139: In the mountain gate

Time flew by, and six years passed in a blink. Before Bai Tang's entire recuperation period was even over, White Jade Orchid took her and Chen Cuo to Lingbao Mountain. This time, she was also formally joining Lingbao Mountain. Since she had already reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, serving as an Elder was a given. If Chen Cuo was truly selected as a True Disciple, the two of them could even support each other.

Although Bai Tang was the designated family head, cultivating connections within the Sect was still worthwhile.

With White Jade Orchid able to hold on for a few more years, and Bai Tang helping within the Sect, the Bai family would surely reach a new Peak.

The group traveled by flying boat and soon arrived within the Lingbao Mountain gate. It was Chen Cuo's first time witnessing a true Immortal Mountain Blessed Land. With a cultivation ground possessing a pseudo-fourth-tier Spiritual Vein, calling it a true immortal realm was not an exaggeration.

"Just how big is this Lingbao Mountain?" Chen Cuo sat on the flying boat, with longevity already in sight. His Qi cultivation skill was already unparalleled, and he had thought nothing could surprise him. But now, seeing the boundless sea of clouds in the distance and the dense fog formed by endless Spiritual Qi, it was simply incredible.

Lingbao Mountain was vast, far larger than he had imagined. As the flying boat swept over the entire sea of clouds, Bai Tang explained that all the areas enveloped by the mist around them were within Lingbao Mountain's Sect gate territory. Of course, this included the areas where Sect Disciples usually underwent trials.

And this was only a second-tier force. Could every second-tier force be so impressive? Then how vast must the cultivation grounds of Sects like Yuanfu Sect be?

"Truly incredible!"

"This is nothing. Once you enter the Sect, Chen Cuo, you'll know. The entire Lingbao Mountain spans thousands of miles, making it one of the top-ranked second-tier forces."

The West Sacred Continent had trillions of people, and its territory was already terrifyingly vast. It was normal for Sects to aggressively claim land and resources to support their Disciples.

But it was an eye-opener for Chen Cuo. This scenery was far more magnificent than anything in his previous life.

Only vast territories and resources could support a large Sect. Furthermore, Lingbao Mountain was already wealthy, and with the Grand Elder's formidable strength... it was not surprising.

"Chen Cuo, Bai Tang, I will take you two to Hongyu Pavilion to meet the Pavilion Master. You will follow the Pavilion Master's instructions, understand?"

Chen Cuo and Bai Tang glanced at White Jade Orchid. White Jade Orchid had already explained the situation within Lingbao Mountain. The Sect structure was not complicated, with only three Pavilions, meaning three factions. In Chen Cuo's understanding, it was like separating the financial, political, and military powers to balance and manage each other, with True Disciples standing independently above them.

Hongyu Pavilion was the political power, managing all the large and small affairs of the Sect. Baosheng Pavilion managed finances, and all distribution of Sect resources, whether tangible or intangible knowledge, had to go through Baosheng Pavilion. Fire Phoenix Pavilion, needless to say, only managed warfare and maintained order.

As for the Sect Master, he was selected from among the True Disciples. However, the Sect Master of Lingbao Mountain seemed to have no real power. He wondered what was going on?

Chen Cuo had no intention of delving into it. He came to the Sect to Cultivate, not to engage in internal strife. He didn't care who was who!

Qingfengzi had been in high spirits recently due to good news. In five years, riding the coattails of Fire Spirit Ring sales, he had gained a large amount of merit and exchanged it for the Cultivation resources he needed.

Not only had the secret art he had painstakingly studied for years made progress, but his cultivation had also advanced to the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, with the Golden Core in sight.

Upon hearing that White Jade Orchid had arrived with the True Disciple candidate who had been hidden for many years and wished to meet him, he was all smiles.

After being announced, the three arrived in the main hall. Unlike before, the True Disciple selection was imminent, and everyone in Hongyu Pavilion, regardless of rank, was busy. Today's meeting was only with Qingfengzi.

"White Jade Orchid of the Bai family, bringing junior Bai Tang and honored guest Chen Cuo, greets the Pavilion Master!"

Qingfengzi was originally seated on a chair. Hearing White Jade Orchid's words, he carefully examined the two. The man was handsome and dashing, and the woman was beautiful and moving.

Like the Golden Boy and Jade Girl in storybooks, their ethereal aura even surprised Qingfengzi. He then assessed their cultivation, both of whom had actually reached the Foundation Establishment Stage!

It truly astonished him.

"Good, good, good. Truly people of our kind. Fellow Daoist Bai has done well!"

Qingfengzi walked down the main hall, and Chen Cuo and Bai Tang also bowed slightly.

"Chen Cuo / Bai Tang, greetings, Pavilion Master!"

"Ah, both of you Fellow Daoists are comrades. Since you are willing to join Lingbao Mountain, just call me Senior Brother!"

Qingfengzi was very polite, and his thoughts about the Bai family had even changed slightly. With such a pair of exceptional individuals, it would be difficult for the Bai family not to prosper.

"Presumably, this is Junior Brother Chen Cuo. Are you here to participate in the True Disciple assessment?"

"Uh... Greetings, Senior Brother. I am indeed here to participate in the True Disciple assessment!"

"Hmm, very good. The Fire Spirit Ring you refined is quite innovative, but if that's all, there's still some gap compared to those few..."

There was a hidden meaning in his words. Chen Cuo was sharp and immediately understood that the other party intended to befriend him!

"Senior Brother, do you have any pointers? How many Disciples are participating in this True Disciple assessment..."

The Bai family had also tried to gather this information, but just as the Bai family had kept Chen Cuo's identity a secret, how much could they find out about those other individuals? It was all just superficial information!

As the chief administrator for reviewing True Disciple recommendation qualifications, Qingfengzi naturally knew the inside story. He was usually fair, but this time, he had developed a fondness for talent and deliberately befriended Chen Cuo.

If it weren't for the Fire Spirit Ring dividends from the Bai family, which had benefited him greatly, he wouldn't have said what he did today.

"Never mind. I will tell you the information about the few seed candidates for this assessment. What I say to you, only you will hear. No one else will know!"

...

For the last few sentences, he had already used a special secret sound transmission technique. With his Foundation Establishment Great Perfection cultivation, White Jade Orchid couldn't detect it, but she saw Chen Cuo nodding repeatedly and couldn't help but feel curious.

"Is Family Head Bai looking for a good placement for Junior Sister Bai?"

After Qingfengzi finished communicating with Chen Cuo, his attention focused on Bai Tang. A Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, if not becoming a True Disciple, could become a managing Elder, with both leisurely and lucrative positions, and of course, leisurely and lucrative positions.

For example...

"How about the General Manager of Outer Sect Affairs?"

Outer Sect Affairs was the department responsible for distributing resources to Outer Sect Disciples. After receiving resources from Baosheng Pavilion, Outer Sect Affairs would distribute them according to Sect regulations. One could imagine how much profit there was!

This was a truly desirable position!

White Jade Orchid's eyes lit up upon hearing this. Taking advantage of festivals to gain benefits was an unwritten rule, and she almost wanted to agree on Bai Tang's behalf.

Bai Tang lowered her head, seemingly deep in thought. After a moment, she slowly said, "Since that is the case, thank you, Senior Brother, for your cultivation!"

...

With everything arranged, White Jade Orchid returned to the Bai family, while Bai Tang was taken by a dedicated person to where she needed to go, first for work handover, and then to assume her position.

Chen Cuo, after familiarizing himself with various places in the Sect, was taken to a building called Xianwai Tower.

True Disciples were considered Immortals. As for whether one was 'within' or 'outside' the Immortals, that depended on the assessment results!

Xianwai Tower, of course, was where True Disciple candidates were accommodated. Originally, as a new Sect Disciple, Chen Cuo could have chosen a cultivation method from the Sect's True Law Hall, which was an entry benefit.

However, he was currently only an Inner Sect Disciple, and the treatment for True Disciples and Inner Sect Disciples was vastly different. Therefore, this benefit could be saved until after the True Disciple selection.