Zheng Fa feels like he has entered an unhappy arranged marriage.
He and this fat senior brother had quite a mutual understanding.
"Excuse me, what do you call me, senior brother?" Zheng Fa took the initiative to break the ice.
"Han Qi." Fat senior brother also adjusted his expression, took a breath, stood up, and said to Zheng Fa, "I will take junior brother to receive the life card."
Zheng Fa followed him outside.
Yesterday, he was tired from traveling, so he just had a glimpse of the Nine Mountains Sect. He didn't have time to observe it carefully. After looking around today, he felt a little incomprehensible:
He lives at the mouth of the valley, which is also the most prosperous place in the Nine Mountains Sect. Starting from the dock, the flow of people has never stopped.
The west side of the valley entrance seems to be a residential area, and Zheng Fa lives here. He lives in a small courtyard, which is considered a very high-end building in this area.
Half of the buildings in this residential area are bungalows where you can see the back door from the front door.
The distance between houses is very small and the architectural styles are different, making the entire living area look crowded and messy.
To the east of the valley entrance is probably Marketplace, with six rows of small houses of similar appearance arranged neatly.
The sounds of hawking, chatting, and quarreling bargaining came from inside Marketplace.
Zheng Fa looks a bit friendly, which means that it doesn't look like Immortal Sect, but has too much of a worldly atmosphere.
What he couldn't understand was why these buildings were piled up at the mouth of the valley - looking into the valley from the mouth of the valley, the density of buildings in the valley was much lower, and it even looked vast and sparsely populated.
Seemingly seeing his doubts, Han Qi smiled and said, "Junior brother, you probably don't know that the outer disciples like me and the ordinary followers can only live in this valley mouth, and most of the houses can only be built by ourselves."
Zheng Fa understands it-oh, a village in the city.
"Only Foundation Establishment inner disciple can live in the valley, well..." He pointed to the dozens of small courtyards in the valley closest to the valley entrance and said, "Those are the residences of inner disciple."
... a high-end community.
"As for True Disciple of Golden Core Stage or elders like Senior Sister Zhang, they can live at the foot of the mountain."
... Villa area.
"As for Nascent Soul, only True Person can live in the mountains."
... top garden.
"But what's the point of such a distinction?" Zheng Fa still doesn't quite understand. After all, apart from face, there isn't much difference.
"Spirit Vein." Han Qi's tone was a bit cold. "The closer to the inside of our Nine Mountains Sect formation, the richer the Spiritual Qi. We lower-level disciples are not even qualified to take one more sip of Spiritual Qi."
"..." Zheng Fa can really understand why Senior Sister Zhang said that the lower class disciples are very resentful.
It seems that he also found that his dissatisfaction in the two sentences just now was a bit explicit. Han Qi didn't say much and just led Zheng Fa towards the valley, "Today we are going to the General Affairs Hall to get your life card first, and then we will go to Scripture Repository to choose the door for you Cultivation Method."
"Yes."
Zheng Fa is very grateful, mainly to Senior Sister Zhang-it is a bit convenient to have a senior to lead the way.
As they walked through the valley entrance, Zheng Fa noticed something different.
There are about a dozen small buildings standing behind the valley entrance. Some of them even have signboards hanging on them, so they are obviously shops.
Compared with those small houses in Marketplace, these small buildings are extremely superior in terms of scale and location.
"Brother? This is..."
"That one is Myriad Talisman Pavilion, which is opened by our Nine Mountains Sect, specializing in selling magic charms. That one is Nine Revolutions Pavilion, which is Azure Wood Sect specializing in selling elixirs, and that one is Hundred Treasures Tower, Heavy Peaks Sect, specializing in selling Law Artifact..."
After Han Qi's introduction, Zheng Fa understood a little bit - Marketplace is probably all self-employed, but these ten or so small buildings are all Hundred Immortals Alliance's well-known chains. Each store basically represents a sect, and the items inside are all high-end boutiques.
What puzzled Zheng Fa was that it was very deserted here.
"Senior Brother Han, since the things here are so good, why is there so little business?"
Han Qi glanced at him and smiled, "You know Spiritual-Energy Decline, right?"
"Know."
"In the past ten thousand years, the price of spiritual ink has increased, the price of Spirit Grain has increased, the price of Spirit Artifact has increased, the price of spiritual talismans has increased... As long as you wear something with Spiritual Qi, it becomes more and more expensive."
"Everyone can't afford it?" Zheng Fa understood.
"However, one thing has been reduced in price..."
Han Qi pointed to a shop in the corner of the square with a strange expression. The business there was the best among the dozen or so shops, and people came in and out from time to time.
"People."
"Ah?"
"That's the one opened by the Seeking Fragrance Pavilion, Plain Maiden Sect... Well, I heard recently that the appearance and patterns of the fairies inside have improved a lot."
"..."
"Not to mention anything else, I heard that tens of thousands of years ago, you could get Spirit Stone for recruiting new disciples... Now you only get gold for this job General Affairs Hall."
Hearing this, Zheng Fa once again gained a deeper understanding of the current situation of the Immortal Sect - prices have increased and wages have fallen. To sum it up in two words, pills.
General Affairs Hall is at the foot of a mountain near the entrance of the valley.
This is a main hall with two side halls.
"Uncle Fang, who is in charge of the destiny card, has an arrogant temperament, and has some background. He has always been indifferent to others - Junior brother, please don't be reckless, just follow me."
Zheng Fa knew that he had good intentions and nodded lightly.
Han Qi led Zheng Fa into the side hall on the right. Inside, there was a middle-aged man with three long beards, sitting on a futon, crossing his legs and closing his eyes, meditating and practicing, and fishing openly.
However, Han Qi's attitude was very low - he did not call this person, but took Zheng Fa and stood in the hall waiting quietly.
It wasn't until nearly half an hour later that the middle-aged man gently opened his eyes. Seeing the two of them, he didn't seem too surprised. He just said coldly, "New disciple?"
"Yes, please Uncle Fang register the life card for this junior brother."
"What's your name?" The middle-aged man glanced at Zheng Fa and asked casually.
"Zheng Fa."
"...Zheng Fa?" The middle-aged man was stunned, his legs bounced off the futon and jumped directly to the ground. "Zheng Fa brought back by Junior Nephew-Disciple Zhang?"
"... Yes."
"Hey, isn't this a neglect!" The middle-aged man patted Zheng Fa on the shoulder with enthusiasm; "Junior Nephew-Disciple Zhang told me a long time ago and is waiting for you... Why didn't you call me earlier?"
Zheng Fa slowly turned his head and looked at Han Qi.
The middle-aged man also followed his gaze and looked at Han Qi.
Han Qi opened his mouth and finally squeezed out a sentence from his throat. "... blame me!"
"Master Nephew Zheng, please explain to me Junior Nephew-Disciple Zhang. I am an outer disciple just after I entered the door. My monthly records for the past ten years have been Spirit Stone - this cannot be changed."
"Ten years?"
"Ten years later, if you can't Foundation Establishment become inner disciple, then there will be no Spirit Stone..." The middle-aged man paused and said, "With how much Junior Nephew-Disciple Zhang values you, I don't think this will be the case."
Han Qi's face turned dark.
"But Junior Nephew-Disciple Zhang said that your talent is the best in Talisman Arts, so let me allocate an additional hundred talisman papers and two spiritual inks to you every month - this also has a time limit, and it will be gone after half a year."
I am the first in ten thousand years!
Come and get a scholarship!
That's it?
Zheng Fa glanced at Han Qi, who saw three words written on his face: A lot of money!
(End of chapter)