Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 2201 - 1570: Emergence from Seclusion (2)

His true identity remained concealed. Even his current guise was a fabrication.

Astonishment rippled through the disciples. They had never fathomed that their Sect Leader was, in fact, a Greatly Capable Mysterious Immortal!

Yet, after the initial shock subsided, immense joy took its place. With such a powerful figure at the helm, their travels would surely earn them greater respect from outsiders.

"Disciple greets the Sect Leader!"

Initiated by the first disciple to regain composure, the others swiftly followed suit, bowing reverently in salutation.

"No need for such formalities."

Li Zhirui extended a hand, motioning for everyone to rise, and confessed, "For centuries, my focus has solely been on cultivation, leading me to neglect the sect's development and leave it entirely in Wansheng's capable hands. As Sect Leader, I am truly ashamed."

"I have summoned you all today because the sect, after years of diligent growth, has reached a significant milestone. It is now time to refine our internal rules and structure."

The Tongtian Sect's operational cycle is based on centuries, and the current disciples represent the fifth generation.

"Therefore, following discussions with Wansheng, a decision has been made to select Inner Sect Disciples and True Disciples from your ranks! Regardless of your current cultivation level, passing the trials will grant you the opportunity for further advancement."

Attaining the status of an Inner Sect Disciple or True Disciple meant more than just an increased monthly stipend; crucially, it signified a significant elevation in authority!

Consider the Scripture Pavilion: currently, access is limited to the first two floors. The profound texts and cultivation methods housed on the higher levels remain inaccessible, irrespective of one's cultivation prowess.

"Furthermore, a cadre of stewards will be chosen from among the Inner Sect Disciples to oversee the sect's diverse operational duties."

This latter point was a recent consideration for Li Zhirui.

As the Tongtian Sect continued to expand and flourish, it became increasingly impractical for him or Wansheng to manage every single detail; the burden would simply be too immense.

The position of Elder was far too exalted, representing the very image of the Tongtian Sect. Moreover, the current disciples lacked the necessary cultivation and strength.

The role of Steward, however, seemed a perfect fit.

"This selection period will span five years. During this time, should you feel confident in your abilities, you may approach Wansheng to undergo the trials."

As Li Zhirui finished speaking, a palpable restlessness spread amongst the disciples.

Had Li Zhirui not made his presence known, they might have rushed to sign up immediately.

"You are now tasked with a mission."

He commanded, "Two thousand miles east and south of Ascension Mountain, identify suitable locations and swiftly establish the foundational structures for a marketplace and an Immortal City!"

The rationale behind establishing these settlements at such a distance was strategic: as the Tongtian Sect evolved, its core territory would inevitably expand beyond its current mountain peaks, necessitating ample space for future growth.

The chosen directions were also significant. Extending further in these areas led to regions within the Cultivation World that were comparatively more prosperous, thereby increasing the likelihood of attracting itinerant cultivators.

"Regarding the layout and construction of the marketplace and the Immortal City, you may consult Wansheng. I have other pressing matters to attend to."

Li Zhirui needed to procure and transfer Spirit Veins from distant locations, a task that was relatively straightforward for him and presented no substantial challenge.

The true difficulty, in fact, lay in the arduous search for unclaimed Spirit Veins!

After issuing instructions and making various arrangements, he transformed into a streak of Spirit Light and departed from the Mountain Gate.

Only then did Wansheng, who had stood silently beside him, speak, "Are there any disciples signing up?"

Or, more accurately, the question was: was there anyone *not* signing up?

The moment Wansheng's words left his lips, every disciple eagerly raised their hands. They were unaware of the selection test's difficulty, but since failure incurred no penalty, why not seize the opportunity? Perhaps they might just succeed!

Wansheng meticulously recorded each name and then declared, "Very well. Now, proceed to fulfill the task assigned to you by the Sect Leader."

"Elder, what will the test entail?"

"Off you go now. Do not trouble yourselves with such details. Your primary focus should remain on diligent cultivation."

The disciples were left in a state of bewilderment, yearning for a more comprehensive explanation. However, before they could voice further questions, the elder had already vanished.

With no alternative, they had no choice but to depart from the Mountain Gate. Some set their course eastward, while others headed south, in search of suitable locations to establish the cities.

"Alas!"

Wansheng sighed, gazing upon the now deserted Ascension Mountain. He was uncertain whether the developmental trajectory of the Tongtian Sect ultimately boded well or ill.

After all, their Sect Leader harbored no real affection for the sect, appearing more like someone completing a task.

Yet upon reflection, it seemed rather normal, because their leader was already a Mystic Immortal Cultivator when he inherited, having lived through countless years and experiences.

The ups and downs of the world were not mere tales but possibly what he had experienced firsthand.

A Dao Heart hardened beyond measure, unlikely to easily invest emotions in certain affairs.

"Enough, let’s just hope the Sect Leader doesn’t use Tongtian Sect as mere pawns and chips, selling it off unexpectedly."

Moreover, given his understanding of Li Zhirui, it seemed unlikely that he would hold onto the position of Sect Leader indefinitely; perhaps once the disciples had matured, he would directly hand over the position to them.

By then, Tongtian Sect should welcome a Sect Leader who truly values it.

...

Meanwhile.

Li Zhirui not only left Ascension Mountain, but had already flown thousands of miles away, reaching a region of towering mountains, attempting to find Spirit Veins among them.

Spirit Veins within these mountains were not scarce, but their grade was not high; among those he had discovered, the best was a Sixth Rank Spirit Vein.

Thus, he was not inclined to transfer these Spirit Veins to the Mountain Gate, as their grade was too low, offering little benefit for the effort involved.

Moreover, during the transfer of the Spirit Veins, Li Zhirui had to be constantly vigilant; if it resulted in the forest losing vitality, he would bear the burden of cause and karmic force.

Therefore, upon finding that the Spirit Veins in the vicinity were indeed of low grade, he searched elsewhere.

Now he was even further away, almost reaching the territories of alien races.

Yet this did not bring him luck; perhaps due to proximity to the border, the Spirit Veins were under strict control, with almost no wandering ones, and if there were, they were extremely low grade and newly born.

Reluctantly, he changed direction to continue searching, but still without notable success.

With no other recourse, he returned to the initial mountain forest he encountered.

He then carefully extracted portions of the Spirit Veins, maintaining the forest’s vitality to avoid trouble, before returning to the Mountain Gate with these Essences of Spiritual Vein.

However, the Spirit Vein Essence did not significantly enhance the concentration of Spiritual Energy nearby, perhaps only by thirty percent at most.

One must understand, the concentration of Spiritual Energy near the Mountain Gate of Tongtian Sect was not very high to begin with; an increase of thirty percent meant very little, almost unnoticeable if one were careless.

"It seems a considerable expenditure of Spirit Stones will be necessary to elevate the Spirit Veins."

But such matters could be delegated to the disciples; there was no need for him to act personally.

Indeed, even if he wished to elevate the grade of the Spirit Veins, he lacked the Spirit Stones brought out from the sect.

If it were the Li family, Li Zhirui might have already invested his own Spirit Stones into the vicinity of the Spirit Veins, but this was not the Li family; it was Tongtian Sect, so he certainly wouldn’t spend his own resources.

Even if he could later return to the sect to retrieve his portion from the treasure house, he wouldn’t do it.

Subsequently, he returned to the now desolate Ascension Mountain.

"Sect Leader, how many Spirit Veins did you bring back this time?" Wansheng almost immediately appeared beside Li Zhirui.

"The Spirit Veins in those terrains are relatively rare and low in grade, so among the twelve Spirit Veins I transported back, the highest is only a Fourth Rank Spirit Vein."

Since it was impossible to completely extract the Spirit Veins without harming the heavens and the earth, the Sixth Rank Spirit Vein turned into a Fourth Rank one in Li Zhirui’s possession.

The same applied to the other Spirit Veins.

Under such circumstances, the grade of the Spirit Veins naturally couldn’t be very high.

"Having them is enough; it’s just a matter of spending some Spirit Stones to elevate their grade."