Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension

In summary, having a Dean at Beihai Daoist School is akin to not having one at all. Zhao Sheng is like a great deity, always surrounded by subordinates who appease and flatter him. They rush to complete any tasks he assigns, fearing that he might suddenly change his mind.

...

The Beihai Daoist School is situated in the center of Beijun Island, renowned since ancient times for its "thousand peaks standing, endowed with spiritual beauty."

The academy's premises encompass most of Beijun Island, with its core area of three thousand li being the most spiritually abundant, hosting nine hundred and ninety-nine beautiful spirit peaks.

These nine hundred and ninety-nine spirit peaks were not naturally formed, but were personally relocated from various parts of the Jinlan Spiritual Domain by the great abilities of the Immortal Sect, forming a three thousand li Spirit Gathering Array, which elevated this spirit land into an artificial "Blessed Land."

When Zhao Sheng first entered the Thousand Peak Blessed Land, he was shocked to find that the average spiritual energy density here surpassed that of Jinghai City by more than a grade, reaching the standard of a Fifth-order Spiritual Vein.

Having been established for less than ten thousand years, he found it hard to imagine how abundant the spiritual energy would be within the premises of older Daoist academies that have stood for over a hundred thousand years... comparable to a Sixth-Order Spiritual Vein or even higher...

At that time, a thought inexplicably crossed his mind: "Even a pig could probably form a Demon Core if it stayed here long enough."

However, reality soon slapped him in the face.

After reading all the ancient books and Jade Scrolls on the Scripture Collection Peak, Zhao Sheng discovered a terrifying fact: the Thunder Tribulations in the Taisu Spiritual Realm were a billion times more abnormal than those in the lower realm!

Compared to the multitudes of Foundation Establishment Cultivators, the number of Golden Core Masters saw a precipitous decline.

If Golden Core Masters in the lower realm were already considered one in a thousand, then in the Spirit Realm it was "one in ten thousand"!

Indeed, only one Golden Core Master might emerge from ten thousand Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

The terrifying power of the Golden Core Thunder Tribulation could be seen from this!

Honestly, the success rate of Solidifying the Pill was so low that it was extraordinarily abnormal!

To understand the reason for this, Zhao Sheng once perused numerous ancient books on the Scripture Collection Peak, where countless predecessors had vaguely expressed eight words: "Heavenly Dao has a spirit, tribulations are inescapable!"

Since "Heavenly Dao has a spirit," the reason for the dreadful Thunder Tribulations was also found.

However, he soon realized something was amiss. Over the past eight thousand years, a very few "lucky ones" within the academy, who generally appeared ordinary, managed to successfully cross the tribulation and Solidify the Pill, compared to the fallen geniuses, they could indeed be called lucky.

Out of these lucky ones, some would stand out among their peers and become prominent figures, like Daoist Qing Nian.

But most of the "lucky ones" faded into the crowd after Core Formation, with the majority eventually perishing under the Nascent Soul Thunder Tribulation, while a few unfortunate ones fell halfway.

After reading the records of predecessors, Zhao Sheng suddenly realized that this elimination mechanism of the Thunder Tribulation seemed to be significantly heightened in the Taisu Spiritual Realm.

This peculiar phenomenon inevitably brings to mind those True Immortals who are aloof and eternal!

Perhaps all of this emanates from the will of the Immortals!

After all, the cultivation resources in the Taisu Spiritual Realm are also limited. Without restricting the number of high-level cultivators, no amount of resources would suffice!

Upon realizing the grand plans of the True Immortals, he couldn't help but secretly admire the Taishang indifference of the Divine Beings, despite being shocked to his core.

Through this experience, Zhao Sheng vaguely felt that he had discovered some kind of "truth," but what the truth really was, he still did not know.

...

As spring passed and autumn came, and frost and snow first descended, the Beihai Daoist School welcomed a new batch of Daoist initiates.

The Foundation Establishment Ten Cities soon became lively, as the old students emerged from seclusion to watch the bustle, and a group of eleven- or twelve-year-old new Daoist initiates spent an unforgettable first day filled with anxiety and joy.

Not only the Beihai Daoist School, but all of the over two hundred Daoist academies under the Nine Questions Immortal Sect had the same tradition of welcoming new initiates, teaching the new Daoist initiates to obediently listen and follow the orders of the old students.

Of course, if the new Daoist initiates had a deep background, they wouldn't be "bullied" by the old students; on the contrary, the old students loved those with a noteworthy background.

Some old students, who saw no hope on their Daoist path, would choose to rely on these "cultivation generation N" students for a decent future.

The "cultivation generation N" students also welcomed the old students to rely on them, thus gaining subordinates to utilize within the academy.

This situation has been long-standing, and the academy generally doesn't intervene, which could be called a kind of "mutual pursuit".

Of course, each Daoist academy has two untouchable taboos: First, no deaths may occur within the academy. If a Daoist initiate dies and the perpetrator is not found, that's one thing; but if the murderer is discovered, both the killer and the one who instructed them must be executed.

Second, knowledge is priceless and opportunities should not be questioned! No one is allowed to force others to surrender their personal opportunities or secret knowledge. Those who violate this rule will also be executed!

In addition, there are numerous rules like respecting teachers, not betraying the academy, and not revealing academy secrets, among dozens of precepts.

Every time new Daoist initiates enter the academy on the first day, all newcomers are led by the old students to the Dao Heart Tablet to make their Daoist oaths.

Out of curiosity, Zhao Sheng secretly observed the entrance ceremony of the new Daoist initiates of this class and couldn't help but sigh at the abundance of cultivation geniuses in the Spirit Realm, countless as fish swimming through a river.

Take this batch of new Daoist initiates as an example, with a total number exceeding nine hundred, with the lowest qualification being three spirit roots, and a multitude of dual spirit roots and mutated spirit roots, even the number of Heavenly Spirit Roots exceeded five fingers!

It's known that the Beihai Daoist School recruits Daoist initiates every year, sometimes more than a thousand, and at least over six hundred in less populous years.

Over a hundred years, you can imagine how many Daoist initiates the academy can recruit.

Previously, in Jinghai City, Zhao Sheng discovered that the probability of newborns having spirit roots was alarmingly high, approaching one in a hundred.

Whereas in the Da Chun Realm, the probability of birthing spirit roots plummeted a hundredfold, with top-grade qualifications being extremely rare. The vast Cunning Leopard Chen Family couldn't even find a second Heavenly Spirit Root, illustrating the enormous impact of different environments!

So, it's not difficult to see why the Thunder Tribulation in the Spirit Realm is so "abnormal"!

...

In the largest Dao Field within Foundation Establishment New City, densely packed cushions and jade tables were neatly arranged in a hundred rows and ten columns.

As time passed, more than nine hundred new Daoist initiates gradually entered the Dao Field, which soon became bustling with people, extraordinarily lively.

After going through an unforgettable initiation ceremony, most new Daoist initiates were filled with grievances, loudly complaining or lamenting to their companions.

Unlike these grassroots, the newcomers from prestigious families quickly formed cliques and built the foundation of their future power bases.

Meanwhile, traditional association groups within the academy also secretly selected potential Daoist initiates from this cohort, waiting for the right moment to recruit them into their societies.

Where there are benefits, there has always been a Martial World; even the "pure land" of the academy is not exempt from disputes of interest.

It's said that behind each well-known traditional association group, one or several large cultivation forces are supporting in secret.

For such behavior of undermining their own sect, the great abilities of the Nine Questions Immortal Sect actually turn a blind eye, as long as it doesn't cross the line, it's essentially tacitly approved.

With so many cultivators leaving the academy each year, they must be given some paths to take.

Rather than letting them drift and even fall into the embrace of evil demons, it's better to benefit the vassal forces loyal to their sect.

In the southwestern corner of the Dao Field, a tall, burly boy with thick eyebrows and large eyes whispered to his companion, "I'll tell you a secret. The academy has ten large associations, but only the Striving Association and Chuyun Sect recruit grassroots like us from ordinary backgrounds. Other associations mostly look down on us grassroots. Ganshan, you should follow me, Hu Sheng, I'll ensure you live peacefully in the academy."

His companion was small in stature, with yellowish skin and an unremarkable appearance, looking somewhat dazed.

"Brother Hu Sheng, without you, I wouldn't have been able to enter the academy. From now on, I'll listen to whatever you say. After all, you wouldn't harm me!"

Hearing this, Hu Sheng laughed proudly, patting Niu Ganshan on the shoulder, boasting, "I, Hu Sheng, have always valued loyalty. As long as I'm around, you won't suffer any losses. When the day comes we both become Golden Core Masters, even Bengfeng City will need a new ruler. By then I'll be City Lord, you'll be Deputy City Lord, and we'll marry a few beautiful women. Life will be truly enjoyable."

Saying this with pride, Hu Sheng couldn't help but dance with his eyebrows, his young age revealing a somewhat streetwise air.