Shengdao is the only known continent fully settled and mapped by the Shiji Long. Its mountains, coasts, deserts, and cities are familiar ground, shaped by elder magic and centuries of shared history. The mainland feels stable, grounded, and watched over, even in its most dangerous regions. Most people grow up believing that Shengdao is the center of the world, not by size, but by fate.

Beyond Shengdao, however, the world does not end, it simply fades into uncertainty.

Ancient maps exist in restricted archives, fragmented and often contradictory, showing distant landmasses across vast seas. These charts are rarely complete, their edges torn or deliberately obscured, as if knowledge itself was once withdrawn. Old stories speak of other continents that were once explored, settled briefly, or visited by elders long before the Elder War reshaped the world. Why these lands were abandoned remains unclear. Some records suggest catastrophic failure, others hint at deliberate retreat.

Rumors persist that other Shiji exist beyond Shengdao, altered by different climates, magic, or elders unknown to the mainland. There are whispers of divergent bloodlines, unfamiliar forms, and societies shaped by harsher laws or darker traditions. Sailors who claim to have seen distant shores describe skies that feel heavier, forests that watch too closely, and ruins that hum with hostile magic. Many never return, and those who do are often unwilling or unable to speak clearly about what they encountered.

Elders are believed to exist beyond Shengdao as well, though whether they are kin to the known elders or something entirely different is a matter of fear and debate. Some legends suggest these distant elders rejected the balance upheld on Shengdao, embracing domination, corruption, or isolation instead. Others claim that the Elder War was not confined to one continent, but merely the final chapter of a much larger conflict that made exploration too dangerous to continue.

In modern times, travel beyond Shengdao is strongly discouraged. Ships capable of long voyages are rare, and expeditions require elder approval that is almost never granted. Officially, the reason is safety, unpredictable seas, unstable magic, and the risk of awakening unknown forces. Unofficially, many believe the elders know more than they allow, and that Shengdao’s isolation is a form of protection rather than ignorance.

Thus, Shengdao stands as both a sanctuary and a boundary. The known world ends at its shores, not because nothing lies beyond, but because whatever does is better left untouched, at least for now.