Kai turned a few more pages, his eyes absorbing the flowing script.
The next chapters give explanation of the years after the foundations of this fractured world were established.
Civilization had clawed itself back from the brink of death.
Couriers that were once born from necessity had grown into something more.
They were no longer simple wanderers carrying food and medicine or artifacts, they had become pillars of stability.
Their strength and endurance that was honed against poisoned lands and corrupted Qi storms, made them indispensable.
Entire towns, then cities, owed their survival to the presence of Couriers.
The book described how, over the course of thousands of years, the most accomplished Couriers rose to prominence.
Their contributions earned them respect and authority.
Some were entrusted with ruling cities and the others became the guardians of entire regions.
Their names echoed through history like legends.
But among all of them, only a handful ever touched the realm of godhood.
Most remained bound by the limits of flesh and bone, their stories were great but still finite.
Kai paused, his finger lingering on a line that spoke of these immortal Couriers.
"I wonder if those who reached immortality were able to discover the true cause of the Great Fracture… But, it's not my business at the moment."
He shook his head, snapping the book shut with a soft thud.
There would be time later to drown in this history.
Instead, Kai pulled The Path of the Courier back into his lap. The worn pages beckoned him once more as if waiting for his return.
This time, he read the script that outlined the foundation of the path itself.
There were five great realms that defined the journey of a Courier:
The first was the Mortal Courier. This was the foundation, where the body first learned to harmonize with Qi.
Flesh, bone, and breath were tempered until endurance surpassed that of ordinary men.
Mortal Couriers could carry loads for days without rest, heal faster from wounds, and their stamina seemed inexhaustible compared to common mortals.
The second was the Wind Tread Realm. Cultivators at this stage gained the ability to ride the wind itself. They have movements that are light and swift.
Their lungs drew in corrupted Qi without faltering and their steps carried them across the corrupted and twisted rivers, cliffs, and forests.
With their affinity, they could call upon fleeting traces of elemental power.
The third was the Storm Rider Realm. Here, the body became a vessel strong enough to withstand the fury of corrupted Qi storms to absorb them.
Storm Riders could cut through raging anomalies. Their power is fierce enough to clash with powerful magical beasts at the same rank.
The fourth was the Shadow Step Realm. At this height, Couriers no longer moved only through strength but by slipping between the shadows.
Their presence blurred against the world itself, allowing them to vanish in the fold of a shadow, and cannot be seen by beast or man.
They could walk through battlefields without leaving a trace and strike down their target without warning before fading like mist.
The fifth, and highest realm, was the Eternal Messenger.
This was the pinnacle, where flesh and spirit transcended mortality.
Eternal Messengers could move across large corrupted territories and traverse distances that even space could not confine.
Their steps carried them through storms of corrupted Qi without harm. Their words alone have divinity power, and their presence bent the laws of heaven and earth.
They became living conduits of destiny. They carry burdens and truths of higher realm.
Kai's eyes widened as he read further.
The book also emphasized that the gulf between each realm was as vast as heaven and earth.
A late stage Mortal Courier could barely stand before a Wind Tread cultivator.
A late stage Storm Rider could trample dozens of Wind Treads beneath them.
And beyond that, the Shadow Step and Eternal Messengers were said to wield power at the level of gods.
The text ended with a chilling note.
"Even after ten thousand years, the number of those who have touched the Fourth Realm can be counted on one's hands. And those who have reached the Fifth just whisper myths."
Kai blinked and let out a slow breath. His chest throbbed with equal parts of fear and excitement.
"So that's the path ahead of me. So basically, if I want to go home it is when I reach the Fourth Realm or even the Fifth."
That made his heart fall into helplessness.
He stared ahead with a distant look. The weight of what he had just learned pressing heavily on his chest.
The road to returning home stretched impossibly far. It was a journey that demanded power he could barely imagine.
For a moment, it felt hopeless and beyond reach.
But then, a second later, he shook his head firmly, refusing to let that despair linger.
"No. Get yourself together, Kai! Nothing worth chasing is ever easy. I just need to keep climbing one Realm at a time. And who knows… maybe the way back won't even require me to reach the highest Realm."
Clinging to that thought, Kai steadied his heart.
He used it as a foundation, a pillar to keep him from sinking into despair.
With renewed focus, he turned back to the book, letting his eyes read in every line of wisdom and knowledge even more.
Time slipped away without him noticing, his world narrowing to the old ink and parchment before him.
Only when his stomach let out a loud growl did he finally pause.
He glanced up, surprised to find darkness had already settled beyond the windows.
Exhaling softly, Kai closed the tome and returned it carefully to its place on the shelf.
Then, with quiet steps, he left the library.
The cool and sharp night air greeted him, brushing against his face.
His eyes burned with determination.
No matter how distant his goal seemed, Kai would not falter. He cannot falter. Because his grandparents are waiting for him right now.
—