Recruitment

Granny Wang had barely left when another old man arrived.

Standing before Wang Chen's door was a white-haired elder, his beard hanging to his chest. He held a wooden staff in one hand, and a large silver-spouted Bronze Skin gourd hung at his waist.

Wang Chen hurriedly saluted him. "Grand Uncle Sun, what brings you here?"

This old man was no ordinary figure. Within dozens of miles, there was no cultivator of higher seniority than him.

He was also the Village Chief of this area.

Although the Land of the Yunyang Mountain Gate had opened up hundreds of thousands of mu of Spirit Fields, with thousands upon thousands of farmers and tenant farmers, it had not been divided into the villages commonly found among mortals.

For ease of administration, the Outer Sect Main Hall had arranged dozens of guard posts by household.

Each guard post governed an average of three to four hundred households.

At the same time, a Village Chief and a Guard Captain were appointed.

The cultivators who served as Village Chiefs were mostly people of great virtue and high prestige.

Grand Uncle Sun was said to be over ninety years old. As an old cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Condensation, his life was already nearing its end, yet he still looked full of vigor.

Even his voice was strong and resonant. "Wang Chen, I've come to see you about something."

Wang Chen did not dare neglect him. "Please, come in and speak."

He respectfully invited Grand Uncle Sun inside and seated him in the small courtyard.

Grand Uncle Sun did not stand on ceremony. He directly took out a sheet of silk paper and handed it to Wang Chen. "This is a recruitment order issued by the Guard Hall. You've been recruited into a Night Patrol Team."

Wang Chen accepted it and examined it carefully. Sure enough, it stated that he had been recruited into the Fourth Night Patrol Team of Guard Post Yi-10.

He was required to report to the guard post before the Hour of the Snake tomorrow morning.

He had actually been recruited into a Night Patrol Team?

Wang Chen could not help but be startled. "Grand Uncle Sun, is there some mistake?"

The Guard Post Yi-10 he belonged to had more than four hundred households and nearly a thousand Qi Condensation cultivators.

Under normal circumstances, no matter what, it should not have been his turn—a seventeen-year-old youth—to join the night patrol!

As its name suggested, a Night Patrol Team was a force that patrolled at night, primarily guarding against Demonic Beasts, Evil Spirits, and rogue cultivators invading the Land of the Mountain Gate.

This was a fairly dangerous job, generally undertaken by cultivators with abundant experience and strong combat ability.

Wang Chen did not entirely meet those requirements.

"Your name is written right there, and there isn't a second Wang Chen in our guard post."

Grand Uncle Sun said with a bitter smile, "The recruitment order bears the Guard Hall's official seal. Even the Guard Captain must comply with it."

Of the two heads of a guard post, the Village Chief nominally ranked above the Guard Captain, but in reality, the Guard Captain, who controlled the patrol teams, held greater authority.

That was because the Guard Captain was a cultivator directly dispatched by the Guard Hall!

With this recruitment order in hand, Wang Chen joining the Night Patrol Team was as certain as a nail driven into a board.

Unless he betrayed the Yunyang Sect, there was no possibility of refusing.

Grand Uncle Sun sighed. "The land has been unsettled lately. The guard posts are recruiting cultivators to expand their patrol teams. You're only one of them."

After a pause, he added, "According to the rules, when you go to the guard post tomorrow, you can choose two middle Qi Condensation stage spells. Think it through carefully today, so you don't choose wrong in a rush tomorrow."

"Also, joining the Night Patrol Team earns Merit Points. If you kill Demonic Beasts or Evil Spirits, you can claim the spoils of battle as well."

The old gentleman went on and on about many things concerning the Night Patrol Team and Night Watchmen.

The cultivators in the Night Patrol Teams were also called Night Watchmen.

Wang Chen listened very attentively.

Being suddenly recruited by the Guard Hall was completely beyond his expectations.

Since he could not resist it, Wang Chen would not blame heaven, fault others, and grumble endlessly, only to add troubles to his own mind.

He tried his best to look on the bright side—at least he would not be working for nothing.

Grand Uncle Sun's guidance was also very useful, ensuring that Wang Chen would not become a Night Watchman with everything a blur before his eyes.

He committed every word to memory.

After Grand Uncle Sun finished speaking, he rose to his feet. "I should go. I still need to deliver recruitment orders to the next household."

For his old bones to run around to dozens of households was quite arduous as well.

Just as Wang Chen saw the old gentleman out, he happened to encounter Old Sun passing by.

Old Sun was humming an utterly off-key little tune, looking smug and rather lecherous.

Grand Uncle Sun's white brows immediately shot up. He raised his wooden staff and struck at him. "You wastrel! Instead of working in the Spirit Fields in broad daylight, are you planning to sneak off to the Gathering of Beauties Pavilion again to find female cultivators from the Joyous Union Sect?"

Caught off guard by the blow, Old Sun clutched his head in pain.

When he saw that it was Grand Uncle Sun who had struck him, he was scared out of his wits. "I'm not! I didn't..."

Old Sun liked to throw his weight around in front of others, but before Grand Uncle Sun, he turned into a grandson for real—frantically trying to explain himself while scampering away with his head in his hands.

Even Wang Chen was left speechless by how pathetic he looked.

Grand Uncle Sun brandished his wooden staff.

And chased after him all the way.

Grand Uncle Sun and Old Sun were from the same clan. The former was two generations senior to the latter, and they were quite close.

Grand Uncle Sun was probably truly furious that iron had failed to become steel.

Otherwise, he would not have been so enraged.

After seeing Grand Uncle Sun off, Wang Chen, having been interrupted time and again, no longer had the mood to continue cultivating his technique.

He began to ponder.

Which spells should he choose tomorrow?

Exchanging for middle Qi Condensation stage spells at the Hall of Inherited Teachings required a considerable number of Merit Points.

Now, he had a chance to obtain them for free.

And two at that.

If he did not choose carefully, it would be far too much of a loss!

Trying hard to recall the middle Qi Condensation stage spells he knew of, Wang Chen summoned his cultivation panel.

And checked his Skill Bar.

Cleanse Art (Beginner): 99/100

Mighty Strength Art (Beginner): 99/100

Gengjin Finger (Great Accomplishment): 37/400

Cloud Rain Art (Proficient): 19/200

Spirit Eye Technique (Beginner): 99/100

Object Manipulation Technique (Beginner): 99/100

Vajra Fist (Beginner): 37/100

Over the past half month or so, Wang Chen had spent a great deal of time grinding Skill proficiency.

By now, he had achieved considerable results.

Cleanse Art, Mighty Strength Art, as well as the Spirit Eye Technique and Object Manipulation Technique he had only recently mastered—

Had all reached the bottleneck of the Beginner Level.

Wang Chen still had 14 Human Virtue points.

So long as he was willing, he could raise all four spells to the Proficient level in one go!

But Wang Chen did not do so.

Because according to the rules he knew for using Human Virtue points to Add Points, the required amount increased tenfold each time.

The first time consumed 1 point, the second 10 points, and the third would very likely require 100 points!

If the same pattern held true for all of them—

Then by the fourth, fifth, sixth time...

The points required could only be described as terrifying!

Therefore, Wang Chen intended to first try through his own efforts. Only if that truly failed would he Add Points to break through.

He would push back the level at which he first added points as far as possible.

Greatly reducing the consumption of Human Virtue points.

Take Gengjin Finger, for example. Wang Chen had broken through to the Proficient level on his own, then used 1 point to go from Proficient to Minor Accomplishment, and 10 points from Minor Accomplishment to Great Accomplishment. Even breaking through from Great Accomplishment would only cost 100 points.

That was entirely within his means.

Spirit Eye Technique, Object Manipulation Technique, and the like were all low Qi Condensation stage spells. With 3 points of Spiritual Root and comprehension, breaking through to the Proficient level certainly would not be difficult.

Adding points now was absolutely not what a wise man would do!

Besides, he needed to save Human Virtue points in preparation for the new skills he would soon acquire.

As for which two spells to choose, Wang Chen already had some preliminary ideas.

Here is the second update. Please support with your votes, everyone—thank you!