Translator: AnubisTL
Becoming an Elder in the sect after reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm came with significant advantages, including access to sect resources with fewer restrictions.
These resources included cave abodes situated on Spiritual Veins, the ancient technique hall housing the sect's inheritance, and various privileges associated with the Elder status.
Of course, to obtain these benefits, one first had to report to the Sect Leader.
So, the very next day after consolidating his cultivation, Li Qing didn't even take a moment to rest. He mounted his magic artifact and flew towards Cloudsoar Island to visit Sect Leader Xu Yun.
"They say that once you reach the Foundation Establishment Realm, you can choose a daoist name. From then on, you can use your daoist name when interacting with others, without revealing your true name."
"I wonder why this tradition exists. Could it be that even in the cultivation world, there are sinister curse techniques that can harm someone just by knowing their birthdate and name?"
During his flight, Li Qing's mind wandered, his thoughts becoming increasingly complex.
When one feels most relaxed and carefree, stray thoughts tend to proliferate. Even Li Qing, now in the Foundation Establishment Realm, couldn't escape this.
"So, what daoist name should I choose for myself?"
As this thought crossed his mind, various nicknames he had been called in the mortal world quickly surfaced in Li Qing's mind.
The first was Fierce Tiger! Back then, his Martial Dao prowess was unparalleled—fierce, domineering, and supremely yang. He was also skilled in a set of Tiger Fist techniques, earning him the title of Fierce Tiger among Jianghu practitioners.
Daoist Fierce Tiger? Fierce Tiger True Lord? Fierce Tiger True Monarch?
These titles sounded rather odd, Li Qing frowned and dismissed them.
The second nickname was Limitless. After achieving the rank of Martial Dao Grandmaster, he had kept his divine abilities hidden from the Jianghu. However, based on the peerless Martial Dao technique he had passed down, Jianghu practitioners had bestowed upon him the title of Limitless Grandmaster.
"Daoist Limitless... Hmm, this daoist name is not bad at all."
Feeling quite satisfied with this thought, Li Qing flew to Cloudsoar Island, where a majestic and imposing hall stood quietly at the island's center.
It came as no surprise to Li Qing that the other three immortal seeds who had achieved Foundation Establishment the previous day had already arrived.
"Senior Brother Li, congratulations! Your Foundation Establishment last night stunned countless fellow disciples!" Ji Bai said with a friendly smile, turning his gaze toward Li Qing.
Besides Ji Bai, the other two who had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment were Shen Ningbing, who possessed an ice spirit root, and Wu Hong, a burly man known for his quiet demeanor.
After Li Qing arrived, Shen Ningbing glanced at him briefly before turning away, continuing to wait quietly for the Sect Leader's arrival.
In contrast, Wu Hong stared intently at Li Qing, as if trying to see through him. He seemed quite interested in Li Qing.
Li Qing had heard of Wu Hong before. True to his name, Wu Hong was a martial arts fanatic who loved challenging others to combat.
Wu Hong's interest in Li Qing wasn't surprising. It stemmed from Li Qing's success in Foundation Establishment despite having a Four Spirit Root and his escape from two Foundation Establishment cultivators during the Qi Refining Realm.
The latter achievement, in particular, had ignited Wu Hong's desire to test his skills against Li Qing.
Li Qing could only force a dry laugh, ignoring Wu Hong's eager gaze. He said with a friendly tone, "My Foundation Establishment was merely a stroke of luck. My cultivation aptitude pales in comparison to yours, Fellow Disciples!"
"Senior Brother Li, you're being too modest. Yesterday, so many talented fellow disciples failed to achieve Foundation Establishment. Your success clearly demonstrates your exceptional abilities!" Ji Bai flattered.
Exceptional abilities? It was just a matter of eating a few extra Foundation Establishment Pills, coupled with living long enough to maintain an eternally youthful body!
Of course, he wouldn't say any of that. Instead, he responded with humble words.
As the two were exchanging pleasantries, Sect Leader Xu Yun slowly emerged from the hall.
Seeing this, the four disciples immediately clasped their hands respectfully and bowed. "Greetings, Sect Leader!"
Sect Leader Xu Yun stroked his beard and smiled warmly. "No need for formalities. If you don't mind, you may address me as senior brother sect leader from now on. Having achieved Foundation Establishment, you are now Elders of the sect."
His words were perfectly reasonable. While Sect Leader Xu Yun's cultivation was profound, he was still only at the Foundation Establishment Realm. Since they were all at the same level, addressing each other as fellow disciples was entirely natural.
Hearing this, Li Qing was overwhelmed with emotion, still struggling to adjust to the sudden shift in seniority.
Ji Bai and the other two merely smiled, their expressions remaining respectful.
Seeing this, Sect Leader Xu Yun shook his head with a chuckle and produced four Identity Tokens carved with the words "Lingyun."
"Take these. Infuse your qi mechanism into them, and from now on, the four of you will be Elders of our sect!"
"With these tokens, you can choose a cave abode on Cold Cloud Peak or any of the other peaks. If you're not satisfied with the existing ones, you can even carve your own, just be mindful of the scale."
Li Qing took his token and examined it. Unlike the Ascension Token, this one was made of spirit wood, feeling slightly rough to the touch. However, the Spirit Wood Essence within was abundant, clearly indicating considerable age.
Next, Sect Leader Xu Yun outlined the other benefits and important considerations.
"In addition to claiming a cave abode, this token grants you one-time access to the Hall of Inheritance, where you can select a suitable cultivation manual or secret technique."
"Furthermore, as Elders of the sect, you'll naturally receive a stipend: 200 contribution points and three mid-grade spirit stones annually!"
"If you find that insufficient, you could also consider taking on positions within the sect. Your stipend would increase accordingly."
In truth, it was already quite generous. A Foundation Establishment Elder could receive three mid-grade spirit stones and two hundred contribution points annually without doing anything!
Most importantly, of course, were the contribution points. Within the sect, contribution points were required for exchanging magic artifacts, pills, or borrowing cultivation manuals and inheritances.
In terms of value, one contribution point was equivalent to five low-grade spirit stones. If you didn't need them, you could convert contribution points into spirit stones, but not the other way around. The sect didn't accept spirit stones in exchange for contribution points.
Li Qing understood why. After all, with enough contribution points, one could obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill and gain access to the Hall of Technique Transmission—both fundamental to a sect's foundation.
"Thank you, Senior Brother Sect Leader!" The group chorused their gratitude after hearing about the Elder's benefits.
Sect Leader Xu Yun waved his hand and said, "Elders, what are your plans next? There are still several vacant positions within the sect. For example, the Pill Hall, the Formation Hall, and the Law Enforcement Hall are all short-handed."
Every Cultivation Sect is roughly the same. The Foundation Establishment Elders within are generally divided into two categories.
The first group believes they possess decent aptitude and still have room for improvement in their cultivation. They choose not to take on sect duties, instead dedicating themselves to solitary cultivation in their cave abodes, striving for higher realms.
The second group feels their aptitude is average, and even with diligent cultivation, they won't make significant progress. They prefer to take on a sect position, earning extra cultivation resources each year. Perhaps with these resources, they might even advance a few steps further.
Naturally, many newly promoted Foundation Establishment Elders initially choose the first path, secluding themselves in their cave abodes for several years.
But after realizing the difficulty of advancing in the Foundation Establishment Realm, they often let out bitter smiles, accepting their limited prospects on the Immortal Path. They then emerge from seclusion to serve as Elders, earning the resources needed for Foundation Establishment cultivation.
In truth, Sect Leader Xu Yun didn't care which path Li Qing and the others chose. After a few years, those with a modicum of self-awareness would inevitably emerge to contribute to the sect.
After all, they were immortals, and newly established in the Foundation Establishment Realm—a time of great ambition and pride. How could they easily choose the second option?
As Sect Leader Xu Yun expected, all present, including Li Qing, declared their intention to enter seclusion for several years to carefully cultivate and deepen their understanding.
In truth, Li Qing had hesitated before making his decision. He had considered going directly to the refining hall to become a refining elder.
But ultimately, he decided to follow the crowd and enter solitary cultivation for a few years. He could always make a decision later.
After all, his artifact refinement skills were ingrained within him and wouldn't disappear. He could always emerge from seclusion to become a refining elder whenever he wished.
"Hehe, your unwavering dedication to the Dao is truly admirable. This is a blessing for our sect. I look forward to seeing you four advance further on the path of cultivation. The sect will rely on your protection in the future."
"Very well, I won't keep you any longer. Now, you may go choose your preferred cave abodes!"
Sect Leader Xu Yun spoke kindly before dismissing the four from the hall.
(End of the Chapter)
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