"So, have you learned anything about the Battle Maiden Sect's Main Branch and the Entrance Exam?" Mira asked Celaine.
"A bit, but only what's known by the general public. Like most Sects, the Main Branch is separated into Outer Court, Inner Court, Core, and Direct Disciples. From what I've gathered, the separation in the hierarchy is almost entirely based on cultivation. For example, Outer Court Disciples are almost all Core Formation Realm experts, Inner Court Disciples are all Nascent Soul Realm cultivators, and Core Disciples are Soul Transformation Realm cultivators. As for Direct Disciples, their cultivation can be anything." Celaine paused and allowed Mira and the others to take in this information.
"So, the next Realm after the Nascent Soul Realm is the Soul Transformation Realm, huh," Mira muttered but signaled for Celaine to continue.
"Direct Disciples are named that way because they are, well, a Disciple of one of the Elders or the Sect Master herself. The benefits of having a higher status here are immense compared to the differences at the branch locations. For one, the higher your status, the higher up on the mountain you can stay. This might not sound like much, but just going up the mountain a few extra kilometers can raise your cultivation speed several times with how dense the Qi up there is."
"You'll also have more access to higher grade techniques, rarer items, information about the world, and various inheritance locations that you wouldn't get to know with a lower status. I also heard that information on the Side occupations is restricted, and you can only learn bits and pieces of them if you are an Outer Court Disciple."
"The only other information I was able to find was about the Outer Court itself, which is also tied into the Entrance Exam. So, apparently, Outer Court Disciples are like the dregs of the Sect. They have to take mandatory weekly missions along with having to complete a certain number of tasks per month. The pay for each mission isn't all that much, and the information and techniques you have access to are expensive compared to how much you actually make."
"However, the Entrance Exam to get accepted into the Sect is extremely simple. As long as you have a sturdy foundation, decent combat prowess, and survival skills, you'll be accepted as an Outer Court Disciple. I know what you're thinking. 'If that's the case, then they must be accepting thousands or even tens of thousands of Outer Court Disciples every few years.' And you're not wrong, but they also kick out thousands of Outer Court Disciples every year."
Mira and the others took in this information, but Mira was the only one who really understood what the Battle Maiden Sect was doing here.
"So, they are using the Outer Court as a place to weed out the weak, lazy, and incompetent disciples while also testing those who are worthy enough to become Inner Court Disciples. I'm sure the competition is fierce among Outer Court Disciples, and depending on your contribution to the Sect, whether it be lacking or sufficient, you'll either be kicked out of the Sect or rise up. This is also an easy way for the Sect to make money. How smart! I'd probably do something similar if I were the Founder of a Sect. No wonder they have their roots spread all across the Western Continent." Mira commented and her opinion of the Battle Maiden Sect rose a notch.
Although being an Outer Court Disciple sounds rough, it separates the talented from the trash. The only thing Mira was confused about was how long one is able to stay as an Outer Court Disciple before being automatically kicked out.
Becoming a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator can't be easy. It would probably take most people decades or even centuries, depending on one's talent and the environment they're in. Still, Mira assumed that maybe the information was just restricted and only known to those with higher status.
"Then how large is the Outer Court of the Sect? It must be huge seeing how many people get accepted into the Sect every time they recruit more disciples." Maria spoke up this time.
"Yeah, I've heard that they've basically created a small city on the Mountain for the Outer Court Disciples, but I have no idea exactly how big it is. Remember, tons of people are getting kicked out of the Sect every year, which reduces the number of people that are actually full-time residents there," Celaine answered.
Honestly, Maria wasn't quite sure of what to think of all this information. She thought that the Main Branch would be similar to what she experienced back at Lunar Fox City, but it seems she was too naive.
The competition is much fiercer here, and it seems the Sect places more importance on personal strength rather than comradery, at least for those with lower status and cultivation.
She remembered how Sect Master Jane told them that the Main Branch would be much more competitive, but she didn't pay much attention to her words.
Maria also didn't want to have to perform all those tedious tasks and missions that are required of Outer Court Disciples, as she knows just how talented and strong she is for her cultivation. If the Sect Elders and Master weren't braindead, they'd do everything in their power to invest in her.
However, seeing the approval in Mira's eyes, she knew she was being too naive again.
Mira could tell what her lover was thinking and decided now was a good time to educate this ignorant bimbo, "Maria, a Sect isn't a charity. They need to make money to provide for everyone. They also can't invest in everyone, but sometimes it's not easy to determine who is worth investing in and who isn't. Think of it like this. A genius who doesn't work hard is more useless than an average person who constantly pushes themself to the limit. That's probably why the Entrance Exam is so easy because it's hard to determine these things over a few tests."
Maria's eyes brightened, and she quickly understood what Mira was trying to say, and her eyes also shone with approval. Although she was still annoyed at having to do some menial tasks to stay as a Disciple of the Sect, isn't that what the Sect is trying to weed out?
They are effectively saying those who don't want to provide anything to the Sect and just want to laze around and cultivate in a great environment have no place in the Sect!
"Oh! There's one more thing that I've learned that I'm sure you'll like, Mira. Apparently, once you become a Disciple of the Sect, you can recruit your own servants. The Sect calls them Trial Disciples, but they are essentially servants. These Trial Disciples have to be below the Core Formation Realm and are tied to your name. They are your responsibility. However, that's all I know about that. If you want to know more, I'm afraid we'll have to actually enter the Sect." Celaine said.
Mira was surprised by this information but was also excited. This means she can finally keep those girls she trained all those years ago close by. Although she's never really been one to take on subordinates, having a small group of people to be her hands and feet sounds quite nice, especially now that she has so many things on her plate.
She needs to comprehend all kinds of Elements, learn new techniques, learn more about forging and other side occupations, increase her Weapon Proficiency, utilize the capabilities of the F.LD.I.L, learn more about the Body Cultivation System, find resources to help improve her cultivation, and lastly, she needs to cultivate.
She has tons of things to do, so the less she has to focus on menial tasks, the more she can focus on getting stronger.
"Good! I guess I'll have to go find Alicia and the others before the Entrance Exam so I can tell them to be on standby," Mira exclaimed.
Dominique was also happy to hear this because that means she won't have to separate from her Mother again.
After revealing everything she learned about the Sect, Celaine began sharing her experiences over the last two years with everyone.
After that, they all began chit-chatting until late at night.
***
Thank you to Nyviria for gifting me a Castle worth 15000 coins! I really appreciate the support! Here's a bonus chapter for supporting me!
