Chapter 21: The Difference in Status

Staring at the five menial disciples before her, Mingyu said,
"Shen Yan has a special assignment, so he will stay in the Purity Lodge. The four of you are tasked with cultivating spiritual herbs and will reside in the Herbalist Lodge."
Mingyu was decisive in her actions, introducing as she walked,
"All your daily needs here on Yunxiu Peak will be taken care of. As for Shen Yan, he is not my responsibility. When you four arrive at your quarters, someone will instruct you on how to tend the spiritual herbs."
She paused briefly and continued,
"As for your cultivation, you may go to the Teaching Peak to study on your own. Since you were all brought by the Peak Master, you need not offer any contribution for your first method of cultivation."
Before long, the group arrived at the entrance of a secluded palace. Mingyu continued,
"Shen Yan, this is the Purity Lodge. You may choose any vacant room. There are quite a few disciples on the peak eager to earn contribution points; if there is anything you do not understand, you may ask them. I must now take the other four to the Herbalist Lodge, so I'll take my leave."
With those words, the woman strode away without a backward glance, as if Shen Yan were something unclean, unwilling to linger even for a moment.
Shen Yan, however, cared little for this. He thanked her, entered the Purity Lodge, selected a room, and sat down cross-legged.
So many unexpected events had occurred in the past two days, shattering the peaceful life he once knew. He needed some time to collect himself.
"Since I've come to the Jade Immortal Sect, the most pressing matter is to begin cultivating as soon as possible and strive to achieve Qi Refinement quickly."
Yet before all else, he needed to understand the rules of survival and basic information within the Jade Immortal Sect.
That Mingyu woman, for reasons unknown, seemed to bear him a particular dislike, offering not even the most basic explanations.
Leaving the Purity Lodge, Shen Yan randomly beckoned to a menial disciple who was resting nearby,
"You there, come and tell me about our Jade Immortal Sect and Jingyun Island."
"This junior brother, I still have things to do. Perhaps you could ask someone else?"
The chosen disciple was clearly reluctant to engage with Shen Yan, but, seeing that Shen Yan resided in the Purity Lodge, dared not offend him outright and tried to excuse himself.
"Hmm? Or should I summon the Peak Master to give you orders personally?"
Shen Yan's expression darkened as he borrowed authority. After all, he was brought by Yang Yun; ordinary menial disciples should not dare to cross him.
He was Yang Yun's confidant—even if a suspicious one, still a confidant.
"This... Surely you jest, senior brother. I will explain it to you."
Clearly, Yang Yun's name still carried weight; the menial disciple quickly yielded.

Through this senior brother, Shen Yan soon gained an understanding of the Jade Immortal Sect and Jingyun Island.
In this world, cultivation was divided into four realms: Qi Refinement, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and Nascent Soul.
Each major realm was further split into early, middle, late, and completion stages.
But on Jingyun Island, the Jade Immortal Sect’s secondary estate, there was a Foundation Establishment elder at the late stage presiding over affairs.
Within the Jade Immortal Sect, one’s status corresponded to one’s strength.
Those at the Qi Refinement stage were disciples; those at Foundation Establishment were elders. As for those at Core Formation and Nascent Soul, this senior brother did not know if any such cultivators existed in the sect.
Amongst Qi Refinement disciples, there were menials, outer disciples, inner disciples, and those personally passed on.
Menial disciples were generally mortals or martial artists from outside, or sometimes descendants of sect disciples.
Menials were tasked with the most basic labor within the sect—serving formal disciples, tending spiritual herbs like lingzhi and ginseng, constructing palaces, and so forth.
To become an outer disciple, one needed to develop magical power and accumulate sufficient cultivation resources to be admitted into the sect.
Disciples like Yang Lie, though bearing the title of outer disciple, were not actually registered as such.
Only those who had cultivated magical power qualified to call themselves disciples of the Jade Immortal Sect.
Inner disciples were all late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators who took on sect tasks in exchange for resources, striving to reach completion and thus lay the foundation.
As for those personally passed on, one needed not only to achieve completion in Qi Refinement but also to be accepted by a Foundation Establishment cultivator as their disciple.
On Jingyun Island, the highest status belonged to the legendary late-stage Foundation Establishment elder, followed by three personally passed-on disciples at Qi Refinement completion.
For a menial to become an outer disciple, sufficient contribution points had to be accumulated and exchanged for a method of cultivation.
If one’s aptitude sufficed, upon becoming a cultivator, a menial disciple would be promoted to outer disciple.
There were many ways to earn merit—cultivating spiritual herbs, mining, constructing palaces, gathering food, and more.
As the saying goes, one must learn to crawl before walking; only by laying a solid foundation could one hope to travel far on the path of immortality.
No matter if one was a servant, menial, outer or inner disciple, or even a personal disciple or sect elder, open and covert struggles for power never ceased within the sect.
Just as the personally passed-on disciple Yu Qing had previously struck first against Yang Yun to prevent her from encroaching on his interests in Jingyun Island, Yang Yun’s retaliation was likewise a means of establishing authority.
As a newly promoted personal disciple, there would surely be many in the sect who refused to accept her. Once she subdued Yu Qing, her status would be solidified.

"Whether in the mundane world or the world of cultivation, it’s the same story everywhere."
Through this senior brother’s narration, Shen Yan’s understanding of the Jade Immortal Sect deepened.
What concerned him most was that new disciples could collect a storage pouch from the Supplies Hall, to be used for keeping personal belongings.
At this, Shen Yan mused inwardly,
"No wonder Yang Yun could always produce things at will; so it’s all thanks to these storage pouches, like mustard seeds holding mountains."
After asking about where to study cultivation methods and how to command a celestial crane, Shen Yan dismissed the senior brother.
"My immediate priority is to become a cultivator, and for that, I must possess a method of cultivation."
"Previously, Yang Yun rewarded me with a jade slip called ‘Mystic Origin Heavy Water Method.’ Now’s the perfect time to examine it."
Returning to the Quiet Heart Lodge, Shen Yan took out the jade slip and pressed it to his forehead. Soon, a method of cultivation appeared in his mind.
"So it’s not a method for cultivation itself, but a way to purify ordinary water into Mystic Origin Heavy Water—extracting a single drop from a thousand catties of seawater, devastatingly powerful in combat."
A smile touched his lips.
"This method truly suits me. If I can refine large amounts of Mystic Origin Heavy Water and wield it with water arts, it will become my secret weapon!"
Putting away the jade slip, Shen Yan took out the beast pouch and the crane medallion that Yang Yun had seized.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. A mere menial disciple like myself, and I’ve received a celestial crane upon entering the sect—who would believe it?"
He stroked the beast pouch and took out the thumb-sized medallion.
This jade token was the Jade Immortal Sect’s means of controlling the celestial cranes, said to contain a wisp of the crane’s soul.
Shen Yan bit his finger and, as Yang Yun had instructed, smeared his blood on the token.
In that instant, he felt a connection with the celestial crane, their minds linked as one.
"So this is the path of blood refinement—truly sinister. To be able to control the soul of a celestial crane, it can hardly be considered a proper path."