Abyss Realm: the heavens were divided into six directions, the earth into eight expanses.
Eastern Victory Divine Continent, Southern Jambudvipa, Xihe Niu Continent, and Northern Julu Continent lay respectively in the east, south, west, and north of the Abyss Realm.
Yet the lands of the four continents were far from comprising the whole territory; they were merely the core where civilization existed.
Beyond civilization stretched boundless wilderness, vast beyond measure, who knew how many times larger than the four continents.
To the west and south of Southern Jambudvipa lay the Ten Thousand Mountains and the Ten Thousand Li Marshland. It was said that even gods needed to travel seven days and seven nights to reach the southernmost lands.
To the east of Southern Jambudvipa was the Boundless Sea, a place even gods found difficult to cross.
To the west and north of Southern Jambudvipa lay vast icefields, the Vast Sea Gobi, and deserts.
The four continents lay far apart and were not connected.
There were rumors that the four continents, together with the central Boundless Sea, formed the Abyss Basin. Surrounding the basin were the Buzhou Celestial Mountains, stretching for hundreds of millions of li and encircling the entire Abyss Basin.
The Celestial Mountains were impossibly high, piercing into the ninth layer of Cloud Heaven. Even heavenly rocs could not cross them. They were connected only by the Heavenly Ladder.
There were further rumors that the Heavenly Ladder was the sole passage into and out of the Abyss, guarded by gods and also known as the "Gate of the Divine Realm."
The Buzhou Celestial Mountains were ancient, remote, and mysterious.
Snow blanketed the mountainsides. They towered into the clouds, their peaks nowhere to be seen. A line of steps climbed along the mountain, black as obsidian and cold as ice,