"Then, fellow Daoist, would you be interested in becoming a guest elder of Azure Dragon Mountain?"
At Li Ping's words, Meng Qingyi's eyes lit up. "Fellow Daoist Li, to be frank, that is precisely why I came today. With your Foundation Establishment cultivation, becoming a guest elder of Azure Dragon Mountain would entitle you to a free second-tier cultivation abode. You could also choose a primary cultivation method from Azure Dragon Mountain's Dharma Transmission Pavilion free of charge, and receive an annual allotment of spirit stones."
More than ten days earlier, when the signs of Foundation Establishment had faded, he had already investigated Li Ping.
He knew that Li Ping had a clean background and disliked stirring up trouble, devoting himself solely to diligent cultivation.
He naturally felt well disposed toward such a cultivator. Bringing him into Azure Dragon Mountain would also add to its strength.
Satisfaction appeared in Li Ping's eyes as he listened to these terms.
Renting an entire second-tier cultivation abode cost dozens of spirit stones a year. A hundred years' rent would amount to the price of a Foundation Establishment Pill.
And a High-Tier Cultivation Method cost at least several hundred spirit stones.
If he could obtain both the abode and the cultivation method for free, that would undoubtedly ease his financial burden considerably.
After thinking for a moment, he said hesitantly, "Actually, if your esteemed master hadn't established this immortal city, I probably would never have had the chance to reach Foundation Establishment. That is why I hold the Azure Dragon Mountain Lineage in such high regard. It's just that... my strength is meager, and I'm not sure whether I could fulfill a guest elder's duties."
What he really wanted was to ask about the specifics of the guest elder position.
For example, whether the workload was heavy, whether the work was dangerous, and whether there was overtime pay...
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Li. Apart from having to complete certain Immortal City assignments at regular intervals, our guest elders are free to arrange their time as they please. The Immortal City also awards spirit stones upon completion of those assignments." Fairy Meng chuckled. "Furthermore, since your cultivation is at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, the Immortal City won't assign you tasks beyond your abilities."
"As for restrictions, there is one. After becoming a guest elder of this city, you must serve for a full sixty years before you can leave. Otherwise, you must repay ten times the cost of the cultivation method and abode you received free of charge..."
Li Ping nodded. "I see."
Such restrictions were normal. After all, the immortal city offered generous terms to recruit guest elders; it could hardly support him for nothing.
He was not particularly concerned about the Immortal City's mandatory assignments.
With the Inheritance Tree, he was destined to achieve great things in numerous Cultivation Crafts. Becoming a second-tier talisman maker or a second-tier Pill Refiner was entirely foreseeable.
When that time came, the Immortal City would surely give him production assignments, which would not pose any danger.
Only the sixty-year service requirement made him hesitate. After all, he had only lived about forty years in this life, yet now he was about to sign away sixty years in a single contract.
Still, from what Li Ping had learned, the city's terms were not actually excessive. Among the nations of the Western Wasteland, only Windmist Immortal City could truly be considered a haven for rogue cultivators.
The sects in the surrounding nations preferred to raise their own cultivators from childhood. For a rogue cultivator like Li Ping, their entry requirements were far harsher than the immortal city's.
Cultivation Families were even more closed off. Unless he agreed to marry into one as a live-in son-in-law, joining was impossible.
The sects of Yan and Liang, the two nations in the northern Western Wasteland, were quite willing to accept rogue cultivators. However, their territories bordered the grasslands, and great wars broke out year after year against the Tuluo People cultivators there. It was far too dangerous. Li Ping would sooner become a live-in son-in-law than go there.
Fine. Sixty years it is!
Li Ping sighed inwardly before speaking. "Fairy Meng, I need some time to consider it. Would it be all right if I gave you my answer within ten days?"
In truth, Li Ping had already decided to join the Azure Dragon Mountain Lineage and become an Immortal City Retainer.
He only asked for time to consider so that he could use other channels to verify what Meng Qingyi had said and make one final check.
Fairy Meng had anticipated Li Ping's response. She smiled and said, "Of course there's no problem with giving it careful consideration, fellow Daoist. Feel free to ask around. The terms the Azure Dragon Mountain Lineage offers its guest elders are the most generous in all the surrounding nations."
After bidding Meng Qingyi farewell, Li Ping headed toward the outer city.
The rent for a second-tier cultivation abode was too expensive. His usual residence was actually in the outer city; he had only rented this abode to attempt Foundation Establishment.
In the outer city, Li Ping had just reached a Leatherworking Shop in Black Garment Alley when he heard conversation coming from inside.
Judging by their voices, the speakers were a young man and an old man.
The young man sounded somewhat distracted. "Big Brother went to the inner city to attempt Foundation Establishment. I wonder if he succeeded."
The old man's voice was full of disdain. "That Li brat does have some ability, but do you think Foundation Establishment is so easy?"
"He swindled so many spirit stones out of you. If he failed, he probably slipped out of the immortal city and vanished without a trace. And even if... even if fortune really did shine on him and he succeeded, he probably wouldn't bother with you lot anymore."
"Only a fool like you would believe his nonsense."
As the old man spoke, he remained indignant. "Just talking about it makes me furious. How did I end up taking such a foolish disciple? That Li brat coaxed you into swearing that oath to 'reach Foundation Establishment together,' and over nearly twenty years, you must have handed him four or five hundred spirit stones. That would have been enough to buy a second-tier Tanner inheritance! Now it's all been thrown into the water!"
"Master, Big Brother wouldn't deceive me!" the young man retorted, refusing to accept the old man's words.
"This foolish disciple is going to be the death of me!" The old man's voice brimmed with the frustration of seeing iron refuse to become steel.
"Ahem..."
After listening for a while, Li Ping cleared his throat twice and stepped into the hide-processing shop.
His cough also alerted the two figures in the center of the shop, who were busy breaking down a Demon Beast's hide.
One was a tall old man with snow-white hair and beard; the other was a young man whose features carried an honest simplicity, though his eyes shone brightly.
As the two looked over, Li Ping stopped restraining his aura, plainly revealing the spiritual pressure of the Foundation Establishment realm before them.
The tall, white-haired old man saw Li Ping, then sensed his aura. Disbelief filled his eyes. "Li brat, you..."
Halfway through his sentence, he met Li Ping's smiling gaze. His lips moved, but he could not get the rest of the words out. An extraordinarily complicated expression appeared on his face.
At last, his manner turned respectful, and he said distinctly, "Senior."
The old man was older than Li Ping and had previously called him "Li brat" at every turn.
But now that Li Ping had become a Foundation Establishment cultivator, the gap between their status and strength was like that between heaven and earth. He no longer dared treat Li Ping lightly.
The honest-looking young man beside him, however, looked at Li Ping with delight. "Big Brother, you've become a Foundation Establishment cultivator!"
Unlike his master, he did not feel that Li Ping was any different from before.
Big Brother was still the same Big Brother.