Chapter 150 – Repenting of Promises
”Take over one of the Hundred Medicinal Gardens of the Castle Rock Ridge, and you will be required to submit a specified number of rare medicinal herbs each year.”
Upon seeing this line of gold-painted characters on the bamboo slip, Han Li’s heart was overjoyed. So he pointed his finger at the bamboo slip and looked up to Deacon Yu, saying, “This is a job I’m more interested in, can Senior Brother Yu introduce me to it?”
After hearing Han Li’s words, Deacon Yu smiled and came up. However, after taking a clear look at the job Han Li had chosen, the ginormous smile on his face immediately turned into a bitter smile.
”Senior brother, it’s better to change to another job, this task of taking over the garden is a bit too tricky for senior brother to do!” Deacon Yu said sincerely, but seeing Han Li’s somewhat puzzled look, he went on to explain, “Ever since this task was listed here several years ago, there have been many people who have taken it over, but every disciple has messed up. Not only did they not rake in the rewards, but instead they were all fined a lot of spirit stones, so it can be said that it’s one of the hardest jobs to accomplish here. Also I’m not afraid to laugh at Senior Brother Han, every year I also have those senior brothers catch the signatures before this job can be hard sent out!”
Han Li heard these words and muttered with some amusement in his heart. But still, he didn’t intend to give up on this, so very humbly, he opened his mouth to ask for advice, “Can senior brother tell, where exactly is this job difficult, how come so many senior brothers haven’t accomplished it? Isn’t it just managing the herbs in the garden! Is this also difficult?”
”Could it be that senior nephew chose that medicinal garden task of senior brother Ma?” The old man surnamed Ye, who was on the side, after hearing the conversation between the two, frowned before the middle-aged deacon answered and interjected before he could.
”That’s not true! Senior Brother Han just has his eye on that super-difficult job of Senior Ma’s.” The middle-aged deacon looked like he was crowing.
The old man also turned into a seemingly smiling expression when he sniffed.
”Haha! Senior nephew Han is really picky! Surprisingly, he took a glance at the most troublesome job here. However, this job is truly a headache, and there have already been several people who were forced to take on this task who have complained to me about it. However, since Senior Ma refuses to easily change the reward and punishment conditions, I’m also powerless! If senior nephew Han wants to know the details of this job, he can follow me to the inner hall to look at the relevant dossiers, it’s not much better than the next person using their mouths to talk!” This Hundred Opportunities Hall’s Hall Master Ye was, for some reason, very generous to Han Li, and even opened the door for him.
Han Li secretly but frowned a bit, this Master Ye was also a bit too enthusiastic! Although he gave the Foundation Establishment Dan to the other party, but that on the surface also seems to be an equal transaction, not so much so that this person is so cordial to himself ah?
In his heart, Han Li forced down his doubts and made a look of being flattered, following the old man who had received the bamboo slips into a certain room at the back of the main hall, which was piled high with all sorts of dossiers.
The old man in the room picked up the bamboo brief gently waved, and then the brief on the flash of green light, a scroll automatically flew into its hands, and then he turned his hand to this shaft handed Han Li.
Since things have come to such a point, Han Li also nonchalantly received the scroll, nimbly unfolded to read.
The content of the scroll wasn’t long, but merely recorded the self-described experiences of the previous disciples who had taken over the Medicine Garden, as well as the reasons for their failures. Therefore, Han Li read it very quickly, and within a few moments, he understood the content and difficulties of the job.
”How about it? It’s better to change another task! Although the rewards for this job are very generous, it is indeed not something that an ordinary disciple can accomplish.” This Senior Uncle Ye said with seeming concern.
After hearing this, Han Li pondered for a moment before decisively shaking his head and saying, “Many thanks, Master Ye! But this job is very much to my liking, there’s no need to change to another task, so I’ll choose it!”
The old man heard the resolute intent in Han Li’s words and felt a bit stunned, but he nodded his head in agreement without saying anything further. However, he did not immediately take Han Li out of this house, but after hesitating for a moment, he spoke out somewhat unnaturally.
”Senior nephew Han, the last time we made a deal for the Foundation Establishment Dan, can some of the items traded be held back for some delivery, senior uncle I’ve recently been about to refine a furnace of the Harmonization Dan, and my hands are really a bit tight, so I’m afraid it’s not very convenient. However, my nephew can rest assured that as long as it takes a year and a half, my uncle will be able to clear all of the items he owes.”
Han Li froze for a moment at first when he heard these words, but immediately smiled.
”What are you saying, Senior Uncle Ye? Since it’s inconvenient for Senior Uncle, then just give as much as you can, why bother mentioning anything about paying it back later, this is considered to be the latecomer’s filial honor to Senior Uncle!”
Han Li felt that his current self was truly hypocritical to the extreme. Obviously depressed and abnormal in his heart, hating the other party’s breaking of the contract with every fiber of his being, yet he still had to have a big smile on his face, saying words that made the other party sound happy. This is probably the sadness of being a weak person! He thought bitterly.
”What does master nephew mean by that! Could it be that he thinks that Lao Fu is the type of person who repents and does not keep his word? What the old man has promised will never be one iota less than what senior nephew has promised.” After hearing Han Li’s words, the old man surnamed Ye not only wasn’t happy, but instead, he slammed his face on the ground, revealing an expression that said, “I’m a gentleman and would never do such a villainous thing.
Han Li’s original smile was barely maintained, and after hearing these words, he almost collapsed in anger!
This elder’s skin is also too thick, obviously the intention is to repent off most of the items, but still have to make a very upright and trustworthy fake face, really a typical hypocrite ah!
Han Li couldn’t hold back in his heart and kept cursing secretly. However, the smile on his face only lagged slightly before he naturally replaced it with a look of sincerity, and continued in a tone that he himself felt was fleshy, ”Uncle Ye misjudged senior! In fact, senior nephew was thinking that he had just entered this sect, so these things were a bit too extravagant for senior. So most of the items, will be temporarily placed at the senior uncle’s place, the late generation can’t use it at all for the time being.”
Only after hearing Han Li say these tongue-in-cheek words did the old man surnamed Ye’s expression ease up and he nodded slightly, “Senior nephew Han’s words are somewhat reasonable! If new disciples rely too much on these external objects, it will indeed be a great hindrance to your cultivation! Then let’s do as you said, and put some of the items here temporarily, if you need them in the future, just come and get them!”
”Then I’ll be grateful to Uncle Ye!” Han Li smiled strongly, but in his heart, he was persuading himself over and over again. These were just things outside of his body, and he couldn’t afford to offend the old man in front of his eyes right now! When there was an opportunity in the future, he would ask for it all back with interest.
”Haha, this is nothing! Let’s go out!” The old man seemed to be in a better mood.
And the next thing was much better. With the assistance of this Uncle Ye, Han Li completed all the formalities extremely smoothly and obtained the jade token that represented taking over this job. Then, under the enthusiastic leadership of Deacon Yu, he set off for the Hundred Medicinal Gardens of the Golden Waterfall Ridge.
The old man surnamed Ye stood at the entrance to the hall of the Hundred Opportunities Hall, looking at Han Li’s figure as he gradually flew away, his face somber and silent as if he was thinking about something.
”Is Senior Brother Ye a bit soft-hearted?” A low voice suddenly came from behind him.
”It’s not a matter of whether the heart is soft or not, but rather, I feel that using such tactics to deal with a freshly initiated disciple always seems to feel a bit wrong. And will this Senior Nephew Han say one thing on the surface and another thing in the dark, and go to the Sect Leader to denounce this matter!” The old man said without turning his head, but there was a hidden worry in his words.
”Hehehe, denounce?” The man behind him sneered.
”What, isn’t Senior Brother Wu worried?” The old man surnamed Ye finally turned around and spoke to the grim-faced Senior Brother Wu behind him.
”What’s there to worry about! This kid didn’t consciously follow our pre-arranged arrangement and said that he had sent the item to you. It’s not like we explicitly said that we won’t return it to him, it’s just a temporary storage! What does he have to report?” Senior Wu said with confidence.
”However, I do appreciate this kid! To know the way in and out so well at such a young age is not simple! If it wasn’t for his poor qualifications and pseudo-spiritual root, I’d really be tempted to take him under my tutelage!” Senior Brother Wu continued, a look of regret on his face.
”It’s also fortunate that this person isn’t a deadhead, otherwise we’d have to use another technique, and that would be much more troublesome!” The old man surnamed Ye slowly said.
”Alright, this brat has nothing to worry about! You and I will crush him just like we would crush an ant. On the contrary, Senior Brother Ye doesn’t have to break a lot of money this time, so don’t forget what you agreed to beforehand!” Senior Brother Wu suddenly changed the topic, his words had another meaning.
”I won’t forget, the Harmonization Pill that comes out this time will be shared with you in half. Cough! To be honest, if it wasn’t for the fact that my nephew’s grandson was in the process of building his foundation and also needed a large amount of precious pills to assist him, I really wouldn’t have had the cheek to go ahead and frown upon these things from the younger generation!” The old man surnamed Ye shook his head lightly, with a look of a late bloomer.
When the old man surnamed Wu heard this, he smiled but didn’t say anything, and in his heart, he thought to himself with a great deal of satisfaction, “Since this Ye Senior Brother has done this kind of underhanded thing, it is considered that he has a handle on himself, and he doesn’t worry that the other party won’t be biased towards himself in the future deliberations.”