After remaining silent, Qin Zhaoming sighed.
It seemed he wouldn't be able to leave this place unless he directly refused.
"Senior, I'm sorry. The conditions are different from what I expected. I'll think carefully and come back another time."
"What?"
The gatekeeper's expression, which had been friendly, instantly turned fierce.
A cold and oppressive energy pressed down on his shoulders. He didn't hesitate to use spirit qi to exert pressure!
"After I've explained so kindly. You dare refuse? Are you saying you intend to waste my time?"
Even killing intent was included in his icy cold voice that struck his eardrums.
"Child! Don't put on airs unnecessarily and think carefully! Do you think this is the first time I've seen a mountain gatherer like you? Don't think about coming back later begging and pleading to be accepted as a menial disciple—join right now!"
Qin Zhaoming narrowed his brows. The shameless, clingy attitude irritated him.
There was no use being polite to such people.
"I decline."
He spoke firmly and turned around.
Fortunately, this place was not the outer city. It was the inner city, the core area of Zeyang City.
As it was jointly managed by the 'Three Great Families' City Lords, there was at least a minimum level of law and order.
Someone at the level of a Zeyang Sect gatekeeper couldn't openly use violence in the inner city.
"Qin Zhaoming! I'll remember this clearly! If you come back again, the treatment will be even harsher! Don't regret it then!"
Warnings filled with resentment were heard, but he ignored them.
His image of the Zeyang Sect was completely shattered. A place with such a gatekeeper couldn't be a normal organization.
He absolutely must not join!
Walking along the crowded main road, prepared for a possible attack, Qin Zhaoming's expression darkened.
'To recommend such a garbage sect. What is Fang Yi's intention?'
Most of the information Fang Yi had provided was true, but all the truly important points were omitted.
He had mentioned there was a minimum service period, but he never imagined it would be as long as 30 years.
If he had known it was such a slave contract, he wouldn't have visited the Zeyang Sect at all.
'Wait.'
He suddenly realized a strange point. When greeting the gatekeeper, the man had clearly reacted as if he knew the name Qin Zhaoming.
Recalling his seemingly welcoming attitude, he felt unsettled.
'How did he know my name? Could Fang Yi have told him? Are they in cahoots?'
All sorts of suspicions arose.
'Did he receive an introduction fee? Or... could it be that he genuinely believed such horrible conditions requiring 30 years of work weren't bad?'
In Fang Yi's eyes, he was a poor person with a trash spirit root. It meant he had no prospect of succeeding in cultivation.
Perhaps Fang Yi thought that just being able to eat and live safely was not a bad life.
Of course, he didn't know what the truth was yet.
However, one thing was certain: it had become difficult to fully trust Fang Yi now.
"Sigh."
He sighed and shook his head.
In this harsh world, he had lost one of the few trustworthy people. It was unfortunate.
Also, he had unnecessarily visited the Zeyang Sect and created an enmity.
As he swallowed the bitterness and looked up blankly, he saw a clear sky without a single cloud.
The open view washed away his frustration.
"...Haha. I didn't know freedom was this expensive."
He had no regrets. If he had joined the Zeyang Sect, the sky wouldn't have looked so clear now.
Moreover, there was a fact that the Zeyang Sect gatekeeper couldn't even dream of.
'I have the Supreme Great Power.'
That slave contract? It didn't matter if he didn't sign it.
There were many ways to survive. He even had confidence to succeed in the cultivation world beyond mere survival.
Stopping at the side of the bustling street, he quietly sank into thought.
'Forget about the Zeyang Sect. The most urgent need is spirit stones.'
His train of thought naturally led to Mount Zeyang.
As the saying goes, you see what you're thinking about—it was inevitable given that it had been his workplace for three years.
Moreover, Mount Zeyang was truly useful. It was a treasure trove overflowing with all kinds of cultivation resources.
If he could safely enter and exit the mountain, there would be no worry about spirit stones.
'Wait. Is it really dangerous for a Qi Refinement practitioner to climb Mount Zeyang?'
As his trust in Fang Yi decreased, he naturally began to doubt the authenticity of the information he had provided.
Looking around, Qin Zhaoming moved his steps.
He entered one of the shops lined along the road. He needed to verify the facts.
※※※
"Hey! A beggar without even a spirit stone dares to enter! Get out!"
Having been kicked out of the shop, Qin Zhaoming clicked his tongue.
'Oh dear.'
The problem was his attire. Perhaps because it was old and shabby, even asking questions wasn't easy.
Most shops didn't treat him as a customer. Instead, they were wary, suspecting he might be a thief.
'But I did confirm it.'
After half a day of talking with the owners of five or six shops, he was convinced.
Unfortunately, Mount Zeyang was indeed a dangerous place.
Especially for someone like him, a Qi Refinement level 1 practitioner. At least there was no falsehood in Fang Yi's "advice."
'Sigh.'
Just as he was about to return home to make future plans...
Suddenly, a sign caught his attention.
"Scripture Pavilion?"
At that moment, Qin Zhaoming's pupils dilated.
An insight flashed through his mind.
The Scripture Pavilion was a bookstore specializing in selling cultivation techniques and spells. So?
'The Supreme Great Power is an omnipotent force. If there's a drawback, it's that the power consumption increases exponentially depending on the difficulty of the wish.'
Conversely, this meant that the lower the difficulty of the wish, the more drastically the consumption would decrease.
'Using spells without any foundation is naturally impossible. But... if I understand the core principles of spells, I might be able to use them through the Supreme Great Power without properly learning them.'
If successful, his chances of survival on Mount Zeyang would increase, and various problems would be resolved at once.
Gulp.
The Scripture Pavilion seemed to be shining. It looked like a treasure trove where he could learn all kinds of spells for free.
'Let's go.'
Without hesitation, he moved his steps. Quick action was one of his strengths.