Li Qingqiu's slaying of the Demon Emperor Zhao Zhi continued to send ripples through the world. Even with snow swirling through the winter days, people still climbed the mountain to pay their respects every day.
The festive bustle had barely faded when the leadership meeting was held as scheduled.
Zhang Yuchun, Jiang Zhaoxia, Li Dongyue, Wu Man'er, Li Sijin, Xu Ning, Yang Jueding, Zhang Yu, Zhu Yan, Chai Yunshang, Xue Jin, Qingxiao True Person, and Shen Yue gathered around the long table, crowding it to capacity.
Chai Yunshang and Xue Jin were a little ill at ease, as this was their first time attending such a meeting. Qingxiao True Person, on the other hand, was entirely at ease. Instead, he spoke with the concern of an elder as he checked in with the hall masters.
Li Qingqiu asked the hall masters to report on their respective affairs. Zhang Yuchun went first.
"The sect currently has 4,670 registered disciples. Among them, 892 are Inner Sect Disciples, and 377 are True Disciples. In addition, there are over 1,500 Menial Disciples..."
Hearing the figures, the leaders were all encouraged.
The threshold for becoming a True Disciple had now risen to the Yangyuan Realm Third Layer. Anyone who reached that level could bestride a province. Master Jiang, who had once manipulated the imperial court, had only been at the Yangyuan Realm Third Layer himself.
Of course, not all 377 of them had reached the Yangyuan Realm Third Layer. Some were less talented disciples who had simply been with the sect for many years.
"There are 892 disciples at the Nurturing Origin Realm Layer 1, 457 at the Yangyuan Realm Second Layer, 289 at the Nourishing Yuan Realm Third Layer, 25 at the Nourishing Yuan Realm Fourth Layer, and three at the Nourishing Yuan Realm