Chapter 15: Recruitment

Zhao Chun knew that among the hundred third-layer Qi Refinement cultivators of the Thirty-ninth Courtyard, the most famous one was named Feng Sanchu.

His background was somewhat complex. He was originally a scion of a small cultivation clan in the Hengyun World, but for unknown reasons, he had drifted into a minor world and was only found when he was fourteen or fifteen years old. Feeling they owed him, his parents used the wealth they had accumulated over half a lifetime to secure him a spot in the Lingzhen Sect.

Although that was Feng Sanchu's parents' private property, the Feng family felt it was too much of a waste to spend on someone with almost no visible future. Consequently, they expelled the three of them on the grounds of disrespecting the clan.

However, the situation took a dramatic turn. Feng Sanchu made a late-game comeback; after entering the sect at fifteen, he broke through to the third layer of Qi Refinement within three years using his four-spirit root aptitude, needing only one final push to become a formal disciple.

He was warm-hearted, righteous, and easygoing. Many disciples in the Thirty-ninth Courtyard had received his kindness or care, earning him an excellent reputation and the affection of his peers. He even showed signs of becoming the unofficial leader among the disciples of the courtyard.

After Zhao Chun broke through to the second layer of Qi Refinement, he had shown her some favor, though they were far from being close friends. She wondered what business brought him to her door today.

After sipping some tea, Feng Sanchu said amiably, "I recently heard that Junior Sister Zhao has been looking for ways to make money. I entered the sect a few years before you and was quite destitute at first, but things are better for me now."

Zhao Chun raised an eyebrow and said, "I would be grateful if Senior Brother could offer some guidance."

"It is not so much guidance as it is a hope to be of some small help to you." He pressed his thumb lightly against the tea bowl, his eyes narrowing as he revealed a row of white teeth.

"The Lingzhen Sect has something called a 'Bounty Board.' A disciple with dual spirit roots was brought into the sect at the age of thirty-three by an elder who was traveling abroad; in his youth, he made a fortune as a traveling merchant. Later, using his connections, he established this Bounty Board. Cultivators outside the gates or even mortals can post rewards on the board, and the disciples pick the tasks suited to them. Both sides get what they need, making it a win-win situation.

"As it happens, I have a suitable task and wish to invite Junior Sister to join us and lend a hand."

Since unprovoked kindness was always suspicious, Zhao Chun remained cautious. She said, "Senior Brother overestimates me. I am only at the second layer of Qi Refinement; how could I have the strength to assist?"

Feng Sanchu stopped beating around the bush and got straight to the point. "Junior Sister is a young talent; with time, you will surely achieve great things, which is why I have taken the liberty of visiting you today!

"In this bounty, Senior Brother Meng Han, a formal outer disciple, is part of the team. His cultivation has reached the late stage of Qi Refinement, and he has few rivals below the Foundation Establishment stage. We only need to accompany him and wait for the reward!"

Confused, Zhao Chun asked, "Since Senior Brother Meng's cultivation is so profound, the bounty must not be difficult for him. Why would he need to call upon others?"

"You may not know, but Senior Brother Meng received kindness from my parents in his early years, so he has looked after me quite a bit within the sect. I was originally the one to take this bounty, and the person who posted it required five third-layer Qi Refinement disciples to go. I have already found two people, and since Senior Brother Meng is heading out on sect business and traveling the same way, he joined our team.

"With Senior Brother Meng's help, the remaining spots are not strictly dependent on cultivation level. After the four of us discussed it, we decided to offer one to an outstanding new disciple as a favor. That was when I thought of you, Junior Sister Zhao."

A young cultivator with three spirit roots who possessed a resilient temperament and could endure the loneliness of bitter cultivation—Feng Sanchu and the others had long held Zhao Chun in high regard. It would be good to build a positive connection through this opportunity. Even if Zhao Chun failed to achieve great things, she wouldn't pose a threat to them, so why not do it?

Zhao Chun could find almost no reason to refuse, and since she was indeed desperately poor, she thought for a moment and said, "Then I thank Senior Brother!"

Seeing her agreement, Feng Sanchu was very pleased. He explained some finer details to Zhao Chun before taking his leave. "In that case, I have fulfilled my duty. I will see you at the mountain gate in five days!"

It was truly like being handed a pillow when one was feeling sleepy; the problem that had troubled her for months finally had a resolution, and Zhao Chun felt a sense of lightness in her heart.

Even if she hadn't agreed to go today, she would have learned from Feng Sanchu that there was a place called the Bounty Board where she could earn some spirit stones.

*This is what a real person is like,* Zhao Chun sighed inwardly. To be so tactful and socially adept—she truly could not hope to match him!

When sect disciples were to go on long journeys, they first had to visit the disciple quarters to record when they were leaving and approximately when they would return. If they failed to return within a year of the registered time, they were to be treated as deceased.

Feng Sanchu said the round trip would take five or six days, with a stay of about ten days in the middle. To be safe, Zhao Chun wrote that she would return in one month, which would allow her to make it back in time for the major classes.

Having entered the Lingzhen Sect upon arriving in the Hengyun World, this was her first time going outside the sect. Zhou Pianran felt a sense of longing and said, "We've been here so long and haven't gone out once. I wonder how it differs from the State of Chu. A-Chun, you must look around carefully, and ideally, tell us all about it when you return!"

"Feihu" was the name given to the location of the State of Chu in the Hengyun World. Zhou Pianran only told outsiders she was a native of the Feihu Minor World, but in private, she never called it that. The State of Chu, a place as foreign to Zhao Chun as the Hengyun World, was the ancestral home that Zhou Pianran could not let go of.

"If I can, I'll bring back some special things for you," Zhao Chun said. The City of Jicheng they were heading to was a large city, and Zhao Chun intended to broaden her horizons.

Upon learning she was going on a long journey, her three senior sisters could not stop nagging. Cui Lan'e was the most persistent, giving endless instructions and even making Zhao Chun double-check her storage bag before she left, fearing she might forget something.

"I'll be back in a month. You don't need to worry; please take care of yourselves as well."

After saying her goodbyes, Zhao Chun boarded a smoke boat toward the mountain gate. Lian Jing's sharp voice still rang in her ears: "Don't linger too long when the business is done! Come back early, and don't let the things outside dazzle your eyes. Those with wicked hearts specifically target little bumpkins like you to scam!" She was always sharp-tongued, but Zhao Chun knew she had a good heart and accepted her concern, nodding and promising to return early.

At the mountain gate, Feng Sanchu and the others had not yet arrived. Since Zhao Chun had the lowest cultivation and was the junior, she felt it would be impolite to make others wait for her, so she arrived early.

Fortunately, she did not wait long before the four of them arrived together. The man leading them was exceptionally tall, with slightly dark skin and piercing, tiger-like eyes. Feng Sanchu followed behind him, looking like an unformed youth in comparison; this must be Meng Han!

The other two were familiar faces from the Thirty-ninth Courtyard: Liao Duanyi and her younger sister Liao Xiaoyi. Their faces were similar, and even their builds were not much different.

"Junior Sister has arrived first!" Feng Sanchu greeted her with a smile and introduced her, "This is Junior Sister Zhao Chun, whom we mentioned earlier."

"Junior Sister, this is Senior Brother Meng."

As Meng Han approached, Zhao Chun felt a sense of suppression. He was excessively tall and broad-shouldered; his shadow fell before her like a small black mountain.

"Preparatory disciple Zhao Chun greets Senior Brother Meng."

In Meng Han's eyes, Zhao Chun was just a little girl who hadn't yet grown up, pitifully small. However, since Feng Sanchu held her in high regard, Meng Han felt he should give his junior brother some face. Thus, he reined in his aura and forced a somewhat kind smile, saying, "Ah, hello, Junior Sister! Hello!"

He was not naturally a jovial person, and his face was quite fierce; his attempt at a smile looked even more awkward, leaving Zhao Chun momentarily unsure of how to respond.

It was only when the Liao sisters stepped forward to speak with her that the awkwardness was broken.