Myriad Rivers to the Sea

The Shattered Sky plateau rested high above the turbulent ocean and a thick canopy of dark storm clouds covered the entire region. Jagged purple lightning flashed across the sky while deafening thunder echoed endlessly across the barren stone landscape. Li Yu hovered at the edge of the plateau and breathed in the heavy scent of ozone and fresh rain. This land was unique compared to the endless mud of the previous continent. The constant electrical storms made the environment incredibly hostile to outsiders so you had to be lightning attuned in some way to survive well here.

Because the harsh environment required a specific affinity, the land was not overly populated. The lower population density actually allowed the local residents to thrive instead of fighting over tiny scraps of territory. The constant lightning strikes also enriched the area and allowed rare resources to grow in abundance.

Li Yu used his divine sense and noticed a high concentration of lightning attributed herbs and valuable ores buried in the rocky soil. The abundance of rich resources meant the overall cultivation level of the beasts living here was much higher than what he had encountered in the dreary swamps.

Li Yu flew further inland and soon spotted a settlement built directly into a wide natural crater. He descended toward the town and admired the unique architecture as he got closer. The buildings were crafted from smooth dark glass forged by lightning striking the mineral rich sand and the walls shimmered with a faint inner light. Tall conductive metal rods extended from the glass roofs to catch the stray bolts of electricity from the sky. The rods channeled the raw energy down into glowing runic formations that provided heat and light for the homes below.

He landed near the town square and prepared for the usual fearful reactions he received on the other continents. He kept his King realm aura active to deter any foolish bandits from testing him though. However, he experienced a surprise as he walked down the smooth glass street. The beast kin walking past him paused to look at the human stranger but they were not hostile or terrified. They simply nodded in greeting and went back to their daily business with smiles on most of their faces.

The people here actually looked happy. Beast children with small static sparks dancing across their fur chased each other around the town while merchants sold glowing fruits from open stalls. The residents were a diverse mix of different beast types but they all shared physical traits related to lightning. Some had crackling horns while others possessed fur that stood on end from static electricity. The contrast between this bright settlement and the miserable mud villages of the Axolotl territory was jarring.

A woman stepped out from a large central building and walked toward him with a confident stride. She possessed a tall humanoid figure with pale blue skin and four delicate insect wings folded against her back. Tiny arcs of yellow electricity jumped between her fingertips as she moved. Li Yu sensed her cultivation base was firmly at the Soul Transformation stage which made her the top power in this smaller town.

"Greetings, traveler," the woman said with a warm and polite voice. "I am Mayor Zykra and I oversee this settlement. It is quite rare for us to see a human walking our streets, especially one projecting such a strong aura. We do not get many visitors from the outside world due to the endless storms."

"Greetings, Mayor Zykra," Li Yu replied while offering a respectful nod to acknowledge her position. "My name is Li Yu. I am a wandering cultivator looking for information and a place to rest for a short while."

"You are welcome to rest here, Li Yu," Zykra smiled and gestured for him to walk with her along the main road. "Most people avoid The Shattered Sky unless they are specifically hunting for lightning attributed herbs or other resources. What kind of information are you seeking today?"

"I want to know about the rulers of this continent," Li Yu asked directly as they strolled past a busy marketplace. "I recently came from the territory of the Soul Reaping Axolotls. There I saw they ruled their subjects with a very heavy hand. Do the Storm Astral Moths operate in the same harsh manner here?"

Zykra shook her head and a look of genuine relief crossed her face. "No, they do not. The Moths are usually pretty hands off when it comes to governing the smaller towns. They demand a reasonable tribute of herbs and metals every few years but they leave us alone to govern ourselves for the most part. They believe that as long as we survive the storms and grow stronger, we are serving the continent well."

She paused for a moment and let out a tired sigh as they stopped near a glass fountain. "However things have grown a bit complicated in recent times. There has been some internal strife within the royal court and the original group broke off into two separate factions."

"What caused the split?" Li Yu asked while observing a merchant roasting meat over an array nearby.

"A disagreement on how to handle the future of their people," Zykra explained while keeping her voice low. "The original group is known as the Lumin faction and they are the ones the people on this continent like and respect. They want to maintain the old ways and keep the peace so we can all cultivate in harmony. The splinter group calls themselves the Venin faction and they are causing chaos everywhere they go. The Venin believe they should conquer the other outer continents and rule them by force to gather more resources like the dragons do."

Li Yu listened to the explanation and remembered the ambush he had faced over the ocean. He reached into his spatial ring and pulled out a handful of dark metal tokens. He had looted these specific tokens from the fifteen Moth warriors he killed before arriving on the plateau. They were within the storage rings of those people.

"I was attacked by a group of moths while flying over the ocean," Li Yu said while holding the tokens out in his palm. "They used what I think was an illusion treasure to lure me into a trap and tried to kill me. Can you tell me which group they belonged to?"

Zykra picked up one of the dark tokens and inspected the jagged purple moth insignia carved into the metal. She scoffed and tossed the token back into his hand.

Stolen novel; please report.

"Those belong to the Venin faction," Zykra confirmed with a look of deep disgust. "They have been setting traps along the borders to rob travelers and fund their war efforts against the Lumin leaders. You did us all a favor by getting rid of them. On behalf of the people of this town, I thank you. Several of our people have fallen victim to their kind."

Li Yu put the tokens back into his ring and nodded his head. He was glad to hear he had eliminated members of the chaotic group and not the ‘better’ ones. It just made him feel better about the slaughter even though he would not regret killing anyone who actively tried to murder him.

"You should keep those tokens safe,Li Yu," the mayor advised while pointing toward the northern horizon where the storms looked the darkest. "The Lumin headquarters is located a few days' travel from here. Someone with your strength it wouldn’t take long at all. If you visit their central headquarters, you can trade those Venin tokens in for merit points. The Lumin faction rewards anyone who helps thin the ranks of what they call traitors now and you can use those points for various things, such as purchasing pills."

"That is good to know," Li Yu thanked her for the valuable information. "I plan to head there eventually but I am in no rush today. Would it be alright if I stay in your town for a day to explore and take in the local food? It has been a long time since I had a proper break from traveling."

"Of course you can stay," Zykra smiled warmly and gestured toward a large building filled with laughter and bright lights. Regardless of what his intentions were, it would not be wise to try and kick him out. "We welcome peaceful guests. That is the Thunder Strike Tavern over there. They serve the best food in the region and their rooms are very comfortable. Please enjoy our hospitality and let me know if you need anything else during your stay."

Li Yu thanked the mayor again and walked toward the tavern. It felt incredibly nice to take a short break from the constant fighting and rushing around. He pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped into the lively establishment. Li Yu had been rushing recently and felt this was as good as any of a place to relax slightly and gather his own thoughts.

The tavern was warm and filled with the rich aroma of roasted meats and spicy herbs. Beast kin of all shapes and sizes sat at long tables while sharing loud stories and drinking glowing blue liquid from large clay mugs. No one stopped their conversations or drew their weapons when he entered. Not because they weren’t paying attention but information about his arrival at the town already made its way across the town during his conversation with Zykra. A few patrons offered him a curious glance but they quickly returned to their meals when they felt his aura radiating from his body.

He found an empty table near a large window and took a seat. A young beast kin that had bird-like features but with static filled fur hurried over and asked him what he wanted. Li Yu ordered a large spread of their local specialties including a plate of roasted thunder hawk ribs and a jug of their famous spark wine.

When the food arrived Li Yu took a moment to appreciate the unique presentation. The roasted ribs crackled with faint arcs of electricity and the meat was seasoned with a bright yellow spice that smelled like fresh rain. He picked up a rib and took a bite. The meat was tender and the spicy rub sent a pleasant tingling sensation across his tongue and down his throat.

Heiyuan uncoiled from his waist and rested his dark head on the table. The black serpent flicked his tongue to taste the spicy air and sent a wave of mild annoyance across their mental bond.

'You are wasting time eating cooked meat again, Li Yu,' Heiyuan complained while staring at the crackling ribs. 'They just burned away the best parts of the energy by putting it over a fire. Eating should be a way to get stronger and you should swallow your enemies whole to absorb their raw power.'

Li Yu chuckled and took a sip of the glowing wine. The liquid felt like liquid static washing down his throat but it left a refreshing sweet aftertaste. While there were other drinks that were more commonplace, Li Yu focused on getting everything he could that he saw was unique. Why order something he could get someplace else when he was in a town that specialized in a certain thing and was unique.

‘You still have a lot to learn about the joys of life, Yuan,’ Li Yu replied softly. ‘We are not mindless creatures driven only by the need to consume and grow. We fight and cultivate so we can enjoy peaceful moments like this or at least I do. The flavor of a good meal and the warmth of a safe place are rewards for surviving the harsh roads. Some people don’t see it that way and that’s alright as well. We each do what we enjoy and there’s no wrong or right."

Heiyuan huffed and rested his chin on the table. 'The only reward for surviving is being strong enough to eat the next thing that tries to kill you. This sitting around and chewing on dead plants is pointless.'

Heiyuan’s time traveling with Li Yu had not convinced the ambitious serpent otherwise yet. Heiyuan was coming along on the journey and learning a few lessons but the idea of eating for pleasure went against his fundamental nature. He saw the universe as a grand buffet of raw power so he might never see eye to eye with Li Yu on the subject of culinary arts. There was no taste for him, only the results from eating.

Li Yu did not argue the point any further as they had done this several times at night already. He knew trying to teach his own philosophy to a devouring serpent was a long process that might never bear fruit. He simply enjoyed his food and watched the lightning flash outside the tavern window. Each lightning strike nearly brings back memories of the torture he had to endure during his tribulation but he was able to push those thoughts to the back os his mind. The atmosphere in the room was incredibly peaceful and the ambient noise of the happy patrons washed over him like a soothing balm.

He spent the rest of the afternoon taking it easy in Fulgurite Town. He walked through the bustling marketplace after his meal and browsed the various stalls for what was on offer. The merchants sold unique items crafted from conductive metals and woven silk that seemed to carry with it some lightning properties. He bought a good stockpile of the local drinks he enjoyed along with several large cuts of preserved meats that he had only ever seen here to store in his spatial ring. The merchants were happy to trade with him and they accepted his spirit stones without any issues since spiritual energy was a universal currency.

As the evening approached, the storm outside intensified into a brilliant display of purple lightning that illuminated the dark glass buildings. Li Yu returned to the tavern and rented a quiet room on the second floor for the night. The room featured a sturdy wooden bed and a large window overlooking the central square. He sat on the soft mattress and cycled his Qi while feeling the unique electrical energy of the environment wash over his senses.

It had been a while since he visited a town where the people were not oppressed or living in constant fear of their rulers. The Lumin faction had done a great job maintaining a healthy balance on this harsh plateau and it made Li Yu respect them before he even met their leaders. A faction that allowed its people to smile and thrive was a rare sight in this brutal cultivation world.

He closed his eyes and allowed himself to truly relax for the night while the thunder rumbled outside his window. Tomorrow he would travel to the Lumin headquarters and see if he could trade his tokens for the knowledge he needed. But tonight he was just a wandering traveler enjoying a warm bed and a full stomach in a town built off of the unique environment here.