After Zhang Yang left Jiang Zhiqiu, he was filled with excitement.

Finally, I have spirit stones to cultivate!

Indeed, the 150,000 spirit stones belong to the Azurecloud Sect.

However, I can still get a share of them.

With spirit stones, my cultivation will progress much faster.

More importantly, I also obtained many spiritual herbs this time. If I ask Third Uncle-Master to refine them into alchemical pills, won't my cultivation improve even more?

With spirit stones in hand, it's time for a big shopping spree.

Medicinal herbs, materials, talisman paper, cinnabar... Besides cultivation necessities, Zhang Yang also bought a lot of rice, flour, meat, and even buns, steamed buns, and flatbreads.

The eighty-seven disciples who were just recruited to the mountain are ordinary people. Before they practice inedia, they still need to eat.

Zhang Yang didn't pay attention to them for the first two days because these people had to bring dry food with them when they came to the Azurecloud Sect for the assessment. Two days without supervision wouldn't starve them.

After a massive shopping spree, filling his spatial ring to the brim, Zhang Yang and Lingyunzi went to find Jiang Zhiqiu, ready to take him up the mountain.

Jiang Zhiqiu, who had been waiting all afternoon, immediately set off upon seeing Zhang Yang and Lingyunzi.

The three of them flew towards the Azurecloud Sect.

Upon reaching the Azurecloud Sect, Jiang Zhiqiu was dumbfounded by the chaotic state near the main hall and the "oddly shaped" wooden sheds and "carpenters" in the mountains.

The Azurecloud Sect is a renowned sect, how could it look like this?

"They are all new disciples of the Azurecloud Sect!" Zhang Yang explained briefly before landing in front of the main hall.

Seeing Zhang Yang appear, someone hurriedly shouted, "Senior Brother is back!"

A large group of people rushed towards the main hall from all directions.

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Wang Baole came out, scratching his head and asking somewhat sheepishly, "Senior Brother, we still have some dry food left, but we're almost out of water. We don't dare to intrude on the elders' peaks. Could you help us find a water source?"

Zhang Yang pointed behind the main hall, "There's a mountain spring a mile away that you can drink from. From now on, you can fetch water there. Also, I didn't supervise you these past two days to test your survival skills. It seems your survival skills are lacking! Anyway, the two-day test is over. You can now come and collect food."

He would never tell them that two days ago, they couldn't even afford to feed so many people.

When a large amount of buns, steamed buns, flatbreads, beef, and lamb appeared before them, Wang Baole and the others were stunned.

Then, they reacted, rushing forward and shouting, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Dry food might stave off hunger, but it can't compare to the taste of meat!

Watching everyone wolf down the food, Zhang Yang smiled and said, "From today on, every seven days, you can collect food from the sect. No need to worry about going hungry. After eating, rest up quickly. Tomorrow morning, I will explain the specifics of cultivation to you."

"Thank you, Senior Brother!" everyone thanked him again.

They joined the Azurecloud Sect to cultivate immortality, and tomorrow it would finally begin.

After settling everyone, Zhang Yang said to Jiang Zhiqiu, "First, I'll help you register in the Azurecloud Sect's records. Tomorrow, I'll take you to choose a cultivation method from the sect."

He knew what Jiang Zhiqiu needed most after joining the Azurecloud Sect and didn't hesitate to make a promise.

"Thank you... Senior Brother!" Jiang Zhiqiu expressed his gratitude.

Zhang Yang gestured for Jiang Zhiqiu to find a place to cultivate on his own, while he and Lingyunzi headed to the top of Lingyun Peak.

"Uncle-Master, please invite the other Uncle-Masters over!" Zhang Yang said with a smile.

Lingyunzi sent his flying sword to the other peaks, and upon receiving the message, several people flew to Lingyun Peak.

As soon as they sat down, Seventh Uncle-Master asked with a smug smile, "How is it? Managing the Azurecloud Sect's accounts isn't easy, is it? You'd better think of a way quickly; a hundred spirit stones won't support so many people for long."

Third Uncle-Master shook his head helplessly, "Everyone, go find some medicinal herbs for me tomorrow. I'll refine some alchemical pills to sell for money!"

Fifth Uncle-Master chuckled bitterly, "Then I'll just have to write more talismans! Even if they're on straw paper, writing more can still bring in some money."

"Don't worry, nephew. Even though you caused trouble by recruiting so many people to the mountain, we won't ignore it. We'll all help you," Sixth Uncle-Master said firmly.

Only Lingyunzi looked at the others with a strange expression.

He wanted to say, "Everyone, your worries are unnecessary. The Azurecloud Sect is probably going to prosper in the future."

Zhang Yang thanked each Uncle-Master and then said, "With all of you working together, the Azurecloud Sect's reform will surely succeed. Third Uncle-Master, I do need to trouble you to refine some alchemical pills. See how you can use these herbs to make pills that enhance cultivation. Especially the cultivation of the Uncle-Masters, it must be quickly improved."

In his view, Lingyunzi and the others lacked cultivation resources, which prevented their breakthroughs.

The future Azurecloud Sect will certainly need experts to hold the fort.

Third Uncle-Master Danchenzi shook his head with a wry smile, "But there's no spiritual herbs..."

As soon as he finished speaking, a pile of spiritual herbs appeared before him, along with several brocade boxes containing rare spiritual medicines.

His eyes widened, and he hurriedly pounced on the brocade boxes, exclaiming incredulously, "Heart-cleansing Lotus, Spirit-tempering Herb, Jadebone Flower... These are all herbs for refining high-level alchemical pills. Where did you get them?"

"Are they useful?" Zhang Yang asked curiously.

Danchenzi nodded repeatedly, "Very useful! With these herbs, I can refine Heart-cleansing Pills to remove mental barriers. Our cultivation has been stagnant for so many years, and the mental barriers are significant. Now there's hope for a breakthrough. I can also refine Spirit-tempering Pills, which you, Zhang Yang, can use to temper your Golden Core."

"Then I'll leave these herbs to you, Uncle-Master, to quickly refine pills for everyone to use," Zhang Yang gestured for Danchenzi to put them away.

Danchenzi beamed with joy and quickly stored them away.

Now, everyone looked at Zhang Yang with strange, expectant eyes, wondering where these things came from.

"Sixth Uncle-Master, I'll leave these materials to you," Zhang Yang handed over the crafting materials, along with tens of thousands of pounds of copper ore, to Huolingzi.

With Danchenzi's precedent, everyone was somewhat prepared for the appearance of crafting materials and wasn't as surprised.

However, they were all curious about where these things came from.

"Fifth Uncle-Master, I promised you talisman paper, and I've brought it!" Zhang Yang handed a stack of talisman paper to Fifth Uncle-Master, "And I also bought two taels of high-grade cinnabar. I hope you can use these talisman papers and cinnabar to draw powerful talismans. The talismans you draw will be given to me to exchange for money."

The Azurecloud Market doesn't have much money for now, and relying solely on it won't support the Azurecloud Sect. New ways to earn money must be found.

Fifth Uncle-Master laughed heartily, "I knew you wouldn't forget my kindness. Don't worry, I'll go draw talismans for you right away!"

Drawing talismans is cultivation for him, and selling them for money is a bonus.

It's just that ordinary talisman paper can't bear his spiritual power, and straw paper is only good for idle doodling, not helpful for cultivation.

The others all looked eagerly at Zhang Yang, wondering what benefits he had for them.

Zhang Yang smiled wryly, "This time, I only got things useful for a few Uncle-Masters. When I get something useful for the others, I'll bring it to you. However, after my shopping spree, I still have 120,000 spirit stones left. I'll keep 50,000 as the sect's reserve, and the remaining 70,000 spirit stones will be divided among us, with each getting 10,000."

"How much?" Everyone was stunned.

Especially Seventh Uncle-Master, whose pretty little mouth could fit an egg.

When has the Azurecloud Sect ever been so wealthy?

And giving each person 10,000 spirit stones, that's... that's just too much!

Everyone cheered happily, "Quick, quick, distribute the spirit stones!"

Just then, a resentful voice sounded, "Ungrateful disciple, you have spirit stones and don't share them with me? And you all, really, having spirit stones and forgetting about me, your Senior Brother?"

The supposedly secluded Qingyunzi suddenly appeared before everyone.

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Proofreader & Editor: Peter Pan