The spirit beast meat and spirit wine had flooded Li Yao's body with vast vital energy. It circulated, marginally strengthening his physique before being efficiently siphoned away, absorbed by the Heavenly Book.
Replenished, the book underwent a subtle change. Its absorption rate increased noticeably, nearly doubling. The second page now emitted a faint glow. It was far from the brilliance of the first page, but the speed was exponentially faster than its passive absorption from the natural world.
Li Yao understood the mechanics. The Heavenly Book's power was tied to his own cultivation. He was the bottleneck—a valve. His untrained body could only channel a limited flow of energy. His role was to widen the conduit. Currently, with his active consumption acting as a catalyst, the Book's efficiency has increased from a baseline of one to two.
This was not 'delight,' but cold satisfaction. The Heavenly Book was his foundational advantage. Upon joining the Yao Guang Holy Land, he would gain access to their core scriptures. The Book's energy reserves were the fuel for its deduction power. Maximizing them before that moment was a logical priority.
He opened his eyes and resumed eating, methodically consuming the spirit beast meat and wine before him with focused speed, showing no concern for over-saturation.
Deacon Yang observed this with mild interest. To a Four Extremes Realm expert, this fare was trivial. But for a mortal like Li Yao, who had never cultivated, it should have been overwhelming. Other disciples present were already flushed, their pores seeping unabsorbed essence.
Yet Li Yao showed no such signs. His body seemed to lock the essence within, a bottomless vessel. To Deacon Yang, this was a data point. Generally, the greater one's physical potential—the more latent "gates" waiting to be opened—the more essence the body could store during early cultivation. Prodigious consumption often indicated prodigious latent capacity.
Li Yao's pragmatic act of recharging the Heavenly Book was misinterpreted as a display of innate, exceptional physical talent. Deacon Yang reassessed his earlier judgment. Perhaps this youth was not merely on par with the lower-tier reserve Holy Sons but could rival the top contenders. Unknowingly, Li Yao had increased his perceived value through a simple act of utility.
In truth, Li Yao had been nearing his personal limit earlier. Without the Heavenly Book's constant drain, he would have had to stop. He continued until the high-grade provisions before him—a portion befitting a Holy Land disciple—were entirely consumed.
The disciples of Hengyang Cave Heaven watched with naked envy. The wiser elders saw a strategic investment walking away. Li Yao was a future variable of potentially high yield.
As the feast wound down, the Hengyang Sect Leader approached. The conversation was a ritual of future-oriented networking: Cultivate diligently, remember your roots, this will always be your home. Li Yao listened politely, recognizing it for what it was: an attempt to purchase sentimental goodwill at a discount. The Sect Leader, however, was not naive. He presented Li Yao with a tangible investment—two hundred jin of Source.
This was a transaction Li Yao understood perfectly. He accepted the Source without false modesty. It was capital, and he acknowledged the implied contract with a respectful nod. The Sect Leader was betting on future returns. Li Yao saw no reason to dissuade him.
At dawn the next day, bathed in golden light, the procession from the Yao Guang Holy Land ascended. Li Yao stood upon a chariot amidst them.
Experiencing flight for the first time, he observed the phenomenon with clinical fascination, not childlike wonder. The physics of it—the chariot's divine power shielding against the gale, the clouds parting at his touch—were of greater interest than the feeling. The freedom was noted as a strategic advantage of cultivation, not a poetic ideal. Reaching out, he felt the moisture of a cloud. The ambition that arose was not a swell of emotion, but a reaffirmation of a calculated objective: this mobility, this perspective, was a natural consequence of the power he sought.
"With your talent, reaching the Life Spring Realm and soaring on your own divine rainbow will not take long," Deacon Yang remarked, noting his gaze.
"Thank you for your guidance," Li Yao replied, his tone even. "My immediate concern is more foundational. Having studied the theory, I am eager to begin practical cultivation. I know nothing of the Holy Land's procedures. When might one typically receive the core scriptures?"
His question was direct and utilitarian. The novels of his past life offered no operational manual for the Yao Guang Holy Land. The timeline to obtaining a cultivation method was the critical path, blocking his progress.
Deacon Yang gave a light chuckle. "The journey is long—three hundred thousand miles. There is time to talk, and I can enlighten you."
He was disposed to be helpful. Li Yao's perceived "talent" and his own calm, focused demeanor made him a worthwhile investment. Offering information was a low-cost way to solidify this potentially valuable connection.
Li Yao inclined his head. "This junior would be grateful for the insight." He would listen, compile the data, and begin formulating his first plan for survival and advancement within the colossal entity that was the Yao Guang Holy Land. The landscape below was a blur. His mind was already mapping the terrain ahead.