"In Qinghe Market, the sect's shop contributes little to the overall earnings. Its annual profits barely reach sixty Spirit Stones."
"Adding the revenues from the Spirit Field, Medicine Field, and the sect's total annual income, it sums up to about seven hundred and thirty Spirit Stones."
Lu Yuanshan clearly laid out the sect's earnings, his face showing visible helplessness.
As sect leader for so many years, he has been tirelessly working for the sect's development, striving to keep Cyan Mountain Sect running without a moment's rest.
When Lu Yuanshan finished speaking, many disciples were in an uproar, realizing just how difficult times were for the sect.
The sect is in economic distress, its income far below previous levels.
The combined annual revenue from the marketplace shop, Medicine Field, and Spirit Field is still less than eight hundred Spirit Stones. For a sect, this income is miserably low.
For a sect disciple, their annual salary ranges between ten to twenty Spirit Stones, based on their strength.
With twenty-eight disciples, last year's salaries alone consumed over four hundred Spirit Stones.
Alongside the three Elders' salaries, each amounting to a hundred Spirit Stones, the total salaries for sect members annually take up over seven hundred Spirit Stones, staying roughly the same this year.
Keeping the sect operational, purchasing elixirs, cultivating Spirit Medicines and Spirit Rice, and maintaining the Mountain Protection Array are also significant expenses, costing around five hundred Spirit Stones annually.
The disciples can calculate these, having a rough idea in mind.
"In summary, the sect's industry income brings just above seven hundred Spirit Stones each year, while spending exceeds twelve hundred."
"The contrast between the sect's income and expenses is clearly a deficit situation."
"The sect's finances have reached a critically unstable point, remaining in deficit continuously, getting progressively worse. If solutions aren't found, the sect might not endure in the long run, with little hope of recovery."
Lu Yuanshan's expression was full of worry.
The disciples exchanged glances, realizing the seriousness of the situation.
It's hard to imagine how the sect has managed to persevere through these years.
Whether it's a business, a family, a sect, or even a nation, funds are fundamental for operation. Without Spirit Stones, advancing is impossible.
Even a mere Loose Cultivator roaming aimlessly must toil for mere Spirit Stones every day, spending a lifetime in labor.
That's truly the sect's helplessness. To many Loose Cultivators, managing a sect seems glamorous, boasting abundant resources and united strength for achieving great feats.
Every few years, a few batches of Foundation Establishment Pills can be refined, aiding disciples in Foundation Establishment.
Yet nobody realizes how difficult managing a sect actually is.
Nowadays, Cyan Mountain Sect faces economic decline and deficit crisis; continuing operations is itself a problem.
Let alone refining a batch of Foundation Establishment Pills, even purchasing one Foundation Establishment Pill is impossible without a miracle in the next ten years, despite mobilizing all sect resources.
Without acquiring Foundation Establishment Pills, the sect won't have Foundation Establishment Cultivators to hold command, and its influence will continue to shrink. Cyan Mountain Sect could ultimately fade away from the Cultivation Realm.
As Lu Yuanshan pondered, the hall's atmosphere grew oppressive.
No one knew what to do, fearing whether preparations for dissolving the sect were underway.
This led some disciples to appear tense, contemplating if the sect really disbanded, where would they go? Would they become Loose Cultivators?
The life of a Loose Cultivator is far from pleasant, filled with hardship and toil, lonely and uncertain of the future.
Within the hall, Lu Ping floated aside, surprised by the sect's decline, curious about its development over thirty years.
He increasingly wanted to know what had transpired inside Cyan Mountain Sect during his thirty years of Secluded Cultivation, wondering if internal issues arose or external enemies invaded.
Though puzzled, Lu Ping didn't act.
He continued watching, deciding to observe the meeting to its end.
Following a brief silence, Lu Yuanshan's voice echoed again.
"Every family has its own troubles, none escapes chaos."
"I believe the urgent matter at hand is finding ways to either cut costs or increase revenue for the sect, resolving the deficit problem first."
Saying this, Lu Yuanshan recalled Xuu Mengyuan stationed in Guangde County, casting a glance at Lu Changfeng and Lu Zhiwei.
"After consulting with the three Elders, I've listed two possible paths for everyone to choose. This time, the future direction of the sect will be decided by you."
Upon hearing this, the disciples breathed a sigh of relief.
Thankfully there are options to choose, ensuring the sect won't dissolve immediately. It's reassuring to know a strategy exists.
"The first path is reducing expenses, with the largest Spirit Stone expenditure being salaries."
Lu Yuanshan revealed the first self-saving measure.
"Starting next year, within three years, I'll temporarily suspend your salary, reallocating these Spirit Stones into the sect's three major industries, expanding the Spirit Field, Medicinal Garden, and marketplace shop, seeking increased revenue."
"Naturally, the salaries of the three Elders will also be halted for the next three years, standing united with you."
"Three years from now, the sect will repay your salary and additionally offer an extra year's salary as interest for your efforts."
This is indeed a helpless choice. Lu Yuanshan considered reducing sect members' salaries, distributing half their pay over the next three years, using saved Spirit Stones to invest in the Spirit Field, Medicinal Garden, and marketplace shop.
However, after careful calculation, this approach was infeasible.
To invest in these three industries and expand their scale of operations, relying solely on investing a couple hundred Spirit Stones is insufficient.
The sect's operations also require Spirit Stone support.
As the sect leader, Lu Yuanshan's accumulated Spirit Stones over the years are limited.
To ensure timely salary distribution and maintain the sect's operations, he has already liquidated available Spiritual Artifacts and family assets, leaving no extra Spirit Stones.
He often felt anxious, contemplating dissolving the sect, yet remembering this was his father's legacy, he persisted, hoping the sect might prosper.
But this year, life gets harsher, and he is truly unable to sustain the disciples' salaries.
The profits from the Spirit Field, Medicinal Garden, and shop are insufficient to meet the salary expenses; a solution must be found to alter the sect's predicament.
"Sect Leader."
An experienced disciple couldn't help but say, "All these years, my life was already tough, saving Spirit Stones to acquire a Spiritual Artifact, with just a year's salary to complete it."
"Stopping salary payments for three years means I need to wait another three years?"
Saying so, feeling discussing purchasing a Spiritual Artifact was inappropriate, his head lowered in embarrassment.
His name is Zhang Nianchuan; since his only Magical Artifact was damaged during a Magical Combat against Evil Cultivators six years ago, he has been living frugally, trying to save Spirit Stones to buy a new Spiritual Artifact. Now seeing the sect's salary suspension, he was the first to complain.
Not only him, considering the three-year salary suspension, some disciples present also felt resistance but hesitated to express it.
Witnessing Zhang Nianchuan's protest, Lu Yuanshan expected it, revealing a trace of bitterness.
"I understand everyone's difficulties, needing Spirit Stones to sustain life and purchase Spiritual Artifacts, so it will not be forced."
"However, with the sect facing such a dire situation, solutions must be found. The sect hopes you can contribute and help the sect overcome this crisis."
Silence enveloped; everyone lost in thought, understanding the sect's financial plight requiring change.
The Medicine Field, marketplace shop, and Spirit Field are the sect's three major industries and primary income sources.
Expanding investment in the Medicinal Garden and Spirit Field is indeed feasible.
Managing these industries over many years, the sect has gained much experience.
Expanding the marketplace shop, adding one or two stores, might boost revenue.
The Spirit Rice and Spirit Medicines produced by the sect can also be sold externally through the shop.
Investing in shops is necessary as well.
Understanding the pros and cons, silence ensued, waiting to see if the second path would offer a better alternative to the first.
Thus, Zhang Nianchuan asked.
"Sect Leader, then what is the second path?"