"Did you need sothing?"
"I know a senior sister at the Sword Pavilion. If you need a sword, we can go pick one out. You can pay back for the Spirit Stones later."
Hu Jing said, looking at Wang ng with a strange expression. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but Wang ng seed different. He was more composed, and his gaze had beco incredibly deep. Compared to his old, carefree personality, he seed to have matured a great deal.
Wang ng smiled. "No, thanks. I already have a sword. It’ll do for now."
Wang ng took out his broken blade.
"Is that really going to work?"
"It’s enough for cultivation."
Just then, Hu Jing’s ssenger, a Little Spirit Fox, ran over. Hu Jing nodded. "My master is calling , so I have to go."
Wang ng nodded. ’In my past life, I abandoned everything I could for the sake of cultivation. This ti around, I’ll cherish what I have in front of . etings may lead to partings, but until then, I want to help those two a little more.’
’Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifeti.’ What Wang ng wanted to impart was the ability to survive. This was far safer and more valuable than any Cultivation Technique or Magical Artifact.
...Suddenly, Wang ng realized he was completely broke himself, with only a single Spirit Stone and a broken blade to his na.
’I’ve really never been this pathetic before.’
"Looks like it’s ti for to get to work, too."
Wang ng ambled over to the Thunderlight Pavilion. This was the place for disciples to accept missions, find part-ti work, or earn Contribution Points.
A young girl with a round face ca out. "Excuse , Senior, is there anything you need?"
Wang ng smiled. "My assignnt for the year is to cultivate a Spirit Field, so I’ve co to get so seeds."
"Of course, Senior. May I see your Holy Order?"
Wang ng took it out. Every official disciple had one, which recorded their Contribution Points to the Holy Hall. For purchases within the Holy Hall, one could use either Spirit Stones or Contribution Points.
The young girl took the Holy Order and swiped it over a crystalline jade tablet. She smiled. "This must be your first assignnt, Senior. Every new disciple starts with ten Contribution Points, but these Spirit Valley seeds will use up all ten. Are you sure?"
"I’m a newcor. Just call Wang ng."
The round-faced girl giggled. "My na is Xiaotian. We call all our custors Senior Brother or Senior Sister here. I’m just working part-ti, too."
"Ah, I see. In that case, I’ll take all the Spirit Valley seeds."
"Alright, Senior Brother Wang." The girl swiped the tablet again, returned the Holy Order to Wang ng, and then retrieved a small bag of Spirit Valley seeds from the storeroom in the back.
"Senior, co find when it’s harvest ti. I’ll give you a better price."
The young girl said with a sweet smile.
"Sounds good." Wang ng wasn’t particularly concerned.
"Oh, right! Senior Brother Wang, wait a second." The young girl rushed back inside and ca out with a Talisman. "Senior Brother Wang, this... is a Wind Cloud Talisman I made myself. It might not be very good, but I hope it can be of so use."
She pressed it into Wang ng’s hand, blinking her big, dark eyes. Wang ng smiled. "In that case, I won’t be polite. As you can see, I’m penniless at the mont. But when I make it big soday, I’ll be sure to treat you to a feast."
The young girl bit her lip. "You have to keep your promise, Senior Brother Wang."
Wang ng nodded, a warmth spreading through his chest. ’No wonder they say Saint Cultivators lead a blessed life,’ he thought. ’If I were among Evil or Demon Cultivators, I wouldn’t encounter this kind of thing in a million years.’
He could tell just by touching the Wind Cloud Talisman that it was poorly made. Still, it was the thought that counted, and refusing it would have only hurt her feelings.
With his broken blade in hand, Wang ng ambled toward his Spirit Field. ’Clearing land and planting crops... Tsk, tsk. This really is a novel experience,’ he thought.
Right now, the talk of the city was the destruction of the Sword Tomb. For Thunderlight Hall, it was as if soone had dug up their ancestral graves. The problem was, their own Ancestral Master had been the one to do the digging, so all they could do was grit their teeth and swallow their bitterness.
Many disciples, especially Sword Cultivators, had joined Thunderlight Hall specifically for the Sword Tomb. Before the age of thirty, one could challenge its Sword Array. If they were lucky enough to obtain a Treasure Sword, their future cultivation would be much easier. Who could have imagined things would turn out this way?
With the Sword Tomb gone, so disciples began thinking of transferring to other halls.
While the Holy Hall didn’t encourage such transfers, it didn’t prohibit them either.
"Aunt, I’m going to Dao Guang Hall!" Zhao Guang was fuming. ’I’m a distinguished mber of the Zhao Family, and a powerful one at that! It was humiliating enough being stuck in this godforsaken place. I’d planned to challenge the Sword Tomb once I reached the Twenty Layers within the next two years. Now the Sword Tomb is gone, all for nothing. What’s the point of staying here anymore?’
Zhao Ya felt helpless. She knew what Zhao Guang was thinking, but as an Elder of Thunderlight Hall, she also knew that if he left, the hall might never recover.
"Do you really have to leave? Xu Huang has been good to you," Zhao Ya said.
"Aunt, Elder Xu and I don’t see eye to eye. Our backgrounds are too different. To be frank, we barely get along, and I’m sure you’ve noticed. Besides, Thunderlight Hall’s standards are pathetic; staying here will hinder my cultivation. Now that the Sword Tomb is gone, Dao Guang Hall is my only option. And even if I didn’t suggest it, the family would."
Zhao Guang truly felt no attachnt to this wretched place.
Zhao Ya sighed and waved him away. She was the one who had pulled strings to get him here, all to boost Thunderlight Hall’s prestige. If it weren’t for Zhao Guang, the younger generation of Thunderlight Hall wouldn’t have a single person of note. In the end, it was all for naught. She had no idea how she was going to face the Thunder Ancestor Master.
In the Holy Hall’s Grand Competition two years from now, Thunderlight Hall was likely dood to finish last. Life would not be easy for the Elders, either.
On his way out, Zhao Guang ran into Hu Jing. ’This wretched place has nothing to offer,’ he thought. ’Although... if there’s one thing...’ His eyes landed on Hu Jing. ’She’s turning into a real beauty, and her talent isn’t bad either. A commoner like her... offer her a few benefits, and she’ll follow around like a puppy.’
A flush of heat went through him at the thought.
"Junior Sister Hu, perfect timing. There’s sothing I need to talk to you about," Zhao Guang said with a smile, putting on the airs of the Senior disciple.
Hu Jing stopped. "What is it, Senior?"
"Ahem, it’s not very convenient to talk here. Let’s go over there."
Hu Jing gave a slight smile. "If it’s sothing that can be said, you can say it here. My master is waiting for ."
Her smile made her even more beautiful. Though she didn’t co from a Cultivation Family, she possessed a captivating quality. After cultivating for so ti, it was beginning to radiate from her, like a budding orchid—subtly fragrant and lasting.
"I’m sure you’ve heard about the Sword Tomb’s destruction, Junior Sister Hu."
"I have. It seems Ancestor Master Lei did it intentionally. Perhaps he wants us to be reborn from the ashes and not build our honor on past glories."
"Reborn from the ashes? What a joke! Thunderlight Hall’s standards are pathetic. If the Zhao Family didn’t owe Thunderbolt a favor, my aunt would’ve never co here. Now that the Sword Tomb is gone, it won’t be long before all the outstanding disciples leave. My aunt might even leave. Co with . Let’s go to Dao Guang Hall. That’s where all the best of the Holy Hall’s younger generation are. You can only grow properly in a place with high standards."
Zhao Guang spoke with an easy confidence, his voice filled with an air of superiority.
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