Chapter 465: I’m Too Eager to Advance!
Chapter 465: I Want to Progress So Badly!
"Not bad."
After a long silence, a satisfied voice finally emerged from behind the curtain of the Dao platform. With a sweep of divine sense, the jade slip Lü Yang had presented vanished instantly.
By now, the Dao Court Heavenly Son had grasped the underlying message.
'He's putting me on the spot. With sincerity displayed to this extent, if I don't grant him a favorable position, the True Dragon Clan might start entertaining other ideas.'
Despite this realization, the Dao Court Heavenly Son felt no displeasure—quite the opposite. From another perspective, Lü Yang's actions had essentially handed the decision-making power to him. What official rank to grant, how many benefits to bestow—all were now at his discretion.
This was crucial.
Lü Yang understood perfectly well. He could have used the coordinates of the Seven Luminaries Heaven as leverage, bargaining with the Dao Court Heavenly Son by virtue of his identity as a member of the True Dragon Clan.
But what would be the point?
This was Jiangdong, under the governance of the Dao Court. With the Heavenly Son's authority firmly established, no matter how many benefits Lü Yang managed to wrangle, the Heavenly Son had countless ways to make him relinquish them.
The only outcome would be earning the Heavenly Son's displeasure.
That wouldn't do.
Thus, Lü Yang deliberately broke from convention by directly presenting the coordinates of the Seven Luminaries Heaven, placing the decision in the Dao Court Heavenly Son's hands to demonstrate his "loyalty."
Moreover, he wasn't worried that the Heavenly Son would merely toss him some trivial rewards. After all, his identity as a member of the True Dragon Clan and the backing of a mid-stage Golden Core Dragon Lord ensured that the Heavenly Son wouldn't act recklessly. The final compensation would undoubtedly satisfy him.
As expected—
"You... are quite impressive."
The Dao Court Heavenly Son chuckled lightly and said, "Currently, the Capital Heaven Bureau happens to lack a Deputy Commander of the Right. Since you're eager, this position shall be yours."
As soon as the words fell, the Immortal Nation's Dao Statutes responded immediately.
Lü Yang looked up and saw his original official rank, Dragon Lord of Dongting, begin to transform. The inscribed text twisted and reshaped into Deputy Commander of the Right of the Capital Heaven Bureau.
A third-rank position!
In the next instant, Lü Yang sensed a terrifying surge of information flowing into him, bolstered by the authority of his new official rank, swirling around the periphery of his sea of consciousness.
'This is knowledge!'
At this moment, Lü Yang gained a deeper understanding of the Immortal Nation's Dao Statutes. It was far more than just a tool for controlling Jiangdong's cultivators.
It was truly a vast net.
Connecting every cultivator in Jiangdong, their cultivation depth, knowledge, experience—all were encompassed and absorbed by this immense web!
It aggregated the wisdom of the masses!
Thus, an official rank didn't merely confer cultivation strength but also the corresponding cultivation depth and knowledge, all of which were granted simultaneously.
'However... this cultivation depth and knowledge cannot enter my sea of consciousness, nor would I allow it. Therefore, once the official rank is revoked, this knowledge will depart as well. But conversely, as long as the rank remains, wielding this cultivation depth will be as natural as moving my own limbs!'
To put it simply:
The Immortal Nation's Dao Statutes were like a vast database. By granting him an official rank, the Dao Court Heavenly Son had bestowed upon him temporary access privileges to this database.
As long as the privileges remained, the knowledge within the database was his to utilize.
Once revoked, he would instantly become blind to it.
'Yet, conversely, this cultivation depth and knowledge can be studied. I can gradually comprehend and internalize it, transforming it entirely into my own understanding!'
A cultivation artifact of unparalleled value!
With this realization, Lü Yang finally understood. He had previously wondered how, given the varied talents of cultivators, an imperial system could theoretically sustain itself.
After all, how could the geniuses produced by a single family compare to the vast, all-encompassing sects?
Especially the Tianwu royal family, which wasn't particularly prolific in terms of descendants.
Under such circumstances, how had the Tianwu royal lineage managed to endure? Early and mid-stage Foundation Establishment might be manageable, but reaching late-stage and perfection was no easy feat!
Now, Lü Yang comprehended.
'The Tianwu royal family likely has unrestricted access to the Immortal Nation's Dao Statutes. They can directly extract whatever knowledge they need and swiftly master it!'
This was equivalent to using the Immortal Nation's Dao Statutes to gather the insights of Jiangdong's cultivators, then assimilating them for personal use—leveraging countless Jiangdong cultivators to aid their own cultivation! With such a method, the Tianwu royal family likely faced no bottlenecks in cultivation depth. The only limitation to their advancement was the availability of Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend essences!
"This is truly..."
Lü Yang blinked. No wonder the Jiangdong Dao Court's system could ascend all the way to Golden Core True Lords. The Immortal Nation's Dao Statutes were indeed a flawless masterpiece!
With it, the speed of his cultivation progress would be unimaginably rapid!
In fact, if the Dao Court Heavenly Son was willing to promote him, he might even have a chance to restore his Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivation within ten years—no, perhaps even five years!
'I want to progress so badly!'
Lowering his eyelids, Lü Yang suppressed all emotions and quickly located the corresponding cultivation depth within the Deputy Commander of the Right of the Capital Heaven Bureau bestowed upon him by the Dao Court Heavenly Son.
'This official rank... originates from Roadside Earth!'
Roadside Earth is formed from Geng Metal, Noon Fire, Xin Metal, and Unripened Earth. Two of these elements correspond directly to his Heavenly Fire Above.
This official rank was split from Roadside Earth. The third-rank position matched the cultivation level of mid-stage Foundation Establishment Perfection, so the corresponding cultivation depth naturally included the Heavenly Gang and Earthly Fiend essences of Geng Metal and Noon Fire. Among these, Noon Fire was precisely what he needed—clearly no mere coincidence.
Evidently, the Dao Court Heavenly Son had discerned his Dao foundation.
Knowing that he cultivated Heavenly Fire Above, the Heavenly Son had deliberately granted him this official rank, allowing him to access the cultivation depth knowledge of Noon Fire.
"Well?"
From behind the curtain, the Dao Court Heavenly Son regarded Lü Yang with a faint smile. "Are you satisfied with this appointment? Heavenly Fire Above is quite a remarkable fruition."
"Thank you for Your Majesty's boundless grace!"
Upon hearing this, Lü Yang broke into a cold sweat, panic flashing in his eyes as he hurriedly bowed in gratitude. Only then did the Dao Court Heavenly Son show a satisfied expression.
This little warning was sufficient.
"Very well, you may leave," the Dao Court Heavenly Son continued. "Return and focus on your cultivation. I hold great expectations for the Dragon Clan. There will be an important task for you in the future."
"Many thanks, Your Majesty!"
As Lü Yang retreated step by step from the Tianwu Hall, the Dao Court Heavenly Son swiftly shifted his attention, paying little further mind to this True Dragon.
As for cultivating Heavenly Fire Above?
What a joke. Did he think Heavenly Fire Above was so easily mastered? To steer the world, even the minimum requirement was control over Jiangdong. Did Lü Yang take him for dead?
As a True Lord, why would he fear a mere mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator?
Unless he himself vanished, along with the Three Dukes, and this True Dragon reached Foundation Establishment Perfection—but how could such a thing ever happen?
Sheer paranoia!
Thus, the Dao Court Heavenly Son had generously granted cultivation depth related to Noon Fire. In his view, this was a meaningless reward—he hadn't actually given away anything valuable. Yet on the surface, it appeared as a substantial boon, enough to placate the True Dragon Clan. A small investment for significant returns.
'This harvest is substantial...'
Exiting the Tianwu Hall, the panic in Lü Yang's eyes dissipated instantly, his expression returning to calm. He could guess the Dao Court Heavenly Son's thoughts.
And he wasn't the only one—the old Dragon Monarch had likely deduced them as well.
Otherwise, the old Dragon Monarch wouldn't have openly sent a True Dragon cultivating Heavenly Fire Above. Instead, he would have concealed it at all costs to avoid detection.
'Based on my speculation, the old Dragon Monarch probably never expected any dragon to master Heavenly Fire Above in the short term. His plan must be extraordinarily protracted, waiting at least until the millennium calamity to unfold. Yet no one could have anticipated that an unparalleled opportunity would arise so soon.'
Heaven of Non-Existence!
Once someone achieved the Heaven of Non-Existence, all True Lords would retreat into seclusion. At that time, Lü Yang, capable of wielding external Dao fruition, would instantly become the foremost figure in the world.
And then—his opportunity would arrive!