The Immortal Cultivation Tale of Beasts of Burden

"Work it is, then!"

Lu Yang quickly adjusted his mood.

"Strictly speaking, I could kill myself and Restart right now, but the Hundred Lives Book has limited pages. Restarting just like this would be too much of a loss."

Though he had now become an official disciple, Lu Yang still knew little about the First Saint Sect, and his knowledge of the entire immortal cultivation world was limited to what he had read in books. Though he already had thoughts of Restarting, he should still live longer in this life to build up an advantage for the next.

There were countless cave dwellings within Mending Heaven Peak, yet only two places stood out. One was naturally the peak master's cave dwelling, while the other was a tall tower.

The tower had nine floors and was named "Merit."

Transactions between official disciples, bounty postings, and even the acceptance of sect missions were mostly conducted in the Merit Building, where they received the Sacred Sect's protection.

Lu Yang entered the Merit Building and approached a counter.

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

"Obviously, you... Hmm?"

As the words fell, the young Daoist at the counter first gave Lu Yang a careless glance. Then, upon seeing his handsome features, his eyes brightened.

The next moment, a warm smile appeared on the young Daoist's face.

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

"My name is Lu Yang. Greetings, Senior Brother."

Lu Yang hurriedly bowed, activating his disciple Token at the same time to verify his identity.

After Zhao Xuhe looked at the Token, his expression grew even gentler and his smile brighter. "Not bad, not bad. Junior Brother Lu is a fine-looking talent. Very good indeed."

Zhao Xuhe sized him up with a gaze that made Lu Yang deeply uncomfortable, then suddenly said, "Junior Brother Lu, since you want a sect mission, I happen to have one here. Or rather, a great fortune to give you. If it succeeds, your immortal path will be boundless from now on."

"Really?"

Lu Yang looked tempted on the surface, but inwardly, he became wary.

"Absolutely real! It couldn't be more real!"

Zhao Xuhe grinned and pointed toward the summit of Mending Heaven Peak. "The current peak master intends to find a husband for his daughter. I see that you have a dignified appearance."

Lu Yang: "???"

I came looking for a sect mission because I wanted to earn money with my own two hands, through diligence and hard work. And now you wanted me to live off a woman?

"What, not willing?"

Seeing Lu Yang's stiff expression, Zhao Xuhe urged him even more enthusiastically. "This is wealth that could pour down from the heavens! If you can enter the peak master's cave dwelling, you'll become a Foundation Establishment disciple from then on. Contribution Points, Cultivation Methods, resources—you'll have everything you could want. Take this step right, and you can avoid sixty years of detours."

Though Zhao Xuhe painted a picture of paradise, Lu Yang remained unmoved.

If it really were just living off a woman, Lu Yang would not have minded.

But where was this? The First Saint Sect! The orthodox path of the demonic way! With Liu Xin's example before him, how could he possibly believe Zhao Xuhe's talk of finding a son-in-law?

There was definitely something wrong!

Thinking this, Lu Yang simply sighed. "Senior Brother Zhao, it isn't that I don't want to become a live-in son-in-law. It's just that I truly have an unspeakable difficulty."

Zhao Xuhe was taken aback. "An unspeakable difficulty?"

"To tell you the truth." Lu Yang wore an expression of unbearable embarrassment. "I suffer from a venereal disease."

The moment he said this, the eagerness on Zhao Xuhe's face immediately cooled.

A venereal disease was not much in itself; he had ways to cure it. The issue was why Lu Yang had caught one. That was the crucial question.

"Ah, what a pity."

Zhao Xuhe shook his head. No matter how proper Lu Yang's appearance was, the peak master could never allow his daughter to become Dao companions with a man who had managed to infect himself with such a disease.

Lu Yang said respectfully, "I've troubled Senior Brother."

One did not strike a smiling face. Since Lu Yang was so respectful, Zhao Xuhe's expression improved somewhat. "In that case, I'll pick a good mission for you."

"What kind of mission do you want?"

Lu Yang said, "One with high Contribution Points that's relatively safe."

Zhao Xuhe's smile did not change, as if he had expected this long ago. After all, every newly initiated disciple wanted such a mission. "I really do have one here."

As he spoke, he handed Lu Yang a Jade Slip.

"Yin-Yang Immortal Flowers require Qi Refining cultivators to nourish them with essence blood and true qi in order to survive. Mending Heaven Peak purchases them at the highest price—one hundred and fifty Contribution Points per flower."

Zhao Xuhe said warmly, "This is a mission issued by the peak master himself. There is no limit on the quantity; however many you grow, they will buy. And Junior Brother, you don't even need the corresponding Spiritual Plant expertise. Yin-Yang Immortal Flowers are extremely adaptable. As long as you plant them in your cave dwelling, they will not wither easily."

Lu Yang was somewhat tempted at first, but he soon shook his head.

Zhao Xuhe frowned at this. "What's wrong?"

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother, but..." Lu Yang wore a bitter expression. "I still need to pay next month's cave dwelling rent. I truly cannot afford to buy Immortal Flower seeds."

"I see."

Zhao Xuhe sighed as well. "Senior Brother has gone through that stage too. I know it isn't easy for you. Very well, I'll help you."

Zhao Xuhe then held out his hand. "Give me your disciple Token."

Lu Yang obediently handed it over. A moment later, he discovered in shock that five hundred Contribution Points had appeared out of nowhere on his Token!

Zhao Xuhe smiled faintly. "These are your reserve Contribution Points from the Three Rivers Society. You can draw on them whenever you need them in the future. Use them to buy Immortal Flower seeds."

Lu Yang knitted his brows. "Senior Brother, isn't this the same as a Cultivation Manual Loan? I'm afraid..."

"The Three Rivers Society is a major power within the Sacred Sect's inner sect. New disciples can even enjoy thirty days interest-free when borrowing money. It's much cheaper than the Sacred Sect's Cultivation Manual Loan."

"And weren't you looking to buy Immortal Flower seeds?" Zhao Xuhe's tone was gentle and cordial. "Our Three Rivers Society has a senior brother who specializes in selling them. Since you've borrowed from our Three Rivers Society, I can put in a few good words for you and have him sell you Immortal Flower seeds at cost price."

"There's such a good thing?" Lu Yang looked overjoyed.

"That's because I felt an affinity with you, Junior Brother." Zhao Xuhe laughed as well. "Otherwise, I wouldn't tell just anyone about an opportunity like this!"

After saying that, Zhao Xuhe took out another Jade Slip and handed it to Lu Yang. "This is that senior brother's communication Jade Slip. I wish you early prosperity, Junior Brother."

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Lu Yang left amid profuse thanks.

Watching his retreating figure, Zhao Xuhe curled his lips into a cold smile, then began searching through the Merit Building for his next prey.

Lu Yang did not hurry to find the "reliable senior brother" Zhao Xuhe had introduced and buy Yin-Yang Immortal Flowers. Instead, he first returned to his cave dwelling and did some calculations.

"A loan of five hundred Contribution Points can buy ten Immortal Flower seeds. The annual interest rate is the same as the Cultivation Manual Loan: thirty-six percent."

"Getting up before dawn and working after dark, watering them with essence blood and feeding them Spiritual Qi, it would still take about a year for them all to mature, earning fifteen hundred Contribution Points."

"After paying the rent, only one thousand one hundred and forty Contribution Points would remain."

"Pay another four hundred and sixty for the Cultivation Manual Loan principal and interest, and only six hundred and eighty Contribution Points would remain. Then the Immortal Flower principal of five hundred plus one hundred and eighty in interest would come due."

"Nothing left!?"

Where did my money go?

With this doubt in mind, Lu Yang calculated it again. Then he stared blankly at his own hands. Only after a long while did he come back to himself, and he laughed in anger.

Good heavens, they had calculated everything out. They would not even leave me money for food!

As expected of the First Saint Sect!

As a Sacred Sect Disciple, he began by carrying debt, then the Sacred Sect dragged him to the limit along the financial chain. The Contribution Points earned from missions were only enough to cover expenses.

If he wanted to earn more and save money, he had to work more overtime and take more missions.

Otherwise, with the slightest misstep, if his financial chain snapped, the several massive loans on his back would instantly become the last straw that broke the camel's back.

As long as you were willing to endure hardship, you would have endless hardship to endure.

To put it bluntly, they dangled rigid necessities before low-ranking disciples, forcing them to work themselves to the bone and add bricks and tiles to the First Saint Sect's glory.

"Beasts!"

Thinking of this, Lu Yang could not help cursing aloud, before comforting himself again:

"I work for the Sacred Sect, and the Sacred Sect pays Contribution Points. The loans and cave dwellings also collect Contribution Points. That means the Sacred Sect produces and sells everything itself, while I sit in the middle and reap the benefits!"

Immediately afterward, Lu Yang thought of the previously warm and attentive Zhao Xuhe. Looking at the five hundred Contribution Points of debt newly added to his disciple Token, he sneered inwardly.

"Since you're heartless, don't blame me for being unjust."

"Usury? I'm a deadbeat!"

Even so, the beast-of-burden plight of a Sacred Sect Disciple still left Lu Yang stifled and depressed. The more he thought about it, the worse it felt, and a nameless fire surged straight upward.

".Demon?"

Just then, the curtain was lifted. Yun Miaoqing had heard Lu Yang's loud curses, gotten out of bed, and come over to see what was going on.