Chapter 25: The Zhu Household Regrets

Zhu household.

"Master, Old Li did indeed go to the Tiandi Alliance, and he even became some kind of... Hall Master!"

The Zhu household steward said.

"Really?"

"Absolutely true, heard it with my own ears from the people of the Tiandi Alliance."

Master Zhu of the Zhu household narrowed his eyes.

"Good for you, Old Li, you hid it from me so well."

From the time Li Rui redeemed his freedom until now, it hadn't even been two months, and a Zhu household coachman had transformed into a guest of honor of the Tiandi Alliance.

He knew that the Tiandi Alliance wasn't easy to join, let alone become a Hall Master; one had to be at least a Rank-Entered martial artist.

Before, his son Zhu Yue had told him that Li Rui had practiced martial arts, but he never imagined Li Rui could enter the rank.

Ordinary martial artists and Rank-Entered martial artists are worlds apart.

Zhu Lie, the second master of the Zhu household, snorted coldly: "Just a Hall Master, what is that worth!"

Zhu Ping glared at his second brother.

He could probably guess why Li Rui insisted on leaving the Zhu household; this matter must have something to do with Zhu Lie.

"You, you short-sighted person."

Zhu Ping scolded Zhu Lie for not living up to expectations.

A Hall Master of the Tiandi Alliance must be a Rank-Entered martial artist. If Li Rui were still in the Zhu household, wouldn't the Zhu household have gained a town-residence martial artist for nothing?

To provide for those martial artists, the Zhu household spent hundreds of taels of silver a year.

And martial artists cultivated by one's own family are naturally better to handle than those hired from outside.

After scolding Zhu Lie, he ordered the middle-aged steward.

"I remember Old Li had a disciple, called, called..."

"Wang Zhao."

"Right, Wang Zhao, give him a thirty percent increase in allowance, give him a day off, and tell him to go to the Tiandi Alliance to visit."

"Yes."

The middle-aged steward was a bit surprised, not understanding why Zhu Ping attached such importance to Li Rui.

Zhu Lie was also puzzled: "Brother, just a Rank-Entered martial artist, why should my Zhu household fear him?"

Zhu Ping glared at Zhu Lie: "You know nothing, the sky in Qinghe is about to change!"

Inside Hun Tian Yi Hall.

"You are Liu Tong?"

Li Rui, who had finished practicing his saber, walked into the building and saw a young Tiandi Alliance disciple he didn't recognize.

Liu Tong looked at Li Rui: "Li Tangzhu, my brother-in-law called me to drink yesterday, and I couldn't refuse. If my brother-in-law sees me again, I will definitely invite Li Tangzhu together."

Li Rui smiled and waved his hand: "I am old, I won't go."

There are two connections in Hun Tian Yi Hall.

It's just that the two have completely different personalities.

Zhou Shulin is cautious and timid, doing things carefully for fear of making mistakes, while Liu Tong is a playboy who has been hollowed out by wine and sex.

Investigating carefully.

It's probably that Zhou Shulin's relationship with that Vice Helmsman Zhou was something he tried hard to get, while Liu Tong is different; his sister is favored, and he knows how to handle things, so naturally, he is much bolder.

No high or low, just different situations.

For Liu Tong's connection, Li Rui naturally chose to let it be, as long as he didn't cause trouble.

This Hun Tian Yi Hall of his.

It was a place that didn't seek merit, only to avoid mistakes.

And looking at it, Liu Tong shouldn't stay in Hun Tian Yi Hall for long.

At noon, Liu Tong slipped away in the name of his brother-in-law, the Vice Helmsman, and Hun Tian Yi Hall was left with only Li Rui, Zhou Shulin, and Liang He.

Their division of labor was quite clear.

Zhou Shulin was responsible for daily affairs during the day.

Liang He was responsible for duty at night.

Li Rui finally lived a retired life of drinking tea and reading books.

Although Hun Tian Yi Pavilion didn't have many useful techniques, it collected many Taoist classics.

The White Ape Saber Art was mixed with many Taoist allusions; to this day, Li Rui still didn't understand some of them.

Books in ancient times were expensive, with any random one costing one hundred wen, and some expensive ones costing several taels of silver.

So "poor scholars and rich martial artists" is not quite accurate.

Practicing martial arts costs money, and reading books costs just as much.

Now that there were free books to read, Li Rui naturally wouldn't let them go.

"Qi transforms into the Three Pure Ones, the body can carry the Dao, the source is the innate Taoist lineage, the flow is the Old Lord's dharma lineage... there are three ways of the Dao, upper, middle, and lower; upper is the mud pill, middle is the red sincerity, lower is the Qi sea."

Li Rui flipped through the book.

When he looked up again.

Unknowingly, it was already dusk.

"Wonderful!"

Li Rui praised inwardly; some places in the saber techniques that he had been confused about before were instantly cleared up.

He also surprisingly discovered.

When he read, the operation speed of the White Ape Saber breathing technique was much faster.

He didn't know if there was a beauty like jade in the book, but it really could make one stronger!

Zhou Shulin used a food box to send food to his residence.

Li Rui suddenly felt that Zhou Shulin, this kid, could also be cultivated.

It's a pity that his position had almost zero power, and he couldn't help Zhou Shulin with anything.

After eating.

Li Rui started practicing his saber again.

He practiced the White Ape Saber once, then stopped and frowned, looking at his arm; the medicinal power of the Small Yuan Pill was finally consumed.

"Go to the medicine hall tomorrow to take a look."

The Tiandi Alliance generally set up seven halls in each branch, namely the Civil and Martial Hall, Loyalty Hall, Introduction Hall, Discipline Hall, Medicine Hall, Law Transmission Hall, and Hun Tian Yi Hall. Of course, besides the seven halls, the Tiandi Alliance had many industries in Qinghe, such as restaurants, brothels, gambling houses, etc.

These places were collectively referred to as venues.

Each venue had a deacon, whose status was equivalent to a Hall Master.

Most of the bosses of the Dark Eight Sects who joined the Tiandi Alliance became deacons in charge of the venues.

Hall Masters were generally people brought by the Helmsman and Vice Helmsman from the headquarters, so Hun Tian Yi Hall really had no profit, which was why Li Rui picked up the leak.

Besides receiving a considerable salary, joining the Tiandi Alliance had another benefit, which was that the resources were rich enough.

For example, Tiandi Alliance disciples buying elixirs at their own medicine hall were at least twenty percent cheaper than at the Pill King Workshop, and Hall Masters like Li Rui could be thirty percent cheaper.

Over time, a large sum of money could be saved.

Li Rui now had a full one hundred and thirty taels of silver on him, enough to last for a while, and the Tiandi Alliance's salary was paid monthly, which was enough to last for a few months if he was frugal.

The next morning.

Li Rui showed his face at Hun Tian Yi Hall and gave a few instructions to Zhou Shulin and Liang He.

Then he went straight to the Medicine Hall.

On the way, Tiandi Alliance disciples saw the token engraved with the number "28" on his waist and began to whisper to each other.

"That old man is the new Hall Master of Hun Tian Yi Hall; I heard from the Civil and Martial Hall that he is already seventy."

"Ghost, seventy, older than my grandfather."

"No wonder even after entering the rank, he can only be a Hall Master of Hun Tian Yi Hall, not even as good as a Vice Hall Master."

"Shh, speak quieter."

Those Tiandi Alliance disciples tried their best to lower their voices, but after Li Rui practiced the breathing technique, his hearing far exceeded that of ordinary people, and these words were all heard by him without missing a word.

"Being old has this disadvantage."

Li Rui smiled and shook his head.

It is said that at sixty one is compliant; he was already seventy, so he had long stopped caring about these things.

What "don't bully the young for being poor"...

As long as you walk your own path, it's fine.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 26 =====