It was a bittersweet moment. On one hand, Gray finally made a big step forward in his cultivation journey by himself. On the other hand, this step, this tiny insignificant step in the broad scheme of things, cost him two hundred gold coins.

Two hundred!

He would have thrown up if his stomach wasn't empty. The thought of so much gold wasted was frightening. It was an astonishing amount of money, a fortune by all measures. And it was just for one level. What about the next level and the one after that?

Of the ten levels within a realm, each one was progressively more difficult to reach than the last. Each level required more spiritual energy, although the exact amount varied for different people and different cultivation arts. If he was unlucky, his next level might require thirty or even forty kilograms of spiritual stones. The one after that might require fifty or sixty kilograms!

His pile of gold did not seem like an endless fortune anymore. It seemed almost insignificant. He wasn’t broke yet but he might as well be. If he continued at his current pace, he would definitely run out of money. And then, he would be stranded in a border town, barely half a step outside of his starting point, with no way to progress towards his goals. He wouldn't be able to see Xueling again. He wouldn't be able to beat up that detestable bandit Tang and get his revenge.

"I have to make more money." He muttered.

This was the only way. He couldn't wait until he was broke. He couldn't stand being a poor bastard.

Gray cleaned himself and joined Anand and Alisha for dinner. It was more of the same, with slight variations in the recipes. He enjoyed it all as Alisha's cooking was far better than any food stall. She still treated him at arm's length but he was getting along with Anand surprisingly well. He found the old man easy to talk to, to the point that he even told them a little more about his background than he intended.

"The Fortune Sect?" Anand said after Gray accidentally blurted out that he was trying to go there.

Gray hadn't meant to. He blamed the food. It was so good that he inadvertently lowered his guard.

"Yeah..." He replied and stuffed his mouth full to avoid revealing anything else.

Anand stroked his chin thoughtfully, "You are far braver and ambitious than I could have imagined, a true man with true dreams! I admire you. The golden realm of the east, the pillar of humanity, and a hallowed land for cultivators! I could only dream of going there in my youth. It is a difficult journey, too difficult. Are you truly determined to go there?"

"Yeah... why is it difficult?" Gray asked.

Xueling had given him some rough directions which were sparse in details. He was curious to get more information.

Anand Patel explained that there was no quick or direct way to travel to the Fortune Sect. Humans ruled large swaths of the world but even larger areas were untamed, unknown lands filled with unknown dangers. Only the bravest and strongest ventured into these places seeking treasures and rare opportunities.

The only safe option was to head further south, to the capital of the Rising Sea Kingdom. New Ocean City was the central hub of the region and was connected to other human territories by the sea. Traveling by ship across established sea routes was still dangerous but much less so than charging into the wilderness.

But regardless of the route, one's cultivation was the true limiting factor. For someone at higher realms, there was almost nowhere they couldn't go. They could fly in the air and cross distances in a single morning that would take others weeks or months on foot. For Gray, he was simply too weak and it was dangerous to even head south. A casual passerby or even a child could bully him without consequence.

“But there’s one final issue. Even if you manage to reach the Spiritual Control Realm, you still won’t be able to enter New Ocean City.” Anand said.

“Huh? Why not?”

“Those in the capital fear and distrust outsiders. Only a citizen of the kingdom is allowed through its walls. And if you can’t get in, you won’t be able to take the ships that only stop within its harbors.”

“What about other ships that don’t stop in the city’s harbors?”

“They all have to. It’s mandated by the king’s decree. Those that disobey are treated as pirates and criminals.”

Gray slammed the table, “Bison shit!”

Anand chuckled, “Bison shit indeed.”

There was no chance for Gray to get a ship unless he was a citizen but becoming a citizen seemed impossible. He either had to have a parent who was a citizen or be directly awarded the status by the king or a noble for impressive feats and contributions.

Even in Jade Hill Town, most of the residents were not citizens of the kingdom. Members of the Patel family were because they were close allies to the lord and one of the founding families of the town. It was a reward for establishing an important source of jade for the kingdom.

Gray slumped in his chair, his stomach full and his mind in turmoil. The path that Xueling laid out for him was blocked. She didn’t know about the Rising Sea Kingdom's peculiarities, only that he would be able to set sail from there.

He didn't blame her. In a sense, this was a worthwhile challenge. If he could not overcome this small obstacle, then he didn’t deserve to meet her again. He was a man, the strongest in the King’s Mountains. Nothing was going to stop him.

"Alright, I don't care about the stupid rules of a useless king!" Gray declared. "I have more important things to deal with. Tell me, how do I go about mining some jade around here?"

Both Anand and Alisha looked at him like he was crazy.