Predicament, Turning Point

Zhao Country, Clear River Market.

At dusk.

Li Chang'an sat cross-legged inside the room, slowly circulating his Cultivation Method.

"After cultivating immortality for ten years, I finally broke through to the Third Layer of Qi Condensation."

Feeling his own cultivation.

Li Chang'an did not feel much joy. He merely let out a deep sigh.

"The path of cultivation is truly difficult!"

He had originally been an utterly ordinary University Student. On his way back to his hometown, he had unexpectedly struck it lucky and reincarnated into this Cultivation World, becoming a farm boy.

At fifteen, he awakened the memories of his previous life and resolutely embarked on the path to seek immortality.

After enduring countless hardships, he finally arrived before the Immortal Sect Gate.

He had originally wanted to leap through the dragon gate and become a disciple of the Immortal Sect.

But the result had been cruel.

A Low-grade Spirit Root!

And he was too old. He could not compete with those seven- or eight-year-old children, and his potential was lacking.

He simply did not qualify to enter the Immortal Sect Gate.

With no other choice.

He could only come to this Clear River Market and become an utterly ordinary Low-level Cultivator.

In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed.

Because his Spirit Root aptitude was poor and his Cultivation Resources were insufficient, he had only barely broken through to the Third Layer of Qi Condensation now.

"At this cultivation speed, immortality is hopeless!"

Li Chang'an's feelings were complicated.

After all, he had already died once. He was unwilling to experience another reincarnation.

He cultivated immortality in this life solely for eternal life!

"With my aptitude, let alone eternal life, even Foundation Establishment will be a huge problem."

Li Chang'an could not help sighing with emotion.

Suddenly.

A knock sounded from outside.

"Knock, knock, knock..."

A familiar voice came from beyond the door.

"Li Chang'an, are you home?"

Hearing the voice.

Li Chang'an rose and went to open the door.

Standing outside was a middle-aged man dressed in Brocade, with a plump, wealthy-looking face.

Zheng Jinbao, the steward of Clear River Market.

"Steward Zheng."

Li Chang'an wore a respectful expression and did not dare neglect him. He immediately invited him inside to speak.

Zheng Jinbao waved his hand and simply stood outside the door.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked Li Chang'an up and down.

"Boy, did you break through?"

"I got lucky and broke through by chance."

Li Chang'an did not dare conceal it and answered truthfully.

Zheng Jinbao said with a beaming smile, "It's good that you broke through. The stronger you are, the easier it will be to complete the task assigned to you this year."

Hearing this, Li Chang'an's heart gave a jolt.

Back then.

After failing to enter the Immortal Sect.

Those who had failed like them had signed Spirit Contracts with the "Foundation Establishment Zheng Family," which managed Clear River Market, in order to embark on the path of cultivation.

According to the Spirit Contract.

The Zheng Family gave them Cultivation Methods and cultivation insights, and allowed them to cultivate on the Spiritual Vein within the market.

In return, they had to complete certain tasks for the Zheng Family every year.

The Spirit Contract lasted fifteen years in total.

During the past ten years, the task assigned to Li Chang'an every year had been planting in the Spirit Fields.

That task was fairly easy and did not demand a high level of cultivation.

In another five years, he would obtain true freedom.

But now.

The task Zheng Jinbao had assigned him was actually related to cultivation.

This made Li Chang'an uneasy.

"Steward Zheng, what task have you assigned me this year?"

He asked with trepidation, showing a trace of nervousness.

The corners of Zheng Jinbao's mouth curled upward, taking in his reaction completely.

"It's nothing troublesome. You'll only be mining Spirit Mines."

"Mining?!"

Li Chang'an was startled.

Among the many tasks assigned by the Zheng Family, the one he least wanted to encounter was mining!

That was because all kinds of accidents often occurred inside the Zheng Family's Mine Caves. Just last year, a great disaster had occurred, killing a large number of people!

Moreover, the Spirit Mines contained large amounts of deadly dust that could not be guarded against at all.

Many cultivators who had mined there said—

One year of mining took ten years off your life!

Many people had gone there perfectly healthy, only to return as consumptive invalids, coughing and wheezing endlessly.

"Don't we need to farm this year?"

Li Chang'an's voice was somewhat hoarse. He truly did not want to go mining.

Zheng Jinbao shook his head.

"Of course we need people to farm, but you had bad luck, boy. You were simply assigned to mine."

"Steward Zheng, could you perhaps make an exception..."

As he spoke, Li Chang'an took out a small cloth pouch and stuffed it into Zheng Jinbao's hand.

Inside the pouch.

There were a total of twenty Spirit Stones.

This was all the wealth he had accumulated over the years!

Li Chang'an felt a pang in his heart, but he had no choice.

As long as he stayed safe, he could earn more Spirit Stones!

"You really are interesting, boy."

The smile on Zheng Jinbao's face grew wider. He narrowed his eyes and glanced over the pouch.

In the next instant, the cloth pouch in his hand vanished.

It had entered the Storage Bag at his waist.

"I'll be going back now. I'll formally notify you all in a few days."

Zheng Jinbao said nothing more.

Then, wearing a broad smile, he turned and left.

"Take care, Steward Zheng!"

Li Chang'an bowed slightly and watched him leave.

Watching his distant back, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

It was good enough that he had accepted the Spirit Stones.

"If you take someone's money, you do their work. Whether in the Mortal World or the Cultivation World, that seems to be a universal law."

Li Chang'an felt somewhat reassured.

He shut the door and continued cultivating.

He had thought that this year's task would still be farming.

However.

Three days later.

Li Chang'an received a notice.

The original assignment had not been changed. His task was still mining!

"How could this happen?"

Li Chang'an's eyes widened as he stared at the requisition order in his hand.

He clenched the requisition order tightly, his chest rising and falling unevenly.

Zheng Jinbao had clearly accepted the Spirit Stones.

Why had he not done anything?

He immediately left, hurriedly found Zheng Jinbao, and asked him the reason.

Zheng Jinbao still wore that beaming smile, looking like Maitreya Buddha as he explained:

"Li Chang'an, it's not that I don't want to help you. It's just that some people offered more than you did, so I could only prioritize changing their tasks."

The implication was clear.

If Li Chang'an could produce more Spirit Stones, Zheng Jinbao would naturally change his task for him.

But the Spirit Stones in that small cloth pouch were already all of Li Chang'an's wealth!

Where could he possibly get more?

"Steward Zheng, is there truly no other way?"

"Nope!"

Zheng Jinbao shook his head.

Seeing that Li Chang'an could not produce more, his attitude became casual.

"I have a lot of matters to attend to. I can't waste time chatting with you, boy. If you have nothing else, go back."

"Yes, yes..."

Li Chang'an forced out a faint smile, but a ball of anger was trapped in his chest.

From the looks of things.

Zheng Jinbao had never intended to return the Spirit Stones to him.

He had done nothing and would not return the Spirit Stones. How was that any different from robbing him outright?

Unfortunately.

With a man beneath another's roof, he had no choice but to bow his head!

He lowered his head and turned to leave.

That night.

Li Chang'an tossed and turned.

Do I really have to go mining?

He was worried and found it impossible to fall asleep.

If he did not go, he would be violating the Spirit Contract and suffer an extremely severe backlash.

Just then.

A streak of Golden Light suddenly flashed before his eyes.

Then, several lines of golden, radiant words floated before him.

[Divination Result Refreshed]

[Today's Divination Result · Auspicious]

[You are anxious, so you go to the riverside to clear your mind. By chance, you pick up the Jade Pendant of the Eldest Miss Zheng amid the waterside grass beneath a willow tree by the river.]

These sudden lines of text left Li Chang'an stunned for a moment.

"This... what is this..."

His eyes widened several notches, and he immediately realized what it was.

This was his Golden Finger!

Then, overwhelming delight surged into his heart.

Ten years!

He had waited a full ten years!

Li Chang'an drew several deep breaths, barely suppressing his excitement as he carefully read through the Hexagram Image, afraid that it might be an illusion.

"Fortunately, it isn't an illusion."