Chapter 588: Genius

Afterwards, Elder Shen began to discuss other matters.

The entry sect order was recorded in the resume and marked "pending discussion," which was equivalent to an "invalidated" entry sect order. It was then returned.

That disciple handed the entry sect order to Mo Hua.

"The matter of entering the sect still needs to be discussed..."

"How long will it be discussed?" Mo Hua asked.

The disciple replied politely, with a hint of indifference, "The elders' discussions are not something we disciples are allowed to inquire about. I don't know either, just leave it to fate..."

Mo Hua roughly understood in his heart.

Either accept or don't accept.

He already had an entry sect order, yet there was still such a delay for discussion.

It was probably just a polite refusal...

He didn't feel that he, a small Foundation Establishment cultivator, was worth Qian Dao Sect, a fifth-grade sect, spending ten days to half a month discussing.

Most likely, it would just amount to nothing in the end.

Mo Hua shook his head.

He didn't expect that after traveling such a long distance, he wouldn't even be able to enter the gate of Qian Dao Sect...

He looked at the threshold in front of Qian Dao Sect's mountain gate and sighed involuntarily in his heart:

"Qian Dao Sect's threshold is truly high..."

Mo Hua put away the entry sect order.

Although this entry sect order was useless, it was left by his master, so it was good to keep as a memento.

Not being of the same family, one should not enter the same door.

This kind of grand, luxurious, and high-threshold sect, which only accepts "geniuses," was indeed not too suitable for him...

Qian Xue state boundary is so vast, he would just find other sects!

"If there's no master here, there's a place for a master there!"

Mo Hua cheered up, the slight sense of loss in his heart suddenly disappeared without a trace, and he then lifted his head, puffed out his chest, and left Qian Dao Sect's mountain gate with powerful strides and high spirits.

Just as he was descending the mountain, he brushed past a cultivator wearing a Qian Dao Sect elder's Daoist robe, with a half-white mustache and hair, and upright eyebrows and eyes.

One person ascending the mountain, one person descending the mountain.

The two people crossed paths without noticing each other.

This Qian Dao Sect elder with upright eyebrows and eyes had four gold patterns on his Daoist robe.

With a dignified face, he walked directly into the mountain gate.

Disciples along the way all bowed and saluted, and he also nodded slightly in response, until he entered Qian Dao Sect's discussion hall, where he frowned.

Elder Shen looked up at him and said faintly:

"Elder Zheng, you are late."

Elder Zheng sat down without a care, snorted coldly, "Coming early or late is all the same."

The atmosphere was somewhat stiff.

Elder Shen smiled and didn't mind, only saying:

"Let's continue the discussion... Recently, there have been many matters concerning disciples entering the sect. We should handle them as soon as possible, without delay. The sooner the discussion is over, the more relaxed everyone will be..."

The crowd agreed one after another.

Thus, the atmosphere returned to normal.

Various matters were brought up one by one, including matters of disciples entering the school, improvements to sect rules, teaching rewards and punishments, elders' treatment matters, and so on...

A group of elders discussed, each raising opinions, then looked at Elder Shen's face, and finally reached a consensus.

Only Elder Zheng either didn't speak, or when he did, his words were sharp, making the atmosphere somewhat tense.

But he was only one person with one mouth, and he couldn't change anything.

For most results, he could only close one eye and open the other, barely "agreeing."

But half an hour later, when a certain matter was discussed, Elder Zheng's attitude was strong, even with anger.

"Only top-grade spirit roots can enter the school?"

Elder Zheng angrily slapped the table, "What nonsense are you talking?!"

Elder Shen's face twitched slightly, but he still relied on self-restraint, suppressing his anger, and said faintly:

"Elder Zheng, as a teacher and role model, you should not speak foul words and lose etiquette..."

Elder Zheng cursed: "Hypocritical, what etiquette? You don't even want your face, what etiquette should I speak of?"

Elder Shen was slightly angry, "Elder Zheng!"

He took a deep breath, "Only top-grade spirit roots can enter the school, this is what the various elders unanimously agreed upon after discussion..."

Elder Zheng sneered, "Agreed upon what? Isn't it still looking at your face?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of the elders present all became somewhat ugly.

Elder Shen said coldly: "Your meaning is that I, Shen, am engaging in one-man rule?"

"Not you, Shen, but your Shen family!" Elder Zheng sneered and said directly:

"What are you? Just an Ascension Stage cultivator, why would others give you face?"

"What others give is the face of your Shen family behind you!"

"Your Shen family is colossal, a ten-thousand-year-old family, with deep roots. You are just your Shen family's human 'sound transmission talisman' only..."

Elder Shen was greatly angry, "Presumptuous!"

The other elders were also somewhat in an uproar.

Elder Zheng sneered and did not speak.

Elder Shen said coldly: "Elder Zheng, you are talking nonsense, not only slandering me, Shen, but also slandering the Shen family!"

"Whether it's slander, you know in your heart. What kind of atmosphere is there in Qian Dao Sect, need I say more?"

Elder Zheng sneered again, "I heard that even a Cave Void Realm great cultivator, who wants to enter Qian Dao Sect to take a position, has to bend their waist and respectfully offer you, Elder Shen, a cup of wine?"

Elder Shen still only said: "Nonsense!"

Elder Zheng continued to expose his shortcomings, "These years, how many spots have you secretly deducted? Who exactly were these spots given to?"

"Given to the Shen family?"

"Or sold at a high price to families who are in league with the Shen family?"

"Do you want to change Qian Dao Sect's sect name?!"

These words were extremely serious, and the faces of the elders present all changed.

Elder Shen instead calmed down, waved his hand to the crowd, "Everyone disperse for now, we will discuss these matters later. Elder Zheng... has some deviation in his cultivation, his sea of consciousness is injured, and he occasionally talks nonsense. Please forgive him..."

A crowd of elders, as if receiving a great amnesty, bowed and dispersed.

In the empty hall, only Elder Zheng and Elder Shen were left.

Elder Shen's face was solemn, and he said faintly:

"My Qian Dao Sect, being able to develop from a small sect to its current state, relies on my sect's Daoist tradition, as well as many heavenly proud disciples with decent qualifications."

"Spirit root, then, determines a disciple's talent and determines the upper limit of a disciple's Dao cultivation..."

"A good horse deserves a good saddle, a precious sword should be given to a hero."

"My Qian Dao Sect, since it is a top sect, naturally also needs disciples with top qualifications."

"Heavenly proud individuals with top-grade spirit roots can match my Qian Dao Sect."

"I don't understand, what exactly is improper about this action that has provoked Elder Zheng to be so emotional and say such 'great rebellion against Dao' words?"

Elder Zheng sneered and retorted: "How many top-grade spirit roots did Qian Dao Sect's past ancestors have?"

"Top-middle, upper-lower, even middle-lower all have..."

"So, does that mean our Qian Dao Sect's ancestors are also not worthy of becoming disciples of my Qian Dao Sect?"

Elder Shen frowned, "You are just quibbling!"

He paced back and forth angrily, then opened his mouth and said:

"That time was different from this time. The Great Dao has evolved. The present is not the past. In today's world, cultivators with upper-grade spirit roots are everywhere. Why can't we..."

Elder Zheng questioned: "Who are these people who are everywhere?"

Elder Shen was startled.

Elder Zheng's gaze was sharp, "Upper-grade spirit roots being everywhere are families, clans! Not worldly cultivators!"

Elder Zheng said word by word: "Not worldly cultivators!"

"You have forgotten your roots!"

Elder Shen's gaze flickered slightly, and he remained silent.

Elder Zheng's agitated mood calmed down slightly, and he slowly opened his mouth and said:

"Did our Qian Dao Sect's ancestors painstakingly establish the sect for it to expand?"

"Yes!"

"But after expanding, what is it for?"

"Is it for us to seek fame and fortune and be complacent?"

"No!"

"It is for us to establish the sect and pass on the Dao, popularize the methods of Dao cultivation, and pass them on to the world. This is called 'Qian Dao'!"

Elder Zheng said with a trembling voice: "The foundation of our Qian Dao Sect is 'establishing the sect and passing on the Dao'..."

"To whom do we pass on the Dao? We pass on the Dao to worldly cultivators!"

"Passing on the Dao to the world is the foundation of Qian Dao Sect and its future. Otherwise, if we blindly expand and seek private gain, no matter how rich and strong my Qian Dao Sect is, it is just a rootless tree, a mirage!"

Elder Shen's face was indifferent, "Elder Zheng, what you are saying does not contradict what I am doing..."

Elder Zheng looked at him, his gaze disappointed to the extreme.

Elder Shen said: "In the end, my Qian Dao Sect can only teach a part of cultivators, it is impossible to truly pass on the Dao to all cultivators in the world..."

"Since that is the case, then we should first teach geniuses and then extend it, seeking the world's blessing."

"Top-grade spirit roots are geniuses..."

Elder Zheng's gaze was sharp, "What is a genius?"

Elder Shen was startled again.

Elder Zheng sneered, "Top-grade spirit roots are geniuses? Ridiculous in the world!"

"A person with a heart embracing the world deserves to be called a genius!"

"What does my Qian Dao Sect cultivate?"

"Cold and arrogant, self-conceited geniuses who seek private gain?"

"A heart embracing the world? Will they? Do they know what the world is? Do they know what kind of life the cultivators in this world live?"

"Their gaze will only look up to the sky, only care about themselves. Will they notice the dust at their feet?"

Elder Shen frowned, "This has nothing to do with spirit root..."

Elder Zheng nodded, "Yes, this was originally unrelated to spirit root, but..."

He pointed at Elder Shen and said: "What the families are doing, you can't explain it clearly?"

Elder Shen's face twitched, slightly ferocious.

Elder Zheng continued to say:

"A good spirit root inheritance..."

"Families intermarry, and their spirit roots get better and better from generation to generation."

"The lower levels struggle to survive, it's not bad if they can get a meal, still talking about spirit root?"

"After another few hundred to a thousand years, the disciples of the families will all be upper-grade, even top-grade spirit roots without exception."

"The lower-level cultivators, then, will only deserve to have middle-grade, even lower-grade spirit roots."

"What a good method..."

Elder Zheng's voice was filled with chilling coldness, "Then, we these sects will use the spirit root card again. After all, those who enter the school are all upper-grade spirit roots, all disciples of the families!"

"Those lower-level cultivators, born poor, they don't deserve to enter the school, don't deserve to get the inheritance!"

"In this world of Dao cultivation seeking longevity, they only deserve to spend a hundred years doing manual labor!"

Elder Shen was greatly angry: "Nonsense!"

His gaze condensed slightly, and he said coldly: "Elder Zheng's meaning is that those of family origin are all selfish generations? Will they not have a heart embracing the world?"

"I remember, Elder Zheng, you yourself are also of family origin, right?"

Elder Zheng said: "Human nature is unrelated to position..."

"Those of family origin, naturally also have people with a heart embracing the world;"

"Those of lower origin, naturally also have people who follow the powerful;"

"But the good and evil of these human natures are unrelated to cold hierarchy. Although there are some variables, their fundamental nature will not change."

"Those of family origin will naturally maintain the interests of their families;"

"Only those of lower origin, who have suffered hardships and seen the difficulties of cultivators, might then consider maintaining the interests of this world, of the powerless and influential loose cultivators."

"Now this grand Qian Dao Sect, which gathers the world's Dao cultivation inheritance, seeks the private interests of families and clans, monopolizes Dao cultivation knowledge, violates the fundamental principles of establishing the sect, and is ashamed of the teachings of the ancestors!"

Elder Shen was unmoved and changed the topic:

"Elder Zheng is being alarmist. The fact that Qian Dao Sect has expanded to this point shows that our transmission of the Dao is proper..."

"Transmission of the Dao is proper?" Elder Zheng's face showed anger, "What does our Qian Dao Sect, no, the entire Qian Xue state boundary, teach now?"

"The ancestors established the discussion of Dao and discussion of sword meetings to let disciples unite, work together, and improve their cultivation and Daoist methods!"

"But now?"

"What discussion of Dao, discussion of sword, has already degenerated into a means of comparing profits!"

"Families are making false claims and bluffing to create momentum for their so-called 'heavenly proud' individuals..."

"The sect even fans the flames, letting one person's power reside in the achievements of the whole body!"

"If this continues, the disciples who are taught will all be selfish, a generation with no one in their eyes!"

"Only having cultivation, but no Dao heart!"

"And cultivators from other small and medium families will also degenerate into hounds of the big families, becoming minions of the powerful!"

"Is this the proper transmission of the Dao?"

"Are these the disciples that our Qian Dao Sect teaches?"

"These disciples are selfish. Although their cultivation is high, their private desires are heavy. If they occupy prominent positions again, seeking their own private gain and the profit of their own clan, looking down from above, sucking the blood of worldly cultivators, if this continues, where are the vast beings of the nine provinces in this cultivation world?"

Elder Shen's face changed, and he said mockingly: "Elder Zheng is serious, you say so much, isn't this Qian state still so prosperous?"

Elder Zheng's gaze was like a sword, "The Qian state is prosperous, but it is the families that are prosperous."

"The families are like flowers in brocade, but you do not see that the entire nine provinces are full of scars..."

"Qian Dao Sect is 'helping the tyrant,' helping the families monopolize, riding above beings, seizing the world's profit for their own gain. This is the unfairness of the Great Dao..."

Elder Shen's expression was indifferent, as if he hadn't heard.

Elder Zheng was furious. After a moment, he said faintly:

"The way of heaven damages what is surplus and supplements what is insufficient..."

"Human ways are unfair, heaven's ways will... forcefully change evil..."

Elder Shen only felt a chill, which rushed straight to his head, and he couldn't help but tremble all over, staring with sharp eyes and shouting: "Bold!"

"You..."

He pointed at Elder Zheng, his finger trembling, and said sternly: "Arrogant!"

"Ignorant!"

"Absurd!"

"You... your words can kill!"

Elder Zheng's face was expressionless.

Elder Shen calmed down his anger and fear, and looked at Elder Zheng coldly, "Elder Zheng, please be careful with your words. If you talk nonsense like this again, my Qian Dao Sect may not tolerate an extreme elder like you..."

Elder Zheng snorted coldly, his face upright and unmoved.

Outside Qian Dao Sect.

Mo Hua began his plan to seek learning.

Since Qian Dao Sect wouldn't accept him, he had to find a way to join other sects.

Mo Hua specially bought a clearer map.

The Qian Xue state boundary is very large, with many sects, and outside the sects, there are also many immortal cities that depend on the size of the sects.

These immortal cities are adjacent to the sects and rely on the sects to rise.

The facilities in the city are complete, providing cultivators with places to buy and sell items, food, and lodging, and some cultivators also live here.

These immortal cities look somewhat similar to the city in Li state outside the Five Elements Sect, but they are much more regulated and prohibit large-scale construction to avoid conflicts of interest and disturb the peace of the sects.

And to reach various sects, one must necessarily pass through the immortal cities outside the sects.

In the immortal cities, there are also large carriages that travel along fixed routes, passing through the peripheral immortal cities of various sects.

Although the carriage fare is a bit expensive, it is still within Mo Hua's affordable range.

Mo Hua began to carefully plan his routes.

After finishing the plan, he began to proceed step by step, submitting his resume to the "four major sects" other than Qian Dao Sect.

Although the hope was slim, everything always needs to be tried.

Starting from the best sects, Mo Hua planned to apply one by one downwards.

Just to see if he could get lucky and hit something.

But his resumes, without exception, were all rejected.

This was also within Mo Hua's expectation.

He was slightly disappointed for a while and began to apply to the "eight major schools" under the "four major sects."

There are quite a few of the eight major schools, a full eight.

And the intervals are also a bit far. He couldn't finish the route in one go, so Mo Hua only chose a few, applied tentatively, and tested the waters.

Then, as expected, they were all rejected.

The reasons were without exception, all "spirit root not matching"...

The four major sects and eight major schools all required at least upper-grade spirit roots.

Among them, the four major sects had already begun to require spirit roots of "upper-middle grade" and above.

"I'm afraid it won't be long before they only want 'top-grade' spirit roots..."

Mo Hua muttered in his heart.

The "eight major schools" were slightly less strict, but they still required at least upper-lower grade spirit roots, which Mo Hua also "couldn't climb."

If the "eight major schools" didn't work, then the "twelve streams" it was...

Mo Hua silently said in his heart.

Among the twelve streams, there were always a few sects specializing in array formations.

With his array formation level, presumably, there would be some hope.

But to Mo Hua's surprise, he was still rejected...

"Young Master, your spirit root... is still a bit lacking..."

A teacher from the Ten Thousand Array Sect responsible for entry matters said euphemistically to Mo Hua.

He felt very sorry in his heart.

Just now, he asked some questions about array formations, and Mo Hua answered fluently. Not only that, some of his insights made him sigh.

He then asked Mo Hua to draw a few array formations.

That pure fire array pattern, that easy layout, that composed brushwork, and that faintly revealed demeanor of a master, made him almost suspect that he was seeing things wrong.

This was the demeanor that only an array formation elder in the sect possessed.

And Mo Hua's face was young, his temperament pure, and he looked only fifteen or sixteen years old.

The teacher felt very absurd, but exceptionally sorry.

"Our Ten Thousand Array Sect also requires upper-grade spirit roots to be qualified to enter. If one is a first-grade array formation master, the conditions can be relaxed, as long as it is a middle-upper grade spirit root..."

"But..."

The teacher sighed.

Mo Hua was only middle-lower grade, still a long way from middle-upper grade.

"No exceptions?" Mo Hua asked doubtfully.

The teacher said regretfully: "No..."

The rules were set by the sect master and elders, they were fixed, and he, a small teacher, had no right to change them at all.

Without rules, nothing can be achieved.

The Ten Thousand Array Sect had never had a precedent for changing entry requirements for so many years.

Unless you had a big enough background to use connections.

But that kind of situation had nothing to do with the entry requirements.

Mo Hua then didn't understand: "In an array formation sect, is spirit root also so important?"

The teacher quite liked Mo Hua, so he patiently explained: "Spirit root determines cultivation methods and cultivation, so it is naturally important."

"The higher your cultivation, the stronger your divine sense will be, and you can become a higher-grade array formation master..."

"Otherwise, no matter how well you learn array formations, if your cultivation is only Foundation Establishment, you will only be a second-grade array formation master at most, and you will never be able to learn array formations above the second grade in your lifetime."

"But having said that, the influence of spirit root on array formations is not that exaggerated..."

"The reason why the requirements are becoming more and more strict..."

The teacher pointed upwards, "It's because the four major sects are all doing this. They are the leaders, and the eight major schools, twelve streams, and even the Hundred Schools of Qian Xue below can only imitate."

"After all, the disciples of others are all top-grade, upper-middle grade, and you yourself have upper-lower grade and a few middle-grade disciples in your own school. It doesn't look good either..."

"And there are too many cultivators now, especially those with upper-grade spirit roots, there is basically no shortage..."

"So, this threshold is just gradually raised..."

The teacher shook his head, somewhat helpless.

He really wanted to accept Mo Hua, but there was no way. His words carried little weight, and he couldn't decide at all.

He also didn't dare to go ask the elders.

Because a few times before, when he encountered some disciples with good array formation talent but slightly poor spirit roots, he wanted to accept them and went to ask the elders, but they were all refused.

As the elders said, "Our Ten Thousand Array Sect is an array formation sect. It's hard to find two-legged frogs, but aren't there many two-legged array formation masters?"

"Rules are just rules. One or two second-grade array formation masters, one more or one less, has no impact, and it's not worth breaking the rules."

Mo Hua sighed and could only give up.

He could only accept reality and lower his standards again, looking for a sect from the "Hundred Schools of Qian state."

The entry standard for the Hundred Schools of Qian state is mostly "upper-grade" spirit roots, but some have special requirements. For example, some specialties in alchemy, artifact refining, talisman making, and array drawing can appropriately relax the conditions.

They are not like the four major sects, eight major schools, and twelve streams, they also have self-awareness, so they are not that strict.

And among the Hundred Schools of Qian state, there were indeed sects willing to accept Mo Hua.

They were willing to relax the entry spirit root standard to "middle-lower grade."

But Mo Hua still couldn't go.

Because...

It was too expensive...

The tuition fees for the Hundred Schools of Qian state, that is, the learning fees for entering the school, were actually several times more expensive than those of the superior sects like the four major sects, eight major schools, and twelve streams!

They did relax the spirit root standard, but they did not relax the tuition standard.

Mo Hua couldn't afford the tuition and still couldn't enter the door...

The trashier the sect, the more expensive the tuition actually is!

Mo Hua sighed deeply, somewhat helpless.

This place in Qian state seemed different from the surface.

It was also completely different from what he had thought before.

This place seemed to be not a pure "seeking learning" place...

"What should I do now?"

Mo Hua thought left and right and had no good method. Finally, he decided to find a place and just get by for now.

If it really didn't work, he would just learn array formations first, find a way to pass the test to become a second-grade initial array formation master, then in the various large immortal cities in the Qian Xue state boundary, draw array formations, earn spirit stones, and then look for other opportunities...

And Mo Hua's matter, Wen Ren Wan also knew a few days later.

She was busy taking care of Yu Er, asking a Dan Master from the Wen Ren family to check Yu Er's body. There were injuries, hidden illnesses, and evil energy entering her body.

Shang Guan Yi also asked someone to calculate Yu Er's karma to see if there was any ominous sign.

After several days, Yu Er was safe and sound.

Wen Ren Wan was relieved and naturally thought of Mo Hua.

Mo Hua clearly said he didn't need any repayment, but Wen Ren Wan felt a little sorry in her heart, so she still had people secretly protect Mo Hua and see what else Mo Hua did.

When she heard that Qian Dao Sect had not accepted Mo Hua, Wen Ren Wan said angrily:

"Yu Er's life-saving benefactor, what right do they have not to accept him?!"

Hearing again that Mo Hua had submitted many resumes but they were all rejected, Wen Ren Wan became even more angry:

"They have eyes but no pearls!"

"Such a good child as Mo Hua, they are actually unwilling to accept him!"

Shang Guan Yi heard this from the side and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

What was this all about...

Sects recruit disciples based on spirit root, bloodline, and family background. What did it have to do with whether he saved Yu Er or whether he was a good child...

Isn't this unreasonable?

But Shang Guan Yi didn't dare to say the word "unreasonable." If he said it, he would be finished, and he would have to sleep in the study for several months...

Shang Guan Yi could only nod and say: "Yes, yes..."

Shang Guan Yi knew his wife's character. She valued feelings and righteousness and was usually very smart, but when it came to people she cared about, she would be a bit emotional and a bit "protective."

He himself was once the person she cared about the most in her heart, but since they had a son, he could only stand aside...

Shang Guan Yi was somewhat helpless.

Only one update. I will work hard and strive to add another one by the end of the month.

(End of this chapter)