NOVEL WEB Chapter 57: Breaking through (4)
"Excuse me for a moment, I think it's a good time to dress myself."
After explaining a fair bit, Stella took her leave. While her 'special' robe was lying beside the massaging chair, it wasn't only unsuited for normal clothing, it was already torn to pieces at that! I could only hope that this area of her mansion is empty or she is capable of hiding herself from the eyes of lucky passerby's.
Following her previous advice, I sat down and focused on my flow once more. While the maximum mana on my status window remained the same, it had a lot different feel to it. Even before I circulated it through its pathways, I could sense it did change.
Just as master hinted, not only it became a lot denser, it had some strange quality of mixing and intervening with the atmosphere around me. Previously, cultivating was just my internal process, not bringing about any change in the surroundings, but right now even simply circulating my mana caused the gust of wind to appear in the room!
While the phenomena weren't great in scale, it only proved that this kind of energy was an integral part of this world, still obeying the basic laws. While the sole existence of magic or cultivation seemed to belie the purpose of science in this word, I firmly believe that it's just an undiscovered kind of event, that blends in with the rules and fill the gaps that people in my world were unable to cover.
As my energy start revolving around me, I can feel my mind clearing out. If I were to compare it to something, then the only thing lighting the lamp in my head would be drinking a coffee during a tiring day for the first time in months! While it is only a superficial way to describe this phenomenon, I simply lack proper words to explain it in any other way.
With every full course of cultivating, I turn calmer and calmer, just as if I was diving in the wisdom visions from back in the forest. At some point, I can't feel my surroundings anymore. Immersing myself more and more in the process of cultivation, I start to understand why are people so eager to become a sect disciple.
Without my system to help them, they need to rely on the resources provided by the sec to grow. Be it herbs, pills or treasures, they are all not only hard to come by but insanely expensive at that. From what I remember from my talk with Eve, the entire outer sect is designed to select only those with the highest natural potential as members of the inner sect.
If I were to be frank, I would change the name from Outer Sect to a damn hellish training ground!
Not only were people there forced to challenge each other for this sparse amount of resources thrown at them by the upper echelons, the only way to gain any materials for growth means serving both core and inner sect disciples.
Gathering wood? Making furniture? Preparing dinner for a month? There were quests of this sort all around, payable with just scraps of what we were getting per head for a sole fact of being inner disciples.
While I could understand those who achieved something to wish for a bit of luxury after finally getting what they aimed for, this actually leads to the situation when it was more worth to spend your time learning some civilian jobs instead of practising and improving one chance to achieve greatness the normal way.
That would also explain why the core sect was such an uncomfortable place to live. If the disciples there got even a taste of luxury during their training, they would swiftly spiral out of control, leading to their banishment from the sect.
Even if this system is efficient on the resources side, it doesn't factor a lot of variables. What if someone possesses insanely great talent but need some initial help to unlock his potential? With the current way of growing in the sect, it was absolutely impossible for them to actually reach the minimal point guaranteeing their growth. Even if the amount was really meager, inner disciples still got they share!
As I let my thoughts wander, I suddenly hear a question.
"Is this system of resources distribution morally allowed?"
What?
If that was bonger, there should not only be a familiar "blop", but this speech would show in front of my eyes! Is someone trying to pretend to be a Bonger? No way in hell I will let them!
"While it's hard on the outer core disciples, obtaining resources often come with great risks. No matter how big or organised a sect is, people still had to risk their lives to help their sect grow, not to speak about helping their juniors to even reach the basic stage of cultivation. There is no single answer to this question because it all depends on the viewpoint and political reality of the sect."
With this strange questioning coming up, I can't help but join the discussion. No matter what kind of being is bothering me now, it will be a pain in the ass to find it now. If it can piss off after I answer it questions, it would be for the best!
"Cultivation is a path for those who rebel against the world! Isn't freedom more important than some punny rules set up by the heavens?"
Hah. What kind of question this is? I don't even know who came up first with this stupid idea. If cultivation is against the law of this world, why introduce cultivation in it in the first place? Even powerful religions in my old world judged the action on the basis of moral outcome, not the action itself. You sinned because you harmed either yourself or someone else. That's easy. But you are a heretic because you cultivate? What if someone wanted to grow so that he can carry more wheat to the orphanage he grew up? What if someone wanted to reach the absolute pinnacle only to be worthy of praising the gods?
"There is no such thing as divine retribution for cultivating. Everything that happens is just a logical outcome of our actions and circumstances."
No matter what kind of questions keep coming to my mind, I'm able to use my earthly experiences and knowledge to get myself a way out of the trick.
"What is the difference between good and evil?"
Okay now, what the hell? Am I supposed to turn into philosophe right now?