Inside the Zhijian Peak branch of the Personnel Hall.
An old man sat lazily in a chair, yawning as he looked at the young man before him with bleary eyes. "You’re here quite early, lad. I just opened the doors and here you are. Well, what can I do for you?"
"I'm here to register."
"Register?" The old man was slightly taken aback. His eyes swept over Xu Xian several times, wondering whose child this was and which back door they had used to get in.
Otherwise, with the quinquennial recruitment ceremony yet to arrive, where did this talk of registration come from?
He asked, "Name?"
"Xu Xian."
"Huh?" The old man started, suddenly wide awake. "You’re Xu Xian?"
Xu Xian offered a slight smile.
The old man’s demeanor shifted instantly, his gaze turning warm and fatherly. "You’ve actually woken up. You certainly look like a man of exceptional talent."
Amidst his praise, he took out a brush and paper, spreading them on the desk while saying with a chuckle:
"Just a bit of protocol. Who is your master, where do you currently reside, and where are you stationed?"
Following Wen Qingxue’s instructions, Xu Xian answered truthfully, "I study under Li Taibai. I currently live on Zhijian Peak and belong to the Sword Suppression Hall."
Li Taibai.
The Sword Ancestor of Fanzhou.
The founder of the Wendao Sword Sect.
The pinnacle of the Dao of the Sword, a living legend of the mortal realm.
The old man stared at Xu Xian, his throat bobbing. His expression shifted through a kaleidoscope of emotions, and he remained silent for a long time.
"Is something wrong?"
The old man snapped back to reality. "Please wait a moment." He stood up and hurried into the inner room. He seemed to be using a thousand-mile sound transmission technique to communicate with someone, confirming something.
It was a bit like making a phone call.
After a long while, the old man came running back out. His expression had changed once more; he stood before the table with a broad, servile smile, bowing respectfully to Xu Xian. "Little Grand-Uncle, I’ve kept you waiting."
As he spoke, he produced a brand-new jade tablet and began to cast a spell upon it.
During the process, he didn't forget to ask, "May I ask where you hail from, Little Grand-Uncle?"
"Houdao Village," Xu Xian said, making sure to mention, "There's something I should bring up. I’m the chief of Houdao Village. I love my people like my own kin; the hundreds of folks in that village are all my family. You understand, right?"
The corner of the old man’s mouth twitched involuntarily. He said with half-hearted belief, "Uh... Little Grand-Uncle is truly compassionate and kind. I understand, I understand. And where might this Houdao Village be located?"
Xu Xian furrowed his brows, looking troubled...
East, south, west, or north?
How was he supposed to know?
The old man seemed to sense the youth’s predicament and quickly added, "No matter. I’ll just have my subordinates go looking for it. It’s a small thing."
Xu Xian smiled. "Then I shall trouble you with it."
A short while later.
The little old man presented the dao jade with both hands, saying respectfully, "Little Grand-Uncle, please keep this safe."
Xu Xian was very satisfied. He took the dao jade and gave it a cursory scan. The information within the jade tablet was synchronized into his mind, functioning much like an identity card.
[Name: Xu Xian.]
[Status: (first-generation disciple) Eleventh disciple of Sword Ancestor Li Taibai.]
[Affiliated Peak: Zhijian Peak]
[Position: Sword Suppression Hall Disciple]
[Merit Points: 0]
[Current Realm: None]
"Um?"
"Yes?"
Xu Xian asked with a frown, "Why are my merit points at zero? Is there a mistake?"
The little old man chuckled. "No mistake."
Xu Xian continued to press, "Doesn't an ordinary disciple of the Sword Suppression Hall get a monthly stipend of one thousand merit points? Is it because they won't be issued until next month?"
Before entering, he had asked Wen Qingxue about it.
The benefits for Sword Suppression Hall disciples included a basic salary of one thousand merit points per month, with field work and completed missions earning extra. Furthermore, the amount would increase along with one's realm and position.
Wen Qingxue had also mentioned that within the Wendao Sword Sect, the pay in the Sword Suppression Hall was relatively high.
"There won't be any next month either," the little old man said.
Xu Xian was immediately displeased. He slapped the table and said, "What do you mean? Are you targeting me? I am your Grand-Uncle, you know!"
The old man remained amiable and took the initiative to explain, "Little Grand-Uncle, how would I ever dare? You might not be aware, but in the Wendao Sword Sect, first-generation disciples do not receive a basic merit point stipend. I’m simply following the regulations."
"What? Who set such a rule?"
The old man said weakly, "Your master, the Sword Ancestor himself."
Xu Xian’s eyes flickered. Looking at the old man, it didn't seem like he was lying, but he felt this broken rule was truly ridiculous.
He asked tentatively, "Does the Sect Master have one?"
The old man confirmed, "No."
Xu Xian tucked away the dao jade, forced to give up in frustration.
What else could he do? As an elder, he couldn't exactly make things difficult for this junior.
"Fine, I'm leaving."
"Safe travels, Grand-Uncle."
Xu Xian was utterly speechless, cursing inwardly. 'Grand-Uncle my foot! What's the point of being a Grand-Uncle? Do Grand-Uncles not count as people? Do they not need to eat? What am I supposed to do without a salary?'
He was truly impressed by this bizarre rule.
He walked out of the Personnel Hall in a foul mood. Wen Qingxue was leaning against a stone pillar, having waited for a long time.
"Finished?"
"Yeah."
"Let's go."
"Where to now?"
"Cultivation!"
Xu Xian curled his lip and hurried to catch up. Along the way, he didn't forget to complain to Wen Qingxue about how he, a Grand-Uncle, didn't even have a salary, asking her if it wasn't absurd.
Wen Qingxue remained silent as always.
Be strict with oneself and generous toward others.
Those were the words the Sword Ancestor had spoken back then, and the Wendao Sword Sect followed them to this day.
As a disciple of the Sword Ancestor and a future leader of the Wendao Sword Sect, talent and cultivation were only part of the equation; character was also extremely important. Every word and action could potentially sway the fate of the entire sect.
The path they walked was naturally different from others.
The Sword Ancestor had his reasons for doing things this way.
Seeing Xu Xian complaining non-stop, Wen Qingxue suddenly chimed in, sounding worried. "Little Grand-Uncle."
"Yeah?"
"You're saying all this... you aren't planning to avoid paying me back, are you?"
Xu Xian immediately said, "How could I? Your Grand-Uncle isn't that kind of person. I’m a man of my word. Do you know where I’m from? Houdao Village. Everyone in Houdao Village knows that I, Xu Xian, am the most honest man there."
"Oh, that's good then." She breathed a sigh of relief.
Xu Xian rubbed his hands together and said with a grin, "Grand-Niece, here’s what I’m thinking. Why don’t you lend me a bit more? Let’s make it an even number so it’s easier to keep track of."
Wen Qingxue’s face fell.
As expected. The true intention finally revealed itself.
Xu Xian continued, "I have to eat, don't I? My Senior Sister left me in your care; you can't just ignore me. Don't worry, once your Grand-Uncle strikes it rich in the future, I’ll definitely repay you..."
Xu Xian appealed to her emotions and logic, building on his previous performance.
Wen Qingxue sighed and silently pulled out her dao jade from her robes. "How much to make it even?"
Xu Xian also pulled his dao jade out of the spirit bag at his waist and said with a smile, "Give me 990 merit points to make it an even thousand. I’ll pay you back 1100 when the time comes. I'm generous, aren't I?"
Wen Qingxue glanced at him without a word.
She transferred 990 merit points to him.
Looking at the merit point balance in his dao jade, Xu Xian raised an eyebrow and praised, "You’re a real pal."
"Remember to pay it back."
"Don't worry, your Grand-Uncle doesn't stiff people."
Wen Qingxue looked skeptical. She said coldly, "Little Grand-Uncle, you should go back and cultivate. If there is anything you don't understand, you can ask me or anyone else on the mountain. I have to go get busy."
"Alright, off you go."
Wen Qingxue left.
Xu Xian was in a pretty good mood. Gripping the jade tablet, he hummed a little tune and headed straight for the Spirit Food Workshop.
You can't have the strength to cultivate without a full stomach, after all.
"Hey, you... chubby kid, a bowl of spiritual porridge."
Rate on N.U.
