Ray facepalmed. Not out of frustration. Not out of anger.
Pure. Unfiltered. Disappointment.
He had imagined so much when he heard the word sect. Resources, manpower, maybe even a way to get filthy rich.
Yet here he was, standing in what barely qualified as a shack, realizing his "sect" was just two broke people trying to survive on a mountain.
What a scam. He shook his head.
Now, he had to start everything from scratch. Great.
Nyxiel watched his face twist with realization, barely holding back a smirk. "What, disappointed already? You can leave if you want."
Ray shot her a flat look. "No, no, it's fine. Just, you know, starting a whole sect from nothing. No big deal." He cracked his knuckles. "I'll just move my hands a little, and bam disciples everywhere."
Nyxiel's lips twitched. This guy…
She had been trying to recruit for a month and hadn't gotten a single disciple. Meanwhile, this guy just strolls in, acts like he owns the place, and talks as if disciples will fall from the sky?
She suddenly had the urge to punch him.
"He'll know?" she muttered under her breath.
Ray, still grinning, stretched lazily. "You just don't know me, son." He chuckled, full of confidence. Sure, in his past life, he had never created his own force, but if he had? Oh, even heaven's geniuses would've joined him with their eyes closed.
After all… he was kind of a big deal.
But first things first.
He needed to figure out where the hell he even was.
Ray glanced at Nyxiel. "We'll talk about the sect later." He sat back down on the rock-hard excuse for a bed and sighed. "Not like anyone's waiting for us anyway."
Nyxiel coughed awkwardly, deciding to ignore that.
"I need some help," Ray said, looking at her seriously. "Tell me where exactly are we?"
Nyxiel tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I have no clue if I'm in the same world or not i mean am mortal right. What's this place? What's the cultivation world like? I need to know everything."
Nyxiel nodded, rubbing her chin. "Alright. Let's start from the basics, then."
She took a deep breath before continuing.
"This world is called the Great Profound Realm. It has five continents:
1. Primordial Central Continent – The strongest, richest, and most powerful of them all. Even if the other four continents combined, they wouldn't match it.
2. Celestial Ruin Continent – Famous for ruins and legacies left behind by ancient cultivators. A treasure trove of opportunities.
3. Mystic Origin Continent – A land where new talents emerge. Strong, but not particularly special like the top two.
4. Primordial Desolation Continent – The weakest of all. Underdeveloped, filled with jungles and magical beasts. No great sects, no grand legacies just a wasteland where even semi-talented cultivators leave for better opportunities.
and lastly
5. Kurunova Continent
Ray frowned. "Only five continents?"
Nyxiel squinted at him. "What do you mean only? Not a single person has ever fully traveled the Great Profound Realm. Even the strongest emperors haven't conquered all of it."
Ray just gave a thumbs-up. "Yeah, yeah. Sounds huge."
Nyxiel frowned. "You don't seem impressed."
Of course, he wasn't. Back in his past life, he didn't even bother counting continents. His family alone ruled realms bigger than this. Compared to that?
This all seemed tiny.
Well, a small start, I guess.
"Alright," Ray said, snapping back to the present. "So, which continent are we on?"
Nyxiel coughed awkwardly. "Primordial Desolation Continent."
Ray's face froze. "You're kidding."
She shook her head.
"Weakest?"
"Yep."
"Barren?"
"Pretty much."
"No opportunities?"
Nyxiel sighed. "Yeah."
Ray groaned, rubbing his temples. "Why. Why this place? You knew this and still chose to stay?"
"Well, yeah," Nyxiel admitted. "It's really difficult to travel between continents. People die just trying to migrate."
Ray patted his thigh and exhaled. "Figures."
"But actually," Nyxiel continued, "even if I could leave… I wouldn't."
Ray raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Why?"
Nyxiel looked away, something unreadable in her expression. "Because I have to build my force here."
Ray narrowed his eyes. "Why? What's so special about this place?"
Nyxiel was silent for a moment before she muttered, "It's just something I have to do."
Ray studied her face. He could tell she was hiding something.
But he didn't push.
For now.
Ray let out a deep sigh, shaking his head. "Alright, enough of that. Let's get to the real question now the most important one."
Nyxiel raised an eyebrow. "Which is?"
"What are Spirit Stones? And how do I get them?"
Nyxiel blinked. "Huh? You in need of those?"
Ray didn't answer immediately, just gave her a steady look.
"What are you even gonna do with them?" she scoffed. "You don't even know what they are, and you're already asking for them?"
"I need them," Ray said flatly.
Nyxiel rolled her eyes but decided to humor him. "Fine, whatever."
She crossed her arms and started explaining.
"Spirit Stones are basically condensed spiritual energy crystallized Qi, to put it simply. Cultivators use them for everything: cultivation, trade, formations, crafting, even energy-based techniques. They're the currency of the cultivation world."
Ray listened intently, nodding every few seconds.
"They can be found naturally in Spirit Mines, but also through certain formations that condense Qi into solid form over time. You can also just earn them sect salaries, trading, auctions, or even looting treasures. Basically, think of it as money, but much more useful."
"I see, I see," Ray muttered, rubbing his chin, looking deep in thought.
From his perspective, these were just a weak version of the God Stones from his past life.
One God Stone could only be formed at the core of a dying star,thousands of at one time, after billions of years and even then, only a tiny amount would form. Supreme-quality God Stones? Even rarer maybe one per entire star.
Back then, they were priceless.
Not that it mattered to him. He had so many that it wasn't even a big deal.
Spirit Stones, by comparison, seemed… small-time.
Still, he needed them.
Now came the next problem.
Ray looked at Nyxiel with hopeful, sparkling eyes. "Will you raise my salary?"
Nyxiel froze mid-step, then turned to him with a deadpan expression.
"Shut up," she said. "I already gave you everything I had."
Ray's face darkened. "Wait, you mean"
"Take it as your salary for the next five years," she said casually, stretching her arms.
Ray fell silent.
Five years?
What's the difference between that and just saying "I'm never paying you again"?
His heart shattered.
"Sigh" He sighed dramatically.
Nyxiel ignored him and got up from her chair. "You should stop worrying about money and start worrying about cultivation. You don't have much time. Every second counts if you want to become a great emperor, idiot."
She turned, heading toward the exit before she actually lost her patience with him.
Ray could tell she was done with the conversation annoyed was an understatement.
"Hey, wait!" Ray reached out a hand as if to stop her, but she didn't turn around.
Just as she was about to step out of the room, something clicked in his mind.
A detail.
Something in her story felt off.
"You never told me about the Kurunova Continent," Ray said suddenly.
Nyxiel's steps halted.
She didn't turn back.
For a second, her body stiffened, a faint tremble in her shoulders.
Ray narrowed his eyes. Interesting very interesting.
"Is there something you don't want to tell me?" he asked, keeping his voice casual but watching her closely.
"It's nothing special," Nyxiel finally said, turning her head just slightly toward him. "It's just a continent."
"Really?" Ray wasn't buying it.
Nyxiel exhaled slowly before speaking again.
"Before it was called Kurunova Continent, it was known as Aryavarta Continent the 'Land of the Noble.' A place of divine harmony, supreme sects, and legendary bloodlines."
Ray's brows furrowed. That sounds like a place filled with history so why change its name?
Nyxiel continued, her voice quieter now.
"But after the war everything changed."
Ray's eyes sharpened. "War?"
"The Kurunova War," she said simply. "A war so catastrophic, it reshaped the entire land. The continent was no longer the Aryavarta of legends it became Kurunova, a place marked by the greatest battle in history."
Ray leaned back slightly, deep in thought. A war that changed an entire continent's identity?
Definitely not normal.
And Nyxiel he could tell.
She knew more than she was letting on.
"Well," she said, "if your curiosity is satisfied, I'll be leaving now."
Without waiting for a response, she stepped out.
THUD!
The door slammed shut so hard, cracks spread across it.
Ray blinked, glancing around as the entire room shook.
"I definitely hit a nerve."
He smirked.
There was something about this Kurunova Continent and something personal about it for Nyxiel.
And then there was her name.
Glacial Glacialis.
That name why did it sound so familiar?
Ray frowned, racking his brain. It felt like something he should remember yet the answer was just out of reach.
He shook his head. "Forget it. I'll think about it later."
For now, there was only one thing to do.
Ray grinned, sitting on wooden bed.
"System, come up."
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