Chapter 399 I Established a Sect in the Cultivation World (28 chapters)

Zhao Sizhe shook his head: "I wasn't talking about expansion."

His fingers tapped lightly on the table, making a rhythmic, soft sound.

"It's time to go out and see the world, and it's also time to set a plan for the future of our Xuantian Sect."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"The most crucial question is... should we take on disciples or not?"

These words instantly cooled the previously enthusiastic atmosphere.

Inside the main hall, you could hear a pin drop.

This is a problem that everyone deliberately avoids, but has to face. Back on Earth, their first strategy included a plan to recruit disciples, and the second strategy also included one. However, after more than two years here, their mindset has changed.

Li Ming was the first to frown: "Peak Master Zhao, we don't have much time left."

He spoke in a deep voice: "Almost three years have passed since we transmigrated, and we only have a little over seven years left. Is it worth spending that time cultivating a bunch of unrelated people?"

“I agree with what Hall Master Li said.” A newly promoted Nascent Soul elder chimed in, “We are already short of our own cultivation resources, so how can we spare any to give to outsiders? The most urgent task is to improve our own strength and ensure that when we all return in ten years, our cultivation levels will have increased significantly.”

These words represented the sentiments of nearly half of the people present.

They are time travelers, and they only have ten years in this world. Rather than spending time training others, they would rather invest all their time in their own people.

“That’s not how it works,” another elder in charge of the sect’s general affairs immediately retorted.

"Why are we facing a resource shortage right now? Because we only have about a hundred people!"

He stood up, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Why has Xuantian Pavilion in Linyuan Town been able to gain a foothold? It's because our products are good! But no matter how good our products are, our production capacity is limited! We only have so many people!"

"If we recruit disciples, even just outer disciples, and have them mine ore, grow spiritual herbs, and do these basic tasks, we can free up our own people to focus on cultivation and researching higher-level things!"

"When the time comes, what we can bring back to Blue Star will not be a few magical treasures or a few bottles of pills, but a whole working cultivation system!"

"This isn't a loss!"

Cheng Gan had remained silent until this moment, when she slowly raised her eyes.

How long does it take to train a disciple?

As soon as she spoke, the two people arguing fell silent.

"From the initial stage of Qi cultivation to the foundation building stage, those with good talent can achieve it in three to five years, while those with poor talent may take eight to ten years. This is assuming sufficient resources."

"How many decades do we have? How can we guarantee the loyalty of the people we recruit? Won't this cause other problems?"

“We don’t have time to screen and test, let alone waste time managing a group of disciples with ‘ulterior motives’.”

Yes, time.

What they lack most is time.

The hall fell silent once again.

Everyone felt that what the other person said made sense, but no one could convince themselves.

"Perhaps...we can try a different approach."

A slightly immature voice rang out from a corner of the hall.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was a young disciple who had just broken through to the Golden Core stage. He was usually responsible for organizing the sect's books and was somewhat introverted.

Feeling embarrassed by the gazes of so many powerful figures, he still mustered the courage to continue.

"I...I've read many sect's scriptures. Why are those great sects able to thrive for so long?"

"Because they have a complete disciple promotion system."

He spoke more and more fluently, and his thoughts became clearer.

"We can definitely learn from this!"

"We recruit disciples, but we don't invest core resources in them. We start with menial disciples, giving them only the most basic cultivation techniques. They work to earn cultivation resources, and from among them, we select those who pass the test in terms of character and talent to be promoted to outer disciples."

"Among the outer disciples, only the most outstanding can become inner disciples. Only those inner disciples who make significant contributions to the sect and pass numerous tests can become core disciples and come into contact with our true inheritance!"

"In this way, our initial investment costs are extremely low, and through this system, we can continuously select true geniuses! We only need to concentrate our resources on cultivating those top geniuses!"

"Unearthing geniuses and putting them to our own use! Isn't that much faster than us searching for resources like headless flies?"

"Furthermore, I agree with the Elder of General Affairs that recruiting apprentices for menial tasks and basic work will allow us to focus more on researching new things."

These words were a revelation to everyone.

Even Cheng Gan's eyes flashed with a hint of approval.

“This method is feasible.” Zhao Sizhe pushed up his glasses, the lenses reflecting a thoughtful glint. “But to implement it, it requires a very detailed set of rules, and who will be the final decision-maker?”

The group looked at each other in bewilderment once again.

Yes, such a big matter, who can make the decision?

"If only... if only the sect leader were here," someone muttered subconsciously.

This sentence was like a switch, instantly opening up a floodgate of conversation for everyone.

"That's right, where did the sect leader go? It's been two years, and there's still no news."

"I tried to send a message using the sect token a couple of days ago, but I still haven't received a response."

"With the sect leader's strength, he should be alright..."

A hint of worry appeared on everyone's face.

Zhou Jue is the soul of the entire Xuantian Sect and the backbone of everyone.

When she's not around, everyone feels uneasy.

Just then, Chen Mo and Lin Qingqian, who had been silent all along, exchanged a glance.

Lin Qingqian stood up.

"Esteemed Peak Masters."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it silenced everyone.

"Regarding the sect leader, Chen Mo and I heard a rumor in Lin Yuan Town."

Zhao Sizhe immediately looked at her: "What rumor?"

Lin Qingqian composed herself and slowly began to speak.

"Two years ago, in Cloud City, the Myriad Manifestations Heavenly Palace Secret Realm opened. It is rumored that the last inheritance was taken away by a mysterious female cultivator who appeared out of nowhere."

Someone inside the hall chuckled dismissively: "There are plenty of rumors like this. What does it have to do with the sect leader?"

Lin Qingqian ignored him and continued, "There are many details in that rumor."

"First, that female cultivator had been pretending to be at the peak of the Golden Core stage before entering the secret realm, which fooled everyone."

Inside the main hall, some disciples who knew Zhou Jue's habits began to show somewhat subtle expressions.

"Secondly, she revealed her true cultivation level when the secret realm collapsed and everyone was teleported out."

Lin Qingqian paused, then said, word by word, "Nascent Soul stage."

"hiss--"

A collective gasp filled the hall.

Zhao Sizhe and Cheng Gan's pupils contracted simultaneously.

"The rumors also say..." A mixture of pride and disbelief appeared on Lin Qingqing's face.

"After she was exposed, she was immediately surrounded and attacked by three cultivators who were also at the Nascent Soul stage."

Everyone's heart was in their throat.

Three Nascent Soul cultivators!

What does that mean?

Lin Qingqian took a deep breath and dropped the final bombshell.

"In the end, the female cultivator, in front of hundreds of cultivators, escaped unscathed from the siege of three Nascent Soul stage experts, carrying the inheritance, and disappeared without a trace."

"Since then, countless forces throughout the Eastern Continent have searched for her for two years, but she has neither appeared alive nor dead."

"Moreover, the identity of this female cultivator has not been uncovered to this day."

The entire council hall was deathly silent.

All eyes were on Lin Qingqian, their faces bearing the same expression.

Shocking.

A Golden Core cultivator disguised as a Nascent Soul cultivator, surrounded by three opponents of the same level, managed to escape unscathed with his treasures...

This impressive record, this familiar style of operation, plus their inability to contact the sect leader...

It's really hard not to guess that this female cultivator is the sect leader!