Chapter 177: Chapter 164: The Situation in Bixia Sect

「Three days later.」

In the early morning, a sharp-featured, middle-aged man in a Profound Daoist Robe appeared silently before 210 Cave Mansion of the Xin Character. His aura was as still as a deep pool, his steps were silent, and with a gentle flick of his sleeve, he lightly knocked on the door.

When Lu Zhao heard the knock, the Array Light Curtain over the cave mansion parted silently like a curtain of water. The heavy stone door slid silently aside, revealing the light and shadows within the entrance.

Lu Zhao’s figure appeared at the entrance, his gaze falling on the uninvited guest. Just as he was about to speak, the visitor spoke first.

"Junior Brother Lu, congratulations on successfully reaching Foundation Establishment, officially becoming one of us, and entering the Inner Sect." The middle-aged man took a step forward, a gentle smile on his lips as he clasped his hands and spoke in a clear voice.

His voice wasn’t loud, but it was clear and powerful. "I am Chen Chumo. By order of the Sect, I am here to preside over your ceremony to pay respects to the Ancestors."

Lu Zhao understood. This was not just the Sect’s routine procedure for a new Foundation Establishment Cultivator, but the official declaration of his change in status. He returned the salute calmly, his voice even. "I’ll be troubling you, Brother Chen."

Chen Chumo nodded slightly and continued, "After the ceremony is complete and you have received your Daoist title, I will explain in detail the various benefits and responsibilities the Sect provides for us Inner Sect Stewards, as well as... the general situation in the surrounding countries. It’s best that you have a clear understanding of these things."

"Thank you for your thoroughness, Brother Chen," Lu Zhao replied with a nod.

At Lu Zhao’s words, the smile on Chen Chumo’s face seemed to grow a little more genuine. He waved his hand. "There’s no need to be so polite, Junior Brother." He then changed the subject. "Speaking of which, while this is our first meeting, we are not entirely without a connection. My unworthy disciple, Wang Ping, is acquainted with you, I believe? He often mentions your calm maturity and how you handle matters with propriety. Seeing you today, I can tell your reputation is well-deserved." As he spoke, he subtly took a step closer.

A flicker of surprise crossed Lu Zhao’s eyes, followed by dawning realization. A genuine smile appeared on his face as well. "So it’s Wang... uh..." He trailed off, the words catching in his throat. According to the hierarchy of Cultivation, he, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, should be addressed as "Martial Uncle" by Wang Ping, who was still in the Qi Cultivation Stage. However, Wang Ping had treated him well, and Lu Zhao didn’t want to become arrogant immediately after his promotion and demand the title. Yet Chen Chumo was Wang Ping’s master, and Lu Zhao was now his peer. The proper form of address was suddenly a bit of a headache.

But Chen Chumo was far too experienced. He immediately broke into a hearty laugh, the sound shattering the silence and dispelling Lu Zhao’s slight embarrassment. "It’s no problem at all! Among us Cultivators, accomplishment is what matters. We can just stick to our own ways of addressing each other. As for that boy, Wang Ping, just call him by his name. There’s certainly no need to stand on ceremony in front of me."

Lu Zhao laughed along, his tone relaxing. "You’re right, Brother Chen. Wang Ping is a straightforward and righteous man; he helped me out quite a bit in the Sect." The exchange imperceptibly brought the two closer, and the initially cold, formal atmosphere at the entrance to the cave mansion began to thaw.

After the brief pleasantries, Lu Zhao looked at Chen Chumo and asked, his tone inquisitive, "Brother Chen, where will this ceremony to pay respects to the Ancestors take place? In all my years since joining the Sect, I have been preoccupied with Outer Sect affairs and my own cultivation. I don’t recall ever hearing of a grand hall dedicated to such rites."

Chen Chumo stroked his short beard and explained, "You usually frequent the General Affairs Hall and the Outer Mountain Area, Junior Brother, so it’s natural you wouldn’t know. The Ancestral Hall is in the Inner Mountain, one of the Sect’s most vital locations. Ordinary Outer Disciples and Outer Sect Stewards can’t even find the entrance without a recommendation or a summons, let alone get inside."

"Inner Mountain?" Lu Zhao keenly seized on the unfamiliar term. "The Sect is divided into an Outer and Inner Mountain? And the Ancestral Hall is...?"

"That’s right," Chen Chumo nodded, his gaze drifting toward the mountain ranges deeper in. "This inner-outer distinction is information that circulates mainly among Foundation Establishment Cultivators. We typically call the Core Area, the one nourished by the Sect’s central Tier Three High-Grade Spirit Vein, the Inner Mountain."

"The Spiritual Qi there is the purest and most concentrated in the entire Sect; it’s where our true foundation lies. The Sect’s rare spiritual beasts and herbs, the cave mansions of High-Tier Cultivators, and our core legacy scriptures are all located within. The Ancestral Hall is situated on the periphery of the Inner Mountain. As for the Outer Mountain," he said, gesturing to the broad valley they were in, "that includes the vast peripheral territories, such as the residences for Outer Sect Stewards, the various halls and pavilions, and the outlying Spirit Fields and ore veins. In short, everything that isn’t the Inner Mountain is considered the Outer Mountain."

Lu Zhao understood now. He had a deeper awareness of the Bixia Sect’s hierarchical structure, and that invisible boundary felt much more distinct. He then asked, "So, after I pay my respects to the Ancestors, will the new cave mansion I’m assigned be in the Spiritual Qi-rich Inner Mountain as well?"

A knowing smile touched Chen Chumo’s lips, one that held the wisdom of experience. "That will depend on your own deliberation, Junior Brother. The Sect has a sufficient number of Tier Two Cave Mansions prepared for Inner Sect Stewards in both the Inner and Outer Mountain areas. And actually... among those of us promoted from Outer Sect Steward, quite a few choose to settle in the Outer Mountain."

Lu Zhao keenly perceived the unspoken implication in Chen Chumo’s words. "Oh? Why is that? Could it be..." He asked bluntly, his gaze as placid as a deep pond fixed on Chen Chumo. "That our fellow sect members from the Inner Mountain... don’t get along with us? That they look down on us?"

Chen Chumo sighed softly, a sound that seemed to carry the weight of the Sect’s chronic problems. His tone was resigned. "I wouldn’t say they look down on us, not really. It mainly comes down to two words: ’Cultivation Resources.’ Now that you’ve reached Foundation Establishment, Junior Brother, you must know how precious and scarce Tier Two resources are. The Sect may be large, but even with thousands of years of accumulated wealth, it’s far from enough for every Foundation Establishment Cultivator."

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