You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

As soon as he finished speaking, a man surnamed Zhao stepped forward and bowed.

"Reporting to the sect leader, I am responsible for guarding the 'Cold Moon Pool' on the northern slope. In the past half month, the spiritual energy in the pool has been rising at a significantly faster rate, and the water quality has become clearer and colder, containing even purer icy spiritual energy. The few 'Ice Crystal Grasses' growing by the pool are thriving, and their maturity period seems to have been shortened."

Another Master Wu continued.

"Sect Leader, the 'Crimson Flame Mine' that I'm overseeing is experiencing a similar situation. The fire-attribute spiritual energy is more active deep within the mine, and the quality of the extracted fire spirit stones has generally increased by half to ten percent. Moreover, the mine seems to be showing slight signs of expansion."

"The same is true for the 'Greenwood Forest' in the east, which I'm in charge of. The trees are growing faster, the spiritual energy in the forest is richer, and even some low-level spirit beasts seem more energetic..."

Everyone spoke up, and their reports were all similar, pointing to the same fact without exception—the concentration and activity of spiritual energy were increasing across the board!

After listening to everyone's reports, Chen Yang remained calm and summarized.

"What you all say is completely consistent with what I saw and heard during my trip, as well as my observations at the mountain god temple just now. It can be confirmed that the pace of spiritual energy revival is indeed accelerating greatly."

This is an era brimming with opportunities, but it also means fiercer competition and potentially greater threats.

His tone turned serious.

"Therefore, I require everyone to: First, never slacken in your own cultivation and seize this golden period of abundant spiritual energy to improve your cultivation level. Second, assign dedicated personnel to teach newly initiated disciples, not only imparting cultivation techniques."

Furthermore, it is essential to cultivate their sense of identity and belonging to the sect and to establish a correct Daoist heart. We must make them genuinely identify as members of the Qingwei Sect, and not just stay here to acquire resources.

Otherwise, if people are not united, they will easily be divided, bought off, or even betrayed when faced with temptations or pressure in the future, which would be a fatal blow to us!

Everyone's expressions tightened, and they responded in unison.

"We will heed the sect leader's teachings! We will do our utmost to teach our disciples, unite our fellow disciples, and never slacken our efforts!"

Chen Yang nodded slightly and continued.

"Furthermore, the external environment is not optimistic. Those black-clad assassins from abroad are becoming increasingly rampant. My Qingwei Sect has also been targeted by them."

Upon hearing this, True Lord Xuan Shui's face showed anger, and he stepped forward.

"Sect Leader, not long after you left, those cowardly men in black tried to sneak into the back mountain again, but fortunately they were discovered in time by patrolling disciples. Elder Li Zhengguo immediately led his men to meet them and repelled the invading enemy, killing three of them, but unfortunately their leader escaped."

They seemed to have some understanding of our mountain gate layout and defenses, and this time they came much more covertly.

Li Zhengguo also stepped forward. Now that he had the Xuan Sword and the armor of the man in black, his aura was even stronger than before. He clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"Sect Leader, rest assured! With me here, I will make sure these scoundrels never return! If they dare to cause trouble in my Qingwei Sect, they should be prepared to leave their lives behind!"

Master Liu Yu also spoke in a cool and aloof tone.

"These rabble dare to be so arrogant just because they have some external resources. Once our strength has improved, we will definitely take the initiative to strike and settle old scores with them, to serve as a warning to others!"

Seeing his followers united in their hatred of the enemy and in high spirits, Chen Yang felt gratified, but he also emphasized again.

"It's good that everyone has this spirit and fighting will. But at this stage, we still need to prioritize consolidating our own strength and improving our capabilities. When we take action, we must travel in groups and look out for each other. We must not give the enemy any opportunity to take advantage of us or risk our lives alone."

His gaze swept firmly over every master and disciple present, and he said in a deep voice.

"In short, opportunities and challenges coexist. What we need to do is unite as one, seize opportunities, improve ourselves, and meet challenges. Let the Qingwei Sect stand firm in this great era of spiritual revival, and even... rise with the wind!"

"United as one, we rise with the wind!"

Inspired by his words, the crowd shouted in unison, their voices echoing across the hall and square, filled with confidence and anticipation for the future.

Seeing the high spirits and united spirit of his followers, Chen Yang felt quite gratified. A good start is more important than anything else.

After the shouts subsided, Li Zhengguo stepped forward, his face solemn, and bowed to Chen Yang.

"Sect Leader, there is something I need to report to you. Since the press conference, our Qingwei Sect has opened its gates wide to recruit talented individuals. In addition, with your reputation spreading far and wide, the number of disciples coming to become our disciples is far greater than that of other sects and families at the same time."

This was originally a good thing, but it also... attracted some unnecessary attention and trouble.

"Oh? What's the trouble?"

Chen Yang raised an eyebrow slightly.

Li Zhengguo continued.

“In the past few days, I have been approached privately by family heads who are familiar with me or have old acquaintances with me, as well as sect leaders and elders of other small and medium-sized sects. Their words have been full of ‘reminders’.”

He paused, mimicking the tone of those people.

"Some said, 'Elder Li, the Qingwei Sect is currently enjoying great popularity, which is a good thing, but you should know when to stop. A tall tree catches the wind, so shouldn't you be more measured in accepting disciples? Don't try to take all the benefits.'"

"And some, to put it more directly."

Li Zhengguo's expression was rather unpleasant.

"What are you saying? 'We can't control how Qingwei Sect recruits disciples, but shouldn't we also reserve some good talents within a hundred miles of our mountain gate, or even within our family's sphere of influence?'"
"Just because you have Sect Leader Chen Yang backing you doesn't mean you can do whatever you want and uproot our roots, does it?" His words carried considerable dissatisfaction, even a hint of threat.

As soon as Li Zhengguo finished speaking, a chorus of discontent arose in the square.

"This is outrageous! These people are clearly jealous of us!"

"That's right! The fact that our disciples are willing to come to our Qingwei Sect is our achievement! They themselves are unwilling to invest resources in training them and can't retain them, yet they blame us?"

"That's outrageous! What do you mean by 'their sphere of influence'? Disciples are human beings, not livestock they're raising. It's their freedom to choose where to find a master!"

"I think they need to be taught a lesson! If you're not happy, come and fight, let's see whose fist is stronger!"

"That's right! Our Qingwei Sect is now strong and well-equipped, why would we be afraid of them?"

The crowd was filled with righteous indignation, especially the few hot-tempered masters, who were eager to confront them immediately.

Chen Yang raised his hand and gestured for everyone to be quiet.

His face didn't show much anger; instead, it held a knowing smile.

"Everyone, please be patient."

Chen Yang's voice was calm, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"What Elder Li said was actually expected. Our rapid development has encroached on other people's interests, so naturally some people will be envious and anxious, and jump out to make irresponsible remarks. This is normal."

He looked around at everyone, his tone calm.

"Let them say what they want, and we'll do what we want. As long as we don't violate the public order and good customs of the cultivation world, and don't actively bully the weak, what's wrong with recruiting disciples and teaching them cultivation techniques in an upright manner? If the disciples are willing to come, that's their own choice, and it's also their recognition of our Qingwei Sect."

As for those families and sects that can't retain their members, that's their problem, what does it have to do with us? Are we supposed to turn away disciples who come seeking enlightenment just to save face for them? There's no such logic in the world.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, and the pent-up frustration in their hearts eased considerably.

Chen Yang's tone shifted, becoming serious. "However, what Elder Li mentioned also serves as a reminder. We can't just focus on recruiting people and providing resources. As I just said, the most important thing is to ensure these disciples feel a sense of identity and belonging to our Qingwei Sect!"

We can't let them think that they're only here to get benefits and learn skills, and then leave once they've learned them or have a better place to go.

In that case, no matter how many resources we invest, we'll only be doing the work for someone else, and might even be cultivating future enemies.

He looked intently at each of the core members present.

"Therefore, teaching disciples is not just about imparting skills and distributing resources. We need to communicate with them more, understand their thoughts, care about their growth, and let them feel the warmth and expectations of the sect."

They need to understand that the Qingwei Sect is not just a place for cultivation, but their 'home,' the foundation they are willing to fight for and protect! This is more important than giving them a few more spirit stones or pills! Sometimes, appealing to emotions is more effective than appealing to resources; it's more likely to win people's hearts!

Master Huang was the first to solemnly express his opinion.

"What the sect leader says is absolutely right! I will certainly set an example by not only imparting knowledge and skills, but also caring about the hardships of my disciples and guiding them to establish correct sect values!"

Li Zhengguo also solemnly replied.

"Your subordinate understands! I will never allow my disciple to become an ungrateful wretch who only knows how to take! I will wholeheartedly teach him and cultivate his loyalty and righteousness!"

Liu Yu, Xuan Shui Zhenjun, and other True Persons and core disciples also spoke out, expressing that they would attach great importance to this matter and place the cultivation of disciples' "sense of belonging" on an equal footing with improving their strength.

Chen Yang nodded in satisfaction.

"I am relieved that you all understand the key points. Remember, we are not just training disciples, but the future successors of the Qingwei Sect, the hope for the sect's continuation and growth! We must be extremely careful and put our heart and soul into it!"

"I will heed the sect leader's teachings!"

Everyone responded in unison again, their expressions even more serious than before.

After everyone discussed how to specifically cultivate a sense of belonging among the disciples and offered many suggestions, Chen Yang clapped his hands again to draw everyone's attention.

"Alright, regarding the training of disciples, everyone should go back and think it over carefully and formulate detailed rules. Now, I have another matter to announce."

Chen Yang paused, then raised his voice slightly.

"During this trip, besides handling some trivial matters, I also stumbled upon an ancient site of immortals by chance."

"Another miraculous discovery?"

Upon hearing this, everyone's spirits lifted, and their eyes all turned to Chen Yang.

Chen Yang nodded.

“That’s right. However, that celestial site is ancient, and its core area seems to have been explored long ago, leaving few valuable items. Including the two I found near Kyoto before, I’ve encountered two or three celestial sites.”

Xuan Shui Zhenjun couldn't help but ask curiously.

"Sect Leader, do these immortal traces... all contain great treasures? Like the ones you brought back this time..."

He pointed to the storage bag in his hand, which he hadn't even warmed up yet.

Chen Yang smiled.

"Among the immortal traces, there are naturally many relics left by predecessors. Most of the things I brought back to distribute to everyone this time were obtained from these immortal traces. As for precious treasures... they are rare and hard to come by, but ordinary cultivation resources, cultivation manuals, magic weapons and pills can always be found if you explore carefully."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yu immediately bowed.

"Thank you so much, Sect Leader! We are deeply grateful for your generous gift! You have worked tirelessly for the sect and retrieved so many resources!"

Master Huang also sighed.

"Our sect leader is selfless and devoted to the public good, distributing all the spoils to the sect without reservation. Such magnanimity is truly a blessing for our Qingwei Sect!"

The other masters and disciples also thanked Chen Yang sincerely.

They knew that with Chen Yang's current strength and status, he could have monopolized these resources, but he unhesitatingly used them to strengthen the sect. This sense of responsibility and dedication earned their sincere admiration.

Chen Yang waved his hand and smiled.

"There's no need for such formalities. I am the leader of the Qingwei Sect, and the prosperity of the sect is my wish. If you can make good use of these resources, cultivate outstanding disciples, and carry forward the Qingwei Sect, that would be the best reward for me."

His expression turned serious, and he continued.

"However, I'm not telling you this to boast. What I want to tell you is that as the process of spiritual energy revival accelerates, ancient immortal traces, secret realms, and ruins like these are likely to appear more and more frequently in the world. This is a tremendous opportunity for all cultivators!"

True Lord Xuan Shui reacted quickly and immediately asked.

"Does the sect leader mean... that we should also go and search for traces of immortality?"

"Not bad!"

Chen Yang affirmed.

"This is the new task I'm giving you all—to explore famous mountains and rivers, especially those near our Qingwei Sect's territory or areas you're familiar with. Pay close attention and search for any possible traces of immortals or secret realms!"

His gaze swept over the eager crowd.

"Once you make a discovery, immediately notify your fellow disciples and gather your forces to explore. If you encounter any difficult-to-break restrictive formations, you can notify me, and I will go and take a look myself."

However, if you are capable of handling it yourselves, you might as well give it a try; it's a valuable learning opportunity. The risks and rewards must be weighed, with safety as the top priority.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhengguo immediately clasped his hands in greeting.

"Don't worry, Sect Leader! Leave this to me! I need to go out for training anyway, so I'll make patrolling the surrounding area and searching for traces of immortals my daily task!"

Liu Yu also spoke in a cool and aloof tone.

"If I have free time, I will also keep an eye out."

"And I!"

"Count me in!"

"I am coming too!"

The other cultivators and stronger disciples also responded enthusiastically. Exploring unknown immortal traces and seeking opportunities holds a natural attraction for cultivators.

Chen Yang smiled.

"Good! It's good that everyone has this intention. Remember, safety first, and do what you can. If we can discover a few more immortal traces, even if they are not large in scale, the accumulated resources inside will be enough for our disciples to use for a long time. This will greatly benefit the relief of the sect's resource pressure."

"Yes!"

Everyone responded in unison, and many were already considering where to go first. (End of Chapter)