Time to Get a Job

As a Martial Arts Holy Land renowned throughout the land, Hundred Flowers Valley's complete martial arts inheritance ensured that a steady stream of masters emerged from within the sect.

After several centuries of development, not only had it not declined, it had instead grown ever more prosperous.

It was now no longer merely a martial force where countless experts gathered, but an interest group that had formed a faction of its own amid this Era of Upheaval.

To keep such a massive force running, in addition to the sect's operational mechanisms that had taken centuries to perfect and mature, it naturally required vast financial support.

Hundred Flowers Valley's funding generally came from several areas: resource extraction, commerce, taxes, and commissions.

Resource extraction referred to the many production operations spread around the sect's headquarters and throughout the entire Divine Continent—metal mines, logging camps, hunting grounds, Medicine Fields, farmlands, fisheries, saltworks, cloth shops, and the like—which continuously produced resources to earn funds for the sect.

Commerce was similar in nature to those resource-extraction production operations. Hundred Flowers Valley was involved in nearly every profitable business, from medicine-making and textiles to forging and pawnshops.

Taxes were protection fees paid to Hundred Flowers Valley by forces of all sizes within its sphere of influence, as well as forces across the Divine Continent that sheltered under its protection. The amount was based on their scale and income, in exchange for Hundred Flowers Valley's concern for their safety.

The Elite Disciple advancement mission Lin Lin had previously undertaken to investigate the disappearances was only assigned because the people around Hui Ping Town paid their taxes to Hundred Flowers Valley on time.

In a sense, across the largely lawless Divine Continent of today, Hundred Flowers Valley served as a de facto government.

Finally, commissions were the traditional line of business for a martial arts sect.

So long as the employer paid enough, every need would be met as far as possible, whether it involved guarding someone, killing someone, saving someone, finding an item, gathering intelligence, or anything else.

Of course, if an employer's demands were too outrageous, the commission would be declined.

Hundred Flowers Valley's Sect Contribution system had likewise formed around these pillar industries of the sect.

As a disciple of Hundred Flowers Valley, if one wished to earn Sect Contribution,

one could accept missions to protect these resource-extraction production sites and various businesses, preventing hostile forces from sabotaging them and ensuring that their goods were produced with both quality and quantity assured.

One could also handle problems for Hundred Flowers Valley's subordinate forces, helping them resolve their difficulties, much like Lin Lin's previous investigation mission.

Or one could accept commission missions and help employers fulfill their wishes, needing only to pay the sect a brokerage fee.

Of course, if one's progress in martial arts was truly unsatisfactory and one feared the dangers and death that came with battle, one could also apply to participate in production assignments.

For example, one could serve as a manager overseeing accounts in certain key industries, or work as an apothecary, blacksmith, or tailor. All of these were possible.

Within Hundred Flowers Valley's Sect Contribution system, martial prowess was not the only thing held in esteem. Rather, it was a flourishing state where every field could bloom.

Besides these regular missions for earning Sect Contribution, there was another channel: participating in sect patrols, sect law enforcement, intelligence gathering, and similar assignments.

These were missions the sect issued directly to its disciples in order to maintain its own operations and survival.

Such missions were mandatory, or perhaps they could be called the obligations of Hundred Flowers Valley disciples.

Sect patrols involved patrolling all of Hundred Flowers Valley and its surrounding areas to prevent foreign enemies from invading.

Sect law enforcement involved avenging dead Hundred Flowers Valley disciples, hunting down traitors to Hundred Flowers Valley, and the like. Intelligence gathering involved traveling to various places to collect information on everything happening across the Divine Continent and relaying it back to the sect.

Generally speaking, aside from hunting traitors and sect patrols, missions of this kind were completed incidentally while carrying out other assignments.

When Lin Lin had first learned the full extent of Hundred Flowers Valley's operational structure, he had been somewhat astonished.

The current Hundred Flowers Valley was no longer simply a martial arts sect of the jianghu. It was practically a complete governmental system. If it continued to grow, it might perhaps form a unified imperial dynasty, sweep away the Era of Upheaval, and bring this chaotic world to an end.

But regrettably, Hundred Flowers Valley was not the only force with such potential.

The other Martial Arts Holy Lands of the jianghu—Sword Washing Pavilion, Star Moon Palace, and Green Fishing Pavilion—almost all possessed strength not far below that of Hundred Flowers Valley.

Together with the other feudal lords and warlords dividing up the Divine Continent, everyone checked one another, and none could do anything to the others. Thus, the Divine Continent remained in a state of chaos, perhaps destined to continue in that state for a long time to come.

As he considered Hundred Flowers Valley's Sect Contribution system, Lin Lin also thought about what job he should take to earn Sect Contribution.

For the next period of time, Lin Lin needed to cultivate the five Superior Martial Arts he had just acquired.

Therefore, the job could not consume too much time. Ideally, he could complete it alongside his cultivation.

Second, the job could not involve any danger. Otherwise, he would have to constantly reserve most of his stamina and Inner Force to retain combat power against danger, leaving him unable to devote himself fully to cultivation. That would greatly slow his martial arts progress.

Third, the job could not be too far from home. Otherwise, no one would help him wash clothes, cook meals, or prepare his bathwater, which would also slow Lin Lin's cultivation progress.

Finally, the job should preferably earn a little more Sect Contribution.

Filtering through the options one condition at a time, Lin Lin quickly narrowed his targets down to only a few final candidates.

After factoring in how much Sect Contribution each could earn, only one job remained that suited Lin Lin's requirements.

"Cold Iron Ore."

Cold Iron Ore was also called cold iron mine.

Thirteen li beyond Hundred Flowers Town lay a Cold Iron Mine.

It seemed to have some connection to Yin Wind Gorge. The iron ore produced there naturally carried a trace of frigid yin energy, making it exceptionally effective for forging Armor and Weapons. After being forged with certain secret methods, it could even increase the power of yin-based martial arts and internal cultivation methods.

Because of the cold iron, the area around the mine was extremely frigid. Staying there was exactly like staying in Yin Wind Gorge.

It was not quite like sitting on pins and needles, but every day felt like a year.

Thus, not only was it difficult to recruit Miners to gather ore there, even finding overseers to manage the mine was hard.

Those digging in the mine were basically criminals, traitors, and slaves. Even then, they could only dig for so long each day before operations had to stop and workers be replaced to keep them from freezing to death.

Unless Hundred Flowers Valley's Elite Disciples were desperately short of Sect Contribution, they would never come here to serve as overseers. It was cold and boring, as though they were in prison.

Compared with the exhilarating life of going out to hunt traitors and eliminate bandits, serving as an overseer here was far worse.

Because of these overlapping limitations, although demand for cold iron was high, its output had always remained low.

But for Lin Lin, this place was quite suitable.

First, it was close to home, so Lin Lin could get off work on time and return home every day.

Second, he was cultivating the body-protection technique Immovable as a Mountain, which happened to require a harsh environment to temper his physique and strength. Thus, the most unbearable part of this place became an advantage rather than a drawback for Lin Lin.

Furthermore, there was no need to fight at the Cold Iron Mine, so Lin Lin could devote his energy to cultivation without reservation.

This Cold Iron Mine perfectly met Lin Lin's needs.

Combined with its decent Sect Contribution rewards, Lin Lin could not think of any reason not to come work at the Cold Iron Mine.