Disillusionment and Know-It-All
A cultivator dressed in the robes of a Heavenly Revelation Sect outer disciple spoke at length in a video:
"Fellow Daoists, today I'll show you what daily life is like for us outer disciples. Every day at the hour of the rabbit, we have to get up on time and begin our morning breathing and Qi Refinement practice."
"As soon as the hour of the dragon arrives, we have to go operate the Spiritual Qi Conversion Grand Formation. It's an ironclad sect rule that every outer disciple has to follow."
"Don't be fooled just because we only operate the formation for six shichen. It's a mentally and physically exhausting job that consumes a huge amount of spiritual power, and even our cultivation progress suffers."
"Only after working four extra shichen of overtime every day for a full month can we earn one Spirit Stone fragment."
"The Spiritual Qi inside a Spirit Stone fragment is extremely thin. Converted, it's only worth 20 Energy Points, less than what the system produces in a single day."
He curled his lip, a note of resignation in his voice. "If only I had a Heavenly Spirit Root. I could go straight into the inner sect and wouldn't have to do this backbreaking work at all..."
The video's comment section instantly erupted:
"They call this immortal cultivation? They're straight-up immortal cultivation beasts of burden!"
"How's that any different from us working for money in the mortal world? They've just swapped silver for Spirit Stone fragments!"
"My worldview's shattered! I thought immortal cultivators only had to cultivate in seclusion, with clothes handed to them and food brought to their mouths. Turns out they have to work too!"
"My life in the mortal world is more comfortable than that! I thought immortal cultivation was a path to the pinnacle of life, but it turns out to be a sweatshop!"
"A whole month of overtime for one Spirit Stone fragment? And that's only worth 20 Energy Points? Even Zhou Bapi would call them masters of the trade. This sect squeezes people harder than landlords do nowadays!"
"You don't know, do you? People with Four Spirit Roots or Five Elements Spirit Roots have it even worse. They have practically no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment, and in the end, the sect sweeps them out the door. After a lifetime of hard labor, they're tossed aside as soon as they get old."
"Good thing I didn't go to the Immortal Ascension Conference back then! I chose to cultivate the Dao Seed Martial Dao System, and I can still become a powerhouse. It's no worse than immortal cultivation!"
"Exactly! I used to think immortal cultivation meant living free and unrestrained. Now it looks like even oxen and horses live with more dignity than they do!"
As more and more system hosts uploaded videos of daily life in immortal cultivation sects, the public's understanding of the immortal cultivation world gradually grew clearer.
It turned out that these immortal cultivators were not above the smoke and fire of mortal life. They too had to go to work on time and perform repetitive tasks.
This realistic portrayal gradually dispelled people's sense of mystery and longing toward immortal cultivators and their sects.
"Master, are immortal cultivation sects really this exploitative? Nowadays, it's hard to find landlords this ruthless anywhere in the mortal world that the system covers!"
Little Yellow exclaimed as he browsed the videos, disbelief written all over his face.
Liu Yi had seen the videos too. Recalling the years gone by, he said with feeling:
"Mm, immortal cultivation sects really are exploitative. But compared with life in the mortal world in the past, it wasn't so bad. At least you were guaranteed three meals and enough to keep warm."
"Master, you used to be an outer disciple of the Heavenly Revelation Sect too, didn't you? Later, you failed to reach Foundation Establishment and were expelled from the sect when you got old. That's really tragic." Little Yellow looked at Liu Yi sympathetically.
At those words, Liu Yi's face darkened. He raised his hand and slapped Little Yellow on the dog's head:
"If you don't know how to talk, shut up! What do you mean, expelled from the sect? I left on my own to start a business, got it?"
"Yes, yes, Master is right. If Master hadn't left to start a business, we wouldn't have the wonderful life we have now."
After being hit, Little Yellow scratched his head with a paw, looking aggrieved. He kept nodding in agreement, afraid of angering his master again and earning another slap.
"Mm, come on. Let's find a fancy restaurant in that city ahead and have a good meal." Liu Yi gave Little Yellow a satisfied glance and strode forward.
He took Little Yellow up to the restaurant's top floor, where the view was wide open and a vast expanse of scenery lay before them.
Just as he was about to find an empty table and sit down to eat, someone suddenly called out:
"Fellow Daoist Liu, there happens to be a seat over here. You can come sit with me."
Liu Yi turned around and saw that the speaker was a middle-aged man with a beard on his chin, dressed in a dark blue robe.
He held a white feather fan, giving him something of Zhuge Liang's air.
Liu Yi raised an eyebrow, his eyes full of puzzlement. "Fellow Daoist, were you speaking to me just now?"
"Indeed! I never expected to meet Fellow Daoist Liu in Empyrean City. It is truly the good fortune of three lifetimes. I am Xie Tong, courtesy name Yunzhou. My friends in the jianghu all call me Know-It-All."
Xie Tong gently waved his white feather fan and gestured with one hand. "Please, Fellow Daoist Liu."
"You're too courteous, Fellow Daoist Xie." Liu Yi responded, walked over, and sat down opposite Xie Tong.
"Fellow Daoist Liu, have you come to Empyrean City this time to attend the trading conference held once every ten years at the Empyrean Immortal Cultivation Market?" Xie Tong asked curiously.
Liu Yi shook his head. "I'm just passing through on my travels."
Then curiosity appeared in his eyes. "What is this trading conference at the Empyrean Immortal Cultivation Market? Could you tell me about it, Fellow Daoist Xie?"
Xie Tong waved the white feather fan in his hand. "You're too courteous, Fellow Daoist Liu. The Empyrean Immortal Cultivation Market's trading conference is no secret."
"It's hosted by the Immortal Rosy Cloud Sect and held once every ten years. All the major sects and cultivation lineages in the surrounding area send people to attend."
"There's an auction at the trading conference, and Rogue Cultivators also set up stalls to trade rare treasures. It takes place a hundred kilometers east of Empyrean City."
Xie Tong paused, then continued, "I came this time to attend the trading conference. If you'd like to go too, Fellow Daoist Liu, we can travel together."
"Sorry for the trouble, Fellow Daoist Xie." Liu Yi was quite interested in the trading conference and thought he might be able to unearth some treasure there.
But he immediately found himself troubled. Transactions in the immortal cultivation world were all conducted with Spirit Stones.
He didn't have a single Spirit Stone on him, so even if he entered the Empyrean Immortal Cultivation Market, he could only stare helplessly.
If only I could buy things with Energy Points.
As he pondered, an idea suddenly struck him. Xie Tong, sitting right in front of him, was also bound to the system and cultivated the Dao Seed Martial Dao System. Perhaps he could exchange some Energy Points for Spirit Stones with him.
After hesitating for a moment, Liu Yi finally asked, "Fellow Daoist Xie, do you happen to have any Spirit Stones to spare? I'd like to exchange some Energy Points for them. Would that be possible?"
"Hahaha, of course! Energy Points are much more useful than Spirit Stones, and I happen to have 100 Low-Grade Spirit Stones to spare!" Xie Tong readily agreed.
"Then many thanks, Fellow Daoist." Liu Yi thanked him sincerely, and the two promptly completed the exchange of Energy Points for Spirit Stones.
After the transaction, Xie Tong couldn't help sighing. "The immortal cultivation world still uses Spirit Stones as currency. It's far too backward. How nice it would be if we could trade with Energy Points."
"The immortal cultivation world hasn't changed much in millions of years. It's as if time has stood still."
"Now look at the places covered by the system. There are new changes every day. At this rate, sooner or later the mortal world will leave the immortal cultivation world in the dust."
Hearing this, Liu Yi's face showed curiosity. "Oh? Do you really think so, Fellow Daoist Xie?"
Xie Tong waved the white feather fan in his hand and continued, "To tell you the truth, I used to be an outer disciple of the Pure Void Sect. I once dreamed of cultivating to become an immortal too.
"Later, I realized my aptitude was too poor and I had no future on the path of immortal cultivation, so I decisively returned to the mortal world."
"To my surprise, the mortal world covered by the system had undergone earth-shaking changes and was full of vitality everywhere."
"But the immortal cultivation world is still the same as ever. It hasn't changed in millions of years, and the lowest-ranking disciples are treated like beasts of burden. If this trend continues, the mortal world might one day become an Immortal Realm on earth."
Liu Yi looked at Xie Tong in astonishment. He hadn't expected the man to really have something of Zhuge Liang's air, possessing such keen insight.
"You're absolutely right, Fellow Daoist Xie! I'm truly curious what expressions those immortal cultivation sects will wear when they discover that the mortal world is in no way inferior to them."
"Hahaha, I'm looking forward to it too! But it will still take some time for the mortal world to truly catch up and surpass them." Xie Tong laughed heartily, his eyes full of anticipation.
Just then, Liu Yi suddenly glimpsed a familiar figure on the street below. His expression shifted, and he let out a soft "Huh?"