Cultivation Starting from Choosing Augments-Chapter 98 - 95: Meeting the Sect Leader, Steward of the Demon Extermination Hall
After returning to the Li Huo Sect, Xiao Chen first made a trip to the Merit Hall to turn in his completed mission.
Because he was late, he only received one Contribution Point.
Afterward, he went straight to Li Huo Peak.
According to the regulations in the Inner Sect Manual, after breaking through to Foundation Establishment, one had to pay a visit to the Sect Leader.
The Sect Leader would then assign them a new position, replacing their former status as a disciple. Only then could they claim and enjoy the appropriate benefits.
Since joining the Li Huo Sect, this was the first time Xiao Chen had officially set foot on Li Huo Peak.
Unlike the other peaks, which were often bustling with disciples, this place was a vital area of the sect and was almost deserted.
Xiao Chen walked all the way to the sect’s main hall, where he finally encountered two junior brothers on guard duty at the entrance.
They recognized him at once. "Greetings, Xiao. What brings you here?"
Xiao Chen released a faint trace of his cultivation aura. "I was fortunate enough to have a breakthrough a few days ago. As per sect regulations, I’ve come to see the Sect Leader. Could I trouble you to announce my arrival?" 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
Sensing the pressure emanating from him, the disciple’s expression changed. He immediately bowed. "Congratulations, Junior Martial Master Xiao. Please wait a moment. I’ll go at once."
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he came jogging back.
He said respectfully, "Junior Martial Master Xiao, the Sect Leader invites you to the rear hall to speak with him!"
Xiao Chen nodded in response. He passed through the main hall, went around a long row of screens depicting the twelve seasons, and walked down a corridor hung with landscape paintings before finally arriving at the rear hall.
There, he finally met the current Sect Leader of the Li Huo Sect—Mei Yong.
This Mei was the Chief Disciple of the generation before last. Though his cultivation aura was now restrained, he possessed a naturally imposing air.
He was currently sitting in a grand preceptor’s chair, holding a thick tome in both hands, completely engrossed in his reading.
Xiao Chen glanced over but could only see a pitch-black cover with no title on it.
He took a few steps closer, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Xiao Chen pays his respects to the Sect Leader."
"So you’re that Xiao Chen!"
Mei Yong snapped the book shut and immediately stood up.
He sized him up in amazement. "I’d heard the sect had a genius of exceptional comprehension who was expected to reach Foundation Establishment within three years."
"I truly didn’t expect you to complete your Foundation Establishment so quickly, Junior Brother."
"Your speed is as astonishing as ever."
Xiao Chen shook his head. "Senior Brother, you flatter me. I was just lucky."
"You’re far too modest, Junior Brother." Mei Yong looked at him with a sigh. "Countless disciples in the sect get stuck at the Great Perfection stage of Qi Refining for years on end."
"For you to distinguish yourself like this is truly a cause for celebration."
He turned and took a pair of jade vials from a cabinet. "Here are two bottles of Spirit Nourishing Pills. They should help you stabilize your cultivation."
Xiao Chen accepted the elixirs. "Thank you for the gift, Senior Brother."
Mei Yong waved his hand and produced a small bag. "A misunderstanding, Junior Brother. The Spirit Nourishing Pills are a reward from the sect, as are these Spirit Stones. Every newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivator gets a share."
The small bag contained a full twenty Middle Grade Spirit Stones.
Mei Yong then handed him a book of sect protocols and asked, "Now that you’ve reached Foundation Establishment, Junior Brother, is there any particular post you’d like?"
Xiao Chen accepted the book. "I will defer entirely to the Sect Leader’s arrangements."
He had already made some inquiries beforehand.
All the most desirable posts had long been snatched up by the Five Great Clans.
Foundation Establishment Cultivators promoted in recent years had all been assigned to leisurely but unprofitable positions. The silver lining was that there wasn’t much work to do, either.
Therefore, he didn’t really have a strong preference for any particular assignment.
Hearing this, Mei Yong paused for a moment, then spoke with a beaming smile, "In that case, an opening has just come up that would be a perfect fit for you, Junior Brother."
To better respond to the increasingly complex activities of Demon Cultivators, the sect recently established a new Demon Extermination Hall, responsible for monitoring and striking against them.
The problem is, the Foundation Establishment Cultivators within the sect have all been making excuses, unwilling to join the Demon Extermination Hall. Not even raising the benefits twice has worked.
After all, joining a place like that means fighting life-or-death battles against Demon Cultivators out in the world, which is no laughing matter.
Demon Cultivators have an endless arsenal of treacherous techniques. No matter how good the benefits are, you have to be alive to enjoy them.
Mei Yong had been racking his brain over how to assign personnel, and then Xiao Chen appeared.
He clapped his hands together. "Normally, all cultivators who reached Foundation Establishment in the last two years were required to serve as supervisors, overseeing general affairs for a time before being gradually reassigned."
"But the sect’s Demon Extermination Hall happens to be short one manager at the moment."
"And since you broke through at this exact moment, Junior Brother, it seems the post of manager for the Demon Extermination Hall couldn’t be more suitable for you."
Xiao Chen was a bit surprised. "The sect has a Demon Extermination Hall?"
"What did I say about you being lucky, Junior Brother?"
Mei Yong smiled and handed over an Identity Token. "Naturally, there wasn’t one before. But just the day before yesterday, the Elders unanimously voted to establish the new Demon Extermination Hall."
"Junior Brother Xiao, your timing is perfect."
"If you join the Demon Extermination Hall now, not only will you receive a double cultivation stipend, but you can also directly request an Upper Grade Magical Artifact of your choosing from the sect."
"What type of magical artifact would you like, Junior Brother? I’ll have someone fetch it for you."
’A double cultivation stipend and a free Upper Grade Magical Artifact? The benefits in a new department really are great.’
Xiao Chen thought for a moment. "Then I’ll trouble you to get me a Defensive Spiritual Artifact, Senior Brother."
’In terms of offense, I already have the Divine Fire Summoning Banner and Sky-Filling Flame Radiance. It’s about time I improved my defenses.’
"Of course, of course. This way, Junior Brother."
Having solved a vexing problem, Mei Yong was in high spirits as he led Xiao Chen into a side hall.
The side hall was very tall, and in the middle stood an entire Jade Wall, a full zhang high and five zhang long.
A massive scroll was spread across it, displaying Li Huo Peak and the topography of the surrounding twenty-li radius.
Mei Yong formed a hand seal and tapped a point in the air before the scroll.
Instantly, a black-and-white light radiated out, dividing the scroll into a patchwork of mottled squares.
"Look closely, Junior Brother. These white areas are the currently unoccupied regions within the Sect Protection Array."
Xiao Chen looked closer and saw that, sure enough, the white squares were all concentrated in the outer regions near Li Huo Peak.
Then, with a grand wave of his hand, Mei Yong caused several green glows of varying shades to light up and flow across the scroll like ripples on water.
"Take a look, Junior Brother. This shows the distribution of Spiritual Qi within the sect."
"The deeper the color, the denser the Spiritual Qi; the lighter the color, the thinner it is."
Finally, he pointed to the scroll and said, "All Foundation Establishment Cultivators in our sect can freely choose an unoccupied location to establish their own cultivation abode."
"You can take a closer look, Junior Brother. No need to rush your decision."
After speaking, Mei Yong took two steps back. He waved his hand, using his Magical Power to move a chair over, and sat down. Then, he took a book out of his Storage Bag and started to read.
Xiao Chen looked and saw that, just as he’d expected, all the best locations were already taken.
So he found a valley where the Spiritual Qi was relatively dense. "Mei, I’ll choose this spot."
Then, under Mei Yong’s guidance, he sent a stream of Magical Power into the Jade Wall.
Instantly, the square representing the valley turned from white to black, indicating it now had an owner.
