Wen Qianqian had initially thought that two thousand Spirit Stones per person would be a bit of a strain on everyone, but things ended up progressing far more smoothly than she had imagined.
After they finished their discussion, all that was left was to wait for Wen Qianqian to contact the seller and finalize the time and place for the trade.
Fang Cheng and Wang Xingzhi began discussing matters of cultivation, with Chen Yu Yan chiming in from time to time. It was like a small cultivation conference.
Although the One Qi Technique Fang Cheng practiced was low-grade, his comprehension of it was profound—nearly on par with the technique's original creator.
Thus, during their exchange, many of his insights were sharp and to the point, cutting straight to the heart of the matter and bringing moments of sudden enlightenment to Wang Xingzhi and Chen Yu Yan.
However, Wang Xingzhi, Chen Yu Yan, and Wen Qianqian were all worldly and knowledgeable, familiar with much of the "common sense" of the Cultivation Realm. Fang Cheng, on the other hand, was rather "ignorant" in this respect.
Wang Xingzhi hailed from one of the four great families affiliated with the Yinluo Sect. Though his family's standing was only average, what he had learned through sheer exposure put him leagues ahead of what a Young Wanderer like Fang Cheng could compare to.
Chen Yu Yan had a mysterious background and knew a surprising number of secrets, making the others see her in a new light.
Wen Qianqian's father was a famous Array Master in the market city, so her own knowledge was not far behind the other two.
As for Yang Heng… he was the silent type and had barely said a word from start to finish.
After the long discussion, Fang Cheng felt he had benefited greatly.
In the eyes of the other four, Fang Cheng was a Loose Cultivator with exceptional talent and insight in Swordsmanship. Combined with his ability to raise Gu Insects, his potential would be limitless if he was allowed to mature.
Thus, they placed great importance on this "fellow cultivator."
Wang Xingzhi said, "Brother Fang, with your level of cultivation, you shouldn't have much trouble with next year's Outer Sect trial. The only issue is that you already had a master before coming to the Yinluo Sect. I'm afraid the Elders will give you a hard time when you apply for an Outer Sect Trial Talisman."
Fang Cheng had been wanting to ask about this very thing. Hearing this, he asked, puzzled, "Why would the Outer Elders give people like us, who already have a master, a hard time?"
"Well…" Wang Xingzhi looked slightly embarrassed.
Wen Qianqian smiled faintly. "The Outer Elders are almost exclusively from the great families, and they've always been biased against those who join with prior training... You see, the Outer Disciple trial is held only once every five years, with just twenty spots available. Most of those are reserved for the children of the great families and the Immortal Seeds groomed by the Yinluo Sect itself."
Fang Cheng asked curiously, "Can't the disciples from the great families join the Inner Sect directly?"
Wen Qianqian let out a little laugh. "It's true that disciples from the great families have an easier time getting into the Inner Sect than most, but the opportunities are still limited. Unless they are exceptionally talented or from the direct lineage of their family's main branch, it's still difficult. A great many disciples from the side branches still have to work their way up by becoming Outer Disciples first."
Once you become an Outer Disciple of the Yinluo Sect, you can enjoy the sect's benefits: access to High-level Technique inheritances, a Spirit Vein Cave Mansion, and cultivation resources like pills and Talismans.
For both Loose Cultivators from common backgrounds and the side-branch disciples of the great families, it is an exceptionally rare opportunity.
Cultivators who participate in the Outer Sect trial typically fall into three categories:
The first type is the common Servant Disciple. These are the young Immortal Seeds brought back from the outside world by Yinluo Sect Elders and Disciples. They are trained and tested as Servant Disciples, and once they reach a certain level of maturity, they can take the trial to become Outer Disciples.
The second type consists of those from a Loose Cultivator background, like Fang Cheng. They already possess certain Cultivation Techniques and gain the status of a Servant Disciple—and the sect's protection—by performing services for the Yinluo Sect.
The third type is the disciples from the families affiliated with the Yinluo Sect. For every Outer Disciple trial, the Yinluo Sect allocates a certain number of Trial Talismans to these affiliated families. With a Talisman, a disciple can participate in the trial and, upon passing, directly enter the Outer Sect.
The number of spots for Outer Disciples is limited. The Elders in charge won't make things difficult for the "homegrown" Immortal Seed disciples, but cultivators like Fang Cheng are their primary targets.
That was why Wang Xingzhi said it wouldn't be so simple for Fang Cheng to obtain an Outer Sect Trial Talisman.
Only then did Fang Cheng understand.
'The body's previous owner had fled into the Yinluo Sect to escape being hunted by his senior brother, Fang Hen. He spent all his time either refining Gu or cultivating. Though he'd heard rumors about these things, he never understood the intricate politics involved.'
Now that he understood, he suddenly recalled that genius from the Feng Family, the Inner Sect Disciple of the Yinluo Sect—Feng Ling!
Feng Ling had once told him that if he applied for the Outer Disciple trial, she could help him take care of any trouble.
He mused, "Brother Wang, if I were to ask someone from one of the great families for help, do you think I could get a Trial Talisman?"
Wang Xingzhi looked surprised, then nodded. "It would depend on the family. If you can bribe an Outer Elder, it shouldn't be a problem, but… the cost would be substantial. Someone once calculated that all told, you couldn't get it done for less than ten thousand Spirit Stones."
"That expensive?!"
Before Fang Cheng could even speak, Wen Qianqian let out a small gasp.
Fang Cheng said, "Brother Wang, do you know Feng Ling of the Feng Family from the Flame Demon Dao?"
Wang Xingzhi was taken aback, not expecting Fang Cheng to have such a connection. His expression turned serious. "Feng Ling is not only one of the most outstanding disciples from the great families' younger generation, but even among the sea of talent in the Inner Sect, she would still rank in the top ten. She has a real chance of becoming a Yinluo True Inheritance Disciple in the future!"
"If she were to step in and help, it wouldn't be a problem at all…"
As Wang Xingzhi spoke, he suddenly seemed to realize something. He looked at Fang Cheng and said, "I get it now! So that's your relationship with the Feng Family, Brother Fang!"
Wen Qianqian, her eyes alight with gossip, asked curiously, "What relationship? Go on, tell us!"
Wang Xingzhi laughed heartily. "Half a year ago, the Feng Family took in a live-in son-in-law. This man has a Fire Vein constitution and cultivates the Feng Family's Flame Demon True Technique. His progress has been astonishingly fast, drawing a great deal of attention. But the most crucial part is, that man's surname is also Fang, and rumor has it he used to be a Gu Cultivator as well…"
Surname Fang, and a Gu Cultivator!
Upon hearing this, Wen Qianqian, Chen Yu Yan, and Yang Heng all turned to look at Fang Cheng.
Fang Cheng's expression flickered. After a moment, he sighed, "The man Brother Wang mentioned... that should be my senior brother."
'I can't believe Fang Hen actually married into the Feng Family.'
'And it seems he did it before I even met Feng Ling... When I think back to my strange encounter with her on the Demon Beast Wilderness Island…'
Fang Cheng felt like he was beginning to understand something.
Wang Xingzhi smiled. "Your senior brother is held in high regard by the Feng Family now. If you have him put in a good word for you, you'll definitely be able to get Feng Ling's help."
Fang Cheng gave a faint smile and asked, "Brother Wang, aside from that method, are there any other ways to get a Trial Talisman?"
Wang Xingzhi said, "If you don't think that's a reliable plan, Brother Fang, you could always follow your senior brother's example and marry into one of the great families. Then, participating in the trial would be a simple matter."
In fact, the great families had never stopped recruiting sons-in-law as a way to absorb new blood from the ranks of Loose Cultivators.
Fang Cheng joked, "In that case, I wonder if Brother Wang's family is still recruiting sons-in-law?"
"Of course we are… But, Brother Fang, are you being serious?" The idea had already crossed Wang Xingzhi's mind, and hearing this, he immediately asked with a solemn expression.
Fang Cheng nodded. "I have some... friction with that senior brother of mine. So as long as it's not the Feng Family, anything is on the table."