Mountains and lakes, rippling waterways and tributaries. "Was this-a map?"
The map's style was peculiar, impressionistic yet precise.
Fluid lines and deft shades of ink outlined mountains and rivers, islands in the Dark Sea, and the landmasses of the continents.
Some regions were drawn in exquisite detail, showing the textures of mountains, the courses of rivers, and even tiny symbols or annotations at certain important locations.
Far more regions, however, were vague and sketchy, with only rough outlines, as though veiled in gauze that obscured their details.
Moreover, a considerable portion of the map was shrouded in thick, rolling ink, pitch-black as an impenetrable fog, its outlines impossible to make out.
Song Yan focused on it intently. The longer he looked, the more alarmed he became, his mind reeling.
This seemed to be a map of this mortal world!
Though he had never seen its entirety, there could be no mistake, judging by the familiar outlines of the Border Region, the Central Region's colossal presence at its heart, the several vast islands scattered across it, and the Dark Sea surrounding the continent on all four sides!
The boundless, unfathomable Southern Border, the Northern Frontier, the endless Dark Sea stretching in every direction...
In an extremely remote corner at the map's edge, a white point of light continued to shine softly yet conspicuously. Looking closely, Song Yan saw that it lay in the Chu Kingdom, somewhat to the north.
Almost instantly, something occurred to him.
This point of light should mark the Sword Sect Ruins.
"So that was it-"
Understanding dawned in Song Yan's mind.
It seemed that, in the normal course of things, this bead would only guide the Sword Cultivator who possessed it toward the Sword Sect Ruins once they reached the Foundation Establishment Realm.
He had merely gone