Choosing a Sect

The tester was clearly nowhere near as enthusiastic with Qin Huaian as he had been with Wang Baole. After asking his name, he handed Qin Huaian the wooden plaque that recorded spiritual root information.

Qin Huaian did not feel disappointed. After all, he had guessed that his spiritual root aptitude would not be very good. Of course, it was not too bad either—good enough to qualify him to enter the recruitment plaza.

Inside the plaza, sects large and small had each claimed their own patch of ground. Every one of them had erected a sign listing their recruitment requirements.

At the entrance, a small sect called Soaring Cloud Hall had posted the following requirements: those with high-grade spiritual roots could be accepted directly as personal disciples, with the hall master taking them as disciples in person; those with mid-grade spiritual roots would be accepted as inner disciples; those with low-grade spiritual roots could be accepted as outer disciples if they were no older than thirty and had reached the third level of Qi Refinement.

Qin Huaian had heard of Soaring Cloud Hall. It was a sect in the northern part of the Qi Kingdom, and its hall master was a Foundation Establishment Realm expert.

Seeing the two standing before the sign, a middle-aged cultivator in a white Daoist robe soon emerged from Soaring Cloud Hall's grounds. He was at the ninth level of Qi Refinement and appeared exceptionally welcoming.

"Fellow Daoists, allow me to introduce our Soaring Cloud Hall. Our Soaring Cloud Hall is the greatest sect in the north of the Qi Kingdom. Our hall master's cultivation is profound, and his Soaring Cloud Saber Art stands unrivaled in the Qi Kingdom's cultivation world."

"May I ask what spiritual roots you two possess?"

"This one has a mid-grade spiritual root."

"This one has a high-grade spiritual root."

"A pleasure, a pleasure!" The middle-aged cultivator clasped his fists toward Wang Baole.

He then ignored Wang Baole and said to Qin Huaian, "I see that, despite your young age, Fellow Daoist has already reached the sixth level of Qi Refinement. If you join our Soaring Cloud Hall, you will surely be cultivated as a core disciple. Given time, Soaring Cloud Hall will certainly have a place for you."

Qin Huaian smiled and clasped his fists. "I will certainly consider it carefully."

When Qin Huaian did not ask any further questions, the middle-aged cultivator understood that he probably would not be joining Soaring Cloud Hall. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Qin Huaian and Wang Baole continued onward.

After making a circuit of the plaza, the two gained a general understanding of the layout of its various sects.

The outer ring was occupied by dozens of small sects. Further toward the center stood four second-rate sects, while the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's grounds lay at the very heart of the plaza.

Qin Huaian also spotted the Rosy Cloud Sect's grounds. The Rosy Cloud Sect's recruitment requirements were as follows: those with high-grade spiritual roots could be accepted as personal disciples; those with mid-grade spiritual roots and cultivation at the middle stage of Qi Refinement or above could be accepted as inner disciples; all other mid-grade spiritual roots, as well as low-grade spiritual roots with cultivation at the middle stage of Qi Refinement or above, could be accepted as outer disciples. Those with exceptional talent in alchemy could receive special consideration.

Generally speaking, cultivators of the same aptitude received more attention in smaller sects.

A bird that flies with phoenixes and luan soars farther. Qin Huaian decided to see whether he could enter the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect.

When they reached the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's grounds in the center of the plaza, a crowd had already gathered before its notice board.

Qin Huaian and Wang Baole squeezed into the crowd to examine the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's recruitment requirements. Those with supreme-grade spiritual roots could be accepted directly as personal disciples. Those with high-grade spiritual roots could become inner disciples and, depending on their performance within the sect, the best among them could later be selected as personal disciples. Those with mid-grade spiritual roots could directly become outer disciples. Those with low-grade spiritual roots who had reached the late stage of Qi Refinement could likewise become outer disciples.

Qin Huaian secretly clicked his tongue. The Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's requirements were much higher. Only those with high-grade spiritual roots could directly enter the inner sect. Throughout the entire morning's testing, there had only been a handful of people with high-grade spiritual roots.

Of course, many cultivators still remained untested, but proportionally speaking, high-grade spiritual roots were indeed exceedingly rare.

None of the other sects' recruitment requirements even mentioned supreme-grade spiritual roots. Qin Huaian understood that within the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's sphere of influence, every person found to possess a supreme-grade spiritual root had likely been taken in by the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect.

After generations of selection, most gifted cultivators had entered the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect. The other sects found it difficult to muster the strength to resist it.

At that moment, a cultivator emerged from the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's grounds. Qin Huaian could not see through his cultivation, so he was likely in the Foundation Establishment Realm. The cultivator addressed the crowd.

"Those among you with high-grade spiritual roots who wish to join my Yellow Mountain Sword Sect, step forward and stand to my right."

Seven or eight cultivators gradually stepped out from the crowd.

"Fatty, what are you waiting for? Get over there." Qin Huaian patted Wang Baole on the shoulder.

"Brother Qin, what about you?"

Qin Huaian smiled. "I also meet the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's recruitment requirements. Though I can't enter the inner sect, becoming an outer disciple won't be a problem."

Fatty nodded and stepped out as well.

"Follow Junior Brother Zhang inside to register," the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator told those willing to join. He then nodded to another Yellow Mountain Sword Sect cultivator, signaling him to lead them inside.

The several cultivators with high-grade spiritual roots followed the cultivator surnamed Zhang into the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's grounds.

The Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator then said to the crowd, "Cultivators with mid-grade spiritual roots, as well as those with low-grade spiritual roots who have reached the late stage of Qi Refinement—if you are willing to become outer disciples of my Yellow Mountain Sword Sect, step forward and stand to my left."

Qin Huaian did not hesitate. He stepped forward and took his place. This was what he had already decided upon. Though the other small sects offered better terms, he knew that a higher platform meant greater room for growth.

One after another, several dozen more people stepped forward. Naturally, some cultivators who met the requirements still chose not to join the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect, since many small and mid-sized sects offered them terms far superior to those of the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect.

After waiting a moment and seeing no one else step forward, the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator led the group into the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's grounds as well.

"Everyone, line up in order and let Ling Shan register you."

A female cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refinement sat behind a table. Her features were delicate, her face softly rounded, and her eyes shone with a lively radiance whenever she looked around. Smiling at the crowd, she said, "Please take out your spiritual root testing plaques and register with me."

Qin Huaian registered alongside the others. Afterward, Ling Shan gave each cultivator a token bearing a sword sigil. It was somewhat similar to the token Qin Huaian had received when he went mining, but it was clearly of a far higher grade.

At that moment, the Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator from earlier stepped before the group and said, "You are now provisional disciples of my Yellow Mountain Sword Sect. This token serves as proof of your identity. Once you arrive at the sect and complete your formal registration, you will become official outer disciples of the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect."

"You may now leave and return to settle your affairs. Gather here again in five days. Those who fail to arrive will have their qualification for entry revoked."

After leaving the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect's grounds, Qin Huaian saw Wang Baole waiting outside.

"Brother Qin, you joined the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect too, right? Haha, from now on, we're fellow disciples."

"Yes, Fatty. I need to go back and take care of a few things. What about you?"

"Brother Qin, I'm not going back. There's nothing in my cave dwelling worth packing up."

"The Yellow Mountain Sword Sect seniors suggested that we stay in the grounds and head straight to the sect once recruitment is over."

Different indeed—there really was a difference in treatment, Qin Huaian thought. For provisional outer disciples like them, the Yellow Mountain Sword Sect simply dismissed them on the spot. They had not even mentioned letting them remain in the grounds to wait.

Qin Huaian did not actually have much to pack either, but since they were not being allowed to stay, he could only return to the cave dwelling he rented and spend the next few days there.

While he was at it, he could find time over the next few days to bid Shopkeeper Xue farewell. Shopkeeper Xue had taken good care of him over the past few years.