Chapter 178 - 164: The Situation Inside the Bixia Sect
Chapter 178: Chapter 164: The Situation Inside the Bixia Sect
"With limited resources, people naturally vie for them, both openly and in secret. In this struggle, sticking together becomes the most instinctive response. And the most direct dividing line for these cliques is one’s background. Those Outer Disciples who only reached Foundation Establishment after fifty and couldn’t become Inner Sect Disciples... even if they eventually become Inner Sect Stewards, they won’t get too close to people like us, who joined halfway and have no solid backing."
He paused, a complex look of pity flashing in his eyes as he looked at Lu Zhao’s young but steady face. "As for those who become Inner Sect Stewards after aging out of being Inner Sect Disciples..." He shook his head and sighed deeply.
"Sigh, Junior Brother Lu, you’re only forty-nine, aren’t you? It’s a real shame. If you’d started as an Outer Disciple and reached Foundation Establishment at this age, you’d be an Inner Sect Disciple right now! The benefits for an Inner Sect Disciple far surpass ours as Inner Sect Stewards. They have a chance to be promoted to True Disciple—a Golden Core Seed that the Sect cultivates with all its resources! Even if they ultimately fail at Core Formation, they’re destined to become a Hall Master in the future. At the very least, they’ll be a Vice Hall Master with real authority." As he spoke, Chen Chumo couldn’t hide the deep envy on his face.
Hearing this, Lu Zhao’s heart stirred. He pressed, "Senior Brother, does this mean the Sect’s upper echelons are all monopolized by former True Disciples? Is there no chance for former Inner Sect Disciples or Inner Sect Stewards like us to ascend to high positions?"
"That’s not an absolute rule." Chen Chumo shook his head, but his tone was somber. "If Inner Sect Disciples fail to become a True Disciple before they’re one hundred and fifty, they also transfer to become Inner Sect Stewards. After all, they have a proper pedigree, disciples the Sect has raised from a young age. Among them are some with excellent aptitude and character who can work their way up to the position of Hall Master.
"In fact, in the Sect’s history, there was even a Golden Core Ancestor who followed this exact path: Inner Sect Disciple, to Inner Sect Steward, to a Department Chief, to Vice Hall Master, to Hall Master, and finally to Elder Ancestor."
Lu Zhao pressed on, "Then... has there ever been a senior who, like us, was promoted from an Outer Sect Steward, with no background as an Inner Sect Disciple or even an Outer Disciple, who eventually reached the upper echelons, or even became a Golden Core Ancestor?"
Chen Chumo gave a bitter smile, one that held an unconcealable trace of bitterness. "As far as I know... no."
He paused, his voice lowering as if stating a cruel, common-sense fact. "The few resources the Sect has that can aid in Core Formation are said to be insufficient even for the True Disciples, often leading to conflict. So how could they possibly be lavished on Inner Sect Stewards like us, most of whom are former Wanderers and whose Spiritual Root potential has been deemed ’average’?"
"For people like us, cultivating to the Late-stage of Foundation Establishment and serving as a Vice Hall Master in some hall is already the peak of our lives." Chen Chumo’s words were simple and blunt.
"So it’s impossible to even become a proper Hall Master...?" Lu Zhao’s brow furrowed tightly.
"It’s not entirely ’impossible’," Chen Chumo explained, a thoughtful look on his face. "In the Sect’s long history, there was indeed one Hall Master who came from an Outer Sect Steward background."
"But from what I’ve researched, that’s the only example. At its core, there are two reasons for this. First, those of us who were Outer Sect Stewards generally have inferior aptitudes and Spiritual Roots compared to the carefully selected Official Disciples. We have limited Innate Spirit Roots. It’s already difficult for us to break through to Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, and maybe only one or two out of a hundred can reach the Late-stage."
"And to hold an important post like Hall Master, the minimum Cultivation requirement is Late-stage Foundation Establishment. That’s a hard rule. Second..." His voice dropped, tinged with a subtle resentment. "Those in the Sect’s upper echelons who came from the ’orthodox’ Official Disciple background, deep down, they harbor doubts and suspicion about the loyalty of ’outsiders’ like us, who joined halfway and have mixed origins."
"On the surface, the Sect’s rules are clear, and the resource allotments we Inner Sect Stewards receive are no different from those who were promoted from Official Disciples. But the inner workings... it’s a deep and murky business. The truly core, rare resources—the allotments, the spots for Secret Realms, the opportunities for Core Formation that can change the very course of one’s cultivation path... they rarely fall into our laps."
"Moreover," he added, his tone growing heavier, "just becoming a Department Chief in any of the halls is several times harder for us than for those with an orthodox background. If it’s that difficult to even compete for positions like Chief Steward or Vice Hall Master, how could we possibly contend with those fellow disciples who were once True Disciples—those with respected statuses and who are often backed by a Golden Core master—for the position of Hall Master?"
He let out a long sigh and concluded with a sense of fatalistic helplessness, "When it comes right down to it, there has never been a Golden Core Ancestor in the Sect who came from our background as Outer Sect Stewards. With no one above us, there is no path forward..."
Then, as if unwilling to dwell on such a heavy topic, he forced a reassuring smile. "However, Junior Brother Lu, don’t be too disheartened. On the other hand, the atmosphere in the Sect has become more open in recent decades. Compared to a few hundred years ago, life for Inner Sect Stewards with our background has gotten better. Besides, this is just one way of dividing everyone. In reality, even the Official Disciples are split into master-disciple lineages and family factions..."
After saying this, he changed the subject, clearly unwilling to delve deeper into the topic. "Alright, Junior Brother Lu, let’s set this idle chat aside. It’s getting late. The priority now is for me to take you to pay respects to the ancestors and complete the entry ritual. This is a fundamental rite."
"I am grateful for your explanation, Senior Brother. I will take it to heart." Lu Zhao once again offered a solemn, cupped-fist salute, his mind now holding a much clearer understanding of the hierarchical barriers within the Bixia Sect.
Soon, under Chen Chumo’s guidance, Lu Zhao left the familiar Outer Mountain Area. As they went deeper, the surrounding scenery quietly transformed. The dense Spiritual Qi, like an invisible warm current, began to gather and refine at a speed visible to the naked eye. Faint wisps of Spirit Light seemed to flow through the air, refreshing the senses. Even the air he breathed carried a vibrant, clear sweetness—this was the hallmark of the Inner Mountain Area.
The halls and pavilions they passed were all built on foundations of Spirit Jade Green Stone, with upturned eaves, interlocking brackets, vermilion lacquer, and gold trim, creating a grand and imposing sight. The faint glow of Restrictions, shimmering with abstruse Runes, provided strict protection. Occasionally, Cultivators would streak past, some riding on sword light, others wielding Tier Two Spiritual Artifacts. Their auras were as deep as an abyss, and their gazes swept by like lightning—far beyond the caliber of those commonly seen in the Outer Mountain.
Before long, at a convergence point for Spiritual Qi ahead, a simple and solemn black hall appeared before them. The grand hall was built into the mountainside, its back against a massive stone cliff, making it seem as if it were one with the mountain itself.
The roof was covered in Dark Gold glazed tiles that refracted the morning light and rosy mist with a solemn, profound luster. The hall’s doors were unusually tall, crafted from a single piece of dark umbralwood. Above them hung a huge plaque with a black background and gold script, bearing two large words written in a powerful hand—"Ancestral Hall".
"Junior Brother Lu, this is the Bixia Sect’s Ancestral Hall, where we venerate the patriarchs of every generation." Chen Chumo stopped at the edge of the plaza, his expression becoming exceedingly grave and solemn, and his voice unconsciously dropped a few notches.
He turned to Lu Zhao and said seriously, "For those of us promoted from Outer Sect Stewards, the ceremony is relatively simple. You must perform the grand rite of three bows and nine kowtows before the ancestral effigies, and you must do so with sincerity and reverence. Afterward, I will recount to you the great deeds of our Sect’s Founding Ancestor, the Bixia Master—how he blazed a trail through countless hardships, found this Spirit Vein against all odds, established our Sect, and laid the foundation for the Bixia Sect’s three-thousand-year glorious legacy. After the rite is complete, you will take a Daoist name. Then, Junior Brother Lu, you will officially be an Inner Sect Steward of the Bixia Sect."
He paused, and looking at Lu Zhao’s young yet steady face, his tone shifted to one of warm eagerness, with an underlying intent to recruit him. "Junior Brother Lu, you haven’t officially joined any department under the General Affairs Hall yet, have you? If you have no specific place in mind, you might consider the Recruitment Bureau, where I work. Our bureau manages the requisition of resources from some of the points outside the Sect. While the duties are complex and require you to deal with many different parties, it also offers plenty of opportunities to gain experience. You often encounter strange and unusual matters, which is quite beneficial for broadening your horizons and accumulating Merits."
"I can see that you have a calm temperament and a methodical way of handling things, Junior Brother Lu. Our bureau would welcome someone with your genuine abilities." He looked at Lu Zhao with sincerity.