Sect Reform
[Age 41, 23 years of service.]
[Trait being generated...]
[Congratulations on obtaining the Trait: High-Temperature Allowance (Level C) -- When the temperature in your work environment exceeds 35℃, you can receive an additional small High-Temperature Allowance each month.]
Should we replace it?
Lu Ping was almost moved to tears.
The system, knowing he works as a furnace operator every day, thoughtfully provides him with High-Temperature Allowance.
It would be even better if the system were a bit more generous.
Therefore, Lu Ping did not change his choice.
[You choose not to change.]
[You hardly left your cave abode throughout the year.]
[After you've annotated the account books sent from the various halls of the Greenwood Sect, Xu Qingshi will take them away.]
The Deacon of each hall only knew that the Sect Master was still in seclusion.
[Unbeknownst to you, while you were repairing the old crack in your Dantian, you were also relentlessly working your way up in a Law Treasure Pill Furnace.]
[Six months later, the lid of the Moon Palace Fire-Devouring Furnace trembled slightly.]
A fire-devouring power emanated from within the furnace.
[The Southern Bright Separation Fire was sucked into the furnace's belly and then spat out from the mouths of the four Azure Toads.]
[More stable firepower.]
[Lower losses.]
[You have finally refined the Moon Palace Fire-Devouring Furnace.]
[But the crack in your Dantian was also aggravated.]
[You cough up a mouthful of blood.]
[The blood that fell onto the alchemy table was immediately swept away by the Dust-Cleansing Incantation.]
[You've been sitting for a long time.]
[Law Treasure obtained.]
[Daoji's debts are also outstanding.]
[But at least now, you're finally qualified to refine those two top-grade poisons.]
[You retrieve the medicinal herbs that have been sealed away for over a year.]
[Marrow-Chaos Vine, Vein-Reversing Sand, Breath-Concealing Flower Sap.]
[White-Soul Silkworm Thread, Nether-Sense Grass, Moonlit Dew.]
[Each one was so expensive that it silenced the Greenwood Sect warehouse.]
[You close the Restrictions on the cave abode.]
[The Moon Palace Fire-Devouring Furnace landed in the center of the alchemy table.]
[The Southern Bright Separation Fire to the furnace.]
[The first batch of Spirit-Chaos Lure caused the furnace to tremble seven times.]
[During the eighth tremor, the four Azure Toads inside the furnace simultaneously opened their mouths, swallowing the raging flames.]
[You raise your hand and press down on the stove lid.]
[The Artisan Spirit takes effect.]
[Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement effective.]
[Overtime work effective.]
[My I Love Working is now in effect.]
[The Moon Palace Fire-Devouring Furnace, and the Law Treasure unleashes its power.]
[You've gradually suppressed the rampant poison within the Pill Furnace, pressing it back into the medicinal embryo.]
[Three days later, the furnace lid was opened.]
A cloud of grayish-black medicinal mist swirled around the furnace opening for a moment before condensing into twelve portions of medicinal powder.
[The Spirit-Chaos Lure is complete.]
[You didn't stop.]
[Seven days later, the Spirit-Winding Thread was completed.]
[Twelve portions of Spirit-Chaos Lure.]
[Twelve portions of Spirit-Winding Thread.]
[This is all you can refine right now.]
[On this day, Qian Dafu and Xu Qingshi report to you.]
Xu Qingshi then placed the newly compiled monthly accounts for each palace on the table.
"Senior brother, this is the income and expenditure of each hall this year."
[You open the ledger.]
The biggest problem with the Greenwood Sect is not that its disciples don't work hard.
[Instead, 80% of his time was spent on infusing Spirit Stones, paying offerings, and repaying debts.]
[The actual time spent on cultivation is pitifully short.]
The poorer the disciple is, the harder he must work.
The harder you work, the less time you have for self-cultivation.
The less skilled one is, the more low-paying menial labor they can do.
This ledger system is very closed-loop.
[In your past life, you were merely a lowly servant, having just risen to the next lowest rung. This scenario is all too familiar.]
The higher the exploitation rate, the slower the employee growth.
[Long-term total revenue has actually declined.]
The boss thought he had won big.
[Actually, they're turning the company's future into a pot of swill.]
[You close the ledger.]
"Summon the Deacon and elders of all halls for a meeting."
[Inside the Main Hall, the elders in Deacon of each hall quickly gathered.]
You place a Jade Slip containing the new regulations on the table.
"Starting next month, all disciples will receive their monthly stipend."
The hall fell silent immediately.
[The Mining Hall Deacon up, then quickly lowered his head again.]
The Deacon of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall opened his mouth, but dared not utter a word.
[You continue speaking.]
"Disciples shall hand over minerals, spiritual herbs, and Spirit Blank, which will be purchased at market prices."
"Disciples receive three discounts per month when purchasing sect Pills, Law Artifacts, and Cultivation Method."
"The monthly interest rate for sect loans has been reduced."
"Overdue collection efforts are strictly prohibited; harming or damaging disciples is forbidden."
[As the last sentence fell, the Deacon of the Law Enforcement Hall shuddered.]
He used to make a living by collecting kickbacks from debt collectors.
[Now you've taken the oil pot.]
[Options pop up.]
[A: Explain the logic of the reform gently, and strive for understanding from all the halls.]
[B: Let's unleash our Bully at Home attitude and swallow our dissenting opinions first.]
[C: Announces that Greenwood Sect is adopting a model similar to that of Big Companies, starting with distributing mooncakes, then optimizing 30% of its disciples.]
Lu Ping stared at A and remained silent.
A gentle explanation is certainly better.
The problem is, the founders of the Greenwood Sect didn't come to listen to a business lesson.
They only understand two languages.
Spirit Stone.
Fist.
The current reforms are meant to loosen the reins on lower-level disciples, but they also mean to take a cut from the mouths of those in the middle ranks.
If you start by explaining your reasoning, people might perceive it as a sign of guilt.
Lu Ping chose B.
[You chose B.]
[Effective Bully at Home.]
[The aura of Foundation Establishment Late Stage settled in the Main Hall.]
That long-lost aura of terror once again weighed down on everyone.
[The Mining Hall Deacon was about to speak when his throat suddenly tightened.]
[The Communication Talisman hidden in the sleeve of the Deacon of the Law Enforcement Hall snapped in two.]
[Qian Dafu stood at the front, his neck tingling, but he felt a sense of relief.]
[Only a Sect Master who is willing to pay monthly salaries and can maintain control over the entire sect has the authority to alter the account books, and is someone worth following.]
Xu Qingshi slip containing the new Jade Slip.
"The disciple immediately transcribed it and relayed it to the various halls for execution."
You nodded.
"If anyone doesn't understand, let him come and ask me himself."
[After the meeting, Qian Dafu and Xu Qingshi did not leave.]
Qian Dafu closed the palace door.
"Senior Brother Lu, now that my monthly salary has been paid, what about the rent from the Azure Cloud Sect?"
Xu Qingshi handed over an account book.
"Senior brother, the books can last another year and a half."
"Going forward, we need to generate new revenue."
Instead of publicly contradicting each other, the two focused on how to patch up the mess.
[This stirred something within you.]
[Finally, there are two people willing to work with you to fix this broken machine, Greenwood Sect.]
You tapped on the desktop.
"Only by liberating our employees can we make the pie bigger."
Qian Dafu and Xu Qingshi left your cave abode, seemingly lost in thought.
[Six months later, the production of the Greenwood Sect began to recover.]
[Age 42, 24 years of service]
[Trait being generated...]