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Human Sacrifice
In the Azure Cloud Sect, there are fewer than a thousand Inner Sect Disciples, yet the competition is even more intense.
Within the Inner Sect, there exists a Dragon-Tiger List, where only the top ten Inner Sect Disciples are recognized.
Those who make it onto the Dragon-Tiger List are the cream of the crop, serving as reserves for cultivating future successors of the Sect.
Disciples who enter the Dragon-Tiger List receive a Taoist Artifact bestowed by the sect. The Elder of the Qingyun Sect will select outstanding disciples to pass on their teachings, and they can access nearly unlimited sect resources as long as it aids in their cultivation; the sect will bear the costs.
Newly admitted Inner Sect Disciples receive ten Qi Gathering Pills and one Foundation Pill. Qi Gathering Pills are the most consumed elixirs in any sect, condensing the essence of plants and replenishing Dao Qi within the body. They are essential treasures. Before reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage, Qi Gathering Pills also enhance cultivation; however, after this stage, their effectiveness significantly decreases, though they still serve well to replenish Dao Qi.
As for the Foundation Pill, its potency exceeds that of Qi Gathering Pills by over a hundred times, and its medicinal effects disperse much faster within the body. This is why Foundation Pills are used by those from the Purple Qi Coming from the East Realm to break through bottlenecks. Typically, when consuming a Foundation Pill to break through a bottleneck, an elder must be present to guard; otherwise, those with weak Meridians risk rupturing blood vessels and dying.
After receiving my elixirs, robes, and some miscellaneous items, I was led by the Manager to a place known as the Disciples' Quarters.
Upon seeing the Disciples' Quarters, I couldn't help but express my delight. "I didn't expect the living conditions for Inner Sect Disciples to be so good; it's at least ten times better than in the Outer Sect."
Although this Disciples' Quarters isn't an independent courtyard, it is indeed built in a Siheyuan style—ancient and elegant. In the center stands a large incense burner surrounded by flower pots, creating a culturally rich atmosphere that is serene and graceful—not too cold nor too lively.
The Young Steward smiled at my words and said, "If you could enter the Dragon-Tiger List, you would understand what a truly good residence is like. Each of them has their own Cave on the mountain. The Inner Sect values strength above all; as long as you don't kill anyone, your words carry weight if your fists are strong."
"Here we go again," I shook my head. Various sects employ all sorts of methods to stimulate their disciples' cultivation progress, even encouraging real combat. Sometimes they turn a blind eye if someone accidentally kills another.
At times, in order to cultivate talent within the sect, they might have other disciples serve as practice partners because sending talented disciples into deep mountains for trials poses unpredictable dangers that could lead to significant losses for the sect.
The prosperity and strength of a sect cannot be upheld by just one person; however, a powerful sect must have someone capable of supporting its prestige.
The Young Steward said, "I forgot to remind you that every month, every Inner Sect Disciple must participate in a challenge. Those who do not voluntarily sign up will be randomly assigned to compete with someone else."
"What if I happen to draw someone from the Dragon-Tiger List? Wouldn't that mean I have to challenge them?" I asked.
The Young Steward nodded and replied, "Usually, that's how it works. Being drawn against a master from the Dragon-Tiger List is actually an honor because those on the list are core disciples of the Inner Sect. As long as you clean their Cave, it's worth it. People like the Sword Princess and Senior Brother Song Qianqiu are highly sought after; everyone wants to be drawn by them. If you're fortunate enough to receive their guidance, your skills will surely improve."
"What level of strength do they possess?" I inquired.
The Young Steward explained, "It seems that only the person ranked tenth on the Dragon-Tiger List is at the late Foundation Establishment Realm; the others have likely entered the Divine Transformation Realm."
"Is it really that high?" I was somewhat surprised. I had thought my current strength placed me among the stronger individuals in the Inner Sect, but it turned out I was at the bottom.
The Young Steward nodded again and said, "Your current cultivation fluctuation is at the early Foundation Establishment Stage. But don't worry; with good luck, you could reach the late stage in three to five years. After that, you'll face a bottleneck for about three years, but you should definitely enter the Divine Transformation Realm before you turn thirty."
Looking at the Young Steward's serious expression, I guessed he was trying to encourage me by shortening my timeline.
The Young Steward continued, "By the way, every month, those who lose in the challenges will have to participate in labor within the Inner Sect—like sweeping floors, mopping, moving things, chopping wood, boiling water, and cleaning the dormitories of senior brothers and sisters."
"The Outer Sect doesn't have these rules; why does the Inner Sect?" I asked.
The Young Steward replied, "Taoist practitioners usually care about their reputation. The sect does this to cultivate individuals who can endure hardship and adapt. Those who feel ashamed should work harder on their cultivation. Now that I've covered everything important, aside from new disciples brought back by elders, it's been a long time since anyone has transitioned from the Outer Sect to the Inner Sect. Tomorrow morning, we still need to hold your Initiation Ceremony."
"Initiation Ceremony?" I hadn't expected there would be such a procedure.
The young Manager said, "It's really just a formality; as long as you're present, it's fine. It's quite different from a true apprenticeship ceremony. You need to go to the Inner Hall tomorrow morning—don't be late."
"Understood, thank you for the information, Senior Brother Manager," I said to the Young Steward as I watched him leave.
After the Young Steward departed, I pushed open the door to my room. The furnishings inside were simple yet not shabby, all crafted according to Taoist temple standards. In fact, I was quite satisfied living in such a room; it was far better than the one I had at Futu Ridge's house.
In the evening, I stepped out of my room and noticed three young disciples entering from outside the courtyard. Seeing me standing in the middle of the yard, one of them asked, "Who are you?"
I replied, "Brothers, I'm new here. My name is Yang Hao."
"New? Did the Elder bring you in from the secular world, or are you a recently promoted disciple from the Outer Sect?" one of the youths inquired.
"Definitely a recently promoted disciple from the Outer Sect. If he were truly talented, he wouldn't be living with us. Besides, didn't all those who were in the Outer Sect Top Ten already die? Even most of the top one hundred are gone. How could someone enter the Inner Sect so quickly?" another youth remarked.
I said, "I am indeed a newly promoted disciple from the Outer Sect. I'm not familiar with many of the rules of the Inner Sect, so I hope you brothers can take care of me."
The three young men exchanged glances and said, "Not knowing the rules is easy to handle. We'll take care of you since we're all fellow disciples. But it depends on whether you know how to get along with others."
"I'm not quite sure what you mean," I admitted honestly, as I really didn't have much wealth.
The leader of the group said, "You just reported to the Inner Sect today, right? You received ten Qi Gathering Pills; give us two each and you'll still have four left. Once your cultivation reaches the Foundation Establishment Realm, Qi Gathering Pills won't be very useful anymore."
"Oh, so it's Qi Gathering Pills. That's good," I said as I took out the pills and distributed two to each of them.
Joy spread across their faces. The leader patted my shoulder and said, "Life in the Inner Sect is different from that in the Outer Sect. Life in the Outer Sect can be dull, but here in the Inner Sect, if you want to enjoy yourself, you can live quite freely. Tonight we should head to the Inner Sect cafeteria; there's a place that specializes in barbecued meat. We can eat barbecue while drinking and chatting all year round."
I hadn't expected life in the Inner Sect to be so carefree with places for drinking and barbecuing. I didn't take their attempt at extortion to heart but instead decided to step outside and look around.
After a long detour, I finally realized that my residence was located at the lowest point of the Inner Sect. It wasn't situated on the main peak of Azure Cloud Mountain, and the Inner Hall was not a place for the sect's higher-ups to discuss important matters; it was merely an office for managing the Inner Sect Disciples.
The true palace of Azure Cloud Mountain was the Azure Cloud Palace, located on its main peak. The higher-ups of the sect resided there, while the core disciples listed on the Dragon-Tiger List lived on the surrounding mountains of the main peak, each having their own mountain and cave, with caretakers attending to their daily needs.
I had gained a rough understanding of the situation in the Inner Sect. As the moon began to rise, I returned to my residence. The three young men living in the Siheyuan with me expressed their grievances upon my return and dragged me to the Inner Sect cafeteria.
Upon arriving at the cafeteria, the leader of the group called for everyone to sit down. He pointed at me and announced loudly, "This is our new brother who just advanced from the Outer Sect. Everyone sit down and order whatever you want!"
A cheer erupted from the crowd, and I took a seat as well, calculating how much money I had left. After joining the Daoist Sect, I hadn't paid much attention to financial matters. However, during my time in the Outer Sect, I hadn't spent much either. Plus, I had saved up some money in the Water Storage Room, so I should be able to afford a meal of grilled meat.
From time to time, people raised their glasses to toast me. Some newcomers offered polite words of encouragement. Among them was a bald man known by the nickname Iron Monk.
After several rounds of drinks and as everyone had nearly finished eating, I paid for my meal with Silver Coins and prepared to bid farewell to everyone as I followed my three roommates back to our Siheyuan.
However, they stopped me and said, "Don't you know about the rules for paying respects to the boss?"
Seeing that I didn't respond, the young man who brought me here nudged me and said, "Foundation Pill."
I smiled lightly; I hadn't expected that even in the Inner Sect they had such customs. "Sorry, but I have no intention of paying respects to anyone."
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