Chapter 310: Chapter 308: Recruiting New Disciples
In the earliest days, it was difficult for Immortal Seedlings with Four Spirit Root Talent to enter the Qingfeng Sect directly, unless they demonstrated other strengths or were strongly recommended by an Elder.
This was because at that time, new Immortal Seedlings became Outer Sect Disciples, while the rank of servant disciple was reserved for Loose Cultivators who joined the Sect with pre-existing skills.
It wasn’t until Gu Xisheng took office as the Deputy Sect Leader that the entrance requirements were relaxed. The Qingfeng Sect was developing rapidly and facing a severe shortage of disciples.
Not only was the threshold for Loose Cultivators to join lowered significantly, but the Sect also began accepting all recommended Immortal Seedlings from various regions, even those with Pseudo-Spiritual Roots.
In Gu Xisheng’s words, even if they could only cultivate to the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, they could at least learn a Spirit Plant Technique to tend the Spirit Fields.
Against this backdrop, the number of servant disciples recruited each time the Qingfeng Sect opened its gates for recruitment gradually expanded from one hundred to about five hundred.
This time, however, they had directly allocated twelve hundred spots.
Having newly occupied a county, they were short-staffed everywhere.
Immortal Seedlings nurtured from scratch had better loyalty and development potential, but the Qingfeng Sect couldn’t afford to wait twenty or thirty years to train them. The priority was to secure control of the resource points first.
The situation in Hejian County was different. Bai Zichen intended to accept this entire batch of Immortal Seedlings to send a message to all the other powers.
The Qingfeng Sect was not just a passerby here; they were determined to establish a firm foothold in Hejian County.
At the same time, this would show that there was absolutely no discrimination against Cultivators from Hejian, and that both sides would be treated equally.
To accelerate their control over Hejian County, using local Cultivators was unavoidable. Otherwise, there would be no need to set up another recruitment venue at Ten Thousand Immortals Creek.
They could have just recruited everyone at the main mountain and then assigned them to Ten Thousand Immortals Creek.
These twenty-seven Immortal Seedlings had been discovered by Qingfeng Sect disciples stationed in various places. In fact, they had arrived at Ten Thousand Immortals Creek long ago to learn common knowledge and be taught a basic Cultivation Technique.
They just hadn’t been officially granted their status yet, waiting for the day the gates opened to become true Qingfeng Sect disciples along with everyone else.
This number showed that the Qingfeng Sect’s control over Hejian County was still far from deep enough.
With a population three times that of Black Mountain County, the number of Immortal Seedlings discovered through Spirit-Guiding was less than half.
Moreover, not a single one of the twenty-seven was qualified to be promoted to an Inner Sect Disciple, and nearly half were destined to be servant disciples. This indicated that the quality of this batch of Immortal Seedlings was also poor.
"It’s far too few. The recruitment goal this time is six hundred servant disciples, one hundred Outer Sect Disciples, and ten Inner Sect Disciples... With this number of applicants, how can we possibly select suitable candidates? In the end, we’ll either have to lower our standards or leave the spots unfilled."
’Actually, in my opinion,’ Bai Zichen thought, ’for servant disciples, we don’t need to care about talent at all, as long as they’re young enough.’
’We don’t expect them to reach a high Realm. We can use a few years to determine which of the Hundred Skills of Cultivation they are best suited for and have them focus on mastering that skill.’
’No matter which profession among the Hundred Skills, the Qingfeng Sect is in short supply of such Cultivators, and there are plenty of uses for them.’
’The only fear is that among the Loose Cultivators, there won’t be many who even meet the most basic requirement of being young.’
’Besides, those with slightly higher Cultivation will find it easier to master the Hundred Skills of Cultivation. It saves them the trouble of having to cultivate a basic Cultivation Technique and rebuild their foundation after joining the Sect.’
"I will immediately increase our promotional efforts and visit the major Cultivation Families to persuade them to send their outstanding disciples to Ten Thousand Immortals Creek."
"No need," Bai Zichen said, waving his hand. "Announce to the public that I will personally award a Foundation Establishment Pill to the new recruit with the highest-ranked talent in this Hejian County recruitment drive."
Ordinary methods could, at best, mobilize a few hundred Loose Cultivators.
If they were going to do this, they might as well make some big news.
"There are no other requirements to claim the Foundation Establishment Pill. I will personally judge and select the winner."
"This disciple will relay your message at once. I believe that the most talented Qi Refining Cultivators in Hejian will all be tempted."
A look of delight appeared on Lii Guizhen’s face. This would make his job much easier.
Forget Qi Refining Loose Cultivators; even among the Cultivation Families, how many could produce a Foundation Establishment Pill without great effort?
Only a family like the Mi Family, which had a Fake Pill Cultivator, might have it slightly easier. The other Cultivation Families all had headaches over Foundation Establishment Pills.
In the past, they either had to offer up Treasure as tribute to the Ghost Spirit Sect and beg for a pill...
...or they had to go to Zengguang Immortal City to try their luck, carrying the hopes of their entire family to bid on a Foundation Establishment Pill and simultaneously rent an Immortal City Cave Mansion to attempt their breakthrough on the spot.
The reward of a single Foundation Establishment Pill was enough to make all the major Cultivation Families cast aside their reservations and send their most outstanding clan members to compete for it.
...
Outside Ten Thousand Immortals Creek, a bustling crowd had gathered. Countless streaks of Sword Light and Flying Magical Artifacts formed a dense, dark mass in the sky.
Judging by the number of Cultivators, there must have been nearly ten thousand of them, forming several circles.
With so many people, fights and brawls broke out frequently, either from people jostling for position or from old enemies meeting, their eyes red with hatred.
Fortunately, the Qingfeng Sect had many disciples maintaining order. Coupled with the fact that they were right in front of Ten Thousand Immortals Creek, everyone was wary of causing trouble, afraid of displeasing the renowned Ancestor Bai.
As a result, when the Qingfeng Sect disciples intervened, the conflicts would generally cease and be resolved peacefully.
"Brother Mi, I heard from my father that you already secured a spot as an Inner Sect Disciple. Why are you out here suffering in line with us instead of enjoying yourself inside Ten Thousand Immortals Creek?"
Beneath a Cooling Umbrella Magical Artifact, the scorching sun was blocked out, creating a cool and refreshing shade.
A group of several young men and women were gathered in a circle. They were dressed in lavish clothes, and the Treasure Light of Magical Artifacts faintly shimmered around them.
From their speech, demeanor, and the Magical Artifacts they carried, it was clear they were not ordinary Loose Cultivators but disciples from Cultivation Families.
"Not anymore. Why else would I be here signing up?"
The youth, dressed in fine clothes and carrying a longsword, had a stocky, powerful build. His tone was filled with resentment.
"The family had originally chosen me to be an Inner Sect Disciple, but as soon as the news came out that the top talent in this recruitment could win a Foundation Establishment Pill, the clan elders immediately gave the spot to my cousin... Now I have to compete on my own, and I’ll probably only manage to get an Outer Sect Disciple position."
Mi Wanzhong was seething with frustration and had been in a foul mood for days.
"I heard the benefits and treatment for Outer Sect Disciples are a world apart from Inner Sect Disciples. I never expected to get the Foundation Establishment Pill myself... but now that even my Inner Sect Disciple status is gone, I’m afraid it will be difficult to even cultivate to Qi Refining Great Perfection in the future."
Mi Wanzhong’s cousin, Mi Wandeng, possessed Dual Spirit Root Talent. At sixteen years old, he already had a Sixth-Layer Qi Refining Cultivation, making him one of the best performers among the Mi Family’s younger generation.
Crucially, Mi Wandeng was also a descendant of the Patriarch’s Direct Lineage. The original plan was to have him stay in the family to be specially groomed to inherit the family business.
But once the Foundation Establishment Pill was announced as a reward, the Mi Family was willing to lose an outstanding junior in order to let Mi Wandeng go and compete for it.
"Well, Brother Mi, your talent is impressive. I’m sure you can win back a spot as an Inner Sect Disciple."
The stout youth who had asked the question looked slightly awkward and quickly changed the subject.
"I heard the Ma Family’s young miss and several other famous Loose Cultivators have also signed up. I wonder who will win first place and receive the Foundation Establishment Pill from that Ancestor."
"It’ll either be my cousin or that little miss from the Ma Family. Those Loose Cultivators may have high Cultivation, but they’re too old... No matter how they’re judged, it won’t be their turn. Giving them a Foundation Establishment Pill would be a waste."
Although Mi Wanzhong was resentful, he was completely convinced of his cousin’s talent.
Near the Cooling Umbrella, a young man’s ears twitched slightly as he steadily made his way through the crowds of Cultivators.
The endless discussions among these Cultivators about who would win the Foundation Establishment Pill revolved around three to five names. Some even suspected there might be some under-the-table dealings, with the Foundation Establishment Pill ultimately ending up in the hands of someone from the Qingfeng Sect.
"Impossible! What kind of person is Master Bai? How could he tarnish his own reputation over a single Foundation Establishment Pill when he’s presiding over this himself?"
"That’s right. I have a distant relative who fled to Black Mountain and joined the Qingfeng Sect back in the day, and he’s doing great now... According to him, the Qingfeng Sect is much fairer than other Sects. No one dares to skimp on the annual disciple benefits."
"Brother, sit down, have a cup of Spirit Tea, and tell us the details!"
Although the Qingfeng Sect had occupied Hejian County for several years, it remained mysterious and unknown to the low-level Loose Cultivators.
Everyone was extremely curious about it, and a large crowd immediately swarmed over.
"Aren’t you going to go listen, friend? Learning some inside information about the Qingfeng Sect might help with the recruitment assessment."
Tie Changsheng looked at the young man who had been walking alongside him for a while and hadn’t pushed into the crowd, asking curiously.
"Aren’t you going to join the fun either?"
The young man was empty-handed, with a carefree and casual air about him. He seemed more like a tourist out for a stroll, showing none of the anxiety and unease seen in the other Loose Cultivators.
"I have two sworn brothers who went ahead to gather information. I’m staying here to hold our spot... I am Tie Changsheng. May I ask your name, friend?"
Tie Changsheng and a few like-minded Loose Cultivators had become sworn brothers, earning a small reputation among the lower-level Loose Cultivators.
This time, they too were tempted by the reward of a Foundation Establishment Pill and had made a special trip to sign up and try their luck.
The young man before him appeared to only have a Mid-Stage Qi Refining cultivation, making him unremarkable among the nearly ten thousand Cultivators outside Ten Thousand Immortals Creek. However, Tie Changsheng felt he had an unusually refined and extraordinary temperament, which prompted him to try and befriend the man.
"My name is Su Li. I heard the Qingfeng Sect was opening its gates, so I came to see the excitement."
The young man found a large rock and sat down casually as he spoke.
"Brother Tie, to have such profound Cultivation at your young age is truly admirable. I’m sure you will shine brightly in the upcoming recruitment ceremony."
"I wonder how the Qingfeng Sect operates. If they’re like the Ghost Spirit Sect, prioritizing disciples from Noble Families and requiring you to bribe Steward Disciples to get assigned a post, I’d rather remain a carefree Loose Cultivator."
Tie Changsheng shook his head. With his Eighth-Layer Qi Refining cultivation, he certainly wouldn’t be turned away.
But if joining the Qingfeng Sect meant being stuck as a low-level disciple, running around on Sect missions all day, he might as well just continue being a Loose Cultivator.
"Don’t worry. As long as you have the ability, you can definitely make a name for yourself in the Qingfeng Sect."
The carefree young man saw a commotion up ahead, then stood up and started walking. "I wish you success in securing a spot as an Inner Sect Disciple, Brother Tie. May your path on the Great Dao be long and prosperous."
"Big Brother, what are you looking at? We found out everything. In the Qingfeng Sect, you’re only considered a true disciple once you become an Inner Sect Disciple. Then you can cultivate the various Secret Cultivation Techniques in the Transmission Hall, and the benefits are completely different... If you can pass the trial to become a True Disciple, your future is limitless! You’re granted a Tier Three Spirit Land and a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object, making Foundation Establishment a tangible goal!"
A lively and clever-looking young girl rattled off the news she had heard, with a steady, honest-faced young man standing beside her.
"It’s nothing. Second Brother, Little Sister, tell me again in detail about the promotion requirements between the different disciple ranks in the Qingfeng Sect."
Tie Changsheng pulled his gaze away from the young man who had given him such a peculiar feeling and spoke with a serious expression.
Choosing to join the Qingfeng Sect might be the second major turning point in his life since entering the Cultivation Realm.