Li Yao concluded his integration cycle and stood. His stabilized aura filled the room, a measurable output increase from the new foundational code. Cultivating the perfected Life Spring Chapter had triggered another round of systemic optimization.
A diagnostic scan included lifespan metrics. Transitioning to the Life Spring Realm had increased his biological efficiency, extending his operational lifespan by approximately 50%. This was a data point on the returns of realm advancement.
Status Review:
Combat Protocols: Basic divine arts operational.
Core System: Perfected Life Spring scripture active.
Project - Weapon: Dao Furnace framework stable.
Next Objective: Achieve Life Spring perfection and accumulate the comprehension and energy for the next phase: deducing the Divine Bridge Chapter.
Resource Analysis Recalculated:
The Heavenly Book's scripture evolution function was primarily fueled by profound comprehension and Dao insights gained through cultivation and meditation. External energy—like Pure Source—served as a catalyst and supplement, not the primary fuel.
Revised Projection: The Divine Bridge Chapter deduction would require a deeper understanding of the Dao's bridge between life and divinity, gained through cultivating the perfected Life Spring to its peak. The Pure Source needed would be significantly less than previously calculated—perhaps 300-500 jin to catalyze the process, rather than thousands. This amount could be accumulated from his stipend in a matter of weeks while he focused on attaining the necessary depth of understanding.
This revised mechanism aligned with his character. The path was not about amassing wealth, but about deepening understanding. The Heavenly Book rewarded profound insight with evolution. Resources were helpful tools to accelerate the process, not the goal itself.
The constraint, therefore, was not Source, but time and the quality of his comprehension. However, exposure to new environments and challenges could spark insights that months of secluded meditation might not. A change of context could be a catalyst in itself.
As this analysis concluded, a familiar system signature approached—Zhang Chong.
"Grandmaster Zhang."
"No need for formality." Zhang Chong's demeanor held its usual strategic benevolence. "I have business in the Holy City. I thought you might wish to see it."
The Holy City. A nexus of trade, information, and countless cultivators on their own paths. A unique environment that could provide novel stimuli, data, and potentially accelerate the deepening of his Dao comprehension. It was an opportunity to encounter new concepts that might be integrated into his Yao Guang Scripture.
Li Yao's response was immediate. "Thank you for the consideration, Elder Zhang." Internally, his strategic processor activated. The Holy City was a complex system to analyze, not a marketplace to plunder.
"Very well. I will retrieve you at dawn tomorrow."
Alone again, Li Yao planned.
Primary Objective: Gather diverse data on cultivation principles, techniques, and material sciences. Seek stimuli to challenge and deepen his comprehension of the Dao.
Secondary Objective: Observe resource flows and opportunities. A small amount of additional catalytic Source could be useful, but was not the priority.
Constraints: Operate within Zhang Chong's parameters. Maintain a low profile. Observe the hidden faction (Devouring Heaven Lineage) from a distance, if possible.
The Heavenly Book's needs were clear: Depth, not quantity. The journey to the Holy City was a potential comprehension-gathering expedition. By observing a wider slice of the cultivation world, confronting new ideas, and analyzing different approaches to the Dao, he could fuel the next evolution of his scripture far more efficiently than by merely accumulating raw materials.