Chapter 2: A "Monthly Salary" Starting at Thirty Thousand
Chapter 2: A "Monthly Salary" Starting at Thirty Thousand
"Holy shit, this many people?"
The moment Su Bai stepped into the grand plaza of the Hundred Sects Assembly, he was startled by the lively scene before him. The crowd was a dense, dark mass of people, nearly filling the entire plaza.
Were the people of this world really so fanatical about cultivation?
He counted carefully and could make out roughly one hundred and seven signboards — meaning over a hundred sects and factions were here recruiting disciples.
Each signboard was more impressive than the last, each more lavish than the one before it. The one right in the center, in particular, was extraordinarily grand.
The plaque bore three gilded characters: "Lingxiao Sect," with several lines of large text beneath them.
Top 500 of the Immortal Alliance!
Monthly base silver: thirty taels
Quota for Yunshui City today: fifty spots
At this moment, the area around the Lingxiao Sect's booth was already packed with people, all vying for one of those spots.
Su Bai glanced at the gilded, lavish signboard, then looked down at the battered wooden plank in his own hands, and couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
"No wonder they're in the top 500 — they're absolutely rolling in money. Thirty taels of silver a month as a starting salary!"
In this world, ordinary people primarily used copper coins and silver, with one tael of silver equal to one thousand copper coins. (A quick note: early on it's gold and silver; in the mid-stages, Spirit Stones become the main currency.)
Based on his observations over the past few days, one copper coin in this world was roughly equivalent to one yuan.
In other words, thirty taels of silver meant a "monthly salary" starting at thirty thousand — just like that!
And the word "starting" alone left endless room for imagination!
No wonder so many people were fighting to get in!
Su Bai looked around. The "monthly salaries" listed on the other sects' signboards ranged from three taels to thirty taels of silver.
He reached into his pocket and felt the mere twenty copper coins he had left, and couldn't help but grumble inwardly.
"If you can't even pay your disciples' wages, what's the point?!"
A short while later, he steeled himself and wrote a few lines on his wooden plank.
Heavenly Dao Sect
The future number one sect!
Monthly base silver: thirty taels
Quota: one spot
"I'm a man with a System — there's no way I'm bowing my head for a measly three taels of silver!"
"Besides, the monthly salary is paid after a full month anyway. I'll recruit a disciple first, level up the sect, and worry about the silver after a month — what's there to fear?"
With that thought in mind, Su Bai found a spot, propped the wooden plank up in front of him, and sat back to wait for disciples to come "interview."
There were far too many people at the Hundred Sects Assembly. Even though everyone wanted to get into the Lingxiao Sect, many people's "qualifications" fell short, and unable to get in line there, they had no choice but to look at other sects.
So every signboard had a crowd in front of it.
"Come one, come all — the future number one sect under heaven! Don't miss your chance as you pass by!"
Su Bai called out from where he sat, a smile on his face as he greeted the crowd. A smile was the basic courtesy of any "interviewer."
"What? The future number one sect under heaven?"
The crowd was momentarily stunned, and people stopped in their tracks, curiously looking toward the source of the voice.
When they hurried over and got close enough to see what passed for a signboard, everyone's eyes instantly went wide as copper bells, and their mouths dropped open enough to fit an egg.
Then, a burst of uproarious laughter erupted.
"Is this seriously a signboard? Are you joking?!" someone couldn't help but laugh out loud, pointing at the battered, worn-out wooden plank in front of Su Bai.
And the edges of the plank were jagged and uneven, as if they'd been gnawed by a dog.
"No need to even look — this is obviously another scam sect, trying to trick people who are desperate to cultivate!" another person declared with an air of authority, his face full of contempt.
"A scammer like this — I need to make sure my kid stays far away from people like him, so he doesn't get influenced!" A middle-aged woman gripped the hand of the child beside her and hurried away.
"Sigh, the kid looks decent enough. How did he end up going down this path of deceiving people?" An elderly man shook his head and sighed, his face full of regret.
"Holy shit, look at what that scammer's signboard says — that monthly base silver — thirty taels!"
"It really does say thirty taels. I thought it said three just now — turns out I missed a zero!"
"Am I crazy, or is this world crazy? The Lingxiao Sect is in the top 500 of the Immortal Alliance and only offers thirty taels!"
"He's gone mad with greed!"
"I thought he was a scammer, but it turns out he's just an idiot!"
A crowd of people mocked and laughed, drawing more and more eyes toward the scene.
When people saw a young man with a battered wooden plank recruiting disciples and immediately offering thirty taels of silver, everyone was amused.
Setting aside whether he was a scammer — even if he were genuine — had he not read the room?
What gave him the right to offer thirty taels?
Was he in the top 500 of the Immortal Alliance?
Did he have a million disciples and countless powerful cultivators like the Lingxiao Sect?
Listening to the murmurs of the crowd around him, Su Bai furrowed his brow slightly.
Why did something feel more and more off?
My sect has great benefits and pay, and I'm being mocked for it?
What — did the disciples of my Heavenly Dao Sect absolutely have to earn less than those of the Lingxiao Sect?
Two hours, four hours, six hours…
Su Bai had already been sitting there for eight hours. Some sects filled their quotas and left; new sects arrived to take their places.
Passersby came and went in an endless stream, and quite a few stopped at his spot.
But every single person who stopped and saw the signboard first went blank, then burst into mocking laughter.
Especially when they heard or saw the thirty taels of silver — every last one of them looked at him like he was an idiot.
Not a single exception!
Su Bai didn't get angry. He simply sat quietly in place and waited.
…
Zhuge Feng walked with stiff, mechanical steps, like a walking corpse, making his way down the mountain. Without realizing it, he arrived at the Hundred Sects Assembly where disciples were being recruited.
"Only ten spots left!"
"Hurry up, don't waste time!"
The several Stewards from the Lingxiao Sect responsible for recruiting disciples shouted out, and the crowd immediately erupted, surging forward, terrified of missing out on a spot.
"Immortal, I have some local specialties here — please take a look." A middle-aged man squeezed his way forward, respectfully offering an opaque burlap sack, and pulled his son forward alongside him.
"Immortal, what do you think of my son?"
A Steward took the sack, first hefted it to gauge its weight, then reached in and felt around inside. A smile immediately spread across his face. "Ha! This kid's not bad — looks like he's got what it takes to cultivate. You're in!"
The middle-aged man and his son were instantly overjoyed, dropping to their knees in tearful gratitude.
"Thank you, Immortal! Thank you, Immortal!"
It was only a Menial Disciple position, yet they were this happy.
The so-called "local specialties" in that sack amounted to at least twenty taels of silver!
This had already become the unspoken rule for getting a Menial Disciple spot — no silver, no greasing of palms, and you expected a quota? These Stewards could give the spot to whoever they pleased. Without some benefit, why would they give it to you?
The middle-aged man in front of them was wearing clothes with patches — his family was clearly not well-off. That silver had very likely been scraped together over years of frugal living.
Zhuge Feng watched silently from the side, and it was as if he were seeing himself from half a year ago.
Half a year ago, he had sold his only house and scraped together every last coin he could find, finally managing to gather two hundred taels of silver.
Twenty taels went to bribing his way into a Menial Disciple spot, and one hundred and eighty taels were paid as the half-year Menial Disciple fee.
The most outrageous part was that even as a Menial Disciple, room and board were not included!
He had no choice. Penniless, he could only finish his own daily tasks and then help Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters with theirs, just to scrape together a few copper coins for food and clothing.
After half a year of hardship, he never expected it to end like this!
The sect's rules stated that to formally join the sect and begin cultivating immortal arts, one first had to serve as a Menial Disciple for half a year!
Menial Disciples had all manner of tasks every day — sweeping steps, hauling water, tending spirit herbs, and other such chores, with no days off for the entire half year.
Furthermore, Menial Disciples had to pay thirty taels of silver to the sect each month just to remain, or else they would be thrown out.
After all, if you had no money but were still taking up a spot, how would the people behind you ever get in?
"Sigh…"
Another soft sigh escaped him. Zhuge Feng had no idea where his path forward lay.
His home was gone, he had failed the assessment, he had no silver to continue as a Menial Disciple for another half year, and he was completely penniless…
If he could not become an immortal, how would he ever avenge his parents?
Perhaps, in this lifetime, he would never be able to take that revenge.
Just as he was about to leave, the corner of his eye caught a signboard.
Heavenly Dao Sect
Room and board included!
Begin learning immortal arts upon joining!
Monthly base silver: 30 taels
Quota: one spot
Begin learning immortal arts upon joining?
Zhuge Feng couldn't help but stop in his tracks, his gaze fixed and unable to look away.
If… upon joining, one could cultivate…
The moment that thought surfaced, it spread like wildfire, sweeping through Zhuge Feng's mind in an instant, impossible to suppress!
After a long while, Zhuge Feng took a deep breath to calm the restlessness in his heart, then lifted his feet and walked toward that signboard.