A day passed.

  After opening my eyes in the inn room, I tossed a Bigu Pill into my mouth.

  It had no taste.

  It was just something I ate to survive.

  I entered Yun Xian Garden and gulped down spiritual spring water.

  “Kya.”

  As expected, spiritual spring water was the best.

  The Jade Ear Rabbits looked at me warily.

  A friend disappeared every time I came in, so it was understandable.

  Still, even so.

  To reject a master who fed and housed them like that. Tsk, tsk.

  Using Water Nurturing Art, I scooped up spiritual spring water and watered the spiritual herb field.

  Looking at the spiritual herbs growing vigorously put my mind at ease.

  But then again, watering them like this every day was quite a hassle…. Wasn’t there a more convenient method?

  I needed to think about it.

  I left Yun Xian Garden.

  Baizi came up to my feet and rubbed against me.

  The summoning jade token was quiet.

  That meant there was still time left.

  I sat down cross-legged and began cultivating the Nine Transformations Spirit Root Scripture.

  The more I looked at this cultivation method, the more admirable it became.

  It was as if it had been made specifically for me.

  The Human-Faced Flower mask boasted perfect transformation abilities, but it had two drawbacks.

  First. I could not transform into someone whose realm was higher than mine.

  Second. I could not transform into someone with better innate spirit roots than my own.

  However, the Nine Transformations Spirit Root Scripture allowed me to overcome the second drawback.

  If I invested some time, I could complete every spirit root.

  Then I would be able to disguise myself with any spirit root I desired.

  I also looked forward to what kind of changes would occur once the cultivation method was fully completed.

  That aside.

  The speed at which my spiritual power accumulated was astonishingly fast.

  How much time had passed? Baizi squeaked and bustled about.

  I opened my eyes.

  The summoning token was flashing brightly.

  At this level, it would probably be visible even from a hundred meters away.

  I stood up, donned the Iron Spirit Armor, and put my clothes back on.

  It was light and comfortable.

  There was no hindrance to movement at all. It was truly worth the money.

  I did not forget to hang the Cold Ice Jade Token at my waist.

  Inside my robe were the Thousand Flame Needle Wheel, the Spirit Extremity Flame Fan, and the jade slip given to me by Elder Haoranzi.

  It felt reassuring.

  Even ordinary-looking clothes now seemed impressive.

  So this was why people carried luxury bags around.

  I left the inn.

  With quick steps, I arrived at the teleportation formation.

  The guide I had seen last time greeted me with a smile.

  “Aiyo, you’ve come, my lord. Fortunately, there are many people heading to Qingliu City, so we’re departing in just two days. I’ve already reserved a seat for you.”

  To think spirit stones were this effective.

  Well, even the gatekeeper had become friendly after receiving just crushed spirit stones. Thinking about it that way, I regretted having given too much. With a slightly uneasy feeling, I boarded the teleportation formation.

  Including myself, there were five people inside the teleportation formation.

  There was only one seat left.

  I carefully sat in the remaining seat.

  I had thought departure required at least five people, but it seemed the capacity was five.

  It was a good thing I had given spirit stones instead of crushed spirit stones.

  My heart relaxed again.

  After a short while, the teleportation formation began to glow.

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

  Please let me arrive safely without any incidents.

  The teleportation formation was absurdly fast.

  Aside from being scary, nothing happened.

  It was embarrassing how frightened I had been.

  Perhaps because I arrived via teleportation formation, the identity check was glossed over.

  When there was something to hide, I should take the teleportation formation.

  Wait a moment.

  If that was the case, didn’t it apply equally to demonic cultivators and demon beasts?

  Good heavens.

  I must never live near a teleportation formation.

  Getting involved in nothing, no matter what.

  That was the secret to longevity.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  Qingyun City had already been large enough, but Qingliu City was even bigger.

  I felt a bit more at ease.

  Wasn’t it better to be a corporate slave at a major company?

  I headed straight for the inn district.

  At the inn I had stayed in Qingyun City before, there had been someone who traded in information.

  I would have to pay spirit stones, but it would be worth the value.

  I entered the largest inn I could find.

  Unlike the Qingyun City inn, which charged three spirit stones for three days, this one charged two spirit stones per day.

  My hand trembled as I paid.

  Learning what I wanted would take quite some time.

  I couldn’t afford to live while paying two spirit stones every day.

  I needed to find a place to live.

  I subtly slipped some crushed spirit stones to the guiding attendant.

  The attendant bent his waist in half and expressed his gratitude.

  “I’d like to buy some information. Is there someone suitable?”

  “Of course there is, my lord. He is stationed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The information fee varies depending on value, but it usually starts from two spirit stones.”

  It was currently 9 p.m.

  I would talk tomorrow morning and then go register for the Qingliu City entrance exam.

  “How would you like your meal? Our Huami Inn is also famous for its food. The braised wild boar demon meat is excellent.”

  Braised meat.

  My mouth watered.

  Then should I eat meat today instead of Bigu Pills?

  After eating my fill of meat, I enjoyed a deep sleep for the first time in a while.

  Yes. This was what made life enjoyable.

  When morning came and I went downstairs, the attendant greeted me warmly.

  I always felt this way, but people in the cultivation world really delivered when you bribed them.

  Or maybe those who didn’t were beaten to death?

  Guided by the attendant, I approached an elderly man with a stern appearance.

  “So. You want information? What is it that you want?”

  “I plan to take the entrance exam on the upcoming first day of the lunar month. I’d like to know about the topics and tendencies of the previous exam.”

  “Oh? If that’s the case, you’ve come to the right place. You’ve heard about it from the attendant, yes?”

  The old man wet his mouth with tea, then held out five fingers.

  I respectfully handed over five spirit stones.

  As the old man took the spirit stones and slipped them into his sleeve, his gaze grew benevolent.

  “You’re a very straightforward young man. Your future looks bright.”

  “Thank you for the compliment, Elder.”

  Perhaps because I had lived alone for so long, my way with words had become quite smooth.

  Maybe it was because I often conversed with imaginary someone.

  Somehow, it felt sad.

  “Alright, then shall I explain? The entrance exam here isn’t much, really. First, they examine aptitude and check achieved accomplishments. If you’re at Qi Refinement Stage 5 or higher, you’ve basically passed the first stage. There’s always a shortage of usable people, and many die or become unable to work.”

  The old man glanced at his empty teacup.

  The attendant immediately refilled it.

  He also offered me a cup.

  There was no reason to refuse free tea.

  It wasn’t spiritual tea, but it was still good tea.

  “The important part is the second test. That’s where your future path is decided. The second test is determined through an interview. They look at special skills. Show what you’ve got. There’s no need to fidget or act timid. You have to stand out from the others through the process.”

  Oh? This was enticing. As expected, the old man was worth the spirit stones.

  “Being proficient in a particular Dao Art, being eloquent, being good at distinguishing spiritual herbs—things like that. If you’re knowledgeable in alchemy, artifact refining, talismans, or formations, there’s nothing better.”

  The old man looked around, then spoke in a low voice.

  “If you have none of those, then you’d better at least excel in body refinement. Getting into the city isn’t the end of it. What comes after is more important. The third test is simpler than you’d think. But if you don’t know about it beforehand, you’ll never pass.”

  After finishing his words, the old man once again held up five fingers.

  This thieving bastard! But I had no other choice.

  I once again respectfully offered five spirit stones.

  “Hem hem, many thanks. The third test is a test, but not really a test. If you pass the second test, there’s no problem entering the city. What comes after that is what matters.”

  The explanation continued. Watching his mouth move nonstop made my own throat feel dry.

  “Why is what comes next important? It’s because of job assignments. To get a good assignment, you need a guarantor inside the city. Those without a guarantor get assigned to idle or dangerous posts.”

  It felt like I had been struck on the head.

  This rotten cultivation world!

  “I have no connections inside the city at all. What should someone like me do?”

  The old man raised his well-groomed eyebrows.

  “That’s why information brokers like me make a living. Hmm… he should be suitable. Go to the fifth house on Xuebai Street inside the city. Tell the homeowner that you were recommended by the Plum Blossom Elder of Huami Inn, and he’ll open a path for you. Of course, it’s not free. You’ll need one mid-grade spirit stone.”

  Huu….

  I let out a sigh.

  Still, if it was something that could be solved with spirit stones, it was fortunate.

  My goal wasn’t to rise through the ranks or earn spirit stones by entering the city, but to obtain knowledge that was only open to insiders.

  And this process wasn’t entirely unreasonable. It was called an entrance exam, but they weren’t selecting high-ranking officials. At best, it was just hiring menial laborers.

  In modern terms, it wasn’t even the equivalent of a civil servant.

  Just looking at the city employees I’d seen so far made that clear.

  Gatekeepers, Xianqi Pavilion sellers, teleportation formation guides, and so on.

  The easiest job would be wielding a brush in an office inside the city.

  The hard jobs were—working in spirit stone mines or farming.

  Even so, those were still better.

  They were exhausting, but they didn’t cost you your life.

  The worst was being assigned to a hunting squad or law enforcement team.

  Catching demon beasts and tracking demonic cultivators meant that even ten lives wouldn’t be enough.

  In such a situation, information truly became power.

  If you didn’t even gather such openly available information while preparing for the exam, you’d have no right to complain even if you died.

  This wasn’t a society ruled by law.

  It was a cultivation world where people died like weeds.

  “Those with guarantors are assigned jobs based on their specialties. Without a guarantor, unless your abilities are extraordinarily outstanding, your destination is obvious. Such places have a high chance of injury, so think carefully.”

  Most likely, ten percent of that mid-grade spirit stone would go into this old man’s pocket.

  Still, it was good that I found out beforehand.

  I could have ended up walking straight into a path of death.

  I had no intention whatsoever of drawing attention by showing off all my abilities.

  After showing proper courtesy to the old man, I even treated him to lunch.

  Regardless of the content, the information had been useful.

  This was a matter of life and death.

  After eating my fill of noodles with demon meat, I left the inn.

  First, I needed to register for the entrance exam.

  There had to be some sort of candidate number here as well.

  I needed to know that before asking for backing or anything else.

  Registration was simple.

  When I went to Qingliu Hall, which could be called the city’s administrative office, there was a desk placed in front of the door.

  A civil officer sat at the desk, accepting applications.

  “Um, I’d like to register for the upcoming entrance exam.”

  The civil officer glanced at me and handed over an application form.

  I had to fill in my name, age, realm, basic cultivation method, and special skills.

  After completing and submitting the application, I was handed a jade token engraved with a number.

  “Infuse both the application and the jade token with your qi. The exam will be held in two days. You must arrive in front of Qingliu Hall exactly at 9 a.m.”

  I bowed politely, accepted the jade token, and turned around.

  Then I went to the house recommended by the Plum Blossom Elder, gave one mid-grade spirit stone, and informed them of the examinee number engraved on the jade token.

  The homeowner gladly accepted the spirit stone and boldly declared that there was nothing to worry about.

  Shortly afterward, he handed me a letter of recommendation.

  …Can I trust this?

  I had done everything a person could do.

  The rest was up to heaven.

  I returned to the inn and devoted myself to cultivation.

  Time flowed quickly.

  At last, the day of the exam arrived.

  Standing in front of Qingliu Hall, I observed the faces of the examinees.

  When 9 a.m. came, the civil officer who had handled the exam registration appeared.

  “Alright, everyone line up according to your numbers. There are ten people per group, so enter carefully according to your number. Be sure to remember your group. I will not call it twice.”

  I checked my jade token once more.

  My turn was, Group 5, second.