That afternoon, Chen An was taken to the Elder's Hall.
Chen An was pleased to be assigned his room in the Elder's Hall, unlike when he was in the servants' quarters. This meant he could carry out certain activities without worrying about being discovered.
Furthermore, the duties here were far lighter than in the servant quarters. In addition to attending to Elder Gu's daily needs and maintaining the hall's upkeep, he was granted one day off for every ten days.
During these breaks, you are free to leave the sect grounds as you please. This was one of the few comforts Chen An clung to.
There were five servants in total in the Elder's Hall, including Chen An. The others had served Elder Gu for many years.
Upon his arrival, Chen An was informed that there were very few strict rules in this place. Elder Gu was a kind man. As long as no major mistakes were made, there would be no issues.
However, there was one crucial rule: absolutely no one was allowed to approach the meditation chamber where Elder Gu cultivated.
That place was off-limits. Anyone who dares to approach will meet a swift and certain death.
Three years ago, a servant who was highly favored by Elder Gu got too close to the chamber and was executed by the Elder himself.
Chen An found this rather perplexing. Why was it forbidden to approach the meditation chamber?
The other servants were unequivocal in their response: a peaceful environment was essential during cultivation. Any disturbance will lead to deviation, causing disastrous consequences such as mental collapse or even death.
In the world of cultivators, only the most trusted individuals are allowed near during cultivation. Anyone else would be seen as a threat, and they would be dealt with accordingly.
After learning this, Chen An made sure to imprint it into his mind, warning himself not to cross this line.
He knew better than to test fate in the Elder's Hall.
In the days that followed, Chen An confidently settled into life in the Elder's Hall. He had initially feared Elder Gu might try to test or trouble him further, but he was proven wrong. Since his arrival, he hadn't seen the elder even once.
This was to be expected. As a cultivator, Elder Gu's primary focus was undoubtedly his cultivation. The length of time one could remain in seclusion was unpredictable. The saying, "In a cave, one loses track of the passage of time," is an exact description of the world of cultivation.
Chen An was able to relax a bit thanks to the absence of pressure. Before he knew it, his first day off had arrived.
At dawn, the sect's spirit chickens crowed loudly, signaling the start of a new day.
Chen An opened his eyes slowly and for an instant, a sharp glint flashed in them. He got up and stretched, and the sound of joints popping filled the room. A newfound strength surged through his body.
After a night of cultivation, his strength had improved. Chen An wasn't troubled by the minimal progress.
He had an inferior spiritual root, yet he was able to cultivate—that was a blessing in itself. He knew there was no point in obsessing over his cultivation speed.
After washing up, Chen An prepared for his day off. He was going to visit the sect's market to take a look around.
He had heard about the market from the other servants in the Elder's Hall. It was located within the inner sect and supported by both the disciples and the sect itself. One could trade for any necessary items using spirit stones, barter with goods, or exchange them directly at the sect's trading post.
Chen An currently had two spirit stones in his possession, taken from Wei Ming's body. He wasn't sure if they'd be enough to buy anything, but he was certain it would be worth looking around for some insight.
Additionally, he had been making a lot of spirit talismans lately, and he needed to restock his supplies of talisman paper and cinnabar. He was going to use this opportunity to replenish his supplies.
Chen An followed the directions he had gathered and made his way to the inner sect. The difference between the outer and inner sects was like night and day.
Here, one could see many dignified cultivators, either gathered in groups discussing Daoist principles or sharing their cultivation struggles. The atmosphere was indisputably more refined than in the outer sect.
Chen An had always wanted to enter the inner sect, and he was going to do it. He had heard that inner sect disciples received a monthly stipend of five spirit stones, which was a considerable sum by any standard.
To Chen An, this was a fortune. After all, even Wei Ming, an outer sect steward, had only two spirit stones to his name.
The status of inner sect disciples is unquestionably elevated.
"I will enter the inner sect when my cultivation advances further. If that happens, I'll be free from Elder Gu's control.
Although he hadn't seen Elder Gu during the ten days since his arrival at the Elder's Hall, and no danger had presented itself, Chen An was certain something was wrong.
He was certain that Elder Gu had brought him into the Elder's Hall for some ulterior motive. It was just a vague premonition, a hunch with no evidence, but Chen An had always trusted his instincts. Those instincts had kept him alive for this long, after all. He would play it safe and be cautious rather than regret it later.
Chen An strode purposefully to the market, lost in his thoughts. He hadn't walked far before a cheerful voice called out to him.
"Hey, fellow Daoist, check out my wares!" "I guarantee I've got everything you need!"
Chen An turned and saw a thin young man sitting behind a stall with a white cloth laid out in front of him. The cloth displayed a variety of spirit talismans, talisman paper, and alchemy ingredients—all items commonly used by cultivators.
Chen An had no intention of buying anything in particular. He was still unsure whether spending the spirit stones he'd taken from Wei Ming was a good idea. He was here to look around.
He decided to ignore the vendor and keep walking.
But as his eyes fell on the talismans the young man had laid out, Chen An's brows furrowed ever so slightly. "Fellow Daoist, your talismans are drawn oddly."
Chen An was certain that the young man's talismans were poorly made, barely functional, and far below the quality of the ones he had crafted himself.
He was perplexed by the notion that such poorly crafted talismans could be sold.
"Brother, what are you saying? These talismans were praised by even the inner sect stewards! "How could they be strange?"
Chen An listened to the young man's defense of his work but was not convinced. These crude talismans were praised? The thought sent a shockwave through him!