Trust and Prenatal Tacit Understanding

Within the sect's boundaries, even if someone harbored jealousy towards him, they would be constrained by the sect's rules.

If they disliked him, they could only deal with him through indirect means.

Dealing with him this way was still manageable.

After all, he wasn't some clueless novice; a lot of their tricks wouldn't work on him.

But once he left the sect's boundaries, who knew if someone would directly attack him.

That would be more troublesome.

Although he had accumulated some trump cards, if he encountered someone too powerful, to save his life, he would still have to expend EXP to instantly raise his cultivation. But doing so would force him to flee for his life afterward.

It wasn't worth it.

"The best choice is to wait until my cultivation improves before leaving the sect, giving them not the slightest opportunity," Zhang Wan decided.

In fact, he had already prepared for this.

Zhang Wan knew long ago that no matter how low-key he acted, as long as his cultivation continued to rise, it would sooner or later provoke the hostility of some people within the sect.

Resources were limited. If his cultivation increased, he would take up a portion of them, inevitably causing others' hostility.

A confrontation was bound to happen sooner or later.

However, the confrontation happening now was much earlier than Zhang Wan had anticipated, catching him completely off guard and making many of his original plans impossible to execute.

Take his second and third younger siblings, for example.

He had originally planned to visit them regularly to supervise their cultivation.

Now, it was best for him not to leave the sect's boundaries, which naturally meant he should avoid going to Fengliu Commandery.

"Perhaps I should write a letter to my second and third younger siblings, explain the situation, and tell them about my current circumstances and concerns."

Although Zhang Lingshu and Zhang Yan were still young, Zhang Wan wouldn't hide things from them that they needed to know.

After all, it was quite common for feuds to affect family members.

If he didn't make things clear to his family, they wouldn't be on guard, and it wouldn't be strange for them to be schemed against at any time.

"Moreover, if I can't visit them every so often, I'll need to find another way to ensure they don't slack off."

"A sense of crisis is a good option."

"But I need to think carefully about how to write the letter, to make them feel the crisis without being crushed by the pressure it brings."

"This way, it will also help them grow."

Zhang Wan also planned to write a letter to his parents, informing them about being taken as disciples by the two vice-ministers and the potential hidden dangers.

He also wanted to invite his parents to move to the Beginner Martial Arts Academy.

At the Beginner Martial Arts Academy, with the dean and others watching, anyone who wanted to target them would have to be considerate. It would also be a good opportunity to keep an eye on Zhang Lingshu and Zhang Yan.

In the past, Zhang Wan didn't have the ability to get his parents into the Beginner Martial Arts Academy.

He didn't have that much influence with the dean and vice-dean.

But now, with two Ninth Level Postnatal cultivators as his masters, his status had improved, and he could use this to arrange for his parents to be at the Beginner Martial Arts Academy.

If they were willing, they could join the academy's miscellaneous affairs department. If not, they could live in the independent courtyards for Postnatal students as family members of the academy students.

Relying on Zhang Wan's current status, he could achieve this.

For Zhang Wan, power should be used; otherwise, it would be a waste.

While Zhang Wan was writing letters, the news of him being taken as a disciple by the two vice-ministers of the Dust Bone Fourth Branch spread.

The students from the same batch as Zhang Wan had also reported to the sect's mountain gate long ago.

Among the outstanding ones like Yu Shui, Xu Hui, and Lin Fangyan, some had also been taken as disciples by veteran Postnatal cultivators of the sect during this period.

Furthermore, graduates from previous terms of the Jade Bone Sect's academies also resided in the outer disciple living areas. Almost every day, some outer disciples were taken a liking to by veteran Postnatal cultivators and accepted as their disciples.

It wasn't unusual for someone to be taken as a disciple by a veteran Postnatal cultivator.

But to be taken as a disciple by a Ninth Level Postnatal martial artist, and by two Ninth Level Postnatal cultivators simultaneously, that was uncommon.

It immediately piqued the curiosity of the outer disciples, becoming gossip among them.

Although the topic came and went quickly, it made a lot of outer disciples aware of Zhang Wan. Some with other intentions even committed his name to memory.

When the veteran Postnatal martial artists heard about this and thought about Wang Yue and Li Guannian's situation, they immediately understood. Wang Yue and Li Guannian joining forces to take a disciple meant they were treating this Zhang Wan as their successor!

Some people didn't care, while others saw Zhang Wan as a stumbling block.

Undercurrents stirred among the outer disciples.

But this was just the beginning.

When the news reached the ears of the sect's Prenatal cultivators, most of them didn't care.

However, a few Prenatal cultivators turned their attention to him.

Among them was Zhao Qixin's father, Zhao Kun.

"In the same batch as Xin'er, not only does he have Third Level Postnatal cultivation, but he also has achievements in the way of spirit plants."

"So, they have good talent in both martial arts and spirit plants." Zhao Kun said indifferently, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

"Yes, Master."

"Besides Zhang Wan, Xu Hui, and Yu Shui, who are in the same academy as our junior sister, there are other graduates from different academies this year with decent talent. Many of them not only have solid foundations but have also reached the Third Level Postnatal in their cultivation."

"Several of them are at a similar cultivation level to our junior sister, having reached the late stage of the Third Level Postnatal," Xu Shenghua informed his master, Zhao Kun, about the situation he had gathered.

"It seems the quality of this year's students is indeed good. This is a positive development, but they mustn't stand in Xin'er's way," Zhao Kun said, looking at Xu Shenghua.

"Fourth, you know what needs to be done, right?"

Xu Shenghua lowered his head. "Master, I understand. Before our junior sister breaks through to Prenatal, none of them will be qualified to do so."

Zhao Kun nodded, then sighed. "Even with a Prenatal Pill, there's no guarantee of breaking through on the first try. We need to reserve at least two chances for Xin'er to break through. Until then, suppress their cultivation properly so they don't pose a threat to Xin'er."

"You don't have to handle this alone; you can call upon your senior brothers and sisters as well."

"Besides you all, I will also contact other Prenatal experts. You won't be the only ones doing this."

"Remember, they are ultimately disciples of our Sect. They have the potential to become the backbone of our Sect in the future. You just need to suppress their cultivation progress; there's no need to go too far."

Xu Shenghua added a thought in his mind: no need to be too obvious!

He understood perfectly what his master meant.

The Sect had a limited supply of Prenatal Pills, and only a select few disciples could obtain one to break through to the Prenatal stage.

Naturally, the Sect's Prenatal experts would prioritize their own bloodline descendants.

Only if the bloodline descendants proved to be incompetent would they consider their adopted disciples.

Finally, if any Prenatal Pills remained, they would go to those Postnatal disciples who lacked the backing of a Prenatal martial artist.

However, this was merely an unspoken understanding among the Sect's Prenatal experts, not a rule written in black and white.

Although Old Ancestor Jade Bone turned a blind eye to these tacit understandings among the Sect's Prenatal experts and didn't interfere much, he had still set down rules.

If a disciple met the cultivation standards and rendered significant meritorious service, and if the Sect still had Prenatal Pills at that time, that disciple could exchange for a Prenatal Pill. This was something even the Sect's Prenatal experts couldn't override.