Chapter 10 : The Housing Problem

Chapter 10: The Housing Problem

A teleportation array? If it was true, this news was far too critical.

Unlike mountain peaks or blessed lands rich in spiritual energy—or even possessing spirit veins outright—ordinary plains found it extremely difficult to sustain a teleportation array of normal scale.

The daily consumption alone was terrifying.

Generally, only exceptionally important locations would be willing to spend money to maintain such a gold-devouring beast.

If that newly built town truly had a teleportation array, it meant the sect’s development efforts in that area would be far from small.

Buying land in advance would mean that, in the future, the appreciation potential of land prices and housing prices…

“If even outer sect disciples like us know such explosive news…”

Long Tao felt that, given his own luck, he probably would not be able to take advantage of something this big, so he was not overly excited.

“I think so too. That’s why I haven’t made a move. After all, news like this pops up every day in the market—who knows what’s real and what’s fake.”

Dong Jiayuan also sighed.

From his expression, it was clear that he was equally torn.

Just as the two were frowning in worry, the workshop’s main door suddenly opened.

An aged yet vigorous voice came from inside.

“This news should be true. If you two really want a piece of land, you can go gamble on it.”

“Elder Liu!”

The two turned around simultaneously and bowed.

However, they were not overly restrained, clearly indicating that they were already quite familiar with one another.

Elder Liu wore a coarse linen robe suitable for manual work.

His hair was gray-white, his complexion ruddy, and combined with his voice, he looked at first glance like an ordinary old man.

But upon closer inspection, one would notice that his skin was tight and smooth—only that his entire body was covered in dust and grime.

“Elder! If this news is real, wouldn’t those higher-ups and personally transmitted inner sect disciples have already snapped up all the good plots?”

“The riverside is, after all, too far from the main peak. Most people aren’t willing to go there. As for the teleportation array, nothing has been decided yet, so… there aren’t as many people grabbing land as you imagine.”

The two young men once again fell into deep thought.

Elder Liu, meanwhile, stared at Long Tao with some curiosity for a moment, then spoke again.

“Long Tao, have you ever considered learning Mechanism Arts with us? You’re actually quite talented in this area.”

Long Tao felt a bit embarrassed inside.

The ‘talent’ the elder spoke of was really just a few ideas he had relied on from memories of his previous life.

Still, he did not intend to refuse outright, because Mechanism Arts were indeed a very useful skill for him at his current stage.

“I have considered it—of course I have. But for now, I still need to break through to the Qi-Refining Sixth Layer first. Otherwise, I won’t even be able to drive a basic artifact. I wouldn’t even qualify to help out. Once this disciple breaks through the sixth layer, I’ll come back to find you.”

“Mm, it’s good that you have that thought. Just don’t end up running off to someone else’s door when the time comes.”

“Listen to you—over these years, you’ve taken great care of Old Dong and me. We’ve long regarded you as half a master already. To be loyal to the sect, one must first be loyal to one’s teacher. I still understand that much.”

“You little rascal with your slick tongue.” Although he said so, the corners of Elder Liu’s mouth nearly split to his ears.

“Alright… that’s enough for now. Jiayuan and I still need to inspect this dragon bone.”

Long Tao nodded and prepared to leave.

Dong Jiayuan then called out to him again.

“Oh right—if you don’t want to squeeze in with others, go find a side room at the foot of the main peak to make do for now. The rent isn’t cheap, but no matter what, it’s far more cost-effective than buying land and building a house.”

“Sigh… I guess that’s the only option for now. I’ll go take a look later.”

After Long Tao had walked far away, the smile on Elder Liu’s face faded.

His eyes narrowed slightly, as if examining something, and he asked Dong Jiayuan beside him.

“Jiayuan, has that kid run into anything recently?”

Dong Jiayuan was measuring spacing with a ruler.

Hearing the question, he froze for a moment.

After thinking it over, he answered honestly.

“Anything? Just that he passed the outer sect disciple examination a couple of days ago and was so happy he looked like an idiot. Other than that… yesterday, I don’t know what got into him—he ran off to Windless Cliff to scout the area, saying he was preparing in advance for future trials. He did bring back a few passable spirit herbs, but nothing else. Why, is something wrong?”

“I took a look just now. It felt like… that kid’s soul seemed a bit more solid than before.”

Dong Jiayuan nearly choked on his own saliva.

His expression looked as though he had heard a joke.

“That’s a bit much, isn’t it? Techniques that strengthen the soul are at least late-stage Foundation Establishment, and usually only personally transmitted disciples have access to them.”

“Exactly. That’s why it’s strange. Of course, it’s probably just that I saw wrong. There’s been too much cargo to hand over recently—I stayed up several nights in a row. Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me?”

“A Golden Core still getting blurry vision?”

“Low-grade Golden Core. I’ll get old quickly too. Alright, back to work!”

……

Long Tao once again stepped onto the Cloud Vessel, his destination pointing straight at the heart of the sect—the main peak, Qixia Peak!

Before the Cloud Vessel even landed, a wave of noise rushed toward him.

Qixia Peak—the undisputed center of the Nine-Xia Heavenly Sect! Looking around, pavilions and towers were built along the mountainside, packed tightly together.

Streaks of escape light of all colors darted about like meteors.

Disciples hurried along or gathered in small groups, chatting animatedly.

The air was filled with dense spiritual energy, the fragrance of pills, and an anxious atmosphere known as internal competition.

Long Tao was all too familiar with this place.

Over the past few years, he had been the most inconspicuous nail here—a menial disciple.

He lived in communal bunks and did backbreaking labor.

There had been no choice! With a single order from the Affairs Office, whether it was sweeping mountain paths or clearing latrines, he had to show up immediately! Not to mention that important departments like the Transmission Hall and the Scripture Pavilion were all located here, making classes and cultivation the most convenient.

Now, he—Long Tao!—had finally been promoted and received a raise, becoming an outer sect disciple! What was the greatest benefit? Freedom! He could now say with righteous confidence to the Affairs Office steward: I’m done serving!

Many outer sect disciples who pursued tranquility (or simply wanted to stay far away from the steward) chose to move to more remote areas, where spiritual energy was weaker but peace and quiet prevailed.

That had originally been Long Tao’s plan as well.

The dream was beautiful: a private courtyard, spirit herbs and spirit plants, quiet meditation, early Foundation Establishment.

Reality, however, was harsh.

Riverside land carried considerable risk, and the pitiful amount of spirit herbs and fruit pits in his pockets was still far from enough to buy land and build a house.

After weighing everything, staying on the main peak for now was still the most cost-effective option.

Thus, he came to the familiar Affairs Office halfway up the mountain, planning to follow Dong Jiayuan’s suggestion and rent a side room here.

The moment he stepped over the threshold of the Affairs Office, several familiar faces all turned to look at him.

“Well, well! Isn’t this our great Outer Sect Disciple Long! What, you’ve risen to higher status and still can’t forget our little menial shack?” The speaker was a middle-aged man with an honest face—Senior Brother Qiu.

He had once been Long Tao’s immediate superior and now sat firmly in the position of Affairs Office steward.

Senior Brother Qiu was fairly decent as a person.

His mouth could be a bit sharp at times, but he wasn’t overly harsh toward the menials—at least he maintained surface harmony.

Of course, as a steward, it was impossible to please everyone.

But as a Foundation Establishment cultivator with no hope of Golden Core, managing to secure such an iron rice bowl in the sect’s core territory on the main peak meant he naturally had his own abilities.

“Others might not know, but Senior Brother Qiu doesn’t need to pretend. I’m moving out—help me find a cheaper side room.”

“Right, right!” Senior Brother Qiu piled on a smile and turned to the few menial disciples beside him who had been pricking up their ears.

“Did you all hear that? Junior Brother Long has made it! From now on, he won’t need to smell our communal bunkhouse anymore! You lot better perk up and work harder too! What—do you really want to grow old and white-haired in this pile of menials?”

The menial brothers immediately squeezed out smiles—some genuine, some fake—and crowded around to offer congratulations.

However, beneath each “congratulations,” what lay hidden in their eyes was undisguisable bitterness, resentment, and naked jealousy.

Yes… just like how he had once envied geniuses like Nan Yuchen, many menial disciples also envied someone like him, who had risen to the outer sect at such a young age.

Because advancement in the Nine-Xia Heavenly Sect could not be achieved simply by enduring the years.

For menial disciples to advance to the outer sect, there were generally two paths.

First, before the age of twenty, one had to reach the Qi-Refining Fifth Layer and pass the examination.

This test was no easy feat—it required passing written exams, spell practicals, and meeting sect task contribution requirements in all aspects.

If one failed to cross this threshold by the age of twenty, the sect would label them as “lazy and slack.” Want to advance after that? Fine! Cultivation had to reach the Qi-Refining Ninth Layer!

The problem was that menial disciples had to work while cultivating.

Reaching the fifth layer was barely manageable; the ninth layer was truly deadly.

As a result, throughout the sect, one could see Qi-Refining menials in their forties or fifties, even with heads of white hair.

Their eyes were dull, their vitality drained—their path of cultivation long severed.

They merely struggled to survive at the bottom of the sect.

Someone like Long Tao, who had advanced to the outer sect before turning eighteen, was already considered relatively successful among his peers.

At the very least, he belonged to the group that genuinely cultivated.

Even though he felt that his Qi-Guiding Art practice was halting and clumsy, there were far more degenerate, lazy wastes within the sect.