Chapter 180

Chapter 180: A Scarcity of Teaching Staff

You You was truly busy this time, not just due to the daily tasks that piled up during their time in the upper realm, but also because of the broader development challenges facing the Zhen Yan Sect. Since the last Immortal Sect Competition, the sect had risen to join the ranks of first-rate immortal sects. The prestige of Zhen Yan Sect reached new heights, especially after the Qiu Yao incident.

It was no exaggeration to say the sect was quietly emerging as a leader among immortal sects. But did they truly have the strength to match this status? In You You’s opinion, they did not.

While Feng Rong and Yuan Qi, as members of the Divine Clan, could overpower any high-level cultivator from other sects, the overall strength of the disciples remained lacking. Shui Yan and others were formidable, but only at the Golden Core level.

In terms of high-level cultivators, Zhen Yan Sect had fewer than five, including Feng Qi, who had recently advanced to the next stage. Their God Transformation Stage cultivators were virtually nonexistent—a stark contrast to other first-rate sects, which boasted at least five God Transformation Cultivators.

Though Shui Yan and the others had the qualifications to break through to the God Transformation Stage eventually, the sect currently faced an awkward gap: they had top-tier experts and talented juniors, but few mid-tier disciples.

More critically, educational resources were stretched thin. While Qiu Zhang’s presence seemed sufficient on the surface, he specialized solely in sword and weaponry cultivation. Other disciplines struggled.

For Alchemy Masters, Kui Bi could teach up to the seventh tier, but beyond that, he relied on trial and error. The sect possessed many alchemy manuals and methods from the Qiu Zhang Technique, but lacking a proper mentor hindered progress.

Yuan Qi excelled in formations, but his Divine Clan methods differed from those of ordinary cultivators. He could teach basics but not advanced techniques.

The only bright spot was Spellcasters, thanks to Nie Zheng’s return. His mastery of multiple disciplines made him an ideal teacher.

The worst shortages were among Talisman Masters and Beast Tamers. Talisman Masters were left unsupervised, with Ling Qi—the highest-level practitioner—too busy as sect administrator to teach. Though the Yuan Family had provided ample talisman manuals, the lack of instructors remained.

Beast Tamers fared even worse. Few disciples pursued this path, and those who did relied on Wen Ze, the “little monster,” to experiment with guardian beasts. Without a systematic training framework, most guardian beasts were simply caught by Wen Ze.

While these issues weren’t urgent, they’d spell trouble long-term.

Ling Qi sighed. “If only we could find more ruins like Master Qiu Zhang’s… Maybe recover a few residual souls?”

“Ruins aren’t common!” Feng Rong scoffed. “The Feng Family spent years locating Qiu Zhang’s ruins alone.”

“True,” You You agreed. “Not everyone’s like Qiu Zhang, hiding cultivation techniques for ten thousand years.”

Qiu Zhang: “…”

“We need another plan,” You You said. “For now, Beast Tamers and Talisman Masters are the priority. Ling Qi, are there any high-level loose cultivators like Kui Bi who could teach?”

“Most high-level cultivators join sects,” Ling Qi replied. “If only elders from other sects would teach here…”

You You’s eyes lit up. “Why not start an exchange program? Swap teachers or disciples between sects temporarily. Like a… student exchange.”

Ling Qi brightened. “Brilliant! No conflicts over recruitment, and our disciples gain teachers!”

“But will outsiders teach sincerely?” Feng Rong countered. “Other sects favor elite disciples. Even their own disciples get half-hearted instruction, let alone outsiders.”

Yuan Qi nodded. “Unless we offer something they desperately want.”

“What if we do?” You You paused. “Ling Qi, why does the Qiu Zhang Technique remain popular despite multiple editions?”

“Because it’s a top-tier technique…”

“No. Because it keeps improving. Once you learn one version, you crave the next. Its growth potential drives demand.”

“But how does this help find teachers?”

You You smiled. “What if all Zhen Yan Sect’s techniques could update like the Qiu Zhang Technique?”

Ling Qi’s eyes widened. “I see! They’ll return endlessly for updates!” He bowed hastily. “I’ll arrange it at once!”