In the present day, Guo Feilong is not just a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator but also a mid-level alchemist at the Foundation Establishment stage, making him highly valued by the Spirit Creek Sect.
For his Foundation Establishment celebration banquet, the Spirit Creek Sect even sent a vice sect master to attend.
The reason for such an honor, having a vice sect master from the Spirit Creek Sect attend, is because he is a mid-level alchemist at the Foundation Establishment stage.
Some Sixth Grade cultivation elixirs used by Foundation Establishment stage cultivators can only be refined by those at the Foundation Establishment stage, and mid-level alchemists at the Qi Refining stage cannot produce them.
There are not many mid-level alchemists at the Foundation Establishment stage within the Spirit Creek Sect, resulting in the sect having a large stock of medicinal herbs but not enough alchemists to refine them.
In a large sect like the Spirit Creek Sect, there is typically a sect master and several vice sect masters who handle various affairs, akin to a general manager and deputy general managers in a large company.
However, the real decision-makers are the Golden Elixir stage grand cultivators within the sect.
But these grand cultivators are either in seclusion cultivating or enjoying life, leaving them no time to deal with the sect's trivial matters.
In the absence of a Golden Elixir Ancestor, the sect master and vice sect masters wield significant power, capable of influencing many decisions.
Guo Feilong was quite surprised that the Spirit Creek Sect arranged for a vice sect master to attend his Foundation Establishment banquet. After most of the other immortal cultivator guests had left, the vice sect master Ma Huayun stayed behind, indicating he had something to discuss with Guo Feilong. Guo Feilong gestured for his wives, daughters, and servants to leave before asking, "Vice Sect Master Ma, is there something you wish to discuss with me?"
The vice sect master of the Spirit Creek Sect, Ma Huayun, was at the late Foundation Establishment stage, appearing as a scholarly middle-aged man in his thirties, much like a teacher in a private school.
"Elder Guo, I am here to discuss a matter on behalf of the sect, something beneficial for both you and the sect."
Vice Sect Master Ma Huayun addressed Guo Feilong as Elder, indicating that regardless of his previous departure from the Spirit Creek Sect, upon reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, he automatically became an elder of the sect.
However, since he had left the sect before, his position as an elder was nominal, without any real authority, unlike his wife Sun Yufeng and her senior and junior sisters who successfully established their Foundation at the sect and held positions of real power, receiving substantial benefits annually.
"Vice Sect Master Ma, what is it that you wish to discuss?" Guo Feilong asked earnestly, expressing his loyalty to the Spirit Creek Sect, "If the sect needs my assistance, I will do my utmost without complaint, contributing my modest efforts."
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Living under the sect's protection, he had no choice but to comply. Although he was a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, he lived within the Spirit Creek Sect's territory, and his fiefdom was granted by the sect, making him part of an affiliated cultivation family.
The Spirit Creek Sect could grant him a fiefdom or take it back, allowing his family to live there or expelling them.
Whatever Vice Sect Master Ma Huayun was there to discuss, as long as it wasn't about taking his wife, Guo Feilong planned to comply with the sect's arrangements.
Moreover, from Ma Huayun's demeanor, Guo Feilong sensed no malice or difficulty.
He speculated it might even be a good thing, considering he had many children in the sect as disciples, six wives as Foundation Establishment elders, and he himself was from the sect.
The Spirit Creek Sect wouldn't propose something excessively difficult for him.
Thus, he spoke as eloquently as possible.
His attitude pleased Vice Sect Master Ma Huayun, who smiled and said, "You know the sect has many Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, but very few mid-level alchemists at that stage.
Many cultivation elixirs are in short supply, leaving many Foundation Establishment elders without the necessary elixirs.
I am here to propose that the sect provides the spirit herbs, spirit medicines, and alchemy recipes, and you will need to submit forty percent of the finished elixirs to the sect each month.
The remaining elixirs will be your compensation, and if you agree to cooperate with the sect, it will be considered a significant contribution.
Your children and future descendants in the sect will also receive favorable treatment.
Additionally, the sect can allocate a First Grade Small World near Green Sun County as your fiefdom.
As long as you do not betray the sect, this First Grade Small World will remain with your family."
Alchemy is a time-consuming and energy-intensive process, with higher-grade elixirs taking longer to refine.
Some special elixirs can take ten days to half a month to complete.
Moreover, the success rate for a mid-level alchemist is typically just over forty percent.
Submitting forty percent of the finished elixirs to the sect leaves mid-level alchemists with very little profit.
The Spirit Creek Sect provides the recipes and the spirit herbs and medicines for refining, and Guo Feilong could easily guess that the sect would supply him with plenty of materials, turning him into their alchemy tool, continuously refining elixirs for them.
Otherwise, why would they offer him a First Grade Small World as a family residence?
Even the smallest Small World has twice the spiritual energy of the outside world and spans over three hundred miles in diameter.
Living in a Small World, as long as the entrance is guarded, there is no need to worry about demons or demon cultivators causing trouble.
Moreover, there are areas within the Small World with abundant spiritual energy, suitable for cultivating Blessed Fields, and large-scale planting of spirit grains, spirit rice, and spirit herbs.
For an average mid-level alchemist at the Foundation Establishment stage, this would be a difficult decision due to the time-consuming nature of alchemy.
However, Guo Feilong saw it as a good opportunity. With the aid of Auspicious Clouds, his success rate was one hundred percent, and the time required for alchemy was significantly reduced, unmatched by other alchemists.
The Spirit Creek Sect provided the recipes and the spirit herbs and medicines, and after submitting forty percent of the finished elixirs, his profit would be sixty percent of the elixirs.
Moreover, he would gain a First Grade Small World, which was an incredible deal, a fortune for Guo Feilong.
Without hesitation, Guo Feilong sincerely said, "The sect has been immensely kind to me. As long as the sect needs me, I am willing to go through fire and water, without hesitation. I agree to cooperate with the sect in alchemy."
"Good! Well said, the sect needs people like Elder Guo," Vice Sect Master Ma Huayun praised happily, "If everyone in the sect thought like Elder Guo, how could our Spirit Creek Sect not flourish?
Unfortunately, there are always some parasites in the sect, taking advantage of the sect's benefits without contributing, unwilling to exert any effort, and always making excuses. Yet, when there's profit to be made, they fight over it."
At this point, Vice Sect Master Ma Huayun showed a look of frustration, genuinely displeased with some elders in the sect. However, there was nothing he could do, as the sect comprised dozens of family factions.
Even as a vice sect master, he couldn't change the sect's internal structure.
After all, even the Golden Elixir Ancestors had their own families and descendants, and using their positions for personal gain was common.
Of course, Vice Sect Master Ma Huayun himself had also used his position to benefit his own family and descendants.
"Elder Guo, let me take you to the First Grade Small World. In a few days, once the sect's people have moved out, you can relocate your family there."
Vice Sect Master Ma Huayun, being an impatient person, wasted no time. He stepped outside the hall, tapped his Spiritual Beast Bag, and a flying spiritual beast at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage appeared in the courtyard.
Guo Feilong joined him on the back of the flying spiritual beast, which then spread its wings and soared into the sky.
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