Cultivation: Being Immortal

Chapter 126

Five Elements Sect

The Sect of the Five Elements is big and small. There are many disciples in the inner sect because they automatically promote to the inner sect during the Building Foundation Period. Considering the size of the Sect of the Five Elements, there are at least several hundred people in the Building Foundation Period. However, there are very few disciples in the inner sect who have reached the Qi Refining Period.

Generally speaking, there are only three types of people in the inner sect who have reached the Qi Refining Period. The first type is those who are talented and show exceptional potential at the time of entry, with a Single Spiritual Root talent or a different kind of Spiritual Root. The second type is those who are admitted under special circumstances, such as Zhang Shuhua, who has a relative in a high position within the sect and has decent aptitude. The third type is those who are admitted exceptionally due to outstanding contributions to the sect, like Lin Jiang. Lin Jiang was admitted exceptionally because he had made significant contributions to the sect.

(Translated by Gravity Tales 😔)

Naturally, there are very few people who are admitted exceptionally, because in the minds of ordinary people, how much contribution can someone in the Qi Refining Period actually make to the sect. The last exceptional admission was more than a hundred years ago.

Therefore, Lin Jiang immediately became the center of attention in the inner sect's Qi Refining Period. Lin Jiang's past was immediately dug up and exposed to the sunlight.

However, they quickly found out that Lin Jiang's past had hardly any impressive highlights. Perhaps he did okay at the Shanxue School, but who knows how many others also did okay there. After the Shanxue School, Lin Jiang disappeared for almost twenty years, spending most of his time farming at the Qingyang Mountain. Besides interacting with Zheng Yi and his friends, he rarely socialized with others.

It was only in the two years before the Medicine Conference that Lin Jiang started earning Merit Points at the Internal Affairs Hall of the outer sect, showing some activity. But logically speaking, this wasn't very surprising. After farming for twenty years, Lin Jiang had learned a powerful talisman technique, and earning Merit Points didn't require much effort.

The only thing people found interesting was Lin Jiang's speculative venture at the Medicine Conference, the spiritual talisman project. It brought in a considerable amount of money with the box lunches and accommodation. Many people were discussing how much money Lin Jiang made this time.

"Definitely a lot of money, during the entire Medicine Conference, those boxed meals were being sold everywhere, and the whole Medicine City was filled with those used meal boxes, at least a million of them."

"A million of them, is there really that many?"

"What do you think? With over a million people, three meals a day, multiplied by ten days, imagine how many that would be."

"Not everyone eats though, right?"

"Hehe, almost ninety percent of the cultivators who come from other places are in the Qi Refining Period, and they are all poor. Can they afford to eat at restaurants? As long as thirty percent of the people eat boxed meals, it would be astronomical."

"That's true."

"In my opinion, they should be fined for it. They sell boxed meals and then litter everywhere after eating, it looks extremely dirty. They should be charged for hygiene fees."

········

"Junior Brother Xiao is probably going to be in trouble."

Inside the Zhang Wanjing's cave, Zhang Shuhua said to Zhang Wanjing that he has officially become Zhang Wanjing's disciple, both student and son, as the top disciple of Zhang Wanjing.

"You underestimate your junior brother, he hasn't done anything wrong."

"Being outstanding in a group is not a good thing."

"So you don't truly understand your junior brother. He is an excellent person, for him, these small matters are nothing. Regardless of the discussions outside, as long as Xiao Yi remains firm in his beliefs, nothing else matters."

"If he goes out..."

"You have been in Qingyang Mountain for twenty years, do you think he lacks patience like you?"

Zhang Wanjing said. What do rumors and discussions matter? They are only useful for those whose beliefs are not strong. As long as one is ruthless, cold-hearted, thick-skinned, and able to handle any criticism, these hypocritical words mean nothing.

It is indeed dangerous outside the mountain gate, but if they don't leave, who would dare to commit murder within the Five Elements Sect?

"Does father really have such high expectations of him?"

"Is something wrong?"

"I don't think he's that outstanding, but rather I think he's more cunning."

"Is it bad to be cunning? When you were at the Qi Refining Period, could you earn more than him?"

"No, but not much less either."

Zhang Shuhua said, as he was a hunter for Merit Points in the Outer Gate, how many tasks did he do, can he earn less?

"What he earns is achieved by using his brain, not by working hard for a long time like you did in exhaustion."

"That's taking advantage of opportunities."

"That's also a skill, earning more at the Medicine Conference. Why don't you earn as well?"

"Dad doesn't like using power for personal gain, you know."

"Of course, I don't like being selfish with power, but if someone has real skills, how can I not like them?"

Zhang Shuhua stayed quiet; his father liked Xiao Yi, so whatever he did was right and made sense. There was no point in arguing.

"Don't underestimate your junior brother, really, Dad is not lying to you. A fierce warrior can rise from humble beginnings. Someone who can cause such commotion even during the Qi Refining Period will definitely go far in the future. Though you are brave, you lack flexibility. If one day I'm not here anymore, you and your younger brothers should get along well. He will be able to help you in many ways."

Zhang Wanjing looked at his son's scornful expression and said with deep meaning. Back in the day, he too started from nothing. Don't underestimate others.

·······

"Senior Brother Yue"

Zhang Wanjing's residence, Yue Qing came to find Lin Jiang. Lin Jiang welcomed him inside. For a personal disciple, being like family to the master, Lin Jiang didn't have the qualifications to have his own residence yet, so he moved into Zhang Wanjing's residence.

They moved into a big wilderness.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Xiao."

"Please don't say that, now I'm being targeted by everyone."

"Haha, that's just because those people are incompetent, and they only know how to envy others. Don't think that all the disciples in the inner sect are exceptional, there are also a bunch of fools and idiots."

"By saying that, you're also including me in the scolding."

"Don't be too modest, if you're too modest, others will think you're easy to bully."

Yue Qing said, as he looked at Zhang Wanjing's cave dwelling. How envious he was! It was fifty acres in size, and other than the one acre of buildings, the rest was developed into spiritual land, planted with valuable medicinal herbs. This is all money!

"What does Senior Brother want me to do this time?"

"Look at what you're saying! Can't you come visit me without any specific reason? It seems like you've climbed up the social ladder and forgotten about your old friends. Don't forget, we even slept together for three years!"

"Cough, we slept in the same courtyard for three years."

"It's all the same, it's all the same."

Lin Jiang reluctantly shook his head. This was different, and he didn't want to be misunderstood if he said it out loud.

"Junior Brother, what else do you think we can do to make some money?"

"Senior Brother Yue, the Medicine Conference only ended a few days ago. Are you already short of money?"

"Sigh, Junior Brother, you're not an outsider. I'll tell you the truth. When I was in the outer sect, I fooled quite a few people into helping me. But that's all favors, and I can't break my promises. If I earn spirit stones, I'll use them to pay off my debts."

Yue Qing said, his heart still not cruel enough. Those group of brothers, seeing him getting rich, all came to join him. In reality, they just wanted Yue Qing to repay them. Yue Qing had already spent a lot of money on them.

"Opportunities for boxed meals like this only come once, and there isn't that much money to be made."

Lin Jiang shook his head. He only believed two out of ten sentences from Yue Qing. He had seen firsthand how this guy could deceive people.

"Junior Brother..."

"Senior Brother, there's no need to say more. Right now, my main task is to build a foundation, so for the next few years, I won't be doing much else. Cultivation comes first."

Lin Jiang said that he was openly forty-one years old and that building foundation was indeed very important.

Moreover, Lin Jiang knew that he was in the spotlight right now, so if he dared to be high-profile at this time, it would be suicide. He had to keep a low profile, at least for another four or five years.

Besides, Lin Jiang didn't plan on doing speculative things often. Once was almost enough.

"What the younger brother said is right. Cultivation is the most important. Younger brother, focus on improving yourself."

Yue Qing immediately changed his tone. When he saw that Lin Jiang didn't mean it, he didn't say much either. As for those brothers, he would deceive them first before saying anything. He didn't have the money, so he couldn't really help them.

The two chatted for a while, and then Lin Jiang escorted Yue Qing out. When he turned around, he saw Zhang Shuhua.

"Big senior brother, is there something you need?"

"Yue Qing, stop coming around."

"The younger brother understands."

"Understood, if you have any questions about cultivation that you don't understand, you can ask me while I'm at home for these few days."

"Okay, I also need to go into seclusion for a period of time."

Lin Jiang said. Being an inner disciple is really great. They don't have to do any compulsory tasks. Their main task is cultivation, just focus on cultivating.

The entire Five Elements Sect is divided into several levels. The higher levels are the ruling class who control everything in the sect. The inner disciples are the reserve members of the higher levels and they enjoy the sect's support and benefits.

As for the outer disciples, they receive partial support and are responsible for most of the miscellaneous tasks in the sect. But they also receive benefits and have the opportunity to advance.

Only those miscellaneous disciples are the most unfortunate ones. They are like old oxen, eating grass and producing milk. Their opportunity for advancement is very slim. Out of tens of thousands of miscellaneous disciples, at most one or two can be promoted to the outer disciples. In the past hundred years, very few miscellaneous disciples have been able to advance to the Building Foundation Period.

Lin Jiang has now become a disciple under Zhang Wanjing's guidance. In the Five Elements Sect, this means surpassing a level and becoming a true beneficiary. He doesn't have to do any tasks in the Qi Refining Period and can receive 60 spirit stones and 20 bottles of Spirit Gathering Pills each year as benefits. And those Spirit Gathering Pills are no longer the trashy ones from the outer disciples.

The other benefits are also doubled. For example, the cafeteria for the inner disciples not only provides free meals, but the food is also spiritual and delicious, and filled with abundant spiritual energy.

Zhang Shuhua didn't say much and casually spoke a few sentences before leaving. Zhang Wanjing's residence is not small, with several dozen buildings, but currently, only the three of them live here. Lin Jiang can choose from the available rooms.

"We still need to quickly establish our Building Foundations, open our own caves. Only then can we let Big Shadiao and Small Shadiao have some freedom. We can't mistreat our old brothers."

Lin Jiang sighed. Big Shadiao and Small Shadiao have been with him for nearly two hundred years. He needs to take care of them. The Spirit Beast Bag is too cramped.