I, Li Changzhou, Am Not Dead Yet (Fourth Update, Please Vote)

I, Li Changzhou, Am Not Dead Yet (Fourth Update, Please Vote)

Li Yuan ended the video call with Zhong Cheng.

After thinking it over, afraid of disturbing his uncle Li Changzhou's rest, Li Yuan did not start a video call directly and instead left a message first.

He roughly explained the situation.

Only five minutes later.

Beep—beep—Li Changzhou called back by video on his own initiative, and Li Yuan immediately answered.

"Uncle." Li Yuan looked at Li Changzhou in the video projection. He was covered in dust, as though he had just finished working.

"I roughly understand." There was none of the joy Li Yuan had expected on Li Changzhou's face. Instead, his brows were tightly furrowed. "If the Starry Sky Martial Hall really ends up offering only a D-level contract, whether you should sign it or not is another matter."

"Oh?" Li Yuan was somewhat puzzled.

A special recruitment offer from the Martial Arts Hall had always been Li Yuan's foremost goal, but there had not been the slightest news for the past half month.

In fact, at the very beginning, Li Yuan had not been all that eager to sign with a Martial Hall early.

But these past few days, Li Yuan had searched up a great deal of information online and learned that, overall, the major Martial Halls' early-signing contracts were beneficial. Aside from being rather restrictive, there were no real traps.

Most importantly, once he signed early, regardless of the contract level, it could indeed greatly ease his family's financial burden.

He could even receive a cash reward and give back to his family.

In his heart, Li Yuan felt indebted to his uncle and aunt.

He always felt that his uncle had ventured to Beijiang Province because of him.

"I've basically investigated it through some connections." Li Changzhou patiently explained, "Over the years, the Three Martial Halls' early-signing contracts have been divided, from low to high, into five grades: D-level, C-level, B-level, A-level, and S-level."

"Contracts of the same level from different Martial Halls all have roughly similar terms."

Li Yuan nodded slightly. So, in the Starry Sky Martial Hall's eyes, he belonged to the lowest tier?

Still, anyone who could sign early was already exceptionally outstanding.

"A D-level contract provides one million Blue Star Coins per year, for a total of six years." Li Changzhou said in a low voice, "It sounds good, but you need to understand something."

"The resources you need for cultivation now, and the cultivation resources you'll need after entering university and becoming a martialist, are two entirely different concepts."

"For example, a Basic Blood-Qi Potion costs only 2,000 Blue Star Coins per bottle. Right now, spending 20,000 Blue Star Coins a month is enough for you."

"After becoming a martialist, even a First Order Basic Blood-Qi Potion used by First Order martialists costs 10,000 Blue Star Coins per bottle. You'll need at least ten bottles a month, or twenty to thirty at most." Li Changzhou said solemnly, "For this most basic expense alone, you'll need at least one million Blue Star Coins a year."

"There are also treasures that aid spiritual cultivation. If you aspire to challenge the Second Order Source Martialist realm in the future, those are indispensable. Spending several million Blue Star Coins a year is only the bare minimum..."

"And physical therapy..."

"And buying weapons, all kinds of support equipment. Martialists have to fight Star Realm Creatures to the death—can their equipment be ordinary? It's expensive, and it breaks easily." Li Changzhou looked at Li Yuan. "One million is a lot for you now."

"If you have no great ambition in martial arts and want to study other subjects alongside it in university."

"Then there's no need to spend too much money on martial arts. You can cultivate slowly in university and strive to become a Level 15 martialist in the future. This contract could even be called generous, and you might be able to save up several million Blue Star Coins." Li Changzhou said, "After you graduate, according to the contract, the Starry Sky Martial Hall will also have to give you a job."

"At that time, you can be like your Uncle Zhong, an ordinary member of the Martial Hall. The benefits and treatment won't be any worse than those of a civil servant."

"If the Starry Sky Martial Hall takes the initiative to terminate the contract and refuses to give you a job, you'll still have several million Blue Star Coins in hand. Finding another job afterward will still leave you with guaranteed profit and no loss."

"This is a broad, bright road for lying flat." Li Changzhou stared at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan was stunned.

He had not expected there to be such a way to play this.

"But Xiao Yuan, are you truly willing to be an ordinary person? An ordinary martialist?" Li Changzhou stared at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan fell silent.

"You aren't willing." Li Changzhou shook his head and sighed. "I watched you grow up. How could I not understand? You train so crazily not only because you want to help the family. More importantly, you have the heart of a martialist."

"From the second year of middle school until your final year of high school, have you ever rested even a single day during weekends, summer vacation, or winter vacation? Even during the New Year, you were training."

"You're ruthless toward yourself."

"I've never seen that kind of ruthlessness before. I can't compare to you. Even your father back then couldn't keep up with you." Li Changzhou spoke slowly.

Li Yuan's gaze flickered. All these years, his uncle had rarely said so much, much less mentioned his deceased father.

"Your aunt has always wanted you to take the civil service exam or become a teacher in the future. She has always blamed me, believing I shouldn't have supported you."

"Why don't I oppose you becoming a full-time martialist?" There was a trace of agitation in Li Changzhou's voice. "Because I don't want you to regret it at forty like I did."

Li Yuan's heart shook, and he stared at his uncle in shock.

"Full-time martialists are dangerous."

Li Changzhou smiled frankly. "But since ancient times, what fine man has not dreamed of galloping across the battlefield and pursuing the limits of martial arts?"

"With a human body, truly stand shoulder to shoulder with gods! Explore the limits of life."

"There's no hope for me in this life."

"But you still have hope." Li Changzhou smiled at Li Yuan. The helmet on his head was smeared with mud, making him look somewhat disheveled.

Li Yuan held his breath and listened.

"If you want to walk the path of a full-time martialist, this little money, the money from this contract, is far from enough." Li Changzhou continued, "Yet your future will be trapped by this contract."

After hesitating for a moment, Li Yuan could not help asking, "Uncle, according to the information I found, as long as I perform well enough, the Starry Sky Martial Hall will upgrade the contract."

"But what if the Starry Sky Martial Hall doesn't upgrade it?" Li Changzhou asked in return. "Why hand the initiative over in your own Fate to someone else?"

Li Yuan came to a realization.

"Your Uncle Zhong is a good man, but as an ordinary member, there are many things beyond his power to decide." Li Changzhou said. "Besides, as far as I know, once you sign early with a Martial Hall, your development at a martial arts university will be restricted in the future."

"Restricted?" Li Yuan froze. This was something he had not known.

"For example, the Five Great Prestigious Schools of Xia Country are funded by the state." Li Changzhou said. "If you sign early with a Martial Hall, you're destined to join it after graduation... When special resources arrive at the school and it has to choose between you and another student specially recruited by the Martial Arts Hall, who do you think the school will choose?"

Li Yuan's eyes flickered.

Signing early with a Martial Hall was indeed a kind of shackle, in a sense.

"This contract."

"When you go to the Martial Hall on Sunday, first learn more from your Uncle Zhong. If you can raise it to C-level, and there are automatic upgrade clauses—for example, if you reach a certain standard before a certain age, it will automatically upgrade directly to B-level or even A-level—then there's no harm in signing it." Li Changzhou said patiently.

"If you want to become a full-time martialist, a Martial Hall truly is the better choice. But if the restrictions are too great, then there's no need to sign."

"Li Yuan, I know what you're thinking. You want to help the family." Li Changzhou stared at Li Yuan. "But remember, your uncle is not dead yet."

"It's not yet time for you to shoulder this family completely."

"At least until you enter university, don't have any concerns. What you need to do is devote yourself wholeheartedly to cultivation, understand?" Li Changzhou said solemnly.

"Yes, Uncle." Li Yuan nodded heavily.

"I believe in you. I won't be wrong about you." Li Changzhou looked at Li Yuan.

"If Starfire Martial Hall and Starry Sky Martial Hall don't sign you now, it's because they lack vision."

"Once your college entrance examination results come out, or even after you enter university, you'll naturally receive better contracts."

"It won't be too late to sign then."

His uncle Li Changzhou's words completely calmed Li Yuan down and allowed him to think about the matter more composedly.

"Uncle is right."

"Why rush? Later, they'll be the ones who need to worry." A faint smile appeared on Li Yuan's face.

He continued training.

In the blink of an eye, two days passed. It was Saturday, and Li Yuan continued his usual daily routine, going back and forth between school and home.

Saturday afternoon.

All third-year high school students were gathered in the martial arts classroom for martial arts class today.

At the school entrance.

Several black cars slowly arrived, and six figures stepped out one after another.

Five of them wore black suits. Only one middle-aged man wore a black traditional Chinese tunic suit. He looked ordinary, yet somehow gave off an invisible aura.

"Hall Master Wan."

"Hall Master Wan, welcome to our school." Principal Tan Zhenlong and several vice principals all stepped forward, smiling as they welcomed him.

"Tie Ta." The middle-aged man directly looked toward Xu Bo, who stood in the distance, and smiled. "It's been a long time since we parted in the Star Realm."

"Old Wan." Only then did Xu Bo step forward. He grinned and said, "I never expected the new Hall Master of the Starfire Martial Hall's Guanshan Branch Hall to be you."

"Welcome!"