It was a little after noon when Yao Shen awoke from his slumber. Apparently, he had underestimated the toll Soul Cultivation would exact from him, the last few hours a complete void in his memory. True slumber was a phenomenon that he hadn’t experienced in decades, if not close to a century. To sleep, to dream and to submit himself to a realm he held no power over was rather ironically, a veritable nightmare for any powerful cultivator— he supposed that he could only be grateful that his reputation held back others from entering his quarters unannounced.

“Huh,” Yao Shen muttered, realizing that even his near-perfect memory could not recall the specifics of his dream, only disconcerted snippets and fragmented emotions. Even in Eliria, it seemed that the world of dreams and nightmares seemed as inscrutable as ever, beyond both science and the perception of one’s soul.

He groggily got back onto his feet, stretching his body more out of reminiscence than sore muscles. To think that in another lifetime he had made a livelihood of trade in a relatively peaceful society…. In all honesty, he still struggled to accept that reality on days like this one, as he gazed into the burnished metal mirror, finding his reflection fearlessly staring right back at him. These days, only his reflection seemed to have the audacity to lock eyes with him until he was forced to yield.

The solitude of standing at the apex didn’t bother him, but he supposed that there was one aspect Yao Shen had been ignoring. Had it been one of the other Patriarchs in his place that had ascended to Soul Emperor, they would likely be assessing their future options after quelling dissent in the Azlak Plains, the more violent option that Yao Shen had forgone. That option would naturally pertain to the region they planned to shift to, the Sect they wished to seek harbor under.

A Soul Emperor was a resource worth vying for and Yao Shen was not oblivious to the knowledge that the Eastern Righteous Path sects would send their Envoys to recruit him, their advent likely to be accompanied by honeyed words, grand promises and of course, one or two veiled threats. Mayhaps the other races too would send an Envoy to approach the proceedings in the name of maintaining balance, their real purpose to gauge his personality and temperament and report back to their respective leaders.

Turning them down would not be easy, for it would mean refusing the culmination, the reward for two centuries of cultivation. Even the path to the Soul Paragon stage might not be off the table and to refuse….. It was possible that Yao Shen would never stumble upon the correct method of ascension in his lifetime.

“Hilarious,” Yao Shen chuckled, averting his gaze from the mirror and walking over to the balcony. As a disciple, he had always found his master’s desire to work for the betterment of the sect a futile, baseless effort. He had always felt that the sect did not deserve his master’s grace, that the politicking, backstabbing Elders had not earned his master’s kindness. How ironic it was, that when the time came… Yao Shen had chosen the same path, even after far surpassing his master and even if it meant turning down the easy path to Soul Paragon.

He supposed that the more one tried to extricate oneself from the person they were raised to become, the more they were inevitably drawn to it.

Thankfully, it was not in the nature of ancient sects to make haste in matters. With lifespans as long as theirs, time simply did not possess the same weight, the same urgency that possessed mortals back on Earth; driving them to make every waking moment count. That gave him a year to accomplish as much as he could, before he was subject to their haughty gazes and self-serving ploys.

As Yao Shen took in the sweeping vista from his third-storey balcony, an errant thought bloomed into an idea. Instead of taking a reactive approach, why not be proactive instead?

An Inauguration Ceremony for the Modern Sect, to be held in one Earth year’s time from the date of his ascension would be a fitting way to welcome the Envoys; concealing a deeper significance at the same time. It was a bold declaration to the Eastern Righteous Path sects and a political gambit— for what ruler did not seek legitimacy? Yao Shen was claiming the three hegemonic sects of the Azlak Plains for himself and if the Eastern Righteous Path sects accepted the invitation, they would be giving their tacit approval. He also planned to extend an invitation to the True Elves, for the Mortal Capital, All Haven would reach completion by then— it would be the most opportune time to offer them the shares in hopes of securing their patronage.

The brilliance of his scheme lay in the finer details, for he required only one Eastern Righteous Path Sect to attend his Inauguration Ceremony to legitimize it. If the Eastern Hegemons were united, or if Yao Shen had overestimated his own importance, his open scheme would unravel before it even got off the ground. However, if even one of the Sects were interested in recruiting him, or atleast drawing him to their side as an ally, then they would do him the favor of honoring his sovereignty. Could the others afford to watch from the sidelines whilst their neighbouring sect added another formidable military power to their repertoire?

His resolve set, Yao Shen set out from his guest residence in search of Meili Zhu, hoping to enlist her help in delivering the invitations. The sooner they were sent, the more at ease he would feel— he had no wish to field offers from powerful Envoys whilst there were so many internal matters that needed his resolution, not to mention the ammunition their presence would provide to his critics.