The Square was packed with a sea of people, silent as the grave. Every Chore Disciple wore a look of anxious unease, their eyes fixed on Chief Steward Wang atop the platform.
The urgent tolling of the bell still echoed in their ears.
Everyone stared at Chief Steward Wang, eyes wide, their faces full of fear and confusion.
At last, a slightly bolder disciple in the crowd asked in a trembling voice, "Chief Steward Wang, is the assessment starting early? Weren't we told we had three months?"
His question immediately stirred up a wave of agreement.
Everyone's heart leaped into their throats. If the assessment began now, most of them would be driven from the Sect outright, without even a final chance to struggle.
"Early?"
Standing atop the platform, Wang Fugui looked down over the crowd, a familiar, scornful smile curling his lips.
He cleared his throat and said in a shrill voice, "That's not what this is about. The Sect's rules aren't changed just like that."
At his words, the crowd below let out a collective sigh of relief, their tense bodies relaxing.
Wang Fugui relished the feeling of controlling everyone's emotions. He paused, deliberately keeping them in suspense.
Only then did he continue at an unhurried pace. "However, I called you all here today to announce some major news. For some of you, especially those working in the Miscellaneous Affairs Department, it's a tremendous stroke of good fortune!"
Good fortune?
Hearing those words from Wang Fugui left everyone dumbfounded.
They couldn't imagine what good fortune a steward who took pleasure in squeezing Chore Disciples could possibly bring them.
Wang Fugui saw the puzzled looks on the disciples' faces, and his smugness only grew.
He announced loudly, "The Sect has just issued a new rule. From now on, some of the Inner Sect Disciples who have performed exceptionally well will receive special permission to choose their own personal Chore Disciples!"
"To put it simply, they can pick attendants to bring to their respective Cave Abodes on the Main Peaks and wait on them!"
At those words, the entire Square fell into dead silence, then erupted in a thunderous uproar.
"What? We can go serve the Inner Sect Senior Brothers and Sisters?"
"Is that true? We Chore Disciples can enter the Main Peaks too?"
Wang Fugui was pleased with the effect. He raised a hand and pressed down, signaling for everyone to quiet down.
He continued in a tempting tone, "Don't underestimate this opportunity. Most of the Inner Sect Disciples who get to choose attendants hold high standing in the Sect and have powerful connections."
"In the past, the Sect's rules were strict. Even if they brought servants from the mortal world, those servants had to be assigned to our Chore Servant Courtyard."
"But things are different now!"
Wang Fugui's voice suddenly rose.
"If you're chosen, it means you'll soar to the heavens in a single bound. Think about it: serving one person has to be more comfortable than spending all day here hauling endless bricks and processing piles of Scrap, doesn't it?"
"And what kind of place are those Main Peaks? They're the Sect's Sacred Land for cultivation! The Spiritual Energy there is more than ten times denser than in this godforsaken Chore Servant Courtyard!"
"By then, not only will your work be easier and your cultivation environment better, but your food, clothes, and other benefits will improve tremendously too!"
"The Inner Sect Senior Brothers and Sisters could let the tiniest bit slip through their fingers, and it'd be enough to benefit you for the rest of your lives. Pills, Dharma Artifacts, guidance on cultivation techniques—benefits you never dared dream of before could all be yours!"
Wang Fugui's words struck a chord with a huge number of Chore Disciples.
In an instant, countless eyes burned red with excitement.
A single leap to the heavens!
To these Chore Disciples, struggling at the bottom with not the faintest hope in sight, those words held a fatal allure.
They could almost see themselves escaping their misery, dressed in clean clothes and cultivating in a Cave Abode brimming with Spiritual Energy.
They imagined receiving pills from an Inner Sect Senior Brother, their cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds, and at last escaping the fate of being dismissed.
If an Inner Sect Disciple chose them, wouldn't that be like a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate? They'd hit the jackpot!
The atmosphere in the Square shifted in an instant from fearful unease to feverish longing.
Many had already begun sizing up the people around them, their eyes full of rivalry and suspicion.
Yet just as everyone was getting worked up, Wang Fugui's next words poured cold water over many of them.
He changed tack, his tone growing cryptic and meaningful. "Of course, the Inner Sect Senior Brothers and Sisters are people of distinction, so they naturally have the right to choose. But which disciples' names we put forward for them to pick from is another matter entirely!"
As he spoke, he slowly swept his shrewd little eyes over every person below, his face saying, "You all know what I mean."
"After all, we can't send just anyone up from the Chore Servant Courtyard. What if we send someone with sticky fingers, a clumsy fool, or some other good-for-nothing, and upset an Inner Sect Senior Brother? That'd bring shame on the whole Chore Servant Courtyard—and I wouldn't be able to show my face either!"
At those words, the sharp-witted disciples immediately caught the implication.
The Inner Sect Disciples might have the right to choose, but they could only choose from the list.
And who would ultimately compile this list that decided their fates?
It went without saying: the Chief Steward standing right before them, Wang Fugui!
Zhou Xuan stood among the crowd, his brow furrowing slightly. He had no interest whatsoever in becoming someone else's attendant.
He knew exactly where his advantage lay: the treasure-strewn Miscellaneous Affairs Department, and his one-of-a-kind system.
Serving an Inner Sect Disciple? It sounded like easier work and better treatment, but for him, it would be no different from cutting off his own future.
The Spiritual Energy on the Main Peaks was rich, sure, but the place was clean and orderly. Where would he find all those Waste Pills, Scrap, and broken Dharma Artifacts to absorb Gold Touch Value?
Once he left the Scrap heaps, his system would become water without a source. How could he improve his Spirit Root and defy fate then?
Yet a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, making his heart tighten.
If the rules worked this way and he didn't go, what about Senior Sister Zhang Ling, Fairy Danhuo?
She was an Inner Sect Disciple and the daughter of an elder, with a lofty status. She was sure to qualify for a personal Chore Disciple.
Her Waste Pills were a steady, high-quality source of Gold Touch Value for him—practically a mobile treasure vault!
If she chose someone else, wouldn't he lose his most important source of income?
Zhou Xuan's mind raced as he carefully weighed the pros and cons.
A moment later, the corners of his mouth lifted. He already had a plan.
There was no need for him to actively compete for a place on the list.
In any case, even if Wang Fugui submitted his name, it would still depend on which Inner Sect Disciple chose him.
As for Zhang Ling, Zhou Xuan gave a cold laugh to himself.
That Explosion Immortal's reputation echoed through the Chore Servant Courtyard. Who didn't know that working for her meant keeping one's head on the chopping block?
The Pill Room had a small explosion every three days and a big one every five. It was even more dangerous than the Scrap heaps in the Miscellaneous Affairs Department.
Even if Wang Fugui tried to force the position on someone, nobody would be willing to go.
When the time came, once he saw which unlucky fellow got saddled with the job, he could volunteer to help deal with those dangerous Waste Pills and medicinal dregs.
The other person would be more than happy to dump this hot potato on him. He'd keep getting resources and win the other person's gratitude too.
Perfect!
The more Zhou Xuan thought about it, the more workable the plan seemed. He really was a genius!
While Zhou Xuan was scheming to himself, Wang Fugui had already delivered his final command from the platform.
"All right, I've said everything that needs saying!"
With his hands clasped behind his back and his belly thrust out, he spoke with all the pomp of an official.
"The Sect is pressing us, so in three days I'll submit the official preliminary list. You'd all better make a good impression!"
"Remember, you only get one chance. Once it's gone, it's gone. Don't come crying and wailing to me when your name isn't on the list. By then, it'll be too late!"
The meaning could hardly have been clearer. They had three days: anyone with a gift to give should hurry, and anyone who wanted to pay their respects should do it now, not come regretting it once everything was settled!
After speaking, Wang Fugui paid no more attention to the crowd's varied expressions. He strode away grandly with several stewards from the Deacon Hall.
The moment he left, the entire Square erupted in an uproar—but the commotion lasted only briefly. Then the crowd scattered at astonishing speed.
Everyone hurried off, many exchanging knowing glances with familiar faces as they went.
Most lowered their heads and raced silently toward their lodgings.
Judging by their anxious haste, they were clearly rushing back to turn their rooms upside down and dig out their most precious hidden treasures, ready to "work the connections" for their future.
Before you continue