Chapter 254: Bound to the Birth System, Becoming a Winner in Life Chapter 255 Cultivators Must Strengthen Themselves (25)

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

Time was tight and the mission heavy, so neither side exchanged many pleasantries; Shen Yao bought a map of the Eastern Region from the steward of Xianyue Tower, and the family of five departed directly on flying swords.

The steward of Xianyue Tower watched their figures disappear, sighed a couple of words, then went back to his own busy work—no one could delay his moneymaking.

The departing family of five was not as relaxed this time as they had been in the Southern Country; whenever passing through towns of all sizes they would stop, choosing only cultivation towns for stopovers, and while settling down they would also dispose of a batch of their gains from the Changling Mountain Range.

Lecheng Marketplace

"Fellow Cultivator, sincerely offering three spirit stones."

Shen Yao handed over the corresponding number of spirit stones and entered Yaoge beneath the envious gazes of everyone.

The interior of Yaoge was spacious, and everywhere one looked were shop assistants all smiles.

An old man stepped forward to greet her and asked Shen Yao whether she was selling medicine or buying medicine.

Shen Yao pinched her storage bag without changing expression. "Any particular rules? This is my first time here; I hope this Fellow Cultivator will not hesitate to instruct me."

The old man stroked his white beard; his Qi Refining cultivation prevented him from stably maintaining his natural aging appearance, but fortunately he looked detached, his aura calm, not like someone resentful and unwilling.

"Instruction is too grand a word; this Fellow Cultivator, come with this old man. Yaoge has been established for several years, and the rules for selling and buying medicine have long spread throughout the Eastern Cultivation World."

"Fellow Cultivator may first look at this jade slip; if you have doubts, this old man will answer them for you."

The old man was a senior shop assistant of Yaoge; apart from the years spent cultivating in Medicine King Valley, all his remaining time was spent at Yaoge.

Although Medicine King Valley was not one of the famous Five Great Sects of the Eastern Cultivation World, because of its special skills and abilities, it was deeply recognized by the Five Great Sects of the East.

Of course, what satisfied Shen Yao most here were the purchase and sale prices offered by Yaoge, which matched her own abilities quite well.

Crack—

The storage bag opened, filled inside with specialties from the Changling Mountain Range and elsewhere. "Please, Fellow Cultivator, help take a look—how many spirit stones can they sell for."

Shen Yao's trip out was naturally for moneymaking; from Lecheng Marketplace to the nearest disciple-recruiting location, normal travel would take one month, but by transmission array, three days would suffice.

To raise enough travel fees for the transmission array, Shen Yao and Ren Chengzhou and the others split up to act separately. Once the spiritual objects in the storage bags were sold, they would go line up at the City Lord's Mansion in the center of the marketplace.

The old man laughed heartily, and while at it stroked the white beard at the end of his chin, lightly uttering a few words; the old man then took out several wooden boxes glowing with flowing light.

"Fellow Cultivator, are you planning to participate in this disciple-recruiting assembly? I suppose these will be of use."

"Yaoge's prices are fair to young and old alike; Fellow Cultivator, if you trust them, you may buy them first."

Hearing this, Shen Yao raised her eyebrows. "This is?"

The old man smiled slightly. "Exam questions from nearly thirty years, with detailed explanations attached, ensuring Fellow Cultivator won't miss anything."

Shen Yao:...

I've heard the Eastern Cultivation World is fiercely competitive, but I didn't expect it to be this fiercely competitive.

Even exam question explanations exist—what kind of mountain of knives and sea of fire is this disciple-recruiting assembly?

"Hehe, mountain of knives and sea of fire is too grand a word, but in recent years the number of people coming to the Eastern Region has been numerous."

"Sects like Lingyun Sect have raised their disciple-recruiting standards again and again; nowadays, cultivators whose bone age reaches thirty are no longer recruited by the Five Great Sects except Jade Maiden Palace and Guiyun Sect."

"Fellow Cultivator, if you don't want to miss out, buying some to take back will still have a certain effect."

The old man spoke directly; just looking at Shen Yao's cultivation realm and aura gave one a feeling of being ethereal like an immortal.

"Whether this person can enter a sect or not, building goodwill certainly won't hurt—just a few words, and if a good karmic connection can truly be formed, it's no loss at all."

Shen Yao lowered her head to look at the wooden boxes, and in the end bought some with Lingyu Stones.

When she returned to the rented small courtyard, Shen Yao saw Ren Chengzhou sitting before the pavilion drinking tea.

She took out the wooden boxes and pushed them over; Shen Yao explained that inside were the exam questions for the disciple-recruiting assembly.

"Yaoge products, containing detailed explanations inside, but relying on these methods alone, passing the disciple-recruiting trials of the Five Great Sects is still not enough."

If the Five Great Sects were easy to enter, it wouldn't drive the people of the Eastern Region to compete themselves to death.

But after all they are Yaoge products, and the corresponding quality guarantee is still there; compared to the commonplace clearance secret manuals seen everywhere on streets and alleys, these are better by half a star.

Ren Chengzhou moved the storage bag at his waist, and spirit stones like a small mountain appeared before Shen Yao's eyes.

Tossing and catching, Shen Yao estimated the quantity of spirit stones; the price of the transmission array was within her means.

Inside the wooden boxes were jade slips; Ren Chengzhou casually opened one to check, and found the relevant content unexpectedly simple.

It was Guiyun Sect's assessment; no wonder—this sect leaned toward farming, and its combat power ranked at the bottom among the Five Great Sects.

"When we reach Changqing City, we'll inquire about this time's disciple-recruiting standards, but given the Five Great Sects' outward reputation, they probably won't lower them too much."

Cultivators wanting to enter a sect are commonplace; under these circumstances, hoping the other side lowers standards is not as good as expecting oneself to perform exceptionally during the assessment, catch the eye of some big shots, and be directly selected for training.

"Except for Guiyun Sect and Jade Maiden Palace, the other three sects have strict limits on bone age."

"The two of them don't qualify, but we can look further down; there are other small and medium sects here, with loose standards."

"Of course, not entering a sect to cultivate is also fine, after all there are so many loose cultivators, and it's not like anyone has no way out and can't survive."

Ren Chengzhou touched his fingers, and still decided that joining a sect was better.

To this, Shen Yao neither agreed nor objected; anyway, her physical defects were severe, and passing the coming days safely and steadily, while doing some shopping in the Cultivation World, having enough supplies to deal with the next world was her first goal.

As for how others planned, that was their own business and none of hers.

"Host, you're so cold, so ruthless, so..." speechless.

The system watched its host, who was increasingly unmasking her emotions, in a flurry.

It was afraid—would it be discovered? By then, affecting mission completion, they would both lose directly.

"Rest assured, nothing will happen; this is a Cultivation World where one can live long."

As if love and romance were trivial matters, before longevity they were not worth mentioning at all.

The system glitched, 'Host wants to separate from Ren Chengzhou?'

Shen Yao nodded, without any intention of hiding it; she had considered this aspect before returning from Jiang Guo.

'Isn't separating good? If we were still in Jiang Guo, without such fortuitous encounters, we might have had the fate of a married couple for a lifetime.'

But having come to the Cultivation World, cultivators' lives are infinitely extended through cultivation.

The gap between the two of us will only grow larger, so why continue to be entangled?'

Shen Yao lowered her eyes, her words spoken lightly, but landing in the system's ears, it directly caused an explosion of chaos.

The system stammered, 'Can, can that be done?'

'Why can't it?' Adults consider interests; separating is more beneficial for both parties than staying together. Must they become a resentful couple?

'When does Host plan to reveal the truth?' Since the decision had already been made, the system simply stopped advising.

Anyway, the children have already been born, and their task is mostly completed; as for Host and the tool-person Male Lead, if they don't want to be entangled, let each shine on their own.

'No rush, wait until this Disciple Recruitment Conference ends; no matter what, they must send Ren Yangyao and the others into Lingyun Sect.'

A good sect is like a good university in modern society; at such a key moment, as a parent, one absolutely cannot affect the children's final push to perform.

System:...

Ren Yangyao and the other two returned two days later, carrying spirit stones full of harvest, their spirits as good as ever.

Shen Yao and Ren Chengzhou had roughly finished reading some content about the Disciple Recruitment Conference while staying in the Small Courtyard.

Seeing the three little ones, she hurriedly called out to hand these Jade Slips over to them.

'Lingyun Sect, Yin Shen Sect, Lingxiao Hall; you can choose a sect according to your preferences.'

It's not that they must go to one place to cultivate; although the Five Great Sects take Lingyun Sect as the leader, it does not mean Lingyun Sect can cover the sky with one hand in the Eastern Cultivation World.

The big shots counted their family assets, half a jin and eight liang; as long as one's aptitude is strong enough, no matter where they go, they can have a good future.

Shen Yao hoped the three would diversify their investments; that way, the resources obtained would definitely be more than if concentrated.

Ren Yangyao placed the Jade Slip on his forehead, silently looked for a while, then said in a doubtful tone, 'It feels very similar to the imperial examination system of Jiang Guo.'

They actually have to take an exam before participating in the experience; there is a kind of absurd strangeness.

Ren Yangzuo reached out and scratched his head, 'The Yin Shen Sect is quite bold.'

They actually compare themselves to gods; aren't they afraid heavenly thunder will strike them down, scattering their souls?

Isn't it said that someone successfully ascended to the Upper Realm? Above the Canglan Continent, there must exist a larger world.

Having witnessed various magical situations in the Eastern Cultivation World, Ren Yangzuo felt his head hurt a little; perhaps he needed to grow a brain.

Ren Yangjue looked at the Eldest Young Master and glanced at the Second Young Master, then lowered his head to hold a Jade Slip in his hand, 'When do we set off?'

No matter how outrageous this Disciple Recruitment Conference is, they still have to arrive first.

Seven days later, the family of five appeared in Changqing City.

Because they came via Transmission Array and arrived at the critical moment of the Disciple Recruitment Conference, the five people spent a sky-high price.

The earth-yellow Transmission Array kept lighting up, with people coming and going inside; the five left this place first and found an Inn with relatively few people to stay in.

'The Disciple Recruitment Conference is in five days; by then, the sects of the Eastern Cultivation World will all participate.'

They can choose their favored sects on their own to undergo assessment and experience.

During the disciple recruitment period, their time arrangements are uncertain, depending on what their respective goals are.

Ren Yangyao considered Lingyun Sect and Yin Shen Sect; Ren Yangzuo thought Lingxiao Hall was very suitable for himself; Ren Yangjue felt fighting and killing was meaningless, and it would be better to go to Guiyun Sect to farm, and by the way, he could also cultivate and nurture his nature.

Shen Yao:...

Good fellow, if I remember correctly, these few little ones are all single Fire Spirit Roots; their violent tempers and fierce fighting are thanks to innate inheritance; go farm? Can Fire Spirit farm?

'Can! Why not? As long as there is a heart that loves farming, there is nothing impossible!'

At the disciple recruitment location belonging to Guiyun Sect, a middle-aged man with the bearing of an immortal was intensely discussing something, and standing in front of him was precisely Ren Yangjue.

Saying he would farm and then farming, Ren Yangjue came quickly, especially after he tested his Spiritual Root and aptitude, revealing the aura of Golden Core; almost all the surrounding sects fixed their eyes on this little friend who did not take the usual path.

Someone was envious and wanted to persuade this person to change sects; why go to Guiyun Sect to farm? Isn't it better to come to our Lingxiao Hall to cultivate and fight?

Anyway, they ended up arguing; Ren Yangjue looked around and still firmly decided to go farm; besides, what's good about fighting? He fought all the way here and long ago didn't want to make a move to show off.

Guiyun Sect happily gave Ren Yangjue a Jade Tablet; this is the mark for participating in the corresponding sect's assessment and experience next; cultivators who receive the Jade Tablet can only choose one sect, so Ren Yangjue's behavior completely cut off other sects' thoughts of recruiting people.

Ren Yangyao and Ren Yangzuo each chose their favored sects.

Ren Chengzhou picked and chose, finally entering a sect named Bu Xing Pavilion, which highly overlapped with the duties of the National Preceptor he once performed.

Shen Yao walked and stopped, finally choosing a relatively niche sect, called Yunxia Valley.

Here are all female Disciples, and they do things unrelated to cultivation.

Silk Production

A powder from the Withered Powder Butterfly, combined with many Spirit Grasses and Spiritual Plants to make a gauze product, and it is the most common robe material for cultivators in the Cultivation World.

Robes made with this can be impervious to blades and spears, and invulnerable to water and fire.

Yunxia Valley is just a small sect that makes a living by raising butterflies and producing gauze.

No KPI, no involution; besides their own cultivation realm being hard to improve, everything else is very good.

Because of this, although Yunxia Valley is small, they live quite comfortably. Besides, they are protected by Jade Maiden Palace, one of the Five Great Sects of the Eastern Cultivation World; who would be so unhappy as to come find trouble with Yunxia Valley?

Shen Yao:... Decided, join this sect; she has worked so hard for so long, it's time to lie flat and rest for a while.

Holding various thoughts, each of the five family members made different choices.

When they returned to the Inn to stay at night, they tacitly said nothing more.

Instead, Ren Chengzhou looked at Shen Yao beside him with a complex expression, mentioning that when he went to Bu Xing Pavilion today, a cultivator there told his fortune.

Shen Yao blinked, 'Is it related to me?'

Only the two of them were left in the Room; some words shouldn't be spoken in Storybooks, but due to the atmosphere, they were eventually brought up after all.

Ren Chengzhou came to Shen Yao's side, opening his mouth with a single sentence: their fate was exhausted.

Shen Yao smiled. "Do you believe it?" Or rather, it could not be said that Ren Chengzhou believed it; only that since that Thunder Tribulation in Jiang Guo, a crack had formed in their hearts.

Shen Yao was of the Cultivation World; everything before had been deception toward him.

Once such a thought took root in Ren Chengzhou's heart, it would be hard for Ren Chengzhou to clear away.

People are complex creatures, always projecting themselves onto others.

Ren Chengzhou was human, naturally no exception, even though there were still three children between Shen Yao and Ren Chengzhou.

"Some words in storybooks should not be spoken too much; since we have already arrived at Changqing Prefecture, what comes next is each person's future prospects."

Shen Yao stretched out her hand and pinched her wrist, repeating the separation remarks she had earlier mentioned to the system.

Ren Chengzhou naturally refused, but the long silence after his refusal was a manifestation of his guilt and self-reproach.

"Do not feel guilty; among Dao Companions of the Cultivation World, when suited they gather, when unsuited they part."

The path of cultivation itself goes against the sky; you and I walk different paths, and such a day will come sooner or later."

Shen Yao spoke beautifully; even if they were to live apart, there was no need to tear apart their faces.

Moreover, the existence of Ren Yangyao's three children was a point neither of them could get around.

Let it stay like this; it's quite good.