"This is too amazing, I can't believe that this is possible. The rocks seemed to have been cleanly cut in just one strike. And these markings?... Hmmm… This is impossible! It can't be… According to these markings… this cave is made through cutting and melting." s.h.i.+n Jiao asked himself as he felt a little conflicted and amazed with his findings.

As he turns around to see more of the cave, he suddenly jumped in fright as he saw a human skeleton sitting in the corner behind him. The skeleton is still wearing a robe which didn't have any hint of damage or decay. The skeleton itself is sitting in a lotus position which made s.h.i.+n Jiao frown. But he regains his composure immediately as this scene is not new to him.

"This is too weird… It's like I'm in a television drama set? But that's impossible… This is clearly a human skeleton, and he has been dead for about 50 years." As a researcher and a former agent, s.h.i.+n Jiao has the ability to a.n.a.lyze dead bodies even without instruments.

While in a deep thought his gaze was suddenly attracted to a ring that the skeleton is wearing. Then suddenly remembers something, judging from the clothing of the skeleton he might be in another world. And if he is right the ring he is seeing right now is a spatial ring mentioned in those novels.

"Hmm… This is crazy… I guess I could just try to do an actual experiment. Let's see… If I remember correctly I just have to put a single drop of blood in the ring right?" s.h.i.+n Jiao muttered to himself as he carefully took the ring and scrutinized it under his gaze.

"Okay, here goes nothing." He felt a little excited and nervous at the same time, as he is not sure yet what would happen, and he didn't have any instrument to check the ring.

But the thing that makes him wanted to try it out is the idea that he is not on earth anymore.

So, he rummages through his bag trying to find his hidden pocket knife which he always carries with him. When he found it, he immediately used made a small wound in his index finger and drop blood on the ring.

When the blood touches the ring it was suddenly absorbed and a pale green color began to glow covering the ring. s.h.i.+n Jiao suddenly finds his consciousness looking at a tiny world with no living creature in it. Then he noticed in a piece of land lays a lot of different items. When he looked at those items he was dumbfounded. Those are precious stones, gold coins, weapons and armors, and some other foreign objects which he didn't recognize. There is also a lot of weird black stones stock up like a small mountain.

"What are these things? Hmm… well, I think this proves that I'm in a new world now. But now how can I get out of this s.p.a.ce?" s.h.i.+n Jiao said to himself as conflicting feelings began to emerge inside his heart.

Being in a new world made him feel a lot of different emotions, like fear of the unknown, curiosity, anxiety, and loss as he didn't know how if he still could go back.

As he was thinking, he suddenly found his consciousness withdrew from within the ring. Which made him smile as he was suddenly struck with a realization.

When his vision came back, he suddenly saw a floating man in front of him. Which made him jump back once more and a.s.sume a fighting stance. He didn't say anything but just observe the man.

He is wearing the same robe as the skeleton, which made s.h.i.+n Jiao knit his brow with suspicion. And his body is a little transparent like that of a ghost or a 3D hologram.

"Who are you?" he asked casually as he already knows that the man is not real. Trying to find out if there might be an A.I. or something.

The man suddenly opens its eyes, look at him and gave a smile. Then it spoke in a low tone voice.

"h.e.l.lo! My name is Gubu. If you are seeing this, then maybe I'm not in this world anymore but the portal I made is complete and was successful." Then he pauses as he seems to recollect something from the past.

s.h.i.+n Jiao didn't say anything and just watch the man with interest.

"I am a rogue cultivator, and I have traveled to almost all the corners of this world. I have even met other races and other beings… This world is filled with many kinds of races, contrary to what the people in the land of Xi knows. And there exist multiple kinds of cultivation styles and techniques… This huge world is divided into many continents but there are only four known and named continents: To the far north of the land of Xi about 5 months travel via horse and through the dangerous Daemon forest there exist the land of Beastia, where a race called the Were folks lives. They are beast that is able to attain consciousness through the pa.s.sage of time… Then to the west exit the land of Magus, about 2 years of travel by sea craft. There are many races that exist in that land besides humans. And they are using the power of natural energy which they called mana. Then to the east, lays the mysterious four islands. I haven't been there, but I heard that it's a land filled with mysticism and is protected by a deadly thick dark fog they called "Death Haze". Those who try to enter and survive tells the horror inside the death haze that surrounds the islands."

After hearing the story of the man, s.h.i.+n Jiao has now an idea about the new world he is in. It's like the earth with diverse culture and beliefs. This made him a little excited to see what's outside. But then he suddenly realized something. The distance and the time it took to travel to other places, which means that this world is far too huge, maybe it's as big as the planet Jupiter or bigger.

Then the man named Gubu continued his narration.

"After those long years of travel I returned to the land of Xi intending to tell the empire of my adventures, but I was laughed at and mocked as none believed my stories. The only thing they believe is the existence of the Were Folks as they are the main aggressor and mortal enemy of those from the land of Xi. They laughed at me and told me that I was crazy when I told them that I traveled the great waters, as everyone knows the danger lying in the waters. But when I showed them the vehicle I crafted, they began to eye them and like bandits, chased after me and my artifacts. So without a choice, I ran, but I was not able to escape although my cultivation level is high, it's not enough to fend off those higher realm old men." As he tells his story, sadness can be seen in his face.

s.h.i.+n Jiao felt sad for the man, he might have escaped the dangers from other places and races, but the sad thing is that he was chased by his own kind.

"Then I was wounded and didn't have any choice but to hide in this cave inside Daemon forest. I decided to try a spell that I learned from one of the books in the land of Magus. It's a high-level dimensional pocket, where a person can hide or travel to another place. But this dimensional pocket consumes a lot of energy, so I have to sacrifice a void stone. This black object is called a void stone, it didn't come from this world but from the skies." After saying that, Gubu took out a black object that's shaped like a stone.

When s.h.i.+n Jiao saw it, he couldn't help himself from gasping in disbelief. Because that is the same black stone that he had researched on and is very familiar with when he was still on earth. He can even create that thing provided there are materials available. With his natural gift, he already discovered the crux of the object and how it functions.

"When I activated the pocket, I realized there was a mistake when the black stone suddenly disappears. I guess it was because of my injuries that I wasn't able to create the right dimensional pocket. But upon checking again it's not a pocket but a dimensional gate. But I couldn't reverse it anymore and resigned my fate. I don't know what kind of creature will go through the gate but I know that you're a human, as only humans can access my ring and activate this recording crystal." Gubu said with a smile.

"I may not have any disciples, but I still wanted to pa.s.s down the knowledge that I have learned. And I chose you to carry out my legacy. You are my only hope, to carry my skills and abilities. I am known throughout all the land as the artifact crafter Gubu, and I was hunted for it. So if you decided to learn my skills please be careful and don't show the artifacts that you've made unless you are confident to face your enemies and is able to annihilate them. Inside the ring, there are 5 red jade strips which hold all the records of my skills and legacy."

After hearing that, s.h.i.+n Jiao look at the ring and became elated. So he quickly tried to once again enter his consciousness inside the ring. But he was dumbstruck as nothing happened. But then everything became clear as Gubu continued his explanation.

"If you are a mere mortal, then you've accessed my ring for the first time when you dropped your blood in it and experience the way of cultivators. But since you are unable to wield any spiritual energies yet, then you will be unable to access the ring again… So the only way is that you must awaken your spiritual roots. I will show you the types of cultivation…" Gubu said as he lifts his hand and an image of the cultivation process appear.

"This is the Land of Xi and Were Folk's cultivation style which has 10 realms and 9 levels or 3 stages each. They are the body refining, spirit refining, core forming, golden core, infant soul, nascent, earth nascent, heavenly nascent, saint immortal, and the Deity. Everything will start with you opening your spiritual roots. If you are unable to open one, then you will just be branded as a mortal." After saying and showing the chart Gubu hid it, then he opens another chart.

"The level of power from the Magus land is a bit simpler, and in that land, every single person can wield mana. As it is forced into their body since infancy. So, there is no such thing as mortals in that land. Although there are still people who cannot attain a high degree of power, and they call them peasants. The Magus land has three cla.s.ses: warrior, mage, and cleric. And under those cla.s.ses exist the 10 rankings and t.i.tles, each with specified training techniques and unified skill learning, making their nation very strong and balanced."

After hearing that s.h.i.+n Jiao recalled some movies from the earth which tells about magic and knights. Which made him a little excited in the prospect of exploring the world and meeting other races. And maybe he can see the tall beings called elves.

"On the table are two jade strips. The red on is the basic cultivation techniques that can help a person awaken his spiritual roots and start his path to cultivation. The blue one is the basic absorption of mana which will guide a person in using mana. Just put the jade strip in your forehead and information will just flow to your head. It's up to you to choose. If you choose any of these two, you can open my spatial ring, as I have crafted it to do so."

Looking at the table he truly saw two jade strips, a blue one and a red one. The blue one has the engraving of "mana" on it. So it means the other one is for someone to awaken his spiritual roots.

s.h.i.+n Jiao was in deep thought on what to do, as his choice will have a great impact on his future attainment. After some time he didn't make his choice but instead study the engravings on the jade slips while checking the whole cave. He found a water source but no exit, which made him a little worried. He actually noticed that there is a big stone blocking a place that could be considered as the exit, but he didn't know how to move it. Even if he put all his effort he wasn't able to move the huge stone.

After carefully checking everything, he sat once more on the ground at the opposite side of the skeleton of Gubu.

"This guy died 50 years ago, while he waited for me to appear. I can't be sure of the time-s.p.a.ce distortion but, I guess he prepared this for me. Well, thank you senior for the gifts." s.h.i.+n Jiao said as bowed towards the skeleton.

"Maybe I can get out of here if I absorb a jade slip. But I'm not sure though… Hmm…" s.h.i.+n Jiao thought for a while.

Then an idea pops up from his mind and he decided to use his laptop to do some decoding. So he took it from his bag, and while he works he ate some food which he carried with him when he was transported here, as he feeling a little hungry. Using the program he used to decode the runes and characters on the black stone, he was able to decrypt the jade slips and miraculously he opened the contents. There he learned how to open the spiritual roots and also the mana channels in the body.