Inner Disciples

Although Lin Chen wanted to understand his current condition, this was not something that could be figured out in a short while. For now, he was more inclined to immediately set out and advance to become an inner disciple.

Since he had broken through to the Late Qi Refining Stage and met the requirements for promotion to an inner disciple, he should complete the promotion quickly. That way, he would not need to perform miscellaneous duties a month from now and would have more time for cultivation.

More importantly, while outer disciples had to share a cave mansion with several others, inner disciples could choose a cave mansion atop a first-grade spirit vein and live alone.

Not only could they enjoy the spiritual energy of an entire area exclusively and accelerate their cultivation, but they would also possess a private cave mansion. Whether it was for keeping secrets or growing and selling spirit flowers and herbs to gain an additional source of income, the benefits were not small.

Let alone that, for Lin Chen, he could move part of the laboratory into the cave mansion, rather than having to come here for every experiment. It could be said to greatly save time.

According to Azure Cloud Sect regulations, those with Heavenly Spirit Roots, dual spirit roots, or variant spirit roots could directly become inner disciples. Cultivators with all other spirit roots had to reach the Late Qi Refining Stage, Qi Vortex Realm, before turning thirty to become inner disciples. Lin Chen was only twenty this year, so he fully met the promotion requirements.

Azure Cloud Sect inner disciples not only did not have to perform miscellaneous duties once every three months, leaving them with more time for cultivation, but their monthly stipends were also much higher than those of outer disciples.

Mid Qi Refining Stage outer disciples received three "Yellow Bud Pills" and thirty spirit stones every month, while Late Qi Refining Stage inner disciples received three "Purple Cloud Pills" and sixty spirit stones every month. In terms of value, it was more than twice as much.

Thus, he set off once more and headed straight for Azure Spring Peak. After several hours of travel, he arrived at Azure Spring Peak at the hour of the Rooster, just as the sun was about to set.

By then, night was drawing near, and the western sky had been completely dyed red by the setting sun.

Azure Spring Peak was still bustling with people coming and going. Lin Chen's expression remained calm as he strolled among the trees, walking straight toward his destination.

Very soon, within the time it took to burn half a stick of incense, he arrived before a gigantic tree.

It stood dozens of meters tall, its immense shade covering a hundred-meter radius.

Its leaves resembled pepper leaves, with backward-pointing thorns growing upon them. Where the grain of the wood intersected, natural Defense Restrictions had actually formed one after another.

This was—the [Diwu Tree]!

This kind of spirit tree had likewise been created by Azure Cloud Sect cultivators of the older generation. It was naturally capable of forming a Defense Spirit Formation, which would continuously strengthen as the tree grew. A century-old spirit tree was Comparable To a second-grade defensive spirit formation; a millennium-old spirit tree, Even If faced with a Golden Core Cultivator, would not be easily breached!

"Who goes there?" Just as Lin Chen approached, a clear Voice Sounded, yet there was not a single person in The Scene Before Him.

"Outer Disciple Lin Chen," Lin Chen said flatly, seemingly unsurprised by This Scene.

Rustle! Rustle!

At that moment, the grass before Lin Chen suddenly gave off the sound of branches rubbing together. Then, a vivid purplish-red flower with a hollow center, shaped like a human mouth, stretched out from the brush and fired a pale cyan spiritual light at Lin Chen!

Lin Chen did not move, allowing the spiritual light to sweep over his entire body.

"Identity confirmed. Entry permitted." A clear voice actually came from the flower. Then, the scene before him twisted violently. Upon reaching a certain point, it abruptly stopped and directly dispersed, forming a tree hollow.

Lin Chen nodded and walked straight inside.

The spirit plant that had spoken just now was [Gate Protecting Grass].

As long as cultivators entered the information of those whose identities were authorized into it, anyone absent from that information would alert the grass, activating the Diwu Tree's defensive functions.

Spirit plants such as [Gate Protecting Grass], [Diwu Tree], and [Sound Transmission Flower] together formed a defensive system that monitored the entire sect and protected its disciples!

Lin Chen had to admit that these spirit plants modified by cultivators truly had similarities to the technology of his previous life in terms of function!

Upon entering the tree, he found it extremely spacious inside, with no unnecessary clutter and furnishings that were exceptionally plain and simple.

Hanging on the central wall were portraits of Azure Cloud Sect's patriarchs throughout the generations. Beneath them stood a red offering table, and at its center was only an incense burner, in which three neatly arranged sticks of incense burned. It involuntarily inspired a sense of solemnity.

Within the great hall, beneath the patriarchs' portraits, an Old Man with a head full of silver hair, a slightly round face, and brown robes lay in a grandmaster's chair, dozing lightly.

Lin Chen walked over quietly. Seeing this scene, he simply stood to one side and waited.

Before long, the Foundation Establishment Uncle-Master who looked like an old man slowly opened his eyes. His somewhat clouded gaze swept over Lin Chen from head to toe, and Lin Chen immediately felt a force examining his body.

This was a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator's [Spiritual Sense]. By integrating one's perception into spiritual energy, it could, like the scanning instruments of his previous life, detect information about cultivators whose realms were below one's own.

Lin Chen's expression remained calm, but beneath the surface, he also used his Spiritual Sense to suitably conceal the abnormalities within his body.

Ever since his soul had undergone its initial transformation last time and Spiritual Sense had been born, although it still could not compare to a Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator's in quality, interfering with it to a certain extent and affecting its judgment was no problem.

"Hmm... your true qi is pure, your aura steady. Not bad, not bad. You are worth cultivating."

"Hand over your identity plaque. You may call me Uncle-Master Yang," Yang Cheng said slowly.

Observing that this junior was full of vitality and spirit, with pure spiritual power, Yang Cheng concluded that he had spent several years properly tempering his Cultivation Level. He did not seem to have used methods with enormous Hidden Danger to cultivate rapidly, and his aura was relatively stable. Clearly, his breakthrough realm was extremely solid. This made him nod slightly.

Lin Chen gave a slight bow. Then, upon hearing Uncle-Master Yang speak, he took out the green leaf representing his disciple identity from his Storage Bag, held it with both hands, and respectfully presented it to him.

The green leaf was lush and verdant. Though it was a leaf, its material was as crystalline as jade.

"Disciple Lin Chen greets Uncle-Master Yang. I have come This Time because my cultivation has reached the Late Qi Refining Stage. I am twenty years old this year and have met the conditions for promotion to the inner sect. I have specially come to complete the procedures, so I must trouble Uncle-Master."

"I know you. You kid have some talent. At the Outer Sect Grand Competition, the way you handled that Spirit Bullet Technique was simply superb. You have quite the talent of a Law Cultivator," Yang Cheng said with a kindly smile.

"Uncle-Master overpraises me," Lin Chen said humbly.

"Appropriate humility is a good thing. But with disciples like you, the flourishing of Azure Cloud Sect is in sight!" Yang Cheng praised.

He then accepted the green leaf and inserted it into a tree root beside him. This was to upload the information to Azure Cloud Sect's upper ranks.

Before long, the green leaf upon the tree root suddenly emitted a brilliant radiance. Then, within that light, it actually began growing speck by speck.

"It is done." Once its growth stopped, Yang Cheng pulled out the green leaf and handed it back. "From this day onward, you are an inner disciple of Azure Cloud Sect."

Then he said solemnly:

"Nephew Lin, your disciple identity has now been changed. From this moment on, you are an inner disciple of Azure Cloud Sect. Remember to cultivate diligently and never slack off. In the future, remain loyal to the sect and never betray it. You must not tarnish the sect's illustrious name!"

"Rest assured, Uncle-Master. This disciple will certainly abide by these words," Lin Chen answered with equal solemnity.

Since awakening the memories of his past life, Lin Chen had lived here for more than a decade. More or less, he had developed some attachment to this place. So long as it did not harm his own interests, he did not mind lending the sect a hand.

"Very good." A gratified smile appeared on Yang Cheng's aged face.

"Since that's the case, this disciple shall take his leave." Lin Chen bowed, then turned to leave, only to suddenly be called back.

"Wait!"