Upon entering and approaching the area where the main buildings began, the incredible architecture that adorned the surroundings opened before his eyes. Walking through the corridors, students and disciples of the First Martial Arts School could be seen; the vast majority stopped and watched Li Yi with wide eyes, as if they were beholding a grand existence or a legendary being.
The two of them simply moved past and walked toward the palace.
When Li Yi entered, he observed the dazzling interior, filled with luxuries that were stunning to the eye; he could see that at the end of the hall there were several thrones made of shimmering materials. In his mind, he could only think that this place looked more like the home of an eccentric millionaire than the image of cultivator palaces he had in his head.
They did not walk to the thrones; instead, Grand Director Leng Lubai guided him to an outer courtyard off to the side. They sat down, and servants quickly arrived, placing fruits and serving tea with wide smiles on their faces.
"It seems like a magnificent place. I imagine the disciples and cultivators of the school undertake many missions and go to dangerous places to gather so many things," Li Yi said with a half-smile, looking intently at Leng Lubai.
"One could say so, although the vast majority of all the resources and heritages of this martial arts school are due to accumulation over the years. One does not win a battle like the one we had previously every day; all the former directors of the school, old alumni, and great cultivators have strived to contribute to its development," Leng Lubai replied.
"Oh, I wonder what became of the former great cultivators of the school. Did they all leave the village, never to return?" Li Yi asked.
"The vast majority have died. The world of cultivation is not so easy; as your cultivation increases, the path becomes harder, and obtaining resources, techniques, and heritages costs more—you must face greater disasters and dangers. But there are still several former cultivators of this school, in addition to some from the Great Families, who have managed to establish themselves in cities further inland," Leng Lubai said with a clear longing in his eyes.
Li Yi showed a smile and said, "I don't think it's that easy. In those cities, the competition must be like being in the middle of a battlefield."
"It's true, but what choice is there? As long as you want to keep improving your cultivation and become stronger, you will have to fight and compete for better resources, and in places like this, you won't find any of that. One thing goes hand in hand with the other," the Director replied. "What has me intrigued now is: who are you? From what we've gathered, you were just an orphan who, in recent days, had been beaten by some students from the Second School and had your base destroyed. You were left practically crippled, with almost no future."
Upon hearing this, Li Yi put on a serious face and watched Grand Director Leng Lubai intently.
"Don't get defensive," the Director said quickly. "It's just that it truly has us all intrigued how, suddenly and practically out of nowhere, someone became a being that seems to crush everything, even managing to defeat a low-level Master Realm cultivator while you are in the Base Forging Realm."
Li Yi reflected deep in his mind: "The only thing these people want to know is if I truly obtained some treasure or heritage they can snatch from me, or if perhaps some grand being is standing behind me."
Standing out too much was extremely dangerous and complicated, as it only generated more and more problems; but he had no other choice. The best he could do was take the risk and obtain the greatest amount of prestige and, above all, resources to continue cultivating and obtain more techniques and heritages.
"I'm not truly afraid of any of these people. With the control I've already managed to develop, although I don't think I can defeat the three strongest cultivators in this town, escaping is very possible. Now, the best I can do is this," he decided.
At that moment, he opened his mouth and said:
"Leng Lubai, have you ever heard of something called a Special Constitution or a Sacred Body?"
The Director was confused; he had never heard of anything by that name.
"What is that? I have never heard those names," he said.
Then, Li Yi began to explain the characteristics of such conditions.
Leng Lubai was stunned; he found it hard to imagine that there were beings born with innate control over certain elements or extraordinary abilities. He fell into deep thought, searching through all the knowledge he had acquired over the years. He thought for a while, until suddenly his eyes went wide as saucers and he said:
"I believe I have heard of something like that in an ancient book. Our path of cultivation is based on creating a Martial Seed, which we cultivate and grow with the energy of Heaven and Earth, integrating and merging until we melt with it to create a Celestial Body. He who completes his fusion, along with other conditions, can become a God."
"It is said that our path of cultivation was created from beings born with innate seeds, which are usually called Celestial Seeds, as they possessed the ability to cultivate naturally and grow without much effort; furthermore, it was said that these beings naturally possessed extraordinary abilities. That is why, to enter the Martial Realm, you first have to forge your base to the maximum and then condense a Martial Seed inside you which, as it grows and merges with the body, will increase strength and allow the acquisition of abilities."
Li Yi was amazed, not only by the information but because he didn't know that to enter the Martial Realm one had to form a Martial Seed. He had already been wondering why, despite possessing as much energy as a Master Realm cultivator, he was not advancing in level.
Leng Lubai, after thinking about all that and remembering Li Yi's extraordinary strength, felt a great commotion. Beings who possessed such Celestial Seeds had overwhelming potential, destined to rule the heavens and stand at the top of the world; if beings with such fortune existed, he would never have expected to meet them. Quickly, he asked:
"So, Li Yi... are you saying that you possess a Celestial Seed?"
Li Yi looked at him and said, "What do you think?"
The Director didn't know what to think. If what he seemed to suggest was true, then before him stood someone whose footsteps would be immeasurable. If he managed to strike up a friendship or even "hug his thigh," his own destiny would defy the heavens. "This being has nothing I can take from him, and killing him wouldn't truly bring me any gain; but if I help him and forge a relationship, my destiny will break the sky."
Li Yi, seeing him think so much, knew the old man had already caught on. The best path for the Director was to be his friend, as trying to kill him would yield no profit and, if he managed to escape, the revenge of a being with his potential was not something any power or alliance could withstand.
Grand Director Leng Lubai, after meditating for a while, looked intently at Li Yi and showed a smile.
"Fellow Li, how would you like to join our First Martial Arts School?"