What's a new Holy Hall disciple to do for these three days?
Wang Meng, who had been hoping to sleep in and completely relax for once, was dragged out of bed early in the morning by Zhang Xiaopang.
Wang Meng had been wound way too tight recently. The moment he let go, he had slept from yesterday afternoon all the way until now.
"Zhang Xiaopang, you'd better have a good reason for this, or I swear I'm going to pummel you!" Wang Meng grumbled, rubbing his eyes.
"Brother Meng, we have less than three days left! We need to hurry up and get ready!" the fatty said excitedly.
"Ready for what? It's not like we have to pay tuition," Wang Meng said. His sleepiness gradually faded. The thought that he had actually managed to get into the Sword Sect as he'd wished felt a bit like a dream. To test this, he gave the fatty a sharp rap on the head, which confirmed he wasn't dreaming.
"Boss! Brother Meng! My dear brother! This isn't about tuition! As new disciples of the Holy Hall, we have to have the basic equipment. Otherwise, people will think we're just a couple of country bumpkins!" the fatty said smugly.
The Holy Hall didn't require tuition. Every new Holy Hall Disciple had to serve the Hall and earn enough contribution points to practice Cultivation Techniques. Of course, those with exceptional talent or powerful backgrounds were a different story.
"What basic equipment?"
"The three treasures of a rookie Cultivator!" the fatty said mysteriously.
"Are you itching for a beating? Spit it out. Don't tell me it's your old man's 'three treasures of virility'?"
The fatty nearly choked. After a few dry coughs, he said, "A weapon, a Messenger, and Spirit Stones."
As he spoke, the fatty took out a long, red bow. "Hehe, this is my baby, Cupid. I'm gonna use it to shoot the first girl I see in the Arrow Sect."
The horny fatty put a very strong, explosive emphasis on the word "shoot."
This was a beginner's bow, usable by those from the First to Fifth Layer of the Life Mark. The Holy Hall didn't hand out free weapons; you had to provide your own.
The moment Wang Meng saw the weapon, his eyes lit up. He could feel the fluctuations of Elemental Qi coming from it. This was the real deal.
A good weapon was a Cultivator's second life.
"This is my Messenger, Qiuqiu!" Zhang Xiaopang took a Demon Refining Talisman out of his convenient Spatial Bag. He channeled his Elemental Power into it, and with a flash of light, the talisman transformed into a chubby, plump, and tamed Mouse Demon.
"Cute, right?" Zhang Xiaopang patted the Mouse Demon's head. "Qiuqiu, your Brother Jiang's happiness for the rest of his life is all up to you!"
Wang Meng slapped his forehead. "Don't you know that girls like to keep gorgeous Cat Demons as pets?"
'Trying to pick up girls with that? It's more like offering them an extra meal.'
Zhang Xiaopang was instantly dumbfounded. "I forgot! Oh, gods, am I fated to be eaten by beautiful women?"
"Let me see its true form," Wang Meng said with a laugh. 'This guy is definitely doing it on purpose. Using his own Mouse Demon to lure the Messengers of beautiful girls… this kind of self-sabotaging pick-up method is Zhang Xiaopang's signature move.'
"You got it!" This was a low-level Demon Beast that could be activated with just the First Layer of the Life Mark. For the fatty, with his Fourth Layer strength, it was a piece of cake.
The Mouse Demon Qiuqiu immediately transformed into a giant Mouse Demon over a meter long. Of course, its body was still just as plump. Then, the equally plump Zhang Xiaopang jumped on its back. Qiuqiu's body instantly sank, its belly almost scraping the ground.
"HAHAHA, cute, right? This is my 'Double Ball' combo! It'll blow everyone away!" Zhang Xiaopang whistled smugly.
Wang Meng jumped back. "Please don't ever say you know me!"
Archers are generally supposed to be agile—as agile as possible. But this guy, not only was he inflexible himself, he even chose an even slower Messenger.
These Little Demons were already tamed. In their normal state, they were even smaller than ordinary animals and could be used to deliver messages. When infused with Elemental Power, they grew larger and could be used as a mode of transport. Powerful ones could even help in battle.
Of course, given Qiuqiu's condition, its speed while carrying the fatty could definitely give a snail a run for its money.
Wang Meng wasn't too concerned about a Messenger, but a weapon was a must-have.
Then the fatty rummaged around some more and very carefully pulled out two Spirit Stones. At the side, Qiuqiu's eyes immediately went wide, and it started drooling, only to get a slap from the fatty.
"Good brothers share their fortunes! One for you, one for me!" he said, shoving the larger Spirit Stone into Wang Meng's hands.
Wang Meng shook his head. "I can't take this!"
Both Spirit Stones and these tamed Little Demons came from the Small Thousand World. Spirit Stones, in particular, were a treasure from that world. Elemental Qi was ubiquitous, but like the air, it nourished life without being directly usable and was extremely difficult to refine. Spirit Stones, however, were a wondrous item produced in the Small Thousand World. They contained abundant Elemental Qi, and most importantly, this Qi was very easy to absorb. For a Cultivator, they were the ultimate supplement—like the Overlord of the virility world, capable of turning a limp noodle into a stud.
'Although these are both Low Grade Spirit Stones, each one is worth at least fifty thousand. The larger one the fatty gave me is probably worth a hundred thousand. It's far too valuable. Brothers are brothers, but this is too much. His old man must have spent a fortune to buy these for him. I can't take it.'
Zhang Xiaopang didn't pull his hand back. "I only told you half of it. We share hardships, too. I'm lazy by nature and love to stir up trouble, so sooner or later I'm going to drag you down with me. Your strength is a matter of life and death for us brothers! Besides, you still owe me ten bucks and haven't paid me back. A little more debt won't hurt!"
The fatty forcefully pushed it into Wang Meng's hand. "I heard you have to grease some palms with the masters at the Holy Hall, too. You can use this for your own cultivation, or you could trade it for a Cultivation Technique you want. If you keep being difficult about it, you're just spoiling the mood."
Wang Meng knew the Little Fatty's temperament. When he spoke with a straight face, he was at his most serious.
'He must have prepared all this a long time ago,' Wang Meng thought. 'It's just that I'd been eliminated back then, and he didn't mention it because he was afraid of upsetting me.'
"Damn it all! A little more debt won't kill me. I already owe you ten bucks, so what's another hundred thousand?" Wang Meng took it without further protest.
A smile spread across the fatty's face. "HAHAHA, let's go! I've saved up all the money my old man gave me. I haven't hit on a single girl in a month! Let's go find you a good sword and a Messenger!"
Messengers and ordinary weapons weren't too expensive. The two of them immediately forgot about eating and rushed over to the Thunderlight Practitioner Market.
The Cultivator Market—every city had one, a place dedicated to the buying and selling of items and tools for Cultivators. They had everything from high-end to low-end goods. It was the most famous place in Thunderlight City. Wang Meng had picked up his narcissistic Heart-Protecting Mirror there when his Life Mark first appeared. Of course, it was just cheap stuff from a street stall.
He had already placed the Spirit Stone inside his convenient Qiankun Bag. That thing was a real treasure; leaving it out in the open where its Spiritual Qi could leak would attract a lot of unwanted, jealous attention. For cultivators at their low level, it could last for several months.
Because the Holy Hall was about to open its doors to new disciples, the Cultivator Market was at its liveliest. The streets were teeming with people, and you could see Cultivators of all levels.
"Come and see! All kinds of Messengers! Cute types, fierce types, imposing types, maid types! We have them all! Buy two, get one free!"
"Can you believe it? Can you believe it? Thirty percent off! Thirty percent off! For couples practicing Dual Cultivation, take two for forty percent off! Forty percent off! You'd rather kill the wrong person than miss this deal!" The shop owner waved his fists frantically, as if he himself believed his own hype.
"Step right up, don't miss out! Jianwu Hall's big promotion! Eight Discount! Eight Discount! Holy Hall Disciples get an additional Nine Discount! A discount on top of a discount! A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! A clearance sale at a blood-coughing loss!"
The merchants were going all out. A good half-month now could be worth half a year's income.