Even Buying Soy Sauce Would Be Hard for You

Just as Li Xiaolan had expected, the Great Marsh Hall Branch of the Yin Talisman Sect at the entrance to Mule Street had already drawn over a hundred Martial Cultivators clad in fitted fighting clothes, all with extraordinary bearing.

Farther down the street, quite a few people had gathered to watch the spectacle. Yet these commoners clearly feared the Martial Cultivators and did not dare approach, only watching from afar. Lin Xuankong squeezed through the crowd, observed the Martial Cultivators for a while, then walked toward them with anticipation in his eyes.

"Brother Lin, come over here!" a voice called from the roadside.

Lin Xuankong turned to look and saw Old Man Zhang selling stuffed pancakes across the street. This Old Man Zhang certainly knew how to do business—wherever there were people, that was where he went!

Once Lin Xuankong walked over, Old Man Zhang said in a low voice, "Brother Lin, those people standing over there are all formidable Martial Cultivators planning to join the Yin Talisman Sect. Don't go over there. It'll be troublesome if you offend them!"

After saying that, he looked at Lin Xuankong's smooth, full hands and could not help thinking of his daughter-in-law's hands again.

Lin Xuankong smiled. "I'm here to join the Yin Talisman Sect too!"

"What?" Old Man Zhang froze, only to see that Lin Xuankong had already turned and headed toward those Martial Cultivators.

What a joke!

Brother Lin was seven or eight years older than him, wasn't he? Join the Yin Talisman Sect? He would be more suited to joining the Hall of Compassion for retirement!

Brother Lin probably could not even beat his daughter-in-law!

Even if his daughter-in-law could join, there was no way he could join the Yin Talisman Sect! Old Man Zhang stared at Lin Xuankong's retreating back in astonishment.

After Lin Xuankong squeezed into the crowd,

the Martial Cultivators who were studying the Yin Talisman Sect branch's notice all looked at the old man who had pushed his way over, equally surprised.

It was not that they were making a mountain out of a molehill! Most of these Martial Cultivators were in their twenties or thirties, and even the older ones were under forty. Every one of them was brimming with vitality, with black hair and sturdy builds. Yet Lin Xuankong, standing among them, had a head full of white hair and was nearly sixty!

Lin Xuankong ignored the looks around him and carefully read the notice the Yin Talisman Sect had posted beside the entrance.

The notice roughly stated that the Yin Talisman Sect was recently recruiting disciples and talented people on a large scale, welcoming outstanding individuals to join. It listed some requirements for joining, along with the benefits for sect disciples, Deputy Managers, and others.

After roughly reading through it, Lin Xuankong frowned slightly.

According to the Yin Talisman Sect's notice, anyone wishing to become a Yin Talisman Sect disciple had to undergo a talent test.

However, anyone who had already entered the Mortal Transformation Realm could join directly and become a disciple!

Yet Yin Talisman Sect disciples had to complete certain Yin Talisman Sect missions before they could receive a small amount of ingredients for Nine Revolutions Qi Nourishing Soup, and they would have to wait several months before getting the chance to cultivate the Yin Talisman Art. The treatment for disciples was quite ordinary! Lin Xuankong thought to himself.

Judging from those benefits, even if a Yin Talisman Sect disciple completed every mission, they could only scrape together one portion of Nine Revolutions Qi Nourishing Soup every two days or so. That would not even be enough to sustain his own high-speed cultivation! Not to mention that he would certainly have to obtain some medicinal ingredients for the Young Lady as well!

He continued reading downward.

The requirements for Yin Talisman Sect Deputy Managers were higher. Not only did they have to pass the test, they also had to enter the Combat Tournament.

However, the benefits for Deputy Managers were excellent, far better than those for disciples!

Once an outside Martial Cultivator passed the test and Combat Tournament, they could become a Deputy Manager. Aside from all kinds of authority, they could receive ingredients for two portions of Nine Revolutions Qi Nourishing Soup every day. Furthermore, as long as they completed three Steward Missions, they could immediately cultivate the Yin Talisman Sect's Yin Talisman Lightning, without having to wait several months at all!

Lin Xuankong looked toward the more than one hundred cultivators around him and saw quite a few formidable experts among them.

He secretly pondered, These Rogue Cultivators usually keep their brilliance hidden, but they must surely be crouching tigers and hidden dragons. I cannot underestimate others.

These people were all rushing to join the Yin Talisman Sect because medicinal ingredients were scarce. The positions of Deputy Manager would certainly be fiercely contested!

But I am already at the Early Second Layer. In order to enter the late Second Layer as soon as possible, in order to cultivate the miraculous Yin Talisman Lightning as soon as possible, I must contend with these heroes. Only then will I not have wasted all my painstaking cultivation!

He only did not know what the first test for Yin Talisman Sect Deputy Managers would be.

At that moment, one person emerged from among the many Yin Talisman Sect disciples maintaining order near the entrance. It was Gu Beicheng. Looking at the many Martial Cultivators, he said,

"Esteemed laymen, Manager Jiang has ordered that those wishing to enter our Yin Talisman Sect as disciples may wait for the test in a few days. Those wishing to apply as Deputy Managers may enter the training ground now for the test and Combat Tournament!"

Manager Jiang?

Hearing Gu Beicheng mention Manager Jiang, the image of that Pretty Taoist Nun could not help surfacing in Lin Xuankong's mind, along with what she had said about the Hat Guest.

As his thoughts turned, more than a dozen of the Rogue Cultivators had already headed into the branch.

One of them, a burly man, cupped his fists toward a Martial Cultivator among the crowd with thick brows, large eyes, a square mouth, and a broad nose. "Brother Yang, for the medicinal ingredients my children need for cultivation, I have to fight for this Deputy Manager position no matter what. Aren't you coming?"

The Rogue Cultivator called Brother Yang shook his head.

"Big Brother, you have reached First Layer Perfection, and your combat experience is extremely rich. The others must also each have unique skills!

The Yin Talisman Sect is only recruiting six Deputy Managers. Even if I went in, I would merely make a fool of myself."

Hearing this, the burly man sighed and strode away.

As the Martial Cultivators discussed among themselves, more and more Martial Cultivators emerged from the crowd and headed into the branch.

Cultivator Yang sighed. "The Black Tiger Gang's monopoly over medicinal ingredients has even made the hidden experts of Great Marsh Prefecture unable to sit still! Who would have thought there were so many Rogue Cultivators in Great Marsh Prefecture!"

A Martial Cultivator beside him said,

"Normally, no one wants to join a sect and be restricted by others. Now that there is no other way, we can only attach ourselves to various sects and schools.

But the Yin Talisman Sect has always had a good reputation. Why have only a little over a hundred people come to enter the sect today?"

At that moment, a bald Martial Cultivator stepped out of the crowd. Scratching his bald head, he said,

"I heard the Black Tiger Gang is also recruiting gang members on a large scale, and the terms they offer are quite good. I imagine quite a few Martial Cultivators chose to join the Black Tiger Gang!

But the Black Tiger Gang acts shamelessly. Their seizure of medicinal ingredients was far too vicious! Even if I, Li Er, cannot enter the Yin Talisman Sect and cannot obtain medicinal ingredients, I absolutely will not join that damned Black Tiger Gang!"

When the many Martial Cultivators heard the bald man speak like this, their expressions shifted. Someone smiled at him. "This brother is forthright and straightforward indeed!"

As everyone spoke, Lin Xuankong looked around.

Seeing that no one else was entering the branch, he straightened up and strode toward the entrance.

The Martial Cultivators who had been chatting animatedly all revealed surprised expressions when they saw this white-haired old man walking toward the entrance at this moment.

Gu Beicheng clearly did not recognize Lin Xuankong. He frowned at the frail old man before him. "Old sir, what business do you have here? Our Yin Talisman Sect is recruiting Deputy Managers—"

Someone suddenly spoke from the crowd.

"Isn't that Brother Lin, who often carries a flatbread pole and sells flatbread through the streets?

Brother Lin, why have you come here? The Yin Talisman Sect is recruiting disciples. This is not a place you can come to casually!"

This person seemed afraid that Lin Xuankong was hard of hearing, so he deliberately shouted loudly out of good intentions.

With a snort of laughter,

a Long-Faced Cultivator with a slightly sickly crimson complexion laughed amid the crowd.

This Long-Faced Cultivator looked eighteen or nineteen. Smiling, he said, "So this old man sells flatbread. He stood beside me and stared at the notice for ages just now. It seems he did not understand what was written on it. But after listening to us talk for so long, he should have understood by now. Could it be that his mind is muddled?"

Seeing the mockery on his face, Cultivator Yang could not help saying, "It is not easy for someone to reach such an age. This brother should not ridicule him!"

The Long-Faced Cultivator froze, his smile becoming somewhat stiff. He muttered, "What's it to you..."

Lin Xuankong ignored everyone's discussion and said to Gu Beicheng, "Taoist priest, I have come to join your sect and apply for a Deputy Manager position!"

The moment he said this, the expressions of the Martial Cultivators around him all turned strange.

With another snort of laughter, the Long-Faced Cultivator could not help laughing aloud again.

With a strange lilt in his voice, he laughed. "An old man selling flatbread wants to join the Yin Talisman Sect, and even plans to defeat others to become a high-ranking Deputy Manager? Old man, at your age, I'm afraid even pushing a cart would be difficult. Even buying soy sauce would be hard for you, wouldn't it!"

"Brother Lin, hurry home. This is the Yin Talisman Sect, not a place for jokes!" someone reminded him in a low voice.

Upon hearing what those two said,

quite a few of the Martial Cultivators burst into laughter, constantly pointing at Lin Xuankong. Some, however, showed a trace of doubt in their eyes as they carefully sized him up.

Lin Xuankong stood alone before the crowd as laughter, discussion, and sighs continuously came from behind him.

He frowned at Gu Beicheng. "Your sect is recruiting Martial Cultivators on a large scale. Is there an age limit?"

Seeing that he was elderly and being mocked and discussed by everyone, Gu Beicheng felt somewhat unable to bear it. He gave a Taoist salute. "This old layman, there is an age limit for applying as a disciple, but there is no age limit for the position of Deputy Manager.

You only need to pass the test and defeat the others in the Combat Tournament. But when everyone fights each other in the tournament, accidents are inevitable! Fists and feet have no eyes, old layman, at your age..."

Lin Xuankong stepped inside. "If my strength is lacking and I am beaten to death, I will have no regrets!"

Gu Beicheng had wanted to say more, but seeing Lin Xuankong's decisive tone and his steady, powerful steps, his eyes shifted. He swallowed the words of persuasion that had reached his lips.

After looking at Lin Xuankong's back several more times, he could not help stroking his three wisps of long beard. He secretly thought, Why does this person's back feel somewhat familiar, as though I have seen it somewhere before?