4: Odd jobs, Spirit Beast Peak, living for oneself

Qingyun Sect, before the mountain gate.

Jiang Yan walked off the flying boat with a wooden expression.

Along the way, he had considered countless possibilities, but he simply couldn't understand what Liu Ruyan was actually thinking.

To be honest, however, this was also the closest he had ever been to immortal cultivation.

Was this an opportunity?

Of course, this was indeed a massive opportunity.

Jiang Yan felt that if he didn't reach out and touch this door, he would likely live for a hundred years in this life without ever being able to enter the world of immortal cultivators.

Senior Brother Li approached Jiang Yan and said in a cold voice, "Don't forget your status. If it weren't for Junior Sister Ruyan's kindness, a Mortal with absolutely no Foundation like you wouldn't even dream of being a Menial Servant in an immortal sect in this lifetime!"

Jiang Yan did not refute Li Chunsheng's words; he was very clear about his current position.

"Senior Brother, what are you talking about?" Liu Ruyan stepped forward and asked.

"I'm reminding him not to cause any trouble." Li Chunsheng turned his head, his tone relaxed. "After all, for a Mortal to be a Menial Servant in an immortal sect is already a massive blessing from our sect."

"Senior Brother is right." Liu Ruyan smiled and took Li Chunsheng's arm, saying in a gentle tone, "Then for Ruyan's sake, please take more care of him in the future."

Li Chunsheng glanced at Jiang Yan, his tone meaningful. "Don't worry, my Hall of Menial Servants will take care of every Disciple."

Stepping into the hidden formation, the scene ahead changed drastically. A majestic mountain range appeared, with peaks surrounding each other, and above the clouds, it looked like a fairyland.

Jiang Yan was shocked to his core, even feeling that breathing was more comfortable than it was outside the mountains.

"Senior Martial Uncle Yu, you've worked hard." The mountain-guarding Disciples bowed respectfully, then bowed toward Feng Xiao and the others. "Senior Brother Feng, Senior Brother Yun, Senior Brother He, Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother Yan, Senior Brother Liu."

"Alright, I'm returning to the Hall of Deacons." The elderly man surnamed Yu tossed out a casual sentence and vanished before everyone's eyes.

"Junior Brother Li, you go ahead with your business; we shall take our leave here." Feng Xiao and the other two cupped their hands in a salute.

"Farewell, three Senior Brothers." Li Chunsheng and the other two hurriedly bowed, watching Feng Xiao and his companions depart.

"Senior Brother, take him to Zayou Place to report." Junior Brother Yan spoke up, then turned to grab Liu Ruyan's hand, his tone gentle. "Junior Sister, let's return to Little Bamboo Peak first. Revered Master's punishment this time likely won't be light; I'll get some Medicinal Pills for you."

Liu Ruyan's expression was somewhat unnatural, and she glanced at Jiang Yan hesitantly.

Li Chunsheng said meaningfully, "Don't worry, Junior Sister. I will properly arrange things for your... Mortal ex-husband."

He emphasized the words 'Mortal ex-husband' very heavily, as if intentionally bringing it up.

Liu Ruyan nodded, looked at Jiang Yan once more, and then followed the man surnamed Yan away.

"Stop looking. Junior Sister Ruyan is now a Disciple of a Little Bamboo Peak Elder, and even more so a Dao Companion to us; she's not someone a Mortal like you can covet." Seeing the two leave, Li Chunsheng stopped holding back and said bluntly, "Hurry up. Zayou Place is below the outer peaks; it's still quite a walk."

Jiang Yan silently followed in Li Chunsheng's footsteps.

They walked along the southern mountain path, passing countless pavilions and courtyards. Occasionally, Disciples would pass by, all of whom would first bow respectfully to Li Chunsheng. As for Jiang Yan following behind him, they only cast puzzled and curious glances.

As they headed north, the architecture became less extravagant, and there was even a faint increase in the mundane scent of the secular world in the air.

The three bold characters for 'Menial Servant Courtyard' seemed to tell Jiang Yan that this was his final destination.

Stepping through the wide gate, over a dozen Utility Disciples dressed in short black clothes were busy with various tasks.

Upon seeing Li Chunsheng appear, a short, middle-aged man quickly came forward to greet him: "Welcome, Senior Brother Li. If you have any orders, just let me know; there's no need for you to come personally."

Li Chunsheng snorted and pointed to Jiang Yan following behind him. "This is a new Menial Servant; arrange a place for him."

The short man glanced at Li Chunsheng, and after catching the message from the other man's face, he sized up Jiang Yan. "Spirit Beast Peak has recently been short of someone to clean and feed in the middle district. You can go there."

Hearing this, Li Chunsheng nodded with satisfaction, turned to Jiang Yan, and said flatly, "Junior Sister Ruyan was kind enough to give you the chance to enter the immortal sect. Behave yourself from now on, and remember not to cause any trouble."

With that, Li Chunsheng flicked his sleeves and left.

Seeing that Li Chunsheng had left, the short man immediately changed his expression. He puffed out his chest and asked in an arrogant tone, "From the Mortal world? What's your name? What did you do before?"

"In response to Senior Brother, my name is..."

Before Jiang Yan could finish, the short man interrupted him. "What 'Senior Brother'? Don't go calling me that. You haven't entered the sect yet; I don't have a Junior Brother like you. Just call me Steward Pang."

"In response to Steward Pang, my name is Jiang Yan, a farmer." Jiang Yan answered again.

"Mm, not bad." Steward Pang nodded. "I am the steward of Zayou Place. The rules here are simple: listen to what you're supposed to, and hear nothing of what you're not. No slacking, no wandering around. When you meet the immortal Revered Masters, you must greet them, otherwise..."

Steward Pang pointed to the burning firewood under the stove, his tone becoming heavier. "That will be your end!"

"Understood." Jiang Yan bowed respectfully.

Steward Pang nodded with satisfaction and beckoned to a youth in the distance. "Ma Zi, take him to the north wing rooms, then lead him to Spirit Beast Peak to report."

The youth named Ma Zi was about sixteen or seventeen, with a thin build and several Ma Zis on his face, hence the nickname. He led Jiang Yan toward a row of houses in the north wing.

"Did you really get in through connections? Why did they send you to Spirit Beast Peak?" Ma Zi asked curiously.

Jiang Yan didn't answer and asked instead, "What's wrong with Spirit Beast Peak?"

"That place is smelly, tiring, full of chores, and dangerous." Ma Zi curled his lip. "Last month, Old Wu offended Che Kun from Little Bamboo Peak. As a result, within half a month, he died on Spirit Beast Peak. His death was gruesome; half his body was gone."

Hearing this, Jiang Yan nodded slightly.

Che Kun, was it?

Although he didn't know Old Wu, he could be considered to have avenged him.

"By the way, before you go, do you have any last words to leave? If you die, I can help pass them on," Ma Zi reminded him.

"No," Jiang Yan replied simply.

"Sigh... what a pity." Ma Zi seemed helpless. "Leave your luggage for now; I'll take you to Spirit Beast Peak to report."

Spirit Beast Peak was the only solitary peak not surrounded by other mountains.

Standing at the foot of the peak, one could hear the cries of various wild beasts.

After entering the Spirit Beast Hall, Jiang Yan received a wooden token from the deacon, who also instructed him on his daily tasks.

The deacon then took him on a tour of the area he would be responsible for.

Ma Zi, who was following along, felt his eyelids twitch; he felt that he would be collecting Jiang Yan's corpse within half a month.

Leaving Spirit Beast Peak, Ma Zi asked, "Do you have any unfulfilled wishes? Or is there something you want to eat?"

"No," Jiang Yan replied simply.

He knew very well what Ma Zi was worried about, but in his view, while this job was dangerous, it was also an opportunity to plunder those Spirit Beasts!

Of course, he certainly wouldn't mention this to anyone, as it was his greatest secret.

On the way back to Zayou Place past Little Bamboo Peak, while Ma Zi was chattering away, the two of them suddenly saw three familiar figures not far away.

"Senior Brother Li, Senior Brother Yan, Senior Sister Liu?" Ma Zi was surprised. "It looks like they're going into the Hall of Shared Desires."

Jiang Yan said nothing; he just watched the three from a distance.

At that moment, Li Chunsheng's arm was around Liu Ruyan's slender waist, and he was whispering something in her ear.

Liu Ruyan's face flushed after hearing it, and she seemed very cooperative.

Just then, Junior Brother Yan behind them spoke up: "The Yulan Poison is no small matter. Before Revered Master issues the punishment, the two of us have decided to help Junior Sister delay the onset of the passion poison again. After the punishment ends, it will require Qi-blending intercourse seven times a month to completely eradicate this poison."

Li Chunsheng, who was holding Liu Ruyan, smiled and said, "Don't worry, Junior Sister Ruyan. Although only the two of us are left, as your Senior Brothers, we will certainly do our utmost to help you enter cultivation as soon as possible."

Liu Ruyan said shyly, "Then I'll have to trouble you both, Senior Brothers."

Watching the three enter the small courtyard, Ma Zi said with a face full of envy, "I really envy Senior Brother Li and the others. Not only can they enjoy such immortal beauty, but they can also become Dao Companions with Senior Sister Ruyan. I heard Senior Sister Ruyan was afflicted with some kind of passion poison... Tsk tsk, such a good thing really makes the rest of us envious."

Jiang Yan glanced sideways at Ma Zi's envious expression and started walking toward Zayou Place.

Jiang Yan felt no pity for the current Liu Ruyan; after all, the original owner's obsession had already dissipated, and he was now another Jiang Yan!

A Jiang Yan who only lived for himself!