Chapter 4: Time to Spend

Once the last person had been tested, Qian Youlu announced the Qingyuan Sword Sect’s recruitment rules.

“Those with spirit roots of second grade or above may become outer disciples. Those with first-grade roots will not be admitted to the outer sect. You may leave and seek a livelihood in the mortal world, or go to the Blackstone Mine and work as mining laborers for the sect.”

The players with first-grade roots went pale. How could the difference in treatment be so great?

“Don’t mining laborers count as disciples?” someone asked.

“Of course not.” Qian Youlu glanced at the speaker. “Mining laborers extract spirit ore. Each month, they receive thirty jin of spirit rice and one low-grade spirit stone. As long as you meet your daily quota, the sect will also guarantee your safety. If you don’t want the work, you may leave.”

Leave? They looked beyond the Fishing Platform. In their present condition, most of them probably wouldn’t survive an uninhabited forest on Blue Star, let alone this cultivation world. Demonic beasts roared from the distant mountains, sounding like Godzilla. Who dared venture out?

They hadn’t even reached the first level of Qi Refining. Leaving now would be suicide.

“I’ll go to the mine!”

“Me too!”

“What choice do we have? Why couldn’t I have awakened a decent talent?”

“At least the Qingyuan Sword Sect is willing to take us in!”

“Let’s stay alive first. Maybe we’ll get another chance later.”

About half the hundred-odd people had first-grade spirit roots, and they soon made their decision. They might only be laborers, but this was a cultivation world. Remaining near the sect gave them at least a sliver of opportunity; it was better than being left outside to fend for themselves.

Before long, a white flying boat a hundred meters long sped over and stopped outside. Lin Yang and the others boarded, while the mining laborers were assigned places at the very back.

The boat soared skyward. Mountains and rivers shrank beneath them, and clouds swept past on either side. After more than an hour, peaks floating above a sea of clouds appeared before them. Palaces covered each mountain, waterfalls poured from their summits into the clouds, and countless flying swords shuttled between the peaks: the Qingyuan Sword Sect’s mountain-protecting formation. The central peak was so tall its summit vanished from sight.

“This is the Qingyuan Sword Sect?”

“It’s enormous!”

“I thought a cultivation sect would just be a few shabby Daoist temples on a mountain!”

The boat soon landed on a vast white-jade square. The players had only just disembarked and didn’t yet know where to go when more than a dozen streaks of sword light approached. A middle-aged man in gold robes led the group. Even Qian Youlu hurried forward and bowed.

“Greetings, Deacon Zhou.”

The man merely nodded and went straight to Huang Bin. “Martial Nephew Huang, the Supreme Sect Master has been waiting for you at Qingyuan Grand Hall. Your core disciple’s token, twenty thousand low-grade spirit stones, and private cave abode on Qingyuan Peak are ready.”

The eight inner disciples behind him cupped their fists at Huang Bin. “Greetings, Senior Brother Huang!”

Huang Bin had only just joined and hadn’t even formally entered Qi Refining, but he was the sect master’s personal disciple and a core disciple. Within the sect, status was ranked by core, personal, inner, and outer disciples. Of course, anyone with a sufficiently high cultivation realm would command respect even from the Supreme Sect Master.

Some outer disciples near the square, who had cultivated for years, also had to stop and greet Huang Bin as senior brother. The sight filled many players with envy.

“So that’s the status of a core disciple?”

“His private cave abode is already ready!”

“The Supreme Sect Master himself is waiting for him. What a head start!”

Huang Bin listened to the chatter, savoring every word. This was what status felt like!

On Blue Star, he had some money, but Lin Yang was richer, got better grades, and outshone him everywhere. Now Lin Yang was merely an outer disciple with a third-grade spirit root, while he was the Supreme Sect Master’s personal disciple. As far as Huang Bin was concerned, Lin Yang and the others were no better than stray dogs by the roadside.

He waved to Tang Yu, Liu Feng, and the others. “Classmates, I’m going to greet my master. If you run into anything you can’t handle in the Qingyuan Sword Sect, come find me on Qingyuan Peak.”

Liu Feng stepped forward first. “Young Master Huang, we’re counting on you!”

Several classmates quickly joined in. “Senior Brother Huang, please look after us!” “We’ll visit you on Qingyuan Peak once we’re settled!” Even some who hadn’t been close to Huang Bin before began to crowd around him.

Huang Bin smiled and nodded. His gaze swept over Lin Yang, his smugness almost overflowing. Then he followed the gold-robed deacon away from the square, surrounded by a dozen attendants.

Tang Yu wasn’t treated badly either. Two female disciples from Coldwater Peak had come especially to collect her. When nearby outer disciples learned she was the peak master’s new personal disciple, they stopped and bowed.

“Greetings, Senior Sister Tang!”

Tang Yu wasn’t quite used to it, but calmly nodded in return. Ordinary outer disciples were led away by several stewards to be assigned to their various halls.

Lin Yang was about to leave with the people from the Demon Beast Suppression Hall when Fang Qingyao came running after him.

“Lin Yang, wait!”

She stuffed a gray storage pouch into his arms. He opened it to find two hundred low-grade spirit stones inside.

“Where did you get so many?”

“My master just gave them to me as a welcome gift. They’re all yours.” She looked at him earnestly. “Buy yourself better protective robes and a few talismans. If that doesn’t work, give the steward some spirit stones and ask him not to send you out yet.”

Lin Yang hurriedly offered the pouch back. “Yaoyao, I really don’t need them. I’ve got a whole big spirit stone!”

“We all had the same quest. What’s so special about yours? Just take these.” Fang Qingyao wouldn’t accept the pouch. “Even the cheapest pill in the shop costs three spirit stones, and they won’t sell you half a pill.”

Lin Yang didn’t know how to explain. His spirit stone really was different; its purchasing power was incredible!

“Don’t worry. I, Lin Yang, have the makings of a great emperor. Nothing’s going to happen to me.”

“I know. You’re the cleverest.” Fang Qingyao smiled. “I don’t need the stones anyway. If you try to give them back again, I’ll be angry.”

He could only accept. “Fine. I’ll consider it a loan and pay you back tenfold.”

“Pay me back for what? I watched you grow up. Why are you being so formal with me?”

“As if I didn’t watch you grow up too.” Lin Yang felt a little awkward. They were childhood friends, but she made it sound as though she’d raised him.

In the distance, Bai Lingsu called, “Qingyao, it’s time to go.”

“Coming!” Fang Qingyao called back, then gave Lin Yang one last worried reminder. “When you get to the Demon Beast Suppression Hall, don’t try to be a hero! If you get an assignment, message me and we’ll work something out together.”

“I know.”

“I’m off!” She followed Bai Lingsu away, looking back every few steps.

Wang Biao and Zhao Hai had also been assigned elsewhere. Wang Biao’s Green-Haired Turtle Bloodline had earned him a place in the Mountain Guard Hall, while Zhao Hai was going to the outer sect’s Spirit Plant Hall.

“Class rep, I’m off too.”

Lin Yang grinned. “All right. Bye.”

Zhao Hai patted him on the shoulder. “The Demon Beast Suppression Hall is dangerous. Be careful.”

“Don’t worry.”

They agreed to keep in touch through the regional chat channel, then followed their respective stewards away. A short distance off, Tang Yu looked toward Lin Yang. Their eyes met. She said nothing, only gave him a small nod before leaving with the two Coldwater Peak disciples.

…