"Cyan Peak Daoist School, new disciple Gu Yuan, pays respects to the ancestral master!"
In the center of the vast bronze hall was a massive portrait.
The image depicted was an ordinary-looking elderly man dressed in a purple Daoist robe.
The old man seemed plain, yet his eyes were profoundly deep, as if galaxies flowed within them.
This portrait depicted the ancestral master of the Cyan Peak Daoist School.
However, the master had long wandered the world, vanished without a trace, and it was unknown if he had passed away or simply disappeared, as he had not been seen for thousands of years.
When Gu Yuan knelt before the portrait, the eyes in the image seemed to come alive, looking at him.
A force much more immense than that of a Golden Core Ascendant swept over Gu Yuan, and whether it was an illusion or not, he felt the ancestral master in the picture seemingly nodding slightly at him.
"The ancestral master has nodded, the ceremony is complete!"
But Steward Qiu Mingshan's voice informed him that this was not his imagination.
"Junior Brother Gu, please rise, from today on, you are officially a disciple of the Cyan Peak Daoist School!"
Qiu Mingshan nodded and smiled at the side, calling out to Gu Yuan.
Gu Yuan stood up, respectfully saluted the portrait of the ancestral master, and then followed Qiu Mingshan out of the hall.
After leaving the hall, Gu Yuan asked, "Senior Brother Qiu, what was that portrait of the ancestral master just now?"
"Haha, I knew you'd ask, Junior Brother."
"But the realm of the ancestral master is not something we can fathom. You just need to know that a trace of the ancestral master's power resides in the picture; anyone who harbors malice or hides their true form will be discovered by it and killed instantly."
"This is also the final hurdle for entry! Even if you were recommended by a Golden Core Ascendant, you still have to go through this procedure."
Qiu Mingshan explained with a smile.
Gu Yuan nodded in understanding.
Then, under the guidance of Qiu Mingshan, Gu Yuan recorded his name in the Sect Jade Register and began receiving his cultivation resources.
The part he was most looking forward to had finally arrived.
"The four words for cultivation: wealth, partner, method, and place. We'll go through them one by one."
"First is 'wealth.' Generally, new disciples entering the school, below the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, can receive a set of low-grade magic robes inscribed with water and fire avoidance patterns and dust-removing patterns. However, Junior Brother, you have already reached the Qi Refining Fourth Layer and will soon reach the fifth, so naturally, you can receive middle-grade magic robes inscribed with water and fire avoidance, dust-removing, and small spirit gathering patterns, enhancing your cultivation by five percent. Hmm, the amount should be three, no, five sets."
"New disciples can receive three Qi Gathering Pills per month, so Junior Brother, just take an entire year's worth, which is thirty-six pills."
"Of course, you need Dharma Artifacts too, all middle-grade: one Cloud-Stepping Shuttle, one Little Cyan Spirit Sword, one Profound Turtle Shield."
"According to the rules, entry disciples receive five spirit stones as a welcoming gift, but since you've come such a long way, let's make it ten!"
"That should be about everything!"
"Oh, right, with so many things, you'll need a Storage Bag about three zhang wide, so you won't have to come back and exchange it next time."
With a wave of his sleeve, Qiu Mingshan handed all these resources to Gu Yuan.
Gu Yuan quickly received them, a look of delight appearing on his face.
What a great start, getting a year's salary in advance, and not only that, all the benefits were upgraded a level.
This is the grace of the Golden Core, truly impressive.
And Qiu Mingshan continued.
"As for 'partner,' the master is also considered a partner, but Junior Brother, you have not apprenticed under the Golden Core Sect, and were previously a disciple of another sect. Right now, there are only two options."
"One is I enter your name into the Jade Scroll, and if any Golden Core Ascendants or Junior Martial Uncles of Foundation Establishment wish to take on a disciple, you'll be contacted."
"The second is to directly join the Hidden Flood Dragon Institute, which is for disciples without a master. However, being without a master doesn't mean there's no guidance, as Foundation Establishment Uncles and even Golden Core Elders regularly teach and speak the dao there, which any disciple can attend."
"Additionally, you can spend spirit stones for private lessons, as all fellow elders aren't too costly in this regard."
At this point, Qiu Mingshan added: "In fact, aside from the Seven Vein Core and some noble family disciples, most in the Daoist School come from the Hidden Flood Dragon Institute. To be honest, I practiced there for years before being fortunate enough to be taken as a disciple by my benevolent master."
Qiu Mingshan spoke steadily, informing him of the school's situation.
Cyan Peak Daoist School is a major sect in the East Mountain Realm with many disciples, yet there are only five Golden Core Ascendants, so how can everyone become their disciples?
Besides, this is a great era for cultivation where power is concentrated in individuals, and the masters are absorbed in breaking through higher realms, leaving little energy to cultivate disciples.
A master leads you to the path, but cultivation depends on oneself.
Everything relies on your own efforts.
Even Golden Core Disciples, if from a noble family but lacking in determination, can be ruthlessly abandoned.
Hearing this, Gu Yuan understood immediately.
"Joining the Hidden Flood Dragon Institute is just a temporary arrangement; you were recommended by Elder Fox, and will certainly have the chance to formally apprentice in the future. For now, you just need to bide your time."
Having said this, Gu Yuan refrained from further comment, instead cupping his hands and saying, "I'll follow your lead, Senior Brother!"
"Very well, let's head to the Hidden Flood Dragon Institute first."
"The second matter is settled, now onto the 'method'!"
"Cultivation cannot be without method, this is of utmost importance!"
"Especially for you, Junior Brother, integrating into the Daoist School means switching methods, changing from the techniques you previously practiced to our school's supreme techniques!"
"The Daoist School has three scriptures and seven diagrams; the three scriptures' profound mysteries are endless, learnable only by Golden Cores. The seven diagrams are all mysterious techniques pointing towards the Golden Core Path, but four are held by various sects and taught only to true disciples."
"In the Hidden Flood Dragon Institute, we have the Toad Moon Divine Light True Diagram, Planting Heaven and Earth Evergreen Map, and Five Elements True Wheel Diagram, all mysterious techniques."
"Later, I'll take you to the Transmission Hall at the Hidden Flood Dragon Institute, where you can choose whichever suits you best."
"Thank you, Senior Brother!"
"No problem!" Qiu Mingshan waved his hand slightly, then smiled and said, "We have some insight into three out of the four: wealth, partner, and method. The last is your place of cultivation, the Cave Mansion."
"Speaking of which, your luck, Junior Brother, is quite good. Generally speaking, I wouldn't be able to help much with the Cave Mansion, but at the moment, there may be a minor opportunity."
"If you're lucky, you'll gain some resources or even a spiritual inheritance out of thin air."
"Even though it would be a small legacy for the Qi Refining Realm, it would be a considerable aid to you!"
Tempted by Qiu Mingshan's alluring words, Gu Yuan was intrigued and asked, "What kind of opportunity is it? Please enlighten me, Senior Brother!"
Qiu Mingshan didn't hold back and explained directly: "You should know, in our line of cultivation, working behind closed doors is a no-go, and venturing out in search of the dao is necessary."
"And once you venture out, there's always the risk of not returning."
"Typically, Qi Refining disciples do not have Life Lamps in the sect; some leave and don't return for ten or even dozens of years, their fate uncertain, and their Cave Mansions remain unused, wasting resources."
"Thus, the sect stipulates that below the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, Cave Mansions are retained for fifteen years; at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer and above, thirty years!"
"If no return occurs within this time, with no news and no relatives, the Cave Mansion is reclaimed."
"Since these are residences of Qi Refining disciples, they are usually quite simple with no great treasures, so the sect is not bothered with cleaning them. It only costs two spirit stones to inherit the Cave Mansion and everything within."
"While the sect may not value the contents of these Cave Mansions, for Qi Refining Realm disciples, it might be a chance to find something valuable, or at the very least, some extra spirit stones."
"In half a month, several Cave Mansions will reach their retention limit. Among them are some with excellent spiritual qi, and rumors say there's some good inheritance within them. I can arrange for you to have priority in choosing one, though I am unaware of what these belongings are, so it'll all depend on your luck."
Isn't this just like opening a mystery box?
Gu Yuan's eyes lit up.
Opening such boxes is a matter of chance for most.
However, in another half-month, the Jade Liquid in Gu Yuan's stone vial would likely increase in amount.
Then, with fortune visible to his eyes, could he not choose at will?
"Thank you, Senior Brother Qiu!"
Gu Yuan bowed deeply, sincerely expressing his gratitude.
"Haha, no need for thanks, this is entirely up to luck, you might open the Cave Mansion with great anticipation, only to find chaos inside."
Qiu Mingshan waved his hand.
This matter depended wholly on fate, he was merely going with the flow and didn't wish to take undue credit.
"Let's go, with half a month to spare, I'll first take you to the Hidden Flood Dragon Institute to find a place to settle down, obtain cultivation techniques, and get established. The matter of the Cave Mansion can be dealt with in due course."