Three Divisions Vie for Him [Please Follow!]

The steward's recruitment offer.

That would be a meteoric rise.

An ordinary trainee.

An ordinary disciple.

There was a fundamental difference between the two and disciples under a steward.

It wasn't just a matter of status; there were other differences too. Take giving orders, for instance. An ordinary manager couldn't order around disciples under a steward. They belonged to the steward, so ordering them around would be an overstep.

At that moment,

Li Ye felt as though he'd been slapped hard across the face.

However, just as everyone expected Wen Jiu to nod without hesitation, he merely bowed and offered his thanks.

"Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Steward Mu!"

Having lived two lives,

Wen Jiu knew all too well that if you were going to throw in your lot with someone, you had to choose the right person.

In the cultivation world, choosing the wrong person

could make life miserable, with trouble piling up—and that was the least of it.

If it cost you your life,

that was no small matter.

So Wen Jiu instinctively looked toward Wang Nian. As an Immortal Second Generation, Wang Nian knew many things others didn't.

Take Mu Canglong's character, for instance. Wen Jiu didn't know what he was like, but Wang Nian surely did.

When Wang Nian noticed Wen Jiu looking at him, he couldn't help feeling delighted. Those few Yin Dispelling Talismans hadn't gone to waste. "Wen, don't rush into anything... I'll ask my second uncle later whether he needs more people."

At that,

Mu Canglong's expression tightened.

He knew who Wang Nian's second uncle was, and he knew why Wang Nian had said that.

"Then I'll come back tomorrow."

Leaving those words behind, Mu Canglong waved his hand and carried off the female cultivator's corpse, leaving the others with only a streak of sword light.

Soon,

everyone began to disperse.

Wang Nian took Wen Jiu back with him, explaining as they flew on his sword, "Kid, don't get the wrong idea. I can't just introduce you to the Alchemy Room. Getting in is incredibly strict. First of all, you need a wood-attributed Low-grade Spirit Root."

Wen Jiu understood. "I get what you mean, Brother Wang."

"Talking to a clever fellow is always a relief. Actually, Flying Immortal Peak has seven branches: the Night Patrol Division, the Alchemy Room, the Talisman Room, the Artifact Refining Tower, the Spirit Farming Division, the Monster Slaying Division, and the Demon Suppressing Division. Once word gets around that you killed a Qi Refining Second Layer spy, they'll definitely come recruit you. So we need to wait and see who offers the best terms!"

Wang Nian gave a sly grin.

He was unusually excited,

as if he were the one being recruited.

Wen Jiu went over Wang Nian's words in his mind. He hadn't expected Flying Immortal Peak to have so many branches.

The Alchemy Room and Talisman Room made sense.

But the Monster Slaying Division

and the Demon Suppressing Division—

were they for dealing with demons?

Putting those thoughts aside, Wen Jiu hurriedly thanked him.

This was where having a big brother who could break through the walls of ignorance really mattered.

Without Wang Nian,

he would have agreed on the spot.

"Thank you, Brother Wang."

"What are you thanking me for? You earned this yourself. In the past fifty years, you're the only trainee to reach Qi Refining Second Layer and slay an outside enemy single-handedly!" Wang Nian sounded full of admiration and excitement as he said this.

Early the next morning,

Wen Ya brought him food again.

This time, it was much more lavish than usual.

It was actually Low-grade Spirit Rice.

An expensive delicacy that cost a hundred taels per jin, it was beyond the means of ordinary people. Only the true disciples of Corpse Peak could just barely afford to eat it.

As soon as she entered the room, Wen Ya told him everything about the sudden improvement in her situation at the Xu Family. She spoke most about the manager who had stood up for her.

She didn't know who he was.

Nor did she know why he'd done it.

At this,

Wen Jiu only smiled without saying a word.

This was also one of Wen Jiu's motivations for climbing higher:

to give his family a better life.

While grateful to Wang Nian, Wen Jiu shoveled down the Spirit Rice. He had to admit, even Low-grade Spirit Rice was rich in Spiritual Qi and had a delicate texture.

When they returned to the Dead Corpse Land,

the corpse buriers clearly hadn't heard about the previous night. They treated him with respect, but they weren't fawning over him.

As soon as Wang Nian arrived, he took attendance, dismissed everyone, then hurriedly pulled Wen Jiu away.

"Listen, word about you spread across the side peaks last night. Even though you've got an Inferior Spiritual Root and cultivate the Unorthodox Path, someone's still taken an interest in you!" Wang Nian said, emphasizing the final six words. "The Demon Suppressing Division and the Monster Slaying Division!"

"Come on, come on! They're all waiting for you!"

Wang Nian rose into the air on his sword and took Wen Jiu to the manager's office.

Before Wen Jiu could ask anything more, Wang Nian hurriedly ushered him into the hall of the manager's office.

There were three people in the hall.

Steward Mu from the previous night was there.

The other two were men. One glared fiercely and was powerfully built, clad in heavy crimson armor. Just one look at him was enough to make your heart skip a beat.

The other wore a green robe and was much slimmer, but the aura he gave off was just as intimidating.

It was only because Wen Jiu had lived two lives and seen plenty of the world that he didn't drop to his knees under the pressure of their presence and aura.

"Not bad. Your aura is steady and restrained. It seems the Corpse Nurturing Art hasn't cost you too much of your lifespan or foundation." Before Wen Jiu could even bow, the burly man with the fierce glare spoke first. Then he added, "Kid, how about joining my Demon Suppressing Division? I'll teach you the top-tier Qi Refining Cultivation Method, the Demon Suppressing Art, and give you a year's access to the Demon Flame Grotto!"

"You sure are generous..." The green-robed cultivator chimed in, unwilling to be outdone. "I'm Li Qing, a steward of the Monster Slaying Division. I'm here on its behalf. If you're willing to join, I'll grant you the top-tier Qi Refining Cultivation Method, the Monster Slaying Art, plus three years of cultivation at the Spirit Pool. That should make up for the damage caused by practicing the Unorthodox Path."

When he finished,

the two exchanged a glance,

both brimming with hostility.

Wen Jiu could only smile helplessly and hurriedly bow in thanks. "Thank you both for your kind offers. I'm truly overwhelmed... But there's something I don't understand. What do the Demon Suppressing Division and the Monster Slaying Division do?"

"Slay monsters!"

Li Qing answered first.

The burly man with the fierce glare replied proudly, "Exterminate demons and defend the Way! Slay evil and demonic outsiders, and safeguard the peace of the mortal world and Flying Immortal Peak!"

Wen Jiu cupped his hands and bowed again.

Then his gaze settled on Steward Mu of the Night Patrol Division, who had remained silent the whole time.

To be honest,

he didn't want to join either of those two divisions.

He didn't know how valuable their offers were, or how much the Demon Flame Grotto and the Spirit Pool could help his cultivation.

But he had no interest in slaying monsters or suppressing demons.

All he wanted was to nurture corpses in peace,

and quietly wait for the Daily Settlement Panel.

Seeing this, the chill on Mu Canglong's face eased, and the corners of his mouth lifted in a faint smile. "I can't offer you a place like the Demon Flame Grotto. The Night Patrol Division doesn't have one... But I can give you the rest of the Yin Province Corpse Nurturing Art, a Low-grade Corpse Artifact, and a Low-grade Corpse Nurturing Bead."

Before Wen Jiu could speak, Li Qing interjected. "Fellow Daoist Mu, you're not even willing to teach him the Night Wind Art of the Night Patrol Division?"

The burly man with the fierce glare chimed in too. "How stingy!"

Mu Canglong shot them a cold look. "You two may be generous, but what good does that do? He has a natural talent for the Unorthodox Path, yet you want him to switch cultivation methods. Don't forget, he has an Inferior Spiritual Root... If you're recruiting disciples, you have to teach them according to their aptitudes!"

The next moment,

the three of them started arguing.

Wang Nian hurriedly pulled Wen Jiu aside,

away from the "battlefield."

After a little while, the three finally stopped, red-faced from arguing.

Seeing his chance, Wen Jiu quickly spoke up. "Steward Mu, there's something I'd like to ask. Can I keep staying in the Dead Corpse Land?"

"You want to keep nurturing corpses here?"

Mu Canglong replied, his face flushed.

Wen Jiu nodded.

Mu Canglong nodded without hesitation. "Of course. As long as you're willing, you can go anywhere within Flying Immortal Peak!"

"Thank you, Steward Mu." Wen Jiu bowed, then bowed to the other two as well, before changing the subject. "Thank you both for thinking so highly of me, seniors. But I know my own abilities. I can only cultivate the Unorthodox Path, so I choose the Night Patrol Division!"

The moment he finished,

the other two still wanted to press their case.

But Mu Canglong snatched the floor from them and immediately began ushering them out, refusing to give them a chance to drag things out.

With no other choice,

Li Qing and the other man had to leave.

After seeing them off, Mu Canglong left Wen Jiu with a final remark before departing as well. "Come find me at the Night Patrol Division tomorrow!"

As soon as Mu Canglong left,

Wang Nian excitedly slapped Wen Jiu on the shoulder.

He was thrilled.

But also rather puzzled.

"Do you know what kind of treasures the Demon Flame Grotto and the Spirit Pool are? Ordinary disciples need to make major contributions to cultivate in either place, but you turned them down."

Wen Jiu didn't say anything.

But at that moment, his resolve only grew firmer.

In the sect,

you had to show what you could do when the time was right.

But when it was time to cultivate in peace, you had to choose stability.

Showing your worth was how you climbed higher,

gained more resources,

and improved your circumstances.

Staying safe, on the other hand, was how you stayed alive.

The Demon Suppressing Division and the Monster Slaying Division offered excellent benefits, but slaying monsters and suppressing demons surely came with heavy casualties.

When cultivating immortality,

didn't you have to stay alive to become an immortal?

With the Daily Settlement Panel, why take the risk?

[Second update, same as usual.

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