Chapter 34: Three Rivers Recruitment, Foundation Establishment Opportunity
Outside the cave dwelling, following Lü Yang's breakthrough, information about him was laid out before those with vested interests, and his background was swiftly investigated thoroughly.
Just as Lü Yang had anticipated earlier, his background could be summed up in four characters:
"Roots upright, seedling dark."
Every year, the Saint Sect recruited new disciples.
After officially joining through the Pleasure Hall, he profited greatly by trading Substitute Death Yin Puppets, and then went into seclusion.
"This is a diligent cultivator."
Looking at the materials on the table, a female cultivator with a delicate face and a sharp gaze couldn't help but praise.
She was also a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, but compared to Lü Yang, who had just broken through, her cultivation had already reached the ninth level of Qi Refining, just one step away from perfection.
The female cultivator was named "Feixia," and she was quite renowned within the Saint Sect.
Not only because of her appearance but also because she was one of the few talisman cultivators in the Saint Sect, gaining the favor of a sect elder through her talisman-making skills.
"A diligent cultivator alone cannot reach the late stage of Qi Refining."
Beside Fairy Feixia, a young man with a feather fan and silk scarf smiled slightly: "He clearly made a fortune by trading Substitute Death Yin Puppets, yet he keeps a low profile."
"This shows that he is a cautious and intelligent person."
"Understandable, this is within reason."
Fairy Feixia sighed upon hearing this: "For ordinary disciples like us to stand out, talent, caution, intelligence, and courage are all indispensable."
"So, it's decided?"
Fairy Feixia nodded and said, "I will recommend him. This person broke through to the late stage of Qi Refining in just ten years. Our Three Rivers Society needs such talent."
Inside the cave dwelling, Lü Yang sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion.
In front of him, more than a dozen talisman books were neatly laid out, each one an olive branch, claiming that as long as he was willing to join their faction, they would immediately offer generous gifts, including but not limited to cauldrons, cultivation methods, divine abilities, treasures, and pills—everything one could wish for.
"In my previous life, I didn't pay attention. I didn't expect so many factions within the Saint Sect."
Basically, as long as one had late-stage Qi Refining cultivation, they could gather a considerable team within the Saint Sect.
For example, Liu Xin in his previous life did just that.
Lü Yang wasn't surprised by this.
After all, without factions, there would be all sorts of oddities.
The Saint Sect was so vast; it was impossible for everyone to be of one mind.
People would always band together for their own interests.
Of course, those factions were like rootless duckweed, without foundation.
The ones truly capable of recruiting him were the factions established by some elders or even true disciples of the Saint Sect, and the conditions they offered were relatively more genuine and credible.
But that was all.
"I still overestimated myself."
Lü Yang shook his head.
The conditions offered by those major factions were indeed good, often amounting to tens of thousands of contribution points.
However, he happened not to lack money.
After all, he hadn't even spent all the contribution points he earned from trading Substitute Death Yin Puppets.
What he lacked was "authority," the ability to truly access the middle levels of the Saint Sect and purchase things that were otherwise unavailable.
Just as Lü Yang was contemplating, suddenly, the formation outside the door trembled.
Lü Yang looked up in response and saw the illumination array he had set up in front of the cave dwelling shine brightly, revealing a graceful and curvaceous silhouette.
It was none other than Fairy Feixia.
"Junior Brother Lü, you understand formations?"
Fairy Feixia looked around at the emerging formation patterns in surprise, her pretty face showing unexpected delight.
Lü Yang cupped his hands: "Senior Sister, may I ask the purpose of your visit?"
Fairy Feixia didn't feign modesty and gracefully returned the salute: "I am Feixia, a steward of the Saint Sect's Three Rivers Society. I have come for you, Junior Brother."
"Oh? Please, Senior Sister."
Lü Yang hurriedly offered hospitality and quickly became alert.
The Three Rivers Society—wasn't that the faction behind Zhao Xuhe?
They actually came to recruit him?
Lü Yang didn't know much about the Three Rivers Society, but he knew Zhao Xuhe was a member.
More importantly, as a disciple of the Mending Heaven Peak Master, Zhao Xuhe seemed to be just a mid-to-low-level member of the Three Rivers Society.
This alone showed the value of the Three Rivers Society.
"I hope Senior Sister doesn't mind my ignorance. May I ask what the Three Rivers Society is?"
Lü Yang asked cautiously.
Fairy Feixia wasn't surprised by his question and smiled: "The Three Rivers Society was established by three senior brothers who are true disciples."
"The eldest senior brother is already a Foundation Establishment True Person and has opened a peak within the Sea of Clouds."
"The second and third senior brothers haven't established their foundations yet, but they have both cultivated third-grade true qi and are at the peak of Qi Refining, ready to establish their foundations at any time."
"I heard that Junior Brother Lü also comes from an ordinary background. You should know how difficult life is for ordinary disciples in the early stages."
"The three senior brothers came from humble beginnings like us, so after achieving great cultivation, they established the Three Rivers Society to help ordinary disciples overcome early difficulties."
"I see."
Lü Yang looked respectful: "The three senior brothers are truly virtuous."
Bah!
If it weren't for the fact that in previous lives he had borrowed money from the Three Rivers Society and personally witnessed their 36% annual interest rate, he might have believed this nonsense.
Lü Yang cursed inwardly.
He was always cautious and wouldn't make a hasty decision just because of Fairy Feixia's words.
He immediately said cautiously: "It would be an honor to be invited to join the Three Rivers Society, but may I ask what the benefits are?"
"You can rest assured, Junior Brother."
Fairy Feixia replied calmly: "As long as you're willing to join, I can immediately grant you a true disciple-level divine ability secret technique."
"After joining, there will be an annual contribution point offering."
"Moreover, as long as you have money, you can use the society's true disciple authority to purchase desired items, or even request guidance from the three senior brothers."
"Of course, there are requirements."
At this point, Fairy Feixia took out a jade slip and placed it in front of Lü Yang: "All members must sign a contract and leave a drop of essence blood."
"That's simple."
Lü Yang glanced at the contract in front of him.
It was nothing more than some standard faction clauses, confidentiality obligations, etc.
Some might feel that doing so would lose their freedom and make many things beyond their control, but Lü Yang didn't care.
He boldly signed his name.
It was just a matter of this lifetime, and it wouldn't affect the next.
He even wished the constraints were greater, so he would be more likely to be considered one of their own and receive better resources.
Seeing Lü Yang so straightforward, Fairy Feixia nodded in satisfaction.