The vast Setting Sun River flows from a high mountain within the Celestial Tiger Empire.
It stretches across five ranges and thirteen cities, and near Brightsky City, it begins to curve.
In many places, it forms a U-shape, with clear waters slowly flowing.
Brightsky City sits right in the middle of that U-shape, surrounded by water on three sides, with only one main gate.
When Xu Zimo arrived at Brightsky City, covered in dust from travel, it was already afternoon.
The sunset colored the distant horizon, with a lone bird spreading its wings and flying alone.
The residents of Brightsky City all knew that the name "Setting Sun River" was not chosen casually.
Every time the sun sets, the U-shaped river reflects the sky, blending with the evening light.
The river projects the image of the setting sun, painting the city in a deep red glow.
People standing on the edge of the city wall can see the sunset on the horizon merging with the one reflected in the river.
It forms a stunning view that leaves people in awe of natureâs craftsmanship.
This is the most famous sight in Brightsky City, and many people travel great distances just to witness it.
When Xu Zimo arrived, he saw the city wall was crowded with people.
Looking around, the three sides of the river reflected the golden dusk, making him feel like he was wrapped in it.
The peaceful beauty made one reluctant to disturb it.
Xu Zimo entered the city and found an inn to rest for the night.
After settling in, he went to the central plaza where the teleportation array was and asked about it.
He planned to leave for the Bright Moon Empire the next day using the array. Unfortunately, the person in charge told him the array was broken.
It was currently being repaired and would take about ten days.
With no other choice, Xu Zimo had to wait in the city. He couldnât walk to Bright Moon Empire, it would take too long.
What puzzled him, though, was that teleportation arrays were crucial in every city. How could it just break all of a sudden?
...
As night fell, the glow of the sunset disappeared into the darkness.
The visiting townsfolk chatted in small groups as they returned home.
The temperature in late spring was perfect, with the occasional cool breeze bringing a feeling of comfort and ease.
Xu Zimo ordered some wine and food at the innâs ground floor and began eating.
At other tables, people who had just returned from watching the sunset also sat nearby.
They drank and chatted about the beauty of todayâs sunset.
No sunset ever looked the same, so they never got tired of watching.
As they talked, someone sighed and said, âIn these troubled times, only the Setting Sun River gives us some peace.â
âOld Li, donât jinx it,â a man in white said nearby.
âWith the City Lord around, whatâs there to fear? Besides, the high-ranking officials of the Celestial Tiger Empire already know about this. Strong cultivators are coming. It'll be fine.â
âWhy bother with those worries? Letâs talk about something fun,â a third man laughed.
âI heard the City Lordâs daughter will choose a husband tomorrow. Sheâll throw an embroidered ball. You guys want to give it a shot?â
âForget it,â the man in white chuckled and took a sip. âOld Li wouldnât dare. If he did, his wife would tear him apart.â
âWatch your mouth,â Old Li glared and replied flatly.
âIâm going with my wife tomorrow anyway. Just to watch the show. Iâm not competing.â
âThey say the City Lordâs daughter rarely shows herself, and no one knows what she really looks like. But they say sheâs a great beauty. If someone really marries her, theyâd live the dream, even get connected with the City Lord as a son-in-law!â
Hearing all this, Xu Zimo frowned slightly and drained his cup.
It seemed something had indeed happened in Brightsky City, and the teleportation array breaking wasnât a coincidence.
Still, tomorrowâs event might be worth watching. He had nothing else to do while waiting.
Xu Zimo just hoped the teleportation array would be fixed soon so he could leave for the Bright Moon Empire.
He didnât care about anything else.
...
After dinner, Xu Zimo returned to his room.
His true fate world was currently very lively.
The World Tree was hidden in the void, managing the plant system of the God World.
The mysterious Bauhinia Flowerâs mist had thickened, and all six petals were fully open.
Each petal now had a different pattern, though they were still too blurry for Xu Zimo to see clearly.
The Tree of Forgetfulness had rooted itself in the ocean outside the God World and was slowly recovering from its injuries.
Its branches were covered in lush Forgetfulness Fruits.
Xu Zimo had sectioned off a part of the sea for the treeâs use.
Each time its fruits ripened, he would dissolve them into the sea, hoping that over time, it would form a new version of the Yellow Springs River.
The Primordial Chaos Bead still suppressed the whole world, but since the Heavenly Dao was born, it had gradually become the ruler of this new world.
As for the Wind-Destroying Pearl, it was placed alongside the Supreme-Yin Nether-Glow Pearl, both being nurtured at the Pure Moon Altar.
Recently, Xu Zimo had been studying the scripture Demon.
Demon had ten techniques, starting with the first: Realm Demon.
This move focused on mastering space.
It involved pushing spatial manipulation to the limit, things like teleportation, space freezing, and dimensional space.
The path of space was too complex. Many spent their entire lives only scratching the surface.
After reaching the Empyrean Meridian Realm, Xu Zimo could already manipulate space, but only over short distances. Long-distance travel carried high risks, and the coordinates were difficult to lock onto.
Thatâs why he still preferred using teleportation arrays.
...
Xu Zimo sat cross-legged, quietly comprehending the Dao of Space.
Gradually, spatial power gathered around him. This energy had no color or form.
Since he already had some basic mastery, the early comprehension wasnât too hard.
Waves of spatial power swirled around him. His surroundings began to twist and ripple.
As time passed, the energy grew stronger.
Xu Zimo slowly extended both hands. He moved his left hand toward the right.
Though they seemed close, when they met, they passed through layers of space.
They could never actually touch.
Xu Zimo took a deep breath. This was just a basic dimensional space.
His hands looked close, but in reality, they werenât in the same dimension.