A Mortal’s Journey to Immortality: Wang Yu’s Rebirth as the Reincarnation Dao Ancestor - Chapter 151

Chapter 149 The Grand Master’s Generosity Wins Over the Hearts of the Far West

“Who’s here? Tell me about the current situation of the Thousand Bamboo Sect.”

After restricting almost all the mid-level members of the Thousand Bamboo Sect with the Divine Control Restriction, Han Li summoned the Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed at over a hundred branch altars and the surviving Foundation Establishment cultivators at headquarters for a meeting.

He now needed to ensure that all the mid-level protectors and hall masters in the Far West followed his lead.

He needed these people to maintain the existing stable order for him.

“Reporting to the Master, our Thousand Bamboo Sect currently has 167 Foundation Establishment cultivators. Among them, there are 16 hall masters at the late Foundation Establishment stage, including myself. There are 27 Dharma Kings at the mid Foundation Establishment stage. There are 124 protectors, altar masters, and deputy altar masters at the early Foundation Establishment stage.”

In the previous battle, 40 to 50 Foundation Establishment cultivators perished.

Otherwise, the total number of Foundation Establishment cultivators could have exceeded 200.

“Furthermore, I have trained 39,427 Qi Refining cultivators,”

the late-stage Foundation Establishment elder reported respectfully.

On the suspended throne at the front of the hall, Han Li narrowed his eyes upon hearing the report:

“Nearly 40,000 Qi Refining cultivators? About 200 Foundation Establishment cultivators?”

So few?

Not only were the Foundation Establishment cultivators few, but the Qi Refining cultivators were also pitifully few.

But the Far West is by no means small.

Its area and population are equivalent to two medium-sized countries,

comparable to two former Yue Kingdoms.

The Yue Kingdom was able to produce ten Nascent Soul elders, nearly a hundred Core Formation experts, and as many as four or five thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators.

This was certainly related to the better spiritual vein environment of the Yue Kingdom, and also to the fact that the Crimson Forbidden Land provided more than half of the main ingredients for Foundation Establishment pills.

But this was not the fundamental reason why the Far West could only support one Core Formation cultivator, the Golden Sect Master.

“Didn’t the Golden Sect Master try to increase the number of Qi Refining cultivators during his reign? Or is it that the proportion of people here with spiritual roots is even smaller?”

Han Li asked directly.

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged bewildered glances.

After a long silence, a hall master stepped forward to explain:

“Master, our far west is not actually short of people. There are no fewer than two hundred thousand people with the potential for three spiritual roots.”

“No fewer than two hundred thousand potential cultivators with three spiritual roots? That can’t be right. If there are two hundred thousand potential candidates with three spiritual roots, how come the Thousand Bamboo Sect only has forty thousand Qi Refining stage disciples?”

“Because of resources. And, the artificial control by that person from the Jin family.”

Forty thousand is the dangerous line for maintaining local stability.

If there are too few Qi Refining stage disciples, whether it’s stopping the desertification process of the Hurricane Desert from spreading inland, or using immortal techniques to change the weather and ensure favorable weather, whether it’s assisting in dealing with the small groups of sand beasts that occasionally emerge from the Hurricane Desert, or preventing the demonized ferocious beasts that frequently land from the Boundless Sea to cause destruction, without a sufficient number of Qi Refining stage cultivators to deal with various low-level demonic beasts and maintain order, the mortal world of the far west would have long been in chaos.

The population would have to be drastically reduced.

A drastic reduction in population would then affect many pillar industries.

Furthermore, guarding the mines and tending to spiritual herbs and plants also requires the participation of low-level cultivators.

In short, it’s not that people in this place lack spiritual roots, but rather that the higher-ups are unwilling to spend too many resources cultivating low-level cultivators.

The number of Qi Refining stage cultivators is only maintained at around 30,000 to 40,000, which is already the limit that the Grand Master Jin can tolerate by tightening his belt.

“Interesting, this Jin fellow only guards against internal threats and not external ones, isn’t he a bit too much of a bully

within his own ranks?” Han Li’s words struck a chord with many present.

Many people deeply agreed.

Another hall master in the late Foundation Establishment stage also opened up:

“Grand Master, you may not know this, but seven or eight out of ten Foundation Establishment cultivators like us have dual spiritual roots, special physiques, or even unique spiritual roots. Foundation Establishment cultivators with three spiritual roots account for less than a third. There are at least a thousand, if not two thousand, of us with dual spiritual roots in this far west.”

“Oh? So many people have excellent spiritual root aptitude?”

Han Li raised an eyebrow.

It’s important to understand that in its early years, the Luo Yun Sect only had a little over three hundred promising talents with dual spiritual roots, special physiques, and unique spiritual roots. Their

small recruitment drives every three to five years were considered good if they could find three or four people.

Only during the major recruitment drive every ten years did they find a few more.

However, whenever a young genius with dual spiritual roots, special physiques, or unique spiritual roots was recruited, it would attract the attention of the

sect’s Core Formation stage cultivators. This resulted in a very high success rate for Foundation Establishment for promising talents with dual spiritual roots or higher.

If one Foundation Establishment Pill didn’t work, usually the second one would succeed.

However, looking at the entire Luo Yun Sect, out of over a thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators, the majority still possessed three spiritual roots.

Their talent potential was nowhere near that of the Qian Zhu Sect.

Even compared to the Ancient Sword Sect, their potential was far

inferior. The Ancient Sword Sect had extremely strict entry requirements.

Their cultivation methods demanded high spiritual root aptitude, yet even so, the number of young geniuses in the sect was only close to a thousand.

Compared to the nearly two thousand young geniuses in the far west, the Ancient Sword Sect paled in comparison.

“Since their aptitudes are all quite good, why is there only one Core Formation cultivator surnamed Jin?”

“Sect Leader, ever since the Jin family took power, everything in the far west has changed. That fellow is both internally and externally hostile, extremely excluding Core Formation cultivators from other families. Unlike the Lin family back then, who wholeheartedly supported several Core Formation families, including the Jin family. At that time, the Thousand Bamboo Sect always had at least five or six Core Formation experts. Unfortunately, the Lin family declined due to certain events. As for the other families, some perished in internal wars, and others went on training missions and never returned. The Jin family simply got a huge windfall…”

The hall master became more and more agitated as he spoke.

The more he spoke, the more he hated Sect Leader Jin’s actions. Sect

Leader Jin was truly unscrupulous; having risen to power illegitimately, he was now constantly monitoring and preventing others from rising to power. In the two hundred years since that incident, it wasn’t that people couldn’t form their core, but rather that many pseudo-core cultivators would suffer accidents during their attempts. Not only did these accidents harm themselves, but their families would also suffer.

After several such incidents, many cultivators preferred to die naturally when their lifespans ended rather than attempt core formation, lest they bring misfortune upon their families and descendants.

Therefore

, more than two hundred years after that upheaval, there has only been one core-forming cultivator in the far west.

That person is surnamed Jin.

Moreover, the Grand Master Jin was always ruthless internally, wielding the big stick but rarely offering sweetness. Externally, however, he was subservient, like a lapdog, afraid of displeasing any Core Formation cultivator.

Whenever a Core Formation expert from a major sect came to the Far West for travel, after the expert had thoroughly plundered the region, a small gift would be presented as a farewell gift.

“So, many of you are unwilling to serve him? You even wish I would appear and act on behalf of Heaven?”

Han Li asked with a strange expression.

Everyone was speechless for a moment.

It was indeed true.

After all, for over two hundred years, there hadn’t been a single newly promoted Core Formation cultivator in the Far West, which was unusual no matter how you looked at it. The Thousand Bamboo Sect, with its history spanning over nine thousand years, had never fallen to such a state.

“No wonder Lei Wanhe spoke of Grand Master Jin with such disdain over a hundred years ago,”

Han Li thought to himself.

Lei Wanhe’s contempt for Grand Master Jin clearly stemmed from his suspicions about the Thousand Bamboo Sect’s shady dealings.

With Lei Wanhe’s pride, how could he possibly respect such a despicable person?

One’s rise to power was illegitimate, and his virtue did not match his position; many mid-level members of the sect already had plenty of complaints.

The other, after taking power, was iron-fisted internally but obsequious and servile externally, not at all like a domineering ruler. He was

nothing more than a local tyrant.

Too petty.

“What a pity for so many promising cultivators with good spiritual roots discovered over the past two hundred years…”

“It’s been delayed.”

Han Li sighed softly.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall was first taken aback, then their spirits lifted.

What did he mean by that?

Why did he feel so sorry for the people of the far west?

Several hall masters exchanged glances, then stepped forward and bowed in unison, solemnly stating,

“Master, although our far west region lacks resources, it can still sustain the daily expenses of tens of thousands of followers. Even if those lower-level cultivators join the sect to do small tasks and receive fewer spirit stones from above, as long as they are given the hope of embarking on the path of immortality, they will be eternally grateful and wholeheartedly protect the sect’s foundation.”

Most of the remaining hundred or so Dharma Kings and Dharma Altar Masters also rose, clasping their hands in agreement.

They had been exploited by Master Jin for far too long.

Even though they themselves had exploited a large number of followers, they felt justified in accepting that protection money.

It was because they had protected some individuals, allowing those fortunate individuals with good spiritual roots to have the honor of embarking on the path of immortality.

Otherwise,

they wouldn’t even pass the first hurdle of entering the Immortal Path, let alone the subsequent Foundation Establishment stage.

In the far west, the ratio of Foundation Establishment to Qi Refining stage cultivators is roughly 1:200.

In the Falling Cloud Sect, the ratio is

1:20. In the Hundred Crafts Academy, it’s 1:12

. The Ancient Sword Sect has over ten thousand Qi Refining disciples and over two thousand Foundation Establishment cultivators, a ratio of 1:5, valuing quality over quantity.

The Golden Sect Leader likely also wanted to follow the Ancient Sword Sect’s path, but his greed was somewhat unseemly, ruining the futures of too many people.

Now, with the tree fallen, the monkeys scatter; with the wall crumbling, everyone pushes.

…

The competition in the far west is immense.

The level of involution is arguably the highest in the entire south.

One reason is that the number of spiritual herbs needed to refine Foundation Establishment Pills is limited locally, and spiritual medicinal resources are insufficient.

This makes the number of Foundation Establishment Pills produced in the far west pitifully small.

Every twenty years, they can only gather enough raw materials to refine twenty or thirty Foundation Establishment Pills.

As the saying goes, even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice.

Even though there are many promising young talents with excellent spiritual roots here, they all fail at the Foundation Establishment stage.

Secondly, high-level cultivators from outside often come in groups to plunder and take away a large number of them. This makes things even worse. Thirdly

, the Jin Cult Leader personally uses most of his resources for himself, as well as some to cultivate his clansmen and confidants.

Finally, there is the barrier of the Hurricane Desert.

Facing the perilous desert, one needs at least the cultivation level of the Foundation Establishment stage, and must use puppets to hide and avoid the dangers beneath the desert. One must also master several safe routes, avoiding some dangerous areas in the desert where even Core Formation stage experts and Nascent Soul stage elders would encounter peril, and it takes one or two years to traverse.

Of course, there are certainly other reasons as well.

But in any case

, the cultivators in this far west region live a very difficult life.

Fortunately, Han Li has arrived.

Their true faith has arrived.

“It’s our first meeting, so I haven’t prepared anything for you. These pills are for you Foundation Establishment stage protectors and altar masters to distribute among yourselves,”

Han Li said, tossing out about a hundred bottles of high-quality pills suitable for early Foundation Establishment stage cultivators.

Enough to give each person about half a bottle.

“This…”

What a generous gesture!

The many protectors, altar masters, and deputy altar masters exchanged bewildered glances, somewhat confused by Han Li’s actions.

“Take them. Later, I will reward you extra according to your merits,”

Han Li said with a friendly smile.

As he spoke, he took out another hundred bottles of pills and placed them within a restriction in the hall:

“As long as you work for me and do it well, you will all receive your share of the benefits.”

This place will later be guarded by the Fiend Soul and a level 6 Jade Mantis.

As long as everyone can meet the exchange requirements, he won’t be stingy with this.

Consider it a way to make use of waste.

“In addition, distribute these low-grade pills to the followers below, saying it’s a small token of my appreciation.”

Thousands of bottles of pills appeared before everyone, stunning the mid-level members of the Thousand Bamboo Sect present.

He then reserved tens of thousands of bottles as tokens for exchanging merit points.

In short: work hard, and you’ll get rewarded.

Disobey, and you’ll face consequences.

“Hiss…”

These low-grade pills, though only worth five or six spirit stones per bottle, were sold in huge quantities.

Tens of thousands of bottles would amount to two or three hundred thousand spirit stones.

However,

what the people present didn’t know was that, for him, the cost of a single bottle of low-grade pill was actually only one low-grade spirit stone.

Tens of thousands of bottles would only amount to tens of thousands of spirit stones.

This situation arose because there was a place rich in resources, where things were of high quality and cheap.

Moreover, this small contribution was less than one-thirtieth of the wealth accumulated by the Golden Sect Leader over the years; he didn’t feel a pang of regret at giving away even a little.

“Guardian King and Hall Master, please come and collect some pills too.”

Hearing this, dozens of people, their eyes already red with envy, welled up with tears.

The discomfort from the previous restrictions vanished.

Some were even willing to become his godfathers.

It’s no exaggeration to say that at least a hundred of the hundred-plus people present were hoping Han Li would open his mouth and take in a few adopted sons or a large number of disciples.

Following such a master and adoptive father would be incredibly worthwhile.

Reaching the Core Formation stage would no longer be a dream.

“From now on, only those at the Nascent Soul stage will be called the Protector of the Thousand Bamboo Sect…”

“Those at the late Core Formation stage can become Hall Masters.” “

Only those at the Core Formation stage are worthy of being called Protector Elders.”

“Does everyone have any objections?”

Han Li said calmly.

“We respectfully obey the Sect Master’s decree!”

The entire group bowed deeply. Their voices were so firm and powerful, as if afraid the person above wouldn’t hear them.

This was a stark contrast to the perfunctory attitude of the Grand Sect Master Jin.

“From now on, collect as many rare and spiritual insects as possible for me.”

Han Li then tossed out dozens more jade slips.

“This is the Spirit Control Sect’s Ranking of Rare Insects. Those listed should try to acquire or capture any they encounter while traveling. Collect boldly from this list; prices are clearly marked, and you will not be shortchanged. If you do well, I will reward you accordingly.”

“Thank you, Sect Master.”

The crowd bowed again.

“From now on, you should all strive to recruit talent from your respective territories. For each capable disciple you cultivate, I will reward you. Also, upon returning to your respective branch altars, gather as many aptitude-rich immortal seedlings as possible and impart their immortal techniques. I want a change in the cultivation atmosphere of this far west. I’d like to see if the members of the Thousand Bamboo Sect can find a different way of life?”

…

The far west, once mobilized, was quite efficient.

Cultivators with dual spiritual roots, special physiques, or unique spiritual roots, regardless of age, received better treatment.

For example, an old man with a wind spiritual root at the fifth level of Qi Refining appeared as a rogue cultivator in a corner of the far west. Despite being over sixty years old, he received much care from the disciples of the Thousand Bamboo Sect in this area.

The numerous cultivation supplies left behind by someone, especially several Foundation Establishment Pills, filled the old man with hope for the future.

This old man with the Wind Spirit Root seemed to have, like the far western region of the Thousand Bamboo Sect, regained its vibrant vitality.

As for the Jin family’s future troubles?

Han Li didn’t even need to get his hands dirty; plenty of people would handle it for him.

With the trivial matters settled, it was time for him to go into seclusion.

Han Li touched the jade box containing the Spirit Stabilizing Pill and looked at Feng Hun, whose aura had reached its peak.

(End of Chapter)