Li Buwei originally intended to recruit some desperate mountain and wild cultivators.
These individuals typically had no ties to other factions and usually took on odd jobs, such as acting as escorts for merchant caravans.
However, just as he had contacted some old friends and recruited about a dozen people.
An unexpected event occurred at this very moment.
"So... most of them are sect cultivators?" Ji Yuan's mouth fell open, his expression looking rather bewildered.
According to Li Buwei's account, after he had just recruited a group of people, he encountered a crowd of down-and-out cultivators.
He had initially assumed they were mountain and wild cultivators who had banded together, but he soon discovered that each of these cultivators had an extraordinary background.
Their very demeanor was unlike that of ordinary wild cultivators. Moreover, although the cultivation levels of the group varied, their internal spiritual energy was remarkably pure, and the distinction between clear and turbid energy was exceptionally distinct.
It was evident at a glance that they were disciples of a sect with an established lineage.
As their interaction progressed, Li Buwei came to understand that they were indeed sect disciples, and moreover, they hailed from a sect with hundreds of years of heritage.
Although the sect's original strength was not particularly formidable, it excelled in its orderly inheritance and its cultivation techniques were all orthodox and legitimate.
Here, "orthodox" did not refer to the division of factions into righteous and evil paths, but rather to the category of cultivation techniques.
Methods such as demonic or heretical paths were not considered orthodox.
"Their sect was attacked overnight, resulting in countless casualties among its members, and in the end, only twenty-odd people survived."
Li Buwei spoke slowly.
On that fateful night, not only were their fellow disciples nearly wiped out, but the sect's accumulations and foundations were also plundered by cultivators of unknown identity.
Although twenty-odd individuals managed to survive, their original mountain gate had been destroyed, and even the spiritual energy of the mountain peak where the sect was located had been thoroughly dispersed.
Continuing to remain in their original location offered no benefit to their cultivation. In fact, after the great battle, their former mountain gate had become akin to a desolate wilderness.
With no other recourse, the group could only bury their fallen brethren and descend the mountain to seek other avenues.
However, in doing so, they encountered a rather awkward situation: no faction was willing to take them in.
It was understandable, even a sect like Mingxin Xuan would not readily accept a group exceeding twenty individuals.
Let alone the fact that they were originally fellow disciples, once they were integrated into one's own faction, who knew what unforeseen events might transpire in the future.
Perhaps in a mere few decades, they could bring about significant trouble.
"Even in just ten or twenty years, these individuals would be enough to form a larger group, something that any existing faction would wish to avoid."
Ji Yuan pondered thoughtfully, immediately grasping the predicament of these individuals.
Then, his expression shifted, and he immediately inquired, "So, those people on the mountain?"
Upon hearing this, Li Buwei nodded. "Mountain and wild cultivators are only a minority; most of them are from sects."
However, they were all survivors who had escaped the destruction of their original sects.
After their respective sects were annihilated, these individuals found themselves in a difficult situation.
They wanted to start anew but lacked the capital. After their mountain gates were breached, all of the sect's accumulated resources and foundations had been plundered. They didn't even have the resources to sustain their daily cultivation.
Furthermore, there were many people in the vicinity who were watching them, both openly and covertly, coveting the cultivation techniques they practiced.
A complete cultivation technique, refined over hundreds of years by countless individuals, could fetch an extremely high price if it were put up for sale.
And it held immense allure for mountain and wild cultivators. Their own cultivation techniques were already incomplete, so they were naturally unwilling to pass up such an opportunity.
After all, to spend a lifetime's earnings, which they might not even accumulate, to purchase a complete cultivation technique was far more convenient than resorting to murder and plunder. These individuals were, in essence, accustomed to such dealings.
As for the other path, seeking refuge in a certain faction for stability, they would encounter the aforementioned problem.
No faction would be willing to accept such a group of people!
"So, after they personally witnessed the development of the Five Counties, they readily agreed without much hesitation."
Li Buwei shrugged, his expression appearing quite helpless.
He had actually exerted very little effort in this matter. He merely went up to have a conversation, and when they heard he was looking to recruit people, they immediately expressed their willingness.
And upon personally witnessing the Linfu and the other four counties, they agreed almost without hesitation, and even notified their friends.
As former members of sects, they naturally had many friends in other sects. Due to the current chaos in Feiyun County, many sects had been attacked, leading to their destruction.
Consequently, some cultivators who had lost their original sects had gathered here. In just a few months, their numbers had reached nearly two hundred.
Currently, some of these individuals resided on Guandao Mountain, while others were dispersed throughout the Five Counties, contributing their strength.
"I was also hesitant at first, but in the end, I accepted them all as my subordinates."
Li Buwei revealed his thoughts.
A single or two groups of sect survivors, if taken in, could easily lead to factionalism and the development of their own power structures.
However, if there were survivors from several, or even a dozen, sects, they would naturally keep each other in check without needing to do anything themselves.
Upon hearing this, Ji Yuan nodded, not only refraining from criticism but also offering praise.
"These individuals are all under your command. However, remember one thing: they must regularly offer incense and willpower to the Water God statue."
He stated solemnly.
By offering incense and willpower, his divine avatar could sense whether any of these cultivators were secretly colluding with outsiders or harboring any disloyal intentions.
Regarding this matter, Li Buwei was already in the process of implementing it. In all the residences where these cultivators were housed within the Five Counties, Water God statues had been erected, and every cultivator was strictly required to contribute their incense and willpower regularly.
"Arrange for some people to accompany me out tomorrow for some business."
Ji Yuan pondered for a moment, then gave instructions.
He specifically requested that key figures be selected so that after witnessing certain events, the information could be disseminated to make the other recruited individuals clearly understand.
Li Buwei immediately understood and, within moments, had already drafted a list.
By the next morning, in addition to Zhao Yuebai and the other four, over a dozen people had gathered outside the main hall of the Taoist temple.
The leaders were two elders and two middle-aged men.
Except for one elder who was from a mountain and wild cultivator background and possessed a late second-realm cultivation.
The rest were survivors of destroyed sects, with the weakest being at the mid-second realm, and one at the late-second realm.