The first portion of the chapter describes a map. I will attach it here as a paragraph comment, please ignore my failure to delete some of the names on the map (generated by AI after a few dozen attempts).
In the vast expanse of the Living Continent, far to the south, lay a massive mountain range. Locals called it the Range of Myriad Beasts, named for the many ferocious creatures that roamed it, wreaking havoc on nearby mortals. However, the continent's most powerful forces paid little attention to the area or its name, rarely casting a glance toward the continent's outskirts.
To the south of the mountain range stretched a large, untamed area known as Trapped County. Three small cities sat near the range, while dozens of towns and villages dotted the landscape toward the coast. Forests and a few rolling hills filled the space between the settlements, but no ferocious beasts were to be found.
No one could explain the absence of beasts, but it granted the locals a peaceful existence, with only ordinary animals to contend with, none of which had a cultivation base. However, this safety came at a cost, as cultivation was rare in the region, and reaching even the first stage required an immense struggle.
Lacking the benefits of cultivation, the people in the area often succumbed to early deaths from disease and frailty. With no modern medicine to aid them, even the most basic illnesses could prove fatal.
The risky proximity of the three big cities to the Range of Myriad Beasts was deliberate. It was the only place where people could cultivate to the first stage, enabling them to develop the physical strength to recover from everyday sicknesses.
The mountains towering over Trapped County remained inaccessible, yet the herbs found there were worth a fortune, drawing adventurers to risk everything for a chance to steal from the local beasts. More often than not, it led to their deaths, but as the saying goes, birds perish for food, and men for wealth.
Sixteen years ago, however, two women from the blessed lands in the north ventured into the humble region, cleansing the outermost peak of the mountain range. They claimed it as their own and founded the Jade Lotus Sect, finally bringing a change to the area.
West of the Jade Lotus Sect was a junction where three regions met—the sect, Trapped County, and Golden Harvest County. The latter was known for its material abundance, with fertile lands and plentiful water flowing through its many rivers.
Even though the Qi density in Golden Harvest County couldn't compare to that of the Range of Myriad Beasts, it was still far better than the impoverished Trapped County. As a result, two cultivator forces emerged in the region: the Prime Dynasty and the local Moonlight Spear Sect.
Neither force was especially powerful compared to the northern blessed lands, but in their own territory, they were unmatched, each headed by a cultivator in the primary phase of the Meridian Cleansing Stage.
Golden Harvest County was bordered by the great ocean and Trapped County to the south, while the Range of Myriad Beasts enclosed its eastern boundary.
To the west lay an unknown territory. Those who ventured inside often disappeared for years, only to emerge later claiming they found nothing but stone ruins. With nothing of value to be gained, the place came to be known as Shattered Vale. Over time, most abandoned the idea of exploring it, with only a few hopeful dreamers daring to enter now and then.
North of Golden Harvest County was Verdant Blossom County, whose eastern border touched the blessed lands beyond the Range of Myriad Beasts. Its northern edge was sealed off by a deadly mountain range filled with icy rivers and towering peaks, where death awaited all who entered.
Eventually, the northernmost land accessible to humans became known as the Plain of Blessings, home to several powerful sects led by fourth-stage cultivators. Entrance to this land was carefully controlled to prevent unnecessary competition for its vast resources.
---
Theo finished reviewing the knowledge he had gained by reading a geography book and felt refreshed. Finally, he at least understood his surroundings better and stopped being a country bumpkin who knew nothing about the outside world.
'So Veronica migrated from the Plain of Blessings to this hole in order to help the weak people from Trapped County to improve," Theo recounted the gist of things in his mind. Indeed, the sect only accepted disciples from the three cities.
At first, Veronica only recruited young girls from the nearest city, Black Tree City which was located just south of the sect, and Lilia, the first disciple of the sect, was the daughter of the mayor.
Last year, however, Veronica could entrust the recruitment of this city to Lilia's hands while going to recruit new blood from a further city known as Hope City. Its name was derived from the original builders' wishes to benefit humanity, aiming to settle a place where humans can cultivate and die of old age instead of sicknesses.
This venture secured two loveable junior sisters, although Theo would have to wait a few years for them to become adults before he could love them too deeply.
'Wait, I'm sixteen, doesn't it mean I can have fun with girls who are fourteen years old? The difference isn't that big!' He ranted in his mind. Unfortunately, Veronica set clear rules, and disciples under sixteen must retain their purity.
He also noticed there was something strange with Trapped County. The Qi density denied the rule of diffusion which stated energy should move from areas of higher concentration to areas of lower concentration. Overall, it seemed that the Qi density rose as one went north, with the Range of Myriad Beasts acting as a wild card.
'So, if I want to find a place to bully other forces and get their manuals, I should descend east to Golden Harvest County,' Theo concluded. The other places were either too far, too weak, or too strong. Only the Prime Dynasty and the Moonlight Spear Sect could offer him worthwhile inheritances to develop the sect and farm cultivation years.
There was only one problem… Veronica would beat him black and blue if he bullied the weak. Besides, it was considered evil to do so in the cultivation world, which might cause stronger forces to do the same to him as retribution. Otherwise, nobody would dare develop new skills; they would always be robbed the next day.
'Then, I should just follow her footsteps!' He came up with a solution. He only has to tour the county with some of his beautiful junior sisters.
Plans are great, but one has to wield the power to execute them. Theo drew his Sword of the Void out of its sheath and positioned himself in the empty room. There was a deep connection between the sword and his manuals, something easily noticed by their names.
'It'd be better not to cut my bed in half,' Theo decided and left his chambers. The secret spot Anya showed him the other day was a perfect place to practice without being found out.
He stood in front of a large boulder and swung his sword a few times, making thrusting and slashing motions in front of it without connecting. It was the Twenty-Four Forms Sword Manual he had learned, the highest quality of a basic-tier technique.
Unlike manuals, techniques weren't comprehensive in their teaching, and higher tiers required a firm foundation. Otherwise, one would be unable to comprehend the more complicated principles behind stronger techniques.
'Phew…' Theo exhaled after his warm-up. He then started pondering about a possible way to add his knowledge about the void to the sword. Due to his deep understanding built over hundreds of years of learning, plus a strong instinct developed by his own cultivation and connection to the void, a few ideas quickly flashed through his mind.
'So that's the point of the Sword of the Void,' Theo realized cutting the boulder would be missing the point, like using a hammer on a screw. He placed a plank of wood to the boulder's right and repositioned himself.
He waved his sword a few times in the air to get a hang of his newly developed technique and felt ready. Next, the sword attacked the wooden plank from the wrong direction; the boulder was in its way.
However, the sword cut through the stone easily like only air blocked its path, and… got stuck around the middle of the fat boulder.
'Damn, my first try was only half successful,' Theo sighed in exasperation. There was zero damage on the boulder where the sword crossed, only a deep hole where it stopped. Theo's new technique aimed not to break his enemy's defenses but to skip them altogether by switching spaces.
In his technique, the sword merged with the intangible void, crossing through space unhindered. Perhaps a better way to say it was that the sword entered a parallel realm, thus the objects of this world couldn't stop it.
*Ding!*
[Sword training detected. Does the host wish to spend cultivation years on sword training?]
[Yes / No]