Conditions for Marrying In

While Zhao Leming was still lost in thought, there came a sudden knock at the door. The visitor was none other than Jiang Man. Zhao Leming was somewhat surprised. What had brought him here? Before long, Jiang Man entered and explained the purpose of his visit. "Oh?" Zhao Leming took the manual, leafed through it, and said, "I know how to use this, but not as well as Teacher Fu. I'll have her teach you. In any case, she was supposed to guide you through whatever spell you obtained once the recess ends in April. Having her come over now is no trouble at all. She should be free anyway." After sending someone to fetch Teacher Fu, Zhao Leming turned his attention back to Jiang Man. "Your ranking this time was exceptional. Because this was the second competition, a great many eyes were on it. And given your humble background, you were the center of their attention all the more. These are the new contract terms they sent over. Take a look. The Fang family, the Li family, the Cheng family, the Yang family, the Luo family, and the Gao family have all submitted new contracts. The terms should be better than last time. If anything catches your eye, let me know." Looking at the six envelopes, Jiang Man was not surprised. First in Qingyun Pavilion, second across the Six Pavilions. And in the pivotal month of March, no less. Naturally, people would vie to recruit him. By June, the final sect assessment would be at hand, and everything would be largely set in stone. Jiang Man was in no hurry to open the envelopes. Instead, he asked curiously, "Teacher, if none of them satisfy me and I reject every single one, will my subsequent cultivation go smoothly?" Zhao Leming sighed inwardly. *Here it comes.* Caught in the middle, he would eventually have to take a side. Yet he was in no rush to declare his stance. "Take a look at the terms first. Perhaps one will suit you." Jiang Man began examining them in order. First was the Fang family. The Fang family offered ten thousand spirit sources a month, along with ten pills of each commonly used type. Curiously, if he failed to enter the sect, he would only need to return half of those resources; if he lacked the resources to repay them, he could serve as a guest elder at their manor for thirty years. A guest elder—that was leagues better than an ordinary guard. If he succeeded, the Fang family would continue providing two thousand spirit sources each month and help him quickly gain a firm footing. However, within five years, he would have to secure a spell-access spot for them. If he failed, he would have to work for the Fang family for thirty years. A spell-access spot was an entitlement to learn powerful spells that the Fang family lacked the qualifications to purchase and practice on their own. With a spot, members of the Fang family could learn them simply by handing over spirit sources. It did not sound difficult, but doing so within five years was bound to be anything but simple. They had likely dug a pit on purpose, waiting for someone to leap into it, all to bind him to thirty years of labor for the Fang family. Every contract was issued and ratified under the authority of the Immortal Gate. Breaching one was no easy feat. Afterward, Jiang Man looked through the others. He inspected the Li family's offer with the greatest care. After all, someone from the Li family had sought him out previously, leaving a deep impression on him. Compared to last time, the Li family had indeed made considerable concessions. Ten thousand spirit sources a month. Yet three months had already passed, so in reality, it amounted to roughly the same total as the earlier five thousand a month. Furthermore, the penalty for failure was not as harsh as before; this time, he would not have to return those tens of thousands of spirit sources, but would instead serve as an instructor for the Li family for thirty years. It appeared generous, but in truth... How could the second-ranked cultivator of the Six Pavilions fail to enter the sect? Even if they waived all liability entirely, they stood to lose nothing. Naturally, they were also guarding against unforeseen mishaps; how could they surrender their interests so easily? Once he entered the sect, however, the requirements became somewhat different. He would have to obey the Li family's arrangements. The Li family would nurture him under their premier training program, and if his strength advanced by leaps and bounds one day, they would naturally treat each other as companions and walk side by side as peers. Reading this, Jiang Man's brow furrowed slightly. The Li family's terms looked splendid on the surface. Yet joining the sect required submitting to their arrangements. In other words, they could send him wherever they pleased. Moreover, being cultivated under their premier program sounded suspiciously like the earlier rumors of him serving as Luo Xuan's personal guard. As for advancing by leaps and bounds and walking side by side as peers—once his strength truly soared, the Li family would naturally be unable to suppress him, and when his term was up, he would be free regardless. Besides, having already bound himself to their dictates, advancing by leaps and bounds would be difficult in itself. All told, the Li family's contract was even worse than the Fang family's. The others were more or less the same. Their terms might have been slightly more lenient, but all required working on their behalf. The only exception was the Luo family. The Luo family had only one requirement: marry into their clan and place the Luo family's interests above all else. If he agreed, the Luo family would spare no effort to support him, both inside and outside the sect. Naturally, this was contingent upon him successfully entering the sect. Jiang Man recalled Fang Tianyi's words; it seemed the Luo family was suffering a generational gap in talent, which was why they sought to take in a son-in-law. The terms were indeed quite good. Except... This condition was practically telling him that he would have to take the surname Luo from then on. Jiang Man felt he had not yet reached such desperation. Besides, the Luo family had arrived a step too late. He had already taken a wife. Jiang Man set down all six envelopes. "Well?" Zhao Leming asked. Jiang Man shook his head. "I decline them all." "Not even the Luo family?" Zhao Leming remarked with a faint smile. "Compared to the rest, the Luo family showed the greatest sincerity." The Luo family's terms were exceptionally generous. He could even choose from the Luo family's direct lineage; virtually whoever caught his eye would be his. Furthermore, there were no additional demands, only that he prioritize the Luo family's interests—the equivalent of serving his own kin. Jiang Man shook his head. The Luo family's requirement seemed the lowest, yet it was actually the highest. With the others, there was always a chance to break free; with the Luo family, virtually no such chance existed. It would bind him for an entire lifetime. That was the least acceptable of all. His talent was right before his eyes; the day would come when the sky was high enough for him to soar and the sea wide enough for him to leap. The Luo family could never hold him. "Then I'll decline them all on your behalf." Zhao Leming did not press the matter further. Others might be in the dark, but could he be? Jiang Man had other backing behind him. These families' terms were simply too overbearing, each attempting to tie him down. Under such circumstances, agreement was impossible anyway. Jiang Man asked curiously, "Teacher Zhao, now that I've rejected them, will they do anything behind the scenes?" Zhao Leming glanced toward the door. "Teacher Fu is already here. Let her teach you the Nine Clouds Dragon Suppressing Seal first. Once you've learned it, I will tell you more about these matters." He needed time to consider it. For the moment, he truly could not give an answer. Moreover, he wanted to see what stance Teacher Fu would take. Hearing this, Jiang Man did not rush him. He had conducted transactions with Teacher Zhao before; if the man had no intention of answering, he would not have spoken like this. He was clearly turning something over in his mind. Jiang Man also needed to think carefully about what he could offer to move the teacher and secure his protection for this stretch of the road. He could hardly fool Zhao Leming the way he had hoodwinked Chang Qiwen, could he? These people valued tangible interests, not empty words. Before a peerless prodigy rose to power, he was merely an ordinary man. He would focus on learning the Nine Clouds Dragon Suppressing Seal first. Whether he could distinguish himself in June's competition rested entirely upon this spell. *** The Luo residence. Luo Xuan returned from the Yunqian Division, her heart still reeling with shock. The Sixth Courtyard was near the bottom among those in Qingyun Pavilion, and Qingyun Pavilion itself lagged near the bottom among the Six Pavilions. Yet under such circumstances, it had produced the top rank in Qingyun Pavilion and second across the Six Pavilions. It was utterly unimaginable. The moment she returned, her father summoned her. It was likely related to the rankings—and to the choice she had made.