Chapter 264: Invitation

Hu Bing chuckled: "Hehe, isn't it the method Junior Brother Huang mentioned?"

"What's up? Could it be that a true transmission has come looking for us?" Yan Buji asked curiously.

"True transmissions are busy day after day, they don't have time for this matter. However, the Elder of the Disciple Hall thinks your proposal is good, and plans to add a few slots for going out to gain experience on top of the existing rewards."

"Going out to gain experience?"

Yan Buji furrowed his brows, not understanding what it meant.

Pang De continued: "Qing Shan Sect has many industries in the Gan Dao Region; most of these industries are handled externally by the sect's stewards. However, the elders feel that ordinary disciples should also be given some opportunities for tempering, and the main purpose of going out to gain experience is to send the disciples to these industries for a period of tempering."

"Oh, I see."

Hu Bing raised his eyebrows: "This time we came to find Junior Brother Huang mainly for this matter. If Junior Brother Huang can achieve a top-three placement in the grand competition, I and Senior Brother Pang have a good place reserved for him."

"Oh? Then thank you very much, both senior brothers. I don't know what that place is."

"The Hall of Worship in Huang Du!"

"?!"

Yan Buji widened his eyes, thought carefully: "The worship... the worship in Huang Du at least requires a Foundation Establishment cultivator, right? Even if I got first place in the grand competition, I couldn't go there."

"Hehe, Junior Brother Huang might not know about this. Something happened over at Profound Qian Dao, and they pulled the worship assignment in Huang Du. So they distributed the worship slots among the forces in the Gan Dao Region. Our Qing Shan Sect also has three slots; aside from the two Foundation Establishment slots, there originally was no place for Lianqi phase disciples, but your idea gave the elders great inspiration, so they intend to set one slot for a Lianqi phase disciple to go there." Hu Bing said.

Yan Buji fell silent, pondering how true their words were.

They sought him out; perhaps they valued his experienced and efficient handling of affairs, or perhaps they had their own arrangements for the Hall of Worship in Huang Du.

The main point is, what exactly can one obtain from the Hall of Worship in Huang Du?

The key point here is, if what one obtains can be under one's own control, that's fine; but if it ends up being work for those two, Yan Buji would have to find a good excuse to politely decline.

Seeing Yan Buji hesitate slightly, Hu Bing and Pang De exchanged a glance and immediately said:

"The Hall of Worship in Huang Du provides a monthly cultivation resource subsidy of five hundred Spiritual Stones, and this is granted by Huang Du. The sect also offers subsidies to dispatched cultivators, though modest, it still accumulates seniority."

Yan Buji caught Hu Bing's meaning; obviously it's a place to accumulate seniority. Going to the Hall of Worship to temper oneself for a few years, if one could still break through to Foundation Establishment, one could then take a position within Qing Shan Sect.

Although they spoke vaguely, Yan Buji also understood that since they sought him out, the benefits of Huang Du certainly aren't limited to just this.

With just this benefit, going there for a few hundred Spiritual Stones each month is not as good as staying in Qing Shan Sect and seeking other opportunities.

"I understand what you two senior brothers mean. Since the Hall of Worship in Huang Du offers so many benefits, why did you seek me out? Don't you have many close fellow disciples in the sect?" Yan Buji asked.

"Well... I'm not afraid to tell you, I think Junior Brother Huang doesn't want to spend his whole life just cycling through the disciple ranks of Qing Shan Sect, does he?" Pang De laughed.

"Oh?"

"In fact, we've investigated and found that someone in Huang Du is practicing heretical arts, though we've never had evidence. If we few can successfully capture them this time, not to mention the praise from Profound Qian Dao, even the elders of our sect would look upon us differently." Pang De continued.

"Practicing heretical arts? Under the noses of the Profound Qian Dao cultivators?"

"How does the saying go? The most dangerous place is the safest place; everyone knows the principle of 'darkness under the lamp,' but who constantly pays attention to the movements right under their own eyelids? Moreover, these are Profound Qian Dao cultivators." Hu Bing said with some mockery.

Yan Buji nodded: "In that case, aren't the two senior brothers already having the slots internally decided?"

"Hahaha."

The two laughed loudly, and Yan Buji also laughed: "If that's truly the case, then junior brother is willing to lend a hand to the two senior brothers."

"Good, then we'll await the junior brother's good news. On the arena, don't hold back; don't hold back on the exciting parts that should be fought." Pang De laughed loudly.

"Yes, Senior Brother Pang. It's getting late; junior brother takes his leave."

Seeing Yan Buji leave, Hu Bing and Pang De exchanged a glance and said:

"This time there shouldn't be any problems, right? I see that Junior Brother Huang is meticulous in thought and not weak in ability; if he breaks through to Foundation Establishment, he could also be pulled into our circle."

Hu Bing thought for a moment: "Senior Brother Pang's words are not bad, but knowing a person's face isn't enough; we still need to see this person's capabilities in the Hall of Worship. There are things we find hard to handle ourselves; if he truly can do it, our circle would welcome such a capable person."

"Also. How are the few market towns doing?"

"Still the same, but lately there have been frequent fights and thefts, affecting business."

Pang De gave a cold chuckle: "It's natural for a big tree to attract wind."

Returning to his residence, Yan Buji thought about what had happened today.

"Pang De, Hu Bing, two Foundation Establishment cultivators actually invited me over? It seems there are some matters they find inconvenient to interfere with, and my Lianqi phase status is actually more suited to taking direct action."

"In that case, my role might not be limited to merely providing them some assistance."

Thinking this way, Yan Buji became somewhat curious about that Hall of Worship.

Although Yan Buji had visited the imperial capitals of various sects before, he still wasn't very familiar with the workings of the Hall of Worship.

The Eight Dao Mystic Gates support the Eight Dao Dynasties; the remaining Halls of Worship, Yan Buji originally thought were meant to protect the safety of the imperial family, but after learning that even the Bao Cheng Emperor of the Gen Dao Dynasty could act in such a way, he realized that these emperors are none of them economical lamps.

If so, the true significance of the Hall of Worship's existence is likely for surveillance.

Moreover, they said there is someone in Huang Du practicing heretical arts; even if the Profound Qian Dao cultivators were extremely careless, they couldn't fail to notice, unless that person hid extremely well.

But if that's the case, how did they come to know?

"The cultivators of the Hall of Worship who follow Huang Du every day can't detect it, yet two Qing Shan Sect cultivators from a thousand li away have somehow heard the news—this is too implausible." Yan Buji narrowed his eyes, sensing there must be something fishy.

Just as they said, if it were purely for accumulating seniority, they themselves are Foundation Establishment cultivators; even if there are many Foundation Establishment cultivators in Qing Shan Sect, there's no need to run to Huang Du just to accumulate seniority.

"Interesting, the longer one mingles in the cultivation world, the more fun it feels." Yan Buji laughed.