Li Yao's new life was one of disciplined rhythm. Cultivate, refine, trade, sleep. Repeat. He was a machine dedicated to a single purpose: ascension.
His breakthrough to the Late Sub-Realm of the Essence Gathering Realm was not a dramatic, explosive event. It was a quiet, inevitable tide. After a long meditation session where he consumed the last of his self-made Resonance Qi-Dust, the energy around his core, now dense and potent, naturally began to extend beyond his body. He could feel it tingling at his fingertips. He could, with effort, push it outwards.
"Breakthrough Successful. Host has reached the Late Sub-Realm of the Essence Gathering Realm. Energy can now be directed externally in small bursts. Aura becomes faintly perceptible to sensitive individuals."
He tested it. Focusing his will, he pointed a finger at a rock on the cavern floor. A wisp of energy, visible as a distortion in the air, shot out and knocked the rock over. The force was negligible, less than a strong punch, but the implication was monumental. He was no longer limited to his physical body.
It was time. Time to stop merely reacting and to start actively shaping his destiny. Wang Jin's meridian flaw was a time bomb. Li Yao needed to be holding the detonator when it went off.
His target was the "Soaring Cloud Pavilion," the official establishment of the Soaring Cloud Sect in Flowing Wind City. It was a place he would have never dared approach as a servant. Now, clad in his simple but clean cloak, he walked through its ornate gates.
The interior was spacious and serene. Displays showed spirit weapons, talismans, and pills far beyond his means. A sect disciple in light blue robes, a man in his early twenties with a condescending air, looked him up and down.
"The public disciple selection is next month. Registrations are taken at the city square," the disciple said, his tone dismissive.
"I am not here to register," Li Yao said, keeping his voice calm and low. "I am here to make an inquiry regarding a delicate matter of cultivation."
The disciple smirked. "Oh? And what would a... lone cultivator... like yourself need to inquire about?"
"Meridian stability during forced advancement," Li Yao said, meeting the disciple's gaze. "Specifically, the risks associated with congenital blockages in the 'Celestial Sun' cluster when using Spirit-Gathering Pills."
The disciple's smirk vanished. That was far too specific for a random vagrant. This touched upon actual alchemical theory.
"Wait here," he said, his demeanor shifting from bored to cautious.
A few minutes later, Li Yao was ushered into a small, private side room. An older man sat there, his aura restrained but deep, like a still lake. He was an Elder of the sect, likely in the Core Formation Realm. His eyes, sharp and intelligent, scanned Li Yao.
"I am Elder Wei," he said. "You speak of a very particular cultivation ailment. Explain yourself."
This was the most dangerous moment yet. He was in a room with a man who could erase him with a thought, discussing the weakness of the son of the city's head guard.
"I am an itinerant healer," Li Yao began, using the persona he had crafted. "I have... a method of perception that allows me to sense meridian flaws. Recently, I encountered a young noble who was forcing his cultivation with pills. I sensed a significant instability in his Celestial Sun meridian cluster. The path he is on leads to a catastrophic backlash at the Core Formation bottleneck."
Elder Wei's expression did not change, but a flicker of interest shone in his eyes. "And why bring this to the Soaring Cloud Sect?"
"Because," Li Yao said, choosing his words with the care of a man walking a tightrope over a chasm, "I assume the Sect is always interested in identifying talent. And, conversely, in identifying... liabilities. A young master crippled by his own ambition is of no use to anyone. Perhaps the Sect could... guide him onto a safer path. For a price."
He was not selling a product. He was selling information. A threat assessment. He was positioning himself not as a enemy of Wang Jin, but as a neutral observer providing a valuable service to the Sect.
Elder Wei was silent for a long time, his gaze piercing. "The Wang boy," he stated flatly. He knew exactly who Li Yao was talking about. "Captain Wang has made significant... contributions... to secure his son's place in the upcoming selection."
"Contributions cannot fix a broken core," Li Yao replied softly.
A faint smile touched Elder Wei's lips. It was a cold, calculating thing. "Indeed. This information is... interesting. What is your price for this... consultation?"
"Not Spirit Stones," Li Yao said. "I seek a single opportunity. A chance to participate in the disciple selection, not as a public registrant, but as a recommended candidate. Anonymously."
It was a bold ask. A recommended candidate bypassed the first, most public rounds of elimination. It was the perfect cover—access to the Sect's resources and protection, while keeping his identity obscured from Wang Jin for as long as possible.
Elder Wei studied him. He saw a cultivator in the Late Essence Gathering Realm, young, with a strangely solid foundation and a sharp, strategic mind. He saw a potential disciple, and he saw a useful tool to manage a problematic local situation.
"Your recommendation will be processed," Elder Wei said finally. "You will receive a token before the selection. Do not speak of this to anyone."
Li Yao bowed and left, his heart thundering in his chest. He had just woven his own thread into the vast, complex tapestry of power in Flowing Wind City. He had pitted the Sect against the Guard without throwing a single punch.
He walked out of the Soaring Cloud Pavilion, the invisible clock of his lifespan ticking in his mind, but now, for the first time, he felt he was not just running from time, but learning to dance with it. The Sect selection awaited, a den of wolves and dragons. And he was walking in with a secret that could break a young master and a map to godhood in his soul. The true ascent was about to begin.