Heaven and Earth Alliance

It was good to rest beneath a great tree. Joining a faction was essential to embarking on a perfect journey through the martial world. Congratulations on joining a martial sect. A young, vibrant gang was not a bad choice.

Mission completed: Join a faction. Calculating rewards.

Mission Rating: C.

Received 20 Achievement Points!

Name: Li Rui
Age: 5
Talent: Martial Bones
Cultivation Method: White Ape Mantle Blade
Achievement Points: 20/100

The corner of Li Rui's mouth lifted slightly.

"Just as I thought!"

He had already suspected that joining a faction could earn him Achievement Points.

"C?"

It seemed the Heaven and Earth Alliance was still too weak. If he had joined the Huaqing Sect, perhaps the rating would have been higher?

Li Rui pondered.

He had wanted to reach the top in a single step, but unfortunately, great sects like the Huaqing Sect imposed exceedingly strict requirements on accepting disciples. They almost never recruited disciples who had begun cultivating elsewhere.

For a sect, talent was certainly important, but loyalty was an equally crucial link.

A disciple who had joined halfway through life already had an established temperament and could hardly be said to possess any loyalty to the Huaqing Sect.

When the sect truly faced calamity, they would surely scatter like birds before the storm. Such people could not be relied upon at all. That was why major sects preferred to nurture disciples who were young as blank sheets of paper. They had greater potential and stronger loyalty to the sect.

Li Rui did not think every mission had to earn an S+.

Completion mattered more than perfection.

The Heaven and Earth Alliance truly was lavish. The surrounding hundred mu of land had all become the Alliance's grounds. There were seven or eight Martial Arts Arenas alone. Within the city, only the Blood Tiger Gang, the Broken Sabre Gang, and the government could likely compare to such grandeur.

One glance was enough to show that the grounds stretched beyond sight.

He had just passed the Martial Arts Arena closest to the gates when a familiar figure appeared.

"Master Li, you're finally here?"

Ding Liang jogged up to Li Rui.

Li Rui glanced at the wooden plaque at Ding Liang's waist: "278."

"You joined the Heaven and Earth Alliance too?"

Ding Liang nodded repeatedly. "Master Li, it's all thanks to you and Master Wu. Master Wu has official business to attend to, so he specifically ordered me to wait here for you."

Ding Liang called him "Master" with remarkable ease.

"Brother Wu is thoughtful," Li Rui said.

Ding Liang becoming an outer disciple of the Heaven and Earth Alliance naturally had nothing whatsoever to do with Li Rui, and Wu Tu had little to do with it either.

The Heaven and Earth Alliance was strict in its requirements for disciples.

Especially since they had only just entered Clear River, unless that branch master was a fool, he certainly would not allow his subordinates to stuff people in at will and turn the place into a foul mess.

If Ding Liang's natural aptitude had not been fairly good, he would never have had the chance to become an outer disciple.

Wu Tu himself was merely a steward. Joining the Heaven and Earth Alliance meant severing ties with the Dark Eight Gates. At most, he could offer a recommendation.

Apart from the Alliance Master and Deputy Alliance Master at headquarters, the Heaven and Earth Alliance had a branch master in every county. Below the branch master were deputy branch masters, then stewards like Li Rui and Wu Tu, and beneath them came outer disciples.

Though they also recruited some martial world figures, they were almost all retainers or guest elders. One needed to possess a certain standing in the martial world first.

A steward was merely a mid-level errand runner.

Ding Liang then led Li Rui to the Civil and Martial Hall.

The Heaven and Earth Alliance had seven halls in total, each performing its own duties. The Civil and Martial Hall managed the Alliance's personnel and supplies, giving it considerable authority.

"You're Li Rui?"

A disciple of the Civil and Martial Hall looked Li Rui over.

Seventy years old?!

He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Once he confirmed that he had not seen wrong, he clicked his tongue.

This old man was old enough to be his ancestor.

The disciple's astonishment vanished in a flash. Though he looked down on Li Rui inwardly, Li Rui was still his superior on the surface. If Li Rui truly made an issue of things, he would not be able to bear it.

"Master Li, everything has been registered. This is your room plaque. Each month, disciples will deliver your stipend to your residence."

"Good."

Li Rui nodded and accepted the room plaque from the young disciple.

Now that the Heaven and Earth Alliance had assigned him lodging, he could return the house he had rented from the real estate agency. He probably would not get the full tael of silver back, but recovering half a tael should not be a problem.

Even if he was well-off now, he could not squander money.

The disciple noticed that Li Rui carried no weapon and specifically asked, "Master Li, do you need to collect the Alliance's standard-issue weapon?"

A glimmer of delight flashed through Li Rui's eyes.

A great gang truly thought of everything.

In the end, he collected a set of Heaven and Earth Alliance uniform and a sabre before leaving in satisfaction.

The problem of buying a sabre had been solved with effortless ease.

With the registration complete, he could officially begin work.

But before heading to Heaven One Pavilion, there was one more step: paying respects to the deputy branch master who oversaw the Discipline Hall and Heaven One Hall.

Within the Heaven and Earth Alliance.

Inside a rather imposing residence.

A burly man with a face full of flesh and an air of banditry held two delicate, beautiful women in his arms, his smile lewd.

At that moment, a disciple clad in black entered.

His cheeks reddened at the sight of the fragrant, tantalizing scene. Lowering his head, he said, "Master Zhao, Heaven One Hall Master Li Rui requests an audience."

The burly man named Zhao Wei said impatiently, "Let him in."

"Yes."

The black-clad disciple went out. In less than One Incense Stick's Time, he led Li Rui into the room.

Li Rui's expression remained calm at the sight.

"This old man is Li Rui. Greetings, Master Zhao."

Zhao Wei bared his large mouth in a grin. "Old Brother Li, now that you've joined our Heaven and Earth Alliance, we're family. You—go keep Brother Li company."

As he spoke, he shoved the beautiful woman on his right toward Li Rui.

Li Rui shifted half an inch to the right, catching the beautiful woman by her palm-sized slender waist. The woman giggled sweetly.

Zhao Wei burst into laughter. "Old Brother Li, if you like her, you can take her back to your residence."

"This old man has kept away from women for many years. I fear I lack the fortune to enjoy such a gift," Li Rui said.

"I have quite a few wondrous medicines that can make one pillar hold up the heavens. Old Brother, you could—"

Li Rui hurriedly waved his hand. "No need."

It was not that he wished to be a paragon like Liu Xiahui. Mainly, he simply had no habit of being fellow travelers with others.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Zhao Wei, he found an excuse to leave.

Heaven One Hall was an idle post, and Zhao Wei naturally would not pay it much attention. In fact, ever since becoming deputy branch master, he had never once visited Heaven One Hall.

As soon as Li Rui stepped outside, Ding Liang came up to him. "Master Li, Deputy Master Zhao didn't make things difficult for you, did he?"

"Why do you say that?" Li Rui asked.

Ding Liang sighed softly. "This Deputy Master Zhao used to be the boss of the Heng Sect and has some bad blood with Master Wu. Later, he went adventuring in a neighboring county, where he received guidance from an expert and became an eighth-rank martial artist, eventually taking the position of deputy branch master."

"Master Li, since you work under Deputy Master Zhao, you should keep your eyes open."

Li Rui narrowed his eyes slightly.

No wonder.

He had already felt that something was off. That Zhao fellow had clearly been testing him. If he had truly accepted that beautiful woman, his residence would likely have gained a spy planted by Zhao Wei.

This man was deeply calculating.

But with looks like that, he thought he could bribe your grandpa?