According to the original plan, he should have had one hundred and ten spirit essence left after paying the rent. Now, with the rent having gone up by fifty percent, only sixty spirit essence remained.
Even without factoring in cultivation resources and budgeting solely for spirit rice, this would only sustain him for half a year.
Besides, he would need to start preparing next year's rent in advance.
"Finding a job right away is what matters most!"
As soon as he stepped out the front door, Zhou Xun sensed that something was amiss.
It was currently the hour when people headed out to work, and the streets were crowded with pedestrians, all of them cultivators living in Green Willow Alley.
The neighbors were looking at him in a strange way!
They were talking about him, and snatches of their conversation drifted faintly to his ears.
"Did you know? I heard Zhou Xun got fired from Miaofu Pavilion!" The speaker was a youth dressed like a servant, who used to address Zhou Xun respectfully as Brother Zhou at every turn.
"Heh heh, serves him right!" another person nearby gloated.
"Haha, yeah—oh crap, he heard us!" The servant looked up and happened to meet Zhou Xun's gaze.
"Ah!" The man was startled at first, but then relaxed and lowered his voice, saying:
"W-What is there to be afraid of!"
Then he looked straight at Zhou Xun and blurted out:
"Zhou Xun, you've already been kicked out of Miaofu Pavilion, we aren't afraid of you!"
Hearing this, Zhou Xun said nothing and simply brushed past them. People kicking others when they are down—he had seen plenty of such things, both in his past life and this one.
He only sighed that he had lost yet another acquaintance.
Shaking his head, Zhou Xun continued on his way.
"Brother Zhou, I heard you were fired from Miaofu Pavilion?"
A refined-looking middle-aged man with a broad-bladed butcher's knife hanging at his waist caught sight of Zhou Xun and immediately stepped forward to ask with concern.
"Brother Gao, even you've heard about this!" Zhou Xun cupped his fists in a salute.
This man was surnamed Gao and also lived in Green Willow Alley. He was a spirit butcher.
When spiritual fish, monster beasts, and the like in the cultivation world were slaughtered, they often required special processing; otherwise, their spiritual energy would dissipate and their value would plummet drastically. Thus, the profession of spirit butcher came into being.
This middle-aged man surnamed Gao was a hereditary spirit butcher, and his skill at slaughtering spiritual fish was truly peerless.
Currently, he was in charge of slaughtering spiritual fish at the largest cultivator restaurant in Red Leaf Market.
"Your affair has already spread all over the alley. Why don't I put in a word for you to come work as a servant at my restaurant? Though it can't compare to your position at Miaofu Pavilion, it's still a place to make a living!" The middle-aged man's tone was sincere.
Zhou Xun felt a warmth in his heart at these words, yet he still declined.
When Zhou Xun had first transmigrated here, he had felt that this Brother Gao was somewhat unfathomable. Now that he had the "Gathering Spring Scripture" in his possession, playing it safe was still the wisest course of action.
"Many thanks, Brother Gao, but I still want to look around on my own. If I really have no other choice, I'll have to trouble you then!"
"That's fine too. You're young, so you should explore more opportunities. If it really doesn't work out, just come find me!"
Zhou Xun nodded in acknowledgment, then walked out of the alley and continued toward the West Square.
Arriving at the West Square once more, he found it bustling with noise and excitement, everyone appearing full of enthusiasm.
Puzzled, Zhou Xun hurried to inquire of an elderly man nearby.
"Fellow Daoist, might I ask what has happened here to get everyone so worked up?"
The old man had white hair, and his robe seemed out of the ordinary, though it was rather worn with traces of scorch marks and a faint fragrance of medicine!
He looked like a character who had once seen better days but had since fallen on hard times.
"Fellow Daoist?"
Seeing a youth with red lips, white teeth, and a face like jade address him, the old man wore a rather peculiar expression, but he patiently explained anyway:
"You wouldn't know, Fellow Daoist,"
"Five days ago, Master Yunku of the Lin Family's elixir workshop successfully broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, and at the same time advanced to become a rank two mid-grade alchemist."
"To celebrate and expand, the Lin Family's elixir workshop has decided to recruit 10 alchemical apprentices and 30 spirit contract laborers. This is a huge opportunity for loose cultivators like us!"
"What!"
Upon hearing this news, Zhou Xun felt a stir of excitement.
He vaguely remembered that the reason his predecessor had been able to join Miaofu Pavilion as a spirit contract laborer was because three years ago, the Second Elder of Miaofu Pavilion had advanced to a Rank Two Talisman Master. Miaofu Pavilion had expanded, recruiting six apprentices and twenty spirit contract laborers, which gave Zhou Xun the chance to join.
Now that he had encountered such an opportunity once more, he certainly could not let it pass him by.
"Does Fellow Daoist happen to know the requirements for this recruitment?"
As an apprentice or spirit contract laborer at an elixir workshop, there were naturally certain thresholds; it was impossible for just anyone to join casually.
"First, one's background must be clear and one's record spotless. It would be even better if one is a native who grew up in our Red Leaf Market."
"Secondly, as for the alchemical apprentices, they must be under eighteen years of age, while their cultivation must be at Level 3 Qi Condensation or above. Selection will then be made based on merit."
"As for the spirit contract laborers, they must be under thirty with Level 3 Qi Condensation, or under eighteen with Level 2 Qi Condensation!" With that, the man glanced at Zhou Xun and said with a tone of pity:
"It's a pity that you are at peak Level 2 Qi Condensation, Daoist, just a hair's breadth away from the standard for an apprentice. What a shame, what a pity!"
Hearing this person pinpoint his cultivation so accurately, Zhou Xun was not surprised. Any mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivator could practice the Heavenly Eye Technique, and since he was only at Level 2 Qi Condensation, he could not block someone else's inspection.
"What's a pity about that? I am merely a humble loose cultivator. To be able to enter the Lin Family as a spirit contract laborer would already satisfy me completely. As for that apprentice position, this humble one dares not harbor extravagant hopes."
"Neither arrogant nor impetuous, knowing what to take and what to give up, with self-awareness and excellent disposition. It's only a pity that his innate cultivation talent is too poor. If he could reach the registration requirements within a month, giving him a spot wouldn't be out of the question!" The old man stroked his beard, exuding the air of someone detached from worldly affairs.
"Contentment brings lasting happiness; it's good that you see things so clearly, Fellow Daoist!"
"When does registration begin, might I ask?" Zhou Xun continued to inquire.
Such large-scale recruitment events were usually announced in advance, with registration first and selection afterward.
"Today, one month from now, public registration and selection will be held right here. I hope Fellow Daoist will achieve his wish by then!"
"Many thanks, Fellow Daoist!" Zhou Xun cupped his fists in a salute.
If he could manage to break through within a month, he would have a chance to become an alchemical apprentice!
Among the hundred arts of cultivation, the status of an alchemist was the most revered.
An ordinary Rank One Superior alchemist could become an honored guest of Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Take Master Yunku, for instance. Before his breakthrough, he was a rank two low-grade alchemist. Although his cultivation was only at Level 9 Qi Condensation, in terms of status, he far exceeded ordinary early Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Now that he had advanced to rank two mid-grade, his status was even closer to that of late Foundation Establishment, placing him in the top five of the entire Red Leaf Market.
If he could join the Lin Family's elixir workshop and become an alchemical apprentice under Master Yunku's command, those Wei brothers would certainly not dare to trouble him again.
Furthermore, becoming an alchemical apprentice had another advantage: it allowed open and legitimate contact with various spiritual plants.
His Gathering Spring Scripture would finally have a place to shine.
At this thought, Zhou Xun lost all inclination to look for odd jobs.
Without a moment's hesitation, he headed straight for the elixir workshop in the east.
He decided to go purchase an Yinqi Pill.
The Yinqi Pill was an elixir for consolidating the foundation and nourishing the origin, suitable for early-stage cultivators to ingest, and many Level 2 Qi Condensation cultivators relied on this pill to achieve a breakthrough.
Only, this elixir was not cheap, costing at least 40 spirit essence per pill.
Yet with opportunity right before him, it was worth it for Zhou Xun to take a gamble.
Walking down the long flagstone path and turning several street corners, he arrived in front of the Lin Family's elixir workshop.
The Lin Family's elixir workshop was the largest elixir shop in Red Leaf Market, exceptionally magnificent.
The complex consisted of one main building and four auxiliary buildings, the highest point towering some seven or eight zhang high with soaring roofs. The entire Myriad Treasures Pavilion occupied an area nearly a hundred zhang around, featuring winding corridors, upturned eaves, and carved balustrades—truly majestic and resplendent.
Stationed at the entrance were two guards, both experts at peak Level 3 Qi Condensation.
Stepping through the doorway, Zhou Xun walked straight to the section selling elixirs for early-stage Qi Condensation.
"Young Master, what kind of elixir are you looking to buy?"
"Yinqi Pill!"
"That comes to 41 spirit essence in total!"
Without hesitation, Zhou Xun produced the spirit essence, took the medicine bottle containing the Yinqi Pill from the shopkeeper's hands, and hurried away, heading toward his home.