Chapter 2: The Reliance Sect
The Reliance Sect, located within the borders of the State of Zhao was once first among the Four Great Sects. Even though it was still famous in the Southern Domain, it had experienced a decline in recent years and did not maintain the glorious position it once had. Nowadays, compared to the other Sects within the State of Zhao, it could only be considered inferior.
It hadn't always been called the Reliance Sect. It was only around a thousand years ago, where a cultivator appeared who caused a great sensation in the Southern Domain. He'd called himself Pimp Reliance, and had forced the Sect to change its name, as befitting of his pimp status. He stomped all the other Sects in the State of Zhao, plundering their treasures and remained unrivaled for some time.
But things were different now. Pimp Reliance had been missing for nearly 400 years. If it were not for the fact that no one knew if he was alive or dead, the Sect would already have been subjugated by some other sect. With the lack of resources in the State of Zhao, and pressure from the other three Sects, if they wanted to get new recruits, they were forced to kidnap.
Meng Hao followed the tipsy man along the small paths that wound among the mountain peaks. The surroundings were full of strange smells and odd-looking herbs everywhere. Amidst the peculiar scenery, extravagantly decorated buildings with jade roof tiles rose up out of the clouds and mist. Meng Hao felt his mind spin as he breathed in the unique scents around him. Sadly, the fat teenager next to him wailed the entire time, somewhat ruining the mood.
"I want to go home..." muttered the fat teenager, tears rolling down his face. "I don't want to be a servant here. I want to inherit the family land, become a rich lecherous old man, and spread my seed over hordes of concubines."
He kept bitching for the next few minutes, eventually the tipsy man had enough and turned around. "I-I-If you s-s-spout one more bit of n-n-nonsense," he said shakingly, "I-I'll c-c-cut your t-t-tongue out."
Even though the man sounded like a wobbly drunk, his voice contained power and made the fat teenager shut up immediately.
After a while, they reached a point about half way up the mountain, Meng Hao saw a row of flat buildings emerging from the roiling fog.
Seven or eight young people wearing hemp robes sat outside the buildings. They looked dazed, in the exact same way the tipsy man leading them was. As Meng Hao and the others approached, the young people noticed them, but did not call out any greetings.
Some distance away, a young man wearing a light blue robe sat on a stool. He had a long face and seemed to be alert and awake unlike the others. When the tipsy man approached leading Meng Hao, the young man stood and greeted him with cupped fists.
"Greetings, Elder Brother."
"T-t-these are t-two newly arrived s-s-servants," the tipsy man slurred. "P-p-process t-them." With that, he turned and left, not even glancing at Meng Hao and the other young man.
After he left, the horse-faced young man sat down again, crossing his legs and coldly glancing over Meng Hao and the fat teenager.
"This is the Northern Servants Quarter. The Reliance Sect does not support slackers. Now that you're here, you will work for thirty years, after which you can leave. You can escape if you want, but there are many wild beasts and hallucinogens in these mountains. Go retrieve your work uniform. From now on, you are isolated from the mortal world, and will work peacefully as a servant."
Meng Hao remained calm, mostly because he spaced out during half the time the horse-faced man was talking.
"If you aren't losers and actually have ambition, you may not need to labor for the full thirty years. You can practice cultivation in your time off. If you manage to reach the first level of Quelling Conscience, then you will be promoted to the Outer Sect." He flicked his wide sleeve, whereupon two hemp robes appeared in front of Meng Hao and the fat teenager.
In addition to the robe, there was also a small booklet, upon the cover of which was written three characters: "Quelling Conscience Manual."
As soon as Meng Hao laid eyes on the characters, he began to breathe hard. He stared at the booklet and recalled how when discussing the cold-faced woman, the green-robed man had mentioned the seventh level of Quelling Conscience.
"We can become Outer Sect disciples when we reach the first level, but that woman has already reached the seventh level… what is Quelling Conscience? Perhaps that is the way to become an Immortal, like they talk about in stories."
If that was the pay he would receive from his work, well, it might not be money, but it would be worth hundreds of pieces of gold in the outside world. Meng Hao's excitement rose.
"The East Seventh house is where you will live. Starting tomorrow, your job is to plant weed. 1000 pots each, every day. You are not permitted to eat until your planting is finished."
Breathing deeply, Meng Hao imitated the young man and saluted with clasped fists, then walked toward the house, followed by the fat teenager.
The room wasn't large. It contained a table and two small beds, and though simple, was quite neat and tidy. The fat teenager sat down on one of the beds, then, unable to hold it in anymore, began to cry.
He was about 12 or 13 years old, and he cried loudly.
"My father is a Lord, and I'm supposed to be a Lord too. I'm not supposed to be a servant." He seemed extremely distraught, and his fat little body trembled.
"Stop being a little bitch." said Meng Hao, trying to comfort him. "Think about it. We're working for Immortals. All were doing is planting weed, but how many people would envy us if they knew?"
"I don't want to plant weed. My marriage has already been arranged and engagement gifts sent. My poor, beautiful lady hasn't even married me, yet she is already a widow." The more he cried, the more heartbroken he grew.
A strange expression appeared on Meng Hao's face. This fat teenager was still young, he couldn't believe that he had been promised a wife, yet had never even felt the touch of a woman's hand other than his mothers. He sighed emotionally, thinking about how amazing it would be to be rich. Even after selling his ancestral home last year, he owed Steward Zhou a lot of money.
The more he thought it, the more Meng Hao realized that working for immortals wasn't so bad. He had food, lodging, and didn't have to worry about money or anything. He even had a manual that could teach him how to be an immortal. He had heard stories of the immortals and even saw one in action, now he had the secrets within his hands!
The fat teenager continued to cry and it started to annoy him. Ignoring him, Meng Hao pulled the manual out from the hemp robe and started reading. After reading the first line of the first page, he felt shocked.
"Are you a loser with no one to rely on? Then rely on me! Pimp Reliance! Cultivator, mortal, doesn't matter! This pimp will be all of your daddies!" That was introduction to the manual, and it was signed by Pimp Reliance.
Even though it was only a handful of words, they were filled with an indescribable power. Meng Hao felt numb, and then, everything suddenly made sense.
"The Reliance Sect. Is this the meaning of the Sect? Everyone just relies on Pimp Reliance? When you rely on him, you will be rich, powerful, and free from worry?" It made more and more sense. With that one sentence, it seemed as if a door in his life had suddenly opened.
"Well, since Pimp Reliance isn't here right now, I have to find someone else to rely on. If I do, I won't have to worry about anything." His eyes grew brighter as he continued to scan the manual.
The fat teenager finally cried himself to sleep around midnight, whereupon his snores began to reverberate around the room like thunder. Meng Hao closed the manual.
"The ninth level of Quelling Conscience is the path to being an Immortal. I now have a chance to become an Immortal myself. That is the biggest payment possible. If I become an Immortal, I must have a chance to become rich." Meng Hao gripped the manual, his eyes shining brightly. He had finally found another path besides studying for the exams.
At that moment, the door was kicked open with a bang, and a loud "harumph" sounded out.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Wayward_Scholar
Wayward_Scholar Sigh... Not a lot I can change in this chapter, I hope the later chapters will be more "flexible".
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