Chapter 607: Willing but powerless

Yan Buji made many preparations, but he never expected to enter the Paolong Sacred Land so easily.

After changing into new clothes, Yan Buji returned to the Lian Dan Tang and happened to see others coming out to hand over their pills.

"Yan... Yan Daoist, what's this?" several familiar alchemists exclaimed in shock, looking at Yan Buji's attire.

"Having earned the appreciation of Elder Feng Yue of the Internal Affairs Hall, I, Yan, was fortunate to join the Paolong Sacred Land." Yan Buji said with a smile.

The few exchanged glances, then suddenly said, "Well, congratulations then."

"Congratulations, congratulations, Yan Daoist, being able to join the Sacred Land is also thanks to your own ability."

Yan Buji watched this group wearing fake smiles; it didn't seem like envy, but rather a kind of pity.

What does that mean?

Yan Buji pinched his chin and suddenly asked, "Actually, I myself don't know why Elder Feng Yue suddenly sought me out, saying to let me join; do any of you know if there's anything unusual about this?"

Yan Buji asked directly; the crowd's faces shifted, glancing around.

Immediately, one person approached and whispered, "In the Paolong Sacred Land, cultivators must pass Inner Gate certification and receive a Disciple Token before being considered members. Daoist, have you obtained a Disciple Token?"

"No." Yan Buji shook his head.

"Then it's likely a common tactic of these major powers: first lure talented people like you in with sweet talk, then withhold identification; if anything happens, they'll expel you from the sect under the pretense of an 'observation period,' and in serious cases even subject you to inhumane treatment!"

Yan Buji let out a breath: "So that's how it is."

"Why aren't you worried? I'd say you should hurry and ask Elder Feng; if this isn't clarified, your standing won't hold."

Yan Buji smiled: "I believe Elder Feng will treat me fairly."

"Sigh."

"Yan Daoist, you're a good person, but you can't lack vigilance against others."

The few shook their heads and sighed; after handing over the pills, they returned to the alchemy room to continue refining.

Yan Buji pinched his chin: "If it's just an identity issue, that's easily said; since Elder Feng managed to place me here, arranging a proper identity for me shouldn't be difficult."

Although Yan Buji isn't fully clear on the internal and external gate situations of the Paolong Sacred Land, through these days of observation he can see that some disciples haven't received their monthly resources on time, and some even complain they haven't gotten anything for two months.

For such a large power as the Paolong Sacred Land to show this situation, either its own resource circulation has problems, or there are corrupt elements.

Although Elder Feng has already mentioned these matters, Yan Buji still needs to go see for himself.

Leaving the Lian Dan Tang, the surrounding disciples saw Yan Buji wearing the Hall Master's yellow robe and also gave respectful salutations.

But after Yan Buji left, some disciples wondered, "Which Hall Master is this? I've never seen him before."

"Could he be from the Inner Gate?"

"Impossible, if someone from the Inner Gate were coming, there would have been news earlier; was he parachuted in?"

"But where in the Outer Gate would there be a position for such parachute arrivals?"

"Hey, isn't that the senior who previously refined pills for Senior Martial Brother Ma?"

"Saying that reminds me—these are the people Elder Feng brought over from Long Qi Cheng."

As Yan Buji walked along the road, he occasionally overheard disciples whispering, but he didn't mind it.

"Compared to the people from Long Qi Cheng, as an outsider unfamiliar with the situation, am I easier to control?" Yan Buji pondered.

"There are plenty of alchemists stronger than me in Long Qi Cheng; I suppose Elder Feng chose me because the traces I left in Zhong Tian Zhi Yu are relatively clear and distinct."

"First, I truly didn't know that Paolong Sacred Land disciples need a Disciple Token issued by the Inner Gate; second, since Elder Feng didn't explicitly say so, it means he isn't afraid that knowing this would make me resentful."

"Therefore, in this situation, Yan Buji doesn't mind doing work for Elder Feng first; after all, having finally entered the Paolong Sacred Land with difficulty, clinging to him makes leaving impossible."

"Thus, we must first establish good relations with these disciples."

Yan Buji thought of a person.

Soon.

Yan Buji saw Ma Liu again.

Seeing Yan Buji in the yellow robe, Ma Liu couldn't help but exclaim, "Old brother, what's this?"

"Elder Feng took notice of me, and I also joined the Paolong Sacred Land."

Ma Liu furrowed his brows: "Old brother, did you obtain a Disciple Token?"

"No."

"Then this matter..."

"I know that." Yan Buji smiled: "Elder Feng will definitely not shortchange me, and besides I haven't done anything bad, so I have nothing to fear."

Ma Liu nodded: "Since you, Old Brother, have your own plans, it seems you've become the Hall Master of the Lian Dan Tang?"

"Hmm, I don't know if Brother Ma has any advice?"

"I dare not offer instruction." Ma Liu waved his hand: "You sought me out, Old Brother, also to get a grasp of the Outer Gate situation, right?"

"Hmm." Yan Buji nodded; after all, if he were to inquire himself, he'd still need to find someone—better to directly approach Ma Liu, with whom he has a good relationship.

"Moreover, there's the favor of having refined pills for him; asking about the situation is therefore no trouble."

Ma Liu thought: "Old Brother, do you know how the Outer Gate procedures work?"

"Procedures? What kind of procedures?"

"A newly admitted disciple first undergoes a series of selections in the Outer Gate; aside from those with extraordinary talent who are directly recruited into the Inner Gate, the rest cultivate in the Outer Gate and must break through to the Golden Core stage within a hundred years to qualify for entry into the Inner Gate."

Yan Buji's pupils contracted: "Is the cultivation period really that short?"

"It's not that short, Old Brother—you've also seen Ye Lin, haven't you? He went from nothing to Foundation Establishment in a year." Ma Liu gave a bitter laugh.

"Thus, competition in the Outer Gate isn't particularly fierce, since most of the time everyone is cultivating, and few idle about all day."

"Furthermore, disciples' cultivation naturally requires resources; the Outer Gate's resources consist of pills, spiritual materials, and accumulation devices. Normally, one accumulates contribution points through monthly mandatory tasks and optional tasks, then exchanges them for resources; if one is in closed-door cultivation, contribution points are used to offset the mandatory tasks."

Yan Buji nodded: "Then where are these resources distributed from?"

"First is the Internal Affairs Hall, which besides handling daily resource distribution for disciples also manages verification of contribution points—quite important; second are the Refining Instruments Hall and the Lian Dan Tang, since resources dispatched by the Inner Gate are insufficient, personnel from these two halls must make up the shortfall. If a disciple has special needs, they also approach them; by the way, Old Brother, how is your Lian Dan Tang currently operating?"

"Now that I'm merely a temporary Hall Master, even if I wanted to I'd be powerless; naturally, the Internal Affairs Hall handles it."

"If that's the case, the people from the Refining Instruments Hall probably won't give you any good looks." Ma Liu said worriedly.