Chapter 104
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Chapter 104: Opening the Sect and Recruiting Disciples
With teaching materials settled, the Zhen Yan Sect needed to focus on recruiting disciples. As this marked the first Selection since the sect’s founding, they had to quickly establish standards for future admissions.
"Sect master," Ling Qi reported, "When we first established our sect, Fengtian Kingdom requested our Opening. Though neighboring countries later followed, fewer than ten nations qualify – all small with sparse populations. Since no immortal sects exist nearby, they hope we’ll recruit disciples. But even among these, few outstanding candidates come from prominent families. We’ll likely need loose cultivators…"
"Wait!" You You interrupted. "Why focus only on prominent families? What about ordinary people?"
The advisors exchanged glances. Feng Yu explained, "Sect master, prominent families traditionally produce cultivation talents. Others… mostly strange people…"
"Many of our brothers are strange people!" You You countered. "If noble families lack talent, shouldn’t we seek among countless strange people? Their numbers guarantee more qualified candidates!"
"This breaks tradition!" Feng Yu protested. "No immortal sect recruits strange people openly. Even ordinary folk scorn them. If we…"
"Let them scorn!" You You slammed her desk. "Should we reject talent because of others’ prejudice? In Zhen Yan Sect, all disciples are brothers sharing life and death! Our strange brothers outperform others – tell me one who’s inferior!"
Silence fell. They recalled Lin Feng’s group – former warriors progressing faster in cultivation than noble-born disciples.
"But other sects…" Feng Yu hesitated.
"Since when do we care about gossip?" You You retorted. "Sect strength depends on power, not opinions! Would avoiding strange people make them respect us? Remember how they dismissed us after we destroyed the den of evil?"
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the room.
"True strength silences mockery," You You declared. "When we’re powerful enough, their disdain becomes envy they must swallow!"
Feng Yu: "…"
Ling Qi: "…"
Others: "…"
Why did this flawed logic make perfect sense?
●﹏●
Their insecurity stemmed from weak cultivation levels. If they possessed six God Transformation Cultivators like first-rate immortal sects, nobody would dare disrespect them.
"You’re right!" Ling Qi conceded. "Talent matters, not background. I’ll notify all kingdoms – we accept any qualified candidate."
"Spread the message wider," You You added, recalling Lin Feng’s past struggles. "Have traveling disciples recommend talents directly. Announce our Selection date publicly."
"But the numbers…" Ling Qi worried about overcrowding.
"Set age/health limits." You You turned to Yuan Qi. "Can you create meadow formations filtering unqualified candidates?"
"Easily done." Yuan Qi smiled.
"Great! Qiu Zhang knows Selection methods from legacy ruins. Ling Qi, work with him to design safe trials."
Within weeks, news of Zhen Yan Sect’s first disciple Selection spread through neighboring kingdoms.
Ling Qi and Qiu Zhang spent a month devising trials, requiring complex formations only completed with Yuan Qi’s help.
You You expected crowds, but gasped at the meadow’s sea of applicants on Selection Day.
"So many! It’s like spring festival travel rush!"
"These passed initial screening," Ling Qi clarified. "Others got rejected by age/health checks. Some camped here for weeks despite warnings."
"Sect master," Ling Qi gestured at the glowing formation. "Begin?"
You You nodded. Ling Qi’s hand seals activated the protective mountain formation, golden light parting to reveal the ascent path.
