Xiuxian: Start with the medicine boy

Chapter 2007 Prelude to the Cultivator Association's Conferment Ceremony

Just as everyone was overjoyed and secretly rejoicing...

The Supreme Elder of the Rongshen Immortal Sect seemed to suddenly remember something, and looked at everyone with gentle eyes, slowly asking:

"That's right!"

The reason you have come together today, besides visiting this old man, must also be because you are feeling lost about the future.

Tell me, what are your plans for the future?

Faced with the patriarch's question, everyone made no attempt to hide anything, revealing in detail their inner turmoil over the two major choices they were struggling with, their desire to secure a position in the Cultivator Association, and other concerns.

The old man listened quietly, his eyes bright, discerning the concerns and expectations in their hearts.

I also understood the deeper meaning hidden in their words.

He lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest of the stone seat.

After a moment, the old man slowly spoke, his tone firm and steady:

"I understand your desire to secure a position in the Cultivator Association, to shed your awkward status, and to establish yourselves as orthodox practitioners."

This matter will be beneficial and harmless to your future spiritual practice and the future reconstruction of the sect.

"Since that's the case, you should calm your emotions for now and not be impatient."

Do not use your remaining battle merits to exchange for any treasures or resources for the time being.

Just wait for my instructions.

This was undoubtedly tacit approval of their assistance. Everyone felt a huge weight lifted from their shoulders, and they were overjoyed. They quickly bowed and expressed their gratitude.

"Thank you very much, Elder!"

After the joy,

Among the crowd, a perceptive Golden Core cultivator, looking at the old man's aged and haggard face, suddenly felt a deep sense of worry.

After hesitating for a moment, I finally couldn't help but ask:

"Ancestor, the great war between the two races has now come to a complete end, and the dust has settled."

So how do you plan to conduct yourself in the future?

"How will the Cultivator's Association deal with you, sir?"

As soon as this word comes out,

The others also suppressed their smiles and looked at the old man on the stone seat with concern.

This is the deepest concern in their hearts, yet one they dare not easily mention.

Sensing the worry of the crowd, the old man smiled calmly, his expression composed and unperturbed, showing no fear or concern whatsoever. He spoke with a carefree tone:

"You need not worry about my situation."

Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse.

"I am, after all, a half-Saint realm cultivator; my cultivation foundation is undeniable, and my authority still remains."

"Although the Cultivator Association is investigating past cases of sects, it will not easily harm a half-Venerable expert."

The association has not yet finalized a solution, but the outcome is already predetermined.

It's nothing more than letting this old man continue to atone for his crimes and reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors!

There is no danger to their lives; you can rest assured.

"..."

The winds of change blow, and time passes silently.

The tense and solemn post-war rest period passed in the blink of an eye.

In the blink of an eye, a whole month has quietly come to an end.

It was an auspicious day; the sky was clear and cloudless.

A faint celestial glow enveloped the entire Zhenhai City.

The spiritual energy between heaven and earth surged endlessly, exuding a solemn and grand aura.

In the heart of Zhenhai City, the headquarters of the Cultivator Association stands majestically.

The endless rows of magnificent palaces and pavilions are built along the mountainside, their upturned eaves piercing the clouds, their gilded tiles gleaming in the sunlight, and layers of protective mountain formations shimmering with brilliant spiritual light.

Majestic and vast, it awes the entire city.

Today, the giant plaza outside the association's headquarters was completely reopened.

This sacred place, rarely open to the public, welcomed the grandest gathering of cultivators since the war—

The highly anticipated award ceremony arrived as scheduled.

Along the main street, one after another, tall and imposing figures stepped through the air and landed steadily at the entrance of the square.

Each figure was surrounded by a heavy and overwhelming pressure of heaven and earth, and their spiritual energy rippled subtly like the tides.

Even with deliberate concealment of their aura, it's difficult to hide the formidable foundation of a top-tier cultivator.

It made the surrounding air feel stagnant and heavy.

Among the passing cultivators, the most eye-catching were several powerful figures surrounded by crowds.

Their aura was obscure and restrained, its depth unfathomable. They did not radiate any extraordinary spiritual light, yet they possessed a profound and awe-inspiring presence that looked down upon all living beings.

With a calm and steady gait,

They walked slowly and unhurriedly toward the center of the square.

The Nascent Soul True Monarchs who stood waiting along the way were all moved by this unique aura.

These Nascent Soul stage cultivators, who had stood tall in the cultivation world for hundreds of years, were proud and arrogant, and held sway over their respective regions, all voluntarily stepped aside and retreated to the sides of the road.

He bowed slightly, head lowered, and focused his mind.

They all raised their hands in a fist salute, their posture extremely respectful.

We dare not be negligent in the slightest.

Throughout the entire Cultivator Association, there are very few beings who can command the utmost respect and awe from the proud and unyielding Nascent Soul True Monarchs.

Apart from the association president, there are only top-tier experts who have reached the semi-saint realm.

Today is the first post-war award ceremony, and also a crucial day for finalizing the association's senior positions.

Many of the semi-saint level powerhouses who had previously temporarily taken charge of palace affairs or held nominal positions will have their official appointments confirmed today.

To firmly establish oneself in the high position of the master of a palace,

To wield core authority within the association.

These Nascent Soul cultivators were all fully aware of what was going on in their future cultivation resources, promotions, and career paths...

All of them are in the hands of these newly appointed hall masters.

For the rest of his cultivation years, he will have to serve under the command of a semi-saint level expert and seek opportunities.

That's exactly why!

Faced with the half-saint level experts passing by with ease, the Nascent Soul True Monarchs, who were usually arrogant and revered, all restrained their arrogance at this moment.

His posture became increasingly humble and respectful, and his manners were impeccable.

I dare not overstep the bounds in the slightest.

As time slowly passed, the sun gradually rose into the sky.

A steady stream of cultivators converged from all directions of Zhenhai City, pouring into the vast and boundless Association Square.

The once empty and solemn giant plaza gradually lost its coldness and quietly became lively as cultivators continued to gather.

Hundreds upon hundreds of Nascent Soul cultivators gathered here.

Each one is an outstanding individual.

Such a grand gathering of Nascent Soul cultivators is an extremely rare sight throughout history.

The group of Nascent Soul cultivators stood in their respective positions, seemingly solemn and silent, but in reality, the undercurrents in the entire square were already surging.

Countless fragments of divine thoughts intertwined and shuttled through the void, rising and falling in waves.

No one dared to speak loudly; everyone kept to themselves and whispered in secret.

As Nascent Soul cultivators, they know best how terrifying the senses of high-level cultivators can be.

A Nascent Soul cultivator possesses six senses that allow them to perceive the sounds of nature, including the whispers of wind and the whispers of insects, as well as subtle fluctuations in spiritual energy.

Even the slightest movement within a radius of a thousand miles cannot escape detection.

Furthermore, the divine sense perception of a half-saint level expert far surpasses that of a Nascent Soul cultivator, reaching the realm of subtle understanding and divine insight.

It surpasses even Nascent Soul cultivators.

It can accurately detect even the slightest movement or whisper in its surroundings.

Everyone present was a seasoned cultivator who had lived for hundreds of years and was well-versed in the temperament of high-level cultivators.

They have a deeper understanding of the survival rules of spiritual practice.

No one dared to openly discuss high-level personnel changes or make any judgments about the semi-powerful figures.

If, by some unfortunate chance, a narrow-minded senior overhears even a single word of criticism or dissatisfaction...

He will inevitably face restrictions in the association in the future and be secretly sabotaged.

Those who are less fortunate may even be suppressed and framed for wrongdoing, resulting in a tragic end where they die and lose all their cultivation.

Given these concerns...

Although hundreds of Nascent Soul stage experts had gathered in the vast square, it maintained a calm and solemn atmosphere, with no one making a fuss or stirring up any disturbances.

The crowd stood silently with their eyes down, or gazed straight ahead, their expressions solemn and respectful.

A grand scene of perfect order.

Only close, friendly cultivators would nod slightly in greeting upon seeing each other from afar.

Or a slight nod in greeting,

The etiquette is simple, without revealing anything, low-key and prudent.

Beneath the seemingly quiet square, countless thoughts intertwined, and myriad discussions circulated; the inner turmoil was bustling and noisy.

It is in no way inferior to the bustling city streets.

A subtle voice transmission rang out between the two Nascent Soul cultivators standing in the corner:

"Brother Li, now that the heads of each hall have been appointed at this grand ceremony, who do you think will ultimately be chosen as the head of the most powerful Hall of Supervision?"

The cultivator addressed as Brother Li lowered his eyes slightly, responded gently with his divine sense, and spoke with a hint of caution:

"It's hard to say, it's really difficult to guess."

Neither you nor I know how many battle merits these semi-saintly seniors have secretly accumulated.

After this battle, the association determined official positions solely based on battle merits.

Military merit is one of the core criteria for ascending to the position of Palace Master.

It is also a hard requirement.

With insufficient military achievements and a lack of background, they are simply not qualified to compete for the positions of the various hall masters.

Besides!

Each of you, my esteemed seniors, has your own thoughts and considerations.

The Censorate wields immense power and bears complex responsibilities; its advantages and disadvantages coexist.

Not everyone is willing to take on this hot potato.

"That makes sense." The cultivator on the other side nodded slightly and continued to transmit his voice.

"However, in my opinion, Senior Tian Shu has a very high chance of winning."

Rumors had long circulated that Senior Tian Shu had repeatedly performed extraordinary feats in the war between the two races, accumulating a vast amount of merit.

He is the most popular candidate for the position of Hall Master of the Surveillance Hall; almost everyone knows this.

"Rumors are just rumors, a mixture of truth and falsehood, and should not be taken seriously."

If you rely solely on rumors to determine the outcome, you'll likely misjudge the situation and lose everything.

Brother Li calmly refuted him, his tone steady.

"In my observation, the Hall of Surveillance and the Hall of Spiritual Origin are popular halls with great power and abundant resources..."

Ultimately, it will most likely fall into the hands of those truly meritorious and powerful individuals.

These predecessors all had made great contributions in pursuing and suppressing the rebels before the great battle.

He also distinguished himself by commanding the main battlefield on the border and personally slaying a demon race half-demon.

He paused briefly, his tone becoming more certain:

"As for Senior Lingbao and his group, their previous failure in pursuing and suppressing the rebels cancels out their merits and demerits."

There is virtually no hope of him taking the position of the main hall master.

However, they still possess considerable resources and seniority, so securing a position as a deputy hall master still holds some promise.

"Brother Li has a keen eye and a long-term vision."

"Fellow Daoist, you flatter me. This is merely my humble conjecture and may not be accurate."

"..."

Similar discussions continued to take place throughout the square.

Aside from the cultivators observing who would become the next high-ranking palace master, there were also many Nascent Soul cultivators with slightly weaker cultivation and less experience, filled with trepidation and anxiety.

He was deeply worried about his future job prospects.

A Nascent Soul cultivator, his face tense and his brow furrowed with worry, quietly transmitted his voice to his companion beside him:

"Fellow Daoist, do you think the battle merits we've accumulated are enough to secure us the ministerial positions at headquarters?"

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; we have cultivated ourselves diligently for many years, all for this chance.

His companion sighed softly, his tone tinged with uncertainty:

"Logically speaking, with our combat achievements and seniority, we are more than qualified to compete for the position of head of headquarters, and our chances of winning are extremely high."

The variable lies in the fact that in this war between the two races, countless rogue cultivators have risen against the odds, and a group of amazing and outstanding geniuses have emerged.

These independent cultivators, without any sect or faction, were fearless and undaunted by death.

Charging ahead on the battlefield, they amassed an astonishing number of battle merits, far exceeding those of ordinary cultivators.

He frowned slightly and voiced his concerns:

"If these top-tier independent cultivators also set their sights on core departments like the Spirit Medicine Department and the Foreign Trade Department—departments with lucrative profits and secure authority—and insist on participating in the competition..."

Then, the ministerial position we painstakingly sought will most likely be handed over to someone else, and we will suffer a defeat.

Upon hearing this,

The cultivator who had spoken earlier was immediately filled with resentment, his divine sense carrying a hint of hostility:

"Hmph! These rogue cultivators are really an eyesore!"

The president shouldn't have opened the door so easily in the first place, accepting independent practitioners without setting any thresholds.

This group of untrained and unrefined cultivators is nothing but rotten fish and shrimp.

They don't even deserve to be in the Cultivator's Association.

"Are you going to compete with us orthodox cultivators for power and profit?"

"Sigh, there's no point in saying more," his companion shook his head helplessly, his tone full of sighs.

"This is a decree personally issued by the Chairman; his words are law and his authority is unassailable."

Who dares to question or disobey us mere Nascent Soul cultivators?

The president's move was also a well-thought-out strategy, aimed at winning over the hearts of all the independent cultivators and mobilizing their fighting power.

If the threshold for entry had not been lowered and talents had not been widely recruited, so many independent cultivators would never have rushed to the battlefield during the previous brutal war between the two races.

The association also struggled to maintain its lead.

"I understand that principle perfectly well," the cultivator said, his voice choked with resentment and unwillingness.

"But reason is reason."

The thought that our easily attainable ministerial position could very well be snatched away by these unskilled newcomers is terrifying.

Years of planning have come to naught.

I felt incredibly frustrated and couldn't let it go.

"Don't worry too much," his companion reassured him.

"Life is full of disappointments, most of the time."

Even if we miss out on the position of head of headquarters, with our illustrious military achievements, it would be a piece of cake for us to take up a position in any large immortal city and secure the local head of headquarters.

At that time, he will be stationed in a celestial city, wielding authority over the territory, a powerful figure who will command respect and be feared by all.

"That's true, but ultimately there's a difference in their abilities." The cultivator was still filled with regret.

"How can a minister from a local immortal city be compared to a minister from headquarters?"

Although they appear to be of equal rank, the resources they can control and the authority they wield are worlds apart.

Local ministers can only mobilize the limited resources of a single immortal city, thus limiting their scope of influence.

The head of headquarters, being at the heart of the association, can mobilize all resources within the entire cultivator association. Their connections, status, and power completely overwhelm those holding local positions.

The difference is enormous.

The two remained silent, filled with regret and anxiety, which they kept hidden deep inside, not daring to reveal it in the slightest.

In the square, some people were filled with anxiety and apprehension about the future.

Some people are secretly vying for the position.

Others remained calm, chatting leisurely and observing the changing situation.

A cultivator smiled and transmitted his voice to his old friend beside him:

"Fellow Daoist, your achievements in this battle are remarkable, and your foundation is solid."

"If you were to compete for a core position that you truly desire, wouldn't that be a sure thing, without a doubt?"

"..." (End of this chapter)