As Elder Yan Ming finished speaking, a grave silence filled the grand hall. No one voiced a single word of opposition.

Having just survived a sect-threatening crisis, Wanchun Valley was in a delicate period of rebuilding and accumulating strength. To rashly trust the Spirit Beast Sect, the Mystic One Sect, and the Little Sky Net Sect—three rivals who clearly harbored ill intentions—would be nothing short of suicidal.

The Sect Leader held this view, and Elders Lu, Bai, and Mou were in complete agreement.

“What Elder Yan says aligns perfectly with my own thoughts,” Sect Leader Qi Wanfa said, breaking the silence.

“The Mystic One Sect and Little Sky Net Sect pointing out suspicious aspects of the Spirit Beast Sect is indeed unusual. Whether it is the Spirit Beast Sect suddenly holding the Immortal Destiny Grand Ceremony annually, or their brutal destruction of mortal cities to herd vast populations into the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range… these are clearly not the actions of a righteous cultivation sect focused on the Dao.”

“Of course,” Qi Wanfa added, his tone sharpening, “the fact that the Spirit Beast Sect is suspicious does not make the other two trustworthy.”

“The gifts they sent were precious, dripping with apparent sincerity, but Wanchun Valley is not so destitute that we lack such items.”

“Our only recourse is to strengthen ourselves. Only by remaining immovable can we weather the shifting tides of the outside world,” Qi Wanfa declared. “As for the kingdoms of Xiyue and Nanli, we will manage what we can. If the situation spirals beyond our control, we will simply have to wait and see.”

Qi Wanfa paused, turning his gaze toward the rotund elder. “Elder Lu, regarding the disciples being sent to the two kingdoms, as well as the orphan from the Jiang clan… has everything been arranged?”

“Everything is in order. The compensation promised by the Sect has been distributed in advance to their families, descendants, or the disciples themselves,” Elder Lu replied. “There was a slight delay earlier, so they may not have departed immediately, but I believe they are beginning to leave the mountain gate as we speak.”

“Good.”

Qi Wanfa pondered for a moment, tapping his finger on the armrest of his throne. “Are there any other disciples of advanced age willing to take risks for the Sect?”

Elder Lu shook his head slightly. “Among the Inner and Outer Disciples, there are indeed a few nearing the end of their lifespans with poor aptitude. However, they are unlikely to accept such danger. Most would prefer to spend their remaining days peacefully within the safety of the Sect.”

“Life is precious; I cannot blame them.” Qi Wanfa nodded with a sigh, then asked, “What about the Laborer Disciples? Surely there are candidates there?”

“Naturally, there are more desperate cases among the laborers—perhaps several dozen. However, their cultivation bases are universally low, and they all possess mixed Five Elements Spirit Roots. To be blunt, they are not fit for major roles.”

“Fit or not, we must use them,” Qi Wanfa decided coldly. “Find them and make the arrangements. If any are willing to risk their lives for the Sect, ensure their compensation is generous.”

He stood up, pacing slowly. “The entire Southern Region is in turmoil. Wanchun Valley seeks only to cultivate in peace, yet the world will not let us rest. We must establish external networks and gather intelligence. We can no longer allow the Spirit Beast Sect and their ilk to distort the truth and manipulate the narrative unopposed.”

Elder Lu asked for clarification, “Are we to use all of them?”

“Correct. Anyone of advanced age with no hope of breaking through—be they Laborer, Outer, or Inner Disciples—deploy them all.”

Qi Wanfa’s eyes narrowed. “The Nanli and Xiyue Kingdoms may require further assistance. We need eyes on the ground to investigate the machinations of the Spirit Beast Sect, Mystic One Sect, and Little Sky Net Sect.”

“More importantly, we must send agents to the Great Zhou Dynasty to forge deeper ties with the Spirit Sword Sect.”

“Although Wanchun Valley and the Spirit Sword Sect both follow the Ancestral commands to remain independent and avoid alliances, the recent actions of the three rival sects are truly unsettling. The Spirit Beast Sect, in particular, has shown a penchant for oppressing and slaughtering mortals. We cannot afford to be caught off guard.”

“These missions require manpower, and the line between life and death will be thin.”

Qi Wanfa’s expression softened with a pragmatic ruthlessness. “If we send our young, talented disciples with high potential, Wanchun Valley risks severing its own future. Instead, let these older disciples—who have enjoyed years of peace and stability under the Sect’s protection—be the ones to step forward.”

Elder Lu nodded solemnly. “Understood. I will begin the inquiries today.”

He paused briefly, and then a faint, sly smile crept onto his face. “Speaking of talented young disciples… in the past two years, two promising saplings have actually emerged within Wanchun Valley.”

“One is Senior Sister Wen’s disciple, a boy named Lu Yun.”

Elder Yan Ming snorted loudly. “That boy has talent but is utterly worthless in character. I once had high hopes for him, but unfortunately, he fell under Junior Sister Wen’s tutelage. She refuses to discipline him strictly. He is not worth discussing.”

Elder Bai chuckled. “It is a pity Senior Sister Wen isn’t here. If she heard you call her ‘Junior Sister,’ she would be delighted.”

Elder Yan Ming kept a straight face, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward. “When she finally breaks through to the Golden Core stage, she will naturally be Senior Sister Wen again.”

“Haha, knowing her, she’ll just correct your address again,” Elder Bai laughed.

Elder Yan Ming’s sharp, hawk-like gaze softened slightly. He grunted in acknowledgment before turning back to Elder Lu. “You mentioned Lu Yun. Who is the other one?”

“Oh, the other one? That would be my eighteenth disciple, Han Yu,” Elder Lu said with a beaming smile. “Although he possesses only Four Spirit Roots, he mastered the Green Wood Protection Technique at merely the third layer of Qi Refining. His defensive prowess is such that even a ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivator would struggle to harm him. He is truly a natural prodigy in spell arts.”

Hmm?

Qi Wanfa, Yan Ming, Elder Bai, and Elder Mou all swiveled their heads to stare at Elder Lu.

“Elder Lu, what did you just say?”

“I said, this Han Yu is an extraordinary spell technique prodigy—”

“No, wait! Hold on!” Elder Bai’s eyes widened as he raised a hand to cut him off. “How can he be your disciple? When did you take him in?”

Elder Lu maintained his innocent smile, looking the picture of calm confusion. “Just today. Is something wrong?”

“I… Lu Qing! Shouldn’t you have discussed this with us first?” Elder Bai demanded, flustered.

Elder Mou looked both amused and exasperated, pointing an accusing finger at Elder Lu. “Well played, Elder Lu! You snatched the disciple first and told us later, terrified we’d steal him from you!”

Qi Wanfa and Yan Ming exchanged glances, quickly realizing the situation. They both chuckled.

Elder Lu’s preemptive strike showed a certain level of cunning.

“Enough, enough,” Qi Wanfa waved his hand, suppressing his laughter. “Since Elder Lu has already accepted him, teach him well. Do not squander Han Yu’s unique talent. His Four Spirit Roots do mean his cultivation speed will be poor, so as his Master, you must find ways to assist him. See if his cultivation base can be raised quickly.”

Seeing his objective secured, Elder Lu’s smile grew even wider. “Yes, Sect Leader. I will naturally make plans for his future.”

“If you don’t teach him well, be careful—I’ll snatch him right out from under you,” Elder Bai threatened playfully.

Elder Yan Ming nodded in agreement. “I have also met Han Yu. He appears to be a rigorous and upright disciple. I found him quite pleasing to the eye.”

“Indeed,” Yan Ming added. “If you fail to teach him, let me take over.”

Seeing that even the stern Yan Ming was tempted, Elder Lu felt a sudden spike of urgency.

I really need to help this eighteenth disciple of mine boost his cultivation properly, he thought. Otherwise, even if he isn’t poached, I’ll become a laughingstock.

Another day of cultivation passed.

Han Yu went about his routine with clockwork precision: inspecting the spirit fields, practicing his spells, and returning to his room to cultivate. He was inching steadily closer to the fifth layer of Qi Refining.

In the evening, as he stepped out of his room with the massive crow perched on his shoulder, Senior Sister Li called out to him.

“Little Eighteen, Master has sent some good things for you!”

Han Yu stepped forward. Senior Sister Li handed him two porcelain bottles and a jade slip.

“These two bottles contain Qi Gathering Pills. They are more than enough to support your cultivation up to the fourth layer of Qi Refining,” she explained. “Master said that once your body builds a resistance to the pills and their medicinal benefits diminish, he will think of another solution for you.”

She pointed to the slip. “And inside this jade slip is a spell Master practiced personally during his own Qi Condensation days. It does not belong to the Sect’s Technique Pavilion, so it is a private transmission. You should practice it diligently.”