Recruitment at the Gathering

Stone tables filled the center of the gathering, their surfaces adorned with crimson and yellow autumn leaves.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator flicked their sleeve, conjuring a sudden gust of wind that instantly swept away all the leaves from the ground.

Before them stood a dueling arena. The Core Formation cultivator, who had just arrived, now sat cross-legged in the air, eyes gently closed, exuding an aura of formidable power.

Qian Yuling pulled Luo Yingkong towards one of the stone tables, where they settled down. Around them, people continued to arrive in a steady stream.

“Qian Yu, what exactly is happening here?” Luo Yingkong asked, bewildered.

“When major sects recruit disciples, they usually hand out small gifts.”

Luo Yingkong nodded, understanding. Indeed, recruiting disciples at such a gathering would yield far better results.

“Did you see that Core Formation cultivator?” Qian Yuling said with a giggle. “He’s the Sect Master of Yellow Sand Hill, and I heard his cultivation is at the late Core Formation stage!”

“Late Core Formation stage… A sect master of a major sect would come to a small gathering like this to recruit disciples?”

“Ah, Luo, you don’t know the full story. While Cold Sky Valley and Yellow Sand Hill are major sects, their locations are quite remote. One is nestled among icy peaks, the other in an endless desert.”

“As a result, few cultivators consider joining them. They’re forced to come here personally to recruit. Wherever a gathering might be held, they’ll seek it out.”

“I see…”

People continued to arrive, and soon, Elder Li appeared with his three disciples. He merely offered Luo Yingkong a smile, choosing not to disturb them, and found an unoccupied spot to sit.

Not long after, as the stone tables filled, another Core Formation cultivator, dressed in blue robes, tore through the sky. She wore a veil, lending her an inviolable aura.

Before she even landed, the yellow-robed cultivator sensed her presence and rose to greet her.

“Haha, Fairy Moon Chan has arrived as well!”

The blue-robed woman landed on the dueling arena, a soft laugh escaping her lips. “This gathering isn’t small; how could it possibly be without me?”

****

“That woman is the Sect Master of Cold Sky Valley. Although her cultivation is only at the mid Core Formation stage, her spells are incredibly potent…”

“Qian Yu, aren’t you afraid of being overheard, discussing two seniors like this?” Luo Yingkong cautioned. From this distance, she could hear everyone present, though some had used sound-isolation techniques.

“Uh… No, it’s fine. They wouldn’t bother with a small Qi Condensation girl like me…”

“Are Hidden Forest Mountain and Soaring Cloud Sect not coming?” Luo Yingkong asked, curious to see what her future sect master might look like.

“Those two sects are mortal enemies. Recruitment isn’t difficult for them, so they likely won’t appear…”

Soon after, the yellow-robed man cleared his throat, and silence fell upon the gathering.

“Fellow Daoists, I presume most of you attending this gathering are rogue cultivators. While our Yellow Sand Hill is remotely located, it offers many advantages. We are far from sectarian disputes, low-level demonic beasts are plentiful, and we boast various unique immortal herbs…”

His voice, though not loud, resonated through every corner, clearly heard by all present.

“…Therefore, I invite all of you to join us. You only need to pass the aptitude test for enrollment.” Having spoken, the yellow-robed cultivator produced several stalks of spirit herbs, sweeping his hand to send one to everyone present.

“These are spirit herbs unique to Yellow Sand Hill, called Soul Nurturing Flowers. They can not only refresh the mind but also enhance the range of your divine sense.”

Luo Yingkong also received a spirit herb. She merely glanced at it before placing it into her storage bag.

Below the stage, people began to come forward to register. Some were specifically testing aptitudes, only accepting rogue cultivators with three spiritual roots or more. Those with four spiritual roots required a strength test, while five spiritual roots were outright rejected.

****

After the yellow-robed man finished his address, the Sect Master of Cold Sky Valley took her turn.

“As you all know, this master is here to recruit. Though Cold Sky Valley is remote and cold, its spiritual energy is abundant…”

The woman also offered various enticements, then presented everyone present with a cup of tea.

“This is a spirit tea unique to cold regions. I invite you all to taste it. These tea leaves are readily available, and I will gift more upon joining our sect.”

****

“Spirit tea?” Luo Yingkong took a small sip. A cool surge of spiritual energy coursed through her body, bringing a subtle improvement to her stagnant cultivation.

She turned to see Qian Yuling, who had already drained her cup in one gulp, now closing her eyes to refine its effects.

The cultivators present, after taking a sip of the tea, were all visibly surprised. Some even managed to break through a layer of their cultivation!

Luo Yingkong also finished her spirit tea, even swallowing the two tea leaves at the bottom of the cup.

After a short period of refining, her ninth layer of cultivation showed signs of an imminent breakthrough, yet it still fell short. If only she had another cup, she would surely succeed!

Many, witnessing the miraculous effects of the spirit tea, eagerly expressed their desire to join. Luo Yingkong had already made a promise to the old man; otherwise, she would have signed up for Cold Sky Valley.

The recruitment period ended hastily. Some rogue cultivators with insufficient aptitude resorted to battling on the dueling arena for a spot.

Luo Yingkong watched a few matches, hoping to gain some practical combat experience. These Qi Condensation cultivators rarely used artifacts, relying instead on basic techniques, which offered little insight.

The immortal cultivation gathering was drawing to a close. Luo Yingkong, running low on spirit stones, decided to leave early. If she waited until the end of the gathering, the crowds and chaos would undoubtedly lead to many potential robberies.

After bidding farewell to Qian Yuling, Luo Yingkong found the old man at the inn. They also intended to leave early and departed together.

Stepping out of the formation, the old man retrieved a ‘boat’ from his storage bag.

“Come aboard.”

The small boat was just large enough for five people. The old man placed a spirit stone into its hull, then, with a surge of spiritual energy, it lifted off the ground and soared into the sky!

This spirit boat flew with incredible speed. In mere moments, it had traversed mountains. If Luo Yingkong had traveled on foot, she wondered how long it would have taken.

The speed was akin to flying in an airplane. Clouds were within reach, and the landscape below unfolded clearly, far superior to riding on Jiaofeng’s back.

After about two hours, the trees below gradually became denser, and the dirt roads carved by mortals vanished from sight.

The old man took out a token from his pocket—a forbidden passage token. As the flying boat passed through the formation, Luo Yingkong glimpsed a massive, transparent barrier, stretching as far as the eye could see.

“We’ve arrived.”

Though the area below was still mountainous, many houses had appeared. The old man controlled the flying boat, landing it atop the highest peak.

This mountain was enormous; landing on it felt like standing on flat ground. Luo Yingkong looked around. Aside from the abundant spiritual energy, it seemed no different from an ordinary mountain peak.

“This is Hidden Forest Mountain’s main peak. The three of you return first; I will escort little friend Luo through the sect gates…”

****

With the three disciples sent away, the old man led Luo Yingkong toward the main building.

“Elder Li, is this mountain Hidden Forest Mountain? How come I don’t see any other cultivators?”

“Haha.” The old man chuckled. “This is Hidden Forest Mountain’s main peak. The two thousand-plus peaks behind it are all part of the sect’s territory. Once you reach the Foundation Establishment stage, you can claim a mountain peak of your own.”

“Two thousand-plus?! How many disciples must there be?” Luo Yingkong was slightly astonished.

“The sect has roughly five thousand people, including those within and outside the main gates.”

“Such a vast territory for only five thousand people? I heard Soaring Cloud Sect has at least nearly ten thousand cultivators.” Luo Yingkong gazed into the distance again; the undulating mountain ranges seemed endless.

“Soaring Cloud Sect? They accept anyone and everyone, as long as they have spiritual roots. They even take in cultivators with malicious intentions, leading to rampant evil!”

The old man spoke dismissively, but Luo Yingkong didn’t fully believe him. She had long heard of the rivalry between the two sects, so slanderous remarks were to be expected.