Chapter 5

The Qi Refinement stage is merely the foundation of a cultivator's path.

Before reaching the later stages of Qi Refinement, a cultivator's body is still filled with turbid qi, and can only be considered a postnatal physical body. Only after advancing to the later stages of Qi Refinement does the cultivator's physical body undergo the crucial step of returning to a prenatal state through the cleansing of spiritual energy, achieving the ability to abstain from food for a short period. This realm is what the ordinary people call the prenatal realm. However, to truly achieve the state of not needing to eat, one must reach the Foundation Establishment stage.

Without reaching the prenatal realm, cultivators still need to eat.

After nearly a day of cultivation in his room, Hu Donghan felt hungry and went to the dining hall for outer disciples to eat some food casually.

On the way, Hu Donghan encountered a few wandering spirits. After channeling a bit of spiritual energy into his fist, he punched them, causing them to dissipate immediately.

It took no more than fifteen minutes for Hu Donghan to reach the outer affairs hall.

The outer affairs hall is a place within the Yin Soul Sect specifically responsible for handling the affairs of outer disciples. Matters such as the distribution of cultivation spirit stones and elixirs, and the assignment of outer disciple tasks, are all handled here.

The Yin Soul Sect, as a large sect, has over a million disciples registered in total!

Among these million people, there are three Nascent Soul realm grand elders, over twenty Core Formation realm grand elders, and the number of Golden Core realm cultivators reaches the thousands!

The management of the evil sects is much more chaotic compared to the righteous sects.

People in the evil sects have always believed in the supremacy of strength. Once a cultivator reaches the Golden Core realm, they are considered a core force of the Yin Soul Sect and can call themselves "grand elders." They can also establish their own mountain peaks within the territory of the Yin Soul Sect and set up their own sects.

Of course, the management of the Yin Soul Sect is only relatively chaotic. However, the management methods are much more ruthless compared to the righteous sects. The Law Enforcement Hall is personally managed by the Soul Devourer, a Nascent Soul realm grand elder known for his malevolence. Any disciple registered in the sect who violates the sect's laws, even if they are a Core Formation realm grand elder, must submit to punishment. Since the establishment of the Yin Soul Sect, over ten Core Formation realm grand elders and over a thousand Golden Core realm grand elders have been killed by the Law Enforcement Hall. As for Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement realm cultivators, the number of deaths is countless.

The Blood Bone Peak of the Law Enforcement Hall is entirely blood-red, with bones scattered everywhere from the bottom to the top. The path is filled with a chilling aura, and ordinary disciples feel a chill in their hearts when they see the Blood Bone Peak. More timid disciples might even be frightened to the point of being unable to move when they see the law enforcement disciples.

These bones are not just random bones; each one is a real disciple of the Yin Soul Sect!

In addition to the Law Enforcement Hall, the Yin Soul Sect also has a Combat Hall responsible for external battles, an Outer Affairs Hall responsible for outer disciples, an Inner Affairs Hall responsible for inner disciples, and a Fire Earth Hall responsible for alchemy and weapon forging. These sect departments, except for the Combat Hall and the Law Enforcement Hall, have branches set up on various peaks of the Yin Soul Sect for easier management.

Hu Donghan is now on the Stacked Peaks, where a Golden Core realm grand elder named Li Chengfeng resides.

Li Chengfeng has late-stage Golden Core realm cultivation and is among the top few in terms of strength among the Golden Core realm cultivators in the Yin Soul Sect.

Li Chengfeng's ghostly form is a high-grade soldier ghost. Once in battle, it is fierce and reckless, charging forward like a madman, hence the name "Mad Demon." After Li Chengfeng advanced to the Golden Core realm, he became known as the Mad Demon Grand Elder.

On both sides of the outer affairs hall, there are two Foundation Establishment realm cultivators in green robes standing guard.

Although there are no restrictions on clothing colors within the Yin Soul Sect, no one dares to wear green casually.

A tight-fitting green robe, along with the disciplinary whip and iron law plate equipped by the Law Enforcement Hall, is the standard uniform of the law enforcement disciples. Wearing green casually does not violate the sect's laws, but it is equivalent to offending the law enforcement disciples. Anyone who wears green casually and commits an offense will be punished severely.

Disputes often occur in the outer affairs hall, and the law enforcement disciples are there to wait for someone to commit an offense.

The rules within the Yin Soul Sect are that cursing and physical fighting are allowed, but using spiritual energy is absolutely forbidden. If one wants to use spiritual energy to challenge someone, they must go to the arena of the Law Enforcement Hall, where no one will intervene, regardless of the outcome. If sect disciples engage in private disputes within the sect, they will be punished with whippings at best, and at worst, their souls will be extracted and their bodies burned.

Hu Donghan entered the outer affairs hall in a proper manner, his gaze sweeping across the hall and finally landing on an area marked "Monthly Salary."

Unlike other areas marked "Sect Tasks," "Miscellaneous Affairs," etc., the area marked "Monthly Salary" only has two simple sets of tables and chairs, each occupied by an old man.

Both old men are early-stage Foundation Establishment realm cultivators, looking drowsy. These types of cultivators, who serve as officials in the outer affairs hall, are usually those with poor talent, insufficient opportunities, and who know they will not break through in their lifetimes. The sect generally leaves them to their own devices and does not care about them. As long as these people do not cause trouble, the sect will not bother with them.

Hu Donghan walked up to one of the old men, who immediately became alert. His eyes scanned Hu Donghan, and he said indifferently, "Young disciple, what brings you here? If you are here to receive a sect task, please go to another area. This area is only responsible for distributing the monthly salary to Qi Refinement cultivators."

The sect provides limited cultivation resources to Qi Refinement cultivators, and these resources are only valid for the current month. Most Qi Refinement cultivators usually collect their monthly salary at the beginning of the month, and it is rare for someone to not have collected it by then.

The old man's attitude was not good, but Hu Donghan did not mind. He respectfully bowed and said, "Uncle, I have just reached the first level of Qi Refinement today and have come to collect my monthly salary."

"Just reached the first level of Qi Refinement?" The old man's eyes scanned Hu Donghan. "I remember the sect recruited a batch of new disciples three months ago. Were you part of that batch?"

"Yes, I am," Hu Donghan replied. "My name is Hu Donghan. Uncle, you can check."

The old man nodded and then took out a jade slip, scanning it with his divine sense. His face showed surprise, "Yes, your name is indeed here. Your spiritual roots are only of medium quality, with four spiritual roots. No wonder it took you three months to reach the first level of Qi Refinement. Here is your monthly salary: five spirit stones and two small qi-nourishing pills. Please confirm."

The rules of the Yin Soul Sect are strict, especially regarding the monthly salary. Any cultivator who tampers with the monthly salary will face a fate worse than death.

After confirming that the monthly salary was correct, Hu Donghan bowed to the old man and took his leave.