"Menial disciple Lu Li, a country boy from Clear River Commandery, was promoted to the outer sect today at over twenty-three years of age, with Five Spirit Roots."
"He was awarded one wild cave, two sets of first-tier robes, one first-tier Storage Bag, one first-tier magic sword, and one identity Jade Slip. He also received an advance of three Spirit Stones as one month's stipend."
The disciple on duty at the General Affairs Hall finished carefully verifying Lu Li's identity against the register.
Lu Li had officially been promoted to an outer sect disciple.
A rather plain cloth bag, about the size of a palm, was placed in his hand.
"Junior brother, this is a Storage Bag. Everything issued by the sect is inside."
"The location of your cave abode is also inscribed on your identity Jade Slip. From today onward, you are an outer sect disciple."
"You must accept three missions each month, for a total of thirty-six a year. You may accept and complete them at the same time, but you must not fall short."
The disciple on duty, who was at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer, was reasonably cordial.
He explained some of the sect's rules to Lu Li in detail.
For example, which places he could visit and which he could not, which acts would earn him punishment and which... would get him killed.
Lu Li committed every word to memory.
It wasn't punishment he feared so much as death...
As a textbook cultivator of the art of lying low, Lu Li had no intention of taking the slightest risk.
For now, though, the rules of the Azure Pool Sect's outer sect seemed reasonable enough.
There was nothing about forcing disciples to their deaths.
Having just grown accustomed to "mafia-style cultivation," he suddenly found that a little disorienting...
"The difference between the outer sect and the menial disciples in the Azure Pool Sect is far too great..."
"But I still can't let my guard down... I mustn't let these peaceful appearances lull me into complacency..."
"The cultivation world... swallows people whole without spitting out their bones!"
Lu Li constantly reminded himself of that.
He had painstakingly climbed out from the bottom, one step at a time. He absolutely could not let his boat capsize because he had grown careless and indulged himself.
He had to be cautious, cautious, and cautious again.
He cupped his fists and returned the disciple's salute.
Lu Li walked out of the General Affairs Hall.
With a turn of his hand, he took out the Storage Bag.
He sent a small stream of spiritual power into it.
Pop!
With a crisp sound, the contents appeared before his eyes.
At a thought from Lu Li, a pure white Jade Slip flew out.
"An identity Jade Slip..."
"I hear this Jade Slip can not only verify one's identity, but also transmit messages, accept missions, and exchange contribution points..."
"It really is quite amazing."
Holding the Jade Slip, Lu Li couldn't help thinking of the wondrous Twin Fish Jade Pendant.
For now, the Twin Fish Jade Pendant appeared to have very limited functions.
But it was by no means simple. It could transmit messages across worlds, and even send objects...
There was no telling how much more impressive it was than this Jade Slip.
More importantly...
"According to my conjecture, if I can become an immortal... perhaps I can return to Blue Star through the Twin Fish Jade Pendant."
"That would be... the transmission of a living being!"
At that thought, anticipation swelled in Lu Li's heart.
Without further delay, he sent spiritual power into the identity Jade Slip.
A ray of spiritual light immediately extended from the Jade Slip.
It pointed him toward his cave abode.
He immediately set off in the direction it indicated.
"At the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, I still can't fly on a sword."
"Even with spiritual power to help me, how could running be as fast as flying..."
As Lu Li raced along, he circulated spiritual power through his legs.
His figure darted and shifted without pause.
At last, after running over three or four mountain peaks in one breath,
An old cave abode appeared before him, perched alone on a cliff face.
"I'm here. This will be my cave abode from now on."
Lu Li's eyes lit up at the cave abode's remote location and quiet surroundings.
He waved a hand and sent out a ray of spiritual light.
It swept the wild grass and vegetation in front of the cave aside.
The stone door swung wide, and he stepped inside.
Within, he found nothing but a stone bed, table, and stools.
Still...
"The spiritual power in this cave abode is fairly abundant."
"It's more than twice as dense as in the menial disciples' area."
"And this is only a wild cave. Apart from the lowest-grade wild caves, the Azure Pool Sect's outer sect has four grades of cave abodes: A, B, C, and D."
"With each higher grade, the Spiritual Qi grows denser..."
Lu Li carefully sensed his surroundings and looked around.
The disciple on duty at the General Affairs Hall had told him about the differences between cave abodes.
His purpose, as it turned out, had been to make a sale.
That was right. Besides being awarded or obtained through missions, outer sect cave abodes could also be purchased.
The General Affairs Hall tempted every newly promoted disciple with them.
That way, it could plant a seed in their minds.
Perhaps, on impulse, those disciples would work diligently and live frugally to buy a cave abode at a high price, generating revenue for the sect.
Lu Li had the distinct feeling he had seen this trick somewhere before...
"Whew... I've finally made it into the outer sect."
"I have my own cave abode now, though it's still missing formations and the like."
"But at least I have a space that belongs to me alone."
"It's time to send a message to Great Xia. I wonder what exactly has happened over there these past six months. Passing notes back and forth is far too inconvenient..."
"How is the research into purifying Azure Gold Spirit Ore going? Have they made any more breakthroughs with the cultivation method..."
He took a deep breath.
Suppressing his anticipation, Lu Li shut the cave abode's stone door tight.
He didn't light a candle.
He simply reached deep into his robes and took out the Twin Fish Jade Pendant...
Great Xia, Blue Star.
Group 749 was conducting cultivation research on an extraordinary scale.
During this time, they had mobilized all the forces and resources Great Xia had around the world.
They were striving to make a major breakthrough.
"Reporting to Director Li: the comparison against the global mineral database is complete. No substance with the same structure as Azure Gold Spirit Ore was found."
"We have collected Taoist mythological texts from across the country, as well as their practices. There was no usable information, and no mention of a 'dragon imprisonment' was found either..."
"The experimental results for the first batch of soldiers have been tallied. There were eight hundred in total... Not one entered a state of cultivation..."
Research reports came in one after another.
Over the past six months, they had used every resource available to them, yet they had been unable to make a greater breakthrough.
Wang Zhiwen took off his glasses and wearily rubbed the spot between his brows.
"Director Li, we need to receive more valuable cultivation resources before a major breakthrough will be possible..."
"For now... we can only hope Comrade Lu Li is promoted to the outer sect soon."
"Once he enters the outer sect, it will be a tremendous help to our research."
Hearing Wang Zhiwen's words,
Li Yuanchao did not answer. He simply walked silently to the display stand holding the jade pendant.
Behind the bulletproof glass, the Twin Fish Jade Pendant lay motionless.
"Comrade Lu Li, everything depends on you..."
But the moment he finished speaking... the jade pendant, which had been quiet for so long, suddenly burst into dazzling light!
It illuminated the entire command hall as brightly as day!
A familiar voice rang clearly through the loudspeakers, reaching every corner:
"Director Li, can you hear me? This is Lu Li!"