Chapter 363
Another gap in the system of merit is that it does not restrict those inside or outside the Jiushan Sect:
In other words, even if one cannot join the Jiushan Sect, they can still accumulate merit, gather resources, and even learn techniques for self-study or to train future generations—it's just that they cannot attend classes on University Island or participate in experiments.
Universal cultivation... is not realistic now, and it may not be for a long time.
Zheng Fa felt a lingering sense of inadequacy, but Master Tongming was shocked—
There are too many people!
The Ascension Conference only recruits about a thousand disciples at a time!
How could so many people come to take the exam on this small paradise island in the Jiushan Realm?
Can the Jiushan Realm support this?
He couldn't help but doubt.
Looking back at the examination hall, he was even more astonished—
Not to mention other examination halls, the candidates in this one could all read and write.
The variety of questions on the exam paper spanned a wide range of difficulties; he even found some he couldn't answer, yet many candidates were writing with ease.
By afternoon, not only Master Tongming but also the disciples from the Hundred Immortals Alliance attending the conference were feeling unsettled—
In the entire examination hall, everyone at least knew a set of entry-level martial arts!
This... was a privilege that even they, who were at the Foundation Establishment or Golden Core stages, did not have.
Entry-level martial arts had always been the exclusive domain of disciples from prominent families.
Who would have thought that in the Jiushan Realm, everyone could learn and practice?
As for testing spiritual roots, there was not much to say.
...
The entrance exam ended, and the results came out quickly:
Only three hundred people could enter the Jiushan Sect this time—less than a one percent acceptance rate.
The thresholds for entry were roughly as follows:
If you have a single spiritual root, you can enter freely.
If you have a dual spiritual root, you need at least a good score.
For a triple spiritual root, you need to score excellently, meaning you must answer at least eight out of ten questions correctly.
If you have three or fewer spiritual roots, you need to score nearly full marks...
This time, there were not many with single spiritual roots; counting his little sister, there were only two, and even with the dual spiritual roots added, there were only a few dozen.
However, there were indeed quite a few who scored excellently—more than Zheng Fa had expected, but then he understood:
The people of the Jiushan Realm may not have much else, but those who have experienced chaos tend to work a little harder.
That’s how they managed to gather over two hundred.
His little sister, Zheng Shan, naturally passed into the Jiushan Sect with ease.
After the exam, Master Tongming curiously asked Zheng Fa, “Isn’t your sect recruiting too many disciples?”
You must know that in the two thousand years of the Jiushan Sect, there had only been about a thousand disciples, and now they were taking in three hundred...
And the threshold was even lower than before.
Moreover, they recruit once a year?
Zheng Fa thought for a moment and smiled, “Master Tongming, the cultivators of the Jiushan Sect are probably different from those of the Xuanwei Realm…”
“Different?”
Master Tongming was taken aback, not understanding.
Zheng Fa remained silent; some things even his master and the others did not initially grasp:
If viewed from the perspective of cultivators in the Xuanwei Realm, indeed, fewer cultivators are better...
Because those cultivators have the most important task of fighting; the stronger they are, the more resources they occupy, and the higher they stand.
To put it in a not-so-accurate way, they are like end consumers: consuming resources to sustain themselves, with little return to the world.
In battle, ten thousand low-level cultivators cannot compare to a single high-level cultivator.
Thus, the Xuanwei Realm needs geniuses even more.
But the Jiushan Realm does not want such cultivators:
From the “Golden Core Project,” Zheng Fa could see that if cultivators are viewed as producers, the conversion ratio changes.
Through collaboration, simplifying methods, and exploring principles, dozens of cultivators below the Golden Core level can produce an elixir that only a Nascent Soul cultivator could create!
Moreover, the resources needed to cultivate dozens of Foundation Establishment disciples are far less than what is required for a single Nascent Soul, and the time needed is also much shorter.
The cost-effectiveness is very high...
Not to mention, Zheng Fa’s plan to leverage collective intelligence benefits from having more people.
For Zheng Fa, the only issue has always been the dwindling spiritual energy—but conversely, the more depleted the spiritual energy, the more advantageous this system becomes:
With less spiritual energy, it’s harder to produce high-level cultivators, but low-level cultivators are less affected.
Even various simplification projects and explorations of principles will ultimately be more resource-efficient and productive.
It was precisely for this reason that his master and Uncle Pang were persuaded by him to almost throw open the gates.
Seeing him like this, Master Tongming no longer pressed for more answers, though a deep confusion lingered in his eyes.
He naturally did not understand.
Zheng Fa looked at the new disciples who had just entered, and he thought of the letter from the plateau, silently vowing:
The world I desire is one where cultivators are not only feared but also appreciated.
It is right before us, in the future.
...
(End of this chapter)
**Chapter 320: The Invitation of Cheng Kong, the Host Seizes the Guest**
After the entrance examination, Master Cheng Kong directly approached Zheng Fa.
“I wish to invite the Jiushan Sect to rejoin the Hundred Immortals Alliance. What do you think, Sect Leader Zheng?”
He was straightforward, stating his intentions right away.
“…”
Zheng Fa was taken aback; he had been pondering why Master Cheng Kong had deliberately held the Hundred Immortals Conference in the Jiushan Realm, and now he understood a bit of the other party's purpose.
He glanced at Master Tongming beside Cheng Kong, noticing his calm demeanor, indicating he was already aware of this matter.
Zheng Fa remained silent, and both Master Cheng Kong and Master Tongming understood that he was unwilling.
“If you’re worried about the quality of the Hundred Immortals Alliance, Master Tongming has already restructured it, and with me here, you can rest assured.”
Master Cheng Kong said.
Master Tongming shot him a glance, feeling it was quite strange—he thought it was a bit too patient for Master Cheng Kong to say such things, so patient it made him want to cry.
Zheng Fa felt he couldn’t remain silent any longer, so he clasped his hands and said, “Master, our Jiushan Sect has had its ancestral grounds taken over; we only seek to protect ourselves and truly have no strength left to confront the Great Freedom Demon Sect.”
“That’s not entirely accurate. You hold the Jiushan Realm and have two Transformation Stage cultivators; why be so modest?”
Master Cheng Kong smiled.
Zheng Fa understood he was referring to himself and Senior Sister Zhang.
“Does Master not know the limitations of these two Transformation Stage cultivators?”
Seeing him like this, Master Cheng Kong was left speechless. Zheng Fa seemed to be only in his twenties, yet he had such a personality?
He wasn’t overly arrogant, but he was so timid... it was truly fitting for him to be the leader of the Hundred Immortals Alliance!
“I discussed it with Master Tongming; if you return to the Hundred Immortals Alliance, he is willing to cede the position of Alliance Leader to you.”
Zheng Fa’s eyes widened in disbelief.
This was truly unexpected.
He looked at Master Tongming, whose expression was complex, clearly not entirely willing.
But meeting Zheng Fa’s gaze, Master Tongming slowly nodded, acknowledging Master Cheng Kong’s words.
Zheng Fa glanced at Master Cheng Kong again, realizing he had brought Master Tongming along to reassure him...
To be fair, this was indeed a significant gesture.
No matter how the Hundred Immortals Alliance fared against the Great Freedom Demon Sect, it was still a colossal entity compared to the current Jiushan Sect.
Not to mention, just the disciples of the Hundred Immortals Alliance who came to the Jiushan Realm this time included over a hundred Golden Core cultivators, nearly ten times the number of the Jiushan Sect—these were the elite among the Golden Cores of the Hundred Immortals Alliance.
At the Nascent Soul level, the Hundred Immortals Alliance also had dozens of them.
Plus, there was Master Tongming, a Transformation Stage cultivator.
If Zheng Fa could take charge of the Hundred Immortals Alliance, he could even lead the Jiushan Sect to become the master of the Hundred Immortals Alliance, akin to a snake swallowing an elephant.
This matter, if not for Master Cheng Kong’s background in the Supreme Dao, probably no one would agree— even if Master Tongming wanted to, the various sects within the Hundred Immortals Alliance might not be willing.
After Master Cheng Kong finished speaking, he looked at Zheng Fa with a smile.
Uncle Pang and the others behind Zheng Fa exchanged astonished glances.
“I…” Zheng Fa was about to speak when Master Cheng Kong interrupted him.
“I came to the Jiushan Sect specifically for you.”
“For me?”
“Among the five sects of Xuanwei, my Supreme Dao has always been inclusive, never prioritizing lineage. You possess exceptional talent, a powerful Golden Core, and innate divine abilities. If you return to the Hundred Immortals Alliance, you will be one of us in the Supreme Dao, which would be like adding wings to a tiger.”
Zheng Fa listened quietly, curious about the five sects of Xuanwei.
“Take Master Tongming, for example; he originally came from a loose cultivator background, but his talent was extraordinary. My senior brother valued him and taught him our sect’s celestial methods.”
Master Tongming nodded from the side, seemingly confirming his words.
“Unfortunately, he placed too much importance on the Hundred Immortals Alliance... delaying his cultivation, so he can only be considered an external disciple of my Supreme Dao, not part of the true lineage.”
“I let him cede the position of Alliance Leader to you to help him temporarily let go of this obsession.”
“You need not feel that I am forcing him.”
Master Tongming suddenly turned to look at Master Cheng Kong.
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