After completing the transaction with Han Li, the elderly man surnamed Ye took him on a magical instrument and flew toward the assembly hall to report to Zhong Lingdao, the sect leader of Yellow Maple Valley.
Shortly after, Han Li found himself standing before a massive stone hall dozens of meters high, curiously observing several Yellow Maple Valley disciples guarding the entrance. Their spiritual power was far deeper than his, at least at the tenth layer or above of the foundational cultivation method. This made Han Li secretly marvel, raising his estimation of the sect’s cultivators’ strength.
Earlier, when Elder Ye had brought him here, he had instructed Han Li to wait outside the hall for Sect Leader Zhong’s summons while he went in himself. This left Han Li standing alone outside in an awkward situation, waiting idly, which he inwardly grumbled about for quite some time.
Fortunately, after a while, a middle-aged man in white robes emerged from inside. He walked directly up to Han Li and said coldly, “Follow me. The sect leader wishes to see you.”
Without waiting for Han Li’s response, he turned and walked back inside. Han Li smiled wryly to himself; it seemed his ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivation was beneath the man’s notice, not even warranting a few extra words.
Though inwardly dissatisfied, Han Li was well aware of his standing here and obediently followed the man into the great hall.
After passing through three gates, each guarded by disciples, Han Li finally met Zhong Lingdao, the sect leader of Yellow Maple Valley—a middle-aged man with a long, flowing beard.
On either side of the hall sat over a dozen individuals dressed in various attire. When Han Li entered, they glanced at him briefly but, finding his appearance ordinary and unremarkable, quickly lost interest and looked away. Among them were Elder Ye and that Junior Brother Wang.
“Young friend, your name is Han Li, correct?” Sect Leader Zhong asked calmly.
“Yes, disciple Han Li pays his respects to the sect leader!” Han Li stepped forward, appearing sincere as he prepared to perform a formal bow.
“No need for such formalities! Since you have come here bearing the Ascension Immortal Token, I will naturally abide by the rules set by our predecessors and accept you into our sect.” Zhong Lingdao smiled warmly, like a spring breeze, and gently waved his sleeve.
Han Li felt an invisible, gentle force lift him, preventing him from bowing further. Startled, he felt a newfound sense of awe and reverence for the sect leader.
“According to protocol, aside from joining our sect, you are also eligible to receive a Foundation Establishment Pill. However, I heard from Junior Brother Ye that you have chosen to forgo this pill and yield it to someone else. Is this true?” Sect Leader Zhong cut straight to the point without wasting words.
“Yes, Sect Leader! This disciple believes his aptitude is too poor, and using such a precious pill would be wasteful. It is better to yield it to a senior brother who needs it more!”
As he spoke these words, Han Li felt a pang of regret. This was a Foundation Establishment Pill! Not some ordinary pill he could snack on like candy!
If such a pill were to appear in the cultivation world, it would undoubtedly stir up a bloody storm! Although he relied on his mysterious small bottle, Han Li had little confidence in fully replicating a spiritual pill like the Foundation Establishment Pill. His words were utterly contrary to his true feelings.
Though inwardly reluctant, Han Li maintained a respectful and obedient demeanor, which satisfied most of those present in the hall.
“Excellent! It brings me great joy to see a young friend with such broad-mindedness. However, rest assured, I will not let you make this sacrifice in vain!” After saying this, Zhong Lingdao turned to Elder Ye.
“Junior Brother Ye! The Foundation Establishment Pill that Young Friend Han has yielded will go to your grandnephew as planned. However, you must properly compensate Young Friend Han for his loss and ensure he is satisfied!” Zhong Lingdao said solemnly.
“Haha! Sect Leader, you need not worry. I will certainly ensure Nephew Han is satisfied!” The elder, overjoyed that things had proceeded as smoothly as he had hoped, responded enthusiastically.
Seeing the elder’s reaction, Zhong Lingdao stroked his long beard and smiled faintly. He was relieved that such a tricky situation had been resolved so harmoniously.
“The matter of the Foundation Establishment Pill is settled. From today onward, Young Friend Han is a disciple of our sect. Junior Brother Wang, arrange accommodations for Nephew Han and explain the sect’s rules to him. For now, he will study under the guidance of the teaching disciples. If he shows outstanding performance, he may be promoted later.” Zhong Lingdao’s instructions were thorough as he delegated the task to Junior Brother Wang.
“As you command, Sect Leader!” Junior Brother Wang rose and acknowledged the order.
Thus, Uncle Wang immediately led Han Li out of the hall and began explaining Yellow Maple Valley’s rules and common knowledge. Han Li listened attentively, gradually forming a preliminary understanding of the sect.
Yellow Maple Valley had over ten thousand disciples in total, more than ninety percent of whom were in the Qi Refining stage. Only a few hundred were in the Foundation Establishment stage, and these individuals formed the core strength of the sect.
As for the Core Formation experts, there were only a handful. They spent most of their time in seclusion and no longer involved themselves in sect affairs. Unless the sect faced a life-or-death crisis, even Sect Leader Zhong rarely had the opportunity to see them.
The only Nascent Soul-level cultivator in the valley was a grandmaster uncle of Sect Leader Zhong and the others. Rumor had it he was over nine hundred years old, with unfathomable spiritual power and mystical abilities. He could even project his Nascent Soul to travel thousands of miles, making him a true terrestrial immortal. However, he had long left the valley and even the State of Yue, journeying to other countries. No one knew when he would return.
With so many Qi Refining disciples in the valley, it was impossible for each of them to receive a Foundation Establishment Pill. Only the most outstanding and talented disciples were granted this honor.
Thus, every ten years, disciples under thirty years of age underwent a series of selection trials. The competition was as fierce as the external Ascension Immortal Assembly. Generally, only those who had reached the eleventh or even twelfth layer of the foundational cultivation method—true prodigies—could stand out and earn the right to take a Foundation Establishment Pill.
Even among these several hundred elite disciples, only twenty or thirty successfully advanced to the Foundation Establishment stage after taking the pill. The others merely improved their spiritual power, refining their foundational cultivation method to its peak while remaining in the Qi Refining stage.
Naturally, disciples in the valley were divided into three hierarchical classes.
The lowest consisted of those who had never taken a Foundation Establishment Pill. These individuals were the most numerous and had the weakest spiritual power. They handled the most miscellaneous tasks, had the least time for cultivation, and held the lowest status in the valley, though they were grandly titled “Steward Disciples.”
Those who had taken the Foundation Establishment Pill but failed to advance to the Foundation Establishment stage held a slightly higher status. Their foundational cultivation methods had generally reached the peak, and their spiritual power far surpassed that of the Steward Disciples. Some could even use simple intermediate-level techniques. They took on the responsibility of leading and managing the Steward Disciples and were commonly referred to as “Supervisor Disciples.”
The highest status and best treatment were reserved for those who had successfully entered the Foundation Establishment stage. These favored individuals could be considered true cultivators, having genuinely embarked on the path of immortality.
After successful Foundation Establishment, they were permitted to find a spiritually rich location within the entire Taiyue Mountain Range to establish their own cave dwellings for solitary cultivation. They were exempt from all miscellaneous duties and could focus solely on cultivation. Additionally, they received annual allocations of rare materials and large quantities of spirit stones to aid their advancement. Their only obligation was to assist when the sect faced formidable enemies, with no room for disobedience.
Beyond these disciples, Yellow Maple Valley also had various administrators who held real authority within the sect.
These administrators were typically disciples who, after reaching the Foundation Establishment stage and cultivating for some time, realized they had no hope of advancing to Core Formation. They voluntarily gave up further cultivation to manage the sect’s miscellaneous affairs. Elder Ye and the dozen or so individuals in the hall were all such administrators.
Strictly speaking, Sect Leader Zhong Lingdao was also a high-level administrator, merely overseeing the sect’s overall planning and managing other administrators.
The true decision-makers regarding the sect’s survival were the Core Formation stage and above cultivators who remained aloof from worldly affairs. It was their presence that deterred evil cults and demonic practitioners from threatening the sect, allowing Yellow Maple Valley to endure as one of the Seven Great Immortal Sects. Otherwise, the sect would have long been annihilated by powerful demonic cultivators.
Of course, the above details were not Uncle Wang’s exact words but rather Han Li’s own deductions based on the man’s remarks and indirect hints.
This gave Han Li a clear understanding of his environment and status, which would prove greatly beneficial in his future interactions with fellow sect members.
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