Cultivation: I Have Studied Abroad in the Modern World
Chapter 87 Sharpening

Chapter 87: Chapter 87 Sharpening

"Are you joking, Senior Brother?"

Although the plump Senior Brother wore an obsequious and warm expression, Zheng Fa’s response was rather cold.

There was no way he was going back—if the ship really turned around, he would offend everyone on board.

The words of this Senior Brother seemed very insincere.

The plump Senior Brother gave an awkward laugh and signaled with his eyes to another Senior Brother beside him.

That Senior Brother immediately handed over a small square box.

"What is this?"

Zheng Fa had some expectations.

As expected, upon opening it, it was full of gold.

At a rough glance, there were about fifty or sixty taels.

"Thanks to Junior Brother, our books sold extremely well—I originally planned to share some with Junior Brother, and now that we are all disciples under Zhang, there’s even less need to mention it."

Zheng Fa fell silent for a moment, then asked, "May I ask Senior Brother, how much would that book sell for in the Jiushan Sect?"

"In the workshop, it sells for eight taels," the plump Senior Brother whispered. "It costs four taels to purchase, and we make six taels of gold per book..."

Zheng Fa nodded; these three Senior Brothers were a bit more reasonable than he thought.

So, there were almost sixty taels of gold in this box—the extra two taels they earned were all here.

Zheng Fa thought for a while, took out two taels of gold from inside, and then closed the box.

"I will keep this money."

A smile appeared on the plump Senior Brother’s face.

Then he heard Zheng Fa continue, "I will ask the three Senior Brothers to return the rest of the money in this box, two taels each."

"Ah?"

"Is that not alright?"

"Once the money is given to Junior Brother, it’s naturally up to you to dispose of, but... return it?"

"Return it."

"Junior Brother, you really are... Alright!"

The plump Senior Brother looked at him for a long time, his smile faded a bit, and he abruptly stopped talking about being one family, quickly left the room with the box in his arms.

After walking a few steps, a Senior Brother beside him asked, "Why are we leaving?"

"Not leaving? This Junior Brother Zheng is not easy to fool!" The smile on the plump Senior Brother’s face slowly disappeared, and he said with a stern face.

"Ah?"

"Why did we give him the money?"

"To apologize?"

The plump Senior Brother shook his head: "To cling to a powerful thigh! We keep saying ’Zhang, Zhang’, but does Zhang recognize us? This Junior Brother has truly been taught by Zhang. By giving him the money, aren’t we just making him do things for us?"

That Junior Brother suddenly realized: "Let him join us in our collusion!"

"Pah!" The plump Senior Brother kicked him: "That’s called mutual help and cooperation!"

"Then why are we leaving?"

"This Junior Brother is proud, he’s unwilling to mingle with us over this small amount of money, we’re not the same kind of people!"

"Got it, he wants to be a good person."

"No, he’s using our money to act like a good person."

After saying this, the plump Senior Brother looked at the box in his hand, grinding his teeth.

"Are we really returning it?"

"Return it for now, I want to see if Zhang really values him!" The plump Senior Brother sneered: "With Zhang’s temperament, who doesn’t know her, who has she ever been close to? Let me find out more about this person before we talk about this money!"

...

"Jiushan Sect has arrived!"

A cheer came through the corridor, and Zheng Fa couldn’t help but open the door and walk down to the deck, which was filled with people.

Several new disciples greeted Zheng Fa.

Because of the plump Senior Brother returning the money, Zheng Fa’s popularity had somewhat increased among this group.

"Zheng Fa!" Zhou Qianyuan waved to him from the end of the deck: "Look, Jiushan Sect."

Ahead appeared nine towering connected peaks.

The middle one was particularly tall, much like the ninth mountain that Zheng Fa had originally climbed.

The remaining eight were divided into two sides, looking like two outstretched arms embracing a valley.

Where the two arms met there was a valley mouth, outside of which was a surging river.

Zheng Fa always felt something familiar—

If these nine peaks were likened to a city wall, then this river would be akin to a moat.

If one guards this valley entrance, the location is easy to defend but hard to attack; it’s just unclear how Jiushan Sect defends against cultivators who can fly through the skies and burrow through the earth.

Zheng Fa and his companions’ boat gently shook and slowly landed in the great river at the valley’s mouth.

This was a dock, and it was exceptionally bustling with numerous boats.

The riverbank was also bustling with people coming and going.

Only one spot was somewhat vacant—an all-too-familiar figure stood there.

It was Zhang.

When Zhang saw Zheng Fa, she nodded at him, as if signaling him to come over.

Behind him, the plump senior brother stared blankly as Zheng Fa walked toward Zhang.

"That’s Zhang!" shouted a companion beside him.

"I’ve seen her!"

"But have you ever seen Zhang smile so happily?"

"..."

"Are we still checking his background?"

"...Before dying, don’t rat out my name," the plump senior brother said as he turned and ran.

Zheng Fa looked at Zhang’s beaming smile and then at her extended hand, speechlessly.

This person was not here to receive him.

She was here to rush for manuscripts.

Zheng Fa handed over the completed practice sets, and Zhang, holding them in her hand, tiptoed slightly and nodded in satisfaction, "I’ll show you where you’ll be staying."

The two walked shoulder to shoulder away from our dock when Zhang suddenly asked, "Did you buy anything on the way?"

"?"

Zheng Fa looked up at Zhang.

Zhang glanced at him and said, "Why do you think I asked you to bring more money?"

"Sister knows about this?" Zheng Fa took out the Master Zhang’s Discussion on Talismans.

"This book is a compilation from my lecturing at the Talisman Magic Pavilion," Zhang said. "I earn one gold for every book sold."

...So you really are a protector of those three criminals?

"As long as I follow the rules to take money, they dare to follow the rules to make money," Zhang said, seemingly aware of what he was thinking.

"...Does Sister also know about the incident on the boat?"

"What incident? I don’t know, but I can guess. First, they scare you upon boarding, then they lock you in the cabin to sell things. New disciples dare not offend these people, and find them difficult to provoke, so they all buy."

"..."

"You don’t think that the decline in spiritual energy has only been a recent event, do you?" Zhang glanced at him. "Old disciples bullying new disciples and squeezing them for oil has been going on for a long time."

Zheng Fa then understood.

He had always wondered—while two to three hundred gold wasn’t insignificant, it should mean little to cultivators—why would those three senior brothers take the risk?

Turns out it was a habitual practice!

What kind of sect spirit does Jiushan Sect have?

"There are rules. They also won’t do anything serious—if you just grit your teeth and don’t buy, they really won’t do much to you," Zhang seemed to see through his thoughts.

It indeed seemed so to Zheng Fa; although those senior brothers were rough, they really didn’t commit any harm—if one overlooked their initial hostility, this group even appeared quite law-abiding.

"Why is it like this?"

He still couldn’t understand.

"After the decline of the Spiritual Mechanism, the resentment of lower-level disciples has been growing... Taking a bit of money is tolerable for the sect compared to murder and robbery."

Zheng Fa fell silent.

Zhang turned to look at Zheng Fa and suddenly said, "I’ve been tricked by senior brothers too."

"And then?"

"Later, those senior brothers ended up selling books for me," Zhang said indifferently, stopping in front of a small courtyard. "As long as you are strong enough, you can ignore all these."

When Zhang left, she said to Zheng Fa, "Under the decline of the Spiritual Mechanism, Immortal Sect is not a kind place. If you cannot handle these people and affairs, I have misjudged you... Consider this a little adversity for you."

...

The next day, when Zheng Fa opened the door, he found the plump senior brother squatting at his courtyard entrance, his face bitter.

"Brother, what is this..."

"Zhang said that since you are a newcome to Jiushan Sect, I should guide you for a few days," the plump senior brother said sorrowfully, clearly reluctant. "Today, we will go to register your Life Plate and receive your Cultivation Technique..."

...Why do I feel like it’s Zhang who wants to temper this senior brother?