Chapter 10: The Traditional Arts of the Immortal Great Love
You successfully became a Disciple of Hundred Refinements Peak.
Wang Han and Liu Buxin sneered and threatened you, saying, "There's always a next time, we'll meet again!"
You coldly replied, "You probably won't get that chance!"
The two were so angry they stomped their feet, yet they were helpless and could only depart unwillingly.
The feeling of a duck flying away when it was already in their mouth was not pleasant.
"Awesome!" Xiao Hao couldn't help but laugh at this.
As expected of Great Love Immortal Venerable, he certainly didn't disappoint him!
A wisp of your remnant soul was extracted and entrusted to a Magic Treasure on Hundred Refinements Peak.
You received your Disciple identity token and dormitory.
You were assigned by the Hundred Refinements Peak steward to the Hall of Alchemy.
You were required to report to the Hall of Alchemy every day at sunrise starting tomorrow, to apprentice under an Old Disciple and learn Alchemy.
During the first month, you apprenticed under an Old Disciple every day, leaving early and returning late, which was quite arduous.
After the Old Disciple left, you still had to clean, and by the time you returned home, it was already deep night, leaving almost no time to Cultivate.
All the Disciples who entered the Hall of Alchemy at the same time as you, except for the top-ranked Genius with a Three Spiritual Root, simply went home and slept.
Your perseverance was astonishing; you insisted on Cultivating for an hour every day after returning home, finally achieving a Breakthrough to Qi Refining second level after several days.
You realized that continuing like this was not a solution; it would only be a waste of life, reducing you to consumable material for the Sect.
You comforted yourself, believing that as long as you persisted, you would eventually learn Alchemy and become an Alchemist.
By then, life would be good.
You discovered that the Old Disciple teaching you concealed almost all his skills and did not teach you Alchemy according to the steward's instructions at all.
Regarding this, the Hall of Alchemy steward also turned a blind eye and did not intervene.
After a month, you suffered greatly, and your Alchemy attainment showed no significant improvement.
You found that apprentices received no monthly stipend, making it impossible to save money to buy Alchemy techniques.
Xiao Hao's eyebrows twitched violently.
Even through the simulator, he could feel a sense of despair and frustration.
After enduring countless hardships, he finally became a Disciple of Hundred Refinements Peak, only to end up working like a beast of burden!
And he was the lowest-level, free labor!
A phrase from his previous life popped into Xiao Hao's mind.
The good days are yet to come!
"This isn't going to work!"
"Let alone finding a way to escape the Magic Treasure's tracking, it will be hard just to survive!"
But this was not the worst part.
Upon seeing the subsequent information from the simulator, even Xiao Hao, who was accustomed to the methods of the Initial Saint Demonic Sect, nearly spat out a mouthful of old blood!
You discovered that the dormitory you lived in required monthly rent.
The monthly rent was ten Sect contribution points, and Sect contribution points could be exchanged for Spirit Stones at a one-to-one ratio.
New Disciples could live for free for three years, after which they would need to pay rent.
You discovered that the Cultivation Technique, Spell, and talismans granted by the Sect were also not entirely free.
Only 30% of the down payment was waived, and the remaining 70% of the loan needed to be repaid within three years, including an annual interest rate of 36%.
You gasped, exclaiming that this world was more competitive than the Gu world.
You missed the Gu world.
"Huh?" Xiao Hao was dumbfounded.
What did an annual interest rate of 36% mean?
In terms of his previous life, it meant an annual interest of 36%, which was considered a high-interest loan!
As expected of the Initial Saint Demonic Sect!
First, they abducted Disciples for huge profits.
Then, they controlled the Disciples' personal freedom through Magic Treasures.
Finally, they burdened the Disciples with high-interest loans, pushing them to their financial limits.
Disciples who couldn't create value and repay their loans would, like Junior Brother Li, become human resources for the Sect.
To repay the high-interest loans, they had to work more overtime and create more value for the Sect.
Otherwise, the financial chain would break at the slightest mistake!
In short, it was about holding bottom-tier Disciples hostage with essential needs.
Pressuring bottom-tier Disciples to work desperately, thereby contributing to the Sect's glory.
As for whose glory this was?
Perhaps it belonged to the Sect's higher-ups, or their children, or even a dog they kept; in any case, it did not belong to the bottom-tier Disciples.
Bottom-tier Disciples could only become leeks, harvested wave after wave!
"Initial Saint Demonic Sect! I curse your ancestors!"
"When I escape from here, and in the future Cultivate to Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation, I will definitely make these corrupt Sect higher-ups pay for their blood debts!"
In the second month, to learn Alchemy, you began to curry favor with the Old Disciple.
For this, you did not hesitate to take out the Spirit Stones you had accumulated during the new Disciple trial.
Seeing you pay, the Old Disciple beamed with joy, affectionately called you Junior Brother, and meticulously taught you.
But when you stopped paying, he immediately reverted to being cold and stopped teaching.
Soon, your Spirit Stones were almost used up.
Yet, your Alchemy had not made much progress, still far from becoming an Alchemist.
You realized you were stuck in a dead end.
You started to have crooked thoughts.
Just then, someone you least expected found you.
It was Yao Ling!
Seeing your pitiful state, she called you over and personally taught you Alchemy.
You felt surprised.
Why would Yao Ling, an Old Disciple, help a newcomer like you?
You speculated about Yao Ling's intentions, suspecting she had ulterior motives.
Through casual conversation, you probed Yao Ling's intentions.
You learned that Yao Ling was the daughter of an Elder in the Hall of Alchemy and a Three Spiritual Root Cultivator.
Yao Ling curiously asked you why, during that Disciple trial, when everyone else had no faith in you, you could still remain calm and successfully condense the Dan Fire.
"Is it because you had some hidden trump card, so you were fearless?" Yao Ling blinked her bright eyes, curiously examining you.
You keenly noticed that the young girl had some interest in you.
You showed a gentle smile, "My mother told me a story."
Yao Ling didn't speak, just quietly looked at you.
Legend has it that in ancient times, when heaven and earth were barren, the first human appeared, named Human Ancestor.
He lived a difficult life, eating raw meat and blood.
Especially, there was a group of beasts called Predicaments, who wanted to devour Human Ancestor.
Human Ancestor was no match for the Predicaments and was chased everywhere.
At his wit's end, he encountered three Gu worms.
The three Gu worms told Human Ancestor that if he was willing to pay the price, they could help him overcome his difficulties.
Human Ancestor, with no other choice, agreed.
He first used his youth to nourish the largest of the three Gu, and that Gu gave him strength.
Relying on strength, Human Ancestor repelled the Predicaments and improved his life.
But soon, he discovered that strength was not omnipotent; strength also needed recovery and rest.
Human Ancestor, learning from his painful experience, decided to use his most vigorous middle age to nourish the second Gu.
This Gu brought him wisdom.
With wisdom, Human Ancestor learned to think and reflect, and began to accumulate experience.
Relying on wisdom, Human Ancestor conquered many goals he had previously failed to conquer and defeated more Predicaments.
But the good times didn't last; Human Ancestor grew old, increasingly old.
This was because he had dedicated his youth and middle age to the Strength Gu and Wisdom Gu.
Seeing that there was no more offering, Wisdom and Strength left.
The young girl listened quietly to your narration, her pretty face showing a look of keen interest.
You smiled knowingly and continued to speak.
Human Ancestor was once again surrounded by Predicaments, his heart filled with despair.
Just then, the third Gu stood out and said to Human Ancestor: Offer me, and I can help you escape your predicament.
Human Ancestor was puzzled.
He replied: Gu, I have nothing left, I can no longer offer you anything.
But this Gu said: My demands are the smallest, you only need to give me your Heart!
Human Ancestor gave his Heart to this Gu.
This Gu brought him hope.
Upon receiving the Heart, the Hope Gu radiated infinite light!
The Predicaments feared hope the most and scattered in fright.
Human Ancestor was dumbfounded!
From that moment on, he understood that when facing Predicaments, one should give their Heart to hope!
Yao Ling smiled.
"When facing Predicaments, give your Heart to hope… Interesting! This story is truly interesting!"
"Your mother must be an interesting person!" The young girl even showed a hint of longing.
You gently shook your head, a sad expression on your face.
"My mother passed away when I was very young; this is the only story she left for me."
The young girl's eyes dimmed, and she apologized to you.
You looked at the young girl's sincere demeanor, finding it hard to imagine this was a Disciple of the Initial Saint Demonic Sect.
You were almost certain that this girl was a hothouse flower, having never experienced the harsh realities of society.
You conceived a bold idea.
Xiao Hao was a little unable to hold back.
He had already guessed what Great Love Immortal Venerable wanted to do.
One can only say, as expected of Great Love Immortal Venerable, his traditional skills are terrifyingly formidable!
You smiled and comforted Yao Ling, "It's alright!"
Although you knew the original body's mother was not dead, you still said:
"If my mother knew that a Senior Sister with such a kind Heart-Nature was willing to help me, her spirit in heaven would surely be very pleased!"
Yao Ling burst out laughing.
She said you were very interesting and that she would come to find you again next time.
You seized this opportunity and struck while the iron was hot.
You praised Yao Ling for her beauty and kindness, and her astonishing Alchemy attainment, hoping she could guide you again next month.
Yao Ling showed hesitation, seeming to want to refuse.
But looking at your expectant gaze, the words on her lips ultimately failed to be spoken, and she had no choice but to agree.
You watched Yao Ling's departing figure, your eyes deep.