"Whew!"
Chen Xian flipped through the task ledger Liu Yuanbao had put together for him, then sighed deeply.
"Grand Uncle-Master? How is it? Is there anything you'd like to take on?"
Seeing him sigh, Liu Yuanbao knew that Grand Uncle-Master Chen hadn't found a task he liked.
He tentatively flipped to a page and pointed at one of the tasks with his thick finger. "How about this one? Feed the Snow Velvet Beasts at Beast Taming Peak twice a day for three days. You'll earn six Contribution Points."
"Snow Velvet Beasts are gentle and don't eat much, so it's a pretty easy job."
After saying that, he leaned close to Chen Xian's ear and whispered, "This task is extremely popular with new disciples. As soon as it goes up on the notice board, it'll be snapped up."
"Whew... The work really is easy, but the Contribution Points are too few."
Chen Xian knew Liu Yuanbao had been looking out for him, picking out these easy tasks ahead of time so he could choose from them.
But six Contribution Points for three days' work was far too little.
A single Qi Induction Pill cost ten Contribution Points. He'd have to work for a week just to afford one.
It wasn't worth it for him.
Even if he took this task, he could still accept others, like sweeping and watering plants. He could work on several tasks at once and earn enough for two Qi Induction Pills in a week.
But then he wouldn't have time to cultivate, which would be putting the cart before the horse.
"Are there any tasks worth ten or twenty Contribution Points that I could do?"
Chen Xian closed the elderly-only task ledger that had been "tailor-made" for him and looked at Liu Yuanbao expectantly.
Liu Yuanbao smiled helplessly. "Even the simplest task of delivering medicinal herbs requires Sword Disciple rank six. You need to learn to fly on a sword before you can take it."
"It's not that I don't want to help you, Grand Uncle-Master. You just don't meet the requirements."
"Whew! Whew! Whew!"
Chen Xian sighed three times, no longer wanting to make things difficult for Liu Yuanbao.
"Old Chen, what are you doing here? Why are you sighing?"
Just then, a familiar voice sounded behind Chen Xian.
From the way she addressed him, Chen Xian knew it was that little brat Shangguan Hongyue.
She was the only person in the whole sect who didn't respect him as her Grand Uncle-Master.
"Little Yue, is your head itching again?"
Chen Xian turned around and raised a hand as if to give her a knuckle tap.
Shangguan Hongyue saw it coming. She tilted to the side and dodged, then made a face at him. "Hehe, old man, you're too slow."
"Tell me, what are you sighing about?"
She grabbed hold of Chen Xian's old arm, like he had a mischievous granddaughter.
"I..." Chen Xian had only just begun to speak.
Shangguan Hongyue's gaze fell on the task ledger in his hands. "Are you short on money?"
Chen Xian nodded and raised an eyebrow. "I'm not very happy with any of these tasks. Do you know another way to earn Contribution Points?"
"Nope."
Shangguan Hongyue shook her head. There were only a few ways to earn Contribution Points, and none she knew of suited an old weakling like Chen Xian.
"Then why'd you even ask?"
Chen Xian was speechless. He felt like she was deliberately trying to get under his skin.
"How about this? I'll transfer you fifty Contribution Points. You can use them for now."
Shangguan Hongyue gave Chen Xian's arm a shake. "But you have to promise to help me with something in a couple of days."
"How could I accept that?"
Chen Xian took out the sect token he used to deposit and withdraw Contribution Points.
"Tch. You say you can't accept it, but your body's pretty honest!"
Shangguan Hongyue pouted, took out her own token, and channeled her Dao Consciousness into it. Then she tapped it against Chen Xian's.
Chen Xian immediately felt a change in his token. He checked it and, sure enough, it had fifty more Contribution Points. "You're too generous, boss!"
"Oh, I should be thanking you for turning in the Six-Winged White Tiger's blood core for me. Let's just say I'm splitting the reward with you!"
Shangguan Hongyue waved it off casually, as if the amount was nothing.
Liu Yuanbao, who was organizing tasks nearby, glanced at her in surprise. He knew the task to kill the Six-Winged White Tiger had only paid fifty Contribution Points in total.
Shangguan Hongyue had given all of it to Grand Uncle-Master Chen.
"What was that thing you said I have to help you with in a couple of days?"
Only after happily accepting the Contribution Points did Chen Xian ask what she wanted.
"Hehe... It's a secret for now. I'll tell you when the time comes."
Shangguan Hongyue gave him a mysterious smile.
Since she wouldn't say, Chen Xian didn't bother pressing her. Surely the girl wouldn't harm him.
"All right, Old Chen, I won't keep you. This young lady's going to take a task."
Shangguan Hongyue let go of Chen Xian's arm and pinched his loose muscles. "Ew, why does your old arm feel stronger than it did a few days ago?"
"I told you, sooner or later my cultivation will surpass yours."
Chen Xian stroked his beard, looking confident.
Shangguan Hongyue didn't take him seriously. "Tch. I've already reached the second level of Dao Master!"
She turned to Liu Yuanbao. "Deacon Liu, do you have any tasks to clear out Blood Beasts?"
"I do, I do!"
Liu Yuanbao patted his round belly, still wearing his usual smiling expression.
"How about this one? Kill two Green-Faced Wolves at levels seven to nine of Dao Disciple and bring back their fangs. The client is offering one hundred Contribution Points."
He casually pulled out a commission slip and handed it to Shangguan Hongyue.
Shangguan Hongyue quickly signed her name. "Thank you, Deacon Liu!"
Chen Xian watched from the side, green with envy. She could earn a hundred Contribution Points from one task. It really paid to have high cultivation!
"See ya!"
"Be careful."
Chen Xian watched Shangguan Hongyue leave and called after her.
He looked at the token in his hand, pondering how to spend the fifty Contribution Points.
If he spent them all on Qi Induction Pills, he could buy five.
But once he used them up, he'd have to find another way to make money. Without any capital left, that would be like draining the pond to catch the fish.
So he had to save some and use it to make more.
"Grand Uncle-Master, if you have something special or a particular skill, you could try setting up a stall at the sect market."
Seeing that he still hadn't left, Liu Yuanbao considered it for a moment before offering his suggestion.
"A stall?" Chen Xian's eyes lit up.
That was right! The Xuanyun Sword Sect had more than thirty thousand inner and outer disciples combined. There was no way every need could be met by tasks posted at the Mission Hall.
Eating, drinking, and having fun all cost Contribution Points.
So the sect market was another good place to trade and make money.
"Yuanbao, thanks for the suggestion. I'll treat you to a meal sometime."
Chen Xian thanked him sincerely.
Liu Yuanbao hurriedly waved his hand with a smile. "You're too kind, Grand Uncle-Master. It's my good fortune to help you solve your problems."
Looking at his kind and respectful demeanor, Chen Xian couldn't help but think that Xuanyun Sword Sect really was a good sect that respected its elders.
Once again, he was glad he'd made the right choice.
After leaving the Mission Hall, Chen Xian walked with his head down, thinking about how to make money at the market.
The first thing that came to mind was his mastery of Candied Hawthorn Making. After all, he'd sold candied hawthorns for nearly sixty years, and he'd long since become adept at all kinds of variations.
First, he'd buy some ingredients for making candied hawthorns. That was the plan!
As he was thinking, he suddenly felt someone blocking his way.
Chen Xian looked up and saw a huge bouquet of colorful flowers right in front of him.
His face filled with question marks. "Wait, I'm already an old man. Is someone actually trying to court me?"