Li Lang stared right at his friends, who stood stupefied at the new suggestion of pretending to be demonic cultivators. Seeing how sensitive the topic was, the trio silently agreed to keep quiet until they returned to their room at the inn.

“Okay, what is this about pretending to be demonic cultivators now? You first considered becoming one, and now you want to pretend?” Long Yi immediately pressed as soon as they closed the door.

He glanced over at Wei Ping for his support, but the small child appeared busy in contemplation.

“Think about it,” Li Lang advised. “If we won’t be able to join an orthodox sect, our next option is to check out those other organizations led by demonic cultivators you mentioned. How weird would it be for us, or at least, Wei Ping and I, to be advancing through the cultivation stages despite our low talent if it was known that we practiced orthodox techniques?”

“...You guys would probably stand out quite a bit.”

“Exactly. While I was at the Peerless Gate, I had been already thinking about how to come up with an excuse for the future, but now that isn’t an option, we’ll have to think about how to handle being in a demonic cultivator organization.”

“...We can just continue as it is by ourselves or go to another province. You’re done with the experiments, right?”

“No…What we solved is just one problem in the Energy Gathering stage. I’ll likely be doing other tests in the future. As for going by ourselves…do you really think us three kids will get very far? We don’t have access to any inheritances. We’ll need martial arts, Qi arts, and cultivation techniques as we progress. I doubt the ones that could be bought are any good.”

Speaking up to that point, Li Lang fell silent as he deliberated on the possibility of creating his own techniques. However, he realized it wasn’t part of his expertise and the people of this world who had studied this topic for countless years would be better at utilizing Qi than his rudimentary efforts.

It was also at this point that Wei Ping decided to interject.

“B-boss is right. Pretending t-to be demonic cultivators m-may be the better o-option. The o-organization we looked at doesn’t s-seem to care what kind of c-cultivation technique their m-members practices.”

“Right. The important thing for us is just to secure backing to allow us to procure resources, knowledge, and protection,” Li Lang added.

“Fine…Better to pretend to be one rather than be targeted by one.” Long Yi spoke and sighed at the same time.

“Well then, let’s go check out your next candidate.”

After a quick lunch, the trio set off for the next organization. Wei Ping explained the details during the trip.

“O-our next c-candidate is called The Orchid Covenant. T-they mainly gather t-together to trade and t-take on requests together. They are b-basically a group of i-independent cultivators coming t-together to form an u-united front.”

“I can see why that is the next best option you guys found.”

“Y-yes, they also h-have branches throughout t-the Luminescent Domain as well. Though t-their headquarters is here, w-which is why I s-suggested them.”

The three boys soon made their way across the underground city toward a tall building near the center. There was a beautiful sign with a vibrant orchid on it, decorating the entrance. When they entered the lobby, a polite old man bowed down to greet them.

He was dressed in neat grey linen clothes and a quick survey of the other people inside let the boys know it was the uniform of the staff here.

“Greetings. How can we help you, young masters?”

“To be honest, we’re looking to join your Covenant.”

“In that case, please head on over to the counters over there.” The man pointed toward the corner of the lobby where three counters could be seen.

It was currently all unoccupied, so the three kids directly walked up to the closest one. The man at the counter smiled and greeted them.

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“I heard you gentlemen wanted to join the Orchid Covenant?”

“That is correct.”

“Then let me explain a few things to you first. The Orchid Covenant does not have a strict hierarchy, but at the same time, that means you’ll be left to your own devices most of the time. Trade is the main pillar of our organization. If you need guidance, you’ll have to trade something of equal value for it.”

“So there are no benefits to joining and we have to pay for everything...” Long Yi muttered.

“Not quite. Although the benefit of joining could be said to be the access you will receive to our exclusive trade network. At the same time, we host tournaments with prizes, hold exclusive seminars among members, and occasionally secure various opportunities, such as quotas to venture into various pocket realms. You can even participate in tournaments that are normally exclusive to official organizations by going under our banner. All these intangible benefits aren’t something you can easily get.”

“Are there conditions we have to adhere to if we join, and can we leave at any time?”

“As I said, our hierarchy is quite lax. Aside from not being able to join any other official organization, with the exception of the crafts guilds, there are only a few rules. You are also not allowed to fight among fellow members as well. You are obligated to protect the interests of other members if it is within your ability. You can leave at any time given at least a month prior notice. Of course, all these rules will be bound by signing a proper contract.”

Li Lang exchanged glances with his companions for a moment, and they all nodded in response.

“Very well, we would like to proceed with joining.”

The clerk hesitated for a split second, having heard such a straightforward reply. He carefully sized up each of the three boys.

“...Are you sure? Usually, for young folks like you, you may want to find a master to guide you first. I can introduce you to some of the experts among us who are looking for disciples if you would like. Trust me, it’d be quite hard to secure enough resources to make use of our trade network if you’re by yourselves.”

“Yes, we’re sure. We can always still look for a master later as well, right?”

“Yes…Very well. Please give me a moment.”

The man took out several forms and began to fill them out before placing the completed forms before them. Once they signed them, he quickly handed over a metal token to each of the three boys. He then placed a needle on the counter between them.

“Please allow the token to soak in a drop of blood from you, and it will be bound to you.”

Doing as instructed, the boys found the metal token to glow brightly when it made contact with their blood. It only lasted a second before it returned to normal, and the clerk smiled in satisfaction.

“Perfect, you are now members of The Orchid Covenant. Welcome.”

“Thank you, senior.” The three cried out in unison.

“Oh, no need to refer to me so politely. I’m not even a cultivator. I am just part of the staff hired by the covenant to manage the paperwork.”

“...Thank you.” Li Lang muttered before they quickly retreated in embarrassment.

He didn’t get far as the clerk chased after them.

“Wait! I still have to show you around.”

“...”

The trio had spent the rest of the day touring the building of the organization they newly joined. Their tour guide gave a detailed explanation of where to go in order to place a trade request, and how to contact other members of their organization.

There were meditation rooms, refining rooms, and all the other facilities you would expect of a sect, except they all required payment to use. However, Li Lang instantly recognized it was cheaper to rent the refining room here compared to the Alchemist Guild’s. That was because The Orchid Covenant allowed members to rent out these facilities long term at superior rates.

The deal benefited their organization by increasing the likelihood of the finished products being traded within their organization.

There was even a repository with various cultivation techniques. Like everything else, it required Qi stones. However, most of it was, as the trio had suspected, demonic cultivation techniques.

The most surprising thing the boys found in the facility was the restaurant and bars near the top floors. They had thought it to be weird to have these member-exclusive venues when there were so many alternatives just nearby, but they instantly realized their purpose when they were brought inside.

It served as a social hub among members for news and trades. The establishments also served food and drinks created from heavenly resources that enriched one’s cultivation, but the prices meant it wasn’t a consideration for Li Lang’s party in the foreseeable future.

However, it was also at this social hub that they found something useful for them in the short term.

“Look at this, guys. There’s a pocket realm opening up next year!” Long Yi exclaimed.

By the stairway up to the restaurant, there was a wide bulletin board with various news and upcoming events posted along with trade offers. Long Yi inadvertently discovered the news from a flyer on it.

It had detailed information on the pocket realm and how there were a limited amount of cultivators who could enter. The Orchid Covenant planned to auction off a portion of their quota while reserving the rest to serve as prizes for their upcoming youth tournament. That tournament was set to begin in six months in Emberglow City.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to outbid any of the adults with our finances, so our only chance is to sign up for the competitions if you want to go,” Li Lang replied as he continued to read the flyer.

“Well, let’s do it. If you want to gain combat experience and attain powerful techniques, a pocket realm is just what we need right?”

“What is even a pocket realm?” Li Lang couldn’t help but ask.