The next few days fell into a rhythm of productivity, as Yao Shen rapidly ticked off tasks on his checklist. The tour of the Earth Division provided for a good change from the tedium of politics, though little captured Yao Shen’s interest besides the Earth Wellspring and the sealed cave systems. The former was a rather ingenious way of improving one’s fine control over the earth element, though the degree of complexity involved in the process limited its effectiveness to Nascent Soul Cultivators and higher.

Originally, the Earth Wellspring was intended for weaker disciples that required assistance in honing their control. The concept was simple enough in theory— a small shaft was dug into the earth, it’s circumference lined with a commonly found metal. The base of the well wasn’t lined with stone or brick as one might expect from a mortal one, but instead the earth was intentionally polluted with small shards of metal, chunks of decaying animal hide and powdered glass. The disciples were required to exert their innate ability to manipulate earth, sifting through the debris and detritus until they managed to reform the soft earth into solid rock. In the beginning it was a rather elementary task, but as more and more of earth was reformed and excavated, the original ten meter deep shaft now extended for over thirty meters, heavily contaminated with debris for another fifteen meters.

Had it not been for the Elder responsible for decommissioning the Earth Wellspring choosing to experiment with it instead, its effectiveness in aiding Nascent Soul cultivators would have gone unnoticed. There was a certain prejudice in the cultivator word, an inclination to search for arcane means when magical ones would suffice.

Yao Shen had spent longer on the Earth Wellspring than perhaps was considered dignified, his first attempt only yielding a small pebble even smaller than the palm of his hand. It took him an hour to finally form a decent-size, if mishappen chunk of rock. Of course, if Yao Shen utilized his Divine Sense it would be a feat accomplished in seconds and he did not need such intricate control of the earth in his current combat style, simply able to use his Earth Qi to form and shape rock as he willed. However, it served as a good benchmark as he urged Patriarch Kang Long to attempt it.

The Earth Patriarch rose to the challenge magnificently, forming a perfectly even brick of solid rock in half the time Yao Shen had taken. Though he had expected the gulf to be wide, it was still humbling to be confronted with the realization that the other two Patriarchs’ were bona fide prodigies. He would revisit the wellspring when he had time, but unfortunately that was a commodity he was in dire shortage of these days.

The sealed cave systems on the other hand, were of even greater interest to him. Out of courtesy to their hosts, Yao Shen had not directly requested access to the cave system— based on the intelligence he had access to, he knew that it was a sore subject for the Earth Division. Something had gone terribly wrong in the sealed cave systems, or they were using that excuse as a pretext to conceal a greater truth— either way, disciples and guardians were strictly forbidden from venturing inside and the other Elders had not shown much interest either if the Faceless’ reports were to be believed.

Regardless, Yao Shen was destined to sneak into the cave systems, if for no other reason than to experiment with his bell artifact in a place without prying eyes. Anything of value should have been long extracted from within the caves and he doubted that a creature powerful enough to slay him rested beneath the Divine Mountain— if so, Patriarch Kang Long would have personally offered to escort him to his doom.

How curious indeed.

Another banquet was hosted in his name giving Yao Shen the opportunity to deliver a rousing speech addressed to the disciples. He no longer spoke of grand ambitions or lofty goals the Modern Sect would accomplish somewhere in the distant future, instead choosing to focus upon the present— upon the Mortal Capital, All Haven. Yao Shen divulged his plans with fervor, informing disciples that not only would they be able to meet their mortal parents without any of the associated dogma that pervaded in cultivator society, but they would also be allowed to intermingle with disciples from other disciples on a regular basis without fear of reproachment.

The only way to cure inherited hatred was to give the opposing parties an opportunity to interact with each other in a neutral setting. To talk and to listen, to hear and to understand and to ultimately come to the realization that the other side was only human— mistakes were made, however, they were made on both sides. Perhaps a side was more to blame than the others but as easy as it was to carry that intergenerational hatred and fury in their hearts, neither the mortal man not the cultivator could be held accountable for the sins of their ancestors.

The path would not be an easy one and there would be challenges to the realization of his vision.

But Yao Shen was ready to welcome them with open arms.

There could be no change without detractors, no revolution without pain… but the cost of righteousness was no excuse to succumb to inertia. Would the world, regardless of if it were Earth or Eliria, not be a pitiful place if not a single soul was willing to fight for what they cherished, to stand up for what they believed was right?

Thankfully, the hatred between the three hegemonic sects was mainly rooted in the past decisions and as a result of their contradictory interests. All it required was a little understanding, a modicum of empathy and a healthy dose of shared self-interest and Yao Shen truly believed that the Modern Sect could stand strong as a single element in face of outside threats.

After the banquet, Yao Shen had to deal with matters pertaining to the treasury, which he ended up delegating to Meili Zhu under oversight of Flame Division Elders and Patriarch Kang Long. The protocols he intended to follow were the same as the ones followed for Solaris Keep, accounting for the assets of the Keep and making sure that there were representatives from each division maintaining oversight and serving as checks and balances for each other, so it proceeded without a hitch.

In the meantime, he invited some of the Elders he’d conversed with during the banquet, the ones’ that had displayed a penchant for runescripting and a willingness to be forthright with that knowledge. Yao Shen had naturally been interested in the greater-runescript that both guarded and made the Divine Mountain a pleasant place for habitation and had posed the same question to the Elders. Though they genuinely did not have an answer to his question, the inquisitive nature of powerful cultivators meant that they had a plethora of theories and estimates that they were willing to debate in his presence. The Earth Division Cultivators in general had a more amiable and receptive attitude, which Yao Shen had come to greatly appreciate.

Of course, the general lackadaisical approach to runescripting in the Azlak Plains might have made the conversation equally cathartic for the Elders, who kept attempting to improve their understanding in the hopes of one day understanding the greater rune formations that they maintained.

Either how, they agreed to help him refine his designs for All Haven, especially considering that each of them had purchased atleast a single share in the Mortal Capital.

It was only on his fifth day in the Earth Division did Yao Shen see an opportunity to slip away for the sealed cave systems.