Crimson Island was a small island in the Star Mist Sea, named for a crimson metal ore found there in abundance.
There were many such islands in the Star Mist Sea. Across its vast waters, islands dotted the sea like stars.
Splash!
A deep-blue figure burst through the surface of the sea. Like a meteor crashing to earth, Redding landed heavily on Crimson Island.
The powerful impact split the ground, sending a web of cracks radiating outward from where Redding stood.
"Who goes there?"
Whoosh!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three figures emanating the fluctuations of Midgods flew toward Redding one after another, accompanied by three piercing sounds.
Sensing the Midgod presence emanating from Redding, the Wind Element Midgod leading the group breathed a sigh of relief. "Do you have a pass for Crimson Island?" he called out. "If not, you'll need to pay one Lowgod Spark or three Lowgod Artifacts. If you don't have those either, you can mine iron ore for Crimson Island for ten years."
Hearing the Wind Element Midgod's words, Redding's interspatial ring flashed. He raised a hand and tossed a Divine Spark glowing with a deep-blue light toward the Midgod.
The Wind Element Midgod caught the Divine Spark and tossed Redding a piece of crimson ore. Redding caught it and examined it. It was hematite, the most common ore on Crimson Island.
The ore had been carved into a flat, rectangular strip with straight edges and sharp corners. Several strange symbols were engraved on its face. They seemed to be writing, but Redding did not recognize them.
The Wind Element Midgod explained, "This is Crimson Island's entry token. With it, you can come and go as you please for ten years. After ten years, you'll need to pay another Divine Spark or Artifact. Anyone without a token, or whose token has expired, will be driven off the island."
Redding nodded slightly to show he understood.
He was just about to fly farther into the island when the Wind Element Midgod spoke behind him. "One more thing: fighting is forbidden on the island. Anyone who breaks that rule will be driven out or even killed by the island lord. A hundred years ago, a Highgod broke the rule, and the island lord tore out his Divine Spark all the same."
Redding flew onward, and the three Midgods behind him gradually faded from view.
The marketplace was in the southwest of Crimson Island, the direction from which Redding had arrived.
More than ten minutes later, a town appeared before Redding.
Whoosh!
A piercing sound rang out as violent Lightning Element Divine Power exploded beside Redding. A rough voice followed. "Flying is forbidden in the marketplace, and fighting is forbidden on the island. Violators will be severely punished."
Looking in the direction of the Divine Power, Redding saw a Lightning Element Midgod standing at the marketplace entrance. Several Lowgods stood beside him, evidently enforcers responsible for maintaining order.
Redding descended and walked over to the Lightning Element Midgod, who said, "Token."
Redding took it out of his interspatial ring. The Lightning Element Midgod nodded when he saw it and motioned for Redding to enter. "Fighting is strictly forbidden in the marketplace. The island's residential area is southeast of here. Fly for a few dozen minutes and you'll see it. If you want to live there, you can pay one Lowgod Spark to build a house on the island."
Redding did not answer. He had only come ashore to gather information and buy things. Laius and the others were still waiting outside the island, and their destination was the Zijing Continent. He had no time to spend on the island, much less build a house and settle down.
Still, Redding was somewhat moved. It had been a thousand years since he entered the Star Mist Sea, and over time, the beginnings of civilization had gradually appeared on its islands.
Over the previous few centuries, Redding had landed on islands many times to gather information and purchase or exchange nautical charts of the surrounding waters. Those islands sometimes had marketplaces too, but most were still like villages, exceedingly crude.
This was the first time Redding had seen a market like the one on Crimson Island. It even had God Level island guards maintaining order. In its overall structure, it could be said to differ little from the cities the Sovereigns would establish later.
The lord of Crimson Island seemed to be an extraordinary person.
Curious, Redding stepped into the marketplace.
"Midgod Artifact armor, excellent quality! Survive a blow from a Highgod! Two Midgod Sparks, any element accepted. First come, first served!"
"Midgod Artifact saber, five Lowgod Sparks! No bargaining. Come and get it!"
"Lowgod Artifact for soul defense, five Lowgod Sparks."
The Crimson Island marketplace was bustling. God Level experts lined both sides of the street, selling their wares from stalls. The noisy sales cries reminded Redding of his previous life.
After walking around the marketplace, Redding found a stall selling nautical charts at the far end.
The stallholder was a Midgod who cultivated the Water Profound Mystery.
Redding casually picked up a chart and scanned it with his divine sense. Only half the chart had been drawn, and it was extremely crude.
This was a very simple way to prevent theft. God Level experts had excellent memories and could reproduce most of a chart with a single sweep of divine sense. Thus, those who sold charts generally displayed only a small portion.
Holding the chart, Redding asked the Midgod stallholder, "How much for this one?"
The stallholder raised three fingers and said in a low voice, "Three Lowgod Sparks."
No Sovereign Sparks had appeared yet, and all Four Overgod Planes were still in a wild, uncivilized state, let alone using the Inkstones created by a Sovereign of the Infernal Realm. Divine Sparks and Artifacts were the hard currency throughout the Infernal Realm.
Redding put down the chart and asked the stallholder, "Do you have anything more detailed?"
"Yes." The Midgod stallholder's voice was somewhat hoarse. "One for a Midgod Spark and one for five Lowgod Sparks. Which do you want?"
"Let me see both."
His interspatial ring flashed, and the Midgod stallholder took out two palm-sized nautical charts made of animal hide.
Redding took the charts and gave them a cursory look. Then he produced a Midgod Spark with a flip of his hand and chose the more detailed one.
The Midgod stallholder gave Redding a somewhat surprised look.
Redding emanated a Midgod presence, but having the strength of a Midgod was different from being able to produce a Midgod Spark.
Even Midgods who came to buy charts from him mostly paid with Lowgod Sparks. Lowgod Sparks could also be exchanged for Midgod Sparks on the island, but the fees were exorbitant, and ordinary God Level experts would never make the exchange.
Redding's Midgod Spark meant that he was at least strong enough to kill a Midgod and was a powerful expert among Midgods.
If Redding had known what the stallholder was thinking, he would only have laughed.
It was just one Midgod Spark. Redding even had several High Godheads piled up in his interspatial ring.
Having bought the all-important chart, Redding had no desire to browse the marketplace any longer. Though Crimson Island was lively, it really was nothing compared to his previous life.
Besides, Laius and the others were still waiting outside the island. He could not waste time here.
Redding put the chart away and headed out of the marketplace. He had only taken a few steps when a sales cry caught his attention.
Redding immediately stopped.
"Your strange item can change one's soul presence, but isn't a Midgod Spark too expensive?"