"Other than the two with Dual Spirit Roots, all the new disciples from July are living together in the D Zone. I'll keep an eye out for this Huang Mengzhu for you."
Steward Song knew the names of the two disciples with Dual Spirit Roots.
"Thank you, Elder Song."
"It's a small matter, don't mention it." Steward Song smiled. Keeping track of such things was simple for him. "Normally, the sect doesn't assign any missions to new disciples for the first three years, so you don't have to worry. In your case, though, it's only three months."
From Fang Yun's inquiry, it wasn't hard for Steward Song to guess their relationship.
A disciple like Fang Yun, with Five Spirit Roots and the talent to become a Spirit Plant Master, was specially recruited and wasn't considered a normal new disciple.
Outer Sect Disciples of the Celestial Cloud Sect in the early Qi Refining Stage could receive one Lower Grade Spirit Stone and ten catties of Clear Water Rice each month.
These were some of the basic benefits of being a disciple of the Celestial Cloud Sect.
"Elder Song, I don't want to be idle for these three months." Fang Yun still needed Talent Points, after all.
Whether it was his Planting Talent or Alchemy Talent, the sooner he could upgrade them to two stars, the better.
"You can focus on your cultivation. That's hardly being idle." Unlike Fang Yun, Steward Song wanted to correct his mistaken perspective.
For a Cultivator, the most important thing was to practice breathing exercises and raise one's Cultivation.
A Cultivator in the Qi Refining Stage normally needed to consume three taels of Spirit Rice a day, which added up to at least nine catties a month.
The basic benefits provided by the Celestial Cloud Sect were enough for a disciple to focus entirely on their cultivation.
"I know, but I still want to take on missions."
Seeing Fang Yun's serious expression, Steward Song nodded. "Very well. Follow me."
Since Fang Yun insisted on taking missions right away and forgoing the three-month grace period, Steward Song couldn't really object. In fact, the Celestial Cloud Sect appreciated disciples like him.
He was proactively taking on missions before any had even been assigned to him.
Under Steward Song's guidance, Fang Yun accepted a mission at the Celestial Cloud Sect's Spirit Field Institute.
There were several Spirit Field Institutes within the Celestial Cloud Sect, and one was located particularly close to the C Zone, where the Outer Sect Disciples resided.
The mission Fang Yun accepted was to plant three mu of Purple Corn. Six months later, he would need to hand over three hundred catties of it. Upon completion, he would be rewarded with twenty-one Sect Contribution Points and twenty-one Lower Grade Spirit Stones.
Within the Celestial Cloud Sect, Contribution Points were extremely valuable and served as an important internal currency.
One Contribution Point could be exchanged for one Lower Grade Spirit Stone, but Spirit Stones could not be exchanged for Contribution Points.
After becoming an Outer Sect Disciple, Fang Yun's introductory benefits included the fourth through sixth layers of the Cyan Wood Technique. Any methods for obtaining the subsequent layers within the sect were tied to Contribution Points.
One way was to exchange them directly with Contribution Points.
The other was to accumulate a certain number of Contribution Points, which would let him get them for free.
This was one of the sect's incentives to encourage disciples to complete more missions and earn Contribution Points.
In Fang Yun's eyes, if he could get something for free, he was more than happy to do so.
Steward Song had other matters to attend to, so they parted ways at the Spirit Field Institute. Fang Yun retraced his steps, returning to the door of his residence: Outer C-88.
He hadn't even gone inside yet.
The residences for Outer Sect Disciples were also set up with a few simple Arrays.
His Identity Token as an Outer Sect Disciple of the Celestial Cloud Sect was milky-white with an engraved blue border. The front bore the two words "Celestial Cloud," while the back displayed the same designation as his door.
Only the holder of the Token could open the door from the outside.
Entering the house, Fang Yun looked around the place where he would be living for a long time to come. Until he broke through to the late Qi Refining Stage and became an Inner Sect Disciple, this would be his home.
The house consisted of three rooms—one large and two small—which served as a living room, a bedroom, and a Cultivation Room.
'This living environment and the concentration of Spiritual Qi are so much better than outside, and there's no rent!'
'Becoming an Outer Sect Disciple of the Celestial Cloud Sect is, to use a phrase from my past life, a "room and board included" deal!'
For food, there were ten catties of Clear Water Rice, so he would never starve.
Before becoming a Cultivator, the Celestial Cloud Sect had taken care of him for six years, providing him with ten catties of Clear Water Rice each month. As for Lower Grade Spirit Stones, of course, there were none.
Receiving an extra Lower Grade Spirit Stone each month was a privilege reserved for Outer Sect Disciples in the early Qi Refining Stage.
Fang Yun looked around the house again and again before finally sitting on a wooden stool in the living room. He took out the details of the mission he had accepted at the Spirit Field Institute.
'I need three hundred catties of Purple Corn to complete the mission. If I were to rent three mu of Tier One, Lower Grade Spirit Fields outside the sect to plant this, each mu would cost seventy catties in rent, for a total of two hundred and ten catties.'
'Clear Water Rice sells for one Lower Grade Spirit Stone per ten catties, while Purple Corn goes for one Lower Grade Spirit Stone per four catties…'
Fang Yun did a quick calculation in his head.
'Ninety catties of Purple Corn—or ninety-two, to be generous—would be worth twenty-three Lower Grade Spirit Stones.'
Meanwhile, if he completed the mission, the rewards—including the converted Sect Contribution Points—would amount to forty-two Lower Grade Spirit Stones.
"The benefits of being a disciple really are great," Fang Yun couldn't help but remark.
For tending one mu of Purple Corn and harvesting one hundred catties, a Celestial Cloud Sect disciple's final profit was nearly double that of a Loose Cultivator who had to rent a Spirit Field.
After completing the sect mission, he was free to do as he pleased with any remaining Purple Corn.
The number of Spirit Stones he could earn each month was steadily increasing.
'It's a shame there aren't any shoes, though.'
Opening the Storage Pouch issued by the sect, Fang Yun took out the uniform for an Outer Sect Disciple of the Celestial Cloud Sect. It was an azure blue robe with white patterns, and the sect's symbol was emblazoned on the chest.
The sect's symbol resembled a cloud with a sword piercing through its center.
The sword represented the First Generation Sect Leader of the Celestial Cloud Sect, who was a true Sword Cultivator.
After changing into the new robes, Fang Yun felt much more refreshed.
The Outer Sect Disciple's uniform could be considered a Lower Grade Magical Artifact. It had a self-cleaning effect that repelled dust and was warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Although the Celestial Cloud Sect's territory was like spring year-round, there was still a noticeable difference between winter and summer temperatures.
Footwear-type defensive gear was one of the Combat Talents Fang Yun was aiming for. He hadn't acquired a Combat Talent yet, but that didn't stop him from having a preference for this type of Magical Artifact.
「On his first day in the sect.」
Having received the mission, Fang Yun didn't wait until the next day to start plowing and planting. He set out immediately.
The three mu of Tier One, Lower Grade Spirit Fields assigned to him by the Spirit Field Institute were all connected, which would make planting more convenient.
He arrived at the three mu of Spirit Fields assigned to him.
The first thing Fang Yun saw were plots of Purple Corn in the middle of their growth cycle, all looking to be in excellent condition.
From his current vantage point, the Cultivator tending to this Purple Corn was clearly skilled.
After standing in the fields for a short while, Fang Yun saw an old man slowly walking over.
The old man's robes were also azure blue, but they had far more intricate patterns than his own.
'That's the uniform of an Inner Sect Disciple!'
'An old man? How could he be an Inner Sect Disciple of the Celestial Cloud Sect?'
Fang Yun recalled that anyone over sixty years old could not be a disciple of the Celestial Cloud Sect.