After everyone received their chores, Zhou Shu took a few steps forward and said calmly, "Manager Liu, didn't you say that new disciples wouldn't be assigned difficult chores? Isn't mining difficult? But I remember the sect's introduction said it was one of the two most difficult chores."
Hearing Zhou Shu's words, many disciples looked at Liu Anmin with confusion.
Zhu Dashan called out, "Manager, did you make a mistake?"
Li Aojian chimed in, "Maybe you put the wrong jade stick in there. Just change it."
"Huh? Is that so?"
Liu Anmin looked puzzled. He glanced at the jade stick in Zhou Shu's hand, then smiled. "Ah, Junior Brother, you're lucky."
"Lucky?"
"Yes, look at your task. It awarded you a full 600 Contribution Points. Look at the others. They didn't even get 100 or 200. You've earned a lot,"
Liu Anmin said confidently.
Many cultivators looked at their jade sticks and nodded as if they had suddenly realized something.
Zhou Shu smiled calmly, "That's not the problem. The question is why I was given this chore."
The contribution of mining is, of course, several times greater than that of ordinary chores, otherwise no one would do it. This is determined by its difficulty, not luck at all.
"Alright, alright, don't talk about taking advantage. Besides, you're a casual cultivator, so it's only natural that you should do more work. Everyone go to your respective chore locations. They'll provide the specific information. Dismiss."
Liu Anmin frowned, and without further explanation, he casually made a few instructions before turning and leaving.
Zhou Shu watched him leave, shaking his head in silence. This Liu Anmin had probably accepted favors from others and was deliberately making things difficult for him by giving him this chore.
But for the time being, he had no other choice.
This journey through the sect was very different from the Wuwang Sect, and it was destined to be anything but peaceful.
Zhu Dashan came over and said, "Mining is good, Old Zhu is good at it. How about we switch? Look at me, who feeds spirit beasts, and I have to go all over the mountains to look for cattail grass and peanuts. How would I know what these things are? Aren't
I just groping in the dark?" Zhou Shu shook his head and said, "No need to switch. I can do mining, but... forget it."
He was not worried about the intensity of mining, just treating it as another form of body training, but mining took up too much time. He had to stay in the mine almost every day. How could he have time to practice, let alone draw talismans.
Zhu Dashan nodded. "Old Li, what are your chores?"
"I told you not to call me Old Li. Am I that old? Call me Aojian, Aojian!" Li Aojian glared at him disgruntledly. "Same as you, feeding the spirit beasts."
"Are there so many spirit beasts in the sect?"
Zhu Dashan scratched his head. "That's good, though. With Old Li here, I don't have to worry."
Li Aojian turned his head away, looking rather helpless. "I'll find them, you go mow the grass."
"No problem, Old Li, I'll take care of it!" Zhu Dashan patted his chest.
Zhou Shu couldn't help but smile; it seemed they'd been getting along well these past few days.
He put away the jade sign. "You guys go ahead and get busy. I'm going to Lengwu Mountain first. Goodbye."
Li Aojian glanced at him. "The first day of the new year is just a few days away. You must make time. If you can't, you can ask us for help."
"I know. Thank you." Zhou Shu smiled, nodded, and left.
From the first to the fourth day of every month, the Heyin Sect held classes for its outer disciples.
Outer disciples lacked a master and practiced independently. Any doubts they encountered could only be resolved during these few days, making these days particularly crucial for new disciples.
Outer disciples often completed their chores in advance to free up time for focused practice.
However, mining, however, proved difficult to complete ahead of time.
He felt a certain gratitude for Li Aojian's words, but given his temperament, he wasn't one to burden others.
Lengwu Mountain was quite far, nearly five hundred miles from Xichenyuan. Even using the divine talisman would take several hours. Zhou Shu considered this, then walked to the nearby spirit beast pen and rented a Red Cloud Beast.
Domesticated from a first-level demon beast, the Red Cloud Beast resembled a mortal horse, but taller and radiant with a fiery red hue. It moved like a red cloud, making it the most common form of spiritual beast for transportation.
Renting a Red Cloud Beast wasn't expensive, but it was rare for a new disciple like him to do so.
The management disciple led the Red Cloud Beast over and said, "Junior Brother, when you're not using it, just roll up the reins and it will come back on its own."
"Got it, thank you, Senior Brother."
Zhou Shu mounted the Red Cloud Beast and sped off. The
Red Cloud Beast could travel over 400 miles in an hour, climbing mountains and wading through water as if it were flat ground. Even a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage might not be able to catch up.
Soon, a dark mountain came into view.
It was shrouded in a thick, white mist, condensed from cold air. As I approached, I felt a chill run through my body, as if I had entered winter.
The Red Cloud Beast, unable to bear the chill, whimpered and refused to move forward. Zhou Shu had no choice but to dismount and lead it aside, tying
it up. He took out the Warm Sun Jade Ring and put it on, instantly warming himself. Then he headed into
the mountain. Reaching the mountain's edge, Zhou Shu was stunned. Hundreds of dimly glowing holes dotted the mountain before him, like giant eyes, a terrifying sight.
A cultivator dressed in Heyin Sect attire walked over. He was a burly fellow, taller than Zhu Dashan, and sported a beard that reached almost to his chest, making him particularly striking.
He glanced at Zhou Shu and said coldly, "I'm Xu Lie, the manager of the Lengwu Mountain Mine. You look unfamiliar. Where are you from?"
Zhou Shu bowed and handed over the jade inscription. "I'm Zhou Shu, an outer disciple. I've just joined the sect and have been assigned to mining duties."
Xu Lie took the inscription, nodded, and glanced at Zhou Shu with a rather intriguing look. "You're Zhou Shu, huh? You've just joined the sect and already been assigned to mining duties. Should I say you're greedy for contributions, or that someone's tricked you?"
Zhou Shu smiled calmly. "I don't know. Someone gave it to me, and I just came here like this."
"Oh, interesting. Come in."
Xu Lie laughed, threw the jade stick back, and strode towards a newly opened mine.
Zhou Shu followed silently.
Walking into the gloomy mine, the cold air became more intense, as if in an ice cellar, and Zhou Shu couldn't help shivering.
Xu Lie shook his head, a trace of contempt flashed in the corner of his eyes.
Snap!
A rusty hoe fell at Zhou Shu's feet.
"I don't care how you came here, no matter how weak you are, or how young you are, as long as you enter the mine, you must listen to me and do things well!"
Xu Lie turned his head and said sternly, "Go in and take a good look at how others dig. Today doesn't count. From tomorrow on, you must hand over forty kilograms of mist crystal iron ore every day!"
Giving a show of force as soon as you come in is not common in the world of immortal cultivation, but Zhou Shu is not surprised.
He nodded and said calmly, "Since I have accepted the task, I will naturally complete it. There is no need for you to say more."
Zhou Shu's calm answer surprised Xu Lie. "That's good. I will keep a close eye on you."
After saying that, he was about to leave.
Zhou Shu suddenly said, "Wait."
Xu Lie turned around and looked at Zhou Shu with disdain. "Haha, I thought you were so tough. If you have any questions, just tell me quickly. I will only explain it once."
Zhou Shu smiled slightly. "Manager Xu, your beard doesn't move at all when you talk and walk. Is it made of iron? I find it very strange. Please enlighten me."
Xu Lie was stunned for a moment, snorted, turned around and walked away without saying a word.