Chapter 823: Chapter 598 Merit Points_3 Chapter 823: Chapter 598 Merit Points_3 Mo Hua’s heart skipped a beat as he suddenly remembered the name: “The Taixu Divine Thought Sword True Art!” With enough merit points, could he obtain this extremely powerful Divine Thought Sword Technique, possibly hidden within the Taixu Gate? Mo Hua considered this and decided not to ask Elder Master Xun. Such matters should be kept secret… Just in case he told Elder Master Xun, who might ask how he knew about it, and if Mo Hua couldn’t answer, or didn’t answer well, he might inadvertently reveal the secret of the “Heavenly Secret Calculation.” Besides, might he also be able to exchange for… a Second Grade Ultimate Formation? Mo Hua’s eyes lit up with anticipation. Elder Master Xun, unaware of Mo Hua’s thoughts, continued to explain: “!Therefore, merit points are extremely important to sect disciples.” “The merit system of the sect also increases a disciple’s loyalty and sense of belonging to the sect.” You make contributions to the sect, the sect rewards you, helping your cultivation. ... This mutual exchange deepens the relationship! In this world, emotions without interests are usually as ephemeral as flowers in a mirror, unable to withstand turmoil. Having lived for so long, Elder Master Xun naturally understood this truth. Mo Hua remembered something else and asked: “Elder, you mentioned that merit points are also related to one’s position in the sect; does this refer to promotions from the Outer Gate to the Inner Gate?” Elder Master Xun looked somewhat surprised but nodded, “Yes.” He pondered for a moment, then counter-asked Mo Hua: “Mo Hua, what do you think is more important for a sect when taking disciples – talent or character?” Mo Hua thought for a moment and replied, “Both talent and character are important, but character is actually more important than talent.” Elder Master Xun nodded in agreement, “Correct, it’s just a pity that now when the sect takes on disciples, they only focus on talent, not character…” “Although it is said that the human heart is unpredictable and changing, those with bad character might not necessarily fail to turn from wickedness to righteousness, and those with good character could also become corrupted and adopt cunning schemes.” “As for talent, the good is good, and the bad is bad, it’s straightforward and clear!” “However, even so, cultivating without considering the heart is in vain. Having cultivation but lacking a firm heart, one can easily end up as a puppet controlled by others’ Divine Thought…” Mo Hua nodded his head in deep agreement. He had seen too many cultivators planted with the devil in their Taoist hearts by their Uncles and dying at their hands. Those with a steadfast mind could hold out for a while. But those with a shallow character could lash out in madness with just one glance from their Uncle… However… Why did Elder Master Xun suddenly bring up this matter? Mo Hua was puzzled and asked: “Elder, what does this have to do with merit points?” Elder Master Xun sighed deeply, recalling the past: “In the beginning, the sects of the Qian Xue State Boundary didn’t have this merit point system, and back then, there were fewer rules, and taking in disciples heavily favored talent.” “A top top-grade or upper middle-grade Proud Son of Heaven would often be frantically vied for by numerous sects.” “Cultivation Techniques, Taoist Skills, Spiritual Energy, Dan, Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures – everything they wanted was provided to them, whatever they asked for, they received.” “But…” “This also made these Proud Sons of Heaven too arrogant, believing that everything they had was earnt through their own abilities, forgetting the sacrifices and benevolence of their sect.” “Ungrateful, betraying the sect, and even succumbing to demons – such ‘Proud Sons of Heaven’ were not uncommon.” “The sects paid a heavy price, only to raise a group of ingrates.” “Later on, our predecessors reflected on these woes and established the ‘merit’ system, stating that no matter how good one’s talent, to obtain true inheritance, they must have made substantial contributions to the sect.” “Outer Gate disciples seeking to advance to the Inner Gate must be evaluated not only for talent but also for their merit points.” “Inner Gate disciples, whether ordinary disciples or True Disciples, must have made certain contributions to the sect to qualify for promotion to Elder.” “In other words, as long as you make significant contributions to the sect, you can enter the Inner Gate, become a True Disciple, and even advance to become a True Transmission Elder, or even!” “Promote to Sect Leader!” Elder Master Xun spoke with fervor. After he finished, he glanced at Mo Hua and saw that Mo Hua simply nodded but did not show any eager expression, so he understood that Mo Hua had no interest in joining the Inner Gate. Joining the Inner Gate required taking a master. If Mo Hua didn’t want to join the Inner Gate, it also meant that he did not want to give up his original mentorship. Even the possibility of becoming the Sect Leader of the Taixu Gate didn’t seem to have much appeal to him. This also meant that the boy truly had a mentorship. And he valued loyalty and integrity, only recognizing his first Master. Elder Master Xun felt a bit regretful but also admired Mo Hua’s sentiments. Elder Master Xun then added a few more words, finishing his explanation about the origin and purpose of the merit system, before saying: “Therefore, from now on, if you want to learn Formation, you’ll have to make some contributions to the sect. Once you’ve earned enough merit points, you can then exchange them for those Fifteen Pattern, Sixteen Pattern, or even higher-grade Formation Diagrams.” Mo Hua thought it over and felt it was fair. Nothing in the world comes for free. The sect couldn’t just let its members shear it without giving anything in return. If there were too many disciples like himself, the sect might be sheared to the bone, sheared out of existence, and that would be problematic! Mo Hua nodded and asked: “Elder, how can I earn these merit points?” Elder Master Xun saw that Mo Hua showed no discontent and nodded slightly, explaining: “Achieving ‘A’ grades in various sect classes can grant you some merit points!” “Refining Artifacts, Alchemy, Refining Rune, Drawing Formation for the sect can also be converted into merit points!” “At major Qian Xue events, such as Taoist debates and sword tournaments, achieving a ranking awards merit points!” “In addition, the sect will have certain tasks, such as collaborating with the Taoist Court to capture Sin Cultivators, Evil Cultivators, Demon Cultivators, and so on, which will also count as contributions to the sect’s merit points!”