Cultivation is just so scientific! Chapter 1603 - 848: The Ceremony

Li Shiming had initially believed that arriving as a 'phantom clone' instead of his actual body wouldn't draw too much notice.

Yet, he had misjudged his own sway; apart from the supreme cultivators, he ranked among the strongest ones free to move about, and as a top alchemy expert who could reliably refine superior spirit pills for those supreme figures.

Each of his dual roles by itself held enough weight to sway the dynamics of the Cultivation World.

His immense battle prowess let him stand against the outer pressures from any dominant faction, whereas his pill-refining expertise could reshape the destiny of such a faction.

Thus, merely a day after settling into Fengqi Palace, supreme cultivators from the dominant factions arrived to pay their respects.

Even in Luanyang Palace's domain, the fervor of these powerful entities couldn't be held back.

Some dominant factions had previously dispatched supreme cultivators to the Dongqi Continent, but encountering Li Shiming proved challenging; they could at best connect with the supreme cultivators of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect.

With this direct chance to see Li Shiming now available, not a single dominant faction would pass it up.

Though only Li Shiming's energy clone had shown up, in certain ways, that energy clone fully embodied Li Shiming's standing.

To start, supreme cultivators from the Central State Continent arrived for visits; naturally, those from lesser sects below the major ones got turned away by Luanyang Palace, with entry granted solely to supreme cultivators from the true powerhouses.

For this event, Luanyang Palace collected substantial goodwill simply through facilitating these tributes to Li Shiming, marking a real windfall for them.

Li Shiming remained detached; as his fame swelled, he could no longer depend entirely on Central State Commerce for handling alchemy requests.

At present, he was free to build his personal connections.

The grand hall on Fengqi Palace's ground level served as his interim meeting space, stocked amply with fourth-grade goods by Luanyang Palace for the gatherings.

Li Shiming showed no restraint toward Luanyang Palace, knowing full well they had reaped numerous gains from his presence, so supplying these hospitality elements was only fair.

In the following days, he held audiences with diverse supreme cultivators, some known and others not.

By known, this acquaintance stemmed not from his main self, but from his clone, Li Yuanba.

Li Yuanba, being a cultivator from the Sword Intent Chongxiao Pavilion—a top-tier power—enjoyed far more chances to engage with other mighty factions than Li Shiming's original form did.

The bulk of Li Shiming's dealings with any dominant faction involved combat, and the majority of cultivators from those factions he'd clashed with had perished by his hand.

After twenty days, right before Yin Shilan's initiation rite kicked off in earnest, Li Shiming had already conferred with every supreme cultivator from the Central State Continent's major powers.

These powerhouses were aware he appeared as an energy clone, so they avoided jumping straight into alchemy tasks and instead covered the partnership with the Ten Thousand Beast Sect.

Furthermore, the alliance conditions these powerhouses offered to the Ten Thousand Beast Sect proved quite generous, yielding advantages to the Ten Thousand Beast Sect across various fields.

Li Shiming didn't decide alone; the 'phantom clone's exchanges with the major powers got relayed to Grandmaster Hu via Great Cultivator Luo Pei, leaving the choices to Hu and the rest of the Ten Thousand Beast Sect's supreme cultivators.

As for Great Cultivator Luo Pei, in recent years, the massive Heavenly Ghost's expansion had been reined in, and excess spirit energy properly handled, ensuring the Heavenly Ghost wouldn't overpower Great Cultivator Luo Pei just from its enormous form.

The 'phantom clone' departed from Li Shiming's vicinity, the five late-stage clones withdrew too, leaving Li Shiming back in secluded practice, with external links possible only through Great Cultivator Luo Pei.

Li Shiming's 'phantom clone' skipped the energy-formed ceremonial attire, opting instead for a crisp white formal robe bearing a subtle Luanyang Palace insignia on the chest.

This crisp white robe came courtesy of Luanyang Palace, serving as a status marker for the paired female cultivators there; it wasn't for everyday wear, but essential for key rituals within Luanyang Palace to signify one's position.

Palace Master Gu escorted Li Shiming out of Fengqi Palace, directing him toward a central hall deep in Luanyang Palace.

"Mr. Li, this part of Luanyang Palace opens to male cultivators only during vital ceremonies!" Palace Master Gu shared with a grin, introducing the spot to Li Shiming.

Her demeanor toward him had shifted markedly; earlier, frustration had gripped her after Li Shiming casually overcame the test she'd crafted with great care.

However, across these twenty days, each powerhouse seeking to approach Li Shiming required her approval, netting her solid rewards and exposing her to his immense clout, which profoundly altered her perception of him.

A truly skilled cultivator stands worlds apart from the average ones.

"I never imagined Lan’er’s entry into Luanyang Palace would demand such extensive setup!" Li Shiming remarked, smiling.

From Master Li's account, a standard initiation rite needed just a handful of days to ready, mostly to let Yin Shilan cleanse her thoughts and learn the ceremony's essential protocols.

Yet this occasion stretched to a complete twenty days before launching, leaving Li Shiming thoroughly baffled.

"That's due to Mr. Li’s tremendous impact; Yin Shilan’s initiation drew tons of observation bids, forcing the palace to manage all that, which pushed back the schedule!" Palace Master Gu clarified, shaking her head in mild exasperation.

As they chatted, they reached Luanyang Palace's gateway, where Palace Master Gu ushered Li Shiming inside.