Human Strength Has Its Limits, and Lifespan Is Finite

"Recommendation?"

Zhu Yu recalled Mu Ruo's Mark, which he had discarded halfway along the road. A thought flashed through his mind, and he shook his head slightly before replying respectfully, "Reporting to Steward, no."

Hearing this, Steward Heng did not find anything amiss. Among disciples like Zhu Yu, brought in from the Spirit Desert, only a small few would catch the eye of certain figures. Most still cultivated step by step.

He took out a jade slip and flicked it toward Zhu Yu, his tone even.

"To help newly inducted disciples adapt to their cultivation as quickly as possible, and to lay foundations for their future immortal paths, the sect provides many spiritual grounds for cultivation."

"Take a look. You may choose one spiritual ground to take up residence in. Once chosen, you will need to wait three years before you can switch."

"Thank you, Steward."

Hearing that the sect would provide spiritual grounds for cultivation, Zhu Yu's eyes immediately lit up. As he sent his Divine Sense into the jade slip, he secretly sighed to himself, As expected, it pays to become an official disciple.

Yet as he read through the jade slip, his expression gradually became more and more colorful.

The jade slip recorded five major spiritual grounds: the Demon-Slaying Guard, the Underworld Grounds, the Ore Vein District, the Spirit Field Hall, and the Beast Rearing Pen.

"Demon-Slaying Guard": responsible for garrisoning and opening up unknown territories such as Demon Caves and Insect Nests. Monthly stipend: one hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones. Upon joining, one would receive the first-rank mid-grade art Demon Slaughter, as well as the spiritual materials needed to construct the art.

"Underworld Grounds": responsible for feeding and cultivating corpse embryos and resentful souls. Monthly stipend: fifty Low-grade Spirit Stones. Upon joining, one would receive one of the first-rank low-grade arts, the Corpse Control Art or Soul Control Art, as well as the spiritual materials needed to construct the art.

"Ore Vein District": responsible for tending and guarding ore foundations. Monthly stipend: thirty Low-grade Spirit Stones. Upon joining, one would receive the first-rank low-grade art Spirit Bewilderment, as well as the spiritual materials needed to construct the art.

The Spirit Field Hall, Beast Rearing Pen, and the like likewise provided a first-rank low-grade art and the spiritual materials needed to construct it upon joining.

The farther down the rankings, the lower the stipend.

At first, Zhu Yu had thought the Heavenly Dao Sect merely intended for newly inducted disciples like them to undertake a certain amount of labor during their adjustment period. Yet as he continued reading, his expression gradually turned solemn.

According to the jade slip, human strength had its limits, and lifespan was finite.

Before advancing to the Foundation Establishment Realm, specializing in a single path was the superior choice. To a certain extent, the spiritual ground one initially chose determined a cultivator's immortal path.

For example, those who joined the Demon-Slaying Guard would most likely become Demon-Slaying Envoys in the future, specializing in slaughter and self-defense. They would not engage in production, instead carving open their own immortal paths through killing.

Likewise, those who joined the Spirit Plant Hall or Beast Rearing Pen would most likely become Spirit Planters or Demon Breeders, specializing in spirit plants and the optimized cultivation and breeding of demon beasts, opening their immortal paths through resources.

The Underworld Grounds and Ore Vein District lay between those two extremes. They possessed some ability in slaughter and self-defense while also allowing one to accumulate a certain amount of resources.

With the True Sight Eye at his side, Zhu Yu immediately ruled out the most dangerous option, the Demon-Slaying Guard. Though the Spirit Plant Hall and Beast Rearing Pen were good, they focused solely on production and were weak in self-defense.

In the end, his thoughts gradually inclined toward the Underworld Grounds and Ore Vein District.

But when he considered what an ore foundation was, as well as his natal Underworld Yin-Nurturing Locust Tree, he immediately made up his mind.

"Only five spiritual grounds..."

The thought passed through Zhu Yu's mind. Coming back to himself, he cupped his hands and said, "Reporting to Steward, this disciple chooses the Underworld Grounds."

Steward Heng seemed quite satisfied with his choice. A hideous smile appeared on his sinister face as he took out a jade board roughly three feet across and beckoned to him.

"Come choose a Corpse Field or Resentment Pool."

Zhu Yu stepped forward and swept his gaze over it.

The jade board was divided into four zones—A, B, C, and D. Each zone was further subdivided into red-and-blue squares of varying sizes. Some were dim, while others glowed.

Steward Heng explained, "The red squares are Corpse Fields, while the blue squares are Resentment Pools. Since you have only just entered the Qi Refining Realm, you may only choose a Low-Grade Corpse Field or Resentment Pool in the Grade D Zone."

"The glowing ones are vacant. Pick one."

Looking at the chaotic red and blue squares on the jade board, Zhu Yu thought for a moment. Then he took roughly twenty Low-grade Spirit Stones from the hidden pouch in his sleeve and placed them on the table, saying respectfully,

"This disciple has only just entered the Qi Refining Realm and understands nothing. I ask Steward to help select one."

Steward Heng's gaze swept over the small pile of Spirit Stones on the table. He gave Zhu Yu a surprised look. Though these Spirit Stones were few, he knew full well how difficult it was for newly inducted disciples from the Spirit Desert to earn them.

"Interesting..."

The corners of Steward Heng's mouth twitched. He raised a hand and pointed at a modestly sized red square along the edge of the Grade D Zone.

"This Corpse Field is roughly three mu and two fen in size. The Yin Baleful Spirit Qi within is extremely abundant, not far off from a Mid-Grade Corpse Field."

"It is merely adjacent to the Beast Pen, where there is endless clamor every day. That is why few have chosen it even now."

Steward Heng said indifferently, "If you think the noise will delay your cultivation, choose another one yourself."

"Thank you, Steward. This Corpse Field will do."

Zhu Yu did not hesitate and immediately made his choice. With his current attainments in visualization, a little noise would not hinder his meditative cultivation.

Steward Heng nodded slightly, changed the glowing square to dim, then explained what Zhu Yu needed to do after selecting a Corpse Field, along with some of its benefits.

For the first half-year, Zhu Yu only needed to adapt to his cultivation and diligently cultivate his arts.

Once that period passed, he would make a trip to an Insect Nest or Demon Cave.

After returning to the Underworld Grounds, based on the calculation that each mu of Corpse Field could cultivate at least ten corpses, Zhu Yu would need to provide the sect with fifteen Living Corpses each year that had drawn Yin Baleful Spirit Qi into their bodies.

As for the benefits, depending on the quality of the Living Corpses he provided, the sect would reward him with twenty to one hundred Contribution Points.

Together with the monthly stipend, he could earn at least nine hundred Spirit Stones a year.

If he could cultivate more Living Corpses than the sect's baseline requirement, his annual Spirit Stone income would rise to at least a thousand.

Of course.

If he failed to provide enough Living Corpses as required, the first offense would merely result in the loss of one year's stipend. The second offense would see him expelled directly from the Underworld Grounds.

How he would make a living afterward would be entirely up to him.

That sounded quite good, but there was one catch.

Anyone who left their original spiritual ground before staying for three full years would never again be able to join any of the sect's spiritual grounds. Furthermore, they would no longer enjoy the privilege of purchasing cultivation methods at half price.

Their immortal path would not be completely severed, but it would grow dim and lightless...

"Haa..."

Leaving the Affairs Hall, Zhu Yu let out a soft breath. He looked up at the ten full moons on the dome overhead, hesitated slightly, then turned and headed in the direction opposite the newly inducted disciples' district.

He followed the main road onward.

Before long, accompanied by shrill cries and beastly roars, vast stretches of emerald Spirit Fields appeared on both sides of the road, interspersed with Beast Pens glittering with the spiritual light of restrictions.

He could vaguely see people in different clothing bustling about within the Spirit Fields and Beast Pens.

As he went deeper.

The emerald Spirit Fields and Beast Pens gradually dwindled away, replaced by a boundless expanse of gray-white hills rolling one after another like Graveyard Mounds.

Feeling the increasingly dense, vicious baleful aura around him, Zhu Yu not only felt no discomfort, but instead found it exceptionally pleasant. Startled, he secretly thought, Is it because of my natal object?

Without dwelling on it, he turned into a winding path beside him.

Not long afterward.

Not far beyond the Spirit Fields and Beast Pens, a mound covering roughly ten mu and standing around a hundred meters tall came into view. Scattered across it were black, twisted trees resembling ghostwood, along with gray-white vegetation.