Chapter 103

After Wei Zifeng left, Yan Buji also felt at ease; basically his plan was already completed.

As for whether Wei Zifeng truly left or merely pretended, it actually doesn't matter.

"During this period I can study the preparation method of the Qingming Eye Elixir and gather information on the special ocular organ; first we must obtain the special ocular organ, then try to cultivate the Three‑Flower Pupil," Yan Buji thought.

The broken Poison Miasma Fruit in the Hundred Treasures Shop's warehouse is not urgent to use; it is called rare because it grows within Poison Miasma, and ordinary cultivators cannot easily walk in such places, so few have found it. It is not like the Spiritual Material Xuan Jade Flower, which is very hard to locate.

As for Jie Ming Grass, few know this Spiritual Material, and it looks much like roadside weeds, so it is easily overlooked. Moreover its effects are not widespread, so few cultivators can use it, which is why its price is very cheap.

A few days later.

Wei Zifeng appeared before the mountain gate of the Fire Bear Sect, wearing a purple‑red robe and a delicate jade badge, and walked up to the two gate‑keeping disciples.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Wei!"

"Hmm."

The two disciples dared not speak further; after Wei Zifeng entered the gate, they whispered in low voices:

"Senior Brother Wei, why are you only returning now? Didn't you know next year is the sect's once‑every‑ten‑years new disciple intake?"

"I have a good father; do you? Even Elder Liu of the Law Enforcement Hall is his relative, so sect rules only bind us ordinary disciples."

"Hey, hey, hey, disaster comes from the mouth; don't speak so much."

Although the Fire Bear Sect is a modest force in the Kun Dao region, with only a Sect Master at the Golden Core stage seated there, it actually has some connection to a super‑power in the central area of the Ten Thousand Mountains of the Nan Ting Mountain Region. Therefore, nearby cultivator factions would not casually bully them just because the Fire Bear Sect has few members.

These days, cultivation still requires solid fundamentals; if one underestimates a cultivator faction capable of establishing a sect in the mortal realm, one shouldn't blame the other side for retaliating.

Wei Zifeng ascended the mountain, passed a platform bearing a Bagua pattern, and the jade badge on his body suddenly glowed.

In the blink of an eye, the scenery before him changed dramatically!

Above the mountains, celestial cranes danced amid swirling clouds and mist; several peaks were hidden within a higher sea of clouds, from which vast waterfalls cascaded down.

Passing disciples either stepped on flying swords or used various Accumulation Devices to soar through the air; most wore red robes, and disciples in purple‑red robes like him were rare.

"Yo, isn't that Fat Wei? Why are you thinking of returning to the sect? Not going to pursue your money‑making path?"

A youth also dressed in a purple‑red robe descended from the sky, landed firmly before Wei Zifeng, and laughed.

Wei Zifeng rolled his eyes: "Wang Quan, is that all you can do? I haven't seen you chase after the master sister you constantly think of."

Wang Quan's face darkened: "Hmph, the master sister and I are a match made by heaven and earth; with your looks, probably no female cultivator will ever favor you!"

"You're the horse‑stepping ginseng rooster, right?"

"Isn't that the truth?"

"I didn't start training since childhood; truly, I'm a hundred thousand times stronger than you when I slim down!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, I've been hearing that for sixty years," Wang Quan clicked his tongue and sneered.

Wei Zifeng was about to lose his temper when he suddenly saw a female cultivator in purple‑red attire fly through the air and land before the two.

The woman exuded a powerful aura; her brows were not the delicate charm of an ordinary woman but rather resolute and bold. Seeing the two quarreling, she immediately spoke in a deep voice:

"Junior Brother Wei, Junior Brother Wang, are you arguing again?"

"We dare not! We have seen the master sister!"

This female cultivator turned out to be their master sister; her appearance was indeed flower‑like and moon‑like, but her temperament did not match, adding three points of heroism.

The female cultivator glanced at Wang Quan, then at Wei Zifeng, and frowned: "Junior Brother Wei, I hope you haven't forgotten the sect's mission. This time we still need to descend to the Kun Dao Imperial Court to see if there are suitable disciples to admit, so for now we shouldn't leave the group."

Wei Zifeng understood that the master sister was warning him not to wander, and immediately clasped his hands: "Yes, master sister!"

"Alright, you may go first."

"Hey, wait, master sister, may I ask whether the sect is recruiting disciples this year, or is it still the same as previous years, still not accepting non‑fire members?" Wei Zifeng asked immediately.

The female cultivator looked at Wei Zifeng and shook her head: "I'm not too sure about that. However, in recent years the sect hasn't taken a single new disciple, so perhaps the Elders should relax the recruitment rules."

"If that's the case...."

"What? Did you find any good seedlings this time you went down the mountain?"

"Well… there are indeed a few, but they're all mortals; however there is one with a very strong ability, and I think I can recommend them."

The female cultivator frowned: "Very strong ability? What do you mean?"

"Business."

The female cultivator sighed, her voice instantly cold: "Junior Brother Wei, how many times must the master tell you? Strange tricks and tricks bring little benefit to cultivation; the sect was not founded by doing business, and we don't need to manage any industry. Only solid fundamentals matter; if that fails, innate talent can help, but a cultivator's ability has always been judged by his strength, not other aspects!"

Wei Zifeng's face twitched, and he clasped his hands: "Yes, master sister, I understand."

"You always say that, yet I've never seen you actually remember it. Anyway, although the Fire Bear Sect is not a major sect in the Kun Dao region, our fundamentals are solid. A few years ago we sent a disciple with celestial talent to the Upper Sect and received its recognition. It won't be long before we officially carry the Upper Sect's branch name, and then we won't have to act so cautiously," the female cultivator said.

Wei Zifeng was startled and asked: "Master sister, are you referring to the one who, right after entering, caused the sect's underground fire veins to nearly erupt and destroyed the sect's foundation?"

She said, "Mind your words; that person possesses innate celestial talent, the 'Nan Ming Li Huo' gift. Their future achievements may even surpass the Sect Master, so don't hold a grudge for them having ruined your batch of pills."

"How could I dare?" Wei Zifeng said with an awkward smile.

Back then, when I was in sect seclusion, it was because that celestial‑talented disciple arrived; the underground fire vein upheaval caused his three‑year Spirit Pill cultivation to fail, and I was almost so angry I wanted to kill someone.

Later, upon learning the other's fundamentals, my face darkened; I dared not disturb them and could only watch helplessly as the Sect Master personally escorted that disciple to the Ten Thousand Mountains.

"Alas."

When will the atmosphere of the cultivation world ever change?

Are fundamentals really that important?

It truly chills the heart.

At least I'm also Elder Liu's nephew from the Law Enforcement Hall, a descendant of the Sect Master's later family, so how did I end up like this mess?