6 Chapter 6
Recently, a new thing has been circulating in the City That Never Sleeps. That is, the famous Hehuan Sect is going to hold a disciple-recruiting ceremony, and even announced that it will not look at spiritual root qualifications, and all women in the world can sign up.
If it was a disciple-recruiting ceremony of other famous and upright sects, people might not be so surprised. After all, which sect doesn't recruit disciples? No one cares except those young people who are gifted or conceited. But the Hehuan Sect is different.
"The Hehuan Sect's disciple-recruiting ceremony? Do they still need to hold this thing?" A casual cultivator in a street teahouse curiously asked another cultivator who was sharing a table with him.
"Look at what you're saying. The Hehuan Sect is such a large sect, of course they need to recruit a wide range of disciples." The cultivator was wearing plain clothes, and judging by his attire, he must be an inner sect disciple of some sect. He looked puzzled, "What's so strange about that?"
"This fellow Daoist doesn't come down the mountain often, does he?" The wandering cultivator casually gossiped, "This Hehuan Sect is different from other sects. They never consider spiritual roots or qualifications when recruiting disciples. After all, she's the kind of demon woman who brings disaster to others."
"Oh? They don't look at aptitude?" The inner disciple finally piqued his interest. "In the Hehuan Sect, cultivation is all about romance or dual cultivation... Ugh, if they recruit disciples, what a mess it's going to be."
The casual cultivator gave a look that said, "You finally get it!" and shrugged helplessly, "Who would know? They've never done this before."
"Speaking of which, how did they recruit new disciples in the past?" Guests from other tables were attracted and curiously joined in the discussion.
"I've never heard of their criteria for accepting disciples. They sound so mysterious!"
"You won't just select a group of demon girls, right?"
"If we choose a demon woman who harms people everywhere... that would be a scene of chaos!"
"Humph! That's immoral!"
"That's right! It's totally immoral!"
"I heard they're going to make it public! It's really...it's really the decline of morals!"
"...By the way... they don't even consider spiritual roots! Aren't you really curious about how they select their disciples?"
“…”Damn, I’m so curious!
"Ahem... ahem... we should take this opportunity to learn more about those evil women so as to avoid being murdered in the future!"
"Exactly! As the saying goes, knowing yourself and your enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles!"
In the Never-Sleeping City mansion where Ning Shu and the others were staying, even the Young Sect Master Ning Shu looked at Zixiao with curiosity: "Sister Zixiao, how did our new disciples come about? Mother never told me this before."
"That's because I don't want you to worry about these things." Zixiao sat with her in the yard to kill time, and replied while casually placing a piece on the chessboard:
"Some are children born to sisters in the sect, some are wandering cultivators who have nowhere else to turn to, and some are abandoned babies picked up by sisters... In short, although there are not many, the Hehuan Sect still has a few new disciples every year."
However, it cannot be compared with those immortal cultivation sects that recruit disciples every few years. Therefore, due to the number of people, the combat power of the Hehuan Sect has always been difficult to match those large sects such as the Tianyan Sect.
This was the first time in the thousands of years since the founding of the Hehuan Sect that such a formal announcement was issued to recruit disciples.
Thinking of this, Zi Xiao's always relaxed face showed worry for the first time. "Young Sect Master, is there really anyone willing to join our sect? What if there are only a few who come? Wouldn't that just make a fool of themselves?"
After all, the Hehuan Sect’s bad reputation is obvious to all. No one would come to join it unless they are desperate. Now that they are saying so loudly that they are going to hold a disciple-recruiting ceremony, is there really anyone willing to sign up?
"You are a little confident in the Hehuan Sect, Sister Zixiao." Ning Shu lazily lay in the rocking chair, fiddling with the white chess piece in her hand:
"Don't worry, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cultivate immortality, and it doesn't even consider spiritual root aptitude. Even if the immortal cultivators aren't tempted, those mortals in the City That Never Sleeps will definitely fight over it.
Let's not talk about anything else, just talk about those women in brothels. Their situation can't get any worse, right? Why not give it a try? "
Zi Xiao thought about it and still felt uneasy: "Will those madams be willing to release me?"
"Well, they should be quite willing to give it up." Ning Shu casually placed a chess piece on the chessboard, completely blocking off his last piece of territory. "I've written it all in the notice. Every time one of their girls is chosen, I'll reward them with a bottle of Rejuvenating Pill. Even though we can't use it, it's a priceless treasure for mortals."
Seeing that Ning Shu had even considered such a minute detail, Zi Xiao sighed inwardly that this child was quite thoughtful. Then he began to discuss other issues: "Have you considered the criteria for accepting disciples? We can't just accept everyone who comes, right?"
"Of course not, that would be pointless." Ning Shu stretched and stood up. Just then, a paper crane made of letter paper flew over. She opened the letter and explained her plan:
"Our goal is to attract as many people as possible to watch our show, preferably to catch up on every episode, and then to truly fall in love with a contestant in the process, providing us with a constant source of affection from then on.
Therefore, it is very important to arrange the conflicts and match points of the talent show. I will arrange very competitive matches for them, and then every performance starting from the preliminary round will be broadcast live!"
The audition process is too long and needs editing, so it is more appropriate to record it.
As she spoke, she unfolded the letter in her hand and showed Zixiao the Sect Master's handwritten letter: "The competition venue and the broadcast instruments are ready! These contestants are about to engage in the most intense battle on our stage!"
Ning Shu put her hands on her hips, raised her chin, and smiled a very evil smile, imitating the villains in TV dramas: "Hehehehe... Only those who stand out from the cruel competition are qualified to debut in the center position! We only want the best!"
I want to abuse the brightest stars, endure the most vicious scolding, cause the most trouble, and gain the purest fans!
Come on, contestants and spectators, our sacred tree is thirsty!
Zixiao, who didn't quite understand but was frightened, said: ...
We're the He Huan Sect, right? You're not planning on letting those who sign up gather together and kill each other like the Blood Shadow Sect did, are you?
So, as everyone in the City That Never Sleeps was eagerly waiting, the day listed in the notice finally arrived.
In order to prepare for the first disciple-recruiting ceremony, the Hehuan Sect generously bought a high tower in the most prosperous area of the city center as the venue. The curious onlookers were sitting on the clean and neatly arranged tables and chairs with curiosity. Those who were willing to pay a high price could go to the private room upstairs to wait.
This building was originally a brothel. After Ning Shu bought it, he only made some simple modifications to the existing structure. Now the platform in the center of the first-floor hall, which was originally used for dancers to dance, has been widened a little, and a piece of crystal clear transparent crystal about half a meter high is quietly placed in the middle.
Most of the guests sitting in the hall were independent cultivators with limited funds. At this moment, many of them could not help but point in the direction of the stage and whisper to their companions:
"What is that?"
"I don't know, it looks like a spirit stone that has been magnified many times."
"I know, that's a Spirit Shadow Stone. Like a Spirit Stone, it's mined from a Spirit Vein. Unfortunately, the Spiritual Energy within it can't be absorbed at all. Now it can only be used to record images."
"A Spirit Shadow Stone is usually only the size of a palm, right? This one looks over half a meter tall. How big would the shadow be then?"
"I'm afraid it can cover the entire wall!"
"Hehe, that's great! I want to see what the Hehuan Sect is up to this time!"
The inexperienced cultivators below were just trying to figure out how big the image was, but the guests sitting upstairs had completely different concerns.
"What a huge Spirit Shadow Stone! The Hehuan Sect really put a lot of effort into holding this disciple-recruiting ceremony!"
"Have you seen the runes engraved on the Spirit Shadow Stone? That's the Shadow Transmission Technique. As long as it's connected to the Mysterious Mirror, it can record the scene before the caster and instantly transmit it back."
The Spirit Shadow Stone combined with the Shadow Transmission Technique is usually a life-saving method left by the sect's masters and elders to their closed disciples. If the disciple is unfortunately killed while going out, the Spirit Shadow Stone on his body will immediately transmit the last image before death to identify the murderer.
No one wants to be involved in such an endless blood feud with a powerful being who is at least in the Spirit Transformation Stage, so as long as those well-equipped young men say "I have a Spirit Shadow Stone on me", they can basically keep their lives.
"The rare Spirit Shadow Stone is actually used for this kind of thing... It really deserves to be a big sect, it's so rich and powerful!" Someone was muttering in the private room.
The five people at their table were all inner disciples of a small sect nearby. The Qingyun Sect they belonged to was already unknown, and unfortunately, it was not far away from the Hehuan Sect, which had a very strong presence. Therefore, its presence was even weaker, and there was not enough traffic to support a satellite city.
But it doesn’t matter. If I don’t have them, I can still come to the Hehuan Sect’s City That Never Sleeps. It’s not far away anyway. It will only take half an hour to fly there.
Although they have kept in mind their master's teachings and never gone to places with fireworks over the years, they have tried all the delicious and fun things in the night market, the snack and lantern festival... Now, when they were feeling a bit bored, they heard the exciting news that the Hehuan Sect was going to hold a disciple-recruiting ceremony, so they couldn't wait to join in the fun.
"Big Brother, isn't it a bad idea for us to secretly come and see the female cultivators from the Hehuan Sect without telling our master? What if we get discovered..." A young girl in a green shirt whispered nervously.
"It's okay. We are not hanging out with those evil women. It's just a disciple-taking ceremony. Haven't you seen a disciple-taking ceremony?" The young man called the eldest brother looked to be about twenty years old. His skin was a healthy wheat color. He leaned against the chair with a confident and cheerful look.
"Not only have I seen it, I even participated in it when I was a kid!"
"That's right, there are so many people here, what could go wrong?"
The other brothers and sisters who wanted to watch the fun all agreed, so the timid girl stopped talking with a look of wanting to say something but hesitated.
As if sensing the girl's worry, the eldest brother patted his chest and said comfortingly, "It's okay, little sister. We're just here for fun. If this Spirit Shadow Stone really plays any unpleasant scenes, we'll leave immediately!"
His handsome face was slightly curved with a sunny smile, and his tone was full of confidence and security:
"Don't worry, this is just a trick played by the Hehuan Sect to attract attention. It will definitely not fool us who are so righteous!"
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