At first, the Courtyard had been a wasteland.
Its largest structure had been a decommissioned "Gymnasium," a remnant of Big Cat's rule relic, the "Arena."
An isolated island in the void, with a small building and a half-destroyed Rule Building. Even the "Garden" had been dug out by Lu PingAn himself—or rather, he had made Big Cat dig it out. But now...
It had become a boundless land. Seen from above, a great river encircled the entire territory, dividing it into distinct regions.
At the very center stood the towering headquarters of the bank. Like a castle from a fairy tale, it was the heart of the entire scene.
Together with the nearby Great Library, Time Tower, and inn—not a Rule Building—it formed the core cluster of buildings, like a castle and its towers. It also served as the residence of permanent staff and the Administrative District.
It contained the Trading Hall and reception room, the Courtyard's most important functional areas.
Heading south and crossing a mountain range led to the bustling Grand Gymnasium. Though it contained only a single cluster of buildings, it had long since evolved into a vast plaza and was home to the largest permanent population in the entire Courtyard.
People were always training there, sparring, or even setting up stalls for private trades. They traded more than physical goods; "sparring partners," "commissions," "knowledge," and "information" were all part of the exchanges.
This was the training area, as well as the place where Professionals exchanged and traded resources related to growth.
Heading north, past the Wishing Fountain, lay the Courtyard's largest cluster of Rule Buildings.
The Holy Fire Chapel, the new Zoo, the Artisan Workshop, the Potion Workshop, and more. The layout there was a complete mess, and strange noises could always be heard.
Explosions and