Having studied for a hundred years, why do you call me the Martial Saint?

"It's the busy autumn season now, and we all have to do multiple jobs. After logging and chopping firewood, we either have to make charcoal or deliver firewood. Brother Qian, are we just leaving like this?"

Gu Shuxian raised concerns, worried that the stewards at the firewood yard would take notes.

Because as soon as Qian Le arrived at the firewood yard, he wanted to take him away.

"It's alright, as long as you complete the daily quota, I'll take care of the rest for you. We need to leave early, otherwise we'll be in a rush!" Qian Le said.

Everything's taken care of? Really?

However, missing a day's work is not a big deal. Let's see what Qian Le is up to.

Gu Shuxian thought for a moment, then followed him away.

"Senior Brother Qian, are we going to find a way down the mountain?"

"Ha, I already took care of that for you, here you go!"

Qian Le, looking smug, tossed a sign over.

Gu Shuxian took it and looked at it.

It was a wooden plaque about the size of a palm, with the words "Suishan Sword Sect" engraved on the back.

The front reads: Mountain Access Permit, No. 724.

The inscription was signed "Sun Desheng" and stamped with a seal indicating that it was valid indefinitely.

Gu Shuxian recognized the name.

Sun Desheng, the steward of room number Jiazi.

It is responsible for the daily work arrangements, roll call, and attendance of several hundred miscellaneous disciples in Class A.

He was originally an outer disciple, was forty-three years old, and was at the Inner Breath Realm.

Gu Shuxian stared at Qian Le suspiciously. "Senior Brother Qian, this isn't a fake, is it?"

The servants could apply for a pass from their assigned steward, but generally, except for long holidays when they went home to visit their families, they were not granted a pass, because that meant that if the servant caused any trouble, the steward would be held responsible.

The deacons generally preferred to avoid trouble.

How could Qian Le obtain the pass so easily?

Or was it because Steward Sun Desheng was unaware of his own character?

"Hey, what are you talking about? If I had that skill, I would have been making money by forging passes long ago. Why would I be toiling away picking mountain produce to sell? Besides, if Deacon Sun found out, wouldn't he skin me alive?"

For someone who engages in illegal mining and smuggling, it is indeed unreasonable not to make money when there is an opportunity.

Moreover, the other party is illiterate, making forgery extremely difficult.

Gu Shuxian nodded and then asked another question.

"What method did Senior Brother Qian use to get Deacon Sun to give you the pass?"

"Haha, I have my own way. I told you long ago, I have connections! Hehe!"

Qian Le chuckled and said something pointless, clearly not wanting to say more.

Seeing this, Gu Shuxian asked no further questions.

Strictly speaking, he and Qian Le were not friends; they were only temporarily cooperating on the matter of selling medicine down the mountain.

This relationship is more like that of colleagues. Colleagues should maintain their own advantages, otherwise they are just replaceable substitutes.

Just like if Qian Le came to him to learn to read in the future, he would just laugh it off.

Gu Shuxian brought up other things, and Qian Le responded with a smile.

We walked and talked until we reached a stone pavilion halfway up the mountain.

Two people were sitting in the pavilion, with a table in front of them, complete with writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

This is the registration point for going up and down the mountain; there is more than one such location.

Of course, one can choose not to climb the mountain; the servant disciples are generally not cared about how they descend.

But if you don't register and want to go back up the mountain after you come down, that's fine.

Sorry, I don't know you.

To put it bluntly, if you don't want to be a menial disciple of the Suishan Sword Sect, there are plenty of others who will.

How many people outside are desperate to get in?

"Junior Brother Gu can register here. I've already registered, so it's inconvenient for me to go over," Qian Le said.

Why is it inconvenient to go there?

Gu Shuxian, not understanding why, went to the Shiting registration office alone to verify the authenticity of the pass.

"Going down the mountain? Which academy are you from? What's your name? Do you have any credentials?"

Inside the stone pavilion, one of the disciples guarding the mountain was flipping through a book, while another closed his eyes to rest.

Upon seeing someone arrive, the disciple who was flipping through the books looked up and asked.

Gu Shuxian handed over the wooden plaque and replied, "Down the mountain, Courtyard No. 1, Room No. 9, Gu Shuxian."

The disciple guarding the mountain took out a notebook and started writing and drawing in it.

"Password."

"What password?" Gu Shuxian was taken aback.

The disciple sized him up and said rudely, "Who do you think you are, a lowly servant? What if you get beaten up or killed while you're out, or your credentials are stolen or forged, and some unscrupulous person tries to sneak in with them?"

"I'll leave you a password; it'll be convenient for both you and the sect. When you return to the mountain, you'll need to show your credentials and verify the password!"

Oh, it was account security!

No wonder Qian Le said it was inconvenient for him to come.

If this was eavesdropping, it would certainly arouse suspicion.

So, what password should we use?

Gu Shuxian pondered for only a moment before finding the answer in his heart.

"I am still the best halberd in the world."

"What?"

"Password: I am still the number one halberd in the world."

The disciple guarding the mountain was puzzled, but he just frowned and lowered his head to write in the book.

Suddenly, the disciple who had been resting with his eyes closed opened them, his eyes flashing with a sharp light!

He said in a deep voice:

"Chapter 17 of *The Legend of the Archer Hero*?"

"good!"

Overjoyed to encounter a fellow enthusiast on the way down the mountain, Gu Shuxian exclaimed, "It's precisely this famous quote left behind by the Divine Halberd Hero after defeating his nemesis, who also wields a halberd, and achieving a great victory!"

"Ha, what nemesis? He's the challenger, and he doesn't even rank among the later enemies!"

"Indeed, but that statement is truly moving, especially when paired with the astonishing martial arts skills of the Divine Halberd Hero..."

"I actually prefer the saying, 'When the sun is high in the sky, the past is settled'..."

"That line is also good, it has a sense of vicissitude, but..."

The disciple flipping through the book gasped. "You guys just start chatting like this?"

He cleared his throat and whispered:

"Ahem, Senior Brother Chen, this is official business time..."

The disciple guarding the mountain, addressed as Senior Brother Chen, suddenly realized what was happening and smiled apologetically at Gu Shuxian:

"My name is Chen Wenyan, and this gentleman..."

"Gu Shuxian".

"So it's Junior Brother Gu. If you have the chance, you can come to the outer sect, Mingjian Residence, and find me at number seven in the front courtyard, so we can discuss this book in more detail."

"must!"

Gu Shuxian clasped his hands in a fist salute, his heart secretly filled with excitement.

This senior brother Chen seems to be a book lover. I wonder if he has any other books that I could borrow?

It's no wonder he was excited, after all, this could very well be a new way to acquire books!

Moreover, the fact that this Senior Brother Chen can remember the plot and events of "The Legend of the Swordsman" so clearly means that he highly recommends this book. This implies that he has very high taste, and he might even recommend a few of his own masterpieces!

Gu Shuxian's mind raced; after just a few words of conversation, she was already lost in fantasies.

"By the way, what brings Junior Brother Gu down the mountain this time?"

"The weather is getting colder, so I'll buy some winter clothes and also see what good books are available down the mountain."

Gu Shuxian didn't mention going to do smuggling for the sect; if he had, it might have ended their friendship.

Chen Wenyan nodded and said, "It didn't take much time, so it's fine."

Gu Shuxian asked in confusion, "Why do you say that, Senior Brother?"

"Are you aware of the abandoned disciples of Suishan?"

"A disgraced disciple of Suishan?" Gu Shuxian asked, puzzled, his face expressionless.

Instead, the disciple flipping through the book shivered, his pen paused, and a blot of ink appeared on the paper.

Chen Wenyan said in a deep voice:

"Every year, the sect expels a lot of disciples. Some violate the sect rules, some fail the assessment, and some commit serious mistakes that lead to the loss of their cultivation and expulsion."

"There was a group of people who didn't think they had done anything wrong. Instead, they held a grudge against the sect. They would go in groups of three or five and specifically target the lone disciples of Suishan."

"They don't dare to provoke the inner sect's prodigies, so they specifically target us outer sect disciples... and menial disciples like you."