Chapter 456: Rules
Chapter 456: Rules
“To find fresh blood for the sect and strengthen its foundation.”
This was the task Zuo Meng received upon leaving the Deacon Hall. Simply put, it involved recruiting new members for the tribe. Normally, contribution tasks required finding exceptional talents like Saints or Saintesses, but Zuo Meng found this too bothersome. He’d asked his plump disciple to adjust the requirements.
Strength dictated everything. With Zuo Meng’s current power as a tribal leader, few would dare question his privileges. Merely following procedures while completing tasks was already showing courtesy.
The tribe had conducted countless recruitments, each following established protocols.
To save effort, Zuo Meng pressed his plump disciple into service. Since the disciple had assigned the task, it made sense for him to help complete it—someone had to handle the grunt work. The plump disciple grimaced; he’d never met such a shameless Master Uncle. Even after lowering the task difficulty, he still got dragged into menial labor.
Despite his complaints, the plump disciple proved efficient.
He spread word of the recruitment and assigned liaisons to every village in their territory. These liaisons traded tribal spots through quotas and assessment rewards, using Wolf Fangs as tokens. Zuo Meng’s own Wolf Fang, which he’d used to join the tribe years ago, had come through similar channels.
After delegating the work, Zuo Meng retreated to the library. Why bother with details when he’d already found someone to manage them?
He’d long finished studying all materials below the Open Meridians level. Books on the Thousand Mountains and Endless Realm remained restricted, as he hadn’t completed his identity verification task. But rules bowed to strength. After flashing his cultivation level and active task token, the library guard turned a blind eye and let him pass.
Conveniences were permitted—so long as one didn’t openly defy the system.
Fifteen days later.
The plump disciple summoned Zuo Meng.
“Master Uncle, everything’s prepared. We need your presence for the final recorded selection process.” The disciple spoke carefully. Were it not for mandatory oversight, he’d have completed the task himself.
“Understood.”
Zuo Meng patted the disciple’s shoulder in approval.
A true verbal commendation!
Having no tangible rewards to offer, encouragement would suffice. The plump disciple’s face fell—this Master Uncle clearly owned nothing beyond his cultivation. A penniless expert indeed.
Little Jun Mountain.
The usual recruitment grounds southwest of the tribe. As a Deacon Hall member, the plump disciple had connections. Combined with Zuo Meng’s senior status, the tribe allowed certain…flexibilities.
“This testing stone reveals aptitude. More lit scales mean greater potential.”
Three Stages of Battle Power?
The absurd comparison flashed through Zuo Meng’s mind.
“These children passed initial screening.” The plump disciple had indeed handled most groundwork, leaving only formalities for his superior.
“Proceed.”
Zuo Meng observed the group—mostly seven to twelve-year-olds. Potential manifested clearly at this age; older candidates became set in their ways.
“Begin.”
At the disciple’s signal, tribe members commenced evaluations.
“Potential Level One—failed!”
“Potential Level Two, disqualified…”
“Potential Level Four, stand behind me.”
These children had already been filtered by the Plump Disciple. Those without potential were long sent away, so every remaining child passed the test. Now it was just about sorting better talents from worse ones.
Zuo Meng paid no attention. He hadn’t even read the tribe’s requirements.
He stood there merely to let the Plump Disciple record results, while his mind focused entirely on books about the Thousand Mountain Realm. Over the past half-month, he’d read many texts from this realm. The contents were very different from what Zuo Meng had deduced through the Dream Realm, proving that higher energy levels in this world operated on entirely different principles.
The cultivation method he’d developed over half an epoch in the Dream Realm diverged sharply from tribal records.
The difference wasn’t in strength, but in approach.
His method resembled building stairs to reach a higher floor, while this world used elevators or teleportation gates. This gap came from differing cultural foundations – something Zuo Meng needed to grasp.
“Grandpa Meng! Grandpa Meng!”
A voice snapped Zuo Meng from his thoughts.
An eight-year-old Little Girl stood waving before him. The Plump Disciple nearby pretended not to notice, continuing tests. Zuo Meng didn’t recognize her, though the mark she bore seemed familiar.
Wangu Village.
Where he’d first awakened in the real world.
Sixty years had erased his peers. In the Great Wasteland, those failing to achieve Open Meridians rarely lived past fifty. Guarding monster attacks claimed many earlier.
“Elder, her potential is Level One,” a testing disciple whispered. He’d tried dismissing her like others, but the Plump Disciple stopped him. Typical Deacon Hall behavior – there were reasons the Plump Disciple held his position.
“Let her pass.”
Zuo Meng nodded coldly.
Though he remembered nothing, his body came from Wangu Village. Helping cost him nothing.
“Thank you, Grandpa Meng!”
The Little Girl’s smile made crescent eyes.
Village tales spoke of an elder from her grandfather’s generation. The shaman said she could try seeking help if needed. She’d dared hope, never expecting to actually join the tribe.
“Junior Sister, wait at the back.”
The Plump Disciple immediately guided her away.
“Senior Brother… isn’t this against rules?” a young disciple ventured.
“What rules? You know nothing about rules!”
The Plump Disciple snapped angrily.
Since when did qualifications matter?
The elder had spoken! Who was this nobody to question? He glared at the fool who couldn’t read the situation.