I, Who Hate Marine So Much, Have Become A Future Nika?

Chapter 87: The Five Elements in Harmony

Because they have the right of inheritance, becoming a prestigious mountain lord or island lord within the sect, there is a saying that inner disciples and family heirs have the same status.

Of course, inheriting a mountain peak or island is not an easy task.

The major mountain lords and island lords do not only accept one disciple.

For medium-sized and larger mountain peaks and islands, there is more than one Gold Core disciple. When the mountain lord steps down, those Gold Core disciples and their disciples also have the right of inheritance.

It is difficult for inner disciples to become mountain lords, and the same goes for family heirs.

They not only have to compete with members within the family, but also meet certain conditions in order to become mountain lords.

Moreover, becoming a mountain lord is not the end of everything.

In order to encourage competition and prevent the position of mountain lord from becoming hereditary and causing the sect's foundation to decay, the Cloud Firmament Sect holds a grand competition among the peaks every few years.

The competition has four levels: excellent, good, average, and poor.

If one continuously receives poor rankings, the mountain peak will be demoted.

This is a terrifying thing. Demotion of a mountain peak is not only a loss of reputation, but also substantial punishment.

Various benefits and rights will be weakened.

The Cloud Firmament Main Hall, one of the Three Halls, controls all the spiritual veins within the Cloud Firmament Sect and can adjust them through the Heavenly Array.

When a mountain peak is demoted, its spiritual veins will be taken away and distributed to the remaining mountain peaks.

Without the crucial spiritual veins, the Spirit Field of the mountain peak or island will be abandoned, and the cultivation efficiency of cultivators on the mountain peak will also decrease.

If one is expelled from the bottom eight hundred peaks, the situation becomes even more terrifying.

The expelled mountain lord or family will be ordered to move away from the mountain peak and become a vassal of another mountain peak.

Such severe punishment forces the major mountain lords and island lords to constantly improve, which also keeps the overall strength of the Cloud Firmament Sect in a state of continuous growth.

This is also the reason why major families want to recruit ordinary cultivators.

If they don't recruit, they can indeed ensure that their bloodline heirs firmly hold the position of mountain lord. However, once the strength of the bloodline heirs is insufficient, their foundation will be lost.

Without a foundation, the family will naturally cease to exist.

Also, because the grand competition assesses not only strength but also contributions and the ability to teach disciples, the major mountain lords attach great importance to recruiting disciples.

...

Becoming a mountain lord is difficult, but in the sect, it is only difficult. The opportunity is the same.

However, in the family sect, outsiders like Zhong Cang no longer have a chance. It is not a matter of few opportunities, but rather that there is simply no possibility of becoming a mountain lord.

Therefore, he doesn't even consider the choice.

After deciding not to join a family sect, Zhong Cang naturally wants to return the gifts they gave him.

Although he really likes the essence of the earth, which is very useful to him, his resolute heart allows him to tolerate such small temptations.

However, Zhong Cang wanted to return the gifts, but his uncle, Zhong Kangping, had a different opinion.

"You should accept these gifts."

"???"

"Why? Weren't you also against me joining the family faction?"

"Cough cough..."

The straightforward response made Zhong Kang cough, and then he explained to Zhong Cang.

"Accepting a small gift from the family faction does not mean joining the cultivation family. It can also be seen as building a good relationship with the cultivation family. Large cultivation families don't mind receiving small gifts to make the disciples of the faction have a favorable impression of them."

"And the disciples of the faction are also divided into two parts. One is firmly against the cultivation family and vows to eradicate them from the Cloud Firmament Sect. The other thinks that the existence of cultivation families is not a problem as long as they don't dominate the sect."

"The former acts extremely radical, and the struggle with the cultivation family is also very fierce."

"I don't want you to get involved in this battle. It's too dangerous there, and our family is small and can't afford it."

Zhong Cang agreed with these words.

Being involved in factional struggles at this point in his life would indeed be asking for trouble.

Therefore, Zhong Cang knew that even if it was just for show, he had to accept this gift.

...

The essence of the earth was a pleasant surprise for Zhong Cang.

And then, something even more exciting happened.

The next day, people continued to visit Zhong Cang, and on this day, he received another treasure from the Tan family, a jar of hundred-year Tiger Spirit Wine.

This thing was a specialty of the Tan family, a good-tasting drink that could also enhance one's physique, just like the essence of the earth.

Tigers strengthen bones, and Zhong Cang had a premonition that he would definitely awaken the Tiger's Spirit Melody in his Five Beasts Infusion Technique after drinking this jar of Tiger Spirit Wine.

"Tiger, deer, ape, turtle, fish, these are the five beast melodies I need to awaken."

"Among them, I have already awakened the deer and fish. The essence of the earth and the Tiger Spirit Wine can help me awaken the tiger and turtle. That means I only have the ape form left to awaken."

Thinking of this, Zhong Cang's mood became excited.

He looked forward to obtaining another fire-type treasure and completing the Five Beasts Infusion Technique.

At that time, he would possess all five elements (beasts) and his strength would greatly increase.

At the same time, the consecutive acquisition of treasures also made Zhong Cang truly feel the importance of status and strength.

Without strength, he wouldn't even have the means to buy these spiritual items.

With progress in strength and an increase in status (he had already confirmed his identity as an inner disciple), rare spiritual items were sent to him just to please him, without Zhong Cang having to collect them himself.

Although treasures at the Qi Refining Stage were only considered precious by low-ranking disciples like Zhong Cang, large clans could produce them in large quantities.

But this still proved the importance of strength and status, with strength being the most important.

...

After a moment of emotion, because he was looking forward to obtaining a fire-type treasure and completing the Five Beasts Infusion Technique, Zhong Cang didn't find all the tedious hospitality that followed completely annoying.

Unfortunately, good luck did not come to him.

Until the end, although he obtained some things, he did not receive the perfectly timed gift of a fire-type treasure.

On the evening of the third day, seeing that the time was up and no one else was coming, Zhong Cang sighed, knowing that he would inevitably be missing one of the five elements for the time being.

However, just when Zhong Cang thought he would definitely be missing one of the five elements, Yan Lingwei arrived at his house in a black robe.

Seeing Zhong Cang, Yan Lingwei circled around him several times before speaking with a chuckle.

"Hehe, to be ranked fifteenth in the selection, Zhong Cang, you have given this lady a big surprise."

(End of this chapter)