Chapter222 – Recruitment day
Gerald added, “Herbert is preparing to ascend.”
“What?” Lauren stared at him. “Wasn’t he only in Mahayana for a few years? How is it that soon?”
Gerald snorted. “Drake left you a mountain of resources. You think Herbert, after living for thousands of years, doesn’t have his own stash?”
He continued, “Years ago, he discovered a secret realm rich in lightning spiritual energy and hid it. A few years back, he announced he was going into seclusion. Word is he’s been cultivating there ever since.”
Lauren nodded slowly.
“His stagnation before wasn’t due to lack of resources,” Gerald said. “Now that ascension is possible again, he’s naturally putting everything he’s accumulated to use. He’ll ascend soon.”
Lauren noticed the faint sourness in his tone. “Don’t be jealous, Sect Leader,” she teased lightly. “I’m sure you’ll ascend soon too. You must have quite the collection of treasures. Master said he’s looking forward to seeing you up there.”
Gerald coughed violently. “I—I do have many treasures. And cough, I’m not in a rush to ascend. With Drake gone, the sect falls on me. I’ll hold the fort a few more years. Train more disciples for the Thunder Sect.”
“Pfft—” Tarot couldn’t hold it in.
Gerald’s face darkened instantly. “Tarot. What are you laughing at?”
“Cough. I wasn’t laughing.”
“Oh? Then what was that sound? A fart?”
Tarot started coughing like he was dying. “Ah. That explains it. I roasted a spirit beast today. It wasn’t fully cooked. My stomach’s a little upset.”
Gerald: “…” Do I look like an idiot?
“Hmph.” He flicked his sleeve dramatically and walked away.
After he left, Lauren elbowed Tarot. “Why’d you laugh at him? He’s already jealous of Herbert. You didn’t have to rub it in.”
Tarot shot back immediately, “You laughed first.”
“I did not! Don’t slander me.”
“You weren’t obvious, but you definitely were.” He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t you know what’s wrong with him? What cultivation resources do you think he’s accumulated?”
Lauren blinked. “…What?”
“Other cultivators live thousands of years and stockpile rare elixirs, heavenly materials, divine artifacts.”
He paused. “Our sect leader lives thousands of years and stockpiles useless junk.”
Lauren bit her lip to suppress a laugh. “They’re not useless. They’re… situationally useful. In a fight.”
“Sure,” Tarot said. “Then why did you ask him that? You can’t tell me you weren’t doing it on purpose.”
Lauren: “…”
Alright. That was a little awkward.
.....
These days, the mountain was quiet. Only Tarot, Wayne, and Briar remained.
White had left half a year ago and hadn’t returned. Dante had advanced to Spirit Transformation and gone out to gain experience. He’d taken White along to broaden her horizons.
Lauren actually approved. Silent Fang had been trapped behind a barrier for over a thousand years. White had spent over a year inside that same barrier. What she lacked most wasn’t power—it was experience.
After coming out of seclusion, Lauren focused on stabilizing her cultivation while continuing to study her Talisman inheritance.
High-level talismans were exponentially harder than low-level ones. Eighth grade was her limit. Ninth grade and above required not just spiritual energy—but a trace of immortal energy.
Without the Heavenly Gate opened, where the hell was she supposed to get immortal energy? And even if she had it, she didn’t know how to draw it.
Edmund had once claimed Spirit Transformation cultivators needed to reach at least ninth grade.
That was bullshit. If that were true, that would be the standard of the Immortal Realm.
The laws of this world weren’t random. Lauren believed eighth grade was a reasonable ceiling. An eighth-grade Explosive Spirit Talisman could already injure a Mahayana cultivator.
By that logic, a ninth-grade one would outright kill. That kind of power didn’t belong here.
......
Before she knew it, the sect’s once-a-decade recruitment day arrived.It had been exactly twenty years since she’d entered Starfell Summit.
Tarot showed up early and gave her a long look. “You should dress more maturely.”
Lauren blinked. “Why?”
“Otherwise your disciple won’t feel safe.”
She laughed. “What does my face have to do with their sense of security?”
“What else?” Tarot said bluntly. “Or you’re trying to pretend to be young.”
Lauren: “…”
He continued mercilessly, “All the disciples you take are geniuses. According to sect rules, you can only accept personal disciples after Spirit Severing. You’re already at Spirit Transformation.”
He gestured at her face. “But you look seventeen. Eighteen at most. It’s not exactly reassuring.”
Lauren had advanced too fast. She’d reached Nascent Soul before she’d even finished growing, so her body had more or less frozen at that age. No matter how many years passed, she still looked like a girl who’d just stepped into adulthood.
She waved a hand helplessly. “Fine. Then what do you suggest? Got any brilliant ideas?”
Tarot stared at her for a long moment, equally stumped.
“If you were a man, I’d just stick a fake mustache on you and call it a day,” he muttered. “But you…” He sighed. “Try tying your hair higher.”
Lauren pulled her hair into a high ponytail. “Like this?”
Tarot studied her. “…You just look more energetic.”
“What else?”
He suddenly snapped his fingers. “Hey! Remember that Temple Master? The one who fought our master with a whisk? Do it like her.”
“Huh?”
Tarot brightened. “Yes, exactly like that.”
Lauren let him fuss with her hair and robes. In the end, he gave her an old-fashioned Temple Master–style look.
The problem was, when that Temple Master wore it, she looked solemn and ancient. When Lauren wore it… she looked like a sweet, well-behaved girl playing dress-up. There was even an air of naïve innocence about her.
“Senior Brother,” she asked dryly, “does this look alright?”
Tarot tilted his head. “Probably even easier to trick than White.”
Lauren: “…”
Tarot clicked his tongue, getting irritated with himself. “Forget it. It’s fine. Just go. Don’t keep them waiting.”
“Senior Brother, aren’t you taking disciples this year?”
He shook his head. “No. I’ve decided I’ll only take Dark Spirit Roots.”
Lauren smiled. “Alright then. I’ll go.”
......
The moment she stepped into the main hall, all eyes turned toward her.
Dorothy covered a smile. “Lauren, that’s quite a unique outfit today.”
Lauren replied calmly, “Tarot styled my hair. He said it makes me look more mature and steady.”
A few people chuckled. Mature? Steady? Tarot’s taste was questionable at best.
Gerald cleared his throat. “Alright, sit down. We all have plenty of disciples already. You don’t have a single one. If you see someone suitable today, take them.”
“Yes, Gerald.” She wasn’t late. The elders were seated, but the children were still passing through the Heart-Questioning Gate.
Soon, Vernon arrived with a booklet and handed it to Gerald. It contained the information of the children being evaluated.
Gerald flipped through it briefly, then passed it down the row. “They’ll be here shortly. Take a look.”
There were six children. The oldest was thirteen. The youngest, only five. Five came from powerful noble families. One came from some unknown small town. As always, the major clans monopolized most of the talent.
Suddenly someone said, “There’s a Thunder Spirit Root this time? It’s been thousands of years since we’ve had one, hasn’t it?”
Logan nodded. “The last Thunder Spirit Root disciple appeared over three thousand years ago. Mr. Drake personally came down from Starfell Summit to take her.”
Lauren’s ears perked up. So that must have been one of her many senior brothers or sisters.
Logan continued, “She was fourteen when she arrived. Quite beautiful, too. Later, Mr. Drake sent her on a mission… and she died there.”
Cornelius sighed. “Such talent. What a pity.”