Soft Feather immediately called out, "Senior Song, why not join our Spirit Butterfly Island. We have rich resources and powerful techniques, and I can help you, Senior!"
"Soft Feather, don't interrupt me, let me finish," said Northern River's Loose Cultivator.
Soft Feather shrank back in embarrassment.
"What's the difference?" Song Shuhang asked.
Northern River's Loose Cultivator: "Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. But, generally speaking, joining a sect has a lot more advantages than being a loose cultivator. So, let me tell you about joining a sect first.
After you join a sect, you will get a master who will teach you how to cultivate and impart experience to you, which will spare you making mistakes during cultivation and save you lots of time. As long as you have enough talent and diligence, you won't be lacking resources, techniques, and cultivation caves. Comparatively, this option is more suitable for a person who devotes themselves entirely to cultivation.
However… if you join a sect, you have to abide by the rules of the sect and work for it. After all, nothing can be accomplished without rules. Since you've received so many resources from the sect, you have to repay it. Especially if you enter a sect like the one of Great Master Profound Principle—you'll have to shave your head and abide by all kinds of Buddhist rules. You'll have to say goodbye to your family in the earthly world and diligently cultivate until you finish your apprenticeship as well. If you're not lucky, you'll never be able to see your parents again."
As a child, Northern River's Loose Cultivator was almost swindled by some bad guy and entered a Buddhist temple, so he obviously bore a grudge against Buddhism.
At this time, Wandering Monk Profound Principle popped up, and sent a 😀.
Northern River's Loose Cultivator immediately added, "Haha, actually not only the sect of Wandering Monk Profound Principle's, other sects also need you to stay away from your loved ones more or less. After all, a sect is not a tray of loose sand. They need their disciples to live in the sect. Disciples can rarely go out before they finish their apprenticeship."
Wandering Monk Profound Principle sent a 😁—so the great master was actually threatening Northern River's Loose Cultivator with that 😀?
"No pain, no gain. It ought to be like this." Song Shuhang understood. However, he already knew that joining a sect was not suitable for him.
At least not suitable for him at present—he wasn't ready to leave his family and leave his homeland for cultivation. He was still sentimentally attached to this earthly world.
"Senior Song, our Spirit Butterfly Island is much freer. As soon as you reach Third Stage Acquired Combat King Realm, you can leave Spirit Butterfly Island and stay outside for a period of time every year. And you can also count on me. I can help you get more freedom," Soft Feather tried really hard to persuade him to join Spirit Butterfly Island.
"Thank you," Song Shuhang said sincerely.
However, Third Stage Acquired Combat King Realm was not easy to reach.
Soft Feather was called a genius by the members of the group. She had started cultivation since she was a child. She was now in her twenties, and she had only reached Third Stage Acquired Combat King Realm.
Song Shuhang thought that he was definitely not a genius. Even if he managed to reach this realm in forty or fifty years, he would literally never be able to see his mum and dad again.
"Ahem! Now, let me tell you about being a loose cultivator. As you can see, I'm a loose cultivator myself," Northern River's Loose Cultivator laughed. "Compared with joining a sect, a loose cultivator has no teacher teaching him how to cultivate, no resources, and no cultivation cave. He has to completely depend on himself. The only benefit, perhaps, is freedom?"
Being a loose cultivator was really hard. Northern River's Loose Cultivator was a lucky one among loose cultivators. He made friends with Su Clan's Seven when he was young and got lots of help from him. As recommended by Seven, he got added into Nine Provinces Number One Group. In this group, he was like a fish in the water. Now, he had reached the peak of Fifth Stage Spiritual Emperor Realm and was going to enter into the next realm.
If he were a common loose cultivator who'd got no teacher, no resources, no knowledge, and no cultivation cave, he would be stuck as soon as he reached the Second or Third Stage and then turn into ashes when his life came to an end and he couldn't find a way to prolong it.
"Then, where can a loose cultivator get techniques or resources?" Song Shuhang felt the future of a loose cultivator was simply hopeless.
"Haha, if you had not joined Nine Provinces Number One Group, I would recommend you to find a proper sect to join. After all, being a loose cultivator is really hard. Besides, unlike the past, it's very difficult to find spiritual pills and medicinal materials in the earthly world nowadays. However, Nine Provinces Number One Group is a very special group. Here, the group owner—True Monarch Yellow Mountain—and other powerful seniors will ask the members of the group to do them some small favors. You can get some rewards you want from them. This is a way for seniors of the group to support juniors. Or, if you help an ordinary member of the group who needs help, you can also get something in return. Like this time, you got two cases of medicinal herbs from Soft Feather. Of course, it's not easy to meet a prodigal as generous as Soft Feather. Don't expect to get such a great reward every time," mocked Northern River's Loose Cultivator.
"Senior Northern River! I am not a prodigal!" Spirit Butterfly Island's Soft Feather sent a 😠.
Song Shuhang imagined how the girl would look like when she pouted. She had to look cute.
Northern River's Loose Cultivator laughed. "So, if you choose to be a loose cultivator, you'd better show up in the group as much as you can. As long as you're diligent enough, you can gradually get what you want—be it techniques, pills, or other resources. To be honest, Nine Provinces Number One Group is just like an early-stage sect."
Listening to what he said, Song Shuhang was enchanted. In a short term, being a loose cultivator would be more suitable for him.
Northern River's Loose Cultivator: "So, joining a sect or becoming a loose cultivator, which one would you like to choose?"
After Northern River's Loose Cultivator finished, Immortal Master Copper Trigram immediately added, "Little Friend Shuhang, it concerns your future cultivation. So, you need not hurry to make a choice. Calm down and think carefully. Choose carefully in case you would regret it later.
"Thank you, Senior, I know. I choose to become a loose cultivator." Song Shuhang had already made up his mind.
"Shouldn't you think about it more? Once you've chosen to be a loose cultivator, it will be difficult for you to join a sect in the future." Immortal Master Copper Trigram reminded again.
Sects usually did not enroll loose cultivators.
After all, it was easier to draw on a piece of white paper than to make changes to an already painted picture.
Moreover, as for loyalty to the sect, loose cultivators couldn't be compared with disciples who were brought up in the sect. There were too many elements of instability about loose cultivators.
Thus, unless a loose cultivator had an extraordinary flair or a special talent in some aspect, very few sects were willing to enroll loose cultivators.
"Yes, I've thought it over." Song Shuhang answered seriously. It was his choice. Be it good or bad, he would never regret it.
Immortal Master Copper Trigram nodded and said no more.
After a few moments, Northern River's Loose Cultivator replied, "Little Friend Shuhang, since you've chosen to be a loose cultivator, what you need the most now is a body refining technique and a meditation technique. 'No pain, no gain' is the rule of Nine Provinces Number One Group. If any senior or fellow daoist in the group needs a favor that you can offer, you can help them and get some techniques and resources you need in exchange.
However… you're a little special. You are the first ordinary person in Nine Provinces Number One Group. Your strength is so weak that if you don't establish foundation first, you may not have the strength to help them even if some senior or fellow daoist in the group needs your help."
After all, Soft Feather's case was really rare, as she just needed someone to lead the way for her back then. The favors cultivators need were mostly about cultivation.
Song Shuhang sent a 😅.
"Thus, if you don't mind, I can lend you a Foundation Establishment fist technique and a meditation technique. Combined with the 'body tempering liquid' you just refined, they can help you accomplish Hundred Days Foundation Establishment and formally enter into First Stage Five Apertures Realm.
If you succeed in Foundation Establishment, you will be able to accomplish some tasks assigned by some fellow daoists and seniors in the group, and then you'll have a chance to pay me back—of course, I can only lend you a most basic cultivation technique.
Besides, if you can get a 'qi and blood pill', you can significantly reduce the amount of time you need for Foundation Establishment," Northern River's Loose Cultivator added.
Nine Provinces Number One Group was made up of a small circle of people who were willing to help each other, and seniors in the group often helped and supported juniors here. So, he wouldn't hesitate to make the slight effort necessary to lend a junior a basic technique that was quite common to cultivators.
Anyway, as Song Shuhang had joined this group, it was for sure that he would become a cultivator.
Moreover, by lending him a basic technique, Northern River's Loose Cultivator would have become half a guide to Song Shuhang. Song Shuhang would remember his kindness for the rest of his life—as for the other half of guide, yes, that would be the rich girl—Soft Feather—who gifted him two cases of medicine herbs.
Hearing his words, Song Shuhang felt warm. Though it was just a most basic technique, it was what he desperately needed right now.
He tapped the keyboard—now, he just needed to type a few words, and the doors of 'cultivation world' would open to him!
At this time, a message popped up in the group.