I actually realized in the beginning, you either go for an advanced law, in case you want to follow a specific strategy, or just go for the maximum number disciples and roll
the hell out of them, untill you have some decent Qi sense + attributes. Do not take
any law, a random one will be given to you. In game check who has the better affinity for your specific law and insta-promote it and establish a sect, as an added bonus you will immediately unlock all the basic building. In case no one is a good match, promote the most shitty one, you just want any kind of throwaway inner.
Immediately start sending the guy in town to socialize and get resources while your outer build, ignore foundation for both kinds of disciples, never keep your inner at base, do adventures, recruit and explore but avoid beasts. Do the casket quest, open up the old sect map for resources (Iron and marble) and get the rest of the basic law around day 20, before that you should also choose who you will focus on among the
other good Qi disciples, unless the one you promoted is the best one. Usually plough or fire are the easiest to play around, dragon poo is easy to find, you have 9 guaranteed spawns in a specific map/quest and spiritwood is literally everywhere (nb at range 4, Qi element for gathering doesn't matter, so liberally apply spirit wood if you have nothing better you can use). Use your fav inner to transcribe everything.
For recruits, you want a good crafter or three to make you money, a couple decent farmers and a doctor. Otherwise, look for any recruit with high Social + Battle skill (also decent CHA and INT), you will need half a dozen abbots
really soon. I don't find the social system
too cumbersome (it is bad though) but you can use the max favour mod, in case you want to avoid that. Do remember to gift one SS to each sect leader and do ask around about their favourites, easiest way to open up trade options and to get cheap access.
Once you have 2-3 Qi shaping inners, get the necessary resources for a good 1st gen GC. The ones I named before are all quite easy to find.
Sarathiour wicked flux gives a permanent mood debuf, right? I'm looking around for it but I lack the needed level of trust from the only sect that sells it constantly. If you have any suggestion for a guaranteed spawn, I still have 7 days in-game before my planned breakthrough so I can still work on it. Thanks for the suggestion on pills, I actually didn't know they help with GC. Those other low level pills (smart pills?) that "increase the chance of breakthrough" do jack shit at GC level so I automatically assumed all low level resources would do the same.
