Lia felt her cheeks burning as she walked through what could only be described as an interdimensional airport within Ironhold. The conversation between Tim and Riku was still echoing in her mind, making her hyperaware of every sensation in this body. Her breathing had become short and shallow, and she found herself noticing things she'd tried to ignore—the way the silk robes moved against her skin, the subtle bounce with each step, the warmth spreading through her chest. The distinct lack of anything between her legs and a deeper ache within.
"Focus," she muttered to herself, trying to shake off the distraction as she took in the impressive sight before her.
The transportation hub Lia was walking thogh was a marvel of cultivation technology. It was like one of earths airports but much more advanced. Massive windows lined the walls, offering views of sleek cylindrical vessels—smaller versions of the ark that had destroyed her sect—docked at various platforms. These passenger ships gleamed with qi-conducting metal and protective formations, their hulls inscribed with intricate runes that pulsed with stored energy.
Signs throughout the terminal divided passengers into clear categories: "Mortal Class," "Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment," and "Golden Core and Above." The segregation was absolute, with different waiting areas, different boarding platforms, even different food vendors catering to each cultivation level's dietary needs.
Lia approached the ticket counter for mortal class, hoping to blend in and avoid attention. The prices were reasonable—only 10 gold coins for passage to Bridgetown, the major city that sat at the narrow land bridge connecting this smaller continent to the vast main continent to the west.
"One mortal class ticket to Bridgetown," she said quietly to the clerk, a middle-aged woman whose bored expression suggested she'd processed thousands of such transactions.
Just as Lia was counting out her coins, a warm, cultured voice spoke from behind her.
"Nonsense. A young lady of your obvious refinement shouldn't travel in such... cramped conditions."
Lia turned to see a distinguished gentleman who appeared to be in his fifties, though his Golden Core cultivation meant he could easily be centuries old. He was impeccably dressed in rich blue robes with silver threading, his gray hair styled perfectly, and his bearing radiated the quiet confidence of someone accustomed to wealth and power. More importantly, his spiritual pressure marked him as a legitimate Golden Core cultivator and someone with real influence.
"I insist," he continued with a charming smile, stepping forward to the counter. "One Golden Core class ticket to Bridgetown for the young miss. My treat."
The clerk's demeanor immediately shifted to obsequious politeness. "Of course, Senior Chen. Right away."
Lia blinked in surprise as the man Senior Chen paid what amounted to fifty spirit stones for her upgraded passage without batting an eye. The difference in price was staggering.
"Senior, I couldn't possibly" Lia began, but Chen waved away her protests.
"Please, think nothing of it. A beautiful young cultivator shouldn't have to endure mortal accommodations." His smile was genuinely warm, though Lia caught the appreciative way his eyes lingered on her face. "Consider it an old man's pleasure to assist someone so lovely."
As they walked toward the Golden Core boarding area, Chen explained the transportation system with obvious pride. "You see, my dear, ocean travel is virtually impossible without Nascent Soul protection. The qi beasts that rule the seas make even short voyages deadly for anything less than a fully armed ark. A single Leviathan-class beast could crush these passenger vessels like paper."
He gestured toward the windows showing the vast blue expanse beyond the continent's edge. "Nascent Soul cultivators who can protect ocean crossings charge enormous fees up to tens of thousands of spirit stones per journey. It's simply not economical for regular passenger service."
"So everyone travels by land?" Lia asked, genuinely curious despite her wariness of his motives.
"Exactly. The land bridge to the main continent is only fifty kilometers wide at its narrowest point, but it's the only safe passage. That's why Bridgetown is so prosperous—every person, every trade good, every piece of information traveling between continents must pass through there."
As they approached the Golden Core waiting area, Lia marveled at the luxury. Comfortable seating, premium food vendors, even cultivation resources for purchase. Through Tim's perspective, the advantages of being an attractive young woman were becoming crystal clear. This upgrade would have cost her more spirit stones than she currently possessed, yet this gentleman had provided it simply because he found her pretty.
It was a sobering lesson in how this world worked—beauty, cultivation level, and connections mattered more than merit or need. But if she was going to survive in this harsh reality, she might as well learn to use every advantage available to her.
"Thank you again, Senior Chen," she said with a grateful bow. "Your kindness is overwhelming."
"The pleasure is entirely mine," he replied with another warm smile. "Perhaps you'll allow me to share your company during the journey? I find myself curious about such a lovely cultivator traveling alone."
Lia felt a flutter of both gratitude and wariness. The upgrade was genuinely helpful, but she suspected Senior Chen's generosity came with expectations attached. Still, she needed to reach the main continent safely, and having a Golden Core protector during the journey was undeniably valuable.
"I would be honored," she replied carefully, already planning how to navigate this new complication in her increasingly complex life.
The boarding process for the Golden Core section was markedly different from the crowded chaos Lia had observed in the mortal areas. A dedicated attendant escorted her and Senior Chen through a private entrance, their footsteps echoing on polished spirit-steel flooring as they made their way aboard the sleek vessel.
"As you can see," Chen explained as they walked through the ship's corridors, "civilian vessels like this one are quite different from military arks. No heavy defensive weaponry, no thick armor plating just speed, comfort, and efficiency."
The ship itself was a marvel of streamlined design, perhaps two hundred meters long but much more slender than the massive war vessel that had destroyed her sect. Intricate formations covered every surface, designed not for battle but for smooth flight and passenger comfort.
"Captain Liu is the only other Golden Core cultivator aboard," Chen continued, gesturing toward the bridge visible through reinforced crystal windows. "He'll channel his qi directly into the propulsion systems throughout the journey, supplemented by spirit stones for the more demanding maneuvers. Over safe territory like this, it's perfectly adequate."
They entered the main lounge area, and Lia's breath caught. The space was enormous, easily forty meters long and twenty wide with a curved transparent wall at the front offering a panoramic view of the landscape rushing by below. Comfortable seating areas were arranged throughout, with cultivation mats, refreshment stations, and even small private alcoves for meditation.
"Magnificent, isn't it?" Chen said proudly. "This is what proper cultivation technology can achieve when it's not focused solely on warfare."
Apart from herself and Chen, the Golden Core section held only a handful of other passengers perhaps eight or nine Foundation Establishment cultivators who had purchased the premium tickets. They were scattered throughout the vast lounge, some meditating, others enjoying the view or conversing quietly.
That's when Lia felt it the weight of someone's gaze pressing against her like a physical touch. She turned slightly and immediately spotted the source: a young man, perhaps in his early twenties, with the refined features and expensive robes that spoke of nobility. His cultivation level registered as mid-Foundation Establishment, around level 4 or 5, and he was staring at her with undisguised appreciation.
When their eyes met, he flashed her a confident smile and had the audacity to wink. Lia felt her cheeks warm as Tim's consciousness recoiled slightly being the target of such obvious male attention while in a female body was still deeply unsettling.
The woman seated beside the young man clearly his sister based on their similar features gave him a sharp elbow to the ribs and whispered something that sounded like a scolding. She appeared to be slightly older, perhaps mid-twenties, with an air of refined authority that suggested she was used to keeping her brother in line.
"Ah," Senior Chen said, following Lia's gaze with an amused chuckle. "I see you've caught the attention of young Lord Marcus and Lady Elena of House Holstead. They're from the Imperial Palace that governs the Crimson Crater Nation on the main continent."
He guided Lia toward a seating area closer to the siblings, his voice taking on the tone of someone making introductions at a social gathering. "Quite prestigious, actually. The Crimson Crater Nation may be small, but it controls several important trade routes between the eastern and central regions of the main continent."
As they approached, both siblings rose gracefully clearly well versed in court etiquette. The young man's eyes never left Lia's face, while his sister offered a more reserved but genuinely warm smile.
"Your Lordships," Chen said with appropriate deference, "allow me to introduce Miss Lia, a talented young cultivator making her way to the main continent. Miss Lia, Lord Marcus and Lady Elena Holstead of the Imperial Palace."
Lord Marcus stepped forward with practiced charm, offering an elegant bow. "The pleasure is entirely ours, Miss Lia. I must say, it's rare to encounter such beauty at our humble cultivation level."
Lady Elena's eye-roll was subtle but unmistakable as she offered her own, more restrained greeting. "Please forgive my brother's... enthusiasm. Court life has made him forget his manners around lovely young ladies."
Lia found herself caught between amusement and wariness. These were clearly important people the kind who could either be valuable allies or dangerous enemies depending on how she handled the situation. And Lord Marcus's interest in her was becoming more obvious by the moment.
"The honor is mine, Your Lordships," she replied with a careful bow, drawing on half-remembered etiquette from Lia's fragmented memories. "Senior Chen has been most kind in facilitating this introduction."
As the ship soared smoothly through the afternoon sky, Lia found her thoughts drifting back to the previous night in her Ironhold hotel room. She had spent hours attempting to master the Void Strider Steps technique, growing increasingly frustrated with her lack of progress.
The manual's instructions seemed clear enough visualize the void as grey mist surrounding reality, step into it briefly, then emerge elsewhere, but every attempt had resulted in nothing more than normal movement with a massive drain on her qi reserves.
That's when the shadow leech had stirred.
The parasitic creature, normally content to feed passively on her expelled qi, had suddenly become active. She could feel it shifting on her chest, its form rippling beneath her robes as it seemed to... observe her efforts. Then, to her amazement, it had extended a thin tendril of its own shadowy qi, intertwining with her qi in a way that felt almost instructional.
Through that connection, she had glimpsed something incredible, the leech's instinctive understanding of void travel. It used similar principles to phase between the material world and the shadow realm, and it was trying to teach her. The creature's qi guided hers through patterns and flows she never could have discovered alone, showing her how to briefly touch the space between spaces.
Even with the leech's expert guidance, her first successful attempt had only carried her half a meter. A single step that bypassed normal distance entirely. But it had worked. She had actually stepped through the void.
"You seem deep in thought, my dear," Senior Chen observed, settling into the plush seat beside her with a cup of spirit-infused tea. "The view not to your liking?"
"Actually," Lia said carefully, "I was wondering about advanced movement techniques. I've been studying the Void Strider Steps, but I'm having difficulty with the practical application."
Chen's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Void Strider? That's... quite an ambitious technique for someone at your cultivation level. Most Foundation Establishment practitioners find it completely unusable due to the qi requirements."
Lord Marcus, who had been listening from a nearby seat, leaned forward with interest. "Void techniques? Those require deep understanding of spatial Dao. Not something you can simply learn from a manual."
"Could you demonstrate what progress you've made?" Lady Elena asked, her scholarly curiosity evident. "I've studied spatial theory extensively, but I've never seen the technique performed."
Lia hesitated. Revealing her abilities might draw unwanted attention, but these people seemed genuinely knowledgeable about cultivation theory. "I can only manage about half a meter," she admitted.
"Please," Marcus said eagerly, "show us."
Lia stood and moved to a clear area of the lounge. Closing her eyes, she reached out through her qi to the shadow leech, feeling its alien consciousness respond. The creature's guidance flowed through her as she visualized the grey mist of the void, that space between reality where distance became meaningless.
She stepped forward—
And appeared half a meter ahead of where she should have been, as if she had simply skipped the intervening space entirely.
The lounge fell silent. Even the captain's qi fluctuated slightly as his spiritual sense detected the impossible spatial displacement.
"Incredible," Elena breathed. "She actually did it."
"How?" Marcus demanded, his earlier flirtatiousness replaced by fascination. "The qi and understanding required is immense."
Chen stroked his beard thoughtfully. "The technique itself is sound, but limited. Until you develop deeper understanding of the Dao of Space and Void, you won't be able to progress much further than what you've shown."
"Dao cultivation," Elena explained, noting Lia's confused expression, "is about comprehending the fundamental principles that govern reality. Space, time, elements, life, death these are all Dao paths that can be studied and internalized."
"Through meditation and practice," Chen continued, "your understanding grows. As your Dao comprehension deepens, techniques that rely on those principles become more powerful and efficient."
Halfway through their journey, the peaceful atmosphere aboard the ship was shattered by the ship's emergency alarms. Through the massive viewing window, a figure in dark green robes materialized in the sky directly ahead of them, floating motionlessly in their path.
"Corpse Cleansing Sect," Chen muttered grimly, his relaxed demeanor instantly transforming into that of a seasoned warrior. "Everyone stay back."
The green-robed figure raised his hand, and Lia felt the hair on her arms stand up as massive amounts of qi condensed around him. A sickly green energy began to swirl, forming into what looked like a massive spear of concentrated death qi aimed directly at the ship's center.
"All passengers, brace for impact!" Captain Liu's voice echoed through the ship's communication formations just as the attack launched.
Chen was already moving, his Golden Core cultivation and an ethereal movement technique allowed him to phase through the ship's hull as if it were mist. He materialized outside just as the death spear struck, his own qi flaring brilliant silver as he deflected the attack. The collision sent shockwaves through the air that made the entire vessel shudder.
"Chen Wuming of the Iron Fist Sect," the green-robed attacker called out, his voice carrying clearly despite the distance. "Hand over the purple eyed girl, and the rest may live."
"Zhao Venom of the Corpse Cleansing Sect," Chen replied, his usually warm tone now cold as winter steel. "You'll get nothing from me but death."
The two Golden Core cultivators clashed in midair, their battle creating explosions of light and energy that lit up the sky. Silver qi met sickly green death energy in a display of power that made the air itself seem to crack.
But Chen's focus on the main threat left him unable to notice the dozens of Foundation Establishment figures rising from the clouds below. Green-robed cultivators on flying swords shot upward like missiles, their target clear—the ship's hull.
"Foundation Establishment attackers incoming!" Captain Liu's strained voice announced. "All passengers with combat capability, prepare to repel boarders!"
Lord Marcus was already on his feet, a gleaming sword materializing in his hand. "Elena, stay with Miss Lia. I'm going topside."
"Like hell," Elena replied, her own weapon a elegant spear wreathed in lighting qi appearing in her grip. "You'll need backup."
The ship lurched as the first wave of Corpse Cleansing Sect cultivators landed on the hull above them. The sound of metal being torn and qi techniques clashing echoed through the vessel.
"The emergency exit to the upper deck is there," Marcus pointed to a reinforced hatch near the rear of the lounge. "If we don't stop them from breaching the hull, fighting inside the ship will kill countless and bring it down."
Lia felt her heart racing as she watched the siblings prepare for battle. Through the windows, she could see Chen and Zhao Venom locked in their deadly dance, neither able to gain a decisive advantage. Silver light clashed against green corruption in a battle that shook the very air around them.
"Miss Lia," Elena called out as she headed toward the hatch, "can you fight?"
Lia gripped her staff, feeling the shadow leech on her chest pulse with anticipation anger swelled up at the original lia's death. "I am going to give it my best and kill these fuckers." lia responded with Tim's language slipping though.