Chapter 5, My Disciples

The concept of making money and earning spirit stones is almost ingrained in the very essence of the five sects, yet success and failure both hinge on the marketplace

The Floating Cloud Sect has its own industries and shares in each of the markets.

Alternatively, one could simply arrange to serve as a protector in the secular enterprises of the Floating Cloud Sect, ensuring that in old age and frailty, there would still be the most basic living security provided by the sect

Firstly, the terrain of Qin Ge County is generally flat; although there are mountains, they are not steep enough. After losing the protective barrier of the mountain formation, thousands or even tens of thousands of mortals can surge forward all at once, leaving no room for buffer.

It is sadly said that Jiang Mu, in his previous life, went through many hardships before realizing that his eldest disciple actually possessed great talent for leadership

However, even such disciples will still be granted a quota to recommend their descendants to join the Floating Cloud Sect

Speaking of which, this is also the point that Jiang Mu is most proud of. In his previous life, he was honest and earnest, diligent and hardworking, and when selecting disciples, he prioritized those who were loyal and down-to-earth.

Of course, it is also possible that there are those foolish individuals who stubbornly insist on staying at the gates of the Floating Cloud Sect to continue their cultivation. That is not impossible, as the sect does not lack for your presence. However, the cultivation resources will be reduced by two-thirds, and you will be required to take on various menial tasks within the sect.

At a critical moment, the five sects of Qinge County were embroiled in internal strife, unable to maintain order. A massacre ensued, and it spiraled out of control.

Silently vowing to dispel the endless sorrow, Jiang Mu then spoke in a deep voice: "The reason I have summoned you here today is that I have decided to make some adjustments to the sect structure of the Floating Cloud Sect, based on the premise of not violating the ancestral rules of the sect. After all, I am getting old, and there are some matters that I can no longer manage.

Master Yao Cheng also took on disciples, and over the course of several hundred years, he had at least two hundred disciples. However, apart from those who died of old age, those who met untimely deaths, those whose bodies were never found, and those who have disappeared without a trace, essentially none remain at the mountain gate.

Steeling himself, Jiang Mu first glanced at the ten little ones standing at the back. Ten years later, five of them had died in the battle at the mountain gate, while the other five had escaped with him. After their journey through Wugong County, only the last female disciple remained. The two of them relied on each other, hiding and fleeing for decades

How tragic it is

In this lifetime, you and I may not have the fate of husband and wife, but as your teacher, I will surely protect your peace for a lifetime

Thirdly, the commercial mindset is overly pronounced. Before the arrival of the Lingqi Tide, Qinge County had four major markets, renowned far and wide, attracting many cultivators from distant regions who were willing to travel great distances to visit.

After speaking, Jiang Mu turned to his eldest disciple, Liu Tiezhu. He was the first disciple he was qualified to accept after becoming a master, an orphan he had picked up during his travels. Now, Liu Tiezhu had already reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment and should have left the sect thirty years ago, yet he chose to remain in the sect, staying by his side.

Eight months later, Master Brother Yao Cheng passed away, and only five disciples returned to mourn his death

After the surge of spiritual energy, an overwhelming number of cultivators from outside regions flooded into Qingge County. Initially, they merely sought to sell goods in exchange for spirit stones, but when they found it impossible to do so, they resorted to robbery instead

The other four dominant sects are the Tieshan Sect, the Mingshan Sect, the Qiushan Sect, and the Donghu Mountain Villa

If one is unable to even establish a foundation, they are generally dismissed to return to the mountains, to go home and farm, or to work as a bodyguard in a mundane escort agency, or to guard a home, which can be considered as having acquired a skill.

Those with the potential to advance to the Golden Core stage will be accepted as direct disciples. Of course, if the disciples are unwilling, they may leave the sect, but this is quite rare

However, although the core disciples of the Tieshan Sect, Mingshan Sect, and Qiushan Sect are relatively numerous, and have even resorted to despicable acts such as ambushing their neighbors, they are clearly unable to sustain a two-front battle

Disciples who have successfully established their foundation but do not have the potential to advance to the Golden Core can leave the mountain and venture into the mortal world. This situation can be divided into two types: those who do not wish to have any entanglements with their sect will simply fend for themselves.

Reestablish the Deacon Hall, with three deacons appointed at the mountain gate, selected for their management skills, proficiency in mining and construction, and those capable of temple calculations may enter.

In the main hall of the Floating Cloud Sect, Yun Shen Hall, Jiang Mu sat at the highest position. The rosy glow of the setting sun streamed through the gaps in the doors and windows, forming straight beams of light that resembled sword qi piercing through the air, scattering the dust of the world in a flurry. Despite the great commotion, for the dust, it was merely a change in the way of existence.

When Jiang Mu came to his senses and looked at the familiar faces, he felt an even deeper sense of nostalgia in his heart

Disciples pay their respects to the Master

With such rules in place, generation after generation, although the Floating Cloud Sect may not be well-known in the realm of immortality, it has established a widespread network of connections in Qin Ge County, firmly positioning itself as one of the five dominant powers in the region.

Secondly, the core disciples of the five sects in Qinge County are quite few. At the time of the incident, there were only about twenty to thirty cats, both big and small, in the Floating Cloud Sect's mountain gate. When they saw thousands upon thousands of mortals rushing over, a dark mass wielding pitchforks and sickles, stabbing and hacking chaotically, and lacking sufficient spiritual energy for replenishment, it was truly a state of emptiness

In the hall, there are twenty-five disciples of the Floating Cloud Sect, among whom five are direct disciples of Jiang Mu, ten are named disciples, and the last ten are newly accepted named disciples, all of whom are seven-year-old children

Those who wish to rely on the great tree of the sect must contribute 10 spirit stones to the sect each year, and in the event of any issues, the sect will do its utmost to assist in resolving them

These five sects of cultivation have essentially monopolized Qin Ge County, so it is not without reason that that wretched Ji Yao intends to establish the Floating Cloud Villa in Wu Gong County

At this point, Jiang Mu coughed twice. In the afterglow of the setting sun, his complexion grew increasingly pale, making it particularly evident that he appeared somewhat weak

Upon witnessing this scene, even several astonished direct disciples were too preoccupied to think further, their faces filled with concern

This female disciple ultimately married him and bore him three children, but unexpectedly, in the end, they all met a tragic fate, and the entire family perished.

According to the longstanding rules of the Floating Cloud Sect, disciples are accepted once every ten years, with the criteria for acceptance being children aged between seven and ten years old.

Clearing his throat, Jiang Mu continued: "I have decided to establish a Law Protection Hall in addition to the Sect Leader and the Sect Elders, which will include three guardians at the mountain gate, selected from among those with strong combat abilities."

However, Jiang Mu was indeed not skilled in combat in his previous life. Despite being at the early stage of the Golden Core realm, he had never fought for his life against anyone. Among his peers, his second senior brother, Xu Yi, was reputed to be able to easily defeat him ten times over.

As for Donghu Mountain Villa, it is entirely composed of women from top to bottom, and women...

In addition, the relationships among brothers and sisters in the same profession are also quite good

In summary, there are three main reasons.

Jiang Mu was deeply preoccupied in the upper seat, while the disciples in the lower seat patiently waited. Only the ten new young students who had arrived this year were curiously looking around.

Every ten years, the disciples leave the mountain, feeling a deep sense of reluctance. Many disciples travel down the mountain to explore the world or establish their own paths, and they often return to the mountain to visit him

Finally, the establishment of the Experience Hall, which will have three guardians selected based on their strong combat abilities and rich experience in descending the mountain for training. Their primary responsibilities will be to guide the disciples of the sect during their training excursions, serve as protectors, and supervise the sect's enterprises in various locations in the mortal world

Unfortunately, in the previous life, none of the five overlords of Qin Ge County were able to survive for more than half a year after the outbreak of the spiritual energy tide.

Over the course of more than a decade, the Qin Ge County, which originally had millions of mortals, now has only a few survivors, with bones exposed in the wilderness and a thousand miles devoid of human presence

In the year following the apprenticeship, the disciples accepted in the previous round can be assigned.

On weekdays, Liu Tiezhu has a gentle and steady personality, treating others with sincerity and openness. He is meticulous and decisive in his work, and he is strict with both himself and others. However, he possesses even more courage to take decisive action than his mentor, Jiang Mu.

On the contrary, Jiang Mu's disciples share a deep bond with him. After all, whether in cultivation or other matters such as mining, farming, and iron smelting, Jiang Mu has always taken the lead, working alongside everyone.

Ten years later, the Tieshan Sect incited thousands of mortals to besiege the mountain gate. It was Liu Tiezhu, Jiang Mu's eldest disciple, who stepped forward, along with his fellow brothers, to create an opportunity for Jiang Mu and the other six to escape. Although this action now seems to Jiang Mu to be a great loss of face and unworthy of a teacher