There were a few more messages from the Patriarch, most dealing with information that dealt with the normal operations of the Sect. Messages that dealt with expectations and responsibilities for each Sect member. Those responsibilities were tiered and increased the higher your position in the Sect.
As an Inner Sect member, we had been assigned a mentor, Elder Shadow in my case. But I was also expected to act as a mentor and help increase the strength of the Sect by mentoring an Outer Sect member. I and the rest of the Inner Sect members would be given a pass for the influx of new members this year.
For those members that had been accepted and held the Outer Sect position, open lectures and classes would be available. A sequence of Elders assigned to offer instruction to everyone interested in their subject material. The available lectures for the next month had been posted, and I had Cix create a calendar, scheduling reminders for the two on Qi Gathering and Dharmic spells I thought might be helpful.
But beginning in a year, Four Element would hold its first awakening ceremony. For the first time, the people of Delph Island would have the chance to step upon the path of cultivation. At this time, the Sect would hold a yearly recruitment drive. As part of the responsibility of helping young men and women open their Spirit Roots and find their affinities, the Sect would offer Outer Sect membership.
I had to wonder why anyone would have immigrated to Delph Island, knowing that any children that were born and raised without access to Sect and awakening ceremonies were starting life at a disadvantage. They were dooming their children to a life of the non-cultivator.
Perhaps that was the reason. A kind of protest, a line in the sand that separated the world that the non-cultivator and the cultivator could expect. If that were the case, I hoped Patriarch Umbra had considered how the people that had made their homes on this island would react to the benefits a Sect offered.
As well as the almost forced indenture those non-cultivators would be subjected to as cultivators claimed fief, towns, and citizens as subjects for the Baronies that would be established soon.
My affinity with so many elemental aspects had been noted, and I was assigned to help newly awakened cultivators find their elemental affinities when awakening ceremonies were slated to begin. I would be expected to be available for advice and mentorship for any member that had dual elements that aligned with those I had mastered.
I had been assigned more immediate duties while those I would be required to perform were put on hold for now. Elder Shadow had conscripted me to help conduct classes on alternative weapons and martial styles. Those classes were more demonstration than real advice, but for some, it might make a difference.
Additionally, Outer Sect members that had barely managed to gain admittance into Four Elements would have an opportunity to have their technique critiqued, and for those that might have performed poorly because they failed to resonate with their weapon of choice, they would be encouraged to select a new weapon and fighting technique.
There was an addendum added to that message from Elder Shadow letting me know the class would only last for the first month, and that I was only one of several who would be expected to showcase the power a cultivator could wield using non-standard weapons. He didn't come right out and say it, but I had a pretty good idea one of those people would be the young woman that had been so skilled with a whip and fire.
There was a message from Contribution Hall with a bank statement that showed my current contribution point totals, and a link to an online shop where weapons, armor, pills, tokens, and enchantments could be purchased or ordered. The points I had earned from Flowing Water had been converted and accepted as valid, but I had spent an obscene amount of points for my new armor and weapons at Dragon Spire, so the balance wasn't as high as I'd like. When I compared my available funds against the cost of items, I might need to purchase, I began second-guessing those purchases.
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I hoped that the current prices could be attributed to a shortage of all materials and would fall now that the Sect members had arrived and would begin filling orders for resources placed with contribution hall. The Sect vaults were currently empty, something that time would resolve.
The contribution points for gathering resources was also higher than I'd expected, but not so much higher than to be out of line with expectations. It wouldn't serve any purpose to award huge contribution points for common, even uncommon items and create hyperinflation for items that were being sold. The Sect would balance contribution points collected and allotted over time. Jump starting the process by awarding an excessive number of contribution points would only lead to problems in the future.
It was better to start as you meant to go on.
Two messages were waiting, requiring me to schedule appointments. One from Elder Shadow and one from Elder Dill, Four Element Sects, Head of Alchemist Hall. Elder Shadow asked that I meet with him first thing in the morning, informing me that I could find him at his office in Training Hall. Elder Dill was free this evening and had already scheduled a meeting for seven.
I thought it both rude and presumptions of him, but he was an Elder and I had no real reason not to agree to the meeting.
"Cix," I said once I was done reading the messages. "Respond to Elder Shadow and let him know I received his message and will be ready to meet with him in the morning. Then reply to Elder Dill and confirm the appointment for seven."
"Both messages have been sent," Cix replied after a few seconds.
"While you were reading your messages, your food, and an invoice for your order have been delivered. You will find the food in the stasis box near the main door."
The stasis box he had mentioned was easily overlooked. Flowing Water had nothing like it, an opening between the hall and apartment that allowed deliveries to be made. It resembled a dumbwaiter and allowed me to remove items that had been deposited within the device without leaving the apartment. There was also an array that had been inscribed on the box that kept anything placed inside in the same condition as it was when deposited. So, the hot meal I had ordered, was just as hot as it was when it was delivered.
The invoice attached made me regret my decision to order food instead of finding the cafeteria or dining hall. What would have cost one or two contribution points at Flowing Water cost eleven here. I doubted that the price was a supply-side problem, Beast Hall should have already been out hunting. I had a feeling these prices were indicative of what a high-tier Sect charged their members.
I sincerely hoped there would be some perks to joining Four Elements, other than the boost to Qi density, or I was going to regret my decision. It would do no good to move my family to Delph Island if I was going to bankrupt myself before they arrived.
The food was good enough, not eleven contribution points good, but a lesson learned. Once I finished the meal, I returned to the computer to see how Cix was coming along with the search parameters I had given him.
"Cix, display the results of the library search I requested."
"Information about Illusion using Lighting as a light source, Tier two Alchemy formulas, and Array Instruction Manuals are restricted until after you meet with an Elder that can grant you privileges. The Government and Economic Model search returned thousands of treaties, tokens, and education materials.
"Would you like me to display the entire list for each topic?" He asked. I was pleasantly surprised that the sprite had asked, on Earth my search would have been displayed as a scrolling list, the entries listed in their entirety, without asking my permission.
"No. Let's narrow the search parameters," I said. "First remove any information that has not been reviewed or debated.
"3,129 possibilities remain."
"Next remove any information that is older than twenty years," I continued.
"128 possibilities remain."
"Remove any information where ideas and theories have failed."
"24 possibilities remain."
"Finally list the information that has been proven to be the most successful."
"7 possibilities remain."
Lucky number seven. There should be something in one of those texts that will help me figure out how to build an economy and government structure for the city I was about to gain. At least I hoped so.
Otherwise, I and the citizens I was about to gain as members of my Fief were screwed.