Chapter 29 - Outer Sect Rules

When he left the building, Hei was greeted by the examiner who had taken him to that building. Having received a message from the sect leader, he knew what he had to do.

Therefore he began to drive Hei to the house that had been assigned to him while explaining to him the various rules of the outer sect.

The members of the outer sect had to make a donation every four months. Otherwise, they would be expelled from the sect. To do this, they could choose between growing plants, raising livestock, or working as a miner.

Although the latter was the hardest job, it was also the most important of the three. That was because what the miners were digging wasn’t just rock or minerals but rather a more precious material: spirit stones.

By spirit stone, it was meant a stone that, over time, had absorbed, in a natural way, spirit power from the surrounding environment. Thus, it became rich in spirit power and changed its initially null value.

In the society of martial artists, especially those from the big sects, the value of gold didn’t have the same importance it had for ordinary people.

This was because when advancing along the cultivation path, the materials used to raise one's rank or stage became increasingly rare and precious. Something like gold, therefore, had little value in the eyes of martial artists. The only exception was those who had decided to stop their cultivation journey and had decided to live among the ordinary people, contenting themselves with the power they had obtained.

So, it was decided that spirit stones would be used as currency among the martial artists due to their importance.

In fact, spirit stones could be used for multiple purposes, like spirit cores. But, if the spirit cores’ energy was turbulent and needed to be appeased by external materials, the energy from the spirit stones was clean and calm. Thereby, they didn’t require any prior modification and could be used immediately.

They were usually used to support the various types of formations. But for those who could afford it, it was also possible to use the energy of spirit stones to directly increase their cultivation and reducing the time to advance to the next stage.

But, even this use represented its risks. A too rapid increase in spirit power in one's body and prolonged use of spirit stones could cause problems in the flow of inner spirit power. The reason was in the inability to manage the spirit power flow correctly.

However, the side effects were reversible. And, if one waited some time from the absorption of one spirit stone, before using another one, there was no risk of injury. That was because they would give the body enough time to digest the received energy from the spirit stone.

But this trick wasn’t infinite due to the limited quantity of this resource. Indeed, like spirit cores, spirit stones also differed according to the amount of spirit power contained inside.

Up to three levels of spirit stones existed on Rainbow Island and finding mines of third-level spirit stones was very rare today. Furthermore, the stronger one was, the less effect the spirit stones of lesser levels would have.

Considering that a sect had various buildings and formations to maintain, it was unthinkable to provide a continuous supply of high-level spirit stones to individual disciples. It was wiser instead to save such stocks of spirit stones for future needs.

However, it was possible, from time to time, to grant some spirit stones to the inner sect disciples as their income, based on their results. In that way, they would entice competition and self-improvement.

Fortunately, although they weren’t as effective as spirit stones, there were other methods to increase one's cultivation. These external methods didn’t have the risks involved in absorbing spirit power as with spirit stones or their scarce availability. And here the other two jobs of the outer sect came into play, namely growing plants and raising livestock.

Through the digestion of foods containing spirit power, it was possible to increase one's spirit power. Therefore, members of the outer sect cultivated mainly wheat along with other edible plants that absorbed spirit power from the spirit veins in the soil.

On the other hand, animal breeders obtained milk from animals, which was then placed in special containers with formations engraved on them that allowed the liquid to absorb spirit power from the outside.

It would have been easier to feed the cattle with spirit herbs, making them spirit beasts over time. However, the outer sect members wouldn’t have been able to manage them. And asking the inner sect members was impossible. Such a task was so humiliating that they had no intention to deal with it. So, in the end, the sect opted for this method.

One difference between the miners and the farmer-breeders was that the former had to dig a certain set amount of spirit stones. For every excavated surplus, they were rewarded by the sect. But it wasn’t possible to keep spirit stones for them. The latter, on the other hand, had to give 30% of their own product. But they could keep the rest, and they could sell it directly to the sect or outside.

Within the sect, the value of their products would be lower than the market price. Even so, selling their products to the sect could allow outer sect’s members to earn what was called contribution points.

These points were essential because, with these, it was possible to buy or obtain materials and services ordinarily inaccessible to them.

Of course, miners could also request contribution points as a form of payment, and since theirs was the most crucial task, the contribution points awarded to them were more. But they also had to buy food and other necessities, unlike the others who could eat what they produced. So, the number of their points was more or less equal to that earned by the other two occupations.

As their ultimate goal was to become part of the inner sect, the outer sect’s families worked hard to accumulate as many contribution points as possible. They would use them as payment for the education of one of their descendants who proved to have potential.

In order to pass to the inner sect, the outer sect disciples had to reach the third stage spirit apprentice within the age of 21 or the fifth stage spirit apprentice within the age of 27.

But, even if the requirements were met, they had to attend a tournament against the other applicants. Only the first three would then be admitted to the inner sect, and they were also rewarded with prizes.

Since the tournament was annual and there were few seats, it was essential to carefully evaluate how to make the most of one's resources. They also had to study their opponents carefully, as participating in the tournament could also end up with suffering injuries that would hinder their future chances.

But participating in the tournament also meant having a chance to be seen. If they aroused the interest of one of the factions, the elders could make exceptions by admitting other outer sect’s members in addition to the top three.

Having finished explaining the system behind which the outer sect was operating, the examiner went on to explain in more detail what could be bought with these contribution points.

First of all, there were manuals. They were divided into several categories.

Cultivation methods to raise one's cultivation. Techniques manuals, where were explained offensive and defensive moves. Weapons manuals, where it was illustrated how to use a specific weapon.

It was also possible to request an inner sect member as a personal instructor to learn a specific move or learn how to master a weapon. But, since the cost was incredibly high even for the most weak inner sect’s member, manuals were mostly preferred despite the learning difficulties increased exponentially.

Another thing that could be bought was medicines and pills of all kinds, depending on the need you had. It was also possible to purchase weapons and other types of martial artist equipment as well as different types of resources such as rare plants.

The inner sect also dealt with production works, although more sophisticated. Its members dedicated themselves to alchemy, blacksmithing, and the creation of formations.

Supporting the number of their needs only with the outer sect’s work was unthinkable. Therefore they had to have a method to earn spirit stones other than the spirit stones’ extraction. At the same time, they had to limit their expenses through their production.

Thus, the secondary jobs assumed fundamental importance not only for the Flower sect but also for all the other sects, which had also adopted a similar system.

The original members of the sect, because they were familiar with plants, became skilled in alchemy. The members of the first elder’s faction mainly dealt with blacksmithing. Lastly, the members of the second elder’s faction were devoted to the study of formations.

When this explanation also ended, Hei had finally reached his new home.

At that moment, the examiner gave a quick salute to him and went away. His task was over, and he accepted the opportunity to return to his home.

Left alone, or rather, away from the presence of strangers, Hei felt at ease and started driving the buffalo towards the house.

This was a simple wooden house like the ones he had seen along the way. However, the wood was consumed at various points, and it gave a gloomy feeling.

Nodding to the buffaloes to stop, Hei went inside with his mother and his two sisters to examine the interior, which was devoid of any kind of furniture. The wood of the floor creaked with every his steps, and some planks ended up breaking when he put his foot on it.

Seeing that the house almost fell apart, Hei came out devoid of interest and instead concentrated on examining the surrounding environment.

The area around was strewn with uncultivated fields covered with weeds left to grow out of control. There were no sources of water nearby except a river that ran several kilometers away that he had seen as they arrived there. Behind him, in the distance, there was a small wood and one of the towers that limited the sect’s perimeter.

Although the space available for growing plants was enormous, the effort required to do this was just as great.

First, he would have to remove all the weeds and dig the soil. Then he would have to secure water sources to support their growth. Therefore it was necessary to create wells or redirect the course of the nearest river to move part of the water towards his house.

After preparing the soil and obtaining water sources, he would have to decide what kind of plant to grow. Depending on his decision, he would have to adjust the ground with compost and dig the land again, possibly using a plow.

However, Hei wanted to cultivate spirit plants, so it was also necessary to have a spirit vein flowing under the ground nearby. Consequently, finding it was an essential requirement.

Besides, he had to prepare a place to sleep for his family and the buffaloes. The house supplied to him was so run down that at this point, it was better to destroy it and have more space.

While Hei was reflecting on all this, his mother came down from his head. She then began to examine the surrounding environment. Shortly after, she made a little noise with her legs to call Hei's attention and told him.

‘One of your problems can easily be solved, my little one.’

Hei, who heard those words, approached his mother to listen to what she had discovered.

‘Below, there is a spirit vein that runs through the area. However, it has dried up, unfortunately.’

"A dried-up spirit vein? But if it is dried up, how can we grow spirit plants?"

‘Don’t worry. There is a method. When a spirit vein dries up, it means that it is almost or totally devoid of spirit power. However, over the years, it can regain its spirit power. But it takes so many years. Fortunately, there is a system to supply it with energy from outside.’

"And you know this method mom?" Hei asked with a hopeful voice.

If they solved this problem, the rest was straightforward to solve. After all, although it was a lot of work, it would be enough to get busy manually.

‘Yes, I know it, but the price is high. I should use the rest of the spirit cores I have preserved. With these, you could buy so many resources immediately. But it is also true that without a spirit vein, you will never be able to practice and grow even more rare plants.’

Listening to all this, Hei thought thoughtfully. On one hand, he wanted to learn how to grow plants and increase his skills. On the other hand, he didn’t want to waste all those resources that represented financial security for several years. Finally, he made his decision and communicated it to his mother.

"Mother, I have decided, it’s okay for the spirit cores. I think it's a price I can pay if it means improving in this field. Besides, I already have the pills for the first stage, and I can get contribution points and other things with the sale of my crops."

‘If you've decided, then it's fine. I won't stop you, do as you think, my little one. But now I can't do that, we should wait for the night, okay? Why don't we think first about how to prepare a place to sleep?’

Accepting his mother's suggestion, Hei turned to the buffalo to ask for their help with the old house’s demolition.

With the silk provided by Xing and Bao Bei, Hei created thick threads that he tied along some wooden boards that made up the house. The other end, he gave it to the buffaloes to bite it. He did the same with his sisters, who were happy to help. Then taking a thread himself, he gave the signal.

All those with a thread pulled in the same direction. By combining their strength, the ruined house collapsed on itself.

Once the house collapsed, Hei proceeded to remove the remains. Some boards were still good, and he decided to keep them aside for a bonfire later in the evening. The rest, on the other hand, was already rotten and didn’t have much use even as firewood. However, it represented a suitable material as a fertilizer. So he put it aside to be used later.

Now that he had eliminated the old house, it was time to create a new one. Considering that he had already presented his identity as a beast tamer, it wouldn’t seem so strange to build a house like his previous one.

The problem, however, was that Lian would live with them. Just in case, Hei tried to ask for her opinion but in vain. Even after several days of traveling, she hadn’t yet uttered a word.

His mother, however, suggested to proceed with the creation of the spiderweb house. They could later modify it if Lian didn't liked it or found it uncomfortable to sleep.

Thus, Shui led the other buffaloes to pasture to eat and at the same time to start removing the weeds. Hei and Ye began to delimit the perimeter of a circle and remove the weeds inside it, while Xing and Bao Bei produced the web necessary for creating the house.

Lian, on the other hand, sat on the ground, looking at them absently. But from time to time, she would show signs of reaction when Ye and Xing came to her to play a little before getting back to work.

After several hours of hard work, they finally succeeded. Thus, Bao Bei began to maneuver the spider web forming the house’s shape. In a short time, a silver-white dome made of spider web was created in the middle of that vast green space.

The dome had a hole in the roof that could be closed from the inside, serving as a window. To the side, there was instead another hole that served as a door. Next to the dome, a stable was made, again with spiderweb, to accommodate the buffaloes. As they fed on grass, they left the weeds by building the stable directly over them.

With the house and stable’s construction finished, the sunset had come. So they decided to start preparing dinner while they were waiting for the night to begin the ritual to revive the spirit vein that flowed into the surrounding soil.