Zhao Country, Qinghe Marketplace.
「At dusk.」
Li Chang'an sat cross-legged in his room, slowly circulating his Cultivation Technique.
'Ten years of cultivation, and I've finally broken through to the Qi Refining Third Layer.'
As he sensed his cultivation, Li Chang'an felt no great joy, only letting out a deep sigh.
'The path of cultivation immortality is truly difficult!'
He had originally been an unremarkable university student. On his way back to his hometown, he'd had an incredible stroke of luck and was reincarnated into this Cultivation Immortality World as a young farm boy.
At fifteen, his past life's memories awakened, and he resolutely embarked on the path to seek immortality.
After enduring many hardships, he finally arrived before an Immortal Sect.
He had hoped to pass their trials and become a disciple of the Immortal Sect.
But the result was cruel.
A Low Grade Spirit Root!
Furthermore, he was too old. He couldn't compare to the seven or eight-year-old children and lacked potential.
He was completely unqualified to enter an Immortal Sect.
With no other choice, he could only come to this Qinghe Marketplace and become an ordinary, low-level cultivator.
In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed.
Due to his poor Spiritual Root aptitude and a lack of cultivation resources, he had only just managed to break through to the Qi Refining Third Layer.
'At this cultivation speed, longevity is hopeless!'
Li Chang'an's feelings were complicated.
After all, he had already died once; he was unwilling to experience reincarnation again.
'In this life, I pursue cultivation immortality only for eternal life!'
'With my aptitude, forget longevity. Even reaching Foundation Establishment will be a huge problem.'
Li Chang'an couldn't help but feel emotional.
Suddenly, a knock came from outside.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK...
A familiar voice came from outside the door.
"Li Chang'an, are you home?"
Hearing the voice, Li Chang'an got up to open the door.
Outside stood a middle-aged man dressed in brocade with a wealthy, portly appearance.
Zheng Jinbao, a Steward of Qinghe Marketplace.
"Steward Zheng."
Li Chang'an's expression was respectful. Not daring to be slow, he immediately invited him inside to talk.
Zheng Jinbao waved his hand, remaining standing outside the door.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he sized up Li Chang'an.
"You broke through, kid?"
"I got lucky and managed to break through."
Li Chang'an didn't dare to hide it and answered truthfully.
Zheng Jinbao said with a grin, "Breaking through is perfect. The stronger you are, the easier it will be to complete the task assigned to you this year."
Hearing this, Li Chang'an's heart sank.
「Back then.」
After being rejected by the Immortal Sect, those like him who failed the selection had signed a Spirit Contract with the Foundation Establishment Zheng Family, who controlled Qinghe Marketplace, just to embark on the path of cultivation.
According to the Spirit Contract, the Zheng Family provided them with a Cultivation Technique and cultivation insights, and allowed them to cultivate on the Spirit Vein within the Marketplace.
In return, they had to complete certain tasks for the Zheng Family every year.
The Spirit Contract lasted for a total of fifteen years.
For the past ten years, the task assigned to Li Chang'an was always to farm the Spirit Fields.
This task was relatively easy and didn't have high requirements for one's cultivation.
In another five years, he would be truly free.
But now, the task Zheng Jinbao was assigning him was actually related to his cultivation level.
This made Li Chang'an a little uneasy.
"Steward Zheng, what task have I been assigned this year?"
He asked, feeling apprehensive and slightly nervous.
The corners of Zheng Jinbao's mouth lifted as he took in Li Chang'an's reaction.
"It's nothing troublesome, just mining some Spiritual Ore."
"Mining?!"
Li Chang'an was shocked.
Of all the tasks assigned by the Zheng Family, mining was the one he wanted to avoid the most!
This was because all sorts of accidents frequently occurred in the Zheng Family's mines. Just last year, a major disaster had happened, killing a large number of people!
Furthermore, the Spiritual Ore mines were filled with a large amount of deadly dust that was impossible to guard against.
Many cultivators who had worked in the mines said—
One year of mining shaves off ten years of your life!
Many went in perfectly fine, only to return as invalids, coughing and wheezing all day long.
"Is there no need for farming this year?"
Li Chang'an's voice was a bit hoarse; he really didn't want to go mining.
Zheng Jinbao shook his head.
"Farming naturally needs people, but you, kid, just have bad luck and got assigned to the mines."
"Steward Zheng, perhaps you could pull some strings..."
As he spoke, Li Chang'an took out a small cloth pouch and stuffed it into Zheng Jinbao's hand.
Inside the pouch were a total of twenty Spirit Stones.
This was his entire life's savings, accumulated over all these years!
Li Chang'an felt a pang in his heart, but he had to do it.
'As long as I'm safe, I can always earn more Spirit Stones!'
"You're an interesting kid."
The smile on Zheng Jinbao's face widened, and he squinted as he glanced at the pouch.
The next moment, the cloth pouch in his hand vanished.
It had gone into the Storage Pouch at his waist.
"I'll be heading back now. You'll all be formally notified in a few days."
Zheng Jinbao said nothing more.
Then, with a face full of smiles, he turned and left.
"Take care, Steward Zheng!"
Li Chang'an bowed slightly, watching him leave.
Watching his receding back, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
'As long as he took the Spirit Stones, it should be fine.'
'Taking money to get things done—that's a universal law, whether in the mortal world or the Cultivation Realm.'
Li Chang'an felt a little more at ease.
He closed his door and continued his cultivation.
He had thought this year's task would be farming again.
「Three days later.」
However, Li Chang'an received a notice.
The original assignment had not been changed; his task was still mining!
'How could this be?'
Li Chang'an's eyes widened as he stared at the conscription order in his hand.
He gripped the order tightly, his chest heaving.
'Zheng Jinbao clearly took the Spirit Stones. Why didn't he do anything?'
He immediately left and hurried to find Zheng Jinbao to ask for an explanation.
Zheng Jinbao still had that same beaming expression, like a Maitreya Buddha, as he explained:
"Li Chang'an, it's not that I don't want to help you. It's just that some people gave more than you did, kid, so I had to change their tasks first."
The implication was clear: if Li Chang'an could produce more Spirit Stones, Zheng Jinbao would naturally change the assignment for him.
But the Spirit Stones in that small cloth pouch were already Li Chang'an's entire fortune!
Where was he supposed to get more?
"Steward Zheng, is there no other way?"
"None!"
Zheng Jinbao shook his head.
Seeing that Li Chang'an couldn't produce any more, his attitude became casual.
"I have a lot to do. I can't stand here chitchatting with you, kid. If there's nothing else, go on back."
"Yes, yes..."
Li Chang'an forced a smile, but his heart was seething with frustration.
From the looks of it, Zheng Jinbao had no intention of returning the Spirit Stones.
'Not doing the job and not returning the Spirit Stones—how is that any different from outright robbery?'
But alas, when you're under someone else's roof, you have to bow your head.
He lowered his head and turned to leave.
...
「That night.」
Li Chang'an tossed and turned.
'Do I really have to go mining?'
He was worried and couldn't fall asleep.
If he didn't go, he would be violating the Spirit Contract and suffer a severe backlash.
Just then, a golden light suddenly flashed before his eyes.
Immediately after, a few lines of brilliant golden text appeared before him.
[Divination has been refreshed]
[Today's Divination: Auspicious]
[Anxious, you take a walk by the riverbank to clear your head. There, under a willow tree, you happen to find the Jade Pendant of the Zheng Family's eldest daughter among the water weeds.]
These few lines of text that appeared out of nowhere made Li Chang'an freeze for a moment.
"This... this is..."
His eyes widened as he immediately realized what was happening.
'It's my golden finger!'
Immediately, a wave of ecstasy washed over him.
'Ten years!'
'I've waited for a full ten years!'
Li Chang'an took several deep breaths, barely suppressing his excitement as he carefully read the divination, afraid it was just an illusion.
'Thank goodness, it's not an illusion.'