Hidden Moth-Chapter 578 - 330: Casting Off Mortal Attire to Pay Homage at Hidden Moth
Near saluted He Kao: "Greetings, Sect Leader Senior Brother!"
Age-wise, he was much older than He Kao, but due to the order of entry, he had to call He Kao Senior Brother, especially since He Kao did not wish to assume the role of elder.
Calling him Senior Brother signified Near's complete abandonment of his former identity as Zhang Yanfei.
He Kao: "Please wait a moment, today there are a few fellow disciples who will enter the Floating Colors Grotto Heaven together."
Near baffled: "Floating Colors Grotto Heaven?"
He Kao smiled: "You'll understand once inside."
Soon, three others arrived: Ye Liangcheng, Lan Jiwan, and Chang'an Residence. Apart from the "Secret Transmission" Gao Xue'e, all members of the Hidden Moth Sect were present.
As it was necessary to open the Grotto Heaven for Hidden Moth Sect disciples, He Kao had simply called everyone together.
According to the Magic Sect's tradition, disciples usually need to break through to High Tier before entering the Grotto Heaven and receiving Secondary Inheritance, but that refers to the Grotto Heaven Summoning mechanism.
In special circumstances, it is not excluded that Low-tier Sorcerers may have the opportunity to enter the Sect's Grotto Heaven. The current situation of Hidden Moth Sect was quite unique, with only a few members in the initial phase of Dharma Successor restoration, everyone considered as founders.
To re-establish Dharma Successor and restore the Sect, it was necessary to present various information about the Way, Technique, Master, Companion, and Place to enhance the Sect's cohesion and stabilize cultivation aspirations,
He Kao first gave a brief introduction to everyone, and also organized the entry level based on order of entry.
Besides him as Sect Leader Senior Brother, the second in line was Ye Liangcheng, followed by Lan Jiwan, Chang'an Residence, and Near. This also reorganized the Sect's disciple register, and He Kao used the Dharma name "Huo Qing."
When He Kao introduced Near, he did not mention the name Zhang Yanfei or any past events related to him; the current Near was just Near. His introduction focused on the ancient Grotto Heaven summoning mechanism.
After mastering the Insect Concealment Skill and breaking through to High Tier, one can sense the Sect Grotto Heaven's summoning… Hidden Moth Sect also possesses a Grotto Heaven, which was the Floating Colors Grotto Heaven to be unveiled today.
Then, He Kao took out a scroll to open the door and instructed everyone to enter in sequence.
Ye Liangcheng and the others passed through the invisible gateway and unexpectedly arrived amid towering mountains, leaving them speechless with awe, and the portal had vanished when they turned back; Sect Leader Senior Brother did not follow them inside.
As instructed by the Sect Leader, the group passed through the meandering canyon to find a mountain basin ahead, with a stream running through it. Over the stream was a three-arch white stone bridge, and on the other end stood a stone pavilion.
Engraved on the pavilion were the words "Hidden Moth," and He Kao, holding the scroll, stood at the bridgehead to welcome everyone… he had wrapped the scroll outside and then directly arrived here.
Those gathered by He Kao were all peripheral figures of the Magic Sect, not even official Magic Sect disciples.
Ye Liangcheng and Lan Jiwan were secretly cultivated "cleaners" by the Huiming Shi Family, and Chang'an Residence was an independent cultivator disconnected from the Sect.
The former Zhang Yanfei had been a genuine Micro Realm Sect disciple, but before his incident, he was just a Low-tier Sorcerer, with limited knowledge of the Sect's core affairs and never visiting the Sect Grotto Heaven.
So for these individuals, everything they saw today was novel, and they exclaimed in astonishment.
Previously they only joined the Hidden Moth Sect and practiced the Insect Concealment Skill, feeling akin to any ordinary independent cultivator organization, only now realizing this was indeed a Sect.
While leading everyone through the basin, He Kao introduced the history of the Hidden Moth Sect, and also briefly covered the Magic Sect's history and current state.
The Eight Great Technique Sects each have a Grotto Heaven, with the Hidden Moth Sect's Floating Colors Grotto Heaven being the most unique which they experienced personally. It exists nowhere in the world, with the door opened wherever controlled by the Sect Leader, namely the Hidden Moth.
At the basin's end, in a natural stone alcove, He Kao set up the incense table and explained the ritual, holding a Secondary Inheritance ceremony for Near while the others observed.
Currently, only Near was eligible for this ceremony, though Lan Jiwan also had Tier Four Cultivation; she was still a Micro Realm Sect Tier Four Artisan, not yet breaking through Hidden Moth Skill to Tier Four.
After the ceremony, everyone sat on the ground, marking the first official Sect council meeting. The disciples unanimously proposed — constructing the Sect Ancestral Hall.
As per He Kao's earlier introduction, the Sect Grotto Heaven of the Seven Great Sects all possesses Ancestral Halls, and Hidden Moth Sect should not be without one. The Ancestral Hall serves not only as a ritual venue but also as living quarters and cultivation grounds for Hidden Moth Sect disciples.
He Kao had similar thoughts previously, but the obstacle was the lack of resources and manpower. The Ancestral Hall designs of other Seven Great Sects resemble the Ancestral Hall in Phoenix Tail Town, occupying an area of fifteen acres, forming large courtyard complexes.
This is no small project, and He Kao wasn't specialized in this field either.
But Near slammed his leg — let's build it, building it will be done slowly over years… everyone has divine power which can greatly enhance construction efficiency.
Zhang Yanfei, once a Fine Arts Academy dean, knows not only literature and painting but has also studied ancient architecture and landscape design, while two others present had practiced Micro-Entry Skill, adept at crafting various objects as long as given designs.
Chang'an Residence is also a Tier Three Sorcerer, having activated his Divine Sense and mastered the Object Control Skill, which allows him to be very helpful. As for He Kao, the Tier Five Cultivator, he plays a pivotal role.
Together, these individuals can work without the need for a crane, and even the heaviest main beams of a building can be installed accurately by manpower.
As for the blueprints, they are entrusted to He Kao, the Sect Leader Senior Brother, taking reference from the Ancestral Halls of major Technique Sects, with final revisions made by Erji.
While the style remains consistent, the details need not be identical, as this is a modern society. For instance, when constructing the disciples' residences, modern features can be combined with magical applications for kitchen and bathroom facilities.
Hidden Moth Sect disciples have always been few even a thousand years ago, and it's expected that this won't change much in the future. Therefore, not many other buildings are necessary in the Grotto Heaven for now; efforts should be concentrated on building the Ancestral Hall first.
As for the materials required for construction, stones can be locally sourced from suitable quarries. Regarding timber, the surrounding area is a mountainous region full of resources.
Erji noted that freshly felled timber cannot be used directly for construction. While it is possible to treat and improve the material quality using Divine Thought, the effort is immense. If suitable timber can be purchased, it will save a lot of work.
He Kao asked what type of timber would be best, to which Erji replied that large pieces of aged wood would be most suitable and provided detailed explanations.
He Kao immediately remarked that there was no need to purchase from outside. In this mountainous area, there are many lakes where large pieces of aged wood have been submerged by mountain floods over the years. These are top-quality, but require some effort to extract.
Besides timber and stone, bricks and tiles also need to be used. It wouldn't be practical to produce these locally in kilns. Erji knows where imitation cloud-pattern bricks and antique tiles are made and can be purchased in bulk for further processing.
Ye Liangcheng, who originally worked in construction, was assigned these tasks. The purchased materials can be transported to an abandoned industrial park in the Nanhua North Suburb, where there are ready-made warehouses.
The discussion then turned to funding. The only existing industry of Hidden Moth Sect is Jiuliang Manufacturing, whose profits can be used to support sect construction.
Everyone present were sorcerers of the sect, the founders of Hidden Moth Sect's reconstruction. With such important work to do, they cared less about worldly pleasures and were willing to contribute their surplus wealth.
As the Sect Leader, He Kao had broader considerations. He believed rules should be clear from the start, to prevent the sect from later demanding funding from disciples under the guise of voluntary donations.
Therefore, he decided that despite Ye Liangcheng, Lan Jiwan, and Erji being exceptions, both he and Chang'an Residence would contribute funds for the purchase of bricks and tiles. This money was lent to the sect, to be repaid when the sect becomes affluent, rather than soliciting donations from disciples.
With the land already in place and many materials at no cost, only purchasing some imitation ancient bricks and tiles, there wasn't an immediate need for extensive funding. There was no rush to complete the construction in a short period.
The manpower provided by everyone would be considered a current sect assignment. By building the Grotto Heaven Blessed Land together, a place crafted by one's own hands offers a greater sense of achievement and belonging.
The creation of Grotto Heaven facilities requires substantial amounts of divine power and various magical techniques, serving as excellent cultivation practice... The discussions were enthusiastic.
He Kao, familiar with the environment of Floating Colors Grotto Heaven, informed everyone about a great quarry on the western side of the basin mountain.
From his observations, the rocks of the mountain share the same quality as those of the white stone bridge and archway, making it excellent building material. One could select a section of the mountain wall and carve inward, simultaneously harvesting stone and creating a cave mansion used exclusively for seclusion by disciples.
Lan Jiwan also excitedly proposed that the mountain basin right in front of the Ancestral Hall entrance could be appropriately modified to become a garden fused with the natural mountain scenery.
The natural vegetation in many places can be preserved, thriving with various exotic flowers and spirit plants, with intersecting pathways adorned with herbal fields and park landscapes.
Natural water sources could be redirected to create lakes and water features, where spiritual birds could be raised, transplanting various fruits and vegetables into the garden, providing even daily meals...
Lan Jiwan spoke with an unintended smile, a light within her eyes.
She was once a very cold person, indifferent even to her own life and death. Whether or not her proposals could be immediately realized, they symbolized a love and hope for the future.
Ye Liangcheng immediately applauded in agreement; he enjoyed these activities the most. He even planted various fruit trees and vegetables in the abandoned industrial park, and kept a flock of roaming chickens. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
He Kao didn't suppress everyone's passion for life and promptly approved the construction plan as the Sect Leader.
The construction plan of Floating Colors Grotto Heaven was laid out in three phases, with the first step being to draft a blueprint for a fifteen-acre courtyard cluster, starting with the construction of the Core Pavilion and the northeastern courtyard.
The Core Pavilion, built against the mountain wall, shelters this stone niche, while the northeastern courtyard serves as the living quarters for resident disciples. The necessary stone is quarried from within the Grotto Heaven, concurrently crafting a secluded cave mansion hidden in the mountains.
The second phase is to construct the entire outline of the Ancestral Hall, including the foundation, central ceremonial hall, and enclosing walls. The third phase involves gradually constructing remaining buildings and cultivating the mountain basin area.
Although He Kao's Spirit Awakening Skill cultivation is still low, barely at the entry level, he could still perceive through everyone's expressions and tones the natural emergence of various emotions.
From the initial shock and curiosity to amazement, then excitement and anticipation... At first, he paid particular attention to Erji, but later realized that everyone was experiencing similar feelings.
**
