Chapter 161: Chapter 160: First Disciple
"Senior Brother Liang, are you saying I don’t need to hand over the Dragon Tooth Rice Spirit Seeds and can just keep growing them as before?"
Bai Zichen hadn’t expected Liang Yu to say this. If he had the backing of the Hall Master of the Law Enforcement Hall, then it wouldn’t matter how much the other Elders complained. They wouldn’t be able to touch him.
"Junior Brother Gu ran the numbers for me... The Sect currently has forty-six Foundation Establishment Elders. If we supplied them without restriction, it would only amount to ten thousand catties of Dragon Tooth Rice a year, so there’s no need to expand cultivation. But Black Mountain’s output has always been meager. The impression we give outsiders is that we’re rich in Demon Beast resources, with large quantities of Demon Beast Materials sold every year."
Liang Yu gestured for him to be patient and hear him out.
"But if we can develop Dragon Tooth Rice into a specialty of the Qingfeng Sect, with an annual output exceeding twenty thousand dan, we would gain some pricing power in the market."
"Why does the market price of Spirit Rice in the entire Liang Country fluctuate with the prices at the Shennong Sect’s shops? Because besides having the most and best Spirit Plant Masters, their production of High-Tier Spirit Rice accounts for more than forty percent of Liang Country’s total supply!"
The original reason for agreeing to Gu Xisheng’s rise to power was that he had no backing and little personal prestige. A weak Sect Leader was in the Law Enforcement Hall’s best interest.
But after he took office, his initiatives forced Liang Yu to admit that Gu Xisheng was highly capable in administrative matters.
"Junior Brother Gu did some research. Because the Shennong Sect has to diversify its Spirit Fields to grow various types of Tier Two Spirit Rice, their annual output of Dragon Tooth Rice is at most ten thousand dan. If we can achieve an annual output of twenty thousand dan, we’ll become the largest producer of this type of Spirit Rice in Liang Country!"
"For the several Body Refining Sects, Tier Two Spirit Rice is incredibly tempting."
"We could even use Dragon Tooth Rice to build the reputation of the Qingfeng Sect’s Market, making it a signature product just like the Spirit Beasts of the Ten Thousand Beasts Pavilion."
Bai Zichen remained silent. Gu Xisheng’s proposal, combined with his plan for ten thousand mu of Spirit Fields, seemed somewhat feasible.
Although Dragon Tooth Rice couldn’t compare to Spirit Beasts in terms of appeal, and even if the Qingfeng Sect truly gained control over its pricing, it was unlikely the Market would attract customers from a million li away.
’Unless we replace the Shennong Sect and become the Spirit Rice trading hub for all of Liang Country.’
But no matter what, it was much better than the current stagnant Market, which could only earn Spirit Stones from the Cultivators of Black Mountain County.
"But no matter how good it sounds, handing over the Spirit Seeds will definitely affect your interests... I’ve negotiated with Junior Brother Gu: fifty thousand Sect Contribution Points to buy your Dragon Tooth Rice Spirit Seeds. If you don’t think it’s fair, just pretend you didn’t hear any of this. Gu Xisheng absolutely will not dare to force you!"
"Since it’s highly beneficial for the Sect’s future and I can also earn Contribution Points, of course I agree."
Bai Zichen was stunned by Liang Yu’s exorbitant demand on his behalf and hastily agreed.
He was lucky that this Senior Brother Liang took the Sect’s laws so seriously. It was only because he felt the matter violated his principles that he would ask Gu Xisheng for such a figure.
Fifty thousand Sect Contribution Points, based on the exchange rate for typical items in the Sect’s treasury, was equivalent to seventy thousand Spirit Stones.
To put it in perspective, a single Foundation Establishment Pill only cost ten thousand Contribution Points to redeem.
With the matter of the Spirit Seeds settled, both of them breathed a sigh of relief. The subsequent arrangements would be handled by their subordinates from the Spirit Field Hall and White Jade Tower.
"Junior Brother Bai, you’ll be required to take on a position in two years. Have you thought about what I proposed to you back then?"
Liang Yu clearly hadn’t given up on the idea and was bringing up the old topic again.
"I’ve already expelled Ma Ming from the Law Enforcement Hall. The Five Major Patrol Teams happen to be short one Elder..."
Bai Zichen waved his hands repeatedly in refusal. "Senior Brother, you know I have a lazy disposition and am not suited for that position. Besides, I barely have enough time for my Cultivation as it is."
"If there were a more leisurely post, I would certainly be willing to join the Law Enforcement Hall."
The Law Enforcement Hall’s five patrol teams were each composed of one Steward, four managers, and one hundred and fifty Late-Stage Qi Refining disciples.
They rotated their assigned areas every six months and had the authority to investigate all matters, both inside and outside the Sect. Their power was immense.
But when Bai Zichen thought about constantly rushing around Black Mountain County, mediating disputes between Cultivation Families, hunting down Tribulation Cultivators, or killing rogue Tier Two Demon Beasts that had entered populated areas, he balked. This job involved running around all day, and it would seriously interfere with his Cultivation progress.
He wasn’t like those senior brothers who were stuck at a bottleneck, their Cultivation stagnant. For them, taking on a position wasn’t a waste of time; while accumulating Sect Contribution, they might even stumble upon a fortuitous encounter.
"Then how about the position of Inspector for the Law Enforcement Hall? You’d have no specific duties and would report only to me... You could launch independent investigations into any illegal activities."
Liang Yu shook his head with a wry smile, bringing up this long-vacant position.
"An Inspector for the Law Enforcement Hall? Excellent."
As soon as Bai Zichen heard the title, he knew it was a prestigious but idle position—the kind where you collect a salary without doing any work. It suited him perfectly.
"Oh, right, there’s one more thing. Junior Brother Wei came out of seclusion three days ago. He made another breakthrough and has now reached Foundation Establishment Perfection!"
Liang Yu’s tone was flat, as if he were recounting some trivial matter, but the slight twitch at the corner of his eye betrayed his inner turmoil.
’To be surpassed by a junior brother nearly fifty years younger than him...’ He was surely filled with mixed emotions.
But such was the path of the Great Dao. Those who started first weren’t guaranteed to finish, and those who had a smooth journey could stumble and never get back up.
"Then congratulations are in order for Senior Brother Wei."
Bai Zichen nodded lightly. Any Cultivator who could reach Foundation Establishment Perfection had already pushed the gate to Core Formation halfway open.
’I wonder how many years it will take me to reach that Realm.’
Thinking of the fifty thousand Sect Contribution Points he would soon receive, Bai Zichen felt more confident about shopping. He directly asked Senior Brother Liang if there were any Top-Grade Defensive Spiritual Artifacts or treasures specifically designed to defend against Spiritual Sense attacks available for redemption in the Sect.
He was told that the Qingfeng Sect certainly had treasures of that level, and quite a few of them.
However, they were all stored in the Secret Hall, alongside the relics left behind by past Core Formation True Men. One couldn’t hope to find them through normal redemption channels.
For example, during the last reclamation war, the Demon-Locking Divine Fire Drum that Wei Dao had activated was temporarily retrieved from the Secret Hall.
However, according to Qingfeng Sect rules, only the Sect Leader and the Five Hall Masters could enter the Secret Hall to select a treasure.
Alternatively, if an ordinary Elder performed a monumental deed that saved the Sect from peril, they could be granted an exception to enter the Secret Hall upon the unanimous agreement of the other Elders.
Bai Zichen sighed deeply. The feeling of having wealth but no way to spend it was excruciating.
He had already asked at the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. Mid-Grade Spiritual Artifacts were the best they had. Given the number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators in Black Mountain, sales for such high-end goods were limited.
If he made a special request, he would have to wait at least a year or two for a transfer from the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion Headquarters. Even then, the Top-Grade Spiritual Artifact that finally arrived might not be to his liking.
...
"You little rascal, you’ve been with me for a few years now, and you’re still just a Tier One Mid-Grade..."
Bai Zichen lifted Genggeng up in front of him. Aside from getting another layer of fat, his Spirit Beast hadn’t changed at all since he brought it back from the Ten Thousand Beasts Pavilion.
If not for the excellent reputation of the Spirit Beast Pavilion at the Ten Thousand Beasts Pavilion, he would have suspected they’d palmed him off with a defective, inferior Spirit Beast.
The muddled, adoring feelings it sent him consisted of nothing but ’cuddle’ and ’eat, eat, eat’.
According to reports from the disciples cultivating the Spiritual Bamboo, Genggeng’s greatest skill was its ability to effortlessly find the tenderest, most Spiritual Qi-rich stalk among tens of thousands of bamboo plants in the fastest possible time.
Then, it would wave its paws, dig away the soil, and drag the Spiritual Bamboo back to its little hut, where it would happily gnaw on it for an entire day.
"I really don’t know what kind of Tier Three Demon Beast bloodline you have to have ended up so lazy. Don’t tell me you’ll still be a Tier One Mid-Grade Spirit Beast when I’ve already reached Mid-Stage Foundation Establishment."
Bai Zichen sent a command, urging Genggeng to grow stronger and advance in tier as soon as possible. He had no idea if it understood.
Today was the day of Tong Huan’s formal apprenticeship ceremony. Bai Zichen didn’t make a big fuss; only a few of his own people from White Jade Tower were present.
The only outside guests were two neighbors who happened to be visiting: Zhou Suqing and Su Li.
"To have caught Junior Brother Bai’s eye and be accepted as an Inner Chamber Disciple, he must be a top-tier prodigy..."
Just as Luoo Qiuzhen had said, Zhou Suqing had already reached Late-Stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation, giving her the qualifications to compete for a position as one of the Five Hall Masters.
This Senior Sister Zhou, whom most people had looked down on, had imperceptibly joined the highest echelons of the Qingfeng Sect, second only to the Core Formation True Men.
"Hehe, he’s merely of average talent. I don’t deserve such praise, Senior Sister Zhou."
Bai Zichen looked slightly embarrassed and raised his teacup to hide it.
The Spirit Fields that Elder Tong had proposed to contract out had become his largest and most stable source of Spirit Stones.
The Dragon Tooth Rice seeds, moreover, had earned him fifty thousand Sect Contribution Points in one go.
That was nearly equivalent to the Sect’s Salary for an ordinary Elder over thirty or forty years.
Of course, this was related to Bai Zichen’s status and the terms Liang Yu had negotiated with Gu Xisheng. A different Elder might have only gotten ten or twenty thousand Contribution Points.
Given all this, he couldn’t even convince himself to keep Tong Huan as a mere Registered Disciple and not make him an official one.
’Later, I’ll use the Nine Yang Divine Fire Mirror to properly assess Tong Huan. I’ll do my best to let Elder Tong see his grandson reach Qi Refining Great Perfection before he closes his eyes for the last time.’
The auspicious time arrived. Lu Song led Tong Huan to the foot of the platform and let the boy approach on his own.
"Disciple Tong Huan pays his respects to Master."
Tong Huan’s face was beet red, clearly from nervousness.
"I, Huan, am fortunate across three lifetimes to become a disciple at White Jade Tower. From this day forward, I will honor my Master and the Dao, respect my peers and the wise, and never tarnish the reputation of my Master’s school."
"May Master’s grace be everlasting, and may your Great Dao flourish eternally."
After speaking, Tong Huan raised a scroll above his head. This was his apprenticeship gift.
"You are thoughtful... You are my first disciple. I don’t have many other rules. From now on, just remember your original purpose for pursuing the Dao and be sure to respect your home and roots."
With a wave of his hand, Bai Zichen helped Tong Huan up, and the scroll fell into his grasp.
He opened it and saw several large characters: "Tong Clan’s Insights into Spirit Plants." The ink was still fresh.
He glanced at Elder Tong below the platform. The old man’s eyes were brimming with hot tears as he stared intently at Tong Huan’s back.
His dream had been realized, and he was overcome with emotion.
He knew this scroll was Elder Tong’s life’s work. It could be considered the legacy of a Tier Two Spirit Plant Master, something incredibly precious.
Out in the world, it was a treasure that a Loose Cultivator Clan would depend on to pass down through generations.
"This Ink Bamboo Sword was my first Magical Artifact. As your master, I am gifting it to you... As for the way of the Flying Sword, there’s no need to be hasty. I will teach you once you have a certain foundation in your Cultivation."
Bai Zichen took the Ink Bamboo Sword from his storage bag and slowly presented it to Tong Huan.
Tong Huan was twelve years old this year and at the Qi Refining Third Layer.
Considering his circumstances, this cultivation speed was a bit slow.
Regardless of his reasons for taking a disciple, now that Tong Huan was officially his, Bai Zichen felt a flicker of a master’s responsibility. He decided he should still set aside some time to personally guide him.
He couldn’t just dump all the teaching and guidance work on Lu Song.
"Thank you, Master, for the sword!"
Tong Huan gripped the Ink Bamboo Sword tightly, knelt again in excitement, and kowtowed three times.
The two guests observing the ceremony couldn’t very well offer nothing.
Su Li gave him a Tier Two Low-Grade Talisman, while Zhou Suqing offered up a heart-shaped Jade Pendant. It was a Top-Grade Magical Artifact that would automatically activate when attacked, creating twelve Shields of Light that required no Magical Power to maintain.
For a disciple with low Cultivation, this Magical Artifact was quite suitable.
After the apprenticeship ceremony, the three of them moved to a side hall, and fresh tea was served.
"Senior Sister Zhou, Junior Brother Su, what brings you both to my White Jade Tower together?"
Bai Zichen certainly didn’t believe they had just run into each other on the road and decided to visit together.
"Some days ago, I went out in search of a few types of Spirit Grass and discovered an ore vein about seven hundred li north of Feiyue Lake..."
Although Zhou Suqing had the appearance of an old woman, her voice was as crisp and clear as a young girl’s.
It turned out she had found a place she suspected contained an ore vein. Worried that it might be guarded by a Demon Beast, and lacking confidence in her own combat abilities, Zhou Suqing had thought it over and sought out Su Li, an old acquaintance, hoping to convince him to explore it with her.
Su Li didn’t refuse but suggested that, to be on the safe side, they should invite Bai Zichen to join their team.
And that was why the two of them had arrived at White Jade Tower together today.
