The difference between an inner sect and an outer sect disciple was job security. An inner sect disciple's job was to be elite. While an outer sect disciple juggles between earning resources and cultivating immortality, the inner sect disciple cultivates full-time. The resources always come to them. They didn't really need to do anything unless specially ordered to by the sect elders. As Wang Feng was cloistered in the Shoushan sect, A divination hall was being built. Meanwhile, the meteorology project was shaping up nicely. The solution to the distance problem lay with Shi Hong. Shi Hong was a puppet master. It was not hard for him to hide puppets in distant places and be connected to them. The Thousand Puppets Venerable tethered the data-collecting puppets to a master puppet and gave the master puppet to Wang Feng to divine weather from.
The weather prediction business was a big hit with low-level cultivators and sailors. Unfavorable weather conditions could get a cultivator stranded in the sea and cost him his life. Several spirit stones were not much for the information that could save their lives.
Since a Venerable was involved, the operation costs were high. Even after Shi Hong got his 65% cut, and 20% of incoming spirit stones were used to keep the devices running, the remaining profit margin still made Wang Feng fairly rich.
It must be noted that expenditure for a Venerable was astronomical compared to a measly qi gathering realm cultivator. The 65% that Shi Hong got didn't change his situation much at all.
What Shi Hong was really getting from this arrangement was an opportunity to exercise power over Wang Feng. Where there was trade there were negotiations. Where there were negotiations there were capitulations. It excited him to think Wang Feng would capitulate to him, Thousand Puppets Venerable Shi Hong.
A few months later, it was announced that Wang Feng would be promoted to elder status. The old fogeys that plotted, worked for 20 years and more, were green with envy. They felt a strong sense of injustice in their hearts. What was this? Who was this brat.?
The main problem was Wang Feng was not from any clan and he was wealthy for some reason. They couldn't economically choke him, They couldn't kill him. They didn't have any way to keep this kid under control at all. All the clans kept each other in check. But now, a new pavilion has risen and there was only one elder in that pavilion. That boasted a tremendous amount of political power in the sect for that boy.
Elder Ma and, Elder Li was an exception. They knew how formidable Wang Feng was.
Shi Hong stared down the rowdy group of elders.
"Elder Cheng, Dou you know any divination? Can you perform satisfactorily in the divination hall?"
The old man couldn't lie. He didn't know the first thing about divination. His clan pulled many strings and paid many spirit stones to get him this elder position. However, this brat got the position just because he is capable? This was unfair! What of all the spirit stones he paid? Elder Cheng gritted his teeth
"No, I can't divine."
Shi Hong was annoyed.
"Elder Cheng, Am I your wife? Why are you nagging me for no reason? Why are you doing this to me?" Shi Hong turned towards the elders:
" Is anybody here adept at divination here except Wang Feng?"
Everybody replied with a no.
"The sect needs diviners. So Wang Feng is going to teach divining in the divination hall. "
The elders didn't like it but they had to eat their words.
"So be it." one of the elders stormed out of the room.
The divination hall was officially in business. Since learning mathematics was a prerequisite to learning chaos theory, Wang Feng filled the halls with math classes. Those who wanted to learn divination had to have enough intelligence, patience, and perseverance to learn mathematics. Later they would be shifted to information processing departments where they learn how to follow trends and apply statistics to life.
There they will hopefully be able to acquire divination dao marks. After attaining such dao marks they would become eligible to shoot for a sect elder position. the divination experts also make great spies. They simply know what to look for and they know how to avoid danger. Although they are shifty, diviners were too good to pass up. Even Shi Hong didn't know mass production of diviners would do to a sect's structure. It was a complete paradigm shift. When it comes to trade, using diviners was like the difference between using barter and using the stock exchange.
The Clans held a vice grip of monopoly over people using classical medieval trade of this world. They were woefully unaware of the consequences of a job named "information broker"'s existence.
During every paradigm shift established powers always get shaken. Kodak was a photography company on Earth for 100 years.in the 1960's they got their big break and became a worldwide distributor of photography-related goods. They were actually innovative at that time, they were setting out to make a camera a household item. They grew really big. Later they started to become so big that they pushed others out of the market and became a monopoly. However, the world doesn't stop for anybody. It keeps spinning no matter what anyone does. Kodak was growing complacent in its last years. They failed to catch the digital camera trend and got devastated by their competitors.
Wang Feng was also silently raising research assistants. This was his "plan within a plan" . When a research and development apparatus come up with new things paradigm shifts that shake the world happens more often. During chaotic times like these, a rare opportunity for non-established factions to come into power would appear.
Wang Feng was not a pushover. He knew that clans would treat people like him disdainfully. Instead of going crazy with the sword in hand, Wang Feng did the adult and civilized thing. He ruined their lives by plotting behind their backs in an unfathomable manner.
First students were bright eyed young outer sect children and same aged inner sect clan sons and daughters.
Wang feng refused anyone with disdain in their face. Be it disdain for a person younger than them, or disdain for lower classes. There was no point in teaching those who are not mentally ready to learn from him. The every move he made forward, he met mobbing attempts of clan members. Attempts at distrupting his classes, attempts at discrediting him, slurs, graffiti. Clan ladies would try to go complicated with their abuse. They would give a sideway glance at him and say:
"They will let anyone in."
Or while passing him they would look at each other and say:
"Ew." And then they woud laugh.
If Wang Feng was a real 11 year old boy, he would be in shambles. Behind his young eyes was a person who existed for a long time. Wang Feng's perspective was far too wide for him to fall for petty social tricks. He bode his time until he got his own faction.
In the meantime Yi the bastard was preparing for inner sect examinations. This time he had no backings. As clan brats filled up the numbers rest competed for whats left. Most of the other outer sect disciples were aiming for inner sect to become a clan associate. That was the path to win in life for the likes of them. Yi was different. He had the dream of living by the sword and only sword. He figured he would find a way to rise in the world using his sword. Material wealth was all a lie. One day it was there next day it was gone. What real was what he invested within himself. Things no one can ever take away.
Yi was a man of convicition. He would follow his sword to death if he needed to. He has long been dominating the outer sect not by force but by respect. Everyone needed someone they can turn their backs to for missions. Yi was simply powerful and reliable. He was also no fool. Heknew what was what due to his hands on experience in outside world.
Assasins were still coming after them from outside the sect premises. Wang Feng often divined his karmic ties to see if any more assasins were coming. He and Wang Feng was still in Kang clan's hit list. Reason was simple, Wang Feng and Yi successfully messed with their money. Even the other clans were reluctant to do business with them. A clan like Kang Clan would never let them go.
Since assasins were increasingly better paid, Yi was earning extra pocket money and fighting experience. Such advantages would also give Yi an edge in the examinations. They couldn't move that freely in Shoushan sect territory. Seeking the mighty members on them was a bit risky. For it spat in the face of Shi Hong.
There was another reason that assasins kept coming at the two. Wang Feng was sending Kang Bojing letters.