Conscription

"I am Shen Luo, a cultivator from Spring Autumn Temple in Chunhua County." Shen Luo returned the salute and introduced himself.

"Your noble spirit is admirable, Immortal Master. I am He Wenzheng, a clerk with the Ministry of War." The man in the middle seemed not to have heard of Spring Autumn Temple. After a brief hesitation, he spoke respectfully.

"Well met, Lord He," Shen Luo said.

"I hardly deserve to be called a lord. May I ask what stage of cultivation you've reached, Immortal Master?" He Wenzheng waved a hand and asked.

"Early Soul Condensation Stage," Shen Luo replied.

Surprise flashed through He Wenzheng's eyes. He then said:

"For this conscription, cultivators are organized according to military ranks. As a Soul Condensation Stage cultivator, you can be appointed a Section Leader and command ten cultivators below the Fasting Stage."

"Section Leader? You divide cultivators up that way?" Shen Luo was somewhat surprised.

"You may not know, Immortal Master. Five people form a squad, led by a Squad Leader at the Fasting Stage. Two squads form a section, led by a Section Leader at the Soul Condensation Stage. Three sections form a banner, led by a Banner Commander at the Out-of-Body Stage. Each superior commands those below him, so the hierarchy is clear and orders pass smoothly," He Wenzheng explained.

"I see. Sorry for the trouble, Lord He." Shen Luo nodded.

As they spoke, He Wenzheng sat down and deftly took out a blank scroll. He asked Shen Luo about his circumstances while putting brush to paper.

There was much to record, including his birthplace, his cultivation history, and even the techniques he practiced.

As Shen Luo listened, his brow furrowed. He felt a faint aversion to the questions.

"Please don't misunderstand, Immortal Master. The dangers of this conscription are