Hello, dear readers! Here's chapter 124, part 1! Brace up for some Lore. I did my best to make the whole City, Federation, etc. as believable as possible. I hope you'll like the results.
Last week: I've taken a few days off writing those last few days because I fell sick at three times in three weeks and realized I've been pressuring myself too much. I just couldn't, or more specifically, didn't dare to, unplug my brain from my story, even when I wasn't writing. The result was being completely drained mentally, which made it even harder to find the energy to write something I liked. Pretty much a vicious circle. So, even though falling sick wasn't exactly enjoyable, I'm glad I did and realized what I was doing before it got too serious. Anyway, I'll be pacing myself a bit more from now on, starting with taking saturdays off, giving me two full days to completely relax.
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Bright Star City, Bright Star Island, Flowing Stars Archipelago, Earth
Omniscient P.O.V.
Red Tide district. Though having heard of it through both the Mansion's cultivators and the information bundle they received a few weeks ago, the difference between hearsay and reality was massive, leaving them no way to anticipate the 'organized chaos' happening in front of their eyes. Indeed, after passing through the gigantic gate, what they were welcomed with was a cacophony of noise and a flurry of moving people, along with a great number of transport artifacts either floating or rolling on the Air or Ground Path. The latter was a massive light azure-blue-colored cobbled-stone road divided into two lanes with a sidewalk on each side, spacious enough to let tens of people walk on the same level. In a way, it was relatively similar to Molkovia. If one ignored the exaggerated 'dimensions' of everything around, that was. Besides the road part, the group could see many buildings with heavy old Chinese architectural influences, standing from two to five stories high on each side of the road. Each of those buildings worked as either a shop, an accommodation, or both. Whether it was the buildings, the road, or even the people arguing on the sidewalk, it was all reminiscent of the Origin Islands, if not for a few 'minor details'. The first obvious difference came from the artifacts themselves, each possessing its own 'flavor', from what seemed to be a floating car to a flying bowl, along with many others like Chinese boats, broadswords, paint brushes, etc., with some rolling on the ground like one particular horse-drawn coach to flying around ten meters in the air like one paper crane. The strangest one they found looked like a trumpet ridden by a thirty-year-old-looking man wearing a tuxedo, though none of them commented on it, as the Peak Foundation Building's fluctuations his body emitted made it clear that the man had the strength to own that look. 'Who am I to judge when I'm wearing old Chinese-style clothing, right?' Demian thought briefly. The second difference came from the people themselves. Through their Soul Sense, the group could not find any Mortal without cultivation among those thousands present around them, the weakest of those they could sense being at the Late Body Strengthening, and most of them were actually young children. However, the bulk of those present had already reached the Chi Gathering Rank, with each of them boasting thick and relatively pure Spiritual Energy, a far cry from the superficial Inner Energy that those cultivators from the Origin Islands cultivated. To be fair, though, the cultivation's conditions in any one of the Federation's Inner Islands were worlds apart from that desolate place, even though there were still differences between the Inner and Outer Cities in Energy concentration, decreasing from a Tier 4 Energy Vein to a Tier 3 one. Of course, the impact was mostly about Energy Concentration, with some of the Tier 4 Energy attributes still present, such as easing Elemental Comprehension, among other things. Knowing that, it was not exactly shocking to see so many cultivators around. Making an educated guess, Demian predicted that even those Mortals with no talent for cultivation could not only reach the Peak of Body Strengthening in the Outer City, as long as they cultivated regularly, of course, but also increase their lifespan by a few more decades compared to other Mortals, all the while being free from the usual diseases one could be subjected to with a Mortal body. Still, the Foundation Building Rank WAS a major watershed for Cultivators in general, or to be more specific, the Lightning Tribulation standing between the Peak of the Chi Gathering Rank and the Foundation Building Rank was. Indeed, calling it a life and death ordeal was completely appropriate, since there were many more failures than successes, with said failures ending automatically in one's true death, with no other recourse but experiencing one's Soul dissipate and one's body disintegrate. Even a monstrous genius like Brynhild almost died from it, though her situation was a bit special. Still, it displayed perfectly how terrifying cultivators' Tribulations were, creating many Heart Demons for those with weaker Wills. Indeed, those lacking the courage to risk their life to pursue the Path to Immortality chose to stay at the Peak of the Chi Gathering Rank until their death, with no intention of going through their Tribulation. If one wanted to go far on that Path, one did indeed need talent. However, without a strong Will and great Luck, one would ultimately fail at one point, and those stuck at the Peak of the Chi Gathering Rank reflected that reality. Was it a bad thing, though? After all, everyone was different, having different aspirations and pursuits. Plus, when it came to longevity, wouldn't those dying under their Tribulation have lived a lot fewer years overall? Especially since the majority of those undergoing their Tribulation failed utterly... 'Well, it's hard to say what choice I would make if I didn't have my Perks...' Demian pondered while noting the relatively few number of Foundation Building cultivators around.
Back to the differences. Another thing that was extremely different was the physical appearance of the people around. Indeed, wherever the four Mikhailovs looked, they could see tails, animal ears, long ears, scales, etc. Even some of the people without 'alien' characteristics emitted strange auras, reminding them of a mix between beast and human, something none of the Mikhailovs had ever felt before, though it might have been because their previous cultivation base was too low. Feeling intrigued by the sight, and, unlike a few weeks ago when they had just arrived at the Teleportation Station and were too preoccupied to ask for information, this time Adeliya exclaimed. "So many people from different races... Aren't there any conflicts between them?" Shaking his head, Wang Xiong responded, his eyes scanning everywhere for any potential threat. "Some, but most of the time, it's merely some minor scuffles. You need to understand that the Federation's core values are social harmony and growth through diversity. So, the authorities crack down on anyone making too much of a disturbance, including those involved in interracial conflicts. It does have the merit of creating a much better environment for cultivation, though it's far from perfect." Pausing for a second, he then added. "To be completely honest, I know of some powerful people in the Federation who would have been executed for what they have done if it weren't for their high Cultivation Base. So, do keep your mind sharp and don't trust others too much, or you might end up regretting it." Clicking her tongue, Sera commented. "So, it's basically the equivalent of communism for cultivators, with all the 'good' things that come with it." Chuckling at the reference, Xiong turned his head towards her and replied. "Well, I wouldn't say it's ONLY communism. We do have our fair share of capitalist policies. After all, cultivation at its very core is individual. No matter how close you are with those around you, they can't cultivate or break through for you..." Hearing that statement, Demian begged to differ. Though he did keep his protest for himself, for obvious reasons. "...Sure, they can give you some help, but it's ultimately limited. So, if you want to compare the Federation with those Mortal nations, then it would be a mix of individualism and community, packaged with magic powers." Tilting her head in thought, Sera said thoughtfully. "Got it. I'll keep that in mind." On the side, Liya, Bryn, and Demian listened with interest, linking the man's explanation with their previous experiences. Turning back his head toward the front, the sturdy-looking brown-haired guard added. "Now, everything I just told you about social harmony and tolerance is IN the Federation. But outside, it's a whole other story. Young Lady, you asked about conflicts between races, right?" Noticing Liya nod, he continued, his eyes glinting with reminiscence. "Well, unlike in the Federation, where conflict is squashed by the strong cultivators working for the government, outside is a real battlefield, with Demon Beasts, Evil Cultivators, Natural Killing traps, deadly secret realms, etc. Even among those righteous cultivators, you may be stabbed in the back if the gain is worth the risk." With his brow slightly furrowing, Demian commented. "Sounds like Hell." Shaking his head slightly, the older man retorted. "That's simply how this world works. Cultivation, after all, is heavily reliant on resources. Even those incredibly talented like the four of you, Young Lord and Ladies, need resources to advance." As he was about to protest, Xiong suddenly interrupted him, a knowing smile on his face. "Let me guess: You were about to tell me that you didn't use any Cultivation Pills to cultivate to your current level. Am I correct?" After seeing him nod, the older man explained. "Pills are just one side of things. But what about Spiritual Energy, or Elemental Energy? If you didn't have access to a Peak Tier 4 Energy Vein to cultivate, would you have reached your current level? Maybe you would, seeing your current cultivation speed, but I bet it wouldn't have been this fast, would it? And what about breaking through to the Foundation Building Rank or even higher Ranks?"
Hearing the man's arguments, Demian realized he was right. Yes, his Perks made his cultivation so much easier, but at the end of the day, it was merely a sort of amplifier. Thus, without the right amount of Energy to fuel it, it was like a car without gas: Just a useless piece of metal. Of course, he was also aware that, since the Perks he possessed were truly broken, he would have probably been able to advance his cultivation even if the conditions outside were insufficient. The thing was, it would probably take too much time, and his lifespan might not have been enough to carry him along. So, all in all, even he needed resources, and denying it would be hypocritical. Letting out a sigh, Demian said. "You're right. I think I became a bit too arrogant for a minute." Shaking his head slightly while chuckling, the older man then simply continued his explanations. "Resources and opportunities are extremely important for a cultivator, so once you'll be able to to leave the Federation, stay cautious of everything and everyone." As something suddenly came to him, he added. "Also, be extremely wary of those Demon Beasts from the Frost Beast Palace." Hearing the advice, Bryn commented. "I was wondering... What are Demon Beasts? I know there are two kinds of beasts—the Spiritual Beasts and the Demon Beasts—but I don't really understand the difference between them." To which Xiong nodded and explained. "Mmhh... To put it simply, the difference between the two is exactly the reason why the Beasts from the Frost Beast Palace have been our mortal enemies for thousands of years now." Pausing his words for a brief moment to gather his thoughts, he still kept most of his attention on the scenery passing by their flying boat, while allocating a sliver for planning the route to their first destination. Seeing the four listening closely, he started. "You can think of it this way: Spiritual Beasts use Universal Essence to cultivate, while Demon Beasts steal other living beings' Essence to do so. It's similar to orthodox cultivators and Evil Cultivators." That was an explanation Demian and Sera often read about in Cultivation novels, but there was one thing he never understood, prompting the young man to ask. "You say Demon Beasts steal living beings' Essence... I assume things like blood refining, soul refining, etc., right?" Nodding, Wang Xiong responded simply. "Among other things." With a tone full of confusion, Demian remarked. "But then, aren't orthodox also doing the same thing? Aren't plants also living beings? What about ores, spirit stone mines, etc.? We extract all of those. Doesn't that make us thieves as well? Don't get me wrong, I'm not about to go on a revolution against the system. It's just that I've always been curious about it." Those few questions brought a thoughtful look to the three women, with Sera even mumbling. "Yeah, I always wondered the same thing..."