“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. It made a weird kind of sense. These Kingdoms had too many people. And while there was a lot of effort to clear new land to grow food and wood, this led to even more people later on. With no birth control and inheritances going to the eldest son, there were a lot of people that needed jobs. It took connections and bribes to become a soldier, that was how many people there were. The Kingdoms would arrange proxy battles between bandit groups. If one side got enough of an advantage an actual army would be sent in to claim the territory, with the bandits replacing the civilians who were killed in the takeover. That was why the civilians and farmers around the city would fight to the death, to protect what they had. The more peaceful an area, the more problems that area had with excess population. In addition, with the harshness of the climate, the areas further away from the coast were much more inhospitable. There was no long history of plants decaying and building up soil. The land was still incredibly rocky. The more one traveled Lifeward, the less rocky the soil and the better the climate was to grow crops. The bandit groups the Governor had sent out, would not return, since there was nothing for them to return to. In addition, the people working around the city needed to spend their time growing food and performing the tasks they were skilled at. There were only so many soldiers the city could Enjoy reading on NovelHub - your free online novel platform. If the governor called up the civilians, it would be a huge expense and reflect poorly on his management skills, which was risky with his already precarious position. Which meant he was stuck and could only wait until the capital got annoyed enough to investigate what was going on with Port Farsight, or someone like me came along who could break the stalemate. “Asking me to protect the caravan is one thing, but you are purposely trying to lure the bandit groups into an attack so I wipe them out for you,” I said. I would not be used without a lot of compensation. “I could travel by myself easily enough. As a cultivator, I could find my own way to the local sect.” “But looking like you do, without deeds to your name, you will be questioned once you reach the capital. Things will be much more difficult for you. A small bit of effort on your part, and traveling in comfort, will ensure your path forward is made easier,” Governor Chuanli replied. “If you could provide an introduction to a Sect, then that would be a different matter. I have no need of money.” I didn’t really that much, I was incredibly self-sufficient. They had no sources of energy or any technology that was worthwhile. With the leviathan parts, I would have more than enough local money to pay for things. As for my safety, I wasn’t that concerned either. Even if there was a powerful cultivator or super-organization running this place, they wouldn’t care about any of these people. It was like the continent. Unless I threatened the underlying principles of this bubble or attacked their interests directly, there was just too much to pay attention to and pointless to try and control everything. No wonder senior cultivators hated teaching or training others if they didn’t have to, unless they saw some future benefit. I was presented with the same situation, and I didn’t want to waste my time. The silence stretched on as Governor Chuanli considered what he could offer me in exchange for my assistance. “I have a scroll regarding cultivation that was a gift from a passing cultivator, that he exchanged for some help. I can give you the scroll,” the Governor offered. Now that was interesting. “That I can accept,” I replied and the tension seemed to leave the room. “When would we depart?” I asked. “Three days from now. Until then you can be my honored guest,” the Governor said. “Won’t that alert the bandits that I am here? They must have spies?” I asked. “Perhaps, but as long as the shipment gets through, it doesn’t matter. The safety of my position and the city will be secured. They will probably suspect that it is a lie, since things are getting more and more desperate for me. What better way to scare bandits off than a cultivator?” “But they will attack regardless,” the Captain said. “Like leviathans to fresh meat in the ocean. They will gripped by their instincts and the massive payday of taking the caravan. Even more so, since it won’t be over strength, but have a regular number of soldiers escorting it,” the Governor replied. “They won’t have a cultivator of their own?” I asked. That was my biggest concern. I didn’t think the cultivators of this Great World would be that dangerous, but I would rather be cautious and gather information before fighting if at all possible. “Unlikely. These are minor internal matters of cities inside the Empire. If they had a cultivator, they would have attacked directly, instead of being bandits. No cultivator would hide out in the wilderness like that, when there are much better options. If you wanted to remain here, I would offer you anything you wanted. Food, women, the city’s wealth.” “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 – 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.