Chapter 8

"Working is working then!"

Lu Yang quickly adjusted his mood.

"Strictly speaking, I could actually kill myself and restart right now, but the Book of Hundred Lives has limited pages; restarting directly like this would be too much of a loss."

Although he had now become a formal disciple, Lu Yang still knew little about the Chusheng Sect, and his knowledge of the entire Cultivation World was limited to what he had read in books; although the thought of restarting had already arisen, in order to accumulate advantages for his next life, he should still live a bit longer in this one.

There were countless cave dwellings within Senior Butian Peak, yet only two places stood out most prominently: one was naturally the Peak Master's cave dwelling, and the other was a tall building.

The building had nine stories and was named "Merit."

Formal disciples conducting mutual transactions, posting bounties, or accepting sect missions mostly did so within the Merit Building, where they could receive the Holy Sect's protection.

Lu Yang walked into the Merit building and approached a counter.

"Senior Brother, I wonder if sect missions are collected here?"

"Nonsense, you... hmm?"

As the words fell, the young Daoist priest at the counter first glanced casually at Lu Yang, but upon seeing his handsome appearance, his eyes suddenly brightened.

The next second, an amiable smile floated onto the young Daoist priest's face.

"Why call me Senior Brother? My name is Zhao Xuhe, a managing disciple of the Merit Hall; you, Junior Brother, must be newly initiated, yes? I haven't seen you before."

"I am Lu Yang; greetings, Senior Brother."

Lu Yang hurriedly bowed in salute while simultaneously activating his disciple token to verify his identity.

Zhao Xuhe looked at the token, his expression growing even more gentle and his smile even more brilliant: "Excellent, excellent; Junior Brother Lu is truly talented and very impressive indeed."

Zhao Xuhe then scrutinized him with a gaze that made Lu Yang feel extremely uncomfortable, before suddenly saying: "Junior Brother Lu, since you want a sect mission, I happen to have one right here—or rather, a fortune I can bestow upon you; if you succeed, I guarantee your path of immortality will be vast..."

"Really?"

Lu Yang showed signs of interest on his surface, but in his heart, he grew alert.

"Absolutely true! It couldn't be truer!"

Zhao Xuhe grinned broadly, pointed toward the summit of Senior Butian Peak, and said: "The current Peak Master intends to find a husband for his daughter, and I see that you are dignified in appearance..."

Lu Yang: "???"

I came looking for a sect mission hoping to earn money through my own two hands, with diligence and hard work, yet now you actually want me to live off a woman?

"What, unwilling?"

Seeing Lu Yang's stiff expression, Zhao Xuhe urged him even more enthusiastically: "This is an overwhelming fortune; if you can enter the Peak Master's cave dwelling, from then on you will be a Foundation Establishment disciple, with contribution points, cultivation techniques, and resources aplenty; taking this step correctly will save you sixty years of detours..."

Despite Zhao Xuhe's flowery persuasion, Lu Yang remained unmoved.

Actually, if it were truly living off a woman, Lu Yang wouldn't mind.

But where was this? The Chusheng Sect! The orthodox demonic path! With Liu Xin's cautionary tale before him, how could he possibly believe Zhao Xuhe's so-called talk of seeking a son-in-law?

There must be a problem!

Thinking thus, Lu Yang simply sighed and said: "Senior Brother Zhao, it is not that I do not wish to become a matrilocal son-in-law, but I truly have an unspeakable difficulty."

Hearing this, Zhao Xuhe was stunned: "An unspeakable difficulty?"

"To be honest," Lu Yang said with a face full of shame: "I suffer from a venereal disease."

At these words, the eagerness on Zhao Xuhe's face immediately cooled.

A venereal disease was actually nothing much; he had methods to cure it, but the issue lay in why one would contract such a disease in the first place? The reason behind it was the key.

"Alas, what a pity."

Zhao Xuhe shook his head; no matter how upright Lu Yang's appearance was, the Peak Master could never allow his daughter to form a Daoist partnership with a man capable of making himself sick.

Lu Yang said respectfully: "I have troubled Senior Brother."

One does not strike a smiling person; with Lu Yang being so respectful, Zhao Xuhe's expression improved somewhat, and he said: "Since that is the case, I will pick a good mission for you."

"What kind of mission do you want?"

Lu Yang said: "High contribution points, and relatively safe."

Zhao Xuhe's smile remained unchanged, clearly having expected this, after all, every newly initiated disciple wanted such a mission: "I actually do have one right here."

Having said this, he handed Lu Yang a jade slip.

"Yin-Yang Immortal Flowers require Qi Refining realm cultivators to nourish them with essence blood and true qi to survive; Senior Butian Peak is purchasing them at the highest price, 150 contribution points per flower."

Zhao Xuhe said amiably: "This is a mission issued by the Peak Master himself; there is no limit on quantity, however many you grow, we will buy them all, and it does not require you, Junior Brother, to possess corresponding spiritual planting skills; the Yin-Yang Immortal Flower adapts extremely well, so long as you plant it within your cave dwelling, it will not easily wither."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yang initially felt somewhat tempted, but soon shook his head again.

Seeing this, Zhao Xuhe frowned and asked: "What is wrong?"

"Thank you for Senior Brother's guidance, it is just..." Lu Yang said with a bitter face: "I still need to pay next month's cave dwelling rent, so I truly lack the means to purchase Immortal Flower seeds."

"I see."

Zhao Xuhe sighed similarly: "Senior Brother has also walked through this stage before and knows your hardships... very well, I shall assist you then."

Then Zhao Xuhe extended his hand: "Give me your disciple token."

Lu Yang obediently handed it over, and moments later, he was surprised to discover that 500 contribution points had suddenly appeared out of thin air on the token!

Zhao Xuhe smiled slightly: "These are reserve contribution points for you at the Sanhe Society; use them whenever needed in the future; take them to buy Immortal Flower seeds."

Lu Yang frowned tightly: "Senior Brother, isn't this just like a cultivation technique loan? I am afraid..."

"The Sanhe Society is a major power within the Holy Sect's inner sect; new disciples borrowing funds can enjoy thirty days of interest-free terms, which is much cheaper than the Holy Sect's cultivation technique loans."

"And did you not wish to purchase Immortal Flower seeds?" Zhao Xuhe said in a gentle and amiable tone: "Within our Sanhe Society, there is a Senior Brother who specializes in selling these; since you have taken a loan from our Sanhe Society, I will put in a few good words for you, and he can sell you the Immortal Flower seeds at cost price..."

"There is such a good deal?" Lu Yang exclaimed with delight.

"Is that not because I find an affinity with you, Junior Brother?" Zhao Xuhe laughed loudly in return: "If not for that, I would not tell such an opportunity to just anyone!"

Having said this, Zhao Xuhe took out another jade slip and handed it to Lu Yang, saying: "This is the communication jade slip of that Senior Brother; I wish Junior Brother early prosperity."

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Lu Yang departed after expressing countless thanks.

Watching his retreating figure, Zhao Xuhe curled the corner of his mouth into a cold sneer, then immediately began searching within the Merit Building for his next prey.

Lu Yang did not rush to find the "reliable Senior Brother" introduced by Zhao Xuhe to purchase Yin-Yang Immortal Flowers, but instead returned to his cave dwelling first and calculated a sum.

"A loan of 500 contribution points can buy ten Immortal Flower seeds; the annual interest rate is the same as the cultivation technique loan, both at 36%."

"Working from dawn till dusk, watering them with essence blood and nourishing them with spiritual energy, it is estimated to take a full year for them all to mature, earning 1500 contribution points."

"After paying the rent, only 1140 contribution points remain."

"Paying back the cultivation technique loan principal plus interest takes another 460, leaving 680 contribution points; then the Immortal Flower purchase principal of 500 plus 180 interest comes due..."

"Gone!?"

Where did my money go?

With this doubt in mind, Lu Yang calculated again, then stared blankly at his own two hands for a long time before finally coming to his senses, at which point he laughed angrily.

Good heavens, they have calculated everything, not even leaving me money for food!

Truly worthy of the Chusheng Sect!

As a disciple of the Holy Sect, one starts by bearing debt, then gets pushed to the limit by the Holy Sect on the capital chain, with contribution points earned from missions only sufficient for expenses.

If one wants to earn more and save money, one must work overtime and accept more missions.

Otherwise, if one is slightly careless and the capital chain breaks, the several huge loans burdening him will instantly become the final straw that crushes the camel.

As long as you are willing to endure hardship, you will have endless hardship to eat.

To put it plainly, they dangle basic necessities before the lower-level disciples, forcing them to work themselves to death, thereby adding bricks and tiles to the glory of the Chusheng Sect.

"Beasts!"

Thinking thus, Lu Yang could not help but curse loudly, then comforted himself:

"I work for the Holy Sect, the Holy Sect issues contribution points, loans and cave dwellings collect contribution points; essentially, the Holy Sect produces and sells to itself, while I sit in the middle and reap the benefits!"

Immediately after, Lu Yang thought of the previously amiable and eager Zhao Xuhe, then looked at the extra 500 contribution points loan on the disciple token in his hand, and sneered inwardly.

"Moreover, since you are unkind, do not blame me for being unrighteous."

"Usury? I am an old deadbeat!"

Even so, the plight of being a beast of burden as a Holy Sect disciple still made Lu Yang feel stifled in his heart; the more he thought about it, the worse it felt, and a nameless fire surged straight upward.

"... emon?"

Just then, the curtain was lifted; it turned out Yun Yun Miaoqing had heard Lu Yang's loud cursing, so she rose from the bed to come and check the situation.

(End of Chapter)