Today I learned catching frog people when you go fishing is apparently totally a thing.
Also they are very unhappy with that whole Face 99.0% [Hook Damage] thing >_>
e: poor frog fellow, though. Turns out trying to punch a sect master in the face can be... unwise
E2: Though yeah, spirit vessels are... not that great? Sorta'? They're also kinda' great! The downside to them is they basically only do stuff under the peon workgroup (and maybe firefighting?), so, like. They're not particularly versatile, can't cook, can't finish buildings, etc.
The upside, though, is that, well, they're peons. Untiring, unsleeping peons that never eat and never stop working (until their durability conks out, anyway, which at least for spirit stone takes quite a long while). So your buildings
will be cleaned, your storages organized, your worktables and constructions stocked with whatever materials they need, and so on.
The main other upside is, well. A spirit stone block vessel isn't hard to make. Costs 75 spirit stones to make a tier six vessel and those things, those things
scoot. They move damn fast, talisman boosted max constitution fast, outrun some flying cultivators fast. Just one can manage the peon work of probably four or five or more outer disciples, who can go do... whatever else you want them to do.
Ultimately my "start loner and try vessel support" plan has mostly taught me spirit vessels are both disappointing (they can't sub for your outer disciples) and also remarkably helpful. Would recommend!