After Li Yao departed, his steps filled with a newfound, vicious confidence, Li Wei turned to Mei. Her face still held a trace of worry, a silent concern for the ripples her Young Master so casually created.
"Mei," he said, his voice calm and devoid of emotion.
"Yes, Young Master?" She bowed her head slightly.
"I am entering closed cultivation. Do not allow anyone to disturb me for any reason."
"I understand, Young Master. I will stand guard myself," she replied without hesitation, her loyalty absolute.
He gave a curt nod, his gaze already distant, focused on a future only he could see. The air around him seemed to shimmer with a barely contained power, the oppressive aura of the Heavenly Tyrant's Dominion Scripture coiling within him like a sleeping beast.
Without another word, he turned and walked back to his personal courtyard, the heavy gates closing behind him with a definitive thud.
Mei watched him go, her worries pushed aside by duty. She knew what was coming.
Soon, the major cultivation sects would arrive in Azure Dragon City for their recruitment. As one of the most populous and powerful cities on the continent, it was a key stop for every major power.
The Empyrean Sword Sect, in particular, had strong ties to the Li Clan. With several elders being Li clansmen, it was the favored destination for their most promising youth.
The awakened youths of the Li Clan now faced a choice for their future.
The first option was to stay within the clan and manage its vast businesses. This path offered resources and wealth, but it left little time for dedicated cultivation.
The second was to enroll in an academy, like the Azure Brilliance Academy in their own city. The academy offered a primary path in body cultivation, with Qi cultivation classes available up to the Foundation Establishment realm. This was a popular choice for commoners, though the techniques taught were inferior to those of the great sects.
The final, and most prestigious, option was to join a sect. There, the most talented could focus entirely on cultivation, gaining access to superior resources and powerful inheritances.
All the noble clans, including the Li, typically sent their youth to academies for foundational training before they aimed for sect entry after their spiritual awakening at age eighteen.
***
At the prestigious Azure Brilliance Academy, the city's premier institution for young cultivators, a new rumor was the topic of the day.
On a sparring stage surrounded by lush gardens, a group of youths were gathered.
A young man with sharp, hawkish features and dressed in fine, golden-threaded robes slammed his fist against a training post, leaving a shallow indent.
"A Saint Root? Don't make me laugh," Jin Feng of the Jin Clan spat, his voice laced with scorn. "It's just a rumor spread by the Li Clan."
Beside him, a calmer, more elegantly dressed youth fanned himself lightly. This was Wang Lei of the Wang Clan.
"A rumor is a useful tool, Feng. But let's entertain the possibility. Even if it were true, what does it matter now? We awakened a year ago and are already on the cusp of the Qi Condensation Realm. While this Li Wei, if he even has such a root, is still stuck in Body Tempering."
Wang Lei's voice was smooth, but his words were sharp. "By the time he even begins to grasp Qi, we'll be a major realm ahead. A spiritual root, no matter how rare, cannot bridge that kind of cultivation gap overnight."
"Hmph. Still, the way everyone is talking… it's irritating," Jin Feng grumbled, clenching his fist.
Wang Lei closed his fan with a sharp snap. "Let them talk. Rumors are for the weak-minded. True power is demonstrated, not discussed. The sect recruitment will be the final arbiter."
A short distance away, practicing her sword forms with a chilling grace that seemed to lower the temperature around her, a girl of breathtaking beauty paused for a fraction of a second. Su Yuexi of the Su Clan heard their dismissive chatter, and a flicker of something unreadable crossed her perfect, indifferent features before vanishing.
She did not deign to look their way, her blade becoming a blur of icy light once more. Their words were meaningless noise, pebbles on a path leading to a mountain they couldn't even see.
Further still, in a corner of the training grounds reserved for commoners, a sturdy young man was methodically punching the air, each blow carrying a heavy, solid impact. This was Xiao Chen. His Heaven Root had been the talk of the city for the past year, a beacon of hope for those without a powerful clan.
Jin Feng's gaze swept across the grounds and landed on Xiao Chen, his irritation finding a new target. He strode over, Wang Lei following at a more leisurely pace.
"Well, well, if it isn't the great Xiao Chen," Jin Feng sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. "Still punching the air? I suppose that's all a commoner with a bit of luck can manage."
Xiao Chen stopped, his breathing even, and turned to face the noble. "I'm practicing. Something you might want to consider instead of gossiping."
Jin Feng's face darkened. The memory of being effortlessly defeated by Xiao Chen in a public spar months ago was still a sore point.
"Watch your tone, mud-blood. Your luck has run out."
"Are you sure you want to do this again?" Xiao Chen asked, his voice low and calm as he cracked his knuckles. "Or do you need another public beating to remind you of your place?"
The threat was clear. Jin Feng flinched almost imperceptibly before his sneer returned, now laced with triumph.
"You think you're still the top dog? Haven't you heard the rumors? A Saint Root has appeared in the Li Clan. Your precious Heaven Root is yesterday's news. Your days of being special are over. You're just a stepping stone now, commoner."
Xiao Chen's expression remained impassive, but a fire ignited in his eyes. A Saint Root. The rumor had reached him as well. Instead of despair, a fierce fighting spirit surged within him.