Yang Kai remained silent, lost in thought.
Bian Yuqing said, "It is the disciples' fortune that the Sect Master cares for and protects them. The disciples of Void Land are blessed beyond measure to follow the Sect Master. However, if one reaps rewards without effort, those rewards will never be valued. Moreover, while staying within Void Land is certainly safe, if they never leave to gain experience, how will they accompany the Sect Master in his campaigns across the Three Thousand Worlds and the vast cosmos? Flowers raised in a greenhouse can never withstand wind and rain. Back when the Great Demon God Mo Sheng ravaged the Star Domain, the entirety of Lingxiao Palace mobilized for war. Many perished in that battle, but every survivor emerged with tremendous growth!"
Yang Kai nodded slightly. "The Second Steward speaks reason."
Of course he knew this very well. The reason he had allowed Lang Qingshan and the others to disperse and gain experience during his trip to the Blood Demon Cave Heaven was precisely because he understood they could not remain sheltered under his wing forever. By the same logic, having brought six hundred thousand elites from various fields to Void Land, he could not protect them indefinitely.
They needed their own growth and experiences, after all.
"If the Second Steward has such a proposal, do you have a plan?" Yang Kai asked.
"I do have some thoughts," Bian Yuqing replied. "Whether they are viable or not, I leave to the Sect Master's judgment."
Yang Kai gestured for her to continue.
Bian Yuqing explained at length, "The six hundred thousand people who came from the Star Boundary vary greatly in strength. The powerful ones, such as the various Great Emperors, have long since condensed their Dao Seals and are currently refining Sixth-Order resources. The weaker ones include some whose cultivation hasn't even reached the Dao Source realm, let alone the Void King realm. Sending people of such varied strength to roam the Three Thousand Worlds would be far too dangerous—releasing them would be tantamount to sending them to their deaths. Therefore, I propose that we first have them travel to the various worlds within the Void Domain."
Yang Kai had some knowledge of the Void Domain's situation. Besides Qiqiao Land, a second-rate force, there had originally been seven third-rate forces and over a dozen worlds.
When Yang Kai had first taken control of Void Land, the rulers of those third-rate forces and worlds had all come to pay their respects. With leadership constantly changing, and all of them situated within the Void Domain, those third-rate forces and worlds naturally had to depend on Void Land's goodwill.
"Many of those worlds contain training grounds and places of opportunity. Sending the disciples there would serve two purposes: first, it would temper their resolve and strength; second, it would teach them how difficult it is to obtain resources."
Upon hearing this, Yang Kai nodded. "This approach is viable!"
Seeing his approval, Bian Yuqing continued, "Additionally, I believe Void Land should adopt a contribution point system similar to other sects. All cultivation resources would be listed at set prices. Disciples who wish to obtain resources they need can exchange their contribution points for them. Naturally, disciples can earn contribution points of varying amounts by completing sect missions or handing in whatever they gain from their experiences."
Yang Kai had encountered contribution points long ago—the system had existed back at Lingxiao Pavilion. Many sects used this system under different names, though they were largely similar. Many forces throughout the Three Thousand Worlds employed it as well.
The fact that so many sects used it proved that the contribution point system was adaptable to a sect's development and had its own merits.
Yang Kai laughed at her words. "With a Second Steward like you, why should Void Land ever worry about not flourishing?"
Bian Yuqing blushed slightly. "The Sect Master flatters me. I am merely borrowing ideas from others."
Yang Kai waved his hand dismissively. "Borrowed or not, as long as you manage Void Land, I am at ease. We'll proceed with your proposals."
Bian Yuqing hurriedly bowed. "As you command!" After a brief pause, she added, "Sect Master, I have one more request!"
"Speak!"
Bian Yuqing chose her words carefully. "Although I have followed the Sect Master for many years, my cultivation remains modest. Previously, when I assisted the First Steward at Lingxiao Palace, things went smoothly enough. But now, single-handedly managing Void Land's operations, I find myself somewhat overburdened. Moreover, the Sect Master is always away, and the Great Emperors are all in seclusion. If Void Land were to face a major crisis, I would truly be unable to handle it alone. Therefore, I would like to request that the Sect Master establish an Elder Council first, so that when important matters arise, they can be discussed and decided upon collectively by the council members."
Other sects had their Sect Master at the top, followed by Protectors, Elders, Stewards, and so on. At Void Land, though there was no shortage of people, above them all stood only Yang Kai as Sect Master, with Bian Yuqing as the Steward. Everyone else held the status of Disciples—they simply hadn't had the time to establish a proper hierarchy.
It wasn't that Yang Kai had forgotten about this matter; it was just that Void Land had too few Open Heaven realm cultivators, making proper divisions and appointments difficult.
Bian Yuqing's proposal served multiple purposes. First, it considered Void Land's development. Second, it was partly about avoiding suspicion—if she truly held all the power, it was inevitable that some would grow resentful. Most importantly, though, she genuinely needed help.
"Does the Second Steward have any recommendations?" Yang Kai asked.
Bian Yuqing replied, "Recently, I have received considerable assistance from Mr. Chen and Miss Lu. I have consulted them from time to time, and both of them possess extensive experience in management. Furthermore, their cultivation is far from ordinary. I believe the two of them could be the first to join the Elder Council and become Void Land's inaugural Elders!"
Chen Tianfei had originally been one of Red Star's leaders. When Zhao Baichuan had spent years in seclusion attempting to break through to the Sixth-Order Open Heaven realm, the entirety of Red Star had been managed by Chen Tianfei. Lu Xue had similarly led Sword Pavilion, commanding quite a number of people under her. Naturally, both had extensive management experience.