The Personnel Affairs Department was responsible for assigning tasks to outer and inner disciples, as well as deputy elders. As such, it was one of the most powerful institutions within the sect.
It was divided into two divisions: one for the inner sect and one for the outer sect.
Outer disciples were not obligated to accept tasks, but those interested could visit the outer division of the Personnel Affairs Department at any time to take on well-paying assignments. Though the rewards weren't as immediate or lucrative as the sect's battle arena, these tasks were significantly safer—outer disciples were never assigned dangerous missions.
In truth, there were very few threats within the Sky City Immortal Sect's domain. Any dangers that did arise were typically handled by deputy elders or, in rare cases, by elders. Disciples were not expected to deal with such matters, as their primary focus was on cultivation and breaking through to higher realms.
Outer disciples were exempt from tuition fees, allowing them to train freely. However, inner disciples faced stricter requirements— they were only permitted to remain in the sect until the age of 50, unless they successfully broke through to Core Formation. Those who failed had three options:
Pay a substantial number of spirit stones as a tuition fee to continue their training.
Resign as a disciple and assume the role of a deputy elder, serving the sect in an administrative or supervisory capacity.
Completely leave the sect.
Elders and deputy elders were not necessarily stronger than disciples in terms of cultivation. The primary difference between them was that disciples were essentially students—they could leave the sect once they achieved their goals—whereas elders and deputies were permanent members of the sect's structure.
Upon encountering an insurmountable bottleneck and reaching the age limit of 50, many disciples chose to remain within the sect and take on the role of deputy elders rather than venturing into the unpredictable outside world.
After all, the sect was the largest employer of cultivators in Sky City, offering the best resources and environment for cultivation. Deputy elders were well-paid, and while they spent most of their time managing the sect, they still had time to cultivate. In fact, there have been cases where deputy elders, even at the age of 100, have broken through and been promoted to elder. Thus, becoming a deputy elder was not necessarily the end of the road.
Overall, only children from wealthy noble families could afford the high tuition fees to remain disciples after turning 50, while commoner children simply did not have the financial resources to continue their cultivation within the sect as disciples.
Most of the sect's paperwork was handled by servants—former outer disciples who had failed to reach the Foundation Establishment realm before the age of twenty-five. Rather than leave the sect, they accepted employment within its walls.
Some of these servants, if they later broke through to Foundation Establishment, could rise to the rank of deputy elder. These deputy elders managed various sectors of the sect, including the Outer Sect's Division of Personnel Management, the Outer Sect's Arena, and the Cultivation Resources Department.
Though most of the outer sect divisions were led by deputy elders, their responsibilities varied based on individual skills. Those lacking administrative talent were often stationed as enforcers or guards, ensuring order and discipline in places like the arena. In contrast, those with strong leadership abilities could rise to oversee entire departments.
Elders, on the other hand, were typically Core disciples who had reached an impassable bottleneck in their cultivation. Unable to advance further, they dedicated the rest of their lives to serving the sect.
The elders were the true ruling body of the sect. They held positions as directors of inner sect departments, guardians of key locations, and enforcers of sect law.
At the peak of this structure stood the Sect Leader—a Nascent Soul cultivator who spent nearly all his time in seclusion, striving to break through his bottleneck. He had no official duties within the sect. His mere existence was a deterrent to rival sects, ensuring that none dared to threaten Sky City Immortal Sect. His intervention was a last resort, a nuclear option reserved for the gravest of crises.
For all other matters, the sect's bureaucracy—its elders, deputy elders, and servants—ensured that everything ran like a well-oiled machine, requiring no interference from the elusive Sect Master.
…
Gabriel entered the Personnel Affairs Department, swiftly completing the process and obtaining permission for a ten-day vacation without any issues.
In most cases, as long as a disciple had unused vacation days, approval was automatic—unless the sect was in a state of emergency, such as war or disaster.
Glancing at the official document in his hands, Gabriel's eyes gleamed. "I can leave today!"
He had already prepared everything in advance. His spatial bag contained all the essentials—spirit stones, gold, and other necessities. Without wasting any time, he made his way toward the sect's exit.
The Sky City Immortal Sect had a strict security system. The entrance and exit were entirely separate—one for incoming individuals and the other for those departing. Neither was a two-way passage. This arrangement ensured maximum security, preventing unauthorized entry or suspicious movements.
With steady steps, Gabriel approached the exit, ready to embark on his journey beyond the sect's walls.
…
Sky City—a sprawling metropolis with a population of thirteen million—was considered one of the largest cities on the Central Continent. It was fiercely independent and had its own government, military, and economy, all under the leadership of its mayor, a powerful Nascent Soul cultivator.
The Central Continent itself was unique in that it had no overarching kingdoms. Every city governed itself, existing in a delicate balance of power between sect influence, trade alliances, and martial clans.
There were rumors of a massive empire in the far east, but it was too distant to hold any sway over the affairs of the Central Continent.
After leaving the sect, Gabriel headed straight toward the Sky City Martial Arts Hall.
It was the place that had raised him—where he had spent the first fifteen years of his life. He was well-known there, once hailed as a prodigy before being accepted as a disciple of the Sky City Immortal Sect. Many had admired him, while others harbored envy for his fortune.
But today, he wasn't visiting for nostalgia.
He was going to milk them for Power Boost points.
The martial artists of the hall would be utterly shocked if they even sensed one percent of his current strength. With that kind of reaction, there was potential for an enormous amount of points.
After exploiting the martial hall, he would leave Sky City altogether and test the full extent of his strength in the wild.
…
The Sky City Immortal Sect held a legendary status. Anyone affiliated with it—even servants—was treated with immense respect wherever they went.
By comparison, the Sky City Martial Arts Hall was far less prestigious, yet it remained a formidable institution. With over 100,000 active members per week, it was a cornerstone of the city's martial culture.
Its influence extended far beyond combat. Most of Sky City's mortal soldiers, law enforcement officers, mercenaries, and security personnel were members. Even individuals from unrelated professions—doctors, librarians, blacksmiths, merchants—trained there, either for self-defense or prestige.
The hall's reach went even further, deeply entwining itself with the mortal government. Nearly all high-ranking officials had some affiliation with the Martial Arts Hall.
However, when comparing sheer individual influence, cultivators were far superior to martial artists. The difference was simple—lifespan.
A cultivator's life expectancy increased with their cultivation level, potentially extending for centuries or even longer. Martial artists, on the other hand, were bound by the limits of mortality. Even the most powerful of them could live only up to 150 years—a number set in stone.
The only way to surpass this limitation was through immortal cultivation.
Unfortunately, not just anyone could cultivate. One's potential was determined at birth, graded from the lowest, F-grade talent, to the highest, S-grade talent. And if one was born without talent?
There was no known method to acquire it.
This stark disparity shaped their priorities. Cultivators devoted themselves wholly to cultivation, seeking breakthroughs that would extend their lives indefinitely. But martial artists, knowing they had limited time, focused on legacy, influence, and political power. They sought to leave behind an inheritance, a name that would echo through history.
…
The Sky City Martial Arts Hall was a colossal institution located in the northern district of the city. Its main headquarters spanned an immense area, capable of accommodating thousands at any given time.
Beyond its vast training grounds, the hall boasted state-of-the-art martial arts facilities—weapon forges, specialized sparring arenas, gravity chambers, endurance-testing zones, alchemy labs, meditation halls, and even artificial spirit energy fields. To support its members, the hall also owned extensive farmland for cultivating precious medicinal herbs, along with pill and elixir refineries that produced valuable supplements for martial artists.
Despite having over 100,000 active members weekly, only a small fraction actually lived within the hall's quarters. The vast majority had jobs and homes elsewhere, visiting the hall solely for training. However, in absolute numbers, the permanent residents were still significant.
Approximately 5,000 martial artists were employed full-time by the hall, dedicating their lives to training and managing its affairs. Supporting them were around 2,000 servants, ensuring the smooth operation of daily activities. On occasion, thousands more would temporarily stay at the hall for special training, tournaments, or missions.
The Martial Arts Hall was not just a place of training—it was also a sanctuary for the talented but underprivileged.
Through various philanthropic programs, the hall adopted orphans and abandoned children who showed potential in martial arts, raising them as future warriors. In fact, a significant portion of the 5,000 permanent residents were individuals who had once been rescued and trained by the hall—Gabriel included.
Yet, the hall's influence stretched beyond just martial arts. It maintained a strong collaboration with the Sky City Immortal Sect, ensuring that no cultivation talent went undiscovered.
All adopted children were tested for immortal cultivation talent upon turning 15 years old. This was precisely how Gabriel's own potential had been recognized, leading to his acceptance into the Sky City Immortal Sect.
In Sky City, all children were supposed to undergo a cultivation aptitude test by the time they reached 15 years old. However, due to clerical errors, parental neglect, accidents, and bureaucratic delays, it wasn't uncommon for some to miss their test—sometimes by months, or in rare cases, even beyond the age of 16.
In the cutthroat competition to become an inner sect disciple, even a few months of delay could be a matter of fate. The Martial Arts Hall, however, ensured that every child under its care was tested immediately upon turning 15, granting them a valuable head start over commoners.
Furthermore, while the hall did not specialize in immortal cultivation, it still provided basic knowledge about cultivation realms, energy manipulation, and spiritual techniques. Though this education paled in comparison to the training given to noble children, it was far better than what ordinary commoners received.
For many, the hall was a beacon of hope—a place where even those born without wealth or status could carve a path toward greatness.
...
"Gabriel?"
A voice filled with warmth and surprise rang out as an elderly woman with snow-white hair and an aged yet elegant face spotted Gabriel entering through the main gate of the Martial Arts Hall.
"Master Ravena?"
Gabriel immediately recognized her. She had been his literature teacher during his childhood. Though her current role was that of an instructor, in her youth, she had once been a martial arts master who reached the Blood Exchange Realm. Unfortunately, her talent had been insufficient, preventing her from breaking through to the Innate Realm.
In the martial arts world, there were eight known realms, each forging the body into a weapon of increasing deadliness.
Skin Training Realm – The foundation of martial arts, where warriors toughened their skin to endure attacks.
Muscle Refining Realm – Strengthening the muscles, increasing raw power and resilience.
Bone Tempering Realm – Fortifying the bones, making them as hard as steel.
Blood Exchange Realm – Purifying and replacing mortal blood with warrior's blood, increasing vitality and battle endurance.
Innate Realm – The first proper step into mastery, where martial artists gained instinctive control over their bodies, moving faster than the eye could track.
Spirit Resonance Realm – Those who reached this stage could sense and manipulate the natural energy of the world, though not to the same extent as cultivators.
Grandmaster Realm – A near legendary level, where martial artists could release their aura to crush weaker opponents and even heal wounds through sheer life force control.
Martial Sovereign Realm – The peak of mortal martial arts. A master at this level could shatter boulders with a flick of their fingers and fight Foundation Establishment cultivators to a standstill.
Even at their strongest, martial artists could not compare to cultivators in sheer raw power. The Martial Sovereign Realm, the pinnacle of martial arts, was only equivalent to an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.
This gap was precisely why so many martial artists wished they had the talent to cultivate immortality.
Master Ravena stepped forward and embraced Gabriel tightly.
"How have you been?" she asked, her voice filled with emotion. "Why don't you visit us more often? I've missed you so much!"
Gabriel returned the hug with a small smile. To him, Master Ravena was like an aunt—a familiar presence from his past, one of the few people he genuinely respected and cared about.
"I promise I'll visit more often from now on!" Gabriel declared with sincerity.
Of course, his true reason for visiting was the power boost points he could gain from impressing the martial artists here. That alone made frequent visits worth it. But at the same time, he didn't mind catching up with old friends.
Master Ravena smiled, her eyes filled with warmth. "Good, good! Come inside. There's so much that's happened in the past two years—I have a lot to tell you!"
Gabriel followed her into the Martial Arts Hall. As they walked, an idea struck him.
"Master Ravena, let's gather everyone!" he said with a grin. "After spending two years in the Sect of Immortality, I have a lot to share and teach!"
This was a golden opportunity—the perfect chance to earn a massive amount of power boost points in a single setting.
Master Ravena nodded with enthusiasm. "Let's do it!"
Gabriel's eyes gleamed. This was going to be fun.