The Sect Leader's Grace Can Never Be Repaid in a Lifetime

[Agricultural Master], [Mechanics], [Alchemy], [Upright Official]...

Lin Yan looked at these four traits, feeling as if ten thousand alpacas were galloping across his heart.

He originally thought he would draw combat traits like Swordsmanship or Movement Technique at best, but...

Good heavens!

Did the system just deliver a Cangwu Commandery Construction Pack straight to his doorstep?

An Agricultural Master could be used for more than just planting spirit fields and spirit grains; regular food crops would work too!

Do not forget, he could redeem modern items from the system shop!

Items like potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn—high-yield crops!

If he had disciples with plant affinity cultivate and promote them, the yield per acre would increase more than tenfold!

When that time came, there would never be another starving commoner in the entire Cangwu Commandery!

Would this grace not be far more effective than slaying a hundred demonic beasts or wiping out ten bandit gangs?

The commoners' approval rating would absolutely skyrocket!

To be even bolder, who said potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn could not be cultivated into spirit plants?

If these high-yield crops were bred into spirit plants, Lin Yan could not even begin to imagine the results!

Then there was Mechanics combined with Alchemy!

Was this not the perfect golden duo for an industrial revolution?

First, they could build curved-shaft plows and square-pallet chain pumps to multiply farming efficiency.

Then, they could invent the steam engine. In the future, they would not need oxen for plowing or horses for hauling, and they could even build steam-powered spirit ships for transportation!

While others were still relying on flying swords and spirit beasts, he would directly lead the Tianyan Sect into the steam age—an absolute dimensional strike!

Punk cultivation, huh?

As for public sentiment, that was equally important!

Rampaging demonic beasts could be killed, and rampant bandits could be wiped out, but everyday disputes and property conflicts among the commoners could not all be solved by swinging a sword, right?

Having a disciple with the Upright Official trait specifically to handle civil matters and mediate conflicts would not only save him countless troubles but also make the commoners feel that the Tianyan Sect was not just good at fighting, but genuinely stood up for them.

Good! Excellent!

Lin Yan slapped his thigh, almost jumping out of his lounge chair.

The system was simply too awesome!

These four traits were practically tailor-made for the Guard Cangwu quest! They were more useful than drawing ten combat traits!

He instinctively wanted to call Zhao Feng to bring those four disciples back so he could distribute the traits immediately.

But the words stopped at the tip of his tongue, and he swallowed them back.

No, no.

He had just shooed them away. Calling them back immediately would severely damage his image as an unfathomable expert.

There was no rush; a few days would not make a difference anyway.

Waiting a couple of days to accidentally discover their talents and casually offer some guidance—would that not be beautiful?

The corners of Lin Yan's mouth curled up high. He was in an incredibly good mood.

Just then, the fishing rod in his hand suddenly sank, and the fishing line was pulled taut.

Oh! Got a bite!

Lin Yan flicked his wrist and pulled up sharply.

A plump, large carp broke the surface of the water, thrashing its tail in mid-air.

He laughed heartily and shouted toward the direction of the kitchen,

Xiangru! Extra dish tonight! Iron pot stewed big fish!

...

Three days later.

In the garden, under the Dao Enlightenment Tree, Lin Yan leaned on his lounge chair, holding no fishing rod in his hands.

Seeing that the Chumming Immortal was no longer chumming, the koi in the pond thrashed their tails in anxiety.

Wang Hu, Li Mei, Zhang Hao, and Lin Xiaoyu stood in a row, each holding a jar of Netherworld Nectar.

Drink up!

Gulp, gulp!

The four of them drank it all in one go.

Burp!

The four hurriedly covered their mouths, their faces flushing red, but their eyes were full of a lingering desire for more.

Thank you for the reward, Sect Master! We disciples will never forget this grace and virtue for all eternity!

The four of them bowed deeply in grand obeisance, their foreheads pressed against the bluestone slabs, their voices trembling.

They had only joined the sect three days ago, yet the Sect Master had already bestowed upon them such a miraculous medicine, one that could actually awaken an innate divine ability.

What a massive debt of gratitude was this?

They would never be able to repay the Sect Master's kindness in this lifetime!

[Ding! Detected a massive increase in Outer Sect Disciple Wang Hu's favorability. Loyalty +5%]

[Ding! Detected a massive increase in Outer Sect Disciple Li Mei's favorability. Loyalty +5%]

[Ding! Detected a massive increase in Outer Sect Disciple Zhang Hao's favorability. Loyalty +5%]

[Ding! Detected a massive increase in Outer Sect Disciple Lin Xiaoyu's favorability. Loyalty +5%]

...

Lin Yan couldn't even be bothered to correct his disciples' habit of dropping into grand obeisance at the drop of a hat anymore.

Come to think of it, it made sense. They were just a bunch of Qi Condensation realm small fries facing a Soul Formation Venerable; even if he told them to relax, they wouldn't be able to.

"Tell me, what talents did you acquire?" Lin Yan asked, pretending not to know.

In reality, he had already assigned their attribute tags. He gave Metallurgy to the steady and reliable Wang Hu, Mechanisms to the long-fingered Zhang Hao, Agronomy to the lively and nimble Lin Xiaoyu, and Upright Official to the meticulous Li Mei.

Wang Hu stepped forward first, his face full of uncontrollable excitement. "Reporting to the Sect Master, after my awakening, I suddenly possess an intimate understanding of the smelting of metals and the forging of weapons."

Saying this, he drew the longsword from his waist and continued, "Take this profound iron longsword of mine, for example. If three parts more carbon were added during the forging process, and it was quenched three more times, its hardness would increase by at least thirty percent, and the edge would not dull as easily."

Zhang Hao eagerly stepped forward right after, his eyes sparkling. "After my awakening, whenever I look at anything, my mind automatically breaks it down into individual components."

Lin Xiaoyu followed up, saying, "I... I think I can understand the language of plants and trees. I can feel whether they are thirsty, hungry, cold, or hot..."

...

After the four finished speaking, Lin Yan nodded in satisfaction.

With a wave of his hand, several piles of items appeared out of thin air on the ground.

He pointed to a pile of gleaming metal on the left and said to Wang Hu,

"This is iron, this is steel, and this is a seamless steel pipe. Take them back and study them. See how you can smelt iron into steel, and steel into even better steel."

He then pointed to a pile of odd-shaped wooden parts and blueprints in the middle, telling Zhang Hao,

"These are pulleys, these are levers, and this is a steam engine. Take these back and study them as well."

Next, he pointed to a small bag of crops on the right and said to Lin Xiaoyu,

"These are potatoes, these are sweet potatoes, and this is corn. Find a plot of spirit field, plant them, and see how high you can push the crop yield."

Finally, he looked at Li Mei, his tone turning solemn.

"Select ten people from the registered disciples and form a roaming magistrate's court. Lead them across Cangwu Commandery to specifically handle property disputes and neighborhood conflicts among the commoners, and punish those local tyrants who oppress the people."

"Yes! We obey your command!"

"We will definitely not disappoint the Sect Master's trust!"

The four replied in unison, carefully storing away the items on the ground.

Lin Yan leaned back in his recliner, his gaze sweeping over the four of them as his tone suddenly became profound.

"Do not underestimate the talents you have acquired. Cultivation is not just about cultivating spiritual energy!"

"Metallurgy, mechanics, farming, governance... all things in the world can be cultivated! Perhaps, you will forge an entirely different path."

The four of them suddenly froze in realization.

All things in the world can be cultivated...

Wang Hu almost dropped the steel ingot in his hand; it felt as if a bolt of lightning had flashed through his mind.

He looked down at the steel ingot, suddenly feeling something stir within his dantian.

Right at that moment.

Buzz—!

A faint aura erupted from Wang Hu's body.

He jerked his head up, his face full of absolute disbelief.

Immediately after, his aura climbed steadily, instantly shattering the bottleneck of the fifth level of Qi Condensation!

The sixth level of Qi Condensation!

Everyone was stunned.

Wang Hu himself was dumbfounded.

Not long ago, he had just broken through to the fifth level by riding the momentum of re-cultivating the Heavenly Evolution Chaos Art.

How many days had it been? He had actually broken through again!

He was not even thirty years old yet.

A Qi Condensation sixth-level cultivator under the age of thirty would easily be considered a genius disciple in a minor sect.

A month ago, he would not have even dared to dream of this.

Let alone being a genius disciple, he did not even have the qualifications to join those minor sects.

And now, standing in the garden of the Heavenly Evolution Sect, holding a steel ingot, he had simply broken through?

In less than ten days, he had broken through two realms in a row!

With a heavy thud, Wang Hu fell to his knees and kowtowed deeply three times to Lin Yan, his voice choking with emotion:

This disciple... thanks the Sect Master for the grace of a second life!

It was you who bestowed upon this disciple a cultivation art, divine medicine, and talent. Today, you have given this disciple a completely different path. This disciple... this disciple...

Overcome with emotion, Wang Hu did not know what else to say. He prostrated on the ground, his shoulders trembling.

After all, not everyone was as eloquent as Zhao Feng.

The other three looked at Wang Hu with a mixture of envy and shock.

It turned out that the talent bestowed by the Sect Master was not merely a craft, but a brand-new path of the Great Dao!

The gazes they directed at Lin Yan grew even more reverent and fanatical.

Alright, you may all return.

Lin Yan waved his hand, his tone indifferent.

Study it well. If there is anything you do not understand, just study it some more on your own.

Yes! We disciples will take our leave!

The four of them bowed respectfully once more. Clutching their respective items, they retreated with brisk, light steps.

Watching their departing figures, the corners of Lin Yan's mouth curled up slightly.

The seeds had been sown.

Now, all that was left was to wait and see what kind of flowers they would bloom, and what kind of fruit they would bear.