Ya Jiu’s words carried strong self-confidence, and the slight smile at the corner of his mouth was as infectious as those of high monks.
Besides the Haotian Taoist Sect on Taihao Mountain, the Academic Palace was the largest and most powerful gathering place for Cultivators in the world.
Qi Sensing, Body Concealing, Rain Listening, Cloud Patrol, Candle Cloud—each realm progressed step by step, and there was no situation where a lack of Cultivation materials would impede progress.
According to Li Ang’s estimate, given sufficient materials such as Fine Gold and Mountain Copper, he should be able to reach the Cloud Patrol Realm within a few years and become one of the handful of geniuses with the fastest Cultivation speed in the history of the Academic Palace.
This progress was already quite terrifying.
What Ya Jiu claimed about Zhao Ming, the future he envisioned, could not possibly surpass the Haotian Taoist Sect or the Academic Palace as a whole...
"Just as I said, the Academic Palace clings to old ways, self-imposing limitations."
Ya Jiu lifted the corner of his mouth and smiled. "The national history classes at the Academic Palace must have mentioned this many times. Towards the end of the Former Sui period, various Cultivation Sects and military factions were embroiled in chaotic wars. The lands were shattered, and countless lives were lost. Eventually, a Li-named warlord, with the help of scholars from the Former Sui’s Academic Palace, distinguished himself. He annihilated the Cultivation Sects and other military factions, established Yu Country, and co-governed the world with the Academic Palace.
Most people in Yu Country knew this history well. The only problem was that it was incomplete, or rather, deliberately concealed in part."
Ya Jiu paused and said, "The philosophies and interests of those Cultivation Sects were starkly different. Driven by self-preservation or ambition, they became embroiled in prolonged turmoil.
"Betrayal, assassination, bribery, deception... A variety of tactics emerged endlessly. The prolonged chaos led these sects to increase their power at any cost, the fastest method being through Demonic Skills that sought quick success, or by using special Mutated Objects.
"As a result, the competition rapidly deteriorated. The vast majority of Cultivation Sects began practicing techniques akin to the Demon Path or misusing Mutated Objects.
"In fact, the alliance between the Li Family and the Academic Palace was not the main force that annihilated the Cultivation Sects. To a large extent, they wiped each other out.
"Some of the legacies of these sects, along with their cultivators, were carried to places like the Ten Thousand Desolate Mountains and the Endless Sea. They spread beyond Yu Country, taking root elsewhere—for example, in the academies established in Nanzhou, West Jing, and other countries, modeled after the Academic Palace.
"Another portion was absorbed by the Li Family-Academic Palace alliance. Even today, this rich inheritance has not been fully utilized, and a large part of it remains sealed.
"The Academic Palace heavily redacted those ancient cultivation techniques, removing parts they deemed unsuitable. They narrowed the once flourishing array of cultivation disciplines to just five: Talisman, Magic, Sword, Mind, and Body, and established a progressive Cultivation system based on these."
Ya Jiu curled his lip and said, "The ancient cultivation techniques, once dazzling as a field of stars, thus declined in Yu Country.
"Only among some rural cultivators and within thousand-year-old families like the Five Families and Seven Hopes can one still glimpse a shadow or two of them.
"And we at Zhao Ming possess both the Cultivation system of the Academic Palace and thousands of types of Ancient Cultivation Skills."
A peculiar look flashed through Li Ang’s eyes. He had long found it strange that in historical texts, the techniques of Former Sui Cultivators were unusually diverse.
There were Curse Techniques—creating effigies from an enemy’s hair and specific materials, then driving a long nail through them to curse and kill the opponent.
There were Body Sword Lights—some ancient Cultivators, even at the Cloud Patrol Realm, could merge with their sword glow, reaching wherever their heart desired in an instant.
There were also Mysterious Techniques—raising the dead from graveyards, transforming them into undying, soul fire-burning, Dull Puppets.
Or regenerating severed limbs by consuming flesh and blood.
Even if one wasn’t learning these to become stronger, these Ancient Cultivation Skills were intriguing in themselves, potentially offering new solutions to problems.
"We possess a collection of Ancient Cultivation Skill materials that surpasses that of the Academic Palace. You can access them whenever you wish."
Ya Jiu smiled and said, "Besides, we can also provide you with various Mutated Objects to aid your Cultivation.
"Whatever the Academic Palace can give you, we can too.
"Whatever the Academic Palace cannot give you, we still can."
"That sounds quite nice."
Li Ang nodded. "So, what’s the price?"
Ya Jiu smirked and said, "There is no price. Or perhaps, the only price is loyalty.
"We are the future, the grand trend of the world.
"Being loyal to us is being loyal to yourself."
These words, coming from someone who had just been threatening and enticing him, really lacked persuasiveness.
Li Ang remained indifferent at heart and nodded, saying, "I can join. What are the benefits, and how do I contact you?"
Li Ang didn’t quite believe Ya Jiu’s words. Whether they were thirty percent true and seventy percent false, or vice versa, without evidence, he treated all of it as false. However, that didn’t stop him from playing along.
Ya Jiu tossed a square iron plate to him, which Li Ang caught.
The iron plate, about the size of a palm, was rectangular and reddish-brown. It was engraved with flowing cloud patterns and a tadpole-like design in the center that seemed to move under the light.
"It’s a communication token, similar to a ’Nearby Worm.’ I’ll use this to contact you when there’s news," Ya Jiu stated. "I can try to recruit new members in Chang’an, but whether you are permitted to join will be decided by others. You will be notified when the time comes.
"Within Zhao Ming, the greater your contribution, the more benefits you receive.
"This is the same as in the Academic Palace; I shouldn’t need to remind you of that."