"Working a part-time job, so be it!"
Lü Yang quickly adjusted his mood.
"Actually, I could just kill myself and reopen a life... but the leaves of the Centome are limited, just restarting like this would be too wasteful."
Although he had now become an Official Disciple, Lü Yang still didn't have much understanding of the Stain Sect and only book knowledge of the entire Cultivation World. Even though he already had the thought of restarting, he felt he should live a bit longer in this life to accumulate advantages for the next one.
...
There were countless cave mansions inside Heaven Mending Peak, yet only two places were the most conspicuous. One naturally was the Peak Master's cave mansion, and the other was a tall tower.
The tower had nine floors and was called "Good Deeds."
Official Disciples usually conducted trades, posted rewards, and accepted sect missions at the Good Deeds Tower, which was under the protection of the Stain Sect.
Lü Yang walked into Good Deeds Tower and came to a counter.
"Senior Brother, is this where sect missions are received?"
"Obviously, you... hmm?"
The words fell, and the young cultivator at the counter initially looked casually at Lü Yang, his eyes lighting up upon seeing his handsome appearance.
The next second, a friendly smile appeared on the young cultivator's face.
"No need to call me Senior Brother, I'm Zhao Xuhe, a Steward Disciple at the Good Deeds Hall. Junior Brother, you must be newly admitted? I haven't seen you before."
"I'm Lü Yang, greetings to Senior Brother."
Lü Yang hurriedly saluted, simultaneously activating his Disciple Token for verification.
Zhao Xuhe glanced at the token, his expression grew softer, and his smile even brighter: "Good, very good, Junior Brother Lü, you're good-looking and well-mannered."
Zhao Xuhe gazed Lü Yang in a way that made him uncomfortable, and then suddenly said, "Junior Brother Lü, since you're looking for a sect mission, I happen to have a task here, or rather, an opportunity for you to gain wealth, which, if successful, will guarantee you a broad immortal path...."
"Really?"
Lü Yang feigned interest, but his guard was already up inside.
"Absolutely true!"
Zhao Xuhe grinned and pointed towards the peak of Heaven Mending Peak, saying, "The current Peak Master has intentions to find a husband for his daughter, and I find you quite impressive...."
Lü Yang: "???"
I came to seek a sect mission, wanting to earn money with my own hands through hard work and effort, and now you want me to live off someone else?
"What's the matter? Not pleased?"
Seeing Lü Yang's stiff expression, Zhao Xuhe tried even harder to persuade him: "This is a windfall of fortune; if you can be the Peak Master's son-in-law, you'll be carried straight into Foundation Establishment, with abundant contribution points, cultivation techniques, and resources at your disposal. Taking this step will save you at least sixty years of bitter cultivation...."
Despite Zhao Xuhe's enticing words, Lü remained unmoved.
Actually, if it was just living off someone, Lü Yang wouldn't mind.
But There is Stain Sect! The orthodox Demonic Sect! After the lesson he'd learned from Liu Xin, there was no way he'd take Zhao Xuhe's talk of seeking a son-in-law at face value.
There must be a trap!
Thinking this, Lü Yang simply sighed and said, "Senior Brother Zhao, it's not that I don't want to become the son-in-law, But I really do have… a condition I can't exactly talk about."
Zhao Xuhe was stunned: "what?"
"To be honest, I have a venereal disease...."
Hearing this, the eagerness on Zhao Xuhe's face instantly turned cold.
A venereal disease isn't really a big problem, as there are ways to cure it, but the key issue is... why would someone have a venereal disease? The underlying reason is crucial.
"Eh, what a pity."
Zhao Xuhe shook his head. No matter how good-looking Lü Yang was, the Peak Master would not allow his daughter to become a Dao Companion with a man who could contract such a disease.
Lü Yang respectfully said, "Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother."
Lü Yang's respect made Zhao Xuhe's expression a bit better: "Fine, let me find you a good task."
"What kind of task are you looking for?"
"Something well-paid and relatively safe."
Zhao Xuhe's smile remained unchanged, clearly having anticipated this. After all, new disciples all want such tasks: "I do have one here."
Then he handed Lü Yang a Jade Scroll.
"It requires a Qi-Refiner to nourish Yin Yang Immortal Flowers with the essence blood and Qi. Once the flowers mature, Heaven Mending Peak offers the highest price for it—150 contribution points per flower."
Zhao Xuhe warmly said, "This was a task issued by the Peak Master himself, with no quantity limit. You grow as much as you want, and he buys as much as you have. Plus you don't need to learn any plant cultivation skills, as the Yin Yang Immortal Flower is highly adaptable. As long as you plant it in your cave mansion, it won't easily wither."
Initially, Lü Yang was tempted, but he soon shook his head.
Zhao Xuhe frowned and asked, "What's the matter?"
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior Brother, but...." Lü Yang said with a bitter face, "I still need to pay next month's cave mansion rent, and I'm really unable to afford the seeds of the Immortal Flower."
"I see."
Zhao Xuhe likewise sighed: "Senior Brother, I also came through this stage and know your difficulty.... Fine, I'll help you."
Then Zhao Xuhe reached out: "Give me your Disciple Token."
Lü Yang obediently handed it over, and a moment later, he was surprised to find an extra 500 contribution points on the token!
Zhao Xuhe smiled slightly: "This is your backup contribution points at the Sanhe Association. You can use them whenever you need. Take it to buy the seeds."
Lü Yang frowned: "Senior Brother, isn't this like the Cultivation Technique Loan? I'm afraid...."
"Sanhe Association is a major force within the Sect's Inner Sect. New disciples can enjoy a thirty-day interest-free period, much cheaper than the Stain Sect's Cultivation Technique Loan."
"And you're thinking of buying the Immortal Flower seeds, right?" Zhao Xuhe gently and warmly expressed, "At our Sanhe Association, there's a Senior Brother specifically selling this. Since you borrowed from our Sanhe Association, I'll put in a good word for you to let him sell you the seeds at cost price...."
"Such a good favor?" Lü Yang appeared elated.
"Isn't it because I see we get along well?" Zhao Xuhe laughed heartily too: "If not, I wouldn't usually disclose such an opportunity to others!"
After saying so, Zhao Xuhe handed another Jade Scroll to Lü Yang: "This is the communication Jade Scroll of that Senior Brother, wishing you early fortune!"
"Thank you, Senior Brother!"
With countless thanks, Lü Yang left.
Watching his departing figure, Zhao Xuhe's mouth curved into a sneer as he continued to look for the next prey within the Good Deeds Tower.
.....
Lü Yang didn't rush to find Zhao Xuhe's "reliable senior brother" to buy the Yin Yang Immortal Flower. Instead, he returned to his cave mansion first and then did the math.
"Borrowing 500 contribution points can buy ten Immortal Flower seeds, with an annual interest rate of 36%, same as the Cultivation Technique Loan."
"If I put in the early mornings and late nights to nourish the seeds with essence blood and Qi, they'd mature in about a year — earning me around 1,500 contribution points."
"After I pay the rent, only 1140 contribution points remain."
"Pay off the Cultivation Technique Loan principal and interest of 460, leaving 680 contribution points, then 500 principal plus 180 interest for the Immortal Flower due...."
"Gone!?"
Where's my money?
With this doubt, Lü recalculated, and then blankly looked at his own hands, only regaining his senses after a long while. He actually laughed in disbelief.
Good heavens, they've calculated it thoroughly, not even leaving me with money for food!
No wonder this is the Stain Sect!
As a disciple of the Stain Sect, you start out already in debt. From day one, the sect keeps you dangling on a tight financial leash—every task you take barely covers your expenses.
If you want to actually save anything, you have to take on more jobs, work longer hours, and basically live in the mission hall.
Slip up even once, and your cash flow collapses. Then those massive loans strapped to your name instantly turn into the straw that breaks the camel's back.
In short, the harder you work, the more hardship you get.
It's a neat little system: dangle the basic necessities in front of the lower disciples, force them to grind themselves to death, and funnel all that sweat and labor straight into the Sect's glorious development.
"Fk me"
The thought alone made Lü Yang curse out loud.
But a moment later, he talked himself into feeling better:
"Look, I'm working for the Sect, the Sect pays me in contribution points, and then takes those points back through loans and cave mansion rents. It's basically a closed loop. I'm practically making a profit just by being in the middle of it all!"
Then Lü Yang recalled the previously warm and zealous Zhao Xuhe, looked at the extra 500 contribution points loan on his Disciple Token, and snickered:
"Since you've chosen to play dirty, don't blame me for doing the same."
"Usury?Then I guess I'm your refusery."
Despite saying so, the slave-like plight of the Stain Sect disciples still left Lü feeling stifled, increasingly uneasy, with a nameless fire rising within.
"...Demon?"
At this moment, the curtain was lifted, and it was Yun. She heard Lü's outburst and got out of bed to see what was happening.