Cultivation: I Can Traverse Otherworlds

After leaving the East Sea Alliance’s territory, the Yunjing Commerce Association traveled for some time before stopping near a cluster of islands.

This territory belonged to the Thousand Islands Ye Family.

The Ye Family had several Dao Foundation Cultivators presiding over it. They occupied a number of spiritual ore mines and fisheries and were skilled at cultivating Spirit Fish.

The Commerce Association traded here for a full month before setting out again, this time for the Chen Family of Juque Island.

Stopping and starting like this, they traded with various cultivation powers for locally scarce resources, reaping handsome profits.

「Time passed.」

Zhu Ju gradually began to fit in.

Compared to Wind Moon Valley, which was rife with intrigue and deadly plots, the Yunjing Commerce Association was far safer. While it inevitably had its share of complicated people, many Cultivators simply ignored worldly affairs to immerse themselves in the study of various disciplines.

”Don’t underestimate the Five Elements Array. Many arrays are based on them, and High-Tier Array Maps evolve from Low-Tier Array Maps.”

Yann Nanshuang pointed to the Array Map before them.

”Besides, arrays aren’t just for defeating enemies. We Cultivators have uses for them in all aspects of life.”

”Take this Earth Element Array, for example. When building a house, it can be adapted into a Solid Earth Array to make earthen walls and beams much sturdier.”

”This Bright Light Array can replace candles and provide a stable source of light...”

Zhu Ju nodded repeatedly.

”Never mind.”

Yann Nanshuang sighed softly.

”The study of arrays is profound and abstruse. Only those with exceptional talent and comprehension can hope to master it.”

”While you are suitable, Brother Zhu, I imagine you don’t want to waste too much time on this.”

”You’re right,” Zhu Ju said.

”Life is short, and the world is boundless.”

”We can’t possibly grasp everything. If we can achieve even a little through our best efforts, that’s enough for one lifetime.”

”Indeed,” Yann Nanshuang said, her gaze turning distant for a moment. After a pause, she continued, ”As for a Tier Two Array, I suggest you master the Inverted Five Elements Array. It’s powerful, yet relatively simple to set up.”

”It just requires a great deal of materials.”

”However, it can be broken down into five Tier One High Grade Arrays. You can build it one step at a time, then combine them to form the Tier Two Grand Array.”

”Oh,” Zhu Ju said, cupping his hands. ”Please, elaborate.”

”Let me start by introducing the five Tier One High Grade Arrays,” said Yann Nanshuang. ”The Golden Saber Flame Array, the Fire Separation Array, the Water Prison Earth Dragon Array...”

”Each array possesses two elemental attributes. Combining them in pairs creates different effects, and when all Five Elements converge, their power increases enormously.”

”Let’s start with the Golden Saber Flame Array for today...”

By the time Zhu Ju took his leave of Yann Nanshuang, he looked completely bewildered, his mind swimming with all kinds of Array Maps and arrays.

He was in a daze all the way back to his residence, only snapping out of it once he arrived.

’The art of arrays is truly profound.’

’Thankfully!’

He rubbed his face.

’I only need to learn how to deploy and control the arrays; I don’t have to understand their inner workings. That’ll save me a lot of trouble.’

’Still, who would have thought arrays would be so expensive?’

The materials to fully deploy a single Tier One High Grade Golden Saber Flame Array actually cost several hundred thousand Spirit Stones. It was a terrifying sum.

More expensive than a Magical Treasure!

Then again, it made sense.

An array could guard an entire power, its coverage was vast, and it was indispensable to any cultivation faction.

A Magical Treasure, as wonderful as it was, could only be wielded by a single person.

”Master,” a serving girl said, coming to report. ”You have a visitor.”

”Oh?” With a sweep of his Divine Thought, Zhu Ju immediately understood. He called out toward the courtyard, ”Come in, please.”

”Haha...” A man strode in, laughing heartily. ”I’ve come uninvited. I hope you don’t mind, my friend!”

The man wore a Patterned Golden Brocade Robe with a White Jade Vortex Spirit Belt at his waist. He stood tall and carried himself with an extraordinary air.

”Brother Fang.” Zhu Ju recognized the visitor as Fang Chu, a new Dao Foundation cultivator from the Commerce Association’s Fang Family, whose reputation was on par with Yann Nanshuang’s.

”What is it?”

”I wouldn’t come to you without a reason,” Fang Chu said with a smile. ”I heard that you recently took in a servant named Li Xingzhou. Is he the former Young Master of the Sea Jiao Li Family?”

”Yes,” Zhu Ju nodded. ”It was thanks to a recommendation from the Sea Jiao Li Family that I was able to join the Commerce Association. Now that he has fallen on hard times and come to me for help, I couldn’t very well ignore him.”

”Besides, the man has a talent for business. He’s useful to have around.”

”There’s something you may not know,” Fang Chu began slowly. ”The Li Family offended the East Sea Alliance, which is how they ended up in this state. Furthermore, many of their enemies have come to the Commerce Association looking for them.”

”His presence here puts the Commerce Association in a difficult position.”

As he spoke, he sighed and shook his head, but his eyes flickered, darting around the room.

Like a vulture searching for a prize.

”I see...” Realizing what was happening, Zhu Ju took out a Jade Scroll and handed it over. ”Li Xingzhou is gravely injured and doesn’t have much time left. He’s also penniless. However, he does possess a family heirloom—a Dao Foundation inheritance—that still has some value. I hope you will be magnanimous and let this matter slide.”

”Oh?” Fang Chu raised an eyebrow. He took the Jade Scroll and swept it with his Divine Thought, a satisfied smile instantly spreading across his face.

”Say no more.”

”Since you’ve stepped in, Brother Zhu, we’ll let this matter drop. I’ll go back and deal with those people.”

”Thank you,” Zhu Ju said, rising and cupping his hands. ”I’m in your debt, Brother Fang.”

”Think nothing of it,” Fang Chu said with a smile. ”Once you’re aboard with the Yunjing Commerce Association, you receive our protection. How could we make an exception to that rule?”

”You can tell that junior to rest easy. Absolutely no one will bother him.”

With that, he clasped his hands behind his back and sauntered away.

Zhu Ju shook his head as he watched him go. ’What a character... truly a rare breed.’

He had known all along that Li Xingzhou’s troubles would eventually find their way to his door; he just hadn’t expected it to take so long.

Nor did he expect the person who came to be Fang Chu.

To think that this Qilin Child of the Fang Family, a man whose fame was on par with Yann Nanshuang’s, would have such a personality.

*

*

*

「Otherworld.」

The Divine Capital!

The Daqi Empire was vast, but its Divine Capital was even more magnificent.

Its one hundred and eight districts, spread out like stars in the sky, encompassed mountains and rivers, forming a megacity of unimaginable scale.

It covered an area comparable to a small nation.

Its ninety-one towering city gates saw a massive torrent of people flowing in and out, every single day.

Such prosperity was something Zhu Ju had never witnessed, not in any of the other Otherworlds he had visited, nor even in the Main World.