"These recruits from other nations, you may sit aside, you can cultivate or rest, but refrain from making loud noises!" Senior Brother Ma instructed several people, then turned to Li Shiming and said, "Junior Li, you will take over our shift. Here is a Warning Talisman. Activate the talisman immediately if you detect anything unusual!"

    Senior Brother Ma handed a talisman to Li Shiming, who received it in his hands.

    The first floor space was roughly a hundred square meters, devoid of any decoration, only furnished with individual meditation cushions.

    Each newcomer sat on a cushion, either whispering among themselves or lying prostrate.

    The talisman in his hand was the control talisman for the first floor. When not activated, it could be recognized by the Array on the first floor, allowing one to open the main door and walk out onto the deck using the talisman.

    This must be a benefit for the duty cultivators. In such an enclosed environment, the ability to relax on the deck is a luxury.

    Li Shiming was assigned to the first shift. Senior Brother Wu was not tired and could accompany him.

    Senior Brother Wu spoke little, likely due to his temperament, but he bore no ill will toward Li Shiming.

    "Li, I''m Jin Shufeng, and this is my sister Jin Fengzhi. We are both from Great Xia and hope to look out for each other," said the royal youth in a robe embroidered with a Four-clawed Golden Dragon as Li Shiming walked by.

    Li Shiming had already noticed him. He had previously exchanged words with two other youths from Great Xia, and his background, along with his sister''s spirit root talents, quickly established his leading position within the small group.

    Jin Shufeng invited Li Shiming to join the group because of Li Shiming''s unique situation at the time.

    He was unaware of Li Shiming''s spirit root, but as a Prince of Great Xia, how could the subjects under Great Xia not give him face and obey his arrangements.

    In fact, before the Ascension Conference, the Great Xia Royal Family had tested him and Jin Fengzhi''s spirit roots using their connections.

    After learning that Jin Shufeng''s spirit root enabled him to join the Sky Sea Sect, he received extra care from the royal family.

    Although Jinpingzi was female, and her spirit roots were slightly better, her prospects for advancement were still not as promising as Jin Shufeng''s, at least that''s what the Great Xia Royal Family believed.

    This also fostered Jin Shufeng''s proud character. Previously, with Junior Master Zhao and two other Senior Brothers around, he refrained from showing it off, but now he had the opportunity.

    Jin Shufeng saw the value in Li Shiming; if Li Shiming could obey him, he could then dominate more youths on this first floor, gaining greater influence for his small group.

    "This is some spirit food I obtained by chance, and there''s some left!"

    "Spirit bamboo shoot, haven''t had that in a long time!" Senior Brother Ma''s eyes lit up as he said this, and he grabbed a large chunk and put it in his mouth.

    A look of satisfaction appeared on his face, and it must be known that for Qi Refinement cultivators like them, having spirit rice was already good, and it was rare to have excess spirit stones to purchase other kinds of spirit food.

    "Junior Li, if you still have spirit bamboo shoots, don''t eat them yourself. Better to exchange them for resources that can aid in cultivation after entering the sect!" Senior Brother Wu advised as he took a bite of the spirit bamboo shoot.

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    "Exactly. Eating spirit food might increase your Spiritual Power Pattern by so much, but if you can exchange it for a Spirit Pill, one pill can boost your Spiritual Power Pattern significantly!" Senior Brother Ma added.

    Despite just getting to know the two senior brothers, Li Shiming already felt their care.

    He showed his gratitude on his face, but he didn''t take it to heart too much; the friendship between cultivators was not so easily established.

    Gu Jia had already told him that upon first entering the sect, some senior brothers would try to befriend him.

    Perhaps some of those senior brothers were sincere, but more often they exploited the naivety of newbies in the Cultivation World to deceive them of their resources.

    As long as no force was used, if resources were lost to deception, the newbie could only consider themselves unlucky, and even the sect wouldn''t stand up for a fool.

    Being deceived within the sect could at most result in a loss of resources, but being deceived outside the sect could potentially cost one''s life.

    However, after sharing a spirit meal, Li Shiming''s relationship with the two senior brothers had considerably improved.

    Over the following days, the Flying Boat traveled a great distance, docking in three different nations and picked up nine more young boys.

    Including him, there were now thirty-one young boys with qualified spirit root seeds in the mortal domain of the Sky Sea Sect over five years, which indicated how rare spirit root seeds were.

    Jin Shufeng had been very active these past few days. He had recruited nine young boys to join his group and formed a significantly powerful faction on the first floor.

    Neither Master Zhao nor the two senior brothers had interfered with Jin Shufeng''s actions, and in the gazes they directed toward Junior Brother Li, a disdainful sentiment was evident.

    Li Shiming also received some good news, which was that they were preparing to return to the sect.