[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world":3,"chapter-cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-89":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Cultivation: I Studied Abroad in the Modern World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2263815,4418,"Chapter 89: Perks","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-89",89,"\u003Cp>Zheng Fa felt as if he had entered an unhappy arranged marriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He and this fat senior brother shared a moment of awkward silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask, Senior Brother, what is your name?” Zheng Fa finally broke the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Han Qi.” The fat senior brother adjusted his expression, exhaled, stood up, and said to Zheng Fa: “I’ll take you to collect your mission token.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa followed him out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday’s journey had left him exhausted; he had only glimpsed Jiushan Sect and hadn’t had time to observe closely. Today, after a full look around, he found it hard to understand:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lived near the valley entrance—this was also the most bustling part of Jiushan Sect, where crowds never ceased from the dock onward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The western side of the valley entrance seemed to be the residential area; Zheng Fa lived here, in a single-courtyard house, quite a high-end dwelling for this district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half the buildings in this residential zone were single-story houses with front doors that opened directly into back doors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The distance between houses was minimal, and architectural styles varied wildly, making the entire residential area feel cramped and chaotic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The eastern side of the valley entrance was likely the marketplace, with six neat rows of nearly identical small houses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shouts of vendors, chatter, and haggling voices drifted from within the marketplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa found it oddly comforting—comforting because this place didn’t feel like a transcendental sect at all, but brimmed with mortal worldly energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What puzzled him was why all these buildings were crammed at the valley entrance—when he looked inward toward the valley, the density of structures dropped sharply, even appearing sparsely populated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if sensing his confusion, Han Qi chuckled: “Senior Brother, you probably don’t know—us outer sect disciples and our mortal attendants can only live here at the valley entrance, and most of us even have to build our own houses.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa understood—oh, a village within the city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only inner sect disciples who’ve reached Foundation Establishment may live inside the valley. Look…” He pointed to dozens of small courtyards closest to the valley entrance: “Those are the inner sect disciples’ residences.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…High-end housing complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for True Disciples or Elders at the Golden Core stage, like Senior Sister Zhang, they live at the mountain’s foot.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Villa district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Only Nascent Soul True Persons may live atop the mountain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…Mountain-top garden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But what’s the point of this division?” Zheng Fa still couldn’t grasp it—beyond face value, the differences seemed negligible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Spirit veins.” Han Qi’s tone turned cold: “Our Jiushan Sect’s grand formation grows denser with spiritual energy the deeper you go. We lower-tier disciples don’t even have the right to breathe in extra spiritual energy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...” Zheng Fa finally understood why Senior Sister Zhang said lower-tier disciples were full of resentment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qi seemed to realize his earlier words had revealed too much discontent; he said no more, merely leading Zheng Fa deeper into the valley: “Today, we first go to the General Affairs Hall to get your mission token, then to the Scripture Library to choose your sect technique.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa felt genuine gratitude—mainly toward Senior Sister Zhang. Having a senior brother guide him was undeniably convenient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they passed the valley entrance, Zheng Fa noticed something different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the valley entrance stood about a dozen small towers, some with signs hanging above them—clearly shops.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the small houses in the marketplace, these towers were vastly superior in both scale and location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother? What are these…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s Wanshu Pavilion, run by our Jiushan Sect, specializing in spirit talismans. That’s Jiuzhuan Pavilion, operated by Qingmu Sect, selling elixirs. That’s Baibao Tower, owned by Chongyue Sect, selling magic treasures…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Han Qi’s explanation, Zheng Fa began to understand—the marketplace was full of independent vendors, but these dozen towers were all renowned chain stores of the Hundred Immortal Alliance, each representing a sect, their goods high-end and refined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What puzzled Zheng Fa was how quiet it all was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Brother Han, if the goods here are so good, why is there so little business?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qi glanced at him and smiled: “You know about the decline of spiritual energy, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Over the past ten thousand years, spirit ink has risen in price, spirit grain has risen, magic treasures have risen, spirit talismans have risen… anything infused with spiritual energy keeps getting more expensive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“People can’t afford them anymore?” Zheng Fa understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But one thing has gotten cheaper…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qi pointed with a strange expression to a shop in the far corner of the square—the only one among the dozen with the busiest business, constantly seeing people coming and going.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“People.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s Xunfang Pavilion, run by Suniu Sect… hmm, lately I’ve heard the immortals inside have improved greatly in appearance and variety.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not to mention, ten thousand years ago, welcoming new disciples earned you spirit stones. Now, the General Affairs Hall only pays in gold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Zheng Fa gained further insight into the current state of transcendental sects—prices up, wages down. In two words: screwed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The General Affairs Hall stood at the foot of the mountain near the valley entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a main hall flanked by two side halls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master Fang, who handles mission tokens, has a haughty disposition and some influence—he rarely bothers with others. Senior Brother, don’t be rash. Just follow my lead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa knew this was well-intentioned and nodded slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qi led Zheng Fa into the right side hall, where a middle-aged man with a three-strand beard sat cross-legged on a mat, eyes closed, meditating—openly slacking off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qi, however, showed great deference—he didn’t call out, but simply pulled Zheng Fa aside and stood quietly in the hall waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearly half an hour passed before the middle-aged man slowly opened his eyes. Seeing them, he showed no surprise, only speaking coldly: “New disciple?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Master Fang, please register this junior brother’s mission token.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s his name?” The man glanced at Zheng Fa, dismissively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zheng Fa.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Zheng Fa?” The man froze, leapt off his mat onto the floor: “The Zheng Fa that Senior Sister Zhang brought back?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, how rude of me!” The man clapped Zheng Fa on the shoulder, warmly: “Senior Sister Zhang already told me to expect you… why didn’t you call me sooner?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa slowly turned his head toward Han Qi beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man followed his gaze to Han Qi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qi opened his mouth, finally squeezing out: “...My fault!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Junior Brother Zheng, Senior Sister Zhang already informed me: you’re an outer sect disciple upon entry, with a monthly stipend of one spirit stone for the first ten years—this cannot be changed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ten years?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After ten years, if you haven’t reached Foundation Establishment and become an inner sect disciple, you get no spirit stones at all…” The man paused. “Given Senior Sister Zhang’s high regard for you, that won’t happen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Qi’s expression darkened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Senior Sister Zhang said you have a once-in-ten-thousand-years talent for talisman arts, so I’m to give you an extra hundred sheets of spirit paper and two portions of spirit ink each month—this bonus lasts only six months.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I, once-in-ten-thousand-years!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Came here for a scholarship!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng Fa glanced at Han Qi beside him—the man’s face clearly read: so much money!\u003C\u002Fp>",1219,"2026-06-19T19:16:02.864Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","5e51d00927c9458545d8d5e4fea1cdeb99afd58925ac93877d47025d9f830652","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-90","cultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-chapter-88",487,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcultivation-i-studied-abroad-in-the-modern-world-cover.jpg"]