After weeks of travel, Huo Chen finally arrived at the eastern domain. The first signs were small—mortal villages scattered across the landscape, simple wooden homes where people lived and farmed without cultivation.

  As he went deeper, mortal cities appeared, larger settlements with walls and basic markets. The further he traveled, the more cultivators he encountered. Small Qi Refining clans occupied valleys, their compounds marked by modest formations.

  Independent families lived in scattered estates, training their younger generations in visible courtyards.

  After what felt like another week of steady movement, the terrain opened ahead and he saw water.

  A river stretched across the landscape, wide and fast-moving. What caught his attention was the activity surrounding it.

  Flying boats moved across the water, large wooden vessels reinforced with formations that kept them airborne.

  Cultivators stood on swords cutting through the air at speeds that would have been impossible for anyone below Foundation Establishment.

  Others rode flying artifacts—platforms, disks, even what looked like a carved stone lion.

  The river was packed with movement. Most of the traffic seemed to be heading in one direction—across to the other side.

  Huo Chen approached the riverbank and looked for a way to cross. Several normal boats sat docked along the shore.

  An old man in his sixties stood beside one, 4th layer Qi Refining cultivation. He was preparing the boat, checking the oars and adjusting the ropes.

  Huo Chen walked over.

  "How much for a ferry across?"

  The old man looked up.

  "Ten low-grade spirit stones."

  Huo Chen handed over the payment. The old man counted them and gestured toward the boat.

  "Climb in."

  Huo Chen stepped into the boat and sat. The old man pushed off from the shore and began paddling, navigating the current with practiced ease. Around them, flying boats and cultivators passed overhead, filling the air with noise and spiritual energy.

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  Huo Chen looked at the old man. "Old sir, why is there so much activity here? Everyone seems to be heading in the same direction."

  The old man glanced at him with surprise. "You don't know?"

  "I just arrived in the eastern domain."

  "Ah." The old man nodded in understanding. "The Emerald Void Realm—the major secret realm of our Eastern Border Province—is opening in seven days."

  Huo Chen's attention sharpened. "Oh? A secret realm? Tell me more."

  The old man settled into his paddling rhythm and spoke as he worked. "The Emerald Void Realm opens once every hundred years. It is naturally formed. Only Qi Refining cultivators can enter—anyone at Foundation Establishment or above gets rejected by the entrance itself. No age restrictions, just cultivation level."

  "How long does it stay open?"

  "Eight months." The old man's strokes were steady.

  "Inside, the spiritual energy is incredibly dense. There are beasts at the Foundation Establishment level—early stage all the way to peak stage. Very dangerous."

  Huo Chen absorbed the information. Foundation Establishment beasts meant real risk, but also opportunity.

  "What about resources?"

  "All kinds. Spirit herbs and spiritual objects that can help build a foundation without pills. Materials that even Foundation Establishment cultivators want. That's why so many people are heading this direction. The Foundation experts send their juniors inside to gather things for them."

  "Where does it open?"

  "Two entrances," the old man said. "One in the western domain, one here in the east. But only one exit—right at the intersection between both territories."

  "Interesting."

  Huo Chen considered that briefly. One exit meant problems when people tried to leave with whatever they'd gathered.

  "Are there cities nearby? Marketplaces?"

  The old man nodded. "This whole area falls under the Blood Moon Hall's control. Their main city is about two days ahead at a steady pace. You'll pass smaller cities and market towns along the way. Good places to stock up."

  "And the realm entrance?"

  "The eastern entrance is five days northeast from here. There's a valley where the realm manifests—people call it the Emerald Valley. You'll see crowds gathering as the opening gets closer."

  The boat reached the opposite shore. The old man guided it to the bank and secured it with rope. "Here we are. Safe travels."

  Huo Chen nodded in response and stepped out onto solid ground. He walked away from the river, his thoughts already moving ahead. The Emerald Void Realm. Seven days until it opened. Eight months inside.

  'A heaven-sent opportunity. I can reach the ninth layer quickly, maybe even attempt breaking through to Foundation Establishment while inside.'

  But first, priorities. He needed a weapon. And more information about the realm. The road stretched ahead through open land. He walked for several hours as the sun moved across the sky. Eventually, a city appeared in the distance.

  Not large—maybe a third the size of Qingfeng City—but it had walls and gates and signs of active commerce. Smoke rose from buildings. People moved along the roads. Huo Chen approached the gates and walked through. The guards barely glanced at him, occupied with a group of cultivators arguing loudly near the entrance.

  Inside, the streets branched in multiple directions. Shops and stalls lined both sides. Cultivators moved between them, some carrying weapons openly, others with full storage bags. He scanned the area, looking for what he needed. A shop ahead caught his attention.

  Weapons hung in the window display—swords, sabers, spears, and various other tools of combat. The sign above the entrance read "Iron Cloud Armory."

  Huo Chen walked toward it and pushed open the door.