Myriad Rivers to the Sea

Li Yu followed General Torsten as they descended toward the grand plaza of the capital city. His eyes scanned the pristine white stone buildings and the flowing waterways while he kept his senses sharp. He remained wary of hidden schemes or sudden traps as entering a foreign stronghold was always a risky endeavor even though he was so strong. Li Yu had seen all too many times where those that were much stronger were brought to their knees due to a carefully prepared scheme.

However, he also felt a sense of confidence in his own power anchoring his thoughts and actions. If this were the central continent and he was standing before the dragons, he would be much more careful with his approach. But against the rulers of this outer swamp he felt he could overcome anything they had with his current strength. If they could take him on with their schemes, they wouldn’t be living out here. Or at least that’s what he believed was true.

Li Yu wondered for a moment if he was being too arrogant but he decided it was just genuine trust in his own power that he had built up and the information he had gathered so far. The beast continents were starved of resources and they should not be thriving in a way where they could pose a genuine threat to a Creation Lord.

He chose to push those thoughts to the back of his mind while believing in his choices and continue forward without second guessing his instincts. His divine sense swept over the capital as they landed and confirmed the power here was roughly where it should be. The strongest signatures hovered around the King realm just as the information had suggested. He stayed ready to retreat or act at any time just in case a hidden expert was lurking in the shadows though.

A regal figure walked out to greet him as they approached the polished steps of the royal palace. The woman bore the distinct features of the Soul Reaping Axolotls just like many of the nobles gathered around her. She wore an elegant gown woven from shimmering blue water silk and a delicate crown of pale pearls rested upon her head. Her skin was incredibly pale and her pink gills flared gently with each breath she took in the humid air. General Torsten bowed low and introduced her as Ruler Astrid.

"Welcome to our capital, Li Yu," Astrid said with a respectful tone while keeping a cautious distance from her powerful guest. "Word of your arrival reached me of your visit to our capital. We do not often receive humans of your standing in our lands. If we had known of your arrival earlier, we could have prepared more formally."

"I appreciate the welcome, Ruler Astrid," Li Yu replied while offering a polite nod to acknowledge her position. "I am only here to seek information and I do not wish to cause any trouble for your people. I am looking for a way home and I was told your archives hold the best historical records on this continent."

Astrid smiled and gestured toward a tall stone building located beside the main palace structure. "General Torsten already informed me of what you seek as well. You are a guest of honor so I will open our royal library to you. You may read through our history and study our maps as much as you like. I only ask that you respect one rule during your visit. I am restricting you from the very top floor because it holds the private secrets and ancestral techniques of our people."

Li Yu respected that boundary as every clan had their own hidden foundations they needed to protect from outsiders. "I understand and I give you my word that I will not peek up there as they would not contain information I would need to return home."

Astrid ordered her guards to open the heavy stone doors and Li Yu walked into the library alone. They were of course keeping track of where he was in there at all times but Li Yu did not mind. The fact they did not have someone come in with him was already respect enough. Li Yu remained suspicious of traps as the doors closed behind him but nothing bad happened as he navigated the tall wooden bookshelves. The air inside smelled of old parchment and dried sea kelp. Glowing blue pearls were embedded in the ceiling to provide a soft light for reading. He spent several hours pulling scrolls and bound books from the shelves to read through the gathered information.

He started with the cultivation techniques stored on the lower levels to get a better understanding of how the locals practiced their techniques because he was curious. As he read through the manuals, he felt the cultivation methods were more on the basic side, at least overall. They contained somewhat of the same foundational ideas as other techniques he had read in his life but they seemed a bit more outdated in their execution.

Some of the information regarding Qi circulation was incorrect or just wrong. One manual detailed a method for gathering water Qi but it routed the energy through a minor meridian that would ultimately waste a good portion of the gathered power. Li Yu attributed those fundamental errors to the dragons hoarding knowledge and not allowing proper guidance to be passed down to the outer lands. He figured these techniques were created from scratch by these people and that was simply what they understood through trial and error as well as what was passed down.

He did not realize he was much further back in time so of course some cultivation techniques would not be as refined as the ones in his own era. That did not mean the techniques were inherently bad or weaker though. Most of the modern techniques from his time were created by the unparalleled geniuses of the prior generation and they rarely got altered or updated because they were as good as they were going to get. He just happened to stumble upon some cultivation theory that contained some natural errors.

Li Yu moved on from the martial manuals and searched for historical records regarding the central continent. He pulled out thick tomes detailing the ancient wars between the beast factions and read through treaties signed centuries ago. However, there was almost no information on the dragons to be found in the entire library which disappointed him greatly.

He quickly realized this was because the dragons probably did not allow such things to leak to the outer lands. Being a mysterious powerhouse only created more layers of fear among the populace of this realm after all. How could anyone overthrow a regime when they did not even know what they were facing or how many experts the enemy possessed? With the only thing that they know is that the dragons have ruled since the beginning and any threats against them have been crushed.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

He was now dealing with the exact same issue as the rebels of this world would have to deal with. Li Yu definitely needed to travel to the central continent to find a way home but he knew just as much about the dragons now as he did before arriving in the capital. There was no new information at all to help him plan his next steps or gauge the true dangers of Dragon Core. Going there in the dark was not something he wanted to do unless there was no choice. The dragons did not rule over this realm by being weak afterall.

He left the library feeling disappointed and found an older Axolotl elder waiting outside for him. The elder wore gray robes and leaned heavily on a wooden cane while offering a respectful bow.

"Were you satisfied with our archives, esteemed guest?" The elder asked with a raspy voice.

"I found some interesting things but not the exact answers I was seeking," Li Yu replied while thanking the man for the trouble of waiting. "Your collection is vast but my specific problem is quite rare."

"The search for knowledge is a long road," the elder agreed with a warm smile. "Ruler Astrid has invited you to stay for a grand banquet in your honor tonight. We would be pleased if you joined us to celebrate your visit and rest your mind after not being able to find what you need."

As expected in the cultivation world, strength opened most doors and invited hospitality. Li Yu agreed to attend since he needed to rest and perhaps he could glean some hidden information through casual conversation during the meal as well. He also needed time to figure out what to do next now that this was a dead end.

Later that night, the banquet proceeded in a grand dining hall decorated with glowing crystals and draped with fine blue silks. The long stone tables were filled with exotic delicacies like roasted kelp and rare spirit fruits harvested from the deep waters that he had not seen elsewhere. There were also many different dishes of fish and an assortment of meats as well. Musicians played soft melodies on stringed instruments while servers rushed to fill cups with sweet fermented wine.

Everyone in attendance looked very happy and they laughed while sharing drinks. It was a stark contrast to the common people he had seen outside the capital who looked afraid and struggled to survive. The difference was jarring to witness as the nobles feasted on rich meals while the slaves hauled heavy stones in the dark.

Li Yu sat at the head table as he observed the festivities while holding his cup of wine and enjoying the different favors that the dishes had. He was in no position to judge them for their extravagance or their cruelty. Li Yu was also in such a privileged position whether he had built it through his own hands or not. The fact remained that he was just like the Soul Reaping Axolotls when compared to the weaker realms that were under the Zhan Clan control.

His family stood near the apex of their universe as he understood it and enjoyed the finest things while those below them offered heavy tribute. The Zhan Clan might be more reasonable with their demands but the core dynamic was identical. The strong feasted while the weak served. Li Yu did his best to enjoy himself as some of the food here was very unique and he pushed such heavy thoughts to the back of his mind. He was lucky and grateful for his situation so he was not going to tell his clan to stop doing what they were doing just to appease a sense of fairness.

He also engaged in light conversation with Ruler Astrid as they sat next to each other. She asked him about his travels across the human continents and Li Yu shared a few vague stories about the barren lands. They were chatting peacefully about the mundane differences in architecture when the entire area suddenly rumbled and shook.

The heavy stone pillars vibrated and dust fell from the high ceiling as a deep tremor washed through the capital. Cups rattled on the tables and a few serving girls stumbled to the floor. Within his Koi Sanctuary, a deep and ancient voice sounded out to Li Yu. Krag had been resting quietly in the dark trench but the Supreme Exalt was now wide awake.

'Something is beneath this area, Li Yu,' Krag communicated through their soul connection with a slow and heavy tone. 'It is ancient and it is calling to me.'

This surprised Li Yu because Krag rarely showed interest in anything outside of his own secluded space to cultivate. The giant beast preferred to sleep and hoard energy so a proactive statement like this meant something truly extraordinary was hidden nearby.

Before Li Yu could ask the giant beast for more details, Ruler Astrid stood up from her seat in a hurry. Her pale face looked strained and she gripped the edge of the table tightly.

"Please excuse me," Astrid said with a forced smile. "We occasionally experience swamp tremors due to shifting currents. I must check on the city foundations to ensure no structural damage was done to the lower levels."

She left the grand hall flanked by several of her personal guards and the remaining nobles murmured nervously among themselves. Li Yu decided this was the perfect time to investigate what had awakened Krag as both things were most likely related. He set his wine cup down and left the banquet hall discreetly while the guests were distracted by the earthquake.

He walked into a quiet courtyard surrounded by tall stone walls and made sure no guards were watching before disappearing from the area. He used his void stepping technique to sink directly through the stone floor and travel deep underground.

He descended through thick layers of mud and bedrock while following the strange energy signature that Krag had pointed out and he had now locked onto. His Void Step bypassed several hidden arrays and complex defensive formations placed in the earth to hide this space and keep intruders out.

He appeared in a grand subterranean cavern hidden far below the capital city. This was not a place he would have detected on his own as it was much too deep and he wouldn’t have a reason to scan this far down. He was only able to lock onto this location through the connection he had with Krag and Krag’s instincts to whatever it was down here that drew his attention. The air here was incredibly warm and pulsed with a strange rhythmic energy that felt like a beating drum echoing in his chest. The space was enormous and looked mostly naturally carved from ancient black stone that glistened with moisture.

There was a large pool of pristine blue water resting in the center of the cavern. The water glowed with a soft inner light that illuminated the dark walls. Inside the glowing pool was a huge beating heart that took up roughly half the size of the underground pool.

The heart was a deep crimson color and it contracted with a slow and powerful rhythm. Thick veins stretched out from the tissue and anchored into the stone walls while pulsing with rich red Qi. Every time the heart beat, a wave of dense spiritual energy washed over the cavern.

Li Yu stared at the bizarre sight and opened a spatial tear to his inner sanctuary. Krag came out to float in the cavern and the dark rocky shell of the Supreme Exalt hovered heavily in the warm air. The nine pale snake heads emerged from the jagged fissures of the shell and stared at the pulsing organ as if in a trance. Li Yu looked back and forth and realized the mysterious beating heart was roughly half the size of Krag himself.