The Mystic Realm had opened twenty miles south and east of where the Rift had formed. It might have taken a while to find if I hadn’t had House cultivators in the area that were talented enough to notice the fluctuation in world Qi and follow those fluctuations to the densest area of disturbance.

Once the defensive and concealment arrays were in place, I was satisfied that I had done what I could to make it clear that I had claimed the Rift. With the protections I had available in place, and Gwen and Zui left with instructions that should see them through anything but the most catastrophic of events, I stepped through the opening and entered.

There was a strange distortion, made more noticeable because of my understanding of the [Dao of Movement]. A flickering of here and there as I seemed to exist in four dimensions.

It is likely the effect might not have been so noticeable if I hadn’t had my perception actively scanning as I took that step, but it had become a habit by this point. I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have perception actively engaged, certainly not since I had been ambushed in the tunnels below the Sect.

The passage between worlds took no time, even though the event seemed protracted as my perception worked to collect data, and my psyche worked to process that data. The event horizon was a place between, a tunnel of interlocking runes, script so advanced that it would take me forever to understand.

It was the language of the universe. String theory made manifest and defined the rules that established the constraints that allowed the Mystic Realm to connect with Shijie. I wasn’t able to understand everything, but I experienced enlightenment. It would be impossible to see the script that defined existence without gaining some benefits.

The most breathtaking lesson I learned was that I had been using the [Dao of Movement] poorly. My understanding related to how movement and time were conjoined. My technique was akin to how a person would use a timepiece to monitor what I was focused on.

But the [Dao of Movement] was so much more. There was an ebb and flow to movement. A pattern of kinetic energy that included the resting state for all movement. That resting state could be disrupted like a river that had been dammed. Movement was part of the whole of everything. And as a sum of the whole, it was as much affected by the whole as it affected the whole.

This enlightenment into the [Dao of Movement] increased my understanding of the greater [Dao]. Each [Dao] is a thread woven together and connected to the other [Daos] to form the fabric of the universe. I understood better how all things flowed and how that flow remained part of the whole, even when disturbed or altered from their course.

As with all journeys, the destination is inevitable. I regretted moving forward and arriving within the Mystic Realm, mainly because that final step in transition had jolted me out of the fugue of enlightenment I had gained.

I was mindful enough to do a fast scan of my area to ensure I was safe from attack before I sat in the lotus position to meditate on the enlightenment I had just made. I needed to internalize the gains I’d received from my recent experience.

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Storm exited my inner sea as I turned my focus inwards, my Dharmic body moving to approach the pillar for the [Dao of Movement] I had formed within my consciousness. The pillar had evolved noticeably. It radiated with [Dao], the energy seeping throughout the ocean of liquid Qi more potent. As I concentrated on the [Dao Pillar], an increasing resonance was formed.

I felt like a tuning fork that had been recently struck. The vibration and frequency released pulses of sound that settled into a concerto of change as my Qi was subtly altered to resonate with the [Dao of Movement].

The pillar expanded as my ocean responded to that sound wave. It increased the size of my mind’s ocean, moving me one step forward to attaining the mid-tier in the Qi Gathering Realm. These small incremental steps served as the foundation for real growth—growth rooted in enlightenment and cultivation instead of pills and treasures.

I released a deep, cleansing breath as I opened my eyes to take in the world around me. There was no gate on this side of the portal, no way back. Mystic Realms didn’t allow for movement back and forth between worlds. Once you stepped inside, you survived until the Realm ejected you when it closed, or you died.

Since this was a new Realm, we had no idea how long I would have to spend here. We could make educated guesses based on other Mystic Realms, so we believed I would experience somewhere between three months to three years.

Time may also move differently; it was typical for some measure of time-dilation to be present. When the Mystic Realm ejected me, days or weeks might have been all that passed on the outside, while years may have passed to those that had entered.

I wasn’t sure how long I would have this Realm to myself before the Sect was informed. I’d left instructions with Zui to report the Mystic Realm opening and the location to the Sect the following day. I would have liked to keep the Realm to myself, but that would have caused more problems than I could deal with.

I had managed to get the arrays in place and could defend my status and rights to regulate the Realm. Clement had already been informed and was working to ensure everything was in order, all documents and agreements collated and signed in case a dispute arose. He had assured me that my actions and assessment were in keeping with the contracts I had signed.

I had left him with my proxy to act for the good of my House and Fief concerning this manner during my absence. The land was mine. The Realm had been discovered by me or mine. And I could set the terms for entry into the Realm. I was willing to allow cultivators to enter.

For a price.

My immediate surroundings were filled with an amazing variety of life. The light was provided by a blue star, ensuring light and heat in equal measures. The light spectrum was weirdly affected due to the type of sun the Mystic Realm revolved around. It added a strangeness that was confusing at first.

The ground was flush with water, fertile earth, and green groves claimed the landscape. An oasis of life existed, the sounds of beasts and birds a cacophony of song and battle. For some reason, the sights and sounds were soothing, and I felt myself relaxing.

The ambient Qi seemed consistent with what I was used to on Shijie. There might have been a slight difference, but it was too small for me to detect a difference if there was. What was different was the amount of fire and wood affinity Qi that saturated the area. I suppose that was to be expected on a world with a blue star for a sun.

Still, I would be able to cultivate without issue. The Realm was teaming with water and wind. My only genuine concern was going to be trying to find anything buried under the ground cover. If the entire Realm was a sprawling jungle, it might be hard to track any natural treasures.

With flight, I could search from the air, but I would still need to use focused scans to discover anything growing, buried, or hidden by trees and plants.

It might take time, I thought to myself, but I was confident that I would find some of those treasures the forest before me might hide.