Innate Immortal Seed

Chapter 312: Chapter 310: Water Stone Spiritual Body

Bai Zichen leisurely finished his lunch. He took the silk handkerchief Huo Feiyan offered, wiped his hands, and then turned to Lii Guizhen and Longx Longx.

”Is the disciple recruitment finished? Were there any noteworthy talents?”

A Sect’s recruitment drive wasn’t expected to attract truly exceptional disciples. Those who signed up when the Mountain Gate was wide open would generally form the backbone of the Qingfeng Sect in the future.

The most outstanding prospects would have normally been selected into the Sect through other channels already; it was rare for a hidden gem to be overlooked.

”The top thirty have been listed. Master, please select the Inner Sect Disciples from among them.”

Lii Guizhen cautiously handed over the list, wondering how his master would view his performance this time.

”Ma Ruoxi, fourteen years old, Water Stone Spiritual Body... A water and earth dual-elemental Spirit Body. As long as she finds a compatible Spiritual Object, her Cultivation speed can rival that of a Celestial Spiritual Root Cultivator.”

The very first person on the list piqued Bai Zichen’s interest.

It was another type of Spirit Body he had never heard of before. However, for this Spirit Body to be effective, it required the backing of a major power.

Although Ma Ruoxi’s Clan had several Foundation Establishment elders, none of her immediate relatives were influential.

The Clan had spent over a thousand Spirit Stones to buy a piece of Tier Two Water-Born Jade Stone for her, but it only made her Cultivation speed slightly faster than someone with Three Spiritual Roots Talent. After that, they were reluctant to invest further.

After all, it was only said that the Water Stone Spiritual Body’s Cultivation speed could rival a Celestial Spiritual Root, not that its possessor could cultivate unimpeded all the way to Core Formation like one.

If they invested tens of thousands of Spirit Stones only for Ma Ruoxi to fail at reaching Foundation Establishment, it would be an unbearable blow to the Ma Family.

Just as news of the Qingfeng Sect’s recruitment spread, they had Ma Ruoxi go and try her luck.

A Spirit Body like this was better suited for cultivation within a Sect.

If the Qingfeng Sect’s Secret Hall happened to have a matching pair of Spiritual Objects for her, it would be no problem for this girl to become a True Inheritance disciple on the strength of her Spirit Body alone.

”Master, I asked a senior brother from the Transmission Hall. He said that the Ghost Spirit Sect’s records mention this type of Spirit Body... During the Qi Refining Stage, it requires a Tier Two Top-Grade Profound Water Jade Pendant, and during the Foundation Establishment Stage, a Tier Three Top-Grade Curved Water Five-Eyed Bodhi. With these two Spiritual Objects, her Cultivation speed can rival that of a Celestial Spiritual Root Cultivator.”

Lii Guizhen spoke up at the perfect moment, explaining in a calm, measured tone.

”However, Breaking Realms is not as simple as it is for a Celestial Spiritual Root Cultivator; she still has to rely on herself to break through... Overall, her Cultivation speed is on par with an Abnormal Spiritual Root Cultivator.”

”As for whether the Water Stone Spiritual Body is still effective at the Core Formation Stage and what kind of Spiritual Object would be needed, there are no records... That Ghost Spirit Sect Cultivator reached Foundation Establishment Perfection, but failed in his attempt to break through to Core Formation and passed away.”

”Are these two Spiritual Objects in the Ten Thousand Immortals Creek warehouse?”

”We have two Profound Water Jade Pendants, but no Curved Water Five-Eyed Bodhi. We’ll have to send a message to the main mountain to see if they have this Spiritual Object.”

”Then make this Ma Ruoxi an Inner Sect Disciple. The Sect will also temporarily lend her a Profound Water Jade Pendant to aid her Cultivation... However, she must cooperate with the Transmission Hall to record every change during her Cultivation process, leaving behind a detailed record of the Water Stone Spiritual Body for future generations.”

Bai Zichen nodded in satisfaction. A disciple with a Spirit Body was nothing special, after all.

Only a top-tier Spirit Body on the level of the Merit Golden Body Spiritual Body would make him take a second look.

Still, this registered disciple of his seemed rather reliable. He wasn’t clueless when asked questions.

He even knew to gather information in advance, think things through, and handle all related matters proactively.

Besides Ma Ruoxi, there were no other Spirit Body possessors among the remaining candidates. The best among them had Dual Spirit Root Talent.

A few of them were proficient in the Hundred Skills of Cultivation; there was a Tier One Top Grade Gu Master and a Tier One Peak Clothing Master.

Bai Zichen merely glanced at this, noncommittal, and offered no opinion.

His gaze traveled down the list, and every so often, he would call out a name, promoting them to Inner Sect Disciple.

”Alright, this will be the list of this year’s Inner Sect Disciples. Announce it throughout the county later and send a copy to the main mountain.”

Bai Zichen tossed the file back to Lii Guizhen and added another sentence.

”The top disciple this time is Tie Changsheng... When he reaches Qi Refining Great Perfection, no matter his age, bring him to me to receive a Foundation Establishment Pill.”

”Yes, Master. This disciple will immediately follow your instructions and summon these people into the Sect.”

Lii Guizhen was slightly taken aback. He suppressed his curiosity, not daring to ask any questions, and retreated after bowing.

”Longx Longx of the Law Enforcement Hall pays her respects to Ancestor Bai.”

Longx Longx bowed low, the emerald-green jade hairpin and gilded earrings accentuating the pale white of her slender neck.

”How has Senior Brother Liang been recently?”

Bai Zichen waved his hand. ’It always felt a little strange to be called ’Ancestor’ by senior and junior brothers he had once worked alongside.’

”The Hall Master is in decent spirits. He took a Demon Crow Blood Tears Pill to resolve his internal injuries. Hall Master Han examined him and said it will extend his life by at least twenty years...”

Longx Longx thought to herself, ’The rumors were indeed true. Ancestor Bai valued old ties immensely. He was already one of the most prominent figures in the Liang Country Cultivation Realm, yet his attitude toward Liang Yu remained unchanged.’

”However, Hall Master Luoo of the Talisman Hall passed away from old age last month. Junior Brother Su has now taken over as the acting Hall Master.”

”Luoo Qiuzhen passed away... Did the Demon Crow Blood Tears Pill not work, or was it sent too late?”

’Another name that had become somewhat distant and unfamiliar—the Talisman Hall Master, the Qingfeng Sect’s only Tier Three Talisman Master.’

Bai Zichen wasn’t surprised that Su Li was taking over the Talisman Hall.

Su Li had always been seen as Luoo Qiuzhen’s successor. He possessed a Talisman Spirit Body, and his mastery of the Talisman Dao was already among the strongest in the Sect.

If not for his Cultivation being limited to the Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment, no one would have objected to him directly becoming the Talisman Hall Master.

”Hall Master Luoo had reached the end of his lifespan. Medicine was ineffective.”

The Demon Crow Blood Tears Pill was an elixir discovered some time ago when an Outer Sect Disciple accidentally triggered a mechanism while cleaning an Alchemy Room.

After Han Qing came to identify it, he determined that although this elixir didn’t directly extend life, it had the effect of increasing one’s lifespan from another angle.

The Demon Crow Blood Tears Pill could heal the deepest hidden injuries, allowing most Cultivators to live to their theoretical maximum lifespan.

Although it was only effective on Cultivators below the Core Formation Stage, Han Qing still treated it as a supreme treasure, because a Pill Formula was discovered along with the elixir.

With his realm in the Alchemy Dao, he only needed to go back and refine it a few times in his furnace to reproduce the Demon Crow Blood Tears Pill.

Several of the older Foundation Establishment Elders in the Sect took the Demon Crow Blood Tears Pill immediately.

”If any High Tier Life-Extending Elixirs appear, just buy them. I will cover the Spirit Stones.”

Bai Zichen sighed. Old age, sickness, and death—even Cultivators could not escape them.

If one couldn’t break through to the next Realm, when their time was up, they were no different from a Mortal.

The talk of reincarnation and recultivation was ephemeral and uncertain. Even an Ancient Great Power had to rely on the Underworld Nether Coffin, and it was unknown if they even succeeded.

One could not count on the next life; one could only seek to climb the Great Dao in this life and attain Longevity and Vision.

After a few more words, he waved away Longx Longx, who seemed to have more to say but held her tongue. Then, Bai Zichen leaped into the air, transforming into a ray of moonlight and vanishing without a trace.

...

When the final results were posted, an uproar broke out among the Loose Cultivators outside Ten Thousand Immortals Creek.

The Qingfeng Sect had actually given the honor of top disciple to a Loose Cultivator, rather than one of the disciples from the Cultivation Families who had been the popular favorites.

In terms of age and Cultivation, several others had greater potential than the Loose Cultivator named Tie Changsheng.

His Eighth-Layer Qi Refining Cultivation seemed decent, but he was already in his early thirties. No matter how you looked at it, his prospects were not as bright as those of Ma Ruoxi or the young master of the Mi Family.

But it was impossible to say there was some under-the-table dealing.

Tie Changsheng was a bona fide resident of Hejian County, and plenty of Loose Cultivators knew him. If connections were what mattered, it should have been the two disciples from the Cultivation Families.

One could only say he had hit the jackpot, blessed by a stroke of monumental luck that seemed to fall from the heavens.

In an instant, a large crowd of Loose Cultivators surged forward to congratulate him, forming several thick circles around him.

Becoming an Inner Sect Disciple of the Qingfeng Sect already guaranteed a bright future.

What’s more, with the reward of a Foundation Establishment Pill, one could say that Tie Changsheng was already at the forefront of this batch of disciples, far ahead of the others when it came to a future attempt at Foundation Establishment.

”Big Brother, you became an Inner Sect Disciple! And you got a Foundation Establishment Pill!”

His sworn little sister jumped up in excitement, her voice high and shrill.

”All three of us siblings got into the Qingfeng Sect! Second Brother and I are Outer Sect Disciples!”

”Good, good, good!”

Tie Changsheng was somewhat dazed and numb. Becoming an Inner Sect Disciple was already the best outcome he could have hoped for.

He had never considered that a Foundation Establishment Pill had anything to do with him. He never expected such an overwhelming opportunity would actually fall to him.

’Was I meant to be a Qingfeng Sect disciple? Was it destiny...?’

While Tie Changsheng was still dazedly returning the greetings, a flash of Sword Light descended from the sky. The pressure belonging to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator made all the Loose Cultivators take a step back.

”You are Tie Changsheng? Follow me to pay respects to the ancestor statues. You few Inner Sect Disciples have another procedure to follow.”

Lii Guizhen found the lucky fellow and looked him up and down, but couldn’t see anything special about him.

He had no idea how the man had gained his master’s favor and been named the top Inner Sect Disciple.

It would be best if he had real substance. Otherwise, the other nine Inner Sect Disciples of his year would see him as a thorn in their side, and his future days would not be easy.

To his master, a mere Foundation Establishment Pill was nothing precious.

It was entirely possible that it had just been a casual gesture, with no deep meaning behind it.

But in any case, having a Foundation Establishment Pill waiting for him the moment he entered the Sect already put him ahead of all the other disciples.

A Celestial Spiritual Root Cultivator didn’t need a Foundation Establishment Pill, but those with the next best talent, Abnormal Spiritual Roots, like Lii Guizhen himself, received no special treatment regarding the pill and had to wait in line just like everyone else.

He, however, had been full of confidence and had successfully broken through without waiting for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

The ten Inner Sect Disciples were bestowed with Tokens, Daoist Robes, and the benefit of choosing their own independent Spirit Land within Ten Thousand Immortals Creek.

At the same time, in a hall modeled after the main mountain’s Ancestor Hall, they paid their respects to the Teaching Ancestor Master and the Sect’s founding ancestor.

Tie Changsheng followed the others, bowing just as they did, but a flicker of an unusual expression, nearly imperceptible, crossed his face as he looked up at the statue on high.

”From this day forward, you must all cultivate diligently, abide by the rules, and not overstep your bounds. Do not disappoint the expectations of the Sect and Ancestor Bai.”

After a long speech, the Transmission Hall Elder then explained the benefits afforded to Inner Sect Disciples.

Next, it was Longx Longx’s turn. This batch of Inner Sect Disciples were all from Hejian and had not gone through the tempering experience of rising through the ranks.

They had no understanding of the Qingfeng Sect’s rules and would definitely need focused training to prevent them from making mistakes in the future.