Chapter 80: The Central Heaven Martial Forest and the Guzhou Prefecture Martial Forest

After Ji Ya officially became a Disciple, he began to display his talent. He often went to the Martial Arts Stage to exchange pointers with others, and relying on his abundant Origin Qi, he continuously won battles, proving that he was worthy of the Sect Leader’s apprentice status.

This caused the Disciples to once again praise the Sect Leader’s judgment. As expected, the Disciples chosen by the Sect Leader were all one-in-ten-thousand Geniuses.

In the blink of an eye, half a month swiftly passed.

The flying snow grew heavier, and Li Qingqiu walked along the mountain path in high spirits.

After this period of cultivation, he gained a deeper understanding of the Hundred Refinements Demonic Body. The Hundred Refinements Demonic Body was not just about increasing Origin Qi; it could also conceal one’s aura, suppress one’s cultivation base, and convert Spiritual Qi into Origin Qi at several times the speed of an ordinary person.

Furthermore, Li Qingqiu discovered that the Hundred Refinements Demonic Body did not enhance his Comprehension Ability.

Looking at it this way, even without the Hundred Refinements Demonic Body, Ji Ya himself was an exceptionally outstanding Genius. Perhaps it was precisely because his innate talent and Comprehension Ability far surpassed ordinary people that he was able to endure and achieve the Hundred Refinements Demonic Body.

Li Qingqiu walked up the mountain while thinking.

After reaching the flagstone path leading up the mountain, he encountered people every few steps.

Besides Disciples and pilgrims, there were also farmers from the foot of the mountain coming up to deliver vegetables, flowers, and fruits. Although the Qingxiao Sect had its own farmland, as more and more people came up the mountain, the food supply became insufficient, forcing Zhang Yuchun to go down the mountain and conduct business with the farmers.

Naturally, Zhang Yuchun did this also to establish closer ties with the farmers below the mountain, preparing for the future construction of a town.

After the battle at the Prefectural City concluded, the Qingxiao Sect’s reputation clearly grew. The number of people ascending the mountain daily increased, and some began offering money to hire Qingxiao Sect Disciples to help with tasks. Today, Li Qingqiu was going to discuss this matter with his Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters.

Less than half an hour later, Li Qingqiu arrived inside the Lingxiao Courtyard. Zhang Yuchun, Jiang Zhaoxia, Li Dongyue, and Li Sifeng,

Li Sijin, Yang Jueding, and Zhang Yu had already been waiting for a long time.

After confirming through Daoist Master Wei’s memories that the Great Li Dynasty had no other immortal cultivation Schools, Li Qingqiu had Jiang Zhaoxia withdraw. The Spirit Mine was handed over to the True Disciples for guarding. Of course, Li Qingqiu also kept trusted aides at the Spirit Mine, such as his Disciple Qin Ye.

After being defeated by Ji Ya, Qin Ye was deeply shaken, making the Spirit Mine a good place for him to settle down and cultivate.

Seeing Li Qingqiu approach, everyone stood up.

“Please all sit down.”

Li Qingqiu sat between Zhang Yuchun and Li Dongyue, smiling softly.

Next, they needed to discuss the Qingxiao Sect’s framework. This matter was urgent, or things would easily fall into chaos.

After everyone sat down, Li Qingqiu asked them to state their opinions one by one. Zhang Yu was not considered part of the high-level management; his main role here was to refine the framework they decided upon and record it into volumes.

They had discussed these matters many times, and this time was the final confirmation.

Half an hour later, Li Qingqiu finally settled on the Sect’s framework, which would henceforth be structured into Seven Halls.

The Spirit Control Hall (Yuling Tang), responsible for the Disciple roster, personnel transfers, and other matters. The Hall Master is Zhang Yuchun.

The Law Enforcement Hall (Zhifa Tang), responsible for enforcing Sect rules and supervising the conduct and behavior of all Sect Disciples. The Hall Master is Xu Ning.

The Cultivation Hall (Xiuxing Tang), responsible for managing the Sect’s various martial arts resources and overseeing the Scripture Pavilion, henceforth including spirit plantss. The Hall Master is Li Sijin.

The Experience Hall (Lilian Tang), responsible for receiving and distributing tasks. The Hall Master is Li Sifeng.

The Tiangong Hall (Tiangong Tang), responsible for crafting equipment, construction, and other affairs, henceforth including Formations and Alchemy. The Hall Master, Zhang Yuchun, will oversee it concurrently, and suitable talent will be selected later.

The Guangyuan Hall (Guangyuan Tang), responsible for diplomacy and various internal Sect activities, and will host internal martial arts competitions in the future. This Hall must also adjust the management and assessment system in real-time. The Hall Master is Yang Jueding.

The Spiritual Wealth Hall (Lingcai Tang), responsible for the Sect’s finances, including Blessed Land quotas and Spirit Stone statistics. The Hall Master is Li Dongyue.

Each Hall can establish one Deputy Hall Master and two Elders, and can recruit a maximum of fifteen Disciples.

The monthly salary for Disciples of the Seven Halls is five to ten Guan Cash, and the monthly salary for Elders of the Seven Halls is fifty to seventy Guan Cash. The Hall Masters of the Seven Halls,

and the Deputy Hall Masters receive a monthly salary of one hundred to two hundred Guan Cash.

One Guan Cash is equal to one thousand Wen Copper Coins. In the current era, ten Wen Copper Coins can buy one Dou of Rice.

This is only the secular compensation; in the future, Spirit Stones and spirit plantss will also be included in the monthly salary.

Even so, this monthly salary is already higher than that of many officials, enough to excite the Disciples.

Li Qingqiu was also considering Sect Contribution Points, because one day the Qingxiao Sect would break free from worldly constraints. At that time, money would lose its significance, and Spirit Stones would become the new currency.

He kept the more distant matters to himself, not wanting to cause unnecessary trouble. For now, generally settling the Sect framework was enough.

After the Seven Halls were established, Zhang Yu wrote the documents, Zhang Yuchun reviewed them, and a notice was posted early the next morning informing the Sect Disciples. In the future, volumes detailing the rules of each Hall would be written in batches for the Hall Disciples to read at any time.

The Seven Halls would not be fully staffed immediately, but their establishment caused a sensation throughout the entire Qingxiao Sect.

The Disciples did not know they were cultivating immortality; they came up the mountain to practice martial arts not to pursue longevity, but simply to gain skills so they could support their families and be filial to their parents later. Now that they could earn money by practicing martial arts on the mountain, how could they not be excited?

Even if they didn’t need that much money on the mountain, they could take it back home to their families.

Once the monthly salary was announced, the morale of the Qingxiao Sect instantly soared. In their hearts, staying on Qingxiao Mountain had a brighter future than going down.

The Sect would also distribute money based on a Disciple’s past contributions. Disciples could go to the Spirit Control Hall to apply for documents recording proof of contribution, and then use those contribution documents to collect the money at the Spiritual Wealth Hall.

From this point on, the Qingxiao Sect’s money began to circulate. Although it seemed like a lot was being distributed, the Disciples’ enthusiasm increased, and they would create greater benefits for the Sect.

The Experience Hall was the first Hall Department opened to outsiders. Those who wanted to hire Qingxiao Sect Disciples with money flocked in. The Qingxiao Sect did not accept all tasks; the Disciples of the Experience Hall had to strictly vet them, ensuring they did not aid evil or allow Disciples to enter unknown dangers.

As news of the Seven Halls spread, many Guest Courtyards discussed it, lamenting that the Qingxiao Sect was truly starting to take off.

“The division into these Seven Halls is quite reasonable. As the number of Disciples increases, power must indeed be decentralized, or problems will easily arise,” Zhu Yan praised softly.

Su Xiling, sitting across from her, couldn’t help but smile and say, “Young Miss, we have stayed here for so many years. Why don’t you join the Qingxiao Sect as well?”

Zhu Yan’s eyes showed amusement as she said, “The Qingxiao Sect defeated the Demonic School and saved the common people; it is certainly worthy of me joining. However, it wouldn’t be appropriate for us to simply announce our intention to join. Regardless of whether they accept or not, such behavior would seem shameless. How about this: you go down the mountain and bring up my books and martial arts manuals. I will gift them all to the Qingxiao Sect. You can also announce that I, Zhu Yan, am preparing to formally join the Qingxiao Sect.”

Su Xiling was surprised, not expecting the Young Miss to go to such lengths. This was equivalent to gifting her own reputation to the Qingxiao Sect.

She did not stop her, thinking this was quite good, as Zhu Yan was already tired of the worldly struggles for fame and profit anyway.

The mistress and servant chatted for a while longer, and then Su Xiling returned to her room to pack her belongings.

The severe winter of this year did not impede the development of the Qingxiao Sect.

By the end of the year, the number of Qingxiao Sect Disciples exceeded four hundred and fifty. The momentum of its development was unstoppable.

With more people, the Lunar New Year Festival naturally became much livelier.

—

After Su Xiling returned, she and Zhu Yan found Li Qingqiu together, proposing their desire to join the Qingxiao Sect and offering their treasured collection of books.

Li Qingqiu naturally would not refuse. New Disciples joining the Qingxiao Sect must not only practice martial arts but also study. Several teachers had already been hired on the mountain, but it was still not enough.

Zhu Yan was a Famous Scholar. Her joining would certainly attract many other scholars. Furthermore, no one ever complained about having too few books. In the Great Li Dynasty, good books were worth thousands of gold, and many Aristocratic Families stood firm by relying on the Legacy contained within their books.

In this world, eighty percent of the people had never read a book and were illiterate.

Reading leads to enlightenment and can expand Comprehension Ability. Li Qingqiu needed his Disciples to possess creativity.

As a Famous Scholar who had stayed at the Qingxiao Sect for many years, offering so many books and martial arts Secret Manuals upon joining, and bringing along a Martial Forest Entry Realm expert, Zhu Yan was worthy of Li Qingqiu’s generous treatment in all respects.

Therefore, Li Qingqiu immediately decided to make Zhu Yan the Deputy Hall Master of the Tiangong Hall. It was difficult for Zhang Yuchun to manage two Halls concurrently, as he was too busy.

That day, Li Qingqiu instructed Zhang Yuchun to spread the news. The Disciples were not overly moved, but the pilgrims on the mountain were greatly shocked.

To become a Famous Scholar, talent alone was not enough; one also needed an illustrious background. The Zhu Family was an Aristocratic Family renowned throughout the land. The Zhu Family’s support for the Qingxiao Sect would also cause other Aristocratic Families to put aside their concerns and come forward to invest.

Although Li Qingqiu set the monthly salaries for the Seven Halls high, this amount was merely pocket change for the Qingxiao Sect. Currently, there were too many people wanting to give money to the Qingxiao Sect.

After the Lunar New Year Festival, the Qingxiao Sect welcomed great joyous news.

An official from Zhengyang Imperial City arrived. In front of the many Disciples and pilgrims on the mountain, he read out the Imperial Decree. The Emperor, having learned of the Qingxiao Sect’s actions, designated the Qingxiao Sect as the Number One School of Guzhou Prefecture and bestowed a reward of ten thousand taels of gold.

Furthermore, the official brought a plaque inscribed with “Number One School of Guzhou Prefecture.” According to the official, the person who penned the calligraphy was none other than the current Emperor.

As soon as these words were spoken and the plaque appeared, the onlookers were all excited.

Zhang Yuchun, who was responsible for receiving the official, immediately bowed to thank the Emperor for his Imperial Grace. Even though he secretly hated the Emperor, manners had to be observed in public to prevent trouble for the Qingxiao Sect.

“I am Guo Ziyan of the Jin Wu Guards. I have been practicing martial arts since the age of three, thirty years now. I heard that the Qingxiao Sect Leader possesses unparalleled martial arts. I wish to exchange pointers in a spar, stopping before serious injury. I merely wish to see if there is a difference in strength between the Central Heaven Martial Forest and the Guzhou Prefecture Martial Forest.”

A man wearing purple brocade robes suddenly stepped forward and spoke. His voice was loud, allowing the hundreds of people present to hear him clearly.

Zhang Yuchun had noticed him long ago. The depth of this person’s cultivation made him difficult to ignore.

Sure enough, this person still stepped out.

As soon as he finished speaking, an uproar arose around them. Someone wanted to challenge the Qingxiao Sect Leader immediately after the Imperial Award was granted. What was the meaning of this?

The vast majority of people had never heard the name of the Jin Wu Guards, but judging by the title, it seemed to be the Emperor’s personal guard.

Guo Ziyan scanned the crowd, frowning as he asked, “Where is Li Qingqiu?”