Chapter 61: The Dao Bases of the World

After returning to his residence, the first thing Wei Yuan did was move.

He was now only one step away from forming a Dao Base; according to protocol, he must leave the New Disciples’ Valley and select a cave dwelling in the Dao Base cultivators’ exclusive zone. Forming a Dao Base was the most important matter on the immortal path, and the higher the quality of the Dao Base, the more crucial the opportunity and destiny required—many spent years waiting merely for a chance to elevate their Dao Base another tier.

Among the Tai Chu Palace disciples, unless they died unexpectedly, few failed to form a Dao Base; thus, once their Body Refinement was complete, they were treated as Dao Base cultivators in all respects, receiving the same benefits and privileges as Dao Base disciples.

Wei Yuan’s belongings were simple and easy to pack—all fit into a single chest. Aside from books, he was virtually destitute, owning nothing else. Tai Chu Palace used no ordinary paper; all texts were inscribed on jade paper. Jade paper glowed like warm jade, impervious to water and fire, each sheet capable of storing a million characters and changing content at the wielder’s will. Wei Yuan’s decade of savings amounted to several hundred books, yet stacked together they reached barely a foot in height.

After completing the handover with the Daoist clerk, Wei Yuan stepped out of the small courtyard and turned back, filled with emotion. Without realizing it, he had lived here for ten years.

All his contemporaries had long since formed their Dao Bases; no one he knew remained in the valley. Even among the new batch of disciples who entered five years after him, many had already formed Dao Bases and moved out. Tai Chu Palace disciples typically formed their Dao Bases within a year, at most six or seven, averaging just over three.

Among Wei Yuan’s contemporaries, four had now achieved Immortal Bases. Xiang Xiaoyu’s Great Sun Immortal Sword and Bao Yun’s Seven Wonders Linglong Treasure Tree were especially renowned. By faction, Zhigu and Dingxin each had two disciples who achieved Immortal Bases, but Dingxin’s numbers were only one-third of Zhigu’s—proportionally, their success rate was far higher.

Not only in Immortal Bases, but overall, Dingxin’s Dao Base quality surpassed Zhigu’s, and their cultivation progress was clearly faster. This was the result of Bao Yun and Cui Yu establishing the public account. During the three-year centralized instruction, the public account lent out fifty thousand taels of immortal silver; every Dingxin student with talent had no shortage of resources or elixirs, and thus cultivated like wildfire.

To this day, nearly all who borrowed from the public account had repaid their debts, and everyone knew they owed Bao Yun and Cui Yu a great debt. Because of this, Dingxin disciples were exceptionally close-knit and fiercely united against outsiders—an unexpected bonus.

The only outstanding loans on the public account now totaled one hundred thousand and eight hundred taels, of which one hundred thousand belonged to Wei Yuan. On the public account, Bao Yun was Wei Yuan’s largest creditor, at eighty thousand taels; Xiang Xiaoyu was second, at twenty thousand.

On private debts, Wei Yuan still owed Bao Yun another one hundred and twenty thousand taels.

Bao Yun had once tried to take over Xiang Xiaoyu’s claim, but Xiang Xiaoyu refused outright. Cui Yu secretly approached Bao Yun three times and successfully acquired five thousand taels of debt, joining Wei Yuan’s list of financiers.

The centralized instruction lasted three years; from the fourth year onward, each disciple returned to their respective pavilion or temple for cultivation, rarely meeting again.

Standing at the courtyard gate, Wei Yuan recalled past years and realized those first three years had held much joy—even when he and Zhigu disciples brawled, beaten by dozens at once, now it seemed oddly delightful, and he often smiled unconsciously when remembering. The following seven years, however, were unremarkable—summed up in two words: pills, moonlight.

As usual, Wei Yuan quietly greeted the bald monk of Zao Hua Temple.

It was time to begin a new life.

No carriage was needed to reach his new home; Wei Yuan picked up his luggage, stepped onto Zhang Sheng’s flying sword, and headed directly to his new cave dwelling.

Dao Base disciples’ cave dwellings were divided into several zones; Wei Yuan’s was near Tianqing Hall. Most Dao Base dwellings were built into the mountains, each a separate courtyard. These courtyards were ten times larger than the new disciples’ small courtyards, spaced several li apart, with no interference between them. Each contained all necessary facilities: cultivation chambers, alchemy rooms, libraries, kitchens, etc. The greatest difference was that the cultivation chambers were built directly atop the mountain’s spiritual veins. All mountains were spiritual, their veins nurtured for thousands of years—cultivation efficiency far surpassed that of the New Disciples’ Valley.

The open land surrounding each courtyard was divided along a central line, assigned to each dwelling. How the owner used the land was entirely up to them. Wei Yuan saw some courtyards planted with flowers and herbs, others densely forested, but most still retained their natural grass. Perhaps the owners were too busy, or simply too lazy—so they left it untouched.

Seeing so much open land, Wei Yuan’s first thought was to clear it and plant spiritual herbs or spirit rice. To have land and not cultivate it felt wrong.

Yet Wei Yuan knew the idea was impractical. The sect had designated areas specifically cultivated for herbs and spirit rice, where spiritual energy was ten times denser than the outside world—yield and quality far beyond what any disciple could achieve on their own.

Though he understood this, having land and not planting it still bothered him.

After completing the handover of his new dwelling, Wei Yuan and Zhang Sheng went to the library.

Once seated, Zhang Sheng unfolded a map on the table and said: “Let me explain the Grand Examination. ‘Examination’ here means assessment, not a written test. Closed-door exams and arena duels? Those are for low-level disciples. We cultivators, having formed our Dao Bases, have entered the immortal path—we must now reshape heaven and earth, repay the mortal world. Not only Dao Base disciples are assessed; True Persons are too, though Dao Base disciples are examined every ten years, while True Persons are assessed every fifty.”

Zhang Sheng pointed to the map. “North of here, grass grows tall and eagles fly; multiple tribes of Beiliao have begun raiding the border again, especially in Gan Prefecture’s Gan Ning and Bian Ning counties. These counties belong to Xi Jin, which in recent years has grown corrupt and militarily lax, increasingly unable to resist Beiliao incursions. This year’s Dao Base Grand Examination task is to assist Xi Jin in defending the border and ensuring these two counties are not plundered by Beiliao.”

“This isn’t just Tai Chu Palace—other sects will join too. Since you haven’t formed your Dao Base yet, you’ll be assigned with other disciples to a certain county. You might be grouped with two or three others, or three to five—this will depend on battlefield conditions.”

Wei Yuan asked: “You said True Persons have a Grand Examination every fifty years too—is it also against foreign tribes?”

“True Persons’ examinations are far more relaxed, based primarily on their contributions over the fifty years. Rarely do we require all True Persons to participate in large-scale activities. After all, Tai Chu Palace isn’t a minor sect—when True Persons mobilize en masse, it shakes the world.”

Zhang Sheng looked at Wei Yuan. “Even after you form your Dao Base, your next decade must focus on cultivation. Your contributions to the sect will be minimal—you must stand out in the Grand Examination to earn more resources, silence the gossip, and avoid criticism.”

Wei Yuan nodded, deeply agreeing.

Zhang Sheng rolled up the map and stood. “Come, I’ll take you somewhere excellent!”

“Where?”

“To see the Dao Bases of the world!”

(End of Chapter)