Warm Tea

"My humble abode is crude; I thank you all for your generous assistance. I shall use tea in place of wine and drink first as a gesture of respect."

Fang Yang finished his cup in one gulp.

The taste of this Cloud Mist Tea was truly not bad—fragrant and slightly bitter upon entry, with a long-lasting, mellow aftertaste. It was indeed a superior spiritual tea.

The others followed suit, draining their cups.

The tea was refilled.

As boiling water was poured into Fang Yang's cup again, the fragrance overflowed, carrying a subtle, indescribable quality that the previous cup had lacked.

"Everyone..."

He steered the conversation, and by speaking with this group of well-informed and sharp-witted individuals, he quickly gathered a wealth of information.

There were various secret rumors regarding the current Yaoguang Holy Son.

There was also all manner of information concerning the various Candidate Holy Sons.

In the Yao Guang Sacred Land, one generally had to become a Candidate Holy Son before ascending to the position of Holy Son.

There were three ways to become a Candidate Holy Son.

The first was to display extraordinary talent in the Dao Palace Secret Realm, then be recommended by a Supreme Elder to undergo the trial of the Threefold Twelve Passes; passing it would grant the title of Candidate Holy Son.

The second was to manifest a phenomenon in the Four Extremities Secret Realm, allowing one to challenge the trial of the Sixfold Twenty-Four Passes; passing it would grant the title of Candidate Holy Son.

The third was to defeat a current Candidate Holy Son while at the same or a lower cultivation level, thereby seizing their position.

"The first two are too slow. The third is simple and efficient—just fight, and you become a Candidate Holy Son."

Fang Yang did not care for the position of Candidate Holy Son; his goal was the position of Yaoguang Holy Son. However, to challenge the Yaoguang Holy Son immediately after a breakthrough would be to underestimate his opponent too much.

Though he was confident that his comprehension and soul, bolstered by the Dragon-Nurturing Pill and the Soul Gold Bead, could surpass the Yaoguang Holy Son, his opponent was no mediocrity.

The Heaven-Swallowing Devil Art and the Indestructible Heavenly Art were supreme scriptures created by the Ruthless Empress; they were not something the Yaoguang Scripture could compare to.

"First cut down a candidate, then seize the Holy Son position."

Fang Yang had a plan.

The position of Yaoguang Holy Son could wait.

The position of Candidate Holy Son, however, could be plucked right now.

Candidate Holy Son Li Rui, who cultivated the Divine Light Glazed World phenomenon and was at the first heaven of the Four Extremities Secret Realm, was a soft persimmon.

You are the one!

"Does anyone know where Candidate Holy Son Li Rui is currently, and whether he is free?"

No sooner had Fang Yang finished speaking than people vied to answer:

"Li Rui's cave dwelling is at Ruiguang Peak, thirteen miles away."

"Junior Brother has chosen a good target. With your talent, I fear you could seize his position as Candidate Holy Son within half a year."

The person who spoke offered such flattery, though in truth, they held the same thought in their heart.

Breaking through the Four Extremities Secret Realm while undergoing a tribulation was already extremely rare.

Furthermore, Fang Yang had survived two consecutive heavenly tribulations, using his physical body to withstand the sea of lightning for tempering; it was truly excessively fierce.

Although Li Rui could be called a talent of his time, he could not be mentioned in the same breath as a genius like Fang Yang.

It was precisely for this reason that this group of people was placing their bets early, gambling on whether this suddenly emerged genius could seize the position of Holy Son from the hands of the current Yaoguang Holy Son.

"In that case, I shall return shortly."

Fang Yang stood up and made his declaration, leaving those present stunned.

To challenge Li Rui immediately after a breakthrough—you are far more confident than we are.

Although you are overflowing with talent and stronger than Li Rui, the latter broke through to the Four Extremities Secret Realm long ago. He might even have already advanced to the second heaven of the Four Extremities, merely keeping it hidden.

"Senior Brother, why not drink your tea first? Why the rush?"

The woman who had been pouring tea for Fang Yang gently advised him to reconsider.

Even if this challenge failed, Fang Yang would surely be able to defeat the "mediocre" Li Rui after further cultivation.

But to lose once would inevitably leave a bad impression, marking him as a reckless, ignorant youth.

"The tea is still scalding; I shall return shortly."

Fang Yang smiled lightly at this, ignoring the subtext of her words.

With a flash of brilliant light, three illusory footprints remained in the air—the trail left by the Yaoguang Footwork.

"His Yaoguang Footwork is actually this proficient. Could Fang Yang really seize the position of Candidate Holy Son in one go?"

"Thirteen or fourteen is the age to charge ahead. Even if he suffers for his youthful vigor, he will surely achieve great things in the future."

Dozens of people stared at the footprints, each with their own thoughts, yet all remained in the hall, waiting for Fang Yang's return.

Ruiguang Peak.

Ever since Li Rui became a Candidate Holy Son and chose this peak as his residence, this once unremarkable little mountain had undergone massive construction, resulting in all manner of magnificent architecture.

Clusters of palaces stretched endlessly along the cliffs, truly a dwelling fit for immortals.

Inside the main hall, Li Rui was discussing the recently occurred heavenly tribulation with several close fellow disciples.

"Fang Yang? He is but a child. To charge into the Four Extremities Secret Realm before the age of sixteen—he fails to realize that the path of cultivation places the utmost importance on one's foundation."

"For him to be so reckless, possessing the ability to span a major secret realm in a mere two or three years, yet failing to think of stabilizing his foundation and only seeking momentary glory—even with some natural talent, he will surely encounter setbacks in the future."

Listening to the others disparage Fang Yang, Li Rui felt not a shred of satisfaction, but rather a sense of displeasure.

If summoning two consecutive heavenly tribulations while breaking through to the Four Extremities Secret Realm counted as an unstable foundation, then what kind of prodigy was he, a Candidate Holy Son?

Just as Li Rui prepared to rebuke them, a voice descended from above:

"Junior Brother Fang Yang requests Senior Brother Li Rui to kindly offer his guidance."

Inside the hall, everyone fell silent, terrified that Fang Yang might have heard the disparaging remarks they had just made.

"How dare this brat bully me!"

Li Rui flew into a rage, slamming his right hand heavily onto the sandalwood table before him. A cloud of powder scattered, obscuring his ferocious expression.

A mere Four Extremities cultivator who had just broken through dared to come looking for trouble and attempt to seize his position as Candidate Holy Son?

Did he think his sword was not sharp enough?

With a thunderous boom, Li Rui charged out of the hall, his feet landing heavily on the ground and cracking the hard bluestone into a spiderweb of fissures.

His green robes fluttered, and cold light flashed in his eyes as he looked at the fifteen or sixteen-year-old youth opposite him, smiling without warmth:

"Junior Brother has just broken through to the Four Extremities Secret Realm; why not rest and recuperate for a few days? To be in such a hurry—could it be that you were suddenly overwhelmed after observing the Dao patterns of heaven and earth?"

The Four Extremities Secret Realm is different from the Wheel Sea Secret Realm and the Dao Palace Secret Realm; cultivators at this stage are already able to capture the trajectories of the Dao between heaven and earth.

Generally speaking, after a cultivator breaks into this secret realm, they will go into seclusion for several months, relying on their keen perception of the Dao's trajectories to re-comprehend the divine abilities and secret arts they practiced previously, allowing their combat power to grow rapidly.

The dozens of people who had been drinking tea with Fang Yang were precisely for this reason advising him to go into seclusion for a period of time and not be in such a rush to seek trouble with Li Rui.

But how could they know?

Relying on his genius-level comprehension and the Divine Spring water he occasionally steeped with a Bodhi Leaf, Fang Yang had long since mastered various secret arts, lacking only his own breakthrough to the Four Extremities Secret Realm.

Not only the Primordial Sacred Light Art and the Yaoguang Footwork, but even the Yellow Mud Hand bestowed upon him by the Holy Lord of Yaoguang had been mastered, its power formidable.