Artisan Lei of the Commandery Seat had once held Li Chen in considerable esteem as well, calling him his worthy nephew and showering him with favor.
But when he asked whether Li Chen would serve his Lineage, Li Chen refused outright.
Artisan Lei had offered neither a definite term of service nor sufficiently generous compensation.
He merely wanted to add another employee to his Lei Family, or even a loyal subject who would serve him devotedly.
Had Li Chen agreed, his prospects would very likely have been confined there, leaving him unable to fulfill his ambitions.
Artisan Zhao, however, treated people sincerely, and the terms he offered were more generous and more appealing.
Moreover, after Old Hou and You An died one after the other, he had gradually realized that Rogue Cultivators truly were like earthen jars forever hovering by the well's edge, bound to shatter sooner or later. They had no security whatsoever.
Free and unfettered? Rogue Cultivators suffer the greatest constraints and oppression in this world. Given the chance, of course it would be better to become a local magnate, the master of a power of my own! But before that, I need to seek patronage, attach myself to someone, and build a sufficient foundation.
To avoid repeating those mistakes, Li Chen was willing to try things he had been unwilling to do in the past.
Of course, the condition was that he must not lose the yearning for freedom that had first driven him as a Rogue Cultivator.
Li Chen pondered this thoughtfully, then rose to take his leave of Artisan Zhao.
"Wait." Artisan Zhao suddenly stopped him and instructed him, "I will notify you directly of any business, or have Yan Xiang and the others pass it along. When the time comes, just do as I