“Grand Patriarch Yao Shen… this…,” Meili Zhu fought to keep the surprise out of her tone, her shocked gaze betraying her cause as she took in the implications of the blueprint Yao Shen had procured.

It was not that his formation’s ingenuity alone could change the landscape of Ionea, but rather… even the Elders could not claim to live in such luxury. Sure, one of their disciples or attendants would fetch them hot water if they wished to partake in a traditional bath instead of utilizing a touch of Water Qi to cleanse themselves but this was…. decadent.

Moreso, Meili Zhu’s astonishment stemmed from the certitude that Yao Shen was the one who had presented the blueprint. As the master of the Faceless, Meili Zhu would be remiss in her duties if she could not claim to have a read upon her own Patriarch’s character. Her own political interests aside, Yao Shen was a cultivator whose resolve could move mountains and sunder seas; his dedication to the Grand Dao and his tenacity in repeatedly testing his own limits in an effort to advance to the next cultivation realm, were, quite frankly, traits that she admired.

However, Yao Shen was no patron of the arts, not a man that had the patience or time to develop something as mundane as …..housing plans. Yet, the schematics placed before her were the world of a grandmaster artisan whose vision and creativity left the old Matriarch of the Zhu Family at a loss for words. She could appreciate the finer details, the defiance of traditional architectural styles spurring on a few novel ideas of her own.

Yao Shen chose to remain silent, giving the Elders a few moments to peruse over his design before reaching for another blueprint. A businessman in his previous life, Yao Shen was well-versed in the art of negotiation, knowing the value of the element of surprise. Even astute cultivators who had lived for centuries would be a little perturbed upon being badgered with surprise after surprise, which was precisely what he was going for.

The next blueprint laid out a rough outline of the Mortal Capital, All Haven. Dozens of small squares represented individual apartment buildings that were placed at a small distance from each other, resulting a front facing U-shaped formation. The exact number of the apartment buildings required would have to be calculated after an accurate census of the Azlak Plains’ mortal population. The space created in the middle would be filled with scenic parks, a few play areas for children and even two or three common-use swimming pools— the ‘heat’ rune for controlling temperature, the ‘water’ rune for a continuous supply and the ‘purification rune for sanitary purposes.

Paved roads would connect the apartment complex to the commercial district, which was comprised of a blend of small shops and larger outlets. The district as a whole would play an important role, but Yao Shen had yet to reveal his entire plans.

The next landmark was the ‘Martial School’, represented by a large rectangular block that was alone a quarter of the commercial districts size. Every child would be taught basic martial combat theory, close quarter combat and would even be allowed to spar with mock wooden swords, the education provided entirely free of cost. Yao Shen intended for a few core formation cultivators to oversee the mortal children’s training. He had a feeling that aged cultivators with no hope of advancing to the next stage would be particularly amenable to the task, especially if they hailed from a mortal background.

He plucked the Martial School’s blueprint out and smacked it on the table with aplomb. There was no great profundity in the design, Yao Shen choosing to mimic the common facilities provided to outer sect disciples, a wide dojo sufficient to house mortal children and shield them from the elements whilst they trained.

The murmurs had exploded to open conversation by this point, one of the Elders even opting to question Yao Shen directly.

“Grand Patriarch, I am greatly impressed by these… designs,” he began, opening with a pacifying statement. “But is there any merit in teaching the martial way to… mortal children? Would it not be instilling a false hope, an illusion that they are actually capable of resisting the great dangers that lurk both within and beyond our lands?”

“You raise a fair question,” Yao Shen remarked, partly accepting the merit in the criticism. “The first reason is elementary. It is to bridge the gap. Break the status quo. End the unseen resentment. The simple truth of the matter is, the Azlak Plains has reached a point where it can no longer afford to refuse even the most talentless of cultivators. The so-called subsidiary sects are subsidiary in name only and the only reason they exist is to boost the prestige of joining one of the three hegemonic sects. My presence does not change that equation, for I am neither omnipresent nor indefatigable— if we are ever driven to war, there will be a Soul Emperor on the other side to match my presence,” he spoke the words that no one present in the room wished for to be vocalized, yet none refuted.

“If we are not in a position to refuse those with the ability to cultivate, then I shall see to it that they recieve the proper training and guidance from a young age. Decades have passed, and with every iteration, the legacy families’ strength wanes. Let this even the field. Let your scions compete with trained and driven disciples, instead of confused and unwilling ones and I promise you, your worries will fade away,” Yao Shen’s voice echoed with an air of finality, his decision made.

“I… understand,” The Elder replied, a slight twinge of uneasiness in his tone. Perhaps that was what he feared— his family’s scions being overshadowed by a group of mortals.

“The second reason is a matter of morale. There are powers in this world, powers beyond our belief and conception, that could perhaps defeat us with the same ease a cultivator can a mortal. That, however, does not dissuade our ambition… if anything, it feeds it. Defying inevitability, defying fate, while it maybe ultimately be futile for some, there are few feelings in the world as empowering.”

“I had not thought of the matter from that paradigm. I thank you for englightening me, Grand Patriarch,” the Elder politely replied, more out of formality than genuine respect.