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Chapter 90 Which sect doesn't accept disciples?

……

As the candlelight flickered, Xu Yuanqing seemed somewhat surprised after hearing the report. "He didn't go with you?"

"Yes." The cultivator standing on the other side of the desk was Su Qidong. "In order not to alert them, I did not continue to invite them. Later, I saw the two of them go to the small street again, and they even put away the Immortal Alliance jade token."

"This kid is probably the first one to reject you so bluntly," Xu Yuanqing said with a smile, stroking his beard.

Cultivators from other places who come to Chang'an are probably eager to integrate into the local cultivation community. Given such a good opportunity, there's naturally no reason for them to refuse.

As Chang'an City has grown to its current size, its entertainment venues for cultivators have reached their zenith. Whether it's fine wines from the Western Regions or beauties from all over the world, everything is available. Once you go there, you're bound to get drunk until you drop.

He could also take this opportunity to find out about the other party's background and the origin of that mysterious technique.

After all, places of pleasure are not the same as serious diplomatic occasions.

In this kind of environment, you can see the other person's true nature more clearly.

"Perhaps he had a female companion with him," Su Qidong guessed.

"Heh, is that a problem?" Xu Yuanqing chuckled and shook his head. "If the female companion is an ordinary person, then we can just send her back. If she is also a cultivator, why can't she go with us? Aren't there plenty of female cultivators who indulge in pleasure in the Firework Tower? This can only mean one thing: compared to simply seeking pleasure and climbing the social ladder with the Immortal Alliance, he has more important things to do right now."

After he finished speaking, he waved to Su Qidong and said, "You can leave now."

"Yes, I'll take my leave." The young cultivator bowed and left the study.

"What's the point of giving the jade token to the other party while secretly spying on them?" a slightly childish voice muttered.

The girl who was speaking was sitting on a velvet bench, and she did not shy away from Su Qidong's conversation with the governor.

Xu Yuanqing has two sons and two daughters, with Xu Xuanling being the youngest.

“Of course it’s meaningful,” he replied immediately. “Giving the jade token to that kid is a sign of the Immortal Alliance’s approval of him; keeping an eye on the token’s movements afterwards is my personal precaution. You should know how much damage he could cause in one night if he takes the jade token and goes around doing evil. No matter how much he is punished afterward, the prestige lost by the Immortal Alliance will not be so easy to make up for.”

Moreover, the Immortal Alliance is an organization, and organizations naturally cannot bear responsibility. If the matter is investigated later, the blame will most likely fall on the governor who issued the token.

Rather than trying to avoid this embarrassing situation, it's better to prevent it from happening in the first place.

"Is Father satisfied?" Xu Xuanling asked, pursing her lips.

"Quite satisfied," Xu Yuanqing said, stroking his beard. "His refusal to be tempted by pleasure shows his strong will; his lack of eagerness to curry favor with cultivators in the Immortal Alliance shows his lofty ambitions. What's even more commendable is that, as a cultivator raised in a foreign land, he bears no trace of barbarity, nor does he belittle ordinary people of far lower status than himself. Such qualities are rarely seen in the younger generation. Excellent!"

“I don’t think he’s approachable at all; he’s just used to hanging out with ordinary people.” Xu Xuanling swung her legs leisurely. “Didn’t Brother Su say that he later simply put away his jade pendant and went into the Southwest Ward? It’s dirty and chaotic there, with stinking water flowing in the streets. I really don’t know what’s so interesting about it.”

"Hmm...that's true." Xu Yuanqing didn't deny it. Cultivators should have a peaceful and impartial heart, as this is most beneficial for cultivation. But that doesn't mean cultivators should give extra care to commoners, let alone mingle with them all day long. Since they have already transcended the mundane, their aesthetics, taste, and style should also keep up.

“But these are minor issues. After all, Chen Xuan once wandered in foreign lands. As long as he has a good character and has mastered profound magic, he is worth the Immortal Alliance’s efforts to win him over.” Xu Yuanqing paused, looking at his daughter with amusement. “Besides, don’t you always think you have extraordinary talent? You sensed Qi at ten and could cast spells at eleven, but even in foreign lands, there are people who are in no way inferior to you.”

“That’s not necessarily true. Father, you said it yourself, he’s at least in his twenties, while I’m only twelve. What’s so strange about a difference in spiritual energy?” Xu Xuanling retorted.

“Spiritual energy isn’t like hair, which grows longer with age. I’ve seen plenty of people who sense spiritual energy at twenty and are still stuck in the same place at forty. Besides, the difference in spiritual energy I’m talking about isn’t simply the amount, but that kid’s spiritual energy is as solid as a galaxy, something even I can’t match.”

"What kind of father are you, always putting his daughter down?" Xu Xuanling pouted. "In that case, I'll just go and join Chen Xuan's sect!"

Xu Yuanqing paused for a moment, then stroked his chin and said, "It doesn't seem like it's impossible."

"Hey, I don't need to enter the Ascension Platform anymore?" Now it was Xu Xuanling's turn to be surprised.

"The things taught at Dengxiantai are nothing more than the same few things, and I can teach you all of them. Besides, whether it's Dengxiantai or Yantianlou, their current status is entirely due to the fact that the sect occupies some of the best resources in the Qinling Mountains. If the news brought by the French delegation is true, then the resources in the sect's hands will not be as precious as they are now."

Cultivators improve their level mainly through elixirs, meditation, and demon slaying. Regardless of the method, they all essentially absorb spiritual energy from the outside world, with demon slaying being the most efficient. For example, the Ascension Platform occupies a Sumeru Mustard Seed Cave Heaven in Qinghua Mountain, where demons frequently appear. If one survives a visit there, it is highly beneficial to one's cultivation.

According to the female messenger, the seas of France and England are teeming with monsters, so many that they are beyond counting. Isn't that far superior to the Sumeru Mustard Seed Cave Heaven?
Even as an elder, he couldn't just enter the cave whenever he wanted.

Firstly, there are many members in the sect, and many people are vying for the qualification to enter the treasure land. There is more than one elder in the sect, and the elders also have to take care of the disciples below them.

Secondly, if too many people enter the treasure land, the cave will mutate, becoming chaotic and attracting extremely powerful demons. At that point, forget about slaying demons and absorbing energy; it would be a miracle if cultivators could even escape alive.

“What Father said seems to make some sense…” Xu Xuanling said thoughtfully.

Xu Yuanqing was amused by his daughter's expression. "When have I ever been unreasonable? Of course... the choice is yours."

"Then I won't go to Dengsentai."

"You've made a decision so quickly?"

“Didn’t Father say that you can teach me what the Ascension Platform Sect teaches, and that I won’t have access to the sect’s resources for several years? So what’s there to hesitate about? I also want to see just how advanced the mysterious methods Father speaks of really are,” Xu Xuanling replied earnestly.

She's a simple person, Xu Yuanqing thought to himself.

Of the four children, Xu Xuanling showed the greatest interest in cultivation. Even before she had awakened her ability to sense qi, she had already begun to imitate her brother's meditation and cultivation, and diligently practiced swordsmanship. This may be where her true talent lay.

Thinking of this, Xu Yuanqing became interested. He picked up the wine gourd on the table, took a long sip, and said to his youngest daughter, "Alright, then you can go and experience it for yourself. But let me make this clear from the start: your father won't help you. If you want to join a sect, it's all up to your own ability. Is that alright?"

“Of course,” Xu Xuanling said confidently. “If even I can’t join the sect, then he definitely won’t be able to recruit a single disciple!”

(End of this chapter)