Chapter 3: A Shift in Attitude

Within the grand hall, the voice of the Master of the Hengyang Cave Heavenly Realm echoed, his figure bowed in respect just like Li Yao’s. Even as the head of a sect, he appeared humble before the formidable figures of the Yaoguang Sacred Land.

None of the powerful figures from Yaoguang Sacred Land responded, but the middle-aged man at the center made a move. Intricate patterns appeared in his eyes; what had been black irises now flashed with silver light, revealing every detail with sharp clarity wherever his gaze fell.

This was the Sacred Light Eye Technique of Yaoguang Sacred Land, capable of surveying the heavens above and the depths below, wielding an unpredictable and fearsome reputation. Such a divine skill was renowned even throughout the vast Eastern Wilderness.

Li Yao felt it deeply. Beneath those piercing eyes, nothing could be concealed; it was as if he had been stripped bare. Though aware of this, a surge of frustration welled up inside him. Yet, he understood the reason: their statuses were fundamentally unequal.

They did not care for his feelings; in the eyes of Yaoguang’s elite, he was utterly insignificant.

So, no matter how displeased he was, he had to endure it. Such was the sorrow of the weak. Li Yao’s desire to grow stronger reached its peak at this moment. Only by becoming powerful could he truly control his own fate.

“As expected, the Dao resonance is strong, the bitter sea naturally opened. Though a mortal body, it rivals divine and kingly physiques,” the middle-aged man’s eyes dimmed slightly, yet the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile.

He stood and, with a single step, was instantly before Li Yao, gently lifting the bowed youth with a kind expression. “Truly a prodigy, destined to stand at the pinnacle of the boundless Eastern Wilderness one day.”

His demeanor transformed dramatically, as if they were two entirely different people, all due to Li Yao’s talent.

Li Yao’s suspicion was correct—before discovering his gift, the Yaoguang elite had not regarded him seriously.

Cultivation was arduous; those who conformed became mortals, those who resisted became immortals. The climb was akin to contending with the heavens themselves.

A person’s innate talent determined how high they could ascend. Had Li Yao’s talent been poor, he might never have come to their attention, so why bother forging connections?

But his talent was exceptional—not legendary, but extraordinary. The Ten-Year Heavenly Tome had absorbed celestial essence for a decade, and as its host, Li Yao had been nourished by it, naturally opening the bitter sea within him, with sinews and bones comparable to tigers and leopards.

Comparing him to innate Dao embryos or those with solar or lunar physiques was unrealistic—the gap was vast. Yet compared to ordinary prodigies, he was far superior.

In the middle-aged man’s eyes, even some of the Yaoguang Sacred Land’s prospective heirs did not match Li Yao’s talent.

Do not underestimate this—it was likely that those labeled as mediocre among true imperial geniuses would be deemed outstanding by ordinary standards.

To the average person, these candidates were peerless prodigies, destined to ascend smoothly to the Immortal Platform realm.

In the original world, the Bian realm was minor cultivation, and the Dao Palace was insignificant, but in reality, reaching the Bian realm already marked one as a formidable figure.

Consider the Master of Hengyang Cave Heavenly Realm—though only at the first or second tier of the Dao Palace secret realm, he dominated thousands of miles, influencing the lives and deaths of tens of millions.

Even a single tier of the Immortal Platform Secret Realm represented the pinnacle for cultivators in the current End-of-Law era of the Eastern Wilderness.

As a powerful figure in Yaoguang Sacred Land, and a veteran of the Four Extremes Secret Realm, the middle-aged man had decided to forge a connection with Li Yao—he now possessed the qualifications.

Li Yao was surprised by the change in attitude but remained respectful, bowing again. “Thank you for your kind praise, sir.”

Observe that even the Master of Hengyang Cave Heavenly Realm still bowed, not daring to rise without assistance. His talent might be promising, but that was for the future, not the present.

The middle-aged man’s eyes gleamed with approval after seeing Li Yao’s demeanor. He truly favored Li Yao, but if the young man were arrogant, his prospects would likely be limited.

As one of the strongest overlords of the Eastern Wilderness and even the Beidou Star Domain, Yaoguang Sacred Land had produced countless prodigies over the years. Unless someone possessed the talent of a Yaoguang heir capable of breaking the rules, all must abide by the Sacred Land’s regulations.

Though the middle-aged man wished to befriend Li Yao, having lived nearly a century, he understood well that constant flattery was servility. Were Li Yao a Yaoguang heir willing to bow in friendship, he would gladly comply; but Li Yao was not yet worthy.

“You are now also a disciple of Yaoguang Sacred Land. No need to address me as ‘sir.’ My surname is Yang; just call me Steward Yang.”

“Greetings, Steward Yang,” Li Yao responded, accepting the genuine goodwill.

His induction into Yaoguang Sacred Land was now settled. With that, he must plan carefully. Before gaining sufficient strength, he needed to cultivate good relationships.

Take Steward Yang, for example—perhaps not of the highest rank within Yaoguang Sacred Land, but certainly above ordinary disciples. Once inside, with Steward Yang’s presence, while he might not assist with major matters, small favors would be easier to obtain.

Li Yao saw clearly that Yang wished to befriend him, valuing his future. In that case, the steward would surely not hesitate to help with minor tasks, thereby earning goodwill.

Once past the most awkward initial phase, Li Yao was confident that, with the slight aid of the Heavenly Tome, his future would shine brilliantly.

“The Master of Hengyang Cave Heavenly Realm has done well in uncovering talent. He is hereby granted a thousand jin of source essence, a Four Extremes Secret Realm artifact, and a slot at the Yaoguang Grand Assembly. May you continue your efforts and not slack. As long as your loyalty to Yaoguang Sacred Land is true, rewards will not be withheld,” Steward Yang announced plainly on behalf of the Sacred Land.

“Thank you, Sacred Lord, for the generous gifts and your esteem,” the Master of Hengyang Cave Heavenly Realm exclaimed joyfully, never expecting such abundant rewards.

Though Hengyang Cave Heavenly Realm dominated a thousand-mile radius, its resources were not overly rich; the total assets of the entire realm did not amount to a thousand jin of source essence.

Moreover, the source essence awarded this time was but a small fraction. The real prize was the Four Extremes Secret Realm artifact and the slot at the Yaoguang Grand Assembly.

The former was a divine artifact of protection, significantly enhancing Hengyang Cave Heavenly Realm’s power, while the latter was even more extraordinary.

Though the Yaoguang Grand Assembly lacked the renown and prestige of the Yaochi Grand Assembly—an immense gap for those at the peak of the Eastern Wilderness—for a force like Hengyang Cave Heavenly Realm, participation greatly elevated their status.

That night, Hengyang Cave Heavenly Realm held a banquet. To show respect, the Master spared no effort in preparations. Spiritual beasts long raised in the mountains were slaughtered, and treasured wines were brought forth—all to entertain the powerful guests from Yaoguang Sacred Land.

This was Li Yao’s first experience of a cultivator gathering. It was fascinating—feasting and revelry unmatched by the technological world of his former life, even far surpassing it.

The spiritual beast meat alone was incomparable to ordinary food. Nurtured by celestial essence, these beasts’ flesh, once cooked, needed no seasoning to become the world’s finest delicacy.

Li Yao had only been cultivating for a month. Having focused on foundational cultivation, aside from the environment showcasing the extraordinary, his life was little different from that of ordinary mortals.

Now, savoring spiritual beast meat and drinking immortal wine, he truly felt the splendor of the cultivation path.

Fortunately, his body had been tempered by ten years of celestial essence, no weaker than that of cultivators who had opened their bitter seas. Otherwise, facing such rich meat, he might have felt bloated after just a single bite.

As he enjoyed the feast, Li Yao’s expression suddenly shifted slightly.

Calmly setting down his wine, he pressed a hand to his forehead, feigning intoxication. In truth, his mind had quieted, and he began to observe the sudden changes emanating from the Heavenly Tome.