Gu Jinqin giggled, wearing a look of smugness.

"In our little Gu Feng, we don't rank by entry time, but by age."

"I've seen your birth record. We're the same age, I'm two months younger than you."

"So now, you're our third senior brother in little Gu Feng!"

"I get demoted to become your fourth junior sister!"

Shen Xuan's mind was flooded with questions.

As far as he knew, the real masters of Cyan Cloud Sect all ranked based on entry time.

In fact, this kind of ranking, and age ranking, are almost the same.

The disciples of the true masters are all extraordinarily talented, cultivated since being Immortal Seeds, and all reach Foundation Establishment before the age of sixty.

Someone like Shen Xuan, who establishes his foundation at an older age and joins mid-way as an apprentice, is a rare phenomenon.

"Do the disciples of other real masters also sort by age?"

"No! Only in little Gu Feng do we sort by entry time."

Gu Jinqin smiled and said: "This was a suggestion I made to the master a while ago."

"The master thought it made sense and adopted it, sorting by age."

Shen Xuan didn't question further.

Looking at Gu Jinqin's smug expression, it must be more beneficial to be a junior sister than a senior sister.

Could it be that a lower rank has some secret perks?

Now was not the time to investigate.

The once "third senior sister," now "fourth junior sister," still owes him two hundred thousand Spirit Stones!

Let's take care of the business first.

The two entered the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

Gu Jinqin led Shen Xuan to the Hall Master's Mansion, where they found Master Tongxuan.

"You must be Shen Xuan?"

"Impressive, this young one!"

Shen Xuan quickly bowed in salute.

"I don't dare! Disciple Shen Xuan, greets Master Tongxuan!"

The steward beside them took the jade pendant from Gu Jinqin's hand, verified the real master's decree imprinted on it, and began processing Shen Xuan's identity transfer.

Soon after, Shen Xuan's identity was re-registered, and the jade pendant was exchanged for a real master's direct disciple model.

In this way, Shen Xuan was promoted from a registered disciple to a real master's direct disciple.

"Shen Xuan, I've heard that you and Lv Zhengying of our hall have been close friends for many years. Is this true?"

"Reporting to the master. Lv Zhengying and I have been classmates and fellow townsmen for eighty years, both students of Master Yan."

"Lv Zhengying, this person, has limited qualifications. However, he is adept at managing affairs and is quite reliable."

"What the master said is very true."

Master Tongxuan smiled slightly.

"Ah. You've just returned to the sect, you must have important matters at hand. Do visit the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall often when you have time."

"I might just need your help in the future."

Shen Xuan hurriedly bowed: "The master praises too much! If there's any task, the disciple will do his utmost."

Master Tongxuan presides over the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall.

It seems marginal.

But in fact, it's one of the most influential real masters in the Cyan Cloud Sect.

Shen Xuan wouldn't dare ignore the intention of Master Tongxuan's favor.

Much stronger than his master, Master Gu Feng.

As far as he knew, his master, Master Gu Feng, was just a layabout.

No position or power.

After some pleasantries,

Shen Xuan followed Gu Jinqin out of the Hall Master's Mansion.

"Junior sister Gu, about those ten thousand Spirit Stones I asked you to bet last time..."

After handling the identity transfer, Shen Xuan then inquired about the bet.

Logically, Gu Jinqin should return twenty thousand Spirit Stones to him.

"Oh, that thing!"

Gu Jinqin tilted her head, thinking slightly.

"I remember now! Little Gu Feng was short, so the junior sister temporarily used senior brother Shen's twenty thousand Spirit Stones as a supplement."

"Once senior brother Shen takes over the miscellaneous duties of little Gu Feng, you can draw it from the public account."

Shen Xuan looked speechlessly at the seemingly innocent Gu Jinqin before him.

"Senior brother Shen, what kind of look is that!"

"You don't suspect your junior sister of embezzling your Spirit Stones, do you!"

"Rest assured! Junior sister has noted it down."

Gu Jinqin laughed happily.

Originally, it would take eight years to throw off the miscellaneous duties of little Gu Feng.

Now, it only takes three years.

Seeing this senior brother Shen looks like a nice person, surely he's easy to talk to.

Maybe she can even advance the handover a bit more.

As for the Ancient Sacred Sound Zither.

It's a Tier Two Top Grade Magical Treasure.

Her master still wants her to give it up just like that.

No way!

To better throw off the miscellaneous duties of little Gu Feng.

She even willingly became a junior sister!

"Why don't you, senior brother, take over the miscellaneous duties of little Gu Feng right now."

"As soon as there's Spirit Stones in the public account, you can first take back what you lent, isn't that great!"

Shen Xuan decisively refused: "Junior sister Gu, let's talk about the Spirit Stones later. As for the miscellaneous duties of little Gu Feng, the master has ordered, and I'll take over in three years!"

"A mere twenty thousand Spirit Stones, senior brother still trusts junior sister Gu."

Shen Xuan was certain.

The miscellaneous duties of little Gu Feng must be a trap.

And a huge trap at that.

Although falling into it sooner or later,

delaying it a day was still good.

After all, he was now quite wealthy.

"A mere twenty thousand Spirit Stones?"

"Does senior brother Shen have a way to make money?"

"Take junior sister along! Junior sister is dirt poor now!"

When saying this, Gu Jinqin's eyes sparkled with expectation.

"Junior sister Gu, my Spirit Stones were all taken from counter-attacking Tribulation Cultivators."

"Now, I've just returned to the sect and need to focus on cultivation. Making money can be talked about later if there's a chance."

Shen Xuan patiently explained.

"Then you must remember it!"

"Fighting, junior sister is quite good at."

Shen Xuan instinctively glanced at the heavy sword treasure on Gu Jinqin's back.

"Rest assured, Shen will keep his word."

"Hehe, I know."

Gu Jinqin said with a smile: "Once I said I'd break the Su Family Patriarch's leg, I certainly will. How dare the Su Family confine you!"

"A bunch of scoundrels! Did they send a complaint letter first?"

"Yes. I personally handed the letter to the master."

"Did you peek?"

"No! The master showed it to me. The master said..."

Gu Jinqin swayed her head, imitating Master Gu Feng's tone: "This Shen Xuan, I told him to cultivate well. Yet, he idles around, scheming with some worthless fellows!"

Shen Xuan jumped in shock.

"Did Master really say that about me?"

Gu Jinqin laughed and said, "Scared, aren't you! Who told you to stir up trouble everywhere! Master hates hassle the most!"

"But, Senior Brother Shen, don't be afraid. Master has a tough mouth but a soft heart."

Shen Xuan nodded in agreement: "Master is a good person."

At least, much better than Han Paopao's master.

Neither did he seize his body, nor did he steal his spirit medicine.

Nor did he force him into a secret realm to die.

Next up.

Shen Xuan had to choose a cave mansion and sought Gu Jinqin's opinion.

"What cave mansion to choose! Senior Sister Yun is away on a journey, her cave mansion has been empty all along."

"Wouldn't it be better for Senior Brother Shen to just move in?"

Gu Jinqin said familiarly.

"Absolutely not!"

Shen Xuan repeatedly waved his hands to refuse.

He's not in Xiao Gu Feng for just a day or two.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, he planned to cultivate there for over a hundred years.

How could he borrow someone else's cave mansion?

Moreover,

Senior Sister is just on a journey.

She's not staying away from the sect forever.

If she returns and finds her cave mansion occupied by another person,

especially a male cultivator,

she would definitely be unhappy.

Gu Jinqin might not care.

But he couldn't be so ungrateful and bring trouble upon himself.

A cave mansion is as important as a house in the past life.

The most important asset should not be handled carelessly.

"Whatever you want! You go slowly choose yourself, Junior Sister is heading back to report first!"

"Okay. Thank you, Junior Sister Gu!"

...

Cyan Cloud Sect has a support policy for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

An important part of it is allowing Foundation Establishment cultivators to open cave mansions for independent cultivation.

However, the location of the cave mansion is very crucial.

It's divided according to the cultivator's status.

Ordinary Foundation Establishment can only open cave mansions at designated idle spirit veins nodes.

Like Shen Xuan, a direct disciple of a True Master, his cave mansion can be chosen within Xiao Gu Feng.

One is a Tier Two spirit vein node.

One is a Tier Three spirit vein node.

The gap between the two is as vast as heaven and earth.

Moreover, Foundation Establishment cultivators are categorized.

Into four levels based on Golden Core inheritors, True Master's direct disciples, registered disciples, and ordinary Foundation Establishment, with different annual support payments.

Golden Core inheritors receive an annual payment of three thousand spirit stones and three bottles of spirit pills.

An ordinary Foundation Establishment receives an annual payment of three hundred spirit stones and one bottle of spirit pills.

Even spirit pills with the same name have vastly different grades.

For example, the Spirit Gathering Pill given at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, the ordinary Foundation Establishment gets ordinary grade, while Golden Core inheritors get superior grade.

Medicine is three parts poison.

The Spirit Gathering Pill produced by the sect also contains pill toxins.

The superior and high grades have much better efficacy than the ordinary grade and contain less pill toxin.

Each bottle contains ten spirit pills.

An ordinary grade Spirit Gathering Pill costs a hundred spirit stones each, two hundred for high grade, and skyrockets to three hundred for superior grade.

Shen Xuan has never consumed spirit pills.

He feared the pill toxins could affect his Dao Foundation.

He would rather use the Spirit Locking Array to increase the concentration of Spiritual Qi to aid his cultivation.

Rather than resorting to shortcuts and taking spirit pills.

Considering this, in Cyan Cloud Sect, the support payment for Golden Core inheritors is ten times that of ordinary Foundation Establishment.

However, recently, Cyan Cloud Sect introduced a new support plan.

The Golden Core inheritors had their support slashed by thirty percent.

The ordinary Foundation Establishment received increased reward support.

It is said that this new plan was a result of Shen Xuan winning the wager against Lei Yaoyang.

Hidden Image True Master then made the decision, gathered multiple True Masters, and proposed it for approval at the sect meeting.

Shen Xuan first went to collect the registered disciple payment for twenty-one years.

Each year three hundred spirit stones, one bottle of ordinary Spirit Gathering Pill.

After accumulating for twenty-one years, its value approached thirty thousand spirit stones.

After collecting it, he then leisurely headed to the Cyan Cloud Sect's cave mansion management office.

Lv Zhengying had been waiting for quite some time.

As soon as he saw Shen Xuan's figure, Lv Zhengying quickly approached him.

"Senior Brother Shen, I've already talked to Senior Brother Qian at the cave mansion management office. I picked a few excellent cave mansion locations for you in advance."

"Great. Let's go have a look."

Half an incense stick later.

In the depths of the cave mansion management office, in an office room.

The "Senior Brother Qian" mentioned by Lv Zhengying activated a grand virtual map of Cyan Cloud Sect.

"Xiao Gu Feng."

Senior Brother Qian magnified Xiao Gu Feng separately.

"Look here, Senior Brother Shen, this is the cave mansion map of Xiao Gu Feng."

"The cave mansion right at the peak is where your master, Master Gu Feng, resides."

"The closest cave mansion is Senior Sister Yun Chixin's, and below that is..."

Shen Xuan examined it carefully.

All the other cave mansions of the senior and junior sisters at Xiao Gu Feng were adjacent to the Grotto Heaven Blessed Land.

Even Qin Hanyue's Moon Cold Pavilion was no exception.

"Senior Brother Qian, can you display the spirit vein nodes available for cave mansion opening?"

"Certainly. Junior Brother Lv already informed me, I had the staff ready in advance."

As Senior Brother Qian activated a casting technique, the virtual map of Xiao Gu Feng displayed seven sparkling spirit vein nodes.

"Please see, Senior Brother Shen. These seven nodes can all be developed into superior cave mansions with a venue grade reaching Tier Two Top Grade."

Shen Xuan was delighted.

Truly worthy of being one of the seven great sects of Song Country.

They are indeed generous.

He was now in the early stage of Foundation Establishment.

Yet he could already open a Tier Two Top Grade venue.

In Cyan Yang Prefecture, only the patriarchs of the four great cultivation clans could enjoy such privilege.

"I, Shen, am a water cultivator, it would be ideal if the cave mansion had a spirit lake or a spirit pool nearby."

"Is that so!"

Once again, Senior Brother Qian zoomed in on the virtual map of Xiao Gu Feng.

Nearby the outermost glowing node, a spirit lake appeared in all its glory.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.