Elder Sun walked ahead, with Chen Yu following behind.
The two soon reached the summit of Emerald Cloud Peak. Unlike Jadewood Peak, it was not flat as though sliced level by a blade. Trees grew thickly on either side, clouds and mist drifted through the air, and a great hall stood directly ahead.
A plaque hung above the entrance, bearing the words "Emerald Cloud Hall" in bold, vigorous calligraphy.
Looking at Emerald Cloud Hall ahead, Elder Sun said, "This is Peak Master Yuan's residence. Normally, Peak Master Yuan must personally review the registration of new disciples, but he is currently away from the Dao Sect, so I handle these matters in his stead."
Hearing this, Chen Yu said, "Thank you for your efforts, Elder Sun."
"It's merely my duty."
Elder Sun slowly pushed open the doors of Emerald Cloud Hall and, knowing the way well, passed through the hall straight into a side room.
Taking out a register and opening it, Elder Sun first found the name "Zhou Yun" and erased it. Once the space was blank, he used his finger as a brush, spiritual power flowing through it. Just as he was about to write, he paused and turned to ask, "What's your name?"
"Chen Yu. Chen is written with the ear radical and the character for east; Yu with fire, sun, and stand."
"Oh."
Elder Sun's finger flew across the page.
Soon,
The name "Chen Yu" appeared in the register.
Next, Elder Sun took out a token and formed a hand seal. Whatever he did caused spiritual light to flicker across the jade token's surface. He handed it to Chen Yu. "Channel a thread of spiritual power into it."
Chen Yu did as instructed.
As the spiritual power entered it, writing immediately appeared on the previously blank white token:
Dao Sect · Emerald Cloud Peak, Outer Sect disciple.
Chen Yu. ```
"That completes it." Elder Sun nodded. "As an official disciple of the Dao Sect's Emerald Cloud Peak, you will receive free lodging, food, clothing, and daily necessities from Emerald Cloud Peak for two years. After those two years, you will need to buy these things yourself."
"As for cultivation, you may choose one cultivation method to practice free of charge. Everything else, such as Martial Skills, pills, and artifacts, must be purchased with spirit essence."
Hearing this, Chen Yu instantly understood why Elder Sun had said that all the Dao Sect's Outer Sect disciples carried some amount of debt.
Lodging, food, clothing, and daily necessities were only free for two years.
Martial Skills, pills, and other cultivation supplies cost money right from the start.
There was only one Ah Zhen.
Who could afford it?
Debt,
Was inevitable.
"If you don't have enough spirit essence, you can come to me for a loan." At this point, a kindly smile appeared on Elder Sun's face. "Sun-Zheng Lending, which I founded with Elder Zheng of Jade Yao Peak, has the lowest interest rates in the entire sect. If you borrow ten pieces of spirit essence, you need only repay the ten-piece principal within one year. Within two years, you repay eleven pieces; within three years, twelve... and so on."
"Moreover, for newly admitted disciples like yourself, I, Elder Sun, can offer you a little discount: two years interest-free."
"..."
Chen Yu fell silent.
He suddenly felt that becoming one of the Dao Sect Outer Disciples might not be such a good thing.
"There's no rush. If you need anything, just come to me anytime." Elder Sun smiled kindly and patted Chen Yu's shoulder, then continued, "Of course, you can also choose to earn spirit essence by accepting sect missions."
"First are the sect's routine missions. Our Emerald Cloud Peak falls under the Discipline Hall. Every month, each official disciple must catch other Outer Sect disciples committing at least three violations. As for which actions count as violations, I'll give you a handbook later. Just memorize it. For each violation you catch beyond the first three that month, you earn one point. If you fail to catch three violations that month, you lose three points for each one you fall short."
"Then there are time-limited missions. Their notices are posted on the mission board halfway up the mountain. Their difficulty and rewards vary, so I won't elaborate here."
"In short, for every hundred points, you can come to me and exchange them for one piece of spirit essence."
"Do you understand?"
Chen Yu nodded. "I understand."
"Mm."
Elder Sun led Chen Yu out of Emerald Cloud Hall.
They headed down the mountain.
Before long, they reached the midpoint of Emerald Cloud Peak. The dining hall, Scripture Repository, Pill Pavilion, Artifact Pavilion, mission board, and Miscellaneous Goods Pavilion, which stocked all sorts of daily necessities, were gathered here... it was effectively the center of Emerald Cloud Peak.
Large numbers of white-robed Outer Sect disciples gathered here, and the most crowded spot was undoubtedly the mission board.
The crowd stood layer upon layer, blocking the mission board completely.
Chen Yu could not even see what the mission board looked like.
All he could hear was the clamoring:
"Haha! I got it! This mission is mine!"
"I was just one step too late! Aaargh!"
"Are there any missions left?"
"No."
"Fuck!"
"..."
When Elder Sun led Chen Yu toward the mission board, the tightly packed disciples hurriedly cleared a path.
They walked up to the mission board.
Chen Yu looked at the few scattered sheets of paper on it.
[Explore Vine Cave Demon Den. Reward: 40 points.]
[Slay "Bokang" (seventh layer of Qi Refining). Reward: 30 points.]
"The ones that remain here for long are all extremely difficult missions. The relatively simple ones get snatched up the moment they appear. So, if you want to accumulate spirit essence by completing missions, you'll have to be quick," Elder Sun said with a smile.
"Come along. I'll take you to collect your outer disciple robes."
They arrived at the Miscellaneous Goods Pavilion.
Elder Sun spoke to someone inside.
Soon, two sets of outer disciple robes were placed in Chen Yu's hands, with the second set serving as a change of clothes.
After collecting the robes, Elder Sun led Chen Yu to the Scripture Repository.
An old man sat at the entrance to the Scripture Repository. Elder Sun stepped forward and explained the situation, then beckoned to Chen Yu. "Go on. You may choose any cultivation method on the first floor of the Scripture Repository. Remember, when choosing a cultivation method, you must select one that matches your spirit embryo's attribute."
Hearing Elder Sun's words, Chen Yu stopped with one foot already inside the Scripture Repository.
He turned around and said to Elder Sun:
"Thank you for the reminder, Elder."
"No need..." Elder Sun waved a hand, but before he could finish, he heard the rest of Chen Yu's sentence.
"May I ask which attribute of cultivation method a false spirit embryo should choose?"
"False spi..." Elder Sun frowned, seriously considering what advice to give Chen Yu. But a moment later, when he realized what he had heard, his eyes widened.
"A false spirit embryo?!"
As he spoke, he took a step forward.
In an instant, he stood before Chen Yu, grabbed his hand, and sent a thread of spiritual power into Chen Yu's meridians.
In that instant, Elder Sun's expression changed drastically, his eyes nearly bulging out:
"You're a false spirit embryo!?"
"A false spirit embryo?"
Nearby, the old man seated at the entrance to the Scripture Repository looked curiously at Chen Yu upon hearing this.
Chen Yu nodded. "Yes."
"Fuck {a kind of plant}!" Elder Sun actually failed to hold back a curse. When he looked at Chen Yu again, the warmth and expectation in his eyes were gone, leaving only disappointment and irritation. "A waste of my time. Go inside and pick whatever you like!"
Reaching the peak of the third layer of Qi Refining in three years-with that kind of speed, how could he have a false spirit embryo!
My supreme-grade spirit essence... ah...
Elder Sun did not want to look at Chen Yu for even another moment.
"Once you've collected your cultivation method, go to the Artifact Pavilion next door and get a sword yourself, then go to the Affairs Pavilion to collect your house key and the handbook of prohibited conduct!"
With that,
Elder Sun strode away without so much as looking back...