Survival!!
Such a simple word, yet the price humanity has paid for it far exceeds what ordinary people can imagine. If the number of humans who descended into the Eternal World was a hundred, then at least sixty perished in the initial chaos. On every inch of land in this world, the bones and blood of humans remain. If not for the rise of Great Yi, Yi Prefecture alone would have seen an additional three billion human corpses.
Survival is not easy. Cherish each step forward!
Yi Tianxing knew this well. Jia Chengxin, too, understood it—perhaps even more so. As a wandering merchant who traveled across the land for seven or eight years, he had seen countless sights, many of which were tragic. He understood well the harsh fates of humans in other regions. Those who had managed to survive were the fortunate ones, possessing some degree of power or backing. In certain ways, they had managed to establish a foothold.
Yet the vast majority of villages and towns still lived under extremely difficult conditions.
Compared to the Great Yi Dynasty, they were worlds apart—one in the heavens, the other buried in the earth.
The transformation of Great Yi was simply astonishing. If one had not seen Yi Tianxing with their own eyes and recognized his face, they might never believe that this vast dynasty was once just a fledgling village struggling to survive.
"Survival is hard, but I believe that with talents like you among the human race, there is bound to be a chance for resurgence. In fact, over the years, I've met many human geniuses and overlords. Though not as prominent as Great Yi, they are still rising steadily. The potential of humanity is truly extraordinary."
Jia Chengxin said with a smile.
The potential and resilience of humanity were undoubtedly among the greatest of all races under the heavens.
"Oh? Fellow Daoist Jia has traveled far and wide. Compared to you, I—Yi—am but a bumpkin in the wilderness. Would you be willing to share some tales and curiosities from beyond Yi Prefecture?"
Yi Tianxing replied calmly.
The greatest advantage of wandering merchants was their exposure to the world. Their knowledge was unparalleled. It was said that these merchants even had their own networks, with shared intelligence—though how exactly they achieved that, only they knew.
What the Great Yi Dynasty needed most now was external information.
There was no need to be polite about it: Great Yi was still quite ignorant of the wider world. Their understanding was extremely limited. The arrival of Jia Chengxin could help fill in many of the gaps.
"Of course. Speaking of which, your Great Yi is impressive, but I've seen the top-tier races and the depths of their heritage are truly unfathomable. On one continent, I encountered a Western human nation that founded a kingdom based on arcane magic, even constructing floating cities. These cities hover in the air and possess immense power, including Mage Towers. The arcanists there are exceptionally skilled in casting spells and have even developed a full Arcane Civilization."
Jia Chengxin paused for effect.
"I've met the king of the Aocreon Kingdom—a powerful arcanist named Aocreon himself. He's no ordinary man. Arcane magic has transformed their way of life. Just as you have rune-forged lamps in Great Yi, they have glow crystals for illumination. Their alchemy produces various alchemical creatures, many of which possess formidable strength. Here, take a look—this is the currency issued by the Aocreon Kingdom, called the Arcane Gold Coin. It's said to be forged through both alchemy and arcane methods."
As he spoke, he took out a coin and handed it to Yi Tianxing.
Yi took it without hesitation.
It was different from the Eternal Coin—this was a solid gold coin, more akin to an old-world silver dollar. It had a unique weight and texture. On the front were strange characters spelling out "Arcane," and on the reverse was a shifting image of an arcanist. The face was indistinct, yet somehow always appeared perfect—matching the viewer's ideal image.
"Interesting. So this is an Arcane Gold Coin... It is indeed extraordinary."
Yi Tianxing held the coin. Embedded within the image was a static arcane spell, and he could sense a peculiar energy within—something that seemed to increase the vitality of flesh and blood—essentially, life force.
And life force meant longer lifespan and greater potential.
"This coin can also boost true essence, spiritual power, and even strengthen one's soul and sea of consciousness. Each one is extremely precious."
Jia Chengxin smiled.
For arcanists, spiritual strength and the soul were the foundation of their cultivation. The stronger the soul, the more spells they could master and the faster they could grow.
"Remarkable. A coin that directly enhances spiritual power... Its value is undeniable. Although it may be slightly inferior to our Eternal Coins, the boost it offers is nearly double in terms of cultivation."
Yi Tianxing nodded inwardly. Such currency was already incredibly precious.
"It's said these coins are made with Vitality Spring Water and crystals, infused with arcane spells. Their forging process is highly unique," Jia added.
The Vitality Spring Water is a rare spirit spring capable of enhancing life force, healing wounds, and more importantly, boosting spiritual power and nourishing the soul.
That explained the extraordinary effects of the Arcane Gold Coin.
"Looks like if there's a chance, I really want to see this Aocreon Kingdom for myself."
Yi Tianxing smiled. In a world filled with countless races and civilizations, witnessing them firsthand would be a tremendous gain.
"Aocreon is just one of many. Over the years, I've also seen a nation built by the Three-Eyed Clan—Atlantis. They developed a rune-based civilization and created powerful rune armors. These armors provide an enormous combat boost."
Jia Chengxin went on to describe Atlantis.
Atlantis was established by the most pureblooded branch of the Three-Eyed Clan. Their natural talent made them frighteningly powerful. Their Rune Armor was a unique product of their civilization.
"I wonder if fellow Daoist Jia has any Rune Armor from Atlantis on hand. If you do, I'd love to see it. I might even buy it at the right price."
Yi Tianxing looked at Jia Chengxin without hesitation.
If he really had such an item, Yi Tianxing would gladly purchase it. Merchants were, after all, businessmen. He doubted Jia would let go of such a lucrative opportunity. Besides, he was certain that a merchant like Jia wouldn't miss the chance to obtain such goods.
"Haha, I do have a few. But since it's the New Year festival for the human race, there's no need to rush into business. Now that Great Yi has transformed so grandly, I'd like to stay and look around a while."
Jia Chengxin chuckled.
It was a banquet, after all, and the golden rule of business was: never be hasty. Today was still a national celebration, and doing business during such a time wasn't ideal.
"Very well. We'll talk after today."
Yi Tianxing nodded, already satisfied with the implied confirmation. Jia Chengxin definitely had the Rune Armor, and likely more than one set.
Jia Chengxin then shared more anecdotes:
He'd seen giants carrying mountains on their backs, with sacred peaks full of strange flowers and herbs like miniature immortal realms. He'd glimpsed the Sky-Piercing River, an unimaginably vast river said to connect heaven and earth.
"The Eternal Continent is vast, and the seas even more so. At the center lies the Ancient Continent, surrounded by countless oceans. Within these oceans are innumerable lands and islands, some large, some small, inhabited by uncountable races. What I've seen in all these years doesn't even scratch the surface."
Jia Chengxin sighed with heartfelt admiration.
This boundless world was the true stage for wandering merchants, who could freely roam and witness countless unique civilizations.
"Oh? Then perhaps you could tell me more about the major seas of the Eternal World. I've heard the area near Yi Prefecture is part of the Boundless Sea Region?"
Yi Tianxing's eyes lit up. This was exactly what he hoped for—any fragment of outside knowledge was valuable to Great Yi.
"If Yi Daoist wishes to hear, then how could I not share?"
Jia Chengxin smiled meaningfully at Yi Tianxing, then began to speak again.