Chapter 77: Super Rich Rewards! Heading to the Back Mountain

At the Shen hour, the flying ship sailed into the waters of Penglai.

Upon returning to the sect, the disciples who had broken through to the Golden Core stage immediately gathered to go to the Merit Hall.

Of the fifty-one Foundation Establishment disciples who entered the Yun Mountain Secret Realm, fourteen had broken through to the Golden Core stage.

The breakthrough rate was close to 50%.

Although there were still seventeen disciples who hadn’t yet broken through, including Bai Wei, many had already shown signs of breakthrough, with at least seven or eight of them on the verge of success.

This shows that the sect leader and the elders made a very wise decision by selecting the disciples for the secret realm.

Now that all the disciples had returned safely, it could be said that this journey was a triumphant return.

The Merit Hall was managed by the Great Elder, Mingjing Zhenren.

Usually, the task of awarding rewards was handled by the Merit Hall’s Hall Master, but today, it was personally conducted by the Great Elder.

The disciples had never seen the Great Elder before, and they were all impressed by his presence.

He looked just like his name, as his demeanor was calm and composed like a mirror, exuding an authoritative and wise aura. His white robe was embroidered with delicate cloud patterns, giving him an ethereal feel.

Despite the Great Elder’s high position in the sect, he still addressed the highest-ranking elder, Xuan Yangzi, as “Shishu” (Master Uncle).

This was because Xuan Yangzi was a disciple of the sect’s founder, Xing Tian, and the Great Elder’s master was a contemporary of Xing Tian, so in terms of seniority, the Great Elder had to address Xuan Yangzi as his senior.

The Great Elder surveyed the disciples with satisfaction, praised them, and then announced, “For those who have broken through to the Golden Core stage, each will be rewarded with one thousand high-grade spirit stones.”

“One Hundred Year Spirit Grass.”

“Ten Gathering Elixirs.”

“One magic treasure suitable for Golden Core stage cultivators.”

“From now on, each of you may select a one-on-one guidance session from a sect elder, a peak master, or a direct disciple for five sessions, each lasting one hour.”

“The restriction on leaving the secluded cultivation hall has been lifted. You may now use your disciple token to enter the secluded cultivation hall’s lower three floors for training, but no more than six hours per day.”

“In addition, each disciple will receive three hundred contribution points. After receiving these rewards, please make sure to register.”

Upon hearing this, the disciples were overwhelmed with excitement. They were ecstatic to receive these lavish rewards. Initially, they were just hoping for some spirit stones, but the rewards kept getting better and better!

The one thousand high-grade spirit stones alone were almost equivalent to an entire year’s salary for a direct disciple, and the Hundred Year Spirit Grass was worth dozens of high-grade spirit stones.

The ten Gathering Elixirs were also worth a lot—each one was worth ten high-grade spirit stones!

As for the magic treasures, most of these newly entered inner sect disciples, except for the direct descendants, didn’t possess any suitable magic treasures for the Golden Core stage. A single piece could cost over a thousand high-grade spirit stones.

The following two rewards were even more exciting.

The opportunity to be personally guided by an elder or a direct disciple was a rare chance. These elders were all top-tier experts in the sect, and it was difficult to even meet them, let alone receive personal instruction.

The lifting of the restriction to enter the secluded cultivation hall was another incredible perk. The hall was a sacred training ground, rich in spiritual energy, and equipped with powerful formation arrays for enhancing cultivation. Only core disciples and the most outstanding inner sect disciples could enter, so this was a huge privilege for the others.

These rewards would certainly make other disciples envious, and it was no wonder that Penglai Sect was considered the dream sect for many new disciples. Could any other sect offer such generous treatment?

“Thank you, Great Elder!” The disciples shouted in unison, their voices echoing through the hall.

The Great Elder nodded with satisfaction and smiled, “Alright, go ahead and claim your rewards. Also, if you plan to leave the sect, remember to go to the Internal Affairs Hall for your external mission tokens.”

“During these three days, be careful not to cause any trouble. Keep a low profile and change into your personal clothes instead of wearing your sect uniform.”

“Yes! Thank you for the reminder, Great Elder. We will remember it!” The disciples responded in unison before rushing to claim their rewards.

The Merit Hall was soon bustling with activity. When it came to choosing magic treasures, the disciples were quite torn, as there were just too many options.

There were attack, defense, and auxiliary magic treasures, and even accessories like inner armor, robes, belts, headgear, footwear, and cloaks.

The choices were overwhelming, and it was hard to decide.

After some thought, Ye Qingning finally chose a pair of boots—the Wind-Gleam Glass Shoes.

These violet, translucent boots were not only effective in assisting with fast movement but could also allow the wearer to fly with the wind, making them comparable to a small, single-person flying magic treasure.

Additionally, they could create a protective barrier beneath the wearer’s feet during dangerous moments, capable of blocking a full-force strike from a Yuanying stage cultivator.

After receiving all her rewards, Ye Qingning couldn’t help but feel emotional.

Back in Luoyun Sect, she hadn’t received a single spirit stone as a reward for breaking through to the Golden Core stage, let alone anything for breaking the Nascent Soul stage. The resources of the first-rate sects were truly incomparable.

Now, she was determined not to let Penglai Sect fall—it would be her source of income and rewards.

By the time of the You hour, the sun’s fading light cast dappled shadows through the sparse clouds, turning the mountain peaks golden as they blended with the colorful evening sky.

After passing a path that led to the back mountain’s forbidden area and rounding a bend, the view suddenly opened up.

The entire back mountain area was shrouded in a mist, with the peaks barely visible through the fog. In the distance, several towering buildings could be seen rising above the clouds, resembling palaces in a fairyland.

Although there were no guards stationed at the back mountain, the people living there were incredibly powerful, and no one dared to trespass.

Ye Qingning followed Tianji Zi into the forbidden area, and on their way to Jiuli Peak, the old man was so happy that his mouth couldn’t stop smiling.

He didn’t mention the matter of accepting her as a disciple but kept offering to teach her, praising her as a good talent in talisman and array formation.

Seeing the old man looking at her eagerly, Ye Qingning didn’t want to disappoint him. Moreover, she had developed an interest in array formation, and Tianji Zi was renowned as the number one in talisman and array formation. If she could receive his guidance, it would be a great opportunity.

So, she agreed with a smile and even bowed to Tianji Zi, making the old man ecstatic.

Upon reaching Jiuli Peak, Ye Qingning was surprised to find not only Xuan Yangzi but also Pei Yin and the Second Elder present.

There was also Shen Xuanli, Jiang Shaoling, and his two senior brothers.

At that moment, she wasn’t sure whether Shen Xuanli and the others had come to watch her solve the curse or to meet the elusive Curse Saint.

After all, the Curse Master was a top expert in curse cultivation, and any young disciple would be eager to meet him. Ye Qingning was also quite excited!