Free Web NovelChapter 371: Chapter 329: Know Yourself and Know Your Enemy
No one is averse to Spirit Stones. So, after a period, the Spirit Talisman Sect was the first to resume testing, reopening the talisman business in Shuangye Square, and the Kong Family began to set up smelting and artifact refining workshops in Shuangye Square.
After some time, both parties started making money peacefully, and the Xuanguang Sect couldn’t resist reopening as well.
Their unique products injected new vitality into Shuangye Square, attracting more customer traffic and contributing more revenue.
Meanwhile, this commercial interaction somewhat reduced the Xuanguang Sect’s aggressive pressure towards Shuangye Square, easing the Shuangye Alliance’s burden.
In short, Shuangye Square now stands firmly with a relaxed and free business style, strict management of the marketplace, and a secure trading environment.
After the conclusion of the carnival summary meeting, Lu Qian left behind the high-level members of the Shuangye Alliance for its semi-annual work meeting.
This time, the carnival not only brought in 150,000 Spirit Stones but also attracted some skilled talents and loose cultivators with potential and talent for the Shuangye Alliance.
Thanks to this, the Yunshan Sect’s cultivators increased by fifteen, reaching a total of 330. The other three sects added twelve cultivators, reaching 270.
The total number of cultivators in the Shuangye Alliance is precisely 600.
Out of which, 320 can be considered elite. However, excluding those who couldn’t be easily mobilized, only 180 can be dispatched at any time.
Besides the battle capabilities of each sect, the work meeting also summarized the industry operations, technological development, disciple training, personnel changes, and other situations of each sect, and reported cases of disciples being punished for violating sect rules in the past half year.
In terms of disciple training, after four and a half years of sorting and identification, a selection of cultivation methods was made from the Jichuan Profound Monarch’s collection and included in the Yushan Seventh Grade Profound Mystery Scripture.
This Yunshan Sect’s inheritance compendium is organized by selecting the best techniques suitable for each Spiritual Root category within the Foundation Establishment Techniques and placing them in the Seventh Grade Cultivation Techniques. Golden Core Techniques go into the Sixth Grade, and so on, up to the Harmonization Techniques, which go into the Second Grade. The truly peerless, extraordinary Divine Skills are placed in the First Grade.
Previously, the Yunshan Sect had over a dozen Seventh Grade Techniques and only three Sixth Grade Techniques including the Hidden Cloud Scripture, with nothing above that.
After obtaining the Jichuan Profound Monarch’s collection and refining it further, there are now over twenty Seventh Grade Techniques, nearly twenty Sixth Grade Techniques, over ten Fifth Grade Techniques, five Fourth Grade Techniques, and, excluding The Supreme Primordial Spirit Sea-Suppressing Profound Skill, two Third Grade Techniques.
As for the Profound Skill, it is the exclusive inheritance of the Jichuan Profound Monarch, and Lu Qian learned it under the pretext of teaching Wu Yan. Any further disclosure might lead to immediate backlash from the Primordial Pearl Spirit.
Regardless, the current Yushan Seventh Grade Profound Mystery Scripture far surpasses the existing level of the Yunshan Sect, enough to say that for a millennium, there’s no worry about cultivation techniques.
With the True Scripture updated, all disciples, including the elders, have switched to the new main cultivation techniques.
All disciples are assigned cultivation technique grades based on their Spiritual Root aptitude. Those with Three Spirit Roots or above may be granted Fifth and Fourth Grade Techniques. Others are awarded Sixth Grade and below.
Additionally, the content of the granted techniques is matched with the disciples’ level of advancement. For example, the current standard for outer disciples to advance to Inner Sect Ding Class is Late-Stage Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer, so outer disciples are only granted portions of techniques that can be cultivated to the sixth and, at most, the seventh layer of Qi Cultivation. And so forth.
Elders of the Yunshan Sect may freely choose their techniques, no longer restricted by Spiritual Root aptitude.
Of course, excluding the fundamental inheritance method designated by the Sect Leader.
This original fundamental method was the Hidden Cloud Scripture, but now it has been replaced with another Third Grade Technique.
The Qianyuan Vein-Expanding Spirit-Building True Technique.
Lu Qian doesn’t know much about this technique, only temporarily designating it, with a plan to replace it when something better comes along.
By now, Seventh Grade Techniques have essentially become collectibles, rarely granted to disciples. Even ordinary outer disciples are learning Sixth Grade Techniques, which are the Qi Cultivation parts of the Golden Core Techniques.
If other Foundation Establishment Sects knew of this, their eyes might pop out in disbelief.
Naturally, Lu Qian will not publicize this information. Elders and disciples are unaware of the specifics, only feeling that their cultivation techniques are marvelously superior, far surpassing those of the past.
As a result, the talents and combat power of Yunshan Sect disciples have been significantly improved, practically transformed.
Adding the secret trump cards cultivated over the years, the increase in Yunshan Sect’s combat power surprises even Lu Qian.
Of course, while enriching himself, Lu Qian hasn’t forgotten the other members of the Shuangye Alliance. He selected several Sixth-Grade Techniques to gift to the three sects, nominally as spoils from past battles, to help the sects’ cultivators broaden their paths.
In terms of personnel, the Yunshan Sect also underwent some changes, mainly with the Foreign Affairs Steward Zheng Duan being promoted to Deputy Foreign Affairs Elder; the prefix "Deputy" will be removed if he gains approval in the next few years.
After Tan Hong’s death in battle, Wang Yu was appointed as Reward Elder and Punishment Elder. Later, as Wu Yan matured, she was appointed Punishment Steward. Although Wang Yu still holds the position of Punishment Elder, the specifics have mostly fallen under Wu Yan’s charge.
Once she succeeds in Foundation Establishment, she will be appointed the new Punishment Elder.
Although there are still many gaps among the elders, the eighteen Stewards are mostly in place, primarily consisting of exceptional Late-Stage Qi Cultivation individuals and veterans of the Yunshan Sect.
After concluding internal matters, the intelligence team led by Lin Le analyzed the county’s situation and the state of rival forces.
Lin Le’s intelligence team has been significantly strengthened, now comprising thirty official disciples who are meticulous and astute, along with a wide network of informants across Zhongming County, Meihua Square, and surrounding counties. These informants are mainly mortal servants and disenchanted loose cultivators, forming a broad intelligence network.
The intelligence gathered focuses primarily on three areas: enemy movements, commercial intelligence, and developments in neighboring counties.
Having experienced the importance of intelligence during a major battle at the County Mansion, Lu Qian plans further expansions to the intelligence team.
The first area of analysis for the intelligence team is naturally the situation of the Xuanguang Sect.
Though the Xuanguang Sect has declined, ceding Kong Family Castle and Fucang Mountain in the north, and some southern territories now occupied by Liangxiang County, with the Shuangye Alliance entrenched in the northeast, it remains large and formidable despite its weakened state, having recovered quickly in recent years.
Moreover, the map shows clearly that most losses in Zhongming County were merely vassal sect territories; the Xuanguang Sect’s direct dominions were not greatly affected.
Currently, the Xuanguang Sect still controls over a hundred county cities, managing a population of 14 million. Every year, they can cultivate about forty new Spirit Seeds, twice as many as the current Shuangye Alliance.
In the past four and a half years, the Xuanguang Sect itself had two disciples succeed in Foundation Establishment, and along with three hired Foundation Establishment honored guests, the sect now has nine Foundation Establishment Feather Scholars.
The number of the *sect’s elite disciples has also recovered to more than five hundred.
Even without counting Master Fengfeng, the Xuanguang Sect’s Foundation Establishment and Qi Cultivation battle capabilities alone are two to three times greater than the Shuangye Alliance’s.
Moreover, the Xuanguang Sect also has the Kong Family and Spirit Talisman Sect as its two vassal Foundation Establishment sects.
