The Imperial Physician's private study, a haven of spiritual herbs and ancient remedies, became the silent battlefield for the Mortal Realm's strategic future. Grandmaster Wei knelt before the infant Lin Tian, his face a map of spiritual ecstasy and fear, having just been cured of his Shadow-Plumage Stagnation. His cultivation path, stalled for thirty years, was now pristine.
Lin Tian, sitting in his silk carrier, accepted the Grandmaster's fervent worship. He knew that gratitude was temporary, but debt and absolute dependence were forever. The cure was given, but the control had to be absolute.
"Master," Wei pleaded, his voice cracking with devotion. "My life is yours. Command me! How may I repay the debt that restored my Dao?"
Lin Tian focused his Divine Golden Core energy, directing his Observer's Eye onto Grandmaster Wei's Sea of Consciousness—the very spiritual seat where the Shadow-Plumage had just been purged.
[Observer's Eye Activated. Target: Grandmaster Wei. Current State: Peak Purity. Vulnerability: Core Seal Required.]
The System instantly provided the Vow of Silent Servitude—a low-grade, yet devastatingly effective, Soul Seal technique that relied on the purity of the caster's Qi. Since Lin Tian's Qi was Divine Grade, the seal would be unbreakable by any power in the Mortal Realm.
Lin Tian raised his tiny index finger. He channeled a sliver of his pure Divine Qi, shaping it into an invisible, infinitely fine needle of light, and gently pressed it against Grandmaster Wei's forehead.
Wei gasped, not in pain, but as if struck by a sudden, overwhelming truth. The Divine Purity of the Qi bypassed his defenses entirely, sinking deep into his Sea of Consciousness. The Vow of Silent Servitude was imprinted, not as an external command, but as a fundamental law of his existence. He was now spiritually bound to obey Lin Tian.
Wei rose, his face serene but utterly devoid of self-will where Lin Tian was concerned. "Master," he stated, his voice now calm and absolute. "Your wishes are my only priority. What is my first command?"
Lin Tian smiled, satisfied. He had secured permanent, unquestioned authority over the Imperial Herb Garden, the Ancient Divine Records, and, by extension, the entire spiritual well-being of the Imperial Court. His path to Soul Transformation was now fully supported by the kingdom's apex resources.
Lin Tian's first command, delivered via subtle mental nudge, was simple: Absolute Isolation and Resource Funneling.
Grandmaster Wei immediately relocated Lin Tian and his mother, Lian Hua, from the General's temporary, politically exposed manor to the Orchid Pavilion—a secluded, opulent courtyard bordering the Imperial Herb Garden. The Pavilion sat directly over a Minor Spirit Node, offering the most tranquil and spiritually nourishing environment in the capital.
Wei immediately began draining the Imperial Herb Garden, gathering dozens of high-grade spiritual materials meant for the Emperor's longevity and the royal guards' replenishment.
[System Notification: Resource Acquisition Initiated. Imperial Herb Garden depletion rate: 75% per week. Efficiency: 99.9%.]
The entire capital's spiritual resource economy was now dedicated, unknowingly, to servicing one infant's cultivation.
With the Orchid Pavilion secured and resources flowing directly into his core, Lin Tian returned to his full-time cultivation. He advanced through Soul Transformation Stage 1 and Stage 2 in less than two days, eradicating all bottlenecks. The sheer force of his Divine Golden Core demanding energy triggered a profound spiritual vacuum.
The secret defense array that Grandmaster Wei had installed was struggling. It was designed to mask average Soul Transformation activity, not the complete siphoning of the massive Earth Spirit Dragon Vein.
In a hidden wing of the Imperial Palace, beneath five layers of ancestral formations, sat the Imperial Elder, Long Wei—the kingdom's highest authority, who had just been subdued by Lin Tian. Elder Long Wei felt the spiritual stability of the capital suddenly waver violently.
"Master Lin Tian," the Elder whispered, his voice laced with the terror of his soul bond. "Your power... it is too much. You will be discovered by the forces outside this kingdom if you do not control it!"
Lin Tian mentally sent a dismissive thought: Control the leakage. I require speed.
The Elder immediately threw himself into stabilizing the weakening formations. He knew that the powerful, pure spiritual signature Lin Tian was emitting would not just be felt by those in the Azure Cloud World. The ripples would travel through the Heavenly Gate itself, piercing the veil of the next cosmic Tier.
[WARNING: Host Cultivation Signature is registering outside the Mortal Realm. Tracking initiated by Tier 2 (Cloud Heavens) observers. Time to Discovery: Low.]
Lin Tian felt the system notification—a genuine, new threat. His power was shaking the cosmos faster than anticipated. He was no longer just fighting within the kingdom; he was alerting the entire galactic neighborhood.
A necessary risk, Lin Tian mused, pushing his cultivation even harder. He had to reach Soul Transformation Peak before the upper realms noticed the spiritual theft.
The infant's eyes remained closed, his mind laser-focused on compressing the spiritual energy. The entire Imperial Capital, from the wilted flowers in the Imperial Herb Garden to the fatigued soldiers at the gate, was paying the price for the Heaven-Shaking Daoist's ambition.