章 23: Seven Star Apprentice Hall (1)

Cutting contact with the outside world for six days, Zhang Wu Ji strength has increased drastically. Every three days were worth 3 strands of Fighter Qi, which is equivalent of 300 strands of Inner Qi, but when this speed of cultivation is shown to Tang Yuan, he falls into the irrigation channel without control. The shock was huge.

As a cultivator in his 160 strands of Inner Qi, Tang Yuan was confident that he can reach the 2nd stage in a year, and try his best to graduate from being a disciple the moment he enters the age of 20. but unfortunately, he wasted one year in total by being a slave disciple until he finally taken by Zhang Wu Ji as one of his trusted subordinates.

The slight changes turn his life, granting him not only 60 Qi Sensing Pills monthly, but he was also given full privilege to practice the newer version of Fist of Destruction Qi directly, becoming the first direct disciple of Zhang Wu Ji. And for all this, his master only requested that he will handle all the task to cultivates the plant carefully.

But from Yin Ling Tree, Yantai's County Mandrake Plant, and Taixia Condensing Plant, his workload soon increased by almost doubled, when in almost a week back, his master brought back a total of 200 seeds back to the courtyard again. Now, his workload is 500 plants, with a full plot of Kind Heart Grass that were to be harvested to be made as an extract as fertilizer for the other three plants.

As a 1st Stage Inner Qi Fighter, his stamina is about 10 times stronger than normal people, which allows him to cultivates 100 pot of plants without difficulties, but given with his expertise and advance body strength compared to a normal cultivator, he can easily handle over 250 plants, but that were the maximum he can handle unless his strength increased into 2nd Stage of Inner Qi Fighter.

Understanding the difficulties in handling the task he gave him, Zhang Wu Ji decision to hire another assistant wasn't a mistake, but first of all, he will need to make sure this subordinate of his understand the importance of hiring one more person to help him, and not mistaken about his good intention. This was the most difficult matter to handle, especially when Tang Yuan was previously a Slave Disciple that have to suffer many unjust just for the sake of earning a few Qi Sensing Pill.

In his seclusion of six days, Zhang Wu Ji completed his concoction attempt and was holding a total of 30 Xian-Lady Pills, 200 Wound Mending Pills, and also 50 Violet Calming Pills. After he calculates the numbers of pill he got in hand, he can easily estimate that he can easily earn 15,000 Gold Coins from the sales. But what he wants from selling this 280 pills are not the gold coins, but good potential subordinates.

By bringing Tang Yuan along in his attempt to look for a proper disciple to follow him, the two of them walk past the places the sect sell their medicines and entered the location where the Slave Disciples stay and practice. Their accommodation was worst even when taken to be compared with the previous small manor he stays during his participation in the entrance exam.

Each building consists of at least 100 rooms, and each room was only at the size of his Tool Storage Room. Zhang Wu Ji was slightly despised for purposely taking a look at their living condition, which also can be seen as an action to mock the less fortunate slave disciple, but with Tang Yuan following him, he easily gets rid of them by scaring them off. It wasn't a difficult task at all, because after all, Tang Yuan is a 1st Stage Inner Qi Fighter now, and where at least one time stronger than most of them.

Added with the availability of New Fist of Destruction Qi in his disposal, it is not difficult to say that Tang Yuan can easily trash everyone here, alone. But this wasn't their intention in the first place. After he found a spot that he can sit, Zhang Wu Ji went to the stone chair and rest his butt on it without bothering if it was dusty. He speaks, and mention his intention to come here today.

Taking a bottle of Wound Mending Pill, Qi Sensing Pill, and Violet Calming Pill, Zhang Wu Ji begins to talk. His intention is simple. To search for a talent amongst a pile of trash. The possibility of success is low, but the probability of the person selected will be granted with plentiful of benefits is high. Zhang Wu Ji intention is also simple, where he was looking for a person that capable of helping Tang Yuan and Zhang Wu Ji, as well excellent in handling accounts, selling, and knowledgeable in the field of medicine.

"I understand that most of you here were suffering from difficulties in order to break through, but I need to warn all of you first, we Master Seniors did not have it easy either! We have to train and practice, become the role model, and handle more than one kind of profession and matters related to the sect in order to assist our master to further his leadership in this sect."

"If we were to compare, your task was only helping to remove the weed, but we Master Seniors were required to choose the seed, plant them, cultivates them, and even take care until they grow in order to pay them back to those that help in removing the weed. Don't you all think so?" his word was actually logical, but such truth wasn't something widely accepted in the eyes of commoners, because in their mind, they were at least qualified to receive a slightly good treatment, no matter if they were weaker or stronger.

"If the Master Senior Ninth is suffering so many difficulties, then why do you have a free time to come here for nothing? Why not you return to your own courtyard and continue your works?"

"Yeah! Yeah! If your position were so difficult in your eyes, then what are you doing here? Mock us?"

"Get lost! We're weak, but we're not free labor nor slave in real life! We're still a soon to be cultivator!"

The crowd begins to mock him for being too honest. In fact, some of them were throwing vegetable waste and also some raw eggs at Zhang Wu Ji to send him away from their Slave Disciple District. But none of them noticed that their activities were under a sharp gaze by the headmaster from the Reflecting Pagoda.

"How dare those lowly disciples to behave in this way towards a disciple of mine! Xiao Gen! Xiao Yan! Come here!" headmaster Liang Tian summoned his eldest and second direct disciples to his side and looking out of the window. When the two of them noticed what was happening at their youngest junior brother, their mind was filled with hatred as well, because of those atrocious actions!

"Good! What a respectful manner you all displayed. I wonder how will the future become if you were to be given the chances to become an Inner Disciple! Will you end up bringing the younger generation until they grow, or will you be as selfish as now because of all these misfortune events?"

"You say I mock you? Ask yourself, which Master Senior in your eyes weren't a model disciple with various of talents in them? My eldest brothers were a swordsman and a training physician, my second brother, and the third brother is a gourmet and each of them have their own Livestock Farm, my fourth brother and eighth brother was a scholar, and a martial artist and my seventh brother is the leading head of guards that maintain the safety of our Seven Sword Sect!"

"Even my fifth and sixth sisters were excellent musician and dancer! What does all of you are? And yet you say I come to mock you? Do you think you all worth our mockery? We mock the world! We mock people from other sects and clans, we mock those that cheat, rape, kill, and thief, but we don't mock our own brother and sisters! Are all of you stupid?"

"Even we ourselves have no time to rest because we have to bring the sect to a much more glorious status, but here, you lots are actually complaining about not having enough resources? Did I not remember that when I was offering you, people, that who works for me for a week without complaint, I will hire them? Do you think that I am a person that will go back with my own words?"

"That was for your own good! If you continue to survive through such a mindset, you will end up endangering our sect because of your attitude, personality, and manner when you bring yourself everywhere! If you think I am exploiting your weaknesses, then throw few more eggs at me! Who dare to continue to do that I will give you a pill in each of this bottle! There are only 100 pills in each, so take your chance now!" Zhang Wu Ji lectured the thousands of Slave Disciples before him, and provoke them to continue throwing vegetable waste and raw eggs on him.

But as he provokes them, everyone from different corners of the Seven Star Sect was looking at where the commotion started. Every single person was betting in their mind, [Will they continue to throw? Or will they repent and submit to their mistakes?]

As everyone begins to question those were in the location, one disciple step closer to Zhang Wu Ji. In his hand were two more chicken eggs that were prepared to throw at Zhang Wu Ji when he retaliates. When he was five steps away from Zhang Wu Ji, he kneeled and raise his hand, before smashing the two chicken eggs on his own forehead. The yolk flows from his forehead and stings his eyes, but he controlled himself from blinking.

"Master Senior Ninth, it is my fault for saying you're exploiting the slave disciples and defame you. Please give this useless junior a word, I will immediately die to compensate for my mistakes." he slammed his forehead on the ground and asked for his forgiveness. This incident shocked the whole Seven Star Sect after they see how the slave disciple acts.

One after another, like an infection, the guilt in their heart caused the few thousand disciples to kneeled and slammed their forehead on the ground, asking for his forgiveness. If such a benevolent Master Senior weren't worth their respect, then the sun must be rising from the west from now. All his action worth their respect included his magnanimity towards all of them.

Still, no matter how much he wanted to do so, Zhang Wu Ji can only select the fifty most considerable talents to grant them with his gift. He passes three pills to each of them, with the female having an additional two Xian-Lady Pills in their gift. When the distribution of gift was over, he distributes the remaining Wound Mending Pills to the others that seem injured and decided to continue with his initial intention.

"I need two disciples that can serve me well. They have to be knowledgeable in medicine and herbs, and good in selling products. Other than that, I want ten disciples that have experience in handling a business, because I am planning to establish our own Seven Star Apprentice Hall! And for the starting of our business, we will establish our foundation at the Wen Wu City!" he speaks out his mind, and await their reply.

"Master Senior Ninth, please take me in!"

"Me too!"

"Here! Here! I have excellent experience because my family is a professional businessman in the Ma Hua Town!"

Soon, a few of them raise themselves and describes their ability, and after a few rounds of test and trial, he finally ends up with thirteen slave disciples that were the cream of the crop amongst the group of so-called trash. In the eye of the others, his choices of selection may be a foolish selection, but in his own eyes, this wasn't an issue at all.

By copying another thirteen Fist of Destructive Qi Manual, he can easily promote the strength of the thirteen slave disciples, and increase the strength of his own faction, which also serves his master's faction indirectly. And in his opinion, Zhang Wu Ji was confident that his master will not reject his proposal to establish the Seven Star Apprentice Hall.

After arranging their temporary residence in his own courtyard, Zhang Wu Ji distributes 390 Qi Sensing Pills in total to the thirteen person and promised that in this incoming two to three days, he will provide each of them with a copy of his own version of New Fist of Destruction Qi Manual. Without wasting time, Zhang Wu Ji went to the Reflecting Pagoda in order to inform his master of his intention to establish his own faction.

But when he reaches the top floor of the pagoda, his eight senior brother and sisters were already there accompanying their master. Seated not too far from the group is the representatives of three other factions, handling a different department in each of their own hand.

The headmistress of the Seven Star Sect, controlling the faction leading the defense and safety of the sect.

Seven Knowledge Pagoda Elders, the oldest faction controlling the distribution of information and cultivation arts for the sect.

The three Department elder with the Grand Elder of the Left, Yang Chen Kun, handling the important matters of the treasury, distribution, and recruitment.

And lastly, the Headmaster's faction with his direct disciples and Grand Elder of the Right, Xing Yi Chen.

Entering the highest floor, Zhang Wu Ji greets his master first, before he proceeds to greet the others seated not far from the four corners of the room. It seems except the faction of the headmistress, the other two factions was a strong contender against the headmaster faction because inner competition inside of the sect is good in promoting the improvement of the sect.

"Master, Wu Ji just came back from the Slave Disciple District and recruited thirteen additional disciples to aid this disciple to help this disciple in organizing a new establishment I call Seven Star Apprentice Hall. Disciple intention in establishing this hall is because disciple believes that by having a proper stepping stone provided to the disciples of the Seven Star Sect in order to let them advance further."

"in return of this assistance, all we need is providing them with a proper position and task, and by this way, even those lack of qualification, lack of talents, and less fortunate can have a proper guidance to lead them to grow." Zhang Wu Ji's point of view in further prospects was very thorough, but in the eyes of the other two factions, this was a waste of resources.

"Chances are given only to those that willing to grow. I would say this future prospect of yours are a waste of resources and time! Plus, what are your intention of using the Seven Star Sect name as the name of your apprentice hall? If you're so confident, I would suggest you use something unrelated to the Seven Star Sect, in case your failing approach in the name to build the Seven Star Sect further will destroy our initial foundation that was built for a long time." the Grand Elder of the Left gave his opinion regarding on this approach.

"Yes. Plus this plan of his will cost an enormous figure to starts. Only by taking the amount of money needed to build his initial Seven Star Apprentice Hall, we will at least spent over ten million Gold Coins, which equivalent to 10,000 Qi Sensing Pills to start. I will roughly calculate the figure needed only to maintain one department, it will at least cost 1 million coins each year. That's 1,000 Qi Sensing Pills."

"And, I haven't even started with the cost of training, examination, materials needed. To spent so much to train a group of Slave Disciples? I would rather spend the one thousand Qi Sensing Pills yearly to cultivates the Inner Disciples and Direct Disciples instead. At least when all of them reaches the 4th Stage of Inner Qi Fighter, they will be qualified to enter the Southern Bamboo Forest to hunt for Tier 1 and Tier 2 materials!" the elder handling the Treasury Department and also Grand Elder of Left, Yang Chen Kun comments.

With the rejection from two sides, and a support from another, only the faction of Headmistress yet to speak. She maintains with her silence for a while longer before she taps the wrist section on her comfortable chair. Instead of speaking in her seats, she prefers to stand up as she speaks.

"Master Senior Ninth. How long have you been inside of our Seven Star Sect?" her first question shook the heart of everyone within the room. Honestly says, not even the eldest disciple of Liang Tian, Han Gen and his brother Han Yan, dare to propose such a proposal even their time inside the sect is over five years now.

"Two months and seven days exactly. Headmistress." Zhang Wu Ji replied to her honestly. It wasn't a secret at all that he was the most recent batch of intakes that recently happened two months ago. With only two months of stay as a disciple in the Seven Star Sect, how dare he mentioned the word [I do this for the sake of Seven Star Sect improvement]? Is he qualified to speaks in such a way?

He does not qualified at all, even if he was the most doted direct disciple of Headmaster Liang Tian! Worst of all, his headmaster wasn't the strongest cultivator in the sect as well! He was only standing at the third spot! The first spot was always steadily held under the hand of the Seventh Floor Pagoda Elder, with the strength of a 64th Stage Inner Qi Lord, followed by headmistress herself, with the strength of 63rd Stage of Inner Qi Lord.

As a headmaster of the sect, Liang Tian only held the third place in the competition of strength, with his 62nd Stage of Inner Qi Lord. Although their differences are only one stage and two stage behind, it was all it took for the stronger one to defeat the weaker one without a chance to retaliates.

And only a freak like Zhang Wu Ji was capable to fight against people like the Elder Yang from the Wen Wu Militarized Forces, who were 15 stage above his level. But equipped with such an ability to overcome an opponent of two-tier above him, who dare to question his ability? This was what Zhang Wu Ji thought at first, but when it comes to the question of the headmistress, he was completely beaten.

"Two months is barely accepted as a loyalty. I might trust your intention to be pure, but did you hear the word [Purest White Paper is the easiest to be smeared with just a drop of ink]? I am afraid that even if we allowed you to do so, their future wouldn't end up being as pure as your thought, because, in the real world of a cultivator, the temptation is too strong for one to resist." her words were logical enough, especially on the part of her quote, and the temptation.

If a slave disciple can easily be swayed by a mere speech from Zhang Wu Ji, how are they strong enough to reject the temptation when they were offered by 100 or 1,000 Qi Sensing Pills? The figure might be quite large for a person to fork out, but one must always remember, [Those from the dark will not lack wealth].

If this is the issue, how can the Seven Star Sect and the factions that controlling the sect's four directions allowed a mere disciple to establish such an important establishment?