As the sun set, the Immortal Palace was enveloped in the golden afterglow.
The crowd in front of the Main Hall had long since dispersed.
But the stirring passion and the oaths seemed to linger in the air, refusing to fade for a long time.
The true clamor and excitement had shifted to the "Spirit Dining Hall" and the Disciples' individual courtyards.
Inside the Spirit Dining Hall, people were bustling and the aroma of food wafted through the air, but at this moment, few were focused on the food in front of them.
Almost all the Disciples gathered in small groups, their faces still flushed with lingering excitement and fervor.
"Did you guys see that just now? When the Palace Master announced the doubling of resources, I almost thought I'd misheard!"
A round-faced youth shoveled Spirit Rice into his mouth, his eyes shining brilliantly.
"Spirit Stones! Medicinal Pills! And the myriad phenomena pagoda! My god, this treatment..."
"It's more than just doubling!"
A slightly older Disciple nearby lowered his voice, though he couldn't hide his trembling.
"I quietly did the math; just the extra Spirit Stones from this month alone are enough for me to buy a few decent Dharma Robes outside!"
"Not to mention those Peiyuan Pills and Qi Condensation Pills... I wouldn't have dared to even dream of them before!"
"The Palace Master is actually willing to give us so many resources..."
A quiet and refined female Disciple whispered, her eyes full of emotion.
"The Palace Master... is too good to us."
"I have an older brother in a small Sect who works himself to death on missions just for a dozen or so Low-Grade Spirit Stones, and in the end, those Deacons take a ten percent cut."
A youth from a remote area spoke with deep emotion, his hand holding his Storage Pouch trembling slightly.
"Only after coming here did I learn what true immortal grace is, and what a real great Sect is like."
"It's not just the resources."
Li Zhiwei spoke up, a rare occurrence; her voice was cold, yet it carried a hint of imperceptible warmth.
"The Palace Master wants us to become stronger, and even more so, she hopes we can return safely from the Secret Realm."
"This expectation and care are heavier than any Spirit Stones or Medicinal Pills."
Murong Xue nodded silently, gripping the sword in her hand.
To her, what the Palace Master bestowed was not just resources, but a form of recognition.
Wang Teng took a fierce bite of the Spirit Beast meat in his hand and said indistinctly:
"Since the Palace Master has given us a ladder to the heavens, if we can't climb it, it would be too much of a disappointment to her!"
Xiao Ya had a notebook of Formations spread out before her, but she clearly hadn't absorbed much of it.
She looked up toward the Main Hall, a light of both wisdom and awe flashing in her eyes.
"It seems the Yaochi Immortal Palace is far more mysterious and powerful than I initially imagined."
Zhao Linger and Wang Zhaojun sat together; one was lively and the other quiet, but both were equally stirred.
"Zhaojun, what Realm do you think the Palace Master is actually at?"
Zhao Linger couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
"I feel like the Vice Palace Master and the Grand Elder are already incredibly strong, but the Palace Master seems much, much stronger than them."
Wang Zhaojun shook her head gently, her clear eyes reflecting the lamplight.
"Senior Sister, the Palace Master's Realm is not for us to speculate on."
"We only need to remember to cherish the Opportunity, Cultivate hard, and not fail her expectations."
Her words were soft, but they caused the surrounding Disciples to fall silent for a moment, followed by a chorus of nods.
Indeed, the Palace Master had given too much—so much that it made them feel a bit apprehensive.
Only by Cultivating desperately and then bringing honor to the Immortal Palace in the Secret Realm could they slightly repay this mountain-like, sea-deep kindness.
As the night deepened, the discussions gradually subsided.
But the fire ignited in those pairs of eyes was brighter than any lamp.
That night, countless Disciples tossed and turned.
And Gu Han had thoroughly bound the hearts of this first batch of Disciples to the Yaochi Immortal Palace with that wave of resources.
On Ye Linger's side, after she returned to her own small courtyard.
Her cheeks were still a bit flushed.
During dinner, listening to her fellow Disciples' unreserved admiration and gratitude for her Master.
That secret thought in her heart seemed to have been magnified countless times.
She shook her head, forcing herself to stop thinking about those messy things.
Walking to the window, she gazed at the bright moon in the night sky, which seemed no different from the one in the Eastern Region, and her state of mind gradually settled.
"Ye Linger... you must become stronger..."
Not to prove anything, but just to... get a little closer to that figure, even if it's just a tiny bit.
The next day, at the first light of dawn.
"Dong—!"
The assembly bell rang out, clearer and more stirring than usual.
Throughout the Immortal Palace, figures assembled quickly like soldiers hearing a command.
Before long, a dense crowd stood in neat rows on the plaza in front of the myriad phenomena pagoda, in total silence.
Only their heavy breathing and burning gazes revealed the lack of calm in their hearts.
On the high platform, Yun Yun had already arrived, leading the various Elders.
"Enter the pagoda!"
Yun Yun's clear voice rang out, concise and powerful.
"Yes!"
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