Chapter 20: The Disciple Recruitment Tournament

"I hear Sect Master Chen has never taken a wife or sired children?" Li Rou asked probing.

"That is correct." Chen Xuan nodded, wondering why she would suddenly ask such a thing.

Li Rou’s face flushed, and she said bashfully, "I have remained alone to this day, and I am of an age similar to yours. If you do not find me unworthy, I am willing to become your cultivation partner and bear your offspring."

"Please rest assured, Sect Master Chen," Li Rou added, "although I am over eight hundred years old, I have dedicated myself entirely to the Dao and remain a maiden."

Chen Xuan was stunned.

*What?*

He had merely given her a Saint-grade artifact, and in return, she wanted to have his children and latch onto him for a lifetime? She certainly knew how to calculate her own interests.

Chen Xuan scrutinized her. Although she was eight hundred years old, she had reached the Golden Core stage at forty, which had preserved her appearance at that age. Because she had lived a disciplined life, she looked even younger. Clad in a long purple gown, her figure was voluptuous and graceful, exuding a mature charm.

It was a pity, however, that her fortune was merely purple. Even if he were to become her partner, it would not bring him significant benefits and would only add an emotional burden, which was detrimental to his path of cultivation. Had her fortune been orange, he might have considered it.

Rejected, Li Rou felt immense disappointment. It was the first time in eight hundred years she had taken the initiative to propose such a bond, only to be turned down immediately. Yet, Chen Xuan’s rejection only made her more determined.

"Sect Master Chen," Li Rou asked again, "the Xuandan Sect is holding a recruitment tournament. May we join the sect?"

"Grandmother, if we join the Xuandan Sect, what will happen to the Great Xia?" Red Phoenix whispered, anxious. As the Empress of the Great Xia, her purpose in coming here was to build her own power; she had not intended to join another sect.

"Your Majesty," Li Rou explained through a telepathic message, "you have seen the mysteries of the Xuandan Sect. Saint-grade artifacts are everywhere. If you stay here for a while, there is no doubt your strength will soar. Once your power increases, reclaiming the Great Xia will be effortless."

Red Phoenix pondered this and, finding the logic sound, agreed. Li Rou breathed a sigh of relief. In truth, she had another ulterior motive: since Chen Xuan had rejected her, she was unwilling to give up and hoped that by joining, she could continue to pursue him.

"Joining the sect?" Chen Xuan stroked his chin. The Xuandan Sect was indeed short on manpower. While Li Rou was not a child of destiny, her cultivation had reached the Spirit Severing stage, which was no small asset. Moreover, Red Phoenix was a genuine child of destiny with golden fortune; as long as she joined, she would provide him with a steady supply of one hundred filial piety points every day.

"Very well," Chen Xuan agreed. "Red Phoenix, I shall take you as my second disciple. From now on, Lingyun will be your Senior Sister."

"Yes, Master." Red Phoenix bowed.

"As for you," Chen Xuan said to Li Rou, "you shall serve as an elder of the Xuandan Sect."

"Yes."

Sect: Xuandan Sect
Sect Master: Chen Xuan
Level: 1
Children of Destiny: Gold (2), Red (0), Orange (0)
Filial Children: 1
Ordinary Disciples: 50
Filial Piety Point Yield: 350 points/day
Bonus: None
[Facilities], [Dynamics]
[Facilities]: Purchase sect-exclusive items.
[Dynamics]: Map function; view disciple locations, monitor activity, and unlock the world map.
Requirement for Upgrade: 10,000 filial piety points.

Chen Xuan was in high spirits. With two golden children of destiny, the sect was generating 350 points a day. As the tournament drew near, Red Phoenix and Li Rou spent their days serving him. Chen Xuan was not stingy; to increase their filial piety values, he gifted them a Saint-grade artifact each day.

[Red Phoenix Filial Piety: 70]
[Li Rou Filial Piety: 95]
[Filial Piety Points +200]
[Host Cultivation +150 years]

To Chen Xuan’s surprise, Li Rou’s filial piety was rising rapidly, already reaching ninety-five—the same as Chu Lingyun. He wondered if children of destiny were harder to win over or if Li Rou was simply too proactive. It seemed she was truly intent on becoming his partner. However, Chen Xuan remained uninterested in anyone without orange fortune.

"Sect Master," Li Yangzi approached and bowed respectfully. "The applicants for the recruitment tournament are all here—over a thousand of them."

"Over a thousand?" Chen Xuan stroked his chin. This was more than he had anticipated. Cultivators in the world of immortality were usually solitary, and those with talent were often already claimed by sects. Most of these people were clearly here for the Saint-grade technique. If not for that, having even one hundred applicants would have been a miracle.

"Furthermore," Li Yangzi pointed into the distance, "the heads of the three major sects have also arrived. I fear they do not come with good intentions."

Chen Xuan looked over. The leaders and elders of the Yueshan Sect, Qingyun Sect, and Sun-Moon Sect were all present, clearly prepared to annex the Xuandan Sect in one fell swoop.

"Sect Master Chen, it has been a long time. How have you been?" The leader of the Qingyun Sect, Li Qingshan, approached with a fake smile. "I heard you have broken through to the Spirit Severing stage, gaining a millennium of life. Truly a cause for celebration."

Name: Li Qingshan
Cultivation: Early Spirit Severing
Fortune: Purple
Spiritual Root: Peak-grade Wind
Physique: None
Comprehension: High
Technique: Seven Desolation Sword Arts (Heaven-grade, Mid-tier)
Filial Piety: -99

Chen Xuan raised an eyebrow. *You old fox, if not for that negative ninety-nine filial piety, I would have thought you were actually here to congratulate me.*

"Sect Master Li, you are too kind. Since you are here to congratulate me, why bring gifts?" Chen Xuan said in a tone of feigned reproach, loud enough for those nearby to hear.

"Gifts?" Li Qingshan froze. He had only been offering empty pleasantries; when had he promised a gift? But with everyone watching, he could not back down. Clenching his fists, he realized he needed a legitimate excuse to annex the sect and seize its rumored treasures without drawing the suspicion of the Holy Lands.

"Yes, of course, I have a gift." Li Qingshan’s mouth twitched as he reluctantly produced an Earth-grade artifact.

[Ding! Li Qingshan has shown filial piety by gifting an Earth-grade, low-tier artifact. Triggered 1x critical hit. Reward: Earth-grade, mid-tier artifact.]

"How stingy," Chen Xuan muttered. It was only one Earth-grade artifact, and because Li Qingshan’s filial piety was negative, he received no points. Nonetheless, he put on a polite mask. "Many thanks, Sect Master Li. Please, take a seat."

Li Qingshan’s face darkened. *He called me stingy!*

"Everyone," Chen Xuan turned to the others from the Yueshan and Sun-Moon sects, "leave the gifts aside for now and take your seats."

Shi Hui and Dongfang Qiu both looked grim, but to secure a pretext for dividing the treasures, they each had to cough up an Earth-grade artifact.

[Shi Hui gifted an Earth-grade, low-tier artifact. Triggered 1x critical hit. Reward: Earth-grade, mid-tier artifact.]
[Dongfang Qiu gifted an Earth-grade, low-tier artifact. Triggered 1x critical hit. Reward: Earth-grade, mid-tier artifact.]

"Truly miserly," Chen Xuan scoffed. The two men gripped their fists, their murderous intent barely contained.

In the Xuandan Sect square, the crowd was bustling.

"Fellow Daoist Shao, you specialize in talismans. Why are you here for a sect recruitment tournament?"
"Fellow Daoist Heishi, you play with rocks, yet here you are too."
"Hahaha, the Xuandan Sect declared that the top three will have a chance to learn a Saint-grade technique. I had to see it for myself."

"Saint-grade techniques are rare in a millennium, always controlled by the great Holy Lands. Does the Xuandan Sect really have one?"
"If they don't, they'll face a miserable end today."
"Look, who is that?"
"It’s the Poison Master! Rumor has it his cultivation is at the Nascent Soul stage, and he once poisoned an entire second-rate sect by himself."
"And that alluring woman is the Grand Elder of the Joyous Union Sect. She once drained the essence of dozens of Golden Core experts and two Nascent Soul experts in a single night."

"Sect Master Chen," someone suddenly asked, "I hear the top three get a Saint-grade technique as a reward. What are the requirements for the tournament?"

The crowd went silent. They all wanted to know what kind of test could possibly be worthy of such a technique.

"It is quite simple," Chen Xuan said calmly, his voice reaching everyone. "There is a pack of demonic beasts in our sect’s herb garden. You are to slay them. The three who submit the most beast cores, or the highest-quality ones, shall receive the technique."

"What? You want us to kill beasts for you?"
"What kind of competition is this?"
"Sect Master Chen, are you trying to trick us into doing your dirty work for free?"
"Exactly! If you want us to hunt beasts, show us the Saint-grade technique first!"

The crowd grew restless.

"Insolent!" Shen Xuzi suddenly shouted. "How dare you question our Sect Master? A mere Saint-grade technique is something our Sect Master can produce at will."

Miao Shezi chimed in, "Besides, the leaders of the three major sects are here. If we could not produce it, they would be here to ensure justice. How dare you act so brazenly?"

Chen Xuan glanced at them.

Name: Shen Xuzi
Cultivation: Late Golden Core
Fortune: Blue
Filial Piety: -80
Summary: Limited potential.

Name: Miao Shezi
Cultivation: Mid Golden Core
Fortune: Blue
Filial Piety: -80
Summary: Limited potential.

*It has only been a few days, and their filial piety has already turned negative. It seems they have defected to the three major sects. No wonder they are singing in harmony—pretending to speak for me while actually providing the three sects with a reason to 'uphold justice'.*

"Sect Master Chen, why not show us the technique first?" Li Qingshan prodded.

"The technique will be revealed once the tournament ends," Chen Xuan replied flatly.

"Very well," Li Qingshan said to the crowd. "Our three sects shall stand as witnesses. If the Xuandan Sect cannot produce the technique, we will ensure justice for everyone here."

If Chen Xuan produced it, it would prove he had found the immortal treasure. If he couldn't, they would have an excuse to annihilate the Xuandan Sect and expand their own territory. It was a win-win.

"The recruitment tournament will last for two days. It begins now."