Job Posting Board

By the time the two returned to the martial hall, the sky had already turned dim.

The fellow disciples in the communal dormitory saw the injured Zhang Hu but said nothing, as if such sights were commonplace.

When they went out under the banner of the Black Stone Martial Hall to escort caravans or take on odd jobs, how could they avoid getting hurt? Some even ended up dead.

If one were left with a disability or a lingering ailment, they could only blame their own bad luck; after all, those legendary, sky-high priced medicinal treatments were completely out of their reach.

Even a single Blood Coagulation Pill was enough to make these outer-court disciples despair.

This time, Zhang Hu remained in a deep, unconscious sleep until the middle of the night.

He opened his eyes to see Zhou Yun, who had been keeping watch for half the night, and the brocade garment hanging at the head of the bed. Hot tears welled up in his eyes and finally spilled over.

Zhang Hu choked back his sobs, gritting his teeth as he forced out the words.

"Brother Yun, I'm sorry."

"I shouldn't have tried to steal Lu Meng's clothes. I'm a piece of trash! I'm nothing but trash!"

Zhang Hu slapped himself frantically, as if only this could lighten the guilt in his heart.

Zhou Yun had been the big brother he followed since childhood, yet he had let himself be blinded by the promise of a future in martial arts.

He had thought he was gambling for a chance, never imagining that the so-called Senior Brother Wang was merely using him as a human punching bag to win a beauty's smile.

Had Zhou Yun not appeared, he would have been crippled for life, unable to even till the fields back home.

In this era, a common farmer unable to work the land was practically handed a death sentence.

The sound of slapping continued to ring out.

Zhou Yun said nothing, merely watching quietly.

It was only when Zhang Hu had beaten his own face into a swollen mess that Zhou Yun finally caught his hand.

"That's enough. The one tael of silver I owed your family—let's consider that settled today."

Zhou Yun didn't say much more; he could understand why Zhang Hu had done what he did.

But some things, once done, carried consequences that had to be borne.

"Alright! As long as you don't chase me away, Brother Yun!"

Zhang Hu was covered in tears. It wasn't the silver he worried about; his greatest fear was that the big brother he had followed since he was a child would cut ties with him.

"I've decided. From now on, I won't kill myself trying to pursue the martial path. I'll take on more odd jobs outside, save up some money, marry a wife, and live a stable life with my mother."

Zhang Hu wiped away his snot and tears, a look of firm resolve appearing in his eyes.

"But you're different, Brother Yun. Your foundation is better than mine. If you're willing to put in the work, you'll definitely be able to break through to the Bright Force!"

"If you ever need anything from me, just say the word!"

The youth patted his chest, the gloom from moments ago completely swept away, as if he had found a new hope for his life.

Zhou Yun was silent for a moment, then simply patted his shoulder.

"It's good that you've thought it through. Get some rest."

The night deepened, and the sound of snoring rose and fell throughout the communal dormitory.

By dawn, a new day began.

[Daily Settlement: Though not yet a martial practitioner, you defeated an opponent of a higher level. Even as a mortal fighter, your talent is evident. Rating: Mid-Grade C.]

[Obtained: Three wisps of blood-qi, establishing a martial foundation. Reward: One Blood Coagulation Pill, significantly increasing the chance of breaking through to the Bright Force.]

"The reward for an 'over-level' victory is this significant? I thought if I didn't practice my punches, the reward would be inferior to yesterday's."

As soon as Zhou Yun opened his eyes, he saw the settlement panel before him.

In that case, it wasn't just practicing punches or standing in horse stance; anything related to the martial path could be counted toward the settlement.

There was no need to worry about losing out on rewards if he changed his routine; in fact, he could try doing other things instead.

After all, this Blood Coagulation Pill was a rare and precious item.

Don't let the fact that that Senior Brother Wang was willing to sell it cheaply to Zhang Hu just to win a smile fool you.

On the open market, you wouldn't be able to get one for less than three taels of silver.

"Three taels of silver. The debt owed to the Sea Whale Gang should be cleared now."

Zhou Yun currently had two Blood Coagulation Pills. One was completely redundant and could be sold to pay off the debt.

Combined with his usual savings, the family's debts should be mostly settled, allowing him to focus on his martial arts with peace of mind.

With his thoughts clear and his mood excellent, Zhou Yun rose and headed toward the Martial Arts Arena.

Unlike other days, many inner and outer-court disciples were already gathered there early in the morning.

In the arena, a large wooden board was plastered with dozens of notices.

"Excuse me, Senior Brother, what is this about today..."

Zhou Yun found an inner-court disciple who was peeling off a notice and asked with a cupped-hand salute.

"Oh? You must be a junior brother from the outer courtyard, right?"

The young man, possessing heroic brows and a handsome face, said with a chuckle:

"This is our Black Stone Martial Hall's Job Posting Board, updated every three months. It lists positions and requirements from various factions in Black Stone County, though it's rare for outer courtyard juniors to take on these tasks."

Zhou Yun understood immediately: "Many thanks, Senior Brother. May I ask your name?"

"My name is Chen Jingping. You can just call me Senior Brother Chen."

This Senior Brother Chen waved his hand, seemingly not taking the matter to heart: "These postings are divided into part-time and full-time, with different stipends. They often involve gang conflicts and various vendettas, so it's best to wait until you reach Bright Force before taking them on."

Zhou Yun nodded, half-understanding. He had heard of these postings before joining the hall, as the minimum requirement was usually Bright Force.

Most of them, even the part-time ones, offered a monthly stipend of one tael of silver, which would easily cover his tuition fees at the martial hall.

He looked at the board again and saw several positions that required the Dark Force level to accept, with monthly stipends as high as ten taels of silver, or even a Blood Coagulation Pill.

However, most of them involved the grudges of various families; once you entered the fray, it was difficult to pull yourself out.

This was the first time Zhou Yun had heard about the complexities involved.

He was just about to thank Senior Brother Chen Jingping again when he saw him walking away with three other inner courtyard disciples—two men and one woman.

Among them, there were two figures he recognized.

"Senior Brother Chen, which family's posting did you take this time? You actually had the leisure to chat with an outer courtyard disciple."

The youth, with an arrogant expression, tilted his head slightly and glanced at Zhou Yun in the distance with disdain: "Disciples from the outer courtyard like him will never touch the threshold of Dark Force in their entire lives. They aren't worth our time."

"You differ in opinion, Junior Brother Liang. This person is also a member of our Black Stone Martial Hall; there is no harm in offering a few words of guidance."

Chen Jingping remained as gentle as jade, speaking unhurriedly.

"A waste of time. Instead of wasting breath on him, I'd rather ask Senior Sister Shen about tasks at her escort agency to trade for a few Blood Coagulation Pills to try."

Having said that, Liang Chengshi put his hands behind his head and ran grinning toward the girl in white.

"Senior Sister Shen, does the Sky Sea Escort Agency have any work lately? Could you recommend me for something?"

This person was Shen Qingxue. Her expression was cold, and she frowned slightly:

"If Junior Brother Liang has needs, Master Liang should be able to satisfy them fully."

"That old fossil, my father, keeps saying you shouldn't eat too many medicinal pills because of pill toxins, and that you should focus on tempering the body... but these days, who doesn't grow strong by consuming heavenly treasures?"

Liang Chengshi crossed his arms and looked up at another tall, well-built man: "Senior Brother Wang, you just returned from Xiang City. Tell me, isn't that the truth?"

The man was Wang Lan. He narrowed his eyes and smiled: "Junior Brother Liang is not wrong, but there are some things where it is better to listen to Master Liang's advice."

"Listen to that old fossil's advice? I'd rather find my own way."

Liang Chengshi kept his hands behind his head and strode toward the inner courtyard.

"That person... he seems a bit familiar..."

Before leaving, Shen Qingxue glanced at the figure of Zhou Yun practicing martial arts, then shook her head.