Chapter 37: Quotas for the Factions, Early Nascent Soul

Perhaps everyone was busy preparing for the Abyss Secret Realm to open, for nothing major happened in the sect over the next twenty-odd days. Seven Stars Peak kept its formation active the whole time, and no one left.

Qin Xiao would rest for a while after each stretch of cultivation. Body Refinement was different from ordinary cultivation: he also had to temper his flesh. He could not just keep absorbing energy. He needed to take a beating.

During that time, Yun Man came out once, and Qin Xiao asked her to help him temper his body. After a thorough beating, he contentedly sent her back to cultivate.

Yun Man had reached the peak of Golden Core and come out for some fresh air before preparing to break through to Nascent Soul. She also gave Qin Xiao the food she had bought and the garment that was a Low Grade Spirit Weapon. All their purchases were with her, but she had forgotten about them while cultivating.

After his beating, Qin Xiao ate some food, changed into his self-cleaning spirit garment, and went back to cultivating.

Twenty-odd days passed peacefully in this way.

“Junior Brother Qin, open the door.”

Qin Xiao was relaxing in the courtyard when Lin Shimeng’s voice came from outside the door.

“Coming.”

After withdrawing the formation, Qin Xiao hurriedly opened the courtyard gate.

“What brings Senior Sister Lin to my Seven Stars Peak so early?”

Qin Xiao asked curiously.

“We need to assemble today. The Abyss Secret Realm will open tomorrow, so we have to go there early. That’s why I came to notify you.”

Lin Shimeng’s attitude was much better this time.

“Oh right, I forgot to keep track of days while cultivating. I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister Lin.”

Only then did Qin Xiao remember that after the Sect Competition, the Eighth Elder seemed to have mentioned something like this.

“By the way, Senior Sister, I’ve never been to the Abyss Secret Realm and don’t know anything about it. Could you tell me a little?”

Seven Stars Peak had been excluded from the Abyss Secret Realm trip three years earlier, so Qin Xiao knew nothing about the place.

“I came today precisely to tell you about this Abyss Secret Realm.”

Lin Shimeng knew Qin Xiao didn’t understand, which was why she came. Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping.com.

With Lin Shimeng’s explanation, Qin Xiao finally learned how the Abyss Secret Realm worked.

It turned out that there were three secret realms in Qingzhou: the Abyss Secret Realm, Spirit Medicine Valley, and Sword Tomb.

The Abyss Secret Realm was a public resource that automatically opened every three years, with no external interference possible. The Abyss Secret Realm had nine layers in total, with Qi Condensation corresponding to the first layer, Foundation Establishment corresponding to the second layer, Golden Core corresponding to the third layer, and so on in sequence.

After years of exploration, there was little of value left in the first two layers. The various factions therefore concentrated on the third and fourth.

As a unique secret realm, the Abyss Secret Realm naturally had restrictions: only those under fifty years of age could enter. Those over fifty could not enter the secret realm and would be repelled.

This meant that the later layers had almost never been visited. After all, with the fifty-year age restriction there, reaching the Nascent Soul stage before fifty was already extremely rare, let alone the Soul Formation stage.

A few exceptional geniuses had reached Soul Formation just before turning fifty, but even they could not stay on the fifth layer for long. The secret realm was full of dangers, and they might die there. From the fifth layer onward, it was almost entirely unexplored.

Because the secret realm’s resources were limited, various forces in Qingzhou limited the number of entrants.

They restricted the total number to one thousand people, then allocated quotas according to the strength of each force.

Although Tianyuan Sect was only a third-level sect on the continent as a whole, it ranked in the second tier within Qingzhou.

Qingzhou had no first-level sects and only one second-level sect, so a third-level sect still counted as a major force there.

In the allocation of places, Tianyuan City had fifty. Pure Yang Sect, Qingzhou’s first-tier power and a second-level sect, had one hundred.

Mysterious Yin Sect, a third-level sect like Tianyuan Sect, also had fifty places. It had protested this allocation several times, but to no avail.

Although Mysterious Yin Sect was a third-level sect, it was considerably stronger than Tianyuan Sect and not much weaker than Pure Yang Sect. Mysterious Yin Sect and Pure Yang Sect were rivals, so the former naturally objected. But with everyone else against it, it did not dare make an enemy of all Qingzhou.

Other factions and fourth-level sects received different allocations.

For example, the Immortal Dao Merchant Association, although not a sect, was a first-level force. Even its Qingzhou branch belonged to a second-level force, so naturally it also had one hundred slots.

Fourth-level sects and some main city lords had twenty slots each. The Heavenly Clothes Pavilion, as a fourth-level force, also had twenty slots.

Lords of smaller cities and smaller forces had only five slots each.

Even for these five slots, those small forces fought fiercely, because as long as they could find some cultivation techniques, spirit weapons, or spirit medicines within, they could bring significant improvements to their families or forces.

Even families or factions without talented disciples could affiliate themselves with larger powers and exchange their places for resources. This gave many stronger factions a reason to keep recruiting smaller followers.

However, no one dared to target city lords. These city lords were people assigned by the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty from Central Province, and they all belonged to the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty.

The Supreme Heavenly Dynasty stood above the sects. It had ample resources but stayed out of sect affairs, governing the entire secular world instead. Its cultivators practiced Providence Arts rather than ordinary cultivation techniques. Enjoying the story? Read on at novelping . com.

Even the lords of small cities received five places out of respect for the Supreme Heavenly Dynasty.

City lords had no fear of sects, even those far stronger than themselves. They had their own laws, which was why cultivators generally dared not fight in cities. Anyone who broke the law could be arrested by the city lord, and a sect could not force the lord to release them. Usually, however, both sides observed the social courtesies and knew how far to go.

“Of our sect’s fifty places, two went to Seven Stars Peak, since there are only two of you. The other six peaks have five each, and the Main Peak has eighteen.”

After introducing the Abyss Secret Realm, Lin Shimeng explained to Qin Xiao the distribution of sect personnel for this trip.

“Why does your Main Peak have so many people?”

Qin Xiao thought nothing of the other peaks each having five people, but the Main Peak actually had eighteen slots?

“The Main Peak has more than just my father’s disciples. It also has the Eighth, Ninth and Tenth Elders, as well as some other disciples. Averaged out, we have fewer places than the other five peaks. What are you complaining about? Even Seven Stars Peak’s two places came from our share.”

Lin Shimeng grew a little angry at Qin Xiao’s lack of appreciation. Her father had given up two places for him, yet instead of being grateful, he was questioning the arrangement.

“Senior Sister, don’t be angry. I just didn’t know and asked casually. How could I be dissatisfied when I’m grateful beyond words?”

Seeing that Lin Shimeng was about to lose her temper again, Qin Xiao hurried to explain.

“That’s more like it. We’ll assemble at the Sect Square at noon. If we fly continuously, we can arrive tomorrow morning. The secret realm will open in the afternoon. Don’t forget.”

Seeing Qin Xiao’s attitude was still acceptable, Lin Shimeng didn’t dwell on it. After clarifying matters, she turned and left.

“We need to assemble soon. I wonder how my disciple’s cultivation is going. With various forces gathering in the secret realm, there will probably be no shortage of conflicts.”

After seeing off Lin Shimeng, Qin Xiao planned to check on Yun Man.

“Master, I heard your conversation. I’ve finished cultivating and can leave whenever you’re ready.”

Before Qin Xiao could knock, Yun Man opened the door, speaking with a confident expression.

“Disciple, what cultivation level have you reached?”

Qin Xiao sensed that Yun Man was indeed somewhat different and quickly inquired.

Yun Man didn’t waste words and directly told Qin Xiao.

“I haven’t disappointed you, Master. I’ve successfully formed my Nascent Soul. I’m at early Nascent Soul now.”