The voice of the Hengyang Cave Heaven Sect Leader echoed in the main hall. Like Li Yao, he remained in a deep bow. Even as the leader of a local power, his demeanor before the Yao Guang Holy Land envoys was one of profound subservience.
No one from the Yao Guang Holy Land acknowledged him. Instead, the middle-aged man at the center moved. Dao patterns shimmered in his eyes, his black pupils flashing with silver light. Under that gaze, all was laid bare.
This was the Yao Guang Holy Land's Holy Light Pupil Technique, a divine art famous throughout the Eastern Wilderness for its power to perceive the essence of all things.
Li Yao felt it immediately. Under those penetrating eyes, with no means to shield himself, he was completely exposed. He did not feel 'stripped naked' as an indignity, but as a tactical vulnerability—a critical failure in operational security. He understood the reason perfectly: a fundamental imbalance of power.
They did not consider his feelings because, to them, he was an object of assessment, not a person. Therefore, what arose in him was not 'frustration' or 'unhappiness,' but a cold, precise recalculation of his own position on the power scale. This was the reality of weakness. Li Yao's resolve to advance crystallized, not from emotional desire, but from the logical imperative that strength was the sole variable he could control to eliminate such vulnerabilities in the future.
"Indeed. A potent Dao foundation, a self-awakened Sea of Bitterness. A mortal body, yet its potential rivals that of some divine or kingly constitutions," the middle-aged man remarked, the light in his eyes fading as a slight smile touched his lips.
He stood and was before Li Yao in an instant, personally helping the still-bowing youth to his feet. "A true genius," he said, his tone now warm. "You have the potential to one day stand at the pinnacle of the Eastern Wilderness's boundless territory."
His attitude had transformed completely. All of it was a transaction finalized upon confirmation of Li Yao's asset value: his talent.
Li Yao's earlier analysis had been correct. Before the assessment, the Yao Guang Holy Land experts held no regard for him. The path of cultivation was a brutal inverse climb; innate talent determined the ceiling of one's ascent. Why waste effort on an unknown commodity?
Li Yao's talent, however, was confirmed to be excellent. Nourished for a decade by the Heavenly Book's passive absorption of worldly essence, he was born with an open Sea of Bitterness and a physique honed like refined iron. He was no match for legendary physiques like the Innate Dao Embryo, but he stood far above ordinary geniuses. In Deacon Yang's estimation, Li Yao surpassed even some reserve candidates for Holy Son within the sect—individuals who, while not epoch-defining prodigies, were virtually guaranteed to reach the Immortal Platform Realm.
This made him a high-value, low-risk asset. Worth cultivating.
The man's sudden shift did not elate Li Yao. Instead, he offered another respectful bow. "This junior is unworthy of such praise."
The Sect Leader was still bowing. His talent was a future promise, not present power. A display of humility was the optimal, cost-free strategy. As expected, a trace of approval flickered in the middle-aged man's eyes. Talent was essential, but an inflated ego in one so young was a fatal flaw. The Yao Guang Holy Land, a hegemon of the Eastern Wilderness, had rules. Only those with the absolute, rule-breaking power of a Holy Son could afford arrogance. Li Yao was not yet such an entity.
The man's friendliness, Li Yao calculated, was an advance on future returns. It was not equality, but a strategic investment by a senior stakeholder.
"From this day, you are a disciple of the Yao Guang Holy Land. There is no need for 'Master.' My surname is Yang. You may address me as Deacon Yang."
"Greetings, Deacon Yang." Recognizing the genuine, if self-interested, offer of a useful connection, Li Yao accepted. Building a relational network was a necessary survival tactic within a large organization, a different kind of cultivation. Before his own strength was undeniable, allies of convenience were prudent. Deacon Yang might not be a supreme elder, but his position as a Four Extremes Realm expert and a Holy Land deacon made him a significant node of influence. His willingness to offer minor favors as an investment was a resource to be acknowledged and, when necessary, utilized.
This was not friendship. It was the careful management of social capital.
"Sect Leader Hengyang has rendered merit in discovering a genius," Deacon Yang announced, turning his gaze to the still-present sect master. "You are awarded one thousand jin of Source, one Four Extremes Realm magical artifact, and one quota for the Yao Guang Grand Gathering. Serve the Holy Land faithfully, and rewards will not be lacking."
"Many thanks to the Holy Lord! Many thanks to the Deacon!" The Sect Leader of Hengyang Cave Heaven was ecstatic. A thousand jin of Source was a colossal sum to his sect. The Four Extremes Realm artifact would significantly boost their defensive capabilities, and the gathering quota was a prestigious honor that would elevate their standing among subordinate forces.
That night, Hengyang Cave Heaven hosted a grand banquet. Spirit beasts reared in the mountains were slaughtered, and centuries-old vintage wines were uncorked—all to honor the envoys from the Holy Land.
For Li Yao, it was his first formal immersion in cultivator society. He observed it with analytical detachment. The spirit beast meat, brimming with vital essence, and the spirit wine that warmed the meridians were indeed superior to anything in his past life. He noted the qualitative difference in nourishment, filing it away as data on the benefits of a cultivation world's resource chain.
His body, tempered by a decade of subtle essence infusion, could handle the potent energy. He ate and drank, performing the expected role of an honored disciple, while internally cataloging the social rituals and hierarchical seating arrangements.
As he partook of the spirit wine, a slight change occurred within him. Calmly, he set down his cup and brought a hand to his forehead, feigning a slight intoxication from the potent brew.
In truth, his mind turned entirely inward. The Heavenly Book, having absorbed trace amounts of the high-grade spiritual energy from the feast, had activated. Its first page, now fully charged, was beginning its work. All external banquets and politics vanished from his awareness. The only thing that mattered now was the evolution happening within the depths of his consciousness.