Chapter 763: Orthodoxy, New Atmosphere of the Sect

Chapter 763: Orthodoxy, a New Aura for the Sect

As each of the permissions requested by the Wanfa Butler was approved, the progress bar for its installation before Yu Xinghan's eyes swiftly reached the 100% mark.

The installation complete, a mere thought from Yu Xinghan caused the Wanfa Butler's interface to spring up right in front of him.

Staring at the "Begin Self-Check" button on the screen, Yu Xinghan was just about to press it when something seemed to strike him... Turning his head toward the training instructor, he asked, "Instructor, does this self-check cost money?"

The instructor replied casually, "No charge, it's free. Just go ahead and use it, and send me the report as soon as it's generated."

"Oh, right, besides the self-check, have the annual report generated and sent to me as well."

"Free again?" Hearing this, Yu Xinghan was shocked yet again, unable to help but marvel inwardly, "The Sect... truly is wonderful."

With a thought from Yu Xinghan, the self-check button before him gave a slight quiver, and lines of physical data began to manifest in front of him.

At the same time, a notification asking whether to generate the annual report also surfaced before Yu Xinghan. Following the instructor's recent directive, he chose yes.

Thus, in the next breath, not just his physical data, but even his various academic grades and work logs from the lower levels were integrated line by line, becoming a part of the report.

From basic statistics to the cultivation progress of every part of his body, the various techniques he had mastered, and even certain judgments deduced by combining his work conditions...

"Over the past year, you have engaged in part-time seed production a total of 3,000 times, with a total volume exceeding twenty thousand milliliters, enough to fill twenty medicine jars."

"During this year, your fastest production took a mere 0.21 seconds, with an annual average time of 5 seconds, placing you far ahead of 89% of peers, comparable to the demon kindred."

"Do you still remember December 2nd? That must have been a special day. Within a 24-hour overtime period, you completed 98 consecutive shipments."

"Throughout the entire month of June, you did not perform a single part-time seed production. Was something weighing on your mind?"

Beholding the various achievements he had accumulated over the past year in the annual report, along with his annual keyword [Part-time], Yu Xinghan sighed inwardly; these were all testimonies to his earnest overtime, medals of his professional performance.

And after continuing to skim through the report regarding his cultivation techniques, he let out a slight sigh of relief: "The Law-Warding Talisman is still effective; none of the pirated techniques on my person were detected."

Yet as he watched further, he discovered that his body actually harbored so many flaws?

"Flaws in the operation of the Respiration Method, areas where the meridians and muscles have not been adequately trained? Side effects caused by garbage techniques..."

With a thought from Yu Xinghan, a list for Immortal Path Optimization materialized before him. So long as he gave his consent, the Wanfa Butler could assist him in fine-tuning various aspects.

Take respiration optimization, for instance; the various breathing methods could operate on their own in an incomparably standard and efficient manner under the control of the Dharma Realm.

Or cultivation optimization; every inch of meridian and muscle, down to the dantian and golden core, could have a superior method of cultivation recommended based on existing data.

There was also technique fine-tuning; if the technique download function were enabled, it could even jump directly to the purchase of recommended techniques, commencing fully automated, hands-off cultivation post-download.

Furthermore, there was the purging of low-grade techniques; past low-grade methods could undergo a dual purging of flesh and memory, breaking free from the negative impacts brought by conflicts between low-grade and high-grade techniques.

Gazing further at the subsequent functions like customized medicine and spiritual skeleton optimization... Yu Xinghan was profoundly shaken.

He could not help but look toward the sky and earth of the 11th layer of Kunxu, then back at the Wanfa Butler before him, lamenting in his heart, "Such cultivation conditions, such cultivation tools... the gap between those inside and outside the Sect is simply too vast."

Though allowing the Dharma Realm to operate his techniques and adjust his physical body made Yu Xinghan feel a bit awkward inside.

But he understood that after entering the Sect, it was impossible to avoid using such functions forever, so he selected respiration optimization, which was also the sole free item on the densely packed list.

In an instant, Yu Xinghan only felt the spiritual energy throughout his body move of its own accord, suddenly like a storm brewing, frantically drawing in a massive expanse of spiritual aura from heaven and earth.

According to the display of the Wanfa Butler, Yu Xinghan watched his spiritual energy enhancement efficiency surge by 1.8 times in the blink of an eye.

He was startled in his heart: "Is this... because of the change in environment, my respiration habits and techniques from the lower levels are no longer suited to the Sect layer? And now that the Wanfa Butler has optimized it for me, the cultivation benefits of the Sect environment are finally being fully realized..."

At the same time, Yu Xinghan could feel a ripple of spiritual aura rising from the bodies of the others around him; clearly, they too had completed the optimization of their respiration methods one by one, drastically increasing their cultivation efficiency.

Yu Xinghan felt deeply moved in his heart, "Just by coming to the entrance and connecting to the Dharma Realm for a checkup, our cultivation efficiency has leaped by a massive margin, and the key is... all of this is actually free?"

"Is this the Sect?"

"As expected, if one wishes to climb to the pinnacle of the Immortal Path, one must join the Sect."

Immediately after, the optimization list from just now surfaced before Yu Xinghan once again.

At the very top of the list, it read: Content of the Immortal Path Cultivation You Can Optimize

Below the list, it read: After completing all optimizations, the cultivation efficiency of the Immortal Path is expected to increase by over 500%

At the absolute bottom of the list was "Your friends are using this," followed by the profile pictures of Zhang Yu, Perfected Lord Xinghuo, and others on the side.

Yu Xinghan was not in the least surprised by this; or rather, only this made him feel that things were normal, as the continuous free services from earlier had made him somewhat unaccustomed.

And to tell the truth, it was impossible for Yu Xinghan to say he had no desire to continue optimizing at this moment, but poverty stayed his hand.

Looking at his savings of 0 Immortal Coins, Yu Xinghan silently closed the subsequent paid optimization list.

Staring at the loan advertisement that popped up before his eyes, Yu Xinghan still closed it silently, thinking to himself: "Now is not the time. Loan potential cannot be used recklessly; it must be spent on crucial matters."

Meanwhile, everyone's reports had been received one by one by the training instructor. He sent out a group invitation, drawing everyone present into it.

Yu Xinghan looked at the lines of student names within, slightly astonished, thinking to himself: "Could it be that the newly admitted sect administrators from various layers... are all coming here to participate in the newcomer training?"

However, the entire group was currently muted, and after Yu Xinghan and the others joined, they could not see anyone sending any messages.

Next, the crowd advanced along the arrows manifesting within the Dharma Realm. Zhang Yu, Yu Xinghan, and Perfected Lord Xinghuo went to one side as sect administrators, while Ye Xingli, Le Mulan, and Li Xuelian attended the training on the other side as accompanying outsourced personnel.

Soon, the trio of Yu Xinghan arrived inside a massive conference room.

When Yu Xinghan and the others stepped into the conference room, they discovered it was already packed with people, forming small circles and conversing amongst themselves.

Looking at these sect disciples, Yu Xinghan found that the vast majority of them conformed to classical aesthetics, which was also one of the types he appreciated.

"Finally... I am about to encounter the natives of the Sect layer."

Yu Xinghan thought to himself: "We people from the lower levels will probably be looked down upon, right? These fellows who were born and raised in the Sect layer and passed an incomparably fierce competition to enter the Sect... how could they possibly respect us?"

At this moment, Yu Xinghan seemed to already see himself, Zhang Yu, and Perfected Lord Xinghuo enduring disdain and mockery, becoming the bottom of the pecking order in the newcomer training class, being trampled ruthlessly underfoot, becoming the laughingstock of the whole class, objects for anyone to jest about, forced in the end to suffer in silence, gathering strength to slowly climb upward...

Just then, a cultivator wearing a classical dress and possessing the appearance of a young maiden walked toward them.

Beholding this scene, Yu Xinghan thought to himself: "Come then, since I have entered the Sect, I am already prepared. No matter what kind of repeated insults come, I can take it!"

Yet in the next instant, the maiden-like cultivator spoke with a face full of warmth, "Hello there, are you the candidates from the lower levels?"

At the same time, another cultivator leaned over, his face filled with concern as he said, "It wasn't easy to test your way up here, was it?"

Yet another cultivator said amiably, "There must be many things you don't understand about the Sect layer; if anything comes up, just ask us."

"You don't have Immortal Coins yet, right? Do you want me to lend you some?"

"Move aside a bit, don't scare them..."

One of the female cultivators named Fang Jieyi looked at him with particular kindness, saying, "Testing your way up from the lower levels, you must have suffered a great deal, right? How pitiable. Would you like to be my younger brother? I shall look after you..."

Staring at the amiable sect lords before him one by one, Yu Xinghan was shocked once more: "An illusion! Could I have fallen into an illusion when I entered? How could the sect lords treat me with such respect?"

Just then, Perfected Lord Xinghuo stepped in front of Yu Xinghan, smiling as he spoke to Fang Jieyi, "No need to trouble yourself, we can take care of ourselves."

Fang Jieyi swept a glance over Perfected Lord Xinghuo, smiling faintly as she said, "It is not easy for lower-level people to live up here. If you encounter trouble, you can come find me anytime. Sect disciples ought to look out for one another; this is as it should be."

As the numerous sect lords dispersed, the light and shadow before them shifted, and the first class of the newcomer training began.

A figure materialized upon the stage, looking at the crowd as he spoke, "My name is Yun Jiying, your loan instructor."

Wait... what kind of instructor? Zhang Yu's heart gave a sudden jolt: "A loan instructor?"

Yun Jiying spoke in a resonant voice, "The path of the Immortal Path is long and vast; who dares claim to be without debt, who dares speak of never taking a loan?"

"Having cultivated to your current realm, surely you all have long possessed your own understanding of the Dao of Loans."

"You should also understand that only by possessing greater talent in the Immortal Path can you command a higher credit limit."

“And the very fact that you’ve fought your way through legions to successfully join the sect and become Sect Administrators already proves your talent and potential—enough, in fact, to grant you higher credit limits.”

“Now, install ‘Tongfa Pavilion’ within the Dharma Realm, and let me see where your true potential lies!”

Tongfa Pavilion was the largest lending platform under the Ten Thousand Dharmas Sect. Through the Dharma Realm, one could directly borrow Immortal Coins—and even various forms of immortal cultivation power itself.

At Yun Jiying’s command, student after student began revealing their potential.

“I can borrow Nascent Soul-level cultivation for three minutes!”

“I can borrow it for five minutes and thirty-two seconds!”

“I get twenty-three minutes!”

Watching the borrowing limits each student displayed, Yun Jiying nodded approvingly. “Your cohort shows promising potential. I’m sure you’ve all noticed by now: as Sect Administrators, even at the Golden Core stage, you can borrow Foundation Establishment cultivation power. At the Foundation Establishment stage, you can borrow Nascent Soul power.”

“This is the privilege of being a Sect Administrator—you who have successfully joined the sect may temporarily wield cultivation power beyond your current realm.”

Zhang Yu glanced at his own limit and thought inwardly, “Time I can borrow Nascent Soul-level power… three seconds.”

Though merely three seconds, Zhang Yu understood well that with such power, even for that brief span, he could accomplish tasks far beyond what any ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator might achieve.

He sighed inwardly, “Becoming a Sect Administrator not only grants superior cultivation conditions but also allows one to wield transcendent power—Golden Core cultivators can challenge Foundation Establishment foes, and Foundation Establishment cultivators can dare confront Nascent Soul experts.”

Of course, Zhang Yu knew such challenges only worked when a Sect Administrator faced a non-Sect Administrator; otherwise, both sides could borrow transcendent power, nullifying the advantage.

Beyond borrowing cultivation power, Tongfa Pavilion also allowed borrowing of Immortal Coins.

At that very moment, one cultivator’s aura surged violently as layers of power poured into his body from the Dharma Realm.

This sudden influx transformed him instantly—from a man whose middle-aged appearance had already begun to show signs of weariness and decay due to overwork, into a vibrant youth once more.

He had borrowed Immortal Coins on the spot to purchase and download an Immortal Sect-grade longevity technique, immediately advancing it to Level One and adding ten years to his lifespan.

Yun Jiying gave a slight nod. “Not bad. Directly purchasing and downloading Immortal Sect techniques is another privilege granted to you upon joining the sect—a fine use of borrowed Immortal Coins.”

“However,” he added, “truly formidable techniques require not just Immortal Coins, but Dao Merit as well…”

Zhang Yu knew that Immortal Coins were the most widely circulated currency within the sect, while Dao Merit was a special currency unique to the Ten Thousand Dharmas Sect—many of its exclusive resources could only be acquired with Dao Merit.

Just then, the student who had just broken through looked up in astonishment. “Master… why can this bill be gambled?”

Hearing this, Yun Jiying smiled faintly. “This is yet another new benefit of becoming a Sect Administrator.”

“Immortal Sovereign Tianyun, moved by the hardships of the immortal path and the lack of opportunities for cultivators to make one final, desperate gamble, established a new Dao Tradition—one that allows everyone in the world a chance to bet it all.”

“And this blessing begins first with you, the Sect Administrators. Every bill you receive, every payment you make, every loan you take… all of it can now be gambled.”

“If fortune favors you, your payment is waived entirely. If luck turns against you, your bill doubles—and interest soars.”

“As this Dao Tradition gradually takes root, everyone will gain the chance to defy death itself, to stake everything against heaven…”

Listening to Yun Jiying’s words, Zhang Yu cursed inwardly, “What nonsense is this Dao Tradition? Isn’t this just turning the whole world into a den of gamblers?”

Dao Tradition was a concept Zhang Yu had only come to understand while studying for the Sect Entrance Examinations.

In his view, it seemed to be a set of rules only immortals could establish.

Reincarnation, for instance, was part of the Reincarnation Immortal Emperor’s Dao Tradition.

But after recovering memories of Zhanxian—the Sword-Slaying Immortal—and conversing with him, Zhang Yu had learned far more about the hidden truths behind Dao Traditions.

…

“The true purpose of establishing a Dao Tradition,” Zhanxian had explained, “is often to achieve absolute monopoly over a certain immortal technology.”

“Through such technology, a rule is gradually embedded into a region of society, then slowly spreads across the entire Kunxu Realm—and eventually becomes a fundamental law of Heaven itself. Those who control this law thereby secure absolute dominance.”

Zhanxian sighed inwardly. “The seed of a Dao Tradition is often tied to legal statutes. At minimum, one must reach the Refining Void realm and, under the current laws of Kunxu, enact a personal statute. Only then can one gradually elevate that statute into a full-fledged Dao Tradition—one that becomes part of the world’s foundational rules.”

At the time, Zhang Yu had asked, “Can anyone just establish any Dao Tradition they want?”

“In theory, yes,” Zhanxian replied. “But in practice… from the very beginning, your statute must fall under the legal framework of one of the Ten Great Sects. Any Dao Tradition you later establish must ultimately be subordinate to one of the Ten Immortal Emperors’ Traditions—becoming a lower-tier tradition fully controlled and constrained by them. Only then will you avoid being targeted.”

…

Back in class, Zhang Yu watched as the student who had just broken through suddenly broke into ecstatic laughter.

“I won the gamble! My bill’s been wiped clean! Wiped clean! Hahahaha—I just got ten extra years of life for free!”

Seeing his joyous outburst, the surrounding students grew visibly excited.

Yun Jiying sighed wistfully. “Immortal Sovereign Tianyun truly possesses great virtue.”

But Zhang Yu had no intention of trying the gamble—not only because he disliked gambling, but also because all services in the Dharma Realm involving technique downloads or instant cultivation adjustments required modifications to the practitioner’s memories.

Even though he had mastered the *Hell Soul-Scouring Scripture*, Zhang Yu had no desire to let the Dharma Realm tamper with his memories.

Just then, a bill suddenly appeared before him, catching him off guard. “When did I spend anything?”

Only after reading the details did he sigh softly. “Dharma Realm data fees?”

It dawned on him instantly: “Even though I’ve only used the free features of the Ten Thousand Dharmas Butler… by using the Dharma Realm’s channels, I’ve still incurred data usage fees—and those aren’t free.”

Faced with the debt on the bill, Zhang Yu could only sigh in resignation—he knew this cost was unavoidable.

Meanwhile, Yu Xinghan had also received a bill from the Dharma Realm. Seeing the gamble button at the bottom, he knew a lucky roll could wipe his debt clean.

Yet he simply shook his head and quietly closed the notification.

During the Lending Class, Yun Jiying guided the students through installing various lending platforms, teaching them every possible way to borrow Immortal Coins, cultivation power, techniques, lifespans, memories, and all manner of resources—leaving them deeply awed by the terrifying potential now at their fingertips.

Then came the second lesson. A male instructor strode in and declared, “Now that you’ve entered the sect, you may purchase Dharma Medicines…”

As Zhang Yu listened, he realized these “Dharma Medicines” weren’t actual drugs, but rather a form of immortal technology rooted in the Dharma Realm—capable of directly adjusting the body to produce medicinal effects.

These included, but were not limited to: pain editing, mental sedation, accelerated cognition…

And the most crucial among them was known as the Awakening Elixir.

“After taking the Awakening Elixir, your cognition heightens and reshapes, entering a state of elevated awareness.”

“In this heightened state, hardship brings joy, cultivation fuels exhilaration, labor becomes delight—and you remain perpetually focused, positive, and cheerful. Traits like willpower, discipline, calmness, and composure are all pushed to their absolute limits.”

“Even if penniless and drowning in debt, you’ll march forward with a smile, facing every trial on the path of cultivation without fear…”

Zhang Yu couldn’t help but wonder inwardly, “Do these Dharma Medicines… have side effects?”

Zhanxian explained, “Theoretically, they’re non-addictive. But in practice, once you grow accustomed to them, you can’t live without them.”

“Because the benefits are immediate—in a heightened cognitive state, your work efficiency and cultivation speed skyrocket. You can face any obstacle, any hardship, head-on.”

“Even if you’ve lost everything, as long as you can afford one more dose, you’ll keep moving forward.”

“Who would ever choose to stop?”

“For many cultivators, Dharma Medicine has become the most essential spiritual provision—something they must continue taking as long as they draw breath.”

“Over half the disciples in the Ten Thousand Dharmas Sect already use it regularly. Even so… I don’t recommend you take it. Because once you do, you’ll forever be bound to others.”

Zhang Yu thought to himself, “Could this, too, be tied to some Dao Tradition?”

“You’ve guessed right,” Zhanxian said. “Ever since that immortal enacted a legal statute and gradually legalized Dharma Medicine, he’s been quietly advancing his own Dao Tradition. Now, it’s nearing completion—and Dharma Medicine has become indispensable to countless cultivators.”

Zhang Yu couldn’t help asking, “What happens when this Dao Tradition is fully realized?”

“I don’t know,” Zhanxian admitted. “Perhaps taking Dharma Medicine will become a basic requirement for survival itself? Or perhaps the awakened, heightened cognitive state will become as natural as breathing or walking—an innate instinct of all living beings?”

“Dao Traditions are profoundly mysterious. Their ultimate forms are endlessly variable—far beyond our current comprehension. Don’t dwell on it.”

While Zhang Yu was conversing with Zhanxian, he took the opportunity to caution Yu Xinghan and Starfire True Lord against consuming any alchemical elixirs.

Though Starfire True Lord likely already understood this well enough, Zhang Yu reminded him anyway, just to be safe.

As the third lesson began, another instructor stepped before the assembled disciples and declared, “Since ancient times, our Wanfa Sect has upheld a tradition of solitary cultivation—our disciples have devoted themselves purely to ascetic practice, achieving nothing whatsoever in the arts of dual cultivation. And this… has rendered us obsolete.”

“Two years ago, in order to remain competitive, our Sect Master announced a new initiative: the advancement of dual cultivation techniques within the Wanfa Sect, encouraging every disciple to partake…”

“Some cultivators, heeding the sect’s guidance, have already thrown themselves wholeheartedly into this endeavor.”

At these words, the image of Yun Zhiguang instantly flashed through Zhang Yu’s mind.

The instructor on stage continued, “Yet there remain those among you who are stubbornly obtuse, resisting progress with passive defiance. The higher-ups are deeply displeased. They have resolved to establish a Dual Cultivation Support Division, tasked specifically with guiding those backward elements who refuse to advance.”

“You are all new disciples, admitted through rigorous selection. I urge you to grasp the spirit of this directive thoroughly—and do not become relics discarded by the tides of time…”

(End of chapter)