Stepping out from the Book Pavilion, Bubai raised his hand to shield his eyes, patiently waiting for them to adjust to the harsh noon sunlight.
“I’m almost reaching ten contribution points. Once I do, then I can finally browse the basic secondary occupation room for an hour. This should be enough time for me to memorize the basics with my memory…”
Soon, the bottomless pit for his modest assets would be unveiled.
Letting out a sigh, Bubai embarked on a leisurely stroll, opting for a detour from his usual path.
Not long later, he passed by the male servants hall that served as a stark reminder of his pressing situation.
Yet, an unusual calmness had settled over Bubai. His path forward had already been meticulously planned, and now only a composed and patient mind could help him achieve his goals.
Continuing along the desolate streets, Bubai found himself at a location he rarely visited - the Public Commons District.
Gazing at the winding path beyond the tall, prison-like fences, he was tempted to enter and cultivate his memory Qi. He had women at home, but it may not be enough...
After a brief struggle, Bubai ultimately chose to walk away.
Although this place offered free cultivation, the quality might not be optimal. Otherwise, it would have been crowded with other cultivators.
The only probable source of high-quality memory Qi would be the saintess in the central tent.
“Hey, I also want to try the taste of a saintess, but unfortunately...”
The cost in spirit stones is just too expensive, especially considering his lack of a stable income and the imminent need to invest a significant portion of his remaining assets in learning a new profession.
As Bubai continued to stroll along the paved, sandstone path, the air was thick with an eerie silence that clung to the surroundings like a shroud.
Soon, the ominous presence of a tall, sleek black tower loomed overhead, casting a shadow that seemed to stretch for miles. Its glossy surface devoured the glaring light of the afternoon sun, creating an unsettling contrast against the clean backdrop of the other white jade and sandstone structures.
This was one of the spirit ship docking towers in the sect.
As he drew nearer, Bubai's senses were assaulted by the sound of clinking chains. This abnormality caused him to slow his pace.
Turning the corner of a building, he was confronted with an unusual scene.
In front of the tower's entrance, a line of scantily dressed women shuffled forward, their heads bowed, shackled by cold, unforgiving iron chains that bound them like invisible shackles.
Most of the women had numb and downtrodden expressions, while some women cast furtive glances at their surroundings, their eyes reflecting the despair that clung to their spirits.
Two cloaked figures, draped in ominous black robes, moved with an unsettling uncanniness as they herded the captives into the foreboding structure.
The hooded garments concealed their faces, rendering them mysterious and intimidating. A bitter wind tugged at the edges of their robes, giving the impression that there were invisible entities conspiring with the mysterious figures.
Regardless, the atmosphere reeked of oppression and secrecy.
As if sensing Bubai’s gaze, one of the hooded figure turned slowly, the folds of the black robe swirling in an almost hypnotic dance.
Bubai’s eyes narrowed as he could now discern the partially revealed lower-half of the mysterious figure's face.
The skin was dry and pallid, a sickly shade of grey that spoke of an existence detached from the vibrancy of life.
It was an abnormal sight. But Bubai didn’t have much leisure to observe further.
When the hooded figure's hidden gaze bore into him, Bubai noticed the hooded man's revealed mouth moving, as if uttering a warning or perhaps a command. “Vos a who gar...”
Bubai strained to hear, but the words seemed to evade his comprehension, as if... in another language.
Bubai wanted to comprehend further, but before he could, his long dormant danger senses suddenly tingled once more!
Not giving him a chance to react, a wave of coldness washed over him, causing goosebumps to rise on his skin!
The sudden wave of frigidity quickly enveloped his body, freezing him in place. It was as though he had plunged into an icy abyss, the numbing chill seeping into the very core of his being!
In that dire moment, however, a faint but unmistakable warmth blossomed within his dantian. A wisp of green Qi, like a gentle flame, flickered to life, driving away the cold that had taken hold of him.
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The warmth surged through his veins, empowering him with a sudden burst of resilience. Swiftly, the paralysis released its grip, and Bubai found himself in control of his body once more.
Yet, despite regaining physical autonomy, an enduring chill persisted within his heart, a lingering reminder of the abnormal encounter.
With a final, apprehensive glance at the cloaked figure, Bubai turned on his heels and rushed away with determined strides.
Observing the receding figure of Bubai from afar, the hooded figure's lips broke into a malevolent smile as if he discovered something interesting.
...
Far away from the black tower and the ominous guests, Bubai finally glanced back when he sensed the lingering, unsettling feeling finally vanish.
“What in the hell was that?”
A curse? A ghost? A technique capable of controlling others?
Bubai couldn't ascertain the nature of the ominous sensation, but it certainly didn't bode well.
Were it not for his golden finger, he might have succumbed to the unknown strike from the dark, joining one of the many nameless cannon fodders who perished lightly under the casual assault of a higher-level cultivator.
“Curiosity kills the cat. I better not dig into these matters until I have sufficient strength.”
The woes of an inconspicuous, weak cultivator. The sect would not seek justice on his behalf. But this grudge had already been recorded into his black book.
...
West District. Twin Towers Plaza.
Sweeping his gaze over the couple of new stalls and their wares, Bubai calmly surveyed the area, keeping an eye out for leeks.
After weeks of research and knowledge accumulation, he had already gained a solid understanding of the general trends in the unofficial, open market of the disciples.
The product with the highest demand appeared to be pills, indicating a widespread interest in drugs within the sect.
However, despite the demand, this profession also boasted the highest level of competition, with many vendors mastering various types of pills and many individual sellers covering the niche ones.
After some research, Bubai knew this might be one of the easier professions to learn. However, the critical aspects of this profession had already been monopolized.
The sales channels were dominated by specific individuals, likely backed by a powerful group within the sect.
After all, control over the main herbs and plants needed for pill-making strictly rested with the sect itself. The supply of herbs and materials sold in the open market were definitely not sufficient to meet the demand.
Thus, to choose this path, he must first acquire a stable source of materials. Then, he will need to establish a good reputation through specific channels, or else no one would dare to consume his pills.
Artifacts and weapons, on the other hand, exhibited average demand. Artifacts tended to cater to high-end customers, while weapons were more geared towards the average consumer.
Regardless, both came with hefty price tags, highlighting an effort to maximize profits. The supply for these items seemed to be moderate, and the competition was surprisingly low.
However, Bubai unraveled the reason after thorough research.
Not just anyone could become a craftsman or blacksmith.
Most artifacts and weapons required a proper forge, an expensive workshop owned only to a select few. If he were to choose this profession, joining one of these workshops and gradually working his way up would likely be the necessary path.
Lastly, Bubai considered the formation-related professions.
Formations encompassed the general term for runic symbol-related crafting and branched into three fields: talismans, enchantments, and arrays.
Talismans, frequently used in combat, were crafted by drawing runic symbols on talisman paper. These one-use tools could be activated with a simple strand of Qi, making them highly sought-after in the sect.
While there was a considerable demand for talismans, there was also a moderate level of competition in this profession.
Learning the method to draw talismans posed some difficulties, but once mastery over a type of talisman was achieved, it will transform into a money-making machine. So, there was a steady supply of talismans in the market.
Next on the list was enchantment.
Enchantment involved inlaying runic symbols on weapons and gear to strengthen them or imbue additional effects.
This one had a rather low demand in the open market, but the pay for each individual job was substantial. It was a profession primarily catered to the wealthier members of the sect.
Finally, arrays represented the ancient profession of establishing stationary formations utilizing the nature of the world itself.
Usually, smaller arrays would be crafted on disk, plates, or flags. Then, these arrays could be used standalone or served as nodes for large-scale formations, such as defensive barriers for structures and Qi-gathering arrays for cultivation abodes.
While this field didn't have a significant demand on the open market, it held immense value within the sect, boasting the highest volume of tasks.
These three fields constituted the primary aspects of the formation profession.
Bubai wasn't certain if there were more, such as a hidden class. Alas, such information was unknown to him for the time being.
However, he understood that if he opted for the formation route, he could only specialize in one aspect among talismans, enchantments, and arrays.
While it might seem that these three professions were interchangeable, the reality was different.
Engraving runic symbols on different materials required distinct techniques and presented varying difficulties.
Without ample contribution points, resources, and time to master the different techniques, he wouldn't be able to interchangeably use runic symbols even if he knew he could.
And he… certainly didn’t have the resources to achieve this. So, he could only split them into three choices, considering them along with the other two professions.
Thus, Bubai had to make a choice among the five cultivator professions.
While he wasn't entirely clear on the specific prices of the high-end market prevalent among higher-level cultivators, his knowledge of the open market sufficed to guide his decision.
In truth, his stroll only served as a reaffirmation of the choice he had already made. Bubai had already settled on his decision, and it was-
A sudden hush descended upon the bustling crowd around him. Heads turned skyward, while gasps of awe and fear rippled through the onlookers, drawing Bubai’s attention to the skies as well.
There, he saw a spirit ship crafted from an otherworldly grey wood, sailing through the airspace of the sect, leaving an eerie trail of gray mist in its wake.
The sails billowed in the wind, revealing a colossal skull adorned to the main sail, its eye socket and jaw drawn with ominous precision.
From these eyes, three strange grey blobs, reminiscent of ethereal cartoon spirits, poured out and surrounded the skull like haunting specters escaping the confines of the underworld.
As the airborne vessel passed over the plaza, the crowd below fell into a collective murmur of astonishment, whispers spreading like wildfire.
“That’s the Deathshade Sect, isn’t it?”
“Ah, they came to pick up another batch of women from the Public Commons District. I heard the sect sells them for a good price.”
“Sigh, what a pity. That sect doesn’t know to cherish jade. It’s rumored that all who gets sent there are refined into resentful spirits…”
Lowering his head, Bubai's interest waned. This was just the harsh reality.
The interests of each sect were intertwined, forming an unbroken cycle of suffering. Those at the bottom of the hierarchy faced exploitation both in life and even after death.
Only with substantial power and wealth could he hope to break free from such a fate!