Cao Chenghua decided not to continue speaking. Although deep in his mind, he still believed that Yasenia was overestimating herself, he didn't dare look down on her. 

Even if Yasenia could display a fifth of what she boasted about now, it would be a power worth recognizing.

The rest of the leaders also nodded because they didn't feel falsehood coming from her.

In the past, Yasenia has relied on boasting her true capabilities to make deals and create her power. However, those kinds of deflection tactics would not work with these people.

The main reason for that was the absolute chasm in power that separated them.

While sensing lies was not an expected quality nor skill cultivators had, that changed when we spoke about leaders of multiple powers. The people talking with Yasenia right now were old, the youngest being Tengliu at 1500 years of age.

Other than that, aura fluctuations were also an excellent way to discern people's intentions besides their words. And higher-level cultivators had an easy time understanding these aura fluctuations coming from weaker ones. 

It was to the point that if the strength difference was massive, the cultivator could even tell what they were thinking. Something Tatyana had demonstrated a few times before, the most recent case being Sarah. 

Dragons were so apt when spotting lies or half-truths because of their innate ability to feel the aura fluctuations a creature had. A person might be able to control their body and energy perfectly so as not to appear flustered, but controlling even the minute reactions was impossible, not even for a high-level cultivator.

In short, Yasenia would have a very hard time lying to these people; even when telling half-truths, she would need to be careful about it. 

Li Xianghua, the Sect Master of the Nine Herb Fragrance Sect, smiled. "Well, now that we are done with the stuffy stuff, let's move on. The Nine Herb Fragrance Sect wants to create a cooperative alliance with the Astral Sky Sect. The raw materials, products, and tools I've seen are sublime to the point that I feel regretful for not being able to use them earlier."

Li Yanhong swiftly followed. "The Nine Grudge Poison Sect is also willing to form a cooperative alliance with the Astral Sky Sect."

Yasenia was not surprised. The techniques taught in her sect had knowledge coming from the Sky Continent integrated. She laughed and nodded. "Sure. We'll go over the details later."

Suddenly, a voice nobody expected was heard. "The Ocean Swallowing Mermaid Clan also wants a cooperative alliance."

Yasenia's eyebrows shot upward as she turned to look at her. She thought that this aloof and indifferent Queen would not be tempted. "This is unexpected, Mermaid Queen. May I ask why?" 

The Mermaid Queen nodded, still elegant and indifferent. "The potential you've shown far exceeds my expectations. Not to mention, I've even sensed a few auras of danger in your territory, which is unthinkable for a recently formed first-rated power. The environment you have here is enviable to the point that I would've forcefully conquered it if you hadn't shown enough strength to protect it." 

The Mermaid Queen continued. "Therefore, I would like a residence for my race in your sect, if possible. We can negotiate the price to keep it, and we can also sign a non-aggression agreement. While a heavenly oath won't protect it, you've shown enough of your personality for me to understand you finally."

Yasenia smirked. "Understand me?"

The Mermaid Queen smiled. "Yes. Unless provoked, you are a great ally. However, you will become a nightmarish enemy if someone touches your bottom line."

The dragoness sighed. "Haven't I been saying that since the beginning?"

The Mermaid Queen nodded. "However, prior to you, many had said that and then revealed their fangs while secretly preparing. Therefore, taking our time to observe you is normal. However, I've been convinced after seeing this basin of yours. You don't need resources, energy quality, or any other things. In the Distancia Continent, few places can compare to your sect. And I say few because there might be secret lands that are comparable. Within my knowledge, this basin is the best cultivation spot in the entire continent." 

Yasenia couldn't help but look at her with admiration. Then, she smiled. "No wonder people praise you as the most outstanding talent in the last five thousand years. You are truly worthy of that title."

Tengliu pouted. "I'm the most outstanding talent of the last thousand years! Little Yasenia, praise me!" 

The dragoness looked at her with a deadpan expression. "Great job."

Tengliu clutched her naked chest, dramatically flopping on the chair. "Ugh, little Yasenia doesn't love me anymore!"

Yasenia rolled her eyes, but her gaze and lips showed a hint of laughter. 'She reminds me of how Mom acts sometimes.' 

The rest of the leaders had their lips twitching. 'Who is she, and what have you done with the arrogant, cunning, and intelligent harpy!?' 

The Mermaid Queen ignored the dramatic silver-feathered harpy and spoke. "By the way, I also sensed a place with high concentrations of water and similar elements. Is that available to outsiders?" 

The dragoness was surprised. "Even with your spiritual sense suppressed, you managed to feel the lake? That's honestly impressive. We can negotiate together with the other two leaders later. For now, is there anything else that the esteemed guests want?"

With very few other things to speak about, the Holy Beast Emperor conversed about a few things with her regarding their deal, and they finalized the details. 

To make sure that nothing went wrong, Yasenia called Tatyana and had her sit by her side in the discussion that she herself led.

Tatyana interrupted only two times when the Holy Beast Emperor was gaining an advantage to suggest something that was difficult not to accept while also reversing the flow of the deal to Yasenia's advantage. 

Her profound wisdom and cunning remarks made the leaders look at her intensely. After all, they all realized that this woman was not a beast-human but a normal human.

The Mermaid Queen couldn't help but ask. "Sect Master Yasenia, who is she?"

Yasenia looked at her and smiled. "My mother."

Everyone froze, including Tengliu and the others, because they didn't expect Yasenia to reveal it so bluntly.

The Mermaid Queen's eyes widened in shock for the first time and blurted. "You are lying."

Yasenia lifted an eyebrow and laughed. Angel and the others had already completed the defensive formation, so she was unafraid of revealing things. "Why would I lie? Although Mom is a human, she gave birth to me. She is also one of the most wise people I've ever known, and she has been guiding me and helping me build this power."

Cao Chenghua frowned. "A human? Was it a human the one who made the leader of the Five Fang Serpent Clan Kneel with her aura?"

Yasenia snorted. "I know where you are going, but don't even try. I've said it many times, but I have no ambition toward Distancia. Also, there is a human section in my sect as well. I admit that this continent doesn't welcome humans, but that doesn't mean I can't create a small haven for humans and beast humans to coexist. It might take 100 years or maybe 1000. But eventually, this place will become a mixed place with beasts, humans, and beast humans living in harmony."

All the leaders looked at Yasenia with stunned expressions. 

Yasenia sighed and asked. "Why have you all been suppressing the human race? You are afraid that they will become strong again and take back the continent from your hands, right? Then, if we create a cohesive society where those values are never taught, never brought up, and we teach children from young that it doesn't matter which race you are, you have the right to become stronger, then, in 10,000 years at most, Distancia will have no discrimination." 

The dragoness looked at their frowning faces and commented. "I understand what you are thinking. I understand your fears ingrained by thousands upon thousands of years of not only listening but teaching that humans are evil creatures. However, I can guarantee that outside…" Yasenia pointed at the sky. "Beast humans are the minority."

These words implicated many things, and the dragoness didn't care if they understood or not. She had already gained the body cultivation methods, so even if she was trapped in this basin until she was strong enough, she didn't mind.

From now on, besides her small desire to make Astral Sky Sect an untouchable power in this continent, there was zero appeal about anything here.

Techniques? She already had many experts, and the library they had created had plenty of skills, techniques, and many more perks that were being expanded daily by the three seniors when they had free time.

Resources? Yasenia has yet to find a resource that is unique to this place. Moreover, she had plenty of renewable resources nearby that she could use unlimitedly, including water sources, food sources, and material sources. There was even a massive Parus mine that self-restocked as long as they didn't touch the energy vein flowing through it.

Talents? Her nearby Astral Sky City was big enough to house 1 billion people comfortably and had enough infrastructure planning to expand that number to 10 billion. The Astral Sky Sect could accommodate up to 1 million people, taking into consideration that the top 5% would be top-tier cultivators consuming resources daily. To take matters into perspective, powers usually had 0.01% of top-tier experts in comparison. 

Population? The variety of races might pale compared to the outside world, but there was enough diversity, potential, and good bloodline creatures to increase the population's quality gradually. 

Defense? The defensive formations around the basin and city were unbreakable for current powers, as they could even defend against middle-level Transcendent Cultivators. Even if a meteor fell and destroyed half the World, the Astral Sky Sect and City would survive. Plus, a slightly weaker defense array covered much more area and used environmental energy to be maintained; it was just not activated since that formation would only be activated in a "lockdown" situation.

Yasenia lacked nothing after obtaining the ten attributed Transcendent Rank Body Cultivation techniques and the Attributeless low-level Heaven-ranked body cultivation technique. Everybody could learn attributeless techniques as long as they had cultivation talent, so there wasn't a lack of that either.

In short, Yasenia's sect, in a short six years, had already become a Holy Land that she could rule as she pleased until people started reaching the high levels of the Transcendence Realm in Distancia.

However, for that to happen, how many years must pass? 100,000? 1 million? 

By then, who knows if the humans outside had gained their own "Distancia Hero" and reversed the situation one more time? 

Yasenia could close everything from the outside, and even then, the speed of development of her sect would be faster than any power.

She had already reached the apex of this Continent in everything but strength. The only things left for her to do in Distancia were slaughtering all her enemies and gaining enough power to leave this place safely with her own strength.

Moreover, Yasenia didn't withhold much information besides a few core secrets, telling them all of this calmly. 

Looking at their solemn expressions, Yasenia commented. "In short, I don't care if you agree, disagree, or if you want to band together to try and kill me after you leave here."

After a few moments of silence, Cao Chenghua spoke deeply. "You are not from Distancia."

Yasenia looked at him quietly, neither confirming nor denying, but her silence spoke volumes. 

The dragoness spoke. "So, what are you all going to do?"

Tengliu smiled and was the first to speak. "The Stormfeather Harpy Clan will continue being Astral Sky Sect's ally. Even if we have to fight the entire continent with her, we will."

Coraline followed; her voice sounded firm. "The Sun Engulfing Ore Lobster Race will continue…"

Wuria, the glass scale lamia leader, and Gireila, the Ember Phoenix Race leader, followed after her.

While the other powers present didn't follow behind, the weight of the Astral Sky Clan had already increased several notches to the point that they couldn't think of her as anything else but equals.

The Holy Beast Emperor commented. "In the Power Summit, there will be duels between the middle-level Epoch Core people. Those duels are our way of resolving fights without having to involve the core people from each power. There, you might be able to resolve the enmity between the Continental Shadow and yourself. However, remember that top-tier combatants do not participate."

The dragoness muttered. "Middle-level?" 

Tengliu commented. "Don't underestimate it because of that. While middle-level Epoch Cores are not despairingly strong, there are huge differences in combat strength between them. For example, even at the same tier with the same talent, someone who just entered the middle level would be helplessly beaten down by someone at the middle level's peak." 

Yasenia thought. 'If I'm not wrong, levels 1-3 of Dantian Spiritualization might be low-level Epoch Core; levels 4-6 of Dantian Spiritualization might be middle-level Epoch Core; levels 7-9 of Dantian Spiritualization might be high-level Epoch Core; and the Half-step level of Dantian Spiritualization might be Peak Epoch Core.'

'If I take that into account, the people participating are probably similar in strength to a Sixth Level Dantian Spiritualization Realm cultivator on the verge of breaking through to the seventh level.'

The dragoness knew how vast the difference in strength between Dantian Spiritualization levels was. Until that realm, cultivators gained strength gradually.

The first big jump in strength was in the Body Modification realm, and the second most significant jump before Dantian Spiritualization was in the half-step Unification realm. However, during the first fourth Mortal Realms, most of the energy was used to acclimate the Cultivator for future strength power-ups.

Meridian and Dantian Creation Realm existed to create the base of what a cultivator would be.

Body Modification Realm was to enhance the body so that the cultivator didn't break with their own strength.

Mental Nourishing Realm was to enhance the mind so that the cultivator could keep up with their own body's speed and also with the enormous mental process needed to use their skills.

Finally, Unification Realms was to bring out the innate potential of the creatures and fuse their individual parts, Body, Mind, Soul, and Dantian, into one single whole.

After all of that came the Dantian Spiritualization Realm; in this realm, the cultivator would constantly increase their strength by repetitively condensing their energy until they couldn't compress it anymore, creating an energy core in their Dantians during the Half-step Dantian Spiritualization Realm.

The energy in the dantian would go from gas to liquid to solid to become a [Core], and the difference between each energy state was dreadful. 

While normal Dantian Spiritualization could fight amongst each other if they were in the same small realm, once a Dantian Spiritualization with liquid energy fought one with gaseous energy, it would become a slaughter. The same goes for someone with solid energy fighting someone with liquid energy or someone with a core fighting someone with solid energy.

Therefore, someone at the top of the middle-level Epoch Core was someone who had similar strength to a cultivator with liquid energy that was about to compress into a solid.

That's why, the fact that our girls could fight so many levels above them was actually mind-boggling for many individuals. It was like asking a child to beat up an adult with their bare fists. 

****

Author Note: Since we are approaching the fifth realm, I thought of doing a small recompilation of the realms. I hope you don't mind~. Take it as today's Celestial Theater, hahaha.