"I wonder what level of cultivation these elders and seniors have. I feel like each one is vast and unfathomable!" Bai Yichen displayed a look of naive curiosity.
"The heads of the four courtyards are all top-tier Golden Core masters, and the two elders are Yin Spirit Realm masters, both having advanced from top-tier Golden Cores.
In our Taiyuan Sect, only those who have attained a top-tier Golden Core can hold the positions of the three great elders and the heads of the six courtyards.
For instance, the Transmission Elder among the three great elders left because the previous elder reached perfection in the Yin Spirit Realm and had to seek opportunities for his primordial spirit.
Currently, there is no suitable candidate to take over, so the position remains vacant, awaiting a future top-tier Golden Core master to break through and succeed.
As for those mid-tier and low-tier Golden Core masters, they can at most obtain a position as an elder of affairs within the sect, with limited power."
Yuan Hao said with considerable pride.
So that's how it is; this means that the Supreme Master must be the rumored Primordial Spirit Master.
"I wonder who those Golden Core masters were in Yuan Tian Hall earlier?" Bai Yichen took the opportunity to ask a long-buried question.
He wasn't deaf; he had certainly heard the arguments among the Golden Core masters in the white mist on the cloud platform earlier.
It's possible that someone who had conflicts with Ancestor Tianfeng was among them.
Yuan Hao glanced at Bai Yichen and smiled faintly, saying, "I understand your concerns, junior brother, but I also find it difficult to see the true faces behind the fog.
However, I can tell you that, at least just now, I didn't hear the two top-tier Golden Core heads who are still in the sect speak.
The one who made the final decision was one of the three great elders, the Law Elder.
As for those elder of affairs, they inevitably have their own positions and choices, but for a sect with a history of ten thousand years, they are merely a drop in the ocean."
Yuan Hao's words seemed to dispel the fog in Bai Yichen's heart. He bowed deeply, thanking him, "Thank you, senior brother, for your guidance."
"It's nothing, it's nothing." Yuan Hao waved his hand nonchalantly.
At that moment, a towering peak rose amidst the undulating mountains, surrounded by mist.
This was Cang Liang Peak, where the Shu Wu Courtyard is located. Glimmers of light came and went, and upon closer inspection, many cultivators could be seen flying on magical tools.
The cloud boat landed on the stone platform. After the two disembarked, Yuan Hao performed a hand gesture, and with a flash of white light, the cloud boat shrank again, flying back into Yuan Hao's hand. He patted his waist pouch, and the small cloud boat turned into a stream of light and entered it.
So this is a storage pouch? It feels quite similar to using the Spirit-Confounding Gourd.
As Bai Yichen observed, he compared it in his mind.
"Alright, follow me."
Then, under Yuan Hao's guidance, the two entered the grand hall of the Shu Wu Courtyard one after the other.
A steward saw Yuan Hao and approached with some eagerness. After a brief exchange and introduction, when he mentioned that Bai Yichen was a newly admitted inner sect disciple, the steward couldn't help but scrutinize him several times.
Fortunately, they were all cultivators; the steward quickly concealed his curiosity, first summoning a disciple to convey a few words.
Afterward, he led Bai Yichen to the back hall, where he completed his registration in a large golden register, leaving a mark of his true energy.
Once everything was done, the steward solemnly placed a jade token on the golden register, and a beam of golden light descended, revealing the words "Yuan Chen" on the original jade token.
Then, the steward handed the jade token to Bai Yichen.
"This jade token is used for you to move around the sect in the future, accept tasks, earn merit points, and exchange for techniques and elixirs... Your qi imprint has already been recorded on it, so you just need to input your qi when using it, so be sure to keep it safe."
"Thank you, Steward Fang."
Bai Yichen received the jade token and sensed his own aura on it.
"I also need to remind you, as a new inner disciple, you can go to the Bi Tian Peak's Chuan Fa Courtyard to collect a technique inheritance and two spells."
With that, Bai Yichen and Steward Fang left the back hall and came to another building.
He saw Senior Yuan Hao sitting quietly here, with some tea and snacks on the wooden table.
The steward from the Shu Wu Courtyard approached and handed Steward Fang a bag embroidered with a large pattern of the Great Lake.
"This is a benefit provided by the sect for new inner disciples, all contained in this storage bag. It includes two sets of inner disciple robes, two hundred lower-grade spirit stones, a heavy heaven sword, a bottle of Qi Cultivation Pills, and a bottle of Avoiding Grain Pills."
"In addition, every month, inner disciples can come to the Shu Wu Courtyard to receive one hundred lower-grade spirit stones and one bottle each of Qi Cultivation Pills and Avoiding Grain Pills as sect resources. Of course, if you find it troublesome, you can collect them every few months."
After Bai Yichen expressed his gratitude, he received the storage bag and noticed that Steward Fang still had something to say, so he put it away for the time being.
"Alright, next, please choose your cave dwelling, and that will complete everything."
Steward Fang pointed to a huge map on the wall.
"Apart from the seven main peaks, there are many other peaks within the sect. Three of these peaks are designated for inner disciples according to their cultivation levels. If I'm not mistaken, you should currently be at the Qi Gathering stage, so you can choose a cave dwelling on the Longyu Peak."
The map then transformed into a mountain shape, with white lights scattered across it.
"If one day Uncle Lingyun returns, or if other elders take you as their disciple, you can follow their lead to practice."
Yuan Hao, still in meditation, opened his eyes and spoke.
"That is indeed the case. If your cultivation level rises to Foundation Establishment or even to the Essence Refinement Realm, you can also come to exchange for a mountain cave."
Steward Fang added quickly from the side.
"Thank you, brothers. Then I will choose this place."
Bai Yichen glanced around and chose a secluded cave dwelling.
Then, Steward Fang had Bai Yichen use his jade token's aura to connect with the formation of that cave dwelling, which would now belong to Bai Yichen.
"Alright, that's all for the Shu Wu Courtyard."
"By the way, I need to remind you, Junior Brother Yuanchen, new inner disciples have a year to adapt, to facilitate the conversion of techniques and spell cultivation. However, after the year is up, you will need to complete a task assigned by the Shu Wu Courtyard every three months, so please do not forget."
Seeing that Bai Yichen had completed his selection, Steward Fang spoke to both of them.
Yuan Hao nodded slightly, and Bai Yichen bowed in thanks.
Yuan Hao then took Bai Yichen back onto the cloud boat, heading toward the cave dwelling on Longyu Peak.
Bai Yichen had a few questions still on his mind, and seizing the opportunity, he asked again:
"Earlier, Senior Brother mentioned the matter of changing cave dwellings. Do those true disciples and Golden Core elders have their own cave dwellings?"
"Of course, just as cultivation levels differ, so do the required spiritual energies. When one reaches the Soul Realm, they all reside on the six main peaks. However, true disciples or elders who have achieved middle or lower-grade Golden Core can choose a peak, and the sect will arrange for the Bai Yi Courtyard and Shu Wu Courtyard to rebuild the formations and connect with the spiritual veins, creating a main peak rich in spiritual energy."
"I said this mainly considering that Junior Brother has Uncle Lingyun's recommendation, and perhaps after Uncle returns, he will take you as his disciple."
Upon hearing this, Bai Yichen seemed to ponder deeply.