The Sect's Generosity

Li Changfeng put away the Spirit Testing Disk, examined it carefully for a few moments, and gave a slight nod.

"Congratulations, Junior Brother. You may exchange for the fourth level of the Thick Earth Art and receive the sect's preferential terms. You can now cast the Minor Cloud and Rain Art."

Spiritual power flowed in orderly currents through his immortal meridians. The hand seals shifted nimbly, and a peculiar rhythm spread through the air above the clearing.

With a light sweep of Ji An's arm, white clouds gathered. Then raindrops linked into a beaded curtain, and misty moisture rippled outward.

"Good!"

Li Changfeng praised him. From the area covered by the spell alone, he could tell that it had reached the mastery level.

Moreover, he sensed a different kind of charm within the spirit rain. This junior brother clearly had his own unique understanding of the Minor Cloud and Rain Art.

The two returned to the General Affairs Hall. Li Changfeng cupped his hands.

"Please wait a moment, Junior Brother. I'll see what kind of preferential terms you can receive."

"Huh, Senior Brother, the preferential policies differ from person to person?"

Ji An was delighted. That meant he should be able to receive better terms than Old Huang.

"Of course. Can a disciple who comprehends a mastery-level spell at forty be compared to one who comprehends it at twenty?"

Li Changfeng took out a jade token and placed it on a white spirit disk, reading the information within it.

His eyes narrowed slightly before immediately returning to normal. His expression remained neither joyful nor sorrowful, revealing no emotional fluctuation.

Meanwhile, Ji An was calculating what sort of discount he could receive. Old Huang had spent 500 Contribution Points on the Minor Cloud and Rain Art, repaying it over ten years. If he got a discount—300 Contribution Points repaid over twenty years—that wouldn't be too much to ask, right?!

"Congratulations, Junior Brother Ji." Li Changfeng returned the jade token to him. "According to sect rules, if Junior Brother exchanges for the fourth-level formulas of two spells, each will cost only 200 Contribution Points."

He paused, then continued.

"You may repay them over forty years."

Holy shit, the sect was truly generous.

Ji An's sense of belonging toward the sect rose by several degrees. Two hundred Contribution Points was equivalent to ten Spirit Stones—a steep price—but being able to pay it in installments over forty years changed everything.

Suddenly, he recalled a very practical question. He had forgotten to ask Old Huang when they spoke before.

"Senior Brother, if I repay it over forty years, will I need to pay extra Contribution Points?"

"No. The sect has always been generous in rewarding talent. Once you sign the agreement, Junior Brother may take the formulas away.

There is an important rule I must emphasize again: disciples are strictly forbidden from privately exchanging jade slips, and strictly forbidden from selling cultivation techniques and Dao formulas outside the sect. If they are leaked, the offender will be sent to the mines."

"I will naturally abide by the sect's rules."

Li Changfeng's stern expression faded, and his smile was as refreshing as a spring breeze.

"Junior Brother, over how many years do you intend to repay it?"

Was there even a need to ask? Naturally, he would choose the longest term possible!

For an interest-free "loan," only someone kicked in the head by a donkey would ask to shorten the term.

"Forty years!"

Two hundred Contribution Points over forty years meant five points per year. For two spells, he only had to repay ten points a year—no pressure at all.

"Excellent. There are no copies of the fourth-level formulas in the main hall. Why don't you accompany me to the Library to retrieve the jade slips and sign the agreement while we're there?"

Ji An readily agreed.

"Please lead the way, Senior Brother. I have never been to the Library before, so this is a good chance to broaden my horizons."

Li Changfeng walked in front, while Ji An followed closely, half a step behind.

"I hit it off with Junior Brother at first sight. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, feel free to come find me at the General Affairs Hall.

Among Qi Condensation Stage disciples, I, Li Changfeng, still have a little standing."

As he spoke, he took out a palm-sized jade pendant.

"I come from the Baiyuan Mountain Li Clan. My family also has several shops in Azure Cloud Immortal City. With this item, Junior Brother can receive a small discount at those shops."

"Thank you for your regard, Senior Brother. Ji An will accept without further ceremony. If you ever have need of me in the future, just give the word."

Ji An accepted the jade pendant openly. Senior Brother was showing him respect—would refusing it not amount to refusing that respect?

As for the future, he could help with whatever he was capable of. If he could not help, he could at least call out a few more times. That was how favors and relationships worked.

He had never heard of the Baiyuan Mountain Li Clan, but he knew the name Azure Cloud Immortal City.

The Immortal City stood at the junction of the Golden Spirit Sect, Falling Maple Valley, and Harmony Peak, built atop a Mid-grade Second-tier Spirit Vein. Many cultivation families lived there, their forces tangled in a complex web. No single power could occupy the place alone.

Thus, the three sects joined with numerous families to establish the enormous Immortal City. It was said to support more than a billion independent cultivators.

The sects ate the meat, cultivation families gnawed the bones, and independent cultivators drank a mouthful of soup. Yet everyone managed to live in peace.

Li Changfeng's expression softened further.

"Junior Brother has achieved such attainments in Farming Spells at such a young age. This senior brother wishes for you to become a high-ranking Spirit Farmer as soon as possible."

The Baiyuan Mountain Li Clan had risen through medicinal gardens. Befriending promising Spirit Farmers was instinctive to him; otherwise, why would he remain at the General Affairs Hall when he clearly had better places to go?

The two arrived at the Library. Ji An received the jade slips, signed the agreement, then bade farewell and left.

Li Changfeng reminded him.

"Junior Brother, remember to repay the Contribution Points before this date next year. Otherwise, the sect will impose punishment."

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother."

The setting sun dyed the clouds crimson.

"Ah!"

"Splash!"

A figure fell from midair into the lake, sending up a great spray.

Ji An surfaced from the water and immediately heard bursts of laughter.

"Haha, Junior Brother, you fell into the water with such flair.

Since you gave me such a good laugh, I won't hold it against you for disturbing the fish."

Amid the splashing of oars, a small boat drifted over, and a stalk of green bamboo was lowered toward him.

Ji An grabbed the bamboo pole and climbed aboard. Recognizing the man, he cupped his hands.

"It is my honor to bring Senior Brother Liang some amusement."

"You know me?"

"I went with Senior Brother Wei Songnian to Senior Brother's fish shop. The fish prepared four ways by Senior Brother was indeed exceptionally delicious.

The Talisman Bird Senior Brother Wei gifted me has reached the end of its lifespan. To meet Senior Brother today—fate truly works in wondrous ways."

Ji An laughed at himself as he took off his Daoist robe, wrung out the water, and put it back on.

That day, the other man had poked his head out, and Ji An had clearly seen the scar on his forehead. That was why he remembered his appearance.

Liang Qiu tossed aside the bamboo pole and asked with a gossiping look.

"What happened? Tell me in detail, Junior Brother."

Ji An's face turned bitter as he explained what had happened to the Talisman Bird, then sighed.

"This junior brother got greedy. I figured it could barely make it back to my residence, but who would have thought..."

Such was life—nothing more than being laughed at by others, then occasionally laughing at others in turn. His skin was thick enough and his mentality good enough that he did not mind Liang Qiu's schadenfreude.

If their positions had been switched, he would have laughed even louder than Liang Qiu.

"It's rare for Senior Brother Wei to give anyone something. Usually, when he buys my fish-float glue, he haggles over even a single Spirit Crystal for ages."

Liang Qiu stopped laughing and said, "Junior Brother, it will be dark before long. If I take you back now, we likely won't make it in time. Why not return with me to Azure Water Market first, then decide what to do?"

"Thank you for troubling yourself, Senior Brother. Without you, I would probably have had to swim back."

Ji An cupped his hands in thanks and helped row the boat.

He glanced at the catch and saw several golden carp about a foot long. He praised, "Senior Brother, what a fine haul!"

He did not recognize spirit fish, but saying it was a good catch could not be wrong.

Liang Qiu smiled with a trace of pride.

"It's only by relying on this skill of catching spirit fish that I can keep a foothold in the sect. Once I save enough Contribution Points, I can rent a fishpond and raise spirit fish."

His eyes glittered as he spoke.

Ji An looked at his dark reddish skin, weathered by years beneath the sun, and nodded with a smile.

Life's hardship did not matter, so long as hope remained.

Liang Qiu began singing an unknown ballad. Egrets occasionally skimmed across the lake's surface, while sect disciples rode Talisman Birds and immortal cranes overhead, their black silhouettes outlined against the setting sun.

Please keep reading tomorrow. Thank you, everyone.