Passersby who heard this stared at Jiang Ling as if he were a fool.
Who the hell was this idiot talking such outrageous nonsense?
Did he have any idea how much the city entry fee raked in a day?
Claiming he'd charge not a single copper—why didn't he just fly to the heavens?
In this world, anyone who turned down easy money was a fool.
No sane person would ever say something like that.
"Why are they all staring at this Sect Master?" Jiang Ling looked confused. "Do they think what I said makes perfect sense?"
"I heard Yunmu City, the more prosperous one further away, charges five low-grade spirit stones per person for entry," Hua Yuntian hesitated, then ground out the words with a dark scowl.
"What?!"
Jiang Ling's voice cracked in shock.
Five low-grade spirit stones!
Even bandits weren't this greedy!
A string of complaints nearly burst from his lips.
Luckily, he reacted fast, noticing the curious and mocking gazes around him growing more intense, and quickly backtracked:
"Ahem—only five low-grade spirit stones? When my Primordial Beginning Sect flourishes, we won't just skip five—we'll skip ten, no problem!"
He clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze sweeping haughtily over the crowd, as if spirit stones were truly dirt beneath his feet.
"Idiot!"
Someone finally couldn't hold back and cursed aloud.
"Chirp!"
A flash of viciousness blazed in Jincancan's glazed eyes, and it glared fiercely at the crowd all around.
"Who said that?!"
Jiang Ling flew into a rage, his eyes darting across the onlookers.
But when he met the growing sea of contemptuous stares, he deflated, his lips twisting unhappily.
"Are you ever going to start recruiting?" Hua Yuntian could take no more, growling in a low voice.
"Enough. Now that my Primordial Beginning Sect steps forth before the world, we shall suppress the ages! You look upon me as a mayfly gazing at the blue sky—this Sect Master is magnanimous, and shall not stoop to your level!"
Jiang Ling shook his head, flung his sleeves wide, and strode past the crowd in a few steps toward the city gates.
It wasn't long before they found Blackstone City's so-called "Talent Exchange Center"—though it wasn't called that, of course. It was the Ascension to Immortality Assembly.
The Ascension to Immortality Assembly was where all nearby forces set up permanent recruitment stalls to take in new disciples. It was a way to boost efficiency and make sure no promising talent slipped through the cracks.
When they arrived, the assembly was packed with people, so Jiang Ling had to find a relatively clean patch of empty ground nearby.
He picked up a tattered wooden board from the side of the road at random, dipped a stick in some black ash he'd somehow come by, and scrawled a line of bold, wild characters across it:
PRIMORDIAL BEGINNING SECT RECRUITS DISCIPLES WIDELY!
AGE: UNDER 50!
REQUIREMENT: SINCERITY ALONE! SPIRIT ROOT NOT REQUIRED!
BENEFITS: ROOM AND BOARD PROVIDED! 10 TAELS OF SILVER MONTHLY STIPEND! BASIC QI CIRCULATION ART GIFTED UPON ENTRY!
APPLY QUICKLY! OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS BUT ONCE!
He propped the sign up, plopped down on a tattered straw mat some beggar had left behind, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes to meditate.
"Chirp!"
Jincancan's beak twitched slightly in disgust. It hopped onto a slightly taller stone to preen its feathers, putting on a frosty air of I don't know this man.
Hua Yuntian's face was as black as the bottom of a pot. He wished he could grab a bamboo hat and cover his entire head, certain that everyone around was laughing at him.
In two lifetimes, he'd never experienced such a mortifying scene.
This was so damn embarrassing.
The Scarlet Sun Demon Sage glanced at the sign, then silently trundled to the farthest edge of their little stall, turned his back to the crowd, and did his best to make himself invisible.
Unfortunately, his bald head was far too eye-catching.
This bizarre stall and even more absurd recruitment notice instantly drew the gaze of everyone near the city gates.
"Pfft! Primordial Beginning Sect? Is that the one they say only has a lone sect master left, whose mountain gate is practically falling apart?"
"Hahaha, this is hilarious! Under 50? Sincerity alone? Not even caring if someone has a spirit root? Is this recruiting disciples or a retirement home?"
"Room and board? 10 taels a month? Free cultivation art? They're lying through their teeth—they can barely feed themselves!"
"Hey! That bald guy! Dressed like a beggar! Looks like bad luck personified! Can't be a new disciple, right? Hahaha!"
Laughter crashed over them like a tide. Even the cultivators manning the recruitment stalls of other sects laughed without restraint.
Not far from Primordial Beginning Sect's stall was the recruitment point of Green Cloud Sect, a Ninth-Rank sect.
In charge of recruitment was a middle-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator in a cyan Daoist robe with a goatee, surnamed Hao—known as Elder Hao.
He fanned himself with a feather fan, watching Jiang Ling's shabby stall and ridiculous notice, his goatee wiggling with amusement.
"Well, well, well—if it isn't the handyman from Primordial Beginning Sect. Oh, pardon me, Sect Master Jiang!" Elder Hao sauntered over, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Your sect's recruitment standards are truly getting more and more... unique, aren't they?
Taking anyone under 50, even without a spirit root? Tsk tsk tsk. Is Sect Master Jiang planning to open a charity hall?
Is your sect so desperate for money, or just so desperate for disciples that you'll take anyone?
Shall my Green Cloud Sect spare a few handyman disciples for you? Hahaha!"
Yun Chen, the steward of Cloud Mist Sect—an Eighth-Rank sect—chimed in with the mockery: "Exactly! Elder Hao's right! Look at that bald head—such a miserable look! He's a blight just standing there! Primordial Beginning Sect is truly so hungry they'll eat anything, taking trash like that in. Aren't you afraid he'll drag down your sect's fortune?"
"Hahaha! Baldy! Yeah, you! What are you staring at? Got a problem with it?"
A disciple from Jade Sword Sect pointed at the Scarlet Sun Demon Sage, who still had his back to the crowd, and laughed loudly.
It was no wonder everyone was mocking them. Mortals only lived a few decades; at 50, they were practically at death's door. Even if they tried to cultivate, they'd likely die stuck at the first level of Qi Refining.
And the line about not needing a spirit root? To everyone here, that was the biggest joke of all.
Without a spirit root, you couldn't even sense spiritual energy—how could you possibly cultivate?
It was pure nonsense.
Listening to the harsh jeers, Hua Yuntian's face turned livid. His fists clenched so tight his knuckles cracked, and he was this close to storming off in a huff.
In two lifetimes combined, he'd never been so humiliated. Today was a new low.
Jincancan's feather-preening froze mid-movement. A cold glint flickered in its glazed eyes.
How dare they!
Daring to mock its master, Jincancan's master—they were asking for death!
If Jiang Ling hadn't given the word, it would have smacked these noisy ants away with a single wingbeat.
The Scarlet Sun Demon Sage's back tensed abruptly. Veins bulged on his bald head, and his clenched fists dug his nails so deep into his palms they drew blood. A murderous rage, suppressed to the breaking point, simmered within him like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
His firm, chiseled face twisted with fury, and vicious light flashed in his eyes—but he forced himself to hold back.
This was mortal territory. Patience was needed for great plans.
He'd kill these worthless trash when no one was watching.
Jiang Ling's eyes fluttered open slowly. He spoke in a lazy drawl, his voice not loud, yet it cut through all the laughter clearly:
"Sincerity brings enlightenment; the Dao follows nature. My Primordial Beginning Sect teaches all, without distinction, and opens its doors wide to all who seek the path. You blind fools, with your mortal eyes, cannot see a true immortal before you. You judge worth by spirit roots, and fate by appearance. Ridiculous. Pitiful."
He finished with a profound shake of his head, putting on a show of wisdom.
At this, Elder Hao and the others laughed even harder: "Hahaha! A true immortal? You? A mere mortal, and you've got a fine talent for playing the mystic!
Everyone knows the current sect master of Primordial Beginning Sect rose from a handyman! It's a joke just saying it out loud!"
The smile vanished from Jiang Ling's face in an instant. He stared at Elder Hao and the others, his expression cold, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Damn it!
Don't dig up old wounds—these bastards were going too far!