A disciple, from entry to Qi Cultivation, from Qi Cultivation to Foundation Establishment, first considers aptitude, then connections, and must also seek out resources themselves. Unless they have a Heavenly Spirit Root or similar, they have to grind step by step. Sometimes, even esteemed orthodox sects recruit hundreds of disciples and then focus on training just a few. As for other talents, they might string you along, letting you cultivate without giving you the truly suitable secret manuals or paths. Then, after you've wasted years, possibly without even realizing it, you miss your opportunity and can't even leave.
However, those who manage to rise in such an environment are extremely diligent. Those Nascent Souls and Divinity Transformations, they are not much less than the Immortal Sect, and due to the abundance of Spiritual Energy, they have actually produced true prodigies.
