A Burial Ground for Nascent Soul Cultivators

"These are the selection criteria I drew up with several junior brothers and sisters. I ask that you two Martial Aunts review them."

Xu Chunniang felt rather uncomfortable. "Uncle-Master Yue, you should still address me as you did before."

"Etiquette must not be neglected."

Yue Lingzheng refused with a solemn expression. "As the head of a sect, I must lead by example."

Xu Chunniang could not press the matter further. She accepted the Jade Slip Yue Lingzheng handed over and swept it with her divine sense, reviewing the entire process at a glance.

The selection of new disciples was divided into three trials.

Besides spiritual root aptitude, their temperament, comprehension, and other qualities would also be tested. The standards were much stricter than before.

If their temperament and comprehension did not pass muster, then no matter how good their talent was, they might not be accepted.

To conserve resources, the sect had also established a new rule: all newly inducted Qi Refinement cultivators could only enter the outer sect.

"This arrangement is also a helpless choice."

Yue Lingzheng explained, "Although the sect has eight Spiritual Veins, the root cause of the vanishing spiritual energy cannot be resolved. These veins will ultimately grow smaller and smaller."

When spiritual energy was insufficient, taking in too many new disciples would instead hinder the sect's development.

Sheng Qingyun sighed and shook her head. "Each generation is worse than the last. Is the Age of Dharma Decline truly upon us?"

"Perhaps."

Yue Lingzheng shook his head with a bitter smile. As though something had suddenly occurred to him, he looked at Xu Chunniang.

"Martial Aunt Xu has returned from the overseas Cultivation World. Has spiritual energy overseas diminished as well?"

"During the years I spent overseas, I did not notice any changes in the spiritual