The words “Inner World Energy” immediately capture my attention because they hold the promise that I could finally learn more about the functions of my inner world, and the mechanisms behind its existence. If I could decipher those, then it would be possible to optimize myself one step closer to perfection — a goal that I was robbed of in my previous life by the transient existence of my masters and my attachment to them that could not be defied.
Lan Xiaohui, on the other hand, does not notice this unprecedented opportunity or its significance and rather stares at the departing three hundred cultivators, perhaps searching for someone she might recognize.
Not only would it be difficult to find someone she might know in this crowd — I doubt she had many friends — but those that she would recognize would likely not be the ambitious or combative sort. Assuming that all these people are those that I have consumed, then whoever wielded me at the time — Yu Shun, most likely — killed them because they wanted me or stood in the way of his authority; these types of people do not seem like they would look kindly upon Lan Xiaohui who was given a free meal and lodging at the sect in exchange for her hand in marriage.
“Where is the administration building of this sect?” I ask her.
Lan Xiaohui blinks and then looks at my hovering form next to her — she doesn’t bother to conceal my existence here — and purses her lips. “There is more than one,” she says. “There’s the Outer Disciple Hall, Inner Disciple Hall, Faction Hall, Council Hall…”
“Is there no ‘Administration Hall’?”
Lan Xiaohui shakes her head. “The Sect Master runs the sect,” she explains matter-of-factly. “Though, the Elders run most of the day-to-day business from the Sect Hall or the Council Hall.”
“Where is the Council Hall?”
“It’s on Dragon Peak, but that place does not exist here,” she says, nodding off to the distance where I assume the Dragon Peak would be. As she mentioned, there is nothing there. “The closest to what you are looking for would be the Sect Hall. Why?”
Even I knew that the Sect Hall was an important place. If an Elder were to leave their peak and visit the sect, they would likely be found either in the Sect Hall or the Hall of what they were in charge of overseeing. For the most part, however, the Sect Hall is where the Core and Inner disciples would report the progress of their special tasks.
It does not strike me as the Administration Hall that I am looking for, but I did not expect the sect to be such a decentralized organization. It makes sense when I think about it. The Sect Master is likely the person with the deepest cultivation of all the Elders, which likely means that they spend most of their time cultivating in seclusion within the most prized lands of the sect. In other words, the ones that run the sect are the Elders.
However, the Sect Hall only had a stele that informed us of the rewards Lan Xiaohui would get for placing in the top ten — performing the function of Core Disciples reporting on the progress of their task.
There was also a door that Lan Xiaohui could not open.
“Go to the Sect Hall,” I tell her.
My owner does not understand why this is so important or why she has to go back to the Sect Hall — especially considering how there’s nothing there — but she does not hesitate for even a moment. Already in motion, she nods. “As you wish.”
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Every minute counts, considering the time dilation and how little time we have left before the Martial Meeting begins, so I appreciate that Lan Xiaohui proceeds with haste. My [Telepathy] cannot transmit my sense of urgency, but perhaps Lan Xiaohui can pick up on it through intuitive means. That, or she also realizes how little time we have left, and just wants to go back to practicing under the waterfall. It is likely the latter.
I am fully prepared to tell Lan Xiaohui to force the door open, through any means necessary, but once we arrive at the Sect Hall after climbing the nine hundred steps for five minutes, the door is already open.
I find this a bit odd, but not entirely out of the realm of reasonable possibility — the challenge did just end, or perhaps the inner world could sense my intentions.
Lan Xiaohui also seems surprised and takes a hesitating step past the stele towards the door, and when I do not object to this, she proceeds onwards.
The room beyond the door is shrouded in darkness and another stele can be glimpsed inside. However, the moment Lan Xiaohui crosses the threshold, the room expands. The walls disappear into the distance, as does the ceiling, and all that remains is the marble brick floor and the stele just a few steps away.
This stele does not have anything written on it as is made obvious when Lan Xiaohui circles around it, studying it carefully but finding nothing.
Finally, she puts her hand on top of the stele and it emits a faint, gold light.
Suddenly, the stele and floor fall away from us, disappearing into a tiny gray spot far underneath us. This formless gray spot then returns and as it becomes close enough to discern what it is, it is no longer a stele, but a bird’s eye view of the sect within my inner world.
[ Inner World: Evolution progress - 18% ]
This time, there is no voice, only information.
Lan Xiaohui walks around the form of the sect, looking down at it from various angles.
I focus on the sect, which from this perspective seems to be neatly pressed into the mountain, climbing along the peak. As I focus my consciousness on this sect, the mountain shimmers with gold light.
[ Sect Master: None ]
Lan Xiaohui doesn’t react to this, therefore I assume that only I can perceive this information.
I focus on the Martial Pavilion next, and the building also pulses with gold light.
[ Martial Pavilion: Supreme grade - Rank D ]
[ Dao Insight Generation: 8,800 Inner World Energy was used to create 368 theoretical models, of which 89 have been solved. ]
I immediately understand what this means, but to confirm, I focus my consciousness on the Alchemy Hall.
[ Alchemy Hall: Earth grade - Rank E ]
[ Dao Insight Generation: 6,350 Inner World Energy was used to create 190 theoretical models, of which all have been solved. ]
[ Alchemy Knowledge Generation: 190 theoretical models have been exchanged to improve the Dao of Alchemy and create new knowledge. ]
I finally understand the purpose of my Inner World and what these simulations are. Every time I gain an insight into the Dao, my Inner World creates theoretical models — Alchemical recipes or martial arts manuals — which my simulations study and transform into Dao progress.
But something does not feel right; my Dao Insights have slowed down ever since my latest cultivation breakthrough. I did not think much of it, at first — this takes time, after all — but I have had Sword Insights for much longer than Alchemy Insights, therefore, why were twice the number of Alchemy models solved before Martial ones?
I query the efficiency of the Martial Pavilion with my consciousness and the answer immediately appears in my mind.
[ Martial Pavilion: Efficiency - 21% ]
Other than the information, I also become aware of the reason. The theoretical models — the martial arts manuals — are too expensive to obtain and without a Sect Master or real competition, most simulations will only do the bare minimum work that is required to practice their methods and solve the theoretical models.
“We need to find a Sect Master,” I tell Lan Xiaohui.
“Who do you have in mind?” she asks, her tone and expression both showing little faith in the simulations that haunt this place.
I share her lack of faith.
There is only one entity that could possibly become this world’s Sect Master — someone who has already proved that they are not only powerful but capable of leading a successful organization that is also very benevolent to me.
I need to find Wukong.