50 - A Sect Leader’s Ascension

Wang Guan provided some grain supplies, and with additional purchases from nearby areas, they barely had enough to last until the autumn harvest. The emigrants from Chu Qin toiled to move grains, build warehouses, cut wood, and repair housing, working themselves to exhaustion without properly celebrating the New Year. On the eve of the fifteenth day of the lunar New Year, they erected a large canopy in the village center. The women brought out their last treasured pieces of colorful fabric, cut them into flags and ribbons, and hung them around the canopy. After purifying the streets with fresh water and observing a three-day fast, they declared the preparations for the Ascension Conference complete. Early the next morning, every household gathered in front of the decorated canopy. Boys and girls of suitable age stood in line, led by their parents. Qin Ji and Qin Bo stood at the front, solemnly waiting in silence for the Chu Qin sect's immortals to arrive. At the auspicious hour, a spiritual vessel soared across the sky, with Zhan Yuan standing on it, waving continuously to Qin Ji. "Here it comes, here it comes." Seeing this, Qin Bo hurriedly exclaimed loudly, "We humbly welcome the esteemed immortals of our Chu Qin sect!" The crowd below knelt down in waves, appearing as a dense sea of heads from above. Zhan Yuan nodded in satisfaction and released the prepared fireworks. Amidst the dazzling display, Qi Xiu and Zhang Shishi's spiritual vessels gracefully descended. As soon as they landed, Qin Ji led the chant of welcome: "Under the jurisdiction of Chu Qin, I, Qin Ji, along with 1,771 followers, warmly welcome the masters of Qi and other esteemed immortals. May the sect's lineage flourish for ten thousand generations." He and the kneeling villagers performed the grand courtesy ritual meticulously. "Good, good, you all have worked hard," Qi Xiu remarked with satisfaction as he took in the scene of nearly two thousand people paying homage. It filled him and his companions with a sense of intoxication. Compared to the lonely, arduous cultivation within the mountain gates, the worldly incense and wealth seemed worlds apart. Many promising practitioners who showed potential in the grand path found themselves defeated by such allure. "Let's not delay the auspicious hour; let us begin quickly," Qi Xiu instructed after a brief exchange of pleasantries. It was his first meeting with Qin Ji, and he formed a very positive impression of the new head of the Qin family. Qin Ji was not only handsome but, judging by the success of this Ascension Conference, seemed to be highly capable. Zhang Shishi and the others received their orders and busied themselves. The main purpose of the Ascension Conference was to test for spiritual roots, using two artifacts, the Spiritual Mirror and the Spiritual Stone. One tested one's innate nature, the other, the spiritual roots. Zhang Shishi and Zhan Yuan were in charge, and since the artifacts were of low tier, the innate nature could only reveal a vague outline, though spiritual roots could be clearly tested. Qi Xiu assigned He Yu to call out the names outside the canopy, letting the children to be tested enter one by one. He Yu, naturally good-looking, wore a brand new red robe this time, presenting himself as the perfect representative for the Chu Qin sect. His presence captivated the eyes of the young village women, who imagined all immortals to be as handsome, thus deepening their yearning for the realm of cultivation. Most of the immigrants were old members of the Qin family, and they were well-disciplined. When He Yu announced a family's turn, the parents would silently lead their children to the door and hand them over to Gu Ji, who escorted them inside. First, they tested the spiritual roots. Zhang Shishi had the examinees press their hand on the Spiritual Stone and activated the artifact. If they possessed spiritual roots, the artefact would respond; otherwise, they would be handed back to their parents without further testing. Only a little over two hundred suitable children participated, most over eight years old. The arduous journey had been challenging, causing many families with young children to abandon the trek with Qin Ji midway, either intentionally or inadvertently falling behind. The same fate befell many elderly individuals—of whom few had made the journey south—leaving mostly middle-aged adults. Qi Xiu oversaw the final test, assessing the character and morality of those with potential. Those gifted but lacking in morality were not to be recruited. Though generally, children from farming backgrounds rarely exhibited evil tendencies. By noon, not a single figure emerged, and Zhang Shishi kept shaking his head; not one could pass the initial test for spiritual roots. Despite anticipating such a result, disappointment was palpable among all present. Chu Qin sect spent an entire day in vigorous activity yet didn't recruit a single disciple with spiritual roots. The celebratory activities originally planned for the successful candidates were hastily concluded. The first Ascension Conference ended with a whimper, leaving not just the families of eligible children disheartened, but Qi Xiu and Qin Ji deeply disappointed as well. The Chu Qin sect could only return to Heihe Peak, bringing along a few families to serve as labor, leaving Qin Weiyu to catch up on family matters with Qin Ji and relatives. "Indeed, cultivating immortals is incredibly rare, perhaps one in ten thousand. If there truly were one among these two hundred, that would be a stroke of immense fortune. Though none appeared this time, as they settle and thrive here, eventually talent will emerge," reassured Yu Denuo back at Heihe Peak upon noticing the dejected faces of Qi Xiu and the others. He spent most of his time either trading, staying with his mundane family in Baishan, or stopping by Heihe Peak, almost becoming half a member of the Chu Qin sect himself. Qi Xiu sighed, "Ah, I was too impatient. Our settlers only number a little over 1,700, and waiting for their children to grow up might yield only a handful of eligible ones in a year. With so few, finding even one or two with the potential for cultivation would indeed require heaven's favor." As the two conversed, an eleven or twelve-year-old girl timidly announced from the door, "Headmaster Immortal, Immortal Yu, the banquet is ready." They halted their talk, and Qi Xiu replied, "Bring it here. We'll dine here." The girl respectfully bowed and went off to prepare. The servant families Qin Ji had brought each had one or two young girls, intended not only for serving but also with hopes of forging closer ties with the Chu Qin sect members. Although Qi Xiu was well aware of this, he couldn't outright refuse. After all, cultivators managed their own affairs, and if someone lacked self-discipline and got caught up in worldly affairs of love, they had no one to blame but themselves. The rule within the Chu Qin sect was that one could marry only after the age of thirty, and as Qi Xiu had just turned thirty after the New Year, he felt he might find a better match befitting his status as headmaster and thus didn’t want to complicate matters with these servant girls. As they continued their conversation, Qin Weiyu returned, having stayed several days with Qin Ji before flying back, nearly arriving simultaneously with those leading the settlers through the Heihe. Qi Xiu called him over to ask what Qin Ji had said, yet Qin Weiyu, with his typical innocent demeanor, couldn't articulate well, irritating Qi Xiu enough to send him off on his own. Yu Denuo, observing silently from the side, chuckled as Qin Weiyu left. "It seems Qin Ji still has hopes for Weiyu," he remarked. Having spent considerable time at Chu Qin, Yu Denuo understood the sect's background thoroughly, if not its secrets. Despite the vagueness, Qi Xiu grasped that Qin Ji likely communicated with that senior sister of Qin's. Given the warm reception in the southern frontier and the extra attention towards Qin Weiyu, the underlying intentions were obvious. "Weiyu, while not a bad kid, is too foolish. No matter what, I will not make him the next headmaster! Qin family's schemes are sure to collapse!" Qi Xiu thought resolutely to himself.