Chapter 135: Politeness

"I heard Senior Zheng Shidi is going to give a lecture at the Talisman and Dharma Pavilion tomorrow."

Han Qi was walking toward the market district when the thin, tall man beside him suddenly spoke.

"A lecture?" Han Qi felt a bit curious; he truly didn't know about this: "Senior Zheng Shidi giving a lecture?"

"Yes, I heard he is now a lecturer at the Talisman and Dharma Pavilion." The thin, tall man spoke the news he had gathered himself.

"Then we must go tomorrow to support Senior Zheng Shidi, so as to prevent trouble."

Han Qi pondered for a moment before speaking.

"What does Senior Brother mean?"

"You know the Talisman and Dharma Pavilion is a place where trouble easily arises!" Han Qi said with some worry: "Senior Zheng Shidi is still at the Qi Refining stage; suppressing those new Qi Refining disciples is naturally no problem, but the previous lecturers were all Foundation Establishment senior brothers. I fear they will ostracize Senior Zheng Shidi."

The thin, tall man nodded silently, just about to speak again.

A man suddenly walked past him; this person kept his head down while walking, and his steps were hurried, as if afraid of lingering on the road too long and drawing attention.

As if he hadn't seen Han Qi and the other three, he bumped heavily into the thin, tall man.

The thin, tall man, caught off guard, stumbled forward and looked up, glaring at that person.

"Oh? Li Shixiong?" the thin, tall man shouted, a flash of surprise crossing his face.

This Junior Li Shixiong wore a coarse cotton Jiushan Sect disciple uniform; the cuffs were even faded from washing—this was quite rare in Jiushan Sect.

Most Jiushan Sect disciples didn't wash their clothes much.

On one hand, even if they wanted to wash clothes, most would choose to use a Body-Cleansing Talisman; a single Yellow-Grade Talisman could make a person clean from the inside out—somewhat like the effect of taking a shower while wearing your clothes and washing the clothes at the same time.

Of course, it was the clean version.

But more importantly, although low-level disciples were considered poor in Jiushan Sect, they were far too wealthy compared to common people in the mortal world.

Cotton cloth, a commodity whose production required no spiritual materials, was extremely cheap in the market district.

The operation of Jiushan Sect disciples throwing away dirty clothes and directly buying new ones was quite common.

Most disciples, except for those with peculiar habits, actually dressed very decently.

But Han Qi and the other three all knew that this Li Shixiong was truly poor.

Li Shixiong looked up at the three, tucked his hand further into his sleeve, and some embarrassment appeared on his face.

"Li Shixiong, where are you going?" Han Qi asked with a smile, clasping his hands in a bow, his tone very intimate.

Li Shixiong looked at Han Qi's now high-spirited expression and the attire of a Market District Law Enforcement Disciple on his body; his face showed even more shame. He lowered his eyes and said: "I... am going to the market district to find some work."

"Then Senior Brother has picked a good day!"

Han Qi laughed.

"A good day?"

"Today, many external cultivators have come to the market district, and they are willing to spend money! If you work at the dock all day today, you can earn two or three times the usual amount."

"Is that so?" Li Shixiong seemed to go out very rarely and wasn't quite clear about the current changes in the market district: "Then... three Junior Brothers, I will go first."

"Senior Brother, take your time, no rush!" Han Qi instructed.

Watching him walk away, the thin, tall man suddenly sighed: "Senior Brother, how has Li Shixiong's life become like this nowadays?"

Han Qi fell silent for a moment, then shook his head and said: "Actually, among the several senior brothers we followed before, Li Shixiong had the best personality and was the most considerate... his talent was also not bad, but he happened to ponder talisman seals every single day."

"I heard that Li Shixiong's father was also from our Jiushan Sect... and had some connection with Zhang Shijie's master?"

The thin, tall man said while pondering.

"Yes, Li Shixiong's father was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator; his family has always belonged to Zhang Shijie's lineage." Han Qi explained: "It's just that Li Shixiong's father blew himself up with those talisman seals, and also blew up several other disciples, causing the family to fall... I never expected that Li Shixiong would also become obsessed with it; I'm afraid he has invested all his assets into it."

Watching Li Shixiong's figure, head bowed, disappear into the market district, Han Qi couldn't help but sigh.

They had originally followed Li Shixiong at the very beginning; to be honest, except for being a bit poor, life was actually quite pleasant.

Li Shixiong had a good temper, didn't go out much, so he didn't cause trouble for people.

Usually, he just made them run errands and such.

Later, as Li Shixiong's life grew worse and worse, naturally he could no longer support the three of them.

But everyone parted on good terms.

Now that his life was slowly getting a bit better, he felt his heart had softened considerably; seeing Li Shixiong becoming more and more down-and-out, he even felt a pity he hadn't had in the past.

Li Shixiong walked inside the market district; all the way he kept his head down, almost making no eye contact with anyone.

He knew that as soon as he looked up, he would see some unfriendly gazes—among the stall vendors selling spiritual talismans in this market district, eight or nine out of ten did not like him.

Ever since his father passed away, this group of people had treated him and his father as a joke.

Li Shixiong also knew that he could not find work in the market district.

Whether as an assistant, as an accountant, or even just doing simple odd jobs, moving some things.

Any Jiushan Sect disciple who knew him would not choose to hire him.

Those who didn't know him would learn about him as soon as someone else mentioned it.

Over time, the Jiushan Sect disciples in this market district simply would not hire him.

But he also had a way to earn money—go to the dock and find external disciples who didn't know him.

Guiding them or running errands could also earn him what he needed for living.

He walked through the market district with his head down, reaching the dock, only to find that what Han Qi and the other three said was true—there were indeed many more external cultivators at the dock.

Soon, a middle-aged cultivator who looked quite wealthy hired him, asking him to show him around Jiushan Sect.

That middle-aged cultivator, while walking around, also asked this and that, seeming very curious about many things in Jiushan Sect.

"This Junior Brother, do you know who proposed the Jiushan Sect's free reception boat...?"

The cultivator asked him.

Li Shixiong was stunned; he had actually heard people talk about this matter—he made a living near the dock, and the reception boat was considered big news at the dock.

"It seems to be... Zheng Shidi?"

"Zheng Fa?"

Unexpectedly, this cultivator immediately called out Zheng Fa's name.

Li Shixiong was stunned, and his expression suddenly grew wary.

He wasn't stupid; he could tell this person didn't seem to be here for fun, but rather seemed to be probing for something.

Seeing his expression, that person spoke frankly instead: "Not to hide it from you, I manage the market for the nearby Qianhe Sect. Since your market is so prosperous, I also wanted to come and learn from you."

"To be honest, after watching for so long, we can still learn from your free shuttle boats." That middle-aged man sighed: "But your plays... ah."

"Plays?"

This was Li Shixiong's knowledge blind spot. Hearing the middle-aged man say this, he actually felt somewhat bewildered, with a look on his face as if he didn't know what a play was.

"You don't know what a play is? It was made by Zheng Fa!" This middle-aged cultivator seemed extremely incredulous, pointing toward that large circular theater in the distance: "Just the ones inside there, very good to watch!"

He seemed to be from Jiushan Sect, as if pitching to Li Shixiong: "Let me tell you, I originally just wanted to watch it once... but after finishing it, I wanted to watch it again! I'll come back next month!"

Li Shixiong was stunned; he glanced at that theater and murmured, "That good?"

"Ah... let me tell you this, Junior Brother." This middle-aged cultivator said with a face full of envy: "Don't look at me now managing the market for Qianhe Sect, I'm considered someone of some standing, but thinking that you can so conveniently watch plays, and even have internal tickets... I truly hate that I didn't come to Jiushan Sect back then!"

"..." Li Shixiong twitched the corner of his mouth, feeling that the washed-out Jiushan Sect disciple robe on his body was suddenly worth quite a bit more.

Suddenly, he felt a bit of proud pride by association.

"If I were to say, Jiushan Sect was stronger than our Qianhe Sect before, but the lives of ordinary disciples were about the same! It's just that Zheng Fa, as soon as he arrived, created quite a few new things... I think he is a talent who likes to play with new tricks and can actually make them work!"

When parting ways, that middle-aged cultivator sighed again to Li Shixiong.

As Li Shixiong walked back, for some reason in his heart, he kept pondering that sentence.

The more he pondered, the more a surge of impulse rose in his heart.

Zheng Fa.

Likes new things.

He rushed into the market and found Han Qi and the other two.

"I heard, you are now under Zheng Shidi?"

"Yes."

Looking at Li Shixiong's eager face, Han Qi and the other two were somewhat at a loss.

"Then, may these three Junior Brothers introduce me?"

Li Shixiong said directly.

Early the next morning, Zheng Fa arrived at the Talisman and Magic Pavilion.

As he walked through the courtyard gate, he felt somewhat emotional—

He had only come to this place three times.

All three times were as a novice disciple.

Unexpectedly, this fourth time, I became an instructor—having entered school only a few months ago, Senior Sister Zhang said to let me be the principal; this feeling is truly a bit absurd.

The students haven't arrived, but the instructor has.

And quite a few have come—it is clear that many instructors came because of him.

A new disciple at the Qi Refining stage, having entered the sect less than half a year ago, becoming an instructor at the Talisman and Magic Pavilion is truly somewhat eye-catching.

Looking at the various instructors staring at him, Zheng Fa stood upright and bowed with clasped hands, his posture extremely low: "Junior Brother assumes the role of instructor today, with no experience; if there are any improper places—please, Senior Brothers, teach me much."

"How could that be? We have long heard of Junior Brother's talent in the Dao of Talismans!"

"What teaching or not teaching, let's exchange ideas together!"

"We, this group of Senior Brothers, might even have to learn from you, Junior Brother!"

This group of Senior Brothers behaved with increasing courtesy, even becoming somewhat humble.

Zheng Fa felt even more embarrassed; he continued humbly: "The rules of the Talisman and Magic Pavilion, Junior Brother doesn't quite understand either; if there are any offensive places, please, Senior Brothers, forgive me..."

"We are all fellow sect brothers and sisters; what rules are there to speak of!"

Zheng Fa stood up, looking at these friendly and courteous Senior Brothers before him, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart:

What disputes in the Talisman and Magic Pavilion, what irreconcilable conflict between the two branches' disciples!

What Senior Brothers would despise my low Qi Refining cultivation and rapid rise?

It's all slander from hostile forces outside!

Look at this atmosphere!

Isn't it extremely good?

Senior Sister Zhang behind him, watching this scene of brothers being friendly and juniors being respectful, also nodded, revealing a smile of hidden merit and fame, and slowly walked out of the Talisman and Magic Pavilion.

Like a thigh that happened to pass by.

Not long after, the disciples coming today to listen to the discussion on talismans gradually arrived.

Zheng Fa found an empty room and waited for the disciples to come.

On the surface, the Talisman and Magic Pavilion's rule is that students choose their own instructors; listen to whoever's class you want to listen to, no one is forced to choose anyone.

But the actual situation is that often only two instructors come, one from each branch, so unless a student is rebellious enough to betray their master and destroy their ancestors, there's nothing to choose.

For example, today, Zheng Fa represents the instructor of Senior Sister Zhang's branch.

What Zheng Fa didn't expect was that the first to enter today were several instructors from the Talisman Discussion Pavilion—among them were even from Uncle Pang's branch.

It is clear that Senior Sister Zhang can make them courteous, but cannot make them submit.