The members of Lingxian Sect soon discovered the newly placed Mirror of True Heart in two locations.
Although the sect was no longer short on funds and could easily afford mirrors, most people hadn't thought about owning one, aside from the women in the sect, each of whom had their own.
So, when they stumbled upon such a large mirror in the sect, everyone was curious, gathering around to take turns looking into it.
However, there was something odd about the mirror—its reflection wasn't particularly clear. In fact, the clarity seemed to vary for each person.
Some found they could just barely see themselves, while others could only make out a vague silhouette. Luckily, no one found it completely blurry and indecipherable.
Beyond that, the mirror didn't seem to have any other special effects.
After a while, everyone's curiosity waned, and they returned to their respective tasks and cultivation routines.
With the spiritual energy density at Qingyun Peak increasing, the enthusiasm for cultivation also surged. Now that their living quarters were complete, most disciples devoted nearly all their energy to their training.
But not all Qingyun Peak disciples followed this path.
After the morning class, most of the disciples remained seated in the cultivation hall, continuing their meditation. Now that the house-building was done, their afternoons were free, with the only group activity being a scheduled half-hour session before dinner to tidy and beautify Qingyun Peak.
After all, it was now their permanent home.
Bai Shu had just finished reviewing his class notes when he noticed Liang Zhonghuai, who sat in front of him, packing away his cultivation manual and notes, preparing to leave.
"Liang, aren't you going to stay and cultivate a bit longer?" Bai Shu asked curiously in a soft voice.
Over the past twenty days, during the housing construction and working together, the group had grown much closer. Bai Shu and Liang Zhonghuai, both members of the five-person decision-making team, had become particularly friendly, so the question wasn't considered intrusive.
Liang Zhonghuai turned and responded quietly, "Cultivation is a long journey. I don't want to overdo it and risk making less progress. I'm planning to use the free time this afternoon to look around the sect and see if there's any work I can do to earn some cultivation resources."
Being a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the cultivation world, Liang Zhonghuai was well aware of the importance of resources. His previous cultivation resources had all been self-earned, so he was naturally the first to think of finding work to secure more resources.
Bai Shu, new to cultivation, hadn't considered the need for resources, but he trusted Liang Zhonghuai's judgment, knowing he was experienced.
Yang Yi, who had previously mentioned her plans to work in the Discipline Hall to spend more time with her daughter, wasn't interested in other work. Liang Zhonghuai, having no intention of joining the Discipline Hall, didn't follow her.
Hearing Liang Zhonghuai's reasoning, Bai Shu hesitated for only a moment before making up his mind. He closed his notebook and book, then asked, "Liang, may I join you?"
Liang Zhonghuai's logic made sense to him.
Liang Zhonghuai nodded. "Of course."
With that, the two quietly left Qingyun Peak, careful not to disturb the other disciples deep in meditation.
Though the sect's cultivation methods were top-notch, even ones that would be rare in many major sects of the cultivation world, Liang Zhonghuai knew that to maintain stable progress, a steady supply of resources was essential.
Earning those resources was going to be a long-term effort, so he figured it was better to establish a routine early on rather than rushing his cultivation.
However, not everyone shared this view.
Yuan Jinsheng, already at the Golden Core stage, had completely immersed himself in cultivation. The sect's cultivation methods were vastly superior to anything he had encountered before, and he couldn't tear himself away.
Unlike Liang Zhonghuai, who had worked in the information-rich environment of Wan Wan Tong in the cultivation world, Yuan Jinsheng came from the mortal realm, where even the lowest-tier cultivation methods were rare and precious.
Now, with access to Lingxian Sect's advanced techniques, he felt like he had fallen into a treasure trove, completely absorbed in his cultivation.
Many other disciples, similarly awestruck by the profound knowledge they were being exposed to, were just as deeply engaged.
Understanding this, Bai Shu and Liang Zhonghuai hadn't asked anyone else to join them. After all, working in the sect wasn't a limited opportunity—Elder Liu had explained that anyone could sign up for a job by registering with the responsible elder.
Still, though they hadn't invited others, someone else wanted to tag along.
Feng Xuanye, who had been watching Liang Zhonghuai closely, noticed the pair leaving and quickly packed up to follow them.
Once they were outside the hall, where the noise from within was muted, Feng Xuanye called out to the two fast-walking figures, "Liang! Bai! Wait for me!"
Hearing the call, both stopped.
Feng Xuanye caught up to them quickly, grinning. "Where are you two headed? Take me with you!"
Thus, their duo became a trio.
As they walked down the initial path of Qingyun Peak, Bai Shu asked, "Do you two have any specific jobs in mind within the sect?"
"I'm most interested in the Four Arts Hall," Liang Zhonghuai said honestly.
The Four Arts Hall was the collective name for the study of talismans, weapons, formations, and alchemy.
He explained to Bai Shu and Feng Xuanye, "In the cultivation world, having skills in one of the Four Arts makes your cultivation journey much more secure."
"But didn't Elder Liu say that we would be officially apprenticed to study these techniques later on?" Feng Xuanye asked.
Liang Zhonghuai smiled, "Yes, but I plan to see if the Four Arts Hall needs any helpers. I can start working as a general assistant, and that way, when I officially become an apprentice, I won't have to switch places."
Feng Xuanye then turned to Bai Shu. "What about you, Bai?"
Bai Shu hesitated a little, then sheepishly scratched the side of his face. "I want to work in the General Affairs Hall with Elder Liu."
Feng Xuanye smiled knowingly and nodded. "I thought so. But you know, Elder Liu is a very busy man. Working in the General Affairs Hall probably won't be easy. You should make sure it doesn't interfere with your cultivation."
"Yeah, I'll make sure to manage my time well."
In truth, Bai Shu enjoyed staying busy, just like Elder Liu. During these past weeks, the tasks Elder Liu assigned him had kept him constantly occupied, which gave him a sense of fulfillment.