Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World

Chapter 281: Chapter 161 Miscellaneous Disciple_2

”Could it be that the token was mistaken by me? Is this brat’s identity fake?” Chen Ke began to doubt in his heart.

Lu Junyi, afraid that Chen Ke might slip up and reveal something, immediately gave him a glare: ”What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go!”

Chen Ke shrank his neck back and answered repeatedly. Once he left the attic, whatever thoughts of apologizing he had instantly vanished. When looking at Gu Sheng again, a trace of mockery seeped into his gaze.

”Hah, I thought he was someone important, but turns out he’s just a menial disciple. And I still have to go through trouble for him, what bad luck!”

With a face full of reluctance, Chen Ke didn’t even bother checking if Gu Sheng could keep up as he sprinted swiftly down the mountain.

Chen Ke’s character might be questionable, but he was, after all, a genuine Golden Bone Realm cultivator. Even without unleashing his full power, his speed far exceeded Gu Sheng, who was just at the First-level Speed Technique. Gu Sheng, cautious due to the heavy restrictions placed within Cloud Saint Peak, dared not fall behind. He could only muster every ounce of strength, barely keeping his distance from Chen Ke, yet struggling tremendously on the way.

A quarter of an hour later, Chen Ke led Gu Sheng to the base of three mountain peaks, following a small path that looped around to the back of the peak.

Behind the peak lay a dense bamboo forest. At the edge of the forest, there was a clearing dotted with small wooden cabins. These cabins looked old, some with roofs riddled with large holes from years of disrepair. A few even seemed so decrepit they’d collapse with just a slightly stronger gust of wind.

Gu Sheng noticed that the bamboo here wasn’t ordinary bamboo. Regular bamboo had green outer shells, but here, all the bamboo had red surfaces. Additionally, this bamboo forest didn’t give off the usual cool sensation. Instead, a soft breeze seemed to carry a faintly scorching heat.

In the bamboo forest, a number of people were busy working with farming tools. Upon noticing Chen Ke and Gu Sheng, they stopped their work and approached to greet the two.

Gu Sheng saw that there were quite a lot of laborers in the forest. A rough tally revealed fifty to sixty individuals. Their cultivation wasn’t high – mostly Iron Skin and Jade Fragment Realm, with very few at the Blood Refining Realm. They were all relatively young, around his own age, sixteen or seventeen.

”Greetings, Senior Brother!”

These menial disciples saluted Chen Ke and Gu Sheng, assuming the pair were there for inspection.

Chen Ke turned to one among them, a Blood Refining Realm cultivator, and said, ”He’s a new menial disciple. Get him settled and familiarize him with the daily work tasks.”

Perhaps due to something related to the bamboo, the area gave off an oppressive heat. After standing around for just a moment, Gu Sheng was already sweating.

Evidently, Chen Ke didn’t want to linger in such an area either. After giving brief instructions, he floated away without hesitation.

The individual Chen Ke had singled out was only at Blood Refining Realm, Small Success level. He could feel that Gu Sheng’s aura was far superior to his own. Despite Chen Ke’s assertion that Gu Sheng was a newly arrived menial disciple, he couldn’t hide the timid respect in his gaze toward Gu Sheng.

”Brother, with your cultivation, how did you end up here? You’re not from the Red Cloud Prefecture territory, are you?”

Gu Sheng nodded. ”Yes, I’m from a small county. My name’s Gu Sheng. Can you first introduce me to what the menial disciples here are responsible for?”

The man let out a small ”oh.” ”I’m Liu Yiming, just call me Xiao Liu. Us menial disciples mainly handle this Fire Bamboo Forest. Working for a month earns you five sect contribution points and three hundred silver notes.”

At these words, Gu Sheng frowned deeply. Working here for one month only yielded five contribution points – just sixty points for an entire year. In other words, he’d have to labor here for a year and eight months just to accumulate enough points to qualify for promotion to an outer sect disciple.

Outer sect disciples, while lacking a direct elder to answer their questions, could receive the pills they needed for cultivation. Moreover, according to Lin Miaomiao, outer sect disciples had the opportunity to visit the Scripture Pavilion once every six months to choose martial arts techniques. Most importantly, outer sect disciples weren’t assigned labor. Unless they chose to undertake missions to earn sect contribution points, they could fully devote themselves to cultivation on the sect’s welfare.

Gu Sheng had come to the Holy Pill Sect seeking better cultivation resources, not to toil as cheap labor. Troubled, he asked, ”Isn’t it possible to take missions at the Merit Hall to earn sect contribution points? Why are you all willing to endure this backbreaking work?”

Hearing this, Liu Yiming bitterly sighed. ”Ah, Brother Gu, you don’t understand. These Fire Bamboo are the main fuel for Spirit Pill Peak’s pill refining process, and there’s a huge demand for them. The sect imposes quotas on us menial disciples. If we fail to meet them, we not only earn no contribution points but also have points deducted! Those who consistently don’t meet the quotas risk expulsion from the sect altogether. While menial disciples do have the option to take missions at the Merit Hall, once you try it, you’ll find out – those missions are extraordinarily tough. Even the simplest tasks need two or three Blood Refining Realm cultivators at Small Success or Perfect level working together just to complete them safely. The missions are practically designed for formal disciples, not for menial ones like us. Menial disciples like us can really only endure, struggle to accumulate enough contribution points, then wait to automatically promote upon reaching the required cultivation.”

Gu Sheng felt a deep sadness and helplessness for these people. He could now understand why many claimed that those from small places struggled to find footholds in the Red Cloud Prefecture territory.

Judging from this example, this phenomenon wasn’t limited to the Holy Pill Sect. It was likely widespread among most of the forces in Red Cloud Prefecture, exploiting the lowest strata of society incessantly.

Fortunately, Gu Sheng’s cultivation was decent, and he wasn’t burdened by such worries.

After Chen Ke left, the others quickly returned to their tasks within the bamboo forest. Liu Yiming led Gu Sheng to a dilapidated wooden cabin.

Due to the permeating heat in the area, the cabins hadn’t developed mold, but many wooden planks had been infested with ants and termites. The roof had two gaping holes where wind constantly rushed in. If it rained, the cabin would surely turn into a leaking mess.

”Brother Gu, the conditions here are what they are. You’ll have to make do. You can gather wood from the northern entrance of the Red Cloud Mountain Range to repair it on your downtime. Tools are here. Our daily quota is to water, fertilize, and remove pests from one hundred Fire Bamboo. Give it a try, and if you have questions, feel free to find me.”

With that, Liu Yiming was about to leave to attend to his work when Gu Sheng quickly grabbed him, pulling out a silver note worth one thousand and thrusting it into Liu Yiming’s hand.

”Xiao Liu, can you help me handle my share? Consider this as payment for your labor. We’ll settle accounts monthly!”

Liu Yiming had previously mentioned that upon meeting quotas, menial disciples would receive not only sect contribution points but also some silver taels – evidence that shops existed within the Holy Pill Sect. That gave Gu Sheng the idea of hiring Liu Yiming to do his work.

Having Copper Bone Realm strength, Gu Sheng was confident he could handle simple missions on his own. He had no intention of wasting time here; he needed faster opportunities to earn sect contribution points.

Liu Yiming stared at the silver note in shock. Menial disciples were usually children of common folk without backing in Red Cloud Prefecture, and he hadn’t expected Gu Sheng, a newcomer from a small county, to have such wealth.

The thousand silver taels were enough to buy plenty of Blood Refining Realm cultivation supplements. Moreover, Gu Sheng was offering monthly settlement!

Liu Yiming, who toiled for a paltry three hundred taels a month, found the offered one thousand – triple his usual earnings – irresistible. Only a fool would refuse such a deal!

Quickly pocketing the note, Liu Yiming’s attitude toward Gu Sheng turned warm and amiable.

”Brother Gu, don’t worry! I, Liu Yiming, am known among menial disciples for my fast and flawless work! You can count on me – I’ll make sure your quotas are met without issue!”

Gu Sheng pulled out two more silver notes, each worth a hundred, and handed them to Liu Yiming, pointing toward his ramshackle cabin: ”Also, could you help me fix up my cabin?”