[Mark Sir Link]

When I originally brought this up, I don't think the issue was travel time so much as why is an important quest hub so far away from where things are actually happening?

It seems you're are making Master Li an influential character in the story (or at least to what's happening in Graal City), so if he carries such influence, why wouldn't he be able to create an outpost somewhere a bit closer to the city, or arrange for easier transportation from his place to the city?