Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World

Before the meeting was organized, the leaders and elders of about a dozen Alchemy Master Sects suddenly gathered in the guest room where the Qingmu Sect was staying.

Song Sect Leader of the Qingmu Sect looked at the densely packed group of people in front of him with some surprise and asked, "What's this...?"

The leaders first took out a soundproof magic artifact to block external eavesdropping.

Song Sect Leader's mouth twitched, thinking that this group of people was inexperienced. In the Jiushan Realm, what could be hidden from Zheng Fa?

However, he also guessed what this group wanted to do.

"Song Sect Leader, what do you think of this Alchemist Guild?"

Someone asked softly.

"The meeting hasn't started yet, so I don't know the specifics. What opinion could I have?"

"How could you not know? The rules of the Talisman Master Guild and the Artifact Refiner's Guild are the same!"

Someone said anxiously.

Song Sect Leader glanced at him and then at the others, understanding more: "Do you have any opinions?"

"Opinions... of course, we have..."

Someone said hesitantly.

"The Jiushan Sect is now the Hundred Immortals Alliance Hierarch, and we acknowledge that, but some things... they shouldn't be done this way."

"What shouldn't be done this way?"

"First, writing textbooks, isn't it... trying to take our secret techniques to cultivate disciples for their Jiushan Sect?"

"...There's some truth to that."

"And! Why is the patent only valid for fifty years... after fifty years, all our secret techniques will have to be made public?"

Song Sect Leader nodded again.

"And what about the journals and agreeing to procurement..."

"Not that I'm saying..."

"At this rate, in less than a hundred years, our sect's alchemy heritage might all belong to the Zheng family of Jiushan Sect!"

Having listened, Song Sect Leader nodded frequently.

He seemed to agree very much.

As a matter of fact, it was true that the guild looked harmless, but the leaders of these sects in the Hundred Immortals Alliance were no fools...

Previously, they controlled the heritage of alchemists, controlled the quantity, price, and quality of pills on the market.

But now there's a guild.

Once the guild has its own textbooks, cultivation system, and even its own customers and herb sources.

Is there still a need for their sects to exist?

Or in other words, the guild will inevitably become the biggest alchemist sect directly managed by the Jiushan Sect.

Song Sect Leader had thought of this long ago...

He initially agreed mainly because the Qingmu Sect's situation was too poor, and a large part of the guild's benefits was actually from the Qingmu Sect.

But these leaders were not thinking the same way.

They saw the essence of the guild and felt that they couldn't gain much benefit, so naturally, they were not very willing.

That's why they found him.

"So, what do you all mean..."

"The Qingmu Sect is the leader in alchemy in the alliance; if it accepts such rules, how will the Sect Master face the ancestors in the future?"

"..."

"Song Sect Leader, we don't want to oppose the Jiushan Sect, but... you have to give us a way out, right?"

"What way out?"

"We can join the guild, unify procurement, unify prices, and follow the Alliance Hierarch's directives."

"But it's just about the patent rights and textbooks; we really can't accept it."

Song Sect Leader listened, his expression unchanged, and said:

"I understand everyone's meaning."

"To be honest, my Qingmu Sect also has some thoughts about the guild's various rules..."

"When the preparation meeting comes, I will bring it up."

Everyone was overjoyed to hear this, bowing respectfully to Song Sect Leader, and some even praised, "Song Sect Leader, you have backbone!"

For a moment, Song Sect Leader felt that he was carrying the hopes of the masses, becoming the head brother of the alchemist sects.

Upon seeing them leave happily.

Song Sect Leader's gaze became somewhat cold.

This group of people wouldn't dare to betray the Hundred Immortals Alliance—those who dared, like the Chongxuan Sect, didn't come to the Jiushan Realm for an audience and were even said to be recruiting small sects, seemingly with the intention of raising a rebellion.

But they wouldn't just sit idly by either; otherwise, like those sects in the Talisman Master Guild, even if they had opinions, none dared to say anything publicly.

Coming to find him...

Naturally, thinking that numbers provide safety.

And thinking that if the sky falls, the tall one, Qingmu Sect, will hold it up.

Yet what they said indeed had some truth to it.

...

The next day, on University Island, Zhang looked at the sect leaders of various alchemy sects in front of her.

This group seemed a bit strange, their expressions hinted at the exchange of some illicit information.

To say the greatest harvest of this technical alliance thus far, it would be the Alchemist Guild.

After all, without Chongxuan Sect, most of the Artifact Refiners relied on Lady Xuanhua.

The Talisman Masters had Jiushan Sect too strong.

Only the Alchemists, with Jiushan Sect previously too weak, and Qingmu Sect strong enough, made the Alchemist Alliance a major supplement to Jiushan Sect's shortcomings.

She glanced at Song Sect Leader, seeing him deep in thought, seemingly engrossed in his thoughts.

As to why Junior Master Zheng established the guild or what expectations he had for it, he had only ever mentioned to her—

On one hand, the guild was undoubtedly for advancing various cultivation arts, for cooperation and mutual benefit, and for generating profit.

On the other hand... it was also Junior Master Zheng's way of integrating the Hundred Immortals Alliance.

Not just in terms of technology, but also people.

According to Junior Master Zheng, the alchemists who join the guild will in the future learn techniques from the guild, take jobs from the guild, and receive rewards from the guild.

From then on, they would truly become professional alchemists—Junior Master Zheng called it specialization.

Over time, alchemists would no longer need to occupy spirit veins or cultivate medicine gardens, but simply focus on alchemy to earn more with better techniques.

Then, on one hand, these alchemists' techniques would improve faster.

On the other hand... these people would no longer be able to leave the Hundred Immortals Alliance system.

The Alchemist Guild looked like a sect, but it was hard to exist independently, highly dependent on the resources and clientele provided by the Hundred Immortals Alliance system.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but wonder—Junior Master Zheng, where did he learn these strategies?

...

Seeing everyone had arrived, Zhang took out a copy of the "Alchemist Guild Regulations (Draft)" and distributed it, saying: "This is the guild rule outlined by our Jiushan Sect."

"If any of you have ideas, feel free to bring them up."

"Our Jiushan Sect will consider them as appropriate."

The group of leaders, browsing through the draft, found it was more or less what they had guessed. Their expressions varied, but they couldn't help but glance at Song Sect Leader sitting in the front.

Song Sect Leader also flipped through the draft, seemingly reading it very carefully.

Zhang asked again, "Does anyone have any opinions?"

The crowd stared at Song Sect Leader's back.

Song Sect Leader gently put down the draft and coughed slightly, saying: "My Qingmu Sect has some opinions."

It's here!

The head brother is going to speak for us!

Song Sect Leader stood up, his upright posture seemed to hide a strong backbone.

"Oh?" Zhang appeared a bit surprised, "Let's hear it then?"

"In my opinion, a rule is missing from this..."

Missing?

Wasn't it too much?

The group looked at each other inexplicably, feeling something was wrong but unable to figure it out.

"I heard from my Qingmu Sect's Grand Elder that after cooperating with Jiushan Sect, he has a completely different view on alchemy... Many secret techniques have been reformed, and now the alchemist skills have greatly improved!"

"..."

"My Qingmu Sect wishes to bring out all our secret techniques and collaborate with Jiushan Sect to reform them! To contribute to the Alchemy Master Alliance and our Hundred Immortals Alliance!"

The group of sect leaders gaped at Song Sect Leader, whose words were steady and firm.

Big brother... would it not be more subservient to bring up this opinion kneeling down?