Chapter 28: I, Li Zhangzhou, am not dead yet (Four updates, requesting monthly tickets)

Hanging up the video call with Zhong Cheng.

Li Yuan pondered for a moment; fearing he would disturb his uncle Li Zhangzhou's rest, he didn't make a direct video call, but left a message instead.

He explained the situation roughly.

Only five minutes later.

Beep—beep—Li Zhangzhou initiated a video call back, and Li Yuan answered immediately.

"Uncle." Li Yuan looked at Li Zhangzhou in the video projection; he was covered in dust, seemingly having just finished working.

"I know roughly." There was no joy on Li Zhangzhou's face as Li Yuan had expected; instead, his brows were tightly furrowed: "If the Starry Sky Martial Hall truly only gives a D-grade contract in the end, then whether you sign it or not when the time comes is another matter."

"Oh?" Li Yuan felt slightly puzzled.

The Martial Arts Hall's special recruitment had always been Li Yuan's primary goal, but there had been no news for over half a month.

In reality, at the very beginning, Li Yuan wasn't that eager to sign with the Martial Hall early.

But these past few days, Li Yuan had searched for a lot of information online and knew that early signing with the major Martial Halls was generally good; apart from the greater binding force, there were no pitfalls.

Most importantly, as long as one signs early, regardless of the grade, it can indeed significantly reduce the family's economic pressure.

One could even receive cash rewards and provide for the family.

In his heart, Li Yuan felt indebted to his uncle and aunt.

He always felt that his uncle's risk-taking trip to the Northern Frontier Province was because of him.

"Through some connections, I've basically figured it out." Li Zhangzhou explained patiently: "Over these many years, the early signing contracts of the three major Martial Halls are divided into five grades from low to high: D, C, B, A, and S."

"The terms for the same grade of contracts between different Martial Halls are all about the same."

Li Yuan nodded slightly; looking at it this way, in the eyes of the Starry Sky Martial Hall, he belonged to the lowest grade?

However, those who can sign early are already extremely outstanding.

"A D-grade contract provides one million Blue Star coins annually for six years." Li Zhangzhou said in a low voice: "It sounds good, but you have to know."

"The resources you need for cultivation now and the cultivation resources you will need after entering university to become a martial artist are two different concepts."

"For example, basic blood-Qi potion only costs 2,000 Blue Star coins per bottle; you only need to spend 20,000 Blue Star coins a month now."

"After becoming a martial artist, a single bottle of the first-rank basic blood-Qi potion used by first-rank martial artists costs 10,000 Blue Star coins, and you need at least ten bottles a month, or twenty to thirty at most." Li Zhangzhou said solemnly: "Just this most basic item alone requires at least over a million Blue Star coins a year."

"There are also 'auxiliary spirit-nourishing treasures'; if you aspire to break through to a second-rank Source Martial Artist in the future, these are indispensable, and spending several million Blue Star coins a year is the bare minimum..."

"There is also physical therapy..."

"And purchasing weapons and various auxiliary equipment; martial artists have to fight Star Realm creatures, can the equipment be ordinary? It's both expensive and easily broken." Li Zhangzhou looked at Li Yuan: "One million is a lot for you right now."

"If you have no heart for martial arts and want to minor in other majors at university."

"Then, you don't need to spend too much money on martial arts; just cultivate slowly in university and strive to become a 15th-rank martial artist in the future. This contract could even be called generous, and you might even be able to save up several million Blue Star coins." Li Zhangzhou said: "After graduating from university, according to the contract, the Starry Sky Martial Hall still has to give you a job."

"By then, like your Uncle Zhong, you'll be an ordinary member in the Martial Hall, and the various benefits and treatment won't be any worse than a civil servant."

"If the Starry Sky Martial Hall takes the initiative to terminate the contract and doesn't provide work, you take your several million Blue Star coins and find another job; it's a guaranteed win without any loss."

"This is a bright road to lying flat." Li Zhangzhou stared at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan was surprised.

He didn't expect there to be such a way to play it.

"But Xiao Yuan, are you really willing to be an ordinary person? An ordinary martial artist?" Li Zhangzhou stared at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan was silent.

"You are not willing." Li Zhangzhou shook his head and sighed: "I watched you grow up, how could I not understand? You cultivate so crazily, besides wanting to help the family, the important thing is that you have the heart of a martial artist."

"From the second year of junior high to the third year of high school, have you rested for even a single day on weekends, summer vacations, or winter breaks? You even cultivate during the New Year."

"You are ruthless to yourself."

"I have never seen this kind of ruthlessness; I can't compare to you, and your father couldn't keep up with you back then either." Li Zhangzhou said slowly.

Li Yuan's eyes flickered; for so many years, his uncle rarely said so much, let alone mentioned his late father.

"Your aunt has always wanted you to take the civil service exam or become a teacher in the future; she has always blamed me, feeling that I shouldn't have supported you."

"Why don't I oppose you being a full-time martial artist?" Li Zhangzhou's voice had a hint of agitation: "I don't want you to be like me, regretting it at forty."

Li Yuan's heart shook, and he looked at his uncle in shock.

"Full-time martial artists are dangerous."

Li Zhangzhou smiled frankly: "But since ancient times, what good man hasn't had the dream of galloping on the battlefield and pursuing the limits of martial arts?"

"To truly stand shoulder-to-shoulder with gods as a human! To explore the limits of life."

"In this life, I have no hope."

"But you still do." Li Zhangzhou smiled as he looked at Li Yuan; the helmet on his head was stained with a lot of mud, making him look a bit disheveled.

Li Yuan held his breath and listened.

"If you want to walk the path of a full-time martial artist, this bit of money, the money from this contract, is far from enough." Li Zhangzhou continued: "But your future will be trapped by this contract."

Hesitating for a moment, Li Yuan couldn't help but say: "Uncle, according to the information I found, as long as the performance is good enough, the Starry Sky Martial Hall will upgrade the contract."

"But what if the Starry Sky Martial Hall doesn't upgrade it?" Li Zhangzhou asked back: "Why should you hand over the initiative of your own destiny to others?"

Li Yuan realized.

"Your Uncle Zhong is a good person, but many things are not for him, an ordinary member, to decide." Li Zhangzhou said: "Moreover, as far as I know, once you sign early with the Martial Hall, your development will be limited when you reach a martial arts university in the future."

"Limited?" Li Yuan was stunned; this was a point he didn't know.

"Like the five famous universities in the Xia Nation, they are state-funded." Li Zhangzhou said: "If you sign early with the Martial Hall, you are destined to join the Martial Hall after graduating from university... do you think if some special resources arrive at the school and a choice must be made between you and another specially recruited student from the Martial Arts Hall, who will the school give them to?"

Li Yuan's eyes flickered.

Signing early with the Martial Hall is, in a sense, indeed a kind of restriction.

"This contract."

"When you go to the Martial Hall on Sunday, first understand it with your Uncle Zhong. If it can be raised to the C-grade level and has passive upgrade clauses—for example, if you reach a certain standard before a certain age, it will automatically upgrade to B-grade or even A-grade—then signing it is no harm." Li Zhangzhou said patiently.

"If you want to be a full-time martial artist, the Martial Hall is indeed a better choice, but if the restrictions are too great, there is no need to sign."

"Li Yuan, I know your thoughts; you want to help the family." Li Zhangzhou stared at Li Yuan: "But remember, your uncle is not dead yet."

"It is not yet time for you to completely support this family."

"At the very least, before you go to university, don't have any worries. What you need to do is devote yourself entirely to cultivation, understand?" Li Zhangzhou said solemnly.

"Yes, Uncle." Li Yuan nodded heavily.

"I believe in you; I won't be wrong." Li Zhangzhou looked at Li Yuan.

"Now that the Starfire Martial Hall and Starry Sky Martial Hall don't sign you, it's because they have no vision."

"When the college entrance examination results come out, or even when you enter university, you will naturally receive better contracts."

"It won't be too late to sign then."

……

Uncle Li Zhangzhou's words made Li Yuan completely calm down, allowing him to think about this matter more calmly.

"Uncle is right."

"What's the rush? When the time comes, they should be the ones rushing." Li Yuan revealed a smile.

He continued to cultivate.

In the blink of an eye, two days passed; it was Saturday, and Li Yuan followed his routine of two points and one line: going to school and returning home.

Saturday afternoon.

All third-year high school students were uniformly taking martial arts classes in the martial arts classroom today.

At the school gate.

Several black cars arrived slowly, and six figures stepped out from the cars one after another.

Among them, five were wearing black suits, and only one middle-aged man was wearing a black Tang suit; he looked ordinary, but inexplicably gave people an intangible aura.

"Hall Master Wan."

"Hall Master Wan, welcome to our school." Principal Tan Zhenlong and several other vice-principals all walked forward one after another, smiling to welcome him.

"Iron Tower." The middle-aged man looked directly at Xu Bo, who was standing in the distance, and smiled: "Long time no see since we parted in the Star Realm."

"Old Wan." Xu Bo then walked forward, grinned, and said: "I didn't expect that you would be the new Hall Master of the Guanshan Branch of the Starfire Martial Hall."

"Welcome!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 29 =====