Outside, Lin Fang unrolled the continent map on a stone bench.
A wide green belt marked the Southern Demonic Forest, stretching across the lower edge of the land like a thorny wall.
Borders filled the space above it. On the western side sat a large red field for the Starshatter Sword Sect. Far north lay a deep blue spread for the Azure Sky Empire. In the northeast highlands, thunder marks showed the Heaven Smiting Lei Clan. East center glinted with gold script for the Golden Sovereign Jin Clan, pressing toward the Vermilion Court Empire in the southeast. Near the middle sat the Ten Thousand Forge Pavilion like an iron anvil, with the Black Tortoise Shi Clan holding a stout strip nearby. Close to the forest's rim was a small green leaf for the Divine Wind Sect and next to it the Radiant Sun Empire. Tiny dots in many cities marked Sky Fate Pavilion branches.
Five red rings marked forbidden zones:
Northwest: Howling Cliffs of Despair.
Deep in the forest: Ten Thousand Ember Furnace.
Far north: Sea of Drowned Stars.
Central heartland: Buried World Labyrinth.
Eastern badlands: Silverfang Iron Wastes.
Lin Fang unrolled the smaller map and traced the route with a finger. To reach the Southern Demonic Forest, he had to cross three kingdoms in a straight line. If he rode without sleep, it would still take almost a month.
He smiled. A long road meant a long harvest. He needed souls and many simulations before reaching the forest; otherwise, it would swallow him like in the simulation.
"Qin Ye," he said. "Take me to the Sky Fate branch."
Qin Ye led him through a busy street to a quiet side avenue where the noise seemed to die on its own. A tall pavilion rose there, six jade steps and a bronze incense tripod at the foot.
The plaque read Sky Fate Pavilion. Wind bells chimed once, then fell still, as if listening.
Inside, the air was cool and carried a faint sandalwood scent. Shelves of jade slips lined the sides like soldiers. A reception dais faced the door. Behind it hung two golden scrolls as tall as a courtyard wall.
The first scroll shimmered with a soft dawn light, Young Dragon List. One hundred names sat in neat columns beside their sects, clans, or empires. Tiny notes glowed under each name, brief as a knife cut, showcasing their realm. The letters were alive. Every few breaths, a line brightened, shifted, and settled again.
The second scroll was darker, like a night sky beaten into gold. True Dragon List. It also showed one hundred names. Each name carried an ancestral crest or banner, and the pressure that leaked from the ink felt heavier, as if every line had been written with blood and victories.
He looked first at the True Dragon Roll. His lips moved as he read a line at a time, voice low.
Lord of Starshatter (Starshatter Sword Sect) — "Void Edge Sovereign"
Emperor Xuanlong (Azure Sky Empire) — "Dragon of Ten Banners"
Thunderlord Patriarch Lei Tianxu (Thunderlord Lei Clan) — "Sky Rending Thunderlord"
Grand Oracle Mu Qingluan (Sky Fate Sect) — "Fate Sea Matriarch"
Crimson Patriarch Huo Lian (Crimson Furnace Temple) — "Heaven-Searing Patriarch"
Grand Forgemaster Bai Yuntai (Ten Thousand Forge Pavilion) — "Lord of Ten Thousand Forges"
Black Shell Patriarch Shi Zhen (Black Tortoise Shi Clan) — "Immovable City Lord"
Auric Warlord Jin Haotian (Auric Obsidian Jin Clan) — "Gilt Iron Overlord"
Vermilion Empress Mingque (Vermilion Court Empire) — "Phoenix Sovereign"
Starshatter Sword Saint Han Yansheng (Starshatter Sword Sect) — "Seven Sheath Saint"
His eyes suddenly widened in shock as they caught the next line. He spoke, his voice slightly trembling.
Supreme Elder of the Divine Wind Sect (Divine Wind Sect) — "wind Path Hermit"
"Rank eleven", Lin Fang's pupils tightened. That old man was the eleventh strongest being on the continent. He had guessed his master was strong, but he hadn't expected him to be this strong.
He drew a breath, shifted left, and faced the Young Dragon List.
Again, he read the first ten lines, one by one.
Lei Qinghe (Thunderlord Lei Clan) — Foundation establishment level 9
Han Jiansu (Starshatter Sword Sect) — Foundation establishment level 8
Xuan Zhaoyang (Azure Sky Empire) — Foundation establishment level 8
Mu Lianhua (Sky Fate Sect) — Foundation establishment level 8
Huo Yuetong (Crimson Furnace Temple) — Foundation establishment level 8
Shi Mingyuan (Black Tortoise Shi Clan) — Foundation establishment level 8
Jin Canglan (Auric Obsidian Jin Clan) — Foundation establishment level 8
Leng Qingshuang (Cold Moon Palace) — Foundation establishment level 8
Bai Yaochi (Ten Thousand Forge Pavilion) — Foundation establishment level 8
Qin Rouran (Vermilion Court Empire) — Foundation establishment level 8
His gaze ran down the column, measuring gaps and realms. He skipped to the end and read the last ten aloud.
"Ninety, Heishan Pu, Rogue, Qi Refining nine."
"Ninety one, Bai Yan, Ten Thousand Forge Pavilion, Qi Refining level nine."
"Ninety two, Shi Rong, Black Tortoise Shi Clan, Qi Refining level nine."
"Ninety three, Leng Fan, Cold Moon Palace, Qi Refining level nine."
"Ninety four, Jin Yue, Auric Obsidian Jin Clan, Qi Refining level nine."
"Ninety five, Lei Shan, Thunderlord Lei Clan, Qi Refining level nine."
"Ninety six, Han Bing, Starshatter Sword Sect, Qi Refining level nine."
"Ninety seven, Mu Qian, Sky Fate Sect, Qi Refining level nine."
"Ninety eight, Huo Que, Crimson Furnace Temple, Qi Refining level nine."
"Ninety nine, Chen Qiu, Divine Wind Sect, Qi Refining level nine."
"One hundred, Zhao Wuqing, Divine Wind Sect, Qi Refining level eight."
His brow lifted a fraction. Even the last name sat at Qi Refining eight. 'I need to grow faster!', his eyes turned determined, and his brain worked all out to find different ways to gather souls.
Lin Fang left the pavilion with Qin Ye in tow. He did not ask for a divination. The things he wanted answered were tied to the simulator. Random clerks in a small branch could not read that.
"Find me a good inn," he said.
Qin Ye nodded fast. "Yes, young master." He led him through the main street toward the best inn in the city, afraid that anything less would anger a cultivator.