Of course, Hu Jing's trio were exceptions. Hu Jing and Zhang Xiaojiang were Direct Disciples; one was at the Fifth Layer of Life Mark, and the other at the Fourth Layer. With just a little guidance, reaching the Tenth Layer of Life Mark would be only a matter of time. And Wang Meng definitely had some kind of background, too. Only a fool would believe a guy like him could identify the Weed King on his own.
"Heh heh, Junior Brother Zhang, Junior Brother Wang, what great talents you are! Junior Sister Hu is even more incredible. To have such an aura after cultivating for only a month."
To the trio's surprise, Zhou Qian had come looking for them, and he immediately began showering them with flattery.
Wang Meng smiled. "Brother Zhou, you're so enthusiastic. Are you perhaps looking to settle a score with us?"
Hu Jing remained silent. She and Zhang Xiaojiang looked to Wang Meng, apparently following the lead of the "weakest" one in their group.
Zhou Qian froze. "A score? What score?" Then, he suddenly feigned a look of realization. "Oh, I remember now! The Spirit Stone, right? Rest assured, why would I ever want Junior Brother Zhang's Spirit Stone? That was just to motivate you!"
As he spoke, Zhou Qian cautiously took out a Spirit Stone that was even larger than Zhang Xiaopang's original one. The look on his face suggested he was in agony.
Zhou Qian certainly didn't dare ask Zhao Guang for it back, nor did he dare to offend Zhang Xiaojiang and Hu Jing, so his only option was to make a personal sacrifice.
Wang Meng nodded. Zhang Xiaopang snatched it without a shred of courtesy. Wang Meng clapped Zhou Qian on the shoulder. "Brother Zhou, you're a smart man. Smart is good. I enjoy dealing with smart people."
Zhou Qian's expression remained unchanged, but his mind was racing. 'This guy has zero respect for me. Does he really have some powerful backer?'
"Not at all, not at all! You three are exceptionally talented. But cultivation always involves endless chores. If you ever need my help, just say the word. Everyone in Thunderlight Hall knows that I, Zhou Qian, am the resident expert on everything. When it comes to gossip, I'm definitely the first to know. And, I have a small gift for you."
He then took three Talismans from his Qiankun Bag, handing them to the trio with a wide smile. The fatty accepted his without a hint of politeness; he figured the guy wouldn't dare try to cheat them again.
Wang Meng didn't press his advantage. He'd seen plenty of people like Zhou Qian who survived by squeezing through the cracks. Deep down, this one was actually one of the better ones.
"Since you're being so generous, Brother Zhou, we won't stand on ceremony. I'm sure we'll have to trouble you in the future."
"Haha, it's my pleasure! My pleasure! You all carry on, I've got some other business to attend to." Zhou Qian kept a broad smile plastered on his face. An unknowing observer might have actually mistaken him for a selfless senior brother.
Zhou Qian's heart was bleeding, but he had always lived by the principle that survival depends on adapting to the circumstances. 'There's no way both Elder Zhao Ya and Elder Wan Jing misjudged them,' he thought. 'As long as even one of these three manages to hold on to their new status, they're not people I can afford to offend.'
'What rotten luck.'
"Brother Meng, why didn't we report him? We should have at least given him a good beating," Zhang Xiaojiang said, though he couldn't stop caressing the Spirit Stone in his hand.
This one was even bigger than his original. After a month of suffering, he had become much more sensitive to the Elemental Qi within Spirit Stones. Cultivating with one would surely be a huge help.
"In the Cultivation World, the weak are meat and the strong do eat. Reporting someone is the ultimate act of cowardice."
Wang Meng shook his head.
"Wang Meng's right," Hu Jing said. "From now on, we can only rely on ourselves. Zhang Xiaopang, don't delude yourself into thinking Elder Wan Jing will help you. If you fail to display sufficient talent in your cultivation, you'll be cast aside without a second thought."
Zhang Xiaopang patted his bulging chest. "I'm a genius!"
The summit of Thunderlight Peak was where the four Elders cultivated. The Elemental Qi there was the most abundant, and very few disciples were allowed to approach. Thunderlight Hall, located on the mountainside, was the main gathering place for disciples' cultivation. As official disciples, each of them was given their own small courtyard.
As Direct Disciples, Hu Jing and Zhang Xiaojiang were both assigned to the Sector A residential area. The stronger of Thunderlight Hall's Third Generation Disciples all lived there, and the Spiritual Qi was also relatively more plentiful.
For Zhang Xiaopang, becoming neighbors with Beauty Hu was an even greater joy than receiving a Spirit Stone.
Wang Meng, on the other hand, was in the Sector B residential area.
The three of them gathered in Hu Jing's house, which she had already decorated into a neat and tidy young woman's room. The moment he stepped inside, the fatty started sniffing the air vigorously.
Even Wang Meng, his partner in crime, couldn't watch any longer and gave Zhang Xiaopang a kick. Only then did Zhang Xiaopang finally act like a proper guest and find a chair to sit on.
Hu Jing was already used to their antics. She rarely seemed fazed by anything. She simply prepared tea for them.
"Go on, try it. It was a gift from my master. It's called Mist Immortal Tea, and it helps clear the mind and calm your spirit."
"Wow, Elder Zhao is so biased! She's already started giving you gifts?" Zhang Xiaopang exclaimed. "Did she give you a few bottles of Life-Saving Pills or anything like that? That guy Zhou Qian only sells second-rate junk." He was still a bit sore about it. "Except for the Divine Movement Talisman, which was pretty useful, the rest of his stuff was trash."
"I have to reach Perfection in the Hinayana Refining Essence Heart Technique and raise my Life Mark by two layers within a year," Hu Jing said, though she didn't seem to feel any pressure. "Being a Direct Disciple comes with benefits, but the expectations are also much higher."
Zhang Xiaopang immediately pulled out his own Talisman. After checking its contents, he was dumbfounded. "Damn it! I also have to reach Perfection in the Hinayana Bow Technique! That's brutal! Hell, can I quit being a Direct Disciple?"
Seeing the looks on Wang Meng and Hu Jing's faces, Zhang Xiaopang instantly threw his hands up in surrender. "Just pretend I didn't say anything."
Wang Meng checked his Talisman as well. Non-Direct Disciples like him had to perform various chores based on their aptitude. His task was to plant the one-mu Spirit Field he had cleared with Spirit Storage Grass. This grass absorbed Spiritual Qi to produce a harvest known as Spirit Valley, which resembled ears of rice. There were two harvests a year. Eighty percent had to be turned over to the sect, but he could keep the remaining twenty percent. This Spirit Valley had many uses, such as being an auxiliary ingredient in Alchemy or feed for Messengers.
His, however, came with no cultivation requirements.
The Hinayana System Techniques were all divided into seven tiers. They were considered Entry Level Techniques, and one had to master them before they could advance in their cultivation.
Each Sub-Hall of the Holy Hall had a Sword Pavilion, an Artifact Pavilion, and so on, where items could be exchanged for contribution points or Spirit Stones. For Wang Meng, these sorts of arrangements were a memory from a past so distant he could barely recall it. It actually felt somewhat novel to experience it again.
The information from Zhou Qian's Talisman, though basic, was quite helpful. Wang Meng discovered that the world had changed drastically from what he remembered.
A Cultivator's power was determined by three main factors: Life Mark Level, Magic, and Magical Treasures.
Life Mark: The higher the level, the more Life Marks one possessed, resulting in stronger Elemental Power and the ability to use more Magic. One's Life Mark Level could be raised through natural growth, cultivation, or with the help of rare treasures.
Magic: A powerful force generated by using Elemental Power, channeled through pathways formed by combinations of Life Marks. It is the very foundation upon which a sect is built. Learning Magic requires comprehension and diligent practice; there are no shortcuts.
One's Life Mark determined whether they could become a Cultivator, but comprehension determined whether they could become a powerful one.
Magical Artifacts: This category includes the life-bound weapons of Weapon Cultivators, as well as the various Curse Talismans, other magical tools, and Pills created by Talisman Cultivators and Body Cultivators. These are external objects. Possessing a good Magical Treasure is like having a second life.