Over the next few days, I established a comprehensive legal framework for the Eastern Region. Outside American City, cultivators could settle disputes however they chose - the wilderness remained a lawless frontier where strength determined right. But within the city limits, I enforced strict rules against violence and property damage.
The obsidian buildings required merit points to rent, and I refused to tolerate vandalism, theft, and even littering. Fighting inside the city boundaries earned immediate ejection back to Earth with a twenty-four hour ban from re-entering the Eastern Region. Second offenses resulted in week-long bans, and third strikes meant permanent exile.
The Heavenly Dao proved invaluable for enforcement. Its consciousness permeated every inch of the world bead, monitoring thousands of cultivators simultaneously. When someone violated city ordinances, the divine intelligence alerted me instantly through our mental connection.
My first major enforcement action came on the fourth day.
Two men had gotten into a heated argument outside a restaurant in the commercial district. The dispute started over a woman they both claimed to have been dating back on Earth, escalating quickly when one accused the other of lying about his cultivation progress.
"You're still stuck at Body Tempering second layer, you pathetic loser," the first man shouted, his face red with anger. "Jennifer would never waste her time with someone so weak."
"At least I didn't pay for fake credentials to get my consulting job," the second man shot back. "Everyone at the office knew you were incompetent."
The argument attracted a growing crowd as their voices rose. Other cultivators gathered in a circle, some placing bets on who would throw the first punch. The tension built steadily until the first man shoved his rival backward into the restaurant's obsidian wall.
The moment his hands made contact, the Heavenly Dao's alert flashed through my consciousness. Physical violence within city limits - immediate intervention required.
I materialized in the sky above the commercial district, my divine aura washing over the gathered crowd. The two arguing men froze mid-confrontation, their faces draining of color as they realized what they had triggered.
"Citizens," my voice carried absolute authority across the district. "Violence within all major cities is strictly forbidden. This transgression requires immediate consequences."
I gestured toward the man who had initiated physical contact. Divine energy wrapped around his body like golden chains, lifting him off the ground despite his struggles.
"First offense - ejection from the Eastern Region with twenty-four hour re-entry ban."
The portal anchor activated beneath my will, opening a gateway directly to his origin city. The man's protests echoed as the divine energy hurled him through the dimensional doorway, which snapped shut the moment he disappeared.
The crowd stood in stunned silence. The remaining man who had been arguing backed away slowly, clearly terrified he might face similar punishment for his role in the confrontation.
"Let this serve as warning to all," I continued, my gaze sweeping across the assembled cultivators. "The Eastern Region offers unprecedented opportunities for growth and advancement. Those who cannot control their base impulses will find themselves permanently excluded from these benefits."
The crowd dispersed quickly, conversations resuming in hushed whispers. Word of the incident spread throughout the city within hours, and I noticed a marked decrease in aggressive behavior over the following days.
Meanwhile, Sarah Carter exceeded every expectation. She had established an efficient distribution system for identity tokens, created detailed records of new arrivals, and even began organizing orientation sessions to help newcomers understand the merit point economy.
Her competence impressed me enough that I secretly tripled her daily merit point stipend. The Heavenly Dao adjusted her earnings without her knowledge, making it appear that her exceptional performance had naturally resulted in bonus rewards from the divine system.
Finally it happened. I stood up with excitement, my heart racing as the Heavenly Dao's awareness washed through me. Through the world bead's consciousness, I could feel the entrance of both my parents, Richard and Linda Mason. It was only a matter of time before they caught wind of the portals and took one near their Sacramento home. I had deliberately placed a portal within easy reach of them, and they finally entered.
It looked like they didn't bring my little sister Christine with them, perhaps choosing to assess the danger level first. That made sense - Dad's engineering mindset would demand reconnaissance before exposing his youngest child to unknown risks.
I instantly teleported to my small rented apartment in American City and left through the front door, making my way toward the monument with the Earth portals. I set myself up on an interception course to coincidentally bump into my parents, timing my approach to appear natural.
The obsidian streets reflected the dual moons overhead as I spotted two familiar figures emerging from the portal plaza. Mom's shoulder-length brown hair caught the ethereal light, while Dad's sturdy frame moved with his characteristic measured pace. They both looked around in wonder at the impossible architecture surrounding them.
"Mom! Dad! You entered the portal too! Where's Christine?"
"Ben!" Mom's face lit up with relief and joy as she rushed forward to embrace me. "Oh honey, we were so worried when we heard about these portals. Are you alright? Have you been here long?"
Dad approached more cautiously, his engineer's eyes already analyzing the obsidian buildings and their perfect mirror finish. "Son, good to see you're safe. We left Christine with your aunt in Stockton. Wanted to scout this place ourselves before bringing her along."
"Smart thinking," I said, returning Mom's hug while extending my hand to Dad. "This place is incredible, but it definitely takes some getting used to."
"Ben, what is this place exactly?" Mom asked, her teacher's curiosity evident. "The news reports are all over the map. Some say it's another dimension, others claim it's some kind of advanced virtual reality."
"Nobody really knows for sure," I replied, sticking to the information available to regular cultivators. "The Eastern Region God explained that it's a cultivation realm where we can develop supernatural abilities. Everyone who enters gains basic knowledge about spiritual energy and how to strengthen our bodies."
Dad's weathered features showed the same analytical expression I remembered from countless childhood projects. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, processing the cultivation knowledge that had flooded his mind upon entry.
"The information feels real enough," he said slowly. "Like someone downloaded an entire manual directly into my brain. But Ben, this supernatural strength business - is it actually legitimate? Or are we dealing with some kind of mass hypnosis?"
I nodded, understanding his skepticism. "It's completely real, Dad. The strength I've cultivated here works perfectly back on Earth. I tested it myself before you arrived."
"How much stronger are you talking?" Mom asked, her teacher's instincts kicking in. "The knowledge mentions different layers and realms."
"I've reached Body Tempering third layer," I explained, pulling out my identity token. In reality, I had already reached Body Tempering eighth layer now, but nobody else within this region could cultivate as fast as I could, so I hid my cultivation from the public. "That means I can lift a large boulder without much trouble. Unfortunately, I can't demonstrate it right here in the city—property damage or fighting results in immediate expulsion, and there's nothing around that I could safely show off with."
Dad's eyes widened slightly. "Lift a large boulder? That's beyond human capability by any measure."
"Which is exactly why this place is so valuable," I continued, gesturing around us. "Everyone who enters can develop these abilities. Look."
I held up my identity token, a small crystalline disc that pulsed with soft blue light. "These track our progress and store merit points, which function as currency here. Everything operates on this system."
Mom examined her own token, which she'd just received upon arrival. "How do we earn these merit points?"
"Cultivation progress gives you points automatically. Helping other cultivators, contributing to the community, even just maintaining good behavior adds to your total. The Eastern Region God designed it to reward positive actions."
We began walking through the commercial district, where restaurants and shops lined the obsidian streets. The mirror-like surfaces reflected our images endlessly, creating an almost dreamlike atmosphere.
"The architecture is impossible," Dad muttered, running his hand along a perfectly smooth wall. "No construction techniques on Earth could achieve this level of precision. Every surface is flawless."
"And look at how many people are here already," Mom observed, watching cultivators move through the streets. "Thousands of them, all from different countries. I heard at least six languages just walking through that last intersection. Even though this is called the American City, and so far portals have only appeared around the West Coast of America, many foreign visitors have already arrived."
We passed information brokers selling cultivation advice, weapon smiths crafting ordinary cold weapons, and even entertainment venues where cultivators gathered to share stories of their progress. The merit point economy hummed with activity as people discovered new ways to earn and spend their point currency.
Eventually, we reached the residential district where massive mansions stood empty along wide boulevards. These structures dwarfed the smaller apartments, their obsidian walls rising three stories high with elaborate gardens and courtyards.
"Nobody's renting these yet," I explained, approaching one of the most impressive buildings. "The cost is probably too steep for most people."
Dad whistled low. "How expensive are we talking?"
I checked the artifact door lock, which displayed pricing information when touched. "Five thousand merit points per day."
"That's over two hundred times the cost of a basic apartment," Mom calculated quickly.
"Exactly. Most people are still figuring out how to earn steady merit points." I pressed my identity token against the lock mechanism. "But I've been here longer than most. I can afford to splurge a few points."
The lock chimed softly, recognizing the payment transfer. Intricate patterns flowed across the door's surface before it swung open silently, revealing a spacious foyer with polished floors and soaring ceilings.
"Ben, you can't spend that much on us," Mom protested. "You'll need those points for your own cultivation."
"Don't worry about it," I assured her, leading them inside.
The mansion's interior took their breath away. Every surface gleamed with the same mirror-perfect obsidian finish, yet the architecture transcended anything possible on Earth. Vaulted ceilings soared overhead, supported by graceful arches that seemed to defy structural engineering principles. Intricate geometric patterns flowed across the walls like frozen music, their complexity shifting subtly as we moved through different rooms.
"This is beyond anything I've seen in thirty years of engineering," Dad whispered, running his fingers along a seamless corner where wall met ceiling. "No joints, no construction seams. It's like the entire building was carved from a single massive stone."
Mom marveled at the spacious living areas, where obsidian furniture rose organically from the floor itself. Chairs, tables, and even decorative elements appeared to have grown rather than been built, their surfaces polished to impossible perfection.
"The bathrooms are particularly impressive," I said, leading them upstairs to the master suite.
The bathroom resembled a luxury spa more than a residential facility. An obsidian bathtub dominated the center, large enough to qualify as a small swimming pool. Shower fixtures emerged from the walls without visible plumbing, their crystalline surfaces catching and reflecting light in mesmerizing patterns. Even the toilet maintained the same flawless obsidian construction, its form both functional and artistic.
"How does any of this work?" Mom asked, approaching the sink cautiously. "There's no visible water supply or drainage."
I turned one of the faucets, and crystal-clear water flowed immediately. "Cultivator magic tools. The Eastern Region God equipped every building with advanced spiritual artifacts that handle all utilities. Water comes from pure mountain springs, waste disposal happens automatically, even hot water flows from naturally heated sources."
In reality, I had just received the Heavenly Dao's help to generate tiny portals everywhere that extracted water from lakes and dumped waste randomly in forests throughout the world bead. The faucet handles had no real function—the Heavenly Dao simply recognized when someone turned them and opened microscopic portals to pull lake water appropriately. Hot water came from naturally heated springs being mixed into the flow. However, my parents didn't need to know these technical details, so I left them unsaid.
Dad tested the shower, amazement crossing his features as perfectly temperature-controlled water cascaded from multiple fixtures. "The water pressure is incredible. And this temperature regulation is more precise than any system I've worked with."
They spent the next hour exploring every room, discovering hidden storage spaces, meditation chambers, and even a small library filled with empty shelves. The mansion contained enough space for a large family, all crafted with the same impossible precision.
Finally, we gathered in the main living area. I took a deep breath, knowing this conversation would change everything between us.
"Mom, Dad, I need to tell you something important. We're completely private here, so I can speak freely."
They settled onto the obsidian chairs, their expressions growing serious at my tone.
"I'm not just another cultivator who happened to enter this realm," I began carefully. "I actually own this entire world."
Dad's eyebrows shot up. "Own it? Ben, what are you talking about?"
Rather than explain further, I activated the Chaos World Bead's transportation ability. The living room dissolved around us, replaced instantly by the Core Region's magnificent landscape. My Core Palace rose before us in all its glory, its crystalline spires reaching toward the azure sky. The spiritual energy here was so dense they could practically taste it in the air.
Mom gasped, her hand flying to her chest. "Ben! How did we get here? What just happened?"
"Teleportation," I said simply. "One of many abilities I gained when I inherited this realm."
I began explaining the Chaos World Bead's nature, describing how it contained an entire world within a small artifact now residing in my body. I told them about the divine inheritance, the vast knowledge I'd absorbed, and my role as the realm's master. However, I conveniently left out the part about Jihasti trying to take over my body—my parents didn't need to be worried over nothing.
"The Eastern Region God that everyone talks about," I said, activating the Bone Molding Divine Art. My features shifted, becoming more angular and imposing. Divine aura flowed around me as I lifted off the ground, floating several feet above the palace courtyard. "That's me."
Dad stared in stunned silence while Mom's mouth fell open.
"Benjamin Richard Mason," Mom said slowly, using my full name like she had when I was in trouble as a child. "Are you telling me you're a god?"
"Not exactly a god," I replied, settling back to the ground and returning to my normal appearance. "More like the owner of a pocket dimension that I'm sharing with humanity. Everything you've seen, the cities, the cultivation opportunities, the entire Eastern Region - I created all of it."
The revelation took considerable convincing, but eventually they accepted the impossible truth. Their son had become something beyond their understanding, yet he was still the same Ben who called them every Sunday and remembered their birthdays.