The island of Elkere was not very big. It was not very bountiful in resources either. However, it managed to become one of the most visited holiday destinations. This was due to the many different groups occupying this territory.

After many years of debates and deals, it became a neutral territory in which both the land dwellers and sea dwellers could meet and trade without risks. Whether you had hands or fins, you were welcome in this place. And regardless of race, every conscious being was after wealth and pleasure. This island became the center of trade between all races.

Auction houses, shops of all kinds, theatres, inns, resorts, casinos... Everything that could cater to customers was welcomed in here. It was to the point that the island was not big enough to accommodate everything.

An artificial harbor was created on the north side of the island while there were hundreds of villas and shops who built themselves over the sea surrounding the island. There were even a few floating villas and shops. In particular, there was a gigantic floating casino at the very southern side of the island which earned the title of world's greatest casino. No one knows who crowned it such though...

In any case, this was the place Jin reached after spending hours on a boat.

As he walked through the harbor, he saw all kinds of people. Sentient beasts of all kinds, terrestrial and maritime, as well as some weird humanoid trees or rocks. There were mostly humans though. It did not change the fact that there was an even greater diversity than he expected.

He picked this destination as a transit mostly due to its geographical location and high number of boats travelling to and from it. He planned to use this place as one more way to lose eventual pursuers.

He moved randomly around, exploring the island, joining the crowd as a part of it. If he had looked slightly eccentric in the mainland, he was far from it here. A lot of the cultivators and mortals were here in holidays and spent their days without the slightest care. Bright colored outfits were everywhere and weird over-the-top disguises as well.

After having a meal at a seafood restaurant manned by an octopus-man, he went on towards the giant floating island that could be seen regardless of where you stood. Since he was here, he might as well go check out the casino.

As he moved closer to it, he began to witness that very island move slightly. At first, he doubted his own sight. He used his technique and it turned out to be real. The island was in a constant circular motion. Jin turned around to see the sun in the very opposite direction.

"So that's how they made it to prevent sunlight obstruction..."

It was certainly ingenious but the cost was definitely high. It was not something anyone could make.

After a time, he found himself close enough to it that the island was over his head. He watched the crowd to find the entrance. That island was easily a hundred meters up high. Since it was in motion, it was unlikely for there to be steps... Or so he thought.

Until he arrived at those very steps.

They were floating along with the island. Every step seemed made of glass and was long enough for a dozen people to walk on it at the same time. They were linked to each other by ropes and formed a circular stairway that led to one of the island entrances.

From the one he was walking on, Jin could see a few dozens more spaced from his by quite the distance. More than a dozen kilometers were between each.

"Just how big is this island?"

Jin walked up and contemplated. The longer he remained safe, the bolder he seemed to get. Certainly, he safely went to that black auction but would it be safe this time?

He began to hesitate and stood mid-way on the stairs. He was not blocking people since the stairs were so big. So, he remained there and pondered.

Why was he even trying to go there? He could simply spend the day in a random inn and leave safely he next morning... So, why?

It was not like him. He would never take such risks...This was a den of cultivators and filled with the wealthy ones. What's more, there was no identity secrecy here. His disguise was not bad but not enough to be called perfect.

So, why?

Was there something influencing him?

He quickly activated his spiritual energy to protect his entire body and activated his eyesight once more. He looked everywhere yet there did not seem to be anything out of the norm...The density of the energy was exactly the same everywhere he looked...

Wait!

This was it!

The spiritual energy should not be equal everywhere!

He sighed as he finally understood what was going on. It was a trick. A gigantic one. It covered the entire island and turned it into a closed dome. It diffused spiritual energy in a particular density equally. But why? And how was this enough to give him such feelings?... No, this wasn't it.

The spiritual energy was a decoy!

While few people had secret eyesight techniques as powerful as his, nearly none in fact, many people had eye techniques. They were a must and widely spread over the world. Even putting aside the sight, there were many techniques that could enable one to sense the surroundings. However, if there was the very same density of energy covering everything and everywhere? Would people be able to see anything?

The spiritual energy was acting as a 'fog' to conceal something.

Jin stopped his secret technique and shifted to a specific eye technique. One that could detect the 'elements' and nothing else. It was something rarely used aside from when treasure hunting. But this time, it was perfect for the situation.

He laughed sadly after he saw what was happening... Someone was diffusing the 'Greed' element all over the island behind the cover of the spiritual energy. They were not 'fused' but 'superimposed'... It gave many new ideas to Jin and also a bad premonition.

Finding the source of the problem did not mean finding the solution.