“So that’s it… do we have any information on their movements?”

Zhang Dong floated high in the sky while looking into the distance. Even with his enhanced sight, he could only see a tiny speck of land. It was a lot smaller on the outside but its size expanded exponentially when going underwater. This was something similar to an island or at least something made to look like one. Anyone below the nascent soul level would be unable to tell it apart from any other tiny mass of land.

“Our scouts aren’t versed in underwater travel, the dummy ships we sent with the wooden puppets had been quickly destroyed by the sea creatures. We confirmed six nascent soul-level beasts in the vicinity; the core formation ones number around a hundred but there is also a swarm of weaker ones.”

“They sure have a lot of meat shields…”

He rubbed his chin while using his own spiritual sense and system screen for scanning. The number was around the same but he also spotted one stronger monster in the vicinity. It made the other ones look like sardines but it wasn’t clear if it was actually an enemy yet. The beast in question was actually the island itself. The mass of dirt and corals that was encasing it kept it from being seen as anything other than a small island.

To his knowledge, there were more of these monster islands floating along the shoreline. They were quickly spreading these strange creatures through the area. There were a few theories that he had about them but two were the most probable. Either they were there as a means of protecting the sea and their new lands or to act as some sort of springboard to infiltrate the lands.

‘Can those things be used to flood the mainland or something, or is it just supposed to be some kind of underwater fortress…’

There was a lack of information he was working with. Normally this would be the time for him to sneak over to the closest fake island to check it out. However, there was no need to rush, without Wang Long there or any other system users he could take his sweet time. The administrator was out there but at the moment he could not do anything about it.

It was more important to build up his faction to its fullest before the confrontation. His system was somewhat different to the old one but it had its strong points. At least when it came to his sect he could continue to upgrade anyone that met the criteria. If they had him in a favorable light they could directly affect their progress by spending points on them. It was probably a better system than the fear one Wang Long was using for his people.

He could not directly affect his own cultivation base anymore thus spending points on his closest family members and retainers was the next best thing. Even in the fight with Wang Long they had helped him close the gap at the last second. Perhaps when facing off against the other emperors and the Empress they were the key to victory.

When looking over Zhang Zhi’s stats he looked at the favorability ranking which was one of the more important statistics. Thanks to it the conversion from points to cultivation base would be higher and impartation of techniques was also boosted. It wasn’t fully maxed out but when it came to elders then Zhi was the one that saw him in the most favorable light. In contrast, both his disciples and his wife had this stat already maxed out. Huo Qiang on the other hand was a bit lower.

At the moment both Zhang Dong and Zhi were floating in the sky but soon they descended towards the temporary encampment in an abandoned city. It had been discarded during the demi-human wars and the people had not returned here yet.For the time being his sect was trying to prepare a stationary teleportation gate through which their forces could keep going through.

Large ships like the Argonaut had these types of gates built in but it was always better if one remained on the ground. The teleportation formations used up a truckload of spiritual energy which a flying vessel needed for its defensive shields. Most of the time it would be only used to transport smaller forces or masters of the nascent soul variety instead. It was always a more economical solution to establish a gate on the ground.

But he had not come here to just watch as the base was established. Zhang Zhi was close to reaching the middle stage of the nascent soul level. There was another reason why he ordered his number one retainer to be here. He wanted to make a spectacle of his ascension to a new realm. Through the tassel with Wang Long, he had actually gained something he couldn’t do before.

The reason for this new upgrade was either due to his contact with that cube he dropped or the expansion of his current seed. Nevertheless, there was a function that he gained and only people with a favorability ranking of ninety and up could be given it. This function would give the person a special title along with sharing some of his own Dao with them. In short, it was an upgrade through the system that would enhance his most loyal retainers.

At first, he wanted to instantly apply it to his wife or Huo Qiang. However, using untested features on his loved ones was probably not the best idea. Zhang Zhi was the perfect test subject. While he did feel bad about trying to use an untested method on someone like this he was also in a somewhat panicked state. Before the attempt, he had consulted with Bob on multiple occasions and there didn’t seem to be any drawbacks to the transition.

‘The only one was the increase in favorability…’

It was the only reason that he was withholding from using it on everyone was the forced increase in favorability. Normally this stat would be increased in a more natural way. It was a reaction to people gaining help from him. Here on the other hand it would boost it up and perhaps forcefully change it.

‘But in this world where power and cultivation is everything, it is a given that the favorability would skyrocket…’

The same thing happened after he removed the impurities from the core formation experts and then helped them achieve the nascent soul level. The favorability rating jumped up drastically, there was no one below a seventy favorability rating in his sect who was given direct help. In a way, it wasn’t that hard to influence these people that believed that rare techniques and cultivation materials were more precious than life.

So would he actually be affecting their relationship in any way or was it just a normal reaction to be given power. At this point in time Zhi’s fascination with him bordered on god worship. There was probably not something that would shatter the image of the perfect Patriarch. Perhaps only if he started acting like a demonic cultivator would this favorability rating go down.

Though this was mostly not due to what he was doing but the alignment of the person. People still kept their own characteristics and not many were fine with wanton slaughter. However, if he started eradicating sects under a ‘righteous’ pretext then probably Zhi would have nothing against it. With a good enough excuse, it was possible to wiggle around everything.

The time had come to give it a try. Part of their sect was already here and most of the base had been established. Now was the time to give everyone a small morale boost by increasing their command officers' prestige. He wanted to show what could happen to someone if they were deemed worthy by the Patriarch. The people here were hand-picked through the system and would be boosted the most by it if their favorability rating rose even more.

“We greet the Patriarch and the elders!”

“That’s enough, raise your heads.”

Zhang Dong called out to the people gathered here. Other nascent soul masters that he helped established were here but they were nowhere near Zhang Zhi in skill or favorability. They needed to see one of their peers be given even more power. This would give them the urge to show what they were made of in the coming battles.

“Today we have not gathered for me but for our sect brother, Elder Zhang Zhi. His accolades have not gone unnoticed to me and I wish to reward him, if you show me the same determination you might gain the same chance as him.”

“Patriarch, your words are enough, I do not need any rewards!”

Zhang Zhi clasped his hands while lowering his head. It was clear that the man didn’t really want anything and his loyalty was unshaken. He was not the type of person that required treasures or powerful techniques as a reward. If he was noticed and appreciated for his actions by his superior, then it was enough.

Most of the people in the sect weren’t like this, without seeing something worthwhile they wouldn’t give their all. For this reason, Zhang Zhi would act as a reminder to all of them. After reaching a new stage of power his victories would be a beacon. Everyone will see what they could become if only the Patriarch noticed them.

Perhaps this was just dangling a carrot in front of them but there was a need for them to improve. Without a proper army of high level masters, he was unsure of the longevity of his sect. Partially he was doing this to increase his own power base but also to leave behind trusted retainers that would protect his family if he ever vanished like before.

“Nonsense, you have done well and you will be rewarded. Just relax, this could feel strange like the last time…”

The grandmasters that were here all recalled the stench and weird feeling they were put through during the previous ascension. It was a rather pleasurable feeling but now with so many people gathered here, they started feeling pity for Zhi. He might have been getting power but if it was anything like the last time, then it would be something to remember.

“Like last time, Patriarch? P-perhaps we should do this in a more private place… I uh… I’m sure we could use some of the new gathering halls for this instead.”

“Nonsense, this won't take long, just bear with it.”

“I uh…. ohh…WOoooaaaHHH…”

A strange moan escaped from Zhang Zhi as Zhang Dong moved his finger towards his system screen, it was not something anyone would forget for a long time…