Cultivation, Inc.I Use Capitalism to Fix a Dying Sect

Chapter 138: War Soul Mausoleum Sacrifice

The next day, the deep, resonant chime of a bronze bell rolled across the Qingyun Sect. In response, streaks of brilliant escape light shot into the sky from every peak, converging toward the rear mountains.

Behind the main peak lay a vast, rugged expanse of territory, forested with bizarre, jutting crags.

Carved directly into the face of a titan peak, the newly christened War Soul Mausoleum loomed. Elder Jin Jue had directed the excavation teams to hollow out the mountain’s core, installing thousands of burial crypts. The structural integrity was heavily reinforced with top-tier defensive formations, showcasing the immense care poured into the project.

The entrance facade was shaped into an ancient, solemn pavilion. A wide stone staircase cascaded down from its doors, connecting to a massive ceremonial plaza below.

At the epicenter of the plaza stood a monolithic stone slab: the War Soul Stele. Roaring dragons were etched into its flanks, the crest was emblazoned with celestial patterns, and it was firmly anchored in a giant carved lotus pedestal.

A gargantuan sacrificial bronze cauldron sat before the stele. Inside it, three ten-foot-long sticks of Soul Gathering Incense burned slowly. Just the material cost for those three incense sticks alone exceeded 10,000 Spirit Stones.

The streaks of escape light touched down, materializing into thousands of sect disciples. Moving with solemn precision, they lined up before the War Soul Stele. Staring at the hundreds of names newly chiseled into the stone, a heavy, somber silence blanketed the crowd.

Under Sun Yi’s reforms, the Qingyun Sect had evolved. The cutthroat culture of the past was gone, replaced by a cohesive sense of brotherhood. Internal conflicts were rare.

The old hierarchy, where talents with high-grade Spirit Roots looked down upon those with low-grade Spirit Roots, had been completely eradicated.

More and more cultivators poured into the plaza, but unlike the raucous energy of normal sect gatherings, absolute silence reigned.

Within moments, virtually all disciples of the Qingyun Sect were present.

Suddenly, several oppressive auras erupted in the distance. The disciples looked up to see Sun Yi, flanked by the five Golden Core Elders and Er Gouzi, descending from the clouds. They touched down softly at the base of the stele.

“Greetings, Headmaster! Greetings, Deputy Headmaster! Greetings, Elders!” The unified shout echoed.

“At ease,” Sun Yi spoke, his voice projected clearly. “Not long ago, our Qingyun Sect was attacked by the Black Wind Stockade. While we successfully repelled those evil cultivators, many of our fellow disciples sacrificed their lives to defend our home.”

“I don’t care about the ways of other sects,” Sun Yi continued, his gaze sweeping the crowd. “In my Qingyun Sect, the lives of my disciples are more important than the Heavens!”

“Their sacrifice is a massive loss to our sect. Many of the fallen did not possess high-tier Spirit Roots. But to me, their value was equal to any genius with a Top Grade Spirit Root.”

“They are gone, but their contribution will be forever remembered. They spent their lives to protect us. To protect this sect.”

“We will honor their legacy. We will expand, grow stronger, and lead the Qingyun Sect to greater heights. We will make certain that the souls resting within this War Soul Mausoleum know that their sacrifice was not in vain!”

“Today, I will lead you all in honoring these respectable fellow disciples.”

Er Gouzi stepped forward, handing Sun Yi a stick of incense before respectfully retreating.

Sun Yi stepped up to the massive bronze cauldron. Raising the incense with both hands, he executed a deep, traditional bow of reverence.

“Thank you for defending our sect!”

The Golden Core Elders and the thousands of disciples behind him moved as one, mirroring the Headmaster’s deep bow.

“Thank you for defending the sect!” A thunderous wave of sound crashed through the valley, echoing off the peaks.

Sun Yi performed a second bow. “We will carry your legacy forward!”

The crowd bowed in perfect synchronization. “We will carry your legacy forward!” The mountain trembled.

Sun Yi performed the third and final bow. “We will strive with all our might to develop the sect. We will not let you down.”

The disciples echoed the pledge, their voices filled with determination. “We will not let you down!”

Sun Yi firmly planted his incense into the cauldron, then turned to address the assembly.

“Hear this decree. From today onward, any disciple who contributes to the sect earns the right to be interred here. Your names will be eternally etched onto the War Soul Stele. Furthermore, the sect will provide full support and protection to your surviving family lines. We take care of our own.”

“Moving forward, we will hold a minor sacrificial ceremony every ten years, and a major sacrificial event every hundred years. Attendance is mandatory for all, barring exceptional circumstances!”

“As you command, Headmaster!” the sect roared.

Sun Yi scanned the crowd. He could see the shift in their demeanor. This simple ritual had bonded them. Their collective loyalty and sense of belonging had just increased significantly.

“Alright, return to your duties and focus on your cultivation. The previous battle was just the beginning. More trials and challenges await us.”

Waving his hand, Sun Yi dismissed the crowd and led the core group away from the mausoleum.

Over the next few weeks, Sun Yi was exceedingly busy. He divided his time between improving his auxiliary crafting skills and assisting the five Elders in establishing their respective branches. He was as busy as a spinning top.

Half a month later, Sun Yi successfully advanced his alchemy skill to the third rank. His rapid progress left Elder Ye Luo utterly amazed, praising him as a peerless genius.

Sun Yi, however, knew the truth. The primary reason for his rapid progression was his ‘Split Spirit Technique’. Having eight parallel divine souls gave him immensely high multitasking, learning, and control capabilities.

Furthermore, utilizing the Purple Extreme Berserk Flame provided a powerful boost for any crafting process. Combine that with the vast trove of knowledge and insights from countless Seniors he had acquired and studied, some specifically purchased from the Seven Star Tower, and success was to be expected.

With such exceptional conditions, failing to advance quickly would mean he was truly lacking in talent.

Currently, Sun Yi was in the Talisman Hall, his focus locked onto a hovering piece of palm-sized beast skin. Holding a spirit brush charged with his True Qi, he meticulously inscribed the necessary patterns.

Elder Ye Luo and several senior members of the Talisman Hall stood nearby, watching with bated breath.

This was Sun Yi’s third attempt at crafting a third-rank Talisman. The previous two had failed. Only a successful creation of this talisman would officially grant him the title of Third-Rank Talisman Master.

The brush tip glided across the beast skin, leaving crimson lines in its wake. Gradually, the lines coalesced into the image of a blazing firebird.

However, as more lines were added, the Spiritual Qi within the talisman paper fluctuated violently. The energy threatened to erupt out of control.

Elder Ye Luo watched anxiously. This was the most difficult step. Many Talisman Masters found themselves permanently stuck at this stage of energy stabilization.

A sharp gleam flashed in Sun Yi’s eyes. He unleashed the full power of his divine souls. An overwhelming mental force crashed down, completely suppressing and stabilizing the rampaging Spiritual Qi.

With the energy under control, Sun Yi completed the final stroke. The finished talisman erupted with a blinding red light as a wave of potent, condensed Spiritual Qi washed over the room. The chaotic aura instantly smoothed out into a stable resonance.

“Success!”

“Congratulations, Headmaster, on ascending to Third-Rank Talisman Master!”

The hall erupted into cheers as everyone witnessed the successful creation.

“I appreciate everyone’s support,” Sun Yi smiled.

He examined the third-rank Firebird Talisman in his hand. It was still somewhat rough, but it was a genuine, functional third-rank talisman. It meant he had officially advanced.