Tier 1 High-grade Cave Mansion (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

Inside the Inner Affairs Hall, a faint silence fell. The scions of the various cultivation families all turned their eyes toward the bamboo slip token in Qi Chuan's palm, their gazes filled with both surprise and envy.

The words "Tier 1 High-grade" engraved upon it meant that Qi Chuan had successfully drawn a cave mansion with a Tier 1 High-grade Ling Mai.

The others had all received only Tier 1 Mid-grade ones.

This person's luck was simply too good, wasn't it?

Which cultivation family was he from?

The Qi Family?

"That person seems to be a scion of the Qi Family?"

Meanwhile, Ye Liang watched Qi Chuan, a faint gleam flickering deep within his eyes.

Everyone present came from cultivation families, and those families all had some connections with one another. Thus, they generally knew which family each person belonged to, though they could not know everyone's exact identity.

For example, quite a few people recognized someone like Ye Liang, who possessed great talent and a considerable reputation.

But someone like Qi Chuan, who had been unknown before suddenly winning an Inner Sect Quota—even his own clan had been caught by surprise, much less outsiders. There had been no way for them to learn much about him. They basically only knew that he came from the Qi Family, but nothing more specific.

"He should merely be someone with good luck, who happened to draw a Tier 1 High-grade Cave Mansion."

After glancing at the bamboo slip token in Qi Chuan's hand, Ye Liang narrowed his eyes slightly and withdrew his gaze. He did not take it too seriously.

A Tier 1 High-grade Cave Mansion was indeed better than a Tier 1 Mid-grade Cave Mansion.

However, the most important thing in cultivation was still one's spiritual root.

He possessed a Top Three Grades Spiritual Root. Among the cultivation families present, a spiritual root of this level was basically the best there was. On top of that, he came from the Ye Family and lacked no resources whatsoever, so he could completely disregard the effects of a cave mansion's spiritual qi.

Moreover, although the other party appeared younger than him, Ye Liang could vaguely sense that the other party's Cultivation Realm was likely inferior to his own.

The other party was already beneath him now. With his own spiritual root, the gap between them would only grow wider in the future.

"I am only sixteen this year, yet I have already reached the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. Once I reach the Late Qi Refining Stage and a vacancy opens among the Wind Moon Sect's True Disciples, I will certainly compete for a True Disciple Quota. These so-called scions of cultivation families before me are merely at the third or fourth layer of Qi Refining. I should never have placed them in my eyes, much less cared about the difference of a single grade in cave mansions."

With that thought, Ye Liang completely let go of the slight misgiving in his heart.

"I never expected that I would draw a Tier 1 High-grade Cave Mansion?"

Qi Chuan looked at the bamboo slip token in his palm, genuinely taken aback.

He had originally assumed that all Inner Sect Disciples could only draw Tier 1 Mid-grade Cave Mansions.

Unexpectedly, the Red Dots within that Sand Table Magic Item had likely represented Tier 1 High-grade Cave Mansions. It was simply that the chances of drawing them were too low, which was why those people before him had only drawn the Tier 1 Mid-grade Cave Mansions represented by Blue Dots.

"This Tier 1 High-grade Cave Mansion is truly excellent. It should increase my cultivation speed by quite a bit!"

Back in Red Maple Valley, the residence on Second Master's Independent Peak could probably only be considered an ordinary Tier 1 Low Grade Ling Mai.

Furthermore, in Red Maple Valley, let alone a Tier 1 High-grade Cave Mansion, even a Tier 1 Mid-grade Cave Mansion could only be enjoyed by Elders at the Late Qi Refining Stage.

As for a Tier 1 High-grade Cave Mansion, in the entire Qi Family, perhaps only the Qi Family Patriarch, Qi Wuyou, could possess one.

And now, the moment he entered the Wind Moon Sect, he had obtained cultivation conditions equivalent to those of the Qi Family Patriarch.

Qi Chuan immediately returned the bamboo slip token to Zhao Jing, the Inner Affairs Hall Elder. Zhao Jing rubbed the token between his hands, and a ray of light flew from it, falling upon a Red Dot atop a certain mountain in the Sand Table Magic Item. That should have been the location of Qi Chuan's Cave Mansion.

Then Qi Chuan also received a Cave Mansion Token.

When Qi Chuan received this Tier 1 High-grade Cave Mansion Token, he could sense several somewhat heated gazes around him.

Clearly, even these scions of cultivation families greatly coveted a cave mansion built upon a Tier 1 High-grade Ling Mai.

After all, the Spirit Lands of these cultivation families were generally only at the Tier 1 High-grade level, with quite a few even being only Tier 1 Mid-grade. Even if they were the pride of their clans, the residences allocated to them within their families would not be of particularly high quality.

Qi Chuan paid no attention to those gazes. He only focused on Zhao Jing's subsequent arrangements.

After assigning cave mansions to everyone, Zhao Jing began making arrangements for several other matters.

After listening carefully, Qi Chuan gained a general understanding of cultivation after becoming an Inner Sect Disciple of the Wind Moon Sect.

Upon entering the Inner Sect, aside from providing a decent cave mansion, the Wind Moon Sect would also grant a fixed annual stipend of fifty Low-grade Spirit Stones.

However, there were requirements as well. Every year, one had to complete at least three Sect Missions. Completing those missions would likewise earn rewards such as Sect Contribution points.

If one did not wish to complete Sect Missions due to certain circumstances, one could submit resources to be exempted, though the price would likely be steep.

However, certain missions forcibly assigned by the sect could not be exempted.

Furthermore, entering the Wind Moon Sect's Inner Sect was not a matter of once and for all.

Before the age of thirty, if one's cultivation had not reached the Late Qi Refining Stage, one would be demoted to an Outer Disciple, become a Steward and be dispatched to the sect's external industries, or even be dismissed outright.

If one advanced to the Late Qi Refining Stage before the age of thirty, one could remain in the Inner Sect until the age of fifty.

These rules kept the number of Inner Sect Disciples in the Wind Moon Sect at a certain scale.

As for advancing from the Inner Sect to become a True Disciple, one had to wait until a True Disciple position became vacant.

There were Twelve True Disciples in the Wind Moon Sect. For a True Disciple position to become vacant, either a True Disciple had to advance to the Foundation Establishment realm and become an Elder of the Wind Moon Sect—

—or a True Disciple had to lose his seat for one reason or another.

When that happened and a vacancy appeared, the Wind Moon Sect would hold a True Disciple Selection within the Inner Sect to fill it.

"Looking at it this way, becoming a True Disciple cannot be rushed."

Qi Chuan pondered inwardly.

"Fortunately, my current realm is still too low. I am nowhere near the point where I could become a True Disciple. In any case, I should take it slowly. With the Hundredfold Critical Hit, becoming a True Disciple—or even reaching Foundation Establishment—will not be a problem."

After thinking for a while, Qi Chuan felt somewhat relieved.

With his Golden Finger, although there were things worth fighting for, he ultimately did not need to be overly anxious.

Unlike other cultivators, who, even with excellent talent, had to fight and fight again. They had no choice but to contend for opportunities, because once some things were missed, they would never return. In the end, they could only possess talent in vain, trapped at a certain bottleneck for a lifetime and filled with regret until the end.

"Alright, I have said all that needs to be said. You may now head to your respective cave mansions. Just remember not to neglect your Sect Missions."

After the Inner Affairs Hall Elder gave a few more reminders, he waved his hand and dismissed everyone.

Qi Chuan and the many youngsters from cultivation families then each followed the location information recorded in their Cave Mansion Tokens and headed for their respective cave mansions.

When Qi Chuan left the Inner Affairs Hall and Inner Affairs Peak, he had acquired several more items besides his Cave Mansion Token, such as the Wind Moon Sect Inner Sect Token and the Wind Moon Sect Inner Sect Disciple Robes.

As for magic items, Spirit Stones, talismans, and the like—sorry, the Wind Moon Sect had basically given them nothing at all.

Even the annual stipend of fifty Low-grade Spirit Stones for Inner Sect Disciples could only be claimed after a full year had passed.

"It seems that after entering the Inner Sect, all resources must still be earned through one's own efforts. The greatest benefit of joining the Wind Moon Sect's Inner Sect is likely the advantages brought by this status itself. For someone willing to operate behind the scenes, this status alone can be leveraged into many things."

"As for me, with my Golden Finger, there is no need for so much pointless maneuvering. I only need to work steadily, step by step."

Shaking his head, Qi Chuan arrived at a beautiful mountain peak indicated by his Cave Mansion Token. Following a small path, he came to the edge of a cliff. There was a small open space beside the cliff, and his Tier 1 High-grade Cave Mansion had been carved out not far away.

Qi Chuan walked to the cliff's edge and looked into the distance. Below stretched the boundless waters of Wind Moon Lake, white mist drifting across their surface. Farther away, he could see the outline of a giant mountain.

It was Moon Shadow Mountain, one of the Wind Moon Sect's famed Wind Spirit Mountain and Moon Shadow Mountain.

"I heard that True Sword Master Xuanjian resides atop Moon Shadow Mountain?"

Qi Chuan raised his eyes toward the summit of Moon Shadow Mountain. After staring for a moment, he withdrew his gaze and looked once more at the white mist over the lake below.

"I can only say that the scenery is exceptionally good. This cave mansion is excellent, whether in terms of its surroundings and views or its Spiritual Qi Concentration."

"It is just that going out takes a bit too much walking. The Wind Moon Sect seems to be rather too large, doesn't it?"