Within the Penglai Lower Courtyard on Zhushan, Seven Immortals Great World.
High-grade Golden Core Grandmaster Huang Yifei, chief of the External Affairs Hall of the Penglai Lower Courtyard, slowly entered the sect's main hall. Seeing only Sect Master True Person Dai Jikang seated on a Cushion within, meditating with his eyes closed as Black Flame danced around him, Huang Yifei smiled and bowed. "Yifei pays respects to Master. I'm usually the last disciple to arrive. Why are the other chiefs so late today?"
Dai Jikang opened his eyes and smiled as he scolded, "You rascal, you arrive early for once, and you have so much to say? Have you made the necessary preparations for the sect's disciple recruitment ceremony three months from now?"
"What is there to prepare? It's the same as always." Huang Yifei spoke lazily.
Dai Jikang was a One Tribulation Yang Spirit, the True Person with the highest cultivation and strength in the Seven Immortals Great World. Yet Huang Yifei had always been casual before his own master and felt entirely at ease.
"Chief Huang, that is not correct." Entering with this deep, resonant voice was a tall, black-haired old man whose expression was exceedingly grave. "Over the past thousand years, the numbers of both Golden Core Grandmasters and Spirit Soul disciples in the sect have been declining. There may be some issue with the disciple recruitment ceremony. We had best discuss how to improve it."
Huang Yifei put away his laziness and nodded solemnly. "Elder Hua, this junior has given the matter some thought. The main reason is that our sect has only one Orthodox Dao Sect cultivation art capable of achieving Primordial Spirit and pointing directly to Half-step Golden Immortal. Many disciples with good talent, temperament, or perseverance are simply unsuited to cultivating it. Their