Cultivation Begins with Daily Intelligence Reports

290: Become an inner discipleLin Jingyu’s words were impeccable, expressing both humility and ambition, making Sect Master Yunlan’s eyes show even deeper appreciation.

However... a hint of regret flashed deep within Sect Master Yunlan’s eyes.

His gaze swept over the Elders below, seeing them either meditating quietly or nodding slightly, yet none offered to take him as a Disciple, causing him to sigh inwardly.

It seemed the fear everyone held regarding the “Destiny of the Summit Reacher” was far deeper than he had imagined.

“Good!” Sect Master Yunlan clapped his hands, suppressing his distracting thoughts, and spoke grandly, “Neither arrogant nor impatient, with a firm Dao Heart, excellent! In that case, I shall first grant you the status of an Inner Sect Disciple. Xuan Yunzi.”

“Disciple is present.” Xuan Yunzi stepped forward.

“Take Jingyu to handle the initiation procedures, collect his Identity Token, Sect robes, and all necessary supplies. All expenses shall be distributed according to the highest standard for Inner Sect Disciples. Furthermore,”

Sect Master Yunlan paused slightly, then announced loudly, “Reward Lin Jingyu with one thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones and ten thousand Sect Contribution Points, as encouragement. I hope you Cultivate diligently and shine brightly within the Sect soon!”

“I shall respectfully obey the Sect Master’s decree!” Xuan Yunzi bowed and accepted the order.

“Go now, and Cultivate well. Qinglan Sect will not mistreat any Disciple dedicated to the Dao.” Sect Master Yunlan offered his final encouragement, his gaze gentle.

Lin Jingyu thanked him again, his posture respectful, and then steadily followed Elder Xuan Yunzi out of the magnificent and subtly imposing Azure Cloud Hall.

Watching the silhouette of the young man in green robes disappear outside the hall entrance, a strange silence fell over the great hall.

The white-haired Elder, who had remained silent, resting with his eyes closed as if merged with his surroundings, now slowly opened his eyes.

There was no sharp light in his eyes, yet they seemed to contain the birth and death of ancient stars and the flow of the long river of time, carrying the vicissitudes of one who understood the world.

He let out a light cough. His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the ears of every Elder, carrying an inexplicable weight:

“This child’s destiny... as I observe it, it is like viewing flowers through fog, or the moon reflected in water—shrouded in heavy mist, difficult to measure.

It seems to be intertwined with monstrous Opportunities, yet also conceals... the sign of a heaven-shaking Calamity of Slaughter. Fortune relies on misfortune, and misfortune hides fortune; it is hard to say, hard to say...”

As soon as these words were spoken, the already subtle atmosphere in the hall instantly seemed to freeze over. The Elders’ expressions varied: some were solemn, some pensive, and some apprehensive.

After a long time, an Elder with a lean face, who managed the Sect’s archives, spoke softly, his voice carrying the dust of history:

“Three hundred years ago, that supremely talented Disciple of the Water Moon Sect, hailed as a talent seen once in a millennium, ascended the Nine-Nine Immortal Ladder, causing the entire Water Moon Sect to rejoice wildly.

Their Grand Elder, who had been in seclusion for many years, even broke his retreat specifically to take him as his Final Disciple.

That person was indeed astonishingly brilliant later on, once reigning over the younger generation of the Eastern Spirit Nation, ranking high in the top three of the hidden dragon ranking list, enjoying unmatched glory... but ultimately, within just sixty years, the terrible news came that he perished while exploring an ancient Secret Realm.

Even stranger, the once flourishing Water Moon Sect was wiped out shortly thereafter by a mysterious force, its Legacy severed, remaining a mystery to this day.”

Just as he finished speaking, another Elder with a sharp aura and a simple, ancient long sword strapped to his back interjected, his tone severe:

“Nine hundred years ago, the Grand Vast Immortal Gate—that was an ancient power that truly produced Ascended Immortals. A Disciple under their banner forcefully reached the summit of the Immortal Ladder, shaking the Eastern Wilds and being hailed as the hope for their revival.

He even broke into the top ten of the Eastern Wilds hidden dragon ranking list, which encompasses several states—truly a Prodigy!

What was the result? He inexplicably perished in less than a century, and the immensely powerful Grand Vast Immortal Gate was implicated by this event, rapidly declining, eventually Sealing its Mountain Gates, and has not appeared in the world for a thousand years now.”

“Alas...”

An Elder with a benevolent face sighed, his voice filled with helplessness.

“For such an unparalleled Prodigy to appear in our Qinglan Sect should be a great sign of prosperity, but this fortune and misfortune... is truly unpredictable.

A beautiful jade is before us, yet due to past lessons, no one dares to easily carve it. This truly causes one to sigh in regret!”

“Regardless,” Sect Master Yunlan finally concluded decisively, his tone reverting to calm and majesty,

“Since he has entered the gates of our Qinglan Sect, he is a Sect Disciple. The treatment and Opportunities due to an Inner Sect Disciple must not be lacking.

But our Qinglan Sect must not become too deeply entangled with him... We shall observe as things progress. Whether he is a Dragon or a worm, whether he breaks free from the calamity or fulfills the rumors, time will provide the answer. Our current priority, Elder Tai’an.”

He looked toward the white-haired Elder.

“I must trouble you to take the ‘Divine Illumination Mirror’ and make a trip to the Immortal Greeting Valley. The anomaly and results of today’s ascending immortal ladder should not be overly publicized. They need to be downplayed, and the relevant memories of most unrelated Disciples must be erased, lest they attract unnecessary attention and trouble.”

“This old man understands.” Elder Tai’an nodded slightly, his figure slowly fading, merging into the Void Realm, and disappearing.

Silence fell over the hall once more. Only a faint pressure and an indescribable complexity of emotions permeated the hearts of Qinglan Sect’s leaders.

Under the personal arrangement of Elder Xuan Yunzi, Lin Jingyu’s initiation procedures were processed extremely smoothly.

He received the azure Cloud-Patterned Token representing his Inner Sect Disciple status, and two sets of Dharma Robes of excellent quality, faintly glowing with Spiritual Light.

After receiving the one thousand lustrous Mid-Grade Spirit Stones bestowed by the Sect Master, he was taken to a place called “Cuiwei Valley.”

This valley was deep and secluded, with trickling Spirit Springs, shaded by green bamboo, and Spiritual Qi far exceeding the outside world.

Independent Immortal Caves were built into the mountainside, scattered tastefully. The Immortal Cave assigned to Lin Jingyu was located deeper in the valley, where the environment was more tranquil.

The Immortal Cave was fully equipped with a Cultivation Quiet Room, an Alchemy Room, and a Spirit Beast Room, and even came with a simple Spirit Gathering Formation.

This made the Spiritual Qi concentration inside the residence even higher, countless times better than the Underground Secret Room in Lin Family Village, which relied on the Residual Vein of the spirit eye.

After settling down, Lin Jingyu did not rush to Cultivate.

He decided to first visit the Sect’s Mission Hall. This was partly to familiarize himself with the Sect environment and understand the various rules.

On the other hand, he also wanted to see if he could take on some tasks within his ability to earn Contribution Points.

Sect Contribution Points are extremely versatile; they can be exchanged for Cultivation Techniques, Secret Arts, Medicinal Pills, Talismans, Magical Artifacts, Formation Plates, and even the qualification to Cultivate in specific Secret Realms. Their value is far beyond that of ordinary Spirit Stones.

The Mission Hall was located on a bustling, noisy peak crowded with people.

On the massive White Jade Wall, Spiritual Light flickered, continuously scrolling through dense mission information, ranging from harvesting Spiritual Plants of a specified age to hunting low-tier Yao Beasts in certain regions.

Tasks included escorting Merchant Caravans, surveying Mineral Veins, and even pursuing wanted Evil Cultivators. The types were numerous, and the difficulty varied.

Lin Jingyu walked up to the desk of the Attendant responsible for registration and issuing Mission Tokens, handed over his Identity Token, and spoke calmly:

“Attendant Senior Brother, Disciple Lin Jingyu, a newly promoted Inner Sect Disciple, has come to collect his Mission Token.”