of the tower. Other cloaked beings were running. The faction workers looked confused, while the vehicles were all quickly leaving.


    A serious fight, not the previous kiddie-previous kiddie-previous kidde- Bones suddenly began to repeat himself. The shield flared once brightly and then burnt out. Everything tilted. There was a massive rush of wind and screams.


    Get up! GET UP! Bones was yelling at me as I struggled back onto my feet. Dark red clouds were rushing through the tower. Technique! I quickly activated my techniques to shield my body and reorient to the ground. There was a massive pressure change, and I was sent flying through the air, like I had just been kicked. I spun and landed on my feet.


    Run, slight right, keep running. I saw the few faction workers left screaming as the red gas deformed their flesh horrifically. Dont look. It could have a visual attack vector. Keep running. Looking past the columns on the outside of the tower, I saw everything tilting. I couldnt keep track of the forces acting on me, I just made sure I kept running and attached to the tower.


    One moment there was a quarter of a tower left to run across to reach the edge, the next moment, a large chunk of gray tower just broke away. I saw material and people spilling out from the inside floors. It wasnt easy to see past the red gas, and it wasnt pretty.


    Keep running towards the edge and then along it towards the edge of the tower. Dont stop no matter what or fall into one of the floors. It is only going to get worse.


    What is happening? I didnt bother to mumble as I ran.


    Shockwaves from a serious fight. I guess some people were losing the war or didnt like what the other side had done. We just need to get out of here and on an intact tower before we are vaporized. I raced along the edge of the break, and reached the portion of the level that was connected to the outside. I quickly crossed over.


    I had to fight back an intense bout of nausea as the outside world was spinning around. Chunks of tower that I was on, along with the stuff from the floors was flying off into clouds of yellow and red gas. It had cleared up enough so I could see at a distance. I then caught sight of the damage and had a hard time processing it.


    Multiple towers had been shattered, with debris flying everywhere. It was like a kid had punched through bunch of building blocks, creating a huge mess. Countless lives lost and equipment. Keep running! Right half a turn. Get ready to jump and go straight when I tell you. Now!


    I leapt, flying through the air. I was spinning in weird directions and after a couple of seconds I slammed into the side of another tower. I clung to it as I got to my feet. Pieces of debris slammed into the area around me as I kept running. If this was the aftershocks of a serious fight, I didnt want to see a serious fight.


    Around the side of this tower, and we should be clear of the worst of it.


    Were you that strong? I asked.


    Close enough. But the cultivators who did this are already fleeing or dead. That is why factions have proxy battles instead of getting involved themselves. Otherwise there would be nothing left, Bones explained. I had known that, since he had told me before. But I only got it now. The sheer scale of destruction. I reached the corner of the tower I was on and went around. I then came to a stop and turned around to look back at the destruction. Lay down and keep yourself attached to the tower. Bones said. I quickly followed his instructions. There was a sudden displacement of air as all the gas was pushed away giving me a clear view of a massive square structure that had appeared around one of the broken towers. The outside was curved in a semi-circle, but the corners were sharp angles.


    A constructor golem.


    Its massive, what is it doing? I asked.


    Charging up and aligning with the tower it has surrounded. This is always fun to watch, but hard to see in person. They move quickly to fix severe damage in areas like this. The massive golem began to slide down towards the broken part of the tower. Everything left behind was perfectly pristine and rebuilt from what I could tell. Thousands of broken levels replaced in under a minute.


    What about the debris?


    It sucked it all up when it appeared. There wont be anything inside the floors, and the faction that lost them will be quite unhappy. The party responsible will have to pay for all of it. The Heavenly Alliance has set rules about that kind of thing. The constructor golem was so fast and then just disappeared after all the floors were replaced.


    How did it even appear and disappear around a tower? I asked.


    It has special permissions to use the Astral Plane for transit inside the Forever City.Anything else doing that, is in for a very bad time. They are run by the Heavenly Alliance to keep the Forever City up and running. If you really screw up or mess with a constructor, then an administrator golem comes. If the fight lasted for more than a couple of attacks, then one would show up.


    All those people killed instantly without any warning. Just wiped out. You sensed it?


    I am quite sensitive to techniques. A good way to stay alive. But anyone fighting like that here, well they are desperate and dying. It clicked then. This is where the powerful cultivators kept their manufacturing and nice things. They got upset if other people broke them and made a mess.Updated from


    At least the air is clear, I said through my mask. Couldnt they do it all the time?


    It is power intensive. The inner areas of the Forever City are kept clear. The core is the nice part, with the first ring being seen as middle class. The second ring is lower class. The remaining rings are considered trash areas used for production, buffer, and combat outlet. We should get moving to an open floor with vehicles for hire.


    I got up and began running along the outside of the tower. The red gas? I asked.


    Probably a cultivation type resource stored, manufactured, or processed in a nearby tower. Or it could be a wound remnants inflicted on a high level cultivator. Or a technique. The major issue was the shockwave, that was a decent punch.


    A punch? I cant imagine that kind of strength, I muttered.


    Better to not ask and just rest after unloading and fixing everything. Once I had rest, I got up and rang the bell and stepped away from the doorway. An old man with a clean-shaven face and wrinkles entered. He had a martial robe on.


    I am Han of the TripleX faction. I will be your assessor for this sale. Do you have any questions, concerns, or comments? he asked.


    No, I replied and he nodded.


    Good, I will begin inspecting your goods. I will have to touch them, will that be a problem?


    No, I replied. He seemed quite bored and reciting lines from memory. He walked over to a crystal bar and picked it up.


    High density, but not purposefully manufactured that way. So slight loss. Highest public sale price, 523 credits each. All of similar quality, no major deviations. He set it back down and then walked over to the drive systems and began looking them over more carefully.


    Drive systems with reinstalled standard spatial components. Brand new, not refurbished either. No tampering. Low level overall quality. Highest public sale, 15,811 credits each. Total value of all goods 272,967 credits. Final sale price after fee applied, 163,780 credits. Do you accept?


    It hurt to say it, but I wasnt going to get a better deal without a lot more risks. I accept, I said, and Han nodded.


    Credit card and TripleX card, I handed both of them over. Your credits are applied to your credit card. Your TripleX card will record this sale and indicate your value as a customer for us. Also, a way to track people when they show up with new goods, since people could hide themselves or change identities. But that wasnt a concern for me.


    He handed them both back to me. Do you have any questions? he asked me.


    No, I replied. While I had questions, this man clearly didnt want to answer them and was strong. Better to keep things moving along.


    Then you may leave, this room is now off limits, he said, and I quickly left through the door. I returned to the lobby and went up to the receptionist.


    Does it cost anything to get a price on specific goods? I asked.


    If you purchase the goods, then no. If you do not reserve a purchase order, then yes. It is 100 credits per price inquiry, she replied.


    And this list isnt shared publicly? I asked.


    Unless someone pays ten million credits based on your current asset class, then no. Do you have any inquiries you would like to make? she asked.


    Yes, I said and pulled out a list Bones had put togeather. It had items I had no clue what they were, but all of it was meant to get his body back.


    This is an extensive list and I count 72 distinct items listed. That will be 7,200 credits, she said. I pulled out my credit card and she deducted that amount. Easy come, easy go, even if it was painful to see that much wealth go away to just get some answers.


    Please wait one moment while I make the inquiries. You may have a seat, this will only take a short amount of time, she said. I took a seat.


    Hopefully they are cheap. But I suspect not, Bones said.


    And you wont need anything else? I asked quietly, adjusting my mask to block out my speaking.


    No. Just a secluded area and a chunk of time. But that is easy enough to find once we have everything. I wasnt hopeful, but if we can get everything from this place, even with a horrendous 40% markup it shouldnt be that bad. I can get my body back, and you can be alone once more.


    And my cultivation, I replied.


    Even split. I still think your cultivation is going to cost way more. But that is just drinking energy potions. Those things are so universal it is insane. Whoever came up with the formula is making a mint, Bones replied.


    But you think I need a specialist to make sure I dont kill myself? I asked.


    You will need something. This place seems focused on material goods, which suits my needs. I am putting my guess in at 1.2 million credits, Bones said. Guessing at the final price the receptionist was going to come back with.


    Three million, including their markup. Some of those items you said were incredibly rare, I replied.


    Some, but not that much. Unless prices have changed dramatically. They could havehopefully not. There is no good way to recreate my body except with all those materials. It isnt just the cost, but the harmonization with my Dao. As a body cultivator without a body, any new body will have to be compatible at the very least.


    That was the main requirement for Bones. Getting the right combination of stuff had taken him a long time to work out, and there was no good backup plan based on materials that he knew. Any other body restoration material combination would be much more expensive. While he wasnt saying it, there would be a loss in power from his original strength.


    He wasnt happy about that, but he clearly hated not having a body more. Once he was up and moving again, then he could work out the issues in time. But the key step was actually getting a body. Nice thing about being immortal, you had a lot of time.


    Thank you for waiting, I have prepared a list of prices for each of the materials on this pad. They will be good for 30 cycles if you wish to purchase them, I got up and faced the receptionist. She handed back the original list and the pad. You may keep the pad.


    She returned to her desk, while my eyes scanned the list. I went to the very bottom. FOUR POINT NINE MILLION! Robbery! Scammers! That was 3.5 million credits without the factions markup. Look at that, Refined Hyper Azure Blood, 180,000 credits. That should cost a tenth of the price. The ranting by Bones continued for another couple of minutes.


    Done? I asked him.


    Yes. This is a nightmare. Everything is more expensive than I thought it would be. But some of these prices, things have changed since my time, Bones muttered. I still had no idea how long ago that was.


    Maybe inflation? I asked.


    Perhaps. But most likely changing cultivation methods to those that are more cost efficient, thereby raising up the prices. Well lets head to mid-tower and find a bazar. We can stock you up on high quality energy potions. Since it doesnt look like I am going to get a new body any time soon. You will need increased strength and energy, if we are going to try and earn some more credits.


    I left the lobby back to the main staircase and started heading down. We wont run into problems? I asked.


    We have credits for minor transit fees. While it will only be a small bit, increasing your strength will be important for surviving. We need to steal a lot more and take a lot more risks to raise this kind of amount. Also, you need to live long enough. This is going to take a while, Bones muttered.


    It appears my cultivation is faster, I replied in a cheeky tone.


    You say that, but getting to the next stage, is going to be a nightmare. You need a specialist and those arent cheap. Also the resources they are going to suggest, arent going to be cheap either. While your mentors might have thought you can cross the first bottleneck with some luck, there is a reason your cultivation method has never been done.


    You just dont know that reason, I complained.


    Things are done a certain way for a reason. It is called the Forever City because if you stay here forever, you will eventually see anything possible. The fact I have never seen or heard of your kind of cultivation is a very bad sign.

 Chapter 67: The Central Levels

    Chapter 67: The Central Levels


    I paid 1 credit to get a temporary pass for one cycle through the tower at the checkpoint on the main staircase. I had also noticed traffic was picking up. Despite being large the Forever City had always seemed quite empty for a super massive city. Several of the people werent wearing cloaks hiding their identities either.


    The middle levels are always the most populated and have high traffic. Anything under 5,000 would be considered the middle. Above or below that up to around 100,000 is mostly used for production. Down here are a wider range of places and where factions keep their core strength and valuables. Also where traffic moves through, Bones explained.


    Dont most people just live as mindless zombies?


    A lot of the people running stuff try to do better, there are entertainment districts, and other facilities in the middle levels. Not as many as you would think, but the people running things there are of higher quality. The investment into them is around 500 to 1,000 credits instead of 100 credits. This is probably where Rhiza comes from.


    So, classes of people, but there are no opportunities?


    Nothing worthwhile. These levels are designed to suck credits out of your card, not put them in. We need millions upon millions of credits. For both of us. This isnt the kind of thing you can earn just sitting around for a short period of time. Saving up that kind of wealth, in these middle levels is impossible. I might consider gambling, but such places are closely watched.


    Which just leaves stealing from outer industrial levels, I replied.


    Yes. Consumption of resources never ends. And to get high value goods, takes several processing steps, and very large equipment for a small percentage of improvement. Those drive systems we stole, how many levels of production and people do you think they took? I considered that question carefully based on everything I knew.


    I would guess 10 levels and 5,000 people including support personnel, I guessed.


    Close, but it is around 15 levels and 8,000 people. Automation is too expensive and prone to complicated sabotage. Humans are much more versatile. But my point is that, everything is like that. Layers upon layers of production facilities, feeding final products. The energy potion I want you to get, takes 50 levels and 35,000 people to produce.


    It was hard for me to mentally process the prices. A lot of things cost bits, fractions of a credit. But I was past that level of poverty now. Huge production facilities all feeding into a narrow range of people. Part of the problem was the scope and how packed everything was into the Forever City.


    If space is expensive, why not go out to a continent? I ask.


    Risk and logistics. Everything feeds into the Forever City. There is the Heavenly Alliance. You start producing valuable energy potions in the trash heap you came from, then other factions will find out eventually and make a move. Even worse is there is very little protection from another super faction. It is about consolidation, social standards, and the defensive pact that keeps the Forever City humming along.


    I was asking all of these questions of Bones, since I wanted to start a business and earn passively. That was where the real money was. Set myself up like the TripleX faction and just have people come to me and earn money off of them, rather than risk my life.


    The sheer wealth scale was also mind boggling. A credit was the equivalent of a rank 6 spirit stone in my mind. A 100,000 credits was more wealth than could be contemplated by sects back on the continent. But the issue was finding anything to spend it on. It would be like a billionaire going to a third world country, there just wouldnt be anything of value and a small selection of the few items that were interesting. Then there was the issue of spending all of that money, since I had never heard of credits before coming to the Forever City.


    The other suckers who had come with me out here were most likely all dead in some minor conflict. Even if they lived, they would be paid a handful of credits and not know any better. The factions wouldnt explain all these things to them. Without Bones, it would be impossible to have gained an understanding of how this place worked and the unspoken rules.


    I came to a stop on level 182, which contained an open market and tunnels to neighboring towers. Large regions tended to try and keep tunnels at the same level for ease of transportation between towers. It was a good sign that if tunnels were on the same level, factions were on good relations.


    The entire floor was like a mall. Shops lined the wide hallways with signs and displays. There were several people without observation absorbers, and they were all powerful. I was definitely the weakest one around. First thing is to get cleaned up. Otherwise we will be looked at like a scavenger. Fitting in was key.


    I stopped at a store with the name, Cleansing Spa And Outfitters. It is a shared name. Certain sets of stores have agreed on standards to use the same name, with rules governing their operation. No one faction being the controlling interest in these things. Since they run the shops in their own tower. But creating familiar branding increases revenue. I also mentally amended that statement, with the caveat that it was only some factions that did things like that. There would be other factions that saw value in having their own stores. Most likely these chains were supported in some way by the Heavenly Alliance.


    We entered the store, and I removed my hood and mask since Bones told me to do so. Welcome honored customer. How can we assist you today, a young woman asked. She had a floral scent about her, a flower in her hair, and a flawless face that was the most beautiful I had ever seen. It took me small moment to compose myself.


    I have been traveling and require discretion. Cleaning for my equipment, and an outfit to make some minor purchases, I said.


    Of course, of course. That is all easily handled honored customer. It would only cost 50 credits for discretion and another 50 credits for an outfit. Unless you wanted something heavily customized?


    No, just the basics and discretion, I said.


    Of course. After that I was shown to a room and asked to removed everything. Bones said it was fine so I trusted him. After stripping down, attendants came in and hand washed me and cleaned my equipment where I could see them. I was then given a robe and a set of very nice martial robes were laid out for me.


    I got changed into them, making sure to put back on all my key equipment, except my mask. Down here, looking so young will be an advantage. You will be seen as important scion of a faction.


    Not some old powerful cultivator? I asked.


    Maybe. There are all types out there. But appearance is a choice once you are strong enough. I could speak for a long time about the subtle nuances in terms of how cultivators present themselves. Appearing as young as you do, is a clear statement you have powerful backers supporting you. With no faction patch and nice, but generic clothing, you will be seen as a young but important cultivator looking about, with hidden guards.


    That was incredibly complex in terms of working out the social nuances. I left the Cleansing Spa And Outfitters back onto the main concourse of the shopping level. There was no chain store that Bones saw for potions, so we stopped at the local store.


    I began looking over the options that had been publicly laid out. An attendant was nearby. Gravity is a close enough concept, and these energy potions are slightly aligned for gravity.


    How much are these ones? I pointed to the gravity type energy potions on display.


    Honored customer, those cost 2 credits per bottle. However there is the slightly more purified version for 10 credits per bottle, do you wish to inspect one? the female asked me. She looked remarkably similar to the receptionist in the last store. Probably from the same vat line of humans created by the TripleX sect.


    Yes please, I replied. They went to the back room. While there was no one directly watching me, Bones warned me not to steal anything in a place like this. The middle levels had security, very good security. Trying to steal anything wasnt worth the risk compared to the reward for a theft.


    The attendant brought out a slightly fancier bottle and handed it over to me. Expensive, but worthwhile. There is a risk with long term use of the cheaper stuff to degrade your cultivation. The small bit you have consumed so far, isnt a concern. But you want energy soaked in the essence of a Dao. While gravity is slightly different from force, it is close enough.


    I wasnt happy about that, but it wasnt a huge deal in my mind. I had only consumed a small amount of energy potions over the decades I had been working with Bones. We had to conserve credits in the past, now we were rich enough.


    Are there any discounts are larger orders? I asked the attendant.


    It depends on the size of the order. How many were you considering purchasing? the attendant asked.


    Ten thousand, I said casually. There was a long stretch of silence. That was a very large order by an individual purchaser. While it would get some attention, this tower was owned by the TripleX faction. That was why Bones felt comfortable for me to make such a purchase.


    That would be enough for 10,000 drops of energy divided across all my cores. It would be a good start, just 600,000 drops of energy to go after that. I was hoping I could arrange a discount.


    An additional 500 bottles at the same standard can be offered, the attendant said. I quickly did the math. That was 9.524 credits per bottle. It wasnt a huge discount, but it was a discount. Or I was getting a bonus of 5,000 credits which wasnt a small amount.


    That is acceptable. How quickly can my order be prepared? I asked.


    Yes. With the TripleX faction, we can unload a lot of valuable goods. That was the biggest concern before. And if a faction is losing, then they wont have the resources to spare to come after us or investigate. I nodded at this and trusted Bones.


    I went up a couple of levels to an open floor and got a vehicle back out to the outer edge of the conflict area we were at before and the Pit Stop of Hell. Bones had figured out a way to track the location. A high level, but minor technique he could do to track places he had been.


    The cost for returning was slightly cheaper than it had been to get a vehicle to TripleX. We were heading further out, but still crossing the Forever City. There had been color at the shops I had visited which was nice. I had to change in the vehicle, back to a dark cloak which hid my features dealing with other beings in dark cloaks.


    I also tried a sip of an energy potion I had gotten. Bones insisted, I slowly began to sip it. There was some pain, but it was nowhere the level I thought it would be. The previous energy potions he had to dilute.


    The lack of pain is due to compatibility. You will feel bloated, but there is no difficulty of the energy entering your channels and being forced into your core. If you wanted to advance quickly, then there are boxes to place you in, similar to that coffin, but far less crude, where gallons of energy potions would be poured onto you.


    You really did come from a super-rich family, I half joked as the vehicle flew towards our destination.


    We were well off, but there are other people who have had better starts. Not many, but they are out there, Bones explained to me, not giving any more clues about his past.


    I sipped more of the potion. I feel like my body is going to balloon up, I complained.


    It wont get easier. You are putting an insane amount of pressure on your cultivation. Anyone else at your level would explode. But with how sturdy your body and cultivation are, you will be fine. Keep drinking, since it loses potency, Bones said. I sipped some more.


    I am guessing it takes time to settle, which is why you wanted me to start now? I asked.


    Exactly. And putting you in a personal energy inducer would be even more expensive, if far quicker. This is the next best option that is affordable. At your current cultivation level, you need 610,000 drops. That means, on average two per day with how you measure time. Preferably three potions per day. That would last 10 cycles, more than enough time to get a lot more credits. I sipped some more. I was halfway through and felt like I was about to pop.


    You sure? I feel like I am about to literally explode. I can feel my eyeballs pushing their way out of my skull, I said.


    Yes. You cant consume these potions while using a technique. I know it hurts, but you must keep going if you wish to cultivate. There is no other option, based on how much lifespan you have left. About 1,000 cycles, maybe some more with your age. But time is of the essence. I do not want to wait for you. I took another longer sip and let out a groan.


    You sure there is nothing wrong? I feel like something is wrong? I asked with a groan. My entire body felt like it was barely holding togeather. My cultivation felt strained as well.


    Yes. I can monitor your cultivation. If you explode, then you will take me with you, since I am latched on top of your cultivation network. And no, I dont want or need these potions. But you need to get used to this feeling. I finished off the potion. I felt energy pushing its way into my channels. Like my entire body was being squeezed through a juice compressor.


    Done, I gasped out.


    Your absorption rate is decent, but not good. That is the problem with using something that is slightly off, but looking for a specific energy potion is too risky, and the costs would shoot up, since it would have to be ordered, Bones explained.


    Any idea how long? I asked.


    Not too long, but you must endure. Your physical body is just being stressed.


    I might actually grow, I muttered.


    That is a possibility. But even that isnt that bad. You are small enough to afford quite a bit of growth at the moment, Bones had a chuckle in his mental voice. He was clearly amused by my complaints. I just wasnt used to the feeling, but I was managing to cope.


    The value of these energy potions were immense. The Cloudy Moon Sect would kill for them. A lot of cultivators could be promoted and the strength of the sect would increase. Just from stealing from some factions in the Forever City. The sheer difference in scale was so immense. And then you had mortals. My heart clenched at that thought. I had left my family behind. I still had the picture my sister had given me.


    Bones hadnt commented about it. He understood it was a personal item. Countless people had sacrificed for me, and I would not betray their trust. I would endure no matter what and get stronger. I pulled out a second potion. Am I good for another?


    Yes. Sip away. Your body can handle it, even if it is uncomfortable. I nodded and opened up the second bottle, taking a sip. I would push forward no matter what. I wasnt going to stop due to being uncomfortable and a little pain.


    It seems unfair that people can just bypass entire stages with credits, I muttered as I took another sip.


    It works quite well for the lower stages of cultivation. But it also helps that they have been thoroughly investigated. Choices are made based on resources more than anything else. If you do survive to reach the next stage of your cultivation, then your foundation, well, it will be immense. Even the cherished scions of the Heavenly Alliance, might look at you with a tiny bit of envy, Bones explained.


    Really? I sipped the energy potion. That seems like a stretch with how powerful they are.


    It is the uniqueness of your cultivation of combining so many paths into one. That suction vortex, is the most impressive. Cultivators gave up pieces of their cultivation to create such a thing. You have told me the story, but creating such a circumstance is not simple. Also the astral soul stabilizer has a lot of value.


    I took another sip. Really? A piece of the Great Devourer? What exactly is that? I asked out of curiosity.


    No idea. I probably know it by a different name though. The Astral Plane, is the layer between the Firmament and Chaos. A thin layer, that everyone wants to tap into. The stronger you are, the greater the risk. To go there and return, is something I would not risk.


    Like the ancient being I met that opened a single eye? I asked.


    Exactly like that. Such things are beyond dangerous. You do not live in the Astral Plane, if you value life, yours or others. A faction would waste tremendous resources trying to get anything from there. And using such an item? Your Sect Master probably learned his techniques here in the Forever City and ventured there under a contract.


    They made it sound like they could go there and find a piece of the Great Devourer, I challenged Bones and took another sip. I was glad for the conversation to distract me.


    Perhaps. But there are better and easier things to do across the Firmament.


    We could go there and look for something to sell? I suggested.


    No. My presence would be sensed. Observation absorbers would be of limited use. Also, do not underestimate the power of external forces protecting you. While Fate and Luck are concepts that have never been cultivated as far as I know, they do exist and cultivators have tried. They are real concepts.


    If Karma is a thing, that isnt surprising. Even with the Heavenly Alliance? No one could do it?


    As far as I know, no. Time is incredibly risky along with Space. The more abstract a concept one takes as their Dao, the riskier things become. Force is a good choice to focus on and all its derivatives. Also resources are an issue in terms of compatibility. The more abstract a choice, the more aligned the energy needs to be for ones cultivation. If one could grow Luck, would they grow anything else. Then there are issues of balance. If there is luck then there is unluck. If there is fate, there is unfate.


    Which would be bad. But force would just have force?


    Exactly. The pitfalls of more abstract cultivation become far worse the further you go. But the more powerful you would be.


    Well, I cant afford to make my cultivation any more complex, I joked and sipped the energy potion. I squeezed my eyelids shut as I felt my eyes were going to pop out.

 Chapter 68: Cultivation Complications

    Chapter 68: Cultivation Complications


    The pain is getting worse, I mumbled as I sipped some more energy potion. I had been constantly taking them for the last 100 years or cycles as they called time around this place. I had accumulated 106,800 drops, divided equally between all 9 sub-divisions of cores, which meant 11,866.6 drops per core.


    Each of my cores had quickly progressed through the stages of gas, liquid, and solid. Now they were putting out immense amounts of pressure on my cultivation system and body, while I was squeezed the other way from the energy potions. I needed to keep drinking them to get more drops, but the main in the center of my body was becoming much worse. Enough that it was distracting.


    While my pain tolerance was high, this was enough, that it was a struggle to do techniques and keep up my robberies from war zones. Bones and I had already accumulated 2.4 million credits in total. Not counting the money spent on general supplies, everything was divided in half. I had spent a lot of my wealth on potions, while he was saving his credits up to replace his body.


    You need to get someone specialized to take a look. That was not good. I had about 200,000 credits left of my share of 1.2 million. The rest had gone into energy potions.


    A faction specialist, I said with a groan as pain laced through me.


    Yes. We have made inquiries, we just need to go sooner rather than later. Thankfully Bones didnt make an objection when we left the conflict area a bit sooner than planned. We would only get a couple hundred thousand credits from selling goods, but they had been adding up over the last century.


    The hardest part was finding good targets and the longest part was waiting for an opportune moment to strike. While the Forever City was incredibly large, we couldnt afford to get too greedy or just steal trash. Sometimes Bones would call off a heist due to the risk he perceived. I didnt argue with him. While we were stealing pocket change from the factions, no one liked to be robbed.


    I made my way to an open floor, and then paid a vehicle a couple thousand credits to take me to the first ring of the Forever City. I also changed my clothes. The TripleX faction had charged a fee for the information on an independent cultivation consultant. Normally their services were used by rich cultivators who wanted a second opinion for their child or a unique cultivation method. Or fixing mistakes by these rich scions.


    When I got out of the vehicle, the sight was completely changed. The air was clear outside the tower, and the towers had symbols and decorations on the outside. It was like night and day to the other parts of the Forever City. The first ring and core of the Forever City has always been quite nice. But also expensive. There are no stairs here. Well there are, but they are closed off. We will need to pay an attendant to transport us through the elevator shaft.


    I made my way over. Floor 12, I said to the attendant.


    Five hundred credits, they calmly replied. I paid the fee without hesitation. This was just the first road block to visit a specialist. The faction that was protecting them, charged high visitations fees that would only be a minor annoyance to other cultivators in factions. It would also keep the riff raff out. I stepped on the platform with the attendant and I didnt feel any force as it moved into the elevator shaft.


    I could sense the forces acting on it, but I didnt physically feel it as we transversed 781 levels in the span of a single breath. We reached floor 12 and I exited off the platform. There were several medical facilities lined up on this level of this tower.


    While the TripleX faction didnt control this tower, they were allied to the faction that did, along with being allied with several smaller but service-oriented factions. The idea being, to keep customers inside their alliance to generate as much profit as possible. Bones said it left them exposed, but they probably had a super stronger backer that was keeping quiet in order to have a wide ranging information network using other factions as proxies.


    In the end it was all about who you knew. There was no internet that was searchable. The pad only gave major locations and local information that was updated. Over the years we had filled in swaths of the Forever City, but the total amount was probably less than 2%. The Forever City was just that big.


    Another thing of the Forever City beyond my paygrade. The important thing was to visit a specialist. I entered a small shop labeled, Ten Thousands Paths One Destination. There was no attendant standing around which was not the norm for most places.


    Oh, a customer, a middle aged man stepped out from a back room into the tiny lobby area. Are you a customer? they asked.


    Yes, honored senior. My name is Yuan and I require a consultation and discretion about my cultivation, I said.


    I am Ming Jiei. Expert on unique cultivation methods. I will do a general assessment and then give the price for my advice. First thing, you will need to remove the observation absorbers so I can take a close look, he said. I didnt argue and put them away in my spatial rings. I saw a look of growing shock on his face.


    Who did this to you? And you are still alive? Three path cultivation. Four, no five, wait. Nine distinct core structures. I count 1,304 channels. Already over 100,000 drops. The pressure on your soul is immense. Force cultivation. A suction vortex. Body, soul, and mind base refinements, Ming Jiei said as he pierced through my cultivation in seconds. This was why I needed all those observation absorbers.


    There has been an increasing amount of pain in my core area, or gut, I said.


    I can see that. Well, a diagnosis will cost you 50,000 credits. That includes possible solutions, Ming Jiei said.


    Will that include issues related to breaking through the bottleneck to the next stage? I asked.


    That? I dont even know where to start there. I need to think on that issue. But that is a separate issue with a separate price, he said.


    Very well senior Ming Jiei, I said and paid his fee. There was no point going to a top end specialist if you werent willing to pay out the credits for their advice.


    The problem is your physical body. It is not an adults body. But the pressure on it is not good either. That is the first problem. The best solution is to wait until you grow to an adult body and then continue cultivation, Ming Jiei said.


    That would not leave me enough time to gather the drops of energy I need, I replied and he tapped his clean shaven chin with his right hand as he continued to stare at me.


    The root of the first problem, is the impact on your body. Your soul is pushing against its physical constraints, and it will only get worse. Your physical body needs to get bigger. There is too much pressure and force being applied from multiple directions, he explained.


    A channel system is not meant to take in energy from the body like you are doing. You are abusing energy potions. While cost effective, channels are meant to absorb energy from the outside, or at least yours are. If you wanted to go through direct absorption, then you need a pocket type structure instead of channels.


    Pocket type structure? I asked.


    Reinforced areas of your body to draw and transmit energy from your physical body into your core. Thankfully your cultivation is dense enough that you arent exploding. But you have about a century of accumulated stress. You have to stop all use of energy potions.


    What about alternatives to waiting? I asked.


    A chamber of some kind to absorb outside energy is the best bet. More expensive, but it is the best solution. More energy potions will only get worse, since your cores are pushing back on your channels. But your physical body is trying to push energy into your channels. That is why you are experiencing pain all over. If you keep using energy potions, your body will collapse in about four to seven decades. Which brings up the second major issue with your health and cultivation.


    Soul instability. While your internal structure is incredibly strong. One of, if not the strongest internal structure I have seen, you have carved most of your soul out.


    Isnt a soul supposed to be carved out? I asked.


    Yes, it is. One of the common problems I see, is soul instability from putting in too much. Your base refinements of the aspects of your cultivation had mitigated your death. But the remaining portions of your soul are experiencing stress cracks. There is just too much pressure, primarily from your cores.


    They are solid, arent they? I asked.


    You are going to try and ignite them? Increasing the pressure so much, that the solid energy collapses? Ming Jiei asked me.


    Yes senior. That was the plan, I replied.


    Your cores are sending minute vibrations out in your soul. The base material is developing very tiny stresses. With how far it appears you plan to go with your cultivation, this issue will quickly become unmanageable once your cores ignite. Instead of a solid core being compressed denser and denser, your cores will ignite, actively pushing back.


    I was thinking I could use my Force cultivation to contain them better, I replied.This chapter is updated by


    Really? That would be amazing. That would lower my expenses by a million credits, putting me at a target of 6.5 million credits, I worked out.


    It will be a good test run to work out any minor issues in containment. With you, it would just be some lost energy, which is a minor expense. With the ingredients I am using, including my bones, there is only one shot. I cant afford anything to be leaking out, Bones explained.


    That is a lot of credits we have left to steal, another 13 million, I said since we were splitting credits earned evenly. We were earning at a good clip, but I hated stealing. I wanted a passive income, or a business. While I was running a criminal enterprise with two members, it was not a real business.


    Trust me. I would prefer credits to flow to us without complaint, but it is what it is. We dont have the identity or backing to start a business of any kind. If you breakthrough, then you might be able to start something or negotiate with a faction to a degree. You wont be able to steal anymore. You strength will not go unnoticed.


    Cant I just get better observation blockers? I asked.


    Even with them, your astral soul is a single point. After you reach the next stage, it will no longer be a single point and have weight. While incredibly light, it will have weight, and can be detected. That is why we are able to get away with so much constantly. Even with high ranking cultivators looking for us, we blend in with the background. But if you have weight to your soul, well there is a chance to be noticed. Incredibly small chance, but a chance nonetheless, which makes stealing impractical, Bones explained.


    So, I better stock up on credits while I can, is what you are saying. As for a temporal compression chamber, could we hire someone to make one? I asked.


    Temporal techniques, from skills to crafting, are highly valued. The chamber my faction used was maintained by a cultivator from the Heavenly Alliance. You are talking about a handful of people with the skills to make such a thing. Then there is the issue of materials and power. But it has given me some ideas as to the breakthrough problem.


    Other things that can alter my perception of time? I asked.


    Exactly. But they each have their own risks and problems. The best option would be to break through in the Astral Plane itself. You would have unlimited time there, since your soul would be exposed.


    I am sensing a big issue with this plan otherwise more people would do it. I am guessing it will be a beacon for anything that wants to eat me or consume me? I asked.


    Yes. A beacon would be the perfect way to describe this. With your cultivation exposed like that, everything will come for you. No one would willingly protect you either from the threats out there. You could enter someplace important, and then break through. Then you would just have to escape from some incredibly pissed cultivators afterwards.


    They wouldnt be able to target me during my breakthrough? I asked.


    Depends. It is just an idea, not even a good one. But I dont see any other option, unless Ming Jiei has a massive breakthrough. It isnt just slowing your perception, but the rate your cultivation collapses back togeather after detonating your cores. Thats why you cant just drink a potion to slow your perception. You will only be able to act so fast. You need the entire process spread out as much as possible, Bones explained, which clarified some confusion I was having.


    So, a place would be like the arrival station for the cylinder ships? I asked, since they traveled through the Astral Plane from what Bones had told me.


    Precisely one of those locations. But you breakthrough in such a location, then you will piss off a lot of very powerful people. Getting away will not be simple or easy. There is a reason no one does it, even if it is one of the best solutions to this problem. There are things out there, that scare even me.


    So basically, not a good option. You cant section off a portion of the Astral Plane, like build a fortress?


    Physical things attract attention and arent a real barrier. There is no real barrier to many of the threats out there. Many of them operate on completely different principles than either of us understand. Traveling through the Astral Plane has immense dangers. It is the layer between the Firmament upon which we stand, and Chaos.


    And Chaos is bad?


    In the sense of living. But it is more the environment. Good example are temporal effects. You have a cause and an effect. Even if something loops backwards, there is a cause and effect. But the further you go, you can eventually skip the cause. And when you have things that can manipulate such an outcome, it is very dangerous. Beyond dangerous.


    That didnt make much sense. But my understanding of reality was clearly lacking. Like being attacked and taking damage, but there is not attack? I asked.


    Yes. Those kinds of things can enter the Astral Plane. There are memetic hazards which you experienced before. Not thinking about those numbers. And countless other threats. The further they move away from the layer of Chaos, the harder it becomes for them to do certain things and leaves them weak. That is why most of them dont show up and kill everyone and everything. Hmmm, let me give you the example I was given when traveling.


    I listened closely. Bones didnt often share stories of his adventures or background. He only liked to provide explanations of things that were immediate concerns. There is something that propagates backwards through time through physic emanations formed by knowledge of this things existence.


    Isnt it dangerous to talk about then? I asked worriedly.


    I dont know its name and it stays unnamed. Just that once one being knows of it, it comes into existence, propagating backwards in time sending out physic emanations to propagate itself to other people backwards and forwards.


    And how would that even work with time travel? Like going backwards, wouldnt it change things, or are there multiple realities? I ask.


    No multiple realities. But you are missing the point. There is only one singular point in time. But if this thing can possess you and propagate to you, then it will do so throughout your entire existence, killing you. But that is the level of threat that will come at you in the Astral Plane, or any other cultivator. Things that make no sense based on logic and progression.


    So I can suddenly, just die, based on a mistake of my future self? I asked.


    Temporal mechanics is complicated. The answer is both yes and no, depending on where you are. Right now, causality holds within the Forever City. But if you risk that, then you and a lot of people you know could be wiped out. Each situation is unique, when you break causality, or something else does.


    Note to self, never go into the Astral Plane ever again, I muttered.


    Many people dont. The last time you went, you were weak and easily ignored. A breakthrough of your magnitude would be a disaster of epic proportions. You need to be aware of the dangers that can occur. Even if they make absolutely no sense, and are not easily explained.


    This is all I can think about now. It is hurting my head.


    That is why I didnt bring this kind of thing up before. It is best to ignore rationality and put it all in one box that you wont touch, until you reach that point. The threats on that level are the kind that would threaten the Forever City.


    I have a million more questions, I muttered.


    I dont have answers unfortunately. I gave you the same warning and explanation I was given. Until you get much stronger, stronger than even me, dealing with things that break the foundations of reality is a very bad idea. Avoiding the Astral Plane and going lower, is a very good idea.


    I will remember that. But couldnt one go to a place like that, and get super powerful without having to do anything? I asked and Bones began to laugh.


    I asked the same question. Is it possible yes. Will you get the outcome you want. No. Firmament topology is an incredibly advanced topic. Its like the energy potions. Could you keep drinking them and somehow survive and become more powerful. Yes. But you will probably die horribly.


    The only shortcut is credits. Well if you come up with any more ideas, let me know please? I asked Bones.


    I will. But your situation does not have a simple resolution. If you do survive to immortality, then I shudder to think of how immense your foundation will be. And how many credits are spent in pursuit of that goal. I might even shed a tear at the immense cost you will incur.


    Well at least I had a path forward in the immediate future. Get lots and lots of credits. There was less of a time crunch with how well I had been doing. I wouldnt slow down and had no plans to. But the main concern was surviving entering the next stage.


    My cultivation was already incredibly complex, now there were just countless issues that were the result of that complexity that needed to be addressed. Before, I just needed to get some basic supplies and help, but now I was entering untrod ground. The fact that there was no readily available solution in the Forever City, with its massive size and length of existence was incredibly scary.

 Chapter 69: A Millenia Weighs Heavily

    Chapter 69: A Millenia Weighs Heavily


    I was a thousand years old. It was kind of funny that no one cared but me. I had outlasted countless people, enemies, family, and friends. Time did not fly by. Each day was another exhausting day of planning out thefts and moving about the Forever City.


    You ever get tired? I asked Bones as I sat at a table in our room drinking some pure water.


    You are more melancholy than normal since we are so close. Problem? Bones asked me.


    Just thinking about how long I have been alive. Most of it has been in this hell, but it all just blurs togeather sometimes. You ever miss home? I asked.


    No. What you are experiencing is living sickness. It happens to everyone eventually. You either learn to adapt, or you die, Bones told me.


    Or waste away in silence, I muttered.


    That too. I have lived far longer than this speck of time you have been in the Forever City. So have many other cultivators. I learned to deal with it, by focusing on myself. Since that was the only thing that was constant.


    I looked at the painting I had set up on the table that my sister had drawn so long ago. This place was terrible for me mentally. I had been here for far too long and it was depressing. I could understand how a native might not have a problem with the Forever City, but it was bleakness made manifest. Where everything that made life worth living was cut away for the naked pursuit of more power. The Forever City needed a park, or some place that didnt feel like I was sinking into the abyss.


    I definitely didnt want to stay here long term. Is there somewhere else I could go after the Forever City? I asked Bones.


    For a cultivator who wants to cultivate up stages, no. This is the place to be at your strength. After your breakthrough, anywhere else would still be risky in the Firmament. You would not last long, even if you had a guide. To endure is to cultivate. After all this time, effort, and sacrifice, you are getting cold feet?


    No, just wondering if there is anything more to life than this? I asked.


    Life is what we make of it Yuan Zhou. Even its setbacks and successes in equal measure. Now is the moment of triumph. If anything you should be celebrating. We have everything we need for both your cultivation and my body, he said.


    And still no plan for my breakthrough. Even after all this time, there is nothing, I replied.


    You have hundreds of cycles left to find a solution. Perhaps you will grow a bit as well. I have heard you complain enough about your stature. I glanced over at the coffin that held Bones bones. He had repurposed the coffin Aoyin gave me along with a bunch of other materials to reconstitute a physical body. Right now it was cooking and we were waiting for it to be done.


    Once it was, Bones would change it over to energy use from potions. I would submerge myself in the liquid energy, and skip to the end of the fourth stage. It was just that easy. Almost too easy. But that was the scale of the Forever City.This chapter is updated by


    What was an insurmountable problem in the past, could be solved with credits. We had also prepared clothes and a separate credit card for Bones to use once he had his body back. We had talked about our parting in the past and he would be leaving once he got his body back and was sure that I was absorbing energy safely.


    He had offered many times for me to go first, but his body took about a month, while I would be submerged for three years. I knew he wanted to leave and go do his own thing. It was better to part on good terms. Also, I suspected he might try absorbing or using the energy from my cultivation submersion procedure. He had changed some of the items he needed when he made the final purchases.


    I didnt mind. It was just the natural instinct of a cultivator to maximize every situation if possible. I would have 1.4 million credits once this was over. Bones would be leaving with 2.1 million credits. Both sizable amounts.


    Right now there was nothing to do but wait. Leaving the body unattended was not going to happen. Bones would not take that risk with his return. I have been thinking about your breakthrough actually. There is something I can do to help you, he said.


    Oh, now I am interested, what is it? I asked.


    I have a contact I can reach out to and arrange a meeting with. They might, and it is a big might, be able to help you. If anyone can for a non-ruinous cost, it would be them.


    And you didnt bring this up before? I asked calmly. I might have been annoyed in the past, but Bones liked to be very deliberate about what he shared and what he didnt.


    They owe me a favor I am loathe to give up. But it is the best option. While your cultivation is regained, I will sort out my existence during those couple of cycles. Then escort you to my friend. Payment will be up to you, Bones said.


    And that would make us even and you would leave after that? I asked.


    Yes. While it has been fun Yuan Zhou, having my own body again is greatly preferable. I am sure you feel the same way, Bones told me.


    Perhaps. Without your help, I would have never gotten so far. Thank you, I honestly replied.


    Well, I didnt think I would get my body back. My plan was a long shot. After getting poisoned, the odds of me coming back were astronomically small, but we have pulled it off. We had. It had taken far too long, but we had. The most notorious small time thief in the Forever City.


    What will your friend what and who exactly are they? I asked.


    Friend might be a bit much, acquaintance is better. They go by the title of Broker and trade in favors and tasks. Credits will be useless with them. I was hoping to use my favor I had banked up to get started on my comeback.


    And it is just good enough for a meeting? That seems, off? I replied.


    What you need is not small. And this entity is not to be trifled with. Any deal you make, is up to you. Death is preferable to failing, Bones explained.


    Omnious. So in the Forever City? I asked.


    The edge, somewhere. Once I get my body back, I can locate them while you absorb all the energy you need to. They are outside the purview of the Heavenly Alliance and possibly work for another super-organization. No idea which one, but that is not a question I am qualified to ask. Bones rarely liked to downplay himself, and when he did he liked to make it clear he was no match for the organization or being in question.


    Then you have my thanks. There was a soft chime. I finished my water and put the picture away. I then made my way to the smoking coffin. Thankfully we had gotten a high quality room with ventilation. I pushed open the lid and there was a female body, completely naked lying down in the coffin.


    A woman? I asked in surprise. I thought Bones had been a guy.


    Energy continued to rush into me as I thought over what I should do. Having a path forward gave me new hope, keeping the depression at bay. As long as I could move forward, everything would be fine. Once I reached immortality then I could have a long breakdown. The will to keep going was not simple. Each time I thought I had the mental maturity to endure, time wore me down.


    The pressure on my cores built up, but there was no pain thankfully. The cracks had been fixed and I wasnt absorbing energy through my physical body, but through my channels like my cultivation plan was designed for.


    The pressure continued to build up as the solid cores were compressed more and more. The durability of my body was immense. Then I felt the first ignition as my cores quickly transitioned from a solid to a plasma one by one. There was no logical explanation why energy in cores followed the states of matter. I had even asked Bones, but she had just shrugged at that. Her lack of knowledge in some areas was really confusing sometimes.


    The ignition, made my body tremble, and I had to focus to keep drawing in more energy. I also activated the technique I had been working on, to use the energy of my cores to contain itself with force barriers. The pressure continued to build as I took in more and more energy. Without creating these barriers, the risk of damage to my cultivation was too high.


    I would have to slowly reduce them once I was done taking in energy. Soon the pull of sleep began to come to me. I slowed down the pull of energy to a trickle through my channels and ensured my technique was stable. I then drifted off to sleep. I woke up in a little bit of a panic and started drawing in energy once more.


    This process would take three years. I had six tanks worth of energy potion to get through. Once one was done, I would exit the coffin, eat, drink, and then hook up a new tank and get back in. While I had a lot of channels, they could only take in energy so quickly. The fact that I could get half a million drops of energy inside of me in three years was what was really impressive.


    There would be a small bit of wastage at the end, but Bones had done the calculations and worked out what I needed with a small margin of error. While I had a decent number of credits to my name, I didnt want to waste them. I didnt feel bloated, but full as I took in more and more energy.


    It was insane that I was using up enough energy that existed on the entire continent, or close enough that the comparison wasnt far off. I really was a pig, consuming resources like I was. But the Forever City had resources to spare, if you had the credits.


    Once I was past the first bottleneck, I vowed to get back onto the path of business. Also, I wouldnt be able to get away with stealing with my slightly increased strength. It was possible, but the risk was slightly higher. I would get caught eventually.


    No, I wanted to actually run a business and after spending so long in this hell, I had gotten a very good sense of what this city needed. I just needed to break through the bottleneck so I had the strength to see my dreams through. Bones thought my idea, while good, was doomed to fail. I wasnt so pessimistic.


    The trick was to give ongoing value, while not being worth the trouble to get rid of, nor valuable enough that other factions wanted to get rid of me. It was a very narrow tightrope, but I had hope that I could walk it once I got past the hurdle of my cultivation. As much as I wished to focus on business, I had to deal with my cultivation issues first and foremost.


    As I drew in more energy, the outer mind shell cores filled up first. I stopped drawing in energy from those channels. I had years of practice controlling my channels. If this was centuries ago when I had first come to the Forever City, this would have been impossible, but now, it was simply a matter of intense focus.


    I could focus for days at a time, or even weeks. Stealing stuff was a risky business where one needed to be able to move at a moments notice. Without Bones ability to sense at a very far distance, I would never have been able to get away with so much larceny. Crime didnt pay, only if you were weak or were caught.


    If you could get away with it like I had, it was a viable method to survive and gain credits in the Forever City. There was always a need for credits. Any problem, could be fixed or solved with enough credits. I had tried asking economic questions of Bones, but they went over her head. Was there a set limit of credits in circulation or did the Heavenly Alliance manage the supply?


    That high level information, there was no answer for. I just had to be content with what I could observe and pick up during my thievery. While I knew there was a lot Bones wasnt telling me, I felt like I had picked her mind clean on almost everything about the Forever City. And none of that changed my mind about how depressing this place was.


    I guess if I was one of the elites it wouldnt be so bad. But living out in the slums and heavy manufacturing area most of the time was mentally and emotionally draining. At least thing were changing now, and I wasnt going to keep doing the same thing over and over again, or at least for a while if I could help it. Cultivation, then business, even if it killed me. I was going to get my passive income. No fighting, or stressful adventures once I got past this bottleneck.


    My body core filled up, and now it was just my four main cores that I was drawing in energy for. The force barriers inside my filled up cores were slowly be reduced in strength as my channels settled, my body adapted, and my cultivation became less turbulent inside my cores.


    Getting back into the coffin for the fifth and last time, I was filled with rising hope that I would not be stuck in a rut. Like I had been. That vow felt feeble when I realized I promised myself to not lock myself up in a dark chamber after the nightmare of the third stage of my cultivation.


    At least it was only a couple of years. If this had to go past a decade, I would have screamed. It made me regret not coming out here at the start of my third stage, but Bones had told me, I would have died without techniques to shield me from the environment. So, it all worked out in the end.


    As I got closer to absorbing the last drops of energy, the pressure on my cultivation was large, but it was holding togeather. The special channels were doing their job along with the icosahedron multi-layered core structure to keep everything togeather. If I was poked, I was scared about the amount of energy I would release. I felt it would be a large explosion. No wonder why Bones had said I couldnt breakthrough in any random location, due to the risk my breakthrough presented.


    Such an occurrence would shatter the tower I was in and possibly the nearby towers to some extent without proper preparations. I could feel the immense amount of energy contained within me. The rich kids in the Forever City really had it easy if their parents paid for everything. But seeing Bones, that help came with strings attached.


    Not having a faction backing me was a weakness, but also a strength in many ways. I was not beholden to anyone but myself. Now that Bones had left, there was no one else to worry about. It felt lonely and freeing at the same time.


    I counted down the drops as they entered my soul cores. I had a very good sense of the density of energy within me after spending all this time absorbing energy and using it. I pushed off the lid of the coffin, sitting up. The energy fluid left behind was mostly drained. There was some left, but I didnt need it anymore.


    Pulling off my mask, I took a deep breath. I felt stronger and more powerful than ever before. I almost felt weightless to a large extent. Exerting a force technique to leverage me to an upright position was easier than ever before, consuming a smaller fraction of energy than it would have before this cultivation session.


    I could almost see and sense the forces acting upon everything in the room. From the table, coffin, and tank pushing down on the floor, to the floor pushing back up on them. To the currents of air that circulated within the room from a vent. There was a mental clarity that was hitting me in terms of understanding all the forces acting upon each other.


    When I looked down at my own arm. Beyond sensing my cultivation, I could feel the forces acting on me. My blood, my cells, and my bones. I focused a bit more, but I couldnt sense the forces of my cultivation, only some vague aftereffects. I couldnt sense the force of my thoughts and actions. The more esoteric meanings of force were still beyond me.


    Taking a deep breath, I felt my entire body ripple with force acting upon it. Even with how much stronger I felt right now, that meant nothing. I would not let hubris consume after coming so far. I got out of the coffin and used the shower in the room. It had been paid for, for quite a while. For ten cycles at 500 credits per cycle. But it came with fresh air, and pure running water.


    While I would be checking out early, that was fine. It was important to have peace of mind while everything had been done in here. I went into the shower and cleaned myself off of the remaining fluid that left behind a sticky blue residue. I stayed under the shower for quite a while.


    Once I was done, I put on a clean martial robe I had prepared for this occasion and pulled out a meal. I enjoyed eating the meal I had saved up for this point. I had eaten during my breaks, but that was a quick thing so I could go back to cultivating. Now that I was done, I was going to relax and mentally recover. I had done the impossible. I had made it the end of the fourth stage of cultivation.


    It was surreal how so many people had doubted me. But we were all frogs in a well, country bumpkins, with no idea about the true scope of cultivation society and the Firmament. My thoughts drifted to my reincarnation, the one thing I had never shared with Bones. She had never brought it up either, so I could only assume she didnt know. I didnt even hint about it with a question.


    Also, I thought of this life as my life. Compared to my time on Earth, I had spent far more time cultivating and in the Forever City than anywhere else. After finishing my meal, I slowly got up and stretched, feeling my body effortlessly move and sensing the forces acting upon me. It was tempting to use some stronger techniques Bones had taught me over the years, but I resisted. It would not due to draw attention to myself here.


    It was easy to think that I was the center of everything, and not a mere speck. While I had superhuman abilities before, I fully felt superhuman at this very moment. I went to my bed, it was mine, since the room didnt come with one. I slept for a long time.


    When I woke up, I was surprised five days had passed, but felt much better. Sleeping inside a fluid filled coffin for years was not a good way to rest. My head felt clearer than ever before. The only thing that was missing was Bones presence. I let out a small sigh at that.


    It was time to move on, and go to this Broker. Perhaps they would have a solution for my breakthrough issue. The future cultivation issue was something that was still up in the air. Even Ming Jiei had no suggestion there, since my cultivation was unique. What came after my breakthrough would determine if I could advance forward anymore. It was very possible to breakthrough and while surviving and reaching the fifth stage, being unable to cultivate any further.


    Regardless I would push forward. I pulled out the white metallic coin. It was smooth, no ridges, or iconography. But there was energy inside of it. It was the densest source of energy besides a cultivator I had ever seen. Time to see if Bones last gift would allow me to move forward or not.

 Chapter 70: The Broker

    Chapter 70: The Broker


    I carefully moved up the outside of the tower. There were chunks missing. Larger chunks the further I got up. The spatial turbulence and the clouds of yellow death also increased as I went up the tower to where the broker resided. I checked my improved compass, confirming which level I was at.


    Past floor 100,000 the inside of the tower quickly became a mess, and there were a lot more questionable characters. That was why I went outside to climb up instead. Experience I had picked up from Bones over the centuries.


    Once I got past floor 150,000 I could see cracks in the gray material that made up the tower. I had to carefully navigate my way up as I continued to ascend towards my destination. At around floor 200,000 I ran into the first gaps. It wasnt just missing chunks, but much larger portions that were missing. I also sensed several strong presences that werent concealing themselves in the area as well.


    My progress slowed to a crawl. I finally reached floor, 222,222 and the entire floor was intact. I found an open floor on 222,225 and made my way to the staircase. There was some minor trash scattered about and a couple of cloaked beings just resting in various areas on this floor. I reached the main staircase and descended three floors. No one stopped me or challenged me. I got off on floor 222,222 after confirming the location I had been given.


    The entire floor was pitch black, the only light coming from the flickering illumination from the staircase. My eyes couldnt see through anything. I pulled out the coin I was given. I was told I could speak to the Broker with this and negotiate? I said out loud.


    A token of my favor. No harm shall befall you, since you have arrived with such a thing. I swear this upon my existence. Close the door behind you. You are letting in a draft, the voice was like nails on a chalk board. Pressing down on my mind. I closed the door and was stuck in pitch dark.


    Greetings senior, a friend gave me this token to come to you. I am looking to break through to the next stage of cultivation, but the biggest issue is that I need time to manage my break through and the sheer size, I said.


    I see. An intriguing problem and I am the seller of solutions. For that is why I am called the Broker. Bringing some small semblance of order to the chaos of the Firmament. I felt my eyes begin to water from listening to this being.


    I was offered a couple of solutions, but none of them were practical. What do you suggest senior? I asked.


    I might be senior to you, but I require no respect. For I only work in the currency of deals. Your problem is not simple. But no one comes to me with simple problems. Now that would be amusing. It is the impossible you want. For your cultivation breaks the rules, the Broker said.


    I am curious what you mean, but isnt the knowledge valuable? Will I have to trade for it? I asked.


    Not at all. Consider it the sales pitch for the solution I will soon present and the cost of the solution. Based on your question, you clearly know nothing about cultivation tied to the Forever City. There are other cultivation societies out there, the Firmament is infinite after all. But what matters in your situation, is that your cultivation exceeds the boundaries put in place by the masters of this place, the Broker said.


    I dont feel like there are boundaries. Or do you mean the cultivation system as a whole? I asked.


    Indeed. All cultivation is merely a construct of lesser beings, trying to become greater beings. Some cultivation systems are narrow, but they struggle with compatibility beyond their creator. Other cultivation systems are too broad and cannot progress. You have gone outside the bounds of your cultivation system, the Broker said.


    But there were others who walked this path and there were possible solutions to my cultivation issues, I said.


    A road shared does not mean it wont diverge. You cannot cultivate the later stages of your cultivation system. Anyone who claims otherwise is ignorant and lacks true understanding of what cultivation is. Multiple paths cannot cultivate beyond the point where you now stand. Even if you survive a breakthrough, you will hit a dead end, the Broker said.


    So, you know, but other people are wrong? I asked.


    They have no idea how you will cultivate the later stages, do they? They might say things, offer advice. But they have no idea. Since there is no way forward. That was a severe mental blow, but I remained firm. I had made it this far and this being that I couldnt see was clearly going to try and sell me a solution.


    And you have an answer? I asked.


    Many answers. The easiest one is to submit before a higher power. They would lift you up. Or to get modifications to adjust your physical state. Or you could have your cultivation erased and start over. Or you could do countless other things. But that is not what you want. You want to advance on your own and retain the power you have cultivated, is that correct?


    Yes. After all this work, I dont want to go backwards, I replied.


    A cultivator answer and expected. A new system of cultivation will need to created. One that unifies all of that inside of you. That is what you must achieve during your breakthrough. Not three separate cultivations, but a single cultivation, a single path, the Broker said.


    And how would that work, where would I start? I asked.


    And now we come to the part of the conversation, where we shall make a deal with each other. I have in my possession, the Book of the First Dao. It was written by an ancient cultivator, describing his path. I suspect it would give you powerful insights on how to advance. I could allow you to read it. As for your breakthrough, once you are ready, I can arrange for a location and a temporal chamber of significant power as well. Three significant favors.


    And this coin wont pay for them? I asked.


    It could pay for one, but its value for visiting me is immense. For it guarantees you will safely leave. If you wish to use it on your final request, that can be arranged, the Broker said.


    And how are you asking me to pay for the rest of what you are offering? I asked.


    I do not allow beings to owe me favors. For they disappear and never return. I have long since learned the futility of collecting on unpaid debts. That is why the favors must be completed first. Here are three tasks, you may replace one with that coin you possess. I listened intently to what was being said, even if each and every word this being spoke was like a knife to the head.


    The Black Lotus of Eternity. Guarded in one of the central gardens of the Forever City at its core. I desire one. The age does not matter. An energy filter. There is one built into the very foundation of cultivation continent protected by the cultivators managing them. It must be working, some minor damage is fine. The final thing you could get me, is a single cannister of gray fluidic matter. Such a thing can be found under the control of a replicating super-organization, which they will not easily part with and it cannot be stolen.


    All of those things were utterly impossible. I had done fetch quests before, and I knew when it was utterly insane. The first item, The Black Lotus of Eternity was located in the core of the Forever City. That area was heavily guarded and watched.


    While I might be able to maneuver through it with enough credits, I wasnt going to be able to steal a priceless flower and get away with it. While I had stolen from the outer towers before, that was like stealing from an industrial sector of a city with warehouses that were rarely patrolled.


    Stealing from the core of the Forever City would be like breaking into an incredibly secure bank vault, with guards, cameras, and other forms of active surveillance. It just wasnt possible. There was even a chance that asking about such a thing, would lead to negative attention on myself. I made it in the Forever City by staying below the gaze of important people. This would be going up and poking them in the eye and hoping they dont crush me with a glance.


    The second item while better, was equally as impossible but for different reasons. I had talked with Bones about the continents and my home. They had ambient energy from energy filters that drew up energy and dispersed it for general use. That was where motes of Qi came from, since they were clumps that were released.


    It was tempting to ask one final question, why powerful beings like to hide in darkness, but that would be rude. Better not to risk offending the super powerful being hiding out on the edge of the Forever City. While it was tempting to think it was like the Wizard of Oz, a lot of bark and no bite, Bones had made it clear that was foolish.


    Beings like the Broker only hid out here to slowly build up their strength while sheltering in the Forever City. The effort to get rid of them was not worthwhile, since other things would slink in from the Firmament. Better to keep the beings in place who didnt cause a fuss or a mess. There was no formal agreement, but that was the understanding that beings such as the Broker had with the Heavenly Alliance.


    No one wanted to clean out the sewers when they would get dirty again. Only if there was a blockage or something else that required attention would these beings be dislodged. The more violent ones had succumbed to natural pressures and had been killed off. The real danger was that their strength could vary wildly as well their methods of combat.


    Bones had explained that was the biggest danger. You never know what one of these beings might be able to do if they were put into a corner. That was probably why they hid in darkness. Some sort of technique to obscure their presence from anyone or anything that might be looking for them and to protect themselves from being observed. Not everyone could use the equipment that cultivators made for themselves.


    I left the room, and went into the stairway, the door swinging shut behind me. I then realized that the lights had shown down from three floors above. Whatever was hiding in this tower was massive. I hadnt picked up a single clue and there was no large yellow cat-like eye staring at me this time.


    Making my way up to the open floor, I wasnt bothered. The real question. Was what now? I had followed Bones directions for so long I felt lost. I needed to come up with a new system of cultivation, find a way to bridge that, and then breakthrough in a way that didnt draw lots of attention or kill me.


    I felt a sense of danger from the side. I quickly pulled out my sword and pointed it in that direction at the cloaked figure and they froze. Dont, I said and slowly backed to the edge of the tower and went outside. They didnt pursue me outside the tower.


    This entire place was a nightmare. I looked up. How far did the tower extend? At what level did it no longer exist? Bones said most towers stopped having any kind of existence around floor 300,000. There was just too much damage. But there was the occasional tower that went to level 500,000. Islands of existence is the spatial and atmospheric turbulence.


    Well, I wouldnt be breaking through near this tower and pissing off the broker. I descended to around level 120,000 before I found a connection to a nearby tower. I went over the tunnel, which I thought was a bridge. Like using cycles instead of years. The Forever City populace had some weird quirks. I made my way further out into the ring before ascending a tower to see how far it went.


    It was risky and stupid, but I was curious. I had been in the city for almost a millennia and had not done real sightseeing. I made it to level 281,281 before there was nothing beyond that level. Just swirling yellow clouds of gas. They were so thick I could not see the nearby towers either. I went back down and tried another tower. I got up to level 272,128 before there was nothing more.


    I checked tower after tower, until the 37th tower kept going up and up. I crossed level 300,000. There was damage, but the tower still continued. It went up to level 421,121. I could barely cling to the side of the tower when I reached the final level. The wind shifted constantly and I felt like it was grinding down my clothes. Gravity shifted at a whim.


    I made my way onto the ruined level and there was no one. Reaching the exposed staircase, it was flooded with yellow gas, and I felt a sense of danger coming from that direction. I backed away and picked a corner on top of the tower to sit, looking out at the swirling clouds above me.


    Very rarely was there a brief lull, letting me see a bit further in the oppressive haze. It was a good place to think and try and sort out what I would be doing. There was no tranquil waterfall to sit under and meditate, I just had the top of a tower while being buffeted by the hellish environmental conditions. The only thing this place was missing was acid rain to be complete.


    What now? I asked out loud, but there was no response. I missed Bones. Her company had allowed me to focus. Now I needed to figure out a completely new system of cultivation, to walk a new path and then breakthrough to that path.


    Cultivation was about the soul. I closed my eyes and could feel every inch of it. My cultivation was extensive enough that the triangular lattice in the interior and the hexagon pattern on the edge were portions I was intimately familiar with. The channels, the meridians, the gates, and the cores. But beyond that there were the space in-between. The solid portions of my soul.


    What would the end result look like. To know what to do I needed to know what kind of ending I would reach. I tried to think, really think on everything I knew about cultivation and myself. That was the moment, I had an epiphany.


    My soul would be in the shape of my physical body. They would overlap, one empowering the other in an endless cycle. Two halves of one whole, ying and yang. I would draw energy in through my soul and filter it into physical body and the rest of my soul.


    That way there would be nothing complicated in the later stages. As my understanding increased, so would my strength. Eventually I would step gradually into immortality. There would be minor complications, of that I had no doubt. But conceptually it was a sound idea.


    Unfortunately, my enlightenment only went so far. I had no idea how to get that end result with my current cultivation. I needed to figure out a way to use my breakthrough to undergo a fundamental transformation. This wasnt something I could consult with someone else about. While before I might have been slightly charting my own path, there was still a dirt track to follow. This would be blazing an entirely new trail.


    The Broker had been right, and their guidance was sound. A truly outside perspective had been needed to see the problem that I was faced with. Now if only getting there was so simple. I would need to put some serious thought into this issue of changing the end result of moving to the next stage of cultivation.


    The bottleneck, wasnt a bottleneck. Well, it was since many people failed. But it was also a qualitative transformation of ones cultivation. The same with the second bottleneck. The difficulty came from creating a stable threshold for one to continue advancing.


    As I continued to sit on top of the tower, keeping myself stuck there as spatial eddies tried to pull me off, I slowly began to think how I needed to transform my cultivation. It was tempting to want to get something out to write on, but I wanted to keep the lingering feeling I had from my split second of enlightenment as long as possible.


    My thoughts were as free as the toxic yellow gas that whooshed past me. A waterfall somewhere serene would have been nicer, but for some reason this place in the Forever City felt strangely appropriate. I couldnt explain why, perhaps I was going crazy, but it was probably the techniques I was using.


    My outer body would be a barrier, like the technique I constantly used so I wasnt melted and ripped apart. A barrier to separate me from the world. To separate my soul from everything else. To define me, to define my soul.


    The channels would not survive in any form inside my body once I broke through. But my cores would become repositories of energy and places to filter it, back into my body. I had no idea how that would work on a technical level, but that was what made the most sense.


    The rest of my cultivation, would be the anchor tying my soul to my physical body. To link both halves in harmony. Even as I worked this out, I realized it would require a lot more thought. Also I needed to work out the exact method before hand that I would make the transition. I wouldnt need a long period of time. Since there wouldnt be multiple cores.


    There would be a single unified cultivation system within me that would be built as I broke through. It would be complicated though, so maybe the problem wasnt solved. Regardless, I had a way forward. I just had to reinvent cultivation in a way that was unknown in the Forever City. Did my mentors and masters realize the path they had set me on? I didnt think so, but I was not upset about the position I was now in.


    I had chosen the path of defiance, and now I was defying the standard cultivation path that the Forever City and all its tributaries used. I would need to spend a lot of time thinking on this. I also wanted to wait for a second reason. While being in a childs body had its advantages, it felt off. I was an adult, now some creepy child.


    Being in tune with myself was important. To bring everything into harmony. It was time to write my third thesis. The first one had been using Artificial Intelligence for traffic patterns. The second one had been my initial cultivation plan. Now it was time for a third one. The future cultivation plan and how to make that leap from where I was currently onto that new path.


    At least I had the credits to get a place to stay and nothing on the earlier stages of cultivation were confidential. It was just a matter of paying for access with the right person. It was time to make my way back to the TripleX faction and pay for everything they had on the first bottleneck and the later stages of cultivation to inform my decisions.


    While enlightenment was a great starting point, proper research and a methodical approach was far superior in the long run. Using past data to inform future choices was the proper way to solve any problem. Still, I wouldnt say no to the inspiration I had already received.


    I slowly got up and moved to the edge of the tower and began to descend. If these towers werent connected at the top or the bottom, and the tunnels were incredibly small, what kept them in place? Another mystery and one Bones would have just told me to not worry about it, since thinking on the issue would just give me a headache.


    I smiled as I made my descent. It was good to have a direction to advance once more.

 Chapter 71: Life Is What You Make Of It

    Chapter 71: Life Is What You Make Of It


    Rhiza? I called out and the figure paused. I had spent enough time with her in the past, that I could pick up the small details that set her apart from other cloaked figures.


    Yuan? she turned to look at me.


    Yes, it is good to see you, I replied and went over to her and we both removed the hoods on our cloaks.


    You as well. It is rare to see someone after you part ways. But if anything, the Pit Stop from Hell is a good meeting place, she said.


    It is nice to a see a friendly face. You taught me quite a bit, I said as we took a seat at an empty table.


    With out your sensing ability, things would have been much more difficult. You are looking well. Did you get a body modification? she asked me.


    No, I am just aging. A bit slow, but at least I dont look like a child anymore, I replied.


    Really aging, how novel. You look remarkably similar, but the extra height was throwing me off, Rhiza said.


    Indeed, what about you? Having good luck scavenging? I asked.


    A bit. You know how difficult it can get. Even with the right equipment. But you appear to be a bit nicely dressed for this place, Rhiza commented.


    For a meeting. This is neutral ground. So, it works out. Are you thinking about getting a cultivation system any time soon? I know that was your goal, I asked.


    Still saving up. I only have one shot, and as you know, everything is expensive. A couple thousand more cycles and I should have enough. It seems you have sorted out your path forward? she asked.


    To some extent, but I am trying to gather more information from outside the Forever City. It isnt cheap, but thankfully I only need some basic information. The hard part was finding someone. That has been incredibly annoying, going from one being to the next, I said.


    Indeed. It can be frustrating to find anyone, or a specific good in the Forever City, Rhiza said. A server came by, and we both placed our orders. She got Courage and I got clear water. How is your cultivation handling getting bigger?


    It is expanding with my growth, with my soul still overlapping my physical body. Though I suspect it is taking longer than other cultivators due to the strength of my cultivation. I was thinking I would only live to 1,500 years, I mean cycles, at most before there were serious issues. But it has been just over 1,450 cycles since my birth and I am aging incredibly slowly. Probably have at least 400 cycles before I decide to break through, I replied.


    I have been alive for over 10,000 cycles at least, maybe 12,000. It is admirable that you work so hard on your cultivation while aging, Rhiza said. I did not expect her to be that old.


    You must be really saving up for your cultivation, I said.


    Indeed. I want to purchase the best possible cultivation system I can and have credits afterwards for equipment that would work for me at that level. But it takes time to save up and I am still doing some research. Any suggestions? she asked.


    Only one. Dont copy what I did and pick multiple paths. It causes a lot of problems, I said. While I was being friendly, I wasnt about to share the details of my cultivation or my future plans with anyone. I had spent the lest couple of centuries carefully working on how my future cultivation system.


    Even now I was still working on it, trying to get information about other cultivation systems outside the Forever City. That knowledge was incredibly rare due to the simple fact that people rarely traveled the Firmament. Those that did so were much stronger than me. And getting in contact at a reasonable price was difficult.


    Thankfully the TripleX faction had come through. They pointed me in the direction of an information broker, who had in turn set up a meeting with the Travel Syndicate. They handled movement for groups outside of the Forever City and its continents for cultivators. Like a mercenary taxi service, with lots of fire power. While I wasnt qualified to leave the Forever City yet, I was able to put in an information request for them, asking for basic knowledge on other cultivation systems.


    I had paid the Travel Syndicate 100,000 credits to put up the request with the offer of another 100,000 credits per basic information on another cultivation system. Something a person like Bones could pick up as a side job while outside the Forever City for some spare change. Well Bones didnt talk about her adventures outside of the Forever City and I hadnt pressed her.


    Even when things got boring over the centuries, she had her secrets she wanted to keep just as I did. So, I hadnt pressed. Even the concept of the Travel Syndicate, was not something that was widely advertised. Stationed in the first ring of the Forever City. It was the private airlines of travel. While the cylinder ships that the Heavenly Alliance used were more like the public airplanes people traveled on.


    Thankfully they had a request system in place, but I had to go there in person, purchase a specialized communicator, pay the upkeep on the communicator, in addition to the other costs. I had spent over 20,000 credits on just travel and other expenses. And that was for the basic of goods.


    It was a lot of money, but I needed to understand how other cultivation systems advanced through the stages and to make a comparative analysis. While one would expect a faction like TripleX to have this information on hand to sell, they operated solely in the Forever City. There was a lot of possible information they could collect, but it just wasnt worth the investment compared to the payout.


    My situation was unique, since everyone else followed the cultivation system that had been set up long ago by the ruling individuals in the Heavenly Alliance. Sure, there was variance and cultivators could go off track, but there was a clear progression of power that worked.


    If I had just cultivated normally and come to the Forever City, I could already be an immortal. While this thought occasionally crossed my mind, I didnt regret my choices even in hindsight. My focus was on the future.


    My hope was that by learning about other possible cultivation systems out there, I would be able to better confirm what I had come up with for my breakthrough. While I hoped it would be the last major expense, I would probably need to spend some more when I did finally break through. I was down to around 800,000 credits at the moment. Burning through the money I had saved up previously.


    Excuse me, you asked to be notified if someone asked about you, the server came over.


    Ah yes. Rhiza must contact is here, I am sorry I have to go, I replied.


    It is fine. Hopefully we meet again Yuan, she said. I got up and tipped the server who alerted me. They then showed me to the bar. There was a man that had huge thick muscles and their cultivation was immense. An immortal then. I gulped nervously but sat down next to them.


    So you are the one picking up my drink tab, huh. Weak, he said.


    I am Yuan Zhou, I replied, curious what could bring them here, since finding me couldnt have been easy or cheap.


    Your presence is requested at the White Lotus tower, they said and then gave the location.


    Why? I asked.


    I wasnt given an explanation. But you are requested immediately, the female cultivator said.


    Unfortunately, I am busy. Without an explanation, I am afraid I wont be able to visit, I replied. There was silence at my declaration. They could beat me up and capture me, but this wasnt their tower, but the tower of the TripleX faction which prided itself on working with outside people. If I was newly arrived, did less business, or was anywhere else then I would be in trouble.


    But this cultivator wouldnt dare act with impunity. It wasnt that the TripleX faction cared about me, but more about their reputation. If any cultivator could kidnap someone from their tower, they wouldnt be considered a faction. And if they were backing this lady from the White Lotus, they would have sent a representative to make sure there was no fuss while I was being handed over. Thats how I had the confidence to push back.


    That will make several seniors quite upset, the female cultivator said. Basically, I would be on their hit list. And they might even come for me. While unlikely, this kind of threat wasnt a common occurrence. I decided to be a bit cheeky.


    That sounds like a them problem, not a me problem. If they wanted me to visit and went to the trouble of locating me, and sending your esteemed self, they should give a reason senior, I replied. The woman just looked at me and the seconds stretched on. She could kill me easily, but the fall out was not something she could survive.


    I felt an overwhelming sense of danger and leapt backwards as her hand moved through the space where I had been occupying. She advanced into my room without hesitation. It had been a long time, but I pulled out my gun from my spatial ring and fired without hesitation.


    The attack appeared to catch her by surprise, as she began dodging a bit too late. The rank 6 bullet struck the side of her face, leaving a long gash behind, that began to slowly ooze blood. The attack impacted the hallway outside of the room.


    She gave me a glare and then rushed out of my room. I checked the corridor, but she was already gone. I put my gun away just as I felt an overwhelming presence focus on me. I could barely breathe for a couple of moments and then it was gone. The tower master had taken a look at what was going on and probably moved on since there was no more fighting. Once the presence moved on, I went to the lobby for this housing rental level of the tower.


    How can I help you honored customer? the man behind the counter asked me.


    I was disturbed by a cultivator and had to unleash an attack to force them away, I said. He asked for the TripleX card I had, and I passed it over.


    We take no responsibility for the safety of our guests. However, you are an honored guest and your account with us has not been flagged with us. And no one has made inquiries. However, you were located, it was not by our faction, the man replied. I frowned at that. How was I found then?


    Thank you, I replied and got the TripleX card back before going back to my room. They wouldnt do anything else unless I paid more credits. That had been too close for comfort, and I wouldnt be opening up my door again.


    At least the room was at the edge of the tower. If necessary, I could cut my way out and leave that way. Why send someone so weak? Maybe they were just to confirm my presence and kidnap me if possible. That made sense. Demand that I follow them, and then I would be at their mercy.


    It had been a long time since I had been in a fight, and I didnt want to get into one. I tried to think why the White Lotus faction would want to bother me after all this time. I was a nobody and I had never stolen from them either during my time in the Forever City. I wasnt sure if they were allied with one of the factions I had stolen from, but even that wouldnt warrant sending someone out to get me, let alone whatever esoteric tracking method they had used.


    There was something else going on and the woman who had shown up, clearly wasnt ready for me to fight back. Why did she think I would go with her? Just by giving me an order, she thought I would comply. Well, that was possible even if I thought it was stupid. The arrogance of some cultivators was immense. And the look on the womans face, like I was dung indicated that.


    Like she had any strength to look down on others. That was a joke. Well, it was time to get ready in case I needed to leave in a hurry. I cut a portion out of the towers wall to make an alcove. I could hide in there and seal up the outside. I had the equipment from my thieving days still on me just in case.


    After a month and no follow up, I figured the White Lotus had given up or was waiting until I left this tower. That would be a reasonable assumption to make. Spook me, so I left, and they could ambush that way.


    I didnt like the situation. Getting any kind of answer would be too expensive, since that meant hiring someone through the TripleX faction. Which meant hundreds of thousands of credits for their time. I didnt plan to leave until I was ready to head off for my breakthrough, and hopefully I wouldnt run into any issues.


    That was an equally big headache. The body core that would implode at the center of everything was still not something I could figure out a solution for. The mind cores would harmonize my body and soul. The soul core explosions would allow me to strengthen my soul. That much variance in my breakthrough was possible based on the notes and records I had managed to get my hands on.


    The idea of the body core is that it creates a void, the energy imploding creating a bridge between the soul and the body. Unlike the mono-cultivation method, it normally impacts only the body. I cant use this method, since there would be no way to progress. Normally conduits are built from this hole across the body to move energy about and draw it into ones body.


    But, I dont want a gaping hole connecting the two parts, my body and soul. Since that will create an energy imbalance. It works fine for body path cultivators, since the conduits will filter the energy out to them. That method will conflict if I try to harmonize my entire body with the Dao from the mind cores. And the barrier created to define my soul will also create a barrier around this hole. I need to repurpose the body cores implosion, but there is no good alternative, I speculated as I looked over my notes.


    That was why I had looked at alternative outcomes to deal with the body core imploding and the effect that would have on my soul and cultivation. If I never had a body core, I would probably be in a better position.


    I needed to use the soul cores to define the edge of my soul, since I would be gathering energy into myself, and needed my soul to perfectly overlap my body. Normally the souls cores would strengthen the soul as a whole, but I could just focus on the exterior. Defining the edge would provide the most benefit and avoid conflicting with the mind cores since they would be handling the rest. That would invert how the cores were set up, with a shell of a mind core around a soul core. This dichotomy should also help based on the literature.


    But what was left? My physical body, which would make sense for the body core. Then it hit me. I need an organ from a monster, or something that will help me in the long run. I would channel the implosion into it, which in turn would boost my body, I said as I looked at my notes.


    There were lots of problem with that idea and I worked back through everything from the start to make sure I wasnt missing any steps. I needed to harmonize my physical body and my soul. That way I could draw in and process energy once I advanced, so I could increase my power to reach immortality. There would be complications in terms of building refining structures, but I could focus on the four points where the main cores were, as filter points. I needed flush this out more, but it made sense.


    When cores did what they did, they left a mark on a cultivators soul regardless of the core type. The soul cores would define the edge of my soul to my body while my mind cores linked my physical body and soul. Both steps were key, so my soul didnt disperse or collapse. That was what happened in failed breakthroughs.


    For the body core, the implosion would be channeled into an organ or modification of some kind, that was placed in my body, and would in turn strengthen my body. A modification would be way too expensive and not improve with me, requiring me to upgrade it and other difficulties. An organ would be much better both long and short term.


    I opened up the notes regarding demonic cultivation but focused on monsters. There were some notes included on specific parts that could be used as a set, but nothing what I was looking for. This was the last piece of information and item I needed to get. And then I would need to put it inside myself. That would require a specialist of some kind, since I wasnt qualified in any way for that sort of procedure.


    Then I could break through with a full plan on how to reach the next stage and the steps after that. Building structures where the cores used to be, to process my energy with my understanding of the Dao of Force. Over time this accumulation would build up and I could worry about issues after that. I didnt like putting off my problems like that, but there was no way I could know what problems I would face until I learned of them firsthand. That was the challenge of going a completely different direction compared to others and changing my cultivation system.

 Chapter 72: The Organ Dealer

    Chapter 72: The Organ Dealer


    The TripleX faction came through once again for a chunk of my remaining credits, directing me towards an individual who specialized in organ trafficking. I needed something to handle my body core when I broke through.


    It was amusing how many problems I had to keep overcoming for my cultivation, but I didnt mind. I had come to accept that my cultivation would continue to have problems over the centuries. As long as I could keep moving forward that was the most important thing.


    Once I had my breakthrough, I had plans to make more credits in the Forever City, and I would start looking to leave as well. This place was a trap. The longer one stayed here, the more mentally unbalanced they became. Maybe the core regions werent as depressing, since I had seen the clear air of the first ring and the colorful towers, but it was still a depressing environment.


    Making my way up from a lower open level, I climbed up the tower. I entered level 157,212 of the tower in the seventh ring, I had been directed towards by the TripleX faction when inquiring about someone who was specialized in cultivating using external organs or equipment.


    This place was quite far from the center of the Forbidden City and the level clearly indicated that this wasnt someone who was mainstream in the slightest. But looking for outside systems of cultivation, I didnt expect them to have prominent locations. But this was quite far out.


    Oh, hello there, a young smiling girl greeted me. She looked like a pre-teen but appearances could be deceiving. The level itself was much better than the level indicated. At least the lobby area was clean with some plants and non-descript artwork.


    A sharp contrast for where it was located in the Forever City. I looked around, and this place set me slightly on edge for a reason I couldnt place. I had paid to come out here, might as well ask some questions and hopefully get some useful answers.


    Hello, I am here to speak to the Organ Dealer and make inquiries as to their services, I said.


    I can help you out. Dont worry, senior. You can call me Liao. My father is quite busy with his research, she said. I removed my hood and mask, since she had hers removed as well and I intended to do business. While questionable in such a sketchy place, I wasnt overly worried since I had my observation blockers in place.


    You appear to be quite young, I said while looking her over. She had no observation blockers, no mods, nothing. Liao smiled at me. I was unsettled.


    My father takes care of me, you dont need to worry, she said.


    My apologies for my rudeness. I havent seen any young people in the Forever City until you, I replied. Mentally I had been caught off guard. Another bad thing about holing myself up for long periods of time.


    No worries senior. Now what are you looking for? Liao asked me while smiling. I didnt trust her cuteness for a single moment. Nobody was what they appeared like. Young girls were ancient grandmothers. Buff looking men could easily be cowards.


    I am looking for a transplanted organ to help with my cultivation, I answered.


    Then you have come to the right place. Not many follow the path of adaptation. She looked me over. Claws or something a bit more complex? Liao asked.


    An organ to bridge the gap between my soul and my physical body. It needs to be able to handle a tremendous amount of energy. Be able to process that energy. And connect when I use a body core to break through, I answered.


    Very complex. A core pillar of your cultivation. The good news is that my father can help you. But the question is cost, she said. It always came down to this.


    How much? I asked.


    5,000 credits for a consult and afterwards, well that is up to you and my father. I didnt hesitate to pay that amount. Solving my cultivation issues with money would make things a lot simpler. Also paying a deposit gave me confidence this place was legitimate.


    I was shown to another waiting room, that was more of a medical office. I noticed several tools and scanners on the walls and shelves. I sat on the elevated bed while I waited. It didnt take long for an older man and Liao to enter the room togeather.


    Strip. Even those blockers you have on, the man said. I only hesitated a moment before complying. While tempting to argue, it would just slow the process down. I did keep my spatial rings nearby, within easy grasp, just in case. He looked my naked body over carefully.


    What do you think daughter? Give me your expert opinion on this case, the Organ Dealer said to Liao.


    The most complex cultivation base I have seen. Three paths. And five distinct core structures, with the outer cores having two layers. All filled with energy, practically overflowing. That will be the hardest part in any operation. The instability of the cores. One mistake and they will explode. With his request, he clearly is doing non-standard cultivation. A rare hybrid approach, Liao said while examining me.


    Indeed. You can put on your clothes. I have seen enough. With your request, you clearly want to do something crazy. Explain this to me, so I can understand exactly what you are looking for, the Organ Dealer told me.


    While I got dressed, I explained my cultivation plan. I need to unify all three paths, otherwise, even if I manage to survive my breakthrough, I will be able to go no further. I have gotten expert opinions on this. I started looking into other cultivation methods and developing my own.


    I would use my soul cores to form a soul with a hard outer shell. The mind cores to link my body and soul. With the goal of drawing in energy to cultivate long term, building it up. But the issue is my body core and the implosion effect. I need it to be a bridge to draw in energy but tied to my body. I cant just create a structure in my soul like the standard method, since I need structures to filter energy where my cores would have been, I explained.


    So, you need an organ instead. The problem is immense. You need something that will handle your breakthrough and carry you forward. Since it will be a pivotal point of your cultivation, you wont be able to replace it later either, he said and then looked at his daughter. What do you think daughter?


    A seed of some kind. Any kind of monster or beast organ would crumble under the pressure. A plant would be studier. And it will have distinct stages. But the compatibility would be terrible, no matter what option we went with, Liao said.


    Indeed daughter. Indeed. Well, I see two solutions. The first is to find a bio-manipulator and have them build you what you desire. It wont be cheap a couple hundred million credits, but it would solve your problem nicely. I shook my head at that. There was no way I could afford such a service.


    Which means the only option, is option two. A seed of the Garfafel Plant, the Organ Dealer said.


    Father, such an option would be quite poor, Liao said.


    But it is within our poor cultivators price range. Only 100,000 credits. But there are serious complications using the seeds of such a plant.


    What complications are those senior? I asked.


    First, it will disrupt your Dao, whatever it is. The Garfafel Plant consumes energy voraciously and outputs small amounts of plant-based energy. Its return is very poor. Like ten to one. For every ten parts of energy it draws up, it outputs one. Finally, it will grow and intertwine with your cultivation more and more, eventually taking it over, turning you into a Garfafel Plant, the Organ Dealer explained.


    Let me guess senior. There is a way to counteract it later on? I asked.


    I had my cloak on along with my other equipment. They showed up after I removed my observation blockers. That couldnt be a coincidence. But locating me on the stairway wouldnt be hard. There were only so many directions I could be heading in, and they were on a lower level right before an open one, waiting to intercept me. This high up in the tower meant that the tower master wouldnt care unless we did a lot of damage.


    And what does the White Lotus want with me? I asked hoping to get information before a conflict broke out.


    We werent told, but you cant escape, their leader said. They didnt advance on me. I saw a cloud of energy drifting towards me in the air. I had another minute or so before I was in trouble and was forced to move, before the technique reached me.


    If you invite someone, it is only polite if a reason is given, I countered, hoping for more information.


    And you think you can run away from all five of us? I would prefer to bring you in without any issues, their leader spoke up and stepped forward. I stepped back and turned slightly.


    You wont be able to catch me, I flicked out a flash bomb from my spatial ring as I said this. It exploded and I was off up the staircase as the cultivators chased after me. I passed the level with the Organ Dealer, not stopping down for a single moment. They were on my heals, but I threw out the occasional flash bomb or explosive from my spatial ring, slowing down pursuit.


    The other beings inhabiting the staircase were quickly excited and two of the pursuing cultivators were ambushed. This is why you didnt start trouble in the Forever City. Everyone was just waiting to third party any kind of small-scale conflict.


    That was why you just didnt start fights unless you were sure you could win. The moment any kind of weakness was sensed, the beings just sitting around would act. They tended to blend into the background, and they would just be ignored. But that was the kind of mistake a new person to the Forever City would make.


    Also, the cultivators didnt have observation blockers, or other proper equipment on them. Another huge mistake. That was why even while I ran away, none of the beings bothered me. They didnt know my strength. And while they might guess that I was weaker than the cultivators chasing me, they couldnt know for sure. Better to target individuals they knew the strength of.


    While I had my doubts initially when I had first arrived and teamed up with Bones, I would have been killed leaving the room without her. And these beings were purposely created as well, to clean up any riff raff inside of a tower. That was why the factions tolerated these cloaked beings.


    Some were human, others monsters, and there was a lot of mystery. Bones explained, that different factions used different beings. Some people just went insane, but didnt die, so camped out doing nothing for the rest of their life, waiting to target those weaker than them. The list was endless in terms of what these cloaked beings resting all over the Forever City could be.


    Bones had joked that the only thing more horrifying than the Forever City was seeing what was under all the cloaks. From what little I had seen this had been the case. Still, whomever sent these cultivators after me was just throwing their lives away.


    I reached an open floor, and left the staircase, racing for the edge of the tower. I dove off the side just as techniques were released. Beams of fire lanced where I had been as I tumbled through the thick yellow clouds and spatial turbulence.


    I landed on the side of the tower and raced back down. I checked behind me and there was no pursuit. I let out a sigh of relief. Clearly the White Lotus was not content to leave me alone. But sending a greater force would only draw attention and start a faction conflict. Five cultivators like that was the limit based on what Bones had shared with me over the centuries.


    Anything larger without getting permission beforehand or just transversing through would invite much more scrutiny. The White Lotus, while a faction, wasnt anywhere near the top of the food chain to be throwing their weight around. The ambushed cultivators probably survived but with severe injuries. Ones that would cost credits.


    I had no good way to estimate how much they had already spent, but there was no personal disagreement between the faction and myself. At least I thought so. It was hard to say when they would give up, but eventually they would have to when the cost exceeded any benefit I could provide.


    All that remained now was to figure out what to do in regards to my cultivation. I didnt want to align myself with any faction, due to the risks, but I had a better understanding of how to mitigate them going forward. I would have to sell myself to a faction in return for help. Any problem could be fixed with credits, the unofficial motto of the Forever City.


    I had worked with the TripleX faction enough in the past, that I would be able to start there. These White Lotus members chasing after me were more an annoyance than anything else. They werent even faction members, they were disposable cultivators brought in from the continents to fight for the faction in whatever conflict it was supporting at the time.


    I made my way a couple towers over to an open level and got a vehicle back to the TripleX factions tower. Trying to do this by myself was risking my life in an incredibly risky manner. Like a patient with a terminal illness seeking out more outlandish cures. I needed actual professionals and the investment of millions of credits into my development.


    If that wasnt an option, I would have to give up. It pained me to even think about such an outcome. But there were only so many things I could do. I had cultivated myself into a corner. I had been too greedy, and even with all the help I had received over the years, I didnt not want to die on some surgery table in some remote level of the Forever City.


    As I was thinking over all of this, the vehicle I had paid to transport me back suddenly jerked. I felt the force on me, and only my instinctive use of my force technique to protect my body, I wasnt ripped apart. The seat I was on, and this part of the vehicle went one way, while various other pieces went different directions.


    The piece I was in slammed into a tower, and another shock went through my body. At the speed a vehicle was traveling, any accident was catastrophic. I unclipped myself and pulled myself out of my seat. I leapt out and went through the air for a bit before landing on the side of a tower. Looking back, I saw a several tentacles bursting out of a tower in the distance, barely visible through the yellow haze.


    I saw another vehicle strike one of the tentacles waving about. It was shredded instantly. That was the Forever City, there could be an accident at any time. No one was doing anything. The tentacle monster either was the tower master or had killed them. With no conflict, the tower masters nearby were hesitant to intervene or were afraid to. They were administrative positions normally, not fighting ones.


    That meant they were waiting for a higher up from their faction or the Heavenly Alliance to respond to the situation. Either outcome was one I didnt want to stick around. But I hesitated and looked back at the massive barbed tentacles coming out of the tower once more. Even if I wanted to try and get some benefits it was too risky.


    There was getting in the middle of a conflict between factions and getting in range of that thing and the response that was about to hit it. I was circling the tower I was on, when I felt a sense of danger. I clung to the tower as wave after wave of pressure and heat struck me. The yellow clouds were forced away as the tower the tentacle monster had emerged from was hit with bright beams of energy that cut into the tentacles and tower the monster was using as a shell. Burnt purple tentacles, green fluid, and tower rubble were all blown away. I noted figures with highly concentrated energy moving in on the threat.


    I felt the tower I was on shake and suddenly a massive tentacle burst out of the incredibly durable gray stone that made up the towers exterior. I noticed several other towers nearby suffering the same fate. I began to run even faster as debris began to fly everywhere. This wasnt a small incursion, but a major push by another super faction.


    I needed to get clear of the tentacle infested towers as quickly as possible. I crossed a tunnel between two of the towers and kept running. This entire area was being taken over, I noticed as the towers I was headed for had tentacles burst out of them as well. There were more vehicle collisions. This was really bad.


    Bones had explained that a serious incursion like this was rare and often what was used as a measure of time for the factions residing in the Forever City. Whatever this thing was, it clearly had no interest in me as countless more battles broke out. I kept running as more sections of tower were destroyed as the conflict grew worse.


    Three days of running, past hundreds of towers, finally let me escape the conflict area. I found a corner of a stairway in the tower I had reached that was unoccupied and collapsed in exhaustion.


    When I woke up, there was a lot more activity. Thankfully I was ignored as people moved up and down the main staircase moving supplies and other goods. I made my way back out to the open level and there were countless vehicles. Listening in I managed to pick up what was going on.


    The Heavenly Alliance had crushed whatever the tentacle monster was, and a faction had been wiped out. Weather the faction was wiped out from the monster or from the Heavenly Alliance being annoyed they allowed this to happen in their tower was unclear. Regardless, there was a huge swath of open real estate all other factions nearby were moving in to claim.


    The tentacle monster was still present in some areas, but greatly weakened as cultivators continued to fight it across all towers and a perimeter was being put into place. Thankfully I had made it outside the perimeter before it went up. I wasnt qualified to take part in such a conflict. Better to get out of here as quickly as possible before I got caught up in more of this drama.


    In time this place would be like the spider area of the Forever City. It would be changed by an attack, but the Forever City would continue regardless. Grinding up cultivators and lives until it no longer did. That kind of time frame was beyond thinking about and it was hard to imagine how such a place would be destroyed in totality, when hundreds of towers being ripped apart from the inside out by giant tentacles wasnt even a pinprick against the Forever Citys total power and might.


    I managed to get a vehicle and left the area back to the TripleX faction. There would have been an opportunity back there with all the ruined towers and levels, but the risk was immense. It was time to consider alternatives, to make a change in how I was progressing. Bones had been helpful, but she hadnt promoted a healthy mentality. I had been in survival mode for far too long and was spiraling. It was time to make a drastic change in how I handled my problems.


    If my new approach failed, then I would be leaving the Forever City. I had some debts I could repay with my immense wealth. If I was going to die, then I would try and set things right first. An organ dealer, I couldnt believe that I had honestly considered such a sketchy option in the first place.

 Chapter 73: Negotiating A Deal

    Chapter 73: Negotiating A Deal


    You may enter now, the servant said, and I got up. I had been waiting for quite a while to meet with an official representative of the TripleX faction. It hadnt cost anything surprisingly. I had done enough business with them, that they were willing to meet with me without an upfront payment. I was on level -3.


    I didnt often go to the negative levels. It was more a preference thing between Bones and myself wanting to be higher up, rather than lower down. While the outside environment of the Forever City didnt have a strong gravitational field, things tended to go down more than up, even with the spatial turbulence.


    The office was incredibly lavish and took three floors worth of height. It was immense. More of a garden than an office. There was running water, plants, and I saw a couple of birds actually tweeting out a song in the background. The walls and ceilings were hidden by powerful illusions, giving the impression I was actually outside. If I didnt know I was in the Forever City, I would have thought this would be an idyllic clearing of some kind.


    There was an old man with a long white beard sitting on a rock. There were smaller rocks in front of it. When you are super powerful, you can have your office any way you wanted. I kneeled down in front of the powerful immortal. Junior Yuan Zhou greets Senior of the TripleX faction. I felt like a kid again, begging for a cultivator to take me on as an apprentice to Yi Rong.


    There was silence and I stayed in place with my head pressed against the ground. The birds continued to tweet, and I continued to wait. I didnt dare lift my head, since this was clearly a test. I had been made to wait for months to get to this meeting. And now the immortal would make me wait even more.


    It was petty and annoying, but I had no choice. If I complained about such a thing, then I would complain about other issues in the future. It wasnt just about making me wait, it was a test of temperament. At least I had the pleasant sounds of birds tweeting in harmony with each other to listen to.


    You may raise your head and sit, the immortal said. I brought up my head and then moved to a seated position, with my knees tucked under my body. Yuan Zhou, the cultivator who has messed up their cultivation. The cultivator who has been stealing from other factions to fund their cultivation but has remained hidden. The cultivator who has garner the attention of a member of the White Lotus faction, since coming from one of their tributaries.


    The immortal laid so many things about me bare in a single moment. But I didnt say anything since there was no question. I am Vice Leader Qiang You. State your reason for requesting this audience, he said.


    Honored Vice Leader Qiang You, I require help with my cultivation. I ask this in turn for subordinating myself to your faction, I answered, and he nodded while stroking his beard. The rest of his face gave nothing away about how he felt regarding this request.


    It is good you have made that request with no observation blockers. I can see the mess of your cultivation. The cost, even I shudder to think at the cost it would take to fix things. Your background is known to me. Someone considered a genius, but you have made mistakes with your cultivation. But you have somehow survived and even thrived in the Forever City. A very rare occurrence, Qiang You said. He inclined his head a fraction at me indicating I should speak.


    Being a scavenger in the Forever City has given me some success, but it has been challenging. My success is attributed is about assessing risks and gathering knowledge. I wasnt going to mention Bones since that was a complication I didnt need. But I wasnt lying, Bones was the source of my knowledge.


    All the effort I had put in so far wasnt wasted. It showed that I was capable. It was the equivalent of padding ones resume with work experience to get a much better job in the future.


    Indeed. That is the only reason why I am talking to you and considering your request. It would cost 30 million credits to get you to the next stage by having a specialty organ made for you. I have heard your cultivation plan, and it is interesting. But untested. And if I invested into you once, then I would have to do so again and again. I could raise many more people to greater heights than you. What do you say about this? Qiang You asked.


    Honored Vice Leader, I have the chance to go further. While past success doesnt guarantee the future, it does indicate a trend. Also, while I know little of the limits of immortals, I do know that by going my own path, I will be able to go further than other cultivators, I said.


    Far in the future. Very far in the future. If I applied any kind of interest rate to the investment needed it would be ruinous. Still, you are correct in what you say. But the risk is immense and will impact my revenue, lowering my standing within the faction. Our fates would be intertwined with each other as well. The risk of karma is not small. I didnt know what to say about any of this.


    This is an immense favor. For I know you have nowhere else to go. No backing and no support. To reach down and help you would be charity. But you are a hard worker and capable. So, there is a chance you will achieve great things however small. Very well, I will gamble on you Yuan Zhou, but there are conditions, he said and I listened intently to what Qiang You was about to say.


    You will be given a line of credit for a hundred million credits, to advance your cultivation. I sense there will be even more issues in the future, and I will not give any more. In return you will owe a thousand times of whatever you borrow. That would be a hundred billion credits if you use the full amount. My eyes went wide at that. That was an immense amount, both what he was willing to give me and expect me to repay.


    That is the bare minimum I can accept as a repayment for the risk I am going to take on you. In addition, you will owe three favors to me personally. I will not ask for your life or your cultivation, but anything less than that you will fulfill. What do you think of these terms? Qiang You asked.


    There were horrible terms. This man was a loan shark of the highest order. I could almost feel the greed rolling off him in waves. But you dont become an immortal cultivator with kindness and generosity. The higher up you were the more cutthroat one would become.


    This was the hardest point in the conversation. Accepting immediately would secure my future but put me in debt or eons. But that debt would also be my shield and protection. It also made me weep inside thought to be taken advantage of this egregiously. I would also be able to make money in a legitimate way now. While Qiang You was probably thinking I would be fighting or doing something else that involved conflict, I would be looking into business once more.


    I would be honored Vice Leader Qiang You to accept your offer, I replied and kowtowed once more.


    Raise your head. Now that the initial offer has been accepted, there is much more to discuss. You are an investment Yuan Zhou. A massive investment. That is why I must make sure you dont kill yourself with something foolish. Explain your cultivation plan to me, he demanded.


    Yes Vice Leader. I plan to use my the breakthrough of my soul cores to establish the boundary of my soul. The breakthrough of my mind cores to bind my soul and physical body. A cultivation organ and my body core to draw in energy. For the future, I would use the spaces I had my cores to create filters for this energy, gathering it inside my body to advance, I explained.


    Qiang You stroked his beard while staring intently at me. Combining three different cultivation methods. How bold, but your research is sound. You started with the Qi Emplacement method, which is the most versatile and stable of all methods. The one that is favored by the factions of the Heavenly Alliance. Body Replacement method using an external organ is a much harder path and leads to many fallen cultivators. Eventually they are replaced in full, mind, body, and soul. Qiang You shook his head at this method, clearly disapproving.


    Then you have the Full Body method. To use ones entire body as the cultivation focus. But your foundation is much stronger, alleviating a critical weakness of this method. Strengthening ones body to sustain ones cultivation and the energy to breakthrough requires resources that arent cost effective. That is why the Qi Emplacement method developed over the eons is the most effective for advancing, Qiang You explained. I listened intently, since even Bones had not been able to explain such things.


    I speak about these methods, since your path will be paved with hardship. The amount of energy you will need is immense. Your foundation is too big. But that is why you are a worthwhile investment. Improving ones foundation is impossibly hard once you get past the various breakthrough points. Countless cycles are spent trying to eek out that one more bit of improvement, Qiang You said. Clearly the favors were the most valuable aspect of the deal to him. Not the credits, but the ability to call those favors in once I got strong enough.


    But to reach immortality with your base. It is heaven defying. Hmmm, I know how to repay one of the favors you will owe me. Your breakthrough will be quite an event. It can be used to draw attention to one of the factions that oppose us. I winced at this. I would be used as bait. But I was in no position to object.


    Yes Vice Leader. I am honored I can repay a favor so quickly, I replied, and he smirked slightly. I was really starting to dislike the old powerful cultivators I had to suck up to in order to move forward. But that was how cultivation society worked. Those stronger gathered resources unto themselves to advance.


    I also noted the Qiang You had not offered to be my master. Instead, he was content on just supporting me. There was a subtle but key difference between the two. Being a disciple was much more personal. One did not take on a disciple lightly. They held a position of importance. If Qiang You had a disciple and they were weaker than me, I would have to bow my head towards them.


    This also meant that he wouldnt be as invested into my safety. While I could not ignore the favors I owed, I couldnt count on him to risk himself to save me in any way. If I was ever too much of a burden I would be killed or suffer some unspeakable fate. There would be no forgiveness or leeway for any kind of missteps.


    The fact that my position was so precarious was exactly the reason I had held off to this course of action until there were no other alternatives. I wanted to go to a faction after my breakthrough and negotiate from a position of greater strength. I would probably owe only ten times the investment and maybe a favor if that had been the case.


    But I was too weak now and Qiang You could do whatever he wanted. I was at his complete and utter mercy. He also didnt have much faith in me paying him back either. The number of credits was just tacked on in order to saddle some other cultivator or faction with my debt if they killed me. In fact, I could guess that was what he was probably going to try and do.


    There is also the matter of you and the White Lotus faction that must be resolved. You will carry my emblem and go to them and resolve this conflict. Once that is done, then you will be able to fully focus on your breakthrough, Qiang You said. I stopped myself from rolling my eyes.


    I called it. While I would like to claim some kind of future insight, it was obvious what was going to happen. He wanted the Whtie Lotus faction to kill me and then try and use some external channels claiming they had to repay my debt to him. This also couldnt be counted as a favor, since the White Lotus faction was my problem. I was glad I didnt have any more personal problems that needed to be dealt with, since they would be used as leverage for my death.


    Bones had explained that rarely would upper-level cultivators fight. Conflict was handled through proxies or mediation through the Heavenly Alliance. Qiang You would claim a hundredth of my debt and be seen as generous or something, while profiting ten times off my corpse. And that was if I used up all the credits he was offering.


    They saw my potential, I replied calmly.


    Potential. That is one way to call your advancement so far. There is a conflict that predates your arrival to the Forever City and one of our members has a claim on you as a cultivation furnace, the woman said with a sinister smile.


    It took me a moment to put everything togeather. Aoyin? I asked. That was the only guess that made sense.


    Indeed. And he has made significant contributions to our sect. Enough that we are more than happy to pay whatever fee you have paid to TripleX, she said and took a menacing step forward.


    One hundred billion credits and three favors, I replied calmly. She paused all of a sudden and stared at me. Probably trying to process what I just said. If you kill me, that is my debt. I am sure the Vice Leader Qiang You will be more than happy if you kill me, so he can file a claim with the Heavenly Alliance. I then pointed at my badge. The same one she was wearing.


    These were normally only given to people who had reached immortality or favored cultivators inside a sect. She couldnt kill me while I was wearing it, but the threat of how much I owed, and the risk that debt would be transferred was immense.


    I suppose his claims that you truly are a genius might hold some merit. And to come here as well. But Aoyin has a similar debt. His cultivation cannot advance without killing you and striping you of yours. We might be willing to shoulder some of that. I am sure Vice Leader Qiang You would not mind, she said. I didnt blink or act surprised. I kept my breathing steady. She was trying to get a reaction. There was no way she would risk that kind of debt or headache.


    That was a surprise he had come to the Forever City. I guess he didnt expect me to flee all the way here. He was probably conscripted in one of the endless battles, earned credits, and then spent those credits looking for me. This is why you dont sacrifice a part of your cultivation, no matter what. The risks were high and reaching immortality was not simple. While there was probably a way around, it would most likely be insanely expensive.


    Aoyin had most likely done the math and realized it was cheaper to try and kidnap me. He most likely had command of some subordinates, which was why he sent out weaker cultivators to kidnap me. The piece of his cultivation he had placed into me, Aoyins fang, had come back to bite him centuries later. His rage must be immense at this point.


    She let out a snort and then stepped back. Very well. The White Lotus faction will no longer support Aoyins attempts to reclaim you. So, I swear on behalf of the White Lotus faction under the watchful eye of the Heavenly Alliance. She didnt wait to hear my response but turned and left immediately.


    I rolled my eyes as the door closed behind the woman who hadnt even bothered to give her name. She was clearly angling to have Aoyin kill me and push all the blame onto him. It also meant that he wouldnt be using the White Lotus as a proxy to try and come after me. His rage was probably immense at the moment, and it just brought me amusement. His sect had terrorized my life. I had zero compassion for the Demonic Blood Sect that he ran. He had killed my niece and destroyed the Cloudy Moon Sect.


    While I had no chance against him currently, I could greatly inconvenience him. Right now was also the point I was the most vulnerable. I had no doubt that Aoyin would try and ambush me if I went up through the interior of the building. Even the exterior was risky.


    I left the public office of the White Lotus and stopped in the staircase. He would use the elevator shaft most likely. I wasnt capable of that yet. He would be easily able to intercept me if I went up or down. While this tower belonged to the White Lotus, they would just say he went rouge. Qiang You would complain and get some credits thrown his way.


    Getting the White Lotus to back off while I had a faction behind me was easy enough. But an individual who wanted to kill me and knew where I was, that was a completely different situation. I checked the levels above and below me. There was a shopping level that was open to the public one level down.


    I went to that level and made my way to one of the stores at the outer edge. A thousand credits if you look the other way, I told the clerk manning the counter at the store.


    What? he asked.


    Look away from that wall, and dont ask questions. You get a thousand credits, I said. He took a moment to think before nodding. I paid him the amount and went over to the wall and moved a shelf of hair product. I then began cutting into the towers outer wall.


    The clerk didnt say anything and I cut out a pocket inside the wall. I then dragged the shelf back over and pulled the slab of the tower wall out, replacing the outward portion I had cut out. I then put on my cloak and mask next and cut my way to the outside. Once outside I replaced the portion of the wall I had cut, since I had no doubt the White Lotus faction was watching me in some way.


    Once the outer wall was replaced, I began running towards the nearest tunnel connecting two towers. I crossed to an adjacent tower, and then another one, before I started ascending and looking for a open floor to get a vehicle back to the TripleX faction.


    It had been a slightly risky situation, but I had managed to get clear of Aoyin without running into him. I had no wish to be cut apart and harvested. I am sure many people were disappointed that I hadnt been killed horribly, specifically Qiang You. He was the real winner regardless since I owed him and he could claim credit for getting the White Lotus faction to back off of me.


    That wasnt true in the slightest. But when you were old and powerful, you got to make the rules. It was probably amusing to him how I had to suck up with no way to protest or argue. And at the end of the day he was technically helping me. At least now I would be able to advance with my cultivation and hopefully not die from being used as bait.


    I took a vehicle a short distance to return in the vehicle I had come with from the TripleX faction. Those were the orders I had been given from the Head Servant. I thought they were stupid, but it was probably to try and pin me down. Aoyin would be waiting on the open floor when I returned. That was the entire point. The Head Servant wanted me to die as well.


    I missed the Cloudy Moon Sect. While they werent the most social people, they werent trying to kill me and profit off my death in some way. I missed my family. While it would have been a short life, it would have been a better life in many ways. Perhaps I would have come back a third time? The only option left was to keep moving forward. I couldnt quit, and admitted that much to myself.


    Once I was in the vehicle to make the short trip back to the White Lotus tower and the open floor the vehicle I had to reach was in, I got changed again. A completely different outfit. More observation blockers as well and hid my spatial rings in my cloak. New boots with lifts in the heels to make me appear taller as well. I pulled out a box as well, filled with miscellaneous components that I had collected while pillaging the Forever City.


    Exiting, I could see an older man standing off to one side looking closely at everyone and everything. That was probably Aoyin. He was getting older as his cultivation ran down to the end of his lifespan. How unfortunate for him.


    Box in hand, I made my way across the open floor. I got looked at heavily, but Aoyin didnt make a move. I turned and went into the stairway and found a cloaked being two levels down, sitting in a corner. A thousand credits for you to go up to the open floor and walk around it hundred times.


    Box, the being hissed out and pointed. I tossed the box over. It disappeared into one of their spatial devices. They got up and left. I went down three more levels and found another being in a corner. This one took the thousand credits. The third being didnt even move, they might have been dead or just a pile of rags. The fourth being took the credits. I replaced my outfit a third time and went back up.


    I could see the man that was most likely Aoyin, looking around in confusion as several cloaked beings were walking about. I joined their walk. No one wanted to take the risk of interfering with any of us, since there was no telling how strong we were. Aoyin, while powerful, was not an absolute powerhouse in the Forever City.


    He had just a single chance to act and intercept a single cloaked being and was clearly feeling stressed. I passed by him and could see wrinkles on his face. Stress lines under his eyes. He glanced at me but didnt act. I stepped into the vehicle of the TripleX faction and pulled out my badge.


    Let us depart, I told the driver. They immediately sealed the doorway and took off. I could almost here the scream of rage as we left. I was beyond Aoyin for now. While not the revenge I wanted, avoiding him was all that I could do to make his life difficult.


    I changed my outfit once more to the TripleX factions martial robe before the vehicle arrived. Once it landed, I got off and the Head Servant looked disappointed for a brief moment. My task has been completed, I said.


    Anyone could have done what you did. Regardless, master is pleased that you have resolved the possibly of any factional conflict. I am to show you to your room. Once the specialist arrives to assist your pathetic cultivation, you will be called for, the Head Servant said.


    Any idea how long that will be? I asked.


    No. Now come, he said, and I followed. I was led to a large suite of rooms. This is yours for now. As long as you dont disappoint master. I nodded at this. This place was far nicer than any of the rooms I had stayed in so far in the Forever City. A working bathroom, several potted plants. Pictures of scenery scattered about. A sitting room and a kitchen.


    I had no doubt this was their worst set of rooms, but the Head Servant could only make things so terrible. Direct sabotage was off the table, but he could inconvenience me. Thankfully I had a thick skin, so I wasnt too concerned. The worst room here, was a paradise compared to sleeping in dark and dirty corners of the Forever City.

 Chapter 74: Faction Mates

    Chapter 74: Faction Mates


    New face, come sit, a middle-aged woman waved me over. The TripleX faction like others, had a gathering place for members of their faction. There was nothing else for me to do and I felt getting to understand the faction better would be useful.


    What could be called a club slash bar existed that members could visit and relax at for no cost. The risk of betrayal was huge, which was why factions went out of their way for official members to reduce the chance of any resentment building.


    The place was elegantly decorated like all the other faction spaces I had been in. High quality goods, with energy inside of them for durability. Extremely fine craftsmanship as well. This was only considered middle class in the Forever City, while it would have been the height of luxury back on the continent.


    Along with the middle-aged woman who invited me over were two younger looking men. Thank you senior. I am Yuan Zhou, I said with a bow before sitting down at the chair she gestured at. Everyone had on observation blockers including me. Still, there was no doubt in my mind that they were stronger.


    I am Song Mo, and this is Song Wen and Song Zhang. Not often we get a new face around here, she explained.


    I recently joined under the authority of Vice Leader Qiang You, I replied and they all looked slightly surprised before schooling their expressions.


    An external member, how rare. Well let me be the first to welcome you, Song Mo said.


    Welcome, welcome. You must be quite capable if you have been invited. I cant recall the last person who was invited into our faction, Song Wen said with a smile. This was a huge difference in treatment than before. It was a bit surprising.


    The last person was that Wan fellow. He never returned from his assigned mission, Song Zhang said.


    Ah, him. He truly was forgettable. That was what, two hundred cycles ago? Song Wen asked.


    Something like that. Now we have a fresh face once more. You are either incredibly strong, incredibly talented, or have some incredible connections, Song Zhang said.


    It is talent. If he was strong he wouldnt use blockers or come here. And anyone with connections would join another faction, Song Mo said.


    I would have to say it is talent and potential as the basis for why I was invited into the TripleX faction. I am quite grateful to Qiang You for allowing me to join. I am curious how things work, I replied.


    We wait around until we are called on for a mission. Mostly information gathering which is our specialty. But we also do support. There are other groups that show up here as well. The faction doesnt control many towers, but we are rich. As long as you can pay, you can purchase guaranteed support from us, Song Mo explained.


    Wouldnt factions hire internally? I asked.


    Most of them do. But vat grown cultivators are absolutely useless in combat. You need experience and knowledge to survive. You figure out how to beat one, you can beat them all. Even with different models of cultivators used, diversity is a strength, Song Zhang explained. I nodded at this. It made sense. If everyone used fireball, then just bring anti-fireball techniques or equipment to an inter-faction battle.


    But mostly we do information gathering at a high level. Scout out other forces, handle diplomacy, stuff like that, Song Wen added.


    So, talent, huh. Any special skills? Song Mo asked. That was a tough question to answer. I couldnt say my talent was getting around the Forever City or my cultivation. The first one needed to be phrased better and the second would invite tricky questions and reveal how weak I truly was.


    My scavenging and thieving skills gave me quite a lot of credibility with Vice Leader Qiang You, I said.


    That is a rare path. Normally it is combat, or information gathering. But scavenging, that is fairly rare to meet anyone who goes far enough to get to a high enough level. And thieving, you stole something super valuable? Song Mo asked.


    I was never caught. And I stole over ten million credits worth of goods, I replied curious as to their reactions to that amount. There were nods at that amount.


    Now that is impressive. We earn about a million credits per mission. Get one every hundred cycles or so, Song Wen said in a slightly bragging tone. I nodded at this.


    That does sound impressive, I replied. A servant then came over to ask what I would like to drink. I said water, while the others refilled their specialty drinks. The drinks were quickly brought out along with a selection of finger food. I noted there were slight traces of energy in all the creatures.


    Welcome to the good life, Song Mo said to me with a smile.


    It is always like this? I asked.


    Yes. The faction takes half of anything we earn, so it is more than paid for, she replied. My heart seized up at that. Half?! That was robbery. How would I ever repay my debt since I would have to give half of it up. Then there were more cultivation resources, equipment, and everything else.


    What about contributing in other ways? Like crafting? I asked.


    For the specialty stuff, which is all handled out of faction. We have some allied crafting factions we work with. For the lesser stuff, that is what the servants are for. Why, were you thinking about earning money between jobs? Song Wen asked.


    Yes. I was thinking about ways to supplement my income, I replied.


    Take more missions, but the risks go up and your pay decreases. Also, there are only so many missions, Song Mo said.


    Indeed, there is a limited amount to go around. Well, I am sure you will find something to do, Song Wen added.


    What about starting a business? Who would I need to speak to about that? I asked.


    A business? Maybe the faction quartermaster or their assistant, but their position is as high or higher than a tower master. Other tower masters handle specific duties inside the faction, but normally the faction focuses on a specific type of trade itself, Song Mo said. I nodded at this, frustrated but not surprised.


    These were all things Bones had explained to me before, but I wanted to confirm. Businesses tended to fall under the purview of the faction itself or tower masters who had the wealth to invest. If I could run a business myself, that would be it. I would just be able to run it myself. There were too many other interests to consider otherwise.


    Ha! Oh, that is a good joke, Song Wen said.


    Youre serious, arent you? Song Zhang asked while staring at me.


    I heard it was a good way to get credits, I said.


    And die horribly. The things out there. Well, even the faction leader would be hesitant. You have to be from one of the mega-factions to even consider such a thing. And a lot of power to back yourself up. Sure, people go out there, but you never know what you will run into, Song Mo said and shook her head.


    At least with cultivators you know what to expect and can assess danger. But out there, poking around different bubbles, you are just asking for the wrong kind of attention. Anything worth taking will always be claimed by something stronger, Song Zhang said.


    So, no trading with other cultivation societies or super-organizations? I asked.


    That is the kind of stuff the Heavenly Alliance handles. Not low-level people like us. Sure, there is the very rare job that might lead outside the Forever City, but they arent worth doing. Too much risk, compared to whatever reward is being handed out, Song Mo explained.


    There went another idea up in flames on how to make money. Post scarcity societies sucked for capitalism. I had known this before, but it was incredibly aggravating at the moment. The opportunities for any kind of advancement were just non-existent. And all these high-level cultivators did not want any kind of entertainment. They were aesthetic monks, lusting after more power. Sure it appeared that the portions of the tower were luxuriously decorated, but at a certain point it was just a matter of personal preference.


    When one had millions of credits of wealth they could move around at a whim and were immortal, they would see to their comfort first. But even the drinks and food I was enjoying, only cost bits, fractions of a credit as their raw value. They werent even valuable enough for a faction to consider charging for them.


    Even if the faction spent ten credits a day on a member for a hundred years, or cycles, it was only 365,000 credits. That amount would be easily earned back from just one of their missions. The economy didnt have a need for physical goods, it was a service economy. With the primary service of any value being violence.


    It was weird to look at such an advanced society, seeing them come so far, and be so utterly barren of societal advancement.


    There has to be other opportunities around here, I said.


    If you find any, let us know, Song Mo added.


    Better than sitting around and just chatting most of the time, Song Wen said.


    What about training combat skills or techniques? I asked.


    We do that, but there is only so good you can get just practicing. What we do works. It is all about slow and steady, building up those credits, Song Zhang answered.


    I then realized that all of these members were immortals. It should have been obvious before, but they were so far above me. It was just that the faction didnt have a low enough rank for a member like me. If they knew my actual strength, they would be truly shocked. I was the lowest of the low in terms of ability and power.


    With the observation blockers on place on all of us, there was no way to tell how strong we all were. That was the same reason beings were hesitant to start fights. Strength was normally assumed by ones position. Since I was a faction member, they assumed that while I was weak based on my statements, I was on a similar level to them.


    But the truth was, all three of them were far above me. That difference was hard to process. They were content to take the safe jobs, since time was not a valuable resource for them. There was no rush to get stronger. The safer they were, the longer they would live, which would naturally allow them to earn more credits and increase their strength however immortals increased their strength.


    That is frustrating. I was hoping to start a business of some kind, I said.


    When you run a tower, then you can. But getting a tower, now that is incredibly hard. And this faction doesnt do that, since it invites trouble. Normally we are nestled in with other dispersed factions or allied with a larger faction where our towers are located, Song Zhang answered.


    I nodded at this. They were being surprisingly helpful, but it made sense. If karma impacted me, they were probably trying to place me in their debt. As for Qiang You, him helping me in any way massively tilted the scales in his favor. The sad part was that all of these cultivators would be confused since I was unbound to karma. I was too weak. And I probably would never be bound. It all depended on the path I took once I reached immortality, which was a very far distance away.


    Looking around I saw a few other small groups chatting and a couple individuals sitting by themselves as well. Seems like there are a lot of members, I said.


    Well this faction is more concentrated than most. But we also need members to defend in case of an attack. You cant leave yourself defenseless, you know? Song Wen said.


    Just surprised at how many members there are. Like a thousand per tower? I asked.


    I would say that is about right. But the numbers arent made public for security reasons. And everyone has their own little groups they prefer. We just like to greet the new people like yourself, Song Mo said, clearly implying that after this I wouldnt be welcomed. Clearly, they were trying to get some kind of karma advantage on people who showed up, like a hazing ritual.


    That is understandable. Thank you for sharing so much, I replied, knowing that their plan had backfired. Even the nice people were looking out for themselves. At least I had a much better idea of how the TripleX faction actually worked now and the organizational structure. This tended to be much more unique for every faction along with their primary revenue source was.


    Looking around again, I noticed some members playing board games, others reading stuff on pads, and it was a pretty calm atmosphere. The kind you would find at an elite social club. I felt like I was an imposter and didnt belong here. While everyone had observation blockers, they were all immortals. It was incredibly stressful and made me feel weird in a way that I hadnt felt in a long time.


    While I was part of this club, I didnt feel like part of it. While I continued to listen and chat with the three Song cultivators who had invited me to sit down, I realized I was entertainment for them as well. There was rarely anything knew and I could see them looking at me and my reactions. They probably had spoken with their counterparts, countless times.


    Are there any social tournaments like for games? I asked once there was a lull in the conversation.


    There are events hosted by the Heavenly Alliance that you can look up. They cost a lot of credits to join and the competition is tough. The Dimensional Go competition is legendary, Song Zhang answered. I soon learned that Go was apparently too simple and easy, so a three dimensional version of that game was the most popular past time for competitive individuals.


    If you hadnt played a million games and studied for at least ten thousand cycles, or years, it wasnt even worth attempting to compete. It would just be a crushing humiliation. The grand masters played games that lasted around five to ten cycles. With some moves involving weeks of contemplation.


    There were other games out there and competitions, but one needed credits and a lot of time to invest. The immortals who pursued these hobbies were incredibly competitive. And even the most hopeless of individuals would get better with endless time to practice. It was impossible for me to find any traction in that area of the Forever City. Another aspect of the culture Bones had failed to mention.


    It was a minor detail, but an important one. There was a middle class out there. I just needed to find the right item to appeal to cultivators and a method of distribution. But the market was there. I would need to put a lot more thought into any kind of business idea I came up with.

 Chapter 75: Specialty Crafter

    Chapter 75: Specialty Crafter


    Junior greets Qiang You. Junior greets senior, I said and bowed to the man before me. Unlike most cultivators I had seen, he was not wearing a martial robe of some kind, but a large overcoat with lots of pockets. His thick glasses made him seem even more eccentric.


    He walked up to me and put a hand on my head. I felt a wave of energy pass through me and then he released his hand. You dont ask for anything simple brat, the eccentric man said. The fact he could call Qiang You a brat was heart stopping. That was when I noticed the symbol of the Heavenly Alliance stitched in upon his over coat.


    I had been called here after a cycle of just waiting around the TripleX faction trying to work on my techniques and figuring out a business plan. I didnt dare pester Qiang You to hurry up, since he clearly would not let me stick around and break through on the faction.


    Back in the garden I had first met Qiang You in, it was clearly time for my cultivation to be fixed. I steadied my breathing to reign in my excitement.


    A challenge then. I have covered the expenses and have not lied, Qiang You said.


    If you had, I would have left already after teaching you a lesson. I havent seen a cultivation system this messed up and stable for at least an era. An entirely new system and an organ to help it. You are lucky child. Out of everyone in the Forever City, I can count the cultivators on one hand that could fix your problem, the eccentric man said.


    Thank you, seniors, I quickly replied and bowed deeply again.


    Raise your head, let me look at you. I obeyed quickly. I am Cultivator Po. My titles and other achievements would make your head explode. Qiang You here did me a small favor long ago, and he has called it in to get me to take a look at you. I glanced over at the man in question who was staring intently at me and then back at Cultivator Po. I wasnt sure what to say.


    I understand it is a great honor and a debt that will be near impossible to repay, I replied. Cultivator Po let out a scoff.


    At least you understand the enormity of what must be done. Your cultivation is impressive as well as your body. You have stolen the foundation of multiple beings. The monster cultivation you have undergone is formidable. It took me a moment to process that statement. Tell me of them.


    I began to list off everything I had used to boost my body and cultivation. Cultivator Po just listened while I went through everything. The Astral Soul Stabilizer, inspired, but sub-par in construction. The blood reinforcement, decent but from a weak beast. At least you managed to kill it yourself. The plant combination for a pill, is far too aligned to nature. It would have been better to be from an animal. The energy vortex, is interesting but slightly unbalanced. He cut down all my major achievements in the past.


    Please tell me there arent more like him? Cultivator Po turned towards Qiang You.


    His origins have been inspected. Apparently he is a genius under the heavens, Qiang You said with a touch of amusement.


    Heavens save us from geniuses who get ideas, Cultivator Po muttered and then turned back towards me. To craft you an organ that links your body and soul and will draw in power from your body core is only one part of the problem. It is by far the largest. Your foundation is incredible and impressive. But it has cracks, serious cracks.


    Can it be done? Qiang You asked him.


    Technically yes. Anything is possible as you know. But I will need reassurances that the breakthrough wont happen inside the Forever City, Cultivator Po said.


    I was thinking about using him on the outskirts to disrupt a certain faction that is entrenched against our interests, Qiang You said, and Cultivator Po shook his head at that.


    It will exceed any safeguards we have in place. It would not be a minor incursion. So, I wouldnt be able to turn a blind eye, even with our friendship, Cultivator Po said.


    That is unfortunate. Very well, I will make use of him in other ways, Qiang you replied. I didnt dare interject or complain as these two immortal cultivators discussed me like a piece of meat in the market.


    Good. Then I can grow something useful, Cultivator Po said and Qiang You nodded at him. The eccentric man approached me once again and placed a hand on my head and another on my sternum. I felt powerful waves of energy move through me, and my cultivation shook. He moved the hand on my head to my gut and I felt like my cultivation was going to rip apart.


    Breathe, you wont die while you stand in front of me, Cultivator Po said, and I breathed. The pressure got worse. I felt like my channels were being compressed. Your cultivation is too good, which is my I must be a bit forceful here.


    After ten minutes he let go. I struggled to say on my feet. And done. Check my work, Cultivator Po said, and Qiang You came over and put his hands on me.


    Inspired as always. Your technique is flawless, Qiang You replied and released me. I looked at Cultivator Po wondering what he had done. The man took pity on me and explained thankfully.


    I created an organ on the spot. I have a specialty in biomanipulation. Surgery would wreck your cultivation and create massive instability. You would have never survived such a procedure. And even if you did, you would never break through. I merely combined the leftover bits from all the other things in your body to form an organ, Cultivator Po explained.


    It is small but will grow over the next couple of cycles. I would wait at least five before breaking through. When you do, your body core will implode directly onto the organ and draw in the energy, forcing it to link with your astral soul. It has no name, since it has not been done. There are long term issues though. I listened intently to the next portion that he would explain.


    What I have done is to smooth out your breakthrough and your next portion of cultivation. But reaching immortality with such an organ, will pose difficulties. You walk the path of physical force. A solid and dependable path, but the organ I created does not support such a path. I didnt understand and he let out a small sigh, clearly sensing my confusion.


    A regular cultivator follows the path of the Dao, which sounds repetitive, but it is not. The idea is to connect to a concept and become that concept in part by attuning ones soul to the cosmic energy of the astral plane. Drawing power and energy from there. That organ bypasses that connection. You will draw in immense amounts of energy and filter it for use. But to breakthrough to immortality, you will not follow a Dao to attune yourself. Speak, he said to me.


    Senior Cultivator Po, couldnt I just gather more and more energy to break through to immortality? I asked.


    For others yes. For you no. The energy gathering method focuses on processing the energy into ones body as a whole. And while that happens slightly with our cultivation system, it is not the focus. You will never be able to reach that kind of density. Cultivators of our system focus on throughput, not on ones reserves. But your connection is now regulated by the organ I have created, Cultivator Po said.


    Senior Cultivator Po, couldnt I improve or replace it? I asked.


    Improve, no. Replace, anything is possible. But unlikely. You will need to find a new way to breakthrough to immortality. That is what it means to develop a new system, which is what you are doing. If I had to use my considerable experience to guess, your next stage would be Energy Filtering. Where you mentally construct the processes to draw in and filter energy. Then Energy Gathering, to fill yourself up. After that, no idea. No idea how it will impact your lifespan. I can say that the organ I have given you, will last longer than you, Cultivator Po said.


    Thank you, Senior Cultivator Po, I said with a bow.The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    Thats what I am being paid for. Qiang You, that concludes things, unless there is something else? Cultivator Po asked.


    That is all. Thank you for your time my friend, Qiang You said and bowed his head.


    Cheeky brat. At least you bothered me for something slightly interesting. If he makes it to immortality, I would be curious to see what the outcome is, Cultivator Po replied.


    If he lives that long, I will let you know, Qiang You said and then the eccentric Cultivator Po just disappeared with a slight swirl of the air. I hadnt noticed before, but the birds hadnt been tweeting in harmony in the garden. Now they started up again.


    You will not understand Yuan Zhou, but that was one of the great powers of this city. Cultivator Pos generosity was immense, Qiang You said as he went to his stone seat and sat down.


    Thank you Vice Leader Qiang You for helping me, I replied and bowed deeply.


    Sit. Let us drink tea and talk, he said. The Head Servant quickly brought out tea and served both of us. He didnt even complain or say anything as he poured us both a cup and then left. I drank first as the guest to show trust. Not that there was anything I could do if Qiang You decided to squish me.


    Honored senior, while you can freely manipulate energy, tools will be required for us lowly individuals to do so. If artisans are created instead, the material cost would be the same, the labor cost would be 10 credits, and the set-up cost would only be around 50,000 credits.


    That was 450,000 credits difference. If we sold these recyclers for wholesale around 15 credits each with the high investment option, then it would take 55,555 units to be sold to break even. With the artisan option it would take 50,000 units to break even as well. But the first option would see more money generated long term. This excluded the taxes I would be subject to as well.


    Cultivators thought long term, very long term. That was why they would take the first option and throw money at the problem. This was why I had asked for Ting Rong to work with me. She was incredibly knowledgeable about setting up production floors. Now the question was, which option did I want to pursue.


    I am guessing the equipment cant be repurposed? I asked and she shook her head.


    It would be specialized to produce the parts only for your recycler. The artisans can be reassigned to other projects, she answered.


    Lets start with the artisans. They can produce the recyclers, and I can look for buyers. Any suggestions on that end? I asked.


    I am sorry senior, but I have only been trained in production methodologies, Ting Rong said. Very little creativity. That was the biggest issue with vat grown humans. They were good at what they did but struggled going outside their area of expertise. This wasnt always true but held in most cases. Occasionally you got someone like Rhiza who charted their own path in life.


    Any issues with security? I asked her.


    That will be part of the set-up process, Ting Rong said, and I nodded at that.


    How long would it take to set up? I asked. She took a moment to answer that question while looking over the prototype I had made.


    A single cycle. It can be done sooner, but that would greatly increase the price, she replied.


    That long? I asked.


    It will take that long to produce the artisans needed and arrange for raw material shipments, she explained.


    That is fine. Any ideas on improvements that can be made to the recycler? I asked.


    Streamlining using the TripleX standard formation system. Minor improvements to the layout and construction methodology. But that would require a professional craftsperson, she explained.


    How much would that be? I asked.


    That would have to be requested of another cultivator. There is an in-faction job board that can be used. Our you could hire externally, she said, and I shook my head at that. Hiring outside the faction would look bad for someone so new to it.


    I guess that means I will be working on improving this. When would the design need to be finalized? I asked.


    If we are going with artisans, then it needs to be ready when they are, in one cycle. You do know, there are other products like this out there senior? Ting Rong asked, and I nodded.


    Yes, but the trick is to make the construction cheap, but the processing high quality. These pieces of equipment arent meant to be used in a combat situation. They arent weapons. And unless a cultivator or person using them is incompetent, they wont get damaged that easily. Other models cost around 20 credits for the low end. But our market is the mid-end, which is around 50 credits, I explained.


    It was honestly surprising no one had done this, but it wasnt an improvement. Just another way to handle a situation by creating something that was an incremental improvement and could come in at a lower price point. The plan was to sell these for 30 credits each, wholesale.


    That would leave 15 credits after the faction tax. With production costs at 14 credits using artisans, I would make 1 credit per unit sold. But it was part of an entire product line. I then pulled out a much larger device I had constructed and set it next to the table. While the recycler was about the size of two large microwaves, the divider was about the size of two stoves stack on top of each other.


    This is a divider, another product. The idea is people toss in stuff into the top portion, and it is divided up into the lower portions containers. These containers are then slotted into the recyclers, I pointed out. Ting Rong moved in and took a closer look.


    The entire idea behind the divider, was that people clearing out floors, could just toss everything into it and it would be split up quickly into standard sized containers, which would then be taken out and placed into the recyclers. That way things didnt have to be divided and sorted by hand.


    The recyclers would churn out material cubes, which were more easily handled. The specialty waste would also be separated for more high-end recyclers to handle. But it would greatly reduce the movement of goods and time needed to process a floor.


    One thing cultivators liked was more upfront investment to save a few credits over the long term. That was what my recycler and divider combo idea was all about. The divider would also compact stuff down as much as possible into the container that would be moved over to the recycler. Set up one divider and ten recyclers on a floor, and it could be cleared out incredibly quickly.


    It would screw over scavengers, but there was no loyalty there. It was a job I had worked at long ago. Also, by quickly processing materials on site, then the risk of an enemy force retrieving them was low.


    The divider would be priced at 100 credits, with Ting Rong estimating the production cost being 20 credits for the materials and another 15 credits for the labor. After the tax, that would give me 15 credits of profit per divider. Thankfully the same artisans could be used, but they would only be able to produce one recycler per day or one divider over two days. Dedicated production equipment would have run about 1 million credits and reduce the labor to 2 credits.


    While tempting to go all out, better to have more flexibility in case I needed to pivot to other product ideas. The idea would be to sell bundles at the start. One divider and ten recyclers as a whole, for 400 credits. The hard part would be selling them in volume. Out of those 400 credits, I would only be making 25 credits of profit for myself.


    It would take a lot of sales for this business to become profitable. The tax was the real killer. Otherwise, my profit would have been 225 credits per batch sold. Just to earn 50,000 credits, the difference was between 222 batches sold versus 2,000. It was a huge difference. But the faction tax was not something that could be worked around.


    Since they provided protection and backing for production. That was the security guarantee. It was also why most businesses were individual service providers working for the tower master. They didnt have to pay taxes to themselves, and the faction portion of the tax was only twenty five percent, which was much more manageable.


    The entire system was incredibly frustrating, and I disliked how much I had to kick up to Qiang You. But opposing him was a fantasy. While I had planned to ask him for a floor, I had been waiting until I broke through. The fact he had given me a floor to set up a business showed how well informed he was about me. It made sense since I was such a large investment.


    That was also why I wanted to verify what I was told. I used my granted access to the faction records, to look up anything about Cultivator Po. TripleX had an extensive database on factions and individuals from the information it had collected. Cultivator Po was a senior member of the Heavenly Alliance who specialized in biomanipulation.


    That was it. There was nothing more listed about him. But it did confirm what I had been told and witnessed. While Qiang You could have tampered with the records, it was unlikely. I even visited another tower owned by the TripleX faction just to double check and got the same information. That was enough for me to put aside my fears.


    And while I had considered running away, I was much more interested in starting up a business and working as a cog within the system. Trying to go my own way had led to nothing but hardship. While I had been free and independent that came with a cost of its own. After experiencing both sides, I was content with the deal I had made with Qiang You.


    That didnt mean I liked it, or thought the deal was fair. Just that it was better than living out of stairwells and going to shady merchants who would carve me up. All it cost me was crippling debt and putting my life into the hands of Qiang You and his whims. But that debt was also my shield. It would keep me alive. The more I earned, the less inclined he would be to sacrifice me using one of his favors.


    The more thought I put into the matter, that was probably why he had given me this business opportunity before my breakthrough. He wanted to see if I could actually earn credits to pay him back. I was too weak to fight, which meant that my only value was my ability to conduct business. A deadline of five cycles had already been given.


    It would take one cycle to grow the artisans. Which meant I needed to look at scaling up. Having one batch grown for 50,000 credits wasnt enough. I had Ting Rong put in an order for four groups of artisans, which was the most my floor could handle. That would cost 200,000 credits, but I needed to go into this with a mindset of success.


    My life was on the line based on how well I did. I would also need to come up with other products to develop a catalogue.

 Chapter 76: Creating A Market

    Chapter 76: Creating A Market


    As you can see from the included packet, you can expect an overall increase of 4% credits over the course of a conflict, while denying your opponent those resources based on historical trends, I presented to the representative from the Yellow Sapling faction.


    And why dont we just do this ourselves? the female representative asked. I smiled at that question, since I was ready for it.


    The same reason you would purchase anything outside of your faction. The ease with which it is all combined togeather, and suitable for rapid deployment behind the combat lines. And the loss would not be huge, based on the low prices. The economy of scale is why I am able to keep the prices so low. That wasnt the case. It was more that the formations were of much higher quality compared to the crafting materials. Bones knowledge had come in handy for developing this equipment.


    We will buy a batch to inspect, the representative said.


    Excellent. It includes a thousand cycle non-compete clause as well, I added on and the representative frowned but nodded. I pushed forward the contract. They purchased 10 recyclers and 1 divider for 500 credits. I had increased the price after giving the issue some thought. And for a faction it was pocket change to save a lot.


    I left the meeting 500 credits richer, and another contact had been set up. I had been visiting the various factions that were fighting. Some factions purchased a test batch like the Yellow Sapling faction, while others purchased much more. Everyone purchased my equipment. Either to reverse engineer or to take a leg up on their competitors. One thing I included in the contracts was that a faction could pay double for me not to sell to one of their direct competitors. A couple of factions had taken me up on that.


    The TripleX faction had a long list of contacts and was respected enough that I was able to get meetings and give my presentation. That was what I did every day, arrange sales meetings and go to them, to give my sales pitch. I couldnt hand this task off, since I was a member of the TripleX faction so I had the backing to meet with a cultivator in the other factions who could authorize a purchase.


    If I sent a modded human, then it would have been viewed as an insult, or they would have been regulated to an individual in the same circumstance, thereby diminishing my product. I had to personally go to meeting after meeting. At least the accommodations and travel were smooth, and without issues. There was a big difference between having a faction behind me and being a hobo in the Forever City.


    I kept most of the finished product on me, in cheap spatial items, divided up by batches. It was easy enough to sell. The increased price covered my travel expenses and the spatial items. At least I was building up a list of contacts I knew and could go back and pitch another idea.


    Apparently, the level of documentation and the energy I put into the sales pitch was quite refreshing. Most factions had members handle procurement by shopping around or internally produced items. There were very few sales pitches, which was why the other factions were willing to entertain me. They couldnt risk declining me and then a rival faction getting an advantage.


    That was why I had spent so long getting data and running scenarios to include with my sales pitch. It was a thesis worthy level packet worth of data. And the projected range my products would assist in bringing in more credits and other benefits.


    I had no idea what Qiang You thought. I hadnt met with him again. And while I had sold 800 batches for a total of 400,000 credits, only 12,500 credits had been earned so far. That was slightly less than 16 credits per batch. The faction tax and production cost had eaten up a lot of credits. The good news was that my floor was doing quite well compared to the tax revenue from other floors.


    That 200,000 credits in tax was a boost to Qiang Yous income and standing. It was not a huge boost, but it was above the average that a floor would produce per cycle, which was around 1,000 credits in tax. With around 80,000 managed floors, which was 80,000,000 credits worth of tax revenue per cycle. That was the sheer power of a tower master.


    A lot of floors produced nothing but feeder product for other floors. Just from production alone, the TripleX faction made around 400 million credits per cycle. And that was only about a tenth of the total faction revenue stream, which offered many other support and information services as their main business model.


    Thats why controlling towers was so valuable and factions fought over them. Looking at the sheer economy of scale, it was mind boggling where all these credits were coming from and what it was all being spent on.


    Trying to work out the full economic picture of the Forever City was a challenge. While I had access to faction data, I didnt have access to the higher-level transactions that took place. The buyers for goods and services tended to be factions in desperate need of emergency supplies or third parties. TripleXs production volume was fairly low with only five towers controlled.


    My best guess was that the credits were used for high level purchases, protection payments, or possibly other investments. It wouldnt surprise me that the TripleX faction had to pay other larger factions a portion of its tax revenue to be safe. The faction also didnt recruit directly from the continents. Instead, the faction recruited outsiders and people who lost their previous factions.


    That 50 million that was spent to pay Cultivator Po, was actually pretty cheap, since I was now a strategic, long-term asset. I looked all this up and researched this information in my own time, to better understand the overall economic situation as well as my personal situation. The more valuable that I was, the more likely I wouldnt be disposed of.


    Returning back to the TripleX faction, I collapsed in my chair in my tiny office on my floor. I was going to be worked to death. But it was still better than staying in a dark room for countless years trying to get stronger. Ting Rong then showed up.


    The current expenditure and production metrics you wanted handed to you, she said.


    Thank you, I replied, and she nodded. Any inquiries in our direction? I asked.


    Only one. From a distributor named Gen from the Red Spirit faction. I have set up the meeting for tomorrow, Ting Rong said. She had adapted to how I counted time thankfully. I had periods blocked off in my schedule as personal, for when I slept. While the Forever City didnt have set days between factions, the Heavenly Alliance, did have a standard schedule that most businesses worked off of.


    I was handed a pad with my schedule laid out, and there was a new block marked off for a meeting with this Gen. How high up is he? Any other information? I asked. Ting Rong placed a large packet of information on top of my desk.


    Anything else? I asked. She shook her head and gave a negative. Then make the appropriate arrangements for the meeting tomorrow. We do have a meeting room on this floor set aside for such purposes, unless you think I should use one of the faction meeting rooms? I asked.


    The faction meeting rooms would be better, Ting Rong said.


    Then make the arrangements, I told her, and she left. I then opened up the packet of information she had put togeather.


    The Red Spirit faction was primarily based in the sixth ring and the latest intelligence indicated a sizable build up of resources and personnel. They were looking to expand. The real question was in which direction. That was something that the TripleX faction had no idea regarding. Looking at the surrounding factions it was hard to say who would be their target, but they were clearly looking to make some aggressive acquisitions.


    As for Gen himself, he was a long time exterior dealer that worked on behalf of the faction to address resource shortages. He was an internal purchaser from the faction. The exact kind of person I wanted to do business with.


    The following day came, and I met him on one of the lower levels. Junior Yuan Zhou of the TripleX faction greets senior Gen of the Red Spirit Faction, I said with a slight bow.


    Thank you for the warm welcome. I am glad you were able to meet with me so quickly, Gen said with a bow as well. The politer they were, the more they were going to try and scam me in some way. While it wasnt a perfect rule, it fit the environment of the Forever City perfectly.


    Please sit. Refreshments? I offered him, playing the role of a kind host.


    Whatever you have prepared is fine, he replied with a wave of his hand. I gestured and servants came out with food and drinks. A wide selection, he noted as food and drinks were laid out in front of him.


    We specialize in hosting guests of other factions, I replied. Gen nodded and as he looked over the food. I sampled several pieces, and he did the same. Each piece was an exquisite work of art, but that was the power of a faction. The small things like food had already been addressed a long time ago. Those small comforts were part of the benefits of being a member and a way to be polite to members of other factions.


    The food was also a signal, that the TripleX faction knew which food the Red Spirit faction preferred and served. An indication of my factions expansive intelligence gathering.


    Ah, this is the best part of my job. Traveling and enjoying the hospitality of other factions. But I am sure you are here not to just entertain me, but in regards to business. I am looking at purchasing 100 batches of equipment from you. Those recyclers and dividers, he said.


    That is quite a bit. I am definitely interested. Are you looking to resell? I asked, while trying to better understand if there was a chance for even more sales.


    That is incredibly generous, I gratefully replied, and Qiang You shook his head slightly.


    It will not count as a favor. Since your breakthrough cant be used to disrupt certain portions of the Forever City, it is best that you survive to pay me back. I will personally protect you while you breakthrough. You should have enough time to sort out your cultivation, Qiang You said. It was a shame, I would still owe three favors, but I wasnt going to complain. I had been looking for an opportunity to break through and it was being offered this easily.


    I sensed there was something else at work. There clearly was another plot happening. Qiang You was going to try and benefit in some way. No cultivator was this selfless. I understand. When do we depart? I asked.


    One cycle from now. I need to finish making preparations. That didnt sound like he was being altruistic towards me. You are dismissed, Qiang You said, and I left his garden. There was nothing more to say.


    I made my way back up to my floor, frustrated that I didnt know what Qiang You was planning to do with me. Material on the Astral Plane was at a higher tier of information than I had access to. While tempting to make the request for more information, it would not be approved. For all the niceties and help that Qiang You was giving me, he was absolutely ruthless.


    If something didnt benefit his interests, then there was no chance it would be allowed to happen. As I climbed up the stairs, I tried to think about how I could get around the issue of selling more recyclers and dividers. What I really needed was to sell to someone like Gen, but not have the sale be traced back to me. But that wouldnt work, since everything would be paid for in credits.


    I would have to take payment in some other material that I could convert to credits and somehow hide the origin of what was produced. That wasnt possible. There were enough examples of my work out there, that hiding the origin was impossible.


    It was more a matter of bulk sales rather than one off pieces. I guess if the value was much higher, then that would get the attention of the Heavenly Alliance. If I was going to find more opportunities, it wasnt going to be here in the Forever City. I needed a more unstable market.


    Should I arrange for the production lines? Ting Rong asked me when I returned. I shook my head at her question.


    No. We will stick with the small-scale production for now, I said.


    It will take a long time to break even, she replied.


    That is fine. It justifies the use of this floor, and we are earning credits. Also have the artisans put togeather the older model I designed. Say ten of them, I replied.


    They arent as good as the more refined versions, she said.


    Thats the point. No standard markings on them either indicating the origin, I also said.


    That would lead to questions if audited, she replied.


    Do audits happen? I asked.


    They can, but they are rare. This will be reported to the tower master, she answered. That was Qiang You, but it didnt matter. He wouldnt ask questions unless I got into trouble and then blame everything on me. If I wanted to get ahead, it wouldnt be possible by playing nice or by the rules. I needed to start taking opportunities that came my way.


    How easy would it be to move the production equipment? I asked.


    Not too hard, but anywhere else would be lacking security, Ting Rong said.


    And how easy would it be to hide the origin of the recyclers and dividers? I asked.


    Not too difficult. You want to set up a production line off the books? she asked, and I nodded.


    Yes. Since I am viewed as a weak link to be taken advantage of, then it is time to make use of that. If this Gen wants to throw credits at me, I will take them, and give him what he asks for with no trace back to the TripleX faction, I replied.


    There are techniques to trace the origin of items and we would have to set up in another tower, Ting Rong said, and I nodded at this.


    We can use one of the upper floors in another tower in a conflict zone. Produce the goods and then arrange a transfer through another faction. That should conceal their origin, I replied.


    Unless this Gen is caught and the transaction will still show up, Ting Rong replied.


    Thats why we will structure it as several smaller transactions rather than one single large transaction. Possibly look into alternative methods of getting paid, I explained.


    My expertise is in production, and moving production would result in several complications. The biggest one, getting any workers to operate the devices and the raw materials that will be needed, Ting Rong explained.


    I will find an isolated location that can be used. As for the raw materials, spatial bags, the same ones we will bring back the finished batches in, I replied.


    You want disposable workers then, low skilled labor. That will add to the production cost if they are purchased from outside the faction, Ting Rong said.


    Multiple factions should work better for hiding our tracks, I suggested.


    I will make the arrangements. It will take a cycle to prepare everything that is needed, she replied.


    That is fine. I need to contact Gen and agree to his terms. Is there anything that I am missing? I asked.


    I dont believe so, but I am not an expert in anything other than manufacturing, Ting Rong said. I rolled my eyes at that statement. She had a lot of ancillary skills, but she had no personality and lacked understanding of the scope of what I was trying to accomplish.


    That was the problem with vat people, their creativity was incredibly lacking. They were good at what they were made to do, but beyond that, they struggled in terms of creativity and flexibility. There were exceptions and there was a small amount of growth over time, but it was rare that a vat human overcame their ingrown nature.


    Ting Rong was the exact kind of personality who encapsulated why the Forever City didnt bother with slavery. They just made willing workers. If they didnt want to work they were defective and replaced. They were the smalls cogs in the giant machine that just churned up lives to empower the old cultivators and let them grasp onto a bit more power.


    Now I was one of those cogs, in the endless struggle.

 Chapter 77: A Slave Obeys, A Man Chooses

    Chapter 77: A Slave Obeys, A Man Chooses


    Vice Leader Qiang You, I greeted my senior with a deep bow in his garden. It was time. After all this waiting, I was finally going to breakthrough. Either my life would be ending shortly, or I would be stepping onto a new and unexplored path in cultivation.


    One part of me felt relieved it was time, another part of me felt incredibly worried. So much time had passed and this was it. I didnt think my journey would lead me to this point, being in debt to an immortal, and the truth of cultivation society, embodied by the Forever City, but nonetheless I was here.


    I had been doing research on breakthroughs and following up with my business. There had been some progress in both directions. But there had been major insights in either direction.


    Sit. The final preparations are being finished as we speak for your breakthrough, he said. Since there was no question, I was silent before him. I can sense your curiosity about what I have planned. While many others might choose to keep one such as yourself in ignorance, I will illuminate your mind instead. What do you think of that? There was a teasing and mocking tone in Qiang Yous voice.


    You are generous Vice Leader Qiang You, I said and bowed my head once more. It was just one more form of control he could layer upon me.


    I sense that you are displeased even if your words say otherwise. Nothing gave you away, it is just the nature of cultivators to hate being oppressed by a stronger cultivator. But that is the curse of those weaker. Even his casual remarks cut through me. There was nothing hidden from this immortal. I had truly grabbed the tail of a tiger and was holding on for dear life.


    Your breakthrough will alter fate itself. A small pebble cast into the eddies of the Firmament, creating a nexus of chaos which will in turn draw threats and opportunity. It comes down to luck, the worst of all higher forces, but one I have studied extensively. When you hear that word, luck, what do you think? Qiang You asked.


    Probability favoring one direction, I answered, and he slowly nodded at that while stroking his beard.


    Probability is but an illusion. Luck is that illusion being stripped away. Qiang You responded with a slight disgust in this tone. After that there was a long stretch of silence in which I dared not speak without invitation. You think yourself clever, like all cultivators do. Then tell me, why has no one tread your path?


    The answer wasnt resources. Anyone like Qiang You could marshal the resources that I had done with only a fraction of the effort. That was the power of the Forever City and the factions that resided here. My mind went back to my previous conversation. Something or someone would stop such an event, I replied.


    This city is not a battleground. It has existed for countless eons, by remaining discrete. This place wasnt a battleground? The tentacle monster? The countless fighting between factions? The fights you have witnessed are but minor skirmishes that spill over. My original hope was to use you to pull the Forever City into a state of conflict. Cultivator Po has seen fit to stop such a thing. But now there is a new plan I have put togeather.


    My mind was spinning, why was I being told this? This was a plot against the Heavenly Alliance! To draw this city and the super organization in control of it into a war with another. How would my breakthrough even cause that?


    There are higher forces. Karma. Fate. Luck. Mere words cannot contain their full meaning and scope. But they hold value to cultivators like myself. Bringing conflict to the Forever City would have been devastating, but it would have created opportunities. Qiang You shook his head. Now that will no longer be the case. Speak.


    Forgive me, but I dont understand. Why would you want a conflict to occur? Isnt stability and constant improvement the most important thing? And why would you tell me? I asked all of that in a single breath.Updated from


    For weak minded fools raised up inside a faction. They are content, like sheep. While they get stronger slowly, that is but crumbs falling from the plates of those stronger. Stability becomes stagnation. The last time the entire Forever City was mobilized was eons ago. I tell you all this, since I can see the resentment within you. Your debt, the favors you owe. I should be the one to complain for how little I will be repaid, Qiang You said while staring down at me. I didnt dare speak up or offer an objection.


    After your breakthrough, you will be going on a journey. I have seen your attempts to raise funds to repay the debt you will owe me, but it would take far too long. Instead, if you survive, then you will undertake some tasks for me to repay the favors you owe. You will probably die horribly, but it will be the least you can do. I honestly couldnt tell if Qiang You liked me, hated me, or was just messing with me.


    Thank you senior, I said and bowed my head while wondering where I would be sent and what I would have to do. At least that meant he thought I would survive my breakthrough. I would have to mentally sort through everything else he had told me later on. One thing I had learned was to never underestimate senior cultivators. One does that reach that age and power without an immense amount of cunning.


    Come, Qiang You said and stood up. I followed him out of the garden onto a vehicle. If the general use faction vehicle was nice, Qiang Yous personal transportation was the height of luxury. The chairs were impossibly comfortable and I couldnt even feel the vehicle moving in the slightest. Even checking for forces, there was nothing. The hull of the vehicle blocked my sight.


    Senior, what exactly is going to happen when I breakthrough? I asked. Qiang You sent me a glare and I felt like I was a moment from death. The pressure vanished as quickly as it came. I was hoping for information and a clear explanation.


    A massive conflict. You will focus on stabilizing your cultivation with what time will be given to you. As for what shows up during or after, I do not have enough luck to say. I felt there were unspoken words here. That if it was too much trouble or risk, I would be left behind to be killed. That was more information than I was hoping for, but less explanation than I wanted.


    It was tempting to ask another question, but I knew that I had already pushed Qiang Yous forbearance. Asking about stuff I would have no role in, would only annoy him. It was like rushing to the cockpit of an airplane, asking how the plane was flying, what the controls were, and everything else about what was happening. I would just have to take it on faith and my limited knowledge that I would make it safely through my breakthrough.


    A few minutes after we had boarded Qiang Yous private vehicle we came to a stop. I followed him off the vehicle onto a cylinder ship. This was not like the lower floor, with lots of chairs for lesser cultivators. We were escorted to a fancy room that had the same level of comfort as the vehicle I had just been in. Qiang You gestured for me to sit, which I did.


    Another older looking man entered, and I noted he had the symbol of the TripleX faction on his robes. He had a similar look to Qiang You. I quickly stood up and bowed deeply, and I noted Qiang You stand up and incline his head as well. This person was clearly a bigshot if Qiang You could be made to bow. A hand reached out gripping my hair and lifted up my head. It was the height of rudeness, but I was nothing but a bug to these cultivators. I didnt object or fight the impossibly steely grip.


    So, this is your project. I felt a wave of energy pass through me, and the old man sneered. You werent joking when you said his cultivation was a mess.


    Indeed Leader Han, it is a mess, Qiang You said. I recognized that name. I had seen it written down in several places. This was the faction leader of TripleX.


    A clever idea to stir the pot, but far too shallow. If it had worked, the consequences would have been immense. Now you seek to go fishing, Leader Han let go of my hair and I went back to bowing, not daring to lift my head without his permission.


    That wasnt part of the plan. But there was no way I could object or say anything. I didnt fully understand everything that would be happening. And even if I did know, there was nothing I could do. I had to place my trust into Qiang You and Leader Han without hesitation. That was my only chance of surviving.


    I would focus on completing your breakthrough as quickly as possible. Once you breakthrough, things will get chaotic, he said with a smile that gave off a sense of unease. How go the preparations?


    It will take a little bit longer to sever any possible connection, Qiang You said.


    Double check. I will not have some other person snatch away our hard work, Leader Han replied.


    All clear, for now. Anything left is beyond me and hiding, Qiang You said and dropped his hand that was giving off light. Now all that was left were the soft blue glowing symbols around the two immortals.


    Good. Now for the main act. Break through whenever you are ready, Leader Han said while turning to face me.


    Now seniors? I looked at Qiang You.


    All our preparations are done. Breakthrough now, Qiang You said clearly indicating he would tolerate no further questions. There was another moment of hesitation, but I had come this far and couldnt back down now. I unequipped my gear and put it away in my spatial ring. The air on this small patch of land in the middle of darkness was somehow breathable.


    I took a deep breath and tried to calm my mind. Neither of the senior cultivators said anything while I steadied my nerves here at the last moment. I had studied for this moment for a long time. The hardships I had endured had been immense and would only get worse going forward.


    The first step was breaking the barrier on my mind core shells. To tie my body and soul togeather. The boundary on the outside shattered. The energy in the mind cores had the concept of force tied to them. It was engrained in every aspect. As the energy leaked out, I focused on forcing my body and soul to remain linked.


    The energy released from the mind core shells flooded my body. Most of it was dispersed and lost, but some remained and settled down. Linking my body and soul togeather in a way that it hadnt before.


    Such waste, Leader Han muttered, but I didnt focus on him. I had to keep my focus on the energy that was spreading out and dissipating inside of my body. As the energy decreased, my soul cores pushed outwards and then broke.


    Ahhh! I screamed as my cultivation shattered. All the motes, channels, and meridians were pushed beyond the boundaries of my physical body by the four explosions inside of my soul. My body core in the center of those explosions was compressed inwards.


    At that moment everything seemed to slow down, while I was in agony. Leader Han had a single hand pointed at me. I could see a bubble of energy form around me. I couldnt move, and the agony I was in was immense.


    The first thing to focus on was drawing the energy from my body core detonation, into my new organ. The pain I was feeling only increased. This was beyond a flesh wound, it felt like my body was being ripped apart at the very seams. I had to focus. Everything was happening in slow motion. Without everything slowing down, I would have had no time to react to do everything I needed to complete.


    I didnt like pain or suffering, but I had endured hardships for this long, I could endure a bit more as I felt the implanted organ inside me shifting and growing. Qiang You and Leader Han were talking, but I couldnt pay attention to them at the moment as I focused on trying to direct the maelstrom of energy within me.


    It was like trying to fly a kite in a hurricane. I had some control, but the overwhelming amount of energy in my cores was making it vary difficult to direct. As the secondary body core exploded I had to focus on drawing back my soul. I could feel it being pushed outwards. The very foundation that I had carved my cultivation into was being pushed outwards.


    Letting go would be too easy. From what I had read, the problem had been not enough force, I had too much. It was hard to focus on what was me. I was everything around me. I looked down at the two immortals who had come for this.


    My physical body was breaking apart. I was losing focus. It was a struggle to draw myself back togeather. I needed to focus on myself, pulling my soul back togeather. The boost from the mind cores and the organ gave me an anchor, a center to focus on as my soul slowly came back togeather.


    Then there was the third thing during my breakthrough I needed to focus on. Creating the foundation for purifying the energy I drew in. I had studied long and hard in preparation for this, diving into the extensive information the TripleX faction had collected.


    I created cylinders from the remnants of my internal cultivation structure. Four of them, each pointed towards the center, where my organ crossed between my soul and my body. I just needed the base structure in place, the internal mechanisms could come later. I just needed to have the foundation there to work off of.


    Even with the extra time that I had, it was a struggle. Portions of energy and pieces of my cultivation flew away, and I couldnt sense them anymore. Time stretched out as I kept trying to pull myself back togeather. Every fiber of my body and mind were screaming in protest.


    My soul was slowly pulled back togeather. The pieces I wasnt able to keep a mental hold of had dispersed outwards. There had been a lot of waste, but I had not been able to do more. I had given everything I had and held nothing back.


    I could feel the steady pulse of the organ linking my body and soul. I could feel every portion of it. In my physical body it was a large lump of energy saturated flesh, pulsing with my heartbeat, unleashing energy into my physical body in a small trickle. For my astral soul, it was the center of my cultivation. What felt weird was that I could feel my soul in a way I couldnt before. Previously it had been a nebulous feeling. Now, I could feel each and every contour with extreme precision.


    The gaps and cracks left from trying to bring it back togeather were present as well. Energy seeping into my soul. The cylinder constructs built around the organ to purify the energy sent to my physical body. But the organ was present and overlapping both aspects of myself, which was giving me a headache. The overlaps were close, but there were minute differences. Like two similar pictures slightly offset from each other.


    The world spun and shrunk. My entire body felt like it was on fire, and I was being slowly roasted. Time slowly sped back up. Just as I began to get my panic under control, I felt something grab onto my soul and my fear skyrocketed.

 Chapter 78: Battle Of The Rocky Platform

    Chapter 78: Battle Of The Rocky Platform


    Qiang You


    I stood on the small patch of solid Firmament watching Yuan Zhou prepare to breakthrough. He was an interesting cultivator, but interesting would only carry you so far.


    Your machinations are as multi-faceted as ever, Leader Han told me through a mental transmission.New n0vel chapters are published on


    That is the only way to win, when every outcome leads to victory, I mentally replied. It had been a long-standing policy of mine. That any plots could not have a failure condition. Every outcome would be accounted for to avoid losses.


    If he dies, you will be out a couple of favors, Leader Han pointed out.


    Which is why I am overseeing this personally, and even invited you, I countered. We had a long history togeather, founding the TripleX faction from the DoubleX faction several eons ago. While both of us would betray the other if the benefits were high enough, we each knew where that line was.


    There he goes. Time for me to step up, Leader Han muttered towards me mentally. He altered the flow of time around Yuan Zhou. An incredibly powerful and dangerous technique. That was why he was the faction leader and not I, his combat abilities were stronger than mine.


    I had already sealed off this location as best as I could from external observations. That would draw the attention of several powers as a minor blind spot appeared within their vision. They would focus to see what nefarious deed was happening and would be blinded as Yuan Zhou broke through. Cultivator Po would have alerted the Heavenly Alliance in regards to Yuan Zhous breakthrough. My previous words would be picked up.


    There could be no complaint, since we were not in the Forever City, but close enough to still be considered in its sphere of influence. A small bubble of material reality, floating in the Firmament used for secret meetings close to the city but outside of it. Several of these sites existed.


    The Heavenly Alliance would not be able to move against us, but their watchers would be blinded out of concern. The greater the power, the greater the constraints. That was the problem with the cultivation system and the trap. The reason why so many factions had continents that produced cultivators. It was to find some way to break the ties of karma that bound us.


    That was why Yuan Zhou was so interesting. Normally the faction that sponsored his trip would have easily taken him in, but he somehow survived on his own. There were no mods inside his body. He had no external backer either. The other factions tended to lack ambition. They would have made him fight, and he would have died. He was weak in a combat sense, but priceless since his cultivation broke all the norms and standards.


    There were still remnant ties that would seek to bind him, but he was a free agent. That was his true value. He would draw attention for that alone and not just from the monsters we hoped to snare. With the watchers blinded for a moment, preparations would be made for future plans. These moments in time were rare.


    Leader Han shared the same ambition as me and was content to let me plot and scheme. I watched as Yuan Zhou dispersed his mind cores. So much energy wasted, but they were focused on force, not on tying the body and soul togeather.


    Then the soul cores detonated. I could tell Leader Han was putting quite a bit of effort into his technique. Stretching out this moment for as long as possible. The hidden pressure from the various watchers instantly broke off and I could imagine them cursing. For this breakthrough was immense enough to be blinding.


    If I hadnt set up a barrier to protect us, we would have been vaporized as waves of energy and cultivation remnants exploded away from Yuan Zhou. The very air burned, the ground around our positions shook and cracked. This small pocket of reality was breaking apart as the soul and the body drew close togeather, breaking the barrier to the astral plane.


    Already I could sense several things approaching in that direction. Safe guarding ones soul was no easy task. I focused my attention onto the astral plane as waves of energy and cultivation remnants were there as well. I did not manifest myself into that maelstrom just yet. Being this close to the Forever City was both a blessing and a curse.


    For there were fewer lesser monsters, but there were greater predators that roamed around, seeking to pick off the occasional cultivator as a snack. There were also greater dangers that lurked. While I had divined all that I could, if a greater danger emerged, we would have to flee. Some things could not be fought.


    My job was to scan for what fish we hooked with our bait. Killing such a creature would yield valuable resources. Multiple plans all coming togeather at the same time to advance. That was the secret to success. I picked up on a hint of danger approaching and focused my gaze in the astral plane to what was arriving.


    It was only a Lesser Astral Behemoth. Yuan Zhous body core exploded and he began to draw in the energy into the cultivation organ that had been made for him. The value of such a thing was incredible. Cultivator Po was a recluse and only the favor I had done for him allowed me to reach out to such a talent. It was a shame that is physical adjustments no longer worked as well as they could once someone broke through to immortality.


    By then their foundation was solidified too much to make any changes. For many that was a moment of happiness. For others like myself, it was a moment of despair once the path ahead was revealed. The Lesser Astral Behemoth was getting closer.


    TEN THOUSAND RIPPLES.I unleashed my technique. The energy vibrated slightly at multiple points around the Behemoth. It was instantly crushed. For more physical threats I used sound instead. It was amusing when people entered my garden and did not realize how much danger they were in. Dispersing the origin of the attack gave almost no warning until it was unleashed.


    Any combat cultivator would realize everyone and everything with any hint of self-preservation had danger sense. The ones that reached my level all had techniques that bypassed such a danger sense. Throwing super powerful beams of destruction around was impressive, but they were easily dodged or countered. Only when there was an extreme power difference or a target focused on defense, did such a skill make sense, which was rare.


    Normally I would not have used such a strong technique, but Behemoths were resilient, and this was a fight that could not be drawn out. There would be more things approaching and we would need to deal with them quickly.


    While there was boundless energy from Astral Plane, it was unformed, chaotic, and completely unusable except to the most depraved of monsters. But it could be altered, shaped, and made useful. The things that lurked out there desired such energy, always seeking to pray on others to get it.


    I had read Yuan Zhous report of his first foray into the Astral Plane and meeting an ancient. Some physical beings preferred to hunt closer to the source of their food and power. The risks were greater, but the Firmament was infinite. Killing one of these creatures was the hope of my little fishing plan.


    Scanning the area of the astral plane around where Yuan Zhou was breaking through, I noted two more lesser beasts approaching. I quickly killed them and pocketed their remains to be processed later. That was when I felt a sense of dread.


    TEMPORAL LOCK!Leader Han used his signature skill to save our lives as his bubble of slowed time faded away. I can hold. I let out a sigh of relief at his mentally transmitted words. Anything that could attack through time was not simple and some of the most dangerous monsters that were out there.


    For they broke the rules that governed causality. Thanks to Leader Han, this had become a fixed point of time, a bubble of stability, even as the material world broke away around us and we were all pulled into the astral plane. The physical platform we had been on, had been shredded by Yuan Zhous breakthrough. It just took a moment to crumble away.


    I quickly reached out and flicked my finger, dragging Yuan Zhous physical and spiritual body next to mine. He was alive and his cultivation was stable, but heavily stressed. The same was true of his physical body.


    DISTORTION RIPPLE. I unleashed a technique to disturb the surrounding area around us. The kaleidoscope of colors that was the astral plane was quickly blocked out as a bubble of darkness began to form around all of us. This would prevent anything from sneaking up on us while we were here.


    Still holding? I asked Leader Han. If he fell, we would be vulnerable to more oblique attacks.


    I placed the box around Yuan Zhous head and Leader Hans hands. I focused on creating a powerful barrier around his wrists and the other portions of the frame. Leader Han pulled his hands back a bit and the barriers began to pulse violently. It took all my remaining strength to keep them in place.


    Up slowly, Leader Han said, and I raised the metal box frame up, adjusting the barrier around Yuan Zhous head until the box had completely cleared him. Once that was done I activated the arrays, to seal five of the six sides completely. Then Leader Han began to pull his hands out of the sixth side. Once he was clear, I sealed the last side.


    The arrays were pushed to their limits, but the box held, and we both relaxed slightly. Any lingering problems? I asked.


    No. We should be clear. Same with Yuan Zhou here. A Thought Eater, we really did catch a big fish, Leader Han said. The fact he used the name of the monster meant he fully believed that it was safely contained.


    At least we didnt trigger a shark, I said with a smile. That was one reason we were close to the Forever City. How much?


    At least two favors from anyone specializing in mental techniques. I would say four. Not easy to catch these things. If Yuan Zhou was awake, he would have instantly died instead of being used as a vector of attack. Luring and catching one, without looking at it, not simple, Leader Han said. That was indeed a mighty catch.


    It was a shame we hadnt been able to catch that temporal monster. Leader Han could have used such a being. But it was better not to get greedy and take only what we could manage. A Thought Eater and a Dragons scale had more than paid for this expedition and then some. That was not counting everything else this trip had achieved as well.


    I do have concerns. That first monster, it could use him as a vector, Leader Han said.


    The connection isnt cut? I asked worriedly.


    With cultivation remnants it will hunt him down. I got a sense of the thing. A Temporal Hunter, quite relentless, Leader Han explained. Using the name of such a monster meant that it was no longer a threat to either of us at the moment.


    How long? I asked.


    Impossible to say. Could be a cycle, could be a couple million. You were planning to send him on a trip. I suggest he goes up. If he ever comes back to the astral plane, then he would be attacked. Even other places in the Firmament would be risky, Leader Han said. I frowned at this.


    I had other plans. Was going to use him to force a couple other factions into conflict and have him act as a third party, I complained but didnt object. Anything higher has limited value. We could use him as bait? I asked.


    No. The Temporal Hunter knows of me and was wounded. It wont attack with me nearby, but I am not looking after your pet, Leader Han said.


    Fine. I am sure I can come up with something that needs to be done. He will stagnate in the Mechanical Divide, I muttered. That would upset some of my long term plans.


    Better some use than none. You already got value out of him. Everything else is profit. Unless you plan to keep him in the Forever City? Leader Han asked me. I shook my head at this.


    No. That will draw too much attention. Sending him to the Mechanical Divide will be useful. Even if it slows down some long-term plans, he can make himself useful by finding some trinkets. If he survives, I muttered.


    That is why I leave the complicated scheming to you, Leader Han joked. That was our strength working togeather. He didnt like schemes but enjoyed working out the esoteric skills and properties of our opponents. I was the reverse. I enjoyed my fights to be straight forward, while preferring to scheme in other areas. That dichotomy was what led to our successes both now and in the past.


    That didnt mean neither of us were capable in other areas, but we had our preferred methods that complimented each other. That was our strength both in combat and outside of it and the basis of our friendship. Still, if the benefits were big enough, we both knew there would be betrayal. Even an entire Dragon corpse wouldnt be enough to split our resolve.


    I will arrange the sale of this thing. You want to sell or keep the scale? Leader Han asked me. I considered the question. The favors would be split between us along with whatever credits were paid.


    A directional shield that I will keep. One can never have too many, I replied. I was annoyed that I had lost a protection talisman but it was better to spend such an item than take a crippling injury. If those claws had struck me, death would have been the best outcome. Having more protection items was never a bad thing. I had several more saved up. The only problem was that they were only good in straight forward fights.


    As Leader Han and I increased our strength, the threats had become more and more esoteric. Still, a Dragon was the perfect example of power triumphing over all else. It was tempting to consider a different combat style, but it would take too long to change and set me behind in my accumulation of strength and power.


    Now to get back, Leader Han muttered, and I sent him a mental chuckle. You know the barriers in place around the Forever City. We are going to have to find a continent and take public transport back.


    Leader Han hated traveling by cylinder ship, especially ones that were used to transport lesser cultivators. I just found it amusing. You are too prideful. And you didnt want to pay for a ship of our own, I countered as we set off through the astral plane.


    The Heavenly Alliance should be called the Hellish Thieves with what they demand as payment to run cylinder ships. And we decided long ago that having a continent is just an extra headache neither of us want to manage in any way, Leader Han said.


    That means hitching a ride on someone elses cylinder ship, I teased.


    And we will have to sit with the riff raff. We are faction leaders and our standing is considerable, Leader Han complained. That was why he didnt mind my schemes against the Heavenly Alliance and that den of thieves. Once a cultivator realized how truly shameless the leaders of the Forever City were, it would enrage anyone and would be too late to do anything.


    I couldnt help but look at Yuan Zhou, who I was dragging along. He thought that we were unbeatable powers, but there was always someone stronger. Even those at the peak of their super organizations had to contend with other super organizations and threats. The more powerful one became, the more everyone else tried to drag you down and the harder it became to advance.


    It was survival of the fittest, both in terms of scheming and in terms of combat ability. If one did not have both, then they were not qualified to become stronger. And as frustrating as things could be, it did root out weakness. For the weak could only survive under the aegis of someone stronger than them. Yuan Zhou was lucky he was such a useful pawn on the gameboard. Perhaps he might even reach the rank of knight.


    Like all other weak cultivators I could tell that he wondered how strong I truly was as his superior. Even I didnt know. For only in combat would the truth be revealed, but that was a risky gamble unless, one was sure. I did know that Leader Han and I stood above other factions for a reason. People often mistook us as having protection deals from other factions, when they wanted us as protection for them.


    But numbers and the pursuit of them was one of the many traps of the powers out there in the Firmament. It created a poor mentality to fight the esoteric threats that existed.

 Chapter 79: A Higher Stage

    Chapter 79: A Higher Stage


    I woke up suddenly. My eyes quickly opened and my lungs gasping for air. Everything was incredibly clear in a way that was hard to describe. The currents of energy were subtly moving about me in a way I had never noticed through the walls and floors. Even the air, which was almost devoid of energy, I could pick up faint traces. I could feel these currents on a much deeper level and not just visually.


    I was in my room back in the TripleX faction. So, you are awake, I glanced over at the Head Servant who was sitting on a chair nearby. I saw points in his body where energy was circulating. Those had to be his body modifications. I was still trying to gather my bearings as he stood up. I was in the same clothing and equipment I had been in when I had broken through.


    How long was I asleep? I asked, my mouth felt dry.


    A few days. Now, get cleaned up and changed. Our Master wishes to speak to you, the Head Servant said and remained standing there looking at me. I got up and quickly went to the bathroom. Thankfully he didnt follow me. I took a shower and changed into a fresh martial robe. I made sure to put on my spatial rings and observation blockers.


    I looked at them, and that was when it hit me in full. I had alive and had broken through. I had done it. My cultivation was a mess, but it felt much stronger, better. I closed my eyes and focused before I left the bathroom. I could feel my soul in fine detail. I could also feel the organ pulse in my gut.


    Hurry up, the Head Servant called out. I would need more time to understand all the changes. I left the bathroom and followed the Head Servant back to Qiang Yous garden.


    I entered and he was sitting on his platform. I could see him much more clearly than before. Instead of a blinding beacon of energy, there were patterns and layers. The intricacies of his cultivation were immense, and I didnt understand any of what I was seeing. I also noted ripples of energy moving around the garden in tune with the energy inside his body. He gestured at me to approach, and I did. Junior Yuan Zhou greets Vice Leader Qiang You, I said with a deep bow.


    Sit, we have some things to discuss, he said, and I quickly sat. Any pain or immediate issues?


    Nothing, but I still need to assess my cultivation, I replied, and he nodded at that.


    A new path you have stepped on. The effort Leader Han and I exerted for you was considerable and cost us a great deal, he said. That wasnt a lie, but he wasnt listing out the benefits he may have gotten. But once again I could not object. There were also complications. I paid very close attention to what he was about to say.


    Most of your cultivation base was either wasted or used to step onto a new system of cultivation. That is something you will have to work out on your own, but there are two things that resulted from this. The first being that a Temporal Hunter managed to get pieces of your cultivation and we were not able to kill it. That did not sound good. Anything involving time was not simple.


    What this means in practical terms, is that if you enter the Astral Plane again it will hunt for you. If you are ever in a place in the Firmament that is unprotected, it will come to devour you. Ask your questions, Qiang You said.


    Isnt my soul linked to the Astral Plane? I asked and he nodded.


    Indeed. The standard paths of cultivation provide protection. I cannot say anything about the path you have stepped on. While in the Forever City you are fine, but outside of it you will be at risk. Since the monster consumed pieces of your cultivation, it will be able to find you again. You will not be able to kill such a monster before you break through to immortality, and even then it would be difficult. Which brings up the second thing we must discuss. You are being sent on a couple of errands from me to work at repaying your debt, Qiang You said. I wanted to discuss this monster that was after me a bit more, but he just plowed forward, uncaring about how concerned I was.


    How much do you know of reality? Qiang You asked.


    The Firmament exists in the middle with the Astral Plane and then Chaos below, I said.


    And above? he asked.


    Very little Vice Leader, I replied.


    That is understandable. I shall enlighten you before your departure. Reality exists as a cake. It took me a moment to process that last line. I sense your disbelief. And while it is far more complex in practice, for your simple mind it is the best metaphor. I listened closely as he continued.


    There are three major layers and two minor layers. With positioning dependent upon the usage of energy and causality. At the top layer, the Material, you have almost no energy, and near complete causality. At the bottom layer, Chaos, you have endless energy, and almost no causality. I figured as much about the energy, but the causality portion was something I hadnt really known.


    While there is correlation between the two aspects, they should be considered separate. The Firmament exists in the middle. Where both are equally in flux. Some even claim that it was a minor layer like the others, until many beings came to inhabit it over time as their preferred environment, including us cultivators. Risking causality, is worth than death. That is why the Astral Plane is as far as anyone sane goes. But what about the other way, what do you think? he asked. I wasnt sure why he was asking but I considered the question.


    A lack of energy. Cultivators would struggle, but our souls are linked to the Astral Plane. I am not sure what would even work if a cultivator left the Firmament, I finally said, and Qiang You nodded.


    Pain and stagnation. Energy is the singular resource that all desire. The higher up you go in terms of power and ability, the more refined one desires it to be. Cultivation links to the Astral Plane in a way that is safe, while keeping the physical body safe at the same time. There have been attempts to live on the Astral Plane, but they end in failure as monsters surge upwards from the depths of Chaos, Qiang You explained.


    Cultivators can close off that connection. You can do the same. But that energy is the fuel for ones progression. Instead you will have to find another way while running errands for me. As you go up, devices and equipment are more common. While our arrays and formations struggle. That is why the layer above us is called the Mechanical Divide. Ask your question.


    My attention instead turned to the task I had been given by Qiang You. While I hated how much I was in debt to him, I also acknowledged that I wouldnt have made it this far without his support and help. My first master Yi Rong had taken me in out of pity. I had nothing to offer. My second master, Jiang Fengge had taken me in out of hope for a better future for his sect. A long term gamble.


    Qiang You, was my master in another sense. He owned me with the amount of debt I had accumulated against his generosity. I noticed a trend. The higher up one went, there was less kindness and more focus on transactional relationships. But that was the nature of being immortal, you wouldnt be kind to those beneath you. It was impossible. Any person would wear themselves out emotionally.


    I rubbed my eyes as I thought about all the people I had left behind. The journey to immortality was a lonely one filled with hardships. I allowed myself this moment of weakness, since I had managed to make it this far. I did it, I muttered quietly to myself. It felt like a major accomplishment, and it was, but there was also a sense of loneliness.


    It was easy to imagine other cultivators that had started on this path and couldnt stop once they were on it. That was all they knew. It felt like all I knew. The singular focus on cultivation to get stronger.


    I got up and picked up the list I had been given. I began to read through some of the items that caught my eye. Dragon scale, a billion credits. Just got to kill a super beast. No problem there, I muttered and rolled my eyes. That was never going to happen. Knowledge fruit, ten million to a billion credits, based on the knowledge within. Lets go find a garden. Weapon that breaks causality, one favor. Maybe one will just appear? I looked around and no super weapon suddenly appeared near me.


    The Firmament may be infinite along with the other planes of existence, but that didnt mean these things grew on trees. Well the knowledge fruit might, but that was besides the point. Each of the items I could guess at were insanely valuable. I would need to do research on all of them. Create a binder of information on these items as well as looking up the Mechanical Divide.


    What goods would be valuable and that I could bring over? Would my equipment work? And what methods did I have for maintaining my cultivation while traveling? Qiang You hadnt explained all of this for a reason. I was expected to work it out on my own. Like a boss giving instructions and expecting their subordinate to fill in the gaps.


    As for success or failure, it was how much I managed to gather while also improving my cultivation. I was being let go. That probably meant that Qiang You had managed to gather enough value from my breakthrough he was willing to give me a longer leash. Or that the danger around me was too much. Beter to be a rat that was alive, than a tiger that was dead. As long as I was alive, there was hope for the future.


    Regardless, I didnt plan on complaining. I was done with the Forever City and cultivation society. It was as toxic as the air. That wasnt even a question in my mind. While Qiang You might appreciate its virtues, I did not. While the core of the Forever City might be slightly nicer, you can only have so much opulence, before it just didnt matter.


    With my expanded senses, I could understand why you would want a large environment, so you could relax ones senses over a larger area to not be constantly stressed. But Qiang You seemed to have reached that limit, taking up three entire levels of his tower with his garden.


    Looking at the information the sect had on the Mechanical Layer, there wasnt much. Just like with other layers of the Firmament, there was a tremendous amount of variation. Just like with cake types, now that metaphor was never going to leave my head after Qiang You shared it.


    The biggest issue was that the effects of arrays and formations would be far more limited unless the item was of high enough quality and imbued with enough energy. All my spatial items and almost all of my equipment were not rated for the Mechanical Layer. They would malfunction or just not work if I brought them with me.


    The only thing that would still function properly was my sword from my first master, One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth. It had served me well over my life and I was glad I would be able to find a use. The energy was imbued into the metal itself, which was what made the blade resistant to the changes in the environment.


    Everything else I had used arrays, formations, or the ambient energy in some way. While my blade would be lesser, it would still function. I was at the proper strength to wield it effectively now and use techniques with it.


    As for trade goods, it all depended on where I would be going, which would require a lot more research. Qiang You seemed content to just toss me off into the wilderness and see what would happen, hoping I would come back alive.


    The biggest issue was that there was a lot of degradation in the Mechanical Layer. The Material was what I would refer to as my old reality. Matter made sense, there were very little shenanigans. Things were stable. As for the Firmament, there were pockets of more solid existence, outposts on the frontier before the Astral Plane that I had been staying in.


    Material was being degraded slowly by ambient energy, moving upwards through the layers. It was a mess. Bones had been right, that the full Firmament was a place that was incredibly dangerous. The Mechanical Layer was far more chaotic. Which was why it was considered a lesser layer like the Astral Plane. There were very few long-term settlements. Everyone wanted energy, but the more they used, the more they depended on the stuff.


    Like a drug, they kept getting closer and closer to the bottom layer of Chaos and instant death, or a worse fate. I would need to make arrangements for my survival in terms of environment and traveling to wherever I needed to go.


    Like the Astral Plane, there was too much that was in flux on the Mechanical Layer. It made me wonder how things moved between layers. While Qiang You had described them like a cake, they clearly existed in a way that was far more complex than that.


    The fact that things were in flux made a lot of information useless by being out of date. It was painful to admit that the Forever City held such a prominent position, since it had been around for so long and acted as a rest point for cultivators that were traveling beyond its borders. Many other groups didnt have anything near as expensive or long lasting as the Forever City.


    That combined with looking up the items Qiang You wanted, might have driven me to despair, but instead I relished the challenge. The Forever City would be behind me and while I would need to repay Qiang You, it was not urgent. If I ever wanted to return to the Forever City for whatever reason, then I would need to show results, but that would be a problem I could sort out once I reached immortality.


    It felt wrong putting things off like that, but it was clear that Qiang You wanted to toss me away. He had gotten whatever value he could from me, and anything else would be extra. If I did succeed, then he could leverage the debt and the favors I owed him. If I died in some forgotten corner, he would shed no tears.


    That feeling was liberating. To know that I was going to be a free agent. While I would still have the backing of the TripleX faction technically, that meant next to nothing outside the Forever City. Super organizations did not respect other super organizations. The differences between them was too great. Now if I was part of the Heavenly Alliance, then I might get some respect from another cultivator super organization.


    The main thing was the ability to keep myself alive. Thankfully the TripleX faction had training levels I could practice on. I didnt want to work on my combat abilities, but I needed to get used to the improvements in my body, mind, and soul. Also I could refine my Force techniques even more and work on the sword techniques I had inherited from the Cloudy Moon Sect.

 Chapter 80: An Old Friend

    Chapter 80: An Old Friend


    I looked out from my room in the core of the Forever City. The air was clear. The buildings had windows, were colorful, and had the scent of flowers in the air. The outskirts of the Forever City truly were the slums.New n0vel chapters are published on


    There was even a touch of energy in the air, making me feel more comfortable. I hadnt noticed before, but once I arrived here, it was painfully clear. I sat on my terrace looking out at what could only be described as Cultivator Heaven.


    The tunnels between buildings were open aired walkways instead of closed in paths. There were statues and other works of ark about the place. What made it all the more shocking were the people who were here and got to enjoy all of this.


    The immortal cultivators living in the core of the Forever City rarely went out and walked about. This place was nice for their servants, or well their servants servants. Since anyone remotely important enough flew about. I couldnt tell if they were using some piece of equipment or technique. Regardless, it was clear that they looked down on the other cultivators.


    I looked up at the sky above. The true core of the Forever City was surrounded by a massive illusion, like the continent was. Well to call it an illusion was not correct. It was an immense formation, creating a bubble of enclosed reality. To take away that oppressive feeling the Forever City gave off for a much more scenic environment.


    If the outskirts were some dystopian hell this core area would be an uncaring heaven. I was waiting here, since Qiang You had arranged transport for me to the layer of reality above this one, the Mechanical Layer. Apparently with so much energy, it was easy to tear a hole between the Firmament and the Astral Plane.


    But going up was trickier and not easily accomplished. There was less energy to work with. Arrays and formations would struggle. That was why there were more technologically oriented solutions. Cultivators almost never went up, where there was less energy. Since every account I had read and looked into, indicated it was horrible.


    Going back up to the Material supposedly would strip away ones immortality if they werent strong enough. Strength would allow someone to bring energy with them internally, but it would be a limited resource. And techniques would struggle to work. An actual gun would be far more dangerous and actually threaten an immortal, where here in the Firmament, they eventually stopped being an effective weapon.


    I was staying in this waiting area for when a method of transportation arose. I had no idea where I would end up either. Almost no one traveled in that direction. They wanted to come here, or someplace like this. Possibly even a continent type of environment. For all its faults, the Forever City was the city of opportunities. Where fortunes could rise and fall in an instant.


    This room was Qiang Yous private residence in the core of the Forever City. I was staying here as a guest, so that when an opportunity arose for my departure, I would be ready to leave immediately. Even with a fast vehicle, there was no telling how long a transport method would wait around. Hence I was here, waiting for a lift to arrive any day now.


    I had been studying, and double checked my notes as I waited. As one descended, technology was less effective, while energy was more effective. And vice versa, going the other way. That was why my sword would be some important.


    There might also be an answer about my reincarnation that might be revealed. I had been hoping for something during my breakthrough, but nothing. It was one of the biggest mysteries about my life and very existence, which had no answer.


    I had occasionally thought about it, but it was a pointless exercise. Perhaps when I reached immortality I would learn the truth, or it just might be unknowable. Looking out at the lower servants walking about the beautiful walkways was something I never imagined in the Forever City without seeing it myself. The same reasoning applied to my reincarnation. The answer was out there, but until I came across it, there was no way for me to figure out an answer. It was all too possible for the answer to be something I had never considered.


    Well, I had thought about a lot of explanations, but there was no way to decide which one was right without solid data. I had discretely looked up this issue in the knowledge that the TripleX faction had out of curiosity.


    I had made sure to describe my investigation by looking into immortality and if reincarnation even was possible. The short answer was that it was complicated. The longer answer was that as cultivators got stronger, they became more energy-based lifeforms, like based on physical brain matter.


    That connection to the astral plane was something that was unique to humans under the aegis of the Forever City. That connection allowed cultivators to gather strength in the later stages. It was the lynchpin of cultivation.


    As for why cultivators didnt go running off into the astral plane, it was far too dangerous. It was too close to the layer of Chaos underneath everything. That was the reason that cultivators existed in the middle layer of reality, the Firmament. They didnt want to fight horrors from the beyond constantly.


    Whomever was the first cultivator to create that connection was a genius. The grandfather of cultivation, the first cultivator. Others argued that such a mythic figure didnt exist. Rather it was this way for all eternity.


    Regardless of the reasoning behind the connection, mine was going to be cut off. Thankfully I had quite a bit of time to recover after my breakthrough. If I had left immediately afterwards, there was a good chance my cultivation would have collapsed entirely.


    That risk, that pain, was the reason behind Qiang You sent me off to leave as quickly as possible. I had no doubt I had paid back his initial investment and then some. But he wanted me to get more for him, to be his debt slave.


    I would repay him no matter what. Having a senior cultivator as an enemy was not something I wanted. It would be hard, but I had faith in myself. I looked out at the people moving about in their martial robes. Even the servants were wearing them. For just a long and storied community, it was a rotting carcass of whatever system was in place before. Or perhaps it had always been that way? Another one of those questions with no clear answer.


    It was called the Forever City. I chuckled to myself as the same had a touch of humor to it. For an immortal society, it had very little creativity. At a certain point, everything would start to feel repeated. I had seen that from the lowered ranked immortals in the TripleX faction. They had been grinding for power, to climb up for so long, they had lost sight of everything around them.


    I had made the same choice with open eyes. The pursuit of power was about accumulating advantages over a long period of time. Cultivators who were too reckless didnt last that long. It made me wonder what the true pinnacle looked like? How powerful would one be at that point? More questions I had no answers to.


    Another thing that was bothering me was the human-like appearance of everyone, or at least cultivators. I didnt know what I should have expected, but it raised some major questions. I knew there were other races out there. I had seen some in my time in the Forever City. There werent many, but all the beings standing in the staircase while I had been sulking around were a great example of the diversity of this crazy city.


    There was a knock on my door. Enter, I called out. A servant entered and then bowed towards me.


    Mister Yuan Zhou, you have a guest, they did not give their name, but they had credentials. The choice is yoou they said. I wondered who it could be and who had the clout to be here? Rhiza was off the list due to how there was no way she had managed to get here and I doubt it would be Qiang you. He would have just barged in.


    Please, send them in, I replied and spun about in the chair I had been sitting on. People who could harness the fundamental aspects of reality to use techniques and liver longer werent idiots. Rocking chairs werent going to cut it. They hadnt cut it in the past and they wouldnt cut it going forward. I looked at the side of the room.


    Who is she? I asked out of curiosity. Since Qiang You already knew, it didnt hurt to ask.


    A favored son of the heavens who fell from grace, Qiang You said. That didnt answer anything as he swept back through my room and took a seat on a chair, while turning to calmly look at me. It was incredibly intimidating. I decided to relook at your past, and I found quite a bit.


    I didnt know how to respond to such a statement. Can I even betray anything? I asked.


    Your knowledge is invaluable. Many would want the knowledge of how to survive in the Forever City along with other information.


    I take it that I passed this test, since I wasnt murdered off right away? I asked.


    Yes. Being able to realize this was a trap was important. I am only looking after my investment, Qiang You said with a smile. You can teach many things, but you cant teach common sense. It is far more valuable than many realize.


    Also not betraying secrets, I replied heavily.


    Also, that, Qiang you said imperiously. And a reminder that I know your thoughts before you do. Your knowledge of energy is that of a toddler. I merely need to glance at you and I can discern everything you are thinking of.


    The observation blockers? I asked hesitantly.


    They work to an extent, but I have seen you without them. And you never switched them out. It was easy enough to alter them near instantly to see through them, Qiang You said with a grin, that felt far too sinister. There would be no running away was the point he was trying to make. I also see you have worked hard on my list.


    It would be a shame not to do research while I have the chance, I replied. If I was being sent on an errand to reclaim my life, I wouldnt be slacking off.


    Another reason why I am letting you scurry off. You could go beyond my reach, but I doubt you will take things that far, Qiang You said, and I bowed my head. He just chuckled. This was the true face of cultivation. Lies and deceit all around. But I wasnt about to stop moving forward just because of a little test.


    Thank you, Vice Leader, I said and bowed deeply.


    Indeed. I consider you a project. One that I have invested some effort into. To see if you truly are a phoenix feather flying high, or a cabbage on the side of the road. But enough talk about such things. Your departure has been arranged. You leave immediately, Qiang You said.


    I understand, I grabbed my pack and put it on. Qiang You just kept smirking at me, and I had to endure it. He knew how I felt and got enjoyment from it, which was what really annoyed me.


    Come, stand up, let us depart, Qiang You got up and I followed him out of the nice suite of rooms I had been staying in. I followed him through the tower. Getting to the Mechanical Layer safely is hard. While I could rip open a path, it is far more settled than the Astral Plane in some areas. That place has a lot of nothing.


    That was not something in the reading I had done. But it made sense. I wouldnt have to worry, but for someone weak like you, well that is just inviting trouble. Trying to set up a permanent connection is a bad idea for various reasons. And most vessels like the cylinder ships run on arrays and energy. Trying to go up, well they dont work properly. I didnt interrupt as I followed Qiang You, since he liked to hear his own voice while I got to learn.


    And the Material? I asked with a bit of interest. Qiang You let out a snort.


    You will end up in the void of some bubble of space. A lot of nothing. The Mechanical Layer is where things descend towards the Firmament. But it isnt as dangerous as the last chunks that make it all the way down here, outside the protective bubbles. Tell me, have you realized why you can travel about the astral plane, but not outside the bubbles we cultivators live in? Qiang You asked.


    That was a complicated question I had never considered deeply. There is energy in the Astral Plane, which connects to our souls, I finally replied after a couple long seconds of considering my answer.


    No. Well perhaps. But ultimately no. The rainbow light is the bleed over from the material breaking apart, back towards chaos. In the Mechanical Layer, it is called that and not some kind of Plane, since things are smashing togeather. Even with how much emptiness comes from the Material, there is still a lot of stuff. The danger is more environmental and less from monsters. The Firmament here is the best of both as it is with many other things, Qiang You explained.


    I can see you are wondering why I am telling you this? I used to teach and give enlightenment to people, Qiang You surprisingly shared something personal about himself. I explained things so many times, in my past, but it is exhausting. Now I only like to teach those that are worth my time. Yuan Zhou, you have my attention. Try not to die horribly.


    If I may be bold, the debt and throwing me in the deep end Vice Leader? I asked hesitantly.


    Cultivators are soft. I would rather throw a million people and have them fight over a single opportunity, than to hand such an opportunity to a single person a silver platter. Immortality is both a blessing and a curse. I know you have been watching this city outside your window and you havent seen any cultivators. This place is stagnant. It is a prison of our own design. A retirement home for those who have stopped trying for something more, Qiang You said, and I looked nervously around us as we walked across a walkway.


    Dont look nervous. The Heavenly Alliance knows this. But their purpose is to keep the status quo for all eternity. A bastion of stagnation. Most have given up the pursuit of power as it gets more difficult, only increasing their strength at a smaller rate each cycle. And we have not advanced as individuals or as a society, Qiang You said with disgust.


    If I was in charge, I would unite all cultivators and declare war on another super-organization. Fight to the death and repeat. Cultivators would get stronger over time. And soon nothing would stop us, but infinite itself, Qiang You had quite a bit of passion and he was a battle fanatic. So do not look on this as a punishment, but a gift. A gift to get stronger. One day, if you think you are strong enough, come and kill me. If you have surpassed me, then I deserve death. Battle fanatic was being too nice.


    Regardless, I would make my own future with my two hands. I had come this far, I was going to keep going no matter what. Qiang You was right about that. Immortality was just the first step of my journey and I was going to reach it one day no matter what.

 Chapter 81: Going Up

    Chapter 81: Going Up


    Welcome to the Elevator, I could hear the capitalization in the term. Also, the thing was massive. It wasnt at the center of the Forever City, but the structure was the size of nine towers combined togeather. I am your personal guide, Xi.


    I was leaving the Forever City. After breaking through, I was leaving to find one of many objects from a list Qiang You had given me. The immortal cultivator had left me here at the entry way and wished me luck. While I wanted to deny the huge debt I owed him, there was no way I would be able to.


    While he seemed cruel and uncaring, he had gone out of his way for me to survive my breakthrough and step onto a new path of cultivation. I still didnt know enough about him to understand his motivations. The most I could work out was that he seemed to want to invest in me, since I had succeeded in the past.


    There was no doubt in my mind that he would be able to find me if I ran away from the debt I owed him, but there was no time frame attached to it. The big obstacle now was reaching immortality and surviving. Apparently during my breakthrough, a monster had gotten a piece of my cultivation and was after me, a temporal hunter. That was the other reason I was leaving the Forever City to go up to the Mechanical Layer.


    I also wanted to leave this place. It was not a nice place to live or to try and make progress. The oppression by senior cultivators and other factions was a lot. Almost all the opportunities had been squeezed out.


    So how does this work exactly? I asked as my personal guide gestured for me to follow him.


    A hole between layers is created at precise intervals and the elevator is pulled through the hole between layers of reality. The lack of energy and the distance from the Astral Plane will be quite an experience, Xi explained.


    I already know. My techniques and equipment will lose quite a bit of power and I will struggle, is there anything else? I asked.


    No. The drop off point is one of seven points that the Forever City rotates between. You passage has been paid for as well as a return passage. The same rules exist at the drop off points. Do not bring trouble back with you. In addition a place has been arranged at Drop Off Point Number Five, where you can adjust for up to one cycle. Your stay has been paid for. After that you will be subject to the standard rates, Xi explained.


    How much are these rates? I asked.


    Ten thousand credits per cycle, he said and that was an absurd amount for just a place to stay. A cycle was about the length of a year, but in Forever City lingo. To charge so much for just a room for a year was far more than some of the slightly nicer places in the Forever City. The drop off points are quite small, and it takes quite a bit of effort to protect them. The usual methods do not work.


    Xi clearly meant formations and arrays, the foundation of all technology in the Forever City. Using symbols to shape energy to behave in certain ways. I had some understanding, but the study of such things was the work of a lifetime.


    After being led through a corridor, we came to the interior of the super tower that was hollowed out. There was a very large cylinder waiting in the middle of the tower, just floating there. A special cylinder ship, Xi said. Cylinder ships were often used to go between locations of the Firmament, like the Forever City and one of the many continents that supported it. But they tended to be smaller than the one in front of me.


    Why so big? I asked as I was led towards a walkway that led into the massive cylinder ship.


    Shielding, power cores, and other mechanical devices to survive the ascent. While there are cultivators with an understanding of higher-level technology, the production methods are not simple. It is easier to just upscale the designs to make it easier instead. Also, the traffic to the Mechanical Layer is fairly limited. Please, follow me on board. A private room as been prepared for your ascent.


    I followed Xi to a private sitting room. Food and beverages were laid out as I settled into a comfortable chair. Xi took up a standing position off to one side. I remembered back to how I arrived in the Forever City in steerage class. Now I was leaving in super first class. While I had obligations to fulfill, I was happy with the progress I made.


    There was a soft chime. We will begin ascending soon, once two more chimes sound. Is there anything you wish for while we wait? Xi asked.


    How long will this take? I asked out of curiosity.


    It depends, but it shouldnt be long, Xi said. After another hour of waiting there were two light chimes that sounded out.


    And everything is on track, Xi said with a smile.


    Do things ever go off track? I asked.


    Well, there could be a Cascade event, an attack, or several other things happening which would interfere. There is a limited window of ascent, Xi said and I didnt feel anything and could only tell that we were moving in some way by the traces of force energy lingering about in the air.


    What is a Cascade event? I asked. I had some idea from the reading I had done, but it wouldnt hurt to gather more information since I had been assigned a personal guide.


    When matter from the Material falls into the Mechanical Layer. Excuse my non-technical explanation, but when you have planetoids and other large objects impact the material already in existence, it can get quite hectic. Often times this falling of material breaks through multiple layers disintegrating apart. Fun fact, there is something called a star, a dense combination of gases. But after falling through the Mechanical Layer and into the Firmament and then the Astral Plane, there is nothing left but wisps of gas, Xi said. I blinked a couple of times and took a moment to process what he had just told me.


    Things just fall through? I asked. Wondering for the first time in a long time if Earth was still out there. My memories of my first life were quite distant, since it had only been a fraction of my total life.


    You would need to consult an expert, but once things start getting pulled through, everything in the Material bubble tends to get pulled along as well. And you get a Cascade where the denser objects just fall right on through. Some say that instead of layers existence is a circle as on the other side of chaos new bubbles in the Material form, continuing the cycle for all eternity, Xi said.


    I was told reality was a cake from one of my seniors, I said in a joking tone.


    That is another common interpretation. But no one can go through Chaos and survive, Xi said.


    Not even powerful immortals? I asked out of curiosity, to see what my personal guide would say.


    There are always exceptions that prove the rule. Unfortunately, I am not qualified to understand such things. I am merely a personal guide. Another chime went out. And that is it.


    Already, that was smooth, I replied and got up and then felt a bit dizzy. My entire body suddenly hurt and I collapsed back in my chair.


    Please take this moment to recover. Focus on breathing, it was hard to focus. I felt like my body was being ripped in two. My soul was trying to pull away from me. The cultivation organ that linked by physical body and soul felt like it was going to rip out of my body.


    Whatwhat is this? I gasped out. I felt like my body was trying to pull itself apart. Each breath was a struggle.


    That is the pain from the lack of energy, I glared up at Xi, but he merely splayed his hands to the side indicating that he had nothing to do with what was happening. The link between your soul and the Astral Plane has been greatly stretched. The process to draw energy to reinforce your body is that much harder. I knew that would happen, but I didnt expect it to be this bad.


    I tried raising up an arm or speaking, but it was a struggle. Before I could feel every movement of my body. I could feel each and every breath. The pulse of my heart. I felt super human. Now, all that was out of my reach. I felt like I just needed to stretch some more to be able to reconnect and it would be fine, but it wasnt.


    But arent there shops? I asked.


    When this place is busy, but that only happens once every couple thousand of cycles, if something of interest comes up nearby. Hows the goop? Hans asked.


    Like an orange mixed with old cheese, I said, and he laughed.


    Well eat up. I forced myself to eat. No more of your fancy food here. Leave your bowl in the recycler, over there. It will get cleaned eventually. Hans got up and I followed him. I would not turn away a person who was willing to explain things to me.


    This place was much different than how I imagined. Factions dont send anyone here? I asked.


    Better to send people out into the Firmament or other tasks. This place is only maintained to protect the Forever City from surprises. The outposts are supposedly arranged in such a way to detect anything headed towards the Forever City from this layer. Not that anything like that has ever happened.


    I followed Hans to the elevator which we took back down. Credits arent used here? Energy bars? I asked.


    Depends. Your stay is paid up, but you can do tasks to stay longer. The walls can always use a scrub. Most of the people here, are escaping justice from the Forever City. A great hiding place, if you can get here in the first place, Hans explained. The elevator let out a ding and opened.


    What about you? I asked.


    Long term contract. Also my mechanical parts would struggle if I headed down. But you dont need to hear my backstory. Lets take a look at the outside. Got to see what is happening, Hans said.


    No body modifications? I asked in surprise. They were quite common among the working and lower classes in the Forever City.


    Again, no arrays or formations. Ah here, the exit portal. We stopped in front of two large metal doors. Hans slid his key card into a slot, and it opened up. I followed after him through the airlock to the far door. The one behind us slid closed and I heard locks click into place. I was slightly worried right now.


    See the display to the side. All green, except temperature. Its yellow, which means a bit too hot or cold, but survivable. There were different lines labeled monsters, atmosphere, ground, gravity, and so on.


    Are they often green? I asked.


    Attempts are made to keep things green. Hans slid his keycard into a slot near the door and it slid open. I was hit by a blast of hot air. There was a lot of sand outside and floating balls of flame in the distance.


    What is all that? I asked.


    Just a sand biome. Pretty common with how often things get shredded. Probably a star Cascading through, hence the balls of fire. You can stick your head out, but dont step out, Hans said. I did so. The outpost was made of reflective metal on the outside. Looking up at the sky, I felt a sense of vertigo and stumbled back.


    What is that!? I asked in surprise and Hans took a look out.


    Oh a water biome is moving through. Going to get wet for a while. Hope we dont get any leaks, but at least we can refresh our reserves, he said after taking a look out himself at the ocean high up in the sky. The worst are the high pressure gas biomes that occasionally come through. Void is fine, but high pressure toxic gas is the worst when there is a breach in the defenses.


    I shakily stepped back and Hans removed his keycard. The doors shut. It didnt escape my notice that there was no card reader on the outside. How do you get back in? I asked and Hans chuckled.


    You dont. Once you leave, you are on your own. Well, there are basic communicators you can get, but they struggle to get through the armor. And finding your way around can be a nightmare. Thats why most people explore the Firmament instead and live in their bubbles, Hans explained. The outer door shut, and we made our way back to the inner one.


    I brushed sand off my clothes. But arent there people or beings to trade out there with? I asked.


    Sure, if you can make it to them. Cylinder Ships can go through the Astral Plane to travel about faster, but up here, well you have to travel across that hellscape, and good luck not dying, Hans replied as he led me towards a store.


    Smith, he shouted.


    What? a younger looking man with a huge bushy beard stepped out. Oh we have someone new around this place, Smith said.


    Hello, I am Yuan Zhou, I introduced myself and gave a bow.


    Smith. General outfitter. So, fortune hunter, exile, or something else?


    Fortune hunter would be the closest, I said, and he nodded.


    Well, if you need anything, you can talk to me. Going to go check the filtration systems, Hans said and walked away. The entire place suddenly shook and there was a loud horn that went off.


    The Cylinder Ship is leaving, come on in, Smith said, and I followed him into his shop as the structure shook some more. I noticed a lot of equipment in various states of repair.


    Welcome, if you are looking to head out from the outpost, well I will make sure you survive for a bit, Smith said. Got vac suits, personal shields, material processor for food and water.


    I dont plan on leaving any time soon. I am still adapting, I replied as the shaking got worse. Should I be worried? I asked.


    The shaking, is fine. There was a loud bang and then no more shaking. And the cylinder ship is gone. You came during a quiet time.


    Are there other places out there? I asked. There should be, but it seemed to be quite chaotic.


    Of course. But the real treasures come from civilizations that Cascade on down. Thats where we get a surge of people coming here to try and scavenge what they can. As for other places, good luck. Things shift about. While this outpost is anchored to an area with more material, there is a lot of void out there. But I have a material compass to track where there is a lot of density. Here let me show you, Smith said while he began to show me the various items he had for sale.

 Chapter 82: Leaving Into The Unknown

    Chapter 82: Leaving Into The Unknown


    I double checked my one spatial ring I had that worked. It had been downgraded to a small room in terms of size, but it was more than enough to store the solid energy bars that had been packed away for trade and a variety of equipment that wasnt based on arrays or formations.


    Speaking to the man named Smith I had spent the last cycle learning about the equipment I would needed to survive. The two main things were keeping an atmosphere to breathe and the right temperature.


    While material science might not be the strongest point of cultivation society, they were still incredibly far ahead of what I vaguely remembered about Earth. Supposedly the suit was rated up to one standard star. No idea what a standard star equated to, but that was what the suit was rated for. And it was a complete environmental enclosure. The power for everything came from battery packs, where the life span was measured in cycles, so quite a long time.


    The most expensive piece of equipment I had purchased was a small hover craft. It was big enough to have the cockpit, a storage area that could be accessed from outside in the back, and multiple power reactors. While I could address the basic technical issues, any serious problems, I would be completely out of my depth. Like a car, I knew how to replace the fluids, but had no chance at rebuilding the engine or drive train.


    Besides learning how to use the equipment, the rest of my time was spent working on my cultivation and getting used to being weak once again. I never felt strong, but now, I felt weaker than ever. I had gotten used to the feeling over time, but it was rough. Like there was something missing.


    I had eventually felt a small trickle of energy. Calling it a trickle would have been too much, but a drop every once and a while, fueling my cultivation, and my body so it all didnt completely collapse. It was like trying to suck up an ocean through a pump, but there was only a small dried out pond. My capacity was much larger for energy compared to what was available.


    No internal structures had been built to process the non-existent energy. I could barely see force acting upon the world. It was a struggle to progress in my cultivation. The longer I stayed here the more I realized that I was abandoned by Qiang You. Well, more like an investment he had gotten what he wanted and didnt expect anything more from me.


    The list he had given me was a statement saying that I wasnt to come back unless I was ready to pay back my debts. I couldnt stay at this outpost. It was a place to die, not a place to thrive. The threat of a Temporal Hunter could be real, or it might not be. The outcome was the same, banishing me from cultivation society so I wouldnt be his headache anymore. That was why I focused a lot of time on the equipment I would need to survive and travel.


    Smith, I greeted the man. He gave me a nod. It didnt escape my notice that the peoples names here werent in the style of the rest of the Forever City and their cultivation society. I had asked and he had traveled here from another society he didnt want to talk about and was hired to do various tasks in the outpost. I didnt blame him for not sharing. We all had a past, and I could see him wanting to leave his behind.


    Zhou, another lesson? he asked, and I shook my head. I had enough understanding of the basics of how my equipment worked that I wouldnt be completely helpless if something broke down. I didnt learn the fundamentals but knew the general purpose of the parts and how to replace them. Like knowing how to replace a fuse, but not understanding how electricity works.


    While I had learned how cultivation technology worked from Bones over the years we were togeather, that was completely separate from the principals that all this equipment worked on. There was no direct background energy to power source conversion.


    I am planning on leaving tomorrow. I have all the equipment I need, and know enough about how to repair it, I replied, and he set down the small force projector he was repairing and looked at me. I knew he was thinking about how this was it. Once I left the doors would close behind me and wouldnt be opened unless there was something major to recover outside the outpost.


    Well, I will miss a paying customer, but I understand. I waited since Smith knew what I wanted. He let out a sigh and slowly got up from where he was sitting. You know I am not going to trade it.


    And you arent going to get a better offer, I replied. It felt good to stretch my bartering instincts once again. I pulled out five energy bars from my spatial ring and set them on a table to the side. I knew he wanted them.


    They werent regular energy bars that were common down in the Forever City. They were specifically made to last up here in the Mechanical Layer and not break apart. Each of them was worth around 10,000 credits. It was a large portion of the wealth I had brought along with me, but I needed the item Smith had.


    Seven, he finally said, and I shook my head. That was way too much. What he had was incredibly valuable, but I would be crippled financially if I traded anymore. I had already reached my bottom line.


    Five is my limit like I said before. You have been here a long time and no one has made an offer. And you arent going to get another one in a long time if ever, I countered.


    I have gotten offers, but not enough, he said. I inclined my head slightly at that, not wanting to argue with him. There was a silence between us, and he was looking at the energy bars I had laid out. That much would see his personal wealth increase quite a bit.


    Well I have clearly offered the most out of the people who have passed through. If you arent going to take my deal, then I will be off, I said and lifted up one of the energy bars to put it back away in my spatial ring.


    Fine! You drive a hard bargain, five it is, Steve said. I paused and set the energy bar back down on the table next to me. Give me a moment. Steve went into a back room while I patiently waited. I didnt trust in his good nature, but violence in the outpost was something that was heavily punished.


    Any crime was basically a death sentence. Since everyone here had to live togeather long term and depended on the Forever City for supplies and support, it was in all their interests to not create trouble. If there was a mess, this placed would be cleaned up without hesitation, and the beings here replaced.


    There were ancient stories of such things happening that had become myth, but no one doubted them. While the Forever City might seem distant, these outposts exists under its protection.


    Steve came back with a hand sized box and held it out towards me. A compact energy wave compass. It was made out of stylized blue and gold metal, like nothing else in the outpost. It was not technology from the Forever City or made by any cultivator. It was made by another super organization. Steve had no idea which one, but it was designed to work on the Mechanical Layer.


    If it was taken into the Firmament it would explode due to how sensitive it was. Steve had showed me the device after I had taken to learning repair work and listed out its value for someone like me. It detected waste energy.


    While it was called a compass, it was really an astrolabe. Three rings connected on axis points, each one getting smaller than the next. This allowed the rings to spin. Inside each ring were incredibly tiny components and there was a hologram in the middle of the rings that gave a better visual display.


    That was why there was no map. And since cultivators were dependent on energy, techniques would be limited as well. That meant depending on technology like this hover craft and the compass I had. While there were probably a few cultivators that were interested in technology, it was probably viewed as a dead end for the most part, since technology had to be redesigned for the lower layers, and working out the use of energy would be superior in a fight and for survival.


    One wouldnt be a cultivator if they focused on machines to increase their strength. That would be one of the other super-organizations that existed out here. The fact that the Forever City had a path to the different layers was a testament to its strength. Most other super organizations did not have such a convenient and well protected path.


    I had to give the Forever City that much credit. While it was a horrible place, its level of development was impressive, especially if you were part of the ruling caste. I guess that was why the rulers set the city up the way they had. The purpose was to create a stable environment, maximize returns, and slowly accumulate strength.


    That was the way of an immortal cultivator, to wait for stuff to come to them by creating an environment where resources would flow back to them. The idea was like a gold rush. Only a few people would find gold and get rich, but the people who sold the shovels would have an enduring source of wealth they could rely on. That worked out great if you were the one selling the shovels. Not so great if you were the person trying to dig out gold like me.


    A day passed, and then another, but nothing showed up. I could still see the outpost on the astrolabes display. After ten days of traveling, the energy signature from the outpost finally disappeared. The food was horrible processed recycled goop. But I wouldnt change it for anything.


    Twenty days since I had left, no sign of any energy signatures. I spent my time looking out the front and side windows of the hovercraft, trying to spot anything as I stuck to the clear areas. The view never got old. After the endless yellow toxic gas of the Forever City and its gray buildings, this was a breath of fresh air that I had desperately needed.


    Thirty days after I had departed the outpost, things continued to be the same. While the view constantly changed, it was getting slightly old. But still I kept watch for anything that might not have energy, but be interesting to stop and take a look at. I had started focusing back on my cultivation since there was nothing much else to do. At least it was better than being stuck in a box for years and years at a time trying to get stronger.


    I could feel the slight trickle of energy coming into my body. I had less to work with, but that didnt mean I needed to be inefficient with it. I slowly saved up the energy my body drew through the layers. My body was like a dry sponge, desperately starved for energy. I felt weak and tired from the lack of energy, but that was to be expected.


    Forty days went by, and I had become a statue, only moving to handle my physical needs occasionally. The hover craft was quite small. Only a cockpit, back living area, and a tiny airlock out the back. One person could fit alright, two people would be cramped but possible.


    With the recycling systems on board, my mind and body would wear out before the hover craft did. The power source fueling it, would keep going for a long time. Cultivators preferred things that lasted a very long time. Unlike my distant life on Earth where things had a planned end use date. Cultivators wanted things that would work forever, otherwise what was the point of building them in the first place?


    I suspected that was a reason why guns were so unpopular. It was seen as a one-time expense. Sure, you would have a powerful attack, but there was probably a deep routed cultural stigma that I had pissed over the years. Having something last a year, let alone thousands was not something that was considered unless you lived for that long. No immortal would want to go shopping every couple of millennia.


    Too bad warranty sales or insurance werent a thing. But no one would want that kind of long-term risk and no one would pay out an ongoing fee. If stuff was destroyed it was really destroyed, but paying out a fee of some kind was seen as a waste of money. It was a shame, since that would have been a great way to make money, but it just wasnt possible for insurance to work without some kind of regulatory framework.


    And the only thing that cultivators hated more than free loaders were taxes or fees. For such a controlled and structured society, they really valued independence. My mind kept going on tangents as I sat in the cockpit looking out at different colored gases and chunks of matter. The lighting would change as well, which would produce dazzling effects, when a source of light was obscured.


    I felt like I was exploring a vast cavern at times that went on forever. Anyone out there? I asked out loud. At least with Bones, I had company while traveling about. I wondered if we would ever meet in the future, probably not.


    While the hovercraft could plot a course half a day out, things were constantly shifting. A passage that might have existed before, would be gone if I tried to return. This entire layer was moving, and the varying spatial and physical rules governing various portions kept the different areas defined, producing weird visual effects.


    On the 57th day, I spotted a large chunk water bubbling away on one side of a large chunk of rock, the steam being blasted around and freezing on the other side in a continuous cycle. Or on the 73rd day I saw a line of fire trailing through several clouds of gas, empty space, and melting anything solid it ran into. I gave that stream of fire a wide berth.


    Perhaps it was just a star compressed and elongated in a weird way. Or another time there was a storm of glass shards flying about, with some flying off into the empty space I was passing through, bouncing off the hover craft.


    These weird things were everywhere, and I stayed clear of the most dangerous. The hovercraft would detect them and go around as well, but something there was a manual correction needed. I kept checking for energy readings but kept getting absolutely nothing. It was the only way to detect any kind of civilization out here.


    The more I traveled the more I realized the true scope of what a layer actually was. It was infinite. I knew that intellectually, but to actually see large spaces over and over impacted my mentality. The speed I was traveling at was immense as well. The hover craft only gave relational speed.


    I would occasionally check with a passing chunk of rock or ice. I was going trillions of kilometers every day. Which meant I was traveling faster than the speed of light, but it didnt feel like it, and there were no weird temporal effects. There was no explanation or anyone to ask either. I knew I would be traveling quickly, but not this quickly when I had first set out.


    For all that I knew how to repair and troubleshoot problems, I was a mechanic at best. I wouldnt be able to say how everything worked. I had some ideas that formations and arrays were being used to break the rules that governed this place. Similar to how the vehicles in the Forever City were able to travel so quickly. They told physics to go cry in the corner and there was nothing physics could do about it.


    The only reason places like the continent I had grown up on and the Forever City existed, was to make the environment suitable for weak humans and comfortable for the ruling immortals. While they could survive a higher level of gravity, it wasnt worth it. When you live your life in standard gravity, you arent going to want to suddenly change.


    Thats also why the hover craft was comfortable for myself. Well maybe not comfortable with how small it was, but at least livable. It was designed that way to suit the human form. While there were non-human cultivators out there, the Forever City was dominated by humans, which was why human standards were used. It was a weird form of standardization that was just a natural part of cultivation society.


    After a hundred and thirty-nine days, I finally picked up on an energy signature in the distance. I looked at the reading again, and there was something off to one side in the direction I was currently heading. I altered course. Finally, there was something out here besides colorful gases and rocks. The view still hadnt gotten hold, but I was really hoping to find something, anything.


    Living the rest of my life in the hover craft was not something I wanted to happen. There was a slight fear that I would be traveling forever, never running into anything. There was no edge. I could just keep going forever and not run into anything besides raw materials.

 Chapter 83: Trade Deal

    Chapter 83: Trade Deal


    I looked out of the hovercraft at thousands of crystalline spiders. Their webs were impossibly black, drawing in light and my guess, providing the creatures sustenance. Also trapping unwary idiots who passed through their habitat.


    The area they inhabited was immense. They clearly had no natural predators but were only constrained by the number of resources available to them. It was hard to make out their pitch-black bodies. It was like I was looking at shadows and not actual creatures. Most of the background light was fairly dim in this area as well, which made me wonder if they were somehow influencing the terrain around their massive nest.


    Each of these black crystal spiders had to be at least the size of a large house, possibly larger. Where a cloud of gas was touching their nest in the distance there was a lot of activity there, allowing me to get a better view of the creatures.


    They were far too alien and dangerous for me to interact with in any meaningful way. It wasn��t even clear if they had a language or were able to communicate to begin with. I was exceptionally glad that I had taken my time approaching the energy source I had detected from an open direction where I had visibility.Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    I spent an hour watching the black crystal spiders move about. They were unsettling and amazing at the same time. While the risk of this trip was immense, I was glad to be able to see such a scene. It didn��t grant me any major insights, knowledge, or useful materials, but it was something new, that wasn��t the horror of the Forever City. It was a brand-new horror instead.


    Calling the creatures spiders probably wasn��t accurate either, but I had no better description for the hard to see multi-limbed creatures. Once I was done observing them, I set a course away from their nest. Well, the first location had been a complete bust, but hopefully I would find some others.


    Twenty seven days after I had reached the next, I detected another energy source and changed directions. The second thing I ran into out here, was a giant twist in space. Gas and other matter was being pulled in and disappearing. Only when there was a large amount of emptiness, that I was on the outer edge of, I saw the gas and other material disappear.


    There were some sharp lines as the direction of light was changed. But those lines were quite thin and were changing directions quite rapidly. A natural portal to a lower layer was my best guess at what I was observing. The energy content in the area was slightly higher as well.


    I could only stay in the area for a few minutes, since the terrain was rapidly changing and I didn��t want to go through any gas cloud if I could help it. I turned around and began to leave. Seven days out from the twist in space, I picked up another energy source and began making my way in that direction.


    A third point of interest, how exciting. Perhaps this was a more active part of the Mechanical Layer. It wasn��t like there was a map, but it did make sense that points of interest would congregate togeather for resource opportunities. Or it could all be a coincidence. The third possibility was that the Forever City cleared out anyone and anything nearby its outposts.


    If there was a way to engage in long range detection and mapping, then I could easily see other super organizations marking the outposts of the Forever City as locations to avoid. While cultivators might be hindered by the lack of energy in the environment and from their soul, I didn��t doubt for a moment that the Forever City had a way to respond to any attack.


    The fact they had this hover craft and other stuff treated mostly as junk clearly indicated they had much greater resources available to use if needed. Being able to transverse layers and defending those points was a key aspect for being a super organization was my suspicion.


    The third energy source was moving about, since the reading fluctuated in strength and direction I had to go in. Since I had a reference point from that spatial twist, it was very easy to tell that it was changing directions and it wasn��t just space being twisty. Since I couldn��t head in a straight line to the spiders or the spatial twist working out what the readings actually was more than just picking a heading.


    I turned a large orange gas cloud and then began to slow down. There was a large object in the center and lots of smaller objects moving around it. As I got closer, I saw they were giant metal ships. There was a beep and a blinking light on the control panel for the hover craft, which was labeled communications.


    The hover craft couldn��t reach out, but it could be contacted if the other party was using similar equipment. I hit the button. ��Klazglar umeti,�� a nasally voice said.


    ��Hello. I am Yuan Zhou and this is my hovercraft,�� I replied back. There was a stretch of silence that went on for over a minute. The fact that the communication light was still lit up, showed that we were in communication with each other. I kept watch and didn��t see anything approaching me.


    ��Do you understand?�� a different sounding voice asked. This voice had a deeper tone to it.


    ��Yes, I understand,�� I replied.


    ��Yuan Zhou of the hover craft, you are in the presence of Holy World Ship. You are to maintain your distance.�� Not friendly, that was unfortunate.


    ��Would you be willing to trade?�� I asked.


    ��At this time, the Holy World Ship will not be engaging with any cultivators. We will defend ourselves if necessary,�� the voice replied. Cultivators of the past clearly did not make any friends or a good impression with these beings. That was a shame.


    I had been hoping for some kind of trade to get more information at the very least. Since we could communicate, it would have been nice to try and accomplish something like that. ��Understood, I will be departing. Watch out for the spatial twist nearby,�� I said and turned the hover craft around. I watched the communication light.


    ��The Holy World Ship is interested in the spatial twist. We are willing to trade for its direction and distance,�� they replied. I felt my heart begin to beat slightly faster at this. Clearly their technology was lacking compared to what I had. I had leverage, now the question was, what could I get.


    ��Is someone speaking, or are you using a translator device?�� I asked.


    ��Translator device,�� was the reply. I definitely wanted one of those. The biggest problem was that I had no knowledge of how valuable my information was, what they had available, and the relative value of everything. I was trading completely in the dark with no information.


    ��I want a translator device and communication device and instructions to how they work and operate in exchange for my information,�� I replied. There was also the matter of trust, which would be a bit tricky.


    ��The translator device is small enough to be traded, with instructions in the language of cultivators. A communication device is much larger and tied in with other functions. Instead we offer, knowledge of the various powers nearby, as well as a waypoint beacon finder.��


    ��What is a waypoint beacon finder?�� I asked.


    ��Various powers use them to indicate their claim for a region and to act as navigation points. The range is immense, since they operate on a unique spectrum of enemy, that is easily located, but consumed only a small amount of power,�� the voice replied. Now that was a really interesting trade. I was probably being scammed, but I needed information so I wasn��t just flying around aimlessly.


    The next group I ran into might not be willing to communicate and might be hostile instead. Also, without knowing about these waypoint beacons, then there was no way to know if I was trespassing. ��Agreed, how is this trade going to work?�� I asked.


    ��We will send a small vessel to your location. It will release the promised cargo. The main portion of the database will be locked by a code. Once you have provided your information, we will provide you with the code to unlock the database,�� the voice replied. That was actually very reasonable. I half expected them to demand I give them the information first.


    My personal guess was that they didn��t mind handing out some minor equipment like they did for me, for information on where to go. Also, they might have known where to go already, but they took sympathy on me and gave me the equivalent of a starter packet in order to create a favorable impression.


    Friendly and knowledge seeking, but also very isolationist. For all I knew it could have been some kind of machine intelligence or hive mind. There was no way to tell. Sure, they traveled in metal boxes, but there were no markings on viewports I could see on the one that got close or the large ship in the distance.


    I began looking at the other groups near me. The biggest problem was that the waypoint beacons gave out a specific type of energy and there were only so many options like a wavelength. There were only so many colors to display and there was overlap between different groups and their beacons. Some groups changed their beacon settings occasionally, so boarders didn��t overlap if they ran into a neighbor.


    Reading between the lines, I realized that regions could be smashed togeather, since many groups were listed as missing. If a small region got sandwiched between two larger regions who wanted to crush them, that was just bad luck.


    Only super organizations could hold massive amounts of territory, but even then the boarders were fuzzy or undefined. It also didn��t take me long to realize that almost every group was listed as extreme danger. Clearly the Seekers were telling me to be careful. I didn��t know if I should be touched or annoyed. Couldn��t they have used a numbering or lettering system instead for comparative purposes?


    I wanted to find a group willing to trade. I had energy bars I wanted to sell and I had a list of useful items I was attempting to find out here. Unlike the rigid structure of the Forever City, the Mechanical Layer was wild. But the Forever City was a bubble that existed in the Firmament and outside a protected bubble it was much crazier.


    Still, that meant there were opportunities to find and trade things. Looking at the colors on the waypoint finder and very carefully comparing them to the pad I had been given, I believed I found a super organization that was open to trade. The Ek, were creatures that hosted a trading and mining platform. They would move about, taking in raw materials, processing them into trade goods, and reselling them. Their main export was large sources of processed metal, and they would consider taking other goods in trade. They also allowed groups to trade between each other as well.


    I reoriented the hover craft and began heading in the direction the waypoint finder indicated. Three days of travel and then I came into view of the structure listed on the pad. There was no reading from my energy detector either, which was incredibly surprising.


    The station itself was a giant cylinder, with one end sticking into a cloud of gas, sucking it up. The other end had a few super large metal and organic ships. They would dock with the end of the station and then depart. I stayed at a distance, but no one contacted me, and I couldn��t reach out, which was frustrating.


    That was why I took the time to observe how operations were being conducted. A smaller craft showed up after a couple of days and went to a side area that opened up and then closed back up. I did the same thing, approaching slowly.


    The communicator beeped. I had the clunky head set and mask on. There were a series of clicks coming from the communicator. ��Vessel. State. Identity. Purpose.�� The translator was monotone and clearly lacked stronger translation functions. Or it could just be how these things spoke.


    I came to a stop and then checked the headset to make sure it was in reply mode. It would translate back into the last language that was picked up. ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou from the Heavenly Alliance, looking to trade.��


    After a couple of seconds my headset began to emit a series of clicking sounds. ��Agree to rules. No fighting. Trade with no lies. No stealing.��


    ��I agree with those rules and will abide by them,�� I replied.


    ��You may enter. Opening. Now.�� A section of the cylinder ship opened. Geometric shapes were popular for some reason. Perhaps a convergent design philosophy. I carefully brought my hover ship inside and had to turn it to reorient. The wall behind me closed up and I set the hover ship down on a blinking square.


    Once that was done, I made sure to suit up, since I had no clue about the environment. The translator headset could fit over my breathing mask. I guess that was why the Seekers gave me a larger version, or did they just guess? I then left the hover ship and the gravity present was twice that of what I was used to.


    Looking around there was no one here. There were signs I couldn��t read and other markings. I was wondering if anyone would show up to greet me or talk to me, but no one came. It was a weird situation. There would normally be a customs agent, or someone from the government to ask questions. Like a gate guard.


    These Ek just didn��t care, which was incredibly unnerving. This behavior far more than the seekers was completely unnerving. It showed that I was dealing with things that didn��t have human thought processes.


    There was circular airlock, I went over to. There was a slowly blinking panel to the side. I tapped the panel and the airlock opened. I then entered and had to hit more panels to close the door behind me and open up the next one.


    I was greeted by a large multi-level open area inside the station. There were some creatures moving about in protective suits, but no dark cloaks. There were a lot of very weird body shapes. I noticed a small rat like creature accompanying each of them. A small rat creature that was half my height came over to me. It wasn��t wearing any mask, but had a protective suit on.


    It began uttering a series of clicks at me. ��Welcome. Ek greets you. Cultivator. I am Ek.��


    ��Greetings, I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou. Are you Ek or is that your group��s name?�� I asked, which was translated back into a series of clicks.


    ��Knowledge costs. Everything costs. Trade?�� Very mercenary, got it.


    ��I need to know the value of various goods. I have things to trade, but I need to know what they are worth and what you have,�� I said.


    ��Ek can build. Tell us good. We tell you worth. Currency is refined super steel ingots.��


    ��I need a better translator device. Communications device. I also want to know the price and abilities of any ships you might sell. I have energy bars,�� I said. If I was going to trade, I needed more room.


    ��Cultivator energy bars?�� The rodent Ek seemed a bit more animated at the mention of such a trade good. Clearly they were valuable.


    ��Yes,�� I replied. I could sense the greed rolling off the creature. I had one small spatial ring that worked to store goods in and had put in all the valuable items from the hovercraft into it before I left. While I could lock the vehicle up, it was better to be safe than sorry.


    ��Size of bars?�� the Rodent asked. I pulled one out of my spatial ring and it stumbled back in surprise. It looked at the bar and then at me. Its body was shaking a bit. How much had cultivators traumatized all their neighbors to get that kind of reaction to a spatial ring?


    ��This size,�� I answered. After half a minute I put the bar away. ��Your goods, how much are they?�� I saw the greed slowly replace the fear in the creature��s gaze. It was close enough to human that I felt like I could approximate some the tells its body gave off.


    ��Cultivator energy bars. Five hundred super steel ingots,�� Ek said. That felt low. I narrowed my gazed and focused on releasing a small bit of energy into the air around me. ��Thousand super steel ingots.��


    ��A better starting point. But your goods. How much are they? Do you have a list?�� I asked and my translator got to work. The Ek began to recite them from memory and I paid attention to what he was saying. Cultivator energy bars were the best source of condensed wealth out here and in high demand. Time to see how much value I could get out of them.

 Chapter 84: Alien Sensibilities

    Chapter 84: Alien Sensibilities


    Ek or one of the Ek, I still wasn��t sure led me to a large warehouse. ��Prince. Super steel ingots listed.��


    ��I can��t read any of this,�� I replied. The rodent like creature let out what appeared to be a grumble and then began to point out the items on the shelves and descriptions one at a time. I was able to pick up their numerical system after a bit of observation. It operated on a base eleven, which raised the question of why offer 500 super steel bars?


    Maybe they knew cultivators operated on a base ten counting system. Or were they offering that much based on their counting system. At least they had a large room of displayed trade goods with descriptions and amounts. Ek, who was escorting me spent hours going through the entire room and I carefully paid attention. The place was one massive warehouse. We finally came to the end.


    Anything more complicated than raw metals had a very clear markup. Their items appeared to run on basic electricity, but appeared to be compatible with my hover craft��s power source. Less hard connections like plugs and more pressing one surface to another surface. I guess when you have a range of technology, certain standards develop if you want to trade or use another civilization��s goods.


    I also noticed that most prices were listed as fractions of a super steel ingot. Clearly these creatures used the special steel ingots has low volume, high value trading goods. Also, the demand was probably pretty consistent if they used them as the benchmark of their trading.


    There had also been a six limbed figure in a suit walking about, being escorted by another Ek. Apparently customer service was very important, or they preferred to keep an eye on their guests.


    ��Is this all of the goods?�� I asked.


    ��Small goods, yes. Display single of bulk, yes. Composite goods, no. Information, no,�� Ek said, and I nodded.


    ��Can I get a preview of the composite goods and information?�� I asked.


    ��Composite goods. Expensive. Custom ordered.��


    ��You mean vessels or ships?�� I asked.


    ��Yes. Very difficult to make. Time consuming. Not cheap. Custom ordered. Pay ahead. Other build own.�� Ek said. If I wasn��t willing to make a down payment, clearly, they weren��t going to spend their time discussing the matter with me. That was annoying, since I wanted a better idea on what things were worth.


    ��Information?�� I asked. Ek shook his head.


    ��No trade information. Only raw materials. Information can be wrong. Can change. Very valuable.�� That made me wonder if those Seekers had scammed me.


    I considered the trade goods again. I had enough cultivator energy bars, I was going to spend one and get an array of stuff from this place. ��Need anything specific out here, that you are looking for?�� I asked the Ek and the creature shook his head. I thought Ek was a he, but for all I knew these creatures could have ten sexes or reproduce from clone vats. The Forever City produced humans as products so who knows what crazy things other cultures did out here in the Mechanical Layer.


    ��Many things. New things. Cultivator energy bars. All goods have price,�� the Ek said. I really wish they just had a list they were willing to hand out. But apparently they didn��t like writing down that much information. Only on tiny cards in a warehouse. It was a really weird way to do business. If I were them, I would give a list to each customer that visited in multiple languages.


    I also noted they didn��t sell anything organic. It would have been nice to try the cuisine out here, or at least look at it. But apparently they only dealt with metals and products made from those metals. I noted there were no plastics in any of the items they offered. There was glass which they used for their displays.


    Update the prices based on supply and demand, and then go from there. But this group appeared to want to handle things personally and explain things. ��I would like to trade for the following with one cultivator energy bar. A hundred super steel ingots, a portable gas extractor, a portable solids separator, a way finder beacon locator, two of your portable power units, and a compact short range communications device.�� I picked their more expensive items they offered.


    The total came to over 700 super steel ingots. I could see Ek taking his time after I had made the offer to think it over carefully. Or it could be secretly communicating with others of its kind to get approval for the transaction. ��Agreed. Items will be brought. Half loaded on vessel, then you give bar, then other half loaded on vessel.��


    ��Agreed I replied. Is there anything else to do here?�� I asked.


    ��Small area. Traders set up. But Ek offers best service. Take one tenth if trade here,�� Ek explained. I nodded at this answer. We left the warehouse area and made our way back through the trade area. There were very few shops open that I could tell.


    ��You just let people stay here?�� I asked.


    ��No trade food. No trade water. Others come to trade with Ek, few stay. Most leave. Very dangerous to travel,�� Ek said.


    ��So once our trade is done, I can walk around?�� I asked.


    ��Only in trade area. Rest of area for Ek. Clearly marked. Clearly labeled. Very upset if you leave area. Can leave by ship whenever you want,�� Ek said. This was a surprisingly lax standard for trade. There were no tariffs or anything else on their goods. I considered the fee on others goods to be quite small. The lack of trade was surprising by how they treated their giant cylinder ship as a free trade port.


    ��Why so little trade? Seems very quiet,�� I asked.


    ��Dangerous to travel. Many die. Quiet area. Many reasons. Ek travel slowly. Large groups don��t like Ek,�� the creature explained. I guess they might be the bottom feeders of the Mechanical Layer, maybe. It was hard to say. They clearly welcomed trade but had strict limits of interactions with others just like the Seekers.


    ��You wouldn��t be interested in selling your knowledge of your history or language?�� I asked. This question Ek took longer to respond to.


    ��Information no sell. Information is power. Trade information with others. Not Ek,�� the creature replied. Well that was unfortunate, but I clearly wasn��t going to get more answers on why their culture was like this. We reached the hanger with my hover craft and the metal crate with the goods were already next to it.


    ��Why sell metal refineries, isn��t that what you do?�� I asked.


    ��Small device. Ek build much bigger. Wish you luck if you want to build. Not simple. We make finished goods. We trade for raw materials,�� Ek said.


    That was kind of clever. They were creating a system that allowed others to earn money and trade for their goods. I loaded up the crate, I would unpack it later, and handed over the cultivator energy bar to Ek. Another crate was brought out from the airlock by another Ek on a floating platform.


    ��This has 100 super steel bars,�� Ek said. It was much heavier. I still was able to pick it up and load it on my hover craft. ��Any more trades?�� Ek asked me.


    ��Instructions included?�� I asked.


    ��Visual instructions. Pictures for each button. Very simple. New life can figure out easily,�� Ek said.


    ��I want to take a look at the other stores, but unless you want to discuss ships, then there isn��t anything else,�� I replied.


    ��If you need Ek, there is button over there close to airlock under panel. Push it, Ek will come. Any time,�� Ek said.


    ��Thank you, for showing me around and trading,�� I said.


    ��Ek will leave now,�� the creature went to the airlock and went through. Weird, very weird. Hopefully I could find someone who could give me a better understanding of this place. I left through the airlock as well and then there was another human on the other side. That was quick.


    ��Cultivator?�� they asked in a language I actually knew.


    ��Yes,�� I replied, and they let out a sigh of relief and visibly relaxed.


    ��I am Cultivator Yang Heng from the Heavenly Alliance,�� the middle aged man said with a smile.


    ��Cultivator Yuan Zhou also from the Heavenly Alliance,�� I replied.


    ��I am guessing you didn��t come to rescue me?�� he asked and I shook my head.


    ��Um, no. I was out here trading,�� I replied.


    ��Trading? Why bother with this trash?�� he asked.


    ��Um, I left the Heavenly Alliance to seek fortune. I am still figuring things out,�� I replied.


    ��Wait. Are you part of the super-organization itself or one of its feeder factions?�� he asked.


    ��Feeder factions, the TripleX faction under Master Qiang You,�� I explained. The man seemed to collapse inwards.


    ��Forgotten, completely forgotten. Left in the trash heap,�� he muttered.


    ��What is the problem?�� I asked.


    ��Come with me. We can go rest in my home,�� he said tiredly. I followed him to a nearby store on the multi-story promenade. He opened up a door for his shop, which was actually a home and then closed the door behind him. He waved his hand a couple of times and then took off his mask.


    ��Very well, but I have questions I want to ask,�� I said. If he was going to force himself on as a passenger then I would get every scrap of useful knowledge out of him.


    ��And I will try to give you any answers I have.��


    ��I need to progress my cultivation. Do you have any advice?�� I asked. He frowned and then stared intently at me.


    ��Give me your hand,�� he said and I held it out. I felt a pulse of energy go through me. Yang Heng��s eyes went wide. I felt a second pulse and then a third before he let go. ��You have passed the first bottleneck, somehow. But your cultivation is immense. I had thought you were one step away from immortality.��


    ��Any suggestions?�� I asked.


    ��If we were in the Forever City I would be able to consult the Lore Master on our histories and the Cultivation Sage for guidance on such a unique issue.�� Yang Heng clearly came from a very privileged background. If it wasn��t for his dire position, we would never come in contact with each other. ��I would only need to wait for your natural death, not kill you. But I shall honor my word. You engaged and completed all three cultivation methods.��


    ��Yes,�� I replied.


    ��Rare for one not of the Heavenly Alliance to accomplish such a feat. The resources needed for such an undertaking are no simple matter. Soul, body, and mind with a focus on the application of force. Your body needs energy, a tremendous amount.�� I listened closely, since this was an opportunity to actually get some real guidance. The elite of cultivation society clearly had more knowledge, wider perspective, and a greater heritage to draw upon.


    ��This isn��t a new cultivation method?�� I asked.


    ��It is a secret cultivation method that you have stumbled upon. One that was built upon eons of hard work from our ancestors. While you might have stumbled upon this path, without our society, and the Forever City which you deride, being in place, it would not be possible.�� I inclined my head towards him.


    ��That is true. I did have to work hard to get the resources and opportunities to get this far,�� I said.


    ��Beyond impressive. That was why I thought you were originally from the Heavenly Alliance. It is a secret technique. The faction that supported you will no doubt be wiped out once the Heavenly Alliance realizes.��


    ��What?! Why?!�� I asked in surprise. Yang Heng gave me a look implying I was stupid.


    ��Because it is the central pillar and core of our cultivation system that the Forever City uses. Eons of work to create a pathway to even greater power, while not losing one��s mind. But also, difficult enough that no one could easily accomplish it, or would be willing to take that risk.��


    ��I heard rumors about other people trying three-part cultivation,�� I said.


    ��But none succeeded, right?�� he asked, and I nodded. ��Anyone who does is taken in by the Heavenly Alliance, and those with the knowledge are killed or sent on dangerous errands to prove their loyalty. It is a good thing you ran into me, since if you talked about this with another cultivator you would be killed.��


    ��Maybe that��s why I was sent away?�� I muttered.


    ��Doubtful, but it is possible. To hide you away from the Heavenly Alliance. Still the knowledge is kept secret. I am willing to guide you, but you must swear to never divulge the steps beyond your current point.��


    ��That is surprisingly helpful,�� I replied.


    ��To have someone outside the Heavenly Alliance get as far as you have is a once an eon type of event. For the entire time the Forever City has existed, only three other cultivators are known to have accomplished what you have. You make the fourth.��


    ��Factions don��t try on their own?�� I wondered.


    ��They do. But three part cultivation is not simple as you clearly have experienced. Getting the basic structure right, spending the time and resources, it is a large investment. Why take the risk, when it is easy to use implants to grant immortality, or easily help someone progress on another path.��


    ��The Heavenly Alliance made the single paths easier,�� I said.


    ��Indeed, and it makes us all the stronger for it. The Forever City is named as such, since the top powers are qualified to create and defend a super organization against the many threats of the Firmament and adjacent layers. Not just the Forever City but the countless feeder continents that constantly bring in resources. They are all under our aegis of protection. Even here, the fear of retaliation of the Heavenly Alliance is real enough that the rats would not dare to offend me,�� Yang Heng said. There was the domineering and entitled attitude I had been expecting from a scion of the Heavenly Alliance.


    ��You used a similar cultivation method?�� I asked.


    ��Indeed. That is also why you are still able to draw in energy in the Mechanical Layer. The suction vortex created inside your soul, is powerful enough to draw up energy, as far as we are. But advancing further is even more difficult.��


    ��Shouldn��t it be easier?�� I asked.


    ��If you were in the Heavenly Alliance, then yes. If we could return, your advancement would be guaranteed, but that is impossible. You would not survive until the next clearing and our chances of being rescued are miniscule. But here in the Mechanical Layer, you are struggling to get enough energy,�� he said, and I nodded. ��I am curious to hear what you think the next step should be. It is rare to get someone in your position with no knowledge of what is to come. So I am curious what you think the next step in your cultivation path should be.��


    ��To construct some kind of internal filter mechanism to draw in more energy and alter it to what I need, using the suction conduit from my physical body to my soul and pillars I would use that energy to construct astral cores attuned to my Dao. The problem is building all of that,�� I replied.


    Yang Heng smiled. ��That is well thought out. Since you made it this far it is not surprising. That is close to the next step. But your soul needs to be strengthened first. Without that step, there is too much of a risk, that is damaged as you draw energy.��


    ��And how would I strengthen my soul,�� I replied.


    ��Through various alchemical potions. Then you would need an immense amount of energy to fuel the following steps of your ascension.��


    ��And do you know how to make these items?�� I asked.


    ��No. They are a secret of the Heavenly Alliance. While some people have made it as far as you in our history, it is impossible to go further on your own or even with a faction backing you.��


    ��Then why wipe out factions that have reached this far?�� I asked.


    ��While such potions are secret, that doesn��t mean recreating them or finding another method is impossible. Keeping a monopoly on the strongest cultivation method is a core tenant of your strength.��


    ��You sound like I am already part of the Heavenly Alliance?�� I asked hesitantly.


    ��You are. While not officially confirmed, your cultivation is enough to induct you as an Inner Member. While lesser cultivators can join as Outer Members, they can go no further. And you have used our cultivation method, no other group would accept you with open arms.��


    ��So that��s it. I just need to strengthen my soul and find a way to draw in lots of energy,�� I replied.


    ��Simple to say, much harder to put into practice. Once your soul strengthens, you can draw more energy through while also hiding it.��


    ��It is on the Astral Plane, how does that even work?�� I asked. I never really understood how my soul could be separated by layers of reality.


    ��It isn��t your soul exactly, but the point at which you draw energy into yourself. The purpose of cultivation is to strengthen that connection. Your soul is the portion of your body that exists as energy. This can be sensed when you draw energy from the astral plane. Too strong and you will be detected by the things that lurk there,�� Yang Heng explained.


    ��That connection is all important and a key weak point of cultivators. That is why soul cultivation is the most popular method, to strengthen the soul and hide this weakness. The other methods such as body and mind, struggle much more in this regard, since hiding that connection is much harder. The first bottleneck is creating that connection.�� I listened intently. This was a completely new perspective on everything I had already learned about cultivation.


    ��Changing the connection after it has been created is nearly impossible. That is what immortals struggle with, increasing amount of energy they can draw and use. The second bottleneck, is moving your consciousness from your physical body to your soul, or the energy that makes up your body. You fail, and you are dead.��


    ��But succeed and you are immortal,�� I replied.


    ��As long as you have energy. Other cultivators would slowly die here in the Mechanical Layer. That was why whomever sent you here was sending you to die. Well maybe not, since you aren��t an immortal yet. But your physical body would quickly break down from the lack of energy to maintain its youthfulness.�� I had a lot to think about as my perspective on cultivation shifted once again.


    ��And karma?�� I asked out of curiosity.


    ��Is a higher-level concept we immortals use. Energy can be affected by thoughts. Negative thoughts directed at an individual would bring them bad luck and the reverse is true as well. It is subtle, but important. Increasing one��s connection to draw more energy after you have gone that far, is quite risky. Low karma will often lead to failures, while high karma increases the chance of success.��


    ��That seems simple enough,�� I replied.


    ��In theory. In practice it is far more complicated. Immortals constantly study such things, but the nuances are complex the deeper you study the interactions that come from energy.��


    ��And Dao?�� I asked.


    ��Specialization. It is always better to specialize. Force is a very good choice and has a wide range of applications. I use foresight, myself.�� That raised even more questions.

 Chapter 85: Too Much Knowledge

    Chapter 85: Too Much Knowledge


    ��The patterns of energy that create formations draw upon higher sources of understand that have contaminated the energy or attuned it. That��s why there is a home field advantage, and how energy interacts with symbology,�� Yang Heng explained the answer to another one of my questions without any hesitation.


    As he explained, I wasn��t asking anything that was secret, merely knowledge that wasn��t spread about or understood. ��My apologies senior, if I have gotten carried away,�� I said as I realized I had been asking questions for a while now to sate my curiosity.


    ��It is no problem. I too had many questions, and my seniors gave me the answers. One day you will be in my position,�� Yang Heng replied. He really had warmed up after learning about my cultivation. Apparently the rest of cultivation society were cannon fodder, servants, and the lower classes. It was just a matter of getting back to the Heavenly Alliance. But that was incredibly difficult.


    ��I was planning to look at the other shops before we left,�� I said.


    ��It is all trash,�� Yang Heng replied with a shrug. ��You can take a look, but the rats have better goods. The beings living in this small section are the desperate and stuck.�� I knew he was referring to himself as part of this group of beings.


    ��Why look down on all of them?�� I asked out of curiosity. Yang Heng stared at me. ��They aren��t human, but the Ek seem to have a working society.��


    ��I suppose it is understandable seeing such a wonder. But the hover craft you arrived in, is far better than this floating pile of junk. As a cultivator, our power comes from energy. The ability to draw it into ourselves, shape it, and then use it. These Ek are the remains of some race that has sunk down from the Material to this layer.��


    ��I don��t understand, unless you are saying beings should be judged by their energy?�� I asked and Yang Heng nodded.


    ��Indeed. While there are powerful super-organizations that use technology and science. The power of energy eclipses everything else in reality, since with it the very rules can be rewritten. Even weakened like I am, I could crush this place with the energy I have.��


    ��And you didn��t demand a vessel?�� I asked in surprise.


    ��They won��t trade one and then I would have to honor my word and destroy this place, leaving me to drift along to be picked up or die. Better to wait, for someone like you to show up,�� Yang Heng explained. ��If you want to look around, I won��t stop you. But I guarantee, the best items are trash compared to what is in the Forever City.��


    ��Since they don��t use energy?�� I asked.


    ��Some of their items do, but they aren��t efficient with it. Our society has streamlined the process of harvesting and using energy to the extreme. Perhaps in a couple of ages these Ek might become powerful enough to risk going to the Firmament and trying to develop there. But it is doubtful they would last long,�� Yang Heng said.


    ��It is more dangerous I take it,�� I replied, and he nodded.


    ��This is a barren layer in terms of life. The environment is hostile due to how it changes. But the Firmament outside the bubbles of reality is far worse. Various things have an easier time surviving as well as thriving from the amount of energy available. What is your guess why the Astral Plane below that is also desolate?�� Yang Heng asked me.


    ��Things that come from Chaos, beneath that layer, if I had to guess,�� I answered.


    ��Exactly. While the energy is rich, the danger is immense.��


    ��I have to ask, is there an end to cultivation?�� I asked.


    ��Hahaha, I asked the same question to my tutor when I was young as well. The limit is the amount of energy you can safely wield and draw upon. The amount of energy is infinite, but the ability to draw upon it, or harvest it is not. Past a certain threshold you risk greater dangers,�� Yang Heng answered.


    ��Monsters that break the rules, like traveling through time. I was told I had one chasing me once I broke through the first bottleneck. Is this true?�� I asked.


    ��Most likely. But if we return to the Firmament, it would be easy enough to protect you.��


    ��And you can��t make a portal, since there is no energy,�� I replied and Yang Heng nodded.


    ��The higher the layer, the greater the boundary between layers. The Astral Plane is the bleed over from Chaos. To cross into the Material from here, is almost impossible.��


    ��The Heavenly Alliance maintains the outposts to make such a trip easier?�� I asked and Yang Heng nodded once again.


    ��Correct. If I was in the Firmament, it is a simple matter to make a portal to the Astral Plane. But here, there is not enough energy to be wielded so freely. True power comes from machines, devices, and whatever dregs of energy can be scrapped up.��


    ��So, I need a lot of energy to advance my cultivation, and everyone wants energy,�� I replied.


    ��Yes. The paths to the Firmament are strategic resources for the super organizations controlling them. It is not a simple matter to go down a layer.�� Yang Heng shook his head and let out a sigh. ��To get the energy you need for your cultivation is no simple matter either.��


    The more we discussed, the more I was warming up to Yang Heng with how helpful he was being. ��The only option is to explore.��


    ��It is risky, but better than waiting here,�� he replied.


    ��I still want to look through the other shops before we depart,�� I replied. He gave me a nod, but didn��t stop me from leaving. I considered just leaving right away and leaving Yang Heng behind, but I hesitated. He had shown me trust and not every cultivator was a scheming old person.


    The fact he most likely had a more stable upbringing as a treasured scion of the Heavenly Alliance, would give him a more balanced view on life. Also, he might directly attack me if I tried to leave without him. I had no idea about his level of power, but it was sure to be considerable. The concepts and knowledge he had showed his background was not simple. While anyone could lie, very few people would have knowledge of fundamental concepts.


    I looked through the few other shops and he was right. Limited selection of goods, and I saw nothing that the Ek didn��t have in some version that was slightly better or newer. I made my way back to my hover craft and Yang Heng was waiting for me at the airlock.


    ��Find anything?�� he asked.


    ��No,�� I replied.


    ��Not surprising. I used to check the markets here occasionally for anything, but there is nothing worthwhile.�� We went through the airlock to the hover craft. ��A small scouting vessel.�� We entered and I began to close things up and get off my gear.


    ��It all seems so simple when you explained everything like you just did,�� I replied.


    ��Ha, what I have told you is the result of eons of investigation and accumulation. And what you ask aren��t really secrets. I wouldn��t share them with others, but you are a cultivator who has stumbled onto the path our Heavenly Alliance has laid out. Each cultivator that has achieved what you have is quite precious.��


    ��Can��t you just give resources to reach where you are?�� I asked Yang Heng.


    ��There are limited resources, competition is fierce. Only the most deserving are allowed to advance after strict tests and evaluations. Out of ten thousand children, I am the only one to make it this far.��


    ��Ten thousand?�� I said in surprise. That number seemed high.


    ��A small number, I know. But it is easier to provide resources at a lower level and monitor progress for a longer period of time. The ones who fail aren��t killed but become servants or soldiers. Some even leave to try and advance like you have, but that is near impossible. You advancing this far on your own, is beyond impressive. So, while you are weak compared to me, I can��t help but respect how far you have come.�� Yang Heng inclined his head towards me.


    ��Thank you senior, for your kind words.�� I got up and bowed deeply back. ��I need to think on what you have explained so far.��


    ��Take your time. If for some reason there is an emergency and you need to break my trance, say my name and I will rouse. Otherwise, I asked to be left to rest. If something interesting shows up nearby, I will sense it and wake up. You won��t wake me if you move about or make noise, so don��t worry about being quiet.��


    ��Of course senior,�� I replied. Yang Heng settled in on the only bed. That was annoying, since I would be sleeping in the cockpits chair, but I couldn��t tell the Immortal cultivator who was traveling with me, was polite, and answering questions not to lay on the bed.


    I closed the cockpit door and settled in as the hover craft moved through empty space. I had forgotten to ask why this place was so static, with some areas filled with gas, and other areas were clear. But then the answer was obvious, energy. Spatial dimensions and environments were segregated.


    Then there was the question about imprints that were part of energy itself. That was very concerning. Were they influencing me in some way? How could a particle retain an imprint? What was the particle made of? Or was this particle smaller than an electron?


    I had countless more questions that had come up from the answers I had been given by Immortal Yang Heng. But I knew not to keep pressing. While he seemed like he would answer, thinking about his answers was not a bad thing. It also wasn��t like he was going anywhere. We could be stuck togeather for a long time, since I doubted, he would get off to stay with any other faction, or trash heap as he liked to refer to them.


    He was also right in that the information he had given me had little use beyond satiating my curiosity. He had all the answers but the ones I needed. At least I wasn��t on the wrong path with my cultivation. But that made sense if the Heavenly Alliance suppressed knowledge of three part cultivation.


    I thought back to the Cloudy Moon Sect, how even after their destruction they had preserved knowledge. It was but a drop in the bucket in comparison to the Heavenly Alliance. A drop in the ocean actually. Even the TripleX faction was a frog in a well, only seeing a small part of the sky and thinking they knew the truth.


    It was depressing to finally get answers, with simplest explanation being the right one. Everything was constructed by the Heavenly Alliance for the purposes of retaining and gathering power. Power in terms of energy to use and cultivators willing to defend their interest.


    I noted that while Yang Heng was annoyed with the Heavenly Alliance and how he was stuck out here, he never really criticized them. The criticisms were more about his predicament and the local beings trying to survive. That sense of superiority never diminished, not even for a moment.


    Thinking about my situation, I needed a bigger vessel than this hover craft. Unfortunately, it appeared to be much more advanced in terms of getting around than anything the locals produced. My guess was that it used energy to manipulate space in some way. It wasn��t fast, it just appeared to be fast.


    If there was one thing cultivators were good at and took pride in, it was there ability to manipulate energy. It would make sense that their vessels did the same thing. While I knew the various systems, and how to do basic maintenance and repairs, I didn��t know a lot about their inner functions.


    Traveling at the speed I did, made me think of the vehicles in the Forever City.


    But creating and countering such forces here in the Mechanical Layer was several orders of magnitude difference. And unlike the Forever City, there was no one to care if space itself was manipulated. While there was almost no energy, that didn��t mean there wasn��t any energy. The hover craft might be manipulating the small amount energy around the craft itself.


    That was the challenge when you could bend the rules and even break them. There were multiple ways to accomplish the same task. I could also see why cultivators would use a vehicle. Someone like Yang Heng could survive outside, but constantly propelling oneself vast distances was probably not an easy task. If it was possible, it would also be a distraction if a cultivator had to fight, talk, or do other tasks.


    So, while they didn��t like tools, and the hover craft was the bare minimum, it was highly capable at the tasks it was designed to accomplish. Namely, getting a cultivator from one location to another very quickly.


    My original idea to trade did not look so good. There were no huge markets and both groups I had run into seemed very self-sufficient. The one thing everyone wanted, energy, was what I wanted as well. I watched brilliant swirls of gas pass me by as I considered my options.


    There weren��t many beyond fly about and hope I run into something interesting or beings willing to trade. But there was nothing that others had that I wanted. Maybe a bigger and more powerful craft than the one I was using, but that wouldn��t be cheap. Even the Ek did not like selling vessels and put a premium on them.


    I then realized why that was. It was energy. However they got around, it had to be energy for traveling this fast. Otherwise, a person would die of old age before they got anywhere. Even an Immortal would get worn down. My guess is that is what happened to Yang Heng. He couldn��t propel himself through space fast enough or safely enough.


    What I needed to do was to find a source of energy, or someone who was willing to trade a lot of energy. But considering how much the Ek were willing to trade for one energy bar, was not a good sign. The more wealth I got, the greater the risk. Also, I might get far enough away from the Heavenly Alliance that they were no longer known.


    The Mechanical Layer was infinite after all. The same with the other layers of reality. There was no loop around either. I could head in any physical direction and I would still be in the layer. Good news was, that since it was infinite, there had to be some way out here for me to progress. Bad news, the place was infinite, so I could be looking around for a long time.


    My current destination was listed as the super-organization, Shield Spheres. They were open to communication and weren��t instantly hostile. I should have asked Yang Heng before he went into a trace, but I had been caught up with all the other information he had given me. Once we got in range to see them, he should wake up.


    Were the beings there actual spheres? Or did they just make powerful shields in the shape of spheres? It was an interesting question, since everything was translated. My guess was that the translator worked based on energy in some way. How else would there be a universal translator?


    Then I realized that was why the Ek sounded like they were struggling to form full sentences. The translation device was struggling to pick up their intent while my replies were likely understood in full. With the lack of such a device for sale at the outpost, cultivators probably had a technique they used instead.


    I should have asked Yang Heng to teach me some of those basic techniques. He was probably waiting for me to do so, and then would talk about how cultivation is superior to technology. After everything I had seen, I wasn��t entirely sure. I am sure there were super-organizations that leveled technology to a much greater degree than the Heavenly Alliance.


    It took me a moment, but I think I recalled a super-organization called Replicators, or was that just a description. While my memory was quite good, certain things I just didn��t pay attention to. I had lived for a long time and if it wasn��t important to me, the memory would fade. Was there a machine army out there? I saw very little in the way of high technology. The closest things were the pads that were used in the Forever City, but that was more energy and cultivation techniques, than actual technology.


    There were no holographic displays on the Ek��s vessel and the goods didn��t seem to have a high degree of automation. A risk of subversion for more technological systems perhaps? If energy could break the rules, it was easy to see a technique countering most technology. And how would an energy particle interact with other particles?


    Well, things were looking up. Yang Heng hadn��t brutally murdered me and was quite agreeable. Was it just luck, or a higher force at play? I didn��t like my actions being controlled, but I had taken in the cultivation of other cultivators. Were there hidden dangers I needed to be aware of?

 Chapter 86: Traveling Onwards

    Chapter 86: Traveling Onwards


    I looked at the giant floating metal orbs in the distance. Their surface was reflective, which made looking at them a blinding experience. I had to squint to view the floating spheres in the distance, just casually drifting along.


    I heard movement behind me and saw Yang Heng slowly waking up. I had left the door open between the cockpit and the cabin. ��Good morning senior,�� I said politely.


    He shook himself and then came to the cockpit looking out in the distance. ��We should leave,�� he replied.


    ��May I ask why?�� It took a while to get here, over seventy days.


    ��The Shielding Spheres are an enemy of the Heavenly Alliance.��


    ��Aren��t all other super organizations enemies?�� I asked.


    ��Yes. But we have come into conflict in my life time. They will not trade anything useful,�� he said.


    ��What are they�� I asked.


    ��Massive bio-organic constructs. Each of those giant reflective spheres are their bodies.��


    ��They are massive,�� I replied in shock.


    ��Yes. And their thinking is completely inhuman. Their path to power involves building upon themselves more and more, while sharing insights with their fellows. While they are fairly weak with how they use energy, their technology is quite advanced,�� Yang Heng explained.


    ��Were they always like that?�� I asked.Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    ��Beginnings and ends, are not so easy to decipher. They were probably organic beings, since they have organic components, but added more and more to themselves. Then they integrated into their vessels and grew out more. Now they have reached the plateau of what they can accomplish through technology, they are clearly trying to gather energy to reach new heights, like all other beings on this layer,�� Yang Heng explained.


    ��Trade isn��t going to be easy,�� I muttered. What did a moon sized reflective sphere even want? The stuff I picked up from the Ek seemed like a joke now.


    ��Trade is near impossible between super-organizations, since they are self sufficient and all desire the same things. I would call the Shield Spheres a high level organization. They can compete with the Heavenly Alliance in this layer, but they have no presence in the Firmament. The smaller factions don��t have anything worthwhile. We should move on and try to find another cultivator society we can contact. They will have a way for us to get back to the Forever City,�� Yang Heng replied.


    ��So the only option to get resources is to fight?�� I asked.


    ��Or find what naturally appears. Very few super-organizations truly fight. Once you claim territory, you are rarely going to go outside of it. There are always exceptions, but you can only expand so much, before there are organizational issues,�� Yang Heng said.


    ��Which is why the Heavenly Alliance doesn��t expand?��


    ��The boarders are kept meticulously clear. But no, we don��t expand. Long term stability is far more important. And those at the top have all the energy they need. The higher up you go, it is less a question of resources, but more a question of talent, foundation, and knowledge.��


    I looked out the front of the cockpit and let out a sigh. ��There are no other cultivator societies listed in the information I got,�� I replied.


    ��Well, just keep traveling around. There is a saying, if you head in a straight line long enough, you will eventually run into something and everything.�� The communicator lit up. I looked at Yang Heng who merely shrugged, clearly leaving the choice up to me.


    I pushed it down. ��Hello, this is Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance,�� I replied.


    ��You will depart immediately. You are in violation of our territory,�� a very rigid voice came over from the other side. That was unfriendly and unwelcoming. I didn��t want to get into a fight with a group that Yang Heng knew their name.


    ��Understood, leaving now,�� I replied and turned around the hover craft to go a different direction. I turned off the communicator.


    ��A shame they are strong enough to survive. Killing them and harvest their corpses would have netted some worthwhile resources,�� Yang Heng said casually.


    ��I do have a question. Why didn��t the Heavenly Alliance notice me before?�� I asked.


    ��Did you go before one of the core members?�� Yang Heng asked me.


    ��No. At least I don��t think so,�� I replied.


    ��Then you have your answer. Our foundations are much greater than others. While it requires a lot more investment, we can also achieve greater heights. Also was this before or after you got through the first bottleneck?�� I asked.


    ��Both,�� I replied and Yang Heng nodded.


    ��Again, we have many outer members, doing a variety of tasks. But the main combat power resides with us, the core members.�� That made sense. The TripleX faction had many servants and me. While we were part of the faction, there was a big difference between individuals with differing amounts of status. You aren��t going to share your secrets with someone not in the trusted inner circle.


    ��Just traveling around, leaving things to chance is the only option then?�� I asked as I turned to fully face Yang Heng. There probably wasn��t another option, but the longer I was out here, the more worried I was becoming about long it took to find something useful. I had always focused on my cultivation before, and it was frustrating not to be able to do anything right now.


    ��Divination. A dangerous skill to use,�� Yang Heng said with a shake of his head.


    ��Why dangerous and by how much?�� I asked.


    ��Those who are skilled enough can look back at you. Have passive defenses against such things. While rare, if they are skilled in such uses of energy, active defenses. We would be like a beacon to any hostile forces as well. It is too dangerous. I understand your frustration, but you have had the fate to get this far, I am sure you will get further. I am curious about what you have done. Tell me of your journey to reach this point,�� Yang Heng asked. Since I had been asking him questions it was only fair.


    I told him how I had been born on a continent, how I was declared a genius, my hard work, joining the Cloudy Moon Sect, the trouble with Aoyin, the help of my former Sect Master, and then my travels through the Forever City. He listened intently as I narrated my life story.


    ��And now, I am here,�� I finished.


    ��You are beyond fortunate, but out of trillions of lives over the ages, a few will always make it eventually. Circumstances and events will align.��


    ��Is that how the Forever City started?�� I asked and Yang Heng laughed at that question.


    ��Perhaps. The beginnings of super-organizations are often shrouded in mystery. To protect the origin point of such an organization.��


    ��A high level movement technique. One Step Across The Heavens. The sickness you feel isn��t from the technique, but the new spatial conditions in the area. Come, we aren��t that far from the energy source.�� I followed Yang Heng through triangle shaped corridors.


    ��How is there gravity?�� I asked.


    ��That is my doing. I am enforcing the spatial rules I prefer onto the environment around me. A useful technique for going anywhere in any condition.�� That really was useful.


    There were markings on the walls I couldn��t read. ��Anyone ever try to get information about these civilizations?�� I ask.


    ��There is no point. They come, they go, they matter not. Only if you are at the level of a super-organization is it worth remembering your name and deeds. Anything below that is just a waste of time and thought,�� Yang Heng answered. It just seemed weird not to care about history. But I suppose when your history is forever, you learn to not care about the things that don��t matter to you.


    He easily burst through a metal door. A hologram appeared of a tentacle like creature. ��Quish ha, pa-�� Yang Heng swiped his hand through the air and whatever was projecting the hologram burned out instantly. He didn��t even care about these beings�� last message for whomever found their tomb. After a couple more doorways, we entered a massive space that was so big, it was hard to see the other side.


    There was a massive cylindrical complex at the center of the space. I could see various openings in the rock all around the edge of the area we just entered. There was a dampness to the air. ��This was probably all underwater at one time,�� I said.


    ��Liquids don��t do well in the Mechanical Layer. Not in a space this large. But there is an atmosphere,�� he replied as I followed him.


    ��Weird physics things happen, for why the atmosphere doesn��t drain out?�� I asked.


    ��Yes. That massive structure is an overly complicated energy compressor. The idea is to use some energy to draw in more energy.��


    ��So, a way to a lower layer?�� I asked.


    ��That entire facility draws less than one thousandth of the energy you are currently drawing right now. Its just been sitting for ages, slowly building up an accumulation of energy. Eventually it would either shut down and this place would break apart, or keep building up over time and this place would suffer a massive failure. That��s also when all the nearby bottom feeding factions would descend on this place to try and scoop the energy here.��


    ��Its too small,�� I replied.


    ��Exactly. If reaching the Firmament was that easy everyone would do so.��


    ��Can��t we copy the design, and build multiple of these structures?�� I asked.


    ��And that is how you get a visitor coming up from the Firmament when the local energy is going down and they detect something like this. And if you spread them out, well you will be vulnerable. And if you are strong enough to defend a large swath of territory in the Mechanical Layer, you have the strength to carve out a chunk of territory in the Firmament,�� he replied.


    ��So you would go to the Firmament, but keep outposts up here to keep an eye on things, to make sure no other super organization moved into the area,�� I replied.


    ��Exactly. If you want energy, the Mechanical Layer is just too poor. And if you depend on technology, then you won��t care about energy. But no one only cares about technology who exists on this layer. That might be one of the few absolutes. I have yet to see or hear of any faction that discards energy to focus solely on technological development. If one has, they were most likely wiped out pretty quickly.��


    ��The amount of energy is quite large from what I can sense. What are you going to do with it?�� I asked.


    ��I am going to make it into a crystal and give it to you. I can tell you are surprised, but if there is any hope of you advancing, then you need energy to nourish your body. For someone like me, it is nothing but a credit lying on the ground. Normally not worth my time picking up.��


    ��Thank you, senior,�� I quickly said. I was surprised that Yang Heng was being so generous.


    ��A cultivator who has made it as far as you is a treasure. While you might not agree with the Heavenly Alliance, you will return to the Forever City one day. Once you have become an immortal, explored, and have lost interest in most other things. Then the Forever City will become that much stronger. Even if you don��t return and want to chart your own path, you are a cultivator that has stepped on the chosen path all on your own. That is incredibly rare. To learn of a fifth person who has gone as far as you is important to the Heavenly Alliance.��


    ��That seems weird if I am already on a path they know,�� I replied.


    ��While the path might be the same, your method of getting as far as you have is what is valuable. While you have explained your cultivation choices, my seniors would like to take a look at you. Each time someone has walked down the path the Heavenly Alliance has created and not part of the Heavenly Alliance has added to our understanding of cultivation to refine our insights. Knowledge like that is what is valued at the higher levels,�� he explained.


    ��Which is why you haven��t killed me,�� I answered and he chuckled.


    ��You are hopelessly nai?ve, but you have a strong will. No one has dared ask me questions in a long time. And while I could chart my own course, as long as I am not stuck on a garbage barge, then I don��t mind. This could be considered a vacation from my duties,�� Yang Heng replied.


    ��I am afraid to ask, but how high up are you in the Heavenly Alliance?�� I asked. I realized I was dealing with a big shot. I had thought I was dealing with some minor officer. But Yang Heng was higher up than I had first thought. I had no idea about the structure of the Heavenly Alliance, but he wasn��t at the bottom, that much was clear.


    ��High enough. No need to say such things where they might be overheard. While talent in Divination is rare, it is never wise to take chances. This should be close enough.�� He brought up both of his hands and held them out. I felt the energy inside the large cylinder building in front of us shake. The entire ball of rock was shaking. Dust and debris was falling from the ceiling.


    ��Compress.�� Yang Heng didn��t speak as he unleashed a burst of energy. The building in front of us began folding in on itself. The shaking got worse. Soon there was a ball of metal floating between the top and bottom of the broken cylinder building. Yang Heng gestured towards himself with one hand. A dark brown crystal ripped free from the large ball of metal, which Yang Heng stopped supporting the structure in mid-air and let it fall with a tremendous crash onto the bottom of the pillar.


    ��Here, that should help,�� he handed me the crystal. There was a lot of energy in that crystal.


    ��What about their technology?�� I asked. Yang Heng shook his head.


    ��Trash and garbage. Any technology advanced enough to be useful, tends to be too dangerous to safely use. Brace yourself, I will return us to the hover craft,�� he said before moving quickly behind me. Everything spun and my stomach heaved as we arrived back next to the hover craft in a blur.


    We entered the hover craft and I removed my gear before setting off once again. The hover craft shuddered a bit after a minute, and I turned it around to look back. The massive planet was ripping itself apart. Yang Heng looked over my shoulder.


    ��A shame,�� he said.


    ��That massive planet breaking apart?�� I asked as it compressed in certain spots and exploded in others. It was less breaking, and more violently tearing.


    ��The energy was creating a unified spatial effect. Once it was removed, the entire area is changing. That is why energy is superior to technology. Eventually technology will hit limits that can��t be solved, since it must obey physical rules,�� he explained.


    ��Any advice on how to use the crystal?�� I asked.


    ��Draw the energy into your body to help nourish it. Beyond that there is nothing special you need to do.�� Yang Heng then went back into hibernation as I set off once more. It was tempting to be distrustful of him, but he had been nothing but helpful.


    There was nothing to do but absorb the energy from the crystal as we made our way through the Mechanical Layer hoping to find something useful. As I slowly absorbed the energy from the crystal Yang Heng had given me, I hadn��t realized how poorly I had been feeling up to this point. The energy was like a glass of water, I didn��t even know I needed with how dehydrated I was.


    My body and mind felt much better as I drained the energy from the crystal. As for building any structures within my soul, I had nowhere near enough energy to make that happen. While the crystal had a lot of energy, it wasn��t an endless amount. After twenty days, the energy contained within was all gone. It was still better than nothing.

 Chapter 87: Reverse Questioning

    Chapter 87: Reverse Questioning


    ��Explain why implants are counter to cultivation,�� Yang Heng said. The immortal cultivator had apparently been amused, probably annoyed, that he was questioning me to make sure I understood the concepts he had explained. Right now, we were covering alternatives to cultivation since I was concerned I wouldn��t get enough energy to reach the second breakthrough.


    ��I can think of two reasons. The first is that they are tools. Most tools cannot gain cultivation. Once they are made, their foundation is set. Any tool that can grow is incredibly dangerous, since to grow would require intelligence. Anything with intelligence would never willingly give up power. And if they are constrained that would lead to inherit risks,�� I explained.


    ��The second reason is that one��s body would be compromised along with one��s soul. Integrating stuff into one��s cultivation is fine, but separate tools that remain static might give a short term boost, but will ultimately create a hard cap compared to one��s body,�� I finished answering.


    ��Your understanding is improving. Another important factor to consider is something that we have only touched on, but the further away you move from your current body, the greater the risks to your soul. Being too malleable comes with inherent risks. So even if cultivators could integrate tools or change their body, the seams and cracks would remain in their cultivation,�� Yang Heng explained.


    ��No easy shortcuts out here,�� I replied with a sigh. I was becoming more and more worried the longer we traveled and there was nothing useful. My ideas about trading were rapidly becoming more unrealistic by the day.


    ��That was why the Forever City was created, but for independent cultivators like yourself to get this far, normally you would be located by the Heavenly Alliance, before you were sent some place like this,�� he replied. It was annoying that everything would have proceeded smoothly if I had just remained in the Forever City.


    But there was no going back at the moment. Even Yang Heng confirmed that the outposts would remain closed no matter what, until there were enough resources for cultivators to come out and collect them or they were attacked. And if attacked, the response would be massive and disproportionate. He was in the same boat, or hover craft as me.


    The key difference was that he had an endless amount of time, while I was on a clock. How long I had to live was an unsure thing. The unique aspects of my cultivation, the lack of energy, my age, and other factors played a role in how long I would live for.


    There were the occasional sources of energy we came across as well that Yang Heng kindly turned into crystals I could slow absorb. ��What are some of the other super-organizations out there in the Firmament?�� I asked.


    ��Things change constantly. Since spatial points aren��t fixed. Normally they are put into categories based on how they use energy. Sentient beings who use a regulated and personal approach to energy are cultivators. There are offshoots of the Forever City out there. Cultivators who thought there would be a better path,�� he replied.


    ��And similar super-organizations are friendly to each other?�� I asked.


    ��There are no allies or friends. But everyone has their own territory. Unlike the Mechanical Layer, it is easier to use energy to keep territories separated, or smashing into each other too much.��


    ��The continents are a buffer?�� I asked.


    ��Indeed. Like farms surrounding a castle. We can afford to lose them and rebuild them later on. The beasts make for good guard dogs and a way to filter energy.��


    ��But there was only one beast immortal? How is that a farm?�� I asked.


    ��Is there, or are they killed and the pressure that created one, makes another? I can��t say exactly how the faction running the continent you come from did things, but that is often the case.��


    ��And the rest of it, is just a distraction, the same with the other factions in the Forever City,�� I replied with a slight frown.


    ��Foot soldiers and outpost commanders. The varied cultivation styles you grew up with, allow us to determine the best techniques against an enemy force. And the truly serious threats are spotted well in advance. Replicators are the absolute worst. A devouring wave that spreads out from their origin point, creating an expanding wave in all directions, consuming all in their path.��


    ��Like an artificial intelligence?�� I asked.


    ��Or some kind of organic creature. They all fall into the same category. Then you have Ancients, singular beings like Dragons who can harness energy naturally or through a unique method. Artificers who focus solely on tools and equipment for cultivation. There are other categories, but they aren��t a concern unless you are a civilization.��


    ��Because they would easily defeat both of us and can��t be bothered as long as we don��t bother them,�� I replied and Yang Heng nodded.


    ��Any purely energy based lifeforms are the ones you need to be truly weary of. For they are the most dangerous.��


    ��Don��t cultivators look to move their body from the physical to energy based as the second breakthrough in cultivation?�� I asked.


    ��Yes. And my warning stands. Fighting such beings is incredibly difficult. While not so much here on the Mechanical Layer, in the Firmament or the Astral Plane, the power we can wield is immense. There are very few functional civilizations out there that aren��t cultivators. That shows that the strength of our method of using energy is the strongest, but the fact it is also stable. What is a common theme that we have come across while traveling?��


    I considered the question carefully. ��Either groups are strong and isolated, or weak, or destroyed,�� I replied.


    ��Different methods of using energy are incompatible with each other. And while it is an unlimited resource, there is a finite amount that can be used. Creating a stable society in such turbulence is not easy. I know you dislike the Forever City, but it has stood as a bastion of civilization for a long time.��


    ��Unless you are at the bottom,�� I countered.


    ��People are allowed to live and then die. And even the poorest in the Forever City can get implants to live on. They will have to work, but nothing is free in life. And you yourself have shown mobility is possible,�� Yang Heng replied.


    ��Out of trillions of cultivators, only a handful have gotten this far on their own,�� I countered.


    ��It isn��t easy, but it is possible. Other societies would cut off all routes of progression for their lesser members. The Heavenly Alliance is named as such, since it is one of the nicest places in the Firmament to live,�� Yang Heng replied.


    It was hard to process that information and how disconnected it felt from reality. But I also couldn��t refute Yang Heng��s claims either. The Forever City was a toxic hell, but even a toxic hell was still a place people could survive. In the inner and middle layers, there was a high degree of safety as well. While life was cheap, the immortals running the place weren��t heavy handed. They got their way, but they didn��t oppress everyone around them constantly.


    I had been given chances. While I had to seize them and risk my life, there had been a path forward for my advancement. I couldn��t deny that. If there had been no travel to the Forever City, if everyone arriving was forced to serve a faction, and countless other small things weren��t in place, then I would have failed a long time ago.


    The fact that the Heavenly Alliance did not grip their fist tightly and let a couple grains of sand slip through their fingers was their argument they were better than most other super-organizations. ��Which groups are better?�� I asked.


    ��I wouldn��t say better, just different. Any that come to mind are other cultivation based societies,�� Yang Heng answered. I nodded and then noticed that a source of energy had been detected. I altered course to head towards it.


    ��I never expected an energy based lifeform to hide in the Mechanical Layer. It took me a moment to realize, but we are inside a bubble of reality, the conforms to the outside of this structure. That was why I couldn��t detect it at first. These things aren��t even alive. Whatever is here and controlling them, would do the same to us.��


    ��We could have tried talking,�� I protested.


    ��And sink further into the illusion of this bubble. That cannot be allowed to happen.�� He began walking and then paused to turn and look at me. ��You don��t agree?��


    ��We could have tried to leave. Now, we have to fight,�� I was very upset about being put into this position. We might have been able to trade information and supplies, but Yang Heng instantly resorted to violence. The corpses were nothing but exploded smears upon the metal floor.


    ��You are being influenced. It is subtle. Clear your mind Yuan Zhou, focus upon your cultivation. Push away external influences. This place is a trap, a very well concealed trap. If I use my energy to reveal what is truly happening, you would claim that I am the one to deceive you. See past the material, see the flow of energy through this place. Sense the forces at work,�� he explained while staring at me.


    Was he really telling the truth? I focused and there was some small amount of energy lingering about in the air. But it could just be exhaust or from the corpses. ��There is some energy in the air, but I can��t tell anything beyond that.��


    ��I have not lied to you or concealed information. Do you trust me?�� he asked. If he wanted to kill me, he could do that at any time. There was no need for him to ask me that question, unless he really was serious.


    ��Yes,�� I replied and he walked over.


    ��I am going to share, my sight with you. You will feel a pressure. You can resist, but it should clear up your vision.�� He placed a hand on my head and I felt like my head as going to explode. After a few seconds he took his hand away and everything was hazy.


    The corpses looked like bundles of threads and watery. The structure itself had a malleable appearance to it, with veins of power running through the structure like the entire place was alive. ��Is this place alive?�� I asked.


    ��In a sense. It is a bubble of reality separate from the rest of the Mechanical Layer empowered by the energy at its heart. The corpses are being absorbed into the structure itself. It is slow, but it is occurring. Even our energy is being affected, as we are being smothered by the thinnest sheets of energy. Cloaking our minds, vision, and thoughts.��


    ��When did this start happening?�� I asked.


    ��It started far away. Which is why I didn��t detect anything at first. I am skilled, but not invincible. Unless you are highly trained and sensitive to such things, it would be near impossible to notice, blending in with the background. Now that we are here, look at the metal door we came through. It has sealed itself into becoming part of the wall of this place. We have been moved away from the outside, deeper into the structure.�� How?! I didn��t notice that, but Yang Heng was correct from what little I could tell.


    ��I could escape, but what then? In situations like this, the best option is to crush whatever is creating the affect, killing it.�� I quickly got out my gun and my sword. I hadn��t used them in a while. I held one in each hand.


    ��If this place can move, won��t it stop us?�� I asked.


    ��No. Since I am creating a small bubble around both of us. The hover craft will be fine as well. We are the real targets, for our souls. Whatever is controlling this place will want us to draw out more energy for itself.�� That did not sound good. ��Follow me, cover my back. I will have to exert myself and we have a long walk ahead of us.��


    ��How far?�� I asked as Yang Heng moved towards the door to this chamber.


    ��Far, but not that far. We are near the source of energy, but there will be many barriers in our way. Close so it can process us and not escape, but not close enough to create a danger to it.��


    ��And what is it?�� I asked.


    ��No idea. Such things are common though and one of the many dangers you must look out for.�� Yang Heng gestured and the metal door peeled apart in either direction. The sounds of gunshots rang out, but Yang Heng stopped the projectiles in mid-air and gestured once more, killing the creatures who had been shooting weapons at us.


    I checked behind and above us, nothing thankfully. I would keep looking to make sure I did my job. ��I will have to exert myself. There will be no time for talk as we advance. Stay close.�� The metal corridors were lit with a soft blue light and were soon coated with the creatures�� blood.


    Yang Heng did not slow down for anything. Obstructions were ripped away, creatures crushed, and our advance through this place did not slow for one second. Twice, I fired my gun as a creature tried to sneak up behind us. The larger groups Yang Heng detected and killed quickly by himself.


    Hour after hour, we made our way through endless metal corridors, varying length, size, and width until we came to another doorway. There were signs on the wall, but I could not read them. Yang Heng seemed to know where he was going so I didn��t question him. The more we advanced, the more my vision began to go back the way it was before.


    Maybe Yang Heng was manipulating me? These creatures had been willing to talk at first. Now we were killing them relentlessly.


    ��Yuan Zhou, focus your mind,�� Yang Heng said without turning around. I winced at his recrimination.


    This place was influencing me. No matter what I had to trust in my senior. I saw a small child like dog creature approaching from the rear when I checked behind us. ��Too obvious,�� I muttered and fired my gun. It was blown apart. I made sure to hurry after Yang Heng. If I lost him in this place, there was no way I would find my way back even if the path didn��t change.


    ��We are getting close. Ready yourself for more intense combat. I will take the brunt of the attack, you handle whatever I miss,�� Yang Heng said.


    ��Got it,�� I replied, while making sure my gun was loaded and checking around once more. We came to a larger set of doors and they were ripped open with a single gesture. Instead of peeling like they normally did, they compacted slightly and floated forward.


    ��Kill the intruders!�� the shout of one of the creatures from the next room was translated. I heard more weapons firing and impacting the floating metal doors. A group of creatures was rushing around the side to flank our position after we advanced through the doorway.


    Yang Heng gestured and four of the five creatures exploded. I fired my gun, killing the last one he had missed. I could tell he was struggling at the moment. The metal doors suddenly went flying forward and I heard several creatures cry out. A group rushed in from behind just as I finished reloading. I killed two with the gun, but there were another three.


    I hated fighting, but we couldn��t stop now. I cut down one easily with my sword and retreated as the other two tried to leap on me. Yang Heng turned and gestured, exploding the two remaining creatures. I looked around and the front of the room was complete and utter carnage. He killed everything in the short time I had only killed a couple of these creatures.


    ��They are not alive. They only parody life. There is only one thing truly alive here, whatever is at the heart of this place. Do not concern yourself with their fates. See, that is the head from one of them in the hanger. They are constantly being recreated and sent against us.��


    ��Got it,�� I said even though I couldn��t tell one beak from another of these sex legged dog creatures. I reloaded my gun once more as I continued to follow Yang Heng past the killing field to another set of large doors.


    ��Time to break in and deal with the thing that is behind all of this. Ready yourself Yuan Zhou,�� he said and I nodded.

 Chapter 88: High Level Conflict

    Chapter 88: High Level Conflict


    Once Yang Heng pulled the doors apart and we entered, there was grass and plants beyond the threshold of the ripped open doorway. He waved his hand and I could feel the metal floor beneath me shake slightly but that was it.


    ��What do you see?�� he asked me.


    ��Grass, trees, but it is very dark,�� I replied, and he frowned. ��Is it an illusion?��


    ��I am not sure,�� I could hear a touch of concern in Yang Heng��s voice. The only other time he had seemed off kilter when he forced me to take him along when we first met. He looked back behind us and waved his hand again. The floor shook once more. He was probably using a technique to sense his surroundings. ��I can still sense the hovercraft, and I am using its position relative to ours to work out exactly where we are. But I have lost track of whatever is at the center of this place.��


    ��You think we are being moved about,�� I replied.


    ��It is testing us and using the hovercraft to give me confidence in our position, while it slowly hid itself. We enter into that grassy area beyond this doorway we will likely be trapped until we are slowly worn down. It can��t beat us directly, so it looks to slowly sap our strength and turn our minds.��


    ��A wide area attack?�� I suggested.


    ��I would be too weak afterwards and the damage would be limited. No, it wants us to think we are winning while always staying one step ahead.�� I really hoped he had an answer, since I couldn��t get out of this situation myself. As we continued to stand around while Yang Heng thought about the situation, I heard a shout.


    ��Help!�� I turned to see a young human child rushing out of the darkness. I didn��t hesitate, but brought up my gun and targeted the individual. Yang Heng turned to look at me as the child like figure disappeared after I fired. He reached out and lightly tapped me on the head once more.


    The familiar grass and plants beyond the doorway turned red and curly. They were clearly not human plants. ��Thanks. How was I fooled? The energy, there was force, there was a child?�� I asked.


    ��A high level technique. That is why it is better to just kill things and sort through the wreckage instead of trying to trade,�� he replied. ��Well, the good news is that this thing��s combat ability is fairly weak. Bad news, it that I am going to have get serious.��


    ��So forward?�� I asked, looking nervously at the alien plants beyond the doorway. I was surprised no more of the six legged dog creatures with beaks had shown up yet. But they hadn��t posed that much of a threat as we had made our way here.


    ��There is only one obvious path. Let us keep following it, for now.�� We crossed the threshold, as I followed Yang Heng closely from behind. My mask keeping out the surrounding atmosphere as we made our way along a dirt path.


    ��What is this place?�� I asked.


    ��A shrine most likely. Nature and plant life are quite rare in the Mechanical Layer. Often they are the remnants of civilizations that have been saved over the eons. While an interesting curiosity, they are best destroyed,�� Yang Heng replied.


    ��Or it is a place of relaxation. A place for my people to recover,�� a voice sounded out from all around us. Yang Heng came to a halt. It had a deep tone to it.


    ��Revealing yourself already. And listening to our conversation,�� he replied out loud.


    ��If you were both allowed to leave, would you?�� the voice asked.


    ��Yes. But that is likely a trap of some kind to fall into a deeper illusion. Disperse.�� I felt a massive wave of pressure come from Yang Heng and it took effort to remain standing. The ground under his feet cracked and the nearby plants turned to dust.


    ��I apologize if my observations have alarmed you. That was not my intent. I get so few visitors, I wanted to learn more about you,�� the voice said out loud.


    ��This is why one should only deal with other cultivators. You understand what you are dealing with. If you let us go, we will leave,�� Yang Heng said out loud, while I kept looking around. I could see the doorway behind us, but there wasn��t that much ambient light to see far. The roof and walls of this chamber were hidden in darkness.Geett the latest novels at novelhall.com


    ��The way back has been cleared. Once you return to your hovercraft, a passage has been created to the outside,�� the voice replied.


    ��Wait. Would you be open for trade?�� I asked.


    ��No. I have everything that I desire. I have observed enough of both of you, that I have no more interest in discussion.��


    ��Let��s go,�� Yang Heng said. We made our way back to the hover craft. That was surprisingly anti-climatic. We were soon free. Yang Heng checked multiple times to make sure we had not fallen into an illusion after leaving.


    ��That was resolved remarkably well,�� I replied. Yang Heng gave me a look and shook his head. ��No?��


    ��The battle was far more complex than you could imagine. We battled into the future quite extensively.��


    ��What?�� What Yang Heng said did not compute.


    ��Once we reached that doorway, I knew that we were falling deeper into a trap. To observe our movements our enemy possessed some form of divination. Either clairvoyance or future sight. Both are incredibly dangerous techniques but have weaknesses to them.�� I paid close attention, since apparently, I had just missed quite a bit of what happened.


    ��Our trip was to confirm that our enemy was using some form of divination to divine our movements and prepare accordingly. The turns we made to reach that point when we paused, the environment afterwards, and the subtle fluctuations in energy confirmed what was truly happening,�� he replied. I had been fighting for my life and he had done all of that!


    ��The mental effects were growing more pronounced. That meant we were on a strict time limit before we needed to leave. That was why I committed to breaking my soul and drawing as much energy into my battle to destroy everything around me after a certain period of time. I then started the steps to complete the process when our enemy spoke to us,�� Yang Heng explained.


    ��And you were really going to kill both of us?�� I asked.


    ��For such a threat to work, you must be willing to follow through with it, if conditions are not met. This is actually something we train for in the Heavenly Alliance. Follow through is incredibly important to counter future sight. While it makes certain strategies and mindsets inflexible, it also counters the ability to see the outcome of proceeding down a specific path.�� I considered that answer.


    ��And it just let us go?��


    ��The powerful you become and the longer you have existed, the more you default to looking at things from a profit and loss perspective. Keeping us around would lead to no gains and a large loss. Anything being capable of such complex divination is also capable of knowing when to give in,�� Yang Heng replied.


    ��But if it could see the future, then why even allow us to land in the first place?�� I asked.


    ��At that point I hadn��t committed to a certain course of action. You must truly commit no matter what. Having that follow through is the most important thing. It isn��t just enough to think of doing an action, or even swearing to follow through. You must envision yourself committing the action you imagine, so that it echoes into the future.��


    ��But, why did it have to wait until you were committed? I guess I am not making myself clear,�� I replied with a sigh.


    ��No, you are asking the same questions everyone else asks. The more energy you have, the more you can break the rules. But we are in the Mechanical Layer. The power of that thing��s divination is not going to be that strong. So, it could only see a single step ahead. It couldn��t react to my future reactions. That reminds of one battle I once witnessed in the Firmament between two cultivators who focused on future sight.�� I listened closely.


    We departed from the area. Another dead end, or in this case a wall consuming everything in its path. ��What about something like that trap we ran into? Would it survive?�� I asked.


    ��Depends if it can weather the storm. Once you get a enough power, fights become a lot riskier.��


    ��Because of the sheer number of techniques and ways another being can drag you down if they think they are going to lose. Maybe a strategy that has spread out due divination?�� I asked back.


    ��Possibly. The threats out there are many.��


    ��A shame, there isn��t a trade hub or something.��


    ��Oh there is,�� Yang Heng replied with a grin.


    ��Because the layer is infinite, if can exist, it will exist,�� I replied, knowing what he was getting at.


    ��Don��t despair. Eventually we will find something. It may take a while, but I have hope.��


    ��Well, I am planning to try and circle around these replicators. It might take a while, but anything that survived on the inside might be useful, or helpful,�� I replied.


    ��Possibly. Or we could run into something that made those replicators. It is by far a very efficient harvesting strategy.�� After that Yang Heng went back into hibernation.


    Even if a civilization did develop or end up here, they had to be strong enough to survive. What a complete and utter nightmare. I had really been sent out here to die without creating a mess.


    We continued to travel and just how the empty spaces were, I lost track of the replicators as they disappeared from the sensor. A couple weeks after that I ran into the sight of massive vortex of gas being pulled into a specific point.


    Yang Heng didn��t wake up, so it clearly wasn��t important or dangerous. After looking at the phenomenon for a couple of minutes I moved on. While it was an amazing sight, I had become resistant to such things. When everything you saw was amazing, they lost their shock value over time. Yang Heng looked at such things, but didn��t seem to care. While it would be easy to get annoyed with him, he was incredibly patient with me and all the questions I had asked.


    While I had thought his mentality questionable along with his character, he kept being proved right over and over. There was no need for him to deceive me either. He was the nicest senior I had ever met. One suspicion on why he kept me around was to steer the hover craft.


    It didn��t need constant attention, but it did need attention so we didn��t run into swirling vortexes and other phenomena. Not everything had an energy signature that could be picked up on. It must have been nice, just sleep until something important comes up, chat a bit, and then go back to sleep until the next interesting thing happened.


    If I didn��t know about cultivator culture and how work averse cultivators were, then I might have questioned the entire situation. But that was one constant, if cultivators could get what they wanted without exerting themselves, they were more than happy to wait around forever. And now I just realized where the name Forever City might have come from. Sure it was around for a long time, but it could also refer to waiting around for forever. Content to let things come to them.


    Sure individual cultivators might go out and travel, but I would guess they were in the minority. It would be all too easy to die, get lost, while the city cultivators were content to inch forward. I was far to weak to wonder about the divide before and this wasn��t the kind of question I was going to bother my senior traveling companion with. But it was amusing to think about such things to help pass the time. Rural versus city cultivators.


    I would be the lucky scholarship student who got into the best school. My application was my cultivation and according to Yang Heng I had passed. Using any other method controlling energy was impossible going forward. A big reason why getting past the first bottleneck was important. Before that point, it might have been possible to use another system. It would be difficult, costly, but not impossible. Now I was a cultivator. I had no complaints about that.


    The next point of interest were a number of rocks that were almost see through, creating a haze effect. I made sure to avoid them by flying in another direction. It wasn��t like it made any difference in my mind.


    Either I was headed towards something or away from it. Picking a direction was more like guesswork than anything else. That was why I had hoped to use the edge of the replicators as a guide, but I had completely lost them. Just having to take passages through the gas that put me out of range according to my sensors. How much was it things shifting around, was something I wasn��t sure of. Yang Heng didn��t have any numbers for encounter rates.


    When he left the Heavenly Alliance previously, it was to clear out the surrounding area, and defeat some enemies, and that was how he ended up stranded, and eventually picked up by the Ek. He had knowledge, but the specific details about encounter rates, and long distance transversal were not things he had knowledge about.


    He couldn��t build a superior hovercraft unfortunately. My knowledge of arrays and formations was better than his knowledge. While he could sense energy better and work things out quicker than me, his practical knowledge of such things was equal or less than my own. Which meant we had to keep traveling and hoping something showed up there was no other option.


    We then ran across a dark red cylindrical pillar, that had to be a hundred times larger than the towers of the Forever City stretching across one of the tunnels. ��Yang Heng, wake up, there is something,�� I said out loud. This might be a natural thing, but it looked unnatural.


    After a little while, he got out of his slumber and looked over my shoulder at the object in front of us. ��I can��t see either end. And it looks like it might be something,�� I replied.


    ��Most like a remnant of some technology, drifting here. It has no energy that I can sense, and nothing living.��


    ��Maybe get close and take a look?�� I asked.


    ��I am slightly curious as well,�� he answered which meant he had no objections. Traveling was incredibly boring. And while I didn��t linger at locations, if there was a chance to investigate something I wanted to take the opportunity, rather than continuing on. It wasn��t like leaving sooner would get us to someplace useful quicker.


    Our only hope was to find something useful that we could use. The hovercraft came in close, and I could see the surface more clearly. It was pitted and worn slightly. There were also very feint seams all over the massive red cylinder.


    ��How far does it go?�� I asked.


    ��Fairly far. Odd. But let us follow it to wherever it might end up. That way.�� Yang Heng pointed to one side and I began following the cylinder until it reached a gas cloud. ��Go in. I will be checking for any dangers nearby.��


    I nodded and entered the gas cloud. I could see far enough through it that the red cylinder was still there. We passed into an open space, gas cloud, more open space, over and over. After two days of traveling, we still had not found the end or anything else of interest.


    ��Keep following it?�� I asked at the end of the second day. Yang Heng was more hesitant this time.


    ��Such a structure is not a remnant. I was wrong, I am not sure what it is. That normally means it is a bad idea to mess with such a thing, since it probably belongs to another super-organization,�� he replied.


    ��High risk, high reward,�� I replied.


    ��Indeed. We are going too slowly. Bring us closer to the red cylinder. I will shield us and create a path forward. Go as fast as possible and don��t stop unless we come across something.�� What Yang Heng wasn��t saying, but I could guess, was that it would alert anyone nearby to his presence. We would be a beacon other people or civilizations would look at.


    There was no point doing this previously for several reasons, being detected easily by anyone looking for energy was one of them. The second being, Yang Heng liked to go into hibernation if there was nothing to do. The third being, was that it would exhaust his reserves of energy.


    After the conversation with the trap, I had seen signs of exhaustion from him, and he had less energy. Spending energy to travel, would lower his combat ability, which was a huge risk. Regardless, we had found something interesting and were going to follow it to the end.


    Destroying the object or touching it, was out of the question. The risk of offending a super-organization was too great. If we just followed it out of curiosity and then left, we probably wouldn��t be pursued. But if we damaged it then there would be a much stronger response. That was the attitude the Forever City took with their outposts. If something came along and looked at them, but then left, they wouldn��t attack since it was too much trouble. That calculus would change if someone attacked their outposts and was a threat.


    While Yang Heng wasn��t one to back down, he wasn��t about to start fights that he couldn��t win. There was pride about being a cultivator, but he wasn��t suicidal.

 Chapter 89: Dangerous Geometry

    Chapter 89: Dangerous Geometry


    After five days of traveling, we stopped, since there was no end to the red cylinder so far. Yang Heng had lost quite a bit of energy and going any further would be a risk. I needed a break as well.


    ��Why a cylinder?�� I asked.


    ��Hmm, you mean the object we are following? Why do you think?�� Yang Heng asked.


    ��Geometric shapes grant stability and easier to use concepts for energy,�� I responded. There was speculation that energy went through Chaos monsters before bubbling up and one of those was some sort of geometric shape, imprinting on energy at a base level. Other theories posited it was a natural consequence of energy.


    ��But, there is no energy,�� I added on to my earlier explanation. That red cylinder was complete devoid of energy as far as I could tell and Yang Heng hadn��t disagreed with me. There seemed to be no clear purpose to the mega-structure and it hadn��t been destroyed or broken apart. It didn��t appear new, which meant that it had survived for a while, despite everything moving about the Mechanical Layer.


    ��It is an artifact. An unknown item of a lost civilization. Their purposes are often inscrutable and dangerous, but they tend to have value. Either the pinnacle of technology, or a new way to use energy. Also, it isn��t just a cylinder, it is a ring,�� he replied.


    It took me a moment to process that comment. It was a ring, around, since it was cylinder shaped. Then I realized what he meant. The entire structure looped around. I looked out the window. How?! It was massive, so massive that it boggled my mind. There was no way to measure long distances, so I had defaulted to putting it outside of my sensor range and making measurements based on that metric.


    It was hundreds of sensor ranges long already, how much longer could it be to loop back around. The spatial instabilities would be too much. ��The size is too big,�� I finally replied and Yang Heng nodded.


    ��Indeed. Everything we have seen so far, even the other super factions, are just basic structures. This is a super-structure, built by a super-organization. Something that exceeds those possible contributions of a single individual,�� he said.


    ��Then there must be something at the center or inside,�� I replied. It was only logical to assume if it was a ring, there was something in the very center of the ring, or inside the ring itself. There had to be purpose, since clearly there was a lot of time and effort to build something so large.


    ��The curvature is slight. At first I thought it was due to spatial warping. Instead the warping is all in the same direction. I estimate we have traveled about one hundredth of the way around the ring.��


    ��In five days at high speed, the size...compared to the cylinder dimensions is very disproportionate. That big of a construction there must be energy use. Otherwise physics would break the entire thing apart,�� I realized.


    ��You are aware of the limits of such things. I can��t detect the energy being used. There is nothing in this region of space. We only ended up here due to the replicators, forcing us in this direction. Why do you think that is?�� he asked.


    ��This is a cleared region of space, just like the space the Forever City has claimed in the Mechanical Layer,�� I speculated. Yang Heng nodded at this.


    ��It is like someone coming across one of the outposts of the Forever City. There is a stable environment and a structure. Nowhere as large as this, but the simple geometric shape implies energy use and a super-organization behind it. If we bother the ring, there will likely be a violent response,�� he finally said.


    There was silence as I processed all of this. ��Any idea which super-organization it could be?�� I finally asked, not recalling anything form our discussions.


    ��No. Which is why I am considering the situation and recovering my energy. This is a complicated position we find ourselves in Yuan Zhou.��


    ��The journey to the center would be around sixteen times the journey we have already completed.�� That just took some simple math. I set the circumference at 100, since Yang Heng said we had traveled about one hundredth of the way around the ring. Then it was simply a matter of using the equation of the circumference of a circle equaling two times the number pi and the radius.


    That meant about another 80 days of high-speed travel. ��It isn��t that simple,�� Yang said, cutting off my thoughts. ��Navigating will be impossible. While I can create a beacon to lock onto. The distance is too great. I will eventually lose track of it. Since we know there is energy being used, and I can��t sense anything, I would guess there is a defensive bubble.��


    ��That large? The energy needed would be impossible to cover such a large space,�� I replied.


    ��If it were active. Most defenses remain inactive to conserve energy in the Mechanical Layer. That is one sign that a civilization has matured as a super-organization like the Heavenly Alliance. This cylindrical ring structure is probably a defensive and offensive structure combined. If it takes damage, it will activate.��


    ��Even against something like replicators? Or one of the natural phenomena we saw?�� I asked.


    ��It could activate in sections, and grow in strength with more activated sections. Create a large shield to force whatever is showing up to move away.��


    ��But you have been like a beacon for the last five days?�� I asked.


    ��But there was no threat to the structure itself. Why do you think the outposts remained closed no matter what?�� I considered that question based on everything I had just learned.


    ��Dangerous things might occasionally poke about and will find nothing of value. If they do attack, they would have attacked regardless. But by presenting no weak points, it deters individuals like ourselves from digging any deeper,�� I replied and Yang Heng gave me a small smile.


    ��Exactly. Anyone with any experience and intelligence beyond that of a monster, will realize what such a structure and lack of available energy means. It is a warning, defense, and staging point. Or this could all be incorrect and the ring has some other purpose. That is the danger with super-artifacts. If you can build this big, you have the power and will to protect something this large.�� He took a small breath before continuing his explanation.


    ��There is the chance the super-organization has fallen. If the Forever City ever experiences disaster, there would be strong opportunities presented by the outposts. A way back down to the Firmament.��


    ��Could we get close to the ring, and try and work out what it does?�� I asked.


    ��If I was alone, I might consider that option. But you are with me. You have thousands of cycles left to live. But it would require thousands of cycles of to analyze something like this ring without creating a disturbance. I would have to slowly diffuse my energy into the environment. Do you want to wait around that long?�� I shook my head. That was not going to happen. If I waited around that long, I would die of old age eventually after thousands of years.


    ��Well we have three choices from what I can tell. Keep circling around, hoping to find something of interest. Attempt to find the center point of this ring to see if there something there. Or leave, without attempting to locate anything,�� I said to see if Yang Heng had any disagreement with my assessment.


    ��We will try for the center. The trip will take long enough for me to recover more of my strength.�� He then got up and went to the airlock for the hover craft. He opened his hand and there was a small crystal in it. ��I will be leaving this here.��


    If we were going to aim for the center, that would take a very long time, since he clearly wouldn��t be speeding up our travel. If we managed to find the center, it would be a long time from now. But there was no better direction to head towards. Best to take this chance.


    I blacked out.


    ��AHH!�� I let out a yell as a sharp pain forced me awake. My entire body hurt, but at least I could feel it. I focused on my breathing, while moving my fingers and toes. They were all there. Looking around, it was quite dark inside of the hovercraft. I could barely see.


    I reached up to touch my face, there was blood. I was bleeding. That wasn��t good. I slowly got up and looked behind me where Yang Heng was. He was passed out, but he didn��t look that injured. I checked his breathing, he was still breathing which was good. The energy I could sense from him was very limited.


    That was not good, I had never sensed his energy being as low as it currently was. ��Yang Heng,�� I put my hand on his shoulder and shook him. There was no response. ��Yang Heng!�� I shouted, but he didn��t stair in the slightest.


    I went to the airlock that was used to get in and out of the hovercraft and then hesitated. All my equipment had stopped functioning. If there was nothing to breathe outside, I would be killing myself. Yang Heng had a chance of survival. Pushing the door open, I was glad there were mechanical releases for everything. Various handles had to be forced and the doors were wedged into their frames, but pushed the hatch open. A bunch of gravel and dirt fell down in front of the hatch as I opened it.


    The atmosphere was thin, hard to breathe, but it wasn��t toxic. I couldn��t breathe deeply. Looking around, I could see water in the distance. Looking up, there was a small white star in the distance. A property of the bubble we were in, like on the continent. Whomever set this place up controlled the surface of the bubble to regulate the environment. The same with the Forever City.


    There, toxic clouds were the norm, here it was nothingness. We were on a large mountain of some kind, the hover craft having wedged itself into the side of the mountain. I noted there was tiny weeds and moss, but no trees. Looking around, I couldn��t see any animals or anything else.


    ��A trap. Of course it is a trap,�� I muttered. This entire place was squeezing my connection to energy, which was probably why Yang Heng had passed out. It was the same reason why immortal cultivators couldn��t go to the Material. The second breakthrough in cultivation moved their consciousness from their physical body to their soul, releasing the chains of mortality their physical body held on them.


    I went back into the hover craft and got my spatial ring. It was dormant, but still functional. I focused a bit of energy out of my hand, and I could access it for a brief moment. I let the bag close. I then began checking the other systems. They all still worked if I put some of the energy I was still receiving into them.


    That was also why Yang Heng hadn��t instantly died. He was still drawing energy, but not enough to wake up. I left the hover craft again and looked up the mountain we had collided with and then back at the hovercraft. Despite the lack of energy and impact, it was still completely intact, with only minor exterior damage. That was the quality of construction that the Forever City had and part of the reason we were still alive.


    There were emergency impact mitigation systems that were part of the hover craft. They had limited functionality except in cases where all the main systems failed, and they would work a short time after that.


    I left the hover craft and climbed up the mountain we had crashed into, in the dim light, and sparse atmosphere. Once I reached the top, I had to focus intently to see off in the distance. My eyes had always been incredibly good at picking up on energy. But I saw no energy. There were more smaller mountains and then large snow capped peaks in the distance. So far away they were hard to make out.


    Looking around, I couldn��t spot any kind of civilization, animals, or plant life more complicated than moss and weeds. ��Well, this is very bad,�� I muttered to myself. Whomever or whatever had set this place up, really had created a perfect trap. Sucking out all the energy from this bubble.


    Making my way down back to the hover craft, I considered the situation. I was hurt, sore, and tired. But I was alive, nothing was broken, and I could breathe. My guess was that this place was set up as some kind of super-continent. Similar to where I grew up, but on an even larger scale. Rough water at the edge to force the locals from exploring where they shouldn��t and being able to manage the environment more easily.


    If I was going to find any kind of civilization, I needed to head for the center of this place. On foot, that could easily take years. I still needed to sleep, eat, and drink. While it hadn��t been that much before, those needs would increase due to the lack of energy I was able to draw on.


    Going back to the hover craft, I tried to let out a sigh, but all that came out was a short wheeze. I would have to take the modules apart. I would be able to bring along the one that provided food and water. Being able to barely live from what little energy I drew upon to use such equipment. The rest of the equipment I could pack away in my spatial ring.


    It wasn��t broken, but any kind of energy was being drawn away. I couldn��t tell where. That left a much harder question. Yang Heng, and what to do with him. I wouldn��t be able to bring him with me. Just moving myself was tiring. To carry him, would be too difficult. If there was a fight of any kind, I couldn��t protect him while also protecting myself.


    I would have to construct a tomb of some kind, to hold him until I returned or this place was destroyed, or there was more ambient energy. There was nothing else I could do, except make sure he was safe. Even if this bubble broke apart, he would survive. The physical body of an immortal cultivator could be rebuilt from the ground up and Yang Hang had done such a thing. Without some kind of powerful energy attack, he would not be in any danger. I could try and stab his body with my sword, or shoot it with my gun and they would only scratch him at best. This place had no energy.


    The breathing his body was doing, was an automatic reflex if there was an atmosphere to try and draw in what little ambient energy there was. With nothing to draw in, and his connection to his soul blocked, there was not enough energy for him to remain awake.


    I got to work disassembling the hover craft or at least the various modules inside of it. The twilight from the small white star overhead didn��t change. It wasn��t really a star, just a well crafted illusion used to help maintain this bubble of reality.


    There was no good way for me to keep track of the time. It wasn��t worth the energy to check the clock I had on me. I had lots of devices and pieces of equipment, but I had to power them myself, which was something I wouldn��t normally do to begin with. Now that the energy entering my body was reduced even further, it was even more concerning.


    I fell asleep three times while working to take the modules apart and put them away in my spatial storage. I then wrote a note carved into a small metal plate that I would leave behind. Any kind of paper or parchment, would crumble to dust. If I was leaving the plate outside, it would probably crumble to dust as well with how long Yang Heng would be left here.


    Senior,


    We entered a location restricting energy. I salvaged the modules needed for my survival but left the rest of the hover craft intact. I have gone exploring to find energy and to live. I hope we meet again at the Forever City one day. If I return, I will let the Heavenly Alliance know has happened to you so a rescue can be attempted. It does not appear you will awake and I dare not try anything extreme.


    Yuan Zhou


    I left the metal plate tucked into his robes. Other, less scrupulous cultivators might have used his body as an energy source. The thought had crossed my mind, before I quickly discarded it. Just because Yang Heng was unconscious, did not mean he was defenseless. If he truly felt threatened, he might force his physical body awake, rip apart his soul in a suicide to take his attacker with him to death, or some other kind of hidden technique.


    He might even be observing me as I went about disassembling parts of the hover craft and leaving the message. I also suspected he might have gone into emergency hibernation in order to build up energy before acting to leave this place. It might take eons, but that was the power of being immortal and being able to go into hibernation. Time was an endless resource he could spend.


    This was the danger of traveling about. The situation could change very quickly. One mistake could easily mean death or being trapped in some way. Would there be hordes of cultivators and other beings trapped in this place? Once I had packed up everything, I took one more look at the massive ocean behind the mountain I had crashed into.


    The waves had to be as tall as a skyscraper as they crashed upon the rocky coast. Taking what air I could, I set off, with my sword on my hip. It had seen me through quite a bit. I had thought melee weapons were not that useful, but it was good to have a backup. The gun I had would not work properly. It was powered by energy. I could quickly get it out and try and fire it, but the crystals and other energy heavy components would lose a lot of their power.


    I could put my own energy into the gun, but that would only do so much. I was back to melee weapons. Using faint white star as a guideline, I left towards the snowy mountains in the distance. There was a very good chance that the white star was directly over the center of this place, since it appeared that way while I had been taking apart the modules from the hover craft.


    I had routinely checked the sky to see if there were any changes. There was the occasional whisp of cloud, but beyond that it was fairly cold and windy. The last two didn��t bother me that much. It wasn��t freezing and as long as I didn��t use my energy for other things, my physical body was in decent shape.


    The problem was how thin the atmosphere of this place was. Each breath was another struggle.

 Chapter 90: Uphill Climb

    Chapter 90: Uphill Climb


    I had put on three layers of martial robes, trying to keep out the biting cold wind. The air was even thinner. Each step up the impossibly tall mountains was a struggle. I had used a fourth robe as a head covering, only leaving a small gap for my eyes to see through.


    A couple of times I almost panicked from how hard it was to breathe, but I had to remain calm. If I panicked and passed out, things would only get worse. I had to remain calm and keep going forward no matter what.


    There was another large boulder in my path. I circled around it and kept going up the rocky, snow covered mountain. Hopefully when I reached the other side, I would see something. The journey just to reach this mountain from the crashed hovercraft had taken a long time. With no good way to keep track of time, I could only make a guess it took around 60 days, and that was with me traveling fairly quickly on foot.


    Even with the limited energy I had available, I was still a superhuman comparable to before I had crossed my first bottleneck. I was no stranger to hard work. Constant hard work. While I was far luckier than most, my path was filled with hardships compared to someone like Yang Heng, who had his future laid out before him on golden platter. That was the true power of being an elite, being able to throw money at problems and having connections.


    Well, even the most powerful could be laid low by disaster. I missed Yang Heng. For being an elite, immortal cultivator, he was one of the nicest cultivators out there, being willing to talk with me and share information. The number of questions he was willing to answer was immense.


    I looked over my shoulder. I could make out the much smaller mountain I had come from in the distance and the water behind it. I could barely make out any waves from this distance. I turned back around and continued to climb. The fact that energy was being trained from myself, Yang Heng, and the environment gave me hope.


    Whoever created this place was able to manipulate energy. My guess was that it was being siphoned off to some central location. I just needed to find it. Once I had access to enough energy, I could advance my cultivation easily. With how big this bubble of reality might be, a big concern was the size.


    With spatial manipulation, this place could be large enough before I reached the center. I was hopeful about the center of this super-continent being the answer, but it wasn��t guaranteed. A small aspect of this place, was that the downwards force being applied was less than what cultivators normally used. It wasn��t a large difference, but every bit helped as I continued to climb.


    That also let me know that this place probably wasn��t built by humans. Cultivators had very similar standards to Earth. At least I could somewhat breathe. There were no more rocks going upwards in front of me. I paused to look around, I was very near the top and the mountain had leveled off.


    I reached the peak. For a moment the wind paused and reoriented, and I felt despair grip me. There were more mountains in front of me. I had climbed up this one to get the best view and to travel in a straight line. If only I could fly. I took my time to try and plot out a route between the mountains in front of me and kept glancing in the distance.


    Another 60 days of travel and I would climb another mountain. To see if the terrain was going to change. No plants besides moss and the occasional weed that I could tell. At least there was life, and the plants were greenish. Small comforts in this inhospitable location.


    As for being a threat, it was also considered a way to keep the Heavenly Alliance engaged and alert. For immortal cultivators it was all too easy to sink into apathy and belief they were superior. Seeing other humans progress in strength using other systems was a way to keep the cultivators motivated and actively maintaining their superiority.


    I had asked about evolution and had gotten a weird look. When I had explained the concept, he had laughed and told me there could be differences, but that changing too much would ruin various cultivation techniques and lead to different outcomes. All of which were inferior to the methods developed by the Heavenly Alliance, the method I had stumbled upon.


    While the chance of humans out here was low, it was a non-zero chance. I held out hope that I would find someone, anyone, or anything. It was just as likely that this place was abandoned. Just drifting through the Mechanical Layer, pushing aside all that threatened it.


    The worst part was, that I had no idea how big this place was. While I was traveling quickly, it could be hundreds, thousands, or even millions of times larger than the continent I grew up on. With spatial manipulation and the amount of physical space this place took up, it was impossible to say.


    Yang Heng might have been able to answer these questions if he were still awake. But now he was left behind, waiting until the right moment to wake up once more. What that right time would be, I couldn��t say.


    Eventually I reached the last mountain and ascended it to get a better view of what lay ahead of me. There was a massive ocean, that had waves the size of a person, not a skyscraper. There were short trees, bushes, and other plants along the shore. Looking into the distance, I thought I might be able to see something, but it was hard to say.


    Even with my superior eyesight, there was a natural blurring due to the atmosphere. Even if this place was flat and didn��t curve, eventually the atmosphere itself would block my sight. That meant it would be a long way to travel across the water. The large mountains, shoreline, and then water continued to my left and right as far as I could see.


    Multiple barriers to reach the edge of the world, how interesting. A large ocean, super mountains, with wind and ice, and then an even more turbulent ocean. With nothing of note growing out here, it would be hard to impossible for anyone else to survive. There were no sources of energy that I could sense.


    I was about to head down, when I saw a massive dark shape moving in the large body of water in front of me. ��Of course, have super monsters as well to deter people from traveling out here and messing with the bubble.��


    Whatever beings were beyond these barriers, couldn��t be that strong, either in technology, or energy. A large ocean monster wasn��t that much of a threat in my mind. While it would be dangerous, it wasn��t something I couldn��t handle. It was just large it didn��t have any special abilities without energy. There might be something biological, but that was a minor concern.


    The wind was blowing away from the mountains over the Calm Ocean, as I was going to call it. The first ocean, was going to be the Turbulent Ocean. With the wind aiding me, it would be fairly easy to create a raft from the trees below.

 Chapter 91: Marooned

    Chapter 91: Marooned


    Looking up at the pale white star in the sky, I sat on top of a mountain taking a break, enjoying some reconstituted paste and water. I had lost track of how long I had been traveling on foot, it had been years by now.


    The Calm Ocean had been difficult to cross on the raft, but it was something I had managed to accomplish. With my sword and what little energy I had, it was easy to cut and hollow a large chunk of stone. The currents then carried me across and none of the large water beasts had bothered me. It was surprisingly anti-climactic.


    After that came some tundra, or stunted grasslands with small shrubs. The white light in the sky had been less at the horizon and moving directly above me in very small increments as I traveled. Eyeballing the white light in the sky, I estimated that it had shifted from around 10 degrees to around 12 degrees. If it was directly over the center of this place, that meant I had a long way to go.


    I had kept my mind trying to work out the math as I traveled. But it wasn��t as simple as each degree being a percentage. As I traveled the angle would change more rapidly. Since I wasn��t traveling along a circle, but a straight line I had to start digging out my math skills I hadn��t used in a very long time.


    Who would have thought that geometry could be interesting, but there was nothing else to do while traveling. There were only small bugs and worms as land creatures. Nothing in small bodies of water either. I had been expecting a larger food chain, but the outer portions of this place appeared to be devoid in life. The further I went towards the center of this bubble, the more life seemed to thrive.


    My guess it had something to do with the atmosphere. While I still needed to breathe, I could survive fairly harsh conditions. I had no expertise in working out the exact composition of air that I was breathing. I had lived far too long in the Forever City and traveling, that it was hard to remember what regular air was like. As long as I wasn��t choking to death that I hadn��t really paid attention. I didn��t want toxic yellow clouds ever again. Yang Heng might have loved the Forever City, but he grew up in a literal gilded tower. I had seen the outskirts of that massive place, and it was hell.


    My current goal was trying to figure out how long the trip would take to keep my mind occupied, while trying to conserve what little energy I was able to draw in. I was traveling along a chord, which was a geometrical term for a straight line between two points of a circle that did not pass through the center.


    The total length of the chord could be worked out with the Pythagorean Theorem, ��a�� squared plus ��b�� squared, equals ��c�� squared. I needed half the chord length, so I didn��t multiply things by two. The length needed to reach the center was the square root of the distance from my starting location to the white star minus the distance from directly beneath it to the white star. Unfortunately, I had no good way to guess at these measurements. Anything I came up with could be wildly off.


    That was the problem with such guesstimates. That left trying to work out the distance based on the angle. I had to really dig into my memories to remember this, which was radius times the sine of half the angle. The sine was opposite, divided by the hypotenuse.


    Which meant I was completely screwed in terms of calculating the distance using mental math. That was why I was stopped at the top of a mountain range I was crossing over, since there was a very large flat rock easily the footprint of one of the towers from the Forever City. I carefully drew a massive circle into the flat stone. Marking out the center point, I then cut a line straight down. I then began carving out lines dividing, up a quarter of the circle.


    First 45 degrees, then 22.5 and 67.5 degrees, then in half again, 11.25, 33.75, 56.25, and 78.75 degrees. After dividing things in half once more, I got the angle 11.25 which was close to what I wanted. I could now carve the chord across the bottom of the circle and take physical measurements to compare the chord to the angle based on the intersection points between the angled radius lines from the center and the chord itself.


    I then measured the distance between each segment of half the chord. Despite my best efforts, I was eyeballing things. That was why I wanted such a large place to carve out a circle. Using my sword to measure the length of each section of the chord between intersection points, I got a total of 1,940 sword lengths from the edge of the chord, to the center, which represented the edge of this place to underneath the white star overhead.


    I could then work out the percentage I was to the center for each 5.625 degrees traveled. The first part was 817 sword lengths between 11.25 degrees and 16.875 degrees, which represented 42.11% of the total distance. That meant I had traveled about 4% of the way to the center of this place after two decades, based on my sense of time. It would take approximately another 480 years to each the center of this place if there were no major delays.


    The last 5.625 degrees was only 27 sword lengths, since the angle was much steeper, the distance on the chord was less. That 1.39% of the total distance. It was a good sanity check to make sure my math was on point. The closer I got to the center of this place, the faster the angle change per distance traveled.


    ��That was worth a day,�� I muttered as I looked over my drawing. Would some person or being eventually stumble upon this in the future and wonder what it was? Or would they be like Yang Heng and just ignore everything they didn��t deem important. I set off once again.


    I traveled in a straight line as much as possible. The only exception being large bodies of water which forced me to go around if I should see the shore on the other side or be subjected to the currents that controlled the waters of this place.


    My favorite part was going down mountains. I would leap forward and plummet through the air. I would spread my hands and my martial robe to try and get a bit of gliding in, instead of running down. I had been getting better over the years of traveling.


    Reaching the bottom of the mountain, I paused as I came across a stunted tree, not a shrub. This was definitely a tree. I had altered my course slightly to look at it. I walked up and put my hand on the tree. It had been far too long. I missed stuff like this. Human being were not meant to live in boxes. While cultivators might have adapted, some primal part of me liked the open skies and trees.


    It was tempting to call all this fake, but it wasn��t. The white star in the sky was real. It was tempting to try and work out the distance to the star itself, but there could easily be spatial shenanigans in play. I just knew that the angle changed. By comparing the length of the shadow of my sword to its sheathe laid out on the ground, I was able to see that the angle to the white star had been changing over time.


    That was why I had taken a day off to do these geometric calculations. I wanted to know how long I was going to be stuck in this place. With my luck, I would reach the center and there would be nothing there. Yang Heng wasn��t sure how long I would live more. Someone with my triple cultivation would live a very long time, far longer than other cultivators since my cultivation was superior.


    Yang Heng had said hundreds of thousands of cycles, using the time measurement of the Forever City, but it basically meant years. I still didn��t like that description of time. I preferred years personally. Regardless, that time would be less here in the Mechanical Layer with less energy.


    He had no idea how long I had. The Heavenly Alliance, didn��t send people as weak as me out to the Mechanical Layer, since they were treasured scions that the inner part of the super-organization had invested in. There was no point, since there was very little value out here for cultivators, since cultivators focused on energy and refining that energy.


    Half a millennia of travel, it was far better than being locked in a small room. But that was time I couldn��t afford. I did not have hundreds of thousands of years. Maybe I had a thousand, maybe a hundred thousand, there was no way to know for sure.


    While my cultivation was a three-path cultivation of mind, body, and soul, the steps taken to get where I was were different than what the Heavenly Alliance normally did. So, there would be even more variation. Yang Heng had thought I had at least ten thousand cycles, with the energy he had found for me, those crystals would add on decades to my life.


    ��I really should have packed a flying sword,�� I muttered as I continued running across the grassy landscape. It would have been nice to have anything to automate travel or go faster. But I had nothing on me that could do such a thing. There were no civilizations, and it was just wilderness.


    Why had anyone set this all up? That was why it was tempting to call all this fake, but it wasn��t. It was all real. Why there might be energy to waste on the continent to create a better illusion, this place wasn��t like that. It was very real, with little to no energy shenanigans. That was the problem, there was no energy.


    That was why the other thing I had been focusing on during my travels was preserving what little energy I had more than ever before. Even the hovercraft had small traces of ambient energy inside of it. Even Yang Heng gave off energy. This place was completely and utterly dead in terms of energy. Either the super ring around this bubble was drawing away energy, or something else.


    Regardless, I needed to work hard to maintain my levels of energy, or it would just disappear. Even single bit that I was able to draw up, I had to work to hold onto. That would help slow down my aging and give me a reserve to draw on in case of an emergency.


    At least things were slowly changing as I traveled. Looking up at the sky, it had been mostly cloudless, only the occasional rainstorm sweeping through the area I was traveling. I tended to stop traveling on those days, where I could get turned around. Without the white star to follow, it would be all too easy to go off track.


    I refused to backtrack. I had enough travel to get through without making extreme detours. Spending a minute to go out of my way to look at the first tree I had come across, spending a couple minutes next to it, doing math to figure out my travel time, weren��t huge amounts of time. The time not spent traveling would add up, but even with my impressive constitution, it was exhausting to travel year after year.


    ��That seems like an arbitrary distinction. Using numbers helps quantify an issue.��


    ��For anything other than energy that is the case. Imagine a cultivator is a river. The water flowing through is the energy you use. Using numbers, is like making a dam. Even if that is not your intent, you will never break boundaries to grow further once you are an immortal.��


    ��So it is a future problem then?��


    ��All problems are future problems. But if you go down the path of measuring every last drop of energy, you will go down a path that is limiting. This is the experience that we have gathered over the ages. Hone yourself and not your perceptions. Ultimately it is your choice, but focusing on progress and numbers will distract from actually making progress.��


    I hadn��t been entirely sure about this line of thinking. But Yang Heng had been forthcoming in all other aspects about cultivation and reality itself. That was why I focused on improving my control and use of energy, and didn��t quantify every last portion of it. It was frustrating to do so. I liked the hard reality of numbers, but that hard reality would be a shackle imposed upon me.


    Still, I was improving. I knew that much. What had taken a larger portion of my energy before, now took less. It was about focus and visualization. Just like I had improved my cultivation, using what energy, I had involved such a technique.


    A perfect example of this was using energy to boost my body, beyond the base level of my cultivation. Focusing on the energy inside of me, willing it to better assist me in specific ways became easier with time. The same was true when using my sword as well. The improvements were small, but they were there. Each incrementing on the previous. This allowed me to focus on other aspects of energy use.


    If I had spent my time working on math and quantifying everything, then it would be harder to improve. I had asked Yang Heng what the smallest bit of energy was and he had told me that, this kind of question showed I still had a long way to go to achieve understanding of energy.


    This went against all my sensibilities, but I decided to put my trust in the immortal I had traveled with for a while. He had not betrayed my trust a single time. And while we had gotten off to a rocky start, he had always supported me in a way no other cultivator had in the past. While my first master, Yi Rong had a special place in my heart and had helped me. It was nothing compared to Yang Heng.


    Over the years I had become more and more disillusioned with powerful cultivators. The older and more powerful they were, the more scheming they appeared. I guess it was the lack of perspective and scramble to the top, while Yang Heng already stood very high up.


    He had never mentioned how high up he actually was and appearances were no confirmation. Also, he was here in the Mechanical Layer where his power was limited, so even with my vision, I didn��t have any good comparison for how powerful he was compared to the other immortals I had met in the Forever City. I would guess more powerful, but it was hard to say how much.


    Yang Heng would say that rarely were such comparisons that useful. To fight with one��s life online always creates uncertainty. An opponent might have a trump card, or there could be outside interference. The older the cultivator, the more adept they were at survival, creating even more trump cards to ensure their safety.


    There were hierarchies, but just like how immortal cultivators didn��t apply rigid rules and numbers to the energy they used, they also avoided direct comparisons of power if possible. Sure there were people higher up, and the Heavenly Alliance stood at the top. But it was rare for cultivators to fight each other. The ones who liked to fight, left the Forever City to seek their fortunes.


    Reality was infinite after all. If one was strong enough, they should be able to create their own Forever City, pushing back other super-organizations. That was how cultivation culture continued. The Firmament, where the Forever City was based, was infinite. There was no need for immortals to fight each other.


    That was why there were minor skirmishes in the Forever City constantly looking to take more territory or gain some kind of advantage over another faction. The entire culture was unique, and it just rubbed me the wrong way.


    But that was the past, and this was the future. I needed to focus on continuing to travel as quickly as possible while also honing my ability to retain and use energy. Another thing for me to work on while I traveled to keep my mind occupied from repeating scenery that passed me by.


    I reached another large body of water and got out my small stone boat and checked the sky. Almost no clouds, just the white star in front of me like usual. I set off on the small boat, using a stone padel to propel myself forward across the water.


    There were fish and other aquatic creatures in the water of all sizes. I had only spotted the shadow of the larger creatures, but I wasn��t concerned. Having a large body might make a creature hard to kill, but it also made it hard to move around and to avoid being detected. Larger was not always better, but it did provide a bigger target.


    Once I got to place where I could sense the current was heading in the right direction, I stopped paddling my stone rowboat to rest and enjoy the breeze. Being able to travel without having to exert myself was a rare break I enjoyed when I encountered a body of water. Even after all these years I still had not come across as anything as the Turbulent Ocean and the Super Mountains where I had first crashed into this bubble of reality.


    Sensing something large to the side, a massive sea snake rose up out of the water. It wasn��t angled at me, it was just breaching the surface. Its dark scales glinted in the white light. It was above the water for a moment before quickly submerging. It didn��t even twitch in my direction, which was why I remained relaxed as my boat continued to go over the water.


    Perhaps I would need to make a sail of some sort in the future. The boat I was in didn��t have a rudder, I had to use my paddle to direct it. My crafting ability was not high either. In the past I had just purchased everything I had needed. While I could survive with the equipment I had, I would not be able to thrive. Even if there was energy.


    If this entire place was all water, I might have tried to tame a leviathan to carry me. And while some trips across the water lasted weeks or even a couple of months, they eventually came to an end with more land. Most terrain features were perpendicular to the direction I was traveling. This implied that the entire place was built like a spiral.


    Perhaps the water was connected at various points, since the creatures seems to be fairly uniform throughout it. I had seen leviathans in other bodies of water I had crossed before. While it had been at a greater distance and less clear, they were there, which implied that the water was connected.


    Or that could be foolish thinking, since this place was constructed. Perhaps the creatures were seeded across everybody of water, perhaps the water had been higher in the past, perhaps there were underground tunnels. The list of possibilities was endless, since it was very hard to rule anything out when energy was involved.


    ��Goodbye leviathan,�� I said quietly as the giant water monster swam away into the depths. I had long become immune to beautiful vistas and amazing sights. While I wouldn��t claim to have seen everything, traveling through the Mechanical Layer had shown me quite a bit already in terms of amazing vistas and weird creatures.


    A giant sea monster, while interesting was not that impressive anymore. I was becoming an old jaded cultivator. It made me chuckle. I had always considered myself young compared to the immortals I had met, but it was more about experience than age at this point. I had already experienced so much as well as understood my situation that I was no longer young and nai?ve.


    I had a lot more traveling to do, but I would only get better over time. This journey was a form of cultivation in its own way. Before, I would never have focused on using energy so efficiently at such a small scale. It just wasn��t needed or possible. But this environment forced me to treat energy in an incredibly precious manner. A drop of energy here would be quite a bit. Now, every small bit was rationed immensely.


    Regardless, I enjoyed traveling more than sitting in a dark box trying to advance my cultivation. I had no desire to undergo such techniques again. And there was something to be said about living. Yang Heng had a life to him that other immortal cultivators seemed to lack. I guess it was the fact he didn��t hide in a place of power, but actually traveled about.


    Was it living if you didn��t do anything with your life?

 Chapter 92: People Or Aliens?

    Chapter 92: People Or Aliens?


    I blinked several times while looking out at the wooden ship sailing over the waters. There was a ship in the distance. With no curvature to the horizon, I could see as far as the air allowed me before things became too blurry due to the air itself blocking my vision.


    There were figures moving on board. I couldn��t make out if they were human, and I didn��t sense any energy, which meant they were most likely no threat. I wouldn��t rule anything out. It was a wood ship with cloth sails, not a metal one, indicating they lacked any serious advances in technology. Combined with the no energy environment and not being able to sense any energy, it was doubtful the ship or beings on it were a concern.


    What was a concern was whoever or whatever made this place and if these beings had backers. Again, it was highly unlikely but still a possibility. I began rowing towards the wooden ship. It was traveling at an offset angle to me, but I was well rested and began rapidly making my way across the salty water. Thankfully I had not been caught in a major storm on the waters so far.


    As I got closer, I made out more details and it quickly became clear that these were human shaped beings. A sense of tension and unease left me. Humans meant cultivators most likely. While there were other groups of humans out there, for reality itself was infinite, this was a very good sign. If they were octopus or beast people, or some weird mechanical monstrosity, it would be a lot more difficult to get answers.


    I was finally spotted, and the ship loosened it sails to slow down, allowing the wind to slip free, so I could catch up. The closer I got I noticed more details. The lack of refinement in their clothes. How dirty these people were. Their skin was a lot whiter, almost albino I would say, to the point I could see the reddish and bluish hue of their blood pulsing beneath their skin. Finally, the fact that their eyes were a bit too big for their faces. Not enough to be completely weird, but it was a clear difference between the people on board the ship and myself.


    They looked human enough, but the differences were disturbing. Children that weren��t capable weren��t kept around for the most part. And the humans grown from vats were similar enough to make cultivators very similar. With the long lives of cultivators, they wouldn��t except huge shifts of genetic divergence with people looking different from them.


    Here that was clearly not the case. These humans, if they were humans, had clearly been altered initially or there had been genetic drift, with their large eyes, and super white skin. Probably the lack of light from the white star. Bigger eyes would make it easier to see in the twilight of this place. Pale skin, since the light from the white star didn��t trigger melanin in their skin.


    Once I reached the wooden ship, a rope ladder was tossed over the side. I grabbed the rope ladder and put away my small boat in my spatial ring. I heard gasps of shock and shouts above me as I climbed up. The sailors quickly backed away.


    ��Cal resh, ner sertek mon vormant.�� A better dressed and cleaner looking man spoke up. Probably the captain. A foreign language, which would be a problem, but at least they could speak. My translator device worked off of ambient energy. I could give it energy, but it would be a waste, but I also wanted answers.


    ��I don��t speak your language, give me one moment,�� I replied and pulled out the facemask with the translator attached to it. I got more weary looks, but no one made a move against me while they all waited nervously. There were no metal weapons. Bow and arrows, no cannons or muskets. I completely outclassed all of them with my sword alone.


    The fact it wasn��t the standard cultivation language was a big disappointment. This place was most likely unconnected to the Heavenly Alliance, since there would be no point in having a different language. Even the countless continents that fed into the Forever City by the endless numbers of factions, all used the same language.


    ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance. May I know who I am addressing?�� I asked. No need to be rude in case they had a powerful backer of some kind.


    ��I am Li Meifeng, captain of this explorer ship Voyager. Are you really a cultivator and not a demon?�� the words were translated for me, and I considered the question.


    ��What is a demon?�� I asked out of curiosity and to better respond to the question. Was there another race in this place like the beasts? Or was he referring to demonic cultivators? The translator wasn��t perfect. While it tried to match up the meanings of words, cultivators could be translated as powerful individuals. I needed to be careful not to make assumptions about these people or this place.


    ��Legendary creatures with powers. That eat souls,�� Li Meifeng said while looking nervously at me. I guess my different appearance, non-albino skin and smaller eyes was giving them an uncomfortable feeling as well.


    ��No. I don��t eat human souls. What is this place called and who rules at the center of this land under the white star?�� I asked. I was hoping for some sort of centralized organization of some kind. It was unlikely with no energy and people this behind technologically.


    ��We serve the Kingdom of Wu, which in turns answers to the Empire of Flame. The land under the Life Light is the Great Desert, which no one dares to cross or to rule. Inhabited by the great beasts of the Life Light,�� Captain Li Meifeng explained. ��How far have you come? We are returning from our voyage to look for the edge of the Great World.�� That was a lot of information to think over. The fact they had knowledge about the center of this place was a good sign there was a way to travel there.


    At least it wasn��t called the continent. I guess that made sense since it wasn��t one big landmass. ��How do you measure time?�� I asked. Since there were no days and our measurement of distances would be different, it was important to form a baseline.


    ��With time keepers.�� He explained seconds and minutes, which were based on 50. There were 50 seconds to a minute, 50 minutes to an hour. Days were 50 hours, composed of 50 minutes each. They really liked the number 50 apparently. A day here was about a day and a half that I was used to. Every 1,000 of their days was one of their years. So about 4.5 of my years to one of their years.


    ��If you could sail in a straight line, I would say the edge of the world is about 8 years of travel from this place,�� I replied. There were gasps of shock at this from the sailors listening in. They would run out of food long before reaching that point though, unless they could fish. The Super Mountains would also be impossible to cross.


    ��You have seen it?�� the captain asked with interest.


    ��I have traveled from there. Now, I am headed to the center of this Great World to see this Great Desert,�� I replied.


    ��A long journey. A very long journey. Come, we will give you food and water honored cultivator. When we return to the Kingdom of Wu the Great King will wish to meet with you,�� the Captain said. I considered that request. While it might slow me down a bit, it would give me a chance to get more information and learn more about this place.


    ��I will need someone to teach me the language,�� I said. I was using up a lot of energy to power the mask I was wearing to translate what was being said.


    ��I will teach you myself, if you would permit. To meet someone who has come from the edge of the Great World. If I could hear about what lies beyond, I could die a happy man,�� he said. How small this man��s world was. Trapped in this bubble of reality on a sailing ship. Knowledge of reality itself would only be a burden.


    These people, had no power over their own futures. Unlike me, who had been beyond their bubble of reality. I used to be annoyed at my seniors for not explaining things in more detail to me until Yang Heng, but it would have just been a burden.


    A frog knowing they are at the bottom of the well, does nothing to help them leave it. They can yearn for the sky, but they would still be trapped. Even telling them where the edge of their world was located would be a burden of knowledge. There was no way they would ever be able to make it that far. The hardships I had to endure during my travels was something I was capable of handling as a cultivator with my equipment.


    Looking at these dirty weird people, they would struggle. Even if they had flying machines, it would take far too long to make such a trip.


    I took off my mask and was shown to a well furnished cabin, soon a meal was brought to me which I ate with Captain Li Meifeng. There was a table, chairs, bed, desk, and chest. I noticed that there was no metal. Everything was made of wood with interlocking joints. The plate the food was served on was polished wood and there were no utensils, only chopsticks.


    The meal was followed by a language lesson. I occasionally put on the mask to ask some questions and get answers, which made things much easier. Once we had covered quite a bit I was given the captain��s own quarters to sleep in. I rested my eyes, and practiced the language in my head, reviewing what had been said already.


    There was no concept of night. The Life Light always shown down upon the world. There were no day and night cycles. There was a wooden time keeping device on board, which was mechanical in nature using weights and ropes. There was no metal.


    Day after day I spent learning the language with the Captain. After ten days, I had enough of a grasp on the language, I wasn��t completely helpless. Well here, there were rest hours and active hours that varied from kingdom to kingdom. I quickly gathered it was a feudal hell hole for the most part. Even worse, there was no metal, anywhere. There was stone, dirt, but no large amounts iron, copper, tin nickel, or any other metals.


    There were various Kingdoms, or countries, that controlled large portions of land. These Kingdoms in turn were nominally allied with an Empire, of which there were countless ones as well. An Empire in this place was one strong Kingdom with lots of other Kingdoms allied to it, to form an Empire.


    The main limitation to human expansion was food. Too close to the white star, or Life Light, and you got the Great Desert. A blazing inferno that would burn anyone entering. After the Great Desert there was the Great Jungle, which was as far as ships could sail. Then you had all the fertile places around the Great Desert, which grew most of the food. This was where the strongest Empires and Kingdoms existed.


    The further you got from the center, the harder it was to grow food. I speculated it was the angle to the Life Light at the center of this place and the general temperature. You wanted a nice warm climate to grow, but not boiling hot. The only thing that the outer kingdoms had going for them was access to a very rare metal deposit and a lot more land. Metal was viewed as highly valuable commodity. A single chunk of ore would pay for this expedition multiple times over.


    Having a sword was a major status symbol apparently. Only the very richest, most powerful of individuals could wield a metal weapon. Almost everything was made out of wood using complex joining techniques. Even this large sailing vessel did not use metal, but carefully joined wood and glue.


    That brought up a major question. With the amount of land, there had to be billions, maybe even trillions of people fighting. This place was just that big. I would have thought that eventually there would have been development in terms of gunpowder, weapons, metallurgy, or manufacturing.


    Everything up to this point had been kind of surprising, but not really. What I learned next though, changed everything. ��Ah, hot weapons. Those are completely prohibited by the cultivators. Anyone making them in any kingdom is wiped out. Metal is too precious to use in such a way. Most use bows, or if they are rich, crossbows.��


    Blood poured out like a waterfall from the massive cut. A large roar sounded over the ship, as I landed back on the deck as the leviathan tilted to the side, and fell towards the front part of the ship, not the middle. Another large section of the starboard side was ripped away.


    There was shouting going on all around as the ship tilted back in the other direction. I could see the shadow of the leviathan in the water as well as a massive blood trail as it circled around. I quickly ran over to the port side of the ship. The leviathan surged back up, rushing towards the ship to bite it.


    I recalled my training from the Cloudy Moon Sect so long ago. If the ship took another blow it was going to sink for sure. It was centuries ago, but I still remembered the training I had received from Elder Yi Meifeng and had practiced. The Parting Cloud Style of sword fighting.


    Even with the tilting ship, I was sure of my footing. I brought my sword back, and channeled in a tenth of energy reserves into the blade, bring my sword up from pointing at the ground towards the sky in one fluid motion. The first form of the style.


    The water parted as the leviathan lunged for the ship. My blow struck it head on. A large portion of its head and jaw split in half. The massive creature collapsed back into the water as the sailors fired arrows and bolts at the leviathan.


    The screams and shouts quickly died off and there was a resounding cheer from the crew as well as Captain Li Meifeng. I was more pleased that the technique worked properly in this environment. I had tested it before while traveling with Yang Heng, but not in this bubble of reality, with no energy. The expenditure of energy to use such an attack was immense. Unfortunately, it was the only way to save the ship, before it took a second impact and completely shattered apart.


    ��Fish out the survivors, get to work on patching up the damage, and let��s get harvesting!�� Captain Li Meifeng called out as I sheathed my sword. The second attack had vaporized any traces of blood on it. After a couple of minutes of making sure his ship didn��t sink, the crew that went over the side were pulled out, and the leviathan was being harvested, he came over to me.


    ��Thank you, Cultivator Yuan Zhou. Without you, would have all died,�� he replied.


    ��You have been pleasant company Captain. Will you be able to harvest all of it?�� I asked while gesturing at the floating carcass in the water, that sailors were already pulling hand sized scales out of.


    ��The scales and teeth yes. A small portion of meat as well. A few of the bones. We can only stay half a day at most, before the carcass will draw in another leviathan. Even hunter ships, would not take on two such beasts in rapid succession,�� he replied.


    ��Really? It would seem like if you had multiple ships you could do such a thing?�� I asked.


    ��They already hunt with multiple ships. Set up a small ship with bait as a decoy, get four ships around it to target the leviathan that is attracted. Even four ships would struggle to harvest a single creature. We will be lucky to get all the scales, since we also have to work on the damage,�� he replied.


    ��We won��t sink?�� I asked since Voyager was clearly listing to one side.


    ��The ship is designed to stay afloat even if the lower portion of the hull fills up with water. We will be limping back to port. Most of the other half of the harvest will be spent paying for repairs,�� he said with a heavy sigh.


    ��You wouldn��t purchase a new ship?�� I asked. This was an entirely new culture I needed to understand. In the Forever City, it was easier to just toss stuff away. Sure, there was some recycling, but very little effort to repair items on a large scale.


    ��The wood of these ships is made from a special water resistant tree, that is also lightweight, poisonous, and incredibly strong.�� While these people didn��t have much metal, their wood skills and tree breeding was top notch. ��If properly treated, the wood repels marine life from latching on.��


    ��It isn��t poisonous to people?�� I asked, slightly concerned.


    ��Not unless you eat the wood. The wood is treated to lock the poison into the wood itself. The tree grows closer to the Life Light, which means it all has to be imported. It is expensive, but far cheaper than purchasing an entirely new ship,�� Captain Li Meifeng explained. We turned back to watch the crew harvesting the massive creature.


    Scales were pried up and yanked out, before being hauled up to the deck of Voyager in buckets. There were empty barrels that the scales were dumped into before the buckets were lowered again. The idea was to get as many materials off the leviathan as possible before we had to leave.


    There was another crew working near the head, hacking away around the teeth to pull them out. There were bits of flesh attached to the scales and teeth. Captain Li Meifeng explained they could be cleaned off once we left, but it was important to get as much as we could right now from the creature.


    I stayed to watch carefully looking for any sign of energy, but there was nothing that I could spot. ��How long does it take a leviathan to grow to this size?�� I asked.


    ��About 1 to 2 years. They grow quickly. See, they have a second set of teeth, behind the first set. They use those flatter teeth to filter and trap smaller fish. They aren��t valuable at all, since they easily break apart, unlike their more jagged teeth in front, which are made into weapons.��


    ��A bit large for weapons, each of those teeth are about the size of my arm,�� I replied.


    ��Bone swords and spears are quite popular, since they hold their edge very well. It takes a lot of skill to work with leviathan parts. When we dock, this will be all sold off to a trader to take to a port with hunting ships,�� Captain Li Meifeng explained.


    ��We aren��t going to the capital?�� I asked and he shook his head.


    ��The capital for the Kingdom of Wu is quite far. There is no canal either, connecting the Emerald Ocean to the Sapphire Ocean.�� This place was built into kind of rings like I had suspected. ��Further on there are canals that connect the oceans. But there isn��t enough trade this far out to justify building one. Only at the edge of the Empire of Flame, will you run into a canal,�� Captain Li Meifeng explained.


    ��You talked about bringing me to the Kingdom?�� I asked.


    ��To the governor who controls the port we will be stopping at. They can assist you much better than I can and can speak to the King. You will have to cross the land to reach the capital at the edge of the Emerald Ocean. There are no known trade routes on the Sapphire Ocean, just explorers like us and hunter ships. Building a canal isn��t cheap. While there is talk to make a route direct route through the Great World, it is never easy. Especially with the lack of people and civilization out this far.��


    ��So, a canal is being built?�� I asked.


    ��Possibly. New lands means new chances at finding metal, but it is very hard to grow anything beyond the Emerald Ocean. Beyond the Saphire Ocean, it is even harder. The temperature is quite harsh, along with the snowstorms, which can kill everything in their path.�� I nodded at this. The snowstorms were quite rough. ��There has been work on aqua farms, but they take a lot of resources to set up and protect from the cold.��


    ��But it takes time to build,�� I replied. While this place might be millennia old, the outer portions of the Great World were just too barren to grow stuff in and maintain a steady food supply. It would be like investing in a place like Alaska back on Earth. While there might be lots of metal and other resources in Alaska, there weren��t that many resources out here, with the lack of metal.


    ��A lot of time and investment. A Kingdom also has to defend it boarders, contribute to its Empire, and the distance makes things even more difficult,�� Captain Li Meifeng explained. I looked back at the sailors who had gone up and down the length of the carcass, harvesting scales. Now they were rotating the creature slightly.


    ��Surprised they know how to harvest a leviathan,�� I replied.


    ��I have had a few officers that have served on board a hunter ship and we have killed one in the past. No one wants to leave money behind. I would day you would be set for life with your half, but you are a cultivator.��


    ��It will be good to have some money,�� I replied. It would stop me from having to sell the stuff I had in my spatial storage. The energy bars and metal were insanely valuable. But I needed to find out what this place had that I wanted, if anything. I would need to speak to an actual cultivator.


    The governor would be a good first step to make arrangements. After that I would have to think on the specific situation itself. If there was a chance to trade or start up a business, I might consider it, if there was something valuable enough. I doubted it though. What I needed was energy, and there was no energy.


    I might have considered technological knowledge, but this place��s advanced technology was wood working. I noted that a lot of tools being used were made out of bone. I had no idea if it was leviathan bone or another type. It could be human bone for all I knew. While interesting, that felt like going backwards in terms of equipment.

 Chapter 93: The Governor

    Chapter 93: The Governor


    ��Port Farsight,�� Captain Li Meifeng gestured across the bow of his damaged ship at the city. I had developed expectations that the place would be some sort of hovel of dirt and sticks. Instead I was greeted with a city made of concrete that had buildings five stories tall, massive docks, a ten story lighthouse, and around twenty wooden ships in and around the docks themselves.


    ��I was expecting something a bit less impressive,�� I replied while looking at the city and the see through skin people with too large eyes moving about. I was really going to stand out once I arrived.


    ��Well it is the main link to the Saphire Ocean for exploration and hunting. You can follow the Lifeward road out of the city to the capital, but the governor will be your best option in order to get a letter of introduction,�� Captain Li Meifeng explained.


    I needed to go from the Governor to the King and then to the Sect in the Empire of Flame. Working my way up the ladder of people to get answers. ��Thank you for agreeing to introduce me to the governor,�� I said.


    ��I was going to anyway. And after you helped save the ship, it is the least I could do. It will take a couple of days to sell everything we have collected. You can collect your money any time. It will take a while before repairs are complete and we set off again,�� Captain Li Meifeng said with a heavy sigh. Voyager was limping into port with the damage it had taken from the leviathan. ��Perhaps one day we will reach the edge of the Great World.��


    ��Perhaps. It would be a long and hard journey. Even with a way to travel quickly,�� I replied.


    ��A man needs a dream.�� The Captain then walked off to oversee us docking in at the port. I was stared at quite heavily by the people going about their business. Once I left the city, I might wear a disguise or something. I also noticed that most of the clothing was linen cloth and there were no martial robes. Even the guards wore a type of linen cloth with wood armor.


    Coming into the port, I had noted there were attempts at farming and growing trees outside the city, but they looked quite sad in terms of size and vitality. The climate was quite poor to grow crops and other plants. It wasn��t as bad as the previous parts of land I had crossed, since crops and trees were able to grow, but they were clearly struggling.


    Looking up at the white star, or Life Light as the people called the singular source of light, it made me wonder why everything wasn��t overheating. A star focused on a specific section of land should overheat things. That was a good reason for the Great Desert and the greater angle made it difficult for plants to grow.


    There were a lot of amazing things a civilization could do with just wood, but without large sources of metal, they were incredibly handicapped from any kind of technological growth. The people here were heavily trapped in a ring of sustainability.


    At least they didn��t make wooden swords. A sword was a useful weapon since the metal was able to hold an edge. While they had come a long way with wood, there was no way they would be able to have wood cut as easily metal. Hence the bone and teeth that were used.


    While following Captain Li Meifeng to the governor��s building, I thought about what the purpose of this place could be. If I had showed up on my continent after learning everything I knew, it wouldn��t be clear that it was a resource production location. That kind of macro-engineering made the purpose of structures incredibly unclear.


    There was also the issue that this Great World was much, much smaller than the ring Yang Heng and I had encountered. While there was a gap between the ring and the location of this place, there was a lot of unknown space. Glancing up at the sky, there were probably a lot of hidden systems and construction to make a bubble of reality work in the Mechanical Layer. You couldn��t cheat as much with energy, like in the Firmament, which was what the Continent I had grown up on had done.


    Most of the buildings were grayish block structures with wood signs out front. Looking closely, it appeared the buildings used wood frames for the interior and floors while they used concrete for the outside and foundation. Even the streets were paved with concrete blocks and there was a sewer system. I also noted many buildings had a type of sail structure at the top that was slowly turning around in a circle.


    Again, I was reminded of the fact that a lack of technology or energy did not mean these people were stupid. While individual people might have various degrees and bouts of stupidity, any kind of civilization would have a much greater level of intelligence. There was also the genius factorization for such a large group of people.?iscover new chapters at novelhall.com


    If one out of every million people was a genius, and humans could share information, larger civilizations would naturally have more geniuses. If you took 8 billion people on Earth, you might have 8,000 geniuses. If you took this place, which could easily have 8 trillion people due to the sheer size, then having 8 million geniuses was possible.


    While there would be difficulties gathering such large groups togeather and other logistical and informational challenges, over time a larger civilization would progress more rapidly. It was also why the Heavenly Alliance had places like the Continents. People were resources as well. While I had assumed the goal had been innovation in cultivation, it was far larger than I had initially thought.


    Could something similar be occurring here? Yang Heng had explained the end goal of super-organizations. To gather more energy, techniques, knowledge, and strength to their side over time. That period of time was incredibly long, but the primary goals still remained the same.


    The question I had to ask, was how did this place contribute to those goals? Since there were cultivators, my main guess was that it was to develop techniques with as little energy use as possible. Efficiency, where techniques would be refined over countless generations.


    The lack of metal, cut off any path towards technology. The no energy environment and the possibly limited energy would create an environment where cultivators had to squeeze out every possible use of energy. If the cultivators had some kind of crystals, where energy was rationed that would all but confirm my guess.


    I had made improvements myself in the efficient use of energy. The main difference was that I was able to generate my own energy to a very limited degree, unlike the people of this place. There was no way a connection could be established between their soul and the Astral Plane to draw up energy to assist their cultivation.


    It was a fundamental facet of reality, that they were just too far from the source of energy in the lower layers of reality to draw it up or create a connection without one already being present. And if they advanced their cultivation further and became energy based lifeforms, this suppressive environment would crush them like it had Yang Heng, incapacitating them.


    Leaving this place would become even more difficult if that were the case. The biggest danger was some kind of large technological force interfering from the outside, but the answer was obvious now that I had confirmed there were cultivators and humans.


    The large ring around this bubble of reality might intercept and destroy all non-cultivators. Whoever set this up was clearly a cultivator. That was without question, since super-organizations were defined by how they used energy. There was no point for non-cultivator super-organizations to set up a place where there were cultivators. The knowledge gained versus the effort spent wasn��t useful.


    If there were groups fighting against the cultivators, then that might be understandable, but even the demons Captain Li Meifeng had mentioned, were just a myth about the outer edges of the Great World. There had been no actual confirmations of actual demons, just ancient fairy tales. It was possible, however remote, that another type of super-organization set this place up, but the humans and cultivators placed here, overwhelmed the demons, wiping them out and the super-organization never came back to check for whatever reason.


    That second explanation seemed off. Too many coincidences had to perfectly happen for that to be the case. It seemed more and more likely that this entire place was meant to force cultivators to use energy more efficiently. That meant there should be a way that information was collected, and a way for me to leave this place.


    Since it was most likely built by a super-organization, it was highly likely they had a way back to the Firmament. While there would be greater risks, there would be energy. Also, Yang Heng could be rescued as well.


    The governor��s building was painted in a yellow color, which was the main color for the Kingdom of Wu. Thankfully there was a lot of color coordination in terms of the Kingdoms. Normally an Empire picked red, green, or blue, with the lesser Kingdoms picking related colors.


    The guards stared at me intently as I followed Captain Li Meifeng into the building. ��Explorer Captain Li Meifeng to introduce Cultivator Yuan Zhou to the Governor,�� he introduced us to the receptionist. She looked at me, then at the sword on my waist.


    The female receptionist quickly bowed. ��Of course honored guests. Please, follow me to the receiving room where there will be refreshments. I will inform Governor Chuanli,�� she said. We went to a side sitting room, where servants quickly brought in various finger foods and drink. I sampled a couple of them but did not indulge myself deeply. The Captain did the same while we waited.


    After about a quarter of one of my hours the governor showed up. The two different time systems were confusing. I planned to stick with mine, unless there was a reason to do otherwise.


    The governor was an older man, who was dressed in robes with various shades of yellow and the symbol of the Wu Kingdom sewn onto the breast. ��Governor Chuanli, these are your guests, Explorer Captain Li Meifeng and Cultivator Yuan Zhou.��


    He stared intently at me. ��Truly you are a cultivator?�� he asked with a bit of surprise.


    ��Indeed. Captain Li Meifeng can testify how I took down a leviathan,�� I said. The governor turned to look at the Captain.


    ��It is the truth, even if I would not have believed it with my own eyes. Two sword strikes and the beast had perished. If not for Cultivator Yuan Zhou, I would not be standing here,�� he replied. The governor then bowed to me, deep enough to indicate he was being respectful, but not subservient. One of the many things that was similar to the cultivation culture of the Heavenly Alliance that I had confirmed with the Captain during our language lessons.


    ��I would thank you Cultivator Yuan Zhou. The Captain here is one of our more daring explorers. Not many captains and crews will risk crossing the ocean to chart untamed lands. His loss would be felt by the Kingdom.��


    ��He was kind enough to give me a lift to your city of Port Farsight. It is more impressive than I would have initially thought it to be,�� I replied. The governor straightened up with a smile. The bigger eyes and the almost translucent skin still unnerved me. It would take me a long time to get used to seeing such people.


    ��It is rare that a cultivator wishes to speak with one such as myself. Please, sit, and tell me how I can be of service,�� the governor said. We all sat back down.


    ��I have gone on a long journey and have recently come back to civilization. I am hoping to learn many things. Specifically any knowledge of the Great Desert, the cultivators of this area, and an introduction to the local sect,�� I explained.


    ��The Captain would know as much as any scholar. The Great Desert is more than a lifetime of travel away. Even by fast courier ship, one��s distant might arrive if they did nothing but travel. All there are is legends. Everyone knows the Life Light is directly above the Great Desert, and there are great beasts in the desert, but beyond that there are just tall tales.�� I nodded at this.


    ��And cultivators don��t do this?�� I asked wanting to know more about the cultivator culture of this place.


    ��It would slow down their pursuit of power. And the Sect would offer better accommodations than some backwater city that lies Edgeward.�� That was the same between where I had grown up and this place. Cultivators desired more power. To be a cultivator was to cultivate power in the quest for immortality. It was good to confirm there were strong similarities to what I already knew.


    ��Tempting, but I plan to continue my journey only making small detours. I suspect what I seek lies in the center of the Great Desert. Any advice on traveling Lifeward as quickly as possible?�� I asked.


    ��Once you get past the Emerald Ocean and to the next one, there are canals that cut through the land. Hiring a fast ship would be your best option, and going from canal to canal,�� Captain Li Meifeng suggested.


    ��The Captain is right. That would be the best and fastest way to travel. I would caution about the massive expense and time of such a trip, but as a cultivator that is a small concern,�� Governor Chuanli replied.


    ��It is tempting to leave and start such a journey. But I am getting a bit old for such a trip. My children have left home to seek their own fortunes on the oceans,�� Captain Li Meifeng said.


    ��I would find someone to manage your ship once complete your errands in the capital and the Sect.��


    ��What is the name of the cultivation Sect?�� I asked.


    ��Flame Sect, like the Empire. I can��t speak to their temperament or policies. But my letter will get you to see the King, who can arrange a letter for you to go visit the Sect with an introduction,�� the Governor answered. I nodded at this and the conversation wound down.


    Afterwards I was shown to a guest room. To my surprise they had running water, made from ceramic pipes and brought to the top of the governor��s building through a well and the use of an Archimedes screw to draw up water and the use of wind power. That was what those sail structures I had seen earlier were doing. Bringing up fresh water from deep underground for various buildings.


    Such measures were also used in various farming areas to ensure there was enough water for all the plants. The main issue was light to help them grow, which was why food and wood was a struggle this far Edgewards.


    Unlike other strips of land, there were no cities that weren��t on the coast. Fish were needed to supplement people��s diets inside the city, since there wasn��t enough of a surplus of food from the outlying farms. Even with large tracts of farmland, it was still a struggle to produce enough food. That combined with the lack of metal were the biggest visible constraints on these weird looking people.


    The Governor himself brought me the scroll while I read in his library, improving my limited reading skills. The scroll was in a nice wooden case. I opened it up and took a look at the scroll, having to spend some time to translate it. While I could speak the local language, Captain Li Meifeng only had so many things available for me to read.


    Tiger Leaping Over The Wall Technique


    In the tranquil realm where the whispers of ancient spirits echo through the verdant valleys, there exists a profound cultivation technique known as the Tiger Leaping Over the Wall Technique. It is said to be a harmonious dance between the practitioner and the forces of nature, a sublime artistry that transcends mere physicality.


    To commence this mystical practice, one must first find a secluded grove where the energies of the earth converge harmoniously. With reverence, the practitioner assumes a meditative stance, grounding themselves deeply into the fertile soil beneath their feet. As the gentle breeze caresses their skin and the song of the birds becomes their melody, they align their breath with the rhythm of the Life Light.


    As the connection with the tiger becomes palpable, the practitioner begins to move with fluidity and precision, mimicking the feline''s graceful movements. With each step, they leap higher and higher, defying the constraints of the Great World itself. It is as if the practitioner has become one with the very essence of motion, transcending the limitations of the physical realm.


    With a heart full of courage and a spirit unbound, the practitioner executes the final leap �C the legendary leap over the wall. In this moment of transcendence, they soar through the air with the grace of a falling leaf, breaking through the barriers that once confined them.


    As they land gracefully on the other side, a sense of euphoria washes over them, permeating every fiber of their being.


    The more I read and translated, the more I wanted to puke. It was a flowery description, not a technical description. No wonder the Governor was willing to give it to me. While I understood the importance of flowery descriptions for higher level techniques, to allow more room for improvement, it didn��t explain anything regarding how this Great World��s cultivation system might work.


    It was incredibly aggravating to get such a technique, when I wanted something that said, ��Move energy to X to get Y result.�� At least it would be a valuable trade good. The remainder of my time in the Governor��s home and office, I spent going through his library, working to improve my reading skills and understanding of this world.


    There were several historical accounts, but nothing beyond 1,000 of the local years, which was about 4,500 of my years. There were references to events that happened before then, but there were no books or scrolls available discussing them specifically.


    Port Farsight had been built 1,000 years ago, when the Kingdom of Wu and the Empire of Flame were undergoing an expansionist phase into unclaimed territory. This had been a military outpost before then, not a full fledged city, with only limited exploration into the ocean beyond.


    The idea at the time had been to change this city into one that would dominate the Sapphire Ocean. The Kingdom of Wu��s neighbors followed suit, with various conflicts, ups and downs, over the years. Apparently, there was a military outpost across the ocean that I had crossed, but hadn��t run into. The goal being to create a path to explore outwards into unclaimed territory for more resources.


    There had been success, but it wasn��t cheap or easy to make such cities with how hard it was to grow crops. Even the occasional find of metal ore was not enough for a greater investment at the moment. Captain Li Meifeng charted the coast and rivers, as well as bringing messages back and forth. He would also do the occasional interior exploration if he thought some portion of land might have something valuable.


    Again, I was reminded that being stuck in the wood age did not mean these people were stupid. They had running water, sewer system, and a wide range of impressive accomplishments. But without large sources of metal, they were heavily limited in what they could actually accomplish.


    Even if the entire Great World had as much metal as Earth, it was to spread out. Where even a scrap of iron was treated like gold. But there was nothing that could be done. No matter how much they bred for specific traits in plants and trees and their woodworking improved, one could only accomplish so much with wood and plants.


    There was a technological barrier that couldn��t be easily crossed, if at all. Anything involving electricity just wouldn��t be possible. That meant large scale manufacturing would be limited. Plastics would also be a struggle. There were no natural oil deposits, at least none according to the books I read through. All the oil came from a type of tree sap.


    ��Cultivator Yuan Zhou,�� Captain Li Meifeng greeted me the morning before I left.


    ��Captain. How are the repairs for the Voyager?�� I asked.


    ��Going well enough. I have collected your share of payment from the leviathan corpse.�� I had kept a few samples with me, a large tooth, and several scales. ��Two strips and twenty coins.��


    The high-level currency of this place was based on metal slips, strips, and bars. There were 100 coins to a strip and 20 strips to a bar. All metal held around the same value. The coins were quite small with a hole in the middle. Kingdoms issued specially carved wooden coins that had lesser values for internal trade, but were rarely accepted beyond the Kingdom��s boarders, and if they were only at a great loss.


    Each coin was about the size of a dime, I remembered from Earth, which was about the size of the tip of my pinky finger. Each strip was about the size of my middle finger and had as much metal as 100 coins. A bar was just 20 strips combined togeather. The date, kingdom, metal, and purity were all etched onto each of these items since they were handcrafted individually.


    Compared to the amount of material that had been taken from the leviathan and my half of the amount taken, it was a stark difference, and another reminder of how valuable metal actually was here in the Great World.


    I didn��t even bother putting the money into my spatial storage. Instead, I kept it in a pouch, I tucked into my martial robes. I had washed my clothing myself, very carefully. While they were incredibly durable even without energy, the self-cleaning wasn��t functioning. I had washed them occasionally, but I was in proper civilization now with actual cleaning products. I only used a small amount, but the diluted sap gave a subtle floral smell to my clothing instead of a musk.


    I had gotten several showers as well during my stay and enjoyed meals that weren��t reconstituted paste. Voyager, while a big ship did not have these kinds of luxuries.


    ��Thank you Captain. I wish you safe and profitable exploration,�� I said.


    ��Thank you, Cultivator Yuan Zhou. May your journey to the Great Desert go quickly and smoothly,�� he replied. With our goodbyes completed, I also said goodbye to the Governor as well. The caravan had assembled in front of his building in the small plaza there.


    I noted a lot of people had come out to watch our departure. I was wearing a wide brimmed hat with a shawl. That covered the back of my head and the sides, while leaving the front in shadow since the hat was tipped forward. I also had a plain gray cloak that went on top of my martial robe. Even with my disguise I still got a lot of stares and looks at the sword on my hip.

 Chapter 94: Bandit Army

    Chapter 94: Bandit Army


    ��You are a cultivator?�� The young man assigned to my carriage as my servant asked. I mentally sighed. Was this how all my tutors felt when being asked questions they didn��t want to answer?


    ��Yes,�� I replied. This place had horses, but they weren��t common. The cost to upkeep a horse wasn��t cheap. In the entire caravan, I was the only one who had a carriage. The young man was named Shao. A minor detail I did not need to know.


    I was near the front of the caravan looking out one of the side windows as Shao sat with me. Once we stopped he would handle getting me food, preparing my bed, and anything else that I might want. I was the VIP of the caravan. While I could do that kind of stuff myself, I was not about to object to being assigned a servant. My hat covered my face, and my hands were folded into the sleeves of my robes.


    ��Everyone is talking about the bandits, but they say you will kill them all with your metal sword,�� Shao said. He clearly had some kind of connections to get hired for this job and bothering me.


    ��Quiet, I wish to think,�� I said. Thankfully that was enough to silence him. The carriage shook and jostled with each bit of movement. Since metal was highly limited, there were no springs. Without springs the ride was bumpy. The road was well paved, but it was no asphalt road. It used concrete flagstones.


    These people built their infrastructure to last and be quite durable. I guess the Kingdoms or at least Wu didn��t want to have to go back and rebuild the road or a city after a century. It would be too much of an expense. I did note that the buildings outside Port Farsight were made of wood with concrete foundations. Not as durable or as nice as the buildings in the city, but that made sense. Wealth flowed towards cities, not towards farms.


    There were fifty wagons that were part of the caravan, a hundred soldiers, a hundred baggage handlers, fifty archers, and one cultivator. Then there were the twenty or so wagons from independent traders who were striking out hoping to start making money and to use our caravan as a shield against bandit attacks.


    ��You look like you are about to burst. What is it?�� I asked Shao.


    ��Can I see your sword?�� he asked. It was resting on the seat next to me. I lifted it up and partially unsheathed it. ��Amazing.�� I then put my sword away back on the seat. My mind considered how cultivators would actually cultivate in this environment. There had to be some kind of treasure that had energy.


    That was what I would need in large quantities if at all possible. Cultivators valued metal, so I would be able to trade. In fact the Sects were the ones who primarily processed metal ore. While this shipment was going to the capital, it would be appraised and then sold onwards to the Flame Sect.


    With the processing device from the Ek, I could easily turn physical material into metal using my energy. I had tested it out while in Port Farsight. It was possible to get a bar of metal based on the accumulation of around a hundred of my days worth of energy. The time difference was really annoying mentally.


    It wasn��t worthwhile in my mind. But if I was able to find another source of energy, possibly from the cultivators of this land, I could trade metal bars for energy from that source to produce more metal bars in a cycle. Eventually the prices would normalize, but there was a chance there was a huge market differential to take advantage of. It all depended on if there was some kind of energy source and cultivators were willing to sell it in exchange for metal.


    Yang Heng had called my purchases trash, but sometimes the most powerful option wasn��t always appropriate. This place was the perfect example with how the hover craft stopped working and the lack of energy in the environment. Less of a lack and more of a drawing force that pulled away energy that wasn��t tightly held onto.


    If there was anything with energy, I would have to look at how the energy was contained. It might be possible to learn something from the container that held energy. It would need to be unique to this Great World.


    Shao was bouncing in his seat again. ��How were you even assigned to me in the first place?�� I asked.


    ��I am a grandson of Governor Chuanli.�� That explained everything. It was nepotism and probably a grandson quite far down the line of inheritance like I had been when I was a child. That brought back fond memories. His grandfather was clearly giving his grandson an opportunity to try and impress me and hopefully gain some benefits.


    ��What sect are you from? Do you have any special moves? How do you cultivate?�� Shao couldn��t contain his questions any longer.


    ��The Heavenly Alliance, some minor sword slashes, and with great difficulty,�� I responded. While my answers weren��t truthful I did not feel like explaining the nature of reality to this child. Sometimes it was a good thing to be a frog in the well so one could be content. Knowledge he could do nothing about would only be a pointless burden.


    Knowing that your life and destiny were in the hands of another, was not something that was easy to accept. Sure there might be spiritual beliefs and religion, but there was a difference between an absent god and knowing that your supreme authority was another cultivator. I had struggled with this for a long time while in the Forever City.


    Now I knew truths. Not all the truths, or anywhere close to a full understanding of how reality, worked, but more than enough to be content with my understanding and come to terms with what I knew and how things truly worked.


    Perhaps one day I would train an apprentice and answer their questions but that day was not going to be today. ��You must have traveled quite a bit,�� Shao said. Now I knew why my instructions regarding etiquette had told me to keep quiet in the face of a cultivator. I was beginning to become annoyed enough I might just toss him out of the carriage. In fact, that might be a good idea. ��You must have had many amazing adventures. Can you tell me any?��


    ��Cultivation is boring and about silence, sitting still. There are few adventures. And if you do go on an adventure, you have done something wrong. Now let me think in quiet,�� I ordered. Thankfully Shao shut up to let me brood some more about my current situation.


    We came to a stop for the day. There was no evening, or sunset. It was just the rest period chosen after a certain amount of distance traveled. The caravan was not like a ship. There was no clock or other devices to give one��s location. Instead there were set distances and rest spots for the caravan that had been cleared during the construction of the road, that were spaced apart at specific intervals.


    My carriage was in the center of the wagon ring along with the people and horses. The traders joining the caravan all had to camp on the outside of the wagon ring. If an attack did happen, they would be the first individuals targeted. With a group this large there were multiple sentries stationed around the area and scouts had been sent on ahead.


    I rested in the carriage, while Shao prepared my dinner. The constant light from the Life Light was another thing I wasn��t fully used to. I liked an actual day and night cycle, not this constant white light. After enjoying my stew and some hard bread, Shao set up the bed in the carriage. He got to sleep outside in a tent.


    The first four days of travel saw us pass various farms. After that point the road began to go up towards a pass between two mountains. There was an outpost there with some soldiers keeping an eye on the area and the road. That would take another three days of travel. Once we got beyond the outpost, that was where there were bandits.


    There were villages out in the wilderness, but they didn��t pay taxes, they just tried to grow enough to survive. In more prosperous areas they would sell services to travelers moving along the main roads between cities. There would also be interior cities as well.


    But out here, so far Edgewards in the Great World, there would be a long stretch of road and tiny villages with almost nothing. It was only when we began getting close to Port Nearsight would there be more farms and civilization. Not just whomever was trying to eek out a living in the wilderness.


    Even if the majority of people didn��t want to be bandits, they had no other choice but to try and take the caravan to change their future. It wasn��t like the Kingdom of Wu would send out a punitive expedition of their military to purge these people. Eventually more would trickle in over a period of time and it would be like it never even happened.


    In fact the bandits growing food in the villages was seen as a precursor to generating enough food in an area to build up another city along the road. If there was enough trade and movement along the road, then it was possible that would happen. Again, the main issue came down to food and how many people could actually survive out in the wilderness.


    There weren��t large animals like deer in the wilderness either. At the best you would have badger like equivalents. The horse was the largest known land animal. There were claims that everything bigger had been hunted off in the distant past. It was possible, but unlikely in my mind. There were no deer or larger animals in the empty tracks of land I had crossed.


    Most likely one of those legends or a false assumption these people had made about the Great World. What was most interesting was reading about their creation myths. I even used that term myth, for the more scientific texts I had read.


    Apparently, the entire universe consisted of the Life Light, the Great World, and the void beyond the edge. There was a weird concept of gravity, instead there an attractive force downwards, not towards mass. The more I had read, the more everything felt like it was bizarre. People were trying to find meaning where there was none since this place was entirely artificial.


    I had ignored such things back on the Continent, since they didn��t seem overly important, but now they brought me some amusement. The problem was, that it was beyond comprehension that any one person could build so much. Even with technology or energy it did not seem possible.


    ��What about mega-engineering? How does that even work to make bubbles?��I asked Yang Heng.


    ��With great difficulty. Often with the use of golems, repeating a process over and over again. There are both technological and energy varieties of these automations. Then it is just a matter of maintaining enough supplies for them to complete whatever task they have been assigned.��


    ��The Forever City used golems for maintenance,�� I recalled.


    ��Exactly. No immortal cultivator wants to maintain something endlessly. At best they might be an absent caretaker. The challenge is creating a stable system that will never require outside intervention.��


    With time being a non-factor, it was a matter of resources, knowledge, and interference if something could be constructed. It was simple enough to change one form of matter to another with energy. That was what the Ek could do and according to Yang Heng they were at the very bottom of the hierarchy of civilizations.


    ��Why didn��t they retreat?�� I muttered out loud. It was a rhetorical question as Shao handed me a canteen of water to drink from.


    ��They will fall prey to other bandit groups. A lack of food. Desperation. They are bandits, why does it really matter?�� Shao asked.


    ��They lost two thirds of their army before they retreated. Do they not fear death?�� I asked.


    ��To die under the Life Light, is to send your soul back into the cycle of reincarnation,�� Shao replied. Desperation and religion, it still didn��t make any sense.


    ��It was the Kylo weed. Highly illegal, but the bandits grow it,�� a caravan trader who was nearby commented. I looked at him. ��Ah, my thanks honored Cultivator for saving us all.��


    ��Kylo weed, what is that?�� I asked.


    ��A plant that removes inhibitions. It is illegal in the Flame Empire, except for very specific and regulated trade. Grows about everywhere too. Used on unsuspecting maidens and the truly desperate before a battle. Once you take it, you do not fear anything. Or at least not easily. Enough of them died, that they finally realized the battle was lost.��


    ��They didn��t realize that at the start?�� I asked with a bit of shock. Even with a drug, I had made it clear I was unbeatable.


    ��That��s why it is highly illegal. You get crazy people who fight to the death like that. They know, but they don��t think they will die. It removes the fear of death. Once some bandits started running, it quickly became a logical issue where they didn��t have the numbers. As long as the possibility of victory was still there, they would fight until the end.��


    ��This isn��t in the histories I read,�� I said to the merchant who was explaining all of this to me.


    ��It is not something Kingdoms would want to talk about. After the battle a tenth of those who took that drug, their minds will break forever. Either they will become comatose and waste away, or become rabid animals. Professional soldiers will fight until the end without it, since that is what they are paid for. But bandits, they have to use the Kylo weed to have the courage to fight and die in such numbers.��


    ��Why even take it in the first place?�� I asked.


    ��They might not know. Or think it only boosts courage, not removes the fear of death. People talk, but there are a lot of stories about the drug.��


    ��Thank you for explaining, I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou,�� I introduced myself.


    ��Trader Wei,�� the merchant gave his introduction.


    ��I would have you join me for dinner, your knowledge has impressed me,�� I said. The main reason was that I wanted to get my mind off the massacre of starving druggies. While no blood had landed on me, the screams of the dying still sounded behind me where the battle had taken place.


    ��I would be honored,�� Trader Wei said.


    ��Prepare tea for two and then dinner,�� I told Shao and handed back the water canteen.


    ��Of course,�� he rushed off.


    ��I must admit, I have never seen a cultivator in action. I have heard the stories, but you were incredibly impressive out there,�� Trader Wei said.


    ��Perhaps, but killing weak people is not something I enjoy or take any pleasure in.��


    ��I should be grateful for that.��


    ��So, what do you trade?�� I asked the man.


    ��Gems, mostly sapphires from the oysters collected from the Sapphire Ocean. Hence the name. Here is one of the gems.�� He pulled one out of his robe and handed the small gem to me. I looked at the cut bright blue gemstone.


    ��It is pretty. Deep color as well,�� I replied and then handed it back. ��Any practical use or just ornamentation?�� I asked.


    ��Mostly jewelry and ornamentation. But there are some alchemical uses. That deep blue color is unique to the Sapphire Ocean and the oysters that make the gems there. That is a major export of cities along the coast,�� Trader Wei explained as we made our way back to my carriage where Shao had set up a table and two chairs outside the carriage.


    ��I am guessing the Emerald Ocean is similar?�� I asked.


    ��Indeed. There are professional gem smiths that can make whatever you desire. I am only a gem trader unfortunately.��


    ��Just one wagon?�� I asked.


    ��The oysters have to be fished out of the water. Only one out of every ten thousand has a sapphire gem inside. I buy up all the gems from the fishermen that are collected. My one wagon is a huge investment. Once I reach Port Nearsight, I will take a ship to the capital. From there, I can sell the gems over the next decade while my son takes over purchasing more gems in Port Farsight. I will return with money, and the process will repeat.��


    ��That is quite impressive, and thank you for sharing,�� I replied.


    ��It is an honor. If you don��t mind, why are you so curious? I would not think a cultivator would concern themselves over gems.��


    ��To take my mind off things and I always enjoy hearing about trade. Perhaps in another life I would have been a trader. But I am a cultivator instead. Do you know of any goods cultivators trade in?�� I asked.


    ��Besides metal, there is nothing that comes to mind. But I only handle the gem trade, like my father did, and his father before him.��


    ��I am surprised there is that much demand,�� I replied.


    ��The nobles have insatiable appetites. And I will probably sell three quarters of my supply to a long distance trader, who will head Lifewards. They will sell the gems piecemeal at each port they stop at along with other goods, unlike a dedicated trader like myself.��


    We continued to chat as tea was served. I liked Trader Wei. He was a pleasant man who was quite knowledgeable about the topics he knew. He joked that it was because he did nothing but travel to various fishing villages and ships and chat with people. Trader Wei and the other independent traders also talked quite a bit. He had just been the only one brave enough to reply to my comments after witnessing what I had done.


    I could respect his bravery in that regard. He might be a simple trader, but he was competent and well spoken. Both things I could respect about him. Also, he was better than Shao who asked me annoying questions when I brough up a topic.

 Chapter 95: A Wild Cultivator Appears

    Chapter 95: A Wild Cultivator Appears


    There was a horn in the distance as the caravan came to a halt for a third time. I had thought it was over at the first battle, but apparently word didn��t spread fast enough, or the different bandit groups just didn��t believe what had happened.


    In the last two battles there were only four deaths and seven serious injuries, where the soldiers had to stay on the carts. Our overall combat strength had not decreased. This was definitely not worth that cultivation scroll. Trader Wei and Shao were silent as I let out a sigh. They both knew I did not like fighting, even more so when it would be a massacre.


    There was no point in putting things off. I got out of the carriage just as the soldier in charge of the caravan came over. He had a grim look on his face, more so than the last two times. ��Honored Cultivator Yuan Zhou, they have arrayed themselves just beyond that bend in the road.��


    I followed the soldier around the bend in the road and immediately saw the problem. These people had built a wooden fort directly where the road was, between two steep hills. Looking at the number of bandits, there had to be at least 4,000 this time. This was starting to get a bit ridiculous. The second battle had only been about 2,000 people and they broke quickly after I had rushed into their lines.


    It appeared they had raced ahead to join up with another bandit group. If these people weren��t poor farmers the vast majority of the time, I wouldn��t have believed it would be possible to get such numbers. These weren��t full time bandits, they were poor people who were desperate to change their fate. I saw women and children among the bandits on top of the wood walls and towers that had been built.


    I drew my sword and advanced forwards. I could see the look of fear on their faces from under the brim of my hat. A cold gust of wind blew through the pass and there was utter stillness except for my continued advance. A man jumped down off the wall, wearing a martial robe. He was carrying a metal sword as well. But that wasn��t the most surprising thing. I could detect traces of energy within him. It was another cultivator. He began to advance towards me.


    Perhaps I would get answers sooner than I had anticipated. I came to a stop a good distance away as the soldiers from the caravan assembled behind me. The other cultivator stopped as well. Based on the amount of energy he had, he would be in the Foundation Establishment stage at best, but the energy was melded in with his body incredibly well.


    ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance. You cannot win,�� I calmly said. I could see the fear in the man in front of me. He clearly knew he was outclassed.


    ��I am the Free Cultivator Han, not sworn to any sect. I cannot allow your caravan to pass,�� he replied.


    ��So not with any sect? And your sword is only regular steel. One swing and I will cut through it with ease. I am beyond you for you are but a frog in the well looking upon someone who can crush you easily. I only speak, since I do not like violence and would prefer to exchange words not blows,�� I explained.


    ��I owe these people a great favor. As a man and a cultivator, I won��t break my word. Even if it means my death,�� he replied.


    ��I am not skilled enough to hold back my blows. If you do not wish to die, then you must dodge,�� I said and then kicked off the ground, darting forward.


    Han leapt to the side while bringing up his sword to block. Clearly he was acting on instinct and training. If he had a blade infused with energy that carried a conceptual weight to it, then it would have been the right move. But I had not been lying before. My blade easily cut through the mortal steel and through his side.


    What was surprising however was the resistance my blade faced while cutting through his body. It wasn��t much, but there was resistance where there should be none. Someone at his level of cultivation, with the amount of energy within his body had no business resisting such a blow.


    Cultivator Han went tumbling along the ground, leaving a bloody trail behind. He had lost the grip on his blade, which had been shorn in two. He let out a pained grunt as he brought his hand to his side where he was bleeding. I calmly walked over and brought the tip of my sword to rest on his nose. Once I had done that he didn��t move in the slightest.


    ��Will you surrender yourself into my custody?�� I asked loudly so the soldiers behind me would hear.


    ��I am not foolish enough to keep fighting after such a loss. Thank you senior for your kindness,�� he replied with a hint of bitterness in his voice. He shut his overly large eyes and lay there on the ground.


    ��Take Cultivator Han back to the caravan and provide treatment. He is my guest. Also collect the pieces of his sword and leave them in my carriage,�� I ordered the soldiers. The man in charge quickly sent several out to collect the cultivator and his broken weapon.


    I turned back to the wooden fortress. If before there was fear, now there was despair. ��I will offer you all to clear this road for our caravan, or I will cut you all down,�� I called out loudly.


    ��He is just one man! Take the pills of courage and resist!�� One of the men at the top of the wooden wall called out. I was not going to let this descend into another massacre. I focused and jabbed out with my sword, giving it a twist.


    The man��s dead developed a large hole straight through it. ��You cannot win!�� I yelled out as their leader collapsed backwards, already dead before he hit the ground. ��Now lay down your weapons, open the gate, and disperse.��


    ��Kill him!��


    ��Arrows!��


    ��Fire!��


    This was honestly ridiculous. A wave of wooden arrows came at me. I easily knocked the ones heading at me out of the sky. Why couldn��t these people understand that they were completely and totally outmatched?


    It was honestly one of the most aggravating things I had ever encountered. After the second battle I had some hope that these people possessed common sense along with a will to live. Apparently I had come to that conclusion a bit too soon. I saw many of them ingesting pills. Their big eyes widened a bit more and they became more frantic.


    I continued to advance even under an intense barrage. As long as I moved quickly enough the archers had a hard time targeting me. Once I was closed to the wooden wall, I took a deep breath and swung.


    ��One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth.�� The words helped me focus to maximize the efficiency of the energy I used for this technique. The wood wall separated at the base. The people crowded behind it were cut in half. The wooden towers and the portion of the wall in front of me began to fall over.


    ��Fire!�� The soldiers behind me unleashed a barrage of arrows over my head into the large gap I had created. Bandits were rushing into the gap while their companions screamed on the ground, most of them moments away from dying.


    I felt both sick to my stomach and numb at the carnage. I moved back and forth in front of the gap cutting down the bandits that reached me as more arrows rained down into the gap. The soldiers�� arrows had their tips fire hardened and some had stone tips.


    Arrows didn��t kill people right away normally. That was something I had come to discover. They primarily injured people to disable them from fighting. These fanatics took the injuries, but kept rushing forward. I slowly fell back and the soldiers from the caravan had moved to form a ��V�� shape in front of the large gap in the wall.


    I noted that other portions of the wooden wall had already been set on fire. The soldiers had a limited number of clay pots with fire oil, extracted from a plant of course. The mounted soldiers had ridden in close while I had caused a distraction and lit the wooden wall aflame, forcing the archers off them, and blocking any view from the wooden towers.


    That meant all the bandits had to rush through the gap. After a minute, they couldn��t rush anymore due to the number of corpses. The archers kept firing as runners brought up more arrows from the caravan. I had to hold my position and keep cutting the bandits rushing straight ahead so the soldiers didn��t get overwhelmed.


    Three minutes into the massacre, the fire consuming the wooden walls was starting to die down. The gap in the walls was littered with mounds of corpses and the ground was thick with blood. The screams of the dying continued to sound across the battlefield.


    ��There might have been attempts, but as far as I know, no. And someone of my status would not be able to look into the inner workings of a nexus point.�� I sipped my tea at that annoying answer. They had a location that provided energy. How was that energy getting there? Why wasn��t whatever was drawing away the energy environment impacting these nexus points?


    I got up, since there was one last thing I needed to do. ��I am going to inspect your cultivation.�� I went over to Cultivator Han and put my hand on his shoulder. I then released the smallest burst of energy possible. This was a minor trick Yang Heng had taught me. The results were interesting and I went back to my seat.


    The energy used was the smallest amount I had ever seen. In fact most of the energy had disappeared entirely, only leaving behind some traces. Calling the first stage of this cultivation system Body Tempering was quite accurate. These cultivators were using very small amounts of energy to refine their body. They were squeezing out every possible advantage from the energy they used to make their body stronger.


    I sipped my tea once more, thinking on everything I had just learned. ��How strong is the strongest cultivator in the Flame Sect?�� I asked.


    ��Most sects have at least one elder in the Nascent Soul realm.��


    ��How long do they live for?�� I asked.


    ��At least a thousand years,�� he replied. I let out a scoff at that. Their strongest person was below me most likely. In fact, it appeared their entire cultivation system might be a precursor to the cultivation I knew. They had to refine bits of energy to even develop a soul to then go through the cultivation steps I had.


    But their efficiency was off the charts. My body naturally grew stronger through the natural infusion of energy. They had to complete that process manually. Their life extension wasn��t based on energy, but on the improvement of their physical body to the extreme. It reminded me of the path of Body Cultivation, where the entire point was to use energy to strengthen one��s body.


    I would need more knowledge and to think about this a lot more. It truly was a separate cultivation system from what I could tell. Energy was not being used to build structures as part of one��s soul. Instead they were using minute amounts of energy to refine their bodies to perfection, a process that naturally happened with the kind of cultivation I practiced.


    While my form of cultivation was far superior, it was also dependent on a lot of energy. This new cultivation system was designed to work off as little energy as possible. That made me concerned how powerful one of these nexus points actually was. The amount of energy I needed for my cultivation was immense.


    To put it in perspective, I was drawing enough energy to match Cultivator Han��s cultivation every minute or so. The difference was incredibly massive. However, there was something interesting that caught my attention that I wanted to confirm.


    ��How do you perform strength training, the first step of your cultivation system. Be as detailed as possible,�� I demanded.


    ��It is a matter of mediating and refining the energy one breathes in while inside the nexus chamber. Holding that energy inside oneself and pushing it throughout the body to strengthen one��s body and get it used to energy. Supposedly the most talented can breathe in energy from the very air itself, but I have not had such luck.��


    My brain froze at that last statement. ��People can use the energy in the air? Are you sure about this?�� I asked intently.


    ��Yes. There isn��t much, but it is there.�� I looked around but could not see any energy. The amount in the air had to be absolutely miniscule. ��The key part of the Body Tempering stage is to focus on what you need to do to improve your body. Each Sect uses a different method they have developed and possibly a different order. But the stage is the same for everyone.�� Except me, which I didn��t say.


    ��Go rest. I need to think on what you have said,�� I ordered. Cultivator Han quickly got up, bowed, and left my table. I held out my cup and Shao refilled it with more warm tea.


    I needed to think very carefully about what I had just learned and all the implications. The most important thing was going to see a nexus inside one of these sects. Once I had seen one, I would be able to figure out quite a bit about what was happening with this place. Were they something that the people of this bubble had created on their own? That seemed very unlikely. But did they create a link to some kind of central energy repository? Now that was something that was much more interesting.


    On the continent I grew up on, I never found where all this equipment and mechanisms were hidden. I had a lot of guesses, but no actual confirmation. Here, I needed to find whatever central location was controlling the arrays and formations that made up this place, since that was where energy would be located. A nexus could be a way to find such a location.


    There was also the matter of learning this new cultivation system. While it might not seem that useful for me, I still existed as part of my physical body. That was the point of the second breakthrough to move my consciousness into a body constructed of energy. If I could use the techniques these people had developed to extend my lifespan, that would be a huge boon.


    Right now, I was dependent on energy saturating my body. That was how my cultivation worked in terms of extending a person��s life. None of the structures mattered in that regard. It was all about having more energy in one��s body. That was why the first breakthrough was so big. It drew in more energy for a cultivator to work with on a consistent basis. All the steps before that required getting energy from an external source.


    Either floating Qi in the air to energy that had been compressed into various items. Cultivation was about the use of such energy. I considered why cultivators on the continent didn��t do what these people were doing.


    The answer was obvious in hindsight. There was no culture of using small amounts of energy to alter and improve one��s body. The cultivation system was already in place and cultivators were working to find the best method in the system the Heavenly Alliance used. This system was completely different on a fundamental level. The one I used was superior with the energy available, which was why there was no one looking into changing the physical body with small quantities of energy.


    Even if someone did succeed, it would only create a small bit of life extension. In comparison, the Heavenly Alliance system was much faster. Still, there was an opportunity to learn and seek improvement to my cultivation. The real challenge would be entering the Flame Sect to see this nexus and look over their cultivation instructions without causing an incident.


    While I could easily bully my way through, I would try to be polite first. I did not like fighting and if some powerful cultivator came and ran roughshod over me without even a demand first, I would be very angry. I had to at least give them a chance to cooperate.


    While I was looking down on these people, it would be wise not to underestimate them. Just like with the lack of metal, they made efficient use of what they had. I didn��t doubt that the cultivators of the Great World did everything in their power to maximize their use of energy both for their cultivation and for fighting.


    The fact that cultivators were so insular and rationed energy, showed that each nexus point was valuable beyond compare. Cultivator Han had made it clear with his words that sects formed around nexus points. Without one there would be no sect, or at least, not for long.


    This meeting with Cultivator Han was quite fortuitous. Before I would have raised too many questions and not have known what to ask when I visited the Flame Sect. Now I knew exactly what I was after. Hopefully they would be willing to trade knowledge for knowledge. That was my most precious and abundant commodity.


    If I needed to enlighten them that they were frogs in the well, that was fine. I just wouldn��t allow for anyone to unnecessarily delay me. This caravan trip was already quite slow, but running into a wild cultivator was incredibly valuable. I felt a lot more confident as well, now that I had a better understanding of the power scaling of this place.


    I would not be running into any demonic cultivators like Aoyin, who could use me for whatever they wished. I was the Aoyin of this Great World, or an immortal. I would still need to face a cultivator at this Nascent Soul stage, but I highly doubted they would be able to beat me. They might be able to threaten me, but that was a stretch.


    A big thing this place was lacking was materials soaked in energy. There were no metal bars that had higher stages based on the amount of energy they had within them. My sword was beyond powerful in relation to the weapons they had. Even if they had some kind of gun, I was not too concerned either. With how rare metal was in this place, they might have a one off device, but they would not be equipping hundreds of individuals.


    It was strange with how my situation had suddenly reversed itself. Instead of being the weak cultivator, I was the overpowered senior that could do whatever they wanted. It was both a freeing and terrifying feeling. I could easily understand now, how cultivators would become full of themselves. After enough massacres like the ones I had done with the caravan, they would look down on mortals, and on beings weaker than themselves.


    I couldn��t blame them either. No matter where I went, the cheapest thing was life. It was a bit depressing, but I promised myself that I would not fall into depravity. I would not be a push over, but I would do my best to not resort to violence as a solution for everything. I needed to remain sane. I felt I had done well so far with the hundreds of years I spent on cultivation.


    But if I continually killed people, my mindset would only deteriorate over time.

 Chapter 96: The Capital Of Wu, Or Is It Woe?

    Chapter 96: The Capital Of Wu, Or Is It Woe?


    ��Full army,�� Trader Wei laid down his cards winning the hand we were playing. We were only playing for wooden coins on the ship that was carrying us across the Emerald Sea to the Capital of the Kingdom of Wu.


    ��You are quite good at this,�� I joked and complained at the same time.


    ��A good way to pass the time,�� he replied.


    After the third battle on the road we reached Port Nearsight without incident. From there it was a simple matter to get a ship to cross the Emerald Ocean to get to the Capital. The ore that had been transported by the caravan was on the ship. Cultivator Han had been let go at the port with the remains of his sword that would need to be reforged. He had chosen to head off in another direction instead of going to the Capital. More work in contested areas apparently.


    At least the ship was going faster than my tiny little boat. Which was why I wasn��t getting frustrated at the moment. The caravan had been way too slow in my opinion. The fights didn��t help either. Since I knew Trader Wei, we were on the same ship togeather.


    While he could have sold his gems in port, he would have lost a lot of money compared to transporting them himself all the way to the capital. He dealt the cards for the next hand. I looked at two cultivators and several soldier cards in my hand. They were all from different Empires. A terrible hand.


    ��Land!�� One of the sailors up on the mast, keeping a lookout called out.


    ��It appears this will be our last hand,�� I said as I traded in three cards and bet.


    ��I don��t think anyone else will be able to claim that they played cards with a cultivator,�� Trader Wei joked with a smile.


    ��And took their money,�� I let out a groan as he laid out his winning hand. ��I know you aren��t cheating, since I am watching, but you clearly have an unnatural amount of luck.��


    ��Well, I appreciate the money,�� he replied with a smile. I waved him off as he chuckled. He knew I wouldn��t be a bad sport if I lost which was why we played. The money we were playing with was chump change in my mind, since it wasn��t even metal coins, but wood coins. This was to keep the game at a friendly level.


    Both of us could easily afford losing that kind of money, which meant there were no hurt feelings. I could survive the fallout if that happened, Trader Wei would be swimming with the leviathans. The Capital soon came into view. There were buildings six to eight stories tall. It was a surprise they would build up that high, but I noted the double layer wall around the city.


    These people took defending their cities very seriously and didn��t allow for urban sprawl. At least the Kingdom of Wu didn��t and my guess was that kind of construction planning was the norm. Losing a capital would be a very big deal and they needed to ensure they could hold out against a large professional army.


    I also noted a large canal that cut through the land off into the distance, next to the city. It was wide enough for three ships. There were ships sailing up and down the canal. After my visit to the sect, if I kept traveling, that would be how I would travel.


    We soon docked at the port, and I got directions to the palace. It was time to see if my letter of introduction from Governor Chuanli actually worked, or if I had been scammed. I made my way to the Palace, which was located on the side of the city opposite the canal.


    There was a wall around the palace compound, which was on a hill. ��Halt. State your business,�� a soldier in a yellow uniform said.


    ��Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance, here to see the King. I have a letter of introduction from Governor Chuanli of Port Farsight,�� I said and pulled out the letter from inside of my martial robes.


    ��Honored cultivator, we welcome you to the palace. There is an area for unannounced distinguished guests as yourself. Refreshments will be provided while I inform the castellan of your arrival,�� the soldier quickly did a complete reversal and was incredibly polite.


    I gave him a nod. ��Show me to this waiting area,�� I said. The soldier escorted me to a building near the gate that was well furnished. A servant brought over juice for me to drink and various finger foods. I lightly partook while I waited.


    Eventually a much older looking man arrived. He bowed deeply towards me. ��Greetings honored cultivator. I am Castellan Wing for his royal majesty, the King of Wu. How may we be of assistance.�� I stood up to return my own greeting.


    ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance. I require a letter of introduction and directions to the Flame Sect. Governor Chuanli has written a letter of introduction,�� I held out the letter and the Castellan took it. He read it and then tucked it away in his robes.


    ��While we have some idea where the Flame Sect might be, that is not common knowledge. You would have to go to the capital of the Flame Empire to get directions. We can provide a letter of introduction.��


    ��I will take the letter and the location of the Flame Sect. I have no desire to waste by time by running about pointlessly. To put things in perspective, since you clearly appear to be a man of learning, my cultivation is at the Nascent Soul stage,�� I explained, and I could see the fear in Castellan Wing spike. ��The caravan Governor Chuanli asked me to accompany was attacked by multiple large armies of bandits. I killed over a thousand in a single battle myself.��


    I was making some very pointed threats to move things along. I did not want to deal with any kind of obstruction on political nonsense at this point. I wanted to get to the Flame Sect to get answers. Cultivator Han had piqued my interest, now it was time to satisfy my curiosity.


    There was no way a Kingdom didn��t know where the sect was located. Even if they didn��t know the precise location, they would have a fairly good guess. The metal ore would be mostly sold onto the Flame Sect, since the Sects did most of the metal working in the Great World. Not all of it of course, but most of it.


    ��I swear I don��t know,�� Castellan Wing said with fear in his voice.


    ��Some of the metal ore is sold to the Sect, I know this much, since they handle the minting of metal coins. There has to be a trader, a cultivator, someone that comes to pick the ore up. Unless it magically teleports? Does the ore teleport?�� I asked five guards quickly entered the room and the Castellan backed away from me.


    ��I will have to ask you to leave,�� Castellan Wing said.


    ��Or else what?�� I asked out of curiosity. What would they threaten me with. He opened his mouth and then closed it. I might not like violence, but I was fine with bullying my way through these roadblocks that were a pointless waste of time. I was not about to do several fetch quests before I got to the Flame Sect.


    The guards put their hands on the hilts of their bone swords. ��If any of you draw a weapon in my presence or leave without giving me answers, I will kill you,�� I calmly said. ��I just want information. I can handle the introductions myself.��


    ��The Sect is Lifeward towards the center of the Flame Empire.�� He then proceeded to give me general directions. ��A large caravan employed by the Flame Sect picks up the ore as they transverse across the Empire. They aren��t due to show up for at least another half a year,�� the Castellan quickly explained. He had one of his guards go get some maps.


    Once the guard returned he then showed me the area where the Sect could be on the maps. ��The entire region is owned by the Flame Sect. There are three cities under their control at the edge of their territory. But no known roads through that area.��


    ��It really is a big piece of land to look for the Sect,�� I muttered.


    ��That is why going to the Capital of the Flame Empire is your best bet. The Flame Sect always has at least one Cultivator there to protect and advise the Emperor and his Royal Council. From there you can make your introductions and speak with other cultivators. Now, will you leave?�� That last sentence was quite rude and the Castellan seemed to realize that as well. ��My apologies, Lord Cultivator, but this day has been high stressful.��


    The distance to the Flame Sect and the Capital of the Flame Empire formed a sort of isosceles triangle with my current position. The distance between the two would not be as great as the distance I would have to travel. I considered my options. If I traveled directly for the Sect, then I would save time but there was a greater chance of drama and a misunderstanding developing. If I traveled towars the Capital of the Flame Empire, then I would be caught up in politics and might be forced to do a fetch quest or something similar.


    ��I require a fast boat. The fastest you have, to transport me towards the territory of the Flame Sect,�� I replied. That meant crossing this strip of land and another ocean.


    ��A high value trade vessel would be your best option to book passage on. They focus on speed.��


    ��If I can��t find anything, I will be back,�� I turned and left the room without listening to anymore words born of fear. At least there was someone to ask directions from. I began heading towards the port at the opposite end of the city where there was a canal. There were rickshaws available for hire outside the palace.


    I had enough wooden currency to pay for trivial items like this. ��The port,�� I said, and the man began pulling the rickshaw. I would have preferred to walk under my own power, but on the way here I had seen that rickshaws had the right of way on the streets. I could have gone building hoping, but I did not need the extra drama from doing such a thing.


    ��Look around for any fast ships that can be purchased whenever we are in a city. Better to have one of our own, if one is available.�� I pulled out a metal coin and tossed it over. Fu Shirong easily caught it. ��Consider that your stipend until we reach the Flame Sect.��


    ��I never got your name Master,�� Fu Shirong said.


    ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance. If anyone reacts to my origin or name, let me know. If someone knows of the Heavenly Alliance, that will be quite interesting.��


    ��Definitely. Any other instructions?�� Fu Shirong asked.


    ��For now no. I will enjoy my wine until it is time to leave,�� I said.


    ��But you said the ship isn��t leaving for two days,�� Fu Shirong pointed out.


    ��I do not need to sleep for that long. One of the advantages of being an ancient cultivator,�� I replied.


    ��You don��t look that old. I would guess only a bit older than me, or my father��s age.�� I shook my head at that as the stew and wine were brought to our table. I filled up my cup and sipped again. ��You aren��t going to tell me?��


    ��Let me just say, I have lived for a long time and have seen quite a bit,�� I replied.


    ��Well if we are headed Lifewards, there isn��t much Edgewards, except some boarder cities and wilderness,�� Fu Shirong speculated. ��Unless you have come from the wilderness?��


    ��Eat your stew. I have had enough excitement.�� Thankfully Fu Shirong shut his mouth and began to eat. I didn��t want to answer questions right now. After he was done eating, he left to get a spot on my ship while I stayed at my table occasionally sipping wine.


    I had massively overpaid to sit here, so the serving women didn��t bother me. As it was nearing the time for me to leave, someone wearing a bright yellow robe and ten soldiers entered the tavern. ��I heard the man who killed my son is here.�� This had nothing to do with me so I kept sipping my wine.


    The large group came over to my table with their weapons drawn and the rest of the customers quickly left. ��Did you kill my son?��


    ��I have killed thousands of people, so it is quite likely. I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou,�� I replied. The guards instantly looked a lot more nervous, even with their bone swords in their hands.


    ��You think you can just kill my son and his companions and get away with it?�� the man asked.


    ��Yes. Unless you have a cultivator above the Nascent Soul stage I have nothing to fear. Also, if your son was one of the people I killed where you are standing, they tried to rob me.�� The man��s face began to turn red. ��As for all you guards, if you don��t point or swing your weapons at me when your master yells, I won��t kill you.��


    I sipped my wine. This was one reason why I didn��t like killing. It created a cycle of revenge. Once I killed these people, then their ancestor or the King himself would threaten me and it would keep escalating, until one sized realized they were outmatched.


    ��Did you kill a thousand bandits by yourself?�� one of the guards asked.


    ��Yes, that was me. I am leaving this city shortly never to return,�� I added hoping to defuse the situation. The man in the rich robe turn and left, his guards following behind him. That was surprising. I expected I would have had to kill all of them. That was a pleasant surprise that I didn��t have to kill all those people.


    I finished off my wine and got up. It was time to leave. I left the tavern and five arrows flew at me. I guess I celebrated too soon. I easily dodged the arrows and drew my sword. I then began a massacre. Did these people not understand the difference in power between me and them? They had cultivators, but their cultivators were probably weak or not well known enough this far Edgewards.


    The Kingdom of Wu was a backwater, even its Capital which I was in, was nothing compared to the more developed areas Lifewards that had existed for much longer. Regardless, they attacked me and they had been warned.


    Darting across the road in front of the tavern, I killed ten soldiers equipped with bone swords and five archers. The noble was also still around and I cut his head off for good measure. The entire street was coated with blood and corpses.


    Shaking my head, and letting out a sigh, I made my way to the docks. Thankfully the Wooden Bone was ready to go and I quickly boarded and went to my cabin.


    ��Hey,�� Fu Shirong greeted me in my room.


    ��You get the floor or a hammock, I am taking the bed,�� I replied.


    ��Of course, of course.�� I lay down on the bed and used my hat to cover my face. ��Are you sleeping?��


    ��I am resting, since there is nothing else for me to do at the moment,�� I answered.


    ��Ah, well I am going up on deck. I just got here, so I want to look about.�� I didn��t say anything and Fu Shirong left the cabin. He was probably going to die horribly, but that was not my problem. He wanted to tag along, then he could tag along. He would die of old age before we reached the Great Desert, but that wasn��t my concern.


    With canals, it would be slower, but I would have to do less work. That would allow me to focus on conserving my energy even more. If I could be transported to my destination and just rest, then I would have no complaints.


    I suddenly realized why Yang Heng came along in my hover craft. I knew why, but now I knew why he just rested most of the trip by going into his hibernation state. It was a lot nicer when someone else took responsibility for traveling. I was definitely going to take ships the entire way if I could.


    Since this place was built in rings, it would alternate between water and land. These people had cut canals through the various bodies of land to connect the oceans to make trade and travel easier. When you have been around for a long time, you figure out what works eventually. Even armies wouldn��t bother destroying the canal.


    It would be too much work to destroy and then repair. These people built with concrete that was meant to last a very long time. They might not have metal, but there was no need for rebar, since there were no earthquakes. Without any kind of tectonic movement, all the heat came from the Life Light and there were no earthquakes.


    I heard Fu Shirong enter my room. ��Um, Cultivator Yuan Zhou, there is a problem,�� he said. I let out a sigh and got up. I made my way up onto the deck. There were ten soldiers on board the ship. I noted there was a ship next to ours with even more soldiers.


    ��Cultivator Yuan Zhou, the King has ordered you detained,�� the lead soldier said.


    ��Do you like living? Because people don��t seem to like living. Some men tried to rob me, I killed them. Then one of those men��s fathers came and tried to kill me. I killed him along with his soldiers. Now you are trying to detain me. How do you think that is going to go?��


    ��I am afraid that I have no choice,�� the soldier replied. I drew forth my sword and moved. I killed three soldiers in my path and then split their ship in half with a swing of my blade, wasting energy. I guess that was another reason not to kill people that bothered me.


    ��Now you can let me leave on this ship, or I can kill the rest of you?�� I asked. Thankfully the soldiers quickly retreated and the ship I was on was allowed to depart.


    ��That was amazing!�� Fu Shirong said. I shook my head. That was annoying and a waste of energy. I returned to my cabin as we began sailing up the canal Lifewards. Other people might get excited about such an attack, but I considered it a failure on my part after being forced to expend energy.

 CC: Chapter 97: Flame Sect

    CC: Chapter 97: Flame Sect


    It had taken months of travel, but I was at one of the cities the Flame Sect controlled. Fu Shirong was next to me looking about as well. Thankfully I had been able to charter a carriage to make the trip from a coastal city to this one.


    I looked up at the building that represented the Flame Sects control and administration of the city. Ten stories tall, far taller than the other nearby buildings. I didn��t sense anyone with energy. An attendant immediately came over.


    ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance and I have come for directions to the Flame Sect to speak with the Sect Master,�� I imperiously declared. The attendant got a lot more nervous at that.


    ��And what stage of cultivation are you?��


    ��Above the Nascent Soul stage,�� I replied calmly while the attendant��s eyes went even wider than their already wide natural state. ��How long until someone can come speak with me, or I can head to the Flame Sect directly.��


    ��Esteemed cultivator, allow me to send word. The Flame Sect will immediately dispatch someone to the city to meet with you.��


    ��And how long will this take? While I don��t mind waiting a few days, anything longer and I will be quite annoyed,�� I replied.


    ��I will stress urgency, but I cannot say for certain. At least three days, at most seven esteemed cultivator,�� the attendant replied.


    ��Annoying. I will wait then.�� I went over to where there were some chairs against the wall and sat down. ��You can go find a room and do whatever,�� I waved off Fu Shirong.


    ��Esteemed cultivator, are you going to wait here?�� the attendant asked nervously.


    ��Yes. I would hurry up and send out a message.�� The attendant gave me a look and then left. The guards in the entry room looked at me but didn��t do anything.


    ��You are causing trouble again Master,�� Fu Shirong said.


    ��I desire answers and to see a nexus these sects supposedly have myself. Go make yourself useful and figure out which direction the Flame Sect is located,�� I said. Fu Shirong left the building and I remained seated, with my wide brim hat concealing my face.


    I settled in for a wait. I was being incredibly difficult, but the Flame Sect should have kept cultivators in the city to handle situations like this, not left the job to a mortal. The sects were surprisingly reclusive. That was when I picked up on someone approaching who had energy. I guess my display did get whomever was here excited.


    There was no way a Sect would leave a city unguarded. A cultivator entered the room. They had more energy that Cultivator Han had, but nothing alarming. They were still far below me. They were also fairly old.


    I stood up. ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance. I wish to speak with someone from the Flame Sect.��


    ��Core Formation Elder Ling of the Flame Sect. What business do you have with us?�� he asked.


    ��An exchange. I wish to visit your nexus and to look through your library. In exchange, I would be willing to answer questions you might have,�� I replied. Cultivator Ling let out a scoff at my request.


    ��And why don��t you ask us to put our heads on a chopping block in order to be removed as well. You are asking for the core secrets and foundation of our sect,�� he countered harshly.


    ��You can if you want to. But I am asking nicely first. If you are an elder, you and your sect has no chance against me in combat. Can��t you even sense the massive gap between us?�� I asked.


    ��I can, which makes me wonder why you are even asking for such basic things when you are further ahead in your cultivation.�� That was a good question, and I had a good answer.


    ��So, you don��t recognize the name Heavenly Alliance? The Forever City?�� I asked but there was just confusion. ��To put it simply, I use a different cultivation system than you, your sect, or anyone else here in the Great World. I desire to learn exactly how your cultivation functions before I continue on my journey to the Great Desert.��


    ��You claim your cultivation is a different system? Impossible. Our methods have been honed for generations. You mean you have a different method of cultivating, everyone does,�� Cultivator Ling replied. I shook my head at that statement and removed my hat. I could see the shock on his weird face as he looked at me.


    ��I am from beyond the Great World as you call this place. I do not need or plan to take anything. I do not prefer to resort to violence. But I am beyond any cultivator your sect has, unless you have an individual beyond the Nascent Soul stage?�� I asked. The lack of a response was a response in of itself.


    ��This is a matter that must be decided by the Sect Leader. Once I have an answer I will inform you. As long as you remain in the city, I will be able to locate you,�� Cultivator Ling said.


    ��I will be here along with my apprentice, junior,�� I replied. While Fu Shirong might have been annoying, he had accompanied me this far. I left the building since this clearly was meant as a dismissal. I was annoyed. I had bowed and scraped to my seniors, where was the bowing and scraping now? That last word was a dig at the visibly older cultivator and his disrespect. As I exited the building, my hat was back in place.


    If they wanted to treat me poorly, then I would do the same in return. ��Done already?�� Fu Shirong met up with me outside the building eating some kind of street meat on a stick. While metal might be rare, he did have a cast iron stomach to risk eating street meat.


    ��After I was disrespected. But perhaps cultivator culture here is lacking in refinement and grace, just like everything else,�� I said quite loudly. Several people nearby gave me looks and hurried on their way.


    ��Well there is a nice hotel, befitting someone of your station. About triple the price of where we would normally stay,�� he said.


    ��So actual beds, instead of lice covered piles of straw?�� I asked.


    ��Exactly. Unless you wanted to go somewhere else?�� Fu Shirong asked me. I shook my head.


    ��Let��s just go to this place and wait. I was told a response would be quick. I will give it a couple of days before I go on a rampage,�� I replied.


    ��Only a couple of days?�� Fu Shirong asked me.


    ��You are right, that is being overly generous, but I am being kind.�� This would have been like if an immortal just decided to visit Half Moon City and asked to go see the Cloudy Moon Sect. The cultivators would have scrambled over themselves to complete the requests. Since the very presence of someone that powerful was a grave threat.


    Over my travels I had met enough immortals to get used to them, but Yang Heng clearly reminded me of the immense power gap. As cultivators who existed primarily as energy, their ability to command that energy was beyond that of someone who still had their physical body.


    That power gap was very real. And unlike technology which might require a massive team, building, or complex, a cultivator could leverage their own power for immense destruction. Compared to the cultivators of the Great World, they were cultivators who had not progressed past the first bottleneck. They were still fundamentally mortals and there was no way I could envision, where they could connect to the astral plane to draw forth more energy.


    Perhaps that was the purpose of this place. They wanted to create a cultivator that connected to the Astral Plane from the Mechanical Layer. As we settled into the top suite of the hotel, I considered that idea more closely while ignoring whatever nonsense Fu Shirong was babbling about. This realization was far more important.


    What would be the implications if a cultivator could break through in this environment? Their refinement of their body and energy would be immense. The bigger question was how much power would they wield? They would probably be comparable to my three part cultivation if I had to guess.


    ��Do you think you have a chance against me? I am asking nicely since I don��t like violence, but I am far above you. Cultivator Ling must have explained that,�� I countered.


    ��I cannot see through your cultivation. While unlikely it could be a trick of some kind,�� Vice Leader Tan replied. I moved and was quickly behind the Flame Sect cultivators with my sword drawn. They struggled to keep up with me as they spun around.


    ��That should be enough proof that I am not lying,�� I replied. The Vice Leader let out a sigh.


    ��Junior greets senior,�� he said and bowed deeply along with his two subordinates. That was more like it.


    ��Senior greets junior,�� I replied and inclined my head slightly while putting away my sword. They straightened back up.


    ��A carriage has been made ready for you and your disciple. The Flame Sect will receive you with honors,�� Vice Leader Tan replied. That was the nice thing about cultivation culture if you were strong. People bowed their heads if you had the necessary power. No one wanted to get involved in pointless fighting.


    ��Perhaps you can accompany me and we can discuss various topics,�� I suggested to Vice Leader Tan. He smiled a bit at that and the tension left the room.


    ��I would be honored to receive advice from an esteemed cultivator such as yourself. Please, follow me,�� he said. Fu Shirong and I followed him out of the hotel and onto a carriage that had been made ready. A shame there were no flying tools that were available.


    ��I will be generous, a question for a question, you may go first. If I don��t wish to answer I will say so, and you can ask again,�� I said once we had sat down.


    ��Thank you senior. I would ask how you managed to breakthrough the Nascent Soul realm to the Soul Enlightenment Realm?�� So that was the name of their next stage.


    ��Our starting points and available resources are quite different. I started at the Soul Enlightenment Realm as you refer to it.�� The shock on the man��s face was immense. Even Fu Shirong appeared to be shocked as well. He knew I was strong and my background, but it was really hitting home for him at the moment.


    ��I suspect that the goal of the bottleneck is to actually create a soul based on the names. A soul based on energy, which you can further build your cultivation off of,�� I said and the Vice Leader quickly nodded.


    ��That is indeed the case,�� he said. While there might be many systems and paths, cultivation was still cultivation. The bottlenecks were the same across every being that cultivated. While some might have an easier time than others, they would not change.


    For the mortals of the continent, having souls and being able to cultivate was a clear sign of how abundant resources and energy were. While they might not cultivate that far, the base level of the cultivation culture was much higher than this place. If someone started a cultivation society in the Astral Plane, how far would they be able to go? Was there a fourth bottleneck for immortals? Yang Heng had not mentioned something like that, but I had never thought to ask.


    ��I would guess that the energy in your body would have to be high enough to cross some kind of threshold.�� The Vice Leader nodded slowly at this. ��As for what that amount is, I cannot say. That is one of the many things I plan to look up while visiting the Flame Sect, how cultivation is done at the lower stages. As for my question, what is the history of the Great World and the Great Desert?��


    ��Myths and legends. Some elder cultivators will make a pilgrimage towards the Great Desert once their health begins to decline or they can advance no more. It is said that human civilization was birthed in the Great Desert eons ago and we have spread Edgewards ever since.�� I listened intently as Vice Leader Tan continued.


    ��It is said that the greatest of cultivators exist in some Great Sect that stands above all others at the center of the Great World. But I cannot speak to such things. Our Flame Sect is a branch from the Roaring Mountain Sect that broke off over five thousand years ago once a nexus point was found. Beyond that there are myths and legends, but they speak more like a fairy tail than an actual story.��


    ��Annoying, very annoying,�� I said with a sigh. Well it looked like my trip to the Great Desert was just delayed, not cancelled.


    ��Since you asked, this Heavenly Alliance, must not be Lifewards, could you have come from Edgewards, another Great World?�� the Vice Leader asked.


    ��I am from beyond the Great World. The Heavenly Alliance is a super-organization and the immortals in charge are as much beyond me, as I am beyond you. I was stranded here by accident and have spent quite a bit of time traveling from the Edge of the Great World, only recently running into civilization and discovering there are other cultivators here. Hence my curiosity about your cultivation system.��


    ��I...I am afraid to ask, but what lies beyond the Soul Enlightenment realm?�� Vice Leader Tan asked nervously.


    ��You must construct your cultivation inside your soul with the next bottleneck, being to open a path to the Astral Plane to continuously draw in energy. The bottleneck after that is to transition from your physical body to a body composed of energy. Beyond that, I could not say, but there are higher order powers involved, like fate, karma and other such concepts.��


    ��I am but a frog in the well,�� the Vice Leader muttered. ��Centuries of cultivation, and I am stuck.�� I didn��t say anything. That was the problem with the truth. It would either motivate you more, or destroy your motivation.


    While knowing the path ahead was important, with how long a journey it would be, it was despair inducing. I didn��t want to say anything, but I had been in the same position so long ago, asking for answers. If I had known how much of a hassle everything would have been, I might not have taken the path of cultivation.


    Here before me was someone who had spent a tremendous amount of time and they weren��t even at my starting point. While they would have an advantage once they got past this precursor bottleneck, it would still be a long journey.


    Just based on the questions, even if one of these people did break through, they would not have the resources or ability to progress further in an optimal manner. It would make sense if this was a feeder ground for a super-organization like the Heavenly Alliance. If someone breaks through, take them and train them up.


    Perhaps they needed to progress further or reach this Great Sect in the Great Desert. The naming convention of this place was not that impressive. At least the Forever City had a name that just slapped you in the face and made you take notice. If anything, this place should be called Ripple World, instead of the Great World, with how the changes in the terrain were like giant ripples extending from the center of this bubble.


    There were more questions than ever the more I learned, but I would be capable of getting answers unlike Vice Leader Tan. He was stuck with his current situation with no way to change things. While he could look to me for guidance, I didn��t have the resources of willingness to help him out. I would chat with him, but it would just be depressing as he quickly found out.


    While I might dislike the Forever City and the Heavenly Alliance, it had provided me a place to grow my cultivation and progress. If I had been born in this Great World, I doubted I would have gotten anywhere. Even with my knowledge and reincarnation, I was only so skilled. While that might have given me a boost at the start, cultivation was open to everyone on the continent.


    Here cultivation was limited to the sects due to this nexus. I was more interested than ever in seeing it. I had no more questions that couldn��t be answered in person and Vice Leader Tan was ruminating over what I had told him. I suspected he might give up in the near future. While it wouldn��t be anything dramatic, he would live his life instead of focusing on his cultivation.


    The gap he had to cross to become an immortal cultivator was beyond the difference of Heaven and Earth. It was so massive as to be impossible. That was why there had to be something at the center of this world and I was even more interested in what one of these nexus points represented. If they could be found, then perhaps I could figure out how to protect my own energy.


    I also felt a bit guilty. If I had carried Yang Heng with me from the crash sight, then I could have stuffed him into a nexus and he would most likely recover to some degree. If he had his power back, I had no doubt it would have been easy to escape this situation. But dragging my immortal senior through the wilderness and into risky situations did not seem like a good idea at the time.


    It would be easier to go back than go forward. But it would take up a lot more time and I had to find him again. That would not be easy to find him at the Edge on the side of a Super Mountain in sight of the Turbulent Ocean. There was also no guarantee he would be able to fix things or wake up either.


    There were no good options. Regardless, I was here, and I would take a look at this nexus and then I would look into the exact cultivation system that was in use. Once I had completed that, I would make a determination in which direction I planned to travel. I was leaning more towards the Great Desert. While I liked Yang Heng and trusted him, there was no guarantee he would wake up and be able to solve this crisis. It was better if I went to the Great Desert and investigate myself.


    Hopefully the nexus would find a way for me to draw upon more energy or the techniques of the Flame Sect would allow me to use energy more efficiently. Age was a real concern, especially in this type of environment. There was a sense of urgency about me to get things done sooner rather than later.


    I didn��t mind waiting for a while to get a reply from the Flame Sect, since if I became aggressive, then things would take a turn for the worse and become much harder. I would solve one immediate problem to create several more. Better to give these cultivators a glimpse of the path beyond their limited understanding in exchange for practical information that I would be able to use in order to enhance my energy efficiency and perhaps my longevity.


    In the past I had put togeather different paths of cultivation and it worked out great. I had stumbled on the hidden cultivation method of the inner part of the Heavenly Alliance. Taking a completely different system and mashing it on type of my cultivation couldn��t make things any worse. At least I hoped so.

 Chapter 98: Nexus

    Chapter 98: Nexus


    We entered through three sets of massive wood gates built into a thick concrete wall that was the Flame Sect. There was also a wood covered pit between two of the gates. This had to be the biggest wall I had seen so far. It was as thick as two houses and at least ten stories tall. It was also built on top of a mountain.


    The number of people that would be needed to siege such a location would be insane. This world did have trebuchets, since they were based off of wood and counterweights. But on top of the wall I noted trebuchets as well. With the height advantage, it would be insane to assail such a location with conventional armies.


    ��Does anyone actually attack or are the walls just for show?�� I asked Vice Leader Tan.


    ��Cultivators are superior physically to normal people. If a group of cultivators looks to attack, they would rush the walls with scaling equipment or attempt to punch through them. That is why any self-respecting sect would build like we do. What does your sect do?��


    ��Arrays and formations. Even then it would be up to the elders to fight if there was a serious attack. Walls like these, while impressive mean nothing if you can fly to bypass them,�� I replied.


    ��Flight, you know the secrets of flight? It is a legend,�� the Vice Leader said.


    ��Perhaps that is one thing we can trade when I discuss things with your Sect Leader,�� I replied, and the Vice Leader nodded. ��I will say that you won��t be able to make the necessary arrays or formations, and technological flight will be tricky without metals or combustion engines. The lack of energy and metal prohibit such things.��


    ��Ah, that is true. But perhaps as a curiosity or something to be worked on in some of the Elder��s spare time.�� We cleared the wall and entered the Sect itself. The mountaintop was quite large with the ground inside being at a higher elevation. I had noted that the tunnel through the wall was at an incline. The interior only had four stories from the ground to the top of the wall.


    There were a cluster of buildings nearby right after we entered, but in the distance, I could see large fields growing a range of plants. I had also noted that the outside of the Sect was being farmed as well. ��While it will probably never happen, we can last two years in the event of siege. But the primary concern is enemy cultivators, since we are in a good relationship with the Flame Emperor. His family is one of the founding families of the Flame Sect,�� Vice Leader Tan explained. Ah nepotism at its finest with cultivators putting their relatives into key positions, like Emperor.


    For another Empire to send an army all the way here would be massive. Wars between Empires was very rare. Normally it was Kingdoms jostling for power with their boarders and then making a claim for the ruling Kingdom and to be the new Imperial Capital. For two Empires to go to war was just too hard due to the distances. There were naval battles, but an actual land campaign was more about collecting up a lot of soldiers and then sending them all into the neighboring Empire and wishing them luck.


    It did happen of course. With how big the Great World was, there was one battle going on somewhere every single day. Having a day of peace would be much rarer. Also, this was the calm part of the Great World, due to how difficult it was to grow things and the fact it had only been settled for thousands of years, not eons.


    ��Very well organized and the attention to detail is impressive,�� I said as the carriage came to a stop in front of building with intricate painted columns out front, depicting towering flames, giving the appearance the columns were burning. Everything screamed wealth and power. Unlike the cities and government buildings, this building was designed to impress and humble whomever came here.


    I followed Vice Leader Tan into the building while keeping a look out for anything with energy. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. I noted the floors, walls, and ceiling were all intricately decorated with mosaics depicting cultivators of the Flame Sect battling monsters, other cultivators, and leviathans. We entered a large conference room and I counted sixteen people seated around a large rectangular table.


    Seven on each side, with the person who could only be the Sect Leader opposite the entry way. Another Vice Leader was to his side and there were several braziers about the room, making it sweltering hot. It didn��t bother me at all, but it was interesting that they were doing a small power play like this.


    ��Leader and Elders, I introduce Senior Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance and his disciple Fu Shirong,�� Vice Leader Tan said and stepped to the side as I stepped forward. I removed my hat and set it on the table. These old men and a couple of women were too experience to gawk or express surprise at my different appearance.


    ��I am Leader Flame of the Flame Sect. I welcome you Senior Cultivator Yuan Zhou to our home, please be seated.�� I took a seat and Fu Shirong stood behind me. Vice Leader Tan had explained how things would go up to this point. Fu Shirong was only present due my presence, otherwise he was nothing in front of this gathering. I insisted he be allowed to follow me, since I didn��t want to have to reexplain things to him afterwards. The Vice Leader made his way around to take his seat next to Leader Flame.


    Which was clearly not his name, but he probably discarded his mortal name once he became leader of the Flame Sect. Probably a tradition of some kind.


    ��Thank you for the kind invitation, Leader Flame. I have come here to learn about your cultivation system and methods and to also look at this nexus,�� I said. This time there was a reaction. There were several gasps and glares from about the room.


    ��Senior Yuan Zhou is far beyond the Soul Enlightenment realm and has entered the realm after that. I testify to his level of cultivation myself,�� Vice Leader Tan said. Everyone turned to look at him in shock.


    ��Truly, you are so far above us, then why have you come to our humble Flame Sect?�� Leader Flame asked.


    ��I use a different cultivation system than all of you and come from outside the Great World. I have traveled from the Edge and plan to continue to the Great Desert. But since I discovered human beings, however different we appear to each other and cultivators, I have decided to investigate how our cultivation systems and methodologies differ,�� I answered.


    ��What lies outside the Great World?�� I could hear the nervous quiver in Leader Flame��s voice.


    ��Reality is like a cake that is divided into layers. With abundant energy at the bottom and matter coming from the top. There are five layers in descending order Material, Mechanical Layer, Firmament, Astral Plane, and Chaos. There are bubbles of separate reality in these layers. Your bubble, the Great World, exists in the Mechanical Layer of reality. As for the names, that is what they are called by my seniors, their origins lost to history,�� I answered.


    There was utter silence at this as they realized that they were frogs living in a well. Finally after an entire minute Leader Flame spoke up once more. ��And you arrived here? How? Will there be others?��


    ��I crashed here, with my transport. This place suppresses and drains energy to a massive degree. Even the energy inside a cultivator and from the surroundings. The ambient energy is about a twentieth of the energy that would normally be present in the Mechanical Layer in the background. This is low enough to be non-existent. There will be no follow up,�� I said, confident in my ability to crush any betrayal. I spoke up again before they could ask me anything else.


    ��Now I have answered some of your questions, I am willing to trade knowledge for access. Some of my answers, like advice on crossing your bottleneck will be easier, if I understand your cultivation system.�� That last comment increased interest by quite a bit and seemed to make the atmosphere much more pleasant.


    ��Very well. You will have full access to our library and the classes we give. I will also escort you to the nexus,�� the Sect Leader said.


    ��Sect Leader, while Vice Leader Tan is trustworthy, I cannot agree to this. For someone to claim to be so far above us and open our doors, we must make sure no mistake has been made,�� one of the Elders said.


    ��And what exactly are you proposing? You wish to fight him? To exchange pointers?�� the Sect Leader asked. Everyone turned to look at the elder who spoke even me. I was curious what his demand would be.


    ��Yes. I wish to see how strong someone of his cultivation level is,�� the Elder replied. I got up and moved. My sword was resting on his shoulder just as he was getting up.


    ��I think you need to sit back down for a while. Unless you wish me to demonstrate my martial prowess right now?�� I asked. I could see the Elder visibly gulp even though his back was too me. It was an exhilarating feeling to be the senior and smack down uppity junior cultivators. If I was any more bloodthirsty, I should have removed his head for his insolence. He was lucky I was trying to be nice, like the kind of senior I appreciated interacting with.


    ��Ah, no. I withdraw my objection,�� the Elder said, and I removed my sword from his shoulder and neck. He sat back down, and the Sect Leader stood up.


    ��An excellent demonstration. Come, I will escort you personally to see our library, training hall, guest quarters, and the nexus. Come, both of you,�� Sect Leader Flame said. I put my sword away and followed him out of the meeting chamber along with Fu Shirong who was being quiet.


    ��I am surprised you didn��t remove his head for his insolence,�� the Sect Leader said as I walked slightly behind him so he could lead the way, but not enough to show that I was being subservient.


    ��I treated him how I would like my seniors to treat me. Also, if I killed him, then the Elder��s family would get mad, then I would kill them, then you would get mad, then the other Elders would get mad, until I might have just killed everyone to start with and saved myself the hassle,�� I replied.


    ��Which means you can��t leave, since you are tied to this place. Well, people mediating down here won��t bother me. But I will need to set up my equipment and ask that it not be disturbed. It could take a while to work out exactly what the nexus crystal is doing and creating a practical application based off of that,�� I explained. If I was a master of arrays, then I could have come up with something instantly. Now I needed to take my time and do some trial and error.


    It wouldn��t be pretty or elegant, but if I could create a portable field that allowed me to draw on my full energy, that would be a huge accomplishment. Trying to draw in more energy was not something I was that hopeful about. It was one thing to cancel out the effect, it was another to counter the effect that governed the Great World.


    Then there was Yang Heng. If I could create something like this, I could rescue him. I really didn��t look forward to going back to the Edge of the Great World. It was a long trip all the way here and would be a long trip on the way back. But I owed him, his knowledge was immense, and he might have an answer to this place and to leave.


    Also, the hover craft was there. If I could get it working, then my travel would be sped up immensely. Well the first thing was to figure out a solution, then I could worry about what I would do afterwards. For all I knew there might be an intrinsic property of the crystal itself that allowed it to counter the energy draining of the Great World.


    It would be the high of hubris to think I understood how it worked after just looking at it. While these cultivators might not have any clue, I knew I was no where close to being an expert or at the top of cultivation knowledge. At least my time reading and learning in the Forever City had not been wasted. I could see Yang Heng��s face now that was trying to conceal its smugness at the very thought. I hated the Forever City, to admit anything good about the place was annoying.


    ��As for the Flame Sect, I need to look at the texts detailing your bottleneck. I think increasing the energy density would be the solution, it usually is, but that is something I would need to check.��


    ��Of course, and how much space will you require?�� Sect Leader Flame asked.


    ��That area between these two pillars. I can let my apprentice mediate there and set up my equipment.��


    ��What equipment? Unless there is another carriage that hasn��t arrived?�� I just smiled at that question.


    ��I have a spatial item, which I can use to store various items.�� I waved my hand and pulled out my gun. The shock on the Sect Leader��s face was priceless. ��Normally I don��t use it, because I have to use my own energy. But here in this room, I can get away with accessing my spatial item like I normally do.�� I put the gun away.


    ��Your sword, that isn��t ordinary either?�� he asked.


    ��It is made from metal imbued with energy. It would be labeled as a rank 5 blade.�� I pulled it out and held it up. ��It was given to me by my first master.�� I then put it away. After that I settled into the Flame Sect.


    I spent half my time reviewing the records they had in regards to cultivation and the other half working on a formation to copy what the nexus crystal was doing naturally. It seemed completely improbable that such a formation could naturally form. There were clearly some higher-level shenanigans going on.


    Thankfully paper and ink were cheap, since I used both of them in large quantities to draw out test formations and observe their effects one after another. The biggest issue I soon discovered was that the nexus crystal was built in three dimensions, a three dimensional formation, which increased the complexity.


    Then there were the symbols in the crystal and the hard to see interior portions which made it even more challenging. Even with a working example in front of me, it wasn��t a matter of copying everything over. I would bring the formations I drew and leave them in the nexus chamber, regularly checking in on them along with my apprentice.


    Fu Shirong kept mostly the same schedule as me, just with more sleeping. He would divide his time between the library and the nexus chamber. While I was studying the cultivation of the Great World, I was holding off from drawing any more conclusions until I had studied the available literature. Unfortunately, the later parts tended to devolve from the technical into more flowery descriptions.


    After twenty days of work, I wasn��t ready to admit defeat, but this project was a lot more difficult than I had first assumed. The best option to discover what was happening would be to break the crystal open and look in the interior. But that would make an enemy of the Flame Sect if I did that, and without a place with energy in the environment, my work would become that much more difficult.


    There were records of attempting to make more crystals, by taking a small portion of the crystal and putting it in water with various minerals to encourage it to grow. Nothing worked apparently. The cultivators of the Great World had no idea how these crystals formed. If a sect did have information, they weren��t sharing.


    But I doubted any of these people had cracked the secret. While the Lifewards regions had more people, there wasn��t a huge leap in the number of cultivators. My personal guess was that the crystals might have been something that was present during the initial creation of the Great World.


    Perhaps markers to help with the construction. There was no distinct pattern to their location, but they were spread out. Cultivators would often search areas where one could be while out completing tasks for the sect. There was also the rumor that the person who discovered a nexus crystal would be able to break through to the Soul Enlightenment Realm.


    That could very well be true. The problem was actually finding a crystal and how rare it was. The Flame Sect��s crystal was only discovered since this location had been chosen to have a city built. The crystal was discovered during the excavation of the mountain.


    There was no cave before. The cultivators who came, carved the entire cave out around the crystal and founded their sect here. It wasn��t even directly under the center of the mountain either. While I would like to say it was completely by chance, there was the strong possibility of a higher power intervening in some way, or nudging things in a specific direction. With energy, almost anything was possible.


    The best and only option to replicate what the crystal was doing would be to make a giant cube of metal in layers, and then carve out the intricate formation into each layer before stacking them up. The good news was that I could make metal with one of the Ek��s machines without having to use my own energy.


    I just tossed in stone and dirt, and out spat trash metal bars I could use. For these cultivators it was the height of technology and energy. Something that would grant unlimited wealth. For myself it was a useful tool. For Yang Heng, it was a piece of trash.


    The Sect had metal forgers and they took the metal bars and made me thin metal sheets, as thin as they possibly could, along with the various tools I would need to etch arrays into the metal itself. In exchange I gave them a couple of metal bars for their work.


    I could only imagine that if I left the machine here and let them use it, they would keep it running non-stop and make everything out of metal to show their wealth and power. They would change their name from the Flame Sect to the Metal Sect. Even the Sect Leader was intrigued by my machine. I didn��t let them run it non-stop, since I didn��t want to risk damaging it. There was no way to replace the machine if it broke or suffered a failure of any kind.


    While it was incredibly robust, I would rather not take that chance. I would pay for the help from the metal workers of the Flame Sect, but I wasn��t about to hand over the machine. Thankfully they didn��t ask, but I knew that the wealth of the Flame Sect jumped a large margin from my metal making.


    It was nice to have an actual project to focus my mind on instead of traveling, fighting, or cultivating. Well, I was always cultivating with how I was focused on retaining my energy, but I felt like I had a path forward, no matter how difficult it might be.


    The Flame Sect while skeptical had gradually warmed up to my presence. It wasn��t like my being here was a big secret, so everyone knew from the Elders to the disciples. When I handed over metal and people saw me making metal from dirt and rocks from my machine, there was a huge leap in acceptance. Instead of vaguely hostile glares, the members of the Sect sometimes smiled.


    I didn��t much care for their personal opinions. A frog in the bottom of the well would not be able to help me that much except tell me what it was like at the bottom of the well. It was far more important that I focus on developing a working formation that would cancel out the suppressive and draining effects of the Great World and whatever mechanism was behind this place.


    The metal cube would be above the size of a compact car by the time I was done and weight an incredible amount. This wasn��t something that was going to be easily replicated. The amount of metal going into the project was massive. Enough to equip an army with metal swords. The sheer amount of wealth that was going into the project would have bankrupted an Empire if I didn��t have my metal making machine.


    While it might have been possible to use stone, wood, or some other material, they didn��t have the rigidity that I needed. That was why metal plates were often used as the primary medium for formations and arrays. It was just much easier to work with metal than any other material.


    Concrete, while sturdy, would flake and chip. It had strength as a whole, but it would struggle to maintain discrete edges while I carved out symbol after symbol, unlike metal. The etching process was incredibly tedious and I could trust no one but myself to do each layer. While I had written out the designs, to keep everything as compact as I was doing, required my level of precision and strength in combination to etch out the metal.


    By the time I started working on the inner portions, my tests had paid off. I had confidence that I would be able to produce some kind of result. Once I had a strong result from my massive metal cube, I could iterate on the design a couple of times and look to compact it to something that I could carry on my back.


    While I would be able to lift the metal cube, I would be greatly off balance and I would have to adjust how I moved. Carrying around a large block of metal would draw way too much attention to myself. Better to come up with a design that worked and then improve on it.

 Chapter 100: Tribulation

    Chapter 100: Tribulation


    Sect Leader Flame was the first to use the breakthrough box as it was being called. It was a small metal box, that a cultivator could sit in upon a cushion, while surrounded by arrays to keep the energy contained inside the box.


    It had built up a large amount of energy over the last year. By keeping it as small as possible, it was possible to exceed the background energy of the Mechanical Layer. After it had built up to about a quarter of what would be background energy on the continent and the Firmament, Sect Leader Flame entered in order to break through.


    There were always three other elders keeping vigil outside the box as the time the Sect Leader was inside continued to increase. First one day, then two days, now he had been inside for five days. The entire Flame Sect had a nervous level of energy. If the Sect Leader broke through, their own paths would be that much easier in the future. It was always easier when someone you knew managed to get past a cultivation barrier. Knowing it was possible was a huge mental block.


    It was something I struggled with my cultivation for long periods of time. But I had managed in the end. With Yang Heng��s advice, it was just a matter of getting enough energy and possibly some other resources to assist me. Cultivation was an apt name, since one had to cultivate sources of energy in order to grow.


    I didn��t bother keeping watch, since I was more focused on putting the final touches on my counter cube. It was almost done and had taken far too much work. The ground shook slightly, and I brought my hand up before I made a mistake on the plate I was working on.


    ��What? How can there be an earthquake?�� I muttered and left my workshop that the Flame Sect had reserved for me and went outside as another tremor shook the ground beneath me. I noted dark clouds gathering overhead from all directions. That was definitely not natural. I quickly rushed towards the nexus chamber as another tremor shook the land.


    I made my way underground as small amounts of dust and debris rained down from the ceiling. ��Senior Yuan Zhou, what is going on? Sect Leader Flame is about to break through! He cannot be disturbed,�� Vice Leader Tan said. The other elders looked at me.


    A glance at the breakthrough box showed a high density of energy. The ground shook again and it was much more violent than before. The nexus chamber developed several cracks in pillars and the walls.


    ��Elders, there is a storm growing above this point. Dark clouds, but no rain!�� A disciple rushed into the Nexus Chamber. These people had never experienced an earthquake. While they build in a solid manner, their construction wasn��t designed to handle earthquakes. There was no rebar in any of the buildings.


    ��Evacuate the buildings to the fields. There is a chance they will collapse. I will write an array to protect this chamber from collapsing.�� I pulled out a metal plate from my spatial bag. ��If the situation becomes untenable, I will rescue Sect Leader Flame, get out of here!�� The Elder rushed out as another much larger tremor shook everything and didn��t stop.


    I quickly began dragging my finger through the metal plate to make a quick and dirty array as the chamber began to rain debris. The chamber was moments away from collapsing as the tremors continued.


    ��Stabilize!�� I pushed my own energy into the plate to quickly activate. I knew force quite well. It was the basis of a large part of my cultivation. The entire chamber was isolated from the tremors.


    There was a loud explosion that shook everything even more.


    I felt the hair across my body rise up as the very air shook from a massive explosion above me. The metal plate I had was smoking, but it should hold for the next couple of minutes at the very least. I rushed out of the nexus chamber, into a shattered Sect Building. Racing passed the debris, I saw several cultivators scattered about moaning in pain.


    ��Vice Leader Tan, what happened?�� I asked.


    ��Lighting strike,�� he groaned out in main as the tremors continued to shake the rest of the Flame Sect. Several buildings collapsed and there was screaming in the distance. Looking up the dark clouds were swirling about. I pulled out another plate, and did an array that would make anyone who knew the skill think I had lost all respect for the art. I pushed energy into the plate and tossed it up into the sky.


    The bolt of lighting struck the plate, instantly destroying it and a chunk of the Flame Sect��s main building. I felt a tremendous sense of danger as the storm clouds paused in their swirling and began to reorient over me.


    This was definitely not natural. The Sect Leader breaking through had triggered a massive response from the Great World. That did not make any sense? Why would him breaking through trigger a response? I was here without a response.


    I quickly turned and rushed back past the debris into the nexus chamber. There was debris and rubble in the way, but I moved over and around it. There was another deadly burst of lightning striking the ground above me. My eyes widened in alarm, as I saw part of the ceiling to the nexus chamber turn molten. The plate I had left to stop the tremors was also on the verge of failing.


    ��Sect Leader Flame, sorry, but we have to move, now!�� I called out and drove my hand into the breakthrough box, parting the metal and destroying the arrays that had been carved into it. The Sect Leader was unconscious, and I quickly pried open a hole big enough to drag him out. Another massive bolt of lightning struck, and a portion of it went through the ceiling of the chamber, striking the ground.


    My ears hurt from the noise, and my teeth hurt because of the vibration from the massive strike. There was energy in those lightning strikes. If one of them hit me, I would take serious damage or die. No matter what, I couldn��t afford to be struck.


    The Sect Leader had something happening with his body, but I couldn��t tell exactly what was going on as I moved him to the side of the chamber near the stairway. I began inspecting his body. It was odd. Normally the energy in a person��s body was stagnant and structured or flowed like water. In his body the energy was everywhere and vibrating.


    I gave the Sect Leader a light slap on the face, but he didn��t wake up. I slapped him again harder, then a third and fourth time. ��Whaaa.....what is happening?�� he was clearly groggy and out of it. Another lightning bolt struck down.


    For the first time in a long time, I was genuinely terrified. The lightning bolt came down through the melted hole the previous ones had made and then turned towards me. Thankfully it wasn��t able to turn enough. It struck the floor before it could reach me in a blinding flash of light. Arcs of lightning raced across the molten floor towards me, barely coming to a stop before they ran out of power and disappeared. Lightning was not supposed to leap across the ground like that, or turn, or spontaneously start trying to kill people. Shards of molten rock struck me and the surrounding walls. Thankfully I was able to brush off such an attack. It was just hot rocks, the lightning had not left any energy behind to empower the area attack.


    ��Sect Leader, you need to stop whatever it is you are doing, or we are going to die,�� I said while lifting him up and paused when the tremors started hitting again. My array had failed. Going further underground would protect from the lightning, but then the earthquakes would shatter everything and crush me. Going above ground would see the lightning strike me and vaporize my body.


    I would head above ground. At least I had a chance of dodging the lighting. Better than being trapped in a cave and buried alive. I could probably dig myself out, but I was more afraid of being buried than being vaporized. Even if the chance of death was greatly different.


    ��I have stopped,�� the Sect Leader said and I noted, the energy in his body had calmed down. It was fuller than before. ��I broke through.��


    Just as I entered the ruined Sect Building, another lighting bolt came down, I dodged behind a pillar and kept moving. The lightning shattered the intricately carved pillar and the next one. ��What is happening?�� the Sect Leader asked as I carried him over my shoulder and raced out of the building.


    ��Targeted lighting and the ground is shaking. If you know anything, speak up,�� I said and raced towards the wall of the sect. Most of the buildings had already collapsed, but the stupidly large and thick wall was still standing strong. The entire mountain itself would have to break apart before the wall broke. With only the one gate, and how it was built deep underground as well, its foundation was beyond solid.


    These people also knew about materials expanding with temperature changes, so there were a couple finger wide gaps in the wall that had been filled with a kind of rubber sap, to allow for movement. That way the entire structure wouldn��t shatter when struck, only a section.


    Above my head there were a lot of black clouds swirling about, getting ready to strike again. I noticed the center of the vortex was shifting in order to follow me or the Sect Leader. I reached the gate of the Flame Sect and it was thankfully thrown open. I tossed the Sect Leader Flame into the gate that ran under the wall like a sack of potatoes. He tumbled across the sloped ground a bit, before stopping himself.


    I ran next to the wall. The lightning struck down once more. It was coming for me, not the Sect Leader. I was moving fast enough to outpace the lighting, but it still struck awfully close behind me, pelting my back with flaming chunks of molten rock. I quickly began climbing up the wall to the other side. The lightning quickly gathered again. The wall was about four stories tall on the inside of the Sect.


    Just as I reached the top the storm clouds belched out another bolt of lightning. I spun and unsheathed my sword in a single motion. ��One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth.�� The words helped me focus my energy. I had regained quite a bit while staying in the Flame Sect and the nexus chamber.


    The wave of cutting force, struck the lighting bolt head on. For a moment they were balanced. The lightning then split. I felt a sense of relief, but it was quickly crushed as both the lightning bolts curved and struck the ground on either side of me.


    ��Ahhh!�� I dropped to my knees as the energy empowered electricity coursed through my body. I kept my sword next to my body so I didn��t stab myself and quickly rolled. I went over the wall to the other side. I fell ten stories and impacted the ground below with a thud, outside the Flame Sect.


    Another lightning bolt flew down, but it struck the corner of the wall, and began arcing down the wall to reach me. I couldn��t move my body as molten chunks of wall rained down on me. Thankfully the lightning didn��t reach me.


    I was barely on my feet by the time the next strike came down. I swung my sword again while moving. A good chunk of the lightning impacted the Flame Sect��s wall and I avoided the rest. I kept racing around the perimeter of the wall, thinking about how to get this lightning to just stop. ��Why are you targeting me, go bother someone else!�� I shouted. There was no response.


    Another bolt of lightning came down, and I swung my sword once again while chanting the mantra to help me focus. The lightning bolt was split and I avoided the rest of it. The lightning was getting stronger. ��Fine, you want to fight then let��s fight,�� I muttered. I couldn��t run forever. The lightning would melt through any kind of cover. I made my way back to the top of the wall.


    ��I will need a building constructed to my specifications as well, in exchange for the metal,�� I said.


    ��Oh, what kind of building?�� he asked.


    ��One that can bleed off the electricity from the lighting bolts and draw in the energy from the tribulation. If it happens again, I would like to take advantage of the event to progress my own cultivation,�� I replied.


    ��That is interesting. It can be arranged. Perhaps on top of the main building itself right here,�� he said.


    ��That would be useful. A shame about the artwork,�� I replied.


    ��Bah, that stuff can be remade, but progressing one��s cultivation is far more important. Already the rest of the Elders are salivating about breaking through.�� I could easily believe that. Old cultivators wanted to keep progressing. Now that a path had opened, they were all salivating like rapid dogs in order to be the next person to advance their cultivation.


    While the art was nice, it wasn��t important to a cultivator. Material goods would come and go, but cultivation was forever. There were certain aspects of a cultivation society that were ironclad, since if they changed it would no longer be a society of cultivators. The pursuit of immortality was a big one.


    ��What about your personal cultivation? What has changed?�� I asked.


    ��I can sense my body and no longer need to hold everything just right in my mind. It is a much more natural and relaxed state of being,�� Sect Leader Flame described.


    ��May I inspect your body?�� I asked. He held out a hand and I took it. I then sent a pulse of energy into his body. I had checked before his breakthrough and now I was checking after. I saw several changes that had occurred. The most notable change was that the definition between his body and the outside world was much more defined and natural. Natural from my perspective of having grown up on a continent.


    His physical body was much more structured, I noted. The changes were small, but imperfections that existed before had been corrected. Where a blood vessel was partially blocked was open. Where there was misalignment of the structure of a bone, that had been fixed. Very small almost unnoticeable defects.


    In my body these defects had been removed by the natural accumulation of energy long ago. That was why there was almost nothing left for me to fix. The subconscious use of energy had made me more of me than before.


    ��Your opinion?�� Sect Leader Flame asked me.


    ��Your body has definitely improved and the boarder between your soul and the outside world has improved as well. Both things that were expected to happen when you broke through. Your body is at a much higher starting point than others I have seen at this stage of cultivation,�� I replied.


    ��I have been giving thought about future steps and what you have described as the Heavenly Alliance system of cultivation. It won��t work for me or anyone else here in the Great World,�� he said and I nodded.


    ��You plan to do something different?�� I asked.


    ��Refining my body to an even greater degree. You talked about how the body is composed of cells, and we knew such things. But there are smaller structures as well. Already a massive microscope will be built in the sect to observe such processes in greater detail to hone the refinement of my body.��


    That was a bold step to take, but it made sense. The cultivators of the Great World focused on controlling their body for ages as their path of cultivation. It wasn��t the body cultivation that I knew, where energy was still the fundamental component for improvement. Instead he wanted to keep going the path that he knew. To refine his control and use of energy to an even greater extent. To reverse cell death and aging.


    I had no idea how such an attempt would go. Already, cultivators of the Great World could live for a long time. He was hoping to do manually, what naturally occurred for myself and other cultivators using the system developed by the Heavenly Alliance. But this place had nowhere near enough energy to support my kind of cultivation.


    There was also no Qi in the air. He would have to manually construct motes, which would be a slow process, if it even was possible. I didn��t know, but I suspected it would be with the minute control over energy these cultivators had shown they were capable of, even with their weak cultivation.


    He was taking an entirely different path. It made me wonder if the later bottlenecks would be different. I didn��t really know how other super-organizations advanced with their energy usage. That was the nice thing about cultivation, there were other people to share your frustrations with, even if it was a solitary endeavor.


    Sect Leader Flame would be paving the way for future cultivators of his sect. I considered how his cultivation would go. Yang Heng did not understand the physics behind energy. What was energy? Why was it so adaptable?


    Those were questions that would need to be answered the more focused one became with their energy usage. To focus on the micro, instead of the holistic. It made sense with the limited amount of energy. I would guess that the bottlenecks would come about due to something in relation to microbiology. It would get more and more complicated, eventually reaching a bottleneck. Where the person might infuse energy into their DNA or other cellular structures.


    I strongly suspected, with no proof whatsoever, that energy was a particle that was smaller than an electron, or other atomic particle. I suspected it was a quantum particle, or even one step further. Something so small, it would be impossible to observe using technology.


    It was much easier to deal with energy at a holistic level in my opinion. These people would struggle from the lack of technology. While the Sect Leader planned to build a massive microscope, they would only be able to observe things that were so small. Eventually the magnification would no longer work and one would have to use electron microscopy to observe things in greater detail.


    The problem was the technological base for the Great World wasn��t there for that kind of research. While the Flame Sect would get a lot of metal off of me, it would only go so far. The amount of metal they needed wasn��t going to be produced by my machine. They needed a far greater amount. They needed the collective resources of large groups of people.


    But perhaps, they would be inspired. To make a plant that would refine other elements into metallic ones. It would be hard to create something, but if the Flame Sect improved their control and research into biology they might be able to succeed with energy.


    Their path was not cut off anymore. I had opened things up for them. Perhaps that was why the tribulation had occurred. Since it didn��t want people advancing. Which made no sense in the larger context of this place as an experiment. Why would you kill off the people trying to advance?


    There just didn��t seem to be any logical reason for the Great World with tribulations present and their might not be any.


    It suddenly hit me. My second bottleneck had a high chance of being the same issue these cultivators were facing. The Heavenly Alliance system of cultivation would build up more and more energy along with understanding of the energy within themselves. This would lead to a breakthrough to immortality.


    Energy naturally improved one��s body through their subconscious. What if the natural improvement granted by energy crossed some sort of threshold at a microscopic or atomic level? What if both cultivation systems were parallel paths instead of branching? It was possible, while another guess that I had no proof for. It would be a massive leap in understanding of the cultivation process.


    It would be a way to immortality that wasn��t dependent on vast quantities of energy. While it would be, I could increase that efficiency. I could begin to investigate biology and make even more targeted improvements to my body at a cellular level and then at an even greater depth. In fact, if I observed the improvements in my body and Yang Heng��s body at a cellular level, and could work out the difference, that would give a shortcut in regards to cultivation.


    I felt my heart begin to beat faster at the very idea. It was an insane idea, but it also might work, which meant it would be genius. The Heavenly Alliance distained technology and had abundant energy. The founders would have already charted the path of cultivation and made it fairly routine. They might know about things on a cellular level, but wouldn��t consider it as effective since they had so much energy and resources.


    It was like a massive company, there were inefficiencies in their process. But a small start up like the Flame Sect with limited resources had to be smarter and more adaptable. I might be able to breakthrough here in the Great World without having to leave. If I could advance my understanding of biology and energy enough, then there would be nothing to stop me.


    Unlike the cultivators here, I had gone through my first breakthrough, they were at their zeroth breakthrough. They would never be able to connect to the Astral Plane. The distance was too far. One did not skip an entire layer. The senior cultivators of the Heavenly Alliance had taken a more holistic approach and then built upon that. Iterating improvements upon their system of cultivation.


    No cultivator would dare step off the path of the system they were on. That was insanity, it was insanity even for me. The Heavenly Alliance did not like coming to the Mechanical Layer, and their senior cultivators would be disabled if their energy intake was reduced. This place was cultivator hell. But in the most hellish of circumstances, there is always hope. Hope these cultivators of the Great World clung to.


    It would be stepping off my current path and testing the waters of a parallel path. A path that might not require as much energy. Just knowledge, focus, and dedication. All three things I had in spades.

 Chapter 101: Counter Cube

    Chapter 101: Counter Cube


    It was finally done after a lot of hard work. The counter cube as I had taken to calling it was finally done. Several plates had to be redone to make sure everything aligned properly in three dimensions, but that had only slowed me down.


    The newly built reinforced nexus chamber held the cube. Thankfully the energy in the area hadn��t dispersed even with the destruction of the chamber. The nexus crystal was still there, countering the effects of the Great World. The various Elders were ready to attempt to breakthrough, but there were still some final touches being done on the top and outside of the building.


    I planned to harness this tribulation lightning for my own benefit. After I left I clearly wouldn��t be taking a structure with me, so the Flame Sect was more than happy to accommodate my requests. Thick metal poles were being constructed in order to ground the lightning, while directing it into a pool of water under the nexus chamber.


    The energy from the lightning strikes was at the front of the bolt, to punch through any defenses while the rest of the bolt followed up. A minor but important detail. The metal pillars that were being built into the Sect Building build channel the lightning and the energy separately. The large metal pillars would direct the electricity into the ground, but the energy into the pool of water.


    I was still working on the arrays and formations needed, but shunting energy in a specific direction and a physical effect in another direction was one of the basic premises of arrays. Directing and converting energy and force.


    That additional bit of understanding for having gone with the Dao of Force during my initial stages of cultivation came in handy for times like this, making me slightly more talented, or being able to more intuitively grasp the force aspects of the various arrays and symbols I worked with.


    Too bad there wasn��t a Dao of Energy, but there were very few things of pure uncontaminated energy that leaked up from Chaos. And pure energy would be too dangerous. I did not feel like tangling with monsters above my weight class. I rather be a big fish in a small pond like the Great World, than a small fish in a big pond like the Forever City. It gave me more agency to decide what I wanted to do, even if the opportunities were much more limited.


    The Elders and the Sect Leader were all looking at the giant metal counter cube, the size of a car, while I slid all the metal plates into place in the holding array, checking to make sure everything was aligned. Plate after metal plate was slid into place. I was really glad I had my spatial device, since moving around such large plates otherwise would have been a massive hassle.


    ��And done,�� I said while carefully staring at the counter cube.


    ��Is it working?�� Sect Leader Flame asked.


    ��The ambient energy is moving through the counter cube how it is supposed to. Now just need to wait and see if the ambient levels of energy increase even slightly,�� I replied.


    ��And we can��t cover the Flame Sect with these?�� Vice Leader Tan asked.


    ��It��s a volume issue and the suppression of the Great World is much stronger. It is like using a sword to push through armor or using a battering ram. The sword can pierce where the battering ram can��t. If we go wide, we are pushing against a lot more against the Great World. The real trick would be to isolate each area and make them small. Also to downsize the counter cube and make it portable in some way,�� I answered while intently staring at the giant metal block, looking for even the slightest change.


    We continued to wait as time went by. But I was in no rush. I kept looking around to check the ambient energy levels. ��It working. I will wait a day, then switch out several plates to start testing various possibilities.�� Too bad the frame didn��t make it easier to switch the metal plates out. It just kept everything aligned. I would need to take it all apart to switch out various sections.


    ��That is good, very good. The construction work for the next tribulation is taking some time,�� Sect Leader Flame said.


    ��The massive amounts of metal that need to be forged togeather?�� I asked.


    ��Indeed. We are also testing out various metals to see which one would work best like you suggested,�� Sect Leader Flame answered.


    ��That is good. Very good. By the time they are installed, I will be able to start carving arrays onto the outside,�� I said.


    ��Excuse my rudeness senior, but isn��t eight metal pillars excessive?�� one of the Elders asked. They were probably crying inside about how long it would take and the cost.


    ��The tribulation is quite powerful. Better to build something with redundancy just in case. We have no other tribulations to compare that one to. The other ones may be stronger, weaker, or the same. We have time to prepare for the worst. I know you all want to breakthrough, but the various buildings in the Flame Sect need to be reinforced along with the foundations,�� I said.


    ��Indeed. We are preparing for a new era within the Flame Sect and breakthroughs will happen. But if everything crumbles around us each time, it will be impossible to exist in this location as a Sect. Progress is being made,�� Sect Leader Flame said. There were some minor sighs at that statement, but he was correct.


    If the Flame Sect was reduced to rubble each and every time someone broke through it would be a disaster. Rebuilding everything to be stronger and handle an earthquake was taking time. Vast quantities of rubberized sap was being imported on a daily basis, to surround each foundation that was built, to help absorb tremors.


    Buildings were built lower to the ground, with a maximum height of three stories now. The wall itself was being patched up. While structures were rebuilt quickly, they would be torn back down and rebuilt. The entire Flame Sect was being rebuilt to handle tribulations. The Flame Sect was fairly wealthy already, but it was paying through the nose for more construction material.


    This kind of undertaking was an immense project involving everyone in the Flame Sect. Tests were being done on a shaking table of various building designs. There would be more curved designs, less square designs. More support for each floor and bracing.


    In the main building where the nexus chamber was located underneath, there would also be tremor countering arrays I would be setting up all over the place. They would charge up and then remain dormant. Only leeching a small amount of energy over time.


    Various plants and wood types were being looked at for their tremor absorbing properties. There was a type of vine that absorbed tremors from the ground, with its root structure and how its interior was structured. While it only absorbed a small amount of shaking, there was already plots all around the Sect and the interior of the wall to grow these vines along the wall and buildings.


    When cultivators wanted something to happen, they were always motivated. Especially in a large group like this. There were no stupid cultivators, and everyone understood what needed to be done. Since it could be their breakthrough that needed to happen one day. That was why even the lowest members of the Flame Sect were motivated into doing as much as possible in case another tribulation showed up.


    I kept looking at the counter cube. I could already see several areas where improvements could be made. The real challenge would be to shrink it down. With a two dimensional array and formations, I knew several tricks, the main one, expanding into three dimensions slightly. But that wouldn��t be possible here, which was why this was a complicated problem. I couldn��t go to four dimensions from three dimensions.


    While some might say time was the fourth dimension, I was strictly thinking about spatial dimensions. It was how the spatial items I had operated. They would fold in a chunk a of space and use an array to create an aperture one could access the items inside that space. The space itself was very stable, since a new volume of space appearing could be very hazardous to one��s health.


    I could figure out the basics of arrays and formations, but the spatial items were one of many things that was completely beyond my understanding. Cultivator technology had a tremendous amount of depth to it. What I was doing was the equivalent of running some wires and lighting up a lightbulb with a hand crank generator. I knew the basics.


    I took some time to seriously consider this question. To understand energy so well, that one��s cultivation advanced. But what would it look like? Perhaps an easier time controlling energy or using techniques? If someone found a source of energy, they were highly compatible with, I could see them making progress in the use of energy as their control would be very good.


    While a neat idea, if it was possible, I was clearly missing some key information, or a key experience. Using energy on the body like the cultivators of the Great World were doing was something that might have come up, but had never been something that was worth investing the time into researching or working on.


    The focused changes that the cultivators of the Great World did and I copied were advancements that took a very long time to develop. To know what was safe and the best practices. Coming up with everything from scratch would be much harder. They had refined their cultivation system, at least the first part to an extreme.


    This knowledge was incredibly useful for me to make changes to my body, that I otherwise wouldn��t have risked. While it had a limited impact on me, it still had an impact. Now the Sect Leader would chart the way forward along with his elders.


    After looking at the microscope, I made my way back to my workshop to keep working on metal plates. ��I saw your counter cube in the nexus chamber,�� Fu Shirong said after entering my workspace.


    ��Impressive, isn��t it. Now I am working on improvements,�� I replied.


    ��I would like to go with you, when you leave,�� Fu Shirong said. I wasn��t surprised.


    ��Even if I can��t make something portable?�� I asked.


    ��You can have a ship specifically designed to carry it. Weren��t you planning to travel by ship anyways?�� he asked me.


    ��Who knows what obstacles are in the future? I doubt there are oceans and canals all the way to the Great Desert. That is where having energy will most likely be the most useful. Also working out how the nexus crystal works, will give me great insight into the working of the Great World,�� I replied.


    ��We are still leaving in a year or so?�� Fu Shirong asked me.


    ��Perhaps. I wish to see another tribulation, iterate the design of the counter cube, and see what direction Sect Leader Flame takes his cultivation. You should keep work on yours,�� I replied.


    ��Don��t you ever consider it boring, sitting around, meditating, focusing?�� Fu Shirong asked me and I let out a sigh, stopping my work on a metal plate.


    ��That is cultivation. You cultivate to get more life, to cultivate some more, to eventually reach immortality, everyone who know is dead, and then you need to keep cultivating to get more power,�� I replied. Fu Shirong just stared at me for a bit, and I shrugged.


    ��You have been cultivating for a long time?�� he asked.


    ��You are just realizing that now? If you can��t focus, then you have no future cultivating. It requires constant dedication and persistence, even if it can be unimaginably boring at times. You need to keep working to improve,�� I said.


    ��There isn��t some kind of treasure or quest I could go on?�� he asked.


    ��I don��t believe so. If you want to live to reach the Great Desert you need to cultivate. That is the best place to find something that is useful. But it comes down to energy, this entire place is very low energy. The real trick, I have personally discovered, is you need to cultivate enough to extend your life and get strong enough you can seize the opportunities that come by,�� I explained. Being weak was a sin as a cultivator. While one would naturally get stronger, one needed to be able to defend themselves and seek out benefits.


    If one wanted the ability to seize a benefit, they needed to be strong enough to do so. While I didn��t like fighting, I still kept my weapons on me just in case. One could never be too careful or predict what might happen.


    ��I just hate being stuck in one place, that was why I left to travel,�� Fu Shirong said.


    ��I am not stopping you,�� I replied, and he looked at me in surprise. ��The opportunity I have given you is immense. But it might not be for you. Not everyone enjoys cultivation. Some might enjoy living their life instead, or mercenary work. I am in no place to judge. But if you stay, then focus on cultivation with every fiber of your being.��


    There was silence at my declaration. Fu Shirong had been whining for quite a while. While I had never taken him seriously up to this point, his attitude had begun to annoy me. If you didn��t like cultivating go do something else. No one ever forces a person to be a cultivator. That was why the Cloudy Moon Sect wanted individuals who showed they were dedicated by having a specific level of cultivation by a specific age and I am sure the Flame Sect did something similar as well.


    Fu Shirong started at a slightly older age and his temperament was not something to be desired. I had only let him come along since he had been insistent and had helped make travel arrangements. But I could not stand to listen to him complain about how boring cultivation was one more time.


    ��I will go cultivate,�� he said and left. I nodded at that. If he had complaints, I didn��t care to hear them in the slightest. He was far luckier than other people in the Great World by having my support and he knew that. But it all meant nothing if he didn��t cultivate. If he wanted to go do exciting stuff and fight, there were countless jobs out there he could take.


    One didn��t need to be a cultivator for such things. In fact, being a cultivator was quite boring the vast majority of the time. Unless one was a demonic cultivator, then you had to hunt down strong cultivators to assist your own cultivation. Now that would be an interesting lifestyle, but I had more than enough of demonic cultivators, I didn��t need to run into anymore.


    The Great World cultivators had demonic cultivators of their own surprisingly. They were an unholy abomination of chef and cannibal, with the dish of choice, other cultivators. No need for complicated procedures, they would eat and absorb the energy from the flesh of cultivators they killed. It was one of those legends, but one I did not want to get caught up in.


    Demonic cultivation always seemed like a method for cultivating for people who were too bored to do it the regular way, which was slower but with less chance of being killed. I had no doubt there would be at least one demonic cultivator attempting to kill me on the way to the Great Desert, but that would be their end.


    That was why Demonic cultivation was so risky. Unlike business, trade, and teamwork, one mistake in a fight and you were finished. That was why I didn��t like fighting. The blood, viscera, while stomach churning, weren��t enough to really make me dislike fighting. It was the randomness, just like gambling. That was why I only gambled on myself, a sure bet if there ever was one.


    At least, that was what I liked to think. I had made it this far, somehow. The biggest threat and roadblock, but also the biggest source of assistance was from cultivators more powerful than me. At least I was top dog of the Great World. A small fish in an even smaller pond. Still, it was a lot less stressful, knowing that I could solve problems, instead of having to beg my seniors for their help.

 Chapter 102: Where Are My Tribulations?

    Chapter 102: Where Are My Tribulations?


    I watched as another Elder broke through. There was no tribulation. This was the seventh Elder and I was annoyed. Something intangible the Sect Leader had done had triggered a tribulation unlike the rest of these cultivators. That was incredibly annoying. I wanted an unlimited source of energy to call down and empower myself.


    Now I was stuck with no tribulations, no source of energy, but what I could draw on myself from the Astral Plane. I turned around and left, since it was clear a tribulation was not going to happen, after I had set up everything. I was incredibly annoyed about the entire situation.


    It was beyond aggravating. But there was nothing I could do about the entire situation. No easy source of energy for me to drain. The entire set up that had been done on the Sect Building was pointless. Either the conditions weren��t right, or the tribulation mechanism had some way of knowing I would be harnessing its energy.


    I made my way back to my workshop, letting out a heavy sigh. It appeared my time in the Flame Sect was rapidly coming to a close. My counter cube had been downsized slightly, but even the latest iteration was still as large as a washing machine. At least it wasn��t the size of a compact car. Without being able to review other sources of knowledge, or a breakthrough, there wasn��t going to be any more improvements. At least it worked, disrupting the suppression of energy here in the Great World.


    ��Senior Yuan Zhou, please sit,�� Sect Leader Flame greeted me with a bow as I entered his office and gestured to one of the chairs. I took my seat, and he sat down after me. One of the many small things these cultivators did to show me respect.


    ��I will be departing,�� I stated bluntly. There was nothing of value left for me in the Flame Sect. At least not enough to keep me around. I had discovered all the secrets and information about the Great World from this location that I was able to. Now my only choices were to keep going Lifeward to the Great Desert or back Edgewards to try and help Yang Heng.


    ��Your presence has been most appreciated,�� Sect Leader Flame said with a deep bow of his head. The level of strength the Flame Sect now had after my arrival had grown considerably. I could still crush them all with a few swings of my sword, but compared to the Flame Sect that existed before my arrival, their strength had soared massively.


    Even more importantly, I had allowed the Sect Leader and elders of the Flame Sect to progress their cultivation with my knowledge. Without a box with a high enough energy density, breaking through would be much riskier.


    ��Your Flame Sect has been most accommodating to my requests. I have a few more I must make before I depart. A ship. The fastest one possible,�� I said. I had planned this out a while ago.


    ��That can be arranged easily enough. I can order any shipyard to build your ship immediately, so it will be ready by the time you wish to leave. Do you want the ship prepared Lifewards or Edgewards?�� he asked. That was the real question that I was still going back and forth on.


    ��Lifewards. I plan to journey to the Great Desert and see what awaits me there,�� I replied after giving the decision one last moment of consideration. I did not want to backtrack. While I understood the necessity of travel, going back and forth pointlessly, would be beyond frustrating.


    If I went back to Yang Heng and he wasn��t able to immediately solve all the current issues, or at least wake up, then I would have lost 20 years for nothing. While I could travel and focus on other things, that much time would be immensely frustrating if there was no payoff.


    Also, cultivators were meant to be self-sufficient and solve our own problems. While I understood that as humans we had civilizations and cultivation knowledge built off what was done previously, I had also taken in the part of the culture that was about charting one��s own path. Cultivators that advanced and didn��t succumb to lethargy had to have a determined and independent streak. If we could handle a problem ourselves, we would prefer that option.


    I had lived for so long as a cultivator, many of my memories felt quite distant. From my previous life on Earth, growing up on the continent, and even my early days of cultivation. I still remembered quite a bit, since they formed who I was, but the long periods of time I had been forced to endure had also shaped me.


    Yang Heng was a safety net. One that I appreciated quite a bit once I had gotten to know the immortal, but the journey of a cultivator was one of struggle and determination. Going back to Yang Heng would be admitting that I had no other options to solve the crisis of being stuck here in the Great World. It was an option of last resort.


    I could even imagine heading back and Yang Heng waking up but being heavily crippled in terms of his energy use. Stuck at the crash site of the hover craft. The problem was keeping energy in an area while traveling.


    It might be possible on the ship with some testing to set up arrays around a specific area, centered on the counter cube. But such a formation was not something I would be able to carry. I could see it now, reaching Yang Heng, waking him up, he gives me some important information, and then goes back to sleep.


    That thought made me hesitate. If had information, that could be a huge game changer. He was incredibly knowledgeable. He might be able to use what I had gathered about the nexus crystals and counter cubes to come up with something better. But the big word there was ��might��.


    In the end the obvious answer to being stuck here would be the correct answer, the Great Desert. The heat and other obstacles would make it all but impossible for mortals to cross, creating a secure location for cultivators. A natural defense to anyone who went to investigate. That possibility seemed incredibly likely.


    If a cultivator kept their body going and possessed enough control to survive, then the environment would naturally self-select cultivators. That kind of self-selection process would mean less work for whomever was running this place. I doubted they would want to come down here themselves if at all possible, just like the continent I grew up on.


    I had a guess, that the big sects closer to the Great Desert would send their cultivators into the Great Desert once they got strong enough, furthering the process of self-selection. Similar to how sects on the continent sent people to the controlling faction in the Forever City. A pipeline of useful individuals to use how the people in charge of the processes saw fit to dispose of.


    That was my ticket out of this place and rescuing Yang Heng. I needed to find that pipeline and make contact with someone, who could then put me in contact with someone of actual importance. The Flame Sect, was a trash sect.


    The opinion on the Flame Sect wasn��t even my opinion. They existed at the edge of their civilization. The number of members they had was quite small due to the lower population in this portion of the Great World. Cultivation society was like a pyramid. You needed a larger base to have a higher top point.


    While there were exceptions and cultivation was done on an individual basis, on a societal level, the size of the base population mattered. A place like the Forever City had a massive base from the continents and the city itself.


    The only reason the Great World here paled in comparison was the lack of metal and the lower starting point. I looked at Sect leader Flame and considered his cultivation. He had been trying to make progress, but he had not succeeded in a meaningful manner yet. The smaller one had to control energy, the harder it became.


    At a certain point the difficulty just skyrocketed, and became too much. Like tearing a piece of paper in half. One could do it quite a bit, but eventually it would be hard with one��s fingers. Even with tools, there were be a certain point where a piece of paper could be ripped in half but the difficulty skyrocketed. Everything would be simple up to a certain point, there was a small portion that could be improved, and then the difficulty went off the charts. That was the same problem one had with focusing on cultivation on a microscopic scale.


    ��If they come along, they will work, making sure the ship runs smoothly and quickly. Also protecting the ship itself,�� I replied. Having more minions was never a bad thing. If they were going to come along I would put them to work like Fu Shirong. They would make sure we were going in the right direction as quickly and efficiently as possible.


    Having minions to handle the tedious and annoying parts of traveling through the Great World would be quite useful. Getting supplies, making sure there are sailors, arranging to travel through canals, and making sure I wasn��t bothered. That was a nice thing about being a cultivator, if it was a problem money could solve then it wasn��t really a problem.


    ��I will make sure to pass that along and make arrangements,�� Sect Leader Flame replied. ��I also want to say thank you. For both myself and the Flame Sect. Without your presence, I would not have been able to advance, and we would have remained stagnant.��


    ��It was a minor thing, since I was able to learn a great deal while staying here,�� I replied politely. After that the conversation quickly wrapped up and I returned to my apartment.


    I didn��t have anything personal sitting around. Everything was stored away. I would need to get more metal plates before I left. A lot of blank ones to work on and to tinker with while traveling. There were some detailed medical diagrams I would have the Flame Sect copy as well before my departure. While I had a great memory that had only improved with my cultivation, having visual aids was useful.


    While traveling I would continue to work on utilizing my energy at a smaller scale in a more efficient manner. That would be what I would focus on for my cultivation for the next couple hundred years. It would be a long trip and it would be good to have something to occupy my time.


    I had considered making a sensing array to try and find more nexus crystals that weren��t claimed, but there was no point. Even if I found one, they wouldn��t have much use except being more compact than my counter cube. Since I was traveling by ship, that wasn��t a huge concern. And if I wasn��t traveling by ship, I wouldn��t be able to contain the energy anyways, so there was no point in downsizing anymore.


    At least the solid block of metal that was the counter cube, would be small enough not to break through a wooden hull due to its sheer weight. Or cause the ship to become unbalanced. With all the metal I would be taking with me, there would be weight concerns, but I didn��t plan to make more metal while traveling.


    Also, there was no point in engaging in any kind of trade either. I would be carrying metal to pay my way forward as quickly as possible, and I wouldn��t be carrying goods to load or unload beyond food and drink. Speed would be the key word that I would impart to the cultivators that would be traveling with me. I didn��t want to stop and have to wait around.


    There shouldn��t be a delay for a ship of cultivators. A single ship of cultivators was not a threat to a sect. While I would be a threat, the cultivators of the Great World weren��t used to someone so far above them. Having a group of cultivators on a trip to the Great Desert or the Edge, while rare, was not unheard of.


    Since we had the status and the money to back it up, we would get priority wherever we went. This would be important while passing through the long canals that connected the various bodies of water. The traffic was regulated and there were waiting lists as ships wanted to pass through rather than having to unload their cargo and ship it across land. We would be able to cut to the front of every single line without delay, so we wouldn��t have to waste time. For having so much time, it was still a precious resource, since I wasn��t an immortal yet.


    ��Master,�� Fu Shirong greeted me when he returned. I had been sitting around for quite a while thinking about various things. I should have been working, but I allowed myself a moment of respite while the ship and the rest of the arrangements were being prepared.


    ��We are departing soon, very soon,�� I said.


    ��Really?�� I could tell Fu Shirong was excited by the prospect.


    ��To the Great Desert. Arrangements are being made and once the ship is about to be completed, we will depart. It should only take a couple more days before the Sect Leader sends word,�� I explained.


    ��I will make sure I am ready whenever you give the word,�� he replied. He was too impatient still, but I could understand not wanting to sit around and cultivate all day. Traveling and adventuring to get stronger in a quicker manner was something that brought me joy. It was dangerous, and I also hated going around due to the danger, but surviving the excitement and speeding up my cultivation was what made me happy.


    ��That is good. There will be other cultivators with us. You can sort out the hierarchy between all of you while ensuring travel goes quickly and smoothly,�� I said.


    ��Other cultivators want to travel?�� Fu Shirong asked.


    ��My guess is a few of the elders and possibly cultivators like yourself who have a sense of adventure,�� I replied. There were always a few. That was why I was getting only a handful of cultivators. They wanted to do something before they aged and died. Going on a trip with me was something that felt valuable to them, even though they would probably all die before we even got close to the Great Desert.


    This place was just that large and immense. It was honestly crazy how big the Great World actually was. If I didn��t even know any better, I would believe existence was a single white star in the sky and the world was flat. In the end it was just a very large well for the frogs living in the bottom of it.


    I needed to focus on my cultivation as much as possible. While I hadn��t felt like I was getting older, it was hard to say. Any aging would happen over a long period of time. I knew my body incredibly well, but sensing age impacting me would be hard. And the amount of energy I was keeping inside my body was also another factor as well.


    With other cultivators along they could handle the fighting for the most part. That would save energy, the same with being on a ship, so I didn��t have to use energy to fuel my movement. Every scrap of energy mattered here in the Great World. If I wanted any chance of survival, I needed to avoid combat as much as possible.


    The fights before had been something I was caught up in, that I should have avoided. It had been foolish of me to fight mortals and cut them down. Going forward I would have to have the cultivators traveling with me fight such battles, if possible, while avoiding using my energy.


    I had planned to find another minion once Fu Shirong got older, but with multiple cultivators coming along, I could hopefully arrange for my ship to act as a small floating sect. Even if another cultivator grew jealous, killing them would be much easier than killing a bunch of mortals. It was moving about and sending out cutting waves of energy that really tanked my reserves. Killing one person was a lot easier than killing a thousand.


    It sounded weird that mortals were more of a threat than cultivators, but it took about the same effort to kill both and there were a lot more mortals.

 Chapter 103: Great War

    Chapter 103: Great War


    ��Senior, there is a problem,�� former Vice Leader Tan reported. He was one of the cultivators who had decided to travel with me and the unofficial leader of the group. I was in the main cabin of my ship working on my cultivation.


    The counter cube and arrays used to keep energy around the ship was about two thirds as effective as a nexus crystal. The movement of the ship itself was a major reason why energy was lost. Still, it was more than enough for cultivation, which made the cultivators on board quite happy.


    ��Speak,�� I said. We had been traveling for over a decade now. There was a mortal crew that sailed the actual ship and the cultivators who handled expenses and other high-level issues. I had only been bothered three times in the past. Two of the times had been due to leviathan attacks. The third time was when pirates attacked. All of these events were easily resolved.


    Right now, we were at port and would be sailing to the next canal, which implied there was a problem with the planned route. ��The canal we want to take falls between two Empires and is currently the central part of their war.��


    ��Aren��t canals normally built through the middle of Empires?�� I asked.


    ��The boarders have shifted over time. The Tree Empire split into the Leaf and Wood Empires. A pair of brothers over a millennia ago. The canal revenue was shared, but tensions have recently escalated and now there is war,�� Junior Tan explained.


    ��Is the canal blocked in any way, or do both sides just attack whoever is passing through?�� I asked.


    ��Both. To reach another canal it is at least two year trip,�� Junior Tan added. That was how long it would take to reach the next canal. For a canal to be profitable, there weren��t that many. The journey had to be a minimum of a year away by ship. Even then they were often further due to terrain and political considerations at the time they were built.


    ��If the fighting stopped how long would it take to clear the canal?�� I asked.


    ��Not that long. A couple days to a month. But the fighting would have to stop. Since it is a war between Empires, there are cultivators are both sides as well,�� Junior Tan explained. That would be annoying, but I wasn��t going to make a detour.


    I slowly got up from my reclining chair I was laying down on to focus on my cultivation. I picked up my sword that was set down on a nearby table. ��Who controls the port?�� I asked.


    ��It is split depending on which side of the canal. We are currently on the Leaf Empire��s side,�� Junior Tan explained. I nodded slowly at this, as I made sure my sword belt was properly secured around my waist.


    ��Well, they are lucky then. We will support them in the conflict and punch through the canal. In return for our support, they will mobilize workers to clear the canal as quickly as possible from any blockades,�� I laid out my plan for the upcoming conflict. ��The representatives?�� I asked while I put my large hat over my head to hide my face and my different appearance from these people.


    ��We can see the Lord Governor of the city right away. There will also be members of the Leaf Sect present,�� Junior Tan said. I nodded at this.


    ��I will meet with them immediately. For nothing shall stop us,�� I declared resolutely. Junior Tan sent one of the other cultivators as a messenger while the rest remained behind to guard the ship. We then proceeded to advance to the Lord Governor��s fortress. The guards quickly made way as we advanced to the great hall.


    I counted ten cultivators in the room as well. This was clearly a key city for the Leaf Empire to have so many cultivators stationed here. It made sense, since it was one of the entry points to the canal, which the war was over.


    ��Announcing, Senior Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance,�� Junior Tan said. Everyone inclined their heads even the other cultivators. I guess word of my cultivation had been conveyed.


    ��Greetings Senior Yuan Zhou. I am Lord Governor Ting, a representative of his Imperial Majesty of the Leaf Empire,�� a man on a throne wearing ornate armor had gotten up and inclined his head towards me.


    ��I am Junior Po of the Leaf Sect, Senior Yuan Zhou,�� the elder cultivator who was clearly in charge inclined their head towards me as well. It was nice to be the top cultivator and get a lot of respect.


    ��I require passage through the canal on my journey to the Great Desert. Since I have arrived in your Empire first, I shall aid you in return for clearing the canal as quickly as possible. My understanding is that the Wood Empire has amassed cultivators and soldiers on the opposite side of the canal in force?�� I asked.


    ��Yes. We have reached a stalemate with the occasional raid going back and forth. If either side begins amassing soldiers in one location to cross, the other side will as well. While footholds have been gained in the past, the cost in cultivators, soldiers, and wat material has been immense,�� Lord Governor Ting explained.


    ��The other issue is that each side has a rapid response force of their strongest cultivators. In the event that either side crosses to the other side of the canal, then that rapid response force will strike,�� Cultivator Po explained.


    ��How many cultivators are in this force?�� I asked.


    ��Around a hundred,�� he replied. I nodded slowly at this. It would be a pain to kill that many, but it would be no threat.


    ��Easy enough to deal with,�� I replied. There was shock across the room.


    ��Forgive me senior, but your level of strength...to kill that many cultivators?�� Cultivator Po asked.


    ��I could kill a thousand cultivators without breaking a sweat,�� I replied without lying. ��I will act immediately and expect the Leaf Empire to follow up.��


    ��What exactly is your plan?�� Lord Governor Ting asked nervously.


    ��I will assault the city across the canal, killing the cultivators and soldiers. Your forces will move in and seize it. Then I will be advancing my ship up the canal, while clearing out the opposite side of any resistance. Once we reach a blockage, you will have your work teams quickly remove it, while I remove any opposition. If you wish to take territory or make other gains, I do not care as long as the work crews move at a rapid pace,�� I declared.


    ��You plan to take them all on yourself? That is impossible!? Even for a senior in the Soul Enlightenment Realm, such a thing would not be possible,�� Cultivator Po said. I began to draw out my sword and the tension spiked in the great hall.


    ��I will not cripple you for your offensive words, but I will teach you a lesson. Defend yourselves,�� I said and moved. The stone floor shattered as I kicked off of it. Cultivator Po was barely reacting by the time the flat of my blade struck his gut. He folded over my blade and went flying into the wall behind himself with a crash.


    I then casually cut down and deflected the thrown metal weapons two other cultivators unleashed upon me. I moved once more. I kicked one, who went flying into a wall and used the pommel of my sword to hit the other. Their eyes went cloudy as they collapsed on the ground, bleeding from their head.


    Killing people was easy, far too easy. But killing hundreds, or thousands, it would be a waste of energy. My goal was to use as few projected slashes as possible and rely on the innate superiority of my blade when attacking. Also, there was a small but not insignificant chance that both sides might team up to attack me. It was better to have a clear ally right from the start. They would not risk upsetting me since they would already be gaining massive advantages by joining the attack and seizing the canal.


    Eight cultivators rushed into the great hall a few minutes after I had finished my massacre. Six men and two women. Their martial robes and the symbol of their sect making it clear they were cultivators. Also, I could see the small bit of energy inside their bodies as well.


    There was no need to say words to dead people. I launched myself towards them as they brought up their swords. I easily cut them down before they were even able to counter attack. The first corpse fell to the floor just as I finished beheading the eighth cultivator. The rest fell to the ground in the seconds afterwards. Despite the massive mess I had made, not a single drop of blood marred my robes.


    I swung my sword, to remove the blood on it, splattering it against a nearby wall. I then exited the great hall as soldiers rushed towards me. I didn��t bother asking for a surrender. Something I had learned about the Great World was that they didn��t have slavery. There just wasn��t enough food and the poor people were basically slaves regardless.


    Also there was a long history of spies, betrayals, and national loyalty. All of that combined togeather to create a strong anti-slavery culture, which was horrific. While many idiots might have thought not having slavery would be a good thing, it made any kind of conflict extremely brutal.


    The bandits I had killed earlier did not have good morale. They were desperate and surrender meant death. With no slavery, no kingdom or empire was about to feed or take care of hundreds or thousands of prisoners. That meant the losers were summarily executed. If someone was a noble, then they might be taken prisoner for a large ransom.


    But the common people had no chance. Even the civilians would be heavily purged of all men to make way for people from the opposing force. Women would be given to the soldiers instead of money, along with housing and land, taken directly from the populace. Nobles didn��t like paying their soldiers with money, which was why they got the spoils of war.


    In smaller conflicts this wouldn��t happen. Nobles would just be replaced and only a small portion of the population. But since it was a conflict between empires with standing armies, it was total war. It was all or nothing for every single person on both sides.


    All of this brutality could be laid at the feet that there was no slavery. Without any way to make use of the losers, it was better to execute them all to prevent future banditry. That was why what followed was horrific and something I hoped to avoid.


    Soldiers, civilians, women, and even children rushed at me once I had exited the main building for the city with whatever weapon they had. The richer people were probably fleeing, but the poor had to win or die. That meant killing me.


    It was a human wave tactic. ��One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth.�� Over a hundred people died in that attack. Adults were bisected, while the children were beheaded. I hoped that I made a strong enough impression that these people would turn around and realize that it was futile to attack me.


    ��He is probably exhausted! Keep attacking!�� That shout and similar ones went up across the crowd over the screams of their dying comrades. Hundreds more people charged at me, knowing they would die if they didn��t win. My heart hurt from all the deaths, but this was the consequence of warfare with cold weapons and there being no chance of surrender.


    I swung a second time as the people closed in, trampling on the bodies of their comrades. More people collapsed to the ground bisected. In fact the ground was no longer visible from the sheer amount of blood and viscera covering it. I felt incredibly sick. I hated this. But there was no better alternative.


    Even if I had tried diplomacy, it would have taken years and been easier to find another route. Any non-violent alternative would have taken far too long. The ultimate leaders, the Emperors, were not close to the front lines. Pausing a conflict on such a scale was not a simple matter either. And I would have to enforce the peace. Also, the canal passed through too much territory. Only the Emperor on either side would have the authority to grant passage.


    All these lives were not worth my time. That was what it ultimately came down to. It was easier to kill these people in order to gain passage rather than going around or finding an alternative. It was heartbreaking, but I refused to be delayed for years.


    I swung a third time as people rushed across the corpses beneath them. Instead of being cut around their cut, many were cut off at the groin or their thighs, making it take longer for them to bleed out. The screams were unbearable, and while they didn��t harm me physically or my cultivation in any way, they impacted me emotionally. I had to force to keep my bile back. Several of the people had dived into the piles of corpses dodging the attack and kept rushing at me with whatever they had in their hands.


    It was almost like they were zombies, but I could see the desperation etched into their faces. There was no other alterative but to win. They all knew that, which was why they kept rushing forward. The first to reach me was a child with a wooden stick in their hands.


    I swung and the small girl was instantly killed. While I would like to call this a massacre, it truly was a battle. The field of corpses slowed down the charging people enough, that I could cut them down as they reached me, building up a wall of bodies.


    They screamed as they rushed me, fear gripping their hearts, but they had no choice. One after another, it didn��t matter, I cut them all down. When people came at me from behind from the main government building, having climbed over the walls, I cut them down as well. When arrows were sent in my direction, I easily knocked them out of the air.


    This was a city with at least a hundred thousand people. I had probably killed two thousand by the time I didn��t see anyone else rushed me. There were mounds of corpses all around me. The one patch of ground that didn��t have a body laying upon it. Everything else around me was blood soaked with the occasional pitiful cry or scream coming out from someone who had still yet to die.


    I heard shouting in the rest of the city. Cultivators and soldiers were probably landing already. I hesitated. I didn��t want to kill any more people. But I had started this path, I needed to finish it. I quickly crossed the field of corpses on the street and made my way back towards the canal. I had been hoping against hope that the people wouldn��t have rushed me, which was why I hadn��t killed them while racing towards the administration building. That had been a foolish thought.


    Now I cut down anyone I came across. Each swing of my sword added another victim to my tally of kills. Eventually I reached a line of soldiers and people rushing towards the canal and walls. I cut into them from behind and kept moving forward.


    Even with large numbers, these people still couldn��t win and I always had the option to retreat. Slowly but surely, I cut my way through to the gate I had entered the city earlier. With my attack, the soldiers on the other side of the gate along with the cultivators of the Leaf Empire were able to push through.


    I advanced at the front cutting down the people in front of me, the soldiers spreading out behind me in a wave to attack people rushing in from the sides. With people supporting me from behind, the battle proceeded more quickly.


    That was when I noted several of the cultivators I had been traveling had arrived behind me, covering my flanks as I went through the city in a large loop around the main building, cutting down anyone I came across.


    I had looped through the entire city back to the gate when there were no more people to kill in front of me. The soldiers and cultivators from the Leaf Empire would finish off the rest.


    ��I am done. Lead me to the ship, Junior Tan,�� I gave out an order. The cultivator inclined their head towards me and led me back. The rest of my group followed as well. I could see the distaste on some of their faces. None of them had participated in a total war between Empires.


    Once we made it to the ship in the port, I noted more ships were ferrying across soldiers to enter the city. Lord Governor Ting came off one such ship with his personal guard. He bowed deeply towards me. He had probably been waiting for my return if I had to guess.


    ��Senior cultivator Yuan Zhou, thank you for your assistance,�� he said.


    ��I plan to rest and the move up the canal. Have you assembled work teams to help clear it?�� I asked.


    ��They stand ready. As we move up soldiers will also cross, and the army will follow along the opposite bank. We will sweep up along the entire canal. Word has already been sent to the other garrisons,�� Lord Governor Ting explained. I nodded at this. At least he was on top of everything so things could keep progressing quickly.

 Chapter 104: Too Large To Surrender

    Chapter 104: Too Large To Surrender


    Enough of the blockage in the canal was cleared for the ship to continue. My progress would not be halted, no matter what. The more time I seemed to have, the more it seemed to so easily slip through my fingers.


    Armies marched up both sides of the canal. The army on the Leaf Empire��s side was much smaller, only being used to organize forces on that side of the canal to go to the other, where the army advanced in pace with my ship, securing the fortresses and towns behind them. These soldiers helped remove blockages from the canal and ensure my ship wasn��t attacked as it sailed over the water bridge between the two seas.


    After breaking the initial resistance, the Wood Empire was moving to regroup ahead of us. The massacre had unsettled me. While I was willing to fight quite a bit, killing so many helpless people left a bad taste in my mouth that wasn��t easily washed away.


    I had been hitting up for so long, that I was unused to being in a position of absolute power, where life and death were so easy to decide. While these people might look different from me, they were no beasts. There were no easy answers, except the answer I had learned from my long experience with cultivators, that might makes right. There was a knock a on my cabin door.


    ��Enter,�� I called out.


    ��Senior Yuan Zhou, there are reports that the enemy forces are mobilizing in large numbers ahead of our position. At around the halfway point along the canal,�� Vice Leader Tan explained with a bowed head. I had considered taking up the mantle of Sect Leader, but that title had connotations I did not wish to take on.


    The cultivators who were traveling with me, were under my protection, but ultimately they could leave whenever they wished. This was a journey to the center of the Great World, one I would undertake on my own if needed. Having to care and worry for these people as a Sect Leader would only hold me back with more attachments. My mind drifted to a colored portrait made from long ago.


    The silence stretched out as I knew what would be needed. ��Senior?�� Vice Leader Tan hesitantly asked.


    ��I am thinking about many things. How large is the force arrayed against us?�� I asked.


    ��Their mortal army out numbers ours by at least five times. They have over 200 cultivators. It is said that three elders of the Wood Sect will be present to face you directly.�� That was a lot of people. The upcoming battle would decide the fate of the two Empires and our passage along the canal.


    ��We are currently a third of the way along the canal?�� I asked.


    ��Yes, Senior,�� Vice Leader Tan said. ��The canal is mostly clear along the middle portion, only being blocked at either end. If the enemy army didn��t delay our passage, we could sail most of the way along the canal without much trouble. Only debris from the decades of conflict have created issues with traversal.��


    ��I am guessing that Lord Governor Ting is concerned,�� I speculated while thinking of the commander for the Leaf Empire��s forces that were marching with us.


    ��He has merely reported information to me as it has come in. Three of the cultivators under my command have been present in his war meetings. Until now, there was no need to disturb you, since resistance has been limited, Senior.�� I nodded slowly at this. My ally of convenience was not fickle at the very least. ��There is another minor matter. A messenger has delivered a missive from the opposing side.�� A folded piece of paper was handed over to me. Vice Leader Tan had already read the message, which I didn��t mind.


    There was no need for me to be disturbed about every little thing. Learning to delegate was something I had no qualms about doing. Focusing on my cultivation and working through my troubled thoughts was far more important.


    ��They are willing to let us through the canal, if we depart immediately,�� I set the letter aside. Vice Leader Tan did not say anything. We could abandon our current allies and accomplish my goal and I would not have to do much myself. Or I could fight and commit another massacre.


    Either way a lot of people were going to die. The fact the opposing side was willing to go this far, showed they were willing to do anything to stop me. The conclusion was obvious. If I did not agree to move on through the canal, they would attempt to trap me. A battle not to win, but to exhaust me.


    That or some kind of powerful weapon, but against my level of cultivation compared to these cultivators, there was nothing they had that could threaten me.


    ��I will fight,�� I said. I would not abandon my allies. I may be many things, but fickle was not one of them. ��We are using a scout ship ahead of us?�� I asked.


    ��Of course. I have also assigned a cultivator to scout the terrain ahead on either side of the canal for additional ambush points,�� Vice Leader Tan said.


    ��Then, come get me when the battle is about to occur and I will fight the enemy cultivators,�� I replied. He gave another bow and left my cabin. I let out a small sigh. The entire situation was an unpleasant one, but one that I chose to create for expediency. If I hadn��t arrived the stalemate could have continued for much longer. Or it might not have.


    Shaking my head, I knew that thinking about the consequences of my actions was pointless to think about. Leaving behind Yang Heng at the edge of the Great World was a far more impactful decision. Both in terms of my future and in terms of the number of lives impacted. That was the weight of an immortal, with power and time, regular lives were but candles compared to a sun.


    I focused back on my cultivation, working to sense my energy at an even deeper level. To keep dividing a portion over and over until the smallest piece was smaller than anything previously. There was little to no progress, but there wasn��t much else I could do while traveling.


    As I focused on my body, trying to understand how energy interacted inside a cell, there was another knock on my door.


    ��Enter,�� I said and focused my attention back on the present.


    ��Senior, our forces are about to meet. You are needed to stabilize the situation,�� Vice Leader Tan said. I mentally frowned.


    ��How much time has passed since you last disturbed me?�� I asked.


    ��About twenty days. You left orders not to disturb you unless it was urgent, senior,�� he said. Either my focus was increasing, or I had lost myself in my cultivation. Something that had never happened before. I had always felt the passing of time in full, or I had let my attention drift. Yang Heng had never mentioned something like this happening, but he did go into hibernation on a regular basis.


    The enemy��s plan had been to delay me while their flanks won the battle. The problem was that I had broken the enemy cultivators too quickly, which threw their entire battle plan into disarray. The front was only fighting due to the number of enemy soldiers, the same with the flanks. They just had so many people it was hard to kill them all.


    Looking across the battlefield, I didn��t see any enemy cultivators taking action. They had committed everything to stopping me and failed. Now the cultivators on my side would tip the entire battle in our favor. The battle was too large for me to have an impact anymore.


    If I leapt down of the tower fortification and killed hundreds, or even thousands of soldiers, the battlefield was too large and the noise too much. Standing on top of the tower as a threat and as a symbol was more than enough. I only took personal action once more, when a cluster of four barrels went flying towards my side. I shattered them all mid-flight, raining down more flaming oil onto the enemy��s side.


    Also, this was not my fight. While I had helped, I did not have a personal stake in it. I would soon be gone from these lands and this place would become a distant memory. The more I watched, the more I was glad I had decided to stay in this tower fortification. A battle of this size was beyond compare. Even if there were modern communications, it would still be near impossible to manage.


    The Life Light continued to shine down upon the battle. There was no night, which meant there was no natural break to the fighting. I did note that the Leaf Empire did a better job of moving forces up to replace the soldiers who were exhausted near the front, but that only helped slightly. Exhaustion was very real and I saw several soldiers just collapse.


    The canal was in a stalemate as several ships burned, creating a blockade. The opposite flank had descended into complete chaos, with cultivators running around trying to kill soldiers on horseback. The cultivators in the center had pulled back to recover. I noted several of them had been overwhelmed in the complete and utter chaos. I also noted several kept battling their way forward through the enemy lines attempt to reach the enemy commander. They would probably die from exhaustion.


    I could have done something like that, but these cultivators were too weak. The energy empowering them was nowhere near enough. Each of them probably believed they would kill the enemy commander and become legends. Perhaps even being given rewards for their contributions. A few might live or even succeed if they were lucky enough, but I did not think so.


    The number of people brought to fight into this conflict was so immense, that fighting would continue without stopping for several days. I could already see both sides bringing more soldiers up to fight, while the enemy was busy preparing new fortifications in the distance.


    Perhaps I should have rushed forward and ended things, but even I would be at risk after fighting for so long. Enough ants could bring down an elephant. A messenger ran up the fortification tower, asking for permission from Lord Governor Ting to move the command post to this location. I agreed, since I wasn��t going to be acting personally anymore.


    A short time latter the command post for my side had moved into the stone tower. ��Senior Yuan Zhou, thank you for your help,�� Lord Governor Ting bowed deeply along with all his attendants.


    ��Hmm, the battle is not yet over,�� I replied loudly. The fighting was happening not too far away, but if we talked loudly, we could hear each other. He straightened up and came to my side to look out over the battlefield.


    ��Their supply lines have been cut by forces moving across the canal. They clearly hoped to smash us aside and advance, but they are losing ground. Now they are being attacked from the front and harried at the rear. With both flanks deadlocked, but in our advantage, we will win in time. Already our trebuchets are being moved forwards and their trebuchets have been destroyed.��


    ��Will the fighting stop?�� I asked.


    ��Not while their commander lives and they have the number advantage. And I can��t let up and allow them to reform their front lines. If they do, we will be at a huge disadvantage. As long as their front lines remain broken and in chaos, we can keep pushing them back despite their superior numbers,�� Lord Governor Ting explained.


    ��They won��t try to move soldiers where the cavalry is?�� I asked while looking at the left flank.


    ��All the spare cultivators have gone there to turn it into a killing field. And my troops are right there, ready to counter a large flanking maneuver. No. Their only hope is to reorganize to stabilize the center long enough that they can win through attrition.�� A messenger than ran over and kneeled.


    ��Speak,�� Lord Governor Ting said after glancing at me. I didn��t object to him commanding the battle.


    ��The trebuchets have moved forward and are in position to fire,�� the messenger said. Lord Governor Ting had one of his staff members wave a banner, ordering the siege equipment to open fire once more. Flaming barrels flew through the air, impacting the enemy lines, shattering the formations that were trying to come togeather.


    Lord Governor Ting really wasn��t going to give them a moment to reorganize. It was a smart but brutal strategy. It was also the only way for him to counter the massive numbers arrayed against him with a smaller force.


    There wasn��t even the opportunity to surrender or discuss terms. To let up for even one moment would turn the entire situation against us. I listened in as more orders were given, but they were all about moving up the support lines as the front lines kept advancing. Soldiers were dying from exhaustion as the battle continued.


    I noted that the enemy forces stopped trying to regroup and reform up in the rear. Some time after that a messenger came, reporting that the enemy commander had been killed along with a portion of the command staff by one of the cultivators who had rushed through the enemy lines. The cultivator in question had died, but the enemy army��s chain of command was broken.


    ��Order the front line to fall back. Advance all reserves,�� Lord Governor Ting ordered. With the enemy command in disarray he was taking the time to rotate out the soldiers fighting. Loud horns blew as the command was given. Falling back while in combat was asking for a disaster, but the enemy troops were exhausted as well, but were directionless. The local officers wouldn��t risk pulling back without orders from above, since it could lead to an even greater disaster. Still, I saw some trying which led to even more confusion in the enemy lines.


    The reserves Lord Governor Ting sent forward had clear gaps between the soldiers, so the men on the front lines could rush back to the rear. The fresh reserves moved forward and hit the confused and tired enemy lines that were in disarray. ��Yes, we have them!�� Lord Governor Ting said excitedly as the enemy forces began to go into a complete rout. ��Send everything forward, we must seize their main camp with their supplies! Move our camp forward. The field behind us is clear enough for our main camp.��


    The tower had been situated at the enemy��s front line. That meant the battlefield behind us was muddy, but there weren��t mountains of corpses like there were in front. I looked at the canal, which had a pink tint to it from all the blood that had been spilled.


    As the burning ships in the canal sank, the enemy forces were in full retreat across the entire battlefield. The screams took on a new dimension, since they were screams of pain. I left the tower without a word to Lord Governor Ting or anyone else and made my way back to my ship, which had stayed in the rear.


    ��Senior, all enemies have been driven from the canal,�� Vice Leader Tan said with a bowed head.


    ��I will leave our journey in your hands. But I wish to leave this conflict behind. If there is significant resistance, please let me know,�� I said as I returned to my cabin. It had been a long couple of days. While it had been tempting to return sooner, it would not do for me to leave the field of battle until victory was assured.

 Chapter 105: Drugged Up

    Chapter 105: Drugged Up


    There was a knock on my door and I frowned. I was losing track of time investigating my cultivation in depth. The deeper I looked, the more time I was losing. I had been thinking constantly over the reason, but there was no good explanation with what I knew about cultivation.


    ��Enter,�� I said with a frown. An older man entered my cabin.


    ��Master,�� the old man bowed his head. ��I wanted to pay my last respects before I depart.�� The voice sounded familiar.


    ��Come, let us have tea,�� I said while trying to figure out who I was talking to. The old man sat down as I prepared some tea.


    ��You have been quiet for a long time. Even Elder Tan was getting a bit worried,�� the man said. I weighed my thoughts and decided to get a second opinion. I doubt it would help, but losing time like I had, was not a good thing in my mind. It made the trip pass by more quickly, but I was unsure as to my lifespan. It could also be some effect as I got closer to the center of the Great World.


    ��I have experienced something unexpected,�� I said as I poured out both cups of tea. It then hit me who this old man was. ��Fu Shirong.�� The man who had decided to come with me and who was handling travel arrangements for a while.


    ��Yes? What is the problem Master?�� he asked. I shook my head slowly.


    ��I have been losing track of time,�� I replied while I sipped my tea.


    ��While cultivating?�� he asked and I nodded. ��How badly?��


    ��Between you entering this cabin, and my last visitor, how long would you say it has been?�� I asked.


    ��Not since the end of the Leaf Woof battle. That was over three decades ago,�� he said.


    ��About thirty days from my perspective,�� I replied and there was silence at that.


    ��Did you lose yourself in cultivation or something else?�� Fu Shirong hesitantly asked while sipping his tea. For being so old, it had not lost its flavor. There was also a very small coating of dust that covered everything in the cabin.


    ��Something else. The deeper I tried to peer, the greater the impact on my perception. This shouldn��t be happening, which is concerning,�� I explained.


    ��I wouldn��t even know where to begin,�� Fu Shirong said. ��Do you want me to get Elder Tan?�� he asked and I shook my head.


    ��No. The fact that I reacted to a knock on the door shows that I am not disabled. My personal age does not seem to be impacted either,�� I replied. There was silence, while I was still trying to work out what had happened. For me only a short time had passed, but everyone else had experienced decades.


    ��I suspect it has to do with a limitation on the cultivation of the Great World,�� I said out loud and sipped my tea, trying to put my thoughts in order. ��More concerning is no one bothered me in the last couple of decades. Storms, leviathans?�� I asked.


    ��We have handled all of it Master. The fleet has grown. The great pilgrimage to the center of the Great World. Many more cultivators have joined up. They often wonder if you are real, but enough people have seen you,�� he answered.


    ��As long as we have kept moving towards the center of the Great World, then I have no complaint. But you did not come here to listen to my problems, you are leaving?�� I asked.


    ��I am old. My cultivation has stagnated. Rather than continue onwards, I would rather settle down somewhere, on a mountain, looking out over a peaceful valley,�� Fu Shirong said. He had clearly changed in the last couple of decades. But that was the nature of mortals, to change as their bodies decayed. Their hopes and dreams unfulfilled.


    ��You have my blessing and permission to depart. Take some money and supplies so you don��t encounter problems,�� I said. Fu Shirong bowed his head deeply.


    ��Thank you Master,�� he said. ��I am sorry, I cannot help you any more after all that you have done for me.��


    ��Think nothing of it,�� I said and he quickly left my cabin. I rang a bell and a servant quickly entered.


    ��This place needs dusting and the tea set needs to be put away,�� I ordered as I got up. The servant quickly left to get supplies while I left the cabin. I looked at the withered face of Vice Leader Tan who was just finishing a conversation with Fu Shirong. He looked at me in surprise and then smiled.


    ��Greetings Senior,�� he bowed his head.


    ��Junior,�� I replied with a small nod. Fu Shirong had already left. Saying a second goodbye was pointless. ��I have heard you have expanded the number of cultivators that are traveling with us?��


    ��It is the Great Pilgramige to the center of the Great World. Many senior cultivators or those hoping to see sights no one has seen before have joined us. Already our fleet it quite large, but we have encountered no serious problems,�� he explained.


    ��It is fine. I am just curious,�� I replied as we walked out onto the deck of the ship. There were other ships traveling with us along with other cultivators on board. I saw many of them quickly look at me in surprise.


    ��There is still quite a ways to go. Decades more,�� Vice Leader Tan said. ��I have appointed my replacement for when I pass. Junior Wei has been listening to me for quite a while.�� A middle aged woman stepped forward from the other cultivators standing on the deck of my ship. She bowed deeply.


    ��Junior Wei greets Senior Yuan Zhou,�� she said. I gave her a slight head nod and then looked back at Vice Leader Tan.


    ��Do as you see fit, as long as our progress is not stopped. If there is ever a serious problem, you can disturb me,�� I said this both to Tan and Wei. No wonder why senior cultivators kept their distance. The moment you get to know someone, they were leaving or dying.


    ��Of course. Is there anything you need before you go back into seclusion?�� Vice Leader Tan asked me. I considered the question.


    ��Do you know of any stories where cultivators have lost time while cultivating or their perception of time altered?�� I asked. Vice Leader Tan frowned as he considered my question.


    ��No. Nothing comes to mind. Not even legendary tales,�� he replied. I let out a soft hum at that answer. It was not the one I wanted, but one I expected. There was something weird going on and it was annoying I could tell what the root cause was.


    ��Senior, I may have information,�� Junior Wei said and bowed deeply. Already she was proving herself useful.


    The poison was acting as a filter for my perceptions. It was tied to the key locations in my brain. The more I focused, the more the poison became agitated, which caused the pain. Normally I would focus and feel with my energy what something was, like an extra limb or sense. This information was translated by my brain.


    The poison was beyond clever, since it would match the strength of a person��s cultivation. The stronger the cultivator, the more energy the poison was able to absorb. It would then release that energy slowly back into the brain, causing one��s perception of time to be messed with, while still getting feedback.


    Focusing intently used the parts of my brain where the poison was concentrated, allowing it to become more active. When I focused on my brain itself, I was getting feedback that didn��t match what I was seeing and the poison grew more agitated, since my focus increased the amount of energy a small fraction, upsetting the balance the poison had created.


    While it might be called a sap or a drug, it was ultimately a poison for me. The effects truly were crippling. If I pushed to observe it more, or attempt to remove it, it would output more and more energy in a way my brain was not meant to handle. I would suffer a brain bleed at best, and my head would explode in the worst-case scenario.


    Consuming food and drink might help, but this was a plant-based drug. And from its sap as well. Refined through millennia of selective breeding. There was no chance I would be able to remove it on my own. I needed someone else to go in and remove the sap from me.


    Or I could attempt to remove it myself before we reached our destination. I would have a couple of minutes at most to remove the poison, which in turn would be centuries from an outside perspective. The problem was it was spread out and interlocked with various portions of my brain like a cancer. Directly intercepting the signals between neurons.


    Since the poison was empowered by the cultivation of the cultivator who used the stuff, there was a good chance I would be cutting out a portion of my own brain while trying to remove it. And it had to come out if I wanted to improve my cultivation. Other people might think losing large chunks of time would speed things up, but they were idiots.


    I needed to make every moment count to improve my cultivation and to figure out how to improve it. Wasting time lost to this poison was a death sentence.


    After I finished eating, I inspected my body in ten minute intervals. The poison remained. I attempted to slowly just impact one small portion of the poison in my brain. But I was shaken awake just as I got a look at the poison.


    Sitting in my cabin, another cultivator was sitting off to the side with a glass of sand. They would check in on me every ten minutes, unless I ordered otherwise. Even though I wasn��t focused on my cultivation, I didn��t want to lose more time.


    I would have my minions inquire about cures, or similar poisons in the cities we passed by, but I wasn��t optimistic. At this point, things were so bad that I was even considering turning around. I would lose around forty years going all the way back and returning, but the trip to the center of the Great World was far longer than that.


    The people following me would be quite upset losing so much time which was another consideration. The ship was being seen to by cultivators who had elected to go on a pilgrimage to the center of the Great World. If they left me, then it would be much more difficult to travel.


    Sure, some would stick around, but I could also see resentment building. I wanted to scream in rage, since I had never even considered such a poison. One that doesn��t harm and might even be considered beneficial. The real problem was my danger sense.


    It was something that was innate to each cultivator, that grew stronger with their cultivation. The most I knew about it was that danger sense was derived from the fluctuations caused by a cultivator��s death or injury rippling through time itself. The shock of being hurt or killed, was greater the more powerful the cultivator, which increased the danger sense.


    Senior Yang Heng said it was an innate part of being a cultivator, and there were many explanations. The real danger was something that could kill without trigger this danger sense. He mentioned this in relation to cultivators or weapons using temporal techniques, which was considered beyond advanced and incredibly risk to pursue as the focus of one��s cultivation.


    That was why Chaos monsters were so dangerous as well. They could bypass cause and effect, which would bypass a cultivator��s danger sense to varying degrees. As for danger sense being something echoing through time itself, he had said better minds than me had considered such a question but if they had discovered anything he did not know.


    I needed my body to reject the poison on its own and expel it. To force my cultivation to resist the poison. The problem was that the sap blended in very well into my brain and took in my energy and released it. It was the perfect method of stealth and its impact evaded my danger sense. Since it would only kill me by sucking up my time and I would die a natural death eventually.


    If I couldn��t continue my journey of cultivation, it was better to die than to give up. I had made this choice many times in the past and I made it again. It was time to take a risk, but I had finally come up with a possible solution to deal with this problem. I began focusing on my internal energy and increasing the amount in my head as slowly as possible. I was shaken every ten minutes and gave a response while doing this, making sure I did not lose track of time, which I wasn��t.


    My plan to deal with the poison was to adjust the poison itself. I would increase the energy in my head over time, more and more. Eventually the level of energy in my head would be incredibly high. I would then normalize the amount of energy in my head, which would reveal the poison, since it would retain that high energy state.


    I would be able to observe the poison and remove it without succumbing to its effects. The energy used to observe and remove the poison from my body would be below the threshold for triggering it. That was how I knew it was something used in desperation.


    If the poison was really insidious, then I wouldn��t be able to increase the energy of the poison after it had set in place, in my brain without my knowledge. However, the sap was still in flux. The trick was not increasing the energy too quickly. It was incredibly slow, taking weeks of slowly increasing the energy in my head slowly.


    I had cultivators check on me every ten minutes, to make sure my perception of time was not being impacted in the slightest. I wouldn��t take the risk of losing years or even decades to this poison. After the first five weeks, I had an understanding of how quickly I could increase the amount of energy in my head.


    It would take an entire year of slowly increasing my energy, before the energy in my head reached the level of when I was focusing my observation on my brain. It was incredibly tedious and frustrating. If I ever went back in this direction and had a chance to stop. I would be eradicating the entire Wood Sect.


    The frustration I felt about this sap was beyond immense. I had lived a long life, experienced many set backs, but this one was one I felt the most frustrated about. Not because it was the most impactful. Aoyin had a far greater impact, but that was a situation I had no control over.


    Getting poisoned was something I should have expected and prevented. I would be paying attention to my breathing and what I was breathing very carefully while in combat going forward. Getting poisoned like this, was something that should have never happened to begin with.


    One year of constant focus, with reminders of every ten minutes, I had managed to increase the energy in my head to match the energy I used when I focused on my brain. One of the nice things about the poison was that it somehow completely mitigated the need for sleep. I could go without sleep for long periods of time already, but somehow the poison was impacting my brain in a way I didn��t understand. The fact it was beneficial in any way made it incredibly frustrating. With a couple of tweaks, it would be a powerful medicine.


    But I was going to remove the poison if possible. Even with its benefits, the downsides was too great. I let the energy drop to normal in my head, and I felt a slight headache.


    I then focused my attention on the poison that was coated to parts of my brain. There were several points it was located on, but I could inspect it closely without being caught in the moment. I could respect the Wood Sect and what they had come up with, but they were still going to die horribly if I could manage it.


    Now I just needed to figure out how to remove it. Focusing my energy, I tried to use a slight amount of force, to push the poison off of a neuron. I was shaken awake. I needed to increase the energy in my head even more before attempting to remove it. The energy from trying to remove the poison caused me to lose my sense of time. I had been hopeful that wouldn��t be the case, but I wasn��t going to get off that easy unfortunately. I went back to flooding my brain with energy and slowly increasing the amount for another year.


    Once it was high enough, I should be able to remove the poison from my brain without losing track of time. At least that was my hope.


    There were billions of neurons in my brain. About five percent were covered in poison, which equated to around five billion neurons. Removing the poison from my first neuron took around a day. If that pace kept up I would spend around 13.6 million years. I needed to fix 10 million neurons a day to get this done at a reasonable pace.


    That was something I was used to. Picking up the pace and this was just an added step to my cultivation. I managed to get one done around once every ten minutes, which meant instead of 13.6 million years, I would need around 95,000 years instead.


    I considered living with the poison, but the problem was that if the energy spiked in my head then I would lose track of time. Also, I had a constant headache from the portions of my brain with the poison on them, from the lack of energy now present. I needed to inspect the poison more in depth and understand how it worked to counter it wholesale.


    The headaches might get worse, but my hope was my physical body would adjust and slowly begin rejecting the poison. After spending several weeks trying to remove the poison more quickly, I flooded my head with energy once more, slowly increasing the amount. The headache had gotten worse after the second time and it would undoubtedly get worse after this third time of increasing the energy and then cutting it off.


    Hopefully I would be able to remove the poison more easily then. I would have to see if it changed after another session of increasing the energy and then setting things back to normal.

 Chapter 106: The First Trap

    Chapter 106: The First Trap


    The Life Light was shining quite bright overhead and the temperature was much warmer. The humidity in the air was annoying, but I expected as much. We had reached the outer edge of the Great Jungle after hundreds of years of traveling.


    ��Senior, our ship can go no further,�� Junior Wei said. She was quite old but had clung to life so far.


    ��There is no canal to the next body of water?�� I asked.


    ��No. Only the Great Jungle lies ahead and beyond that, the Great Desert,�� she replied. I rarely exited my room to observe our travels. The last time I had gotten involved, I had been poisoned by the temporal wood sap. I did not want such a situation to occur a second time. Better to focus on my cultivation as much as possible while removing the remaining remnants of the poison from my body.


    ��Do people live in the Great Jungle?�� I asked and Junior Wei shook her head.


    ��There are scattered tribes, hidden sects, and fugitives, but there is no civilization,�� she said and I frowned at this.


    ��Why? I would have thought people would have settled this area by now after millennia?�� I asked.


    ��Several reasons. The first reason is that there are powerful creatures inside the jungle. The Man Eater Snake. The Blood Sap Tree. The Black Ooze. The Fire Bats. Cultivators can handle such threats if they are careful enough. The second are the large amounts of bugs and diseases. Progress has been made pushing back the Great Jungle, but it is a struggle.�� I nodded at this.


    ��Finally, criminals from the surrounding areas have fled into the Great Jungle and there are several sects that practice demonic cultivation,�� Junior Wei explained.


    ��So, it is a huge warzone, which is a pain to build in, travel through, and is incredibly hostile,�� I said while thinking over what I had just been told.


    ��Unfortunately, yes. While should be able to move through the Great Jungle without too much difficulty. With your presence and our large group, which has grown to around 400 cultivators,�� Junior Wei said.


    ��I did note we had more ships tagging along. How much further to the Great Desert?�� I asked and she shook her head.


    ��Rumors place it at least decade away.�� That was quite shocking.


    ��We will have to cross another sea, several seas,�� I muttered.


    ��The ground is more wet, but the entire area going forward is the Great Jungle. There are no more major bodies of water,�� Junior Wei said. That was a shock. Or maybe not. After thousands of years, the trees and plant life would spread out. Get the right type of plants, and the sea would be drained. Even if it rained, the plants would suck up the water.


    It would be a lot of water, that was for sure, but the depth of the oceans had been decreasing the closer we had gotten to the center of the Great World. The same with the mountains between the seas, they had been getting smaller. The entire world was like a ripple pattern, emanating from the center. The peaks of the ripples were the land and the dips the oceans.


    There hadn��t been a leviathan attack in quite a while. They were still out there, but they were smaller and less aggressive than the leviathans in the seas near the edge of the Great World. I would need to get through the Great Jungle and then the Great Desert.


    ��What about the Great Desert?�� I asked.


    ��Death. Creatures of great size roam the desert and kill all. From the giant Sand Worms, to the Super Scorpions,�� Junior Wei said.


    ��No tribes, or anything else? No one has tried to get to the center of the Great World?�� I asked.


    ��There are rumors of such things. But the only thing all the rumors agree on, is that after a certain point, the very air itself is on fire,�� Junior Wei said. That would be a good way to keep out anyone who was curious about what was happening in the center of this place.


    ��No Great Sect hiding in the Great Desert?�� I asked.


    ��That is one of the rumors, but it is not taken seriously. Others include an impossibly strong cultivator residing there, the path to the next level of existence, the secrets of cultivation inscribed on metal tablets, and countless other tales. There is no proof, just stories people make up. But the one commonality is that the air and ground burn,�� Junior Wei explained.


    ��I will need to stock up on supplies then. Lots of fresh water and some food. I will continue. Do we have a guide?�� I asked.


    ��There are several. There are many other cultivators who make pilgrimages to see the Great Desert and die there. Many call it the Great Graveyard. The hope is that they will break through from the environment or find something that will help them. Hence all the demonic sects looking to pray upon such travelers. We will likely get people who want to follow us,�� Junior Wei explained.


    ��I will leave those arrangements to you. Whatever you think is best. I will see this burning air and ground myself. Perhaps I will be able to go further and truly see what lies at the center of the Great World,�� I replied. Junior Wei bowed towards me and then left to fulfill my orders.


    While we had made good progress to the center of the Great World, my cultivation progress was not as good unfortunately. The temporal wood sap poison had slowed my progress down by a great deal while I dealt with the stuff stuck in my body.


    I looked out over the port city we had come to a stop in. The style of the buildings had changed quite a bit. Much flatter roofs with a lot more drainage systems set up. I looked up at the sky and there were clouds gathering. With the Great Jungle, it probably rained quite a bit due to all the evaporation taking place.


    Junior Wei returned after a while along with another person. ��Senior, this is the most experienced guide I could find. Guide Zee,�� she introduced the person. They were wrapped in so many layers of dark cloth I couldn��t tell if they were a man or a woman. Even their face was covered with only a pair of dark tinted goggles hinting at where their eyes might be.


    ��Greetings senior, I am Guide Zee,�� the voice made it hard to discern anything about this person as well.


    ��Have you been to the Great Desert before?�� I asked.


    ��Only once have I traveled the full distance. It is a long and dangerous trip. Normally the expedition runs into too much danger and is forced to turn back, or they all die,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��And you abandon them?�� I asked.


    ��I value my life. The distance is great and the Great Jungle makes it incredibly difficult to properly travel using the Life Light. What you see beyond the city is only the outskirts of the Great Jungle. In its depths, there are trees that tower into the sky and block out most light. There are layers in the Great Jungle. To travel on the ground layer is incredibly dangerous. I can show a way through the Great Jungle and spot many dangers, but I am not a fighter,�� they explained.


    ��But you lead people into danger,�� I countered.


    ��The creatures don��t have set paths, unlike the demonic sects. And even they send out people to try and kill others. A large group will deter them, but it will also bring strong beasts. It is a dangerous job, acting as a guide,�� they explained.


    ��Or you lead people to the demonic sects,�� I countered while trying to work out the scheme here.


    ��They have people watching the cities, but I am not one of them. I am happy enough to stay here, but your junior asked for the best, and I am the best,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��You hide your cultivation well,�� I replied, since their outfit was blocking me from telling how far they had cultivated.


    ��Weaved from the threads of the Hidden Weeper, a large plant that is designed to ambush cultivators. The demonic sects like to hide in groves of them to avoid being easily detected or pursued,�� Guide Zee explained.


    ��Your price?�� I asked.


    ��Two blood seeds,�� they replied and I looked at Junior Wei who had a shocked look on her old face.


    ��Guide Zee, I will have to ask you to remove your cloak,�� I said and they froze up.


    ��It is connected to my flesh,�� they replied and I nodded at this. They were a tree person of some kind.


    ��How many blood seeds have you consumed?�� I asked.


    ��Twelve,�� they replied, and I nodded at this.


    ��You are more plant than person now, I take it,�� I said. They let out a long sigh. I had one hand resting on the pommel of my sword, but I hadn��t drawn it yet. If we could talk, that was preferable to violence.


    ��The curse of the blood seeds. Now I need more of everything to stay alive. Are you going to kill me?�� they asked.


    ��I don��t plan on fighting unless you start one. As long as we can discuss various topics peacefully, then you can keep your life,�� I replied kindly. They untensed slightly at that.


    ��There is nothing to hide,�� they replied.


    ��Oh, not even how you use regular cultivators to counter the blood seeds you have consumed?�� I asked.


    ��How...yes,�� they said with a heavy tone. They seemed to wilt in my presence as I considered them. They knew they had no chance of escaping me. I had been in their spot in the past. If you were before a much stronger cultivator, the only thing you could do was answer their questions honestly and bow your head, hoping it wouldn��t be cut off.


    ��What would you even do with these?�� I asked, gesturing at the blood seeds on the table.


    ��Traded them with other demonic sects for useful items. While I used demonic techniques to stabilize my cultivation, my hope is that by breaking through, I will be able to fix myself,�� they explained. I shook my head at that.


    ��I won��t say anything is impossible, but breaking through would not fix your problem. You want to return to human, while purging the tree energy?�� I asked.


    ��That was my hope,�� they replied. I shook my head once more. They had messed up their cultivation far earlier than me, and it just made their foundation even more shaky. My problem had been that my foundation was too immense, too strong. It had helped me of course, but it had also made my cultivation difficult.


    Guide Zee here had a similar but opposite problem. They had messed their cultivation up, which had caused immense problems in their biology. They entire existence reminded me of the tortured souls in the Forever City. Cloaked and trying to live out what meager lives they could before their death. Hoping they would find some way to advance.


    This half person in front of me had an even smaller chance than them, stuck here in the Great World. They would eventually die, that was without question, but they still persisted. I could respect their determination at the very least. However, it wasn��t my problem.


    I finally felt what all my seniors had felt when looking at me. It was interesting, but ultimately it was a disaster. I had gotten lucky by someone managing the correct path that the elite of the Heavenly Alliance used. But for every success, there were millions upon millions of failures. This was just another one, just in another cultivation system.


    Unless I was so far above, or knowledgeable like Yang Heng, there really wasn��t anything I could do to fix their problem. Eventually the energy would build up enough they would break through, but the problem would be that breakthrough to having a soul. It wouldn��t be their soul, since the soul would be part tree. Their biology had been changed too much.


    Now that I was looking closely. The dark green cloak they wore wasn��t a cloak at all. But giant leaves growing out of them and melded togeather to make it appear like a ragged cloak. It was a good disguise, but ultimately they couldn��t hide from me.


    ��Can you get us to the Great Desert?�� I asked. That was what mattered. All of this was just an amusing distraction at best on my journey to the center of the Great World.


    ��Yes. But it is dangerous. There are things in the Great Jungle, that even I am afraid of,�� Guide Zee replied.


    ��Take your payment. And you will guide us. We leave in a month,�� I said. Guide Zee nodded and took both crystals. They bowed towards me before leaving the room.


    ��Senior, are you sure? They could just run away,�� Junior Wei said.


    ��I pushed a small bit of my energy into the blood seeds. It will bond with them and create a critical weakness. There is a reason why demonic cultivators make sure to kill the people they used to advance their cultivation. If two cultivators share a cultivation, it creates a link between them. The stronger one can sense the weaker,�� I replied. That was what Aoyin had done.


    ��You can?�� Junior Wei asked in surprise.


    ��I can. The crystals are ultimately alive in a way. I can sense where they are. It was only a small bit of energy, and it will disappear after a decade. Less if the blood seeds are consumed. Ultimately it will most likely be a distraction, but if Guide Zee runs, they will have to give up the blood crystals, or I will kill them,�� I explained.


    ��That is quite clever of you, Senior,�� Junior Wei said.


    ��Not really, Junior Wei. Please make sure we have all the necessary supplies and anyone coming with us is aware of the dangers. The month we will remain here will let people make their decision if they wish to keep going and relax before we no longer see civilization,�� I said.


    ��I have made them aware of such things. It is only a minor delay and there were no complaints. If I may ask, you aren��t interested in the blood seeds Senior?��


    ��No. They will ruin your cultivation. As for fixing them, it isn��t worth the effort. They are a concentrated source of energy, but the alchemy required is beyond me and I do not want to waste the time after having looked at them. Also, their biological properties are directly related to the energy stored inside of them. Purging the energy while keeping the biological properties intact, would require an expert. I might know a small amount of alchemy, but this isn��t simple,�� I replied with a shake of my head.


    ��Thank you for explaining Senior,�� Junior Wei replied. I waved her off. I then had a couple of servants bring in sedan to lay on for the next month. I would keep working at removing the wood sap from my head while I waited. If anything interesting happened Junior Wei would let me know.


    It always felt strange being the senior cultivator but I had come to enjoy the position. Being able to boss people about, getting better deals just by being present, and not having to worry about every minor thing.


    I had no doubt that most if not all of the cultivators following me were going to die. If this was the welcome of the Great Jungle, I knew the entire trip would be a series of headaches. A giant primordial forest would be incredibly dangerous. I considered traveling on my own, but it was better to sacrifice the lesser pieces first if possible.


    The wood sap had made me a tad more cautious. I had felt I had could just plow over anything in the Great World with my strength and knowledge. I would lose about five or six years with how slow these people were able to travel compared to me. But their sacrifices would give me a slight advantage.


    Junior Wei had pointed out the dangers of the Great Jungle. While I didn��t think they would be that dangerous to me as long as I kept my guard up, they were unknowns. This month would give the people traveling with me time to get information. It was also why I had ultimately accepted Guide Zee. It wasn��t the danger I could spot that was dangerous. It was the weird creature with some crazy ability that was dangerous, the hidden threat.


    The cultivators traveling with me would deal with those threats first. I would also be checking people��s cultivation who traveled with me and instituting a buddy system for everyone. Guide Zee would be my buddy for this trip. If they led me into a trap or were unable to explain a phenomenon to my satisfaction, they would be the first to die. Well maybe not die, but I would cripple them to teach them a lesson not to mess with me.


    While I had only spoken with them, I hoped they had gotten the message. Working with a demonic cultivator was always dangerous. The trick was the same as any other cultivator. Just be far stronger than them, to make them afraid of betrayal.


    I gave it a fifty-fifty chance that Guide Zee would actually betray me. They would probably see how I dealt with other challenges. I was probably ahead in their eyes by figuring out their plot. But behind due to how I had given them two blood seeds and was bringing them along. That would make them even more paranoid, which would turn in my favor.


    These mind games were incredibly annoying, but I needed to mitigate the future risks however I could. Having a half tree half person guide us really was the best option, if I didn��t want to lose the lesser cultivators left and right.


    I wanted enough to survive so they would be useful in the Great Desert. I would be bringing along a lot of supplies, but I needed to ensure that I would have enough to make a return trip no matter what. Based on the estimated distances, the Great Desert was about three times the distance across as the distance we had to get through the Great Jungle.


    A half of that distance was just on the other side of the center. The end of the Great World was so close I could almost taste it, but that was why I needed to pay attention and assess the situation myself. I needed to get back into the traveling mind set and dealing with possible schemes. Guide Zee was a good warm up in this regard.

 Chapter 107: The Second Trap

    Traveling through the Great Jungle reminded me a lot of the Forever City. There was a constant mist everywhere. Instead of a yellow toxic cloud, it was a damp mist with a salty aftertaste. The trees had quickly grown to massive behemoths. Large enough to be like miniature towers, with the branches acting as tunnels between them.


    They should be called bridges, but that was another fun quirk of the Forever City I couldn��t forget. The light was hazy. The Life Light was rarely seen directly with the massive canopy above us.


    There were four levels to the Great Jungle. The top of the canopy was a toxic hell. It was toxic due to the massive amounts of non-breathable gases the massive trees pulled in and released. It was hell due to the unrelenting heat. The higher one climbed, the worse the heat got.


    The bottom level was very dark. Not completely pitch black, but it was quite bad. Also, there were countless plants that lived off of the large trees, creating an entire separate ecosystem down below. The air was even more toxic down there.


    My personal guess was that there was too much oxygen up above and too much carbon dioxide down below. That was why the middle two layers were breathable. The upper middle layer was the one Guide Zee liked to keep us as much as possible. The temperature wasn��t terrible, the air was decent, and there was enough light.


    Unfortunately, travel on the large branches was an art form, not something that was planned. After the first month of the Great Jungle growing in size to its maximum, we reached the point where there were no more bridges or known paths. Having bridges and paths that looped around the trunk of the large trees made traveling much quicker.


    I could have easily leapt from branch to branch, quickly traveling on my own, but the cultivators following me did not have that ability. That meant traveling on foot. Guide Zee took the front while I followed right behind them, sword in hand.


    Once we had gotten past the easy portions, we had to use the branches as slippery, dangerous paths. The branches were large, but knowing which way to go along them was guesswork. Choose wrong and you would lose a lot of time backtracking. Guide Zee had a six sense about choosing the right path, only having to backtrack a handful of times. My personal guess was that it was experience and being part tree.


    The worst portions were where we had to descend. There were a lot of smaller animals like birds and rodents in the upper middle layer, but they were prayed upon by larger creatures in the lower middle layer. Bugs and other monstrosities roamed the bottom layer. It was too hot for anything to want to live above the canopy.


    ��Good place to stop,�� Guide Zee said after coming to a particularly wide branch. I scanned the area and didn��t see any threats.


    ��Alright, we can rest here,�� I replied. The cultivators traveling with me slowly filed in and began setting up camp. Each one brought their own supplies. Water was easy enough. A spigot was installed into the tree and thin flavored sap was extracted. Unlike regular trees, the large trees had incredibly thin sap and light but incredibly strong trunks to support all that mass.


    There wasn��t one type of large tree either. I couldn��t be bothered to learn all the differences. Other cultivators in my group had and I knew enough to recognize this was one of the safe trees. There were large trees that had poison sap or poison bark.


    ��I will scout out the route ahead, with your permission Senior,�� Guide Zee asked me.


    ��Go ahead,�� I waved them off. They would only be gone for a short time before returning. Making sure that we got off to a good start once we started moving again. The cultivators traveling with me had easily caught the small creatures and were turning them into food.


    I went to the side of the branch and looked down into the dark abyss. ��Oh, that isn��t good,�� I muttered.


    There was something down there that had energy. The Great Jungle was home to a wide range of creatures that had somehow learned to cultivate on their own. Learning to harness the power of nexus crystals that were scattered about this place, similar to the leviathans.


    The leviathans had some differences, but they all were large eel like creatures with scales. There were no krakens or other types of leviathans. Here in the Great Jungle that was not the case. The variation one could find was immense. While there were some common known creatures that had been reported, there were far more unknown ones as well.


    The worse part was that unlike leviathans, these creatures tended to be much more aggressive and predatory. The main reason being the plants with faint traces of energy inside of them. Just like the blood seed, there were other plants out there that had energy.


    I had inspected several of these plants myself, but I was unable to discern anything that might allow them to avoid the oppression of the Great World. My personal guess was that several nexus crystals had sunk beneath the roots. The trees drew the energy they were able to strengthen themselves. This in turn led to the trees having some energy.


    Over time the high energy trees would be ripped apart by these creatures or by humans who wanted to harvest them. The trees that kept the energy low in their main tree bodies and used high energy offerings gathered creatures who wanted to protect them. It was the cycle of cultivation, that had replaced the cycle of life to some degree.


    The large shape below us, was one such creature. I checked above and around the branch we had stopped on. I could then feel a slight fluctuation of energy and the faintest hints of danger as the creature hidden in the darkness paused and focused up at me.


    A couple of cultivators always kept watch. The creature was content to stay hidden. I got some rest as well. Eventually Guide Zee returned and got some rest before we continued on our journey.


    As everyone packed up and stretched for the next round of travel I beckoned Guide Zee over. ��What is that down there?�� I pointed at the creature hidden in the root system below us. Guide Zee leaned over and was quiet for over a minute.


    ��That is not good. It is a Root Strangler,�� they replied.


    ��And that is?�� I asked.


    ��A creature that is part plant and very good at hiding. Normally you would only spot one as it strangles you to death. It is a mass of carnivorous plant life. The problem is that once it locks onto a target, it will wait,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��It has locked onto me?�� I asked.


    ��Like everything else it craves to take your cultivation for itself. It won��t attack directly. It will ambush cultivators not paying attention and look to attack if another creature ambushes us,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��I could go down and kill it fairly easily,�� I replied.


    ��It will run away and seek to hide in the roots under us. The creatures that inhabit the Great Jungle have learned to preserve themselves and are not easy to kill. But you know your strength best Senior,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��Those this Root Strangler have any special abilities?�� I asked.


    ��Not that I know of, but such things are not known. It is rare that a fight where such an ability is used allows a person to walk away. Also, the name is a generality for this type of plant monster. The Great Jungle is massive after all,�� Guide Zee replied.


    Just like there were variations between individual leviathans, there could be variations between similar creatures of the Great Jungle as well. ��How long will it follow us?�� I asked.


    ��Until it is forced to break off by another creature most likely Senior,�� Guide Zee said. I considered attacking it. While it was tempting to ignore the problem and not take the risk, I didn��t like that outcome. If it really wanted to follow us, then it could do so from much further away.


    I pulled my sword from my sheath. ��I will be back shortly,�� I said out loud. Junior Wei nodded at me as I leapt off the branch. I began to free fall through the air directly for the Root Strangler, hiding in the darkness below.


    Focusing, I gathered my energy and swung my sword. Utilizing the force of the attack, my fall was countered as an energy blade cut downwards. The Root Strangler tried to move, but it was nowhere near strong or fast enough. The tangled mass of plant matter was cut in half along with several roots. Fountains of sap exploded outwards from the massive cuts.


    Swinging my blade around and twisting my body, I used my blade to stab into the tree bark next to me, being careful not to cut too deep. I quickly came to a stop and scanned the darkness below me. I could make out shapes and the twitching mass of the Root Stangler. It might not be dead, but it had been wounded heavily. I would not have some monster nip at my heels waiting for a time to strike.


    Pulling my sword free from the tree trunk I began to quickly climb back up. It was a simple matter of kicking down on the tree and leaping upwards. Like running vertically. It was tiring and not something I would want to regularly do, but it made for a great way to move about during combat or climb back up quickly.


    Landing back on the branch, Guide Zee was fearful. While they might be covered in leaves that looked like cloth, with no discernable human body parts, I could sense their fear. It was one thing knowing how strong I was and another seeing me easily dispatch such a creature. That was another benefit of having gone down. To act as a warning and a reminder for everyone traveling with me.


    I managed to spot the Root Strangler, but that might not be true for every creature out here in the Great Jungle. Sheathing my sword the entire group set off once more.


    Several days after the Root Strangler, the next problem arose. ��Look, there in the distance,�� Guide Zee said and gestured in front of us.


    ��There is a dip in the terrain,�� I replied while looking ahead through the trees. This would be where the sea would have been if it wasn��t for the trees sucking up all the water.


    ��Not the dip, the change in trees. Thiner, but with more branches. They also merge togeather in some areas. It is one giant plant, instead of multiple plants Senior. The danger comes from the toxic gas that massive plant emits. There are two options. The first is that we go around until we find a gap we can make our way through. That will take a long time. The second is to go through, but we will have to travel much closer to the bottom level of the Great Jungle, much closer,�� Guide Zee explained.


    ��And the problem with traveling at a lower level?�� I asked.


    ��The gases can shift rapidly. Cutting into the plants will release more toxic fluids. If it was just us, that is no problem. Such a large group will be difficult,�� Guide Zee explained.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ��Why not head to one of these gaps?�� I asked.


    ��They change and are rare. Also, the plant has lots of tiny thorns.�� I looked at the giant bramble patch ahead of us. That was when it started to rain intensely. Huge streams of water poured off the leaves above us creating miniature waterfalls all over the Great Jungle.


    ��And if the gas shifts?�� I asked.


    ��We will have to move quickly. Like a wave, the gases surge up to the base of the plant and then drop down.�� I looked upwards.


    ��Going up top?�� I asked.


    ��If the heat doesn��t kill you, the gas will. A few breaths are fine, but too many you will weaken, slow down, and die,�� Guide Zee answered. I didn��t like either of the choices I was presented with.


    ��We can move with the entire group?�� I asked.


    ��It will be hard. Since the entire group travels in a line. The front is fine, but the rear will have more difficulties. If the gas shifts, we will have to move quickly,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��Explain this to Junior Wei. We will go forward after resting for a while,�� I ordered. The overall group was not my responsibility. If the cultivators died, that was their fault for being weak and making the choices they did.


    At least my decision to bring Guide Zee along was the right choice. I could have handled everything myself without a problem. I had the mask from the Forever City. I could put that on and easily survive in almost any environment. While I had lessened the need for a lot of my body��s processes considerably, I still needed my body. Until I could separate my soul from my physical body and have my mind composed of energy, I would need to continue fuel my body in various ways.


    ��Ahhhh!�� A pair of screams echoed out from off in the distance. I looked in that direction but couldn��t see anything. I freed my sword and quickly made my way over to that location. Acting quickly and decisively was the best way to deal with problems. I leapt from branch to branch and traveled the short distance to where the scream had come from.


    Drill Birds had landed on their heads and drilled through their skulls. Large powerful beaks to pierce their targets. I swung my sword and bisected a Drill Bird trying to kill me, while dodging the splatter of blood. I then killed off the two Drill Birds enjoying their meal on the cultivators.


    Since we had called a halt, they had gone off to look for useful resources. Everyone knew the risks, but they still looked for valuable items to help their cultivation in some way. Five cultivators from the group soon arrived. The Drill Birds�� beaks were harvested and the resources of the dead cultivators were taken.


    That was the benefit I gave to the people following me. A degree of protection if they could survive. I returned to the main group and waited for Guide Zee to return.


    They eventually came back near the end of the rest period. ��Find anything?�� I asked.


    ��I have a general path, but it won��t be easy. It��s the main route through this area, but if the gas levels change, then we will need to ascend or descend,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��And there are safe points? Why didn��t you know about this before?�� I asked.


    ��Some. We might encounter other cultivators. I didn��t want to mention the path, before I confirmed its existence. Things change over time. What was safe one year is not safe the next. But there is a well used path. With it we will pass by this barrier and enter the inner portion of the Great Jungle,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��And the difference between the inner and outer portion?�� I asked.


    ��The outer portion is traveled and explored heavily by the sects that live outside the Great Jungle. The inner portion is wild and there will be demonic sects and more dangerous creatures,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��Is there an inner, inner portion?�� I asked jokingly.


    ��The division between the Great Jungle and the Great Desert is very abrupt. There is a one last mountain range one needs to ascend to get to the Great Desert. On one side the Great Jungle diminishes until the peak, and on the other the winds will flay the flesh from your body,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��Any settlements or places we can rest and get more information?�� I asked.


    ��If we are lucky, we will exit the Great Jungle close to the city of Zama. It is controlled by a demonic sect last I heard. But they could have been destroyed or taken over by another sect. Alliances and terrain shift constantly out here Senior,�� Guide Zee said.


    After resting some more, we left to take the path Guide Zee had mentioned. I looked at the giant bramble plants and they were covered in tiny, poisonous thorns. The leaves even had thorns on them. The path we took was at the bottom edge of the lower middle layer.


    Traveling through the bramble area quickly became routine after a while. ��We stop here, the gas levels are shifting up,�� Guide Zee called out. The entire group moved up into a cramped space that had been cleared out previously. I noted the gas levels shifting as well. After traveling with Guide Zee and observing my surroundings, I had worked out the shifts in gas as well.


    ��A group is approaching,�� I said and drew my sword. Ten cultivators arrived heading in the opposite direction. They paused after seeing me and my massive group, but had no choice but to approach us with the rising gas levels.


    ��Greetings Senior. We are explorers of the Great Jungle, independent of sect or faction. I am Hunter Kwan,�� their leader said while bowing towards me. I noticed they had glanced at Guide Zee standing slightly behind and off to the side. ��You have a cursed individual with you.��


    ��I know. You can join us in rest. I would listen to what is ahead of us,�� I said.


    ��Of course, Senior. That is the least we can do to repay your hospitality,�� Hunter Kwan said. What they told me was nothing new.


    They were a group that went into the inner jungle to find valuable items and come back to civilization with them or to improve their cultivation. The gas levels stayed high day after day, making me annoyed we were stuck. I had checked the poison and gas myself and while not immediately lethal I would be weakened if I didn��t have a mask to filter the air.


    The other thing I was paying attention to was the group that had shown up led by this Hunter Kwan. Just as the gas levels began to go down, he made his move along with his people. They had gathered around my location at a distance. It was subtle and well done, but it was clear they were planning to ambush me from multiple directions.


    I feigned going to sleep and they attacked. I freed my sword near instantly and quickly cut them down, one after another. The difference in cultivation was too great. Their blood and body parts tumbled off the branches into the depths of the Great Jungle.


    ��You didn��t say anything,�� I accused Guide Zee.


    ��I didn��t know. They were quite strong. Probably from stuff they found in the Great Jungle,�� Guide Zee countered.


    ��Even if they could beat three regular cultivators traveling with me, they had no chance against me,�� I replied.


    ��It was a chance they wanted to take. Consuming items is not good for your body or your mind as I can attest to,�� Guide Zee said, and I nodded at that. ��I can also say that ambushing you, or trying to kill you is pointless, Senior.��


    ��Really? You are saying that now?�� I asked.


    ��Killing a creature of the Great Jungle is one thing, but effortlessly dealing with a group like that is another.�� The other cultivators traveling with us gave me impressed looks. ��While I know you won��t trust me, I won��t be plotting anything either.��


    ��So, you were plotting before?�� I asked with a frown.


    ��Considering all my options Senior. If we are going to continue then I will need to trust that you have my back, since the dangers will be much higher. This is the easy part, it is only going to get harder. We will lose more cultivators,�� Guide Zee explained.


    I didn��t like their attitude, but the fact they had admitted to scheming, in their head at the very least, indicated that the upcoming portions would be a lot more challenging. At least for Guide Zee and the people traveling with me. I wasn��t concerned. The level of danger of the Great Jungle was not enough to threaten me.


    I wouldn��t let my guard down, but I had confidence in my ability to handle anything that might come up. It was a fine line to walk, but I had managed so far. My gaze snapped downwards off to the side of one of the large branches we were resting on. Guide Zee looked in that direction as well.


    ��How?�� I muttered. The level of cultivation was almost on par with me. The gas levels were still high as well, so we were trapped in this area.


    ��Strength calls to strength, senior. The creatures who hunt out useful stuff for their cultivation are drawn or waking since you are in the area,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��What is that?�� I asked as the creature was steadily approaching, but it was impossible to see it clearly with all the roots and branches in the way.


    ��Something strong, beyond that I couldn��t say,�� Guide Zee said. I hadn��t expected an answer. This place was a bunch of unknowns.


    I drew my sword and got as much distance as I could between me and the group I was traveling with. It was a millipede. A large one to be sure, but it wasn��t a giant. Large enough to move easily between the roots and the trees, but not too large. Its speed and flexibility were massive.


    The creature didn��t move up above me, but was content to move around in the darkness below. I noticed a second and a third centipede appear as well. No, they weren��t really there. Some sort of illusion that was near perfect. But they didn��t exert the same level of force on the branches they moved on. Most likely solid illusions, but still illusions.


    All three of the centipedes moved togeather, trying to hide where the real one was located. I leapt off my branch directly towards them after taking a deep breath. If I attacked from too far away it would dodge with its speed and maneuverability. ��One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth.��


    Both illusions shattered and a deep gash was left on the main centipede, but it hadn��t been split apart or killed. I leapt at me. Its mouth pincers, looking to rip me in half. I interposed my blade between me and a pincer and was forced backwards through the air.


    I had expected to kill the creature in a single hit and was not in a good position to counter the creature. It opened its mouth and I could tell it was going to use some kind of mouth based attack from how it was gathering its energy inside its body. My foot impacted a trunk behind me and I kicked upwards, dodging the stream of acid that was shot out, that instantly disintegrated everything in its path.


    Kicking off the tree, I flew above the large centipede and cut downwards. My sword cut through chitin and three of its legs, leaving another grievous wound on the creature. It kept its forward momentum, going right behind the trail of acid, running off into the darkness and depths of the Great Jungle. I made my way back to the group where I could breathe once more.


    ��Impressive, very impressive Senior,�� Guide Zee said. I sheathed my sword and shook my head.


    ��They matched my cultivation level. I didn��t think it was possible in the Great World,�� I muttered loudly.


    ��The Great Jungle has many dangers and many secrets,�� Guide Zee replied and I rolled my eyes. They might be right, but it was concerning and intriguing in my mind. The outer edge of the Great World was a desolate frozen wasteland. The vast middle portion was heavily settled by humans after countless millennia. There was nothing left to discover.


    But here in the Great Jungle, it was primordial in a way I wasn��t expecting. I was drawing too heavily on my energy as well. I would need to be more careful going forward. What was worse, was this was supposed to be the easy portion of the Great Jungle.


    What if there was something stronger than me? I would have to run. How could there be something stronger than me? Or even matching my cultivation like that centipede. That centipede had to be ancient. I would even go so far as to say it existed since the Great World was created. A primordial creature.


    A shame it couldn��t speak to tell me about its history or the history of this place. While the thought was stupid in many respects, there was a high chance I would have to fight a powerful creature in the Great Desert to advance. Something stronger than the centipede I had just driven off. A giant desert worm would be the most likely. Something that was akin to a natural disaster.


    That would be the perfect guardian or guardians for whatever secret lay hidden at the center of the Great World. Make the air itself super-hot and unbreathable and it would be easy to hide whatever secret existed at the center of this place.


    The cultivators living here didn��t have the strength. That centipede would have killed everyone it had wanted to if I wasn��t here. The only option would be to flee, which would see the slowest killed.


    ��Where is that term from, strength calls to strength?�� I asked Guide Zee.


    ��It is a common saying in the Great Jungle and the communities around it, Senior. People use it as a way to explain why they run into various creatures out here,�� Guide Zee answered.


    Or perhaps they were guardians, meant to cull the weak in some way. Another data point to add to the mystery of this place. With how strong I was, I would get the strongest creatures traveling from the darkest depths to kill me. The centipede was smart and chose to run. It was not a mindless beast. It had even counterattacked while I was out of position in mid-air. Not that it did much, but it should know it was outclassed.


    Attacking someone or something stronger than itself was illogical, unless the creature was designed that way. While our strengths were comparable, it was like comparing speed boat to a cruise ship. I was much stronger. The other cultivators weren��t even a boat in that analogy, but stones in comparison. Perhaps it didn��t have good senses in determining strength, but it would have had a danger sense.


    To still attack me it was either incredibly brave, foolish, or was being directed in some way. I had come to the conclusion this place was meant to train up cultivators. I still had not worked out the reason or purpose. The lack of iron was the most obvious clue, since that made advancements in science and technology nearly impossible.


    I was still unsure of why cultivators were needed. There were too many guesses, ranging from advancing the development of micro-cultivation to trying to create a super strong cultivator with an impossibly solid foundation. The centipede was proof in my mind that there was something useful in the center of the Great World. It was nice to have some kind of confirmation after all this time traveling, that it wasn��t a waste to come out here.


    The only issue was that the challenges would get much stronger going forward. Of that I had no doubt. The centipede was a probing attack, to assess my strength. In time there would be stronger monsters, most likely in the Great Desert. Honestly this fighting was getting me back in the mindset of fighting and not just traveling and being superior to everything I encountered.

 Chapter 108: The Third Trap

    Chapter 108: The Third Trap


    The water level was much higher in this part of the Great Jungle, but there were still massive trees everywhere. The problem was the number of bugs of all sizes that were constantly buzzing about. It was bad enough that three of the cultivators traveling with me killed themselves and another had been drained of blood completely.


    Everyone was wearing all the layers they could and sweating heavily underneath them. It was absolutely miserable. Even Guide Zee was wilting under the oppressive heat and the onslaught of bugs.


    ��Why is it so bad?�� I asked through the layers of cloth covering my face. This had been going on for almost a month.


    ��It is cyclical, Senior. The best option is to keep pushing forwards. All the rain recently hasn��t helped either. The trees can only suck up the water so fast,�� Guide Zee answered for the countless time as I continued to follow them along branches. We were all exhausted, even me. If we stopped the bugs would swarm.


    Nets had been made and hung, but the bugs were beyond ferocious. For every million killed, another trillion arrived. While I would like to call that an exaggeration, it really wasn��t. The swarm was so dense that the Light Source was occasionally blocked.


    I kept complaining and asking questions of Guide Zee, hoping this hell would end soon. I had endured many kinds of suffering, but this was far the worst. The Great Jungle was worse than the Forever City. At least the Forever City would just kill you and be done with it. There were no swarms of bugs in the toxic gas. I really wished I had a lot of that toxic yellow gas to flood the Great Jungle and kill everything here, especially these bugs.


    ��There!�� Guide Zee exclaimed and pointed, quickly altering course. I followed them and we soon arrived at a tree clear of bugs. The tree emitted a noxious smell, but the air was still breathable. The surviving cultivators reached the tree behind us and quickly began setting up camp before they passed out. The bugs swarmed at the edge of the tree��s smell cloud, pushing in and out like a black wave seeking to devout us all.


    ��Any risks with this tree?�� I asked as Guide Zee had placed their hand down on the branch.


    ��Nothing serious. It just smells terrible to keep away creatures,�� Guide replied. I let out a sight of relief at that. I could handle a bad smell. But the bugs were driving me crazy. I looked at the swarm that was surging closer and closer.


    ��And the bugs? Will they brave the tree?�� I asked. Guide Zee went to the main trunk and stabbed a spike from their sleeve into the trunk. Some gap gushed out and the smell got worse, but the bugs retreated. The hole quickly sealed itself, but the much worse smell still lingered.


    ��That should keep them away,�� Guide Zee said. I nodded at this as Junior Wei came over. She was looking quite old and frail, but she still endured this journey.


    ��Senior, how long are we resting?�� she asked.


    ��A full rest to give us time to recover. Supplies?�� I asked.


    ��Cloth is an issue. After this swarm,�� she replied. I nodded at this, but there was nothing I could do.


    ��We can take the sap of the tree with us, so we should be safe from any bug swarms once we leave,�� I replied and she nodded. I turned back to Guide Zee. ��We have been traveling for about a decade. How much longer until we leave the Great Jungle?�� I asked.


    ��Soon. The rain has been getting much worse. It is the constant evaporation and the cloud ring,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��Cloud ring?�� I asked.


    ��The Great Jungle will soon end when we reach the Last Mountains. They separate the Great Jungle from the Great Desert. The cloud ring, is formed all the water constantly evaporating and getting pushed up against the Last Mountains,�� Guide Zee explained.


    ��And they have eroded over time?�� I asked in surprise.


    ��The dirt has been washed away. All that is left is hard rock. But you can tell we are getting close, since the water levels have risen and the rain has increased. Once the sky becomes completely overcast and the plants die away to the lack of light and rain, then you will know we are almost to the Great Desert,�� Guide explained carefully.


    These people lack of progress wasn��t due to knowledge, but the lack of metals. The fact that this tree person knew about climate cycles was proof enough that these people were stuck, not stupid. The sky began to unleash a light drizzle, but that had become incredibly common.


    ��What about the plants and creatures ahead?�� I asked.


    ��It will be wet, very wet. But we can make a boat easily enough. The hard part will be going against the current and the wind. Nothing lives under the cloud ring. All that rain and moving water pushes anything into the Great Jungle. No plants grow, since it is almost completely dark,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��You didn��t mention this before,�� I said with a sharp gaze.


    ��It wasn��t important before. We had to make it there. And you were more concerned about the present and traveling quickly. But it isn��t that difficult to make the trip for cultivators. Just miserable. We will find a place to rest on the last few trees and then make a boat from one to sail over the water with,�� I nodded at this.


    ��Why not make a boat now?�� I asked.


    ��Too shallow and there are things in the water. We need to travel more and when the trees start thing out and it starts getting dark we can take that risk. Hopefully we can locate Zama,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��The Last City, you mentioned this place before,�� I said and Guide Zee nodded at this.


    ��Indeed. One of the few cities carved into the unyielding stone of the Last Mountains from generations of cultivators and pilgrims. On a good day they have around ten thousand souls,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��That small?�� I asked in surprise.


    ��That many. There is nothing there. Everything had to be brought in from the Great Jungle. The rains wash everything away. And the rocks that back up the Last Mountains are impossibly durable. Space is at a premium. Everything is used there to provide life. It is rumored there are only three other cities around on the Last Mountains not counting Zama,�� Guide Zee said.


    ��Cultivators?�� I asked. Wondering if I would have to fight.


    ��Demonic cultivators. But they won��t start trouble inside the city itself. There are strict rules. Since there are things that are older than me that occasionally pass through.�� Like myself, but I wasn��t about to say that.


    ��And then beyond is the Great Desert?�� I asked.


    ��Yes. There is a single path over the peaks of the Last Mountains to gaze upon the Great Desert in all its burning glory. I have looked once myself when I was much younger and nearly died. The heat is blistering. The rocks are hot enough at the peaks to boil one��s blood and burn one��s skin,�� Guide Zee replied with a shake of their head.


    A small tent was set up for me and food and water were prepared by other cultivators. That was the nice part about traveling with a group. I didn��t have to worry about the minor stuff right now. The real challenge would be once we cleared the Great Jungle and reached the Great Desert.


    I had probably lost about ten percent of the cultivators traveling with me over the last decade. It wasn��t a large amount, but it wasn��t a small amount either. But I could attribute our general success to my immense combat ability and cultivation, as well as Guide Zee��s help in navigating the Great Jungle.


    They had not betrayed me so far. I had been thinking they might do something eventually, but they had kept up their end of our arrangement and never hiding the risks of areas that we came across. I wouldn��t be sad to be past this Great Jungle.


    It was smaller than I expected. But the various civilizations had time to push as far as possible to reclaim land. What was left had been completely given up on. It was like the opposite end of the Great World, where food was too difficult to grow and it was too cold. Here it was too warm and wet. Sure land was slowly being settled and reclaimed, but it an incredibly slow process with most people not seeing the value in such efforts compared to the extreme cost and risk.


    There were too many dangers relating to the Great Jungle as well. The creatures that inhabited this place were no joke. Every half year or so, a strong one would come at me, with their strengths ranging below me, but stronger than the cultivators of the Great World who had not broken through.


    To kill one of this ancient things would not be easy. I only managed to kill three out of the dozens who had shown up. This was not counting the lesser creatures. The Great Jungle was a death trap for the locals. Another reason they would not risk settling the area. It would be too easy to lose a city, or have something emerge from the Great Jungle and wipe out various farms and settlements.


    Despite the range of creatures, there had been nothing that truly equaled or exceeded my cultivation. The creatures might be able to cultivate and have a soul and become insanely strong, but they hadn��t been able to achieve a breakthrough like I had. Where they would separate their soul from their body.


    The creatures were physical beings and focusing on their physicality was what made them strong. If something worked and made them stronger, they would repeat that over and over again. Proper cultivation required actual intelligence. One couldn��t have a robot or a golem cultivate. Yang Heng had scoffed at such an idea with a large amount of distain.


    To have a soul, to separate one��s soul, and then to move one��s consciousness to one��s soul. I had bypassed the pre-bottleneck due to where I had grown up. Everyone had a soul. A benefit of being born in the Firmament instead of the Mechanical Layer. I had managed the first bottleneck after much difficulty.


    During my travels through the Great Forest I had finished purging the wood sap poison from my brain but I didn��t go back to strengthening to my cultivation like I previously had. Trying to maximize the use of energy in my body. I couldn��t work on strengthening the connection with my soul and using the cultivation methodologies to move my mind over without a lot more energy.


    What I was trying to do was mostly pointless, but it kept my time occupied while traveling and not being swarmed by bugs. I was trying to look at cultivation in the opposite direction. The path of the Heavenly Alliance, was about sucking in as much energy as possible to become stronger. To shape that energy to one��s focus, granting insights into using energy in that specific way. Mine was force.


    But the Great World had opened my eyes to cultivation in the opposite direction and the wood sap had clued me into the fact that focusing energy into specific areas of one��s body while one��s soul was still attached allowed unique effects to occur like strengthening the senses or one��s perception of time.


    For immortal cultivators who had passed through their second breakthrough, their physical body was more of an avatar for their mind. Like how Bones was stuck as a spirit. That path of cultivation was powerful, since it was about drawing more and more power. It was a race of energy maximization. The Great World focused in the opposite direction.


    That was something I had a lot of time to think about look at the creatures I had killed, inspecting their bodies closely. Even the creatures that ran away, I looked at their blood and other bits of their body they had dropped. There wasn��t much else to do and my curiosity had grown after my first kill years and years ago.


    The creatures improved their cultivation by having incredible control over their body and energy utilization. The first step of the Great World��s cultivation system was about saturating the body with energy to develop a soul. With how little energy there was this was incredibly difficult, but it was possible. Saturate the body enough and one would develop a soul and pass the pre-breakthrough.


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    There was no system in place for cultivators after that, since almost none of them made it that far. Focusing enough energy inside their body to cross that threshold was near impossible with the nexus crystals alone. But the creatures in the Great Jungle lived much longer and weren��t so constrained. I also suspected that demonic cultivators had risen up to copy these creatures like Guide Zee.


    The next step was efficiency. Peering at the corpses had revealed that the creatures had pushed their energy control and retention to the extreme. The strongest wasted barely any energy. Compared to the creatures, I was like a radioactive sieve with how much energy I was constantly losing. While I worked hard to limit my loss and control my energy, I would barely be considered an amateur.


    The cultivators of the Great World weren��t much better. The problem came from the fact that the creatures had different perceptions from humans. While these people looked different, they were still human beings with human like perceptions. They also had a limited lifespan.


    But the creatures weren��t limited by either of these things. The creature��s whose perception as unique, could manage their internal energy more easily. This also helped them live for a much longer period of time.


    Before I had assumed the cultivation of the Great World only diverged at the start but converged at the end. But now I wasn��t so sure after seeing the creatures of the Great Jungle over the last decade. The question was, what was the equivalent of their first breakthrough and their second?


    I had knowledge of science and biology, but even Yang Heng hadn��t seemed that interested or knowledgeable about such things. The answer was to gather more energy and structure in a certain way to strengthen oneself.


    It was both a perplexing question and one I was scared of. If a cultivator of the Great World, human or creature, did manage to pass the first break through, their foundation would be much stronger. I still wasn��t sure what breakthrough there could be. Would a cultivator have to go down to their DNA and rearrange it with energy? To have such control over their energy, they would manage individual cell structures? What would such a breakthrough even look like?


    After resting for over a day, we set off once more while I continued to ponder cultivation questions and try to get a better sense of my internal cultivation. The amount of rain continued to increase as we traveled. Once it was continual, everything got really dark and the light source was cut off. Occasionally there was a beam of light through the clouds illuminating a section of the rapidly thinning Great Jungle.


    ��We need to make a boat now. To sail the last distance to the feet of the Last Mountains,�� Guide Zee said. I nodded at this. My danger sense was tingling as I looked out into the rainy darkness. The cultivators traveling with me quickly got to work, turning a large branch into a boat, while I kept looking out into the darkness.


    ��Problem?�� Guide Zee asked me.


    ��Something has me on edge,�� I replied. They stilled and looked out in the blackness as well. Some lightning bolts rained down in the distance and for a split second I thought I saw something. Why couldn��t I see any energy? Then it hit me.


    ��No leakage,�� I muttered. Their energy was perfectly aligned with their body and fear gripped me. The sense of danger was a cultivator picking up on the leakage of energy into the environment. I hadn��t given it much thought since the creatures so far had been easily killed and I had sensed them. But they had far more energy and were dangerous enough that my danger sense should have triggered just a bit more.


    I was growing more sensitive which helped offset their efficiency in energy usage. But what if there was a creature that had perfect energy usage. I didn��t think it was possible. It was the kind of thing that was a nice theoretical, but impossible to comprehend. Like a cultivator using time or space resources to cultivate with. It was something anyone would want to achieve and technically possible, but practically impossible. There weren��t enough resources of those types.


    To have perfect control of one��s energy and leak nothing, meant such a degree control that was mind boggling. Perhaps it wasn��t perfect, since I did feel a small bit of danger, but that could be because whatever was out there was moving towards me. I drew my sword.


    ��Everyone, stand ready!�� I called out loudly. The cultivators quickly set up defensive positions, not like they would be able to do anything. The rain��s noise and obstruction was making it incredibly difficult to see. Even my energy sense wasn��t picking up anything.


    Lighting flashed again, and I saw the figure perched on a tree in the distance. The flash from the lighting disappeared and everything was plunged into darkness once more. ��What is it?�� I asked Guide Zee.


    ��I don��t know,�� they whispered fearfully and backed away.


    ��I am Yuan Zhou, Cultivator of the Heavenly Alliance! Declare yourself and your intentions!�� I called out loudly and pointed my sword in the direction I could sense the most danger. ��Keep working on the boat, quickly,�� I ordered. The direction of the danger shifted and spun to face a branch above us on the same tree. I could barely make out an outline of the figure there.


    ��Cultivator,�� the word shook the air itself and the wind whirled around in different directions. ��You have come to your death. I am known as the Cultivator Killer,�� the figure��s voice alternated in different directions. But I kept focusing on the direction with the most danger.


    ��I am from beyond the Great World, Cultivator Killer. Perhaps a trade. I have questions and you have been alive for a long time. Since the start of the Great World?�� I asked. If the thing spoke, I could get information.


    ��You wish for secrets. You truly are dangerous Cultivator. But I have killed countless of your kind. It matters not where you come from,�� the Cultivator Killer declared. I spun and leveled my sword at another branch.


    ��Your movement technique is strong. So is your speaking technique. But I see through them. If we fight, even if you win, I will deal a crippling blow. This I swear,�� I declared.


    ��A challenge. Then injure me. For only the strong may dictate terms. That is the law of you cultivators, is it not?��


    ��Indeed it is. The strong can dictate to the weak,�� I declared. I turned and saw the figure a short distance away standing near the trunk of the tree. It was wearing a dark tattered robe, hiding its true features. It was an illusion of some kind and I could see through it. The real Cultivator Killer was clinging to the bottom of the branch.


    I hated this kind of fight the most. It would all hinge on a single moment of life or death. One mistake would see one of us lose as we pit our senses and wits against each other. ��One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth!�� I shouted and swung, but only releasing a small fraction of my energy at the illusion. I kicked off and into the air as thorny vines swung up from below the branch to entangle me. I spun in the air, water spraying off me and swung downwards.


    The Cultivator Killer would not expect me to sacrifice the cultivators working on the rest of the branch. But this was an opponent I could not use half measures against. Traveling across the water with something like this chasing us, would be far too dangerous. Better to lose a few of my followers now, than all of them later on.


    The blade of energy, cut through the branch with ease, not slowing down in the slightest. There was some resistance from the thorned vines, but they split spilling out dark red liquid that had a tremendous amount of energy within it. ��AHHHH!�� There was a scream. The creature lost control of its energy and I spotted it, dashing along the bottom of the branch that was severed.


    Multiple things happened as the branch with the cultivators began to wall towards the water. They began to shout and panic, Guide Zee leapt for the spilled liquid. I landed on the severed branch next to him, not having jumped that high up. Thorns suddenly burst out of Guide Zee��s body. I swung my blade and decapitated them without hesitation and swung again separating their body vertically.


    They collapsed in a pool of red sap that was slightly lighter than the stuff that had come out from the cut thorned vines of the Cultivator Killer. It was sadly obvious the moment they took in the sap, they were doomed if they weren��t already. The Cultivator Killer had vanished into the rainy darkness.


    Any creature that had control of its energy to such an extent, would be easily able to infect and take control of other tree like cultivators. While there might have been a tremendous about of energy in the sap, it was far more dangerous than the blood seeds. Where even a defeat would ensure victory.


    I hadn��t even waited for Guide Zee��s energy to begin to change. Any cultivator that scrambled for benefits while I was fighting was marked for death. If they hadn��t started immediately consuming that vine liquid but just saving it from the rain, I might have waited before making a decision. But I was not about to let another threat appear near me on top of the Cultivator Killer.


    About nine tenths of the cultivators that had fallen down made their way back up. Losing ten percent was not that bad in such a fall. ��Senior, there were vines below, many were grabbed,�� Junior Wei said while glancing at Guide Zee��s dismembered body.


    ��We are changing locations, follow me, don��t touch the corpse or vines,�� I said. We quickly began moving away from the area. After a day of travel we came to a stop and started making another boat. My danger sense rose again.


    ��Cultivator Killer, you have felt my blade,�� I declared.


    ��You missed,�� the voice rang out.


    ��Well you are good at hiding and running away like the other creatures of the Great Jungle. I make you an offer. One spirit stone and we are allowed to pass by safely and we have a chat about the Great World,�� I said. There was silence at the offer.


    Neither of us could beat the other easily. One could be a brash cultivator or an old cultivator. But one couldn��t be an old and brash cultivator. At least I hadn��t seen one yet. Every single cultivator was an old monster. Even this Cultivator Killer was no exception.


    ��What is a spirit stone?�� it finally asked after a full minute. I restrained my smile. The fact that it had asked made peace possible. I almost wanted to laugh at the stupidity of it all. The being called Cultivator Killer was the one being that I was able to trade and have a dialogue with.


    ��Quite a bit of energy. Two. One now as a show of good faith. And one once we are across the water. If you think to steal from me. The storage device I have be destroyed with a thought and everything inside of it,�� I declared boldly even if that was a lie. But the Great World didn��t have storage devices and hopefully this Cultivator Killer wouldn��t know that.


    ��Deal,�� it declared. I pulled out a spirit stone and quickly tossed it towards the danger I was sensing in the inky blackness. I waited for the Cultivator Killer to confirm it was happy with the transaction.


    ��Five more,�� it declared.


    ��Two, you already got one,�� I responded.


    ��Five with three now, and I shall speak of things that others have forgotten.�� Knowledge of this place was far more valuable.


    ��I will give another two once our boat is finished and three more once we are safely across the water,�� I declared.


    ��Acceptable,�� the Cultivator Killer replied.


    ��Deal,�� I replied back. ��Who made this place and for what purpose?�� I asked the question that had been bothering me the most.


    ��I know not. I have never left the Great Jungle and you are the strongest cultivator I have met in my existence,�� it declared. That was frustrating.


    ��Any knowledge of what lies in the center of the Great Desert beyond the mountains?�� I asked.


    ��Even there I do not dare to go. There are things there, in the ground that are as strong as me. Older and more violent. Creatures that have existed since the dawn of the Great World,�� the Cultivator Killer replied.


    ��The tribulations, do you know what they are? Who controls them?�� I asked.


    ��Now that is a question I can partially answer. They are great sources of energy. Forming high above the Great World at its roof.�� I focused in on that last answer.


    ��Roof? What roof?�� I asked.


    ��There is a roof above this place and a floor below. It took a long time, but I dug into the floor, to see what was below. There was a barrier and then I was struck with a great tribulation. I survived and drew in the energy and checked the barrier again. But a tribulation did not happen a second time. A long time it took, but I slowly pushed through the barrier and found a place with things beyond my understanding. Showing another Great World. I was in the sky. Just like the sky of this place,�� the Cultivator Killer said.


    It hit me like a sack of bricks in the face. Why build one Great World when you can build multiple. The ring that was found outside, I thought it went around a sphere. It was what made the most sense. But what if this place was designed as a cylinder instead.


    I thought back centuries and tried to remember exactly what I thought and Yang Heng thought. It was a sphere of some kind. There was a curvature to the blackness up and down. It was very small but it was there.


    But what if the cylinder was ribbed? If it was large enough it would give the appearance of a sphere. Each ring could be a stabilizer of some kind for a Great World, or multiple Great Worlds. Then you just stack them up on each other. It would be more efficient that way and the top and bottom could be capped as well. That was what always bothered me with the ring and the sphere shape of the blackness.


    ��Did you see symbols? Machines? And is this entry point nearby?�� I asked with a touch of excitement.


    ��Lots of symbols and structures, but they did not move. They were attached to the ceiling and created an illusion. Stretching out as far as I could see. But there was a pattern of some kind that repeated in the structures. I could not say what it did. While I considered exploring more from the energy I sensed, the barrier surged in power and I quickly had to retreat or be cut off. A massive beam of light and heat struck down from the Life Light, incinerating a large portion of the Great Jungle and damaging me immensely. I have not touched the barrier again after that,�� the Cultivator Killer explained.


    That didn��t confirm if there was an intelligence monitoring what was happening, or it was some kind of program. ��Let me draw some symbols. Tell me if any matched what you saw,�� I said and pulled out a small pavilion to protect me from the rain, a desk, and stuff to write with. I quickly drew out several symbols on a piece of parchment and then held it up.


    ��None of those match,�� the Cultivator Killer said. That meant they were using completely different symbology than the Heavenly Alliance. I had stumbled onto another cultivator enclave. My only hope was that there were answers in the center of the Great World and that they were willing to be friendly. If not for my sake, than Yang Hengs.


    He had connections and the Heavenly Alliance would pay for his safe return. Also if there were cultivators they might have a way between layers, allowing me to get out of the Mechanical Layer and back to the Firmament. Or a more comprehensive cultivation system.


    ��I noticed you have managed to perfect your energy control with your cultivation. How deep did you have to go? Cell structures, DNA?�� I asked.


    ��To the cell structures and to restructure them. That is the breakthrough one needs to advance with cultivation. But you are different?�� the Cultivator Killer asked. Since it had answered my questions without problem and I wanted to know more, I decided to answer to build on the spirit of cooperation.


    ��Separating one��s soul from one��s body. Then the next breakthrough is to move one��s mind to one��s body,�� I declared.


    ��Why would you do that?�� the Cultivator Killer asked.


    ��To draw energy from a lower layer. What is the next breakthrough that is needed on your path of cultivation?�� I asked.


    ��That is a question I seek to answer to grow stronger and beyond this place,�� the Cultivator Killer replied. So even it did not know the next step it needed to take with cultivation path of the Great World. That was interesting. If I had to guess, I would suspect it would be gaining enough fine control over energy to model one��s brain, where energy itself would gain the consciousness of the cultivator controlling that energy.

 Chapter 109: Zama

    Chapter 109: Zama


    We finally hit the far shore under the constant deluge. Streams of water poured down the hard rocks, creating the impression of a never-ending waterfall in the darkness. Only the occasional lighting bolt lit things up.


    As everyone disembarked, I pulled out the spirit stones and tossed them back into the blackness where they quickly disappeared. The Cultivator Killer taking them. The thing was probably some eldritch plant monster. While it had been an interesting conversation, it was not a knowledgeable being.


    The fact there were other Great Worlds was no surprise. Perhaps it was more of a honeycomb than a cylinder based on the outside dimensions. It was an interesting bit of information but ultimately useless. I already knew this place had been created and was artificial. I also knew there were mechanisms monitoring this place.


    Learning that there were other Great Worlds had very little value. Unless I could visit and observe a large portion of them, then working out the purpose was impossible. The only useful piece of knowledge was that the symbols used for arrays and formations were not derived from the Heavenly Alliance. That confirmation put me on edge.


    While I did not have their implicit backing, Yang Heng still lived and was in hibernation. I would not be able to use saving him in order to get assistance for myself.


    Also, the knowledge on the cultivation system was useful. The Cultivator Killer showed that the next breakthrough in their cultivation path was absolute cellular control. Longevity would be equal to one��s ability to improve one��s cultivation.


    Out of all the knowledge I had traded with the Cultivator Killer, that was perhaps the most useful in my mind. I could control my blood flow, perceptions, heartbeat, and organs to a limited extent. I could observe my cells and directly control them. But all that required an intense amount of focus.


    I had been working constantly during my travels at focusing internally on my cultivation. Unfortunately the level of control needed was inhuman. I suspected that one of the steps to reach such a breakthrough was restructuring of the brain. To bring the entire body into focus. One had to self-operate.


    Taking that step was beyond risky. One mistake and you would lobotomize yourself. Just as the path I tread had many pitfalls, this other cultivation path had many pitfalls as well. Micro-cultivation sounded like a good word to describe such a path. It felt good to know that other cultivation paths were insanely easy or had some kind of shortcut.


    It made me think of the Heavenly Alliance and all the continents they had feeding into the Forever City. The countless cultivators trying to advance. Had none of them discovered this path? No, the Forever City had countless figures hiding in the buildings and stairwells. One of them might have known about micro-cultivation. But there would be limited resources and no knowledge.


    That was the great deciding factor. Knowledge, with knowledge one could advance. The Heavenly Alliance had paved that way with their efforts however long ago. While I might dislike the Forever City and had complaints about how they ran things, they had created a cultivation system that allowed for advancement. Sure they had hidden key knowledge, but resources, capability, and the sheer scale prevented them from managing everyone.


    While I disliked them, even someone who had come from a backwater, with no background, had managed to get this far. That was because they created the possibility it might happen. Here in the Great World, everyone was stumbling along.


    ��Everyone is ready,�� Junior Wei said loudly through the roar of rain and rushing water. I gave a slow nod as we all began to climb up the mountain. Picking the path through the streams of water. We had to cross over several waterfalls as we continued our ascent, with the occasional lightning bolt lighting up the surroundings.


    Even with my enhanced strength I was barely able to dent the rock. I could sense traces of energy within the stone itself. Perhaps the lightning and tribulation lightning were not so different. Traces of energy managed to sink into the stone from the constant strikes.


    We finally reached the cloud cover. Three cultivators had been washed away, tumbling back down the massive mountainside. If they lived or died, it was not my concern. I only glanced back occasionally to see how far I had come up the mountain.


    Pushing through the cloud cover, they were quite warm. The clouds transitioned from pitch black to gray and then to white. The heat continued to increase. I exited the clouds and the heat was immense. The Life Light was shining brightly overhead.


    I climbed a bit more and then looked back at the endless sea of white clouds. The air was thin up here and it was hard to breathe, but still breathable. Looking to my left and right showed the mountaintops stretching out in either direction. Near the peaks the air itself was distorted by the heat coming from them. There was no plant life as far as I could tell.


    We had climbed about four fifths of the way up. The other cultivators emerged behind me as all our clothing steamed up, drying out from the intense heat. In the far distance, almost beyond the curve of the mountains, I saw a tower, no a lighthouse. A small prick of red light in the distance.


    I set off in that direction, sticking close to the layer of clouds. While it was tempting to try and ascend, I could feel the hints of wind coming over the top of the mountains. The little bit I climbed saw the wind increase. Looking out over the sea of clouds showed that the top portion of the clouds was being pushed away from the Last Mountains.


    There was an intense burning wind coming from the Great Desert over the mountains. I did not want risk going over the peak. Guide Zee had said such an attempt was asking to die. I did not doubt their words. While I might survive, I was not about to run into the Great Desert blindly if I could help it. But perhaps a peak would not hurt to satisfy my curiosity after coming so far.


    After traveling a short distance, I called a halt. The cultivators with me were exhausted. ��I will be back, I just want to take a short look.�� Junior Wei gave an exhausted nod. She looked close to death, but she still kept going. It was honestly impressive.


    Climbing up the mountain quickly, the wind and temperature quickly grew. The air became harder and harder to breathe. I went past the point where these micro-cultivators would have died just before the peak itself. I could hear the roar of the wind. There was a glow as well that wasn��t obvious when one was looking upwards. Even with the brightness of the Life Light shining down, I could make out a faint glow.


    The impossibly hard stone was also getting softer, the peaks were red hot. The peaks were curved at the top and polished to an incredibly smooth finish. As I went over them, I was blasted with wind and the glow beyond was incredibly bright. I looked out upon the Great Desert for the first time.


    It was a whitish yellow covered in an immense haze, stretching out as far as I could see. Even with my improved vision I had to squint and the heat distortions in the air, made it hard to see that far, but I thought I could make out something out in the distance. It was a dot, but there was something in the center of the Great World. I blinked and the dot vanished. Perhaps a giant creature of some kind. No, the dot reappeared, it was the heat haze disrupting my vision.


    I quickly retreated back down the Last Mountains to where my group was gathered by the cloud cover.


    ��Senior, what did you see?�� one of them asked me. They all looked over at me.


    ��The Great Desert. Impossibly hot. There might be something at the center of the Great World, but it was too far to make out even to my eyes. The air was near impossible to breathe. It will be a struggle to cross,�� I said. There were excited looks.


    All these cultivators were most likely going to die. They had followed me for a long time now. A few had even broken through after finding something during our trek through the Great Jungle. It mattered not to me. Just that they would be useful bodies to provide distractions as we continued our trek.


    There was also a possibility that I would need one of them if there were defenses attuned to the people of the Great World. While I had become used to their different appearance, they ultimately used a different cultivation system and whoever was running this place might not like outsiders. Regardless, most, if not all of them would be dead.


    After resting for a while, we set off towards the lighthouse that had a red light in the distance. It was a long trek. Much longer than one would think. The Great Jungle had made it impossible to see a long distance with all the foliage. Here, above the cloud cover there was no such limitation.


    As we neared the lighthouse, it was a large wedge shape, with the wedge pointing towards the Great Desert. That was clearly meant to block the wind. The back of the wedge was cut out at the top, where there were countless red crystals that shown under the Life Light, creating the red light. With large mirrors placed behind the crystals onto the extended part of the wedge blocking the wind.


    At the base of the lighthouse, there were countless holes cut into the rock itself both horizontally and vertically. It was hard to make out through the rock, but there were a lot of cultivators living here. We slowed our approach and a group of twenty cultivators emerged from their holes. I noted they were armed with metal weapons and armor.


    ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou,�� I declared. One of the men in the group stepped forward.


    ��Greetings, Yuan Zhou, I am Shin. The Outer Protector of Zama, the Last City,�� the man declared.


    ��You stand in the presence of a powerful Senior and should address him as such,�� Cultivator Wei said. I waited and smiled. There was some nervous movement among the group but Shin stared directly at me.


    ��Perhaps a demonstration, so there are no misunderstandings about our respective positions,�� I said and drew forth my sword. The opposing cultivators drew forth their weapons as well except for Shin. I turned to the side and swung at the cloud cover. A deep crevice was cut into the rock of the Last Mountains and a huge canyon formed in the clouds. There were gasps of shock at this.


    ��Senior, please forgive me. These eyes could not see your greatness,�� Shin said and deeply bowed his head along with the rest of the cultivators. ��Do you plan to challenge the Ruling Council for control of Zama?�� he asked with his head bowed.


    ��I am merely stopping to rest here for a short period of time before I plan to continue onwards into the Great Desert. I am willing to trade for knowledge and supplies along with the rest of my group. They are under my protection,�� I said hoping to prevent any misunderstandings before they happened.


    ��Of course. Go see the guest accommodations are made ready and call the Ruling Council to the meeting chamber. Inform them we have a prestigious guest and senior,�� Shin ordered his subordinates. Several of them raced off back into the mountain.


    ��Come, let me take on a tour of Zama, senior,�� Shin said, and I nodded. I followed him into one of the holes of the mountain where the temperature rapidly decreased, and it was nowhere near as bright.


    ��Zama is one of the four known cities that stand atop the Last Mountains, overlooking the Great Desert. Carved out by generations of cultivators who had traveled this far for a range of reasons. All citizens are required to mine a single handful of stone each year, to continue these efforts,�� he said.


    ��Only a single handful?�� I asked.


    ��Yes. The stone that makes up the Last Mountains is impossibly durable. It is slowly mined out, so our city can grow over time. Shafts ensure that air can properly circulate. Groups of our citizens live in tombs. That is what they are called, since many journey here only to die,�� Shin said.


    ��Each room is incredibly small. Barely enough to lie down in. Water is collected from the clouds outside and food is grown from the dirt and refuse. Everything is recycled back into the small amount of soil we have in order to grow mushrooms and other crops.�� I nodded along as we entered one of these tombs.


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    A larger vertical shaft surrounded by very small walkways with countless small doors. At the bottom of the shaft was a garden growing food. There were small tunnels connecting each of these tombs togeather. We were shown to an empty tomb and were told that we could use it for as long as we liked.


    ��How do you have so much empty space?�� I asked.


    ��The population grows and shrinks depending on how many people we get, Senior. I suspect that some of your group will want to stay?�� Shin asked and I nodded at this.


    ��Maybe. It will be their choice,�� I replied.


    ��Your people may stay here and rest. You may come to see the Ruling Council with whomever you wish,�� Shin said. I elected to bring Junior Wei with me so she would know what was going on and could explain the situation to everyone else in my group.


    Shin then showed me to a much larger domed space that had been carved out of the mountain. There was a large circular table in the center. The cultivators sitting at the table stood as I entered and they all bowed towards me in varying degrees.


    ��Ruling Council, this is Senior Cultivator Yuan Zhou who has recently arrived. A single slash of his blade cut into the side of the mountain and parted the clouds,�� Shin then bowed to both me and the Ruling Council before moving off to the side.


    ��Greetings Senior Yuan Zhou, I am Yorich, Speaker for the Ruling Council of Zama and I bid you welcome to our city,�� an older man spoke up.


    ��It has been a long journey from the edge of the Great World. I have come to see the center. I would be willing to trade for knowledge of the Burning Desert, its dangers, and knowledge of cultivation,�� I declared. There was a long stretch of silence at my statement as the cultivators processed what I had just told them.


    They had all gotten past the pre-breakthrough, developing a soul. Perhaps that was the requirement to sit on their Ruling Council. It would make sense. The strongest would sit there. None of them matched the power of the Cultivator Killer though.


    ��The Burning Desert is death. We have a single passage carved through the Last Mountains to the far side. We do not stop anyone from departing or returning. But as for knowledge, we have none. Many have tried, but they either do not get far or are killed. There are great worms and other creatures out there, but our knowledge of them is limited. They do not come close to the edge of the Last Mountains,�� Yorich said.


    ��And the very center? Is there a structure?�� I asked.


    ��We cannot say. This city stands as a bastion and rest point for those who seek answers and to gather the resources of the Great Jungle.�� That was why the Cultivator Killer was nearby, since the city was as well. I had been wondering why we had run into it, since it didn��t seem like a creature that would travel that far.


    Guide Zee had been aiming for the city here. So, it made sense we would run into such a thing. It was hard to say if it had been intentional or not, but they were dead, so it no longer mattered. It was just nice to put the pieces togeather of the events that had occurred. Understanding that nothing was truly an accident.


    ��As for cultivation knowledge, we have a library. Normally such a thing requires a cultivator to submit some kind of benefit to Zama beyond the required yearly handful of rock that must be carved out. For an esteemed Senior such as yourself, there will be no pre-conditions,�� Yorich said. That was the nice thing about being powerful. Everyone would role over so you wouldn��t kill them. It was truly intoxicating.


    I waved my hand and three crates full of soil appeared. Since everything had to be carried to this place, bringing back soil was a huge chore. The amount of water in the Great Jungle made it more like the Great Marsh. Then all of it had to be carried back to this place. While it was possible, it was exhausting and time consuming.


    Also, most of the Great Jungle one couldn��t see the forest floor at all with all the roots. What soil there was tended to be swept away. Plants grew on the large trees and it was all one big interconnected root network providing stability.


    What soil there was would be sucked up by the plants. Plants that lived longer would remain. Reducing the amount of decay the Great Jungle experienced. There was some, but not as much as one would imagine for a jungle that had been around since this place was formed.


    That was why soil was valuable in this place and Guide Zee had explained this. Having it just appear out of my spatial storage was a statement of power. While these people would not be able to kill me or endanger me, I had no doubt they could have devious methods like the wood sap poison. Cultivators respected strength, which was why I displayed my strength so that way there would be no confusion about our respective positions.


    If I could make crates of soil appear out of thin air, what else could I do? The unknown was much scarier than a known factor. Yorich and the rest of the Ruling Council bowed deeply.


    ��Thank you for the gift, Senior,�� he said, and I nodded at this.


    ��That should also help cover for the food and supplies my people will require. We will remain for around ten days to rest and recover. Some may choose to remain, but most will probably continue with me into the Great Desert,�� I said.


    ��Any who wish to stay will be made welcome. I would ask, would they be subject to your rule or our rule?�� Yorich asked.


    ��If they remain after I depart, they will be subject to your rule. As long as they are not mistreated,�� I replied.


    ��We will ensure there will be no issues if any remain and they will be treated well,�� Yorich said. There were nods from the other members around the stone table facing me. ��Is there anything else you require or we might assist you with?��


    ��I will look at your library and I suspect many of my people will want to look upon the Great Desert after passing through this tunnel,�� I replied.


    ��Of course, Shin will escort you wherever you wish to go,�� Yorich said. With the meeting over I was shown to the library which was next to the council chamber. It wasn��t very large, only a couple hundred tomes.


    I began checking them one by one, while Shin waited patiently off to the side. There were some interesting tidbits regarding cultivation, but there was nothing ground breaking or anything past the pre-breakthrough. There were just different methods of utilizing their form of micro-cultivation.


    There were other historical and research tomes, but again there was nothing of note. I let out a sigh after putting the last tome back on its shelf. ��No one has explored the Great Desert?�� I looked at Shin who shook his head.


    ��Many go to gaze out upon it, but few return once they go onto the sands themselves. Each grain is an inferno. The air chokes in one��s lungs. The creatures there have immense cultivations. Many choose to make an attempt before their death, but it is no use,�� Shin replied.


    The area was beyond the cultivation of these people apparently. The difficulty level was just too high and they didn��t have the equipment to make the trek. The energy and their cultivation level was too low for cultivator equipment that dominated the Forever City. They also had little iron for developing scientific equipment either.


    ��And people choose to stay,�� I muttered. After the decade long trek through the Great Jungle I could see why no one would want to go back through the place. It was a veritable nightmare of death and suffering. Even if you were strong and careful, the creatures there were no joke. The Cultivator Killer having the strength that it did was the most concerning.


    While it was only a small threat to me, it was still a threat. After looking through the tomes I took the passage through the mountain. ��This is the oldest part of Zama. At least that is what the stories that have been passed down say. When the first cultivators came here, they could not climb over the peak of the Last Mountains, so they carved their way through to see what is on the other side,�� Shin explained as we walked down the dimly lit passage.


    The wind slowly increased as we made our way down. We finally came to two solid doors, built into the rock. Even with how solid they looked I could feel the wind pushing through the cracks. Shin opened them up and I saw another set of doors while the wind increased. He shut the first set and opened the second set of doors, like an airlock.


    The wind was much stronger and much hotter. I saw a bright light at the end of the tunnel. We made our way to the end and it was a similar view I had gotten from the top of the Last Mountains. I did note that the edges of the mountains were much smoother than they were on the other side, even the portions that had a constant downpour on them. Apparently, the heat and the wind were stronger than constant rain. That was interesting to know.


    It made me wonder what would happen if one dug a tunnel through the base of the mountains, to take all the water on one side and send it pouring out into the Great Desert? The heat was so much, would it instantly be evaporated and pushed away? Would the steam cloud help cool things down by blocking the light of the Life Light?


    ��Has anyone tried sending water from one side to the other?�� I asked Shin.


    ��No. That would be the work of millennia. If such a project was started it has not continued Senior,�� he replied breathlessly while hiding in the shade of the tunnel.


    Could I cut through the mountain? With my blade it would be much quicker. Having all that water rush out would help cool things down, but it might create other problems. ��How do you cut through the rock?�� I asked.


    ��We chisels that have been strengthened through forging, made from the rock itself to chip away. They often have to be repaired. It takes countless days, but all must contribute one fist of rock each year,�� Shin explained.


    I nodded slowly. ��Even though you have empty space?�� I asked.


    ��There are many shafts where just food is grown instead of living space. In time other groups will come out here. Normally demonic cultivators fleeing when one side wins. I am from such a sect,�� Shin replied.


    ��And no one fights in Zama?�� I asked.


    ��Each member of the ruling council rules a tomb. Both leaders have to approve a fight if one is to happen. It is rare since most people stay in their coffins,�� Shin replied.


    ��Quite morbid calling the housing tombs, and the rooms coffins,�� I replied.


    ��That is what they are. This is a place where cultivators come to die. Once they do, their bodies will be mixed in with what soil we have to grow more food and to continue the cycle of life and death. Even with the countless millennia that Zama has stood, this is not a place meant for human life,�� Shin explained. That much was true.


    Getting here had been a major hassle. I looked once more at the Great Desert before turning around. ��I have seen enough. I will rest until it is time for me to leave,�� I replied. Shin led me back through the tunnel back to Zama itself.


    The entire place reminded me of a series of missile silos. The vertical shafts let in light, but kept out the worst of the heat and wind. The horizontal shafts connected the silos, or tombs along with the outside, allowing further circulation of air.


    There was a long shaft at the bottom connected to the outside, so the air could truly circulate, and toxic gasses didn��t build up. Also, the cloud layer would occasionally shift. It was rare, but it did happen like a tide. There was no explanation, but it had happened in the past. If it did there needed to be a way for the water to drain.


    Probably some kind of fluctuation in whatever system was controlling the environment of the Great World. A small ripple of power in the arrays and formations powering everything could cause some minor variance on a system so large.


    There was nothing in Zama except work and death. There was no sense of art or culture. The people did not bother to keep historical records. While there might be around 10,000 people, most of them just stayed in their coffins and tombs. The names were not a joke.


    The people staying here would carve out a much larger chunk of rock to pay for their stay for the rest of their lives. Some cultivators tended the food and kept things going, but the entire place was incredibly depressing. There were no children here in Zama. There was no happiness or any kind of joy in Zama. It was a place where cultivators came to die after a long and tiring journey.


    The Ruling Council needed people to show up. Attempts by demonic groups of cultivators to kill everyone in the past had led to the city being abandoned for periods of time as everyone eventually died off and then it was resettled. Eventually the Ruling Council system was put in place to keep this place functional.


    If people wanted to try their luck, they were always welcome to leave and go back into the Great Jungle and take their chances there. Some did of course and only a few returned. I suspected the Cultivator Killer killed the majority of such individuals while letting a few get through to encourage more to take the risk.


    It might be a creature but it had sapience, unlike the rest of the creatures inside the Great Forest. It was willing to talk and negotiate, which was far more than I could say about the rest of the monstrosities I had to kill or chase off.


    Now would come the hardest part. Crossing the Great Desert itself. I spent my rest time working the math, attempting to figure out how far it would take to reach the center of the Great Desert. Also how I would navigate.


    Up high on the Last Mountains, it was easy to see which way to go. But once in the desert and the Last Mountains were out of sight, the Life Light would no longer be a method of navigation. The problem with the Life Light was that it was almost directly above. Working out the direction to head passed off of it would be difficult.


    Perhaps a tall pole that was held perfectly vertical and then observing which way there was a shadow. It would need to be made of strong material to survive the heat. Wood might catch on fire. All the cultivators traveling with me had either brought large heat resistant cloaks or were trading for them with the people of Zama.


    The mercantile aspect of this place was cutthroat since they knew exactly who they would be selling stuff to. They were selling supplies and gear to cultivators who wanted to go into the Great Desert. That was why having the materials needed for such things was a worthwhile investment. Like seeds that held a tremendous amount of compressed water. Incredibly dense rations. Stilt shoes with special tips so that way cultivator��s foot ware or feet did not burn on the scorching hot sands.


    Everyone who was coming with me was preparing as best as they could. I wasn��t worried about my outfit. It was far superior to anything the Great World had. If my outfit was damaged by the environment, then I would truly have to worry about my life.


    I gave up three more crates of soil to help pay for all the gear. Helpping out my followers. I needed them to survive as long as possible, so that way they could be the first targets of any attacks that came my way.


    If that wasn��t the case, I would have never brought them along and just rushed here myself long ago, saving time. But I needed to stack every advantage that I could. I had no doubt that the trek through the Great Desert would push me like nothing else ever had.


    The trip to the center would take at least five years. It could be more or less depending on the travel time. That was why I wasn��t sure if the pin point slightly darker pixel in my vision was an actual structure or not. I was hopeful there was something out there. If there was nothing after all this, then I would be incredibly frustrated.


    My personal guess would be some kind of monitoring or control station for the Great World at the very least. If I was lucky, then there would be links to the other Great Worlds and some kind of central control hub. That was probably where any answers would lie and if I was going to get help, where it would be located.

 Chapter 110: The Great Desert

    Chapter 110: The Great Desert


    The scorching wind blasted my face as I descend the Last Mountains towards the Great Desert. While it was tempting to wear extra protective layers, my best protection would be my cultivation. Only a third of the cultivators who had journeyed with me decided to continue onwards. Most of them had decided to stay in Zama.


    One interesting thing I learned before leaving was that the name of the city was carved into one of the older chambers, which was where it had come from. I had looked at the carved word, but nothing about it stood out to me. It was the same language used across the Great World, even if it didn��t have any meaning I knew of.


    Perhaps it was an ancient name or a swear word of some kind. If I came all the way out here and got stuck, I might carve a swear word or two into the stone before my death. A minor mystery which had been intriguing for a couple of minutes, but it just didn��t matter.


    I was more concerned about the approaching white sand. When I reached the sand that curved upwards on the side of the mountain, I noted the wind wasn��t blowing it, which was surprising. I reached down and gave the sand a poke and got a small shock. The sand was somehow electrically charged, which kept it all togeather.


    The grains I had poked were swept up into the air. I observed them as they flew up and then were drawn back down. How interesting. With the strong wind constantly moving across the Great Desert, I would have thought they would have been swept away. I tried to think how that would even work and couldn��t work out the scientific properties of such a thing.


    Why was the charge localized like that? How did the sand clump togeather? I did notice the sand grains smoothing out where I had poked them. Perhaps some combination of the heat and the wind? I shook my head and then set off into the Great Desert. The group of cultivators followed behind me with Junior Wei leading them.


    She was determined to see what lay at the center of the Great World before her death and I could respect her determination along with the other cultivators. They had placed their trust into me, even though everything pointed to their certain death.


    As we moved across the Great Desert, streams of white sand were blown up into the air from our steps before falling back down. The worst part was that for anyone trying to return, it would be impossible to find the tunnel back to Zama. There was no lighthouse on this side of the Last Mountains and the cultivators of the Great World would struggle massively going over the peaks, if their very blood didn��t boil first.


    Thinking about the situation, this place would act to temper their cultivation, if they had gotten past the pre-breakthrough in order develop perfect bodily control. That would be the only way to transverse through the Great Desert.


    If a cultivator did manage such a feat, they would be immortal and would look to travel. There were only two points of interest. The edge of the Great World and the center. Most people would head to the center. It would be a natural instinct to suspect there would be something there, since the way the Life Light was positioned in the sky implied the Great World was a circle, which was common knowledge.


    After traveling for a while I paused to drink some water. While my body didn��t require much, the heat was absolutely brutal. If I couldn��t see energy, I would have suspected it was in the air and impacting me somehow. I looked at the ground and could see my shadow pointing behind me very slightly. I adjusted my feet to make sure I was level.


    The sand dunes weren��t perfectly flat. They were angled in gentle waves. After making sure I was perfectly vertical, I checked my shadow again. I had drifted off course by a couple of degrees from heading towards the center of the Great World. Thankfully I was able to perfectly sense the downward pull, which was hopefully aligned perpendicular to the Life Light.


    ��Let��s get moving,�� I said out loud and started moving in the correct direction a few seconds later. Each of the cultivators traveling with me had immense packs on their backs, under their heat resistant cloaks, packed full of supplies.


    I also had restocked up on water in my spatial storage for this trip. There would be nothing out here in the Great Desert. The trip to the center would take at least five years. The water for the cultivators traveling with me would only last three years. That was using every water conservation technique to regulate their bodies that they could.


    The hope was that we would come across some creatures with blood that would be processed into something drinkable. I didn��t want to go into my reserves, but if I had to, I would. We continued moving, the Last Mountains curved out behind us but became more hazy as we continued traveling due to the heat.


    Since the Great World was flat, one could see quite a long distance unlike a curved world. The problem was haze in the air and the temperature wasn��t helping in the slightest.


    After a week of traveling, we had to take our first longer break. Shovels were used to dig out pits in the sand, which were then covered with heat resistant cloth, both above and below. Even the sand under the top layer was incredibly hot. Small gaps at the top of the pits allowed the breeze to flow through and carry some of the hot air out of the rest areas.


    The heat was horrendous. I had never pushed my physical abilities like this before. While I had been in harsh environments, this was on the verge of being completely impossible. I was resisting the heat to some degree, but I could feel my energy being drained more than usual. I focused on trying to mentally adapt to this state.


    The cultivators who were traveling with me were attempting to adjust their biology however slightly to handle the heat. The problem with what they were doing was that they had to actually process the heat instead of deflecting it like I did. When it was time to head out half the group decided to turn back.


    That left me with 43 cultivators including Junior Wei. Some of them believed in me beyond any reason. Others were desperate to see the center of the Great World. A large portion of them were nearing their death and wanted to do something before they finally died. Rather than trying to cling to what life they had left, they wanted to experience an adventure before finally dying.


    Regardless of those reasons, we set off once more through the Great Desert after I confirmed the correct direction to head using the Life Light and making sure I was perfectly perpendicular. Every time we stopped I made sure to check we were headed in the right direction. Each time I had to correct our heading by a few degrees.


    It was too easy to get lost in this blinding whiteness. It was like the environment was trying to burn my eyes out as well as burn up my body. Even when I closed my eyelids, I could still feel and see the light coming through them.


    When we crossed a particularly high dune I would look behind us at the blurry Last Mountains and in front, hoping to spot the spec I had seen before from the top of those mountains. Unfortunately the haze from the heat was much greater closer to the ground, making it much harder to spot anything in the distance.


    There were no creatures or plants as we traveled, just white sand. Endless white sand and heat. The more I traveled, the more I thought about cutting a hole through the Last Mountains to flood this place with water. I would kill for a couple of clouds right now. At least the heat was dry heat and not like the humidity of the Great Jungle.


    It was tempting to get out water to drink, but I didn��t need to. I just wanted to, the same with letting myself sweat. The heat was so much it felt like my soul was on fire occasionally. The cultivators that were traveling with me were doing much worse. I had no doubt that eventually some of them would start dying or giving up hope.


    Half of year of traveling and there was no change. On the boat I could focus solely on cultivation. In the Great Jungle the trees and creatures were interesting. Out here, there was absolutely nothing except sand and heat.


    Everyone began digging pits for another break when I heard a clang. ��Senior, I found something,�� one of the cultivators called out and everyone went over to take a look. The lesser cultivators made sure to clear a path for me.


    I saw some stone, the kind that made up the Last Mountains. Checking the slightly exposed part, it was completely flat. Either worn down or cut in some way. ��Let��s dig this up. Even if it is just a hunk of rock we can take a longer break here and use its shade,�� I declared.


    Everyone went to work except for me, digging around the chunk of very hard stone that we had found. It soon became clear that it wasn��t natural, since we found a ninety degree corner and seams where the rock had been molded back togeather in places. Heat resistant sheets were put on the nearby sand to stop it from flooding the pit we were making.


    After a while a doorway was found and the sand dug out. The interior was just a small room, but it was blessedly cooler than the outside. ��There is writing here, Senior,�� Junior Wei called out. I went over and took a look on the wall.


    The ninth shelter. Placed here by Zama the Eternal and her loyal followers.


    Oh, that was interesting. Clearly Zama was a powerful cultivator in the distance past. If they had gotten past their pre-breakthrough which was most likely and reached the same level as the Cultivator Killer they would be immortal.


    They would have carved out chunks of the Last Mountains and brought them along as shelters. Since this was the ninth shelter, it was clear the goal had been to create a chain of rest points, where supplies could be stored, with the goal of creating a long enough chain to reach the center of the Great Desert. If you had unlimited time and wanted to get to the center of the Great World, this would be one option.


    It also made sense we ran into one of these shelters, since both Zama and I were following the same path. There was some deviation, and it was highly unlikely to stumble on this, but nowhere near impossible. Instead of a 2D area, it was more like a thick line.


    ��We will take a long rest here,�� I declared and pulled out my sword. Everyone began to settle in and there were some small smiles as everyone cooled off in the shelter. The stone of the Last Mountains were surprisingly heat resistant.


    I brought up my sword and began writing.


    Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance rested herewith his loyal followers.


    Everyone glanced over to what I had carved into the stone with my sword. It would probably never again be seen or understood, but it was a whim that had come on me. I sat down in a corner of the room that had been left open for me and drank some water. The rest of the room was packed, but even the close proximity to other people was still cooler than outside.


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    I could feel my body crying out in relief. The Great Desert was just too brutal. Especially since there was no night and day cycle. The Life Light was constant giving no reprieve. ��Do you think they made it, Senior?�� Junior Wei asked me.


    ��You mean Zama reaching the center of the Great World?�� I asked.


    ��Yes, Senior,�� Junior Wei answered. I could tell everyone else was listening in.


    ��We are about a tenth of the way there and this is the ninth shelter. That means over a hundred shelters might have been laid down. If they were, then I could see Zama going the distance as possible. But moving and building these shelters would have taken a tremendous amount of work without any kind of spatial storage,�� I said while looking about the small shelter.


    ��But all of you made it this far without me needing to use my spatial storage device. So, it is possible. It would just be a massive investment in time and resources. And if she did make it, the question arises about what actually is at the center of the Great World,�� I finished my explanation. Many of the cultivators nodded at this.


    I closed my eyes to enjoy the cooler temperature. I dosed off to sleep, instead of just resting my eyes.


    I woke up and looked about as I rubbed my eyes. ��Senior, we found something,�� Junior Wei said. I got up and went to the center of the shelter where part of the floor had been broken apart. There was darkness below.


    ��One of your followers wanted to check the thickness of the floor and dug outside, just in case there was something below. Once the floor was discovered to be thicker than the walls or ceiling, we broke the seams where the floor had been welded with the other stone blocks,�� Junior Wei explained.


    I pulled out my sword, and enlarged the hole so I could easily jump down. Before I did that, I looked carefully into the darkness below me and could make out another room. I leapt downwards into the room and looked about.


    It wasn��t a room but a tunnel. Based on its orientation, it was clearly going from the Last Mountains towards the center of the Great World. The darkness stretched on in either direction with no sign of light, beyond what was coming through the hole above me.


    The walls and floor were made of stone from the Last Mountain. I moved out of the way and more cultivators quickly descended. ��How bold. How daring,�� I muttered. Yes, there were shelters, but they had probably been built to help manage air circulation. Looking up, besides the large hole I could spot tiny finger sized holes that led up through the walls of the structure above and there were small piles of white sand beneath them.


    If someone could use biological processes to stay alive, then the value of time would be less. This was not just a project, but a mega-project to build a tunnel from the Last Mountains out to the center of the Great World.


    ��How far do you think it goes Senior?�� Junior Wei asked me.


    ��Quite a ways hopefully. The amount of work and stone needed to build this structure would have to be immense,�� I muttered.


    If one had thousands of years and was powerful, it would just be a matter of organization. Zama could gather up cultivators and have them build this structure. But where was the quarry? Why was the city called Zama far smaller than the amount of stone needed for all of this?


    The answer came to me as I considered the orientation of this tunnel. If it was a straight line, there was a chance it wasn��t pointed at the city of Zama. There had probably been another city or work area and it was wiped out by whatever was managing this place. The current Zama was probably the slave quarters. The cultivator Zama clearly had an ability to work with and manipulate this hard stone.


    The residents of Zama quarrying the stone as part of the tax, would support this idea that it used to be a kind of slave encampment for cultivators. The Cultivator Killer poking the bottom of the Great World might have destroyed the original Zama or vice versa. It was hard to say if those events were related, but it was possible.


    No, the shelters didn��t make sense if they were just meant for air. The shelters were built first most likely. Then this tunnel was built since they had failed in some way. Either from creatures or the environment got worse in some way. Otherwise, it would just be easier to make a vertical pipe of some kind, instead of an entire structure above ground.


    That was why the floor was sealed up. The chain of shelters was probably used to help make sure the tunnel stayed on track and maximized the use of resources. It was mind boggling how much effort must have been put into this and made me even more worried about how bad the center of the Great World was going to be.


    For someone who did all of this, they had to have been powerful. It was like the Great World itself. To build something like it or the Forever City, their power and ability had to be incredibly high. Even if it was a group, the top level people wouldn��t be pushovers. The more I looked up and down this tunnel, the more it appeared that Zama was between the Cultivator Killer��s cultivation and my own, which meant that she might have gotten past the first breakthrough.


    ��Who discovered this?�� I asked.


    ��I did, Senior,�� a cultivator came forward and bowed.


    ��Good instincts, here,�� I pulled out a spirit stone and tossed it over. The cultivator caught it with wide eyes. ��Draw as much energy as you can from that into yourself. It may allow you to get past your breakthrough.��


    ��Thank you, Senior!�� the man said with a lot more enthusiasm. I gave him a low value spirit stone because I wanted to motivate these people to look for stuff like this and take risks. Now was the time for all these people I had brought along to step up and show their worth.


    ��Will we use the tunnel, Senior?�� Junior Wei asked me. I was tempted to just say yes due to how cool it was underground, but there were other considerations. If there were going to be traps or creatures hiding, this tunnel would be a perfect spot.


    Still, almost anything was better than the immense heat that was cooking everything above. After half a year of going through the Great Desert it was absolute misery. I felt my brain was cooking under that constant heat of the Life Light.


    Even in the tunnel it was warm, but it wasn��t furnace warm. ��We will take this tunnel. If we need to exit, I can always cut our way out,�� I replied. We then set off right away since we had already rested up. There was a staleness to the air, but it was still breathable.


    It only took a day before we ran into a cave in. The stone was shattered, not cut, and the white sand had flooded the tunnel. ��It couldn��t be that easy,�� I muttered.


    ��We might be able to dig through, Senior,�� Junior Wei said but I shook my head in the almost darkness. There was a bit of light coming through the sand, like a soft glow.


    ��Blaaag,�� a cultivator suddenly bent over and puked out blood. Everyone paused to look at them. He kept puking out his blood and chunks of his internal organs before finally dying. I went close to his body and began to inspect it.


    There were fleshy lumps growing under his clothes. ��Does anyone else have abnormal lumps growing?�� I asked out loud.


    ��I stopped their growth right away,�� one cultivator said. Three more spoke up saying something similar. I nodded slowly at this.


    ��I should have thought of this,�� I muttered. It was cancer caused by radiation. Normally one��s cultivation would protect a person, but the people who spoke up were the weakest cultivators traveling with me.


    ��What is happening?�� Junior Wei asked me.


    ��Radiation,�� I replied and there was a moment of confusion. ��Deadly light. It ruins one��s body causing abnormalities and other issues.�� My cultivation protected me while the cultivation of the people traveling with me was much more suspect.


    ��What do we do?�� Junior Wei asked. I shook my head at that question.


    ��Trust in your cultivation.�� Was this what stopped Zama from reaching the center of the Great World? Unlike one of these micro-cultivators, it was highly unlikely I would be able to extend my life using their techniques. After all the practice and knowledge, I had gained, the skill just wasn��t there. I also refused to spend countless eons building or rebuilding a tunnel to make my way to the center of the Great World.


    I pulled out my sword and retreated down the passage while all the possessions of the dead cultivator were taken away. I swung my blade carving a hole upwards. Sand rushed down into the tunnel, but it eventually came to a stop and light began to shine through the hole. I exited the tunnel along with everyone else.


    Once I was outside, the heat struck me again. There was a good chance there was radiation as well. I had ignored such things for a long time, since it had very little impact on cultivators. The amount of radiation needed to threaten a cultivator was immense. So immense, that there were probably other hazards in the area instead.


    I double checked the direction we needed to go and we set off. Five more cultivators perished in the next month due to radiation poisoning as the Life Light literally burned the life out of their bodies. The rest of the cultivators were struggling, but I was not going to stop no matter what. After all the headache, frustration, and time to get this far, I was not about to turn back no matter what. Until it became physically impossible, I was going to reach the center of the Great World.


    The worst thing that could happen was that there was nothing. No matter how much I looked on top of the higher dunes, I never spotted anything in the distance like I had from the top of the Last Mountains. This entire place was one giant microwave. That was probably why I felt out. The heat mattered, but at a certain point there was just too much radiation.


    It didn��t even have to be ultra-violet or gamma radiation. There was an endless amount of infrared and microwave radiation with how bright everything was. That was probably the worst part, the brightness. My eyes had enjoyed the tunnel, now it was back to near blinding white sand with a blinding white star overhead. Even with my eyelids closed, the light was too much. It was tempting to go back in the tunnel and hide out there for a while, but that wouldn��t solve anything.


    I either needed to keep moving or turn back. While digging might seem like an option at first, it just wasn��t possible. We had no way to easily move the sand and make a tunnel. We also had no idea how long the tunnel would need to be. The tunnel was worth about a day��s travel out of this hell, which was a nice break, but ultimately it was just a respite.


    Another month of travel across the Great Desert and we didn��t come across any more structures. They could be buried, or the angle we were traveling on was off slightly. While I was only off by a couple of degrees at most each time I checked when we stopped, we could still easily miss anything out here, even if it was above the sand.


    I paused as I looked at something I had a hard time making out, exactly what was happening for a couple of seconds as the rest of the cultivators came up behind me. I then realized it was a massive sandstorm headed in our direction.


    ��Dig,�� I ordered and I even took a spare shovel to help out. We began digging into the top of the sand dune as the massive sand storm kept approaching. At least we could see it coming from far away. After half an hour of painfully hot digging, we had made a covered pit like we would when we rested only deeper and with no gaps at the top. The cloth was secured tightly down while we hunkered in our makeshift shelter.


    I could feel the ground rumbling and the hear the sound of lighting strikes as the storm passed over us. Even with the layers of cloth, an occasional breeze and a handful of sand snuck its way into our pit. The temperature thankfully decreased while the sandstorm passed over us.


    Many cultivators, including myself, took the time to rest while it was slightly cooler. When I woke up the storm was still raging. ��How long do you think it will go for Senior and what caused it?�� Junior Wei asked me.


    ��Impossible to say. It could be that whatever controls the Great World does this occasionally. A powerful cultivator. Or some weird quirk of the weather. It has been about a day, I would be surprised if it goes any more than another day or two,�� I replied. I ended up being right as the sandstorm ended half a day later.


    We carefully dug our way out of three feet of sand. Not fun, but it could have been worse. I was kind of hoping some sort of structure would be revealed when we emerged, instead the Great Desert was the same just like it was before, without any difference.


    As the cultivators gathered up the heat and sand resistant cloth, I worked out the direction we needed to travel once more. A glance in the direction we had come from and to our sides, showed that the sandstorm was either a line or a wave emerging from the center of the Great Desert, since it had approached and left perpendicular to our travel direction.


    What would have been nice was some kind of glider. The problem was that the wind was almost always blowing away from the direction we were traveling in. A sand skimmer or some type of glider might allow a person to leave, but it would be impossible to travel in the direction we wanted. Maybe a zig zag pattern might work, but that just sounded even more frustrating.


    There was nothing to do but endure as we continued to travel across the Great Desert. Thankfully after the initial round of deaths, the rest of the cultivators were hanging in there. It was tempting to go faster and leave them behind, but I brought them out here and they had already paid off thrice already. Once by discovering the building, then the tunnel, and then the radiation.


    None of these helped me that much, but they gave me more information which was nice to have. They just needed to pay off once and it would be worth all the time dragging them along with me. I guess digging the pit to survive the sandstorm might count as well. But such an event wasn��t a real threat to me and I could have survived easily without their help.


    It was impressive how these cultivators had put their faith in me, or in the faith that something was out here. It was hard to say if I would have embarked on such an expedition if I was in their shoes. The risks were just too immense, and they could easily die. It made me wonder if my seniors thought the same thing when they looked at me, thinking I was crazy. But they wanted to see what would happen, so they didn��t say anything.

 Chapter 111: A Great Worm

    Chapter 111: A Great Worm


    Around a full year of traveling across the Great Desert and I could feel my brain beginning to cook. Each time we came to a stop it was harder and harder to determine the correct way to go in order to head towards the center of the Great World.


    The Life Light was mostly constant. There were some very minor variations in its output. While these would normally never be a concern, when trying to figure out the direction using shadows by a few degrees, every little bit mattered.


    I didn��t say anything as we left from our rest spot. No one said anything. We traveled in silence with only the wind and the movement of the white sand making noise. Traveling this long I had come up with the theory that the color of the sand was leached out by the Life Light in some way. A white star and white sand had to be connected, it couldn��t be coincidence.


    While traveling I would think about what this connection could be between the two. There wasn��t anything else out here unfortunately. Look, another dune, oh, some sand. What was that? A lot of heat? You didn��t say?


    I felt a tremor move through the ground and came to a stop on top of a sand dune looking around. There was another tremor and I saw a cloud of sand rising up into the air in the distance. The cloud was heading for us. Something burst through a sand dune and was headed in our direction. The energy of this creature was impossible to determine. It had a near perfect grip on its energy. That meant it was at or above the level of skill of the Cultivator Killer.


    ��Spread out and try not to die,�� I said while freeing my sword from its sheathe. I advanced as the cultivators behind me all dispersed.


    The giant creature burst through another sand dune and it was massive. Both in girth and length. While not as big as a building of the Forever City, the creature was probably a quarter of the floorplan of such a building in girth and about a hundred floors in length. There was no mouth, it was completely armored, shaped like a snake or a worm.


    Worm was probably the best description, since it had no mouth and snakes did have mouths. The armor that lined its body was thick, very thick and there was a cloud of energy over the creature. It was fairly tight around its body, but that energy was there. The cloud of sand had obscured such a cloud further out.


    My mind raced and I quickly realized that the creature had probably taken in a nexus crystal, possibly several and reworked them, so it would be bathed in a constant source of energy. This fight went from hard to very dangerous in an instant. The creature had made its body an instrument of perfect destruction, using its sheer bulk to crush any opposition.


    At least I was able to spot it from a long distance away, giving me time to mentally prepare. There was no sneaking up on anyone in the Great Desert. To grow as large as it had, it probably plundered every nexus crystal that had existed in the Great Desert. I had been wondering why I hadn��t seen anything, or other creatures.


    This giant worm was also traveling incredibly fast. Looking closely, I could see it sucking in air at its front, under its scales, and then using that same air to propel itself. It was probably mostly hollow, with only the scales being the heavy portions of the creature. It probably had some sort of lattice work structure on the inside to support itself while absorbing the tremendous forces imposed on its massive body.


    I was taking my time to assess this worm, because it was going to be a very hard battle. Unlike the Cultivator Killer, I did not think we would reach an agreement of some kind. The Cultivator Killer had modeled its avatar after humans, taking inspiration from them. The Great Worm was nothing like that. In fact, it probably needed such a large body to contain all the nexus crystals.


    If it could control its own biology and had energy, its scales would be impossible to penetrate. The fact it could draw in and expel the surrounding air through tiny gaps between the scales, meant it could probably repurpose those vents for attack and defense. Two big outer layers, with scales the size of a person and probably a smaller inner layer.


    Also, if I could control my biology and was a giant desert worm I would have my scales act as a means of attack besides my bulk. Either acid or explosions of some kind. Otherwise, smaller creatures would try to turn its large bulk against it. Explosions were the most likely. With its mastery over air manipulation highly compressed air would be most likely as a form of reactive armor.


    The giant worm was getting closer. With its control over its biology, once I was killed, it would probably move some scales and draw my corpse into some kind of stomach to process my corpse and belongings. It would not take the risk or have the weakness of having an obvious mouth.


    Oh, it was also adjusting the air mixture it was drawing in and expelling. With control over its bodily functions, it would probably need to perform minute adjustments to such processes, but it also meant that the worm could probably ignite the surrounding air. That was more likely than reactive armor, since reactive armor would waste material.


    I had one attack. It was a very good attack almost all of the time, but the problem was that if my sword swing didn��t work, then I would be in trouble. The worm was traveling in a straight line as fast as I could travel as well, if I wasn��t pushing myself to the extreme. I had no doubt that the worm had far more endurance than me with control over its biology.


    The best option was to attack head on and deliver such an impactful opening blow, it would run away or be crippled at the very least. A drawn out battle would be a disaster. I began focusing on my blade and pushing energy into it. I could control the amount of energy used in my attacks. I was going to go right up to the limit of what my blade could handle.


    One weakness the worm had that could not be easily mitigated was its speed and overall bulk. No matter how light it was, it would not be able to stop quickly, and it was clear that the Great Worm here used its mass as a weapon.


    The worm drew closer. Its armored front like an approaching missile as the ground shook and the sand began to vibrate. I noticed arcs of electricity near the base of the worm. It probably incorporated the white sand into its armor as another form of protection.


    I could respect such a creature. It was stacking up every possible advantage it had to make sure nothing could ever threaten it. Unfortunately, it had come across me and I was going to make it regret targeting me.


    ��One Thrust to Pierce The Heavens,�� I said while focusing on my attack. I leapt off the ground towards the worm as it charged right at me. I thrust out my blade and struck the armored tip of the creature. My blade sank into the amor with some resistance, but it did go in. Once my blade went up to the hilt my shoulder impacted the giant scale at the front.


    The energy inside my blade was released as a piercing attack, traveling the length of the worm. The massive creature came crashing to a halt. I used the momentum from its stopping to yank my blade free and kick off its scales.


    While tempting to land and think the giant worm was dead, I knew such an attack was only a wound. I couldn��t tell how bad it was, but the fact that the creature had not lost control of its energy, showed it wasn��t a mortal wound and might not be that serious either.


    ��One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth,�� I intoned and raced forward and leapt back up. I struck the snout where I had pierced the worm already. I could see the armored scale closing back up. It was slow, since the creature was probably dealing with all the internal damage first. I swung with all my might.


    The armored scale in the front separated in half and a blast of putrid air emerged from inside the worm towards me. The foul air began to ignite as I quickly brought my blade up vertically and swung down. The putrid air exploded out of the giant worm but my swing pushed the fire back into the creature along with the slash of energy.


    Compared to its overall bulk, the damage to the front of the worm was minor, but it was crippling, since my attacks had managed to break through the scales into its flesh below. The piercing attack had shattered the majority of its defenses and shocked the creature. My follow up attacks allowed me to take advantage of that distraction to break apart its front.


    I landed back down on the sand in front of the creature, sliding backwards from the force imparted onto my body from the two swings I had done in mid-air. There was no blood leaking from the creature. Not a single drop. It truly had immense control over its biology. r?A??����E?s?


    Pulling out a spirit stone, I focused on drawing upon its energy as I advanced back towards the worm swinging over and over. Three slashes, five slashes, and finally twelve slashes cut into the giant worm. The entire front was completely cut up.


    That was when the front part that was heavily damaged broke away and the giant worm began to retreat. It was a segmented worm, since the new front part was just as armored as the front portion I had destroyed.


    I let out a sigh of relief. Anymore and my energy levels would have dipped into dangerous territory, leaving my body vulnerable to the desert. I watched the giant worm leave while the cultivators traveling with me rushed over.


    I made my way to the abandoned front portion of the giant worm. The insides were dried out and burnt flesh that was shredded. The worm had probably drawn-out whatever liquid was inside of them before abandoning that portion of its body.


    That was the problem and benefit that advancing in their cultivation brought these creatures. They were too smart. That killer instinct they had was tempered by the possibility of loss. Now that they were strong enough, they didn��t want to risk death in a drawn-out confrontation. It was the same with most senior cultivators as well. The stronger they became, the more cautious they grew when encountering a threat that could actually hurt them.


    For cultivators and creatures, it was a moment of evaluation and realization that they weren��t the strongest and that their opponent had hidden strength. Pulling out a spirit stone would also be a shock to the creature since my energy levels would appear to surge out of nowhere.


    If I pushed the fight and chased the giant worm, then it would have probably used more tricks and abilities to try and kill me. But it was stronger than me in terms of endurance. I was more of a glass cannon. I had a powerful attack and my cultivation boosting my abilities, that was it. I had nothing else. The giant worm with its ability to manipulate its biology probably had several more techniques it could use.


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    A shame the worm couldn��t be captured and ridden. That would have made traveling across the Great Desert much more enjoyable. Traveling by giant worm instead of having to run across the sand dunes.


    I considered all the techniques the giant worm used. It had probably not broken through. It was at the absolute pinnacle before the first breakthrough, but it had not crossed that threshold. Instead, it had mastered a range of techniques, becoming a near unstoppable power at its level of combat. I would say that I probably wounded it about 5% at most, with what it had broken off.


    Looking at the shed scales and frontal section I went over to take a look at them more closely. Like a lizard shedding its tail, it was a worm shedding its front section. A smaller creature would be unable to do such a thing. I poked the hard and thick scales with my sword. The material was strong, but it was more like large steel plates. Reworking it into anything useful would take a lot of time and effort.


    What little flesh was left behind was completely desiccated, not a drop of water remaining. It was dry and brittle with the hot hair already turning what flesh there was to dust. The giant worm had taken whatever liquid had been present with its mastery of biology.


    I had the room, so I tossed a couple of scales into my spatial storage. ��Take what you wish, we leave shortly,�� I said to the rest of the cultivators who had come over. They descended on the materials like a bunch of locusts. They would only be able to bring so much without a spatial device. But that was their decision. Perhaps they would make hats to help protect themselves from the Life Light.


    Looking around I found a scale and began cutting the scale with my sword. Thankfully a wide brim hat shape wasn��t too hard, and the scales were designed to counter as much of the heat and light as possible. It was a horribly designed hat, but I felt cooler under its shade.


    ��Senior, can you help the rest of us make hats?�� Junior Wei asked. I mentally let out a sigh, but these cultivators were struggling in the heat. Still, if I had needed to run away from the giant worm, they would have been useful distractions. They probably knew this as well, but that was why Junior Wei was confident in asking for my help. There was only a handful of cultivators left as well, so it wasn��t too burdensome.


    After carving out a bunch of heavy worm scale hats we set off again. The general mood had improved by quite a bit. Seeing me scare away such a monster and having hats that resisted the burning heat and light of the Life Light made everyone much more confident in our success despite the deaths from radiation previously.


    Several days later, the ground shook once more and I paused on top of a large dune. I could see the sand trail of the giant worm off to the side. It was incredibly far away, but it was there. The giant worm was shadowing us. I frowned at that. If it was shadowing us, then it clearly felt it could win at a certain point in the future. Either from ambush or from the situation changing due to another creature or the environment.


    I had gained a lot of familiarity with creatures and their behaviors traveling through the Great Jungle. I didn��t think something as intelligent as the giant worm would shadow our group. I had hoped it would go back to recover the scales and material we left behind. It most likely had done so but was far faster in traveling through the desert than my group.


    Unfortunately I had no good options unlike the creatures in the Great Jungle. Those that followed me there, I could confront since they were weaker. The most dangerous, the Cultivator Killer, thankfully showed up at the very end. This giant worm showed up in the middle of our trek, over a year after we had left the Last Mountains.


    There were four choices. Go back, which was not happening. Stay in place, which would invite an attack and not accomplish anything. Go after the giant worm, which I probably couldn��t defeat anyways. Or keep going. The last choice was the only viable option and I didn��t like it for the simple reason that the giant worm was smart.


    If it had chosen to follow us, it clearly knew something we didn��t. Either another creature would show up or the situation would change. It could be hoping to hunt us down over a long period of time. But I noted that the giant worm had slowed to a stop once I had come to a stop. The change came the moment I stopped while the rest of the cultivators caught up with me. The giant worm was shadowing me, not them. It knew who the real threat was.


    I let out a long sigh, my voice carried away by the scorching out wind. I started moving once more. When I took a chance to glance back, the giant worm had resumed following me. I disliked being shadowed by something I could not defeat. That was the advantage the giant worm had with its massive size. It could take a bunch of attacks and still be fine.


    The next time we stopped to rest I considered laying a trap for the creature. But poison wouldn��t work and there was no chance of an explosion working, unless it was a nuclear sized blast at point blank range.


    ��If anyone has any suggestions on how to kill or scare away the giant worm with a crippling blow, feel free to speak up,�� I declared to the cultivators traveling with me. All I got was silence that continued to stretch.


    ��Senior, there might be a way. I have with me a vial of the Silent Death poison,�� one of the cultivators finally said. Everyone gave them a look and moved away slightly.


    ��Why do you have such a thing?�� Junior Wei asked, but I held up my hand and everyone became quiet and stilled in our little pit.


    ��What does it do?�� I did not care for this man��s history. If he had something that could scare this worm, then it would be useful. The cultivator pulled out a crystal phial and brought it over to me. I carefully took the crystal phial and inspected it. I noted the clear liquid being repelled from the crystal.


    ��Senior, it is a very rare poison that targets a person��s cultivation. It is like water, but once ingested, it builds in strength, drawing strength,�� the cultivator explained. I carefully removed the stopper, breaking the wax seal. I only got a slight sense of danger from the Silent Death. I put the stopper back in place and used my finger to spread out the wax once more.


    I then handed it back to the cultivator who had brought it out. ��It is powerful, but it is at the same level as that wood sap, using a similar but more targeted method of damaging a target. For a creature that has perfect control over its biology, this wouldn��t do anything.�� I pulled out a spirit stone and tossed it over to the cultivator. ��It was a good idea, but it won��t work, even if it took the poison into itself unknowingly.��


    ��Senior, I have a suggestion,�� another cultivator spoke up. ��I have several bombs with me, that my Sect uses in combat.�� He pulled one out and handed it over. A couple of questions later and I confirmed it was gunpowder based. I shook my head and handed them back. This was a weak suggestion, and the cultivator didn��t get a spirit stone.


    At least the poison was mildly interesting and against anything else it would have been a threat. Even me, if I ingested such a thing. I had no doubt that the cultivator with the poison had joined up to look for benefits, possibly even assassinating me.


    Unfortunately, after the wood sap nonsense, I was much more careful of anything, including air that went into my body. I was not going through anything like that ever again. The cultivators traveling with me confirmed that they were only useful as distractions.


    Only one of them traveling with me had broke through the pre-bottleneck. The rest had stayed behind. And this one cultivator was struggling for greater control over their biology. I suspected that whatever plant-based item they had found in the Great Jungle to help them, had compromised their cultivation.


    After resting, we set off again, the giant worm still maintained its distance, which was stressful. Unfortunately having repeated battles would confirm in the creature��s mind that it was stronger than me if it just persisted in fighting to the bitter end. It could recover from any wound with its control over its biology.


    While my slashes attacked the soul a bit as well, it was a pinprick compared to the level of physical damaged unleashed. Physical damage was the focus of my slashes. If I had energy to spare, then it would have been worthwhile to practice adjusting how my slashes did damage, but I did not. I had my one set of attacks and that wasn��t going to change any time soon. Getting any better would require a lot more spare energy and a lot of time to practice.


    The only real option going forward was to keep going with the status quo until something changed. I would not be able to easily defeat or drive away the giant worm a second time. At least it kept its distance far enough away that it would take at least ten minutes to cross the distance. More than enough time to deal with any immediate threat.


    ��Senior, we could attack as a group. If you manage to engage it from the front, we can all attack from the sides,�� another cultivator suggested. I looked at the woman like she had just lost her mind along with the rest of the cultivators.


    ��And how would you even begin to injure the giant worm?�� I asked.


    ��We have weapons, swords, spears, and such. We can drive them into the creature when you stop it,�� she said.


    ��You would do nothing except be a distraction. If I thought I could kill it, then it might be worthwhile. But it is too big and has too many techniques it can exploit with its biology,�� I shook my head at the suggestion. The silence stretched out.


    I could use my gun, but that would be like stabbing a human with a needle. Unless I hit a critical part of their body, they wouldn��t die. Even then with the control the giant worm had over its biology I was doubtful I could employ a one hit kill. Whatever brain was inside the creature was sure to have another layer of shielding under the external armor.


    ��Senior, we have a small reserve of oil. We could use that to light the creature on fire to try and overheat it,�� another cultivator suggested.


    That wasn��t a completely horrible idea. If I had some kind of fire technique it would be useful for causing the creature to overheat. But a single barrel of oil would be like a molten spark of metal landing on a person��s skin. While it might be incredibly hot, heat was still governed by physics. The molten spark was too small.


    Heat was about the total amount of movement of particles in a given volume. Empty space tended to be quite hot, but the temperature was low, due to the low number of particles in space. It wasn��t just the amount of heat, but the size of what was heated as well.


    Cooling the worm would actually be more dangerous in my mind. The outer scales were incredibly solid to resist heat and also malleable to some extent under the Life Light. A strong burst of cold would be much more dangerous than more heat. It couldn��t get much hotter than this unless everything caught on fire and started melting. Any hotter and the air itself would catch fire.


    Also, with the giant worm��s control over its biology and its size, elemental based attacks would not be a knockout blow. The creature was just too big.


    ��We will continue on. The suggestions are interesting, but ultimately the creature is too big to impact easily. Even my cutting attacks will only dig into it so far and it was able to shed and add another layer of armor. We must keep watch when we stop in case it moves towards us in stealth. While unlikely, it is highly intelligent,�� I said. Three cultivators left our rest area to quickly check. Only one of them needed to exit, but three did.


    The giant worm was holding position, but it was another thing we would have to guard against. While it went against common sense, that something that large would try a sneak attack, that was also the reason why it would be so effective. If it could close the distance and rampage on our group before anyone realized, the remaining cultivators would be killed.


    I would live of course. Even if I was forced to run, on my own, I wasn��t worried about the giant worm. Really the best way to attack the giant creature would be some kind of large scale attack. All my opponents that I could fight against had been beasts or human shaped creatures. I had always valued precision in the past, but clearly that had been a mistake. I really should have learned more techniques while I had the chance instead of mastering my sword attacks and focusing on my cultivation.


    While these people had bad suggestions, they had found that tunnel. Also, if the giant worm attacked in the future I could use them as distractions. It wasn��t time to leave them behind just yet. But I also wasn��t going to go out of my way to save them going forward, even more so than before.


    The giant worm following us had raised the stakes considerably and I would need to retain every possible advantage for myself. Their dedication and belief was inspiring, cultivation was ultimately an individual journey. You can depend on others and get help, but if you count on them to survive, then you have no agency and no right to complain when you finally die.


    The cultivators who had stayed behind in Zama had realized this truth or weren��t as desperate. Regardless, these people��s lives with me were probably over. Their only hope was that I would be able to clear a way forward for them.

 Chapter 112: The Inferno

    Chapter 112: The Inferno


    It had probably been over four years of traveling. It was hard to keep track with the heat cooking my brain. Day after day of traveling. Checking for any kind of shadow was near impossible with the light reflecting off the white sand. Before it was just bright, now it was almost blinding.


    I carefully checked the direction to the center of the Great World once more. I did this quite often in order to keep on track. It was too easy to veer off and get lost. I also didn��t want to miss the center of this place by a short distance.


    After finding the correct direction, I glanced back at the nine struggling cultivators who were still following me. Junior Wei was among them, the rest had perished from the heat and radiation. Off in the distance was the giant worm, still following behind us. I gave it a nod of respect for following us for so long.


    The wind wasn��t coming so much from in front of us anymore, but at a steep angle. It was pretty clear at this point that the Life Light was unleashing the massive wind some way down upon the world. My brain was too cooked to work out the physics of it all.


    We continued onwards and then I came to a stop as I sensed danger directly ahead. This danger sense was far greater than the giant worm or the Cultivator Killer so it probably wasn��t some kind of cultivator creature like those two with a high degree of control over their energy and biology. No, it was something else.


    I drew my sword as I kept advancing before finally coming to a halt. My eyes had adjusted after years of blinding light, but I still had to squint with how bright everything was. The air itself was hard to breathe. It was hard before, but now it felt like it was going to choke in my throat and poison my body.


    Ahead I saw tiny bursts of flame in the air. They would appear for a moment before disappearing. ��Rest here, I will be back,�� I said to the cultivators who had caught up. They began digging out a pit to rest in while I moved forward to test the area.


    A burst of flame occurred just to my side and I felt a massive increase in heat, while the temperature of the air where the flame had been cooled down massively, before the hot air swept that cooler air away. I also felt a little bit scorched. I had no idea what kind of thermal or chemical reaction that was happening, but breathing was much harder.


    Probably the oxygen in the atmosphere was igniting in some way. I bent down and then jumped up into the air focusing on the terrain we were headed towards. After going up into the air, I looked into the distance, hoping to spot something.


    My heart leapt when I spotted a towering structure through the haze and the flames. The image was distorted and the light bent, but there was something in the distance. We were probably half a degree off, so not bad. I would need to make another course correction once we started moving again.


    But it was hard to say how far the structure was. Distance could be deceptive with the heat haze. Even more so with the flames in the air and wind. But there was a structure. That confirmation was enough to bring joy to my heart. All this travel hadn��t been pointless.


    I returned to the group who had dug out a deep, but small pit for us to rest in. That was the one benefit of losing some people. We didn��t need to make as large of a rest area. The roof covering was also twice as thick, helping block out more light than before.


    ��How bad, Senior?�� Junior Wei asked.


    ��The air itself is igniting and hard to breathe even for me. But I saw a structure in the distance. We are almost there,�� I replied and the mood in the pit soared at that revelation.


    ��Then we must endure,�� Junior Wei said quietly. The rest of the cultivators gave a short nod at that. I got out a large barrel of water.


    ��We all drink and rest. We will probably not rest again,�� I said. Everyone nodded at this and began to quickly take cups of cold water from the barrel before it could heat up. I did as well, enjoying the cool water going down my throat.


    We drank the entire barrel. Two cultivators stayed on watch duty while everyone else rested. The two cultivators would switch off with others occasionally. Food was eaten as well. The cultivators traveling with me were almost out of their own supplies. The other cultivators dying had been a boon, since we could take what they had.


    I had done the math, and we could still return with what I had saved. So, the trip was not a death sentence if we could return, but that wasn��t going to happen. There was something out there. A tower like structure of some kind.


    Thinking about what I saw, the distance was immense. While the structure looked small, it did not extend into the air and was incredibly far away. Very far away. This last push would be incredibly hard and the giant worm would probably make a move sometime soon.


    ��The worm, it is moving towards us,�� one of the cultivators on watch said. It had waited until now to try a sneak attack. It was about half the length of our usual rest time.


    ��Let��s pack up, we are leaving,�� I declared loudly, waking everyone up. Everyone packed things up in under a minute. The giant worm had closed about a third of the distance towards us. It couldn��t travel that fast when using stealth.


    Once we left towards the inferno portion of the Great Desert, the giant worm surged after us. I wanted to go faster, but the cultivators traveling with me were already traveling their fastest.


    ��AHHHH!�� A burst of flame erupted in the face of one cultivator, killing them and igniting their body. The supplies and equipment they were carrying was also lost. We didn��t stop. I noted the giant worm did no pursue us into the inferno as more bursts of flames occurred around us.


    A burst of flame occurred in front of me, but I endured the flames easily. They weren��t enough to hurt a cultivator of my caliber.


    Another cultivator fell to the ground, choking, unable to breathe. Lying on the white sand while losing focus on her cultivation, her clothing burst into flames. She didn��t have the breath to scream as she burned. That left seven cultivators.


    I realized I only knew the name of Junior Wei. They might have mentioned them in the past, but I had never bothered to learn. If there was one left, I would learn their name. They deserved that much at least if they managed to make it as the last survivor.


    The giant worm still was not pursuing, which was good. But it probably didn��t want to risk damaging itself in this environment and most likely had thought we would give up or turn back. That was the mistake of the giant worm, but it was to my benefit.


    Fighting in this kind of environment would be a nightmare. Another burst of flame occurred to my side, but I managed to move out of the way. I was getting better at sensing when and where the bursts of flame would occur. Another scream occurred behind me. That left six cultivators remaining.


    The burst flames died out after a week of traveling as the wind began coming straight down and the force of the wind rapidly increased. It went from heavy gust to hurricane levels of force. The white sand was no longer stirred up in our passage but was forcibly compressed downwards.


    Even the terrain began leveling out and I could make out a cylindrical structure in the distance. A cultivator tripped behind me falling on the ground. They instantly burst into flames and the wind seared away their corpse. Only the scale hat from the worm remained.


    That was the only thing keeping us alive from the heat. We also had to keep moving since the ground was so hot. If we came to a full stop, their feet would burst into flames. I would be fine, with my superior clothing and cultivation. Well fine might be a stretch, but I wouldn��t combust like the other cultivators.


    We kept heading towards the structure. The surface was pitch black and there was a haze around it. It looked like a cylinder without any kind of markings, doorways, windows, or anything else that I could see.


    The force of wind kept increasing, but the heat didn��t let up. At least it was no longer near impossible to breathe. The structure was about 20 stories tall, which was quite short compared to other buildings I had seen. The energy in the air had also massively increased. The entire building was emitting a tremendous amount of energy into the air as well as heat.


    I altered course to circle around the building, looking for a door. It would be unlikely to find one, but I had hope, since digging would be impossible with the wind and heat. I noted small metal bits and possible remains at the base of the tower. Other cultivators had somehow reached this point and died, leaving only unmeltable scraps behind.


    There was not going to be a doorway or entrance. After going around four fifths of the structure, almost back to our starting point, I knew I needed to act. If we stood still we would melt from the intense heat of the Life Light directly above us.


    ��One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth,�� I said the words etched onto the blade of my first master. I had swung vertically and focused the attack as much as possible, head one at the tower. A deep cut was made into the black material, and there was a hole to something on the other side. I also noted that the black material began repairing.


    ��Hurry!�� I shouted out and made my way to the hole with the remaining five cultivators behind me. My danger sense spiked. I quickly entered the hole and moved to the side. My eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden change in light. Four more cultivators entered and my danger sense spiked.


    ��AHHHH!�� There was a scream from the remaining cultivator as they moved through the hole. A blast of heat and light incinerated their body, leaving nothing behind. There had been some kind of attack from outside. Possibly from whatever mechanisms controlled the Great World itself.


    In that brief moment of illumination, we were in some kind of passage. The far wall melted slightly along with the hole. The sense of danger disappeared. At least the air was cooler inside the tower and there was no long a constant stream of heat, radiation, and wind.


    ��Urg,�� one of the cultivators leaned over and began puking out blood. Junior Wei went over and stabbed a knife into the back of their head. Once a cultivator succumbed to cancer, it was over for them and was best to put them out of their misery. Their would be no recovery.


    Then there were three left not counting me. ��We actually made it,�� one of them said in relief. I could understand that sentiment. So many had died and failed to make it this far. I took a deep breath, relaxing my body in a way that I hadn��t in a very long time. The energy in the air was comparable to what the Mechanical Layer should have.


    ��We did. Let us rest here to allow our eyes to adjust and see if anything comes. We have a day or two before that hole closes,�� I said while looking intently at the melted edges that were slowly coming back togeather. I poked the interior wall of the tower. It was pitch black, making it near impossible to determine its shape or structure. The material bent under my touch. Durable, but not stupidly hard like the rocks of the Last Mountains.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    More food and water was broken out. ��You three rest, I will keep watch,�� I said. There were words of thanks and the cultivators quickly fell asleep. We had been traveling for too long since the last rest stop. It was hard to keep track of time mentally, with how torturous things had been in the Great Desert.


    I took a moment to look outside the tower. The white sand outside was molten to a degree. The Great World really didn��t like me attacking this place. If I hadn��t broken through initially, I would have been heavily injured or vaporized.


    More powerful than the tribulation lighting, but similar to the one the Cultivator Killer had described. Was it related to how closely one was to the center of the Great World or the level of offense? It was hard to say and could be either or.


    This place clearly had importance and I allowed myself to smile. I had made it. Now I was finally going to get some answers. I pulled off my hat and put it away in my spatial device. While I hoped that I wouldn��t need to go through the Great Desert again, better to have such an item in reserve.


    After a while, the three cultivators with me woke up again, and I took this time to rest while they kept watch. There was no need to hurry in my mind. While I wanted answers, I wanted to be recovered as much as possible. Even with the cooler environment inside the tower, my body still felt like it was overheated.


    I actually fell asleep for a period of time. When I woke up, I was feeling much better and the hole was almost closed, only allowing a single finger sized beam of light inside the passage. My brain felt like it could actually think for once, now that is was no longer at the point of boiling.


    ��Finally, I can cool down,�� I said as I began stretching.


    ��It is getting incredibly dark, Senior,�� Junior Wei said. I nodded at this and pulled out a head lamp and put it on. I could finally use my equipment without worry in this environment. It wouldn��t be destroyed by whatever was pulling energy out of the Great World. While I needed to power the device myself it would be okay in this environment.


    ��We will have some light. I will take the rear so nothing sneaks up on us, the three of you can take a triangle formation in the front so you can see,�� I said with a smile. After all this time, they would finally be put to the purpose I had envisioned for them.


    There were no complaints as we set off. The walls and floor weren��t impossibly dark, just very dark. My eyes had needed more time to adjust to the lack of blinding light. We slowly began traveling through the passage, which had a curve to it.


    After a tenth of the way around the tower, we came to a straight side passage that we took. It went a short distance, before stopping a circular passage. This one I had us walk around. I was quickly able to visualize the design so far.


    The passages were rings and they were fairly large. Over twice the height of a person and about four times as wide. Each ring had two passages to another inner ring passage. Each of these access passageways were offset by ninety degrees from the previous ring.


    With that realized we slowly began making our way to the center of the structure. There was a circular walkway and then a floating staircase followed by a pit in the middle of the tower. The air was completely still and I had us stop several times so I could listen and check our surroundings carefully. There were no markings and no sounds that I could hear.


    ��Be ready,�� I said quietly. I did not want to go up or down just yet. Better to try and draw out anything that might be hiding in this tower.


    ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou from the Heavenly Alliance, I do not mean to trespass, but I come to humbly speak to my Seniors who have created the Great World,�� I declared loudly. My voice echoed up and down the pit. I waited as time stretched on. I shouted out a second time.


    If there was anything out there, I wanted them to come to me, rather than being ambushed. I also didn��t want anyone to think I was attempting to ambush them. There was no reply. I let out a sigh. It would have been too easy if there had been a cultivator ready to speak with me.


    ��Downwards,�� I declared based on the information the Cultivator Killer had given me. We began to descend on the floating black material that created a staircase. For a human, the staircase was a bit too large, with the steps going up to my knees. That made me think that this place wasn��t built by humans which was concerning.


    Something like stairs had a certain comfortable height regardless of society, based on the average size. The staircases of the Forever City as well as the places I had found with Yang Heng echoed similar design philosophies. Beings would make structures that were comfortable for them in terms of size.


    The passage ways we had gone through weren��t telling. While they were large some cultivators might just like to build large as a statement or design choice. But this floating staircase pointed much more closely to the actual size of the beings that had built this structure.


    We slowly descended, the other cultivators taking the lead, while I illuminated the path in front of us from the rear. The bottom was finally reached and the bottom of the interior pit was found. Resting there was another staircase leading even further down. I declared my intentions loudly two more times, but still no response. The tension had increased massively as we set off down this smaller staircase.


    It didn��t go that far, only five stories or so, before coming to an end. Looking around there was a faint blue glow coming from the passage the stairway had ended at. We advanced once more before coming to a glowing blue field blocking our way forward.


    I pulled out a stick and tossed it at the field. The stick was instantly vaporized in a flash of blue light and a surge of energy. I noted that the field continued through the black material in all directions. Floor, ceiling, and walls.


    Declaring my intentions two more times, there was still no response. I checked the walls and the floor and quickly found an empty circular slot. This was clearly a similar kind of mechanism that the Cloudy Moon Sect had used for its beast hunting outposts. One needed to know the right way to unlock things, otherwise it would be a trap.


    Thankfully I had learned quite a bit since then. I pulled out a metal plate and began inscribing an array onto it. With the energy in the environment I would have no problems activating such an array.


    ��Senior, what are you doing?�� Junior Wei asked.


    ��The problem with these kind of static defenses, is that anyone knowledgeable in basic array creation can manipulate energy without directly interacting with the energy,�� I explained as I continued to work.


    ��I am no master, but I know the basics of array creation from my time in the Forever City and traveling. The only real way to counter an array is another array or a combination of arrays to make a formation. If this energy field had an array built into it, then it would be far more difficult to break through,�� I said while I continued to inscribe symbols.


    ��That is the way you make really difficult security. You make an array part of that defense from a larger formation. If the defense array is broken, then that will trigger other defenses. But since there is nothing like that, I can merely have to move energy around to create a hole and the formation making this screen won��t be able to tell,�� I explained.


    ��The other option would be to go through the wall, but there is a higher chance of defenses in place there, or arrays. Cutting through such walls is very dangerous, since you can trigger something. And while I have equipment that could do that, it is better not to take that risk.�� I had the equipment from the Forever City, but there was a reason no one cut through walls in the middle levels.


    Beyond an immortal cultivator keeping watch, there was a much higher risk of active defenses, instead of just trusting the material of the towers that made up the Forever City.


    ��And done,�� I said and held up the metal plate. Activating the array, energy began to move in a circular manner, creating a large hole in front of the plate. ��You three go through, I will follow. Don��t touch the edges, even with your clothing.�� The three cultivators with me carefully went through the hole.


    I then had to carefully hold the plate as I maneuvered my body through the hole in the blue energy field while holding the plate. Once my body was through, except for my arm, I let go of the plate and quickly yanked it back.


    The plate fell and the field snapped back into place. Even with my speed it was a close call. With another obstacle passed, the passage soon opened up to countless cubelike structures with symbols on them all glowing a light blue.


    The structure we had come out of was basically a large pillar connecting the floor and the ceiling. The amount of energy in this place was higher than the background energy of the rest of the Mechanical Layer.


    The cubic structures were laid out with no rhyme or reason as far as I could tell. I went over to one and carefully looked at the symbols used. Nothing that I recognized. This place was not part of the Heavenly Alliance or derived from it in any way.


    ��What now?�� I muttered. I had made it this far to the heart of the Great World, but I had no idea what any of these massively complex arrays did. The other cultivators with me had no clue either. They hadn��t even been useful, which was annoying.


    I walked around the pillar we had come out of. I did note that the central pillar was larger than the other ones in the distance. This place reminded me of some kind of ghost city. The blocks looked like homes and the light blue illumination from the formations inscribed on them added to the eerie atmosphere.


    After going around this central pillar, I brought out some more food and water so we could eat, drink, rest, and recover. I took the time to observe the changes in energy that occurred in the various symbols used in the formations, seeing if there was some kind of pattern that led to a central location.


    ��This is it?�� Junior Wei asked softly. I could tell there was disappointment. After struggling to survive this long, we hadn��t found someone to answer questions.


    ��This place has the answers, we just need to know how to ask,�� I replied. The other two cultivators nodded. I couldn��t remember their names, but they had made it this far. One of them had broken through the pre-bottleneck as well. ��Your names?�� I turned to look at them.


    ��Tang Hai, Senior,�� the first male cultivator said.


    ��Tang Meng, Senior, we are brothers,�� the second cultivator replied. He was the one who had gotten past the pre-breakthrough.


    ��Impressive you made it this far. To all three of you, this place looks complicated, but for something this size, there are controlling formations. I can already see the flow of energy moving in specific ways. I suspect the control formations are not too far from here,�� I replied with a smile.


    ��Senior, what will happen then?�� Tang Hai asked me. Since I had learned his name, he probably felt bold enough to question me. I didn��t mind. I was in a good mood, since my brain was no longer boiling in my skull and the dim light let my eyes rest.


    ��Hopefully there will be answers. This entire place is something only a super organization can build like the Heavenly Alliance. The fact that the great world has humans, cultivators, and uses formations implies they are a different cultivation organization than the Heavenly Alliance, since I don��t recognize the symbology they are using,�� I answered.


    ��Regardless, the energy in the air is quite high, far higher than normal even in the Mechanical Layer. Junior Wei and Junior Hai, you might want to focus on breaking through. Use these, they will help,�� I said while tossing them each a spirit stone. I also suggested this since a breakthrough had a high chance of drawing attention. They quickly settled in while I got out a chair to sit on and wait. Junior Meng meditated on the ground with his companions.


    The density of energy in the air could be a bit higher, but it was more than enough for both cultivators to break through, developing a soul for the first time. I didn��t learn anything new from their breakthroughs and nothing occurred.


    Still, they had made it this far and deserved to be rewarded. Going through the tower and down here was a dangerous task. While there had been no traps, it would have been far too easy for something to happen. It also made me wonder what the purpose of the tower was? Why all those extra passages?


    The place didn��t have rooms or access points. Perhaps some sort of monitoring station or energy regulation? We had rushed inside so it was hard to tell if anything subtle was going on outside. Also the structure did repair itself and was built of the same material as these buildings, floor, and ceiling. This black stone that self repaired.


    If there was no self-repair function, then this place would not be able to last. I also hadn��t seen the top of the tower. And then things clicked togeather. The tower was managing the Life Light in some way. Perhaps there was something above as well. What little I knew about more complex formations let me know that managing a complex function from only one direction had a higher chance of failure.


    The Cultivator Killer had said there was another Great World below the one above us right now. The only thing touching the ceiling were the pillars scattered about. Probably some support mechanism to create gravity, while the environment including the energy draining occurred from above. All these block structures most likely controlled the Great World below us.


    Even with all this knowledge, the problem was it was like a person looking at a car. I could explain how the engine worked to combust gas to push pistons to turn a shaft to power the wheels and other devices. But I couldn��t explain the metallurgy, why certain design choices were made, or the software that ran and monitored the vehicle. I knew those things were there, but I couldn��t tell. Still, my knowledge did allow me to make broad assumptions about how this place worked and feel confident about my guesses.


    Once we were done resting, I began following the clues I could spot to where there was a central control formation of some kind. Even if the signs were subtle, the energy and the orientation of certain parts of the formations, indicated where such a place would be.


    There was also the fact that there was a wide path through the block structures from the central pillar leading to the location as well. I had seen two other paths from the central pillar, possibly leading to other key areas. It would make sense that all the key structures were located close togeather, but not right on top of each other.


    Cultivators were lazy in their large scale constructions, the Forever City being a perfect example. While they might not put all the most important places right on top of each other, they would keep them fairly close for ease of protection and moving about. That design philosophy was something that was not easily changed. Perhaps it was a deeper part of human nature, but the important structures in this place wouldn��t be hidden or scattered about randomly.

 Chapter 113: Clockwork Assistant

    I looked at block structure, that was made up of a lot of smaller blocks all with incredibly tiny symbols compared to the other structures. The energy inside this one structure was immense. I walked around it several times and felt confident that it was some kind of central control.


    I let out a sigh. ��Is there a problem, Senior?�� Junior Hai asked me.


    ��Just contemplating what to do here, there aren��t many good options,�� I replied. Damaging anything could easily invite a hostile response, but I didn��t know any other way to get the attention of whomever was running this place. I didn��t have the basic knowledge to even begin working out how the symbols worked.


    The problem was if I knew how a gas car worked, this would be an electric car. Same basic principles and functionality, but operated on completely different principles. I could see the formations transmitting information and monitoring other formations. But even after looking over all of it, no idea on how specific things worked.


    I did see some relation to the nexus crystals. Or perhaps it was my imagination, seeing relationships that didn��t really exist. Time to try other things and slowly escalate.


    ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou from the Heavenly Alliance. I apologize for my intrusion, but I humbly ask to speak with a Senior or their representative,�� I shouted out loudly. My words traveling through the massive glowing blue cavern.


    If this place really stretched out the entire length of the Great World, then I was a bit frustrated for not having just dug down. That would have been a far simpler answer instead of wasting centuries of my life traveling all the way out here. It would have been boring, but at least there would have been no drama while I traveled.


    There was a sudden flash of blue light. Standing where the flash of light had been, was a large cloaked figure, twice my height. They had five blue glowing orbs under their hood. They were also incredibly dense with energy at the level of an immortal and my danger sense was screaming. I had finally managed to get a reaction from the Great World.


    I quickly bowed deeply. ��Junior Yuan Zhou greets Senior,�� I said, and the rest of the cultivators quickly bowed as well. The silence stretched out for several seconds. I then repeated the phrase in the language of the Heavenly Alliance. The figure shifted slightly at that.


    ��Greetings external cultivator,�� they spoke in the language of the Great World. ��State your purpose here.�� Their voice was deep and rumbly. I had planned for this moment and knew what I needed to ask. The most important thing was to get Yang Heng. Once he was present, things would hopefully be smoothed out.


    ��Senior, my companion Immortal Yang Heng of the Heavenly Alliance and myself entered the Great World above by accident while searching for a way to return to the Firmament and the Heavenly Alliance. I would humbly request assistance in recovering Immortal Yang Heng from the edge of the Great World and contacting the Heavenly Alliance, or returning to the Firmament,�� I declared. There was another long stretch of silence.


    As the silence continued to stretch out, I grew more and more worried I had offended this Senior. Since they had not introduced themselves, I had no right to ask, which put me on the backfoot. I could only hope they weren��t enemies of the Heavenly Alliance.


    ��Immortal Yang Heng has already been returned once his presence was discovered in accordance with the Cultivation Deity Treaty. Your presence was mentioned but your minor cultivation made it so I was unable to detect your presence and deliver you to the Heavenly Alliance. While they expressed interest in your recovery, such things are outside the scope of the Cultivation Deity Treaty,�� the Senior said.


    My heart froze at this. Yang Heng managed to leave and return to the Heavenly Alliance, while I had been left behind! I didn��t know if I should be enraged or happy that he had survived. I was but an ant to these people, with no true organization backing me up. While the Heavenly Alliance would be interested in me, it was not enough to offend this person and their organization.


    I didn��t know if I should laugh or cry, or even both. I could have just stayed with the shuttle, and everything would have been fine. All that traveling, hardship, and frustration could have been avoided.


    ��While it is incredibly forward of me, would you be able to help me Senior. I am interested in advancing my cultivation, or returning to the Firmament,�� I said. Staying in the Mechanical Layer was a death sentence. There just wasn��t enough energy or resources. While I had been forced to come here by the TripleX faction, I would return regardless of the risk of chaos creatures coming after me.


    There was another long pause before the cloaked figure answered. ��Such a thing is beyond my authority.�� That was not good. The fact that the being in front of me wasn��t the highest authority of this place meant headaches, and a lot of them.


    All this work, all this effort, and it felt pointless. I wanted to collapse to my knees and cry. There was an overwhelming amount of despair that gripped me. I gathered my focus and made sure to respond so I didn��t offend this being.


    ��Senior, I would humbly request to speak with a higher authority,�� I said. They had been nice so far, I could only hope this would continue.


    ��The request has been made. Gather togeather,�� the being said and the other cultivators quickly came over to my side. ��Do not resist the transfer.�� I mentally tried to relax and there was a massive surge of energy around us and a flash of light.


    We were inside a chamber with metal walls and floors. There was also a door. The cloaked figure was with us as well. ��Come, you may rest in the waiting area,�� the figure said. We were led out of the chamber and there were several plants, flowing water, and soft white light.


    ��You may rest in any of the side chambers. You may take food and water from the garden. Once the higher authority has notified me, I will collect you,�� the cloaked being replied. I quickly bowed.


    ��Thank you, Senior,�� I said as there was another flash of light and the cloaked figure disappeared.


    We all began to explore the new area we had been teleported to as a group with a sense of optimism. I suspected that the cloaked figure was a golem or some kind of automation. A powerful one to be sure, but not a cultivator.


    The energy level in the waiting area was as high as the Forever City and the Firmament, not the Mechanical Layer. I didn��t think we had teleported between layers. While it might be possible, it was far more likely the energy level was kept high in order to keep guests comfortable.


    The entire place was designed as a short and squat cylinder. There was a garden in the center with fruits, vegetables, and nuts growing, along with a central waterfall coming down from the ceiling. Soft light from the ceiling which was three floors up, created a pleasant atmosphere.


    There were two levels of this waiting area. An upper level which had rooms with high class automated features, like in the higher end areas of the Forever City. Each room had a large bed, bathroom, and other amenities which were powered by energy.


    Then there was the bottom level which several shared rooms. There was a kitchen with processed food or one could use the food from the garden to make meals. Fresh animals were locked into stasis and could be removed in order to be cooked. There were meditation rooms, meeting rooms, game rooms, and even a library.


    There were also golems moving around maintaining the entire waiting area. They didn��t speak and only moved about when a cultivator wasn��t nearby. There was also a closed door leading out of the enclosure. It opened when I approached it, but I didn��t exit the waiting area.


    Doing so would be incredibly rude and could invite a hostile response, which I wanted to avoid. The three cultivators with me, considered the place a paradise. It was nice and comfortable, but it could just as easily be a prison.


    After looking about the place, and getting cleaned up, I began going through the library. Thankfully it was written in the language of the Great World. There were a lot of history books, but it was near impossible to understand them without context.


    In the 20,212th cycle of the Ascending Age, Cultivator Han of the Inspiring Faction engaged in battle with Cultivator Li of the Realist Faction. Their use of techniques in relation to the celestial alignment was inspired. Particularly how they aligned their techniques to precisely achieve maximum empowerment and counter each other. The results of the battle were not known for another 217 cycles.


    When was this Ascending Age in relation to now? Where did this battle occur? What was celestial alignment? I figured the cycle measurement was the same one I learned about in the Forever City, which translated to a year.


    All the books in the library were like this, assuming a lot of background information that I didn��t have. I didn��t have the background with this super-organization to understand what all this history meant. There were descriptions upon descriptions of battle after battle. The dates jumped about as well. In a completely different book on the other side of the library, I found out what happened to Cultivator Han.


    In the 912,121st cycle of the Transition Age, Cultivator Han of the Inspiring Faction perished in battle against the relentless hordes of the Devourer, Type 3.


    No clue what a Devourer, Type 3 actually was, just that there was a line in the tome about his death. The other mentions n the tome did not align with the cycle or age listed either. I had already saw references to over fifty different ages after a month looking through these texts.


    There was a reason why trying to learn history about cultivator culture was not worth the time. There was just too much. The sheer weight of history was immense. The battles and deaths mentioned in single lines were probably epic struggles with important impacts on this super-organization, but there were just too many.


    I left the library in frustration. I had probably read through a thousandth of the books there after a month, randomly selecting things. The fact that Cultivator Han of the Inspiring Faction was mentioned twice was something remarkable about how the books were organized and the information recorded. Whatever system was used to record the information in those books was something I couldn��t work out.


    It was also surprising no pads or other kind of information interface were used. These were physical books. That was the one area where this waiting room was behind the Forever City. My juniors were more than happy to focus on their cultivation and recover after our journey through the Great Desert.


    This would be considered a cultivation paradise for them. While I was content to wait for a month, I wasn��t going to wait any longer. If I offended a senior cultivator, then they would get offended. But how long was I supposed to wait, one cycle, two cycles, a thousand cycles? Content to die in this waiting area?


    I went to the exit doorway, which automatically opened at my approach. There were signs labeling the various doorways, and this one was bigger and labeled exit. I walked through and then through a short passageway illuminated by soft white recessed lighting. This entire place gave off a completely different vibe than the area maintaining the Great World.


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    Going through another doorway, I came to a larger circular passageway. The sign behind me labeled the area as a Waiting Chamber 001. Continuing onwards I came to Waiting Chamber 002. The doorway was on the outside edge of the circular passage I had entered. These people liked circles apparently. Even the passages were curved. A big departure from the more rigid design philosophy of the Heavenly Alliance.


    I checked Waiting Chamber 002 and it was empty, but exactly the same as Waiting Chamber 001. Even the physical books in the library were the same and arranged in the same manner. That was something the golems that acted as caretakers for the place did.


    Going counter clockwise, I came to Waiting Chamber 000. I went inside and there was no one there and it was the same. The next one was labeled Waiting Chamber 999. A bit of math and observation made me realize that this entire complex was one big waiting area.


    It was a long walk, but I went around the entire place, checking three more Waiting Chambers randomly. They were all the same and well maintained. Coming back to my original spot there was a single doorway leading to the interior of the circular passageway across from Waiting Chamber 000. Reaching the door, it opened, and I went through. I went through the connective passageway.


    The area at the center of this place had a large empty central shaft. There was a small stand directly in front of me with a panel. There were similar things in the Waiting Chambers that could control the temperature and the lighting. I went over and read over the display on the panel.


    Guest Floor


    -Call Transport


    -Call Attendant


    I debated on both options and selected the second option. While I could wander about some more, I had no idea how big this place was and if I would get into trouble. There was a soft chime and the panel highlighted my selected option.


    There was a flash of light to the side and the cloaked figure with five glowing blue eyes appeared once again.


    ��Senior, I apologize for disturbing you, but how long until a higher authority can speak with me?�� I asked. There was a long pause before what I suspected to be a very advanced golem answered.


    ��All higher authorities are currently engaged. You will be seen to once one is available,�� the cloaked being replied.


    ��You were able to locate and return Yang Heng to the Heavenly Alliance. Was a higher authority required for this?�� I asked and there was another long pause.


    ��I have the authority to handle such trivial matters. Cultivation and traveling to the Firmament are both matters that fall under the domain of a higher authority,�� the being replied. The fact they weren��t upset by my lack of groveling by referring to them as Senior showed this was probably a golem or some other kind of automation. The long pauses were confirmation of that. When these things had to do a task, they could do a task quickly, but for answering complex questions they would need to sort things out through whatever hierarchy of formations they had.


    ��The hospitality is appreciated, but I do not wish to remain here indefinitely. Is there any cultivator from your super organization I could speak with?�� I asked. Once again there was a long pause.


    ��The current Chief Administrator is available with no time blocked out on their schedule. I can arrange an immediate meeting,�� the cloaked automation replied. How did a Chief Administrator not have enough authority? I had even more questions now.


    ��That would be appreciated,�� I replied with a bow. It may be an automation, but I had no doubt it could crush me with a thought. Better to be polite rather than rude.


    ��Please step to the side,�� it said and I quickly moved away from the panel. It tapped the button I had pressed and then tapped the other button to call an elevator. A platform materialized over the pit. I noted that this super organization did not believe in safety railings just like the Heavenly Alliance. I got on the elevator with the automation and it tapped another panel on the elevator. I couldn��t see what was on it, since the large cloaked being blocked my view.


    The platform moved incredibly fast, but I didn��t feel anything. Various floors moved past at a speed of at least hundreds per second. After ten seconds we came to an abrupt stop. ��Please follow me and do not stray,�� the automation said, and I followed after it. I noted the design philosophy did not change. We left the elevator room, and I noted the there was a label for the floor, Administration Department.


    If they had an entire level of whatever this place was, then they clearly were important. At least it felt like I was making progress to actually find a person. I followed the automation down a passageway and arrived in a massive hall. The room had stary banners lining the sides and several desks which were all empty. There was nothing on them. The office space stretched out in either direction, indicating another circle, one that probably went around the central elevator, similar to how the waiting rooms did. Except this was one large open space instead.


    We made our way directly forward across the room and up a set of stairs that lined the outer edge of the large curved room. We reached a set of large doors which opened. A private office for whomever was running this place. Entering the office, I saw an old man sitting behind a large desk with a banner behind him. He had deep wrinkles, a long messy white beard and hair.


    The old man seemed to have no energy and no cultivation, but I could sense an immense amount of danger from them. It was time to be as polite as possible.


    ��Chief Administrator, your current appointment has arrived,�� the automation said. The old man cracked open a drooping eye and I could swear my soul trembled.


    ��A child. You have brought me a child,�� the old man let out a sigh. ��So, who are you, and how did you get here?�� he asked. His voice was scratchy and sounded unused.


    ��Greetings Senior, I am Yuan Zhou from the Heavenly Alliance. I was traveling with Immortal Yang Heng and we accidently entered a place called the Great World at its edge. I traveled to the center and was able to access a complex with black cube structures. Your assistant, brought my companions and I to a waiting area and informed me Immortal Yang Heng had been rescued by the Heavenly Alliance. After inquiring about traveling back to the Firmament or getting help with my cultivation, your assistant told me I would need to wait for a higher authority. Since none showed up, I looked for clarification and was brought to you,�� I quickly explained and then bowed.


    ��You can raise your head boy. I am close enough to death that I don��t care about that nonsense anymore,�� he replied. I quickly straightened up. ��I am Immortal Nianzu of the Soaring Star Society. You woke me from my nap just before I was going to die.��


    ��Apologies, honored Immortal,�� I said and bowed my head. I didn��t know what else to say to those statements. I really hoped he didn��t die while I was speaking to him, since I was hoping for answers and help.


    ��The Heavenly Alliance, so full of decorum, standing, face, and other nonsense. Go to your tasks,�� the Immortal said the last part to the cloaked golem and waved at it. The figure vanished in a flash of light. ��Sit.�� I quickly took a seat in front of his desk. ��If they didn��t make a fuss about you, then you probably are not an official member of their sect?�� I could hear the implied question. While it was tempting to lie, it would be discovered far too easily and have a high chance of making powerful people upset.


    ��I have not been formally inducted into the super organization honored Immortal,�� I replied honestly.


    ��I would say that is a good thing, but they have always been rivals in cultivation. Well, tell me your story. For you to get this far from their Forever City and all the way here must be fairly interesting. Start at the beginning of your life and narrate everything for me,�� the Immortal said and closed his eyes.


    I began talking about my life growing up on the continent, my challenges with cultivation, my time in the Forever City, my travels with Yang Heng, and then finally my trip to the center of the Great World. It took a while, and the immortal did not interrupt. The fact he was willing to listen to me talk was a good sign.


    Once I finished Immortal Nianzu let out a soft hum but kept his eyes closed. ��An interesting story. Lots of coincidences, but that is the work of higher powers. The fact that you arrived here at this time is also such a coincidence. Fate, destiny. Powerful words, but who can truly say what they mean. Even the Soaring Star Society only lightly touched on such concepts. But as the idiots like to say, if it can happen, it will eventually happen across Reality somewhere, sometime.�� He shifted in his chair slightly before continuing.


    ��What do you think this place is?�� he asked me. I considered the question as quickly as possible.


    ��An experiment in cultivation senior. I suspect seeing and monitoring biological research as well as research into effective means of cultivation by using low levels of energy,�� I replied. The old looking Immortal chuckled slowly. Why else build all of this?


    ��A good answer. I would probably guess the same thing child in your position. Ah, how far we have fallen,�� he said with a heavy sigh. ��This was once the proud home of the Soaring Star Society, commonly called the Infinite Ring Complex. A project of countless ages to do something that has never happened before. While I will not claim we were the greatest cultivation super organization that has existed, no one would think of the top spots without including us. At our peak, even the Heavenly Alliance were even forced bowed their overly inflated heads.��


    There was silence after that. I didn��t know what to say. It was hard to imagine the top people of the Heavenly Alliance bending their heads by even a single degree. Should I ask more? The tone of voice at the end clearly indicated that something had happened to the Soaring Star Society and Immortal Nianzu was clearly unhappy about the entire situation. I would have liked more information, but I also didn��t want to anger someone who could crush me with a thought or a slight gesture of their little finger. Perhaps even a twitch of their eyelid would be enough to kill me instantly.


    While he might not seem like the kind of person who cared about politeness, almost no one would appreciate another person being rude to them. That was why I remained silent to allow the Immortal to collect his thoughts. Thankfully I only had to wait a few minutes.


    ��You will find no help with your cultivation here. The path the Soaring Star Society once took has been closed off for all eternity. As for returning to the Firmament, that path has been closed off as well,�� Immortal Nianzu said. I felt my heart clench at that. What was I going to do?


    ��I can sense your despair and frustration. If I could help, I would. A last act of an old man, watching over a graveyard of dreams and foolishness. Ask your question child. Give me some amusement with your foolishness before my demise,�� he said. If he gave me permission, then I would ask questions.


    ��What happened here, Immortal Nianzu?�� I asked. I felt that was the most important thing to understand before I could ask other questions or for help.


    ��Chaos child. Chaos and hubris. What is the most important resource for any cultivator?�� he asked me. That was an easy answer.


    ��Energy, Immortal,�� I replied.


    ��A succinct answer. You can just call me Nianzu. I am no true immortal anymore. And where does energy come from?�� I took a moment to think through that answer before replying.


    ��Energy comes from the lowest layer of reality, Chaos, then moves upwards through the Astral Plane, then the Firmament, the Mechanical Layer, and finally the Material decreasing in potency and power,�� I answered.


    ��A beginner��s answer, but ultimately correct. Chaos. A simple word for something infinitely complex. Energy is the result of paradox. The original paradox some would say. It has no cause, no source, but creates effects. If you were a super organization, how would you gather energy?�� he asked.


    ��Most remain in the Firmament, only daring to risk the Astral Plane to get resources. Drawing energy from that location. My soul is connected to the Astral Plane as well as other cultivators of the Heavenly Alliance. As for other super organizations, I would suspect they would use a similar method or plunder others. But the Soaring Star Society did things differently, I am guessing,�� I answered. He clearly was testing me with these questions. I needed to give answers Immortal Nianzu was willing to accept and liked in order not to offend him. No matter what he said, he could still crush me at any moment for any reason.


    ��A good answer. Chaos is far worse than any other layer but has unlimited energy. Even the Astral Plane carries great risks. That is why super organizations don��t risk such locations lightly. The deepest one can build an actual civilization is the Firmament. While powerful beings can exist in the Astral Plane, they are often solitary individuals,�� Cultivator Nianzu explained. I knew this information already, but I would listen closely since he was willing to explain to me.


    ��The Soaring Star Society was always a powerhouse in defense, not attacking. Our cultivation, our techniques, and our mindset was one of defense. The problem is that gathering energy in the Firmament requires offense, powerful offense. We could hold our own but not expand easily. A super organization needs to set up collectors to harvest energy. Your continent is such an example, it also contained a collector. Those motes are the residue of such a device that collects and compacts energy for the usage of your superiors.�� I nodded at this. I had known about this, but I hadn��t realized the motes were a byproduct of such a process.


    ��The factions under the Heavenly Alliance, are just garbage collectors. You collected their garbage and they collected the garbage of the Heavenly Alliance. All to produce hyper compressed energy,�� Cultivator Nianzu said with a chuckle.


    ��Instead of cultivation, it should be called garbage collection. The Soaring Star Society had a different mindset of utilizing everything we have in order to advance our cultivation. Focusing on ourselves, and eschewing the rest of Reality. Focusing on micro-cultivation instead of macro-cultivation. Our warriors were unkillable cockroaches. Even the most esoteric techniques could find no purchase upon us.�� There was a wistful tone to his recollection.


    ��But like all cultivators we desired more power, more quickly. There were also population issues. As our population increased, the share of energy decreased. Our strength was our teamwork and understanding. A society of intellect and reasoning. We thought ourselves clever,�� he said. I had a sense of where this was going but chose not to interrupt.


    ��What do you think we did?�� Cultivator Nianzu asked me.


    ��You began doing something with Chaos,�� I said. It was the only reasonable explanation, something completely unreasonable, which had wiped out a super organization and left all of this, with only Cultivator Nianzu here.


    ��A mediocre answer. We wanted to draw up energy. We were already drawing up energy from the Astral Plane like every other super organization, but we desired to tap into unlimited energy. With that our ascent and power would be unstoppable. Perhaps even breaking the bounds of Reality itself. With enough energy, theoretically anything impossible can be made possible. Hubris and foolishness, but we voted as a group after the project was extensively reviewed.��

 Chapter 114: The Soaring Star Society

    ��The Infinite Ring Complex, which you now reside in was built. The idea was both brilliant and simple. The danger of high amounts of energy coming from Chaos is that something can come through and corrupt the energy that is used. That is why anyone poking through layers must be exceedingly careful and the layers act as a natural filter for energy. Also, why idiots who know nothing in the Material, break their fragile bubbles and fall downwards into the Mechanical Layer by drawing in more and more energy,�� Immortal Nianzu narrated from his chair.


    ��What do you think we did?�� he asked me. I carefully considered the question, since he wanted a more in depth answer.


    ��You drew energy into higher layers to process it in some way, most likely with this place, the Infinite Ring Complex,�� I stated. It made sense since we were in the Mechanical Layer at the moment as far as I could tell.


    ��A good answer. Instead of expanding outwards in a layer, where we would run into other threats and struggle to win. We decided to be smart. Massive filters were constructed as rings, emulating the natural processes of the layers of Reality. Each ring would be linked to the next, and energy would go through the various rings to be filtered excessively before we would use it. We built both up and down, matching intake with our ability to process the energy. Extensive tests were done. For no amount of safety could be too much. We always assumed the worst, since the horror stories regarding Chaos have existed since forever,�� I nodded at this. If some being that could go through time and create effects without a corresponding cause attacked, it would be the end. How would you even fight that? It made me wonder how this place survived but almost everyone was dead.


    ��The energy would be pumped upwards in a massive amount, filtered heavily, countless times, more than anyone thought was absolutely necessary, but we took no chances. Once the energy reached the top, it would then filter back down into the habitats we created for the Soaring Star Society. Vast areas where cultivators could grow and strengthen themselves, with the best being accepted into our ranks through careful observation and questioning.�� Well that clearly wasn��t happening any longer. The Great World was a complete mess and there was no sign of the Soaring Star Society.


    ��This facility actually exists at the top of the Infinite Ring Complex, resting inside the Material, where we are the safest.�� Cultivator Nianzu waved his hand and blue holographic display appeared in front of him. Each layer was labeled like a cake, with the Infinite Ring Complex going through the layers, like a rod, but with highlighted blue rings instead. I counted around 10 rings in each of the middle three layers, with only one ring in Chaos and another in the Material.


    ��The idea being that we would eventually find out what exists beyond all layers, creating a ring of rings. The ultimate goal of the Infinite Ring Complex. Going through Chaos into the Material or finding new layers that no one knows about. Such a discovery would herald a new age or something greater. Once again we were exceedingly careful. Using disposable drones, constructed in a disposable facility, to build the ring that we descended into Chaos. We did that for all rings, since we would build them in the Firmament and then push them up and down. Careful to limit all vectors that could be attacked,�� he explained with a shake of his head.


    ��It worked too. The amount of energy we drew up was immense. Beyond immense, only limited to what the Infinite Ring Complex could handle. Taking the Soaring Star Society to new heights. We easily beat back all attacks from Chaos creatures and other super organizations. Our cultivation became glorious. If I were to unveil my true power, you would die unless you were the lowest of Immortals. Other cultivators had to bow their heads to us, even the Heavenly Alliance. In time we would have become something beyond a super-organization. Something that has never been recorded into the history of Reality as far as anyone knows,�� Cultivator Nianzu had excitement in his voice and began to rise up in his chair. Then he sagged back down.


    ��We underestimated Chaos. Filters. Checks. Safety measures, so many and complex that it would take a hundred cycles to remember the smallest fraction necessary for the most menial of tasks. But we persisted, since we would have unlimited energy. Our leftovers flowed into the places like the Great World, allowing our garbage collectors to advance their cultivation and bring new members into our super-organization where they would ascend to new heights. But that was our hubris. What do you think happened exactly?�� he asked me. Clearly it had to be something with Chaos. Clearly not some kind of super monster, perhaps something smaller.


    ��Something clearly got through and impacted your cultivation. A disease of some kind?�� I speculated.


    ��An answer tinged with the foolishness of hope and youth. You have learned about micro-cultivation, but not how one passes through the second bottleneck with our path, where your mind is moved from your physical body to the energy you control. What do you think is our method of breaking through?�� Cultivator Nianzu asked me.


    ��Absolute control, focusing on the smallest detail,�� I replied and he nodded slowly at this answer. Something far worse seemed to have happened.


    ��A good answer. To completely control one��s DNA in order to create a body that would naturally develop such a feature, separating one��s soul naturally. But we pushed further. Past that to molecules, and then atoms. Before we finally began focusing on smaller particles that make up energy itself.�� I leaned forward in my seat. This was actual physics. I was always curious how energy reconciled with the physics I had learned. What exactly was energy?


    ��Chaos is not intelligent in a sense, but often it is assigned agency due to the things that inhabit it. Trying to manipulate energy itself. Some would compare it to light, but I would compare energy to a pervasive energy field like gravity. A parasite of infinitely small size was eventually formed as we sought to control everything about ourselves to this smallest detail. It was speculated that it got through our filtering and safety checks by hiding itself as inert energy and then forming once our energy reached a certain structure. Once that happened, the parasite traveled backwards through time to infect the founders of the Soaring Star Society, leading us to our cultivation method, and eventually the parasites appearance. The reason we were so successful in micro-cultivation was due to the parasite in our cultivations,�� Cultivator Nianzu explained while I frowned. The parasite caused itself to appear. That made my head hurt.


    ��You are confused?�� he asked me with a small smile.


    ��I am trying to reconcile the fact that the parasite created the circumstance of its very existence,�� I replied. I knew Chaos could break the chain of cause and effect, but the scale of such a thing was beyond belief. That had to be millions if not billions of incredibly powerful cultivators and all of them were infected.


    ��Cause and effect. Chaos does not need to adhere to such rules that govern Reality itself. That is the true danger of things from Chaos. Even if you take nothing else away from our conversation, that is something you should understand and remind all who think they can tame Chaos. We even tested and checked for this very thing. That is how extensive and comprehensive our safety procedures were, but the parasite found a way, infecting everyone who had crossed over the second bottleneck,�� Cultivator Nianzu explained.


    It hurt my head to try and understand. The Soaring Star Society had success with their cultivation method due to a parasite, which ultimately destroyed them and infected them in the future. ��The parasite grows in strength, by consuming the energy we draw in. Unlike you Heavenly Alliance cultivators, we don��t connect our souls to the Astral Plane. We draw energy from around us. Our defenses are centered around ourselves and control over our bodies and spirits. Once the parasite infected our spirits cultivators began losing strength as well as their minds. Ask,�� he said.


    ��Those that mean the past cannot be changed? How does time even work?�� I asked.


    ��Was the parasite always there or was Reality changed to accommodate the parasite? The answer is both and neither. The present always exists and cannot be changed. You are here now. Chaos would either erase you in some manner or create a circumstance where it will win. If you are erased, then you would no be here. There are rare signs of super organizations and other beings that ceased to exist, but remnants of them have been left behind. Chaos is powerful, but it uses linked energy. That is why certain methods of energy manipulation are called paths. Since all who tread the same path are vulnerable to such things which have brought down the Soaring Star Society,�� he explained.


    ��How concerned do I need to be?�� I asked.


    ��The Heavenly Alliance is aggressive, but they fear Chaos far more than they should. But perhaps we did not fear it enough. The Chaos creature that is targeting you will not be a concern unless you go to the Astral Plane. Then you will die. Since you are here, that is probably not going to happen.��


    ��Then I could be erased from existence and would have never existed in the first place,�� I replied trying to make sense of temporal nonsense. It truly made my head hurt.


    ��That is one way to look at it, but not something to depend on. While Reality likes to reassert cause and effect, things leak through. That is why the remnants of erased beings have been found, indicating they were erased, indicating they existed at one point. It helps that the more energy you have and the longer you have existed, it is harder for such a thing to occur. But it can always happen eventually. There are beings in Chaos that have infinite energy. Infinite always beats a non-infinite,�� he explained. All of this was clearly above my paygrade, and we were getting off track. I would worry such things later once I advanced my cultivation.


    ��But you survived, and this place is still standing,�� I replied, wondering how there was someone left.


    ��I am almost dead child. My cultivation was reversed to return to my physical body, hoping to purge my spirit of the parasite. It both succeeded and failed. The parasite is still there, merged perfectly with my energy. But it no longer impacts my mind,�� he explained, with a shake of his head.


    ��As for this place. It is failing. Without the extensive safety checks, the only option was to purge rings to prevent Chaos from infecting them.�� The holographic display above his desk changed highlighting the rings in the Astral Plane and the one in Chaos in red while nine of the ten rings in the Firmament turned yellow. Red clearly meant they were lost, that much was understandable.


    ��What does yellow mean?�� I asked.


    ��They are overrun by other forces in one way or another. That is why your craft was able to sneak through. Almost all the small-scale defenses from the Mechanical Layer and the Material have been repurposed. But without cultivators it is only a matter of time before the Infinite Ring Complex is lost. Unlike the other layers, the primary construction complex in the Firmament was the lynchpin holding all of this togeather in a sense.��


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    ��You can��t just teleport me?�� I asked. This was a super organization. In my mind, they should be able to do almost anything.


    ��Access has been cut as well as the connection tunnels. What remains is either a war zone or inhabited by dangerous creatures.�� Can��t you send your golems or something? I didn��t want to get frustrated since I was asking for help, but it felt like this restrictions were arbitrary.


    ��But the Heavenly Alliance came to pick Yang Heng up? Wouldn��t they attack you to take this place?�� I asked.


    ��The Cultivation Deity Treaty is bound at the highest levels. As long as I live or a single immortal of the Soaring Star Society lives on, they are bound by the treaty and so am I. We do not attack them, and they do not attack us...well just me now,�� he replied. I was surprised any cultivator would respect such a thing, but the treaty probably had some enforcement mechanisms.


    ��The cultivators of the Great World don��t count? Can��t you induct them into your super-organization?�� I asked.


    ��Do you know why I hold the title of Chief Administrator?�� he asked me.


    ��Everyone else is dead,�� I replied, and he nodded.


    ��An incomplete answer, but still is correct. This entire complex is governed by automated systems as you have seen. And this is the highest possible position I can take, without a vote of the Ruling Council. I cannot form a quorum of the Ruling Council to accept the petition of new members since there is only me. Bringing people here will only lead to distractions like yourself. It is pleasant, but I am only bothering with this, since I can sense my end is near,�� Cultivator Nianzu replied.


    I wanted to scream at this. You don��t control all of this. I could imagine it now. They tested out an experimental procedure on someone low ranking. Everyone died as their spirits were consumed by the parasite embedded into their very cultivation. The last person not pushed up to the highest non-appointed position. They probably never seriously considered there would be no one left when they built all of this.


    ��How near is your death?�� I asked the rude question hesitantly.


    ��Shortly,�� he smiled. ��I will finally be able to rest. I don��t want to die, but even with my immense cultivation, a physical body can only last so long even as my spirit has been shredded.�� That was useful to know, but not helpful.


    ��How can I leave this place?�� I asked. This place was a very fancy graveyard at best and a prison at worst.


    ��I do not have the authority for that. You are free to travel about the complex as an honored guest. Try not to wreck anything, otherwise the golems will put you in prison. Same with restricted areas.��


    ��You didn��t leave and seek out a cure?�� I asked and he shook his head slightly.


    ��There is no cure. Everything has been attempted already. I underwent an emergency procedure and only woke up after everyone was dead, since someone needs to manage this place. I can��t leave without the approval of the Ruling Council. And where would I go? How would I go there? We were an insular sect. While this is the monitoring area for the various rings and monitoring station, our manufacturing and other facilities are all located in the Firmament. Those have been lost.��


    ��But there is one ring remaining down there. Can��t I go there?�� The way he talked about his death and his carefree attitude indicated it would be sooner rather than later. I needed to get as much information as possible, as quickly as possible.


    ��We are sealed off from that layer. That is the automated emergency system in effect. Cutting off compromised layers from the rest in order to protect the cultivators not located there. I can��t override such things. Once I die, everything will become a mess.��


    ��What will happen?�� I asked hurriedly. From the way he was talking, he would drop dead any second.


    ��Well, with no command authority or a cultivator of the Soaring Star Society present in the Infinite Ring Complex monitoring station, the automated system would assume an enemy force has taken over. We would never allow a hostile force to seize this place and we would seek to destroy our enemies. It will take a bit of time, but this entire place will begin a full descent into Chaos, dragging everything else nearby, to ensure they regret attacking us and not allowing our enemies to claim our greatest secrets. With how the rings are set up, such protocols are likely still active,�� he replied.


    ��The trillions of people...�� I said in shock, and he shook his head. Everyone would die. Not just in the Great World I had been traveling through, but all the other ones as well. More than trillions. I couldn��t even begin to come up with a number for the amount of people about to die.


    ��The descendants of the Soaring Star Society. They will all cease to exist. Either the Great Worlds break apart or Chaos will eventually consume them. There is nowhere for them to go. No way to save them. We were too good with our safety measures and defense. I have spent my time looking into getting around the automated systems, but there is no way.��


    I was shocked in silence. Everyone and everything was going to die. I couldn��t argue against his technical expertise, since I had no practical knowledge of how this place worked. ��Ask, you clearly have more questions. It is nice to unburden myself before death.��


    ��The lack of energy in the Great World?�� I asked while trying to get my thoughts togeather. I just picked a question that had been bothering me for a while.


    ��Without the draw of energy from the lower layers, it has to come from somewhere. Also emergency protocols to keep the systems maintaining the place active no matter what.��


    ��Tribulations?�� I asked.


    ��Probably the automated system reacting to something it doesn��t like. The cultivators who could answer such a thing are long dead. I was in charge of handling filtration system number 172. While some knowledge carries over, I can��t answer the specifics.��


    ��The books in the waiting area?�� I asked.


    ��They are organized like that to create frustration in our guests. It is polite to provide books and entertainment to guests, but the Soaring Star Society wasn��t the nicest to guests, since they were beneath us. Also, they are organized in some convoluted scheme related to other super-organizations in order to frustrate intelligent people who want to find deeper patterns or meanings. Again, not my area of expertise,�� he replied.


    ��There has to be a way to leave this place?�� I asked. I needed to leave if all of this was going to be destroyed. I took his warning about being killed if I went to the Astral Plane seriously, and going all the way to Chaos was an instant death sentence.


    ��Not that I know of child. Why would anyone want to leave the perfect Soaring Star Society?�� The question was stated with sarcasm. ��Still, your best option is to attempt to reach the ring located in the Firmament once I die. The internal security protocols and other systems will divert energy to fuel the descent of the entire structure into Chaos.�� He reached over on his desk and picked up a pad and handed it over to me. I carefully took it. ��This contains the map of the Infinite Ring Complex. Oh, the energy pumps will stop working so a lot of other systems will begin to fail as well. A complete mess. But there is some hope for you.��


    I listened closely. ��There are escape pods at the edge of each ring complex. They won��t work if the ring descends below the Firmament to prevent Chaos corruption, but you can use them before. Also, you can��t wait until the descent. Once it happens, it will go quickly, and all systems will begin to completely lock up or fail as the different layers cause issues with their design. What works in the Mechanical Layer, won��t properly work in the Firmament and so on. The pad should keep you apprised of any changes to the automated systems running this place.��


    ��Thank you, but why are you being so helpful?�� I asked. This was more than I expected. I knew he said he was close to death, but Nianzu had gone from lecturing to helpful.


    ��For amusing an old man before his death. Nothing more, nothing less. Drink a cup of tea for me in the future, like you would your masters. While you might have spent more time with them, you still lived in the Infinite Ring Complex for a time. At least one being will remember me fondly after my death and the end of the Soaring Star Sect. Ah, one more thing,�� he said, and I listened intently. He grabbed another pad and tapped away at it for a couple of minutes before setting it down with a heavy sigh.


    ��Young cultivators always wanting more. But I understand the drive to improve yourself. I have detached a hyper compressed energy storage cannister for review and testing. It cannot be teleported. But if you want something valuable from this place you can take with you, that is it. Our cultivation path and techniques are useless. The rest is just decorations. If you damage the materials, the defenses will activate,��


    ��The parasite? Will I have to worry about it?�� I asked with a bit of worry.


    ��Will find no purchase with what you have done to your soul. While I wouldn��t say your path is superior, it has not reached a dead end like the path of the Soaring Star Society. The wealth of our super-organization was our unity, our ability to build, and massive amounts of energy we gathered. Other items have been put away into the secure vaults to protect the inheritance of deceased cultivators. These vaults cannot be accessed unless you are a member of the Ruling Council to prevent theft of personnel items. It would have been amusing to give you some powerful weapons or other items,�� he chuckled softly at this.


    ��The look the cultivators of the Heavenly Alliance you would have with an intact Seven Star Battle Golem would be hilarious. We always did like showing the expressions of other cultivators when they had to bow their heads. Ying Sing, truly was the best gossip,�� he trailed off, clearly recollecting the past.


    ��Thank you, Senior Nianzu,�� I replied and bowed my head.


    ��You can take your minions with you or leave them. It matters not. What happens, happens.�� His pad let out a beep and he picked it up. ��And so it begins even before I draw my last breath. A swarm of some kind is attacking rings in the Mechanical Layer. The defenses will only hold for so long. Oh, and take this since I will have no more need to such a symbol,�� He pulled a ring off his finger. I carefully took it and looked it over.


    It appeared to be made of gold and silver twisted togeather and there was no gem. There were tiny stars etched into the metal. It was quite heavy. Looking closer with my eyes there was something off about the ring. It took me a moment to realize that it was made of solid energy. I looked up in shock. ��Hyper condensed energy. The specialty of the Soaring Star Society. The Heavenly Alliance uses old equipment we sold to them for their continents, wishing they could be half as efficient as us. If you cannot reach the cannister I set aside, that ring is quite valuable. It can��t be stored spatially, but consider it a reminder of this place and my help.��


    ��Thank you, Nianzu,�� I said. He gave me a soft smile.


    ��Now that is the best answer. If only we never thought of ourselves as invincible gods. I wish I-�� he then flopped over on his desk face forward. I blinked in surprise at the suddenness of Nianzu��s collapse. I took a moment to process the fact that he had just spontaneously died. There was no coughing, pain, or anything else. He just died. He had control over his biology and there were issues with the parasite infecting his spirit. It might have broken a bit too much and then, he just died. Speaking with me might have also killed him. I felt a bit of guilt at that, but he clearly knew the end was close and chose to speak with me. Or it could have been something else entirely.


    Nianzu��s body was slowly losing energy. I suspected that once it was all gone, this place would begin to self-destruct. Once the automated systems of this place realized he was no longer among the living. I needed to hurry. It was hard to say how long I had, but the time would probably be measured in days or hours at most, not in cycles or years.


    Looking about the office, there was nothing to take of value. The entire place was completely barren. I walked around the desk and checked the drawers. They were completely empty. Nianzu had probably cleaned out everything before the end. Leaving only this ring and the pads he used to control the Infinite Ring Complex.


    ��Thank you, Senior,�� I gave his corpse a bow before leaving the office. The cloaked drone was not present. I quickly raced back to the elevator. Well, I got my answers, now it was time to leave. I needed to get the hyper compressed energy tank and then find a way to the escape pod in the bottom ring that was in the Firmament.


    There was one major choice I still had to make though. Should I go back for the three junior cultivators who had come all this way with me, or leave them to die when this place descended into Chaos? ��Level Two Alert. All personnel please go to red level duty stations,�� a feminine voice announced as I reached the elevator. That was probably the automated system doing things.


    I quickly selected the option for the guest level. Ten seconds later, I was there. They had come all this way and believed in me. I was not about to leave my companions behind. Also they might be useful as distractions and carrying the hyper compressed energy tank. I wouldn��t be able to put it in my spatial storage. I had tried with the ring and it refused.


    The amount of energy in the ring was hard to say, but it was far more than any amount of spirit stones. This was the product of a super-organization, their specialty product. A full tank of this stuff, might allow me to reach the second breakthrough. With this super-organization about to disappear, the value would only increase.

 Chapter 115: Fault Lines

    ��We need to leave now. You have five minutes to pack, quickly!�� Wei, Hai, and Meng quickly rushed off to get their packs and stuff them with food and other supplies.


    ��Level Two Alert. All personnel please go to red level duty stations,�� the automated system announced once more. It was painful that everyone in the Great Worlds was going to die, but this was akin to a natural disaster like a supernova, only greater. There was nothing that I could do for them. The only thing I could do now was try and get that cannister of hyper compressed energy and make it to an escape pod on the ring that was in the Firmament.


    I pulled up the alert on the pad. A level 2 alert meant that there was an attack on core functions of the Infinite Ring Complex and that internal operations had been compromised as well. I looked at the route I needed to take to get out of here and to get the cannister.


    The cannister wasn��t far away, but there appeared to be in a more secure area of this monitoring station. There might be technical issues getting to it as well as transporting it. I would deal with those when they arrived. The problem was reaching the ring and the escape pod.


    It was clearly meant for cultivators to evacuate a ring that was compromised in some way, but not located in a key area. It was like building an oil platform and putting the emergency boat deep under the water where the drilling was taking place, not on the oil platform itself. It wasn��t meant to be easy to access for whatever reason the Soaring Star Society came up with.


    They had probably spent ages coming up with their design philosophy for their home here. Well, their home was in the Firmament and that had been lost along with all the manufacturing equipment. The Infinite Ring Complex was like a skyscraper that had been stripped to the bones. There might be lights and temperature control working, but it was all automated. First the cannister, then getting out of here, somehow.


    The distances looked quite large. Hopefully there would be some way around that. Looking at the route, there were some unclear skips as I scrolled through the map. Best to deal with the issues as they came up, rather than trying to figure it out ahead and get lost.


    This place had a futuristic feel due to all the automation and metal. Still appearances didn��t matter overly much, only the obstacles. After my time in the Forever City I had become inured to futuristic environments. Cultivators, or super organizations at the very least didn��t do anything by half measures when they were building their main base for their super organization.


    While the Great World was larger than the Forever City, it was only a single level, or at least the levels were separated from each other. It was a shame everyone was going to die. But there was no way to evacuate anyone. Even the three cultivators with me were questionable.


    It was sad, but I could only hope the end for everyone else would be quick. How would you evacuate Earth if it the sun spontaneously decided to go supernova? If you were too weak or didn��t have the knowledge, then you would die. Your fate would not be in your hands.


    This was the reason I kept struggling and pursuing immortality and power. There were other reasons, but they had become minor over the centuries. Family, friends, those things faded with the passage of time. No matter how much love and care I had received, time mutes all emotions. If one did not have that drive for power in order to change their destiny, then they shouldn��t bother becoming a cultivator.


    The Not So Immortal Nianzu might have gotten emotional near his death to my benefit. But I saw him as a more cautionary tail than just meddling with Chaos. He had given up. He laid out his reasons, but he had given up. He could have tried to make a deal with the Heavenly Alliance or some super organization. The automated system was very advanced, but you just needed to think outside the box. Instead, he had given up all hope.


    All three cultivators returned after three minutes as the automated system made another announcement. ��With me,�� I said and set off at a quick pace. We had to stop as each automated door took a second to open. We reached the elevator.


    ��Senior, what is going on?�� Junior Wei asked me.


    ��This entire place is about to descend through multiple layers and be utterly destroyed. We need to collect a cannister and then escape as quickly as possible,�� I replied as we reached the elevator. The floor shook slightly. They got on the elevator as I quickly punched in the floor we needed to get to on the display.


    The elevator began to quickly move, while we felt nothing. ��What about the Great World?�� Junior Hai asked.


    ��Everyone there is going to die along with all other Great Worlds. There is nothing that can be done. This entire place is automated and the last Immortal Cultivator in charge of this place just died.�� The elevator came to a stop. We were on the floor labeled System Substation 05. I checked the pad and began following the route it laid out through the corridors to a large room. There were pipes, displays, and golems moving about the place.


    There was silence from the other three cultivators as they followed me. I had just informed them that everything they knew was about to be destroyed. I could only imagine the panic they were feeling right now. At least I had spent a month waiting around before speaking with Nianzu. That allowed all of us time to recover from the trek through the Great Desert.


    We made our way to one corner of the room, where a silver metal cylindrical cannister with formations etched all over it rested. There was some kind of machine it appeared to have come out of nearby. For a moment there was quite a bit of greed in me, wanting to get more hyper compressed energy, but that was the kind of foolishness that killed idiots. Even taking this cannister would be a hassle since I wouldn��t be able to store it in a spatial device.


    The cannister was around my height and half as thick as my waist. I lifted it up and it was heavy. Even with my cultivation, I felt the weight of the cannister. I looked around and saw a hand truck that seemed expressly designed for such a cannister. There were even straps to hold it in place. I maneuvered the cannister on top of the hand truck and strapped it in place.


    ��Junior Meng, you push this. I need to figure out our route,�� I replied while looking down at the pad. ��Follow me,�� I quickly said as everything shook once more.


    ��Warning, secondary intake pump system compromised. Initiate procedure 65. All personnel not engaging in procedure 65, please activate back-up systems and conduct emergency repairs. A Level Two Alert is in effect. Please remain at your red level duty stations while the situation is addressed,�� the automated system said. Whatever all that was, it couldn��t be good.


    I didn��t have time to work out everything on the pad. All I knew was that we needed to hurry as quickly as possible before the long-range travel systems failed. If those went down, then things would become much more difficult.


    Dammit, Nianzu, you couldn��t have lived for another day or so? I mentally cursed the Not So Immortal Cultivator. My conversation had probably killed him. Otherwise, it would have been too big a coincidence for him to die at this precise moment. It was frustrating being rushed like this, not knowing how much time we actually had left.


    We reached the elevator once more and I selected the floor, Ring Transfer Station. ��Elevator has been disabled due to safety concerns. Please wait until system is repaired and safe before using,�� the automated voice said from the elevator display.


    ��Override, it is an emergency,�� I said but there was no response. I looked at my pad and it could interface with the nearby systems. Probably some sort of administrator level access. I frantically began hitting buttons to get through the menus, but they were too complex to work out in just a few minutes. I didn��t want to be holding the pad in my hand as this place fell apart.


    I hit the button to call an attendant on the elevator display. The cloaked five eyed golem flashed into existence nearby. ��We need to reach the escape pod, can you reactivate the elevator?�� I asked.


    There was another tremor while I waited for an answer. ��Please be patient and return to the guest area, we are currently experiencing a Level Two Alert. This situation will be resolved shortly,�� the golem replied. Trying to make it realize that everything was falling apart was not going to work and it might start acting irrationally.


    ��How do I travel there without the elevator?�� I asked. There was another long pause which stressed me out.


    ��Please follow me, I will escort you to the staircase.�� We made our way to the far side of the elevator from the entrance we had come through and the golem waved a cloaked hand. A hidden wall unfolded showing a staircase. That brought back memories of the Forever City. My pad also automatically updated with this new route.


    I looked at my pad and there were options for the golem in front of me. Most of them were symbols that weren��t immediately clear. I spent a minute going through the menu before I finally found the button I wanted.


    ��Administrator override accepted. Please issue commands,�� the golem said, and I smiled as everything shook once again.


    ��Obey the commands in the following order, protect me, follow me, and carry the hand truck with the attached cannister,�� I ordered.


    ��Commands accepted,�� the golem replied and picked up the hand truck.


    I quickly plotted out the route and we began to descend the staircase, which were human sized. I forgot to ask why the staircase in the tower was so large. One of the mysteries of this place that would be lost once it all disappeared into Chaos. Probably another crazy design decision of the Soaring Star Society. The golem fit thankfully and remained behind the junior cultivators who were closely following me.


    ��Senior, how much longer?�� Junior Hai asked, while breathing heavily.


    ��A long ways. But we need to hurry, time is of the essence. This place is falling apart,�� I said. Since the staircase was repetitive I was able to focus on the pad while we quickly descended. This monitoring station wasn��t just falling apart, it was being invaded. There were alerts for the defenses and other systems near the bottom of this place. Certain areas were flashing yellow, nothing was red yet thankfully.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I spent most of my time looking at the commands on the pad. Specifically, the teleporter we were headed towards. Getting stuck at the elevator clued me into the fact that I needed to be able to figure out how to operate the systems controlling this place if it was shut off like the elevator. There was an emergency staircase we could use instead of the elevator, but there was no way we would be able to walk where we needed to get to.


    There were countless icons, that I had to tap and open up, and then more icons. It was like using a computer program for the first time. Some things were intuitive, but the more complicated details weren��t. Why couldn��t the entire thing be controlled by a golem of some kind that accepted verbal commands? Another frustrating design choice, but one that would make it hard for anyone not part of the Soaring Star Society to use their systems if they somehow got a hold of an administrator��s pad like I had.


    Occasionally things shook and there was another announcement from the automated system. It took over two hours to make it to the floor we needed. At least we were going down, not up. The junior cultivators with me were exhausted at the intense pace I set, but we were going to be cutting things very close. I wanted to go even faster, but the staircase prevented such speed.


    Exiting the staircase on the right floor which was labeled Ring Transfer Station. ��This way,�� I commanded. We made our way out of the elevator room into another large curved room. There were elevated platforms with displays next to them. They were for teleporting. I quickly located the one for the ring we needed to go to as the floor shook once again. The lighting went from a pleasant white to a dim red. Dammit!


    ��Level One Alert. All personnel please engage black level protocols. The Infinite Ring Complex will now initiate a cascade purge of all safety interlocks. No further announcements will be given.�� That meant this entire place was screwed just like Nianzu had said. A glance at the alert on my pad and the notation next to it, indicated that every member of the Soaring Star Society was to fight to their last breath and possibly escape as the entire complex descended into Chaos. The bottom levels of this monitoring complex were blinking red when I pulled up the full map. The place was being overrun by something or someone.


    I quickly went to the teleportation platform, but the display was not working. We were just moments too late. There was no energy running to any of them. A major vibration went through the structure we were in and we all stumbled slightly.


    The map on the pad began showing more red and yellow blinking areas. That was not good. Whatever was there was rapidly moving through the station. ��What is happening Senior?�� Junior Wei asked.


    ��This place is being invaded most likely and it is collapsing. I need to focus,�� I replied while I tapped through the menus on the pad for the teleportation platform. The pad was clearly linked into the core of the automated system running this place unlike the displays. That was why it still worked. My hope was I could somehow turn the teleportation pad back on.


    I had found the direct access for the teleportation platform to override the local display lock out, but the entire thing needed power. The change in status had cut off energy to almost all systems.


    Another violent tremor went through the structure as I rapidly looked through the power systems connected to the teleporter. Everything was shut down. I needed to turn on a substation, to reroute power here, but a quick check on the map showed that whatever was moving through this complex had put things on a massive time crunch.


    I heard faint screeching in the distance. I felt my soul tremble slightly at the sound. The cultivators with me took a step back in fear. ��Senior, please hurry,�� Junior Hai said. I ignored him as I kept furiously tapping away. Thank goodness this pad seemed to have complete authority over the complex and the interface was fast. There was no lag or loading screens. The automated system was also working as well allowing me to control things from here.


    ��Sub-station priority changed to the highest level, safety interlocks disengaged, it has power, now to get that power here,�� I muttered as I kept tapping and going through the various menus. The screeching was getting louder.


    ��And done, power rerouted,�� I said while looking at the teleportation platform in front of us which lit up. I let out a sigh of relief. ��Get on, hurry,�� I ordered as everyone took a spot in a different location. I had the golem set the cannister in one spot and get on as well.


    I immediately went back to furiously tapping away trying to set the coordinates. The teleportation platform had been put in emergency override mode, which had overridden the previous coordinates for safety purposes. That way a person had to reset things manually so they didn��t kill themselves. Bricking the teleportation system since it had gone offline, which required multiple safety checks before it could be used again. I had to close far too many tiny screens that came up on the pad warning me about violating safety procedures. The entire floor violently shook and I felt pain in my head as there was another screech. A massive claw burst through the door that led to the passage from the elevator room.


    A giant spider with claws for feet peeled open the doorway as countless smaller spiders poured in. Each of them had a haze around them which made it hard to look at. I only spared them a glance as I kept tapping away. They raced for us and I cursed. There was no time left. I hit a confirmation button and we teleported away in a flash of light.


    We dropped a few feet to the ground with shouts of alarm. I had wanted to directly teleport us to our destination, skipping everything else in-between, but that wasn��t possible. There were too many safety lockouts in place to get us to the ring we needed. ��Get up, we need to move,�� I said. The junior cultivators were bleeding from their eyes and ears. That had been the pressure from that immortal spider that had almost reached us or whatever energy technique it had been using.


    Thankfully without the pad I had in hand, it wouldn��t be able to follow us. Also, the entire area where we had been on the map was now black. That indicated a total loss of that area. There was a reason there were safety procedures in place. It looked like a large chunk of the monitoring station had just disappeared. The spread of flashing red and yellow slowed quite a bit. The monitoring station was no longer a concern, now we needed to get to an escape pod from this place.


    At the moment we were in a resource receiving room near the monitoring facility for the ring we had come from. The one that contained the Great World I had transversed. Not the ring we needed to go to. I checked the pad and it had updated the path we needed to take.


    Looking at the path there was no way we would make it. The connection between rings didn��t exist. One had to go back into another Great World or reach the very edge of the place. We weren��t going back into another Great World. That would take far too long. We had hours, not days. The connection between this ring and the one in the Firmament had been completely locked down as well. There was flashing yellow and red on the map.


    I had teleported us to this location since there was a vehicle used to move resources. What would have taken centuries to cross on foot would take minutes. ��Everyone on the vehicle,�� I said and pointed. The vehicle was a cylinder missing the bottom so it could rest on the floor. There were no windows and two side doors. One to the large storage area and another to the cockpit. The two areas were connected in the interior of the vehicle. The golem carried the cannister into the back of the craft. The entire thing was quite similar to the ones in the Forever City. It probably operated using the same principles as well.


    After getting in the cockpit, I began hitting buttons on the display there. It was locked down for safety reasons. I had to go back to my pad and initiate a local override. I used to mentally joke that the Heavenly Alliance wouldn��t know safety if it smacked them in their face. The Soaring Star Society had gone to the other extreme with their designs.


    The entire ring shook. The display on the pad also turned wavey for a second when the ring shook. I managed to get the vehicle operational. Setting the pad to the side, I left the material receiving location and maneuvered the vehicle onto one of the long empty roads. There were no windows only a display. Setting the location, I wanted the vehicle took off and I couldn��t even feel it moving. We had a couple of minutes.


    Everything shook again, and there was a grinding noise. The display showed the vehicle had moved out of position while traveling and had a glancing impact. I was just glad we didn��t feel the force of that impact. I grabbed the pad again. Various areas were blinking yellow and there were more alerts popping up.


    Gravitational functions were being lost along with other systems. All energy was being diverted to send the rings plummeting into Chaos through the various layers. The Life Lights in each of the Great Worlds had gone out along with the barriers. I pulled up a visual display. The weight of everything was breaking through in places were the structure was weaker or compromised. Water, rocks, and other debris was breaking through areas that still had gravity, taking out even more systems.


    The vehicle shook violently and there was another screeching noise. ��Warning hull integrity is down to 47%.�� A voice sounded from the display of the vehicle. I had to override another safety lockout. Stopping now would be a death sentence. I didn��t even want to imagine the chaos happening outside right now.


    ��What is happening out there?�� Junior Wei asked.


    ��The systems are failing, everything is breaking apart,�� I replied while looking over our route on the pad. Everything shook again. We were about a third of the way to our destination. I had to reroute us around areas that were collapsing, constantly selecting new coordinates for the vehicle, while keeping the destination in mind. At the speeds we were traveling at, one mistake and we could easily reach a dead end or crash into a wall of debris.


    With all the safety overrides I had given we wouldn��t stop unless we reached the most recent destination I had selected. One wrong move into an area that had been compromised and we wouldn��t even have time to realize we had died. I was driving with the map program, having to consult the pad to get a wider view of areas that were compromised, since the display of the vehicle didn��t update.


    ��Senior-��


    ��Quiet, I need to focus,�� I cut off Junior Wei from asking a question. I needed to make sure we didn��t crash. The entire vehicle shook once more.


    We finally came to a stop, having made it as far as we could get safely. Opening the doors, showed a place that had greatly changed. There was also no gravity.


    I froze for a moment and so did the junior cultivators who were exiting as well. In the distance past the cubic structures, there were explosions, fires, debris, and massive tidal waves spreading out over everything. The symbols on the black structures that used to glow blue were now flickering or completely dead. Everything shook once more.


    The outside of the vehicle was heavily damaged, with some of the outside partially molten. Thank goodness the Soaring Star Society overdesigned the vehicle. Perhaps their safety measures weren��t so bad. Looking where we needed to go, there was a massive wall flickering with flickering formations. The edge of the Infinite Ring Complex.


    What had taken centuries, took minutes to cross with the right equipment. I wish I could bring the vehicle along. Something like this was beyond useful for traveling about, but it was designed to work in this place and wasn��t like the craft Yang Heng and I had flown about in.


    I checked the pad and saw the route to one of the escape pods, but also the route to access a passageway that would connect the various rings of the Infinite Ring Complex. Taking the closest escape pod would see me back in the Mechanical Layer where we would find nothing but death most likely. Yang Heng might be able to go into hibernation, but I wouldn��t be able to.


    We needed to get through the passageway. While everything was falling apart, the pad showed that the Infinite Ring Complex was moving very slowly. Not all the rings were working, and they were designed not to fall into Chaos. Also, it was a lot of mass. The display on the pad turned wavey once more. It would be cutting things quite close but we should have enough time to get through the passageway.


    ��Stay close to the ground. If you float off, you are dead,�� I replied. We wouldn��t have time to rescue anyone that floated away. ��Follow me.�� I leaned forward and dug my hands into the ground and began jabbing them into the floor to maneuver where we needed to go. The pad was tucked into my martial robe, so I would have both hands free to maneuver.


    The junior cultivators followed me along with the golem that was still bringing the cannister. While it was tempting to grab onto it and tell the golem to move, I wasn��t sure what would happen. It might move too suddenly which would kill us, or more likely there was some kind of safety protocol in place. Another glance downwards, which was back the way we came, showed the immense amount of destruction spreading.


    This entire place was like a car crash. The frame would be fine, but everything inside the car would be shaken around and messed up.

 Chapter 116: Barriers

    Chapter 116: Barriers


    ��Override,�� I muttered as I tapped away on the pad. The massive doorway embedded into the floor groaned and opened up a fraction. Enough to allow people to pass through. Normally this shaft would be used by an elevator to take cultivators to a different ring of the Infinite Ring Complex.


    Thankfully there was no gravity in the passageway, which would allow us to quickly transverse the passage. More and more portions of the map were either blinking or going black. Perhaps that didn��t mean destroyed, but that the sensors the automated system used were no longer working. Which was close to the same thing, since the automated system was built into the very structure of this place.


    I put the pad back away in my robes and went through the massive doorway. The metal doors had to be as thick as I was tall. Touching the metal, I couldn��t even dent the metal slightly with my fingers. That made sense since it was designed as a failsafe to keep things from passing through if the Infinite Ring Complex was compromised in order to contain whatever disaster occurred.


    They had been closed previously to prevent the beings that had flooded into the portions of the Infinite Ring Complex in the Firmament from moving through them easily. Thankfully there were four different ladders embedded into walls in each cardinal direction we could use as handholds since there was no gravity.


    Everyone was able to get through, even the golem. ��Quickly,�� I said. We needed to transverse this passage as rapidly as possible.


    ��Where are we going?�� Junior Wei asked from behind me as we maneuvered our way through the very long passage. It would take a while to transverse the entire thing. I wasn��t sure on the distance. There were some weird notations on the map. Probably since the passage was built between layers.


    ��An escape pod, and then into the Firmament. Hopefully we don��t die instantly,�� I replied.


    ��The Great World is gone,�� muttered Junior Hai. I could hear the despair in his voice. Well it was either move or die horribly. Who knows what horrible things Chaos would do. Well, the chaos creatures would do, but even naming some of them was dangerous and I did not want to stick around to find out. After everything I had heard from the Not So Immortal Nianzu, that danger had been hammered home.


    The real meaning of what a super organization was, were energy users that could only easily defeat themselves. The Soaring Star Society had far too high of an opinion of themselves, but I couldn��t blame them. Building all of this, their automated systems, cultivation, and everything else showed they were competent and incredibly careful. Until it all fell apart with one mistake.


    Who would have thought some kind of parasite would be able to sneak through and infect their cultivation by breaking itself up into parts, and then creating some sort of time loop where they had always been infected with the parasite. There were more questions I didn��t ask, but I could make guesses about. The parasite was probably a hive mind, waiting until the opportune moment to reveal itself. In fact the three junior cultivators with me probably had the same parasite.


    I didn��t know if I would eventually tell them. That was most likely why there were no humans who were able to break through the second bottleneck. Once the parasite revealed itself, it would probably activate the instant anyone tried to break through. There was also a darker explanation to all of this as well, if killing trillions of people and cultivators wasn��t dark enough.


    The parasite could have nudged the cultivators to set things up the way they did to send the Infinite Ring Complex plummeting into Chaos on purpose. While the layer was called Chaos, it wasn��t chaotic. The beings there perceived reality in different ways. Non-linear ways from what I understood. There was a good chance that the parasite was from a much more powerful being. A being who had arranged everything to send the Infinite Ring Complex plummeting down for only reasons it could fathom.


    Why send it plummeting to Chaos otherwise? Why not have it explode or be crushed under some form of gravity creating a black hole or singularity? Why send all of this to Chaos when they were destroyed by a creature from Chaos? I had lived long enough to realize this had the makings of an incredibly complex plot.


    For old monsters who didn��t care about time, what did it matter if something took trillions of years to complete? That was the mindset of the Heavenly Alliance. Slow and safe accumulation. Even if their power increased slowly, they wouldn��t make a mistake like the Soaring Star Society. For chaos creatures, time was an even more abstract concept.


    It gave me a massive headache trying to understand the fuzzy temporal logic I had come across. There was only one timeline, the timeline we were in, but that timeline could be altered in the past? Like almost all humans, I understood cause and effect. I could understand time loops. But things occurring without any cause, was just frustrating in a way that disturbed me on a fundamental level.


    The parasite caused itself to come into existence. That kind of statement made me want to scream and pull out my hair. It was complete and utter madness. As I maneuvered along the ladder, I tried to focus on something else. But since there was nothing to do but put one hand after another, I had time to think since I had spoken with Nianzu.


    After an hour we had not come to another massive doorway, when there should be nine more. We had barely progressed. I had been looking at the sections ahead on my pad while I had been moving along the ladder, using only one hand to move along and then tap. I tapped the pad to pull up the map, but it didn��t work for a couple of seconds, turning on and off. The automated system was failing. I was able to partially open the massive doorways along with the remainder blocking the passage. Now we had a clear path to the escape pod. I didn��t know when the pad would fail, but there was no way we would be able to cut through these doorways. They were meant to stop beings who could go toe to toe or surpass an immortal cultivator, possibly even Chaos creatures.


    I wasn��t about to break through these doorways. Unfortunately, there was only so much reserve energy to open the massive doorways so much. I was just glad I was able to open them all, if only a fraction. We were going too slow. At our current rate of progress, it would take a year to make it through the entire passageway. Normally there would be an elevator platform that would quickly transition through the passage, but there was barely enough energy to open the massive doorways a fraction. There would be no energy for an elevator platform.


    ��We need to go faster. Golem, can you carry us quickly?�� I asked the cloaked figure as I came to a stop. It took a bit of time before it responded.


    ��That would violate safety procedures. Teleportation systems are currently inoperable,�� it replied. Well that answered my next question.


    ��We need to get through this passage in less than an hour. It is an emergency. Is there a way?�� I asked. There was another long frustrating pause and the passageway shook.


    ��That would violate safety procedures.�� It clearly wasn��t going to be able to help.


    ��Can you follow us if we move quickly?�� I asked while I unsheathed my sword.


    ��Yes,�� the golem finally replied. I looked at the junior cultivators who had come with me this far. I had two choices right now, both of them brought a lot of risk. The first was to try and take them with me, the second was to abandon them. I didn��t like the second option since they had been loyal. But they would not be able to handle the speeds I needed to travel at. One breath and we would die with what I had planned.


    Like a sinking boat, I could only save one person, myself. ��Make your way back and follow the signs for the escape pod for the previous ring,�� I said in a firm tone.


    ��What about you Senior?�� Junior Wei asked. I shook my head. I had been hoping that this passageway was spatially compressed in some, but it wasn��t. Unless I moved a lot faster I would die.


    ��I can move much more quickly, but I will need to be able to maneuver and turnabout in mid-air. Otherwise, I will hit the partially closed doors. We don��t have much time before this place falls apart. While you have been loyal, I cannot bring all of you with me,�� I replied. I kicked off the wall to float to the middle of the passage. I then swung my sword and released enough force to counter my movement, coming to a dead stop in the middle of the passageway.


    There would be no time for any kind of major adjustments with what I had planned. If I had been able to open up all the doorways, then I would have seriously considered bringing Juniors Wei, Hai, and Meng along. They had followed me this far, but that was it. ��For what it is worth, good luck. I hope you survive.�� They weren��t going to survive. Even if they made it to an escape pod, they would be stuck in the Mechanical Layer. That place was desolate, but they might get lucky.


    Saying anything else would be pointless and just create hard feelings. Better to leave so they could figure out what they wanted to do on their own. There was nothing to say. I could see the despair on their faces.


    The energy in the air was not enough for what I wanted to do. I held out one hand, creating a small, curved barrier of energy in the direction I planned to travel. I drew upon the energy in the ring that Nianzu had given me to help fuel the curved energy barrier. It took me a moment to get a handle on what I needed to do, but hyper compressed energy was far better than any spirit stone. I then thrust my sword in the opposite direction of the energy shield. I allowed my thrust to push me through the passage rapidly.


    I thrust the same direction again, being very careful about the angle, so I was heading straight through the passage. That was why I couldn��t bring my juniors along. If they moved or shifted slightly while holding onto me, we would go spinning off into the side of the passage, turning into a smear. I thrust out again and then adjusted and strengthened the energy shield in front of me, which was on fire from the amount of air rushed past, igniting from the friction.


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    I had to keep my body as straight as possible so I could travel as quickly as possible. The air rushed by me and I noted the golem with the hyper compressed energy cannister was right behind me. Keeping up easily enough. A small piece of floating metal struck my energy shield. The shield I had made almost collapsed.


    Raw energy manipulation was a huge waste of energy. It wouldn��t properly protect a person from a directed technique and was incredibly wasteful. But for something like this, where I needed to shield myself from the friction in the air, it was perfect. The shield held but rippled as I quickly adjust my posture. I began to drift to the side slightly. My next two thrusts corrected my movement so I went back to the center of the passageway and kept traveling through the exact center without drifting.


    The massive doorways in this passage were just two giant slabs that interlocked togeather. That was why I needed to go through the exact center. One mistake and I would die, splattered onto the impossibly sturdy metal. The recessed white lighting in the passageway flickered. I was five minutes into my new mode of traveling, but I still felt I was going too slow. I needed to hurry up, but the air friction had grown too much.


    There was a raging inferno in front of me. My thrusting with my sword, would not increase my speed any more than friction was slowing me down. I angled my shield a bit more to reduce the amount of friction. It helped slightly. After ten minutes, I was about 1% through the passageway. I had to carefully pull out the pad and take a look. That was far too slow in my mind. It would take half a day to reach the next ring. The recessed lighting was flickering more and more.


    I thrust out again and sent myself to a slow spin, turning my movement into that of a humanoid drill. While my rotational speed wasn��t that much, it did help. Every bit of speed I could eke out was important. Breathing was incredibly difficult and the heat was oppressive as the burning air rushed by me, but with my cultivation I would survive. Compared to the Great Desert the heat wasn��t anything to be worried about.


    Thankfully the passageway was perfectly straight. I saw the doorway ahead of me, far before I reached it. I was aligned in the center of the passage. Even with my cultivation, passing through the massive doorway only took a fraction of a single moment. I was traveling that fast. The elevators and other modes of rapid travel gave one a sense of security, since there were no external forces acting on you. But this mode of travel was incredibly stressful.


    The golem was still behind me, keeping up easily. I thrust out my sword about once a minute to keep up my speed. There was nothing else I could do to go faster. I passed by doorway number three. There was more debris in the passageway, and I had to adjust my thrusts to keep me centered.


    The lighting kept flickering as I kept up my fast journey. I was going to get out of this place no matter what. I was not going to die after suffering and working hard for so long. Another piece of metal debris impacted off my shield. I winced as it broke the shield partially and a jet of flaming air hit my face before I would repair it. With my cultivation I didn��t take any damage, but I would slow down too much and lose focus on my positioning.


    Both my arms were getting tired, but I knew I couldn��t slow down or take a break. I needed to keep traveling as quickly as possible. This entire place was collapsing apart. I passed through the fourth doorway. Shortly after that the recessed lighting turned off completely. I was traveling in darkness, except for the light caused by the friction with the air.


    It was a huge shock, when I saw my body approaching a wall. I hadn��t angled in another direction. This passageway was bending. I quickly readjusted my position to the center of the passageway. I had to check behind me, using the remnants of the flames trailing behind me to ensure that I reminded in the center of the passageway. I passed through the fifth doorway without impacting it thankfully. I had traveled slightly less than halfway through the passage.


    A loud grinding sound could be heard from all around me, overwhelming the sound of the air burning up. I couldn��t worry about that at the moment. Either I would get through the passageway or I would die. Those were the only two options. I couldn��t afford to focus on distractions. I needed to make sure I remained perfectly in the center.


    I went through the sixth doorway. While I wasn��t able to see it in the darkness, the sound of the air rushing by me shifted the previous times, which was how I knew I went past the doorway. There was still the occasional piece of debris, but nothing major. I wondered where chunks of metal and debris had come from to begin with.


    Looking to my side I thought I saw plants growing along the walls. Yes, there were plants. They made it harder to estimate the center of the passage. I went through the seventh doorway, my shield broke in several places as it impacted plant life, but that only slowed me down slightly. I left a trail of fire and destruction in my wake.


    Thankfully the plant life didn��t get any worse as I continued through the eighth and ninth doorways. I stopped thrusting with my sword to propel myself, in preparation for the end of the passage. Ahead of me I noted that the recessed lighting was flickering. There was a dampness in the air, mold on the metal walls, with the occasional vine.


    This ring had been cut off for safety reasons. I could only hope there wasn��t anything too serious once I exited the passageway. I was quite pleased with myself with coming up with this method of travel. I knew I could readjust my movement in mid-air with a sword swing, but propelling myself with sword thrusts in a zero-gravity environment was inspired.


    It was something to use in combat, not for large scale movement. This only worked since there was no gravity and I could draw on the energy from the ring Nianzu had given me. Even then the entire trip had been fairly exhausting.


    I saw the doorway ahead and water was floating through. That was not a good sign. I turned my body and thrust in the direction I was traveling to slow myself down. I repeated that maneuver several more times. My arm was sore. I floated forward at a decent speed, but not bone crushingly fast. The lighting flickered.


    ��One Swing To Sperate Heaven And Earth.�� I swung and unleashed a horizontal slash. The water in front of me parted, revealing the gap of the doorway. I pulled out a breathing mask from my spatial storage and put it on as I approached the water. I checked the pad, but it was completely dead. Not even a flicker or anything else came up on the display.


    The golem was still behind me. I wasn��t sure how it kept up with me exactly, but its technology and formations were far beyond me. The main thing was that it kept working until I left this place. It was my safety net.


    I passed through the doorway, and everything was water and no gravity. There was some lighting in the distance, but I couldn��t make it out. I also knew where I needed to go. Using my sword, I maneuvered through the water to the edge of this ring. This ring probably already collapsed and the Great World came tumbling down.


    The water was incredibly cold. I would have thought everything would have collapsed into a singularity, but apparently the system that prevented that from happening and the system that generated an artificial gravitational field were separate. That was most likely due to the safety checks of the Soaring Star Society.


    I reached the edge of the ring, which wasn��t that far from the connective passage. I felt a tremor go through the water and ignored it. Thankfully I knew what needed to be done. One of the few areas with a mechanical interlock instead of a formation. I grabbed onto the handle in the wall and twisted. It was hard and I barely managed to twist the handle but I was able to do so. A doorway opened up in the wall in front of me.


    Water began drifting through as I entered the dimly lit service passageway. The golem followed me with the cannister still in hand. I turned to the side and twisted a handle on this side of the doorway and it closed back up. This service corridor of the Infinite Ring Complex used a separate power system than the interior formations. Probably why this place hadn��t collapsed due to how big it all was.


    There was still a ways to go unfortunately, but the worst was over in my mind, along with the hardest sections. Now I just needed to get through a bunch of service corridors and then I would reach an escape pod. I kept my breathing mask on just in case. Since there were plants and water before, I was worried there could be toxic things in the air. While these service corridors were clean, I did not want to take unnecessary risks.


    Everything shook once more but the lighting didn��t flicker. I pulled out the pad again and it was working once more. I guess it could connect back to the automated system managing this place from here. I confirmed my route. It would take about an hour to get where I needed to go.


    These service corridors were black metal corridors with various rooms that had complex formations inside of them managing portions of the Infinite Ring Complex. The Soaring Star Society sure knew how to build a super structure.


    After turning another corner, I came to a sudden halt. The group of five people, three men, and two women came to a halt as well. ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou from the Heavenly Alliance,�� I declared.


    ��A cultivator? What��s that?�� one of the women asked. The energy in their bodies was weird. It was structured into nodes. Combined with that question, I felt a profound sense of worry. These might be humans, but they were from a completely different super-organization, and ignorant as well.


    ��Forgive my companion. I am Alpha Rex Tinari and we are from the Explorers Guild. A bit low level to be in such a dangerous place?�� he asked me. My heart sped up. Yang Heng had waxed quite poetic on the subject of calculators.


    ��Listen Yuan Zhou, calculators are the worst. Cultivation and calculators are two systems of gathering energy that are completely incompatible. While some might lie or make comparisons, they are either idiots or they are trying to trick you. Calculators use beings for their own purposes. While they might grant you rewards, they keep most of their rewards for themselves. And don��t get me started on the people who follow a calculator. They are the most self-centered, egotistical bastards you will ever encounter.��


    Cultivators weren��t much better, since we got the garbage of the people at the top and a calculator was no different. Still Yang Heng was completely opposed to them. Even making a point that I could focus on my cultivation in a more holistic manner and less on numbers.


    ��I have no quarrel with your group. Let me pass, and we can go our separate ways,�� I replied.


    ��Ah, so that is what a cultivator is,�� Alpha Rex Tinari said while looking in the air off to one side. He drew forth a sword and the rest readied their weapons.


    ��Golem, set the cannister aside and defend me from these intruders,�� I quickly ordered. A beam of light shot from the staff of one of the women. The golem had already moved in front of me and blocked the attack.


    While it might be slow to reply, at least it wasn��t slow to act. ��Hyper Blade!�� I heard the clang of metal and screams. I got my sword out and stood ready as the golem ripped apart these people. That��s why you shouldn��t depend on levels or other information gleaned from energy sensing. If that sensing was blocked or hidden then it would leave you vulnerable. That was something I had learned in the Forever City.


    The golem was strong, far stronger than a being with that much energy would normally be. This was due to the fact it was a construct and not a living thing. It had no sense of fear, pain, or self-preservation. The group of explorers stood no chance against such a being. But they had thought they could beat me and their calculator had clearly wanted me dead. There was no love lost between calculators and cultivators.


    There was a large explosion and then the fighting was over. The golem had taken damage, but was still functional. ��Grab the cannister and follow me,�� I ordered. I quickly chucked the bodies and all their gear into my spatial storage. I could sort them out later for anything valuable. Five hands weren��t able to be stored, since they had spatial storage rings on them. I quickly pulled them off their respective hands and pocketed the rings. Something else to take a look at later once I escaped. Everything shook once more.


    I pulled out the pad and everything was shifting more and more. I had several hours left at the very least, which was good. I didn��t want to be cutting things close if I could help it. Last minutes escapes would only stress me out. Better to have as much of a safety margin as possible. I didn��t run across anyone else thankfully as I made my way to the escape pod.


    It was more like an escape yacht, not a pod. There was equipment to produce food, water, breathable air, and scanners for the surroundings. The one thing it didn��t have was a form of high-speed mobility. It had limited mobility. I made my way to the cockpit and began hitting buttons to separate the escape pod from the Infinite Ring Complex. I would not be sad to see the last of this place.

 Chapter 117: Unburdened By What Has Been

    Thankfully the controls were intuitive enough that I didn��t have to worry about controlling the escape yacht. The Soaring Star Society sure liked to travel in style. Looking out the large expansive windows in front of me, there was blackness. Lots and lots of blackness.


    There was quite a bit of room, but I didn��t leave the cockpit in case something happened, or I came across something. The actual Firmament was in reality, incredibly boring. Boring enough that I had a pad open looking through the literature on the escape yacht.


    The highest layer of reality, the Material had bubbles that naturally formed with universes. They had stars, matter, and other things of interest. No one knew what was outside these bubbles, since these bubbles kept expanding until they pushed against other bubbles. Eventually the outer layer would pop and it would all fall into the material. The math notation for all of this was laid out in some weird three dimensional super calculus which I just skipped right over.


    I might be bored enough to read, but to learn that kind of math was asking for my brain to start melting. I only knew it was all math since the literature referred to it as math and I had been brave enough to take a look. It was probably super valuable, but for me, I knew my limits and that kind of math was far beyond them.


    The Mechanical Layer had clouds of gases and background light, since the force of gravity was more of a suggestion and light and heat were more interchangeable than one would think. One of the biggest debates was why some things didn��t break down while other did. Thinking creatures would be fine, since energy would reinforce them, but there was a lot of research done by the Soaring Star Society to understand what were the underlying rules governing the physics of the Mechanical Layer.


    The prevailing and most reasonable theory, was that observations that occurred in the Material and in the Mechanical Layer itself, allowed energy to stabilize areas that might have otherwise broken down. The light and messed up gravity, were physics decaying. There was nothing I could do to test this theory, for or against. It was completely out of my paygrade. I suspected that this material was only included in the escape yacht so cultivators would know what they were seeing and what was going on.


    The Astral Plane was normally viewed as rainbow puke by most intelligent creatures, but this was incorrect. It was the perception of what was going on, translated into a person��s brain. Distance didn��t matter there, but thought. Which was why things got around by thinking for the most part. Nothing moved in the Astral Plane, since there was no space, only the perception of things changed.


    That made absolutely no sense, but apparently that was one of the many plans to protect the Infinite Ring Complex in that layer and chaos. To create a structure that couldn��t be perceived from the outside and had never been perceived from the outside. Since space was an illusion, then nothing would ever run into it in those layers except the ambient energy. The problem was the ambient energy was the problem with the parasite hiding and getting through the rest of the safety procedures.


    ��What do you think golem?�� It didn��t reply. The entire thing had shut down after a day or so once I had departed the Infinite Ring Complex. It was off to one side of the cockpit, folded up, with its black robe draped over it. The hyper compressed energy cannister was strapped into a seat next to me, where I could keep an eye on it.


    Chaos, no one had an idea what Chaos looked like. If someone had seen, they hadn��t shared. Their brains probably liquified backwards and forwards in time. The reading material I had basically said to kill yourself if you found yourself in Chaos to save yourself from worse things. I couldn��t tell if the text was being defeatist, realist, or both.


    That left the wonderful Firmament in all its unveiled glory. Whatever energetic reactions produced light in the Mechanical Layer didn��t happen here in the Firmament. Everything was a soupy cloud of darkness. I checked the display. Yep, I was still in a cloud that was dark, not just empty space.


    The literature had answered an interesting question I had. Why was everything so filled up? The Material at the top was mostly empty bubbles, so how did the Mechanical Layer and the Firmament have so much? The simple answer was that while reality might be built like a cake, going between layers was not simple.


    The Firmament was the dumping ground for the vast majority of all material in existence and had been since reality first existed. Stuff from the Material would burst into the Mechanical Layer. Like a dam breaking down. There would be a massive surge and then it would quickly stop once everything was gone. This surge would often carry over to the Firmament in some way or another.


    Here it all came to a grinding halt. Super organizations existed in bubbles, claiming a territory, and sucked all the energy that came up. Any clear connection between this layer and the Astral Plane was quickly monopolized and guarded.


    Technically there was no free real estate since everything was claimed. However super organizations had basically two zones of control. An inner zone, where they had their bubbles to live in like the Forever City or the continent I had grown up on. Little patches of reality and outposts.


    Then there was the outer zone, which acted as a buffer. Since everything was shifting around in the Firmament far more than the Mechanical Layer, super organizations had a zone that they claimed, drew ambient energy from, but didn��t build anything major. Most super organizations had such buffer zones. That way if two super organizations crossed paths, it wouldn��t result in an instant conflict in most cases.


    It would come down to a matter of energy collection, but there would be no sabotage or attacks. The super organizations would watch each other, but would not take risks in fighting each other. It was rare for one side to have a clear advantage. And even if they did, like with how the Soaring Star Society was wiped out, the automated defenses were still a huge risk.


    Only the really crazy super organizations fought directly. Most of them were content just to watch each other and have scavenging teams traveling about looking for anything of value. Everything was constantly being scanned by someone.


    In the Mechanical Layer, there were just large swaths of gas and empty spaces. Here it was just one large dark cloud of gas for the most part. Currently I was drifting through territory that was claimed by five different super organizations, one of them being the Soaring Star Society.


    Their inner zones were clearly marked on my display. No sign of the Heavenly Alliance. The map wasn��t a recorded one, but one that updated based on what signals these super organizations were sending out. If one wanted to claim territory, they had to state it. One of the few rules between super organizations. You had to publicly announce yourself.


    Tri-irT, Thousand Eyes, Order of Souls, and The Unification were the other super organizations claiming the space I was currently drifting through. No database on these organizations unfortunately. Just that they claimed the area in their outer zones.


    The real danger of claiming too much, was that the entire space became unwieldy. It would be like the continents drifting away from the Forever City. It would be their death. For the most part there was an optimal size limitation based on how a super organization was organized and how it used energy. The other way around this issue was mega-structures, but those weren��t cheap to build.


    Instead of using energy to strengthen yourself, you would be investing that energy into infrastructure. Different super organizations had different ideas apparently. Content to gather more strength and expand slowly or not at all. The bigger one was, the easier to fall.


    Looking at the map, I wasn��t going to get close to the inner zone of any of the super organizations claiming this space. There were countless scavengers from the various super organizations, looking to pick apart anything they came across and infiltrate other super organizations. So, while there might not be a full scale conflict, there were lower level fights which increased in intensity when the inner zones got closer to each other.


    Setting aside the pad I had been reading, I stood up and stretched, rolling my neck. It was boring to travel alone, but there was no other choice. I looked back at map display, the Soaring Star Society��s inner zone was rapidly disappearing from the map. By rapidly disappearing, I meant a couple of pixels every hour or so, which indicated a massive disturbance. The fact that things were changing rapidly was probably sending up alerts to all the nearby super factions.


    ��What do you think mister golem? Will my luck still hold?�� There was no reply. I did have an option to activate a distress beacon, but I was unsure if I should use something like that. The risk seemed quite high, but I didn��t just want to wait around.


    BEEP!


    I nearly jumped out of my clothes since someone was trying to contact the escape yacht. I hit the connect button.


    ��This is Explorer Vessel Seven, contacting escape craft of the Soaring Star Society. Do you require aid?��


    ��This is Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the escape craft. I would be interested in discussing my rescue options instead of just drifting along,�� I replied.


    ��Please deactivate close range defenses and we will bring you into our recovery bay. There is a lot of activity and we wish to remain in stealth,�� the voice responded. I considered the request and turned off what little defenses the escape yacht had. They would only act as a deterrence, and wouldn��t do much against anyone who was determined to get me.


    ��Defenses deactivated,�� I replied. The communication link cut off. Something large was close by, but the weak equipment on this escape yacht was no good. It might be decently sized and comfortable, but it did not have state of the art equipment.


    I made my way to the air lock. Either I was about to be killed and stripped of all my valuables, or these beings were willing to talk. I really hoped it was the second option. I entered the airlock, attaching my mask, and other equipment, so I wouldn��t die if there was no atmosphere or a different type of atmosphere.


    Opening up the outer airlock, I was greeted by a plant based interior. Interesting how a plant based ship was used and not some kind of metal. A woman was walking across the short grassy surface towards the open airlock. I looked around before stepping out. I saw vines moving behind me, closing up the opening to the outside.


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    ��Greetings Cultivator Yuan Zhou,�� the woman said. Woman was wrong though. This being might have a feminine appearance, but they weren��t human. Their face was too narrow, their flesh had a green tint, pointed ears, and glowing green eyes. ��I am She Who Seeks Knowledge of the Explorer Seven.�� Her voice had a musical quality to it before it was roughly translated by my equipment. The first word that came to mind was an elf.


    ��Greetings She Who Seeks Knowledge of the Explorer Seven,�� I replied and noted no one else with her. No guards, minions, or other kind of constructs. Her energy was hard to read as well. ��What are your intentions for me?��


    ��You are a guest. Like all others who are welcomed on board this branch of the Great Tree. Do you require medical aid, food, water, or other sustenance?�� she asked. This being seemed entirely too nice.


    ��Thank you for the offer, but I am fine in regards to my immediate needs. I am more surprised you would be willing to pick me up? And where would you take me?�� I asked.


    ��You are right to be concerned. But we folk of the Great Tree have found that cooperation is often better than discord.�� She Who Seeks Knowledge waved a long thin hand. The green gown she was wearing almost seemed translucent. A table and two chairs formed out of the floor as plants rapidly growing. The chairs were sized for both of us respectively. ��Please sit and be welcomed. I swear that upon my name and this vessel, we will not harm or steal from you, unless you seek to harm or steal from us first.��


    ��I will swear as well on my cultivation that I do not seek to harm or steal from you,�� I replied. She nodded at me, but her facial expressions remained unmoved. I returned the nod and we both took a seat at the table. ��My apologies if I seem overly suspicious, but rarely are beings nice for no reason except their benefit.��


    ��True. We do not begrudge the suspicion of others. But the risk of conflict is high, while we do not require that much to exist.��


    ��Even with such a large craft?�� I asked.


    ��Even with such a large craft. Our ability to manager our material and energy needs is quite advanced. You appear you might have knowledge of what is occurring in the nearby area. We would be willing to trade in exchange for your knowledge,�� she replied.


    ��I know quite a bit of what is occurring. I am looking to returning to the Heavenly Alliance or another cultivation society,�� I replied.


    ��The Heavenly Alliance is unknown to us. As for other cultivation societies we are not welcome. It is a matter of energy use. Many cultivators covet the folk of the Great Tree for our bodily resources. I can sense your surprise.��


    ��That it would seem risky. Using another person��s cultivation unless you are a demonic cultivator. Even looking at your cultivation, I can��t see how I would even use it in such a way, which is why I am confused,�� I replied. ��My apologies, I do not wish to come off as insensitive. I just lack understanding.��


    ��The folk of the Great Tree are natural immortals. Our organs and other parts are coveted for easing the burden on a cultivator if they wish to break through.�� That I completely understood. ��For stronger cultivators, they wish to strengthen their physical bodies or use us as ingredients.��


    ��I see, so approaching any cultivation organization is impossible,�� I muttered.


    ��We can drop you off at a Free Port. We can offer the local currency so you are not destitute and forced to trade at a disadvantage. We can offer local knowledge. Three things,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge offered.


    ��Do you have any knowledge on cultivation? Or suggestions?��


    ��Nothing that would be of use on your journey. Our paths do not cross like that. What do you offer?��


    ��How would we even begin to judge the value of our respective items? Your offers to my knowledge about what is happening with the Soaring Star Society?�� I replied. She Who Seeks Knowledge nodded at this slowly. That was the hard part about bartering without any kind of currency to work off of. It was all about respective value.


    ��How detailed is your knowledge?�� the female elf asked me.


    ��More detailed than anyone else you are going to meet,�� I replied.


    ��We will measure value by using tokens. A full token would be the equivalent to one of your higher ranked spirit stones. Taking you to the Free Port would be free. Knowledge of the situation there would be worth a single token,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge said and set a green metal octogen that was radiating energy on the leaf table between us.


    ��May I?�� I asked and she nodded. I picked up the token and looked at it. The energy density as immense. As much as the ring had been when it was fully charged. ��This is hyper compressed energy, not a spirit stone.��


    ��If you get a strong enough spirit stone, they are the same thing, but yes. Energy is the primary currency of the Firmament. The real challenge is finding a useful medium for such transactions. The tokens we manufacture are quite well regarded since they have been purged of outside influence like that ring you wear. Manufactured by the Soaring Star Society and gifted to their permanent members as a sign of wealth and power.�� Instead of moving my hand away, I held it up.


    ��This Free Port, would it have knowledge on cultivation?�� I asked.


    ��As much as any place outside a super organization can have,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge replied. I considered our discussion so far. While this being in front of me might have a humanoid shape, it was not human. I also had no understanding on how to value my knowledge of the Soaring Star Society. I didn��t have the context or background to understand what these folk of the Great Tree valued in terms of knowledge.


    ��Trust is hard to have,�� I said with a sigh. She Who Seeks Knowledge nodded at this. At least some gestures were common between humanoids or she just might be faking very well. The fact there was no one else in this hanger bay was concerning and surprising.


    ��The Infinite Ring Complex is self-destructing. It is plummeting into Chaos. Based on my estimations, it is picking up speed and disrupting the surrounding area,�� I replied. She Who Seeks Knowledge blinked very slowly.


    ��While I do not doubt your honesty, how sure are you of the Infinite Ring Complex descending into Chaos?�� She Who Seeks Knowledge asked.


    ��The last member of the Soaring Star Society informed me of this, since it was a failsafe once they had all perished to the machinations of Chaos,�� I replied. I noted her entire body tense up and a slight frown appear on her face.


    ��This is very grave news. We have just run our own calculations. The entire area is destabilizing.�� I felt the slightest of forces as the Explorer Seven turning heavily.


    ��Why is the Explorer Seven turning?�� I asked.


    ��We were investigating the surges of energy in the area, especially since the Soaring Star Society was rumored to be undergoing an internal struggle and invasion from nearby super organizations. But the knowledge you have shared, has made us realize the great danger approaching. Our divinations were quickly cleared up, thanks to the knowledge you provided. We would value it at ten tokens,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge said, and I was surprised by that.


    ��You are leaving, just like that?�� I asked and I got a nod in response.


    ��Yes. A great vortex is forming. No, that is the wrong terminology to use, my apologies. Are you familiar with the layers of Reality?��


    ��Yes, we are in the Firmament at the moment,�� I replied.


    ��When an organization drills into a lower layer and their construction fails for whatever reason. You get a great vortex. However we have been observing this Infinite Ring Complex for quite some time. If the other attempts are like a needle or a sword through a piece of cloth, the Soaring Star Society did something far more stupid by creating a supporting structure like a giant pipe.��


    ��But it will all fall into Chaos? Don��t the layers self-repair over time? No matter how big a hole that occurs, it can��t be that bad,�� I replied.


    ��Normally that would be correct. The structure would collapse in the process of creating such a hole. Also such a hole would never extend all the way to Chaos. The Astral Plane at worse. But now the Soaring Star Society has created a massive pipe. Once whatever safeguards exist to keep Chaos out fail, and they will fail, Chaos will travel up the pipe while it is falling through the layers. Creating an insulated environment from the outside.��


    ��And Chaos would rise up out of it, taking down everything nearby,�� I said.


    ��It is far worse than that. The ripples in increased energy nearby are the result of disasters that have not been fully realized yet. Once the energy level rises to a certain point, a paradoxical loop will snap into being, dooming this entire area of the Firmament,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge explained. That did not sound good.


    ��We must take precautions. Take only what you need from your escape craft. The less the better. The rest should be cast off to avoid a link of any kind.��


    ��Is that necessary?�� I asked.


    ��Most likely not, but no chances can be taken with Chaos. I apologize for the inconvenience, but it is a matter of safety. We cannot risk being attacked by such creatures. I swear this upon my life.�� It really was hard to trust, but Chaos was no joke. Also, the explanation kind of made sense.


    The Infinite Ring Complex was stupidly massive across multiple layers. If anything was going to mess everything up, it would be that structure falling into Chaos. Perhaps that was the very reason why the Soaring Star Society planned that in the first place. To drag down anyone seeking to profit off the remnants of their super organization. It was a very cultivator mind set, that if you couldn��t get some benefits, then your enemies definitely weren��t going to get any benefits.


    I got up from my chair and returned to the escape yacht. The deactivated golem would not go into my spatial storage. Same with the cannister. I took a pad with the database on it along with other miscellaneous goods I could stuff away like a pack rat. I really needed to clean out my spatial storage some time.


    Exiting the escape yacht, She Who Seeks Knowledge was still sitting at the table. I was carrying the golem and the cannister with me and set them next to my chair before sitting back down. ��I am done with the escape craft,�� I replied and she nodded.


    ��Your seat will adjust slightly, please do not be alarmed,�� she said. My seat then shifted to the side with the leaf table between us. The escape yacht was as big as a decent sized house. It lifted up into the air and out the airlock that opened up with vines.


    ��I am surprised you are not concerned about me,�� I replied.


    ��Oh we are. But you and your items will be able to fit in a separation chamber. I will be accompanying you,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge replied.


    A platform rose up under us and we began to move into the interior of the plant ship. I was impressed how they had orbs of light growing from the walls. ��What exactly does a separation chamber do?�� I asked.


    ��It will separate us from the Reality around us, creating a break in causality. A potent defense after coming into contact with stuff that can be possibly corrupted by Chaos,�� she replied.


    ��How would that even work? Breaking causality? We are moving through your ship to this chamber, and it had to be built,�� I replied.


    ��A very, very careful application of high density energy. We are considered experts for a reason.��


    ��You want to create a barrier of hyper compressed energy around us, then isolate and filter that energy?�� I asked, trying to get a more technical answer.


    ��Yes. That is the common practice for dealing with such things. The problem is it will only work as long as the barrier is in place. It will ensure that Chaos will not be able to find you even when the Infinite Ring Complex is consumed. The smaller the link, the more energy needed to create a connection for Chaos to reach through.��


    ��This can��t be cheap,�� I replied, and She Who Seeks Knowledge smiled at me.


    ��That is why we are only paying you ten tokens instead of ten thousand for the knowledge you provided. The rest is being spent to pay the massive cost.��


    ��I am lucky then,�� I replied with a shake of my head and the elven woman chuckled musically at that statement.


    ��Perhaps, but the more likely answer is that our divination led us to you, while seeking out knowledge about what was happening in this area. The rest is merely the natural result of building trust and understanding,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge replied.


    I frowned at this but had no plan on complaining. Being picked up by friendly elves since they could perceive information in some esoteric way was not the worst way to be rescued. The platform we were on came to a stop in a white metal room, which was a sharp contrast from the plant life before.


    ��No plants?�� I asked.


    ��It is possible, but not efficient. Our bio-engineering is quite advanced, melding the physical with energy, but some things require a more metallic bent to them. Geometric shapes are quite useful for some of their higher properties. And while we could grow plants in the shape of cubes, it would be offensive to our design sensibilities. We will be here for a short while. Less than a hundredth of your cycles. To save energy, time is being slowed down for us,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge explained.


    ��Your mastery over energy is impressive,�� I replied, not sure what else I should say.


    ��I am curious about your story. You share yours, and I will share mine, let our understanding grow,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge replied. While she might be an inhuman elf, she was certainly pleasant to talk to, not making threats or demands of any kind.

 Chapter 118: A Direct Path

    Chapter 118: A Direct Path


    ��An interesting tale,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge said after I gave an abbreviated version of my history. She waved her hand and two clear crystal goblets formed on the table. A branch lowered from the ceiling and a clear shimmering liquid poured into the cup. I could tell the liquid was incredibly energy dense. ��A drink that many enjoy. Since the energy inside of it is completely neutral.��


    I carefully took a goblet as the elf in front of me did the same. I carefully took a sip. If these people wanted to harm me, there was no need to go to the extent of poisoning me. Either I had enough trust of their intentions, or I didn��t, since I was entirely at their mercy.


    A feeling of freshness rushed through my body as I savored the drink. ��Thank you. This couldn��t have been cheap,�� I observed.


    ��Our expertise is biology and energy. We have had countless ages to perfect such skills. Feel free to ask your questions,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge said. The lack of facial expression was weird, but at least this being didn��t have tentacles or extra eyes.


    ��I am curious why you are so accommodating. Willing to pay me and to treat me as a guest. I know you said this is the philosophy of your people. But I would wonder how you manage to survive in the Firmament for so long,�� I replied.


    ��A combination of our greatest strengths. While we do not claim a permanent location in the Firmament like many other super organizations, the folk of the Great Tree have scattered like seeds upon the wind. While the imagery of a tree invokes steadfastness, it is only our hearts that remain steadfast in our beliefs. And you are put one being drifting aimlessly. Showing kindness, is not the same as showing weakness,�� she replied.


    ��Almost every cultivator would disagree with you,�� I replied.


    ��That is their choice. Just as it our choice to understand the beings we come across. Also, it helps that there are very few things the folk of the Great Tree can be threatened by. And you, young cultivator, are not threatening in the slightest.�� I didn��t know if I should be insulted by that comment or not. I took another sip of my energy drink. It took some restraint not to drink the entire thing at once, but I didn��t want to come across as rude or greedy. After being starved of energy for so long in the Great World, I appreciated every sip.


    ��I am curious about the Great Tree you have mentioned and how you are a natural immortal,�� I stated. While this information wouldn��t help me in my cultivation, I was curious about these elves and their mastery over energy.


    ��The legends of the folk of the Great Tree vary. Some claim that the Great Tree traveled past the boundaries of Chaos to form a new Material bubble. Others claim that the Great Tree ascended through the layers of reality by forming its own bubble that rose up through the layers. Regardless of the explanation, the folk came into being in the shadow of the Great Tree.�� Her musical voice seemed to pick up in tempo slightly, possibly from excitement.


    ��It was a world unto itself. Seven suns orbited the Great Tree, providing light and nourishment.�� Great Tree was apparently not an exaggeration. ��The folk developed in the Great Tree��s shadow, nurturing and protecting us. Great ships, like the one we now reside on were built. So, we could transverse the rest of the Material safely while protecting our immortal souls.��


    ��Then came a war. A war to take our knowledge, our people, and exploit them by those who would only seek to enrich themselves. The war broke the Material bubble and the Great Tree was lost in the layers of Reality. Some say it disappeared into Chaos, others claim it is hiding in a pocket dimension. But we all know that it exists somewhere out there and we search for our home,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge explained.


    ��I am guessing you have no method of tracking the Great Tree. Could you not try to grow another?�� I asked.


    ��Some chose that path. To recreate our home. But such things are not done lightly and they were destroyed. Our strength now, lies in our ability to leave dangerous areas and protect ourselves while we search across the infinite layers of Reality.��


    ��I have not seen this Great Tree, nor have I heard any rumor of it,�� I said.


    ��If you had, that would be most impressive. I personally believe that it has been lost to time itself. Succumbing to some plot of Chaos. That is the end of all things that exist forever. A fate that it is impossible to escape from. One might say it is the very nature of energy itself returning to its source,�� she explained.


    ��I find trying to figure out the reasoning and logic of things from Chaos is a way to give yourself a headache,�� I replied with another sip from the goblet. She Who Seeks Knowledge lightly chuckled at that comment.


    ��A wise insight. Too many forget that as they become more and more powerful over time. Thinking they are above Chaos or can outsmart it like you mentioned of the Soaring Star Society.�� r?����O?bE??


    ��But can��t they get enough energy to eventually overcome any threat from Chaos? Isn��t that the eventual goal of all immortals?�� I asked.


    ��For some. But it is like trying to find the end of the Firmament in a spatial dimension. It is impossible, since it is truly infinite. The stronger you are, just means the stronger the Chaos creature that will eventually come. It is better to live a life you are comfortable with. You seem to be partway to that realization, but you clearly wish to struggle further.��


    ��I have spent so much time reaching for immortality, that I cannot give up. People have invested their hopes and dreams into my future,�� I replied while hardening my heart. So many people had sacrificed everything just for me to be here. Some I cared more for than others, but it didn��t diminish their sacrifice. ��I am curious, what would your path be? Similar to that of cultivators or something else?��


    ��Our path is laid down from the moment of our birth. It is the path of the Great Tree, unique to us. While I can tell you look for guidance, we have none to give you. For us, we naturally beak through to our current state. Like most other immortals it is about collecting energy and utilizing energy at a higher density. That cannister you have is quite valuable. Probably the last cannister like it to exist, that isn��t consumed by Chaos or something else.�� We sat in silence for a bit. She Who Seeks Knowledge was in no rush to speak with me since she had gotten the knowledge and answers she wanted. I was thinking about anything I could ask before I was dropped off and left to fend for myself. Helpful seniors were an incredibly valuable resource, especially one not on a path of cultivation.


    ��There must be some way for me to break through easily?�� I asked.


    ��The simple answer is energy. Lots and lots of energy, Yuan Zhou. While you cultivators might create structures and other such things, those things are meant to help push your energy to higher heights. One could easily cultivate to immortality, if there was simply enough energy. That is why each new child that joins the folk of the Great Tree is so treasured.��


    ��Just lots of energy. No pillars? Daos? Or anything else?�� I asked again. That seemed too easy.


    ��That hyper compressed energy cannister would get you about a tenth of the way there. And such a cannister is incredibly valuable. About ten thousand tokens. Just stuff yourself with lots of energy. About three times or twice as much as you would need if you built structures in your soul.��


    ��Is there an advantage to just stuffing myself with energy?�� I asked.


    ��It is safer. Much safer. As you observed during your time with the Soaring Star Society, they focused on micro cultivation. Such a path will strain your mind. I won��t say it is impossible, but I will say that you will find no benefit there. Using energy on a small scale will make you weak in certain areas. Progressing with energy is like trying to bypass walls.�� She took a sip of her drink before continuing.


    ��Cultivation seeks to build complex ladders and mechanisms to get over these walls. Micro cultivation seeks to go under these walls. Getting vast amounts of energy is barging through the walls directly. While it is much harder, it is safer. You can either get through, or you can��t. But if you climb up an impossibly tall ladder, you will run into trouble. That is why you are lucky for not having advanced your cultivation.�� I considered her statement.


    ��What about going over the wall?�� I asked.


    ��Then you would be a folk of the Great Tree, not experiencing any bottlenecks,�� she said with a light laugh at the end even if it didn��t reach her inhuman face. ��But that has its own problems. The struggle you are going through hardens your mind and spirit.��


    ��It just seems too simple. After everything I have heard about cultivation,�� I replied.


    ��You think too little in regards to the amount of energy needed. And its purity. That is the real challenge. A challenge of wealth and resources. But it would separate your path from the systems that your Heavenly Alliance has put in place. Most likely some karmic debt tied to building that ladder to get over your bottleneck. Most organizations do such things to better control their members and conserve resources.��


    The complexities of cultivation made a lot more sense when put into that context. ��No one as weak as me would travel out through the Mechanical Layer and the Firmament,�� I replied.


    ��It is very rare, but it happens. Anything that can happen, will happen, or has happened already. Reality is truly infinite. I once met another group of folk who supposedly did not come from the shade of the Great Tree. While their origins were unclear, they were different. That much could be determined from their history. The same with humans and other creatures. Understanding any of that infinite, is what keeps me moving each cycle,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge explained.


    ��It is good to stay active. Too many cultivators just seem to give up once they become immortal. Content to laze their days away for all eternity,�� I replied.


    ��Creatures who are not used to immortality often struggle with it. Creatures who gain immortality who struggle too much often over reach themselves and plummet to Chaos. There are many threats in the Firmament, but the most serious of threats kill themselves, since they seek to take too much.��


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ��What of calculators? My seniors have warned me of such things. I am curious of your opinion?��


    ��Another type of existence that should never be trusted. Your seniors were correct in such a warning. Calculators, assimilators, ancients, and replicators are all things that are hostile to co-existence with other paths. They seek to monopolize energy in its entirety, which is ultimately what destroys such things. Unfortunately, such beings will drag everything else down with them. You seem surprised by my answer.��


    ��After speaking with you, I would have thought you wouldn��t put groups of beings into categories? There might be the possibility of understanding?�� I asked. It seemed odd that a pleasant elf like this would speak down on other beings.


    ��Cultivators at least understand and will often speak. While your organizations are highly insular and defensive, they are not greedy to the point of ruin. Calculators want control. Absolute control. Assimilators do something similar and are one step removed from Chaos itself. Ancients seek only to benefit themselves, looking down on everything else. They devourer what is in front of them like a feral animal. While they have intelligence, they seek to consume. You cannot find common ground with your food. And replicators spread out like a tidal wave from wherever they emerge until they are eventually destroyed by Chaos.�� She Who Seeks Knowledge took another sip from her goblet.


    ��I see. Thank you for explaining. Senior Yang Heng said similar things, but they were less clear. But he also advised me from quantifying my energy. Saying it would be a risk and take me down the path of a calculator.��


    ��An over exaggeration, but he is not wrong. There is strength in certain forms of ignorance and methods of understanding. Especially when fighting at the higher levels and utilizing energy. Calculators are incredibly weak in direct combat for a reason. They quantify what they do, focusing on perfect utilization. While their energy efficiency is high, their techniques will struggle when matched. Thought empowers energy. Take your blade skill. When you swing, you think only of swinging and attacking, correct?��


    ��Yes. That was the way I was taught,�� I answered.


    ��That is why cultivators have incredibly high fighting potential. Your thoughts are simple and direct. If you quantified each bit of energy you used and other myriad calculations, you would save energy, the technique might gain a bit of power, but it would be brittle and easily disrupted. The same with your cultivation. If you just stuff your body with energy, that would be the absolute best way to break through. No structures, no complicated procedures, just pure energy and a desire to separate your mind from your physical body. You need nothing else.��


    ��But the cost is higher. Much higher as you pointed out.��


    ��Ultimately it is your choice, and you clearly desired this kind of knowledge. If you manage to breakthrough and run across some folk of the Great Tree, you might think kindly of us instead of trying to harvest our bodies and souls,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge explained. I took another sip of my drink, and it was all finished. I set the goblet back down on the table. I wanted to ask for a refill, but didn��t want to be rude. The goblet was refilled as a branch came down from the ceiling. My eyes widened in surprise at that.


    ��Thank you,�� I said as I took the refilled goblet.


    ��A small thing in order to have a pleasant conversation. A drop in the bucket for the energy you will eventually need. The trick is in the purification process. Separating out any residual thoughts while making it receptive to whomever drinks the liquid. Also ensuring a pleasant taste that can be enjoyed universally. One of the many things I have created over the ages,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge explained.


    I was impressed. Doing something complicated in a quick and simple manner was much harder than an overly complicated process. That was why the Infinite Ring Complex was so impressive. Something incredibly complex, broken down and made simple. The extraction of energy from Chaos.


    I limited myself to a single sip before setting the goblet back down. I would drink through it too fast if I held onto the clear crystal goblet. ��No one else wants to speak with me?�� I asked.


    ��That is my purpose here on the Explorer Seven. Others seek their own pursuits or have their own duties. Many will review our conversation going forward, but there is no pressing need. It is another way we limit infiltration from Chaos. I am the most at risk inside the vessel. Also, most others would not like this separation chamber.��


    ��It is uncomfortable? I don��t sense anything,�� I replied.


    ��Since we designed it properly, I would hope not. But for individuals highly sensitive to the flow of energy, being cut off from the outside can be disturbing. It is something I am used to. Since I regularly have to enter this place any time, we bring anything on board,�� she replied.


    ��You made it sound like my situation was unique,�� I replied.


    ��That was when a determination had to be made on how to proceed. We could have dropped you off at a closer location, with some cultivators, or left you on your craft and then just I would be here. But it is better to create a separation point between you and Chaos since we used the warning you gave to alter our course through the Firmament. Knowledge is dangerous and Chaos is always seeking ways to breach our defenses. A physic echo back through time would be quite risky.��


    ��But that can��t happen while I am in here. How long does this protection last?�� I asked while picking up the goblet again. I couldn��t resist the clear liquid as I took another refreshing sip.


    ��Once you leave, do not count on it. But your immediate past is much safer. Also, short temporal loops are impossible now. This chamber acts as a breaking point in the flow of causality. The mechanisms of such a thing are incredibly complex. One might even call it the pinnacle of energy manipulation. I would put it on par with the Infinite Ring Complex you came from.��


    ��But others have this separation chamber?��


    ��Lesser versions. We have refined our defenses against Chaos for countless ages. While others seek to accumulate power for their defenses, we prefer a more different approach to breaking the flow of causality and dooming this entire vessel.��


    ��Would this have worked for the Soaring Star Society?�� I asked.


    ��That is the true limit of any such defenses against Chaos. If you make a big enough mistake, this period of time in the chamber will mean nothing. But it will protect your personnel items and those you have met. It is often how things are saved when everything else related to them is consumed by Chaos. Again, the mechanics are beyond your understanding, but I would not count on such a thing in your future decisions.��


    Basically, I was protected right now and around the period of time I had entered this separation chamber. But that protection would quickly disappear. I tried to think how that would even work. How would one break the causality with a chamber to protect from Chaos?


    ��How does breaking causality even work to protect me from Chaos?�� I asked.


    ��Chaos propagates through connections. Those connections can vary, but that is how Chaos works. Most of the time these connections are through energy. Following the traces a being would be left behind. A separation chamber like this creates a container of that liquid you enjoy with filtration systems. Anything seeking you will just encounter a sheet of nothingness and be processed into nothingness. There are other factors as well, but that is the one you should be able to comprehend the best.��


    I looked at the goblet in my hand. ��There aren��t Chaos parasites or something in this?�� I asked nervously. She Who Seeks Knowledge chuckled lightly at the question.


    ��No. The Soaring Star Society made its mistake by delving too deeply into the physics of energy. Their very fear of chaos breaking through, created the parasite to begin with, or allowed it to come into existence.��


    ��Wait?! What?! How would that even work?��


    ��Most beings when they think, have conscious thoughts, and then unconscious thoughts. Energy normally doesn��t react to unconscious thoughts. Only in very high densities. That is one explanation of how Chaos creatures come to be. Regardless, by focusing on energy to such an extreme degree, they created a weak point in its use. Using smaller and smaller fractions.��


    ��Like a calculator might,�� I replied, and She Who Seeks Knowledge nodded slightly at that response.


    ��Indeed. Like a calculator might. You get far enough, energy will react to anything. Perhaps the collective fears of a massive super organization. I am sure they did not make a mistake in their filtration systems. Rather, it was their progression of their cultivation and that fear that created the parasite to begin with. One of the cultivators just had to come to the realization that something like that could slip through, and then it did. Energy birthed it into existence.��


    ��But they were all infected,�� I replied in shock.


    ��Because they all believed in the same cultivation method. Their fears gave birth to a chaos parasite, bringing it into existence. All that hyper compressed energy, the perfect breeding ground. That is why the pursuit of even more and more power is deadly and ignorance is important. Going beyond the cellular level while using energy is asking for a disaster to occur.��


    ��But wouldn��t they know about this?�� I asked. It just seemed so stupid and impossible.


    ��Fear is irrational. That is the real truth of Chaos and the higher echelons of power across reality. That is why when you look at the folk of the Great Tree, we do not keep accumulating. Eventually your Forever City will experience such an event when a top tier cultivator gathers too much energy and births an irrational fear.��


    ��That...but...what is the point of it all then?�� I asked with a touch of despair.


    ��Point? Why must there be a point to reality? I can tell you that many look for such answers. But it is best to live a life you enjoy and are content with. It is not something you have to concern yourself with any time soon even if you do break through.��


    ��What about a calculator? Wouldn��t their thoughts be organized enough?�� I asked.


    ��Like delicate glass. They shatter when confronted with the impossible. If they do not shatter, then they will fall to Chaos. Dividing by zero to get an impossibility, which will consume them. The great war for resources and space across the Firmament, it is ultimately a race to defeat. For there is something that has never occurred in the history of Reality. No one has passed through the boundary of Chaos beyond infinite energy to see what lies beyond.��


    ��Not even the Great Tree?�� I asked.


    ��Most likely not. Some would like to think so, but that is their hope speaking, not objective observation. But that is why we folk of the Great Tree drift along. We have told this to any who will listen, but everyone wants more power. Thinking they will be the ones to defeat Chaos. To go past a threshold in energy and be able to protect themselves.�� She let out a soft sigh.


    ��But once it is dense enough, a Chaos creature can directly be born. And they are destroyed.��


    ��What if they gather energy in a separation chamber like this? Build multiple separation chambers, one inside another?��


    ��It would only delay the inevitable as Chaos would find a way. Their fears would consume them. Even if they purged their fears, their thoughts would betray them. If they had no thoughts, then they would not be able to control their energy.��


    I needed time to process all of this. I was feeling overwhelmed after everything I had learned recently. While I wanted to believe She Who Seeks Knowledge, this elf was ultimately not a human being and had an alien thought process. Her explanations differed from Nianzu and Yang Heng. Neither of whom had mentioned this fact about energy density at the higher levels.


    None of that concerned me. It was interesting to know, and I appreciated the knowledge, but it was ultimately a distraction. I had come too far to give up on immortality now. I needed to keep moving forward. After that, well I would have all the time I needed to make informed decisions.


    While She Who Seeks Knowledge spoke with certainty, so had the other seniors I had spoken with. Was she any more credible than Yang Heng or Nianzu? It was hard to say. While I appreciated the additional perspective, it was most likely colored by her experiences.


    These elves clearly didn��t move to gather more power, more energy. Content with what they had. But they didn��t appear to have a large population. Only meeting with one elf and her comments seemed to confirm this. She said that her population was limited by the amount of energy available? So why not try and get more?


    There were more complex questions that revealed cracks in what she had told me, but I had no intention of asking about. These elves weren��t carefree, but they had a completely different outlook on reality compared to anyone else I had met. I wasn��t going to complain since they were helping me, but if She Who Seeks Knowledge was any example, I didn��t trust them.


    They would share knowledge, but they wouldn��t elaborate much on their background. Just drifting around the Firmament searching for their Great Tree? That just seemed contrived after a certain point. How long could a group even search for before giving up?


    While they might be immortal, I suspected there were other reasons for what they did and how they acted. No culture was a single monolith, especially a group that that had reached the level of energy manipulation that they had. I wasn��t sure if they should be categorized as a super organization, but they were certainly contenders for such a label in my mind.

 Chapter 119: A Different Mindset

    ��And now we have arrived,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge said. The trip seemed far shorter than I had thought, but clearly there was some kind of temporal manipulation going on like she had stated with the separation chamber or the Explorer Seven was much faster than I thought possible. With energy, both options weren��t out of the question. ��Once we dock with the Free Port you shall be allowed to freely depart. Until then, I will explain what will happen. We have an understanding with the Administrator of the Free Port.��


    ��Does the place have a name?�� I asked.


    ��Too many to bother with like all Free Ports in the range of languages spoken. The simple fact is that Free Ports are locations where there is a single strong Administrator and people are free to trade under its protection.��


    ��And who or what is the Administrator of this Free Port?�� I cautiously asked.


    ��A limited calculator. Like most administrators that govern such locations. A living being would find it too tedious. A true calculator would invite trouble and competition. It is more of a clockwork mechanism that is very good at pattern recognition,�� she replied.


    ��A computer program without sapience?�� I asked, a bit confused, what she was trying to describe.


    ��Something like that. But for your purposes it is the controlling entity of the Free Port we are arriving at. We arranged to go to this specific Free Port for you, even if it was a longer journey requiring more energy, as thanks for your warning,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge inclined her head slightly towards me.


    ��My warning doesn��t seem like much,�� I replied.


    ��We value information on its merits, not on the threat or power of the source of knowledge. Knowing the Infinite Ring Complex was plunging into Chaos saved us and Explorer Seven. Do not concern yourself with our decisions. For those that are kind, we return kindness. For those that are hostile, we leave them to self-destruct. That is the way of the folk of the Great Tree,�� the elf said.


    I was sure there was some hidden agenda. Meeting genuinely nice beings who were powerful seemed like an impossibility. But they clearly had methods beyond my understanding. They clearly used a technique they referred to as divination to find me to get information about the Infinite Ring Complex.


    As I had found out in the past, it wasn��t what you knew, but who you knew that had a greater impact. There was a high chance that the defenses of the Infinite Ring Complex would keep them away or make understanding what was happening incredibly difficult. Backtracking back through the entire complex to the control area where Nianzu had been would be impossible.


    It was to their advantage they had found me. While it was tempting to try and leverage my knowledge for more than what they had given, I was at their mercy. This elf was killing me with kindness. But I suppose when you have reached the limits of your power you would value knowledge over trying to dominate others or increasing your own power. This being��s mindset was throwing me off and the fact I had only spoken to her and no one else.


    Regardless of what had happened, it was time to focus on the future and where they would be dropping me off. ��Why is this Free Port better than the others?�� I asked.


    ��The Administrator manages two discrete spheres. The outer sphere is much more dangerous and where people above a certain strength like myself may visit. Then there is an inner sphere that only allows weaker individuals like yourself. My understanding is that the Free Port was set up like this to prevent conflicts and thefts.�� I wanted to reach for my goblet, but I had long since emptied it and had not gotten any more refills.


    ��If the Administrator blocked everyone above a certain strength, then no one would visit, and it would not be a Free Port. However, allowing beings above a certain strength to move about freely would create easily avoidable conflicts and allows for trade to occur,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge explained while I listened closely.


    ��What level of strength is the division done at?�� I asked.


    ��For yourself it would be your final breakthrough and reaching immortality. The ambient energy will be around what you experienced in the Mechanical Layer, but the Free Port��s safety is guaranteed. With the tokens we have given you, you will have more than enough wealth to see yourself live comfortably for the rest of your life.��


    ��But not break through. Could you give me enough energy to make that happen?�� I asked. It was a big ask, but I had to. It would solve all my problems. The elf shook her head slightly.


    ��Your help is valuable, but nowhere near enough. That is also part of the philosophy of the folk of the Great Tree. We will not help or hinder someone becoming more powerful. We will trade, purchase knowledge, but we will not invest in people or organizations not our own.�� I contained a sigh of frustration at that answer, even if it was understandable.


    ��There is nothing I can offer to change your minds or that of your superiors?�� I asked.


    ��Unfortunately, not. You are not one of the folk of the Great Tree. While you have been helpful, we are being more than fair in your compensation. Let us focus back on the Free Port. Do not break the rules laid out by the Administrator and adhere to all dealings you agree to with it.��


    ��What are the rules and how are they enforced?�� I asked. If I was going to be governed by a computer, I needed to know how I was going to be governed.


    ��Do not hide from its sight. Do not damage the structure. Do not harm, steal, or fight other beings. Those are the only rules. While they might seem simple there is a hidden complexity. Agreements between beings are done through the Administrator, and failing to adhere to them will be considered theft. You can end up in slavery if you are not careful. While you won��t be physically harmed, if you don��t complete the tasks you have agreed to, then the Administrator will kill you. It is unyielding and strict, which is why it is trusted.��


    ��And how are the rules enforced? Golems?�� I asked.


    ��Yes. Something similar to that. The Free Port is incredibly large, but most of them are in order to accommodate the massive flux of beings passing through. You can go to the outer sphere, but the Administrator has a harder time enforcing the rules there due to the increased strength of the beings present. But it is your choice on where you go.��


    ��And you have an understanding with this Administrator?�� I asked.


    ��We and our people are known to it. It will hold messages on behalf of our ships and alert us if any news of the Great Tree passes through the Free Port. The deals do not have to be fair. I suggest you gather your bearings when you arrive before committing to any trades or exchanges. Read any contract carefully. In time you might gather enough wealth to advance,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge explained.


    ��A lot of beings stop at this Free Port? How big is it?�� I asked.


    ��Two spheres around an enclosed star. Compared to your physical size, it is beyond massive. The Administrator won��t say, but it is speculated that some ancient race built this massive station with the help of the Administrator and then the bubble in the Material layer broke, sending the Free Port all the way to the Firmament. It is possible. Now there are beings who have come and gone, super organizations have trading outposts, and the inner sphere would be on par with the size of your Great World.��


    It sounded like a Dyson sphere, two Dyson spheres. They were structures that would be built around a star to capture its entire output. I remembered reading about long ago that if one was built at Earth��s orbit, the inner surface area would be approximately 600 million times the size of the planet.


    That would be massive. No wonder why the entire place needed some kind of computer program to run the entire thing. And there was a second Dyson sphere as well outside the first. The sheer scale was mind boggling, but now I knew that it should be possible to gather enough energy to break through in the place. The hard part was that everyone else would be trying to get energy for similar reasons.


    ��The place must wear down over time, how is it even maintained and why don��t super organizations target this Free Port?�� I asked.


    ��The safety of the Free Port is small since it doesn��t occupy much space in the Firmament and doesn��t have very large borders. It drifts past other super organizations. Most prefer to have it in place in order to sell excess goods, gather knowledge, or send members of their super organization out beyond their borders. Also its defenses are immense and it isn��t worth the headache of conquering it to the amount of energy present.��


    That could easily be another reason to push the more powerful beings to the outer sphere. They would act as a line of defense if there was an attack and it would discourage individuals pushing forward into the inner sphere. ��Getting material is just a matter of processing all the gas out there in the Firmament. Almost anyone can do it if they have enough knowledge and energy. That brings up the next most important thing about this Free Port.��


    I nodded to show that I was paying attention, since this information could be the difference between life and death. I wish I had gotten such a similar introduction before heading to the Forever City or the Great World. Bones had helped with the Forever City, but it was still a nightmare and a shock seeing the place for the first time.


    ��The Administrator hands out tasks for beings to complete. While it has drones it controls, it uses an incentive system and its own internal currency to employ beings to handle things on its behalf. The Administrator could easily run the entire Free Port without anyone present, but it is speculated that it was designed to be a place for various beings to come and work and for the Administrator to act as a caretaker program.��


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    ��Is there enough energy there to advance?�� I asked.


    ��Yes. It is probably the best place to gather up raw energy to break through. If that fails it is the most likely location you can book passage back to the Heavenly Alliance. While there is no scheduled transportation between the Free Port and most super organizations, such a thing could be arranged,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge answered.


    This seemed like the best place to go to. I was still suspicious, but there was nothing I could do. I was at the mercy of this elf. ��You mentioned we are here? How much longer until we arrive?�� I asked.


    ��We entered the inner marked territory of the Free Port. That means traveling at a slower speed than we normally do. The shockwave and other defenses we employ would create too big a disruption otherwise. It will not take long. Once we reach the Free Port, I will escort you to the airlock of Explorer Seven with your goods.��


    ��The atmosphere there?�� I asked.


    ��It would be breathable for someone of your ability, but a bit thin with a less than optimal composition for a regular member of your species. Neck, eye, and ear translators are provided for free by the Administrator.�� That was nice, but it was probably to reduce fighting from beings not understanding each other or using substandard equipment.


    If there was a being that had to wiggle its tentacles to communicate, then something more advanced would be needed. By the description of this place, it was probably a dumping ground costing through the Firmament.


    Super organizations that fled and had nowhere to go, probably went to this place. The population of various species could easily be controlled by economic pressure. If a species was breeding too fast or using too many resources raise the costs of the local area and reduce supplies. Charge money for migration.


    ��Is there a basic tax for food, water, and air?�� I asked.


    ��Yes. You can pay in advance though. One token will see your expenses paid far more than you would live as a mortal. Gathering enough wealth to advance will be difficult, but it is possible. Based on what you have told me, you clearly enjoy trading and business. This place should fit your requirements.�� Again, this elf was being way too nice, but I had no doubt she would say it was the way of the folk of the Great Tree. Or she might say since I needed to be dropped off and I had helped them, they would make sure I wasn��t screwed over.


    No matter how much I thought over the situation and how consistent this being��s actions were, it still felt weird. I guess it was because I couldn��t see myself doing the same thing. I might pick someone up and thank them, but I wouldn��t help them out to this extent. Saving my life should have been more than enough to balance the scales between us, but these elves clearly considered such a thing a natural thing to do.


    I could appreciate the kindness being done for me, even if it made absolutely no sense. I really had been around other cultivators too long, since I looked at everything in terms of costs and benefits. That was part of the struggle of cultivation. If you weren��t looking for every opportunity to advance, you would never make it to immortality. Or if you did make it, you would be owned by some faction or organization.


    ��How is the Free Port laid out? Is it one big city?�� I asked.


    ��The both spheres have two levels each. The inner sphere��s inner layer is devoted to manufacturing, equipment, and other processes the Administrator uses to keep everything running. The next layer of the inner sphere consists of farms, housing, and cities. The Administrator hires beings to manage the farms and then uses the crops in a variety of ways to help maintain its infrastructure.��


    ��Why grow things? Couldn��t it process everything from the gas in the Firmament?�� I asked.


    ��It is a caretaker system. Many of the choices of the Administrator are illogical from the point of maximizing resources, but it clearly has a different focus. One of maintaining and stability. This makes it one of the best Free Ports in the Firmament that is known to us,�� She Who Seeks Knowledge answered.


    ��The outer sphere has a trading level, where a tremendous amount of goods pass through, and then the defensive and docking level on the outer level of the outer sphere. While most of the weapons would be considered crude by our standards, they are still dangerous and powerful due to the sheer number of them.��


    ��Is the place ever attacked?�� I asked in concern.


    ��It happens. But the Free Port has weathered such occurrences in the past. That is why it still exists. It has saved up a tremendous amount of critical resources and can process a tremendous amount as well while defending itself. It is able to fight on the level of replicators if necessary.��


    ��I am surprised this Administrator has remained stable for so long. There is no core that is about to break down?�� I asked.


    ��It is a distributed system across the entire structure. How it handles the massive computational load is not something that I would be able to explain in detail. The best guess is that it manages things in sectors and transfers information between instances of itself between those sectors as necessary. Most beings live and die in the spheres without ever moving that far from their homes.��


    That sounded depressing, but it really wasn��t with how big every was. Four levels of Dyson sphere meant it was huge. And She Who Seeks Knowledge most likely meant levels as divided areas of the structure, not levels as in floors. I could easily see each level being several stories tall in order to prevent claustrophobia and better air circulation.


    A massive mix of civilizations from countless eons trying to coexist. No wonder why the rules were so simple and clear cut. While there were clearly complex applications of those rules, they weren��t meant to be convoluted or tricky. It was also interesting that the Administrator didn��t guarantee the welfare of any being that was living there. It was clearly a work or die type of situation.


    As for the farms, food, and water there were probably complex calculations and it made sense that everything was managed in sectors. You would have several light minutes between one side of the Free Port and the other. This wasn��t like the Great World that had the Life Light which was artificial in the sky.


    No, this place used a real star and some complex system to keep it at the desired strength despite the age of this place. Most likely some kind of energy technique so the star didn��t burn out. ��What about the temperature?�� I asked.


    ��You would find it quite cool, or cold. Not freezing, but only slightly above that. Most likely whatever creatures the place was originally designed for came from a colder place with a tinner atmosphere.�� That most likely meant a smaller planet of some kind. ��The gravity is the standard used almost everywhere. But some sections of the station are adjust slightly differently. Not a huge amount, but the Administrator will adjust some minor settings if enough of one type of being lives in that location.��


    That meant it was probably like a wall thermostat. It was mostly a placebo effect. It made me wonder how civilizations would handle each other if they couldn��t fight or kill each other? With everything being monitored, it was probably a bad idea to try and get around the laws of the Administrator. A perfect example would be hiring someone to break these laws.


    With no one to answer to, the Administrator held absolute power over everything, and She Who Seeks Knowledge clearly portrayed it as an unfeeling system, which made the beings like it. While I could see that being a good thing, that was only if you were careful and didn��t break the laws accidentally. Once I arrived, I would have to spend my time understanding the culture of this Free Port.


    It no doubt would be a hassle, but I had done so before I would do so again. ��We have almost arrived. Come, gather your belongings and I will escort you off the Explorer Seven.�� I picked up my golem and hyper compressed energy cannister and followed the elf through the ship.


    ��I won��t be meeting with anyone else?�� I asked.


    ��No. While our interactions were monitored by the others, they do not share my joy of greeting other beings in our travel. That is why I handled our interactions. Also it helps prevents confusion and misunderstandings.��


    ��Thank you for your help and rescue. I don��t know how long I would have managed out there or avoided Chaos for if you hadn��t found me,�� I said. It felt small but important to thank my hosts.


    ��It was a pleasure. You were a wonderful guest. If only everyone and everything we came across was so agreeable and helpful as yourself, then the Firmament would be a much brighter place.��


    ��You would think that cooperation and understanding would win out over time across the Firmament,�� I replied.


    ��And then you have an accident like the Soaring Star Society dooming everyone and everything. That is why the folk of the Great Tree choose stand alone and limit our interactions with others. It can be frustrating at times, but it has done well to protect what remains of our culture where so many countless others have disappeared over time.��


    It truly was an alien perspective the elf had. While the words were translated there was a lot of historical and cultural subtext that I was missing. But that was not my path. While ours had crossed, these elves clearly wanted nothing more to do with me. They wouldn��t maroon me someplace where I would quickly die, but they weren��t going to help me anymore than they thought they should.


    While I appreciated the lift, it was frustrating to be so close to my goal yet still so far. While the trek through the Great World allowed me to expand my horizons and return to the Firmament, my cultivation had remained stagnant and I had lost a lot of time. While I had gathered some valuables, they were nowhere near enough.


    It was a shame I couldn��t have gotten several more cannisters of hyper compressed energy from the Infinite Ring Complex. Nianzu should have arranged an entire pallet, not just a single cannister. It was frustrating to lose out on all that possible wealth. While I had barely escaped with my life, it was frustrating to lose out on so much.


    Now these elves wouldn��t help me either. While it was wrong of me to expect a hand out, my goal felt just out of reach and I was unable to grasp it. At least I was still alive. As long as there was life, there was hope. That was the most important thing.


    As for everything else past immortality, I would worry about all of that once I reached that point. I would have the time sort things out and gain more energy to improve myself. I would heed the warnings I was given, but there was clearly a large gap in terms of knowledge and power between different immortals. Standing at the top of such a power structure would truly let me make my own choices and control my own fate.


    That was what was truly bothering me about everything I had experienced. The lack of control I had. While I had made decisions that impacted things, there were too many occasions where I was nothing but an observer. I didn��t like that.


    ��I hope you had an enjoyable trip?�� She Who Seeks Knowledge asked me.


    ��Yes, it was quite enjoyable. Thank you again for your hospitality and dropping me off somewhere hospitable,�� I replied.


    ��I know you do not understand us folk of the Great Tree, but that is fine. True understanding is not required, only the willingness to work for a common goal combined with mutual respect. While it may seem foolish to say that as the more powerful party, it is our belief.��


    ��That makes such a belief all the more valuable, since such a belief system has its downsides,�� I replied.


    ��That it does, but we are but voyagers along the river of our own fate.�� I frowned slightly at that saying. I didn��t like thinking about having my fate controlled. I liked to think myself in charge of my future. Even if I made bad choices, they were still my choices to make.


    ��Lack of agency is the sin of the weak,�� I said contradicting my host. While it was a bit rude, I knew that She Who Seeks Knowledge would appreciate a saying back. After our long conversation I had a better understanding of her personality. She liked twists of language and understanding, while I preferred directness and clear explanations.


    She had been humoring most of our conversation, but the parts where she talked about herself or her people made this evident. It was like original texts I had read about cultivation. There were some flowery texts while others were all clear cut. Creativity versus cold hard math and logic.


    ��True. Now we are here at the airlock and it is goodbye Cultivator Yuan Zhou. You may call yourself a friend of the folk of the Great Tree if you ever run into more of my people. It is doubtful, but anything that is not impossible will eventually happen across the Firmament eventually,�� she said. The plant door behind hissed open revealing another door. Either I was about to be ejected into space and killed or this was a polite goodbye.


    ��Goodbye She Who Seeks Knowledge,�� I said and entered the airlock. The inner door closed and then the outer door opened while I braced myself for death or something else. Thankfully it wasn��t death, but rather what could only be described as a massive complex that would take a while to appreciate as I stepped off the Explorer Seven. I was glad it wasn��t death and my last moments weren��t having my amazement in the kindness of others crushed.

 Chapter 120: Settling In

    Looking up above me the ceiling had to be at least 10 meters or 32 feet above me. There was soft white lighting everywhere. Not too bright like the Life Light of the Great World. The space I was in appeared to be some sort of large empty cargo area, since it was just a large empty space with metal doors on the various walls. There were no windows, writing, or displays.


    ��Greetings,�� a reflective silver egg that was twice the size of my head lowered down from the ceiling in front of me. The voice sounded human which was surprising. I had been expecting something robotic. This silver floating egg was very smooth and advanced looking. Still it made sense for how long this Administrator had been around. It wouldn��t use something cheap to communicate with others while making it clear that it was the Administrator.


    ��Hello Senior,�� I hesitantly said, not sure of the proper protocol.


    ��I am the Administrator of this Free Port. You can address me as Administrator,�� there was no mouth or other features on the silver egg. It wasn��t reflective, just a blurry polished silver. There was no energy use in it either. I set the golem and the cannister I had brought along with me down on the floor.


    ��Thank you for allowing me to enter your Free Port Administrator,�� I said with a deep head bow. I had no idea how powerful this thing truly was, but there was no need to give offense. I did note that it was talking to me in the language of the Heavenly Alliance.


    ��The folk of the Great Tree informed me of your situation. However, I must go over the rules that govern this Free Port. While it can be frustrating, ignorance is not an excuse to break the laws that govern this place.�� I nodded at this statement from the Administrator. ��No murder. No stealing. No damaging the structure of the Free Port. No attempting to interfere with my functions.��


    Those rules were simple enough on their surface, but I knew there would be nuance to them. ��I am free to travel?�� I asked.


    ��If an area is restricted you will be informed. But the vast majority of space is unrestricted for movement. Long term occupancy of certain structures can be purchased. Just be aware that I am always watching. A guide should be arriving at your location shortly. I however greet all new arrivals that arrive at the Free Port to inform them of the rules. And your guide is now here,�� the door across the empty area opened, and a human cultivator came through wearing martial robes. I was shocked. The silver egg rose up towards the ceiling and disappeared through a hatch.


    ��Heavenly Alliance, right?�� the young man asked me. He was dressed in a martial white robe. While age could be deceiving, he appeared to be a young teen.


    ��I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou,�� I replied. This young man��s cultivation was less than mine, barely anything, which was another reason why I considered this person young.


    ��I am Bai. Come on, grab your stuff, I will get you sorted out,�� he said. He was being incredibly casual by not using a term of respect for me or bowing. I wasn��t sure if this was some weird cultural thing about this place or if he had some powerful backers. I picked up the golem and the cannister and followed him.


    ��Does the Heavenly Alliance have an outpost or embassy here?�� I asked as we made our way across the large empty area to the door Bai had come through.


    ��Nah, we are just the descendants of people left behind in various conflicts that ended up here. They had children, then those children had children, and so on. Most of the immortals have left due to the increased expenses. Now we are just one of the many societies of the Sphere. That��s the inner part where people live, the outer part is the Free Port,�� Bai explained. I thought they were called the Inner Sphere and Outer Sphere, but I would take believing a local over second hand information.


    ��I am surprised the Administrator didn��t show me around, why you?�� I asked trying to understand what was going on.


    ��Luck of the draw. Meet and greet jobs are the easiest, and they pay well. Ah, how much do you know about this place?�� Bai asked.


    ��Only some basics, not much,�� I replied. More information was never a bad thing. We reached the door across the large empty space, and it opened into a short hallway. After passing through we came to what could only be described highway. There were a large number of vehicles floating above the ground carrying a range of beings and goods zipping past. The strangest part was the lack of sound. I noticed there were colored markings on the ground but no labels.


    ��Well welcome to the greatest Free Port of the Firmament controlled by the ever watchful Administrator. A small detour of a few minutes but seeing one of the main arteries of this place with your own eyes is always interesting. Come on, follow me while I explain,�� Bai said, and I nodded like a bumpkin. I had expectations of this place, but it was surprising. We made our way on the walkway to the side of the twenty-lane highway.


    ��The Administrator hands out jobs. Every living being in the Free Port is guaranteed work to pay off its living expenses once they come of age. For humans that is six cycles old,�� Bai said. I noticed he used the word cycles instead of years. That was a sign he was from the Heavenly Alliance more than anything else. The fact a similar method of time keeping was used.


    ��That young?�� I asked in surprise.


    ��Well the living expenses are small, but everyone works, or at least has to pay their way. Most communities will pay beyond this period. I am covered until I am twenty five cycles, but it is never to soon to earn some units, that��s the currency,�� Bai answered as we reached a set of doors to the side of the walkway. We entered, went through a hallway, and then were in another large room, but this place had a lot of shelves and various goods on those shelves.


    ��Couldn��t the Administrator do everything?�� I asked.


    ��It can, but it doesn��t like to. It tries to not interfere as much as possible. Some say there are computational limitations. Others say it was designed that way. Regardless, the less you see of the Administrator, the better. If it decides to act, well it is not a good thing. Don��t break the rules,�� Bai said.


    ��They are simple, but they have to have nuance. Like training techniques wouldn��t be considered fighting, or spars?�� I asked.


    ��You are talking about exceptions. Well, don��t worry. We will get you sorted out with the basics. One interlink pad that connects to the main database of the Sphere. But everyone calls it a pad,�� Bai pulled a pad off a shelf and held it out, but both of my hands were full. ��Ah, sorry. Let��s get you a cart to put your stuff on.�� We made our way back towards the entrance we had come into this space from and there was a small pushcart. I put my stuff down on it after Bai suggested I do so and took the pad.


    ��This pad will only work if you are holding it,�� Bai said. I tapped on the screen and there was a search option, an app option, settings, a store, time, and a messaging function. It was basically a large smart phone that was the size of two of my hands put togeather. ��You can add on additional features through this icon,�� Bai began to explain before I cut him off.


    ��I know how these things work. There isn��t a more user friendly or smaller version?�� I asked.


    ��If you want to purchase them. I have the eye overlay myself. But those require a lot more steps and units. I am just getting you set up with the basics so you can handle things yourself. Also, don��t lose your pad. You need it for everything. It will act as your ID in the Sphere. If you get something new, you can transfer your settings over. The Administrator makes sure it is user friendly. Now come on, let��s get you the rest of your stuff,�� Bai said. I tucked the pad away in my robe.


    ��Translation glasses and ear pieces. You will need these if you travel about,�� Bai handed over the equipment and I put it on my face and in my ears.


    ��This place is just open?�� I asked.


    ��I have access since I am on a job right now. This is a humanoid docking arrival area, which is why everything is nearby and just a short walk. Otherwise, it would be way too costly too travel across the Free Port for a job like this. You wouldn��t want to be in debt right away,�� Bai said with a chuckle.


    ��And these items are free?�� I asked.


    ��Yep, along with your first cycle staying in the Sphere. After that you need to pay. The Administrator is fairly lenient and helpful with new arrivals that are staying long term. Do you need new clothing?�� Bai asked me.


    ��No. My martial robe is superior,�� I stated.


    ��Energy crafted?�� Bai asked.


    ��Yes. I don��t understand your attitude about everything? Aren��t you a cultivator?�� I asked.


    ��What do you mean?�� Bai asked.


    ��You seem fairly laid back, and from what I can tell, your cultivation is a bit lacking for your age,�� I said. I didn��t point out his rudeness since he was helping me. Being polite cost me nothing in this circumstance. If he had been more of a cultivator, then I would have played into expectations with my actions.


    ��Ah cultural differences. I was warned about those. You see, the Sphere is incredibly peaceful compared to the rest of the Firmament. Now the Free Port can get messy, but it fairly safe. There are still some crimes and beings try to subvert the Administrator.��


    ��But what about resources? Energy? The drive for immortality?�� I demanded. This wasn��t a cultivator, this person was a mortal. Bai also couldn��t understand the long journey and the amount of suffering it had taken to reach this point.


    ��There is a direct exchange between units and energy. The price of things does fluctuate in order to maintain the Free Port and to prevent overcrowding. Basic supply and demand. While there is a lot, there are also a lot of beings in the Sphere. Most communities and beings stay to their own plate or sector. Some cultural differences if you travel but not much. As for immortality, well you get increasing taxes the longer you stay. The Administrator doesn��t like immortals, of any types,�� Bai said.


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    I was shocked. The Forever City had packaged immortality. Even though it interfered with cultivation, people still lived forever as wage slaves. ��Why?�� I couldn��t keep the shock out of my voice.


    ��The Administrator likes growth for the most part. That is another reason why we only have a couple of immortals left from the original group that arrived from the Forever City. Some occasionally come like yourself, but they either leave or died. As for cultivation, well that is what I am doing right now,�� Bai said.


    ��You are getting paid,�� I hesitantly said, and Bai nodded.


    ��Which can be exchanged for energy. The background energy is decent, but it isn��t high. Everyone is trying to make units to live. But there is a clock on everything in the Sphere and the Free Port. The longer you live, the higher your tax. I wouldn��t worry about this. It doesn��t matter unless you live for over a thousand cycles,�� Bai replied.


    ��How old do you think I am?�� I asked out of curiosity. Bai froze up a bit at that and looked me over. He then smiled.


    ��Well according to the Administrator you were just born on your arrival. Otherwise probably pretty old compared to me since you came from the Firmament by yourself. Normally there are large groups arriving rather than single individuals who are planning to stay here. For you to be by yourself, well, it says you are quite skilled to make it this far,�� Bai replied. I nodded at this. ��Just remember, you can��t fight your way out of situations here. Fighting is bad. I can��t repeat this enough. The Administrator loves peace and fighting is a quick way to get its attention.��


    ��Got it, fighting bad. Are we in the human sector? I notice the temperature and atmosphere are quite comfortable,�� I said.


    ��The Heavenly Alliance sector. There are several human sectors. Humans have one of the larger species counts in the sphere. Tied in the top seven. The Administrator likes to keeps populations balanced so one group doesn��t crowd out another,�� Bai replied.


    ��And it does this through economic means only?�� I asked and Bai nodded.


    ��That and keeping a clear set of rules everyone has to follow. If you work, you can pay through your natural life fairly easily. It is only when you need energy or you live beyond your natural lifespan do the prices and taxes really start going up. I got to ask, what is the Heavenly Alliance like?�� Bai asked with an interested expression.


    ��Stratified. If you are one of the few born into the Heavenly Alliance itself and not one of its subordinate factions or sects, then your life is set.�� I was thinking of Yang Heng when I said this. Someone whose life had most obstacles and hardships removed from it. Even when he was stranded, he was afforded a personal rescue. ��For anyone not born in such a rarified position, those outside the Forever City on the continents live a decent life. Far less knowledgeable and advanced than what you have here, but it is decent. If you are born in the Forever City it is most likely from a vat, and you will serve out the rest of your existence skipping past the boring parts until you eventually die in an accident.��


    ��Sounds rough,�� Bai said.


    ��I have crawled my way up from one of the lowest possible positions.�� No mention about how my family had been a rich mortal family on a continent. For cultivators that was as low as you could get. There wasn��t much difference between such a start and being a beggar. There were a lot of hardships after my initial start that I overcame personally. I was a cultivator that started at the bottom and had to work hard to advance. ��How hard is it to earn a lot of units?�� I asked Bai.


    He smiled at that question. ��Incredibly hard. While the Administrator will provide basic work for everyone and meet their other needs, to get energy is insanely hard. The prices are incredibly prohibitive, since everyone and everything wants energy. The Administrator releases a set amount for public trading each year while holding onto a reserve. The rest comes from trading through the Free Port in very limited quantities,�� Bai said.


    There was the exact same problem I had with the Forever City. Cultivator culture was post scarcity, except for energy. The Soaring Star Society had sought to correct even that and had been destroyed. Getting enough energy here would be a challenge, I could tell.


    ��Have any cultivators in your section advanced to immortality since they arrived?�� I asked with a sinking pit in my stomach.


    ��No. About once every hundred or two hundred cycles, some being gets enough energy to reach such a stage and it comes up in the news. Most try to get enough wealth to get a vessel constructed for themselves and some companions and go off into the Firmament to seek their fortune or run trade routes,�� Bai explained as that sinking feeling turned into a bottomless pit.


    The more I learned, the more I realized the impossible task that now stood before me. I would need to someone accumulate enough energy through trade and business to advance to immortality. Bypassing any complex structures to build in my body. The simple answer that She Who Seeks Knowledge had given me, was incredibly insightful. While I would have had to try and get information to confirm this, it was logical. Just get enough energy in a high enough density and a certain purity to push one��s cultivation higher.


    As I had seen with the micro cultivation of the Great World, enough energy would let things take their course without having to resort to complex mental models and intense focus. The problem was that the amount of energy needed was much higher. I didn��t know the next steps that the Heavenly Alliance used for their path, and Yang Heng indicated that certain items were required.


    Returning to the Heavenly Alliance and asking Yang Heng for help might be an option, but that felt like a loss and giving up. I would also be indebted to the Heavenly Alliance going forward. There would be chains linked to me. While they might not be physical chains, there would probably be metaphorical chains linking my cultivation to whatever method of control the Heavenly Alliance had devised. I had heard Karma tossed about often enough, that it was clearly some kind of control mechanism for cultivators.


    We reached what could only be an elevator and got on board. ��Where are we going now?�� I asked. Bai waved his hand and tapped the air. The elevator began to descend.


    ��Two levels down. The top level here is for transport, arrivals, departures, and defensive structures. The level below is mostly storage, some high end markets, including black markets.��


    ��Are any goods illegal?�� Based on the rules I didn��t think so.


    ��Body parts. There is a large volume of trade in body parts. That is something the Administrator doesn��t like. While he won��t punish people trading in such goods unless they are caught butchering someone, it will seize them. Same thing with certain classes of weapons. Unless you are powerful, it isn��t worth the headache to take such risks,�� Bai said.


    ��Then why do people trade here? Not just leave and trade somewhere else?�� I asked.


    ��The guarantee of safety. This place is incredibly safe. While there are rules, the Administrator places the highest priority on fighting. And the people who do make such trades only stop here before heading off somewhere else in the Firmament. Often specialized containers that block scanning from the Administrator. Some people say it knows, but as long as the black market doesn��t make trouble then the Administrator won��t act. Still, not something I would want to get involved in,�� Bai replied.


    ��The second level?�� I asked.


    ��The inner sphere. It will take a while. It is a fairly large gap between the Sphere and the Free Port.�� He waved in the air a couple more times and the walls turned transparent. In every direction I could see a vast space with a metal structure above and more structures far below. I noted other connections in other areas. There was illumination from various structures on the spheres, but the rest of the space was empty. I did note a large beam of light in the distance shining up past the inner sphere.


    ��Normally it costs quite a bit to travel between the inner and outer sphere if you aren��t on a job. We are going to the other trading and service level,�� Bai said.


    ��What is that large amount of light over there?�� I asked and pointed.


    ��The edge of the sector. The outer sphere doesn��t shift about. There are sectors, but they are rigid, interlocking with other nearby sectors. The inner sphere shifts about. Levels are moved around by the Administrator and there are shield plates that shift to block out the sun as needed.��


    ��But both spheres are connected like with this elevator,�� I pointed out.


    ��It can be decoupled, which does happen. Shifts don��t occur that often, but the Administrator likes to move sectors about. There are a lot of guesses as to why, but the most common is that it doesn��t like stagnation. Same reason why taxes go up the longer you live,�� Bai explained.


    This entire place was smaller than the Infinite Ring Complex, but it felt larger seeing such mega structures while moving between them. It was the issue of scale and understanding. Being able to process how large certain things were at this scale was not something that came naturally.


    ��Where are we going in the Sphere?�� I asked.


    ��An exchange shop. Often it is used for junk, but they will purchase anything. Don��t worry about being scammed they show the current market rates. They also sell common items you can look through, since you mentioned wanting a smaller pad. You don��t have to sell, but for most exchange shops you will get within one or two percent of the best possible price, unless you have something crazy unique,�� Bai said.


    ��This golem and cannister aren��t unique?�� I challenged. Bai shrugged at my question.


    ��Perhaps they are, but anything like that would be confined to the Free Port we just left.��


    ��What about goods and cargo? Are they moved between the spheres?�� I asked. Bai pointed off to one side.


    ��Over there is the artery connecting them. Not as much traffic in the Sphere compared to the Free Port. Food and goods are produced, but there isn��t as much trade compared to cross trade. A lot of super organizations like to use this place to make deals or trade goods. That is why the traffic you saw in the artery was so much. Goods need to be moved all over the place up there,�� Bai explained.


    ��And the Administrator handles it all, and also hires people?�� I asked.


    ��Yep. That��s what keeps the units flowing. Also the Administrator would get overwhelmed with tedious tasks like greeting and escorting a new arrival.��


    ��Aren��t you concerned how much power it has over you?�� I asked.


    ��Not really. It is fair and makes its rules well known. Ignorance is not an excuse.�� That was something the Administrator had mentioned. It made me wonder how much Bai had been brainwashed by such a thing, by this calculator.


    There was no use complaining or making a fuss, since it had so much power. The fact that it could toss out immortals clearly indicated how much power this Administrator actually had. I would put it somewhere in the class of super organizations, even if it wasn��t one exactly.


    It was hard to create a clear definition and how the power levels of the super strong matched up. I did think it was weaker than the Heavenly Alliance and the Soaring Star Society since the energy it collected was probably limited due to the amount of space in the Firmament it took up.


    The more space, the greater the ability to draw in and process energy unless you did something unique like the Soaring Star Society. Clearly this calculator was a caretaker of some kind. Yang Heng would have made a massive fuss, but I was on my own, charting my own path.


    Out of everything else, the most promising part about this place was that the Administrator didn��t create a system of massive oppression. I had no idea what its goals were and I wasn��t overly concerned. If it was a place to trade that other super organizations used, then clearly it wasn��t a horrible place that would steal from others. Also, the fact the Administrator kept a sizable population and made them work was a good sign.


    This wasn��t like the Forever City that was completely static. Trying to dig into the history of organizations was only possible if someone at the top was willing to explain like Nianzu from the Soaring Star Society. Otherwise, it was just not possible. I had no idea how long this place had existed, but I had no doubt it was for a very long time.


    It made me wonder if this place came down through the layers or someone actually built it. It would be a clever way to get energy and protect oneself while also not becoming a complete hermit. If something truly valuable came through the Free Port I had no doubt the Administrator would seize the item.


    My cannister might be individually valuable, but for a place that was near or at the level of a super organization, it just wasn��t worth the hassle. The Administrator was also sending beings out to explore and they would have a good impression of this place. If they found something they would probably come back to trade or get other goods. No doubt the ships or vessels made here were tracked as well.


    It wasn��t quite at the level of a pirate haven, but it was close enough for how it dealt with things externally. Internally, everything was run by the Administrator. Which was confirmed over and over again by Bai. The respect in his voice was clear enough.


    While I wouldn��t want to spend the rest of my existence here, it was a good place to try and figure out how to get more energy that wasn��t controlled by a super organization while I was also protected. I really was grateful for She Who Seeks Knowledge dropping me off here. It wasn��t the best outcome, but it gave me a chance to fight for my future.

 Chapter 121: A Fresh Start

    ��This is worth, 82,152 units,�� the energy trader said while looking over piece of equipment after putting the token I had inside of the scanner, which gave a reading we could both see. The glasses I was wearing translated the information.


    ��That seems a lot less than what it should be. Based on the energy of these tokens, nature, and how compressed it is,�� I argued.


    ��It is. But there is a standard ten percent fee for such transactions. I have expenses as well,�� the trader said.


    ��Ten percent is robbery,�� I replied.


    ��And four fifths of that is taxed by the Administrator. I am making only two percent.�� I pulled out my pad and checked. The trader wasn��t lying.


    ��That seems excessive,�� I muttered.


    ��It is, but that is the Administrator for you. Regular stuff you can trade without much issue. But anything with energy and there are heavy taxes and fees. Not bringing the stuff here, but any transactions are taxed,�� the trader said.


    I didn��t want to trade one of these ten tokens the folk of the Great Tree had given me, but I needed units. But it was a small amount to the total amount of units I would actually need and it was the currency. According to She Who Seeks Knowledge, my cannister was worth ten thousand times one of these tokens, and I needed the energy equivalent to around ten of the hyper compressed energy cannister I had recovered from the Infinite Ring Complex.


    That meant I needed around ten billion units to get the energy I needed to advance to immortality. I said a silent apology to Yang Heng for going back to numbers even after his warning, but it was the only way I could think of to advance. I did not have a super organization backing me up.


    I checked my pad for the current market prices and everything matched up to what the trader was telling me. Anything involving energy was traded like a commodity. The price was regularly updated and fairly stable. Unless a large super organization dumped a lot of energy the price wouldn��t change much. And even then, it would only go down so much.


    As for going up, it was what people were willing to spend for anything involving energy. The market had stabilized at this current point. While the amount in units might not seem like much, there was no inflation with the currency. The Administrator kept it highly regulated and personal goods were incredibly cheap.


    Meals, basic housing, and menial jobs cost a single unit or a fraction of a unit. I couldn��t be bothered with keeping track of change. I needed units regardless, even if I didn��t want to trade away the energy I had in my possession.


    ��Give me the units,�� I said heavily. The trader grinned at me and my pad was updated with my new balance.


    ��Pleasure doing business with you. Feel free to come back if you want to trade again,�� the trader said.


    ��I will,�� I replied politely. I wasn��t planning to come back to such a small trader again, but there was no reason to be rude to the mortal. I sent 50 units to pay back the debt I owed Bai, the young man who had shown me about the Free Port and Sphere and answered my questions.


    That much would cover the secure storage facility I had rented for the golem and the cannister I had brought with me. My next stop was to go to a cafe? that catered to humans in the Free Port. One unit got me some food, a fruit drink, and I would be left alone for a day. It was nice to be back on regular time again that was used by the Heavenly Alliance.


    Each section of the Sphere used local time and all the equipment I used would update with this information. Far better than trying to work out weird conversions I had to endure in the past.


    I pulled up the trade function on my pad and navigated through it. I began writing up information on the golem I had recovered from the Soaring Star Society and looked at other items in the market that were similar. It was a unique item from a super organization that had been completely lost to Chaos.


    To have any remnants of such a civilization increased by the value by a factor of five from what I could tell. Then I had to work out its functions compared to other golems I saw listed and try to come up with a working price point.


    I was in no rush to sell it, so I decided to go on the high end. I just needed to make one sale. This was not going to be a repeat business. I put the golem up for 500,000,000 units. It was a high-end product in good condition from a super organization that had vanished. The material, construction methods, energy use would all be of interest.


    On the trading application I made note that only units or an equivalent trade in energy would be accepted, nothing else. There were countless items offered on the trading application. I had no doubt that super organizations kept people here to keep an eye out for anything interesting. That was who my customer would be. A super organization looking to gain some unique knowledge and reverse engineer the golem.


    I also noted that the verification fee would be split between both parties if Administrator oversight was required for the trade. That would add another 25 million units to the cost, but that was acceptable in my mind. If someone wanted confirmation this wasn��t a scam, this was the best option.


    It took hours to do all of this while I poked through my pad. I had considered something smaller, but I liked the larger display. The ergonomics were very suited for humans as well. Once I got the golem posted for trade, I began browsing to get a better sense of the Free Port.


    I had browsed in the past and there was just too much. Too many beings, too many goods, too many things going on at the same time. This place was stupidly massive with other beings besides humans. Most beings didn��t go deeply into other sections where their species wasn��t located since services would be more difficult to access. It was possible and I had seen a couple of weirdly shaped beings pass by. But for the most part communities were only connected through the online network the Administrator managed.


    I needed a way to make units. A lot of units. I had encountered this problem in the past, when I had been born in Cloudy Moon City. Trying to turn a small amount of currency into a larger amount of currency. The problem was this was a post scarcity society. There would be no mining here or making rocking chairs.


    It was tempting to go back to the Inner Sphere and get a house there to research instead, but that would create a false sense of comfort. The cultivator community here was like a domesticated house cat compared to the lion that the Forever City was. It wasn��t a bad thing since the Administrator kept everything running, but it also meant it was too easy to fall into a sense of comfort.


    Bai, the mortal who had shown me around, would never reach immortality. While he had talked about it and earning units, people and beings were mostly content with their lives. The living standards were quite high as long as you were willing to work. The Administrator slotted everyone into their slots and assigned tasks, like a calculator would.


    Yang Heng��s warnings from the past made even more sense now. If one wanted to tread the path of a cultivator and reach immortality, following the lead of something like the Administrator was the wrong path to go down. One did not reach immortality by following something like that. Sure the Forever City paved Yang Heng��s path, but there were many key differences in the details.


    The most important one was that the Administrator had no expectations as long as one followed its rules. That was both bad and good. Bad due to the fact that I would not get any extra assistance. Good due to the fact I wouldn��t owe any debts as I worked to acquire units.


    Taking menial jobs like Bai had to show me around would only pay about a unit an hour. The more complicated or skilled work required that amount would go up to ten units an hour for technical repairs or construction. The Administrator didn��t offer anything beyond that. So working for it to earn units was pointless for me to reach my goal of ten billion units.


    That reminded me to pay my residency fee. I accessed the application on the pad and paid 1,000 units to cover me for a 100 cycles. One needed to work about ten hours a year to pay their residency fee for the first hundred years for a human. After that the residency fee would increase to 500 units each cycle over a period of time.


    That was why immortals couldn��t stick around unless they were willing to pay quite a bit. There was a big difference between 10 and 500. Since I was a new arrival and this was my first time at the Free Port, I was considered a new born for the purposes of taxation.


    It was a weird immigration rule, but I had no complaint. In fact I would guess it was meant to encourage immigration while also encouraging people to leave. The Administrator clearly liked turnover in the populations it managed unlike the Forever City which liked to keep everything static as much as possible.


    But that place was a complete and utter mess from all the competing factions and attacks from outside super organizations. Cultivators were messy and conflicts were messy. That was most likely the reason why the Administrator cracked down on violence.


    The calculator had a good set up to earn a lot of energy. While I had no doubt the fees to maintain this place were massive, the amount of traffic to this Free Port was incredibly high. New vessels and beings arrived and departed daily in large numbers.


    Ultimately this trade and these transactions benefited the Administrator. There was no public data, but estimates put the annual volume of fees and taxes into the trillions. I needed to just tap into a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of that immense wealth and I would finally achieve my long held goal.


    The hard part was finding any opening in the market, which was completely saturated in every conceivable way. Games, entertainment, food, drinks, goods, even from completely alien cultures. That was a big draw of this place as well. The tourist industry was alive. For people wanting to travel outside their super organization, but wanting somewhere safe, this was the place to visit.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    It was all a matter of wealth at the end of the day. If you had units, you could get almost anything here and live a life of hedonism and luxury. If you were poor you had to work, but you wouldn��t starve or suffer. It was a paradise for most people, but again there were many pitfalls.


    The value of units was closely tied to energy, since the Administrator was carefully managing everything. Based on the information I could find there was very little inflation or deflation over long periods of time.


    ��New here?�� I looked up to see a woman opposite me. A mortal woman, since her cultivation was quite low.


    ��Fairly new,�� I replied curious to where this conversation would go. I put down the pad I had been looking though.


    ��You should check out the Red Line Club. It caters to more powerful cultivators who might be visiting,�� she said and pulled out a business card. She smiled at me while putting it on the table. No doubt there was some attempt at seduction going on. I could care less about such things.


    I looked at the card in front of me but didn��t take it. One of the many nuances of this place. Some cultures might think she was offering the business card to me. In reality she hadn��t said anything about giving such an item to me, and merely set it down while talking. It would be in the same category as a drink. If I took the business card, that could be taken as stealing.


    It sounded stupid and it was, but she would make a couple of units off of such a scam. Most likely there was an organization behind this woman, and she was using her life to try and get benefits from more powerful people while using the Administrator as cover.


    I could respect the hustle even if it was annoying to be targeted. ��I will have to give this club a look,�� I replied.


    ��You can find everything there. Information, contacts. It will help you advance your cultivation.�� I was mentally rolling my eyes. There was already a glut of information out there. Unfortunately the glasses and ear pieces gave me away as someone new.


    While I had considered more subtle equipment, I didn��t want to put anything into my body, no matter how much easier it made my life. If there were any hostile intentions by the administrator, that would be directly compromising my soul. That was why I thought of these cultivators as kittens instead of lions. They were so meek and accepting of what was happening to them it verged on the point of disgust.


    They were only children abandoned here pretending to be cultivators. While the ruthless nature of the Forever City and the rest of the Firmament wasn��t something to emulate, it was honest in its brutality. This place and the people I had met so far felt incredibly fake. Pretending to a culture and heritage they didn��t understand or embrace.


    I had no doubt this had occurred with other beings across this place as well. Once there was a permanent group, the culture of the Administrator would slowly dilute their original culture. In time this would only get worse. If I had to guess, I would even say that the Administrator would use some of these beings as spies to send out into the Firmament to collect information from factions that aligned with the various species present.


    Picking up my pad, the woman left. I filed a report about her abandoned piece of property through an application. The Administrator would flag her in the future if she tried to make a claim of theft using a business card going forward and it would end poorly for her.


    The only reason I filed a report was because it was such a stupid scam, but an effective one for idiots who didn��t know better. I was not going to mess with the rules of the Administrator. I had thought about this issue for a while, but I had come to the conclusion that it wasn��t worth the risk considering the discrepancies in our respective power.


    I was living in a location that was managed by this calculator that had lasted for uncountable cycles. It knew everything. The scams, the deals, everything. The Administrator allowed for a black market and some areas to go dark, but I had no doubt it was still monitoring everything. This was the Administrator��s place of power and it was a machine.


    Unlike a human cultivator, it could split its attention in multiple locations. While it hired beings and people speculated about its limited capacity, I knew in my heart it was all a lie. The Administrator was a God of this Free Port with a capital letter ��G��.


    It most likely used some kind of metric to base its decisions on who to kill and who not to kill. Cause enough trouble, or have something valuable enough, you would be killed. The second option would be much rarer, but I had no doubt that the Administrator had some powerful golems or individuals it employed.


    While there was only the occasional breakthrough by a cultivator or other being, it stood to reason that the Administrator would recruit or be in a favorable position with those immortals. One every hundred cycles or so might not seem like much but spread across millions of cycles. Even if only a fraction of those immortals remained loyal or would work with the Administrator, which was still a sizable force.


    On top of that the Administrator might have certain ties with other super organizations beyond trade. Knowledge, technology, and other items of interest could easily be traded from the vast amount of profit that it was generating as goods and beings were moved through the Free Port.


    That was the power of the being that managed everything and why I wasn��t going to break the rules it had laid out on my arrival. No killing, fighting, or stealing. Simple, but effective rules that kept the chaos of this place from exploding out of control. There were nuances that the woman had tried to exploit, but as long as one knew the basics, then they would be fine for the most part.


    I left the business card on the table and left the cafe?. I wasn��t going to learn anything useful by poking about on the pad. One could get lost down that hole forever. Tapping a few buttons on the display, a vehicle arrived and I got in. There was a driver in the front, but unless there was a major event most of it was automated. That was why the pay for being a driver was so bad.


    Reaching the Red Line Club a few minutes later, I got out. It had been a dizzying drive at high speeds. I couldn��t tell if it was using energy or some kind of technology for the rapid acceleration and deceleration that was involved. Perhaps different zones had different types of vehicles to monitor and test technology?


    Looking at the club, it reached the ceiling way above and was a deep dark red. A flashing light on the outside listed the name. I approached the doors and they automatically opened. There was a waiting area and an attendant who was close to the first breakthrough in regards to their cultivation. Apparently working here paid better than other locations where the Administrator hired people directly.


    ��Welcome Senior to the Red Line Club. Are you looking for membership or something else?�� the attendant asked.


    ��Business opportunities. But what would a membership entail?�� I asked.


    ��There is only a small application fee of a thousand units and a membership fee of a hundred units every cycle after that,�� the attendant explained. That was quite pricy for just a meeting area, but it was probably designed that way to keep the poor people out. Complaining about the price would only make me appear like an idiot and poor. Neither of which I wanted.


    While the woman had tried to scam me to come here, she had been hired to go out get people to come here. That spoke to a large amount of wealth flowing in the club itself. Even if I didn��t go through any deals, the knowledge and information would help me going forward. I pulled out my pad and easily paid the thousand units for a membership in the club.


    ��Junior greets Senior Yuan Zhou,�� the attendant said after seeing my name listed on the transaction. ��If you need anything request an attendant and we will be happy to assist. Basic services are free, but most things will cost units, which are sold more cheaply in the Red Line Club, compared to purchasing them from elsewhere.��


    I nodded at this as the attendant laid me into the main club itself. Three stories with balconies around a large open area. There were a lot of alcoves in the upper levels with tables and chairs. In the center was a large bar with a jagged red light stretching up to the ceiling, clearly the namesake of this place.


    ��We are named after the Red Line, a large crystal that was recovered and installed here by the founder. You can feel the higher amount of energy in the air, which makes the environment more comfortable to our guests.�� I had noticed that, but it was a minor difference. Still, this place was selling an elite experience and they were clearly trying to do everything they could to hype this image up.


    Compared to the structures I had seen in the past. It was like a small child pointing out some wooden construction blocks compared to a skyscraper. It was a joke. But I would not insult these people since I wanted to understand the market in more depth from experienced individuals.


    ��May I ask what business you are in Senior in order to better direct you?�� the attendant asked me.


    ��Profitable business. Is there any kind of financial market or something similar. I have a large number of units and I would like to know if there are investment opportunities,�� I explained. I didn��t have high hopes of finding anything, but it never hurt to ask and to gain perspective on the Free Port.


    ��Please follow me Senior. Your best option would be to speak with Garzag. While he might appear like a brute, his financial acumen regarding the Free Port is quite exceptional. You can also look through our membership list and update your own with any services you might be willing to offer or make requests,�� the attendant said. I nodded at this as we went to the second floor and a secluded alcove. There was a large man sitting in the back with two smaller men on either side of him.


    Garzag was leaning back with both arms spread out behind him on the chairs next to him, behind his subordinates. His cultivation was less than mine, but he had gotten past the first breakthrough. ��Garzag, this is Yuan Zhou who is interested in speaking to you regarding financial matters,�� the attendant said. Garzag gave a nod at this, and I sat down across the table form him.


    The man looked like a brute with tattoos depicting swords and monsters. He wasn��t even wearing a martial robe, but it was open to reveal his chest. His hair was messy. ��Glasses, you are fresh here, aren��t you.��


    ��I have recently arrived at the Free Port. I was told you would be helpful in understanding the financial markets?�� I asked.


    ��The larger the business, the harder it is to run. Businesses come and go for the most part. There has always been talk about setting up an actual exchange, selling shares, paying dividends, but the Administrator regulates such actions incredibly tightly. Looking for energy for your cultivation?�� Garzag asked me.


    ��Yes. I need a lot of units to purchase the energy I need,�� I replied.


    ��You and everyone else in your position.��


    ��How do you make your money if you don��t mind me asking?�� I asked Garzag. His two female companions tittered at this.


    ��I organize the women and men to provide services of a personal nature for the most part. It seems one of the hopefuls didn��t manage to hook you,�� he replied.


    ��I am new, not stupid,�� I countered and Garzag chuckled.


    ��If you had fallen for such a simple thing, you wouldn��t be worth talking to. Even with everything I manage, which I inherited through my family, it is a massive hassle to advance one��s cultivation in the Free Port. Better to save up, buy a vessel and look for opportunities elsewhere. That is what most people do,�� he said with a shrug.


    ��I might do that if I can��t start something here. But I have already done quite well in the Firmament. What do people want?�� I asked.


    ��A good companion, comfortable life, and a place to live. I handle the first part, while the Administrator handles the rest. Let me give you some free advice. Trying to break into business here is expensive and a massive hassle. It all depends on reputation and what people know. People trust my establishments for discretion and a good time. Eighteen generations and one of my children who isn��t useless will inherit after me.��


    ��And you are saying it is impossible for me to compete,�� I replied.


    ��Not impossible, just very hard. The businesses are profitable. Occasionally you will get some idiot selling their business to try and get enough energy to prolong their life or to buy something from outside the Free Port. It isn��t worth the loss.��


    ��Wouldn��t these businesses combine?�� I asked.


    ��And which immortal wants to run a business for the rest of their lives? They pass out chunks to their children. That is how my distant ancestor got his share. There might be individual establishments, but competing with a chain brand, well you will need more than a couple thousand units.��


    ��My wealth is well in hand. Where would I learn about a person selling a business?�� I asked.


    ��Word of mouth. These kinds of things aren��t posted for the most part, even on the Red Line app. And no, I would not be interested in selling. Better to have a stable source of income than one big payout,�� Garzag replied.

 Chapter 122: Long Term Planning

    I was sitting in my own booth in the Red Line Club after being dismissed by Garzag. I had units to spend, but since I wasn��t just throwing them away, I was asked to leave. It was humbling, but understandable. This entire Free Port operated under social rules I didn��t understand.


    The technology and metallic design of various structures made this place feel quite modern, even with the intricately carved wood paneling. There was no toxic smog, brain-dead people running everything, or architecture being an afterthought, which made it different from the Forever City.


    ��Flame out newbie?�� An older looking man who had no cultivation showed up at the booth I was sitting in. I didn��t say anything even if the person��s name appeared on the glasses I was wearing. There was only so much disrespect I could take from someone much younger with no cultivation. ��Ah, I am Yang Zi, a trader of certain goods Mister Cultivator.��


    ��Cultivator Yuan Zhou,�� I greeted the flippant man. I forced myself to calm down. After having respect ingrained into me from cultivator culture for thousands of years, it was hard to set it to the side. However, I couldn��t just crush someone using my combat ability in this place. The Administrator was watching everything.


    Yang Zi gave me a toothy smile as he sat down in the booth across from me. I set down my pad to give this conversation my full attention. ��What do you want?�� I asked.


    ��You want to make units and you have units. I can help with that,�� he said.


    ��Taking my money? I am sure many people can help me with that,�� I replied, being deliberately obtuse.


    ��Hah, good one. I support a small trade group. The vessels load up on goods from the Free Port and then head to distant locations to sell those goods and get energy and other high value goods in return. The biggest issue right now, and what every trade group wants is a trade route.��


    My mind raced trying to put the known facts togeather as Yang Zi continued explaining. ��The big routes are controlled by other super organizations. Going back and forth to their domain. The real trick is to find something others don��t have.��


    ��And you want me to invest in such a venture?�� I asked.


    ��Yes. Or you can do more. Lots of vessels go out, few return. Things move about in the Firmament. Some crews just run away. Others are attacked and devoured by some horror. The only real way to make units in this place is trade. That��s where the money is.��


    ��Or you could just run off with it all. There has to be some other way to make money in the Free Port,�� I replied.


    ��There are loads of ways to make units. The Administrator never runs out of jobs. But if you want to earn a million units, well that requires thinking outside the box.�� The Red Line Club was clearly a hive of scum and villainy. These people had made it to this level, but they weren��t the real movers and shakers of the Free Port.


    ��Aren��t there maps of the Firmament?�� I asked.


    ��Everyone and their mother guards that knowledge incredibly closely. Sure there are warnings and markers out there for the various groups, but some have died off. Some have back routes you can trade in. The trade route to the continents of the Heavenly Alliance is always a risky but popular one.��


    ��You trade with the Heavenly Alliance?�� I asked with some surprise. I had never heard about such traders.


    ��It is risky, and the profit is low. Very low. Since they want energy goods as well for the most part. I don��t even make that run, but there are continents on the outskirts of the Forever City that do such trades. If they are caught, well that is just free money for the immortals running the place. The super organizations that are monolithic are the ones that are really dangerous.��


    Now it made sense. The Heavenly Alliance created the continents not just to farm resources but to act as a trader buffer against outside forces. That was why they used factions to run their continents instead of handling everything themselves. It created a larger chain that would be harder for Chaos to corrupt. And it would allow them to filter out anything problematic. If a continent was lost, a new one could be built.


    Such an operation would cost a lot and be a huge headache, but it could be done. Most likely the Heavenly Alliance sold such locations over time to various factions while making sure no faction gained control over too many continents. That way the Heavenly Alliance could still be in charge and suck the lifeblood out of all the factions beneath them.


    It was obvious in hindsight what was happening now that I had the information. The one thing I knew for sure about immortal cultivators, was that the older and more powerful they were, the more shameless they were. Using the continents as buffers sounded correct.


    ��The real jackpot is to find some super organization that is mostly interested in technology, not energy, where they sell the excess,�� Yang Zi said.


    ��What do you even buy in return?�� I asked.


    ��Metals. The Administrator sells metal incredibly cheaply, since it has the manufacturing process streamlined to an immense degree. It trades knowledge as well you know.�� I nodded at this. ��But it doesn��t give the knowledge away. A lot of building techniques have been lost over time.��


    ��Can��t anything be recreated with enough energy?�� I asked with a frown.


    ��Yeah, but there is never enough energy. It is about efficiency and cost. The Free Port makes the best stuff. Metals, weapons, vessels. Sure, super organizations can build this stuff on their own, but it can be a hassle. Some places make sure to use only their own production like the Heavenly Alliance, but that is artisanal for the most part.��


    ��I have been in the Forever City, they have a lot of automation,�� I countered.


    ��For internal consumption by the factions. They don��t sell the really good stuff. A good example is the material that makes up super structures. Getting the mass to zero while having the density be off the charts is incredibly hard. You have probably run into stuff like that, if you were traveling about the Firmament before coming here,�� Yang Zi said.


    I recalled the outer portion of the Infinite Ring Complex and other structures. Some material had been incredibly durable. ��And energy comes back here from these trades?�� I asked.


    ��Exactly. The Administrator taxes energy quite a bit, but the best way to make units is by trade. Find some super organization you can deal with and trade as much as possible. The problem is finding one that is friendly and has energy that can be traded,�� Yang Zi replied with a shrug.


    ��Hence funding exploration and keeping a map secret,�� I said.


    ��Yep. The Firmament is infinite in every direction. You go far enough you will find something no one has run into before. The best part for the Administrator, the vessels it makes are some of the best and there are known safe routes to traders to get further away. Sometimes these traders release their information freely for one reason or another, and the map expands just a bit. Also, things shift and change.��


    ��Is that what everyone here does at the Red Line Club?�� I asked.


    ��Not everyone. Other people manage more mundane activities. Also, there are larger trading organizations that have mixed crews. If you run into a squiddy or a bot, then you want a squiddy or a bot to speak to that super organization. Makes things much easier. Unfortunately, I am as small time as it gets in such things.��


    ��You clearly want my units. So, what is the problem?�� I asked.


    ��Vessels are expensive. The loss rate is around 95%. I have gotten lucky once in the past, with a single large trade, unfortunately I got muscled out after that. I won��t starve and my debts have been paid up, but to send out more vessels, well spreading the risk around is safer.��


    ��You don��t go out yourself?�� I asked.


    ��And die horribly? I know better than that. Got one of those immortality implants from the Heavenly Alliance. Not as good as cultivation of course, but it lets me keep going, even if the taxes are brutal.��


    It was an interesting proposition and a clear way to make money. I also got a better understanding of how this Free Port actually worked. For mature super organizations like the Heavenly Alliance or the Soaring Star Society this place was a curiosity. But for super organizations that were at the bottom of the pecking order, the Free Port and the Administrator controlling this place sold stuff these groups would want.


    Unique construction materials, vessels to move about the Firmament, and weapons. This was a pirate port, which should have been obvious. The outer sphere was called Free Port. I just didn��t realize since there were such strict laws governing the place. But that made sense since it was the only way to keep order and conduct business.


    ��How much does it cost to send out a vessel?�� I asked.


    ��A decent exploration vessel costs 50,000 units. The price goes up from there based on size, speed, weapons, and other factors. Then a sample kit would be needed to see if any groups are interested in purchasing. A low level sample kit is the best option, which is another 1,000 units. Then another 9,000 for supplies and contracting a crew.��


    ��And if they all run off?�� I asked.


    ��Well, they won��t be coming back here. The Administrator takes contracts seriously. And where else would they realistically go?�� Yang Zi said. That was a good point. There weren��t many pleasant places to actually live and conduct business.


    ��I will need to give this proposal some thought,�� I replied.


    ��I know where vessels disappeared in the past. The older the trader, the more knowledgeable,�� Yang Zi said as he got up and left the booth. It was an interesting business opportunity, but the risk was incredibly high.


    I also wouldn��t be getting the knowledge of all his previous exploration attempts either. I would be investing blindly. If anything of significance came up, then it would all depend on luck. He wanted to reduce his risk, while I would have to depend on luck to make my units back. High risk, high reward, but I didn��t like the business model.


    If this one man was doing something like this, I had no doubt there were thousands of other beings here in the Free Port doing the same thing. Yang Zi had even suggested as much when we had been discussing his business opportunity.


    Picking up my pad I looked for trading groups or companies. There were some, but all investment had to be done at the individual level. There was no stock market to bet on. Also, I had no doubt that the Administrator had all the information that these traders collected, stored in its digital brain somewhere.


    I looked at the publicly available map. Known areas were mapped out quite far in a spherical pattern. After the initial sphere, there were tendrils snaking outwards. Thousands of them in all directions, with much less information listed. I did a search and the Heavenly Alliance did show up at the end of one long exploration tendril. The Soaring Star Society and the Infinite Ring Complex weren��t on the map.


    The scale of everything was massive. Incredibly massive, which made it hard to understand in some ways. Vessels would fly through the Firmament, looking for anything of interest. If this was the known map, then the actual exploration had to be ten or even a hundred times this amount. The problem was that all of this exploration was a gamble.


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    The failure rate for exploration vessels was incredibly high. If they ran into anyone powerful they would instantly be crushed and everything taken from them. I felt even more stupid, not realizing why the Administrator had set up everything like it had and it left me impressed and terrified to some degree about the amount of social engineering that took place on a large scale.


    The Forever City and the Heavenly Alliance controlling it, liked stability and being insular. Sure, they would accept some change and churn from the factions under them, but it was an aloof and separate group. They would monitor everything entering the Forever City, but as long as nothing serious got through they wouldn��t make a fuss.


    The constant fighting over the towers and between factions was just to keep the masses engaged in a pointless struggle against each other. The winners of such competitions would earn a place at the kiddie table of the Heavenly Alliance and get a pat on their heads. All energy would eventually flow into their hands.


    Here in the Free Port controlled by the Administrator, the calculator had taken a different approach. While it might seem like the taxes on old people and on energy were to keep things stable, it was also to create disposable beings. I knew that making physical items was fairly cheap in terms of effort, materials, and knowledge.


    The Administrator would create vessels and trade goods in vast quantities. It would then draw from the population of the Inner Sphere where some beings wanted to do more than farming or working jobs handed out. This would be the pressure valve to prevent unrest and also prevent powerful beings from using this place as a base long term without paying a protection fee.


    Young humans and probably other beings had less of a sense of risk. So, they would hop on the trade vessels, sail out to make it rich, and most of them would die horribly. The statistics of trade vessels were out there on the network, but one had to dig. Instead there was much more information and profiles about traders who had made it rich, hyping up the exploration lifestyle.


    The Administrator was cultivating disposable assets that weren��t threatening and only needed to succeed a small percentage of the time. The calculator was gambling on quantity not quality. Even people like Yang Zi who knew what was going on and the rate of failure for exploration, were content with this set up. Since they were the facilitators organizing such expeditions. No doubt trying to get funding to help get more people out there and collect a percentage. The Administrator would collect a percentage of that percentage.


    The knowledge would be accumulated by the Administrator along with a lot of energy. It just had to remain hands off and the wealth would come to it, while it just had to maintain and protect the Free Port.


    The fact that this place had lasted so long, implied that it had a high level of defense. With the amount of energy coming through and technology, this place was probably a super fortress. All of that didn��t take into account any high level deals the Administrator might make with certain factions like the folk of the Great Tree.


    That was why the Administrator didn��t want people to use the implant Yang Zi was using to get immortality. It wanted a churn of beings that were ignorant and were easily disposed of. The farms of the inner sphere weren��t meant to grow food, but to raise people so they could be used up.


    The nice part about all of this was that the Administrator had to leave paths open so people could get energy themselves. Even if only one out of a billions of beings ever made it far enough to become an immortal cultivator or its equivalent, that was just the cost of doing business and motivating all the people running to their deaths.


    What looked like a nice federation on the outside managed by a benevolent caretaker calculator, was in truth one giant set up to advance the Administrator��s own goals. Looking through the network there were beings who even mentioned this, but one had to dig for the information. What did it matter if people or other beings knew?


    The Administrator was so far above everyone that it was impossible to resist, and it didn��t make anyone do anything. If you didn��t like its rules, you could always leave or live out your life. There were certain subsidies for having children. Due to the different birth rates these were different between each section of the Free Port and the beings in question, but everything was managed through economic pressure.


    This was why just looking on the network was no good and I had come to place like this. I needed to understand this kind of information to plot my future path and to figure out how to get units. The problem was getting that many units through internal trade or processes at the Free Port would be near impossible to completely impossible.


    The market economy of the Free Port and how it operated had been streamlined to an insane degree. There was no bureaucracy or politicians to get in the way. There weren��t even any peers to the Administrator. If it thought something was valuable to do, it would do it. It also took a very long view of things as well.


    A good example was creating the arteries for vehicles to move about the Free Port. They weren��t really roads since they operated in three dimensions and zooming out on a map of the Free Port, they looked like arteries. It had been a major construction project in the distant past. The network deleted information after 1,000 cycles unless a fee was paid.


    Information that had been put up in the past disappeared over time. There was a consolidated history site, but I had no doubt that the Administrator was the one running such a site. Or they had arranged things so that whomever took over its management would be favorable to the Administrator. There clearly was a cult of personality going on as well. The public map also fell into this category as well.


    I let out a sigh of frustration and set the pad on the table. There needed to be a way to make a large amount of money. Unfortunately, if something like that were easy other people would do it. Even if it was hard and annoying, other people would still do it, due to the sheer size of this place and the population inhabiting the Free Port and the Inner Sphere.


    See a need, fulfill that need was the basic premise for making money. What need was unfulfilled in the Free Port? That was the question that I needed to answer in a post scarcity society. Well, not completely post scarcity, since there was always a demand for energy, but close enough since all material goods could be manufactured with varying degrees of ease.


    The Administrator leveraged its knowledge to make production as cheap as possible and sold goods at cost. There were extensive analysis posted on the network about such things. If anyone could figure out a cheaper way to make certain goods, they would get the difference for a 100 cycles.


    Unfortunately to get access to such knowledge one would be stuck in the Free Port for the rest of their life, unless they could pay back the value of the knowledge they had learned. With the Administrator monitoring everything, it clearly was looking to keep information leaks to a minimum.


    I had no doubt that super organizations sent spies here to try and steal information. Some probably even succeeded, but that would just make the information valuable, and they wouldn��t sell it. Since the Free Port didn��t attack anyone or send out vessels that were a threat to super organizations, they were content to let this place be. In time it would get more knowledge they could steal in the future.


    The Administrator clearly was old and powerful. Based on my experiences in the past, that meant it was incredibly shameless. The fact that its operational methods were so easily figured out, showed just how shameless the calculator truly was. It didn��t brag about any of this and suppressed the information slightly, but it didn��t hide the truth.


    Everything and everyone in the Free Port was contributing to its success. Even me, since I had paid the cost for living here for the next 100 cycles. There were expensive estates set up in the Free Port and the Inner Sphere were individuals had retired. One just needed to look at the map and see larger areas that were blocked off and owned by specific individuals. Their wealth and knowledge contributing to the Administrator over time.


    I thought about if this was a capitalist or socialist society. While there was a market and trade, everything was controlled by the Administrator one way or another. Adjusting fees and taxes, allowed it to have unparalleled control over everything. And as long as someone worked, they would be able to live.


    After giving it a moment of thought, it was both and neither. This was something completely new. I would call it a calculator society. Everything managed by a single entity, with everyone else not getting a say in higher level decisions.


    Some sections had political groups and did organize, but they weren��t granted any special rights or privileges. Most groups were like the Red Line Club, associations people could use for business contacts, groups of family members, or friends. The Administrator rarely made an appearance if it wasn��t about punishing someone or defense of the Free Port. The hands-off approach was what made it appreciated, despite the Administrator controlling everything. That was the only reason I still had hope about my future path.


    I needed at least ten billion units worth of energy. While it was nice to put a number to progressing, I now knew why Yang Heng had warned me away from applying numbers to cultivation. It forced me to conform to the system of trade that the Administrator had set up. If I made ten billion units worth of energy, then the Administrator would make a third of that in fees and taxes and probably another third in ancillary trade.


    That meant I needed thirty billion units worth of energy, not ten. That number was also an estimate from the folk of the Great Tree based on my hyper compressed energy cannister I had in my possession with a small margin of error. The margin of error could be greater than that. The sheer amount of wealth that I needed wasn��t something that anyone was just going to hand me.


    Even with future promises, no one would part with that much wealth unless they were already rich. The only being who might have been able to do something like that was the Administrator and they didn��t hand out loans. Otherwise everyone would take a loan and its entire model of operation would shift drastically.


    The Administrator most likely had an elite force of some kind, but it would be a small group at best and for defense. The entire point of the Free Port was to churn out weak individuals to explore and get knowledge. Quantity not quality was the Administrator��s mode of operation. If some got strong enough to become immortal cultivators or their equivalent, then they could take more risks. Or retire to live out a long period of their life however they wanted.


    There would be no loan worth billions of units. There would be no help from other super organizations. I could return to the Heavenly Alliance and ask for help from Yang Heng, but then I would be stuck with that super organization going forward. There were higher level traps set up in their cultivation method like karma. Most likely from the energy used to help advance high ranking cultivators and supply them with energy. Then there would also be rules imposed by the super organization.


    I had a safety net, but it was one I didn��t like or look forward to. If I could advance through my own efforts from a high quantity of energy, that would be true freedom. That was why I had started this journey, to make my own choices about my life. Choosing the Heavenly Alliance, would be the last free choice I would make.


    Getting kicked out and having to travel the Mechanical Layer had been frustrating and painful. But it had freed me mentally from sticking with what was safe and comfortable. The fact I had come so far made me not want to give up right before I reached my goal. That was why I had no plans to leave the Free Port.


    The situation reminded me of my early years of cultivation. Trading early hardship to make my path in the future easier. I wasn��t sure if it had worked out well in the past. It had made my cultivation beyond complicated, but it had created the strongest base possible, which was what the Heavenly Alliance had originally intended by creating its cultivation system.


    ��Just a matter of earning units,�� I muttered. Now the difficulty wasn��t knowledge or the unknown, but the impossibility of earning a tremendous amount of wealth. Even if I only earned a fraction of that wealth over a period of time, as long as I could generate a sizable enough income, then eventually I would reach my goal. I didn��t need to earn it all at once.


    The worst part was that I couldn��t just use an implant to grant me immortality. That would interfere with my cultivation. There was a reason Yang Zi had no cultivation and was clearly quite experienced. He was saving up. No doubt his expenses were high and he was desperate, which was why he had sought me out. Eventually the fees of living here would outstrip his ability to pay them unless he could generate enough income.


    He needed investors to help him out. I still had a lot of time before I had to spend the units in my possession or make a move. I lifted up my pad once more and began going through the various industries and services that were offered across the Free Port.


    There would be no failing businesses I could purchase like Half Moon City. Out of curiosity, I checked if there were rocking chairs, and there were. There was a massive catalog of items people could order from. The item would be produced in one of the factories that the Administrator controlled but had people working in. The Administrator would assign someone the task of delivering the ordered good to me.


    Anything material was dirt cheap. The most expensive part was the transportation cost. The price only really went up with anything that used energy or exotic materials that were most likely manufactured with energy. Metal that had no mass or super high density was not cheap. The manufacturing equipment sold was of the lowest quality. This was the same as the Forever City.


    Clearly these super organizations didn��t care much about trash, but high end manufacturing techniques, knowledge, and materials was where the real value lay. I checked on the golem I had up for sale, but there were still no offers. I increased the price to a billion units. If no one purchased it, that was fine, but I just needed one buyer. It was a unique item that would never be found again.


    No doubt the Administrator had already scanned it, but there was nothing I could do about that. If it sold, I would be two tenths of my way to my goal. I just needed to find a way to go the rest of the distance to earn all those units.


    I looked at the cultural options offered and there was an insane number of stories, games, movies, shows, and other forms of entertainment that were offered. Not just from the human section, but I could watch squids do intricate tentacle dances or robot battles.


    The entertainment industry was completely tapped out. The problem wasn��t just what was being produced, but everything that came before it as well. After a certain time, things would fall into the public domain and be offered for a very small amount, by the administrator. The entire society was completely saturated that I had to force myself to stop looking at all the options.


    I shuddered in fear, since it would be too easy to get sucked into such things with no escape. The answer of what business I could get into was not going to be an easy question. Sure, financing exploration vessels might sound worthwhile, but it was basically high stakes gambling to get a successful trade route set up. I also had no doubt that the real movers and shakers of this place would pounce onto others to take such trade routes from them.