Ben Mason PoV
I sprawled across the plush couch in my American City mansion, scrolling through news feeds on my phone. Nearly every headline screamed about the Eastern Region. The cultivation phenomenon had consumed global media attention, pushing politics, sports, and entertainment to secondary importance.
"Family of Four Abandons San Francisco Home to Live Full-Time in American City," one article proclaimed. I tapped it open, scanning the interview. The parents had sold their house, liquidated their assets, and moved permanently through the portal with their two teenage children. They'd pooled their merit points to rent a modest residence, betting everything on cultivation opportunities.
Bold move. Reckless, maybe. But I understood the appeal.
Another article detailed military progress. The U.S. armed forces had established permanent positions along American City's perimeter, building what they called "forward observation posts." Photos showed soldiers in tactical gear standing beside obsidian buildings, the grasslands stretching endlessly behind them. The caption mentioned successful hunts of spiritual beasts and ongoing mapping efforts.
Similar stories flooded in from every corner of the globe. Chinese military forces fortified Chinese City. Russian soldiers patrolled their city's borders. Brazilian, German, African cities all followed identical patterns. Every nation scrambled to claim territory, establish footholds, secure advantages in this new frontier.
The population numbers staggered me. Each city now housed millions. American City alone contained over eight million residents. Chinese City exceeded twelve million. The total across all six cities approached one billion people.
I'd planned for this, designing each city to accommodate over a billion residents within its hundred mile diameter. The numbers seemed impossible at first glance, but the spatial manipulation built into the architecture made it work.
Most people hadn't noticed yet. They saw the buildings from outside, noted their relatively modest sizes, and assumed normal interior dimensions. The small apartment complexes looked like they could house maybe fifty units. Then people started renting.
A forum post I'd bookmarked earlier captured the confusion perfectly.
"Walked into my apartment building," someone wrote. "Counted twelve floors from outside. Got inside, found FORTY floors of hallways. Each hallway stretches three hundred feet when the building is only a hundred feet wide. What the hell?"
The responses ranged from awe to conspiracy theories. Some claimed measurement errors. Others insisted the buildings were actually massive and some optical illusion made them appear smaller from outside. A few correctly guessed spatial expansion, though they attributed it to "god magic" rather than understanding the inscription formations embedded in every structure.
'Let them wonder,' I thought, smirking at the speculation. A city created by divine power shouldn't follow normal rules anyway.
The spatial compression wasn't uniform. Mansions like mine occupied genuine physical space, sprawling across actual acreage with gardens and courtyards. Smaller residential buildings packed efficiency into every square inch, stretching interior dimensions far beyond exterior boundaries. Commercial districts used moderate expansion, creating spacious shops inside modest storefronts.
Theoretically, I could house Earth's entire population if necessary. Eight billion people spread across six cities, each designed for over a billion residents. The math worked, barely.
But I doubted it would ever come to that. Most people wouldn't abandon Earth permanently. They'd visit, cultivate, earn merit points, then return home. The truly dedicated would stay, building new lives in the Eastern Region. Maybe ten percent of humanity at most.
Still, watching the population surge past nine hundred million in just over a month made me reconsider my assumptions.
I continued browsing through news feeds, watching humanity's chaotic adaptation to cultivation. Then a pattern emerged that I hadn't anticipated.
Multiple articles highlighted politicians unable to enter the Eastern Region. A senator from Florida stood before cameras, face red with indignation, demanding explanations for why the portal rejected him. A British Parliament member accused the "divine entity" of political bias. A Russian oligarch hired lawyers to sue someone, anyone, over his repeated failures to cross the threshold.
The comments sections exploded with speculation. Some blamed government conspiracies. Others suggested cultivation required "pure hearts" or some nebulous spiritual quality. A few cynical voices pointed out that maybe politicians failing a morality check wasn't exactly surprising.
I sat back, rubbing my face.
Right. The screening process.
I'd built moral restrictions into every portal, filtering out anyone with genuinely malicious intent or unrepentant evil in their hearts. Politicians weren't universally bad, but enough of them carried corruption, greed, and callous disregard for human suffering that the portals rejected them wholesale.
The math shifted dramatically in my head. Eight billion people on Earth, but how many could actually pass through? Half, maybe less. Probably far less if I factored in overnight stays versus casual visits. The truly morally bankrupt couldn't enter at all. Those with questionable ethics might enter but wouldn't commit to permanent residence, uncomfortable under the weight of divine judgment.
My phone buzzed with a notification from my identity token. The virtual space forums had exploded with activity.
I accessed the virtual space, consciousness shifting into the white void before navigating to the forum section. Hundreds of new posts flooded the main page. "Why Can't My Dad Enter?" "Portal Keeps Rejecting Me." "What Determines Access?" "How Do Merit Points Actually Work?"
The confusion was understandable. I'd created this entire system without providing an instruction manual.
I shifted personas, transforming into the Eastern Region God. The sensation felt natural now, like slipping into comfortable clothes. Divine presence radiated from my virtual form, commanding attention without effort.
A new post materialized under my authority, automatically pinned to the top of every forum across all six cities. I titled it simply: "Portal Access Requirements."
The text flowed from my thoughts into crystallized information.
"The portals connecting Earth to the Eastern Region employ three primary restrictions. First, moral criteria. Those with genuinely malicious intent, unrepentant evil, or hearts harboring true darkness cannot pass. The screening examines the fundamental nature of your soul, not surface actions or mistakes. Redemption is possible, but self-deception is not. Second, technological restrictions. Earth's destructive technology including firearms, explosives, and complex electronic warfare devices will not pass through. Basic survival gear, communication devices, and simple tools are permitted. Third, rule violations. Cultivators who break city laws face temporary or permanent bans depending on offense severity."
I locked the post, preventing comments. This wasn't a discussion.
Another post formed, this one titled: "The Cultivation World at Large."
"The Eastern Region represents your entry point into cultivation, but understand your position clearly. Fighting, theft, and violence are strictly prohibited within all city boundaries. Break these laws and face exile. Outside the cities, no such protections exist. The wilderness operates on a single principle: might makes right. Your life depends entirely on your strength, skill, and fortune. Spiritual beasts roam freely. Other cultivators may attack without warning or consequence. Venture beyond the walls at your own risk."
"Furthermore, the Eastern Region contains the lowest spiritual energy density in the entire cultivation world. It serves as a training ground for beginners, nothing more. The Western Region, located approximately one hundred thousand miles from your current cities, offers significantly higher energy density. It also contains far more dangerous spiritual beasts and environmental hazards. Power comes with proportional risk. Choose your path accordingly."
I pinned and locked that post as well, watching it propagate across every city's forum simultaneously.
The forums would erupt with reactions, but at least now people had answers.
The forums exploded within minutes.
I navigated through the virtual space, watching posts multiply like wildfire across every city. The reaction to my announcements rippled through the cultivation community with predictable chaos.
"Did you read about the Western Region?" one post screamed in all caps. "ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES? How the hell are we supposed to get there?"
Another responded: "Flying, probably. Once we reach high enough cultivation."
"Core Formation at minimum," a third chimed in. "Body Tempering cultivators can't fly. We're stuck here for months, maybe years."
I scrolled further, finding a post titled "We're Nothing But Beginners."
The original poster vented frustration. "Lowest spiritual density in the entire cultivation world. The Eastern Region God basically called us bottom-feeders. Everything we've accomplished means nothing compared to what's out there."
The replies ranged from defensive to resigned.
"Speak for yourself. I've reached Body Tempering sixth layer. That's real progress."
"Progress compared to what? Normal humans? Sure. Compared to actual cultivators from the wider world? We're ants."
"The God said this is a training ground. That means we're supposed to start here. Stop whining and cultivate harder."
I moved to the exploration section, where the tone shifted dramatically. Dozens of posts recruited teams for wilderness expeditions.
"Looking for five cultivators, Body Tempering fourth layer minimum, to explore the forest region west of American City. Merit point sharing, equal distribution."
Another post caught my attention. "Forming expedition to Northern Region. Goal: reach the mountain ranges, document new spiritual herbs, hunt beasts for cores. Need at least ten members, Body Tempering fifth layer required. Military experience a plus."
The responses filled quickly. People hungry for adventure, merit points, and breakthrough opportunities jumped at the chance despite the obvious dangers.
Then the military posts appeared.
A verified account from Sergeant George Martinez posted across American City's forums: "U.S. Armed Forces Eastern Region Command advises all civilians to remain within established safe zones. Our forces are actively mapping surrounding territories and establishing secure perimeters. Unauthorized expeditions beyond city limits put lives at unnecessary risk. We are working to ensure the safety of all American citizens in this region."
Similar posts flooded other city forums. Chinese military officials urged patience and cooperation. Russian commanders warned against reckless exploration. German authorities emphasized organized, sanctioned expeditions over individual ventures.
The cultivator community's response was mixed at best.
"Since when does the military control what we do here?" one post challenged. "The Eastern Region God makes the rules, not Earth governments."
"They're trying to help, moron. People keep dying to spiritual beasts because they wander off unprepared."
"Let natural selection do its work. Idiots who can't handle a rabbit deserve what they get."
A particularly heated thread debated government authority in the Eastern Region. Some argued Earth laws still applied. Others insisted the cultivation world operated under entirely different principles. A few suggested forming independent cultivation organizations, free from national affiliations.
I watched one post gain massive traction: "The Merit System Changes Everything."
The author laid out a compelling argument. "Money doesn't work here. Political connections mean nothing. Your family name, your education, your job back on Earth—all irrelevant. Merit points are earned through cultivation progress, beast hunting, herb gathering, and contributing knowledge. The system rewards individual strength and effort, not inherited privilege. For the first time in human history, we have true meritocracy."
The replies exploded with agreement and counterarguments, but the core observation resonated. I'd fundamentally disrupted Earth's social hierarchies without even trying.
Christine's message appeared on my identity token.
"Ben, have you seen the forums? Everyone's going crazy about the Western Region announcement."
I smiled, typing back mentally. "Yeah, I'm watching. Should be interesting."
I continued browsing, finding a thread that made me pause.
"Just got back to my apartment in Seattle," someone posted. "Still have full access to the virtual space. Tested the forums, the map function, even challenged my buddy to an arena match. Everything works perfectly. You don't need to be physically in the Eastern Region to use your token."
The replies confirmed similar experiences across the globe.
"Same here in London. Sitting in my flat, browsing American City's market listings through the map function. This is insane."
"Tokyo checking in. The virtual space works flawlessly from Earth. I can practice combat techniques in the arena during my lunch break at work."
"Does this mean we can coordinate with people inside the Eastern Region while we're on Earth?"
"Absolutely. I messaged my cultivation partner who's currently hunting beasts near American City. He responded instantly. The friend system has no distance limitations."
I leaned back, watching the implications spread through the community. The identity tokens functioned as a global network, connecting Earth and the Eastern Region seamlessly. People could live normal lives on Earth while maintaining constant contact with the cultivation world.
Another thread caught my attention, this one titled "The Technology We're Not Talking About."
The original poster dove straight into speculation. "I've been reading through the All Paths Library's publicly available sections. There's mentions of something called Void Ships in the higher-level cultivation texts. These aren't normal spacecraft. They're vessels that travel faster than light by phasing through dimensional barriers."
My eyebrows rose. Someone had done their homework.
The post continued. "Think about what that means. Mars isn't eight months away anymore. It's days, maybe hours. The entire solar system becomes accessible. But it goes beyond that. Other star systems, other galaxies—all reachable with the right cultivation technology. We're not just talking about flying cars here. We're talking about casual interstellar travel for regular civilians."
The responses exploded with excitement and skepticism.
"You're telling me I could visit Alpha Centauri like it's a weekend trip to Paris?"
"If you can afford a ticket on a Void Ship, apparently yes. The cultivation world treats space travel like we treat airplane flights."
"This changes everything about humanity's future. Forget colonizing Mars the slow way. We could spread across the galaxy in decades."
Another post took a darker turn. "What Happens When Someone Gets Strong Enough?"
I clicked it, stomach tightening.
"Serious question," the author wrote. "I've been reading about the higher cultivation realms. Domain Manifestation cultivators can impose personal reality on their surroundings. Law Comprehension cultivators can rewrite physics. Void Tribulation cultivators exist partially outside normal reality. What happens if one of these people decides they don't like Earth anymore? Could someone at that level just... destroy the planet? Shatter it into asteroids?"
The silence in the replies was deafening for several minutes before responses trickled in.
"Theoretically? Probably yes. A Void Tribulation cultivator could likely crack Earth like an egg."
"That's terrifying. We're talking about individuals with planet-destroying power."
"It gets worse. The cultivation world apparently has people at these levels everywhere. We're the weakest region. What happens when they notice us?"
"The Eastern Region God is protecting us, right? That's the whole point of the screening process and the rules."
"For now. But what about a hundred years from now? A thousand? When Earth cultivators reach those levels themselves?"
I closed the forums, rubbing my temples.
They weren't wrong to worry, though they didn't know they were the only humans in my world bead.