A Sect from a Spirit Vein

Chapter 161 - 131: Training the Disciples

The story was told, and the young disciples started to chatter, most feeling sorry for the sleeping rabbit.

"Though the rabbit possessed remarkable talent and ran swiftly, it lost the race due to arrogance and complacency," Lu Qian said earnestly, "You disciples must learn from this lesson. Even if you momentarily lead now, you must remain diligent and strive ahead, not follow the path of this slumbering rabbit."

Baitao and Li Da understood immediately, a sense of vigilance rising secretly in their hearts.

Baitao thought to herself, "I am the esteemed Junior Martial Uncle Jiang. I absolutely cannot let these younger disciples surpass me, or else I’ll lose all face."

Li Da, on the other hand, was determined to stand out as the brightest and most exceptional among the disciples, gaining the approval and attention of his mentors.

Even Tan Hong was moved, lost in thought. However, his focus wasn’t on the proud rabbit but rather the turtle moving quietly forward.

Without realizing it, I have already entered the cultivation path for nearly sixty years!

Despite being diligent and hardworking, the reality was harsh. With limited talent and burdened with a residual spiritual root, no matter how hard I tried, my progress was as slow as a tortoise. Now, after grinding at the seventh level of Qi Cultivation for a long time, I finally perceive the gateway to the eighth level. Breaking through to it and advancing to late-stage Qi Cultivation is within reach.

It hasn’t been easy! For decades, I have seen fellow disciples effortlessly surpass me, bearing my frustration and sense of loss. Yet my yearning for enlightenment has never faded, constantly shouting unwillingly in my heart.

Initially, there was much complaint about fate, but eventually, it faded into silent hard work, pressing forward.

Through decades of wind and rain, experiencing the despair of the sect’s demise, witnessing the nirvana rebirth of the Yunshan Sect, and becoming a significant Elder of the sect.

Am I not that silent, unhurried, yet resolute turtle always moving forward?

Lu Qian approached Wang Ruoyu, bent down, and said softly, "Shitou, don’t worry, don’t be upset. If we can’t be the rabbit, why not learn from the turtle that keeps moving forward. No matter what others say, it keeps climbing toward the end. Even if it’s slower, more tiring, the finish line is just there, and someday it will be reached. I believe in you; you’ll surely become an excellent cultivator."

With that, he rubbed Wang Ruoyu’s head. This clumsy child bit his lip, nodded vigorously, his eyes turning red.

Tan Hong heard this, and his heart became more excited.

Yes, as long as you move forward, you’ll surely reach the finish line, and you’ll definitely be rewarded.

In this life, I’m not to compete with others, I only aim to surpass myself!

With this thought, Tan Hong suddenly felt enlightened, a surge of awe rising, and spiritual power rolled naturally, vibrating his acupoints throughout.

He widened his eyes in surprise.

That night, Tan Hong successfully broke through to the eighth level of Qi Cultivation, becoming the third late-stage Qi Cultivation practitioner in the Yunshan Sect.

The next day, Lu Qian visited the Spirit Plant Garden, Spirit Medicine Garden, Talisman Workshop, Alchemy Room, and Artifact Refining Workshop, learning in detail about the disciples’ training and exercises in administrative positions.

These daily skills greatly test one’s talent. Though Lu Qian ordered not to fuss about input and output, focusing on learning and practicing, should it be hard to learn even after trying for a period, there’s no need to waste resources and time. Moreover, with few people available, the number of disciples in various positions varies significantly.

The number of disciples choosing to study talisman making is the highest, slightly fewer in planting, very few in alchemy, and only one in artifact refining. Of course, some disciples are learning multiple skills.

Lu Qian and Jiang Qingfeng strongly support this type of learning. During this special period of revival, planting and breeding manuals, talisman models, pill formulas, artifact refining techniques, and magical artifact blueprints are all open, but the requirement is to learn the easy ones before moving to the difficult ones.

Various raw materials are supplied free of charge, only asking for the finished product to be submitted to the sect. Quick learners are even rewarded with merit points. Such good fortune is fleeting, impossible to last long, and disciples are thrilled. Apart from their own cultivation, sect tasks, and learning cultivation techniques, they spend most of their extra time on learning life skills.

Lu Qian was pleased after inspecting around. With seeds planted, once they grow mature, it will revert to normal sect production, one batch after another, revitalizing the Yunshan Sect’s production.

After a few more days, Guh Niqiang fully recovered. Lu Qian immediately sent a visiting note to the Xuanguang Sect, requesting to pay a visit to Master Fengfeng.

For the past fifty years, the one in charge of registration affairs has been He Yangchen from Huanjian Peak, so the visiting note is actually sent to Huanjian Peak.

He Yangchen soon replied, scheduling the meeting three days later when Lu Qian, along with Guh Niqiang, would visit Xuanguang Sect and meet Master Fengfeng personally.

Three days later, Lu Qian and Guh Niqiang arrived punctually at the Xuanguang Sect mountain gate, Mingjian Mountain.

Mingjian Mountain is located in the southwest of Chongming County; its terrain is continuous, with overlapping peaks and lush vegetation.

A unique sight on this mountain is the numerous springs and pools scattered across the mountain body, slopes, and surrounding valleys. These spring waters are interconnected through underground veins, clear as jade, never drying up.

Sunlight shimmered on these pools, reflecting dazzling light like countless bright mirrors embedded in the mountain, mesmerizing, hence the name "Mingjian Mountain."

This mountain is divided into eight peaks, among which five have a spirit vein running through them, so the disciples are divided accordingly, overseen by five elders. He Yangchen is the Peak Master of Huanjian Peak, the Fourth Elder of Xuanguang Sect.

Upon reaching the mountain gate, after communication, the guiding disciple didn’t lead them to the main peak but took them to Huanjian Peak instead.

Just as Lu Qian felt puzzled, He Yangchen greeted them with a cold face.

It turns out that this morning, Xuanguang Sect’s Golden Core Master Fengfeng suddenly felt inspired and went into seclusion, unknown how long before he emerges. The Sect Leader is unwell and unable to meet guests, hence the duty of receiving sub-sect fell on He Yangchen.

Going round and round, it ends up being He Yangchen again. The two eyed each other, pretending it was the first meeting for the sake of other disciples present, exchanging pleasantries before awarding Lu Qian with the Imperial Decree of Yunshan Sect’s second-class sect.

In Xuanguang Sect, the first-class sects used to include one among Shahe Gang or Northwest Two Sects, second-class Yiqing Zhou Family, Spirit Talisman Sect, and Chaosheng Sect. Third-class was Yuqing Zhou Family.

Now, things have changed. Zhou Family fell out of subordinate sect ranks, Chaosheng Sect was replaced by Yunshan Sect, Shahe Gang’s strength greatly diminished, uncertain if they’ll retain first-class sect status in the next confirmation.