Chapter 28: I, Li Changzhou, Am Not Yet Dead (Four Updates for Monthly Pass)

He ended the video call with Zhong Cheng.

Li Yuan contemplated for a moment, afraid of disturbing his uncle Li Changzhou's rest, and chose not to make a direct video call. Instead, he first left a message.

He briefly explained the situation.

Just five minutes later.

Beep—beep—Li Changzhou initiated the video call back. Li Yuan immediately answered.

"Uncle." Li Yuan looked at Li Changzhou in the projected video, covered in dust, as if he had just finished some work.

"I roughly know what's happening." There was no joy on Li Changzhou's face that Li Yuan had anticipated, but rather his eyebrows were deeply furrowed, "If the Starry Sky Martial Hall really only offers a D-grade contract in the end, then whether you sign it or not is another matter."

"Oh?" Li Yuan was slightly puzzled.

Special recruitment by the Martial Arts Hall had always been Li Yuan's first goal, yet there had been no news for the past half month.

Actually, at the start, Li Yuan had not been so eager about signing with a Martial Hall ahead of time.

But in recent days, Li Yuan had searched online for a lot of information and found that early signing with the major Martial Halls was generally good, apart from being quite binding, there weren't any pitfalls.

Most importantly, as long as one signs early, no matter the grade, it indeed could greatly reduce the financial pressure on his family.

He could even get cash rewards to support his family.

In his heart, Li Yuan felt indebted to his uncle and aunt.

He always felt that his uncle ventured to the Northern Border Province because of him.

"Through some connections, I've pretty much figured it out." Li Changzhou patiently explained, "Over the years, the early signing contracts offered by the three grand Martial Halls have been divided into D, C, B, A, and S grades, five levels from low to high."

"The contracts of the same grade from different Martial Halls are almost identical in terms."

Li Yuan nodded slightly. It seemed that in the eyes of Starry Sky Martial Hall, he belonged to the lowest tier?

However, being able to sign early already marked him as extremely outstanding.

"A D-grade contract provides one million Blue Star Coins annually for six years," Li Changzhou said somberly. "It sounds good, but you need to understand."

"The resources you currently need for your cultivation and the resources you will need after entering university and becoming a Martial Artist are two different concepts."

"Take the basic blood essence potions, for example, one bottle costs just 2000 Blue Star Coins, and currently, you only need to spend twenty thousand Blue Star Coins a month on them."

"After becoming a Martial Artist, just the First Rank blood essence potions used by a First Rank Martial Artist will cost 10,000 Blue Star Coins per bottle, and in a month you may need at least ten to as many as twenty or thirty bottles," Li Changzhou said earnestly. "Just this most basic item alone will cost at least a million Blue Star Coins a year."

"Then there's the 'auxiliary divine spirit treasures.' If you aspire to become a Second Rank Prime Warrior in the future, these are indispensable, and they cost several million Blue Star Coins a year at the very least..."

"And there's physiotherapy..."

"And the purchase of weapons, various types of auxiliary equipment. Martial Artists have to fight with Star Realm Creatures, can their equipment be ordinary? It's expensive and easily damaged." Li Changzhou looked at Li Yuan, "One million, for you right now, is a lot."

"If you're not focused on the Martial Path but want to study other majors in the university."

"Then you don't have to spend too much on the Martial Path. You can slowly cultivate at the university, aiming to become a level 15 Martial Artist, and this contract could even be considered generous. You might even be able to save a few million Blue Star Coins," Li Changzhou said. "After graduating from university, according to the contract, Starry Sky Martial Hall will still have to provide you with a job."

"By then, like your Uncle Zhong, you can be an ordinary member in the Martial Hall. The benefits and treatments are no worse than those of a civil servant."

"If Starry Sky Martial Hall initiates the termination of the contract and does not provide a job, you take those few million Blue Star Coins and find a new job, it's sure to be profitable."

"This is a broad and bright path for those who wish to take it easy." Li Changzhou stared at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan was shocked.

He had not thought that there was such a way to play the game.

"But Xiao Yuan, are you really content with being an ordinary person? An ordinary Martial Artist?" Li Changzhou stared at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan fell silent.

"You're not satisfied," Li Changzhou shook his head and sighed. "I've watched you grow, how could I not understand? Your frenzied cultivation, besides wanting to help the family, importantly, you have the heart of a Martial Artist."

"From the second year of junior high to your senior year of high school, have you ever taken even one day off on weekends, or during the summer or winter breaks? You were even cultivating during the New Year's."

"You're harsh on yourself."

"I've never seen such determination, I'm not your match, and your father wasn't either," Li Changzhou said slowly.

Li Yuan's eyes flickered. For so many years, his uncle rarely spoke so much, let alone mentioned his late father.

"Your aunt has always wanted you to take the civil service exam or become a teacher in the future. She's always blamed me, thinking I shouldn't have supported you."

"Why don't I object to you becoming a full-time Martial Artist?" There was a hint of excitement in Li Changzhou's voice, "I don't want you to end up regretting like I did at the age of forty."

Li Yuan was shaken, looking at his uncle with amazement.

"Being a full-time martial artist is dangerous,"

Li Changzhou replied with an open smile, "But since ancient times, which hero didn't dream of galloping across the battlefields and pursuing the limits of the Martial Path?"

"To stand shoulder to shoulder with the divine with the body of a human! To explore the limits of life."

"My time for that has passed."

"But you still have the chance," Li Changzhou said with a smile, looking at Li Yuan, his helmet covered in much mud, making him look rather unkempt.

Li Yuan listened with bated breath.

"If you want to walk the path of a full-time martial artist, this money, the money from this contract, is far from enough," Li Changzhou continued, "but this contract will bind your future."

After hesitating for a moment, Li Yuan couldn't help but say, "Uncle, according to the information I've found, if I perform well enough, Starry Sky Martial Hall will upgrade the contract."

"But what if Starry Sky Martial Hall doesn't upgrade it?" Li Changzhou countered, "Why should you leave your destiny in someone else's hands?"

Li Yuan realized the truth.

"Uncle Zhong is a good man, but many things are not his to decide as an ordinary member," Li Changzhou said, "Moreover, as far as I know, once you sign a contract with the Martial Hall in advance, your development will be restricted when you get to Martial Arts University."

"Restricted?" Li Yuan was taken aback, this was something he didn't know.

"For example, the five prestigious schools of Xia Country, they are funded by the state," Li Changzhou said, "If you sign with the Martial Hall in advance, you're destined to join the Martial Hall after university graduation… Do you think when some special resources arrive at the school, and they have to choose between you and another student specially recruited by the Martial Arts Hall, whom will they choose?"

Li Yuan's eyes flickered.

Signing with the Martial Hall in advance was indeed a kind of bondage in a sense.

"This contract."

"You go to the Martial Hall on Sunday, first learn more from Uncle Zhong, and if you can be promoted to a C-level standard and have passive upgrade clauses, such as reaching a certain standard before a certain age will directly automatically upgrade you to B level or even A level, then signing is no harm," Li Changzhou patiently explained.

"If you want to be a full-time martial artist, the Martial Hall is indeed a better choice, but if the restrictions are too great, there's no need to sign."

"Li Yuan, I know what you're thinking, you want to help your family," Li Changzhou stared at Li Yuan, "But remember, your uncle is not dead yet."

"The time for you to fully support this family has not come yet."

"At least, before you go to university, have no worries, what you need to do is to devote yourself to training wholeheartedly, understand?" Li Changzhou said solemnly.

"Yes, Uncle," Li Yuan nodded firmly.

"I believe in you, I can't be wrong," Li Changzhou looked at Li Yuan.

"Now that Starfire Martial Hall and Starry Sky Martial Hall are not signing, it's their lack of foresight."

"When the college entrance exam results come out, or even when you enter university, naturally you will receive better contracts."

"It's never too late to sign then."

…

Uncle Li Changzhou's words calmed Li Yuan down completely, and he could think about the matter more calmly.

"Uncle is right."

"What's the rush? In the end, they will be the ones in a hurry," Li Yuan revealed a hint of a smile.

He continued with his training.

In the blink of an eye, it was Saturday, two days later. Li Yuan kept to his routine, going to school and then back home.

Saturday afternoon.

All the senior year students had Martial Path classes together in the martial arts classroom today.

At the school gate.

Several black cars arrived slowly, and six figures descended from the vehicles one after another.

Five of them were dressed in black suits, while one of the middle-aged men wore a black Tang suit, seemingly ordinary, yet exuding an indescribable presence.

"Lord Wan."

"Lord Wan, welcome to our school," Principal Tan Zhenlong and several vice principals all came forward with smiles to greet him.

"Tie Ta," the middle-aged man looked directly at Xu Bo standing in the distance and smiled, "It's been a long time since we parted in the Star Realm."

"Old Wan," Xu Bo then stepped forward with a wide grin, "I didn't expect that the new Hall Master of the Starfire Martial Hall's Guanshan branch would be you."

"Welcome!"