World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 451: Wang Shengs Cultivation Dilemma

Mu Wanxuan and Chi Wen had yet to find a cook, and Jingyun was nowhere to be found, though she was probably out looking for servants.

Wang Sheng, on the other hand, had finished his assigned tasks right on time. He led the six new sect members on a short tour around the sect, then went straight to the Great Pure Yang Palace to pay respects to the sect master.

Noticing that the six were still bubbling with excitement, Qing Yanzi instructed Wang Sheng to arrange their accommodations and have them wait for the inaugural ceremony, which was when they would formally join the Pure Yang Sword Faction.

Over the past half month, several Daoist masters and elders who were acquainted with Qing Yanzi had come to ask about the Pure Yang Sword Faction's disciple recruitment. He had always given the same answer: new disciples would only be accepted once the ceremony was done.

When Qing Yanzi refused to open any back doors, the Daoist masters and elders who had intended to recommend their relatives or friends all expressed understanding. After all, becoming Mu Wanxuan and Wang Sheng's junior brothers and sisters was no small matter.

Having paid their respects to the sect master, the six were finally considered formal members of the Pure Yang Sword Faction. The lack of ceremony made them feel a little dreamy and strange, though.

"This way, everyone." Wang Sheng led them out of the great palace. They passed the main hall and the sword training grounds before finally reaching a row of elegant houses.

Casting a glance over the six, Wang Sheng took out six Crane-Spirit Treasure Pouches, which had been prepared in advance, from the pendant hanging from his neck. Each contained Spirit Stones, alchemical pills, talismans suitable for Golden Core Realm cultivators, and two basic sword art manuals that had Wang Sheng's handwritten notes. Had the sect rules already been written, a copy would have been included as well.

This was their welcoming gift pack.

With a push of his left hand, the Crane-Spirit Treasure Pouches drifted slowly toward the six new members.

Wang Sheng smiled. "Without rules, everything would eventually fall. Before we can set rules, though, we need to settle seniority. Since we're all of similar age, let's address each other as senior or junior brothers and sisters. What do you think?"

"Uh..." Hua Jinwei scratched his head. "Suddenly calling you 'Senior Brother' feels a bit strange."

Two female cultivators standing nearby exclaimed in unison, "Senior Brother Wang!"

Still smiling, Wang Sheng nodded. Off-heritage sect members were different from formal disciples. Though off-heritage sect members could call him "Senior Brother Wang," his master's future disciples would have to call him "Second Senior Brother."

The two forms of address had different senses of closeness.

Wang Sheng explained, "In our sword sect, my master and senior sister need no introduction. The vice sect master is Elder Jingyun, who is also the master of my master's only daughter. They used to cultivate together, too."

The six smiled politely as they listened attentively.

"I believe you've all heard of my senior sister. She prefers quiet simplicity. Senior Xi Lian, whom you've already met, is also one of our two other elders. Not only has she already purified her devilish seed, but she's also a Grand Immortal-Ascension Realm cultivator. She's a bit eccentric, though, and will probably tease you from time to time."

"Grand Immortal-Ascension Realm..." Qinglan, the only Golden Core Realm cultivator among the six, could only sigh in admiration.

Wang Sheng cleared his throat. "Xiaomiao, the young girl who was sitting beside me earlier today, is the other elder. She's also my younger sister. You're probably wondering how she got that position. Honestly, I'm wondering the same thing. Somehow, she managed to outrank her own brother."

That earned a few chuckles.

Wang Sheng's tone then turned serious. "Xiaomiao was appointed as elder because of her master's rather special identity. When the time is right, you'll come to learn many secrets of our sect.

"The path of cultivation is long and fraught with dangers. You have all once risked your lives to save others or fight corrupt cultivators. Those are the very qualities that the Pure Yang Sword Faction values most.

"Our sect is in the southwestern frontier of the Hua Republic. Beyond the southern border lies the southern borderlands, where corrupt cultivators may yet rise from the ashes."

The six turned solemn, their smiles fading into determination.

Wang Sheng smiled deep down. Xiaomiao's suggestion had been right; external pressure truly fostered unity within. Noticing his words taking effect, he offered a few more words of encouragement and then told them to pick their own lodgings.

The days before and after the ceremony would be busy. However, once things had settled, they could return home briefly to inform their families and friends about their new sect.

Wang Sheng waited for the six to each choose a house, then lightly drifted away. By now, the mountain already had electricity, water, and decent internet speed. Life here was convenient, and the density of primal qi was slightly higher than in the lowlands.

After the six entered their rooms, Wang Sheng used his spiritual perception to check on them. They all picked up their phone and made a call. Hua Jinwei, who was more outgoing, even bounced around in his room. He then collapsed on his bed and hugged his blanket.

I guess that's normal for young people like him.

The two female cultivators began rearranging decorations. Meanwhile, the other three men examined every corner, opened the storage pouches that Wang Sheng had given them, and exclaimed in admiration.

"Running a sect sure is difficult." Wang Sheng sighed softly. He then headed to the main palace to report the six's backgrounds to his master.

Though night had fallen, Jingyun, Mu Wanxuan, and Chi Wen still hadn't returned. Feeling a little concerned, Wang Sheng had Xiaomiao call to check on them.

Apparently, the three had already met up, found a cook, and even hired two servants. The cook, a woman called Xiang, happened to be one of the servants' mothers.

Mu Wanxuan and Chi Wen spent the whole day searching. They even ended up eating at seven to eight different restaurants. Eventually, they found the mother-daughter duo running a food truck in a city more than six hundred li away.

When Mu Wanxuan tried the fast food that Xiang had made, her eyes immediately lit up. She asked Chi Wen to buy one of every dish from the truck, and after tasting them all, she quickly concluded that Xiang was the cook that their Pure Yang Sword Faction had been looking for.

Xiang was already over fifty. Qi Luoluo, her daughter, was a sixteen-year-old or seventeen-year-old Spirit Convergence Realm cultivator. She had ordinary aptitude, and she wasn't particularly clever, but she was fast-handed and efficient in her work.

The two made a living off their food truck. Since they weren't doing too badly in life, Xiang initially refused Mu Wanxuan and Chi Wen's offer to hire them as cooks on the mountain.

Helpless, Mu Wanxuan had to call for help. Jingyun joined the persuasion effort.

Xiang was convinced that with the Universal Cultivation Method now widespread, she wasn't too old to start over. Once her daughter married, she could still live out a peaceful second life.

However, Jingyun offered a condition neither the mother nor the daughter could refuse.

Money.

Mu Wanxuan and Chi Wen had not paid much attention to it since it no longer meant much to them. Meanwhile, Jingyun rarely left the mountains, but she had more life experience. After asking about their monthly income from the food truck, she offered them double the amount. She even transferred half a year's salary to Xiang in advance to ease their worries.

Besides, the work of cooks and servants would not be too tiring since the mountain was quiet and clean. Aside from monthly pay, they would also receive Spirit Stones and alchemical pills, both of which could be sold for a good price.

Xiang immediately agreed. She and her daughter packed their belongings, left the food truck to a relative, and prepared to move up the mountain to serve the Pure Yang Sword Faction.

The Pure Yang Sword Faction naturally didn't lack funds. In fact, Qing Yanzi was extravagantly wealthy. After years of running errands for the authorities, he had earned plenty of rewards, many of which were nothing more than large sums of meaningless numbers.

Jingyun was to be the Pure Yang Sword Faction's head of finance. Qing Yanzi had already turned his own finances into the faction's account and handed them over to Jingyun to manage.

The other attendant was a middle-aged Daoist whom Jingyun had found on the Zhongnan Mountains. He was a somewhat downcast man whose Illusory Core had been destroyed years ago in a battle against a corrupt cultivator.

Through the recommendation of another Daoist elder, he became an attendant of the Pure Yang Sword Faction, earning a salary of Spirit Stones and alchemical pills. It was far better than his difficult life in the Zhongnan Mountains.

Wang Sheng rested for a while in the main palace. As the night deepened, several figures hurried back.

He met the cheerful Xiang, who had a fair and slightly plump face. She greeted everyone warmly. Unlike her, her daughter was nervous and quiet, her gaze constantly bouncing from one immortal to another.

The middle-aged Daoist master had deliberately changed out of his Daoist robe and into a worn sports outfit. His smile was stiff, his eyes filled with weariness and loss.

Their first recruitment effort had gone smoothly.

Chi Wen went to arrange the accommodations for their three new "non-staff members." Their quarters were near the kitchen, in a small courtyard that was perhaps a bit too carefully arranged.

In the main palace, Qing Yanzi gathered everyone for a meeting. He read out the newly completed sect rules, let everyone discuss them for a while, and then brought up the disciple recruitment matter.

All their prior efforts in establishing the Pure Yang Sword Faction were meant to revive the Daoist heritage of their forefather. Now that they had finished all preparations, their future disciples would be able to cultivate with peace of mind.

All that was left was actually choosing who to recruit.

"I've already spread the word," Qing Yanzi said. "After the inaugural ceremony, we'll start accepting new disciples. Tomorrow, the announcement will be officially posted on the Righteous-Qi Alliance website. I've already contacted its admin."

He took a sip from his thermal cup before continuing.

"Pulling strings during the recruitment is strictly prohibited. Regardless of their history or family background, we won't show favoritism. We'll only accept those with good temperament, character, and aptitude. The oldest we'll accept is sixteen, and the youngest eight... or seven."

"How many disciples will you accept, Master?" Wang Sheng asked.

Qing Yanzi smiled. "Well, actually, I think it's better if you take them, Little Sheng. If you don't want to, though, I won't insist. Choose at least three, but no more than five. Our principle will be quality over quantity. This way, we can devote our resources and attention where they count. It's better to train one cultivator capable of overcoming heavenly tribulation than a hundred stuck at the Heavenly Abode Realm.

"By the way, Little Sheng, when are you planning to advance to the Tribulation Realm? It should be soon, right?"

"I want to stabilize my cultivation for another year or two," Wang Sheng replied helplessly. "Actually, Master, I have a cultivation problem I have to solve."

"Oh?"

Qing Yanzi's interest was immediately piqued. Mu Wanxuan, who had been quietly listening to the two, and the three elders all looked at Wang Sheng.

"What problem?"

Wang Sheng sighed. "The heavenly tribulation is too weak. During the Immortal Dao Conference, I deliberately triggered and entered the heavenly tribulation of an ancient Tribulation Realm cultivator. Unfortunately, even with its strength doubled, it had no effect on me.

"At this rate, I could pass the tribulation safely, but it wouldn't be able to properly refine my Primordial Spirit. I might face countless bottlenecks once I become an immortal because of it, too. That's why Yaoyun and I have been trying to figure out how to make my Tribulation Realm's heavenly tribulation strong enough to actually threaten my Primordial Spirit."

Everyone pressed their hands to their foreheads. Even Mu Wanxuan rolled her eyes, clearly at a loss for words over her junior brother's "problem."