Immortal Road.

Although Lin Shan has an enhanced panel, he can inspect almost everything he gets his hands on and immediately tell whether it's right or wrong.

The apprentices would move the items from the left shelf to the table, where he would then give oral feedback, while another apprentice would revise the evaluation, and yet another apprentice would re-enter the ledger. There were also apprentices responsible for assessing the initial evaluation of the person in charge's performance, and finally, an apprentice would take the items away and place them on the right shelf.
Even if you go the fastest, it will take at least the time it takes to brew a cup of tea to complete the whole process!

One ledger contained thousands of items, and it took two full days to complete.

Two days passed by incredibly quickly, in the blink of an eye, because I was so busy that I didn't even notice the time slipping away.

After finally finishing reviewing the ledger, I could finally rest, only to find that it was getting dark outside again!

The five Golden Core stage apprentices had been working with him for two days and one night. At this moment, all of them had dark circles under their eyes, but they didn't dare to say they were tired. Instead, they felt excited and satisfied.

Outside, Golden Core cultivators are as common as dogs; how could one possibly come into contact with Void Transformation stage cultivators?
Moreover, with such high-intensity work and handling thousands of different kinds of treasures, their knowledge and experience are also increasing rapidly, laying a solid foundation for their future career in appraisal!

How do appraisers develop their skills? If they lack talent, they hone their skills through extensive experience.

"Chief Xiongshan, this round of ledgers is finished. The next round will be delivered in half a day."

Lin Shan blinked, still reeling from his work, and began to doubt his own hearing!

Working two days and only getting half a day off?

What kind of shady workshop is this? You can't exploit your employees like this. Even the black market isn't as shady as you. Aren't you afraid I'll file a complaint?
To be honest, there's really no place in the cultivation world to complain about him.

Heaven?

It's none of my business.

Qiyun Ridge?
They're just running a market and collecting rent; they don't care about the lives of you working people.

Work yourselves to death as long as you don't die! The economic engine of the immortal realm needs you lot to pull it, while the upper-class lords can just lie back and count their money!

"No, this won't do."

Lin Shan frowned. "I'm wasting my prime years on meaningless assembly lines. I feel guilty for squandering my time, and anxiety has set in after just two days."

He then looked at the five apprentices beside him, all of whom were staring at him, waiting for his instructions.

Aren't you tired?

"Not tired!"

Upon hearing this, the five men immediately straightened their chests, as if they had been injected with adrenaline, their deep-seated memories of the park awakened, and they were practically ready to recite cultural slogans.

We're purebred working animals, how could we complain about being tired?
Lin Shan was speechless. Looking at the two rows of dazzling shelves, he could hardly imagine that he had just been promoted and then entered the factory, losing the freedom that he used to have so easily.

The contract he signed with Yibaolou clearly states that he must work until after the major trade fair ends. In other words, he has no choice but to work now, whether he wants to or not!

Once you're on that pirate ship, there's no getting off!

Recalling the exorbitant penalty for breach of contract, he felt a chill run down his spine; he couldn't afford to pay it even if he sold himself.

"."

There was no other way but to grit my teeth and bear it, no matter how hard or tiring it was. Considering that I was penniless and it was the perfect time to accumulate my first pot of gold, it didn't seem like a bad idea to go to the factory and earn some hard-earned money.

So he took out the resource exchange disk given to him by Yi Bao Lou, wanting to see how many points he had accumulated after working day and night for two days and nights, and what he could exchange them for.

But I was stunned when I opened it!
Because it clearly shows that the score is zero.

"???"

Lin Shan simply couldn't believe it. "I've reviewed over a thousand treasures, and I didn't get a single point. Can you believe it?"
The apprentice next to him explained:

"According to YiBaoLou's rules, the appraisal points belong to the initial appraiser. You are only responsible for subsequent review. If an appraisal error is found during the review, the initial appraiser's points will not only be forfeited but will also be deducted as a penalty."

In other words, he can only earn points from the treasures he appraises. Those treasures appraised by Nascent Soul or Nascent Soul stage cultivators will be reviewed by him, but the review will not earn him points.

Furthermore, if the verification is found to be incorrect, the points of the subordinates will be deducted!

What happens if your score is negative?

He frowned and asked a question, while the apprentice next to him helplessly shrugged.

"They'll deduct it from my monthly salary."

Sure enough, bosses are all the same no matter where they are!
So you have to work at a loss?

Lin Shan was shocked. He hadn't expected the Immortal Realm version to be so advanced. According to his review results, more than half of the thousand items were unqualified.

Doesn't that mean that all those appraisers below would have to pay out of their monthly salaries?

Why are you working at a loss?
The apprentices nearby explained that these were the sentiments of all working people.

“The deduction of monthly salary is not terrible; what’s important is that you can learn something from it.”

“Yes, what we need most right now is growth. Yibaolou has invested resources and effort in nurturing us, so we should find ways to work hard and give back to our boss.”

"That's right. With a supreme master like you reviewing the appraisals, the accuracy of the assessments will be fed back to other appraisers in real time. They will learn from the experience and lessons learned, and then write them down and convert them into their own knowledge reserves. This is the real treasure!"

"You can make money anytime. First, learn the skills. Once you're good enough, the money will naturally flow into your pocket."

"Yes, my grandfather advised me to think long-term, that being an apprentice is just the beginning, so I didn't want to work for free."

what?
Is it free to be an apprentice?

What's the difference between this and not paying interns?!

Lin Shanhu's body trembled, feeling his mind being stirred up. The thought process of a cultivator from the Immortal Realm once again shattered his worldview.

You guys are the real beasts!

If you possess an innate spiritual body, you are undoubtedly blessed with innate divine bodies.

No wonder you're so happy to be exploited; is this how the older generation taught you?
When it comes to learning knowledge, how far do you go before you consider it finished?
Look at the treasures you've handled. Even Nascent Soul stage cultivators get half of them wrong when appraising them. You're only at the Golden Core stage. You won't amount to anything even in a few hundred years.

In the end, they found themselves losing money, yet they were still happily thinking it was growth, unaware that 'growth' is never-ending!
"you."

Lin Shan wanted to correct these people's thinking, but then he thought, why bother? He was already stuck at his workstation, so he didn't have time to be sentimental about helping others.
That's it.

He left his group of apprentices behind, pushed open the door, and went out to clear his head.

After he left, the people inside breathed a sigh of relief, letting go of their forced composure. They sat down on the floor by the corner shelves and couldn't help but sigh.

"This Chief Xiong is truly amazing. He deserves to be called a Supreme Master. He can appraise anything with just a glance. Is this the legendary 'One-Glance Ding Zhen' level?"

"Terrifying, especially considering how young he is."

"That's amazing! When will I be able to reach that level and learn without losing money?"

"Give me a break. Whether we'll even reach the Nascent Soul stage in this lifetime is uncertain, let alone the Void Transformation stage!" "I really want to have my own private appraisal center, become a supreme grandmaster, be revered by all, and return to my clan to hold my head high!"

These apprentices were all fantasizing. Having witnessed the power of the Supreme Master today, they wished they could immediately transform into Lin Shan, wielding a treasure in one hand and an appraisal in the other, speaking eloquently and confidently.

Young people, having not yet experienced the hardships of adulthood, are not particularly concerned with making money. Instead, they pursue fame and fortune and constantly fantasize about showing off.

They only realized this when they truly took over the burden of life from their elders and faced financial difficulties.

As night fell, Lin Shan strolled around the courtyard.

The thought of having to rush back to work tomorrow fills me with a sense of helplessness.

Fortunately, cultivators in the Void Realm have long lifespans, and a few months won't make a difference in thousands of years. Once they've made enough money, they can just pack up and leave!

Seeing the rooms brightly lit and numerous appraisers working tirelessly day and night, he felt a slight curiosity.

Don't these people ever get a break?

He leaned closer to the window and saw a young female cultivator in her late Nascent Soul stage sitting inside. She looked to be only in her early twenties and was intently testing and appraising a piece of jade on the table with a needle.

When focused, her eyelashes flutter, as if she's deep in thought, unsure of what it is.

"Void Crystal, a fifth-grade spiritual material, is a pebble found in a tributary of the River Styx. It is rich in yin energy and can be used for refining artifacts. It is suitable for cultivators of the Ghost Path."

Lin Shan casually offered a suggestion, which startled the female cultivator inside the room. She looked up and was overjoyed to see him, but she stammered as she spoke.

"Chief Xiong? Thank you very much."

"No need, aren't you going to rest so late?"

"Uh, I'm volunteering to work overtime. There's a big trade fair coming up soon, so I want to take advantage of the opportunity to train and improve myself."

"."

It's that same old training and improvement routine again. The brainwashing of the immortal capitalists is really effective. Lin Shan sighed and walked away.

The female cultivator inside stared blankly as he walked away, sighing for some unknown reason. Perhaps she felt that her appraisal skills were too low and she was not worthy of being cultivated?

That's right, it takes me forever to appraise even a mere fifth-tier spiritual material. I'm such a useless piece of trash!
Damn it, am I not the one who appraises that piece of material?
The female cultivator inside clenched her teeth, lost in deep doubt and self-reproach.
Lin Shan had no idea how much trouble his casual sigh had caused the younger generation, and he slipped away to the other side with his hands behind his back.

He was the only one with free time in the entire courtyard; the other appraisers were working overtime, busy as bees.

Including the two Void Realm chiefs I met during the day, Jingxuzi and Xuanjian's wife, one was holding a bright mirror and looking at herself, while the other was emitting white light from her chest and communicating with each other. They were in their respective appraisal rooms, with several apprentices assisting them.

The shelves in the room were overflowing with treasures, and the other person was just as busy examining the various items as I was.

Just by looking at the apprentice's dark circles, you can tell he's been working at a high intensity for who knows how long.

No, you're already a Void Transformation cultivator, is it really necessary?

How much money do you make in a month? Why risk your life like that!
Lin Shan now understands perfectly why these two people ignored him when he first joined the company. They were all busy as cattle, working themselves to the bone, and didn't care whether he was new or not.

Walking to the other side, I found an old man tapping on the left and right with a small hammer, hunched over, wearing reading glasses, with white hair and focused eyes. I guessed it was the Cangjian Grandmaster who was absent that time.

This old master looked very old and might pass away at any time, but he was still working hard and couldn't care about anything else. The apprentices next to him had also all become old men in their sixties!

What a tragedy!
Lin Shan felt a pang of regret. Yi Bao Lou was truly a shady business. So many appraisers were wasting their prime years in such a small room. Even the donkeys in the production team wouldn't work this hard.

He couldn't bear to watch any longer, so he crossed the courtyard and came to the front of the building.

The main hall here is bustling with people. Even at night, many cultivators still come to trade in Market No. 6, and there are also many appraisers among the staff.

Those who can serve as appraisers at the counter are generally outstanding individuals. I wouldn't dare say they can identify genuine items at a glance, but their accuracy rate is clearly around 70% to 80%.

While he was wandering around, he ran into Lie Yunsheng, who happened to be coming down to inspect the area.

"Grandmaster Xiongshan? What, you've finished your work and have some free time to take a stroll?"

The other person smiled and led him upstairs, found a private room by the window, and personally brewed tea for him. They chatted while enjoying the scenery, as a reward for his hard work.

When asked if he was satisfied with his job, Lin Shan was clearly not telling the truth and gave a perfunctory "It's okay".

Lie Yunsheng chuckled, unconcerned, and placed the light and fragrant green tea beside him, pointing to the bustling night market outside the window.

The place was packed with people, with many cultivators lingering there, much like a capital city in the mortal realm, maintaining the vitality and dynamism of the cultivation world.

But he was actually sighing:

"The South China Sea is so peaceful. If this were in the inland areas of the Cloud Wind Immortal Realm, the competition would be fierce and cutthroat. People would fight tooth and nail for even the smallest bit of profit. I came to this remote place because I couldn't stand the cutthroat competition."

what?
You call this comfortable? The inner continent of the Cloud Wind Immortal Realm is even more turbulent.

Lin Shan suddenly felt uneasy, realizing that he had only scratched the surface of the Immortal Realm's overall environment.

Having just ascended to immortality, the facade of peace and tranquility in Cloud Edge City led him to believe that everyone here yearned for a peaceful life.

But once you really delve into it, you'll find it's polarized!

Some people give up because they feel hopeless about the future, while others are desperate to compete. Some give up, and some compete fiercely, each playing out their own story on this celestial land.

Thinking of those noble young men who roamed freely across the grasslands, and then of his own humble apprenticeship at the appraisal institute, he couldn't help but marvel at the influence of one's birth on their upbringing.

When Lie Yunsheng had nothing to do, he told him about his past.

As the young master of Yibaolou headquarters, he has been cared for by his elders since childhood and learned appraisal skills by word and deed. He has experienced far more hardships than these apprentices!

It wasn't until he became a supreme master that he was finally able to stand on his own.

His family originally wanted him to enter officialdom and recommend him to the Imperial Observatory through connections, hoping that he could rise through the ranks and perhaps even enter the Heavenly Court. This would be considered a stroke of good luck!

However, he only worked in the Observatory for fifty years, less than sixty years, before he couldn't stand it anymore and resigned to help his family.

"You don't know, the Cloud Wind Immortal Realm's Heavenly Observation Division is responsible for collecting the treasures gathered from the entire Immortal Realm and sending them to the Heavenly Court to collect taxes. The workload is much greater than that of the Treasure Exchange Pavilion. I have been there for decades, day in and day out, with no time to rest or think about anything else. Many people look back and realize that a hundred years have passed in a flash!"

"Isn't it scary?"

Lin Shan felt a chill run down his spine upon hearing this; the thought filled him with despair!
He originally had the ambition to become an official and hoped to visit the Heavenly Court in the future, but after Lie Yunsheng said that, he immediately backed down.

And a feeling of admiration arose spontaneously!

He, a peasant, couldn't stand it after only two days, while a rich second-generation heir had been in the Observatory for fifty years!
Are you even human?

Lie Yunsheng held a teacup in his hands, gazing out the window with a distant look in his eyes, his words filled with uncontrollable melancholy.

“From the moment I couldn’t stand it anymore and decided to retire from officialdom, the future leadership of the family was handed over to my sister, so it didn’t matter where I went. My father was very disappointed in me.”

Lin Shan was very curious about this guy's background. Could it be that the entire Yi Bao Lou belonged to his family? (End of Chapter)