I Have A Cultivation World Chapter 2355 - 1063:

The entry requirements for the Five Elements Sect are incredibly steep.

A Rank-2 certification in one of the Hundred Arts of Cultivation is the bare minimum required. Furthermore, this is not a standard certification recognized throughout the Eastern Continent, but a rigorous evaluation conducted by the Five Elements Sect itself, matching the high standards of the Immortal Gate.

Nevertheless, such a high bar has not deterred certain ambitious loose cultivators.

At present, the Five Elements Sect only recruits Foundation Establishment loose cultivators on an occasional basis, issuing recruitment notices only when specific vacancies arise within the sect.

While the population of Foundation Establishment practitioners has surged like a volcanic eruption, Core Formation cultivators remain exceptionally rare and valuable.

Including heterodox Golden Core cultivators and those from East Wu and the East Barbarians who have sworn fealty, the Five Elements Sect currently possesses a total of sixty-eight.

Based on a one-tenth ratio, seven Golden Core cultivators were required for the task.

However, with a decisive wave of his hand, Chen Mobai appointed ten directly.

This was precisely the number needed for two units of Five Elements Dao Soldiers, supplemented by two hundred Foundation Establishment and twenty thousand Qi Cultivation disciples, perfectly meeting the requirements of the Dao Morale Sect’s Reclamation Order.

Once the news was made public, however, the number of individuals eager to join grew beyond expectations.

“Junior Brother, the sect’s population has been expanding rapidly these past few years. Life isn't as simple as it once was. Those seeking Foundation Establishment or Golden Elixir Spiritual Medicine realize they must work harder for it.”

With a look of satisfaction, Zhou Shengqing handed a thick stack of rosters to Chen Mobai.

Back in the days of the Divine Wood Sect, he never imagined he would one day oversee such a vast number of disciples.

Scanning the rosters, Chen Mobai noted that many heterodox Golden Core cultivators within the Five Elements Sect were eager to join this reclamation effort.

Though they are ranked as Core Formation, heterodox Golden Cores are not viewed as true Core Formation cultivators within the sect hierarchy; their benefits are only slightly superior to those at the Foundation Establishment level.

Consequently, they all desire to advance. However, in the current climate for securing Core Formation resources, they lack the absolute desperation shown by Tan Rong. They hope instead to amass enough sect contribution points through this reclamation to trade for a Golden Liquid Jade Pill.

In previous consultations with Zhou Shengqing and others, Chen Mobai had only confirmed the participation of Ban Zhaodan, Zhou Wangshen, Luo Yixuan, Han Zhiling, and Green Pearl.

These five possess strong connections. Upon learning that Chen Mobai would be leading in person, Zhou Ye even dispatched the well-protected Green Pearl. He hoped that by following the Sect Leader, she could gain prestige that might eventually help her secure Nascent Soul Formation resources from the sect.

What Zhou Ye envisioned, others had considered as well.

Thus, those with influence mobilized their entire networks to secure a spot.

Zhou Shengqing, based in Northern Abyss City, became the focal point for many such requests, all of which he redirected to Chen Mobai.

“I will choose five additional Golden Core cultivators then. As for the surplus of Foundation Establishment and Qi Cultivation applicants, let E Yun deal with them.”

After a brief look, Chen Mobai summoned E Yun, the Acting Sect Leader. E Yun nodded and accepted the list after receiving his instructions.

“Sect Leader, there is one more matter. Traditionally, a Reclamation Order is distributed down through the ranks. Should we mandate that our vassal families in East Wu, the East Barbarians, and the Eastern Wilderness provide a portion of the manpower?”

E Yun raised a point that Chen Mobai had overlooked.

The Dao Morale Sect demanded one-tenth of the Five Elements Sect's manpower, but local custom dictated that such burdens be shared with subordinates. This was how the East Wu alliance handled the defense against the Yun Meng Ze monsters previously.

“Very well, we shall follow custom. Have the East Wu families provide three thousand men, the major forces of the Eastern Wilderness provide three thousand, and the East Barbarians provide another three thousand.”

While Chen Mobai suspected the Five Elements Sect could have filled these spots internally, he was mindful that war always brings death, even with him leading the charge.

By utilizing vassal manpower, fewer of his direct disciples would have to fall in battle.

Furthermore, this reclamation represents a rare path for advancement for those under the Five Elements Sect's banner.

Should a "child of fate" seize this chance, they might rise to become an Ascension Superpower like Yi Yuan True Monarch, transforming from a mere Pioneer Cultivator into a figure of immense power.

If the Five Elements Sect monopolized every slot, it might benefit smaller forces, but it would certainly cause resentment among the Golden Core level powers.

After all, human ambition knows no bounds.

While the Five Elements Sect occasionally sells Golden Elixir Spiritual Medicine, it has always hoarded Foundation Establishment resources for its own use, never allowing them to circulate externally.

The Golden Core cultivators of East Wu, the East Barbarians, and the Eastern Wilderness are envious as they watch Nascent Soul Cultivators emerge one after another from the Five Elements Sect. they believe that with the same resources, they could achieve equal success.

To motivate the major sects of the Eastern Continent, the Holy Land is willing to offer various rare treasures during the reclamation.

These include the Sacred Spirit Pill for Divinity Transformation, the Coagulation Infant Pill for Nascent Soul Formation, and even Spirit Ice Profound Liquid and Sunfire Liquid for Core Formation.

To Chen Mobai, only the Communicating Holy Spirit Pill held any real appeal.

But for other Golden Core elders, this was likely their best opportunity to secure Foundation Establishment resources.

After telling E Yun that the requirement was not mandatory, Chen Mobai went to inspect the newest warship built by the Eastern Wilderness arsenal.

Given Sheng Zhaoxi’s current mastery, she could not yet construct a Star Space Battleship in the Eastern Wilderness. However, by utilizing Treasure Ship technology provided by East Wu, she developed this Five Elements Warship model.

The fleet consisted of five Rank-4, twenty-five Rank-3, and five hundred Rank-2 vessels.

These Rank-4 ships were classified as such in a general sense.

This meant they could exert power comparable to Rank-4, much like the elite Treasure Ships of the Sun family in East Wu.

In Chen Mobai’s estimation, however, they were still only at the peak of the Third Rank.

Regardless, Sheng Zhaoxi had done an admirable job producing them.

Chen Mobai was already considering rewarding her with a recently acquired piece of Rank-5 Sea Soul Agate.

“I shall lead the first contingent to Dongling Immortal City...”

Following his inspection of the Five Elements Warship fleet—a project Sheng Zhaoxi had labored over for decades—Chen Mobai ordered the ten thousand cultivators assembled at Northern Abyss City to begin boarding.

He appointed his grand-disciple, Duan Shuyu, as the chief commander for this expedition.

Duan Shuyu had already demonstrated his tactical brilliance during the previous conflict with the Wild Sea Demons at East Wu.

Chen Mobai, recognizing his talent, decided to bring him along once more.

Joining them was Jin Ling’er, another practitioner of the White Emperor Military Formation Scripture. Since active warfare environments aided her cultivation progress, Chen Mobai summoned her as well.

“Master!”

Luo Yixuan, who had been away for some time, arrived in haste from the East Barbarians after receiving her summons. Her eyes brightened with joy at the sight of Chen Mobai.

“Come, it is time to depart.”

Pleased to see his third disciple again, Chen Mobai gestured for her to join him on the vessel.

Then, under the admiring gazes of the Northern Abyss City cultivators, a Rank-4 fiery red Treasure Ship erupted with spiritual radiance. Leading a massive fleet of Rank-3 and Rank-2 ships, it resembled a vast, burning cloud that set the horizon aglow as it sped toward the east.

...East Li.

A towering figure in black robes, with gaunt features and eyes burning with white flames, stood suspended in the sky. He looked down upon the spirit veins currently held by the Holy Lands of the Eastern Continent.

“Soon, all of this shall be ours once again.”

Diao Xianlan stood beside the black-robed man as she spoke. Surrounding them were several other shadowed, demonic figures.

Each was a Nascent Soul cultivator from the most prominent Demon Path sects in the Eastern Continent.

Yet, in this moment, they all stood behind the man in black, their expressions filled with profound deference.