Chapter 121: Asking a Favor Is Hard

Try conducting business in secret? Commerce meant dealing with the public at large. Between competition from others in the same line of business and a world blanketed by cultivators, the person behind the operation could easily be exposed. No independent cultivator could afford the consequences of discovery, so that path to wealth was basically cut off.

Serving officials as a retainer cultivator was one way to make money, but that trade was essentially monopolized by the power of the sects. Ordinary independent cultivators could hardly squeeze their way in. Take Feng Lingbo, for example. If Tianyu Sect behind him applied even a little pressure, would Feng Lingbo dare recruit independent cultivators?

Serving wealthy households as a retainer cultivator was another possible source of income, but what great household did not exist beneath the shadow of official power? If the authorities disapproved of something, what wealthy family would dare openly defy them? They would be asking to have their household confiscated and their clan exterminated.

Thus, in the secular world, independent cultivators had almost no reliable source of income.

Commerce within the cultivation world was permitted, but rules restricted that too, all under the lofty justification of ensuring fair trade and protecting buyers’ interests.

How were buyers protected? Merchants who could not be held accountable were forbidden from opening shops.

What counted as a merchant who could not be held accountable? Anyone opening a shop had to possess some means by which they could be restrained. You could not sell counterfeit goods, cheat a customer, then disappear. When the buyer came seeking justice afterward, whom were they supposed to hold responsible? For that reason, shops could only be opened in the name of a sect. If something went wrong, the monk might flee, but the temple remained. Even if you ran, the sect behind you had to answer for your conduct. If your sect trained a disciple who swindled people like this, who else should bear responsibility if not the sect?

The argument was perfectly reasonable. No one could say it made no sense. And so independent cultivators were stripped of the right to open shops as well.

Of course, no matter how powerful the cultivation world’s alliance became, it could not stop people from hiding in out-of-the-way corners and conducting private trades in secret.

That was fine. Any mishap arising from a private transaction received no protection whatsoever. Buyer and seller bore the consequences themselves.

But how many customers could private transactions attract in such places? Most people still wanted to come somewhere like Star-Plucking City, where they could reach a much broader market.

There were plenty of private transactions in Star-Plucking City too. But if the same item was available at the same price from a proper shop with greater security, why would anyone buy from you? To attract buyers, you could only sell more cheaply.

And there was still the same problem: private transactions were unprotected. That created a dangerous situation. The moment either side believed it had the advantage, black-on-black robbery became very possible. If I think I can kill you, why should I pay you? If I know how much money you’re carrying and I can kill you, why should I give you the goods? I can take your money and still sell the goods to someone else afterward.

Poverty shortened a man’s ambitions and made people prone to extremes, especially independent cultivators.

Thus arose a vicious cycle. Independent cultivators gained an ever fouler reputation, while the Misty Pavilion’s rules appeared ever more reasonable and became increasingly difficult to challenge.

There was also the problem of competitors becoming enemies. If an independent cultivator sold the same goods as my sect at a lower price, how was I supposed to do business? Since your private transactions enjoyed no protection anyway, it was hardly unusual for someone from a sect to conceal their identity and come deal with you.

Under all these restrictions, independent cultivators had only a few choices. They could risk their lives committing illegal acts and face death if caught. Or they could venture into dangerous places inaccessible to ordinary people to gather spirit herbs, such as remote islands overseas, and gamble on their luck. In places ordinary people could reach, there was little chance of finding anything they had missed.

That created yet another vicious cycle. A cultivator who spent enormous amounts of time on such things naturally had far less time left for cultivation. Compared with disciples inside established sects, their cultivation progress inevitably fell another step behind.

Given all this, what independent cultivator would not want to become a member of a sect?

Yet establishing a sect was hardly easy either. A whole series of entry requirements stood in the way. The thirty missions needed to prove one’s strength alone eliminated most people, and finding another sect willing to recommend and guarantee them eliminated another large portion. Very few people ultimately qualified to establish a sect.

Even Niu Youdao could only sigh over rules like these. He felt the Misty Pavilion was rather unscrupulous. Independent cultivators were already scraping by, yet the Pavilion still imposed thirty missions, making desperate independent cultivators risk their lives eliminating targets from the Rogue and Heretic List. Plenty of people probably killed several targets but failed to complete all thirty, doing the work for nothing.

It truly was a fine arrangement: someone else did all the dirty, exhausting labor, no wages had to be paid, and people still volunteered enthusiastically to clean up the environment.

Meanwhile, those who had already crossed the threshold into sect membership sat back and enjoyed, to some degree, the environment created by independent cultivators, with leisure to develop sources of income and earn cultivation resources. Niu Youdao did not particularly sympathize with them.

He understood perfectly well that anything everyone needed would inevitably become scarce, and that scarcity would inevitably create a situation where there were too many monks and too little gruel. No one could change that. There would always be people who wanted to possess more resources. You could hardly demand that they graciously hand those resources over to others. Even if a few did, they would remain a minority and could not alter the larger environment.

Black Peony had come to him so deferentially and humbly for one reason alone: she wanted that ticket through the gate.

Niu Youdao smiled. “What makes you think I can help you?”

Black Peony wanted to say, You look this young, travel with a follower, and checked into such an expensive place the moment you arrived. Anyone who believes you have no power or background behind you would have to be an idiot. Naturally she could not say that aloud. Instead she replied, “Master Dao has an extraordinary bearing. One look tells me you’re someone who can help me.”

Niu Youdao laughed despite himself. “There are plenty of guests staying here. Why did you pick me?”

Because young men are inexperienced and easier to persuade, of course. If it were someone else, I probably wouldn’t even get the chance to talk. Aren’t we already sitting together now?

That thought passed through Black Peony’s mind, only for her to become confused herself. Did this man really look inexperienced? There was something deep in his eyes.

“Instinct. A feeling. Sometimes a woman trusts her feelings,” Black Peony explained.

Niu Youdao crooked his mouth in another smile, then looked at Yuan Fang, who was sitting there with a dark expression. “Old Bear, unhappy?”

Black Peony was speechless. Why had the subject changed again? Yuan Fang started to speak, then stopped. He looked at Black Peony, ultimately said nothing, and shook his head.

Niu Youdao tipped his chin toward Yuan Fang. “Black Peony, look. My companion is obviously unhappy about this matter of yours.”

Yuan Fang stared. He glanced at Black Peony and muttered inwardly that it had nothing to do with her.

Asking favors was naturally difficult; Black Peony understood that much. Forcing a smile, she said, “Master Dao, we won’t ask you to help for nothing. If you ever need anything afterward, give the word. We’ll go through fire and water without hesitation.”

Niu Youdao said, “Sounds nice, but it’s useless. I doubt any sect would take that kind of risk for people whose background they know nothing about. One hundred thousand gold coins is no small sum anywhere. First scrape the money together. Seeing how polite you’ve been...” He puckered his lips toward the wine and dishes on the table. “I can help you find a sect willing to recommend you.”

Black Peony thought bitterly, If I could come up with that much money, would I need to come looking for you? With a rueful smile, she said, “Master Dao, independent cultivators really don’t have it easy. One hundred thousand gold coins is an enormous sum for us. We truly can’t produce it. How about this: once the matter is settled and we have the means to earn accordingly, we’ll certainly make up the money. Treat it as our payment to you. You won’t need to return it!”

Niu Youdao slowly shook his head. “Even if your application succeeds, with your cultivation and a newly founded little sect, can you earn one hundred thousand gold coins within three years? If your sect falls apart within those three years, you’ll be even less able to repay it. Wouldn’t the guarantor simply be left holding the loss? If you think it’s possible, then tell me how you plan to earn it. Open a shop? What sort of business is that profitable? Serve as retainer cultivators? Leaving aside whether you could outcompete other sects, with your cultivation could you find employers willing to pay such high compensation?”

Black Peony bit her lip, searching for an answer.

Niu Youdao continued, “The fact that you’re hesitating proves you have no solution. Don’t invent some excuse just to fool me.”

Black Peony gritted her teeth. “True. Even if we succeed, we can’t guarantee we’ll earn one hundred thousand gold coins within three years. How about this instead, Master Dao? Name your conditions, and we’ll see whether we can meet them.”

“My conditions?” Niu Youdao looked at her questioningly, as if asking whether she was certain.

Black Peony nodded. “Go ahead, Master Dao. Dirty work, hard work—anything is fine.”

The corner of Niu Youdao’s mouth lifted. “There is one thing you can do.” He beckoned her closer.

Black Peony immediately leaned toward him full of expectation, assuming he intended to whisper something confidential, and offered him her ear. Instead, Niu Youdao lightly reached out and stroked her cheek.

Black Peony jumped and recoiled at once, staring at him in alarm and uncertainty. She seemed to have guessed what kind of demand he intended to make.

Sure enough, Niu Youdao looked her up and down. “You’re not bad-looking. How about this? I’ll be staying here for half a year. Sleep with me for those six months, and I’ll settle your problem for you.”

Black Peony shot to her feet, anger written across her face. In the end, however, she forced it down and squeezed out a smile. “Master Dao, I’m nothing but a faded flower and a broken willow. How could someone like me enter your discerning eyes? I’d only dirty you. How about this instead? Tell me what sort of woman you like, and I’ll find one for you.”

Niu Youdao said calmly, “Do you think I lack women? This is the first time I’ve seen a dark-skinned woman this good-looking. I’ve never tried one before. I want a taste of something new. You’ll do.”

Yuan Fang’s face twitched. He had completely emerged from the shadow cast by the Record of Strange Beasts and was now staring at Niu Youdao with a very strange expression.

Black Peony gave a dry laugh. “What’s good about dark skin? Women look better fair. Master Dao, stop joking.”

Niu Youdao remained unmoved. “That’s my condition. Are you agreeing or not? If not, the door is yours.”

Black Peony’s face sank. She suddenly held out a hand. “Give me the receipt for the six months of room fees I paid!”

“You paid it voluntarily. I never forced you.” Niu Youdao slanted a look to the side and drawled, “Old Bear, is that money hers or ours?”

Holy hell, eighteen hundred in the bag! Yuan Fang’s spirits immediately soared. He rediscovered the sense of accomplishment he used to get from robbery at Nanshan Temple and slapped the table as he stood. Grinning, he declared, “Money in our pockets is naturally ours. How could it belong to someone else? If anyone dares rob us, they can first ask whether the Inviting Moon Inn agrees!”

He sounded utterly righteous.

Black Peony nearly ground her molars to pieces. Pointing at the pair, she snarled, “Try swallowing my money and see what happens!”

[End of Chapter 121]