Volume 1, Chapter 35: I Am From the Foundation, and I Am Proud!

The Qingyun Archipelago consists of over thirty small islands clustered together, with relatively short distances between them. On these islands, it is not just cultivators but even mortals who frequently travel back and forth for trade and social visits, with journeys typically taking only four or five days. Changlan Island and Qiuye Island, located on the periphery, are among them.

At this moment, on one of these smaller islands, Jiang Xiaoqing dragged his weary body down the street. Having just finished disaster relief operations on Changlan Island, he had not yet had the chance to change out of his foundation robes. He felt utterly exhausted, as if he had been completely drained, and only wished to find a nearby inn or rent a cave dwelling to rest for a couple of days.

"Fellow Daoist, if I may ask, in which direction is the nearest place to rent a cave dwelling on this island?" he asked politely, stopping a passerby.

The cultivator seemed to be in a hurry and brushed his hand aside, intent on moving on. Jiang Xiaoqing was about to look for someone else to ask when he suddenly noticed the cultivator who had just rushed away stop and turn back, carefully scrutinizing Jiang's attire. His gaze eventually settled on the words "Langya Charity Foundation" embroidered on his chest.

"You... are you with the Langya Foundation?" The cultivator's expression shifted.

"Yes, I am," Jiang Xiaoqing nodded.

"Oh, why didn't you say so earlier?" the cultivator said hurriedly. "Are you looking for a cave dwelling?"

"Yes!"

"Come, come, I’ll take you there!"

Jiang Xiaoqing was flattered. "I couldn't possibly impose! I would be grateful if you could just point the way!"

But the cultivator was insistent, saying as they walked, "My wife’s family lives on Changlan Island. If it weren't for your Foundation being there this time, my wife would have been heartbroken... It’s just leading the way; it’s the least I can do!"

Soon, the cultivator brought Jiang Xiaoqing to the rental office. Once they arrived, the manager in charge personally came out to greet him and offered a significant discount.

"I have the utmost admiration for the righteous and benevolent deeds of all in the Foundation! It is my honor to meet you today," the manager said sincerely, personally leading Jiang Xiaoqing to his dwelling. After giving him several instructions and telling him to reach out if he needed anything, he finally departed.

Jiang Xiaoqing entered the dwelling, took off his Foundation uniform, and hung it neatly on the wall, feeling a bit dazed. Originally, he had joined the Foundation as a deacon simply because his cultivation was low, and none of the better sects would accept him. Furthermore, the Foundation’s compensation was decent, sitting in the upper-middle tier of the average monthly salary for disciples in many sects. He had just been looking for a source of income.

The work was truly exhausting, yet as he thought about everything he had experienced that day, the corners of his mouth could not help but curl upward. Being a member of the Foundation seemed to be something truly worth taking pride in.

...

Meanwhile, similar scenes were playing out in many places. Whenever a member of the Foundation or a cultivator from Tianjue Island revealed their identity, even those passersby who had not been saved by the Foundation themselves would cast appreciative, benevolent gazes their way.

The world of cultivation is full of treacherous and deceitful people. An organization like the Foundation, which saves lives without seeking reward, is like a breath of fresh air in a murky world. Moreover, in a place like the Northern Territory, attacks on islands by sea monsters happen almost daily. No one could guarantee that such a thing might not happen to them. If they were ever to face such a crisis, they would certainly prefer to encounter someone from the Foundation rather than the high-and-mighty cultivators who would coldly look the other way.

...

Elsewhere, on Feixian Island, located at the heart of the Qingyun Archipelago, a large crowd had gathered in front of the Langya branch. They stood in line, clutching their money with excited expressions, waiting only for the trading house doors to open so they could rush inside.

"What is going on? Did the Langya Trading House release something special? Why is everyone scrambling to buy?" a confused onlooker asked.

"Buy? They’re all rushing to give away their money!"

"Giving money? To the trading house? Are they crazy?"

"Not to the trading house—it’s a donation to the Langya Charity Foundation!"

"Is there a difference?"

"A huge one! If you can reach the top three on the Foundation's Merit Board, the President of the Langya Trading House will personally present you with an award!"

"The President? You don't mean... the legendary Princess Wei? That is an Earth Immortal-level existence!"

"Who else could it be?"

"No wonder! If throwing money can get me a chance to interact with such a figure, I’d pay as much as it takes!"

"That's not all. This Foundation is a genuinely good cause. Didn't you hear about the Changlan Island incident a few days ago? The defensive formation was breached by sea monsters, causing heavy casualties; it was almost turning into a barren island... But then the Foundation people arrived, healing the wounded and rescuing the distressed, saving countless lives. Who knows how many people owe them a debt of gratitude! If one can rank high on this Merit Board, it’s a massive, reliable network of connections for the future..."

There are no fools in the world of cultivation. Judging by what had happened on the islands over the last two days, if the Foundation continued its work, one day, every cultivator in the Northern Territory would have to show them some respect—and show it sincerely. The higher one's ranking on the Merit Board, the more easily one would be remembered.

...

When the hour struck, the doors of the trading house opened on time. Manager Su of the Feixian Island Langya branch was nearly startled by the sea of people at the door. It took him a while to clearly hear what they were shouting.

"The Foundation saved my seniors and juniors. I have no way to repay them, so please, accept these few spirit stones!"

"I have always loved peace and often helped my neighbors, but my individual strength is meager. I wish to offer these thousands of spirit stones to the Foundation to contribute to their charitable cause!"

"..."

Manager Su hurriedly announced in a loud voice, "Everyone, I understand your intentions! However, the Young Master has given instructions: the Foundation does not accept any direct donations or material gifts! As long as you purchase the items you need at the Langya Trading House, we will naturally count one percent of your total consumption as a contribution to the Foundation!"

Hearing this, the crowd went quiet for a moment. What? No direct donations or material gifts?

"Does this mean we can only donate to the Foundation by buying things? Why? Is the Langya Trading House hogging all the opportunities to do good?" someone asked indignantly.

"Are you stupid? This is a good thing! If you just donate money, you never know where it goes. But this way, you get the items you need while also doing a good deed—you aren't losing anything!"

"Hiss... that seems to be true!"

"The Young Master of Langya is truly thoughtful; he is really looking out for us!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's buy!"

"..."

The crowd rushed into the Langya branch like a gust of wind, buying whatever they laid their eyes on.