Chapter 335: Recruitment (Patreon)

Immortal Path Space : Table of Content/Chapter List

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When Fang Xuan inquired about the use of Demonic Beast flesh, the team member politely told him that it was classified information and couldn't be disclosed to outsiders.

Fang Xuan's curiosity only grew after being denied. This Demonic Beast yielded materials like feathers, blood, a pair of claws, and a sturdy bird beak. Its meat was rough and had a strong, unpleasant odor. Very few cultivators were willing to consume it, and it wasn't ideal for crafting Spirit Meals.

He couldn't help but wonder there must be some hidden purpose to these materials. Otherwise, Wang Hong wouldn't have invested so heavily in preparing so many Storage Bags, which cost even more than the Demonic Beast flesh.

However, he wasn't in a hurry. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future.

After collecting all these Demonic Beast corpses, they searched the nesting places of the Demonic Birds and found many Demonic Bird eggs. These eggs were about the size of a baby's head, and most of them could hatch or serve as excellent ingredients for Spirit Meals.

They stored all their loot in Storage Bags and had to use several large boxes mainly because the Demonic Beast corpses took up a lot of space.

Fang Xuan and the other three observed carefully and noticed that during the division of spoils, no one kept anything for themselves. Everything was done in an orderly manner.

After the Flying Boat carried everyone back to the Mountain Valley, Luo Zhongjie distributed contribution points to everyone.

Although Zhan Shulong and the other two had accompanied the team into battle, they hadn't made any contributions, so each of them only received two basic contribution points.

Initially, they didn't think much of these two contribution points, as they noticed that even Qi Cultivation stage cultivators in the team had earned several contribution points.

However, when they saw the exchange list, where two contribution points could be exchanged for a Nourishing Essence Pill, they couldn't remain calm any longer.

This meant that the Qi Cultivation stage members of the East Zhou caravan were earning more than many Foundation Building stage cultivators elsewhere. The income of Foundation Building stage members skyrocketed as well.

"Is he insane? Even the Qi Cultivation stage gets such high treatment here. Who can afford this?" Miao Rui complained.

"He probably never intended for others to afford it," Zhan Shulong said bitterly.

They didn't know that, in order to help their subordinates progress quickly without directly distributing a large amount of resources, which would negatively affect morale, Wang Hong had already been distributing pills and spiritual objects.

Now, using contribution points for exchange, as long as they made contributions, they could earn contribution points and then exchange them for spiritual objects.

"Before we left, our ancestors instructed us to recruit and gather these people here, and then sideline Wang Hong, ultimately pushing him out of the picture. Even if we manage to recruit them now, do you think we can afford it?" Miao Rui began to doubt their ancestor's wealth.

"Since he can afford it, let's first find out where his wealth comes from. Maybe we can have access to such wealth too, and then we won't need to worry," Fang Xuan suggested at this moment.Fang Xuan suggested, "We should investigate first."

"Junior Brother Fang makes sense. We've just arrived; let's gather information before making any decisions. We can discuss other matters later," Zhan Shulong and Miao Rui agreed with Fang Xuan's viewpoint.

In the following days, the three of them frequently interacted with the members from the Inner Valley. They invited some members for drinks, tea, and discussions, appearing to get along well with everyone.

Even Miao Rui, who had been somewhat arrogant, became amiable, and they seemed to get along with the other members effortlessly.

"East Master, these newcomers aren't straightforward. They've been trying to win over our people and prying into our secrets," Luo Zhongjie noticed something amiss and reported it to Wang Hong.

Wang Hong pondered for a moment before saying, "Send out the order to be cautious around these three. No one should disclose our secrets to them."

Wang Hong had received a warning from the Vermilion Bird Hall Master and knew that these three might not have good intentions. However, he didn't want to provoke the three influential Golden Core Elders, so he chose to tread carefully.

From the beginning, he had instructed Luo Zhongjie to arrange reliable personnel to keep a close eye on them.

"Do you want to expel them directly or make them disappear?" Luo Zhongjie's face revealed a hint of cruelty.

"No need! Handling it this way won't sit well with the three Golden Core Elders of the Sect. We're currently in their territory, so we have to be cautious. Send out the instructions and make sure everyone is aware of guarding against these three. Also, keep a close watch on anyone who interacts with them or joins their side."

The initial forty-plus subordinates had been with him for decades, experienced countless life and death situations, and he believed they wouldn't be easily swayed.

However, he wasn't so confident about the two hundred new recruits.

These youngsters had been cultivated by Wang Hong from a young age and received education from him. Overall, they should be loyal and dependable. But they were still too young, with limited life experiences and faced with numerous temptations in their lives.

How many of them could remain steadfast and true to their principles when tempted?

Therefore, he intended to use this opportunity to eliminate those whose loyalty wasn't firm enough.

These individuals had hidden tendencies toward betrayal, which they might not even be aware of themselves in their daily lives. When the right conditions presented themselves, they might easily turn traitorous.

Even if they managed to escape this test, they could still face other temptations in the future. In that case, he believed it was better to let them confront these temptations now as a test.

"What if someone chooses to betray us? How should we deal with them?" Luo Zhongjie asked.

"Record their names and details, but don't take any immediate action. We shouldn't tip our hand. We'll wait for the right moment. Additionally, the handling method will vary depending on what secrets they possess."

Wang Hong was curious to see how many would pass this test. He was quite confident in his ability to retain his subordinates since they enjoyed excellent treatment in all aspects. It would come at a steep price for anyone trying to win them over.

He avoided using Blood Contracts with his subordinates whenever possible. Signing a Blood Contract would burden their spiritual souls, so the number of Blood Contracts that could be signed was limited.

After receiving his orders, Luo Zhongjie went to implement them. Meanwhile, Zhan Shulong and his two companions continued their act, and Wang Hong observed from the sidelines, not intervening.

At the same time, he instructed Luo Zhongjie to enhance the education of their subordinates. Even though it was a test, he needed to ensure that they received the necessary education. Neglecting these newcomers for too long could lead even the most resolute individuals astray under constant persuasion.

As time passed, even those with strong wills might be swayed by temptation.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 336: A New Situation