Once he understood the principles of cultivation, Jiang Che looked at the others in the Martial Arts Hall and immediately saw the gap between them.
Take Gong Yulei, for example. He was born with abundant Qi Blood, and his wealthy family could afford extensive nourishment, giving him a plentiful source of Qi Blood.
He also had a good Root Bone, so his Fist Technique progressed with incredible speed. This meant his conversion efficiency was high, and his Qi Blood advanced the fastest.
Although such immense Qi Blood was extremely volatile and threatened to rupture his meridians at the slightest misstep,
he took a Secret Medicine daily, which solved that problem.
It was no wonder he seemed to advance a Realm a day.
As for Jiang Che, he had a poor innate constitution, and his family was impoverished, with no money for nourishment.
He also had a poor Root Bone, so his conversion efficiency from practicing his Fist Technique was low, causing his Qi Blood to progress slowly.
Fortunately, he had the Skill Proficiency Panel.
First, it allowed him to "grind" his Fist Technique, partially compensating for his deficient Root Bone.
Second, he could use his Heart Stream to circulate and refine his Qi Blood without needing to take any Secret Medicine.
But the panel couldn't provide the benefits of nutritional or medicinal supplements.
As a result, Jiang Che felt like he was gradually being left behind by the others.
Of course, developing true combat prowess still required real-world fighting experience.
Jiang Che was rather confident in that regard.
With his Heart Stream and Omen, his combat abilities were a cut above what they appeared to be!
'This won't do. I have to go earn money. I can't wait any longer!'
Jiang Che thought to himself.
It wasn't just about needing nourishment; he also had to buy a house and move!
After all, his neighborhood in the South District was hardly a safe place.
He had been checking on Miaoxin Studio every day recently,
but it was never open.
He had asked around the neighborhood,
but he hadn't learned a thing.
When he thought about the continuous disappearances in the city, and the green-eyed monster he had encountered...
'Could the Shopkeeper have disappeared too?'
Jiang Che's heart sank.
One day, Jiang Che was in the middle of his training.
Luo Kun walked out, holding a letter.
"Everyone, hold on a moment."
The disciples all stopped practicing their techniques and stood at attention.
"The list of factions looking for affiliates is here."
He said, brandishing the letter in his hand.
Jiang Che's interest was piqued.
'Finally!'
Luo Kun raised the letter and began to read slowly.
"First up is the Zhenyuan Escort Agency. The monthly salary is thirty silver, with one to two escort missions a month, each paying an extra ten silver. However, it requires leaving the city. Lately, there have been horse bandits and many Black Beasts out there, so it's very dangerous. I don't recommend it." As he spoke, Luo Kun glanced at Jiang Che, the implication clear.
Jiang Che feigned ignorance.
'It might be dangerous... but that's at least forty silver a month!'
That would go a long way toward easing his financial pressure.
As for the danger, he had his Omen Talent.
As long as he didn't go looking for trouble, he was confident he could get away unscathed.
Besides, he could use the opportunity to travel to Hengsha City and investigate his parents' whereabouts!
'If no better options come up, this is the one!'
Jiang Che mused silently.
The other disciples showed no expression, clearly uninterested.
"Next is the Fish Dragon Gang. The monthly pay is thirty silver. You'd need to patrol the docks and the Fish Market regularly. It's relatively easy work, just providing backup if a gang dispute breaks out."
A flicker of interest showed in Gong Yulei's eyes, though it was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Jiang Che, however, shook his head inwardly.
'The pay isn't great, and it's easy to get caught up in gang politics. I'll pass.'
"Finally, there's Jishi Hall Pharmacy. You'd only need to escort a few shipments of valuable medicinal herbs within the city each month. The monthly pay is twenty silver, but you'd also get a discount on supplements. Alright, those are the three options. Make your choice!"
'The pay is low, but I could buy supplements at a discount...'
Jiang Che was suddenly torn. He was desperately in need of supplements right now!
Quickly, Lin Xue'er chose Jishi Hall.
Gong Yulei, in turn, chose the Fish Dragon Gang.
Zhang Xiong hesitated for a moment before stepping forward.
"Master, I've decided to work for my family instead."
The others glanced over. Zhang Xiong had never mentioned his family situation before; it seemed he also came from a notable background.
Luo Kun nodded. He knew about Zhang Xiong's circumstances, so he said no more.
"Jiang Che, what about you?"
Luo Kun turned to Jiang Che, who had yet to choose.
"Master, I choose the Zhenyuan Escort Agency!" Jiang Che declared.
No matter what, he had to get to Hengsha City to find his parents.
Traveling with an Escort Agency would be much safer than going alone.
Besides, the pay was the best.
He needed money not just for supplements, but also to save up for a house.
There were too many things he needed money for.
Jishi Hall would let him save money on medicine, but that was only if he had money to buy it in the first place!
Luo Kun looked deeply at Jiang Che, searching for any trace of hesitation in his eyes.
But Jiang Che's gaze was resolute and unwavering.
He knew Jiang Che's circumstances were the most difficult, so his choice of the Escort Agency was not unexpected.
Though he didn't want his disciple to walk into danger, there was no other choice.
"Then be extremely careful."
"Thank you, Master. I understand!"
「The next morning.」
Instead of heading to the Martial Arts Hall, Jiang Che went straight to the Zhenyuan Escort Agency.
The Zhenyuan Escort Agency was also in the East District, not far from the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall.
After a turn down a quiet alley, the Escort Agency came into view.
The corners of the roof were tilted high, and while the main gate looked aged, it was thick, tall, and exceptionally grand.
A black plaque with golden characters hung above the entrance.
It read: "Zhenyuan Escort Agency."
A pair of stone lions stood guard on either side of the entrance, looking majestic and imposing.
Jiang Che straightened his clothes and stepped inside.
He was greeted by the sight of a spacious courtyard where seven or eight Darts Masters were busy loading goods onto horse-drawn carts.
Crates of goods were stacked neatly and tied down with thick hemp ropes.
People shouted back and forth, giving instructions and taking inventory.
It was Jiang Che's first time in an Escort Agency, and he found it novel. It felt a bit like a logistics company from his past life.
Except the trucks had been replaced by horse-drawn carts.
He stopped one of the working Darts Masters.
"Excuse me, could you tell me where the steward is? I'm a Martial Artist here to affiliate."
The man was sturdily built, his gray tunic soaked through with sweat, and steam seemed to rise from his body.
He sized up Jiang Che, looking surprised that this young man was a Martial Artist.
But seeing the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall Disciple's Robe he was wearing, the man didn't question it and pointed to a side room.
"In that room. Steward Wang is inside."
With that, he went back to moving cargo.
"Thanks!"
Jiang Che cupped his fist in thanks, then made his way through the bustling crowd to the side room.
The door was ajar, revealing a heavy pearwood desk inside, piled with ledgers and an abacus.
A clean-shaven, middle-aged man with a fair complexion, dressed in a cyan robe, was there doing the books.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Jiang Che knocked on the door.
"Steward Wang? I'm here to affiliate!"
The man looked up at the sound of the knock.
Seeing the White Cloud Martial Arts Hall uniform on Jiang Che, he said, "You must be Jiang Che. Come in!"
Jiang Che nodded, entered the room, and sat down in the seat across from him.
Steward Wang studied Jiang Che carefully and began to wonder:
'This kid looks a bit frail, and his Qi Blood doesn't seem very strong. I wonder if what Hall Master Luo said about his "exquisite Fist Technique" is true...'
'Still, the Escort Agency is in need of manpower right now. Anyone who has achieved a breakthrough with their Qi Blood is a powerful asset, no matter how you slice it.'
He quickly suppressed these thoughts, pushed a cup of hot tea toward Jiang Che with a smile, and said:
"Hall Master Luo has already told me about your situation, so let's get straight to the point."
"Alright." Jiang Che accepted the teacup and took a light sip.
The warm tea had a fresh fragrance. It was sweet and refreshing, with no hint of bitterness. The brew itself was clear, revealing tender leaves within.
Jiang Che didn't know much about tea, but he could guess it wasn't cheap.
"Our Escort Agency's main routes are to Hengsha City, and nearby towns like Cyan Wood and Baihe River. We occasionally take on longer jobs to places like Cangzhou or Taizhou, but not often."
"How long does a typical trip take?" Jiang Che asked.
"Hengsha City is the closest; a round trip takes six days. Cyan Wood and Baihe River take ten days for a round trip. Cangzhou is fifteen days, and Taizhou is twenty. We generally don't accept jobs farther than that." Steward Wang took a sip of his tea. "Also, there are two types of missions. When we transport goods, it's a cargo escort. When we transport people, it's a personal escort. We do a lot more cargo escorts than personal ones."
"Oh? And why is that?" Jiang Che asked, his curiosity piqued.