Future assignment

Ye Shanhua said, "Since we're servant disciples, the sect recruited us to do work.

"Of course, we're all Qi Refining cultivators, so the tasks we perform are things ordinary people can't do.

"In fact, before reaching the seventh level of Qi Refining, we can't even become proper servant disciples. Only after reaching the seventh level will we have the ability to do the work."

"Mm!"

Xu Changshou nodded inwardly. Only after reaching the seventh level of Qi Refining could cultivators release their spiritual energy outside their bodies. Only then could they be considered true cultivators.

Before the seventh level, they were merely ordinary people with greater strength.

Only those who could release spiritual energy could take part in the sect's work.

As they were now, they weren't even qualified to do menial labor.

Ye Shanhua continued, "The sect wants us to register our spiritual roots this time, then it'll assign our duties according to them."

Su Mo asked, "Our duties will be assigned according to our spiritual roots?"

Ye Shanhua said calmly, "Yes. Three years from now, we'll be assigned to the seven peaks as servants. Naturally, our duties will be determined by our spiritual roots.

"For example, if your spiritual root has water, fire, and wood attributes, congratulations-you might be assigned to Cinnabar Clouds Peak as a pill boy.

"If you have metal, fire, and wind attributes, you'll most likely be sent to Scarlet Fire Peak as a bellows boy.

"If one of your attributes is darkness, you might be sent to Fengdu Peak."

When she finished, Su Mo couldn't help frowning. "My spiritual root has metal, fire, and wind attributes. Doesn't that mean I'll have to go to Scarlet Fire Peak?"

Ye Shanhua nodded. "That's right. You'll most likely go to Scarlet Fire Peak."

Su Mo asked, "Senior Sister Ye, what's a bellows boy?"

Ye Shanhua spread her hands. "A bellows boy works the bellows for artifact refiners."

"Well..."

Su Mo's face darkened.

"Senior Sister Ye, do all servant disciples have spiritual roots with three attributes?"

Xu Changshou posed the question.

He had a ten-element mixed spiritual root. With so many attributes, where would he be assigned in the future?

Xu Changshou had questions, but he didn't dare voice them.

At the same time, a faint worry stirred in his heart. When he'd registered at the Steward Hall, Liu Chuansheng had recorded his root as having the five elements attribute. If they discovered his ten-element mixed spiritual root when he registered again, would he be expelled from the sect?

Ye Shanhua explained, "We servant disciples generally have mixed spiritual roots with three or four attributes. Those with pure spiritual roots possessing one or two attributes will most likely enter Luminous Grace Peak."

Jiang Xiaochuan asked, "Senior Sister Ye, which of the seven peaks is the best?"

Ye Shanhua answered as though it went without saying, "Great Unity Peak and Cinnabar Clouds Peak, of course."

"Why?"

"Great Unity Peak is the main peak. The people there are the sect's higher-ups. They only cultivate and don't do any work, so the duties there are relatively easy.

"The people at Cinnabar Clouds Peak are all alchemists. Working under them is harder, but occasionally they'll reward you with some lower-quality pills. For us servant disciples, that's a tremendous opportunity.

"Besides, servant disciples at Cinnabar Clouds Peak will all learn alchemy later on.

"There's another factor, too. The Green Immortal Sect has three main spiritual veins in total, with Great Unity Peak, Cinnabar Clouds Peak, and Luminous Grace Peak each occupying one.

"Whether you're at Great Unity Peak or Cinnabar Clouds Peak, you'll cultivate faster."

Zhang Feixian was delighted. "Wonderful! I have water, fire, and wood attributes. Does that mean I can go to Cinnabar Clouds Peak?"

Jiang Xiaochuan asked another question. "Which peak is the worst?"

Ye Shanhua pondered for a moment before saying, "The worst places would probably be Fengdu Peak and Green Ink Peak."

"Ah!"

Han Zong looked miserable. "Senior Sister Ye, my spiritual root has the darkness attribute. Doesn't that mean I'll have to enter Fengdu Peak? Why is Fengdu Peak bad?"

Ye Shanhua shrugged. "Then you can only blame your bad luck. Fengdu Peak mainly handles corpse refining. The servant disciples' main duty is digging up graves to find bodies for the cultivators who refine corpses."

"What!"

Han Zong's expression grew even more miserable.

"Senior Sister Ye, why shouldn't we go to Green Ink Peak?" Lin Xian'er asked.

Ye Shanhua said, "Green Ink Peak's main duty is drawing talismans. Among the six arts of the immortal sect, talisman drawing is the chicken rib of professions-little meat to eat, yet a pity to throw away.

"Talismans can help cultivators fight. Broadly speaking, there are three kinds: attack, defense, and escape.

"At the Qi Refining stage, low-level cultivators can't use magic artifacts, so they're relatively dependent on magic artifacts.

"Once they reach Foundation Establishment, most cultivators will have their own magic artifacts, which replace talismans."

That made sense...

Xu Changshou nodded inwardly. From what he knew, talismans really were something of a chicken rib.

Take the yellow talisman Zhang Zhengyuan had given Wang Yuanwai, which could turn into a fireball.

If a cultivator had a fire-attribute spiritual root, he could casually cast a Fireball Spell upon reaching the seventh level of Qi Refining.

That sort of Fireball Talisman became useless at the seventh level. How could it be anything but a chicken rib?

"Besides, Green Ink Peak is the only peak without a Golden Core cultivator overseeing it. Not only does it lack a Golden Core cultivator, it has just one Foundation Establishment cultivator. Its spiritual energy ranks last among the seven peaks. It's the worst place to go," Ye Shanhua explained at an unhurried pace.

"Senior Sister Ye, what spiritual root attributes get someone assigned to Green Ink Peak?"

Xu Changshou couldn't help scratching his head. From what Ye Shanhua said, Green Ink Peak really was a place to avoid.

Ye Shanhua said, "The more mixed your spiritual root is, the more likely you are to enter Green Ink Peak."

"Why?" Xu Changshou's face darkened. He had a ten-element mixed spiritual root. Whose could possibly be more mixed than his?

Ye Shanhua smiled. "Because drawing talismans requires a wide variety of elements. Almost all ten attributes are useful, so naturally, the more mixed your attributes are, the better."

Xu Changshou's face darkened further.

Ye Shanhua couldn't help looking surprised. "Junior Brother Xu, why are you so agitated? What kind of spiritual root do you have?"

"Uh..."

Xu Changshou hesitated before saying, "I have a five-element mixed spiritual root."

"What? A five-element mixed spiritual root?"

"Heavens! A spiritual root with the complete five poisons!"

"Senior Brother Xu's talent really takes the cake."

Everyone exclaimed in surprise.

Xu Changshou was speechless. If he told them he had a ten-element mixed spiritual root, what would they think?

The corners of Ye Shanhua's lips curved into a smile. "Junior Brother Xu, you're in for some bad luck. Green Ink Peak's recruitment standard is four attributes or more.

"I've heard that drawing talismans is work that requires pouring out spiritual energy. It consumes a great deal of it."

Xu Changshou looked miserable. "Senior Sister Ye, can I avoid going to Green Ink Peak?"

Ye Shanhua chuckled. "Junior Brother Xu, do you think we can defy the sect's will?"

"Uh..."

Xu Changshou had no answer. How could a lowly servant disciple dare defy the sect's will?

Ye Shanhua covered her mouth and chuckled. "Junior Brother Xu, don't worry. It's not as though there's no way at all."

"What way?"

Ye Shanhua said, "It's simple. There are two ways.

"First, if you know a powerful Foundation Establishment cultivator, ask him to step forward and request you. Green Ink Peak is weak, so it generally wouldn't dare challenge a Foundation Establishment cultivator from another peak."

"Second, give gifts. Grease a few palms up and down the ranks and smooth the way through your connections. No one will care too much about where a servant disciple ends up."

"Thank you for the advice, Senior Sister Ye."

Xu Changshou cupped his hands in thanks, feeling even more bitter.

Ye Shanhua's meaning was simple: he needed either connections or spirit stones.

He had neither.

At present, the most valuable things in his storage bag were four Qi Gathering Pills and fifty fragmented spirit stones.

Those things weren't even fit to offer.

What powerful Foundation Establishment cultivator would care for them?

Forget it. If I have to draw talismans, so be it. Drawing talismans is still better than being a cowherd.

Xu Changshou's humble origins had given him one great advantage: a good attitude.

No matter what happened, he could quickly adjust his outlook.