A rather critical problem presented itself to Leo Young.
...Money.
He was sponsored by the Qin Clan's Head. Note, the Clan Head, not the Qin Clan itself.
Most of the Qin Clan believed that getting involved with Leo Young was too dangerous. One had to understand that the Qin Clan was not much stronger than the Ling Clan. Since that peerless expert could slaughter the entire Ling Clan without anyone being able to even fight back, the result would be the same if he came to the Qin Clan; there would be no chance of resisting.
Therefore, the Qin Clan's internal consensus was to ignore Leo Young. They were willing to be seen as unrighteous, because there was almost no benefit—and if there was, it was far in the future—while the risk was high enough to annihilate their clan... a risk on par with rebellion. Where was the reward for backing the winning side?
However, the Qin Clan's Head was truly a man of his word. He cherished their old friendship and decided he had to look after the Ling Clan's last scion one more time, so he used his personal funds.
It was just that, as a clan head, he was famously selfless and devoted to his duties, so the money in his pockets... while an unimaginable fortune to the common folk, was truly meager for the patriarch of a prominent clan.
Of this sum, hiring the armed escort convoy was the single largest expense. A considerable amount still reached Leo Young's hands, but the various costs along the way, purchasing clothes upon joining the sect, and paying the tuition fees were no small matters. Furthermore, Leo Young was a big spender. As a result, the money was almost completely used up...
That morning, Leo Young sat at a table, shook out his purse, and watched the few coins that tumbled out. He then laughed with delight.
"Haha, I never thought I'd see the day I was troubled by money. Truly, as long as one is alive, one will encounter all sorts of wondrous situations."
Sharing the room with him, Su He had just been woken up and heard this remark. His scalp instantly tingled. He had thought that after spending several days together, he was getting used to Leo Young's personality, but hearing those words made the hairs on his body stand on end. Even though his current martial strength could still easily crush Leo Young, he couldn't stop the creeping fear in his heart. He was utterly terrified—listen to that, are those words a human should be saying?!
"By the way, Senior Brother," said Leo Young casually, though he lacked the ability to sense Su He's state. "You're awake, right? Don't pretend to be asleep. The disciples of our Zhenwu Mountain can't all be from wealthy families. For those whose families aren't so well-off, where do their daily expenses come from?"
To be able to practice martial arts at a place like Zhenwu Mountain, one's family's financial situation was likely quite good. This went without saying. As the saying goes, literature is for the poor and martial arts for the rich. But this wasn't entirely accurate. In this era, a family that could allow an adult male to forgo work and pursue studies couldn't be too poor. As for practicing martial arts, especially leaving home to study at a major sect like Zhenwu Mountain, that was even more of a financial commitment.
Leo Young truly didn't believe that every disciple on Zhenwu Mountain was supported solely by their family.
Having been called out, Su He forced himself out of bed and replied, "There are... quite a few ways. For instance, sect missions and the like."
As a major sect in the martial world, Zhenwu Mountain had to demonstrate its sense of responsibility. If someone somewhere encountered injustice or ran into members of a demonic sect and requested aid from Zhenwu Mountain, the sect was obligated to send disciples to exorcise demons and defend the righteous path. Of course, it wasn't unpaid labor. Even if the person requesting aid couldn't offer anything, Zhenwu Mountain would reward the disciples from its own coffers.
For example, Leo Young's Eldest Senior Brother and Fourth Senior Sister spent all their time out on missions, building formidable reputations. In contrast, Fang Ying and Su He had little fame in the martial world.
"However, you've only been cultivating for a short time, so you generally won't be sent on missions. So, you can settle for the next best thing," Su He said. "Over at the Hall of Stewards, there's a request board. The requests are posted by disciples or pilgrims on Zhenwu Mountain for matters that aren't so urgent or important. They can be resolved through private negotiation."
"For example, being a sparring partner at the Martial Arts Field, taking over a night patrol shift, posing as a model for a painting, helping fetch something from the city, or offering guidance to someone who doesn't understand a certain martial technique and needs an expert to share their insights..."
"I see..." Leo Young roughly understood. He nodded with a smile. "Thank you, Senior Brother. I get it now."
Su He said, "It's nothing. I should have explained this to you earlier, but you've been cooped up in the Scripture Pavilion, so there wasn't a good opportunity... Also, if you're really out of money, you can borrow directly from the Hall of Stewards. Of course, there's some interest."
Why does this Zhenwu Mountain also have a money-lending business... Leo Young raised an eyebrow slightly but paid it no mind. He quickly tidied himself up and headed for the Hall of Stewards.
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The Hall of Stewards... Of course, it wouldn't be wrong to call it the 'Zhenwu Mountain General Affairs Office' either. For any problem outside of martial arts, it was never a mistake to ask here.
Soon, Leo Young saw the request board Su He had mentioned.
"Heh, there really are quite a few."
The requests on it were varied and numerous. A quick glance suggested there were at least seventy or eighty items. Some were neatly formatted with elegant handwriting, the slips of paper clearly stating the request's content, the requirements for the person accepting it, the meeting method, and the reward. Others were crudely written, leaving one utterly confused, not even knowing how to arrange a meeting.
Leo Young scanned them casually, searching for a request that met his needs.
"Hmm... this one."
Leo Young quickly selected a request.
Given his current abilities and financial needs, there weren't many requests that suited him. If he had to name one thing he excelled at, it was undoubtedly his understanding of various martial arts. Thus, he focused his search in that area.
Leo Young took down the slip of paper. Written on it in elegant script was: 'Seeking a Daoist master proficient in the 'Qi Meridian Connection Method' to teach the insights of the fourth volume. Compensation to be discussed in person.'
Leo Young took the slip to the request registration desk in the Hall of Stewards. After confirming the meeting time was for the following day, he immediately hurried back to the Scripture Pavilion.
That's right, the Qi Meridian Connection Method—Leo Young didn't know it yet... Although he had seen the manual in the Scripture Pavilion before, he hadn't made a point to learn it. In any case, he had to prioritize skills that had clear bonuses on his panel.
However, starting now was perfectly fine. One day was more than enough time.
One must understand, Leo Young could, having never touched a piano before, spend fifteen minutes fiddling with one and thereafter, relying on his musical sense, creativity, and artistic aesthetic, improvise a piano piece worthy of being called a timeless classic. The notion sounded absurd—and the more one knew about the piano, the more absurd it sounded—but Leo Young could do it.
If it was him, he could do it.
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