After bidding farewell to Wu Datong and Wu Xiaoxu, Lu Xuan didn’t go ho to practice his Cultivation. He also didn’t go out to scavenge for recyclables or sneak into the school to eavesdrop on classes.
He didn’t have ti for the first two, and as for the last, East Sea High School only had one Cultivation class per week, and there was no point in listening to the regular academic lessons.
Following his phone’s navigation, Lu Xuan made his way to the Upper City District and finally stopped in front of a towering building.
The East Sea City Inspectorate Building.
Every city had an Inspectorate. It was responsible for maintaining public order and also held the authority to manage Cultivators!
Of course, in normal tis, it was less ’managent’ and more ’service’.
Lu Xuan had learned all this online. According to a few posts, once you beca a Cultivator, you could collect a "monthly stipend" from the local Inspectorate.
He didn’t know the exact amount, but he guessed it had to be at least eight hundred to a thousand, right?
A look of pure hope filled Lu Xuan’s eyes. He gulped. ’Eight hundred to a thousand yuan... that’s more than I’d make from collecting cans for half a month!’
Without hesitation, Lu Xuan strode toward the Inspectorate Building. Many of the surrounding pedestrians glanced over in surprise.
After all, this was the Upper City District, where even ordinary civilians were well-dressed. This young man, however, was in tattered rags... though, thankfully, he was quite clean.
The passersby sent curious glances his way, but their looks held no contempt, only confusion.
......
East Sea High School, the best high school in all of East Sea City, was also one of the few that offered Cultivation classes.
In the principal’s office, Lu Xiuyuan took a leisurely sip of tea. Across from him, the principal of East Sea High School put down the phone, a baffled look on his face.
"What’s wrong?" Lu Xiuyuan asked with a smile.
"It was a call from Longque Technology. They said they want to jointly launch so kind of financial aid program for underprivileged students."
The principal gave a wry smile.
"I have no idea what these bigwigs are thinking... By the way, Elder Lu, this year’s batch of sophomores have all begun their real Cultivation, haven’t they? Are there any promising prospects?"
"They’re all just so-so," Lu Xiuyuan said calmly. "The only one who’s truly outstanding is a girl nad Yan Jiangxue. But she hardly ever speaks. Keeps everyone at arm’s length."
"Yan Jiangxue..." The principal seed to shrink in on himself. "I know about her. Her background is imnse. The director of the Super Ancient Research Institute, a subsidiary of Longque Technology, personally enrolled her here."
He paused, then continued, recalling the mory.
"You should have seen it. The way that institute director treated her... it wasn’t like he was dealing with a junior. He was downright deferential."
"Oh?" Lu Xiuyuan was surprised for a mont, but then it clicked. "That explains it. Her foundation is terrifyingly deep. She must have been nurtured with all sorts of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures since she was a child. Why would soone like that co to East Sea City?"
The principal shrugged.
"I’m not sure... But then again, it’s not so strange. A man of your stature is living right here in East Sea City, teaching at my school. If that can happen, what’s impossible?"
He paused, then said with a smile,
"Anyway, I have to make the arrangents. The manager from Longque Technology specifically ntioned they would be enrolling an underprivileged student nad Lu Xuan. I suspect there’s more to this kid than ets the eye. When the ti cos, could you personally guide his Cultivation? Personally ’open the door’ for him?"
"I don’t mind either way." Lu Xiuyuan rose gracefully. "I have no interest in the affairs of those corporations. My job is to teach and nurture. It makes no difference to who the student is."
The principal let out a visible sigh of relief.
"It’s just that you normally despise corporations. I was worried..."
"I despise the executives at these corporations. This has nothing to do with the children."
"Yes, yes, of course..."
"By the way."
Lu Xiuyuan seed to recall sothing and spoke slowly.
"Speaking of which, it seems Longque Technology has done sothing decent for once with this student aid program... I’d also like to enroll a child from the Lower City District. Is that possible?"
"Whatever you say, goes," the principal said cheerfully. "What’s the child’s na? I’ll make the arrangents ahead of ti."
Lu Xiuyuan shrugged and spread his hands.
"I don’t know."
"You don’t know?" The principal blinked.
"That’s right, I really don’t know. I’ll ask him next ti I see him. He’s a good kid." Lu Xiuyuan rose gracefully. "Well, I need to make a trip to the Inspectorate, so I’ll be on my way."
"Master Lu, let see you out." The principal scrambled to his feet.
"No need. Within the school, I’m just a humble teacher and you’re my superior. There’s no reason for you to see out."
The principal could only offer a wry smile in response, not daring to say another word.
......
Chen Xiaoyu sat at her workstation, bored out of her mind and yawning.
Working at the Inspectorate was respectable, sure, but she was a non-combat front-desk clerk, and the boredom was just as real.
She shifted in her seat, and after making sure no one was watching, carefully pulled out her phone and launched a fun, exciting match of ’Cultivator’s Glory’.
After successfully losing yet another team fight, Chen Xiaoyu stared blankly at the animation of her base exploding and slapped her desk in a huff.
"Damn it!"
she muttered.
"Hello."
The sudden voice made Chen Xiaoyu jump. She frantically hid her phone and looked up with a panicked expression.
Before her stood a young man in simple, even ragged, clothes. But he was surprisingly clean, with a handso face and a pair of startlingly bright eyes.
"H-h-h... Hello!" Chen Xiaoyu’s cheeks flushed slightly as she spoke in a small voice.
Lu Xuan paid no mind to the sideways glances from others in the lobby, simply offering a gentle smile.
"I’d like to ask, is it true you can receive a stipend after becoming a Cultivator?"
Chen Xiaoyu blinked, struggling to tear her attention away from the young man’s clean, handso face. She stamred,
"W-wait a minute, wait a minute! I’ve only been working here for two days, I’m not really sure... Let check the handbook!"
"Alright," the young man replied calmly, not at all impatient.
After fumbling around for what felt like an eternity, Chen Xiaoyu finally looked up and said in a small voice,
"Um! Yes! After becoming a Cultivator, there is a corresponding monthly stipend, and the amount is based on your Cultivation level!"
She paused, then explained in detail.
"The handbook only lists the stipends for the Nine Gates of the Jade Tower. A First Gate Skin Tempering Realm Martial Artist can collect a monthly stipend of ten thousand. A Second Gate Bone Forging Realm Great Martial Artist gets twenty thousand, a Third Gate Marrow Refining Realm Martial Master gets thirty thousand, and so on. A Ninth Gate Acupoint Realm Grandmaster can collect ninety thousand!"
Seeing that the young man seed easygoing, she paused and added with a playful smile,
"To be honest, though, it seems like no Cultivator really cares about the stipend. It’s too little for them—just pocket change, really!"
As she spoke, Chen Xiaoyu rubbed her thumb and index finger together to emphasize just how little money it was.
GULP!
Lu Xuan, however, swallowed hard, his head spinning. ’Ten thousand, twenty thousand, thirty thousand... That’s so much!’
A wave of anxiety washed over him. ’What Gate am I at right now? Am I a Skin Tempering Realm Martial Artist?’
Lu Xuan then asked softly,
"Excuse , is certification required before receiving the stipend?"
"Yes, yes!" Chen Xiaoyu said quickly. "After you’re certified by the Inspectorate, the system updates your information, and then you can enjoy the benefits and..."
Before she could finish,
"Get soone in charge of reception out here to see ."
A middle-aged man had appeared at the counter at so point and now spoke impatiently.
"Hurry up, I’m in a rush!"
Chen Xiaoyu tilted her head slightly and said politely,
"Sir, please get in line. As soon as I’m finished helping this gentleman, I will assist you..."
BANG!
Without even glancing at Lu Xuan, the middle-aged man slamd his palm on the counter. The heavy thud made the entire counter tremble as if it were about to collapse.
"I said I’m in a rush. Are you telling to wait in line behind so country bumpkin?"
Chen Xiaoyu’s face went pale with fright and she began to stamr. In the distance, a few staff mbers noticed the commotion. A younger employee started to step forward, but was pulled back by an old-tir who warned him,
"Have you got no sense? That’s the head of the White Elephant Martial Arts Hall, a Third Gate Marrow Refining Realm Martial Master! He’s famous for his terrible temper. Are you trying to get yourself into trouble?"
The young employee was indignant.
"So what? This is the Inspectorate! The very institution responsible for maintaining order and managing Cultivators!"
"Are you crazy?"
The old-tir smacked the younger man on the back of the head.
"The Inspectorate may have the authority to manage Cultivators on paper, but like I said, it’s less ’managent’ and more ’service.’ Or maybe even ’servitude’."
The young man stood there, stunned, the light draining from his eyes.
Service... Servitude.
He lowered his head in defeat and stepped back.
anwhile, Chen Xiaoyu’s eyes were red-rimd. Having not even finished morizing the employee handbook, she had no idea how to handle a situation like this.
The middle-aged man was growing visibly impatient. He snorted and was just about to say sothing else when...
"Excuse ."
Lu Xuan spoke, his tone earnest and polite.
"Waiting in line is a matter of basic courtesy. It has nothing to do with whether or not I’m a ’country bumpkin’. So, could you please either wait for to finish my business, or go to another counter?"
A brief silence fell over the hall.
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