Sudden Assembly

On the plaza, a dense crowd of people stood in dead silence. Every chore servant disciple felt a sense of unease, their gazes locked tightly onto the Chief Steward Wang Fugui standing on the high platform.

The urgent tolling of the bell still echoed in their ears.

Everyone stared at Chief Steward Wang with wide eyes, their faces etched with panic and confusion.

Finally, a disciple with a bit more courage in the crowd asked in a trembling voice, "Chief Steward Wang, is the assessment starting ahead of schedule? Wasn't there supposed to be three months left?"

As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately triggered a wave of restless murmurs.

Everyone's heart was in their throat; if the assessment were to start now, the vast majority of them would be directly expelled from the sect without even a chance to make a final struggle.

"Ahead of schedule?"

Wang Fugui stood on the high platform, looking down at the crowd with his usual cynical smirk.

He cleared his throat and said in a shrill voice, "It's not about that. Since when does the sect change its rules on a whim?"

Hearing this, the crowd below let out a collective sigh of relief, their tense bodies relaxing significantly.

Wang Fugui enjoyed the feeling of controlling everyone's emotions; he paused, intentionally keeping them in suspense.

Only then did he continue at a leisurely pace: "However, the reason I've gathered everyone today is to announce a major event. For some of you, especially those working in the Miscellaneous Affairs Department, this is a tremendous stroke of good fortune!"

Good fortune?

These two words, coming from Wang Fugui, left everyone feeling stunned.

They truly couldn't imagine what kind of "good fortune" this steward, who took pleasure in exploiting chore servants, could possibly bring them.

Wang Fugui watched the confused expressions of the disciples below, the look of smugness on his face growing even more pronounced.

He announced loudly, "The sect has just issued a new regulation. From now on, certain high-performing inner sect disciples will be granted special permission to choose their own exclusive chore servants!"

"Simply put, you can be selected as attendants to be brought into their respective main peak cave abodes to serve them!"

Once these words were out, the entire plaza fell into a dead silence, followed immediately by an earth-shattering uproar.

"What? We can go serve the inner sect brothers and sisters?"

"Is this for real? Can we chore servants actually enter the main peaks?"

Wang Fugui was very satisfied with this effect. He raised a hand to press down, signaling for everyone to be quiet.

He continued in a tone full of temptation: "Don't underestimate this opportunity. Most of the inner sect disciples who are eligible to choose attendants hold high status within the sect and possess deep backgrounds."

"In the past, the sect's management was strict. Even if they brought servants from the mortal world, they had to be uniformly assigned to our Chore Servant Courtyard."

"But now, it's different!"

Wang Fugui's tone rose sharply.

"Once you are chosen, it means you've ascended to the heavens in a single step. Think about it: serving one person is much more comfortable than moving endless bricks and processing endless waste here all day, right?"

"Besides, what kind of places are those main peaks? They are the sect's sacred grounds for cultivation. The concentration of spiritual energy there is more than ten times richer than in this godforsaken Chore Servant Courtyard of ours!"

"When that time comes, not only will your work be easier, but your cultivation environment will improve, and your treatment—including food, clothing, and supplies—will be greatly enhanced!"

"Whatever the inner sect brothers and sisters let slip through their fingers will be more than enough for you to benefit infinitely. Pills, magical artifacts, guidance on cultivation techniques—all these benefits you never dared to dream of before could potentially be yours!"

Wang Fugui's words struck a chord with a large number of chore servants.

In an instant, countless people's eyes turned red.

Ascending to the heavens in a single step!

For these chore servants struggling at the bottom with no hope in sight, these words held a fatal attraction.

They could already see themselves escaping their sea of misery, wearing clean clothes, and cultivating in cave abodes rich with spiritual energy.

They imagined receiving pills bestowed by inner sect brothers, their cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds, and securing a bright future that freed them from the fate of being cleared out.

If they could be chosen by an inner sect disciple, wouldn't that be like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, hitting the jackpot?

The atmosphere on the plaza instantly shifted from the previous panic to extreme fanaticism and desire.

Many people had already begun to quietly size up their companions, their eyes filled with competition and vigilance.

However, just as everyone was brimming with excitement, Wang Fugui's next words were like a bucket of cold water poured over many people's heads.

He changed his tone, his voice becoming cryptic and meaningful: "Of course, the inner sect brothers and sisters are of noble status and naturally have the right to choose, but deciding which disciples' names are put on the list for them to pick from—that is an entirely different matter!"

As he spoke, he slowly swept his small eyes over everyone below, wearing an expression that said, "You all understand."

"After all, our Chore Servant Courtyard can't just send anyone up. If we send some clumsy, dishonest waste who displeases the inner sect brothers, it would be the entire Chore Servant Courtyard that loses face, and this old face of mine wouldn't be able to hang anywhere!"

Once these words were spoken, the sharp-witted disciples immediately understood the hidden meaning.

The inner sect disciples had the right to choose, yes, but they could only pick from the list.

And who ultimately decided this list that determined their fates?

It went without saying: it was none other than this Chief Steward Wang standing before them!

Zhou Xuan stood in the crowd, frowning slightly. He had absolutely no interest in becoming someone else's attendant.

He knew very well where his advantages lay: in this Miscellaneous Affairs Department, which was filled with treasures, and in his unique system.

Go serve an inner sect disciple? It sounded easier, and the treatment was better, but for him, that would be no different than cutting off his own future.

The spiritual energy on the main peak was indeed dense, but it was clean and tidy; where would he find so many waste pills, scrap materials, and broken artifacts to absorb for Gold Touch Value?

If he left the scrap heap, his system would become like water without a source. How could he talk about upgrading his Spirit Root or defying the heavens to change his fate?

However, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind, making his heart tighten.

If the rules were followed, and he didn't go, what about Senior Sister Zhang Ling, the Fairy Danhuo?

She was an inner sect disciple, and the daughter of an elder at that; with her exalted status, she certainly had the right to choose her own exclusive chore servant.

Her waste pills were a stable and high-quality source of Gold Touch Value for him—she was practically a walking treasure vault!

If she chose someone else, wouldn't he be cutting off his most important source of wealth?

Zhou Xuan's brain spun rapidly as he carefully weighed the pros and cons.

A moment later, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly; he already had a plan in mind.

There was no need for him to actively fight for this spot.

In fact, even if Wang Fugui submitted his name, it would still depend on which inner sect disciple did the choosing.

As for Zhang Ling, Zhou Xuan sneered in his heart.

The reputation of that Explosion Immortal was thunderous within the Chore Servant Courtyard; who didn't know that working for her was equivalent to hanging one's head on one's belt?

Her pill room had a small explosion every three days and a big one every five, making it even more lethal than the scrap heap at the Miscellaneous Affairs Department.

It was likely that even if Wang Fugui tried to force the spot on someone, no one would be willing to go.

When the time came, he could see which unlucky soul took the job, and he could proactively approach them to offer to help handle those dangerous waste pill dregs.

The other party would surely be desperate to dump that hot potato, allowing him to not only continue gaining resources but also to do them a favor.

Perfect!

The more Zhou Xuan thought about it, the more feasible the plan seemed; he really was a genius!

Just as Zhou Xuan was calculating his own little schemes, Wang Fugui on the stage had already issued his final order.

"Alright, I've finished saying what needed to be said!"

He stood with his hands behind his back, puffing out his belly, speaking with the full weight of his official authority.

"The sect is pressing hard. In three days, I will submit the preliminary list of official candidates. You all had better perform well!"

"Remember, you only get one chance. If you miss it, it's gone. Don't come crying and wailing to me when your name isn't on the list; it'll be too late by then!"

The meaning behind these words couldn't be more obvious. There were three days left; those who needed to give gifts should do so quickly, and those who needed to pay their respects should hurry. Don't wait until the dust has settled to regret it!

After Wang Fugui finished speaking, he ignored the crowd below, who wore various expressions, and swaggered away with the stewards from the Deacon Hall.

As soon as he left, the entire plaza erupted into chaos, but the clamor lasted only for a brief moment. Immediately after, the crowd dispersed at an incredible speed.

For a time, everyone was in a hurry; many people walked quickly while quietly exchanging glances with those they were familiar with.

Even more people kept their heads down, sprinting toward their living quarters without saying a word.

Judging by their anxious expressions, they were clearly rushing back to rummage through their chests and cabinets, searching for their hidden treasures to "grease the wheels" for their futures.