Chapter 2: Chapter 10

Becoming an inner disciple has always been the dream of the outer peak disciples, such as He Yun, when she was admitted back then, because her qualifications were not very good, she could only stay at the outer peak first, which also made her very unconvinced. She practiced hard and wanted to prove herself.

 The Jinghai Sect lacks in resources now (1), and its original strength is not strong. Since the death of the elder Weng Hua eight years ago, there is no cultivator in the Core Formation Stage anymore, resulting in an embarrassing situation where there are only two elders in the sect.  

 As for the inner disciples, except for one Lu Yanping, who achieved the late stage of Foundation Building Stage, most of the others were wandering in the early and middle stages of Foundation Building Stage. Like Ye Yunjing in charge of the outer peak, who had been staying at the middle level of Foundation Establishment Stage for all this time. There was little hope in his eyes.

 In this case, recruiting new disciples (2)to the sect has become a top priority.

 In addition to recruiting as many new disciples as possible from the outside world every year, Zou Jingyuan has also promoted a group of disciples from outer peak. Huang Wenjun and the others are one of them. Because Zhou Yin was already on the seventh level of Qi Refining Stage before he enteted secluded cultivation and because he also behaved calmly when he was in trouble, so of course he also became a disciple of the inner peak. 

 He Yun excitedly told all this to him, and said happily: "It's all right, our Jinghai Sect will have more and more disciples, and one day we will become one of the major sects. I heard that ten years later there will be a Pin Jian Assembly (3) , when the world's major sects will gather and learn from each other. A-Yin, if you work hard, maybe you will be able to make a good performance (4) and become famous in the mainland."

"Time waits for no one."

 "What?" He Yun was taken aback.

 "If a sect has no Nascent Soul cultivators for a long time, it will slowly decline. No matter how many new disciples there are, it will be of no help. No matter how talented these people are, it is impossible for them to become high-level cultivators all at once."

 He Yun rarely listened to what he said so much, but she was a very smart person, she thought about it, and said in surprise, "You mean, the Jinghai Sect will sooner or later... But it should not be like this. Now Sect Elders are all at the late Stage of the Core Formation, and they are only one step away from gaining Nascent Soul."

 "The higher one's cultivation is, the harder it is to move forward."

 As for the Zou Jingyuan he saw, and the other two Jinghai Sect elders, they were all people who were at the end of their Core Formation Stage and who had failed to advance several times, so it would be difficult for them to make further breakthroughs, unless there was a miracle.

 He Yun sighed in a low voice: "But we are disciples of the Jinghai Sect after all. If the skin doesn't exist, how can the hair be attached(?) ?"

 Zhou Yin didn't answer this question because he was also thinking.

  At the Foundation Building Stage, one may be able to show off in the Jinghai Sect, but if one is placed outside, one can only be annihilated in the vast sea of ​​people. There are thousands of people in this world, not to mention the Foundation Building Stage cultivators , there are even less(5) cultivators who have completed the Core Formation Stage. Even a person like Zhou Yin who had come all the way from loose (6) cultivation in his previous life had to admit that unless he was desperate, it would be a safe and stable way to be able to cultivate under the sect.

 The Jinghai Sect is on the decline, but after all, there are still many families(clans) , spiritual stones, magic weapons, and disciples. These are resources that many other sects want to take as their own. Once Zou Jingyuan fails to cross the border and falls, when the group of dragons (powerful people) will have no leader, it will be easy for others to take advantage of it. 

 Zhou Yin suddenly found that such an unexpected development had a big deviation from his original idea.He originally planned to find an inconspicuous little sect to practice quietly, without being disturbed by too many external disputes. Who knows that the situation would be turned upside down five thousand years later, the dynasties on the mainland are torn apart, the winner is the king, and the loser is the bandit (7).And because cultivators have more power than mortals, the desires of many people (8) are obvious (9) and don't need to be concealed. Small sects are often not necessarily safe, but may be even more dangerous.

 Zou Jingyuan only wanted to see Zhou Yin, so He Yun accompanied him(Zhou Yun) outside leaders' study (10) and stopped.

 "Go in by yourself, the leader is waiting for you inside."

 It was not the first time that Zhou Yin had been to the inner peak, but he had never been to the leaders' study. As far as he could see, the outside was verdant and lush (11), with beautiful trees and flowers growing around the study. No matter what happens, no matter how loud it is, it will not be easy to disturb. (12)

 Lu Yanping was also inside, and Zou Jingyuan was telling him about the daily affairs (matters) of the sect. When Zhou Yin came in, he (Zou Jingyuan) was surprised, then happy, and smiled: "You have already Established the Foundation? Very good, very good!"

 He had expected that Zhou Yin after eight years of seclusion would make a lot of progress, but Zhou Yin's performance was really unexpected.

 Lu Yanping was also surprised. He did not expect that Zhou Yin, an ordinary disciple of the outer sect, had gone from an ordinary person with no foundation to breaking through Qi Refining Stage and successfully build a Foundation in just over ten years.

 Zhou Yin said: "If I didn't have the Peiyuan Pill and Lingshi (Spirit Stones) given by the sect leader, I wouldn't be able to build the Foundation so quickly."

Zou Jingyuan waved his hand and let him sit down : "Since you have already entered the inner sect, you can call me Shifu (Master) like Yanping from now on, you don't need to be so polite. Pills can only be icing on the cake. If you blindly rely on pills, although you can get a temporary effect, the more you go on (13), the weaker the Foundation, and it is easy to be attacked. Now I see that your cultivation base is stable and your spiritual energy is pure. Obviously, you have a sense of it yourself. When you reach a certain level, you will naturally break through. You don't have to be too modest!"

 After affirming Zhou Yin's progress, Zou Jing yuan was worried that he would be complacent because of this, and added: "But you can't slack off because of this, you must know that the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold, not to mention your aptitude is average, even if you are talented, if you are not willing to practice hard , after all, your cultivation will be only superficial.(14) You came just right today, and I have something to tell you."

 Lu Yanping could not help but become solemn when he heard Master's overtones.

 "Anyang destroyed the country and was annexed by Dongyue. Although our Jinghai Sect is a cultivation sect, and is not involved in common affairs, but it will inevitably be affected. Besides, within the sect, Yanping, Zhou Yin, since the two of you have entered the sect, you have never traveled far, and it is inevitable that you will sit in the well and watch the sky(15). Today, there are as many as thirteen cultivators of the Nascent Soul Stage from Shang Xuan Clan - the largest Clan in the world. Not to mention the seven peaks below, there dozens of cultivators of Core Formation Stage. In Tian Yan Sect and Qinggu Sect there are also cultivators of Nascent Soul Stage. Even in Jinting Sect, which is located in Anyang with us, there are two Nascent Soul cultivators, so others will be afraid and wouldn't dare easily offend. And my Jinghai Sect, although its history is long, but the talents are withering, and now it is not even a third-rate sect, once I also fall..."

 "Master!" Lu Yanping hurriedly interrupted, and regardless of the etiquette, knelt on the ground with a plop. "Master, please don't say such ominous words!"

"Get up, although my Jinghai Sect is small, my disciples don't act like a mother-in-law's daughter!" Zou Jingyuan changed his usual kindness, and his tone was a little stern. When Lu Yanping got up, he continued: "What I just said was not to scare you (16). You should all know that for immortal cultivators, the lifespan of the ninth level of Qi Refining Stage is 200, the lifespan of peak of Foundation Building is 400, and the lifespan of the late stage of Core Formation Stage is at most 500. According to the depth (quality) of the cultivation base (foundation) , even if there is a discrepancy in this number, it's only a dozen years or so. My life span is now four hundred and ninety-five years old. I’ve been busy taking care of the sect for the past few years, and my cultivation has long been abandoned. The remaining five years of life are even more hopeless to advance to the rank.”

 Lu Yanping was shocked when he heard it. He couldn't help raising his head. He found that Master's face was indeed much haggard, with some white hair on his temples, and even the lines at the corners of his eyes could not be concealed. When Immortal cultivators cultivate to a certain level their appearance will remain the same until they fall, but it is obviously not a good omen that Zou Jingyuan's appearance has changed so much in a short period of time.

 "Master..."

 Zou Jingyuan ignored him and continued to say to the two: "Once I fall, the remaining two elders will have many discord (conflicts/fights) with each other. Once one of the two becomes the leader of the Jinghai Sword Sect, the other will definitely not be convinced. At that time, there will be civil strife (internal conflict/turmoil) in this sect, so I think about it, and plan to let Yanping take over as the next leader of the sect."

 "Master!" Lu Yanping was shocked. He is sleek by nature. He is good at negotiating between the elders of the sect and the martial brothers and martial sisters. He has a good relationship with each other, so he is very popular, but he never imagined that the Master wouldn't pass the position of the sect leader to the Elders of the Core Formation stage, but to himself (Lu Yanping) , who only had cultivation in the late stage of Foundation Establishment Stage. 

 Zhou Yin stood there, listening indifferently, neither speaking nor expressing his opinion(position) , as if it had nothing to do with him.

Fighting with the Qinggu Sect made Zou Jingyuan notice Zhou Yin for the first time, but what satisfied Zou Jingyuan most was his calm response to the incident with Demonic Beasts. 

 After Weng Hua's death, there were only two elders left in the sect, but Zou Jingyuan was not close to them. After going his own way and intending to let Lu Yanping take over as the leader of the sect, the two elders were even more displeased. However, Zou Jingyuan knew very well that once he was away, with Lu Yanping's cultivation in the later stage of Foundation Building, it would be very difficult to hold back the two elders who had the cultivation of Core Formation Stage.

 In order for his disciple to have enough ability to compete with the two elders, he had to find talents among the rising stars of the Jinghai Sect so that they could assist Lu Yanping.

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 Long before Zhou Yin came in, Zou Jingyuan explained to Lu Yanping a general outline (plan) and the stakes involved. Lu Yanping understood it immediately, and could clearly see (notice/understand) the painstaking efforts of his master.

 He asked Lu Yanping to retire first, and then said to Zhou Yin: "I have seen your performance over the years, and I am very satisfied. Your martial brothers and martial sisters in the Jinghai Sword Sect may have surpassed your cultivation, but no one has your cautiousness and sensitivity, are you willing to assist Yanping and revitalize the Jinghai Sword Sect?"

 As early as he (Zou Jing Yuan) spoke and said those words, Zhou Yin understood his intentions, but he did not express his loyalty with sincerity and fear. He spoke: "I joined the Jinghai Sword Sect, and it was you who gave me Pei Yuan Pills and Lingshi (Spirit Stones) they helped me build a Foundation, and this kindness will naturally be repaid."

Zou Jingyuan sighed and said with a wry smile: "Zhou Yin, it's not that I want to take favors in return. Right now, the Jinghai Sect is in a difficult situation. For the sake of the overall situation, we have to make such an arrangement. I know that you are devoted to your cultivation and don't like to get involved in these things. But the rise and fall of the sect is also your responsibility. As long as you serve the sect wholeheartedly, you can have no worries about the spiritual stones and cultivating pills you will need for future cultivation. Don't worry, wait until Yanping takes over the responsibility. According to your qualifications, it is not impossible to become an elder of this sect. "

 He looked at Zhou Yin and couldn't help but feel a little regretful. If he could cultivate from a young age, Zhou Yin might be more than his current cultivation stage, but now that the time is pressing, he has no time for himself to do these things. (17)

Notes:

(1)青黄不接

• lit. yellow does not reach green (idiom); the yellow autumn crop does not last until the green spring crop

• temporary deficit in manpower or resources

• unable to make ends meet

(2)新血

It means new/fresh blood

*I translated it as 

(3)品鉴大会

品鉴 means :

• to judge

 • to examine

 • to evaluate

大会 is:

Meeting/Conference

• general assembly

• general meeting

• convention

(4) Can also be translated as: make a good show 

(5) also : it is unknown how many/ don't know how many there are

(6) loose/rogue/wandering cultivators do not belong to the sects

(7)胜者为王，败者为寇

The winner is a king, the loser is the bandit

*also: the winner takes all,

(8)人心欲望 

Can be translated as human desire/ desire of the heart 

*Let's split it in half 

-人心 (literally human heart) 

*popular feeling

*the will of people

-欲望

*desire 

(9)裸 luo

It literally means 'naked' or 'bare' but it means obvious, uncovered, exposed 

(10)书房 

书-book

房-room

(11)郁郁葱葱 yuyu cong cong (idiom)

Verdant and lush

(12) also spread out

(13) the more pills you consume

(14) i wasn't sure about this

泛泛

general / superficial / not deepgoing / not thorough-going

(15)坐井观天

to view the sky from the bottom of a well (idiom)/ ignorant and narrow-minded/ unaware of the worldly affairs/unaware of the situasion

 (16)危言耸听

• frightening words to scare people (idiom); alarmist talk

(17) to think/worry about these things/matters

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