System's Super Sect Chapter 4: Powerful Cultivator, Thirteenth level of Body Refinement Realm

Wen Ping lounged back in his chair, naturally catching the sound of footsteps nearby. He fully expected the stranger to simply walk on by after reading the sign. If there were any fools interested, they would have shown up ages ago; there was no sense in them waiting until now.

Mission issued!

An abrupt, sharp sound pierced through his consciousness as if it originated from deep inside his own skull.

Wen Ping bolted upright, too frantic to even peel the registration forms off his face. After pondering the system’s sudden alert, he took several deep, measured breaths to center himself. He fixed his gaze forward at the glowing blue interface materializing in the air.

[Beginning to take shape - A Sect requires two fundamental components: elders to act as instructors and disciples to carry the legacy. Increased disciple numbers correlate to a higher probability of talent emerging, while superior instructors ensure stronger disciples. These elements are codependent, and only through their synthesis will the base of a true Sect be constructed.]

[Task: Recruit one instructor Elder at the thirteenth level of Body Refinement and two disciples. The minimum criteria for disciples is at least the fifth level of Body Refinement with an age cap of 15.]

[Reward: Unlock the authority to freely remodel any structure, imbuing it with a unique ability designed to help the host recruit further disciples.]

"Why now?" Wen Ping muttered under his breath. His eyes flickered toward the person passing his desk, clearly intent on walking away.

...

Yun Liao

Gender: Male

Age: 30

Cultivation Base: Thirteenth level of Body Refinement

...

[He traveled from Xingyue City in search of a cultivator capable of opening the Earth Destruction Arterial Gate.]

"Friend, please wait!" Wen Ping shouted in a hurry, terrified that his call might come too late.

Suddenly, the system's motive became clear. A significant individual had arrived at his Immortal Sect—a practitioner at the peak of the Body Refinement stage, desperate for an opening.

Even in the height of its prime when the Immortal Sect was a 2-stars powerhouse, such a talent would have been considered elite. Beyond a few high-ranking elders and the Sect leader, even a powerful second elder would barely exceed this level of cultivation.

Currently, across all of Cangwu City, only the City Lord—the man responsible for guarding tens of thousands of lives—possessed such formidable strength.

That level of influence was the only thing keeping the city secure for decades. The system clearly intended for him to recruit Yun Liao. Perhaps it could no longer tolerate the wounded pride of failing to attract a single initiate after so many days.

Hearing the member of the Immortal Sect call out to him, Yun Liao slowly turned his head to offer a polite excuse, "I am just passing through."

"Friend, since you are already at my doorstep, why not step into the Immortal Sect for a seat? We can have a proper chat," Wen Ping said, scrambling to find words that might sway the man.

"It is alright. I am on a pressing matter."

"Since you are unwilling to stay, I shall not press the issue. It is your loss, however, to turn away from such an opportunity—especially for an expert at the thirteenth level of Body Refinement."

Wen Ping finished with a faint, knowing smile.

Yun Liao paused, casting a curious glance at Wen Ping. A newfound doubt crept into his mind; he had not expected this young man to pierce through his disguise. Unless one was an expert at the Mystic Realm who had successfully opened the first Earth Destruction Arterial Gate, no ordinary person should be able to discern his cultivation base while he was at rest.

Could this young man be hiding something profound?

He squinted at Wen Ping, only to realization that he couldn't detect anything at all. There wasn't even a trace of Qi fluctuations.

This was deeply abnormal.

There were only two ways to interpret this. Either the boy was a total amateur with no Qi, but that made no sense given his position as the young Sect leader of the Immortal Sect, especially since it had only declined recently. How could someone who supposedly had endless resources for years be a commoner?

The second option was almost comical, yet he was forced to entertain the thought: perhaps Wen Ping’s cultivation was equal to or greater than his own.

"If you have nowhere else to go..." Wen Ping tapped the wooden sign, "You are welcome to join the Immortal Sect. It is sparse right now, quiet, and perfect for Cultivation. It is also quite affordable; membership is only 1,000 gold coins."

Despite his reservations, Yun Liao could not suppress a chuckle, "This is the first time I have seen a Sect demand gold to recruit an initiate."

Wen Ping shrugged. "It is merely 1,000 gold. Should you decide against joining, keep your coins. But look at your situation. If you truly want to find a Sect to help you open the Earth Destruction Arterial Gate, be prepared to surrender your freedom."

Even without prompting, Yun Liao knew this was true. Once that gate was open, a cultivator entered the Mystic Realm and could command a 2-stars Sect. No established expert would willingly share such a breakthrough technique with a wandering stranger. The world of Cultivation was a treacherous hall where trust was a luxury no one could afford.

Yun Liao asked suspiciously, "Do you truly have a method to help me open the Earth Destruction Gate?" After traveling hundreds of miles, returning empty-handed was a bitter pill to swallow. Besides, he was technically here to join the Immortal Sect, and he had no other viable paths remaining.

Upon seeing Wen Ping nod confidently, Yun Liao made his choice.

One thousand gold it is. It is steep, but I have reached the thirteenth level of Body Refinement. This kid will not have it easy if he tries to cheat me.

"I will join!"

"How refreshing. Fill out this form and handle the fee. From this moment on, you are a member of the Immortal Sect."

Yun Liao took the parchment, laboring through the paperwork with Wen Ping’s guidance. Once the transaction was complete, Wen Ping wasted no time, packing up his station and leading Yun Liao directly into the Cloudmist Mountain.

He brought the recruit to the gravity field and gesturing to the space, "Here is your opportunity to open the Earth Destruction Arterial Gate. Enter."

"This place?" Yun Liao scanned the perimeter. Other than a few scattered dragon pillars, the area seemed mundane. There were standard bluestone slabs, common moss, and an ordinary cluster of trees.

The absurd entry fee and this unremarkable forest made him highly skeptical. He felt no telltale signs of power that could possibly aid his breakthrough.

Wen Ping remained calm, "You will understand once you step inside and try."

"If you have swindled me, I will take back my 1,000 gold and take your life in return." Yun Liao delivered the threat coolly and crossed into the field.

The moment he stepped inside, his momentum evaporated. He stumbled, falling hard onto the earth.

He attempted to leap up, but Yun Liao felt a crushing weight, as if a mountain were pressing against his spine. Someone was actively pinning him down. No matter how much strength he summoned, he could not replicate a normal jumping motion.

"What is happening?"

After the shock faded, he tried to push himself up with his palms, but the weight remained. It was as if his physical density had increased tenfold.

Frantically, he began circulating the Qi within his Dantian.

The movement made him freeze. Dumbfounded, he looked at his own body and then back at the surroundings.

"My Circulating Qi... it is incredibly fast!"

"Try cycling a full cultivation rotation," Wen Ping’s voice echoed.

Yun Liao stared at Wen Ping, wide-eyed, then hurriedly pushed his Qi to complete a cycle.

Ten breaths for a full cycle!

"How is this even possible?"

"There is nothing impossible here. Practicing within this zone increases your speed by 9x compared to the outside. As long as you are not completely inept, you will definitely force that first arterial gate open."

When he heard this, simply calling the emotion 'shock' was an understatement. The claim of a 9x speed increase shattered his worldview; he had never heard of such a phenomenon.

Unprecedented!