Bamboo Mound

Noticing the key points in Xiao Li's words, Ning Chang asked again, "Can disciples within the sect also issue missions?"

"Yes, at the reception desk directly ahead, everyone in the sect can assign tasks as they see fit. The sect doesn't force you to pay, but if you add personal compensation, your task will be selected more quickly."

Ning Chang wandered around and saw that the reception area was also crowded with people. Not wanting to force his way in to show off, he found the stairs leading upstairs and planned to go to the second floor to take a look.

When we got to the second floor, we found that there weren't as many people as we had imagined.

The second-floor hall is only half the size of the first floor, and it is surrounded by windows, with a disciple in each window responsible for receiving guests.

Looking around, I realized that less than half of the windows were in use!

Xiao Li's voice rang out at the right time: "The main purpose of the second floor is to allow disciples to exchange their contribution points for the resources they need, but the contribution points required for the exchange are often dozens, so there will be far fewer people."

Ning Chang walked to an empty window, and the disciple inside immediately stood up, smiling as he asked, "Junior brother, are you here to exchange for resources?"

He shook his head and said, "No, I'm here to find out how many contribution points are needed to exchange for various resources."

A hint of impatience flashed in the disciple's eyes, but upon seeing the flame pattern on Ning Chang's chest, he instantly lost his temper.

He turned around and took out a piece of scrap paper: "These are the commonly used resource exchange prices, and the numbers after the materials are the contribution points required."

"As for anything not written down, you can ask me questions and I will answer them for you."

Ning Chang looked at the paper carefully; it was densely covered with various items and their corresponding contribution points.

"Spirit Gathering Pill, 5; Low-grade Spirit Stone, 20; Mid-grade Spirit Stone, 2000; Low-grade Fire Attribute Spirit Stone, 50..."

He noticed that some advanced cultivation techniques required thousands of contribution points, while some precious medicinal herbs required hundreds of points.

Suddenly, something occurred to him, and he asked, "Can I exchange the corresponding resources for contribution points?"

The disciple receiving the message said respectfully, "That's possible, but one-twentieth of your points will be deducted. Points less than one point will be ignored."

"In other words, items worth 20 contribution points will be exchanged for 19 points, while items worth less than 19 points will be exchanged at the original price."

"Yes." The disciple who received the disciple nodded.

After learning about the situation, Ning Chang realized that he had made no contribution whatsoever, so he got up and left.

The receptionist breathed a sigh of relief and sat down to wait for the next person to exchange their currency.

...........

As Li was leaving the Resource Hall, he was about to head towards the Law Enforcement Hall when Ning Chang called him back.

He glanced at the white hall not far away and thought to himself, "Why does it look so much like the Great Hall of the People?"

There was a pointed-roofed hall, with white jade pillars in front of the door, the patterns of which were faintly carved. A total of four thick stone pillars stood evenly on both sides of the gate.

He shook his head, thinking that this courthouse was nothing more than a court and there was no need to visit it.

He then turned to Xiao Li and instructed, "There's no need to go to the Discipline Hall. Take me to the outer disciples' quarters instead."

Xiao Li responded and turned to walk west.

After crossing the square again, the two arrived at their residence outside the gate.

Disciples come and go on the neat stone-paved road, and clothes are occasionally hung out to dry on racks by the roadside.

Although the identical wooden houses were compact, they were orderly and regular. He estimated that each house was about ten square meters in area, with a door and window on one side, and no yard in front of the door, or rather, no separate yard.

Compared to the east side of the square, the west side is more lively. Although there are not as many people as on the first floor of the Resource Hall, there are not many people talking in the Resource Hall.

Looking at the endless rows of identical wooden houses, Ning Chang didn't want to explore any further. He found a disciple who seemed relaxed, called him over, and asked:

"When did you join the sect?" Ning Chang first asked the disciple when he joined the sect. If he had only joined this year, he probably wouldn't know anything about it, so he would ask the next person.

"Reply...Replying to Senior Brother, I was accepted into the sect last April." The disciple was suddenly stopped and became very nervous, so he hurriedly answered.

Ning Chang nodded. That's good. There's no need to look for anyone else.

On his way there, he heard many groups of two or three people discussing some kind of sect competition.

He asked directly, "What's the deal with the sect competition?"

Seeing that Ning Chang was speaking politely, the disciple was no longer nervous. After thinking for a moment, he said, "You must have joined the sect this year, so it's normal that you don't know."

The sect competition is held every three years, and all disciples, both inner and outer, are eligible to participate.

The competition consists of three rounds: preliminary round, semi-final round, and final round.

The top-ranking outer disciples will not only receive generous rewards, but will also have the opportunity to become inner disciples, gaining access to more cultivation resources and guidance.

The disciple became more and more excited as he spoke, as if he were on the field himself.

Ning Chang nodded slightly and continued to ask, "What are the events in the competition?"

"The preliminary rounds will be a free-for-all, while the semi-finals and finals will be one-on-one matches. As for the specific competition rules, the elders will announce them later." The disciple scratched his head.

Ning Chang noticed a problem: "If both inner and outer disciples can participate, wouldn't that mean there's absolutely no chance for outer disciples? And if inner disciples rank high, can they even advance in rank?"

The disciple hesitated for a moment before hurriedly replying, "No, the inner and outer disciples compete separately, with their own rankings. Outstanding outer disciples receive rewards and are promoted to inner disciples, while inner disciples only receive rewards."

"It doesn't seem to have anything to do with me, but I'll come and see when the time comes. Maybe I'll get some inspiration," Ning Chang thought to himself.

After inquiring about the competition's date, which was a month later, Ning Chang turned to leave. Suddenly, he remembered he had another question to ask and turned back to call the disciple back.

The disciple had just turned to leave when he was startled by Ning Changdai's shout.

Turning back, Ning Chang asked, "What is your current cultivation level? How does it compare to the others who joined the sect with you last year?"

The disciple steadied himself and answered with considerable confidence, "I am currently at the seventh level of the Spirit Gathering stage, which is considered above average among disciples of the same period."

Ning Changxin was puzzled and asked again, "You've cultivated to the seventh level of the Spirit Gathering stage in a year, don't you have any mentors? How much resource do you receive each month?"

The disciple scratched his head: "My speed isn't slow. Usually, once I've accumulated enough contribution points, I exchange them for Spirit Gathering Pills and spirit stones."

As for the mentors, there are only two in the entire outer sect. Sometimes they will give public lectures, and you need to pay contribution points to visit them, twenty points per visit.

Outer disciples receive only one spirit stone per month before reaching the third level of Spirit Gathering; after reaching the third level, they receive one Spirit Gathering Pill plus one spirit stone.