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Eshmund returned the boat and rushed to pawn shop. Eshmund stepped into the familiar pawn shop, the bell above the door jingling softly. The same young woman from last time was behind the counter, idly flipping through a ledger. She glanced up as he approached, her sharp eyes scanning him with mild curiosity. “You again?” she said, setting the book aside. “What are you selling this time?” Eshmund was a bit taken aback that the girl still remembered him. She must have either an exceptionally good memory or the shop didn’t get too many customers. Looking around, he noticed that many of the items in the shop had changed. The previous stock must have been sold. If that was the case, then it wasn’t just luck – she really did have a strong memory. Eshmund smirked and placed a storage pouch on the counter. “Some interesting finds. Like last time – give me a decent price, and I won’t have to waste time finding buyers myself.” Eshmund retrieved the items from his space pouch one by one, placing them on the counter. The girl watched with curious eyes, her gaze flickering over each object. The moment he set down the gem-encrusted belt, her attention locked onto it. Her fingers brushed over the worn fabric and dulled gemstones, tracing their edges as if trying to uncover the story they held. “This definitely belonged to someone rich,” she muttered. “A bit weathered, but the gems on it is valuable.” She set it aside and moved on to the pearls. The moment she picked up the large, multicolored one, her expression changed – surprise flashing in her eyes.

“This is a spirit pearl. High purity, no visible flaws. These aren’t easy to come by,” she murmured, weighing it carefully. “And the smaller ones are not bad either.” She continued checking the rest of the items – old weapons, bits of scrap metal from lost boat parts – but Eshmund kept a few things back. The Void Stone from the broken space pouch, mineral-rich rocks, and even the battered bento box, utensils and scrap metal from the boat, he took them back and returned to his pouch. “Sage will find a use for these,” he thought. After a few minutes, the girl finished her evaluation and leaned on the counter. “Alright. Here’s my offer: 22000 points for the superior pearl, 48000 for the 3 high grade ones, 2000 for the mid grade one and 6400 for all the lower grade ones. 7,000 points for the belt and 200 for the rest of those random trinkets. Total: 85600 points.” Eshmund didn’t even hesitate. “Deal.” She arched an eyebrow. “No haggling?” “Too much effort.” He accepted the transfer to his token and retrieved his pouch. As he turned to leave, she smirked. “You must have some pretty interesting fishing spots.” He chuckled. “You could say that.” With a good payday secured and the useful materials still in hand, he stepped out of the shop.
At home, Eshmund went directly to his herb garden to check on his plants. After a quick inspection, he nodded in satisfaction and made his way up to the roof of his workshop. This rooftop space served as his personal nursery, where he conducted research and experiments on herb cultivation.

The area was an organized mess of beakers, glass tubes, and enclosed glass tanks resembling aquariums. Various seedlings thrived in these containers, though not all of them were faring well. Most appeared healthy, their leaves vibrant and full of life, but some looked weak, and a few had already withered away. His attention was drawn to the Silver-Spotted Kasan Tuber, one of his latest research subjects. He observed its progress closely, taking note of the soil conditions and the plant’s response. “It seems this tuber grows healthily when the soil alternates between acidic and alkaline conditions every three days,” Eshmund muttered to himself, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “It’s a pretty high-maintenance plant,” Sage, his assistant, remarked. “But alternating the liquid fertilizer between acidic and alkaline every three days seems to be producing good results.” Eshmund frowned. “I wonder how this thing even manages to grow in the wild if it’s this picky.” Sage agreed. “It is indeed peculiar. There must be some natural mechanism that causes the soil in those areas to shift between acidic and alkaline conditions.” “If we can figure out how this happens naturally, we might be able to replicate it, making the process much easier. It can’t be this delicate – otherwise, it wouldn’t survive in the wild at all,” Eshmund reasoned. “Just knowing this is already a big step forward. It means we can at least produce some tubers. But if we miss the timing even once after it starts flowering, the plant goes into shock, and its tuber stops growing – its development completely stunted. No wonder no one has been able to cultivate the tuber, even if they managed to grow the vines.” “Perhaps it has a symbiotic relationship with a particular microbe or insect,” he added, his mind already racing with possibilities. “We should investigate that angle,” Sage agreed. “Please do,” Eshmund said. With that settled, Eshmund left the rooftop and headed toward the rocky hill behind the workshop. This hill had been repurposed for plant cultivation, with multiple planting spots created by arranging stones into makeshift pots filled with soil. These plots were not only practical but also strategic – concealing ventilation holes leading to his underground base and workshop. Unless someone was specifically searching for them, they would remain unnoticed. He had used the excess dirt from excavating his secret base to create these plots, and several sacks of soil still remained in his storage pouch, ready to be used whenever needed. For now, the rocky hill plots were used to grow vegetables, but over time, as the Magic Core Dust infused the soil with Elemental Energy, he planned to replace them with Spirit Herbs, just like the ones in his main herb garden. Since Magic Core Dust was both abundant and cheap in the sect, he had already started enriching the soil in his existing raised beds. As he inspected them, Sage approached him with an update. “By the way, we’ve finished compiling the data on Space Pouch Technology. Do you want to review it?” Eshmund’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “Wow, that took quite a while.” “Yeah, it was complicated. We also managed to come up with some improved designs,” Sage said, a hint of pride in his voice. “Nice. But first, let’s eat and take a shower. I need to freshen up before diving into this,” Eshmund replied. After finishing his inspection of the raised beds, he went inside the workshop took a long shower, then headed back up to the rooftop. There, he sat down at the concrete table he had built himself. From his storage space, he retrieved a meal – one of the last few dishes his grandmother had made for him before he left. As he unwrapped the food, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. “I miss them” he murmured to himself. After a moment of thought, he talked to Sage. “Maybe we should visit home soon? Or better yet, should we try making a communication device – something like a video call function – so we can at least talk to them from here?” Sage considered the idea. “That could be possible. It’d require some research, but I think we could manage it.” Eshmund smiled slightly, taking a bite of his meal. “Let’s look into it after we’re done with the Space Pouch project.”
As he ate, Eshmund absentmindedly browsed through the information Sage had compiled, his eyes scanning the data while he chewed. “Amazing.. This… isn’t this basically applying the teleportation principle?” Eshmund’s eyes widened as he absorbed the information on the display before him. “This, teleports any item near the pouch’s opening into the internal space. It’s a micro-scale teleportation system!” Sage nodded. “The effect is similar. However, teleportation formation technology has long been lost. Many ancient records mention it, but none have successfully receated it. According to what we’ve gathered, only a handful of intercontinental teleportation formations are still functional today, and they require top-grade spirit stones to activate.” Eshmund furrowed his brows as he analyzed the data. “Judging by the way the Space Pouch functions, the underlying principles are indeed the same, but with key differences. The pouch doesn’t consume immense energy to teleport objects – rather, the bulk of its energy is used to tear open a pocket of space during craftinv. The opening of the pouch is a combination of similar teleportation technology and a stabilization mechanism that keeps that space accessible.” Sage brought up a new set of schematics. “We made improvements to the magic circle that maintains the spatial integrity. Our modifications have reduced the energy required by the magic circle on the Void Stone by 70%. But that’s not the real issue.” Eshmund’s gaze sharpened as he read further. “I see it now The true problem isn’t keeping the space stable – it’s creating the space in the first place. The initial tear in reality requires an energy equivalent to at least ten top-tier spirit stones. Once the pocket dimension is formed, maintaining it isn’t too difficult. By circulating elemental energy in a loop, the space remains open without further excessive consumption.” He leaned back, processing the implications. “With that level of energy demand, only a Core Formation cultivator or higher could possibly create one of these. So how is the sect able to mass-produce Space Pouches? Are they using some kind of high-level energy gathering formation?” Sage’s expression remained neutral. “That seems to be the case. The sect has a high-tier energy-gathering formation within the Weapon Development Hall. It’s the same system that powers the Payment Array and the Record-Keeping Array used across the sect.” Eshmund’s eyes flickered with curiosity. “That reminds me I’ve always wondered about that. The sect’s contribution point system – how does it function? Do they have some kind of magical computer that processes transactions and keeps records? This world isn’t as primitive as I first assumed” Sage chuckled. “Not exactly. In fact, the actual system is far simpler than what you’re imagining. You should check the information yourself – it’s quite ingenious.” Eshmund, intrigued by Sage’s words, quickly accessed the files related to the Payment Array. His eyes skimmed the records, his initial look of confusion slowly shifting into one of amusement. Then, suddenly – “Hahaha This – hahaha!” He burst into laughter, unable to contain himself. Sage smirked knowingly. “You get it now, don’t you? It’s actually a brilliant method.” Eshmund wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, still chuckling. “Yes It’s absolutely genius! And now I see why the contribution point system isn’t implemented empire-wide. He leaned back, grinning. The more he learned about the hidden mechanisms of this world, the more fascinated he became. “Let’s set aside the Payment and Record-Keeping Arrays for now,” Eshmund said, leaning back slightly. “It’s good enough that they came up with this method. That system is definitely something we can refine and use in the future, but first, we need a major breakthrough in Space Pouch technology. The two are closely tied together. If we can crack the secret behind creating spatial spaces at will, we’ll solve not just our current problems, but countless future ones as well.” A thought struck him, and his eyes gleamed with curiosity. “Theoretically it should be possible to connect multiple openings to a single spatial space, right?” Sage nodded slowly. “Yes, in theory, it’s highly probable. We just need to run some simulations to confirm it. But why do you – ” He stopped mid-sentence as he noticed Eshmund had already started sketching out multiple rune combinations and intricate magic circles. The moment Sage saw the evolving design, realization dawned on him. “I see That’s a brilliant idea.” His tone shifted from surprise to deep focus. “Let me help with that.” “Thanks.” Eshmund didn’t look up, fully absorbed in his work. Soon, the room fell into silence, broken only by the soft hum of data streams and the flickering glow of projected schematics. Runes and magic circles shifted and reconfigured in midair as Eshmund adjusted their parameters, his fingers swiftly manipulating the interface. Sage processed calculations in real time, refining simulations and running optimizations. The only physical motion came from Eshmund himself, occasionally jotting down notes when a new insight struck him – though even that was rare. At this stage, everything was still powered by electrical systems. Elemental energy integration was still in the works, limited only to the builder bots and scavenger. But once they completed the transition the possibilities would expand exponentially. “Continue in this direction,” Eshmund instructed after a while. “Give this top priority.” “Understood,” Sage affirmed, already adjusting his calculations accordingly. As they worked, Eshmund thought of something, pulled up an ancient record from the archives. His eyes flickered with interest as he read through it. “There’s an old account from the Lightning Dragon Country, It mentions a Qi Condensation cultivator who supposedly created a small spatial space by accident – turning it into a Space Pouch without expending massive amounts of energy.” Sage’s brow furrowed. “That case, huh? A peculiar one. We don’t know if it’s authentic or just another legend. The cultivator in question, Han Yue Long, was a well-known artificer. A true genius in his time. He’s the one who designed the Elemental Energy Gathering Plate that we use.” He glanced at Eshmund. “We’ll compile everything we can about him and his work. If there’s even a sliver of truth to this claim, it might hold the key to solving our problem.” Eshmund smirked. “Good. Let’s find out whether it was truly an accident or if he stumbled onto something that was simply beyond his understanding.” “This is why keeping records is important.” Eshmund exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the glowing text projected before him. The digital record, long buried in forgotten archives, now flickered in Sage’s database – preserved data from a mind far ahead of its time. He gave a slight bow to the empty air. “Thank you, Senior Han.” For a moment, the workshop was silent, save for the soft hum of the interface. Sage’s voice broke the stillness. “A fitting gesture. Without pioneers like him, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.” Eshmund straightened, his fingers already moving to manipulate the projection. “Let’s make sure his discovery doesn’t go to waste.” “Alright, you continue working on it. I need to go test the suit again,” Eshmund said. “You did say we need more data, right?” he added
Eshmund stepped out of the workshop and into the night, his figure flickering like a shadow as he activated Phantom Steps. The streets were mostly empty, with only a few late-night stragglers making their way home. To them, he was nothing more than a blur. His destination – the Adventurer’s Arena. A battleground where martial artists and cultivators tested their skills, the arena was maintained by the sect to encourage controlled sparring. Death matches were only sanctioned in cases of unresolvable grudges, though the system wasn’t foolproof. Exploits ran rampant – people eliminated rivals under the guise of fair combat, others made fortunes through rigged wagers. Eshmund didn’t care about any of that. Tonight, he was here for one reason. Testing the suit. Inside the changing room, he ensured no one was watching before swapping into his prototype combat suit. The inner suit, woven entirely from black spider spirit thread, clung to his form. It was tough yet flexible, an excellent conductor of Elemental Energy. Over it, key areas – chest, groin, joints – were reinforced with metallic armor plating. As he pulled on his helmet, the visor sealed with a faint hiss. Now, time to wait.
The moment Eshmund stepped inside, conversations stilled. All eyes locked onto him – his unusual attire standing out among the rest, who simply wore regular martial robes or casual tunics. A burly man, clad in ragged clothing with gauntlets strapped to his arms, grinned. “Hey, shorty, I’m crushing you tonight.” Eshmund tilted his head slightly. The voice modulator in his helmet ensured no one heard his real tone. “Nice to meet you too.” A chuckle came from a young man in magician robes. He had delicate features, but his narrowed eyes held sharpness. “Don’t underestimate him, Mabilis. If you’ve been paying attention, you’d know he gets stronger every time he fights. Last time, I barely won against him. If we fought again, I doubt I’d have the upper hand.” Mabilis Tiger – his nickname in the arena – snorted. “Hah! That’s because you’re a fourth-stage Qi Condensation cultivator. Against a martial artist like me, you wouldn’t stand a chance. Anyone below the sixth stage is fair game.” The magician’s smile stiffened. “Oh? I wonder how you’ll feel after tonight.” Aside from them, three other contestants lingered in the room. One woman, clad in a sleek assassin’s garb, sat sharpening her daggers, her sharp eyes flicking toward Eshmund before losing interest. Another woman, taller and more muscular, leaned against the wall with her arms crossed – likely a body-refining cultivator. The last two men were a contrast – one in heavy armor, the other in light robes, likely a formation master. The anticipation in the room thickened as names were called. Then – “Mabilis the Tiger versus” A pause. “The Armored Phantom, Lika Draganic” Eshmund stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. Showtime. The moment the referee signaled the start, Mabilis exploded forward. His gauntlet gleamed with a dim, earthy glow – a clear sign of energy reinforcement. Eshmund’s visor flickered as it registered the incoming attack. Fast ! The burly martial artist was a Phantom Steps user as well. Eshmund made his choice. Instead of dodging, he braced himself. This was a test, after all.

The marble-like nodes on his right hand and shoulder pulsed with blue light. As Mabilis’ reinforced fist collided with his own, an energy shockwave burst outward. The impact sent both fighters skidding backward. Eshmund’s boots dug into the stone floor. Ten steps before he stabilized. He quickly checked his suit’s status. Energy absorbed: 9%. Recharge successful. Good. Mabilis, already recovered, snarled and rushed again, its same approach, same attack. This time, Eshmund crossed his arms in a defensive block. His feet only shifted a few centimeters from the impact. The shock on Mabilis’ face was clear. “What the hell – ?!” Not giving him time to process, Mabilis launched into a flurry of rapid punches and back kicks. Each impact was absorbed by Eshmund’s suit, the energy diverted into the rechargeable nodes. The burly martial artist growled, frustrated. “You know how to take punches, shorty, but that’s not enough. Fight back! ” “Oh, I don’t need to test my attacks right now.” Eshmund’s voice was casual, almost dismissive. “I need more data on taking hits.” Mabilis twitched. “Arrogant little – !” Both of his arms erupted in orange flames. He wasn’t holding back anymore. His figure vanished from Eshmund’s vision. A blur. A sudden surge of danger. Eshmund activated the vision runes on his helmet. Time slowed. The faintest afterimage flickered to his left. Instinct screamed and sidestepped, barely dodging a fiery fist aimed for his head. “This is dangerous.” He thought He exhaled, reaching for the glowing node on his chest. Overdrive Mode – activated. Power surged through his suit. Intricate patterns on the inner suit flared to life with fiery red color as the energy aligned. The metallic plates liquefied. Like quicksilver, they engulfed him, forming a sleek, full-body exoskeleton. His body felt lighter, stronger – unshackled. “Whoa!! His armor just changed color!” The crowd cheered, mesmerized by how cool it looked. The suit, which was blue when powered by Water Elemental Energy, had now turned a fiery red as it ran on Fire Elemental Energy. Mabilis swung his burning gauntlet, aimed at Eshmund’s side but it was too slow and Eshmund vanished from his view. A blur of motion. Then – “THUD! ” A single punch. It connected with Mabilis’ chest, sending him flying backward. The burly fighter crashed down, gasping for breath as dust and stone scattered. The audience roared, but Eshmund wasn’t celebrating. His visor flashed with alert. “Warning: Energy Critical !” Overdrive Mode – deactivated. The metal exoskeleton shattered, fragments clattering to the ground. His body felt heavy, his movements sluggish. Damn it. The material loss was still a problem. The armor pieces lay around him, useless unless manually collected. Another reminder that he needed to perfect the Space Pouch retrieval system. But right now, there was another problem.

Mabilis was getting up. Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes still burned with fighting spirit. “Heh You’re tough, I’ll give you that.” He raised his fists again. “Let’s go one more – ” “I give up.” Eshmund Said. The crowd booed. Mabilis blinked. “What?” “I ran out of energy,” Eshmund lied. Mabilis clicked his tongue. “Tch. You killed the fun.” “Can’t help it,” Eshmund replied, stretching his arms. “You’re too strong. That last punch drained everything I had.” “Obviously,” Mabilis grinned, flexing. “I could still crush two of you.” Eshmund didn’t argue. In truth, he still had enough strength to fight with pure martial arts alone. But that wasn’t the goal tonight. He glanced down at the scattered armor pieces. He waved his hand and collected the scattered pieces into his space pouch. More data. More improvements.
Soon after leaving the arena, Eshmund took a deep breath, stretching his sore limbs. The battle had given him plenty of data, but there was still more to learn. Without hesitation, he turned back and re-entered. This time, as a spectator. He found a spot near the back, blending into the shadows of the stone stands. His helmet was off now, he also changed to normal clothing. The fights continued below, warriors clashing in a dance of steel and magic. His eyes weren’t just watching. He was studying the fight. A duel between two Qi Condensation cultivators caught his attention. One wielded a spear, his strikes fluid and precise, while his opponent, a barehanded fighter, relied on explosive bursts of energy to disrupt the spear’s rhythm. Efficiency versus raw power. Another fight featured the assassin woman from the waiting room. Her movements were razor-sharp, using flickering steps to weave through attacks before striking vital points. Eshmund’s mind raced. He needed the suit to last longer in Overdrive Mode to counter that kind of speed. But how? He took mental notes, ideas forming with each passing fight.