Having concluded his transaction with Han Li, the elder surnamed Ye mounted his magical treasure and bore the young man toward the council hall to report back to Yellow Maple Valley's Sect Master, Zhong Lingdao.
Moments later, Han Li stood before the colossal stone edifice rising dozens of meters high, observing with curiosity the several Yellow Maple Valley disciples stationed at the entrance. Their cultivation was far deeper than his own—each at least at the tenth layer of the basic techniques. This realization prompted a silent whistle of admiration; his estimation of the sect's strength had risen considerably.
When the elder Ye and Junior Brother Wang had first brought him here, the elder had instructed Han Li to wait outside the hall for the Sect Master's summons, then entered alone. This had left Han Li standing awkwardly by himself outside the gates—a situation that prompted no small amount of silent complaint.
Fortunately, after a brief interval, a white-robed man of middle years emerged from within. He approached Han Li directly and spoke in a cold tone: "Follow me. The Sect Master summons you."
Without waiting for a response, the man turned and walked back inside. Han Li permitted himself a rueful smile—it was plain that a Qi Refining cultivator at the ninth layer was beneath the man's notice, not worth a single word more than necessary.
Though inwardly displeased, Han Li knew his own weight in this place. He followed obediently and entered the great hall.
He passed through three successive gates, each guarded by disciples, before finally laying eyes upon Yellow Maple Valley's Sect Master—Zhong Lingdao, a middle-aged man with three flowing whiskers.
Along both sides of the hall sat a dozen or more figures in varied attire. As Han Li entered, they glanced at him briefly; finding nothing remarkable about his appearance, they lost interest and turned their gaze away. The elder Ye and Junior Brother Wang were among them.
"Your name is Han Li, is it not?" Zhong Lingdao inquired in serene tones.
"Indeed—this disciple is Han Li. Greetings to the Sect Master!" Han Li stepped forward with an air of earnest respect, preparing to perform a full ceremonial bow.
"There is no need for such formality. Since you have brought the Ascension Token here, I shall honor the covenant established by our predecessors and admit you as a disciple." Zhong Lingdao smiled with a warmth reminiscent of a spring breeze and made a gentle, sweeping gesture with his sleeve.
Han Li felt an invisible, gentle force supporting his chest as he attempted to bow—his body could not descend further. A start of surprise ran through him, and his respect for this Sect Master deepened considerably.
"In principle, you are entitled not only to join the sect but also to receive a Foundation Establishment Pill. However, before we proceed, I am told by Brother Ye that you have relinquished this pill, yielding it to another. Is this correct?" Zhong Lingdao dispensed with preamble and stated the purpose of the summons directly.
"That is correct, Sect Master. This disciple recognizes his inferior aptitude—consuming a Foundation Establishment Pill would be an extravagant waste. It would be better to offer such a precious medicine to a senior brother with greater need."
Even as these words left his lips, Han Li felt a sharp pang of loss. This was a Foundation Establishment Pill—not one of the commonplace pills he could consume like snacks! Such a pill, if introduced into the cultivation world, would provoke a storm of bloodshed! And though he possessed the mysterious little bottle as his safeguard, Han Li had scant confidence he could successfully replicate a pill as rare as this one. The words he spoke were a bitter exercise in self-restraint.
Despite his inner turmoil, Han Li's outward bearing remained perfectly respectful and obedient—a performance that satisfied the majority of those present in the hall.
"Good. Han Li—such magnanimity from you brings this Sect Master considerable comfort. But take heart: I will not allow you to make this sacrifice without compensation." With these words, Zhong Lingdao turned his attention to the elder Ye.
"Brother Ye! The Foundation Establishment Pill yielded by Young Friend Han Li shall be administered to your grandnephew. But you must compensate Young Friend Han Li for his loss adequately—ensure that he is satisfied." Zhong Lingdao's tone was solemn.
"Ha ha! Sect Master, rest assured—your nephew will see that Nephew Han is entirely satisfied!" The elder, seeing the matter concluded exactly as he had envisioned, could not contain his elation and responded with repeated assurances.
Zhong Lingdao observed the elder's evident pleasure, stroked one of his long whiskers, and offered a slight smile. The resolution of this difficulty—so smoothly, so amicably—had lifted a weight from his shoulders as well.
"The matter of the Foundation Establishment Pill is settled. From this day forward, Young Friend Han Li is a disciple of our sect. Junior Brother Wang—arrange lodging for Nephew Han. Instruct him in the valley's rules, and assign him to train with the teaching disciples. Should he demonstrate exceptional ability, he will be promoted accordingly." Zhong Lingdao's instructions were meticulous and left no room for ambiguity.
"As you command, Sect Master!" Junior Brother Wang rose to his feet and accepted the order.
The junior brother immediately led Han Li from the hall, beginning to explain the valley's regulations and impart general knowledge as they walked. Han Li listened with rapt attention, absorbing what he could of Yellow Maple Valley.
Yellow Maple Valley numbered over ten thousand disciples in total. More than ninety percent were at the Qi Refining stage; only several hundred had attained Foundation Establishment. It was this latter group that constituted the valley's true backbone.
Above them stood a mere handful of Core Formation masters—the most formidable cultivators within the sect. They spent virtually the entire year in seclusion, involving themselves in the valley's affairs only in matters pertaining to its survival. Even Sect Master Zhong himself could rarely gain an audience with them.
As for the sole Nascent Soul cultivator within the valley—this was a granduncle of Zhong Lingdao and his generation. Said to have reached the venerable age of over nine hundred, his cultivation was fathomless, his techniques transcendent. He could project his Nascent Soul beyond his body and traverse ten thousand miles in spirit—a living, breathing immortal walking the earth. But this venerable elder had long since departed the valley, traveling through other kingdoms, and none could say when he might return.
Given the valley's vast numbers, not every disciple could receive a Foundation Establishment Pill. Only the most outstanding—those with the finest aptitude—were granted this privilege.
Every ten years, all disciples under the age of thirty underwent a series of selections. The intensity of competition rivaled the Ascension Assembly itself. Generally, only those who had advanced their basic techniques to the eleventh or even twelfth layer—true prodigies of cultivation—emerged victorious and earned the right to take a Foundation Establishment Pill.
Even among these hundreds of handpicked disciples, after consuming the pill, only twenty or thirty successfully crossed the threshold into Foundation Establishment. The remainder improved their magical power marginally, advancing their basic techniques to the summit—but remained trapped at the Qi Refining stage.
Thus, the disciples of the valley naturally stratified into three tiers.
At the lowest were those who had never taken a Foundation Establishment Pill. They constituted the majority, possessing the shallowest cultivation. They performed the most labor, had the least time for training, and occupied the lowest rung of the hierarchy—despite bearing the grand-sounding title of "Attendant Disciples."
Slightly above them stood those who had consumed the pill but failed to break through to Foundation Establishment. Their basic techniques had reached the peak, their magical power far exceeding that of the Attendant Disciples. Some could even execute simple intermediate-level techniques. They assumed responsibility for supervising and managing the numerous Attendant Disciples—known as "Leading Disciples."
At the summit, enjoying the finest treatment, were those who had achieved Foundation Establishment. These favored children of heaven were cultivators in the truest sense—practitioners who had set foot upon the immortal path.
Upon succeeding in Foundation Establishment, they were permitted to claim a site rich in spiritual energy somewhere within the entire Taiyue Mountain Range, establish their own cave dwelling, and cultivate independently. They bore no labor obligations and dedicated themselves solely to cultivation. Each year they received allocations of rare materials and abundant spirit stones to accelerate their progress. Their sole duty was to lend their strength when the sect faced grave threats—to disobey was unthinkable.
Beyond these disciples, the valley's true authority rested in the hands of various officers who governed internal affairs.
These officers emerged from among disciples who, having reached Foundation Establishment and trained for some years, recognized that Core Formation lay beyond their grasp. They voluntarily abandoned further cultivation and assumed responsibility for the valley's administrative functions. The elder Ye and the dozen or more figures seated in the council hall were all such officers.
Strictly speaking, Sect Master Zhong Lingdao himself was merely the senior officer—his responsibility was the overall planning and coordination of the entire sect. He was, in essence, the officers' officer.
Ultimately, it was the Core Formation cultivators and above—those who involved themselves in no worldly affairs—who determined the sect's fate. It was their existence that deterred hostile forces from coming to bully them, allowing Yellow Maple Valley to endure as one of the seven great sects. Without them, the valley would have been annihilated countless times by powerful demonic cultivators long ago.
Of course, these details had not come directly from Junior Brother Wang's lips. Han Li had gleaned them from the man's words and from careful inference, piecing together a clear picture of his circumstances.
This knowledge gave Han Li a precise understanding of his environment and standing within it—a foundation that would prove invaluable in his dealings with fellow disciples in the days to come.