Martial Arts: I Have a Wilderness World

Chapter 581: Chapter 304: Butcher Zhang 2

At that moment, his heart was filled with worry and hope for his son’s future. He was worried, not knowing how to earn enough Spirit Stones for his son’s Cultivation. He was hopeful that his son could become a Cultivator, allowing the Zhang Family to finally shed their status as butchers and live a better life.

Mrs. Dou of the Zhang Family stood at the door, watching her husband walk away, her own heart filled with a similar mix of hope and anxiety. She hoped for a wonderful future for her son, but felt uneasy, wondering if her husband would be able to learn a way to earn Spirit Stones from the storyteller.

The storytellers had been appointed by the Celestial Break Gang. They specialized in explaining the Immortal City’s newest policies to the illiterate, narrating them in the style of a story.

There were a great many illiterate people in the Immortal City, and the storytellers served as a bridge, connecting the common folk to the city’s policies.

Whenever anything new occurred, the storytellers would spend three days narrating the news in various locations. This ensured more people learned of any new rules and policies introduced by the Cheng Family and the Celestial Break Gang, all to achieve smooth governance and social harmony throughout the entire Immortal City.

This was something Cheng Zongyang had repeatedly insisted upon.

About a quarter of an hour later, Butcher Zhang arrived at the alley where the storyteller’s house was located.

But before he even reached the front door, he saw a line of people already waiting outside. Butcher Zhang noticed many of them were holding gifts, their faces filled with anticipation.

Seeing this, Butcher Zhang couldn’t help but scratch his head. He rarely made such visits or gave gifts, so he wasn’t sure of the proper etiquette. Besides, he didn’t know the storyteller’s preferences and worried that the wrong gift might turn a good intention sour.

After thinking for a moment, he decided to just brace himself and get in line.

’If I don’t know what to give, money will have to do. Good thing my two taels of silver are wrapped in red paper. It can serve as a red envelope for my questions.’

As he waited in line, he observed the people ahead and listened to their hushed conversations. He learned that most were here for the same reason he was: to ask about earning Spirit Stones. Others were asking how to choose a Cultivation Technique for a child with a Spirit Root. The more he listened, the more nervous he grew. He quietly made a mental note of some questions he hadn’t thought of before, planning to ask them all when it was his turn.

After waiting for about an hour, it was finally Butcher Zhang’s turn.

"Greetings, sir. I am Zhang Beishan."

At the doorway, Butcher Zhang quickly imitated the people he had seen before, cupping his fists in a slightly awkward bow. He was nervous, unsure if his gesture was appropriate, but he couldn’t afford to worry about such things when his son’s future was at stake.

"No need for formalities. Please, have a seat." The storyteller chuckled, gesturing for him to sit with a slight raise of his hand.

The storyteller had once been a scholar. Now, he worked for the Celestial Break Gang, where his primary duty was instructing some of the members in literacy. Later, he was also tasked with explaining new policies to the public. Ever since the Cheng Family introduced the Cultivation Immortality policy, his door had been flooded with people seeking answers every day, outside of his designated storytelling, Cultivation, and meal times.

Per Li Xuejin’s instructions, every storyteller began to record the questions they were asked.

After a few days, the most frequently asked questions had been compiled into a small pamphlet. The plan was to collect more questions, compile them into a book for people to buy, and hold scheduled sessions at a fixed location. There, different speakers would take turns explaining the material and answering questions for the audience.

"What question do you have?" the storyteller asked with a smile.

Zhang Beishan quickly placed a red envelope on the table before him, smiling eagerly as he spoke:

"I hope you don’t mind that it’s not much, sir. I’m here today to ask about Cultivation Immortality on behalf of my son. I’m just a butcher, and I can’t read more than a few words. Most of what I know comes from your stories, but I’m still very confused. So, I must ask for your help.

My son has a Single Spirit Root—an Earth Spirit Root, I believe. I want to earn Spirit Stones for his Cultivation, but I have no idea how. What can a man like me even do to earn Spirit Stones?

Also, you said before that we can borrow Spirit Stones from the Money Shop. How much would I be able to borrow? What’s the interest rate...?"

In his anxiety, Butcher Zhang’s words became jumbled and his sentences a bit confused as he blurted out all his questions at once.

The storyteller cut him off, sounding resigned. "Wait."

He frowned slightly. ’So helpless,’ he thought. ’When they get anxious, they just dump all their questions out at once. It’s hard to make sense of it all.’

"One thing at a time. You’re saying too much; I can’t keep track. You said your son has an Earth Spirit Root, and you want to earn Spirit Stones for his Cultivation, correct?"

"Yes, yes!" Butcher Zhang nodded eagerly, his eyes filled with hope. He was desperate for the storyteller to offer some good advice, anything that would let him contribute to his son’s journey toward Cultivation Immortality.

The storyteller nodded and spoke slowly. "Then you should buy him an Earth Element Cultivation Technique. The Cheng Clan Commerce Association has many kinds, some focused on combat, others on support. You can go and ask them, and it also depends on what type your son is interested in.

There are also discounts for common people who purchase a Cultivation Technique. As for borrowing Spirit Stones, the current rules from the Cheng Clan state that a common person can borrow a maximum of three hundred. Repayment can be made over three or five years. For a loan of three hundred, the total repayment including principal and interest would be three hundred thirty Spirit Stones over three years, or three hundred fifty over five years.

This interest rate is quite reasonable, even a bit lower than some other Money Shops. Mr. Cheng simply wants every common person to have the chance to practice Cultivation and be able to afford the repayments."

"Yes, yes, of course. Mr. Cheng truly has the people’s best interests at heart. He’s a great man."