The moment Qin Zhaoming approached the main gate of the Zeyang Sect...
The gatekeeper, who had been yawning as if bored, reacted nimbly. He pointed his spear-shaped magical weapon and used the Spirit Eye Technique.
After looking him up and down, he clicked his tongue.
"Hmph, just a Qi Refinement level 1. What are you doing here?"
His vigilant demeanor vanished like it had been washed away. An undisguisable contempt flashed across his gaze.
"...I am Qin Zhaoming, a mountain gatherer. I heard that the Zeyang Sect is recruiting disciples, so I came."
"Qin Zhaoming? ...Ahhh!"
His expression, which had been reluctant as if bothered, suddenly brightened. The gatekeeper, behaving like a friendly merchant, smiled broadly.
"Of course! You've come to the right place! The Zeyang Sect always welcomes mountain gatherers. You look young—how old are you?"
"I'm fifteen this year."
Hmm. The gatekeeper nodded with satisfaction and said:
"Fifteen! That's just the right age! Here's an entry contract, sign it. Drop your heart blood into that blank space, and the contract will be complete. You can become a Zeyang Sect disciple immediately."
Whoosh!
The gatekeeper eagerly extended a large piece of paper.
The contract was densely covered with text, and mysterious patterns drawn around the border reminded one of magical parchment.
It was clearly no ordinary paper, as it emitted a subtle spirit qi.
'...Something feels off.'
The other's attitude was too eager. Instinctively wary, he took a step back.
"Please wait a moment. I'd like to read it first."
"Huh? There's no need for that! It's nothing special, just trust me and sign it!"
Suddenly, his tone changed to commanding. The intimidating attitude only increased Qin Zhaoming's suspicion.
One had to be careful with contracts.
Signing carelessly could be very dangerous. Especially contracts using heart blood, which possessed tremendous binding power.
If one violated the contract terms, they could be crippled by backlash or even die!
Inwardly sneering, Qin Zhaoming behaved like a clueless child.
"I can't do that! If it's an entry contract, it must contain conditions I need to follow. To be a diligent disciple, I shouldn't break the rules, right? I can't burden the Zeyang Sect, so I'll read and understand it thoroughly."
Indeed.
When he acted like a loyal disciple, the gatekeeper couldn't say anything.
After hesitating like someone with a mouthful of honey, he said:
"...Hurry up. I'm about to change shifts, so I don't have much time. Without my recommendation, if you enter through someone else, it will be difficult to adapt."
Though the gatekeeper kept urging him like someone desperate for the bathroom, Qin Zhaoming ignored him. Outwardly appearing to move quickly, he carefully read the contract.
Word by word, meticulously.
After some time had passed, Qin Zhaoming barely managed to hold back his face from twisting in disgust.
'Menial disciple?'
He had been suspicious, and rightly so.
There were many problems with the contract the gatekeeper had given him. Many, many problems!
'Damn it.'
Menial disciples were the lowest tier in the Zeyang Sect. Though called disciples, they were no different from laborers.
They had no time to cultivate because of work. They would only collapse from exhaustion after a day of harsh labor.
They were practically slaves, working so that core disciples could cultivate comfortably!
'The monthly pay is only 30 spirit stone fragments?'
Moreover, there was no condition about providing spells for cultivation.
It meant they had to take care of their basic necessities—food, clothing, and shelter—on their own.
'Terrible treatment. It's unbelievable.'
Even in the poorest shack in the outer city with its poor security, the monthly rent was 5 spirit stone fragments.
This meant the actual income was 25 spirit stone fragments.
If he were still an ordinary person, he would have been moved to tears by such income, but not now.
After becoming a Qi Refinement practitioner, everything from his senses to physical strength and power had become superior.
He was confident he could earn more than this without risking his life climbing Mount Zeyang.
'Let's set aside the monthly payment. It will gradually increase as my realm advances anyway. But...'
The truly horrible condition existed elsewhere.
He forcibly suppressed his bubbling emotions. With hands clasped, he questioned the gatekeeper:
"Senior, it says here that once I join the Zeyang Sect, I cannot leave for at least 30 years. Is there any way to reduce this period?"
The gatekeeper, who had been acting like a friendly merchant, spat. Resting on one leg, he spoke in a cold voice:
"Hmph! How could that be possible? I know what mountain gatherers like you are thinking. You plan to join the Zeyang Sect, learn basic spells, and then run away? Such favorable terms don't exist in this world!"
Mocking Qin Zhaoming, he continued:
"If you join as a menial disciple, you'll be growing spirit food in the fields. There are at least three spells needed to grow spirit rice. Their value is not small! Naturally, you need to work for 30 years for it not to be a loss."
The thug-like nonsense made his anger rise.
Simply put, they wanted to use him as a serf and not let him go until he reached middle age.
If he worked as a slave in the Zeyang Sect for 30 years, he would be 45. By then, it would be impossible to devote himself to cultivation and become a Qi Condensation practitioner.
It would cut off his path of cultivation!
'Absolutely not!'
His desire to join the Zeyang Sect completely vanished.
He could not agree under any circumstances. Rather than living as a slave for life, it would be better to risk his life climbing Mount Zeyang.
Now the important thing was how to safely escape from this situation.
As he was racking his brains...
"Junior, from my view, your spirit root quality doesn't seem good? It's the lowest grade, isn't it?"
Suddenly, a softened voice was heard.
"...That's right. I have a trash spirit root, so I won't be of much help to the Zeyang Sect."
"Heh! At least you know your place... Ahem! No, don't worry. Our Zeyang Sect welcomes everyone. You just need to enter the Zeyang Sect and work diligently."
"..."
"Anyway! What I want to say is that the Zeyang Sect is the only sect that someone with a trash spirit root like you can join. Don't waste time and make a decision quickly! Isn't it beneficial to learn spells and start cultivation as soon as possible?"
His skillful cajoling and persuasion showed that he was experienced in making slave contracts.