Goddess Painting

Qin Feng focused his inner vision on his dantian.

Although the luster of the dual-elemental sacred spiritual root of water and fire was slightly dimmer than when it had just fused, it was still dazzling.

The colorless gas cloud rotated more steadily, and its rate of consumption on the spiritual root seemed to have slowed down considerably.

"call……"

Qin Feng breathed a sigh of relief.

"Although it's slower, it's still consuming energy. At this rate, in another ten days or so, the quality of my spiritual root will probably drop again."

"We must find a new woman in the painting as soon as possible and replicate her spiritual roots to replenish them!"

"but……"

Qin Feng did some quick calculations.

Only four days have passed since the one-month deadline for signing the pledge with the sect!

The most urgent task now is to meet the remaining two conditions for reopening Tian Shu Peak.

"Recruit twenty disciples with mid-grade or higher aptitude, and... find a Meridian Opening Realm expert to oversee things!"

Qin Feng stroked his chin, his gaze falling on the storage ring containing one hundred high-grade spirit stones.

A confident smile curved his lips.

"We used to be so poor that nobody looked down on us."

"Now I'm rich!"

As the saying goes, money makes the world go round!

"Even if Tian Shu Peak falls again, as long as the spirit stones are provided, I refuse to believe we can't get a few people killed!"

……

The next morning.

Qingyun Sect, Qingzhu Peak.

This is the sect's special recruitment office for new recruits.

The environment was serene and shaded by lush bamboo, but at this moment it was bustling with noise and excitement.

New disciples who have just entered the sect and have not yet been assigned to a peak, or seasoned veterans who want to switch sects, all gather here, searching for their place.

The stewards of the various mountains were also enthusiastically promoting their peaks, each praising their own as if they were paradises on earth, afraid of missing out on any promising talents.

"Come on, come on! Blazing Sun Peak is recruiting! A haven for tough guys! Not only are there subsidies for medicinal pills, but also personal guidance from senior brothers!"

"Purple Cloud Peak! Purple Cloud Peak offers excellent benefits! As long as you have a mid-grade spiritual root or higher! There are also beautiful senior sisters!"

In a quiet corner of the bustling market, Qin Feng found a secluded spot, set up a dilapidated wooden table, and stuck a wooden plaque with three crooked characters that read "Tian Shu Peak" into the ground.

That's it.

The deacons who had been enthusiastically hawking their wares were taken aback when they saw this scene, and then burst into laughter.

"Hey! Isn't this Peak Master Qin?"

"What? They're recruiting from that godforsaken place, Tian Shu Peak?"

"That's Qin Feng? That idiot who boasted about reopening Tian Shu Peak?"

"Tsk tsk, they actually dare to come? Don't they even take a good look at themselves in the mirror? They think they can recruit anyone? Who would go to some desolate wilderness to starve?"

Not far away, the steward of Xuantian Peak deliberately shouted at the top of his lungs, in a sarcastic tone:

"Fellow junior brothers and sisters! Open your eyes wide!"

"Some mountains are devoid of spiritual energy and resources! Going there will only ruin your future! Don't be fooled by some people's sweet talk! You'll regret it later!"

A burst of laughter erupted around them.

Qin Feng ignored these sarcastic remarks and remained calm.

He scanned the crowd and found that although there were many people, all the disciples with even a little bit of talent and mid-grade spiritual roots had been snatched up by the major peaks.

"It seems that conventional methods are not working."

Qin Feng took a deep breath, picked up his pen, and wrote a line of large characters under the wooden sign.

Then, he gathered his energy in his dantian and let out a loud shout, his voice booming like thunder:

"Tian Shu Peak is recruiting disciples!!"

"Anyone with a mid-grade spiritual root! Regardless of background or cultivation level!"

"Just for beginners! Monthly stipend... twenty mid-grade spirit stones!!"

boom--!

That shout silenced the entire audience.

quiet!

Deathly silence!

Then, just like a drop of water falling into boiling oil, it instantly exploded!

"How many?!!"

"Twenty... mid-grade spirit stones?!"

"Did I hear that right? Mid-grade? Not low-grade?!"

Keep in mind that an ordinary outer disciple only receives ten low-grade spirit stones a month! And an ordinary inner disciple only receives three mid-grade spirit stones!

Twenty medium-grade items?

That's equivalent to two thousand low-grade spirit stones!

What does this mean?

This treatment is even better than that of core disciples with superior spiritual roots!

"My God! This is too extravagant! He's insane! Qin Feng has absolutely gone mad!"

The steward of Tianmai Peak immediately became agitated, jumping up and down and cursing:

"Qin Feng! Are you crazy?!"

"Do you know what twenty mid-grade spirit stones mean? You wouldn't even be worth that much if you were sold!"

"Your Tian Shu Peak is so poor even the mice have moved away, what do you have to offer? Air?!"

The disciples of Xuantian Peak also joined in the commotion:

"Exactly! They brag without even thinking!"

"Don't believe him! This is a scam! He'll lure people in to do hard labor, and then decide whether or not to pay them."

"The Qin family has long since fallen on hard times! He only passed the test thanks to his unfortunate wife's dowry; where would he get the money?"

Among the crowd, the newlyweds who were initially interested became hesitant again upon hearing these words.

Yes.

This is too unreal. It's like a windfall.

On the edge of the crowd.

A thin young man with a furrowed brow, wearing a faded disciple's robe, stared intently at Qin Feng's wooden plaque.

His name is Lu Qianlang.

Four-element earth spirit root, mid-grade aptitude.

To support his entry into the Qingyun Sect, his family sold everything they could and ended up with a mountain of debt.

For the past six months, because he had no background or powerful connections and his talent wasn't top-notch, no sect would accept him, and he could only be an ordinary outer disciple.

Even after working myself to the bone every month to complete tasks, I only manage to earn ten low-grade spirit stones.

Of these ten coins, he had to send eight home to pay off his debts, keeping only two for himself to cultivate. Life was incredibly difficult.

"Twenty... mid-grade spirit stones..."

Lu Qianlang's Adam's apple bobbed violently.

This is an astronomical figure for him!

If this is true, he could pay off all his family's debts in just one month!

"Lu Qianlang, what are you doing? You don't really want to go, do you?" His companion pulled him back. "Don't be silly! It's a trap!"

Lu Qianlang bit his lip, his fists clenched tightly.

pit?

I'm already so poor, what am I afraid of getting scammed out of?

Even if I get scammed, the worst that can happen is that I'll just have to work a month of hard labor for nothing!

I have nothing to lose!

"Never mind!"

Lu Qianlang gritted his teeth, shook off his companion's hand, and strode toward Qin Feng in the corner.

"Peak Master Qin!"

He bowed deeply to Qin Feng, his voice trembling slightly:

"Is the treatment you mentioned... true?"

Qin Feng looked at the boy before him, whose eyes were clear yet held a hint of stubbornness, nodded, and smiled:

"Absolutely true."

"Not only that, but you can get half of your first month's salary on the spot simply by passing the entry test!"

Half in advance?!

That's ten mid-grade spirit stones!

Lu Qianlang was breathing rapidly, but having been poor for so long, he remained cautious.

"Peak Master Qin...it's not that I don't trust you."

"Could you... let me see the spirit stones first?"

As soon as he said this, everyone's eyes were focused on Qin Feng.

The deacons, who were waiting to see the joke, all wore amused sneers on their faces.

Take it out!

Go ahead and take it!

Looking at your penniless appearance, you'd be lucky to even produce a mid-grade spirit stone!

Qin Feng surveyed the entire room, a faint smile playing on his lips:

"no problem."

He waved his hand gently.

Splash!

A crisp, pleasant collision sound rang out.

Suddenly, a small mountain of debris appeared on the old wooden table!

Five hundred glittering mid-grade spirit stones!

At the very top, there were fifty high-grade spirit stones radiating astonishing spiritual energy!

Under the sunlight, the dazzling light almost blinded everyone!

The dense, almost overwhelming spiritual energy made the surrounding air smell sweet!

suck--!

A collective gasp of astonishment erupted from the entire audience!

Dead!

Then came utter madness!

Holy crap!!!

"Really?! It's actually a real spirit stone!!"

"So many high-grade spirit stones?! My god! Did Qin Feng dig up his own ancestral grave? Where did he get so much money?!"

"This isn't just down on his luck, this is practically super-rich!!"

Lu Qianlang's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and he was trembling all over.

That's money! That's all money!

"Peak Master Qin!!"

He knelt down with a thud and shouted:

"I want to become a disciple of Tian Shu Peak!!"

Before the words were even finished, the scene instantly spiraled out of control!

"I want to sign up too! I have a mid-grade spiritual root!"

"Don't push me! Peak Master Qin, look at me! I'm Wu Xiang! I'm not afraid of hardship! I'm very capable!"

"Qin Feng, please choose me! I'll do anything for you, even be your slave!"

The disciples who had just been avoiding Tian Shu Peak like the plague were now pushing and shoving forward as if they had seen their own father!

Those deacons who had been making sarcastic remarks turned pale and gritted their teeth when they saw their stalls suddenly empty.

This is... this is the power of money?!

That's incredibly unsportsmanlike!

Qin Feng remained calm and composed, smiling as he gestured for Qin Feng to lower his hand.

"Alright, alright! Don't rush! Everyone has a chance! Line up! One at a time!"

Less than an hour later.

Twenty spots available, all filled!

They all have mid-grade spiritual roots, and there are even two promising seedlings that are close to six and a half!

As the first person to try this, Lu Qianlang received ten mid-grade spirit stones on the spot. He was so excited that tears welled up in his eyes, and his hands were trembling as he held the spirit stones.

Seeing this, the other disciples who arrived late were filled with regret and self-reproach.